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Walking Your Dog
Chances are you've been putting a sweater on your chilly dog this winter for his walks out in the cold. Have you been taking care not to clash? Today there are so many great fashions available there is no reason not to match. After all, your dog is a reflection of you and vice versa. Why not go it together in style.
It's a proven fact that you are more likely to be approached by new friends when you have a dog in tow. Why not? Dogs make eye contact quicker than people and if they are friendly are also quick to offer a doggie grin. Who could resist meeting a sweet pooch with a friendly face? If you are going to be meeting new acquaintances or even a potential date, you better make sure that you and your dog look great together.
Knowing that everyone is looking for the very best fashions, some high rollers are getting involved in pooch fashion. Barry Kieselstein-Cord, based in New York and known for his diamond-studded jewelry, sterling silver buckles and leather handbags with sterling silver clasps in getting involved. Kieselstein-Cord has a deal with the American Kennel Club to fashion matching clothes and accessories for their owners. "The strong bond that exists between dogs and their owners will be reflected in my designs," said Kieselstein-Cord, who has created accessories for Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg. "This opportunity was a chance for me to bring couture to the canine community." He is starting with fashions for the top dozen breeds including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Chihuahuas and poodles.
Kieselstein-Cord's styles include cashmere, wool, leather and waterproof canvas with dog profiles to match your breed of choice. He also promises matching jackets and sweaters for both dog and dog lover. Dog sculptures are transformed into charms which can be attached to collars and worn by humans or dogs. Prices range up to $10,000 so you can bet the charms are stunning.
Once you've found some nice matching jewelry, sweaters and jackets, don't forget the shoes. If you live somewhere like Chicago where de-icing agents can burn sensitive paws, you'll definitely want to find some good footwear. Maybe try out the Canadian-made Muttluks, said to be the Mercedes-Benz of canine footwear. With leather soles, fleece lining and six different colors to choose from, you will definitely find a pair to match everyone's wardrobe. (or maybe several pairs.)
For the smaller dog that may be more comfortable off the ground in the winter, why not get a fashionable dog sling. Just like a baby sling, the dog sling gives you a comfortable way to carry your pooch. For about $300 you get a "My Dog is Cuter than Your Dog," sling from Juicy Couture. After all, if it's raining, what better way to keep your little princess underneath the umbrella and away from the puddles? Or if you just need to go for an extra long walk and the little legs of your best friend give out, you can scoop her up and into the sling.
With so many great ways to synch up your fashion sense with you canine friend, you better dress up and get walking! |
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Is Pet Health Insurance an Option?
Recently Shodu had to have surgery to remove her dew claws, hence the funny collar. Without pet insurance this would have cost us a bundle.
Most pet owners aren't aware that health insurance for their loved animals has been available for about 15 years now. However, both the availability and restrictions on most plans have made this type of health insurance out of reach for most pet owners.
Interestingly enough, pet health insurance has changed in the past couple of years. Now, animal owners are able to afford medical procedures previously prohibitive because of the cost. But many skeptics are concerned that health insurance for pets will see an increase in the red tape us humans already encounter every day.
Animal medicine is one of the few health care services that isn't financially dependent on health insurance. Medical, dental, surgical and pharmaceuticals are all pretty much covered by health insurance in humans, but veterinary patients are responsible for all of that, themselves. Or, at least their owners are.
Health insurance for pets is very similar to insurance for humans. The same fees, deductibles, coverage rates and plans are all in place, with different plans based on the age, species, and general health of your pet.
Most health insurance policies for animals start around the 6-8 week range, but when the policies end depend on a variety of factors, mostly decided by the health insurance company. Some have age limits, and some don't.
And just like with humans, some health insurance companies will only accept your pet on their plan if they are healthy; others will accept them only if they have had a stable condition for more than six months in a row.
Currently, deductibles stand around $100 for pet health insurance. Policy costs vary as much as human health insurance does, unfortunately. Some depend on what types and kind of coverage is desired, and yet others are just blanket coverage catch-alls. Some may only cover accidents and illnesses. And more pets usually means a reduced health insurance rate for subsequent animals.
But what if you decide that an health insurance policy is not right for you, and your pet? There are other options, of course!
First, discuss your situation with your Veterinarian. Some animal hospitals offer packages that aren't quite health insurance, but can offer a rate deal of some sorts on more mundane medical procedures (spaying/neutering, vaccinations, etc.), or packages for your aging animal.
Secondly, research plans that offer discounts on animal health services. QuickCare is one of these companies, but there are a myriad of not-for-profits that may offer this as a side benefit when you join. Or, these same animal not-for-profits may offer financial assistance for pet owners whose health costs are beyond their means - a sort of emergency fund, if you will.
All in all, it depends on you, and your pet(s), whether or not pet health insurance is the right choice. Hopefully, with the help of this article, your choice will be an informed one. |
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Greetings!
Spring is in the air and it is time to get up and get going. What better way to enjoy the Spring weather than to go for a walk. |
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Play Dates 
Listen carefully... Do you hear what your dog is telling you? "Oooh, Mom, Barkley is out chasing a ball! Can I go play with him?" "Dad, take me to that park down the street so I can run and wrestle with Spot. Pleeease!" "Hey, I'm getting really bored with being sacked out here on the couch. Let's get some exercise and go for a walk with Fluffy and her family!" Doggie play dates give your dog the socialization, entertainment, and exercise that he may crave, and many pet owners are embracing the trend.
Why Play Dates are Important
Play dates are important to dogs in the same way they are to children. They provide an outlet for excess energy, making your dog less likely to become bored and exhibit destructive behaviors, like chewing on the couch, rummaging through the trash, or even self-mutilation. This release of excess energy also makes your dog more willing to focus during important activities, like obedience training.
Especially important for younger dog, play dates provide socialization with other dogs and other people. Socialization is a key ingredient in raising a well-mannered, polite dog. Spending time with other dogs and people allow your canine the opportunity to share toys, become comfortable with you giving attention to other dogs, and learn appropriate behaviors around strangers and unfamiliar pets. Not only will you provide your dog with these lessons, but your dog will also learn behaviors directly from his playmates.
Time spent playing and exercising is also important in maintaining a dog's health. Running about with a canine friend or participating in a game of fetch are beneficial in muscle development, preventing obesity, and keeping joints flexible and comfortable. Adequate playtime is also crucial for a pet's happiness and mental health.
The Play Date
There are multiple types of doggie play dates to accommodate your preferences and your dog's interests and abilities. From young to old, and playful to shy, there are play date opportunities for every dog who desires socialization with his canine peers.
For the lover of the outdoors or the dog who loves to run, there are fenced off-leash parks where a dog can freely play and romp. There are day care centers for dogs whose families are very busy with work and want a relaxed, tired dog when they get home. Day cares are also great for a special treat for your canine friend a couple times a week. Regularly having friends and their pets over to your home or dropping your dog off at a friend's house for the day are other options. Even a stroll around the block with another friendly pooch can be a healthy outing for your dog.
If you don't have many friends with dogs, or if you're still looking for another dog whose personality matches your dog's, the Internet can help you find your perfect play date partner. Websites such as meetup.com, petster.com, datemypet.com, and dogplaydate.com all allow you to search for other pet lovers, advertise yourself and your dog, and search for the right playmate for your pooch.
Other possibilities for finding the right canine companion include searching locally. Ask your local veterinarian for some advice on finding a friend for your dog. Take your dog to pet stores, bars and malls that allow pets, parks, pet-friendly festivities, etc. and get to know some dogs in your community.
Is the Play Date Appropriate for Your Dog?
Not every play date is appropriate for every dog, and, unfortunately, not every dog is appropriate for interacting with other dogs. Before engaging your dogs with other pets, be sure to do an honest evaluation of your dog and the social situation you are considering. Every dog who is new to the play date scene should take small steps into this exciting, social life.
If your dog has exhibited aggressive behaviors or extreme submission or fear towards other dogs, it is not advisable to subject your dog to a play date until appropriate steps have been taken with a trainer and/or behaviorist.
A young puppy must be fully vaccinated and given a clean bill of health from a veterinarian before socializing with unfamiliar dogs. Start slowly with a pup. Don't take him to a busy park and expect him to instantly know how to interact with the "big dogs". Beginning with a play date in the home with a friend's dog may be an ideal start for a pup. Be very careful if a small pup is playing with a large dog, as the large dog can easily, inadvertently injure the puppy.
A geriatric or an unhealthy dog should also not be expected to socialize in large groups or stressful, extremely active situations. Short walks around the block or simply chewing on a toy in the comfort of the home with another less active dog may be all your dog needs to keep him happy and enjoying his life. Some inactive dogs may also enjoy going to the park and relaxing on a bench with his owner, watching the other pets.
Active, healthy dogs are the best candidates for the more active, busy social situations. Day cares, a park full of other dogs, and pet-related festivities (such as a 5K race or a fund-raising parade) may be the perfect play date to entertain and exercise an energetic, well-behaved dog. It is important that you are confident in your dog's obedience skills before subjecting him to a challenging, social situation such as these.
You Will Enjoy It Too!
Not only will your dog thank you for providing him time to spend with his doggie friend, but YOU will also find pleasure in these activities. Spending time with animals will decrease your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels. Play dates can be the perfect relaxation tool after a long day at work. If engaging in exercise with your dog, your health will be further benefited. Along with the canine companionship, these activities will also provide you with new human friends who share your love of dogs. So, do something nice for your dog and yourself, and book a doggie play date. You might find that it becomes just as much your play date as it is your dog's!
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Lose 5 pounds with Your Dog 
Given the choice between doing sit-ups and walking your dog, you'd probably grab the leash and head for the door. And why not? Your waistline can't tell the difference. Any physical activity you do on a regular basis will help you slim down and firm up.
Exercise gurus suggest that using the buddy system is a great way to keep motivated to stick to an exercise program and lose weight. Often the hardest part of any program is getting started, but when a "buddy" is depending on you to get off the couch and out the door - in fact, standing there with pleading eyes and his leash in his mouth (sound like anyone you know?) - you are more likely to do it.
Learn From Your Dog
Dogs think exercise is fun. Dogs do not use the snooze alarm to give them "just 5 more minutes" before they get up out of bed and out the door. They do not have a little voice speaking to them from within and saying things like, "You exercised yesterday - today you need a break," or "You can go later when you're not so busy," or "It looks like rain - better wait."
All dogs require exercise - even the small breeds. Some dogs are bred for work or sport and demand vigorous exercise. But your dog needs a buddy, too. If left alone or confined to a fenced yard, he will not exercise either. And an unexercised dog is an unhappy dog, an unfit dog and very often a badly behaved dog.
Benefits of Exercise
Exercise has many benefits, the most obvious being that it keeps your body toned and healthy, gives you energy, and makes you feel better. For all the same reasons, your dog needs to get up and get moving, too. Here are some other benefits that you shouldn't overlook:
Exercise helps you control excess body fat and lose weight. Of course, this is often the most important aspect of an exercise program. Granted, you also need to cut back on your caloric intake a bit; but studies have repeatedly shown, that people who combine a sensible diet with regular physical activity are not only more successful in losing excess weight; they are usually more successful at keeping that weight off.
The key to losing body fat is for you to decrease your caloric intake by 500 calories a day. You can do this with a combination of calorie reduction and exercise. After one week you will have decreased your intake by 3,500 calories, which will result in the loss of one pound of fat. In other words you can lose one pound a week.
It is believed that 30 minutes or more of low-intensity exercise could burn more calories and body fat than brief high-intensity exercise - up to 240 calories an hour. Furthermore, breaking up exercise sessions into shorter bouts, perhaps 10 minutes four times a day, can foster as much or even more weight loss as exercising 40 minutes at a time.
Exercise controls appetite. Studies show that vigorous exercise acts as a temporary appetite suppressant. As an added bonus, when appetite returns, caloric intake does not compensate for caloric expenditure.
Exercise changes the way the body processes food. Ideally, food should be used as energy rather than being stored in the body as fat. However, sedentary people tend to store excess calories as fat instead of using it for energy.
Exercise increases your metabolic rate both during and up to 48 hours after exercising. Muscle tissue is far more active than fat tissue and even when a person's muscles are at rest, they are actively consuming energy. A person's metabolism speeds up in order to provide muscle tissue with this energy.
Exercise also preserves muscle tissue - the only place where calories are "burned." A greater percentage of muscle vs. fat increases the number of calories you use daily. To lose body fat effectively, you must become a calorie consuming, fat burning, exercise machine.
Exercise reduces stress and boredom for you and your dog. Insufficient exercise as well as not enough of your attention can contribute to problem behaviors including chewing, digging, garbage raiding, hyperactivity, unruliness, excitability, attention-getting behaviors, and even some forms of barking. Everyone needs a change in scenery and this is true for both you and your dog. Getting some quality outdoor time can benefit both of you.
Hit the Road
Fitness walking is different from your ordinary stroll, so you should work into it gradually. You will obtain benefits by walking at a 15- to 20-minute mile, but if you haven't been exercising regularly, you may not be able to move that fast right away. Even if you take 35 minutes to walk that mile, you will improve with time - and you'll still reap the benefits.
If your dog hasn't exercised regularly in the past, he will need to ease into a regular fitness program, too. Have your veterinarian check his physical condition, then keep your eye on him as you exercise; rapid breathing, bright red gums, and lagging behind may be indications that he is fatigued.
Most walking programs suggest the following method:
Start with short walks and gradually work into longer exercise sessions. Again, four 10-minute sessions is just as beneficial as one 40-minute stretch.
Start out slowly and work up to a brisker pace. Keep your steps short and fast. The faster you move, the better your cardiovascular workout; however, don't walk faster than your comfort level allows. You should be able to carry on a conversation without getting out of breath. Maintain an even stride and a steady pace.
Stand up straight and look ahead. Keep your shoulders back and relaxed, chest lifted and tailbone pointing toward the ground. Keep your dog close at your side. Swing your arms naturally at your sides for balance and movement.
Your heel should be the first part of your foot to touch the ground. Then roll through the ball of your foot and push off with your toes. This motion reduces shin splints and tendon pulls.
Precautions
Bring enough water for you and your dog.
Unless you are in an isolated area, keep your pet on a leash as you walk. Even the best trained dogs often bolt into the path of an oncoming car or become interested in other animals.
Avoid walking in extreme weather - keep sessions short if it's too cold, too hot or too stormy. During summer, avoid walking during the hottest parts of the day. The best times are early morning, late afternoon or evening.
If you walk at night, put reflectors on your pet's collar as well as your own clothes.
Avoid hot pavement or rocky terrain. If it is uncomfortable for your bare feet, it is probably uncomfortable for your dog's foot pads. Try to walk on dirt paths or grass as much as possible. If your dog shows signs of soreness or has trouble getting to his feet, stop walking and take him to your veterinarian.
Before you walk, let your dog sniff and "mark" (urinate) outside for a while, so that he won't need to stop often. If he does stop, a "no" and a gentle but firm tug on the leash should get him moving again, and soon he will get used to walking without stopping.
If your dog has more energy than you, try tossing a Frisbee for a while. This can use up 250 to 350 calories an hour, and even more if it's strenuous.
As you begin this new year, make a commitment to yourself and your pet. Exercising with your dog is a great way to strengthen the bond between you. As an added bonus, you'll be exercising, your dog will be exercising, and you will both be enjoying quality time together. |
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Let's Cook!!  Welcome to our kitchen! Here you will find free dog treat recipes for homemade dog treats, snacks, biscuits, cookies and bones. Making home made dog treats is really fun project!
"Good Dog" Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tblsp gravy
Baby food meat
Mix all ingredients well. Roll out on a floured board about 1/2" thick. Cut out cookie shapes with floured cutters.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool, maybe leaving them in the oven to dry. Cookies should be hard. Store in an airtight container.
Surprise Snacks
Ingredients:
¼ cup hot water
8 each chicken or beef bouillon -- cubes
1 package dry yeast
1 ½ cups tomato juice
2 cups flour , divided
2 cups wheat germ
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
Directions:
Place the hot water and bouillon cubes in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Sprinkle yeast over this mixture and let stand about 5 minutes, until yeast is dissolved. Add the tomato juice, half the flour and the wheat germ and stir to form a smooth batter. Gradually work in the remaining flour and the whole wheat flour with your hands. Divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll each ball out on a floured board to about 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheets about an inch apart. Bake in a 3250F. oven for 1 hour, then turn off the heat and let biscuits dry in oven for about 4 hours or overnight with the door propped open slightly. Store in airtight container. | |
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I hpe you enjoyed this newsletter.
Next time we will have information on pets and vacations, plus a fun article on how to tell if you consinder your dog your "Furry Child."
Of course there will be more recipes for you to enjoy with your pet.
Be sure to pass this on to your other dog lover friends, and have them visit our web site at :
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Sincerely,
Barbie Becker
Shih Tzu Palace Puppies
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