Getting my dog healthy again

[poly-nomial]

I just borrowed a book from my local library, called Dogs for Dummies. I am allowed to borrow it for 4 weeks. In those 4 weeks i plan to start grooming my dog regularly, brushing her teeth, feeding her less, walking her more often and giving her more social stimulation.

We have had my dog for about 8 years, only lately have i been aware of her poor health, well not poor but not healthy. She is 10-15lbs over weight and her joints are getting weak.

So my goal:
To feed the amount the bag recommends
To feed Eukanuba exclusively
To replenish water supplies more often
Brush her weekly
Wash her weekly
Brush her teeth 1-2 times a week
Walk her 5-6 times a week
Make her lose 15lbs
Make her a happy dog.

This is a big goal for 4 weeks. But i want my dog to last a very long time...

 

[Red Devil]

that is very good... it is never too late to help your dog regain his health.. exercise will definitly help just remember to go slow with it.. if he has been lathargic and lazy the past few years his muscles need to build very slowly ... with his arthritis and stiffness.. he will need his muscles conditioned to keep him moving... just very small walks in the beginning... and i would not start him on a diet that cuts back right away.. i would cut back a small amount each day until you acheive the right amount... it would be too drastic to cut him back sharply and also increase his exercise at the same time.. slow slow and consistent..after all he is not in boot camp... haha...

 

[cichlid2006]

keep an eye on your dog with those high end foods. i was talking to our vets (lived up and down the country) about feeding high end food such as eukanuba and iams. they warned us that high end foods can make your dog ill because of the way their digestive system works with them being natural scavengers.
rich foods basically have the potential to overload their system and make them hyper-sensitive to ingrediants such as wheat gluten and beef proteins. meaning you have to put your dog on a sensitive food diet which gets very expensive, which i know from experience is much more expensive. we use vitalin sensitive diet on Nero now because he is allergic to one of the E numbers used in regular food. avoid foods produced by pedigree or its parent company as its widely regarded as junkfood (akin to feeding children MacD's every meal). i was told by vets/trainers/police to go for cheaper foods rather than the expensive stuff as they make the dogs digestive system work harder for the nutrients which is how a dogs process should work (sounds odd i know).

also try not to wash your dog too often because they cant replace the oils in their skin as easily as we can which is why your not supposed to use human shampoo. if you decide to keep washing weekliy then i would suggest brushing at least every 2 days as this stimulates the oil producing glands and use a dog specific shampoo. a coal/tar shampoo is great for their coats and skin.
for her joints/coat add a cod liver capsule or a teaspoon of the oil to her food at every meal. the human cod liver oil works just fine as the dog specific one is the same stuff just at a ridiculously inflated price.

with her walking i would suggest no more than 10-15 minutes per session to reduce the excess strain on her joints. tredmills work if your dog can take to it and you can afford the cash/space for one. a fish based food such as chappie or wafcol will also help her joints and weight loss.

her teethe will only need brushing if they are bad now but you can brush once per week and use a dental treat daily instead of brushing twice weekliy. their are healthier vegetable based alternatives to pedigree junk food dentastix (we use a brand called GREENIES). raw carrot works great for brushung teeth if she will eat it (just washed and ends cut off).

good luck with her and i hope your successful.

 

[Red Devil]

I just borrowed a book from my local library, called Dogs for Dummies. I am allowed to borrow it for 4 weeks. In those 4 weeks i plan to start grooming my dog regularly, brushing her teeth, feeding her less, walking her more often and giving her more social stimulation.

We have had my dog for about 8 years, only lately have i been aware of her poor health, well not poor but not healthy. She is 10-15lbs over weight and her joints are getting weak.

So my goal:
To feed the amount the bag recommends
To feed Eukanuba exclusively
To replenish water supplies more often
Brush her weekly
Wash her weekly
Brush her teeth 1-2 times a week
Walk her 5-6 times a week
Make her lose 15lbs
Make her a happy dog.

This is a big goal for 4 weeks. But i want my dog to last a very long time...

very good advice... excellent... oh and cool sig too..

 

[poly-nomial]

keep an eye on your dog with those high end foods. i was talking to our vets (lived up and down the country) about feeding high end food such as eukanuba and iams. they warned us that high end foods can make your dog ill because of the way their digestive system works with them being natural scavengers.
rich foods basically have the potential to overload their system and make them hyper-sensitive to ingrediants such as wheat gluten and beef proteins. meaning you have to put your dog on a sensitive food diet which gets very expensive, which i know from experience is much more expensive. we use vitalin sensitive diet on Nero now because he is allergic to one of the E numbers used in regular food. avoid foods produced by pedigree or its parent company as its widely regarded as junkfood (akin to feeding children MacD's every meal). i was told by vets/trainers/police to go for cheaper foods rather than the expensive stuff as they make the dogs digestive system work harder for the nutrients which is how a dogs process should work (sounds odd i know).

also try not to wash your dog too often because they cant replace the oils in their skin as easily as we can which is why your not supposed to use human shampoo. if you decide to keep washing weekliy then i would suggest brushing at least every 2 days as this stimulates the oil producing glands and use a dog specific shampoo. a coal/tar shampoo is great for their coats and skin.
for her joints/coat add a cod liver capsule or a teaspoon of the oil to her food at every meal. the human cod liver oil works just fine as the dog specific one is the same stuff just at a ridiculously inflated price.

with her walking i would suggest no more than 10-15 minutes per session to reduce the excess strain on her joints. tredmills work if your dog can take to it and you can afford the cash/space for one. a fish based food such as chappie or wafcol will also help her joints and weight loss.

her teethe will only need brushing if they are bad now but you can brush once per week and use a dental treat daily instead of brushing twice weekliy. their are healthier vegetable based alternatives to pedigree junk food dentastix (we use a brand called GREENIES). raw carrot works great for brushung teeth if she will eat it (just washed and ends cut off).

good luck with her and i hope your successful.

I will start officially tomorrow. I used to feed her a full bowl (around 4-5 cups) now its 3 cups, so it is not a huge difference. As for walking i only go for around 15-20 mins

very good advice... excellent... oh and cool sig too..

Yeah it is, thanks..

 

[4wheelvfr]

Do your research on Eukanuba or other "high end" dog foods before you go all out. I think you'll find that the ingredients aren't as high end as some vets and the nice commercials lead us to think. Some foods that are good for your pooch include Innova, Innova Evo, California Natural, Taste of the Wild, Canidae, etc. Also, more often than not, the training that vets get isn't specific to canines and felines. It is often times focused on equine and general nutrition. Hills and Purina have been known to fund the training that vets take as well. Just think how many vets offices carry Science Diet or Pro Plan. I know my pets are companions and part of the family and only want the best.

These are some sites that helped me out:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/f39/

 

[poly-nomial]

She lost two pounds already. A lot more active, alert and happy as far as i can tell. I highly recommend the "Dogs for Dummies" book.