Doggersize.com » Health

Healthy AND cheap treats for your pet!

doggersize — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:28:14 +0000

Hey all! I wanted to spread the word about some great healthy treats you can get at any grocery store without breaking the bank. I buy a package of carrots (99 cents at Walmart, also available at any grocery store with a produce section. My dogs love carrots! They also love apple slices…another healthy idea! Instead of paying more money to get possibly unhealthy rewards/treats for your loved one, you can try feeding carrots, apples and cucumbers as an alternative! You will be surprised with the results! Its definitely worth a try. Happy treating!

Puppy Training!!!AH!!!

doggersize — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:11:00 +0000

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!!

For more puppy tips, use our search engine!!

Labor day!

doggersize — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:36:09 +0000

Alright guys! Its a holiday weekend, and everyone is over at your house eating fabulous snacks and delicious BBQ. And where are your pets in all of this chaos? They are begging! They are definitely under the table, and chances are they are getting some table scraps from your well meaning family and friends.

How to avoid this? I would recommend leaving your pet in your bedroom or the garage, where they don’t have the opportunity to get all of these extra treats. This may sound mean, but its better to have your pet healthy than happy in this case. Otherwise at the end of your night, your dog is going to be so full he won’t know what to do with himself- and all of the food your serving your guests is much too fatty and inappropriate for your pet as it is.

Hopefully this will help you have a healthy and happy holiday weekend with your family, friends, and your pets!

Tips for helping your pet lose weight in a healthy way!

doggersize — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:47:21 +0000

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!

Grooming for health!

Kaity Krejcik — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:32:52 +0000

Everybody knows, you have to look good to feel good!! This definately goes for your pet! Maintaining your pets health is imperative, and by doing so you ensure that your other pets as well as your home are healthy and clean. Keeping up with flea control is also a large part of your pets health regimen- and regular grooming should go hand in hand with it. You want to make sure that you are feeding healthy food as well, so that everything that goes inside your furry friend is as healthy as everything you do on the outside! Oatmeal based shampoo seems to have the most success with pets, it tends to calm the skin and avoids irritation. So if you feel that paying the groomer is too much for you with prices of everything else going up, you can do it yourself, and your pet will be just as happy and healthy! And don’t forget, lets brush those teeth! Make sure you are using pet friendly toothpaste, this will ensure that your pet is smiling and tarter free. It just takes a little extra time, but you can have your pet shining sooner than you know it.

No smoking allowed!!

Kaity Krejcik — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:57:43 +0000

As a vet technician, I ended up seeing quite a lot of pets suffering from the effects of secondhand smoke. These pets lived in a smoking household, and x-rays would often show that the pet had cancer in the nose or throat areas, and short nosed dogs tended to suffer more from lung cancer. Lets keep this in mind folks: Your pets DON’T smoke!! In order to protect your pet, if you aren’t going to quit and protect yourself, you should have a specific area to smoke, preferably outdoors. Trust me guys, there is nothing worse than a pet suffering needlessly.

training tip of the day!

Kaity Krejcik — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:31:44 +0000

Are you considering getting a dog, or a puppy? First of all, I always recommend visiting the pound, there are wonderful animals there who need to be rescued into a loving family. Once you have your furry new addition, and you have chosen a healthy dry dog food (see my obesity page for more information regarding food tips), its time to consider training! Potty training can come easily to some pets, and can prove very difficult for others. I recommend starting to train as soon as possible, for both potty training and behavioral training. Positive reinforcement while training is what I recommend; training is not code for torturing your pet!! Also, training your pet to have healthy habits, such as tooth brushing, is great to start as early as possible. By doing this, your pet will be used to having their teeth brushed, and their mouth is free of plaque and gingivitis- and later in life you can avoid paying for a dental for your pet. Also, please PLEASE get your doggie toothpaste/toothbrush from a Veterinarian, or trained professional–people toothpaste is a big nono!!As a vet technician, i saw many cases of older pets with really bad plaque, and their health was weakened because they were constantly swallowing unhealthy bacteria from their own mouths. Had their owners started training with tooth brushing at an early age, or using healthy chews recommended by Veterinarians. I know it sounds odd, brushing your pets teeth, but try it! It can be a fun thing to do with your pet, and will establish a routine that will come in handy to you later in life.