Doggone Etiquette —

Diet Or Exercise

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:           

Have you finished eating all the leftovers? No? Lucky you — or maybe you’re not so lucky. If you chomped down too much of all that good food, it could mean you’ll be going on a diet for the next couple of weeks. That way you’ll be a nice trim dog just in time for the next feast that comes along! Or, you could step up the exercise. If neither one appeals to you right now, you obviously have a very full, satisfied tummy! I think we’d better talk to your VIPeople about it.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:            

It is pretty hard to keep all the special foods you’ve brought into the house away from a dog that’s sitting beside you, not just begging, but trying desperately to look half-starved. Almost all dogs have that little trick down pat! I’m sure we all gave in more than once over last weekend, even adding bits of something special to his regular meals, until the fridge and the cupboards got back to normal. Well, that’s one holiday over with, so now it’s time to get the dogs back to normal before the next one is upon us.            

If Rufus did consume more than a fair share of food — his and/or yours — now is the time to work off any possible weight gain. It won’t show up overnight and in a large dog, a small gain is not even noticeable, so no need to guess. Put the dog back on his normal daily diet, and then add one more thing: Exercise! Walks and games. (Not such a bad idea for most of us dog owners, come to think of it!)         

The cooler weather is perfect for brisk morning or late afternoon walks which are the kind of exercise we’re talking about. Those meandering, “sniff-as-you go” walks are purely for canine pleasure. Should the weather, or your time, prevent a good walk, dream up a few games to play indoors or out. Stimulating the dog’s brain with a few new tricks can activate his body, too. (Just eliminate the treats!) If you were away for the holidays and Rufus spent the time in a kennel, or if you weren’t entertaining at home with lots of extra food around, that’s no excuse to ignore the normal dog’s need for exercise.

There are two major things to consider that are actually more important than a possible weight gain. One is the dog’s age, and the other is his health. As I’m sure you know, that old rule of one dog year being equivalent to seven human years is not a perfect scale. Very small dogs can live eighteen or twenty years, while very large dogs barely make it to ten. So age is one consideration when exercising your dog. The other has to do with health. If your dog (regardless of size or age) has any health problem, check with your veterinarian as to how much and what type of exercise is appropriate. You may be surprised to find out that some physical exercise (along with any prescribed diet and medication) will actually benefit the dog’s general health.

Get this everyday stuff sorted out before your thoughts turn to Santa Claus! 

            

Until next time – BE GOOD!

-  Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me! which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award last year.