Dog Lover Community

It’s a sunny, beautiful day and you’re ready to ramble into the countryside. There’s no reason not to go and no reason not to take Fido with you.

Do be aware that while you know the sidewalks around your home, there are
increased risks in rugged, unfamiliar areas.

Louise Louis of www.ToyBreeds.com offers a few tips to help keep
Fido safe.

Don’t let him play with sticks

Some dogs love them but they can splinter and damage his mouth.
Bring a hard rubber Kong toy or ball for him to retrieve.

Have a first aid kit in the car or your fanny pack

It needed be elaborate - a wrap-type bandage, tape, ointment,
Swiss Army knife, tweezers and a ruler in case you need a splint.

Carry a cell phone or at least change for a pay phone

Carry some drinking water for Fido

Don’t rely on a pond, stream or lake. Most are polluted and algae
can poison dogs.

Let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to
be back

Avoid walking along paths with gravel or small rocks
These can cut paws and cause falls.

Have something you can use to muzzle him if necessary
A scarf or leash can do in a pinch. Even Lassie may
bite if hurt and frightened.

Avoid taking him out in the hottest part of the day
Dogs can’t sweat and heatstroke is a real possibility in
hot weather.

Never leave an injured dog to seek help

He may panic and take off. Use a jacket to make a sling and
carry him with you.

Watch out for livestock

Most won’t bother a dog and owner but a cow with calves may
think she’s protecting her offspring by attacking the dog.
Especially avoid bulls or pastures where there’s just one bovine there.
Horses can be tricky - best to avoid them altogether.

To safely cross a field with livestock,put Fido on a leash and walk
quietly and gently around the perimeter of the field.

Respect other people’s property

Farmers may not like finding dog doo so clean up after Fido just
as you do in the city.

Protect your dog from fleas and ticks

Treat him with Frontline Plus before you take him into the wilds.

If you ignored the above and he gets a tick, try to remove it as soon
as possible. Easiest way is to cover the tick with petroleum jelly
(Vaseline) and leave it for a minute or so. Then, twist the tick off.
Do not pull which could leave part of tick in Fido and cause an infection.

Consider your dog’s age and general health in deciding where
and how long to go for a walk

You wouldn’t expect your elderly grandmother to walk six miles, and
you shouldn’t expect your older dog to do it either.

Fido will only cope with what he’s used to. Use some common sense,
and you’ll both have a great time.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and
creator of the popular website on small dogs,
http://www.ToyBreeds.com

Tags: dog disease, dog health, dog nutrition, dog obedience, dog owners, dog training, dog walkingdog disease, dog health, dog nutrition, dog obedience, dog owners, dog training, dog walking

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Everything I needed to know about losing weight, I learned while walking my dog. Okay, I was walking lots of people’s dogs. About five hours a day. In half-hour increments. But I lost weight and you can too!

When I left corporate America and started my own pet-care business in 2003 I had a few nagging pounds that I wanted to lose.

Those pounds were there, in no small part to the amount of ‘quick food’ I was grabbing between meetings, deadlines and work. You know, the doughy-sugary crumb-covered goodie you pick up when you head out for your skim latte? How about the 2 bags of chips from the vending machine when you’re cranking out yet another client proposal at the expense of lunch?

I started my own business and within a month I was down nearly 5 pounds. In two months it had doubled and I was breathing easy in my ’skinny jeans.’

Why?

I was working as hard (or harder) than I had when I worked for someone else. My time was still at the mercy of the clients, proposals and all the office work that accompanied my new venture butmy business FORCED me to exercise!

I started Peggie’s Pet Service focused on walking big dogs - the dogs that some folks can be intimidated by - just by the name of their breed - American Staffordshire Terriers (more commonly referred to as “Pit Bulls”); Rottweilers; Dobermans; German Shepherds and Chow Chows. As a new business owner, I was (and still am) happy to walk any dog that wants to spend part of his or her day out of the house and on a leash. I also made the commitment that there would be no ‘pack walks.’ What this meant was that in order to make money I needed to be walking. Every day. From 10 am to 4 pm. There were a lot of miles logged on my walking shoes that year and the payoff was a healthier body and more comfortable clothing.

Somehow all that fresh air and walking (in 100 degree humidity, torrential downpours and snow) had me hankering for quick foods that gave me energy rather than depleted it. I no longer had time for that ‘after lunch lull.’ As a matter of fact lunch-time was always spent on the road or on my feet - with a wagging tail beside me.

Here’s what I learned about weight loss while walking dogs:

1. Have fun;
2. Every dog has his own pace (and you can too);
3. When something interesting happens along your path, stop and investigate;
4. Vary your routine (or route);
5. Meet new people;
6. Be in the moment;
7. Look forward to the walk and make the most of it;
8. Stick to your commitment - no matter the weather (I admit, there were plenty of days I didn’t ‘feel’ like walking, but it was my JOB at the end of the day I always felt better)
9. Look forward to the treats (reward yourself when you do well!)

Wow! I was onto something! Why didn’t everyone do this I wondered?

So, all of you who have added “get in shape,” “lose 10 pounds” or “get fit” to your annual resolutions - think about adding dog-walking to your regimen. Even if you don’t have 6 hours a day to dedicate to walking - add one or two extra walks into each day and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. I guarantee your attitude will improve (it’s virtually IMPOSSIBLE to NOT have fun with a dog on a walk!); you’ll get some great cardio and you’ll be creating a habit that will last a life time!

Don’t have a dog of your own? Volunteer at the local animal welfare league or with a rescue group. Foster a dog in need of temporary housing Or work with a local pet-care company!

(c) 2005-2006 Peggie Arvidson-Dailey

Peggie Arvidson-Dailey is the owner of Peggie’s Pet Services (one of the Region’s BEST pet-care companies, as rated by The Washingtonian Magazine.) She’s also an engaging and lively speaker on topics related to the love affair between dogs and their humans. She’s an advocate for happy and healthy homes for all species and is eager to assist in creating them. If you want a monthly dose of tips and golden nuggets of information on living with and caring for your pet throughout his life, be sure to subscribe to “The Care of Pets” at http://www.peggiespets.com. Peggie is also a pet-care business advocate and the founder of the Pet Care Business Success University, which can be found at http://www.petcareuniversity.com. Subscribe to Care of Pets at http://www.peggiespets.com.

Tags: aerobics, dog care, dog walking, dogs, exercise, losing weight, walking for weight loss, weight lossaerobics, dog care, dog walking, dogs, exercise, losing weight, walking for weight loss, weight loss

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