October 21, 2020

Keeping your dog in tip top condition

I would like to draw focus away from dog behaviour just for a sec. Is your dog well physically? Look, we know that mental and physical health are linked so let’s take a closer look at keeping your dog in top physical shape!

Correct weight. This can be a touchy subject for some owners. I understand this BUT did you know that slim dogs will live 2-3 years longer than overweight dogs. I want my dogs around for as long as possible and this motivates me to only feed enough food to maintain their lifestyle, rather than too much.

If you have a dog who eats kibble (biscuits) and struggles with their weight, look at cutting out some kibble and adding fresh ingredients to promote them feeling full. Steamed pumpkin is great for this very job! Veges can help dogs feel full without a huge load of calories.

It is difficult to lose weight when you eat lots of carbs. Believe me, I know! So cut back on the kibble and feed more fresh food. If you are concerned about not giving your dog all the vitamins and minerals they need every day, don’t be, humans don’t eat perfectly every day. We just balance it out over a week, dogs can do that too!

How you feed is also a thinking point. Does your dog eat from a bowl and does the food disappear in 10 seconds? Perhaps try a slow feed bowl or put their meal in a Kong (freeze it in warmer months for extra slow eating).

Perhaps you are currently training your puppy or adolescent dog and use most of their food in training? If your dog is too heavy, cut back on their food portions and opt for focus on protein and fat. Pet dogs are not endurance athletes, they don’t pull sleds all day, so they don’t need huge amounts of carbohydrates from grain (they don’t actually need any at all).

Fitness. Do you walk with your dog every day? Is this even a choice for some owners? Bellatrix, Bert and Bender would be horrified with infrequent walks as they like to sniff, explore, move their bodies and poop out of the back garden.

What sort of exercise are you providing for your dog? Variety is the key to strong, lean bodies. Lead walking is great for dogs who need help to stay with you but consider a long lead and a comfy harness. I would also recommend walking a puppy, adolescent or newly rescued dog in very quiet areas such as bushland. Neighbourhood walks are pretty much the most difficult walks to go on, a dog needs a high level of skill before these kind of walks are pleasant for all involved.

Parks are great for your dog if they are sociable with unknown dogs. Please don’t fall into the time trap of ball throwing day in, day out as your dog will pull up with an injury sooner rather than later (cruciate surgeries are avoidable!).

Bellatrix, at nearly 3 years old, is now able to WALK next to me on a loose lead around any environment. It takes time, dedication and training but it is SOOOO worth it! *See my last blog of how we got to this point https://www.georgiadeniet.com/blog/

Off lead exercise is best so that your dog can move freely BUT your dog must be ready. If you have a dog who reacts to other dogs, hire an enclosed area once a week for safe off lead time. Using a long lead mimics off lead time so invest in a long line for your puppy or newly adopted dog (attached to a harness).

Mobility. The number of dogs I see while out and about who limp, head bob or are favouring a particular limb astounds me. Dogs are built to hide discomfort so when you can see it, action needs to be taken. There are dog Physio’s in Perth as well as Vets who specialize in sports rehabilitation. There are also people like me who have a strong interest in dog fitness and have studied in the field. Make sure that your dog is pain free and moving as well as they can be.

Play. Did you know that play is the opposite of depression? Play with your dog every day, even if it’s only for 30 seconds (Bellatrix scoffed at the idea of a 30 second play session). Find it, tug, chase, hide and seek are all good games and remember to wrap sexy life skills into your play e.g. can your dog lie down and stay while you place a toy a few feet away?

I use play to proof whatever new behaviours that I am working on. Bellatrix has to down stay while I go out of sight and hide her scent item. We have worked up to this of course, she started as a puppy holding a down position while I placed a toy in front of her and she had to wait until I said ‘ok.’ Here is a clip of gorgeous Shera working on this skill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL8NoUHb1AA

Record keeping. Every 6 months, take a side on photo of your dog in a standing position in the same location and at the same time of day. You can compare these photos over time and notice issues early.

I know I said we were focusing on physical health but I have to mention mental health here. Look after your dog’s mental health as you do your own (if you don’t look after your own, perhaps this may be a starting point!). Avoid rehearsal of crappy behaviour from your dog e.g. set them up for success in life. Keep them on lead until they are ready to go off lead, avoid them lunging and barking at every dog/human/car they pass. Nurture relationships within your household if you have multiple dogs (don’t let them be jerks to each other). Do stuff your dog likes to do, even if it means getting up every Sunday really early and going out looking for scent together (lucky I love you Bellatrix). Take them through Maccas drive-thru for an ice cream cone occasionally if their gut can handle it (Bender’s fave activity other than popping bubble wrap). Make sure their day is set up so they are feeling calm and content (Bert has to be walked first every day, yep, EVERY day). Making them feel good makes you feel good which makes them feel good <3

Here is a link to the Facebook Live I did on this topic: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3279939915416166&ref=watch_permalink