Cat behavior problems develop between the ages of six to 12 weeks, and they can include aggression towards humans or other animals and urination, especially in males who mark their territory. Assess feline behavior problems at an early age withadvice from a practicing veterinarian in this free video on pet care. Expert: Dr. James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Would you expect a boss to ask an unhealthy, overweight employee to suddenly do something like carrying sacks of cement at a jobsite for a whole day? That would have to be a pretty sadistic boss. Let’s say you yourself are a bit flabby and lacking in exercise, would you suddenly decide to run a marine obstacle course? Of course you wouldn’t.
It is odd then that so many people enroll their extremely overweight and clearly unhealthy dogs in obedience and basic agility courses. The sight of a pathetically unhealthy dog struggling to jump over obstacles and clamber over frames is all too common in such courses. With one look at the poor pets, that try bravely to obey their masters, you can tell they are not having a good time at all.
Such dogs should be put on a strict controlled diet and exercise program. Many people are of the mindset that an overweight dog is not unhealthy the way an overweight human is. Nothing could be further from the truth. An obese dog is every bit as unhealthy and at risk to all kinds of disorders as an obese person. If your dog is so big that you can’t feels his ribs, or if your dog’s torso does not taper down behind his rib cage, then your dog is too fat, and you aren’t loving your pet correctly by over indulging him.
The good news is that no time is a bad time to start feeding your dog right, and putting your pet on a proper exercise program. If your dog is older, there is all the more reason to do it, as older dogs joints tend to hurt from carrying too much weight.
To ensure the success of your program, you need to get the cooperation of your family, your neighbors, and anyone who comes into contact with your dog on a regular basis. There is no point to strictly regulating what your dog eats if other people are “sneaking” him or her treats in between meals. Giving of table scraps and unscheduled feedings should be eliminated completely. If you have a cat, or other dogs, then be sure that none of the food intended for your other pets is left lying around. Secure every possible source of food, your dog will get desperate and may try to knock over trashcans and paw at known food sources like cabinets.
Consult your vet on how much food you should give your dog, and how frequently you should give it. You may need to “tweak” this if your dog doesn’t show results after a couple of weeks. Don’t make any adjustments to the dog’s diet with consulting your vet first. If you have your dog enrolled in an obedience program and the method used is click and treat, then be sure you take note of your dog’s treat consumption so that it you can adjust properly on the main meals.
Unlike people, dogs can’t will themselves to exercise for the sake of good health. An overweight dog is a lazy dog, and there is really no way to motivate a dog to exercise, the only way to get a dog to exercise is to trick him into it.
If you can somehow manage it, swimming is the best form of exercise for a dog. If you have a swimming pool, access to one, or live near a lake, or river fit for swimming, there is really no substitute for it. Having your dog swim for 10 minutes is like taking him on a 6 mile walk. Swimming works every important muscle group in a dog’s body.
You can go jogging with your dog too, unfortunately, to gain any meaningful benefit, you need to go 6 miles each time, even assuming you are fit enough to do it, how many people have the time to jog 6 miles a day?
You can try riding a bike with your dog on a leash, there is the danger though that your dog will see another dog and pull your bike off, this isn’t that great an idea if you have a big strong dog, unless you have a route where you know there is little chance of encountering another dog.
More and more people are training dogs to run on treadmills, Should you wish to try this, make sure the treadmill is safe for dogs, which is to say there is little or no chance that your dog’s paws will get caught under the belt. Make sure the hair under your dog’s paws is properly trimmed so that he has proper traction. If you get two treadmills, you can run side by side with your dog.
If budget is not a concern there is now such a thing as an underwater treadmill. The belt is submerged in water and the dog is immersed up to the elbows. The dog will have to jog with water providing resistance. This is especially good for older dogs as it is easier on the joints.
If you have a dog that is trained to retrieve a ball, then you’re in luck, retrieving a ball is great exercise for dogs. Just find a nice open field, and throw the ball as far as you can, if you can’t throw it over 40 yards, you can use a tennis racket to help you hit it farther. This is great exercise for your dog as well.
If you follow a good program, and follow it well, your dog will shed off those pounds very quickly. Once your dog hits the set target weight though, you should increase his food intake but maintain the exercise. The idea is to give just enough food to maintain your dog’s ideal weight; you may have to tweak the amount as you go along.
Once your dog is healthy, you will see a marked difference in his demeanor during obedience training. The right diet and exercise will make having a dog that much more enriching an experience for both you and your dog.
Amber Contant is a featured adviser and author discussing the issues that all pet owning families will experience. Amber works with Pet-Super-Store. Visit her site for a great selection of pet beds.
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