After switching to a plant-based diet, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton says his pet roscoe “is like a different dog.

The British racing star, who became plant-based himself seven years ago, claims he tested the diet on his bulldog Roscoe and has seen a world of difference in the canine

Lewis Hamilton, a legendary figure in British motorsport, is such an advocate of a plant-based diet that he tried it out on his bulldog Roscoe, then 12 years old, some years ago, and he claims it was entirely transforming.

According to the 39-year-old Formula One racer, “Roscoe is almost like a different dog than when I first got him,” PEOPLE has learned. “I’m always searching for ways to care after his health and basically just improve his quality of life, and his nutrition is just one component.

Hamilton, who made the decision to go to a plant-based diet seven years ago, recently invested in Bramble, a plant-based dog food, because of the evident improvement.

“I’ve had Roscoe with me for a long time, and the first eight years, he was on a normal diet for dogs that included meat,” Hamilton says.

“He would constantly have health problems and have trouble walking and breathing. I looked into things that would help him get healthier because I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to support him. As long as you made sure the dog was receiving all the nutrients it needed, I could see how a plant-based diet may be beneficial.

He continues by saying that since switching to a plant-based diet, his dog has not only had fewer health problems and more energy, but the diet has also improved the dog’s fur. According to Hamilton, “Even his coat is softer, which is amazing because he loves to be petted!”
He continues, “I’m happiest when the plate in front of me looks like a rainbow.”