HONEY, DOES THIS OUTFIT MAKE MY BUTT LOOK BIG?

One of the biggest health concerns for dogs today is obesity. We live in a country of “land of plenty” and just like some of us humans some of our dogs are suffering from it. Many times you will see this with the pet owner. He loves his dog TOO much! The dog is fed a decent enough food and if the puppy was bought from a breeder is probably on the food that was recommended to keep him healthy. Many times the pet owner thinks his dog is too thin because he can see a rib or two and feels like the dog needs to be fattened up a little. He begins to increase the dog’s food and before you know it, “Fido” is now a pleasingly plump spoiled boy. Although this is seen more with the pet owner, I have seen (and have been guilty of it myself) some show dogs that have less than the ideal “figure!”

To make matters worse, some dogs are getting too much food AND treats and table scraps as well. And if you have young kids around, forget about it. He is now sharing everything that little Johnny didn’t want to eat in his own dinner!

Another problem is the dog that doesn’t receive too much exercise or none at all! If the dog just lies around the house all day without getting any exercise he will pack on the pounds very quickly.

A lot of pet owners think their dogs look adorable with the extra weight on them. In fact they think their dog is very healthy. After all, his coat is shiny, his eyes are bright and “Fido” is a very happy, content dog who doesn’t give them any problems. They don’t realize that all this “extra love” that they are giving their dogs can produce serious health problems. Overweight dogs can have the same health problems that their overweight owners may have…..diabetes mellitus which can be tricky to treat. Also the overweight dog can have a shorter life expectancy.

How does the pet owner know if his dog is overweight? A dog of normal weight should have an indentation at his waistline, and his ribs should be easily felt under his skin. An overweight dog will not have a waistline and there will be a thicker layer of fat over his ribs.

Besides over feeding your dog and not giving him enough exercise there is other factors that may be contributing to your dog’s weight problems. The dog may have health issues such as hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, age, gender, and breed. The best thing for the owner to do is have his vet check the dog for any health problems.

If no health problems are found, the next thing you should look at is the quality and quantity of food you are feeding your dog. Many store brand and generic foods do not have the proper nutrients required to keep your dog healthy and fit. There are some foods on the market that are geared for the overweight dog. There are also prescription diets that are available. When switching to a different dog food, don’t just start him on the new food. Gradually introduce the food by mixing a bit of it with the food you already use. By the end of the week, you should have him eating just the new food. This will help reduce digestive problems like vomiting and loose stools. Feed your dog the amount that the label or your veterinarian recommends.

Dog treats and snacks need to be cut out from the dog’s menu. Many people feed their dogs the appropriate amount of food, but do not realize how high in calories many treats are. If you don’t want to cut out treats altogether, look for healthy snacks like carrots or ones that are low in calories. Read the labels. Stop feeding the dog leftovers and tell the rest of the family not to give him any more handouts. Stop letting the dog beg at the table. Put him away when the family is eating or give him a little obedience training like teaching him to lie still on the floor while the family eats. And stop looking at those big brown eyes that are begging you to throw him something. Just ignore him while you’re eating!

Another important factor in reducing your dog’s weight is providing him with the appropriate amount of exercise. Some people don’t understand that dogs require a lot of exercise to maintain proper health. If your dog is overweight, you should take him for a walk in the morning and the evening. Dog parks are an excellent place for both you and your dog to get exercise. Sign up for a class like agility or fly ball to help keep your dog active. Play lots of games like fetch and Frisbee. You have to be an active participant in your dog’s daily exercise. Besides it will be good for both of you. I know someone who pays for her dog to be exercised. Someone in her neighborhood jogs and she takes the dog with her. This is a group winning show dog whose owner is not able to exercise her dog the way that she would like. So now he goes for a jog everyday with someone else.

Weight loss in dogs should be very gradual. Don’t take drastic measures in trying to help your dog lose weight. In other words if you feed your dog 10 cups of food a day, don’t drop that down to feeding him 5 cups a food a day. Everything should be down gradually for the best results and not to shock your dogs system.

Sometimes an exhibitor will show his dog thinking that he looks great. After the class is over, he might be told by a friend or even the judge that he has a very nice dog but his back is loose and rolling. Most of the time this means that the dog is too heavy and he has not been given enough exercise. This is an athletic breed and nothing is more unattractive than looking at a dog that is not in tip top shape. Because one of the things that he will judged on is his movement, it is imperative that this dog is up to moving in a large ring without tiring out or looking sloppy.

So if health problems have been ruled out for the reason why your dog is overweight, then the only conclusion is that the dog is being overfed and not given enough exercise. With a German Shepherd dog you can tell by his attitude. This is a breed that needs to be exercised. He becomes very restless when he’s not. As I’ve said in other articles that I’ve written about this breed, he is not a happy dog when he’s not given something to do. Because of his need and love of being with you, exercising him brings out the happy side of this breed.

My rating: proper nutrition: (4), exercise: (4)

YOU'RE READY FOR THE NATIONAL, BUT IS YOUR DOG?

Come this October 12 – 17, some of the finest German Shepherds and their owners/breeders will be gathering in Springfield, Ohio for the “greatest show on earth” known as the GSDCA National Specialty show. They’ve come to strut their stuff, show off the best of their breeding programs, see old friends and make some new ones. They’ve come to exhibit, to watch and learn and to PARTY! You’ll see some dressed in their finest while most are dressed casually and comfortably. This is where you’ll see some of the top handlers in the country doing what they do best…..making your dog look good and doing everything they can to win top honors. This is where you’ll see the big shots and the “wanna be’s”, the little guys and those who just love the heck out of this breed. This is the National. This is what we’ve all been waiting for all year long. We’re ready to rock and roll! But what about the dogs? Are they ready?

Most breeders will feed the best food that they can afford to give their dogs. Maybe they add supplements to his food. Maybe they give him some special oils for his coat. They invest in the best shampoos and conditioners and sprays for grooming him to perfection. They bathe him, brush him and comb and fluff up his coat. His toenails are cut. His ears are cleaned. Yup he’s looking mighty good. But what kind of condition is your dog in? Is his back going to be rolling? Is he overweight? Will he be able to endure running around a large ring for a longer time than usual? Can he keep up or will he tire too easily?

Conditioning and exercising our dogs is important under normal circumstances but even more so when you are showing your dog especially at a big event like the National. So what are some of the things that we can do to insure that our dog looks like an athlete and not a couch potato?

The German Shepherd dog loves to be worked and exercised. Going for a walk with us is one of their favorite things to do. This is not only good for his body, but his heart as well. This is the simplest of exercises that one can do with their dog. Taking them for hikes is even more rewarding where he can utilize and keep his muscles toned. Playing fetch, running after balls and Frisbees is always a fun type of exercise where he gets to use more of his muscles and tone up his body. This kind of exercise is something that you would normally do anyway. But for getting a dog ready to exhibitor in the show ring, will take more than this to make him a top competitor.

To help build muscle and endurance there are more rigorous activities you can introduce to your dog. Some people will use a bicycle, golf cart, jogging, or the side or back of a car. Other great exercises for the dog is swimming or using a treadmill.

From what I’ve learned from my research about treadmills, it says that the treadmill should be long for the German Shepherd dog. If it is too short, then the dog can develop a short stride and the German Shepherd is a long striding dog. I found this advice excellent when considering this type of exercise. It’s probably something most of us wouldn’t think of. There are a few treadmills that can be bought for the dog and many of them are very expensive. Also the treadmill can become boring for the dog, so I wouldn’t make this his only form of exercise.

Using a bike, golf cart, or the side or back of a car is the type of exercise that you need to take a little more caution with. The dog needs to be trained not to pull you over, not to get too close to you and to gait at a comfortable pace. I’ve never used a golf cart but I did use a bike and a car. A bike can be a little clumsy at first, but once the dog knows what you expect of him, you can get a nice work out for the both of you. There are actually some companies that sell something to keep the dog away from the bike while exercising with him.

Using the car for conditioning can be beneficial. I used this method quite often, but mostly off the back of a car. Obviously you’ll need two people for this. One to drive and one to sit in the back of the car with the hatch door open while you gently coach the dog to follow you while holding him on his leash. You can really get the dog to do a nice easy pace this way and can adjust the amount of time until you build up his endurance. You want him to be trotting, not running! Very important to remember is the surface that you are exercising him on. Doing this on a street surface is not a good idea. Pounding into the pavement can be painful for the dog. A dirt road is better and naturally if you can do it on grass this would be the best way to use this method. Good luck with looking for grass to drive your car on, but sometimes you can run the dog next to the car so he can trot on the grass.

Having a swimming pool in your backyard is an added bonus if you want to give your dog a full body workout. If the dog loves the water, you might find it hard to get him out. The only problem with exercising a dog in the water is that too much of this type of exercise can bulk him up adding too much muscle and overloading his shoulders thereby restricting his movement in the front.

Alternating his exercise routine is ideal. Which ever way you choose to exercise your dog, it is probably one of the most important things that you can do to prepare him to step into the arena at the National level. This is where he’ll be on center stage for an audience of your peers to perhaps see him for the first time. It might be an old saying, but as far as sayings are concerned, “First impressions are lasting impressions” and no where is it more true than at a National specialty show! If he doesn’t have the muscle tone and endurance that his competitors do, he may tire more easily and his lack of conditioning may cost him the highest awards!

Expenses for exercising: walks, jogs, hiking – nothing! Swimming pools, treadmills, bikes, golf carts, cars – thousands! (But most people own many of these things already).

My rating: walks, jogs, hiking: (4), swimming: (3), treadmills: (3), bikes, golf carts, cars: (4)