To be honest, losing weight is the easiest part as compare to maintaining that ideal weight. When we decided to lose weight, we set a goal and implement the steps needed. And in a matter of months we accomplished what we had planned. But we know that our journey doesn’t end here if we want to stay trim and fit for good. Like us, to help our dogs to maintain their ideal weight is all about lifestyle—choices we make for ourselves and our dog each and every day. One example, if we don’t introduce or encourage bad habits, our dogs will never know what they are “missing”—i.e. giving table scraps whenever you eat.

The methods used in preventing canine obesity and maintaining program are very similar and interchangeable. You’ll also notice a couple of rules similar in the dog weight lose program. So I’ll list what is needed in no particular order. Take whatever you see fit and apply.

How to Prevent Canine Obesity and Keeping the Weight Off

Start Young: Start monitoring your dog’s weight using the Body Condition Scoring method (weighing and observing figure) when he turns one year old until his adult weight. Large and giant breed dogs, will reach their adult weights at about 2 years old.

Sterilized Dogs: Once sterilized, we’ll need to control the calorie intake by feeding the right amount in multiple small meals as advised by your veterinarian. “Lite” or reduced calories diets may also be used. These are also special prescription diets available, which can only be prescribed by a vet (usually very pricey and some are awful tasting, be warned!). Also, you might want to check out Royal Canin’s Neutered series diet specifically for neutered dogs. It’s important that you check with your vet before feeding it to your dog.

Quality Dog Food: Investing in a high quality diet will ensure your dog will live a long and healthy life and still enjoy the benefit of top quality diet. Some recommendations which many of my clients and myself use to feed our dogs are Natural Balance, Taste of the Wild, Newman, Sigma, and Wysong—raw or dry. These are some of the highest quality dog food in the market. Some of these brands come in many varieties—raw, organic, senior, grain-free, vegetarian, weight and allergy control to name a few.

Meals: Ideally, two meals a day. If your schedule doesn’t permit, then feed your dog in the morning so that he can burn those calories during the day when he is active. Avoid feeding him late at night.

Ban Free-feeding: No dog should be free-fed! I know this may sound “cruel” for those who spend long hours at work and on commute; and the thought of your precious companion with empty stomach for 12 hours may make you feel guilty or irresponsible. Trust me, your dog will still have the energy to jump on you at the front door and probably begging you to take him for a walk.

Treats: One or two tiny commercial treats a day won’t do any harm. If you want to give more, choose healthier alternatives like vegetables and fruits (do not overfeed those fruits with high level of sugar content). This goes to table scrap, but this can only be given in certain occasions like Christmas and Halloween.

Daily Exercise: If our dogs have no outlet to burn those calories, overtime those calories will turn to fats. Depend on the breed of your dog, mini and small dogs can get enough exercise just romping around the house. To know what suitable activity and exercise your dog needs is all explained here. The important key here is daily or at least alternate days exercise routine. Weekend exercise warriorlike regime will only put too much stress on your dog’s physique in turn doing more damages than be of any benefit at all.

Regular Vet Visit: I will leave this option open as it may not be feasible for some with very tight budget. However, I came across a few veterinary clinics in some suburban areas that offer free weight management program for pets—service includes weighing, body assessment, graphing the result on a computer but no consultation. It would be great if you can find one veterinary clinic that offers these free services and make it a regular visit.

To give you an ideal of how to track your dog’s progress in maintaining his ideal weight especially after the weight loss program, here is a sample of a daily weight management/maintenance log.

Once you begin to record his daily lifestyle on the log for about a month and managed to keep the weight off for good, you need not do so every month. Because the lifestyle (i.e. eating, exercise) has become a choice decision and in very rare case, you will fall back to old unhealthy habits. The only thing is just keep doing the Body Condition Scoring (BCS) once every month/quarter/semi-annually.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs

Breed/Genetic Susceptibility: Among the smaller breed dogs, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Pugs, Miniature Schnauzers, and Shetland Sheepdogs are most likely to be obese. The larger breeds are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Collies. Some dogs, regardless of breed, only live to eat which can be difficult to deal with without close supervision.

Sterilization: Let me be clear on this, sterilization does not cause obesity. Weight gain usually occurs after sexual maturity, when spaying is done. Having said, sterilization does increase the chances of obesity because of certain hormonal changes that occur after sterilization as well as a decrease in the metabolic rate by 20 to 25%. Furthermore, the dog’s activity level decreases after sterilization while his food/calorie intake remains the same. Spaying or neutering our dogs, however, is strongly encouraged as the health benefits outweigh the disadvantage. It’s our responsibility to maintain the weight of our sterilized dog through proper diet and exercise.

Hormonal Abnormalities: Endocrine diseases like Hypothyroidism (thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient hormones) and Hyperadrenocortism a.k.a Cushing’s Disease (too much adrenal hormone is produced) may result in obesity.

Age: Obesity tends to be a problem of middle-aged and senior dogs as their metabolic system slows down where they can’t convert food into energy as quickly as they were younger. Generally, senior dogs only require about 25 to 30% less calories than young adult dogs. To calculate the calories intake for your dog use the chart here. In addition to slower metabolism, dogs also become less active as they age hence his total daily energy needs to decrease.

Activities: Another possible factor, but not an excuse, is the increase in demands on pet owners’ time from work or family responsibilities which makes it more challenging for them to exercise their dog adequately. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but these factors should be weighed in before you consider getting a dog—part and parcel of being a responsible dog owner.

Diet: Nutrition and palatability are important factors that are heavily marketed in commercial dog food and treats. I suppose it’s natural we feel better as pet parents that the food our dog eat is both delicious and provides some inherent health benefits. However, too much of a good thing kills. Feeding a highly palatable and nutritional diet may contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity if your dog overeats. Another possibility is feeding impromptu and irregular or constant (free-feeding) meals and too much of the wrong kind of food, such as table scraps or treats and coupled with having too little exercise, idleness, nervousness, and stress can also lead to obesity.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs

Table. Former White House Presidential First Dogs (Adapted from PresidentialPetMuseum.com)

The First Dog serves many roles – the only confidant guaranteed to be available 24/7, to listen without lobbying for pet projects, and to never leak sensitive information to the Press. Fido is also Nature’s perfect “personal trainer” – never having an excuse for skipping exercise.

Among the many problems facing President Obama is the growing global epidemic of obesity, affecting about one in every three to four adults in the United States and Europe. Obesity is also affects Asia, with one in every five adults overweight or obese in China. According to World Health Organization statistics, about 1.6 billion adults are overweight globally, and at least 400 million are obese. Eating habits and low activity both contribute to this growing crisis. In 2008, the US Department of Labor reported that only 16 percent of Americans ages 15 and older exercised at all on an average day! This is where your “canine personal trainer” can help.

Exercising with Dixie

According to the Humane Society, 4 in every 10 homes have their own “canine personal trainer” on staff. Dog owners tend to get more exercise than non-owners. The California Health Interview Survey (published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health) found that dog owners were 60 percent more likely to walk for leisure than people who didn’t own dogs. Dog owners walked almost 20 minutes more each week than people without dogs. A Canadian survey published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in February 2006 reported than Canadian dog owners walked an average of 300 minutes each week compared with 170 minutes for people without dogs.

And walking our dogs – big or small – can lead to better health and less obesity. The journal Preventive Medicine in September 2008 reported that dog owners who walked their dogs were almost 25 percent less likely to be obese than people without dogs. Furthermore, the April 2008 issue of Health Promotion Journal of Australia described how having a dog in the house reduced the risk of childhood obesity by half!

Tips for exercising with Lady

• If you or your dog have health problems or are seniors, check with your doctor and veterinarian before starting a new exercise program.
• You don’t need to have a dog who likes to run or jog. Taking 2-3 shorter 10 to15 minute walks a day will give you better health benefits than one long walk. And you’ll be more likely to stick with a program of shorter walks.
• Vary your walks – look for new places or new routes to explore.

If, like the Obamas, you don’t have a dog, you can still benefit from dog walking by:

• Walking the neighbor’s terrier.
• Volunteering to walk dogs at your local animal shelter.
• If you’re considering getting your own dog, check out websites to see what breed is most compatible with you and your lifestyle, such as SelectSmart.com

So be presidential – make Toby your canine fitness trainer today and start on the road to a healthier, more active life!

Article contributed by regular guest blogger Dawn A. Marcus.

About the author: Dawn A. Marcus, MD is a medical doctor and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She also serves as medical expert to Del Monte’s Power of Paws program, which promotes better human health through pet companionship. She is an internationally-recognized speaker, educator, and author, receiving the National Headache Foundation Media Excellence Award. Dr. Marcus has written nine medical books, including her latest book, Fit As Fido: Follow Your Dog to Better Health. Visit her websites www.dawnmarcusmd.com and www.fitasfido.com.

What Is the Function of Dog’s Anal Glands?

Dogs have two anal sacs located on each side of the anus (5 and 7 o’clock position). The sacs contain a strong-smelling liquid which is unique to each individual dog. They use it to mark their territory (I was here!) or when frightened, and also to identify each other—which you often see dogs sniffing each others rear end when they say hello. =|

What Is the Cause of Anal Sacs Problem?

The sacs normally release a little fluid (grayish or brown in color) through tiny openings whenever your dog defecates. They are then refilled every day. When the stools aren’t firm enough, they can’t exert enough pressure to empty the sacs. When this happens, the fluid will accumulate in the sacs and eventually becomes overfull and impacted, making the anal area itchy and sore.

Anal sacs problems are more common among smaller breed dogs, which many vets aren’t sure why it is so.

Tips to Ease your Dog’s Anal Sacs Woes

• Stop Feeding Table Scraps. Not all human food is suitable for dog consumption. Some food will cause stools to be unusually soft—result in more fluid built-up.
• Change Diet. If you are feeding low-quality dog food, try introducing a higher quality dog food that has at least two meat sources in the top 3 ingredients listed. A couple good examples of premium dog food are: Wysong and Taste of the Wild.
• Increase Fiber Intake. If you’re feeding your dog homemade food, give an additional half to one serving of vegetables as fiber absorbs large amounts of water in the intestine making the stools become larger. Hence it will put more pressure to empty the sacs.
• Walk Regularly and More. As I said in my dog constipation topic, exercise helps “things” moving in the right direction. Regular exercise strengthens the rectal and abdominal muscles.
• Epsom salts. It is said that soaking your dog’s butt with Epsom salts water will help liquefy the fluid in the anal sacs so that it will flows more easily. It also reduce swelling, relaxes muscles and among many other benefits. If your dog is not willing to rest his butt in a tub filled with two inches height of water for 10 minutes twice daily, then you may have to bring Epsom salt to his rear by using hand towel. First, pour a tablespoon of Epsom salt into a small basin filled with 1 liter of lukewarm water. Let the salt dissolved before soaking the hand towel. Wring it lightly and cup it to your dog’s rear for 10 minutes, twice daily. Thrice daily, if it is a severe anal sac problem.
• Silica (Silicon dioxide). Silica is a homeopathic remedy that can help to treat anal sacs problems—swollen glands. It’s very useful especially for dogs who have frequent recurrence. Please consult your vet for the proper dosage for your dog. Alternatively, you may want to try Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. (to be consumed) or AnalGlandz (to be applied) remedy which contain Silica as one of the ingredients. They are both easy to use and very effective, however I’m more incline to use Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. as it has a host of other essential nutrients to promote healthy gastrointestional tract.

Steps to Express the Anal Sacs

For immediate relief, you may have to express your dog’s anal sacs. It is best to have your vet or groomer showed you once before attempting the following techniques.

Warning: The fluid has an exquisite smell (some think it’s worse than skunk stink), so it’s best done before bath. Folks with long nails please do not attempt to do it yourself. Though we only use the sides of our finger tips, inexperience owners may accidentally use their nails to express the glands. So don’t traumatize your dog any further.

1. Have your dog’s rear face 45 degree away from your face.
2. Lift his tail up with one hand and place a folded paper towel on the other palm to catch the secretions. (Personally, I use my bare hand to catch the secretions as it’s much easier and faster than having to worry about the paper slicing off my palm.)
3. Place your thumb and forefinger at the 5 and 7 o’clock position, slightly outside the circumference of the anus.
4. Gently press inward on the sacs until the fluids are released.
5. If nothing comes out the first time, slightly adjust the position of your fingers and retry. If you still can’t get any secretion out, stop trying. Pushing too hard can be painful for your dog and may also damage the sacs.

After you have tried all the above methods with no success (extremely rare but it happens), you may have to bring your dog to the vet immediately when…

• Your dog cringes whenever you touch the anal area.
• You notice large swelling or growths and it’s very sore.
• You notice the fluid contain blood or it has a gluey black substance.

Your dog could have anal-gland abscess which has become infected or ruptured. Your vet may suggest surgery to remove the sacs if all the above steps had taken and failed.

Final words: Remember, remedies are just remedies. They are not meant to be used on a long term basis. The only way to get out of this “predicament”  for good is to change lifestyle as I stated in the first 4 tips above.  Also I’d like add to the list is to get a good gastrointestinal supplement for your dog, for example, Only Natural Pet GI Support.

Surprised? Well, don’t be. Humans are not the only ones that deserve to be pampered. Your dog equally deserves a good massage once in a while, preferably on a regular basis.

A good massage for your dog doesn’t have to be just because he needs to relax. It can also help him when healing from certain illnesses.

10 Benefits of Therapeutic Canine Massage

1. Calms the Dogs

It has been proven by experts and dog lovers alike that dogs bark and make noise more when they are restless, tense, hyperactive or aggressive. A good massage therefore helps them relax and ultimately makes them quieter.

Without a regular dose of massage there is a tendency that your dog can be harsh and aggressive to people, especially when the children play with the dog too much and too roughly.

2. Eases Aching Muscles

Just as humans feel a lot of relief to their aching muscles after a good massage, the same happens to your dog. Extremely beneficial for athletic dogs; even for pet dogs who workout of a regular basis as massages strengthen your dog’s muscles.

3. Increases Immune System

Gentle massage triggers the chemicals called cytokines. These chemicals affect the dog’s hormonal system which brings down the level of stress hormones that weaken the immune system.

4. Improves Blood and Lymph Circulation

It stimulates blood circulation which then increases the amount of oxygen that reaches tissue and flushes out toxins and waste. Great on dogs suffering from obesity.

5. Disperses Pain

At the spot of the massage, it induces cells to release cytokines and then instructs the brain to release pain-killing endorphins.

6. Releases Stress

When adolescent dogs are introduced to routine massage experience less stress when they become older therefore increases his immune system to fight some common aging aliments.

7. Aids Injuries

Certain injuries that your dog has can be treated effectively with a good massage. For examples, injured tissues or arthritis tissues. It restores mobility and flexibility.

Please note: Recovering injuries should only be administered by a registered dog therapist. Do not attempt to administer it without any knowledge of canine anatomy.

8. Builds Trust

It helps to build trust and makes you aware of subtle changes in your dog’s physical conditions that maybe overlook during regular grooming sessions.

9. Heightens Concentration and Alertness

It helps to improve your dog’s performance and concentration during obedience training or tricks training.

10. Promotes Longevity

Don’t we all want our best friends to live a longer and aliment-free lifestyle? Not only it improves and maintains his overall health, it also invigorates all dogs to want to stay longer with their caring owners – You.

A Brief Introduction of TTouch Therapy

Other than recovering injuries, you might want to try your hands on one of the best dog massaging techniques – TTouch Therapy. A professional therapist is not necessary needed for this treatment. Neither it is difficult to learn. There are books and videos available that explain the technique.

TTouch Therapy (also known as The Tellington Touch). This type of massage is used mostly to ease dogs with behavior problems like aggressive or frightened dogs. One of the techniques of this massage method is by making certain tiny circles on the dog’s muzzle and its jaw with your fingers. Then you tenderly move the skin of your dog in a certain clockwise direction beginning at the six o’clock position and completing a circle and a quarter finishing at eight o’clock. Pressure is adjusted for different dogs and different parts of the body, depending upon what is comfortable and non-threatening to the dog. Doing this tenderly and repeatedly will greatly aid your dog’s focus during their training sessions.