Dog Fitness

Mission: Dog Fitness

There's no doubt about it; a healthy dog is more likely to lead a long and happy life. Many of the same health problems in people also affect our pets, such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Just like people, dogs need a proper diet and moderate exercise to keep in shape. Some very active breeds like Border Collies and Australian Shepherds have even greater exercise needs, but a moderate program will serve the needs of most dogs without risking joint injury.

Check In with Your Vet

Before beginning any diet and exercise program for your dog, it's a good idea to have him thoroughly checked out by your vet. You want to make sure that your dog's heart is healthy enough for additional exercise, as well as his joints. Your vet will also check your dog's weight, offer opinions on his dietary needs and make sure your dog doesn't have any other major health conditions that need to be addressed.

Diet and Weight Issues

In recent times, the quality of commercial dog food has come into question. As we learn to truly understand those food labels, we realize how important it is to feed a balanced, protein based diet to our pets, and avoid kibbles that are high in cereal fillers and unhealthy fat sources. The key here is to resist choosing brands based on price instead of content. There really is a difference in quality, and in most cases you'll have to pay a little more to get it.

Once you find that healthy balanced kibble, you need to feed your dog the appropriate daily amount. On the surface, this should be fairly easy because there are feeding directions on every bag that stipulate how many cups to feed, based on your dog's size. However, these general instructions often need to be altered slightly to fit an individual dog's needs. You need to assess your dog's weight and condition, feed according to the directions, and then reassess your dog's condition one month later. Does he carry a good proportion of weight for his frame size? If so, you can continue to feed as usual. If he's too fat or thin, it's time to make an adjustment.

Dog Weight Loss

All too many dog owners break out the low fat kibble when their dogs become overweight, but this really isn't the ideal way to address canine obesity. Even obese dogs still need the ideal balance of nutrients, and healthy fats are essential for nutrient absorption and cell repair. So what's the answer?

Generally speaking, if you're feeding a high quality kibble, you can make a slow cut back on the amount you feed so that your dog receives less total calories, but still gets a balanced meal. Try serving one quarter cup less at each meal. Your dog will hardly miss this amount as compared to making a drastic change such as eliminating an entire cup of food.

Healthy weight loss is generally achieved through a slow and steady reduction program. If after two weeks of the first reduction you find your pet still needs to lose a bit more weight, you can cut back by another quarter of a cup and recheck in two more weeks. Once your dog nears his ideal weight, maintain the current amount you feed. If there is further weight loss, you can raise the amount of kibble a little until you find the right measurement that will maintain your dog's ideal weight.

How to Put Weight On a Dog

Just as with weight loss, weight gain should also be approached on a slow and steady basis to avoid joint overload and injury. In most cases, an underweight dog has experienced malnutrition, whether it's due to an unhealthy diet, lack of food or a worm infestation.

In cases like this, follow the weight loss plan in reverse. Check the kibble directions for the baseline amount to feed, and add one quarter cup of kibble to that amount. Follow this feeding plan for two weeks, and reassess your dog's weight/frame ratio. Continue to make one quarter cup increases every two weeks until your dog reaches the ideal healthy weight for his breed. At this point, you'll want to watch that he doesn't continue to gain weight, and you can make a slight cut back on the kibble until you determine the ideal amount to feed and maintain the desired weight.

Healthy Ways to Exercise Dogs

A healthy diet is crucial to dog fitness, but you can't maintain your pet's fitness by food management alone. Moderate exercise is one of the best ways to give your dog a cardio workout without putting undue stress on joints and ligaments. Let's look at two of the best ways to help your dog get the exercise he needs.

Walking

Walking is the simplest and yet most effective way of exercising your dog. You can start out slow with a daily walk around the block to accustom your pet to the extra muscle use. From there, you can build up to longer walks should your dog require them. Keep in mind that Toy dogs need far less exercise than Working and Sporting breeds, so adjust your routine accordingly.

Swimming

Swimming may not immediately come to mind when you think about ways to exercise your dog, but swimming is a wonderful, low impact way to burn excess calories, stretch those muscles and raise the heart rate. Unlike walking and more active forms of exercise, the weightless experienced in the water means there is no stress on the joints. So, even dogs with arthritic or dysplasia problems can partake.