It's a Dog's World: The Savvy Guide to Four-Legged Living

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One day last spring, as I picked Lucky up to put her in her doggie bag, I realized two things: First, her hair was too shaggy for the coming summer months, and second, she felt a little heavy. Obviously, her extra locks were weighing her down. But when I picked her up from the groomer later that afternoon looking oh-so-cool in her puppy cut, I realized she was still heavier than usual. With a gulp, I realized the truth: The excess poundage was not because of her excess hair after all, but because little Lucky was actually a little overweight. Now, an extra pound or two may not sound like a big deal, but when you're only six or seven pounds it's like adding 15 to 30 percent to your body mass. Needless to say, immediately I put Lucky on a new diet and exercise regimen; after some thought, I went on one too (only to keep her company, you understand, not because I needed it, because I absolutely didn't).

If you and your dog want to live in harmony for a long, long time, you cannot be couch potatoes. Of course, you can still enjoy time together on the couch, even eating the occasional potato chip—none for the dog—but if that butt-shaped groove on your comfy couch is getting a little too groovy, it's high time you and your best friend get some puppercise. In this chapter, Lucky and I will discuss pet (and human) obesity and offer tips on how to prevent your dog from packing on the ounces. We'll also share advice on how to encourage your dog's inner athlete, help you decide which foods and treats are best for your buddy (somehow steak always ends up higher on Lucky's list than on mine), and give you some tips for finding a veterinarian to keep your dog in tip-top shape.

Obesity—the Good, the Bad,

and the Ugly—for Humans and Pets

Let's get the bad news out of the way first. Thirty-three percent of American humans and 40 percent of American pets are obese. Obesity, whether human or animal, can lead to heart disease, diabetes, decreased life expectancy, and less effective flirting--all things you probably want to avoid. You and your dog need to be around to give each other love for many years to come!

Let's Get Physical:

Exercising with Your Pet

When your dog is bored, he'll eat, because there's not a whole lot else for him to do—like you when you're watching TV and throwing back a pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia or eating an entire bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, just to keep yourself occupied. I mean, I wouldn't know; I never do that, but I've heard about people who do. In any case, the best way to keep your dog occupied is to exercise with him!

There's no "recommended daily dose" of puppercise, but your vet can give you some guidelines, and you can also read up on your dog's breed. A Yorkshire terrier will have different workout needs from a golden retriever—but every pooch needs exercise!

Oldies but Goodies—Walking, Running,

and Swimming

WALKING

My friend Max always tells me, "Wendy, you gotta walk before you can run." Usually he's referring to relationships (so of course I ignore him, because it's obvious that the best approach to take with those is to sprint as fast as Jackie Joyner-Kersee), but he's got it right when it comes to exercise. Walking your dog is free, easy, and fun.

Just because you're doing something simple like walking doesn't mean you have to walk the same old route every day. Variety is the spice of dog life too. Take

mini-adventures, go hiking, check out the park by the water, or meet up with a friend

in another neighborhood for a doggie

date.

RUNNING

If you and your Dalmatian are ready to go for the gold (London 2012, here you come!) and begin a running program, go for it. But start slowly. Don't try to run a half marathon your first day out the door. Your best friend could seriously injure himself, and you're not 400-meter gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, either. To start, try a walking and running combination routine. Walk a little, jog a little, check out the cutie to the right a little.

You can also check out your local running club. Many clubs accept furry members, and this is a great way to meet other exercise enthusiasts. Or, if you prefer to take the solo route, there are millions of training programs available in books or online.

SWIMMING

Once I went to visit my friend Millie, who lives in the beautiful, untouched wilderness with four one-hundred-pound rescue dogs. Millie woke me up early every morning and the first order of business (pre-coffee, mind you; I honestly don't know how she does it) was to sprint to the nearby pond for the pooches to take a dip. She threw a ball or stick in the water and the dogs would race to fetch it. They would bring it to Millie who would repeat the process.

For an hour and a half.

They had the same routine at lunch.

And at dinner.

Now that I think about it, I can't really remember why I'm still friends with her.

Here are some tips to get you and your dog off to a swimming start. First, find a clean body of water—no doggie paddling in the Hudson, please—and approach it with your dog. If your dog seems interested, try leading him up to the water and encouraging him to get his feet wet. If he's not crazy about the idea, chances are he isn't going to be into full immersion. Give him some time and lots of praise during this process. If he turns out to be interested in H2O, try throwing a floatable toy into the water to encourage him to give the ol' doggie paddle a try. Make sure to keep an eye out for jellyfish and broken bottles.

Anything You Can Bark, I Can Bark Better:

Flyball and Agility

Perhaps walking, running, and swimming just aren't cutting it for you and your dog. There are other types of doggie exercise out there that you can both enjoy. Lucky and I must warn you, though, these two activities are not for the faint of heart. They are for energetic, athletic, and well-trained dogs (that goes for their humans, too).

FLYBALL

Flyball is a sport in which teams of dogs race against one another from the starting line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dogs press the spring-loaded pad—and then back to their handlers while carrying the ball. Check out the North American Flyball Association's (NAFA) website (http://flyball.org) to find a local team and learn more about this fast-paced sport.

AGILITY

Let's say that running in straight lines and jumping hurdles isn't your dog's thing. If you like obstacle courses, agility could be just right. There are all sorts of different obstacle courses, and the hallmark is that the human leads the dog through the obstacle course (sorry, parents, no cheering from the sidelines in this sport). Whoever makes it the fastest with the fewest mistakes wins. Agility is open to any breed, too, purebred or mixed, so there's really no excuse not to participate. The American Kennel Club can help you find a local team and even has a rundown of events in your area (http://akc.org/events/ agility/index.cfm).

Adventures in Twenty-First-Century

Pet Exercise

DOGA

Believe it or not, puppies practice yoga instinctively. Dogs—and animals in general—stretch their bodies naturally and can actually guide you through some serious sun salutations. Haven't you ever heard of the downward dog pose? Looks like Spike stretching after he wakes up from a nap! Note: leotard optional for pooch.

DOGGIE SURFING

Before you get ready to hang ten with your buddy, make sure he likes water (see swimming section). Then try getting him to stand on a board on dry land. Next, move to the water. Put him on the board and let him get used to the new sensation. He might be more comfortable lying down on the board at first.

Now, if you think you could no sooner teach your best friend to surf yourself than become the queen of England or invent a time travel machine, there are professional dog surfing coaches. And yes, they offer classes for humans, too!

SKATEBOARDING

I don't recommend trying skateboarding at home unless you're with a canine skateboarding professional, but I do hear from all of the skateboarding dog parents that I have met—you can find most of them on YouTube, and of course skateboarder Rob Dyrdek's pup is a skateboarding pro—that once your dog learns to skate, he will never want to stop. Lucky says skateboards are far too declasse for her, but with the help of a retractable leash and a harness some dogs will never step away.

DOGGIE BOOT CAMP

If you can find a doggie boot camp, they'll lead your dog through ruff workouts and obedience training for hours at a time. If there is no organized boot camp class in your area, you can create your own. Play exercise fetch—while your dog is retrieving, you are doing push-ups, sit-ups, or squats, unless the cute guy from the Laundromat happens to be there, in which case you flirt with him.

DOGGIE DAY CARE

Doggie day-care facilities are popping up all over the country, providing dogs a safe place to play and romp while you slug it out in your cubicle from nine to five. (I know—so not fair, right?) Be sure that you pick a day-care center that requires current vaccines, performs a temperament test to make sure each pet guest is prepared to play well with others, and keeps the facility uber-clean. Ask your vet or fellow dog parents for recommendations.

Health Nuts: Introduction to Doggie Health

There are some tried and true ways to keep your tried and true dog healthy. First and foremost is his diet. After all, your dog is what your dog eats.

DOG CHOW LOW-DOWN

Okay, so you've got this puppercise thing down pat. Now it's time to assess your dog's diet. The first thing to consider in a dog food is the ingredients. Avoid products that list the first ingredient as grains or corn--these serve as filler and have little nutritional value. Make sure that your dog is eating quality protein (egg, beef, fish, milk, soybean). Some dog-food companies use animal byproducts not fit for human or animal consumption (intestines, feet, and even bones)--ew! You want to make sure that your dog is chowing down on quality foods that you'd be willing to eat yourself. As a rule of thumb, the more expensive the food, the better it will be (and not a single dog food company paid me a cent to say that!). The good news, though, is that you generally have to feed dogs less of the pricier food because it is packed with the good stuff and devoid of fillers.

If you switch to a new dog food and your dog seems more tired than usual, has an irritated or flaky coat, is licking his paws or legs excessively, or has any other unusual symptom, consult your vet immediately. The vet can perform allergy tests to help you determine if your dog does, in fact, have an allergy. Then you can become a dog food label guru and pick the product that will keep your pet safe. My friend Luke's Labrador retriever, Teddy, had tummy troubles after every feeding. Turns out, poor Teddy was lactose-intolerant and a simple change in food made him one happy dog.

DEVELOPING A SPECIAL DIET FOR YOUR BREED

It's no shock that all dogs behave differently. So why are they eating the same? Dog food makers have known for a while that high-energy dogs have different dietary needs from low-energy dogs, that older dogs have different dietary needs from younger dogs, and that hardy dogs have different dietary needs from sensitive dogs. But recently some companies, after a study of specific breed characteristics, behaviors, and health, have begun making foods tailored to the needs of individual breeds, addressing issues such as luster of coat, propensity to obesity, and sensitive stomachs.

You can also match your dog's blood type (or region where he originated from) to his diet. First suggested by Kate Solisti in Animal Wellness magazine, the diet is based on the fact that dogs once survived off these regional foods by picking up scraps. The regional animal diet suggests that if you're a German breed such as a German shepherd, boxer, or Doberman—do as the Germans do and feed your pet beef, lamb, and steamed cabbage. Coastal breeds such as Labradors, retrievers, and poodles enjoy the coastal diets of fish, chicken, and duck. Research your best friend's homeland and regional diet and you may be shocked to see some amazing health results.

Consider changing or rotating the food you feed your furry sidekick every once in a while. You wouldn't want to eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for your entire life—and neither does your pup. Changing foods from a chicken-based food to a lamb-based food and back, for example, over the course of six months or a year will keep your dog from developing allergies or nutritional deficiencies.

GIVE A DOG A BONE--TO TREAT OR NOT TO TREAT

I am the first to admit that Lucky is, in a word, spoiled. Well, actually, very spoiled, but that's two words. Lucky often gets a dawglicious treat, usually when I have a nighttime snack myself. Try for snacks that are more than just yummy indulgences. Some treats are packed with special supplements to improve joints and prevent stiffness. Other treats are chock-full of vitamins, while still others function like doggie toothbrushes. Some, of course, are just yummy indulgences. An even healthier alternative is vegetables. Try carrots; they're healthier than store-bought treats and dogs go crazy for the taste.

Now, a word about table scraps. I know this isn't going to be popular with dogs reading this book (and if your dog is reading this book, I think you might have something really special going on!), but table scraps are no-nos. They teach your dog the cardinal sin of dog behavior—begging. There is nothing like a Saint Bernard begging at the dinner table to make your dinner guests bolt for the door before dessert. But even if your guests are your boyfriend's friend you hate and his girlfriend you hate even more, resist the temptation to get rid of them as soon as possible. If you give him table scraps, your brilliant dog is going to continue to beg for food at the table forever based on your one moment of weakness. Furthermore, common ingredients like salt and gravy, which make food delicious to humans, can give dogs an upset stomach or make them gain weight. And besides, this way you get the last piece yourself!