Do you own a fat dog? Signs your dog is obese

Filed under Dog Health by admin on March 11, 2011 at 4:43 am {2 comments}

This picture may have been enhanced by PhotoShop but there's nothing healthy about a fat dog. Is your dog obsese? These tips may help.

Here’s a moment of full disclosure: We have always been a little self-conscience as to whether our dogs have been a little overweight. We can’t resist but give our dogs a few table scraps or a few extra dog treats now and then. But you can’t help but wonder: Is my dog fat? The last thing we want to do as dog owners is create a fat dog. Daily exercise can help, but here are some tips to detect whether or not you own a fat dog:

- Did you overfeed your dog as a puppy? The realty is, overfed puppies tend to become fat dogs.

- The best sign to get an indication to whether or not your dog is overweight is to check the ribcage. Give your dog a pat on the side and check whether or not you can feel your dog’s ribs. There should be a thin layer of fat over the ribs, but if you can’t detect the ribs at all, that’s a sign your dog may be on the heavy side, if not obese.

- Look down. If there’s not a narrowing at the waist of your dog, chances are that dog is overweight. If the waist is extremely noticeable your dog may be too thin.

If you are concerned at all that you may be the owner of an obese dog, the most important thing you can do is consult your vet. Every dog is different and it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle for your dog. They will reward your with their unconditional love and loyalty.

How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Filed under Dog Health, Uncategorized by admin on February 26, 2011 at 3:18 pm {4 comments}

Daily brushing of your dog's teeth can improve your dog's smile. But it's hard to top this one!

February is dental health month and it’s important to remember that dental hygiene is just as important for dogs as it is for humans. Here are some tips on how to brush the teeth of your favorite dog:

1. Don’t use human toothpaste when brushing your dog’s teeth: The toothpaste that works great for us can cause problems with your dog’s stomach. Make sure you buy a dog appropriate toothpaste. We use chicken flavor on our dog, which may not sound good to us but she loves it. Getting a good flavored dog toothpaste makes brushing your dogs teeth a little easier.

2. Ease into brushing your dog’s teeth: Your dog may not appreciate it if you jump right in with a toothbrush and start scrubbing. First, give the dog a taste of the toothpaste and then gently use your finger to ease into the process of brushing your dog’s teeth. When the dog is ready, start brushing.

3. Reward your dog while brushing: It’s an uncomfortable process for the dogs at times, so make sure after a minute or two of brushing you reward your dog. It may just be simple praise, or maybe a treat. The key is making it fun for the dog.

Why is it important? Consider these words from Dr. Ray Cahill in a story from wickedlocal.com:

Just like with humans, bacteria and plaque accumulate on our pets’ teeth and needs to be removed to prevent disease. Letting a pet walk around with dental disease puts a stress on the immune system and allows bacteria to get a foothold, which can then spread elsewhere in the body to trigger other serious health issues. As for how often to brush a pet’s teeth, research suggests at least twice a week to get the best results.

Brushing –– primarily for cats and dogs –– can be a positive and rewarding experience. You can introduce it as part of your daily routine and even link it to events like walking and feeding. Here are some helpful tips to get you up and running.

BONUS: Many products made for dogs help improve their dental hygiene. There are dental toys that are great for your dog’s teeth and the dog won’t know the difference. Check with your vet about purchasing dental chews that control tartar buildup. Too much human food isn’t good for your dog’s teeth either.

Motel Uses Dog to Sniff Out Bed Bugs

Filed under Dog Health by admin on February 24, 2011 at 5:25 am {one comment}

An Iowa dog makes sure all the rooms at his owner's motel are bed bug free.

Bed Bugs are a serious problem in the United States and it seems to only be growing. Hotels and motels have to be among the worst places to get bed bugs and one motel is doing something about it.

According to KCRG.com, an Iowa motel owner is using his Jack Russell Terrier to sniff out bed bugs and the owner claims to be the only motel using a dog to detect bed bugs. So far it’s working.

“I claim to be the only motel in the United States to own their own motel dog and check their rooms daily for bed bugs with a canine,” he said.

In December Olberding became a certified dog handler. Now alongside his Jack Russell Terrier, Jackson, he checks every room in the hotel on a daily basis as a preventative measure. Olberding even has a certificate to prove that Jackson is a certified bed bug detecting dog, and that he is a certified handler.

“(The Hawkeye) always does a freshly washed mattress pad, blanket, and bedspread at check in,” he said. “Now I can be sure that the rooms are as clean as possible and bed bug free.”

Five Tips For Raising Yellow Lab Puppies

Filed under Dog Health, Raising Puppies by admin on February 24, 2011 at 4:51 am {10 comments}

This is Toby, one of the cutest labs to ever be entered in a DoggieDeliveries.com photo contest.

There’s not a better companion than a yellow lab. Labrador retrievers are one of the most popular dogs in the country and for good reason. They’re friendly, loving – not to mention smart. Our yellow lab puppy didn’t come with a manual and at times we needed one. So here are five tips we learned through the years in raising a lab:

1. They are escape artists – don’t underestimate a lab puppy: The first night we took Cobi home, we had her barricaded in our small kitchen with plenty of food and drink, along with a comfy dog bed. But she wanted to be by us, and it didn’t take her long to escape. For us, crate training turned out to be the best way to raise and train a yellow lab puppy.

2. Exercise is your friend: A well-exercised and worn out lab puppy is one less likely to get into trouble. Take lots of walks, and let these social dogs see the world. When you’re ready for bed, your lab puppy will be too and that helps everyone sleep.

3. Use positive re-enforcement but provide discipline: You have to be firm with your lab puppies but most of all they love to be praised. Make sure you’re pointing out the positives when they happen and not just getting angry at the negatives. In our case, that included a chewed up fireplace.

4. Provide chew toys: These adorable labs love to chew, like most puppies. It’s better for them to chew a toy rope than your new shoes. And believe me, they’ll try. Give them plenty of alternatives and maybe you’ll survive the first few months without too much damage.

5. Love: You can’t outlove a lab. They will return every ounce you give them and then some.

 

Study Finds That Many Dogs Are Obese and Overweight

Filed under Dog Health by admin on February 24, 2011 at 4:14 am {2 comments}

A study finds that more dogs are heavier than recommended body weight.

Maybe the reason many dogs are obese and overweight is because owners have less time to exercise or maybe dogs are fat because they aren’t being fed properly. But according to the Chicago Tribune, the Association for Pet Obese Prevention reported that one-fifth of our dogs and cats are obese. For a dog to be obese, it must be over 30 percent the recommended body weight for the dog.

The result? Many dogs suffer from dog arthritis, dog diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

 

 

Most Popular Posts

    Categories