Puppy Training!!!AH!!!
Ok, so if you went to the walk, you probably already know that I now have a 4 month old puppy! We named him Baxter, and he was abandoned (randomly? I doubt it) at Davis Park on the morning of the health walk. We are now puppy proofing the house, and that is about as fun as it sounds! But this is a very important part of having a puppy- removing the opportunity for problem behavior. Having a few trusty chew toys on hand to replace a non-approved item is a must. It doesn’t do to just remove the item from the pets reach, its important that you provide an approved item for your pet to chew on. Positive reinforcement at its finest!!
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Prizes at the Walk!!!
There will be a FREE Basic Level Wellness Plan at Banfield the Pet Hospital will be an offered at our silent auction to be held at our walk this Sunday!!(new clients only) If that doesn’t interest you, how about office visits at half price at Banfield The Pet Hospital with the proceeds going to Beau!! Can’t wait to see you, and your pet all dressed up on Sunday!!
Service dogs are heroes!
Check out this awesome service dog saving its owner!!
Tips for helping your pet lose weight in a healthy way!
Recent studies have shown that one in four dogs are obese- thats not a good ratio! Considering some families have four dogs or more, I would say many families and pets must be affected. So lets explore a few ways to facilitate weight loss for your pet…
First, think about what all the famous diet programs tell you- eating smaller meals throughout the day is better than having three large heavy meals in a day. When your pet is obese, its important to try a diet food, my recommendation is checking with your vet for some options. I know from my own vet tech experience that vets can prescribe diet food for your pet, or you can check the aisles for whatever food you already feed, and get the lower calorie version. Since you are giving a diet food you may feel like you can give them more- this is not the case! Just like for us, eating a whole tray of low fat cookies is still eating a whole tray of cookies! And we can’t have that!
Also, make sure everyone in your house, including visitors, knows that your pet can no longer have any treats or table scraps to ruin its new healthy lifestyle. It does your pet no good to put them on diet food if they are receiving the rest of their calories at your dinner table.
Pets are like people when it comes to exercise. You wouldn’t go to the gym for the first time in quite a while and run for 45 minutes, lift weights and do a spin class! You would be lying on the floor in about ten minutes! Well, comparatively, so would your dog. To ensure that your pet is getting a good workout and not overdoing it, start out slow! Don’t take them on a four mile jog when they haven’t even had a walk in a month. Begin with short walks, and over time extend the time you are walking and increase your speed. Once your pet has gotten used to the daily walks, you can try to jog with them- make sure that your pet can handle that kind of exertion, and that they have seen a vet and had a healthy check up. And always watch for signs of sunstroke, or dehydration, and fatigue, by being aware of the signs your pet is giving you. Rapid breaths, halted moving, laying down-these are all signs that the pet is overexerted and the exercise needs to cease.
These are some simple tips that will really help you begin to walk down a healthier path with your pet. Like dieting for people, its better to have everyone in your home aware of the diet and supporting it! Lets make sure your pet is getting the healthy food and exercise it deserves!
Training helps curb problem behaviors!
Well, if your going to have a pet, don’t you think both of you should be happy about it?!! Its not all one sided!! Anyone can see a happy dog. And a dog that exercises with its owner is much less likely to have behavior problems. Maybe its the one on one attention they get from their best pal, the one with the treats! Or maybe its because they are just too pooped from all of that fun exercising they’ve been doing- but while they are laying down tired, they AREN’T getting into the garbage, or into your food, etc. Another benefit is that these activities can be a big energizing boost for owners and their dogs. I always have a smile on my face when I walk a pet. What else is more simple, and yields such great results?:D