Exercising your dog
This article tells dog owners how much exercise dogs of various ages and breeds need, and how to get an overweight dog into an exercise routine. All dogs need exercise every day, all year-round. Depending on your dog's age and condition, he may need different amounts of exercise.
If your dog is a puppy, he probably gets a lot of exercise just from bounding around and exploring new surroundings. Remember that a puppy's bones are usually still growing and somewhat soft. So his joints aren't as stable as they are in a full-grown dog.
Don't make your puppy exercise or play right after eating. Usually, puppies sleep after they eat. Let them exercise at their own pace and stop when they want.
Middle-aged dogs might need a little more encouragement to keep to their proper weight. And, for older dogs, moderate exercise is important not just for weight control but also to keep them limber and active.
"If you think that your dog is overweight already, you should take steps to bring him toward a healthy weight."
Make sure that your dog is being fed according to the lower end of the feeding guidelines that are printed on his dog food. You should make an extra effort to ensure he gets walks, runs, game playing, and other activities. Before starting a new exercise regime, you may wish to take him to your vet first to have him checked over, and discuss this extra activity. Start your dog off slowly, and work your way up to more intense activity. Look for signs of fatigue, and stop when you see them. Start with 10 minutes, and work your way up to a half hour or so over a period of several days or even several weeks, depending on how badly out of shape your dog is.
Keep your dog in shape during the holiday season. For many of us, the holiday season is prime time to kick back, relax and enjoy good food. So it's a time when many of us put on weight. This is true of our pets, as well.
Even pet owners who've gotten into a routine of giving their dogs exercise and good nutrition might slip during the holidays, when it's easy to give table scraps to the dog, and there are so many excuses to not take him out for a walk. Dogs can easily pick up some bad habits from their owners. That's one reason why overweight owners tend to have animals with a few too many pounds.
It can be hard to resist the impulse to share holiday treats with your best animal friend. But, particularly if you find the holidays a hard time to exercise regularly, it's important for your pet's health that you stick to his normal feeding routine. Not only can table scraps contribute to minor digestive problems, they also can contribute to weight problems.
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Puppy Feeding Guidelines
What’s the best food for your puppy? How much and how often? All the breeds are so different, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.Small stomach, big appetitePuppies need to eat a lot of food in relation to their body weight to fuel all that growing they’re doing. But until their stomach grows too, they’ll need to have several small meals a day. The directions on the tin, pouch or bag should help you get the right portion size. (If your puppy’s not finishing their bowl within 20 minutes, you’re probably giving them too much.)Your puppy's condition is the best indicator of whether you’re feeding the correct amount. When the vet checks their weight, they’ll be able to confirm if your puppy’s growing at a healthy rate or whether you need to adjust their diet. What makes a good puppy food?A good puppy food will be specially balanced to meet your puppy’s energy, protein and mineral needs. It should be easy to digest to suit your puppy's immature stomach. So make sure you choose a food that's specially designed to suit puppies, rather than adult or senior dogs.And, of course, it must be tasty enough to enjoy.Are supplements necessary?No. Too much phosphorus or calcium can cause deformities, so don’t use supplements except on your vet’s advice.The danger of overfeedingOverfeeding will put too much stress on your puppy’s rapidly developing bones and joints and could result in permanent damage.Plenty of clean, fresh waterMake sure your puppy always has clean, fresh water available. If you notice that they’re thirsty all the time, consult your vet.
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Weaning Puppies: Puppy to Adult Food
Puppies grow very quickly, so they need specialist puppy food with extra energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus. Switching them to an adult diet too early can result in bone and joint abnormalities.How do you know the right time to switch to adult food? You need to wait until your dog is physically mature. As a rough guide this will be:- 9-12 months for toy, small and medium breeds like Chihuahuas and Springer Spaniels;- 12-15 months for large breeds like Labradors and Retrievers; and- 18-24 months for giant breeds like Great Danes and Newfoundlands.If you’re unsure when to switch your puppy over to adult dog food, you can always check with your vet.Click here to learn more about feeding your puppy.
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Want to try a different puppy food?
It’s always best to start your puppy off on the food they’re used to – after all, their life has already changed a lot in a short time. But if you decide that you’d rather change to another brand, or from wet to dry (or vice versa) what’s the best way to go about it?Dogs are creatures of habit – especially on the inside. Once their digestive system has got used to a particular food, it needs time to adjust to something new. A sudden change can produce vomiting and diarrhoea.But while it’s not sensible to offer your puppy a different food every day, it’s sometimes unavoidable – for example, when they get older, they’ll need to switch onto an adult food. Changing gradually is the key. Each day, mix a little more of the new food into his meals, until, after about a week, the new food has completely replaced the old one.
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Problem-free mealtimes for puppies
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