Friday, January 28, 2011

Fido's Friday Fit Tip - How To Manage It All


How can you manage your exercise and your pets exercise if your time is limited? Most people have a hard time fitting in exercise for themselves let alone for their pets. I am just as busy as the next person. I have three dogs, all which have totally different fitness needs. I am going to give you one example of how I use time management to tackle it all (my fitness, and all 3 dogs, all with different fitness requirements). Wednesday my training schedule called for a long run between 7 and 9 miles. I also had three dogs that needed some exercise.

Spec is a small min pin mix. He needs some activity each day. He is small (11lbs) and he can easily pack on the pounds with inactivity. One too many pounds on him is like 5 extra pounds on a human. Usually 30 minutes of walking is good enough for him. I have slowly worked him up to a very easy jog of 2 miles. That is about his limit and truthfully he doesn't need to do anymore than that.

Tigger is a lab/chow mix and is 6 years old. A 3-5 mile run or 30-60 minute walk is usually enough for him. He has been running since he was about a year old. Keeping him fit and lean is important to maintain healthy joints. Labs tend to have hip problems and even a few extra pounds could be a problem for him.

Daisy is my energetic runner. She can run 10 miles easily with energy to spare. If I don't exercise her everyday I am likely going to find chewed shoes and clothes. Without exercise she is endlessly nagging all of us. She needs to exercise not because she will be overweight (she is really skinny) but because her energy level is extremely high. Without exercise she gets bored and gets into trouble.

With such different fitness levels and limited time how can I get it all done. I start by taking all three of them for a short easy jog of two miles. I wear my Vibram Five Finger shoes for the easy part of the run. I will talk about these a little later. They are great for very short runs to work on your running form. This short 2 mile jog warms me and Daisy up for the next 7 miles. After the two miles I take Tigger and Spec back home, change into my running shoes, grab some water (Daisy gets some too) and take Daisy for another 7 miles. Tigger and Spec are quite content staying behind for this run but Daisy is all too happy to keep going.

After our 9 miles we come home to two sleeping dogs (Tigger and Spec). All three dogs get some carrots for treats because they all did so good! They seem to like carrots just as much as the higher calorie treats. So why not reward them with a healthy carrot?

What are my Vibram Five Finger shoes? These are shoes that have recently become popular. I wear them for very short runs (I had to work up to 2 miles). When running in them they force you to run with better running form. They have no padding at all. They don't let you heal strike at all which is good because you should land mid-foot anyway. I find running a few miles at the start of a long run in the Vibrams helps my form for the rest of the run. It is a great way to start my run. You can learn more about them at http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm.

It is so important to know each of your pets and their limitations. Keeping your pet healthy is your job as their pet owner. A healthy dog is a happy dog! My dogs are happiest when they are outside running or walking with me. Each of your animals have different levels of fitness and different fitness needs. Your dogs fitness is just as important as your own!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Is your dog overweight or obese? Shame on YOU!


My three fit and healthy mutts!

I was amazed to find out how big of a problem obesity is in the canine population. If you have an overweight or obese pet you are completely to blame! The sad statistics are overwhelming! Dogs will face some of the same problems that people do if they are overweight. They will be subject to joint, heart problems and their life expectancy will certainly be shortened. The even sadder thing is that it is NOT the dogs fault! It is the human that is to blame. The human is feeding the dog, they are controlling the amount of exercise, they are providing treats, so they are to blame. Here is a frightening statistic I found on www.petobesityprevention.com (which is a great website as a resource)

- 90 pound female Labrador retriever is equal to a 186 pound 5’ 4” female or 217 pound 5’ 9” male (my labmix weighs 65lbs and is a perfectly healthy weight)

- Every excess pound on a female Lab is equal to 4 to 5 pounds on a 5’ 4” female or 5’ 9” male (1lb on a dog = 5 lbs excess on humans)

It is estimated that 51.5% of dogs and cats are overweight and 15% are obese!

If you have an obese or overweight dog it is likely you will have more vet bills throughout their life.

Overfeeding your pet is not showing love to your pet! Giving them too many treats is not doing them any good. Not providing any exercise for them is sadly making them fat and could be a source of problematic behavior.
Here are a few things you can do to keep your dogs weight healthy:
  • Walking your dog 20 minutes per day at least 4 days a week!
  • Get rid of all treats.
  • Check the bag of dog food to see how much is the recommended amount to feed your dog each day.
  • When you begin exercise with your dog start slowly and build no more than 10 percent each week.

These are all simple things and easy to do! Stay tuned for more healthy tips for you and your mutt!

Monday, January 17, 2011

How Fit Is Your Mutt?


I am so happy to finally be able to tell everybody about all my secrets to keeping your dog fit and healthy! I have three lovely dogs and they are all amazing fit. Each in their own way. Spec my little min pin mix is a lean machine at 11lbs. He came to me a little sausage almost double that weight. Tigger is very fit and at his last vet visit she even commented on his low heart rate.....meaning he is very fit and healthy. He runs with me for most of my shorter runs and walks everyday! Daisy is my fittest of the bunch and my long distance runner. She amazes me everyday. She is 50% Doberman, 25% Dalmatian, 25% Shetland Sheepdog. How do I do exactly what she is? I was curious so I had her DNA tested. Don't tell me how crazy I am or that my money would have been better spent elsewhere....because I have heard it all. It was only 50 bucks through Wisdom Panel DNA Testing. Here the skinny little thing is with me!



Today was an awesome day outside in Vegas for most. By 2 o'clock my dashboard temperature in my car said 80 degrees. We had record highs and I thought it was a great day. My plan was to work until 1pm torturing all my clients in the gym and then go home get Daisy and go for a 10-mile run. 10-miles for my dog? Well we didn't just start out at 10 miles. During the winter months we slowly work Daisy up to it. She has been doing 8 to 10 mile runs in the past few weeks. We also do shorter runs during the week on other days. Daisy is a great endurance runner. She is an amazingly fit dog. She loves to run and can't seem to ever get enough of it......except when it is HOT! For Daisy a 10-mile run in 80 degrees would be too much. I knew that my plan would have to change when I realized how unseasonably warm it was in Vegas when I was on my way home from work. If you were to look at Daisy you wouldn't think she is the type of dog that would be so sensitive to the heat. I mean really it was only 80 degrees right? She is skinny, midsized (45lbs), short hair, and all muscle. On the other hand my lab/chow mix who is more bulky, bigger (65lbs) and has thick hair handles the heat like a champ. I decided to take Daisy for only 5 miles and that was just enough for her. I went back out and finished my 10 on my own.
It is so important to pay attention to your dogs behavior anytime the temperature changes drastically in either direction. I know my dogs as well as I know myself. I know Daisy could easily run 10 miles in 60 degree weather. She would probably still have energy to spare. The other day we went 7 miles and she finished with a 7:30 minute mile pace....that's fast! Today at around mile 3 she was doing great and having a good run but she wanted to hold a 9:30 minute mile pace. I know it was because of the heat. Usually she is running slightly ahead of me. Today she was running beside me.
During the summer here in Vegas I take my dogs outside for a walk or short run between 3am-6am. We all know how hot Vegas gets and it is so important to get your pets and your exercise in early. I also shorten their runs in the summer. The maximum I run in the summer is 5 miles with my dogs. I actually keep most of the runs to about 3 miles. We do more walking than running. Once the sun comes out in the summer the pavement is far too hot to take your furry friends outside. Imagine if you had to walk on the street barefoot in the summer, when you could cook an egg on the pavement! That wouldn't feel good and I wouldn't take out your pet during the day in Las Vegas.
The bottom line is that you need to pay attention to your dog. Always be prepared when going for a walk or run. I keep my runs close to my house typically doing a two or three loop course in case I need to cut it short. I never push my pet beyond their limits. It is always better to do slightly less than too much. This is good for people and pets. Don't overdue it.
  • Carry water or have access to water.
  • Stay close to home in case you need to cut your run/walk short.
  • Be very careful when temperature changes drastically in either direction.
  • If you are sweating and hot imagine how hot your pet may be!
  • Don't think because your dog has short hair or is small they can handle the heat better. The same goes for furry dogs just because they are have more fur does not mean they can handle cold weather better. The best option is to pay attention to them. If they are acting out of the norm for them something might be wrong.
  • People and pets need to gradually begin an exercise program. Don't just jump into running 5 miles. This goes for people and pets.

Your pet can be your best workout partner! All 3 of my dogs are fabulous and fit and yours can be too! Be smart and safe when exercising with your pet.