When A Walk Just Isn't Enough For Your Energetic Mutt!

Let's face it even I can't run my energetic dog everyday!  She wins.....she has more energy then I do. Most people will tell you I can go, go, go forever!  I run Daisy about 3-4 times a week. The days I don't have the energy to run her or days that I need a day off from running, I will walk her.  But a simple walk is not enough for her.  She will still have a ton of energy.  She will be relentless trying to play with Tigger if she is not tired. !  He is a bit less energetic to say the least. 

On my walks with Daisy I started using a backpack.  I fill this with two medium sized water bottles.  Just a little extra weight makes her work a little harder on our 30-60 minute walks.  If you decide to use a backpack for your dog then follow these guidelines:

• Start with small water bottles for a few weeks and work slowly up to larger bottles.  Don't overload the pack!  Keep it safe they don't need a ton of weight in the pack to make them work a little harder.  Two medium sized water bottles for Daisy is perfect.  The weight may also depend on the size of the dog.  Very large dogs may be able to work up to large water bottles or more weight.
• Keep the weight on each side of the pack even.
• Speak to your Vet if your dog has any joint or medical problems before using a backpack.
• Don't run with the backpack.  I only use this for walking with my dog.
• These can be used for hiking too. 
• Make sure the backpack fits properly and is not too tight or rubbing on the dog.  Most large pet stores carry these so you can bring your mutt to try them on in the store.  You can also purchase them at REI.

Most importantly be safe and have fun with your pets!

Fido's Summer Fit Tips

FIDO’S SUMMER FIT TIPS

Summer is here and everyone is thinking about getting healthy, fit, and looking great, but have you thought about keeping Fido fit through the summer? With increased temperatures it is harder to find times to get outside with your mutt.  Take these simple steps to ensure Fido stays healthy and fit through the summer.

1.  Avoid feeding your dog human food and table scraps. Stick to a feeding plan. Feed your dog the suggested amount of dog food from your Vet or the label of the dog food based upon your
dog’s weight. 

2.  Give your dog lower calorie treats like carrots. Avoid the higher calorie and more expensive dog treats and stick to carrots.  They love them and it will save you money and save them calories!

3.  Get out for exercise early or late to avoid the heat!  Maybe the heat doesn’t bother you but it
certainly does your dog.  Get out before sunrise or after sunset. Modify exercise to a less intense variety when it’s hot.  A good example is to walk your dog rather than run or if you run do a shorter route than normal. 

4.  Take a dip!  Some dogs like to swim so if you have a pool or lake available take them to it. Even if they swim like a fish, put a life vest on them to be safe. If you don’t have access to a pool or lake get a kiddie pool for the backyard.  This will allow them to cool off on a hot day and have some fun!

5.  Less exercise = less food.  Think about modifying their food intake if they are exercising less.  Be sure to check with your Vet first.

6.  They may drink more water.  Even Fido needs more water in the summer.  Keep their dish full and on all walks carry water with you.   You may want to carry a collapsible bowl with you too.

Have a great summer!  Keep it safe and healthy for both you and your pet!


                                If you have any questions feel free to contact me at:

Train With Cyndee

www.coachcyndee.com

702-373-8269

trainwithcyndee@yahoo.com

Fish Oils For Fido?

Most people have realized the powerful benefits of fish oils for humans.  I have taken fish oils for about the past 8 years on a regular basis.  Each morning when I take my fish oils I also give Tigger, Daisy, and Spec their fish oils.  Your mutt will get all the same benefits that you get from fish oils.  It is great for their heart, joints and inflammation.  It is also good for their skin and coat.  It will make their fur shine!  So how much should you give?  There are a few different forms you can chose from.  Several companies actually make dog varieties of fish oils.  You can also give them the human variety as long as fish oils is the only ingredient.  So read your labels carefully!  Sometimes companies will add other products to the fish oil. I would follow the recommended dose on the label if it is specifically for dogs.  I have given my mutts both the human fish oils and dog fish oil which are both basically the same thing.

• The capsule variety is usually about 1,000 mg per capsule.  Large breeds I would give 2-3 capsules each day.  Small dogs 1 capsule each day.  I would start with the lower dose and see how your mutt tolerates it because every dog is different.  Some dogs won't eat the capsules in that case get the liquid variety.
• Liquid can be human for dog variety.  The Vitamin Shoppe sells a Salmon Oil for dogs with a pump that is easy to squirt on your dogs food.  I have also given the human liquid variety to my dogs. I give them about 1-2 tablespoons each day. My smaller dog gets the lower dose 1 tbs and the larger ones get 2. Start with the lower dose for all dogs and see how they tolerate it.  

You will find their fur is shinny and their heart and joints will thank you through the years!

Fridays Fido Fit Tip - Healthy Low Calorie Dog Treats

My dogs love treats in fact I think most any dog likes dog treats.  I have tried all kinds of dog treats and my dogs  like pretty much anything I give them.  They rarely turn anything down.  I can't imagine how much money I have wasted on expensive dog treats.  Some of those dog treats can be loaded with calories. If your furry friend is overweight the treats are just adding to their health problems.  Your wallet and your dogs health can suffer if you give your mutt too many treats.

Several years ago someone told me to give my dogs carrots for treats. I originally thought this was funny and thought they wouldn't eat them.  I tried giving them carrots after a walk. To my surprise they seemed to enjoy the carrots just as much as any other high calorie expensive treat.  I buy carrot slices or baby carrots and after our daily exercise that is their treat.  It saves me money and saves them calories.   Here is a picture of Daisy patiently waiting for her carrots after her run!

Fido's Friendly Fit Tip - Keep me safe!

Saturday I was going along with my day when I suddenly saw a dog in distress laying on the sidewalk on a busy street.  I stopped to see if the dog was hurt.  I did not want to approach the dog because if a dog is injured and in pain they could bite.  This could happen EVEN if the dog is a friendly dog and has never bite anyone before.  Cautiously I approached the dog and it got up and walked in the other direction only to lay back down in the shade.  At this point I realized it might not be injured but exhausted and dehydrated.  I eventually got a police officer to contact Animal Control who came out and tried to get the dog.  I hope they caught him and were able to find the owners. 

Then yesterday I am walking my dogs who all three are on their leash.  I see another dog with its owner approaching us.  This dog was off leash coming up to us.  My dog Daisy is not friendly with other dogs so this could potentially be a dangerous situation.  This poor dog off leash could also easily have gotten hit by a car.  I yelled at the owner to put her dog on a leash and she looked at me like I was crazy.

You can take simple steps to keep your pet safe.  This poor dog clearly got lose from the year and in the heat running around without water was in trouble.  The dog approaching us off leash could have gotten injured or worse one of my dogs could have been injured. 

Please take these simple steps to ensure you and your pet are safe:

1. Always keep your dog on a leash.  This should be even when you are on trails, at the lake, and in the mountains.  Don't risk your dog approaching another dog that is not friendly.  Your dog could also easily run off after a critter only to never be seen again.
2. Make sure you have your dog tags on  your mutt at all times.  Also make sure the proper information is on the tags.  Getting your pet chipped in another reassurance if your dog gets loose you will hopefully get them back.
3. Check the gates and fences at your house.  There is a house I walk by with my pets and in the past year about 3 separate times the dogs have pushed the gate open and got out because it was not closed all the way. 
4. Make sure their collar is on tight enough so it won't slip off.
5. If you are out front in your yard with your pet make sure it is restrained on a leash.  Many times I walk by a house with the garage opened and a dog comes running out of the garage.  If they did this when a car was coming by they could be dead. 
6. Carry some essentials in your car in case you come up on a injured or stray pet.  I could have used water and a bowl to place out for this dog the other day.  I will always have the following in my car in case this situation happens again:
1. bottled water
2. bowl
3. blanket
4. leash
5. animal controls number - city and county
6. dog treats

If you see a dog like I did the other day then you should call animal control.  In Las Vegas depending on where you are you will need to call the City or County.  If the dog is injured be very careful because and injured dog can bite even if they are friendly.  If the dog is a danger to others then you may want to call 311 the non-emergency police line.  I was lucky because I happened to see a police officer drive by and I flagged him down.  He was able to dispatch animal control.  It can be frustrating to find numbers but try and stay with the dog until help arrives.  Caution people about approaching the dog.

Summer is here and in Vegas keeping your dog cool is another important part of keeping your dog safe.  I always walk my dogs very early in the morning during the summer.  The summer heat will heat up the pavement in no time and it is not fair to have your dog walk on the hot pavement.  Get out early to avoid any problems.   

He lost almost half of his body weight!

He may have been only 19lbs but for my Min Pin/Chihuahua mix that was obese!  I got Spec about two years ago.  He was an unhappy, mean, overweight dog.  My sister had Spec and couldn't keep him anymore so I took him under my wing.  Little did he know his life would change dramatically.  Spec didn't lost his weight overnight it took time.  It took about 9 months for him to reach his ideal healthy weight of 11lbs and become a happy dog. 
It was a simple strategy of more exercise and less food.  People think weight loss for humans and dogs is some secret method but its not!  I started with short walks.   He walked with me and my other dogs about 20 minutes 4 times a week.  I gradually increased his walk time over the course of 6 months getting up to one hour.  Then during our walks I did short 20 seconds of jogging throughout the walk.  We slowly worked up to jogging continuously for 1 mile.  Months later it was 2 miles.  Just recently we did a 3 mile run!  Here is a picture of me in my Vibram shoes and Spec after our run!
It was almost two years from the 20 minute walk to the 3 mile run.  It is so important to increase exercise slowly with your pet.  Be patient!  It is even more important if the dog is overweight to start with.  A few pounds on a small dog like Spec is alot of excess weight.  A 12lb Pomeranian is equal to a woman 249lbs and 5'4"!  Every excess pound on a small dog like a Pom is equal to about 24lbs on a 5'4" female.  Excess weight for any size dog will lead to critical health problems and will cost you more money in Vet bills.  It is well worth it to exercise your pet.  You will save money and have your furry friend around much longer.  It is NEVER too late. 
Along with exercise you must review how much you are feeding your dog.  With Spec I started by giving him the suggested amount of food on the dog food bag.  Sometimes this works and sometimes you may need to consult your Vet to see how much you should feed your dog.  You may need to get lower calorie dog food.  Most importantly don't give your pets scraps from the table, human food and treats.   All these calories add up quick!  I use carrots for treats and my dogs seem to like these as much as they like the higher calorie dog treats.  A bonus is the carrots are much cheaper! 
I love my dogs and want them to live a healthy and happy life.  Diet and exercise will help them do that. 
Check out the Get Fit With Fido calendar and see when we get moving with our mutts.  Come and join us for some fun.  www.coachcyndee.com  under the Get Fit With Fido tab.  You can also come to the Henderson REI and here me talk about safe and fun exercise with your pet.  I will be there Wednesday April 20 at 7pm. 

How Much To Eat?

Tigger Just Chillin!  He gets fed 1 1/2 cup in morning and 1 cup in the evening!

Keeping track of your diet is hard enough for most people. Your pet needs the same attention to their diet as you do.  Overfeeding is very common in dogs (and people too).  So how you you know how much to feed your dog?  As in humans there is no one answer because all dogs are different.  I am always surprised when I ask someone how much their dog is supposed to be fed and they have no idea.  They just put food down in an amount they think is right.  They have not done any research or read any label on the correct amount of food their dog should get.  Then they are surprised that they have an overweight dog.  You have to have a plan to feed yourself and your dog!  Eating without a plan will lead to both of you being overweight and feeling like crap.

Let me give you some tips to help you when feeding your mutt:

• Don't free feed your dog.  By this I mean don't set down food and leave it there until it is gone.  Some people keep food down for the dog at all times and this can be a recipe for disaster.
• Have specific feeding times and if your dog does not eat all the food at that time pick it up.  Eventually they will get the point that they need to eat it when it is put in front of them.
• Feed them twice a day.....but not twice as much!  I figured out what my dogs calorie requirements were for the entire day and divide that into one morning serving and one evening.  I try to keep feeding times consistent at 4am and 6pm.  For everyone the times may be different but just keep the times consistent day to day.  Dogs need routine.
• Use the back of the dogs food bag as a guideline for how much to feed your dog.  Keep in mind this is ONLY a guideline and if your dog is overweight you may need to ask your Vet how much you should feed fido.  You can see the calorie content for various foods at www.petobesityprevention.com.  This website is also a good resource for guidelines on calorie requirements for dogs. 
• Don't feed human food to dogs except for veggies like carrots and broccoli. I use these as treats for my dogs.  Most dog treats can be very  high in calories.
• If your dog is a normal healthy weight then more active days you may want to increase calorie intake slightly. 
• If your dog is overweight consider a weight control dog food. 
• Don't exercise your dog right after feeding it. 
• If your dog is a fast eater consider getting a specific bowl that will slow them down.  You can purchase these at www.brake-fast.com. 

Happy Feeding!