Dapper Dog

Walking your dog is a great bonding and training opportunity and is essential to your dog’s well-being. Playtime fits this description as well. However, it can be tough to suss out which games are best. Here are some tips to point you in the right direction.

Wanna Play?

You may have heard that tug of war can make your dog aggressive. On the contrary, tug games provide an excellent outlet for a dog’s natural predatory drive; they are also great energy burners and training rewards. However, tug games can become dangerous if you don’t lay down some ground rules:

• Simply because of their size, small children shouldn’t play tug with most dogs.
• Play with designated toys only.
• Your dog should be taught a “drop it” command so that the game can end when you say so.
• Your dog should be taught that if his teeth touch your skin, the game ends. This rule is beneficial not only in the context of tug-of-war; if applied consistently, it will help your dog learn to be gentler with his mouth in general.

Many of us like to wrestle with our dogs. Here, you must keep in mind the specific behaviors that wrestling entails: jumping/ pouncing, pinning, scratching, mouthing/ biting and sometimes chasing. Unless you are equipped to train your dog in such a way as to ensure that he does not try to elicit a wrestling session by pouncing on an unsuspecting child or elderly person, wrestling with your dog could get you into a tough spot.

We’ve all seen bomb dogs, search and rescue dogs and the like on TV. The work these dogs do is extremely rewarding for them because using their scenting ability to solve problems is great mental stimulation. Most scent work training begins with simple games, many of which you can play with your dog at home:

• Put a small treat in each depression in a muffin tin and then cover them with balls of slightly varying sizes. Encourage your dog to find the treats and watch the fun begin!
• Hide treats around the house and tell your dog to find them. Start off easy, letting your dog see where you’ve hidden a treat, and teach him to “go find”. Then make the game progressively more difficult.

You can also try putting your dog in a sit-stay, then hiding and having your dog come and find you. Be sure to give plenty of rewards and praise when he does find you. This game gives your dog some mental stimulation via problem-solving, and it can help to teach and strengthen your dog’s “come” because it makes coming to you so much fun! Yet another way to make a game out of teaching “come” is to call your dog back and forth between two or more people, rewarding each time he comes. You can change up the order and eventually work to strengthen your dog’s response by adding distractions, such as one player holding a toy.

There are plenty of safe, productive games which allow you to have fun with your dog and train him at the same time. So get playing!

Further Reading
Controlled Tug Games: A Novel Reinforcer – By Aidan Bindoff; http://www.clickertraining.com/node/727
Play Together, Stay Together – By Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Play with your Dog – By Pat Miller

Guest Contributor–Danielle Grand has spent the last decade working to parlay her affinity for animals into a dog training career. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she was involved in an experimental study on canine cognition. She has also obtained her dog training certification from Animal Behavior College and attended numerous dog training seminars conducted by respected behaviorists. At home in New York’s capital region, she works closely with colleagues and mentors to expand her expertise; she hopes to help forge strong, happy relationships between many dogs and their humans.

These days, dog owners have a lot of options when purchasing dog walking equipment. Here are some suggestions to help you decide what to use.

For those teaching their dog to walk nicely on a leash, I recommend a front-clasping harness. Though there are pros and cons to each, Premier Pet’s Easy Walk harness and those made by Softouch Concepts are both good options. Many people also see an improvement in their dogs’ pulling behavior using the Sporn harness. Although this harness clasps in the back, rather than tugging backward, the padded parts under the dog’s front legs tighten a bit.

Many people have found head halters to be helpful in getting their dogs to stop pulling. In some cases, a head halter may jump-start your leash training. However, it is not my first choice because: most dogs really don’t like it, so it requires that you take the time to acclimate your dog: it forces dogs to focus on their owners rather than teaching that it pays to do so: and it can come off, so it is usually necessary to use a collar and second leash as well.

If your dog walks nicely on leash and you prefer a flat buckle collar to a harness, that is fine. When fitting a collar, make sure that you can not pull it over your dog’s head. As long as you can fit two to three fingers under it, it is not too tight. There are some dogs whose heads are not sufficiently wider than their necks to allow for this configuration. In this case, many people use a martingale collar; the type often seen on greyhounds. These collars tighten when your dog pulls, so as not to slip over his head. However, they can only tighten to a limited degree, so they are unlikely to harm or traumatize your dog the way a choke chain can.

There are numerous accoutrements you can purchase to make your walks easier and more fun. If you are training your dog on walks, you will probably want a treat pouch and clicker. Many varieties of both poop bags and poop bag holders are now available. You can also purchase a small pouch for your dog’s ID tags so they aren’t so noisy. If you have reason to be concerned about dog fights, you can purchase a citronella spray, such as Premier’s Spray Shield to carry just in case.

All the available equipment options can be confusing; but if you know what you’re looking for, picking out gear for your pup can be lots of fun!

Guest Contributor–Danielle Grand has spent the last decade working to parlay her affinity for animals into a dog training career. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she was involved in an experimental study on canine cognition. She has also obtained her dog training certification from Animal Behavior College and attended numerous dog training seminars conducted by respected behaviorists. At home in New York’s capital region, she works closely with colleagues and mentors to expand her expertise; she hopes to help forge strong, happy relationships between many dogs and their humans.

A nice big, fenced yard can be a great place for a dog to play or hang out with you. But getting out on the town is also essential to your dog’s physical and mental well-being. Here are some of the reasons taking your dog for a walk is so important.

Its Time For Your Walk!

Most people underestimate the amount of exercise their dogs need. Lack of sufficient physical exercise can cause a dog to be frustrated and antsy, which often leads to behavior problems. Many owners think that their yard provides sufficient opportunity for their dogs to burn off steam. In reality, most dogs left out in yards on their own for hours spend most of that time lying around. Those who don’t often get into trouble and develop bad habits: They bark at dogs and people through the fence and come to believe that this is their responsibility; they dig, either through gardens or under fences; they eat poop or even potentially more harmful things.

Physical exercise isn’t your dog’s only need. Dogs need mental stimulation as well; and a backyard can quickly become boring. In order to provide the mental stimulation your dog needs, you need give him access to new sights, smells and experiences. Going for walks with your dog gives him a bit of physical exercise and gives you the opportunity to take him to new places, to smell new smells, and to meet new friends. On top of that, walks are a great time to get in some training, which makes them a great time to strengthen your bond with your dog. If your schedule does not allow for daily walks, there are likely a few high school students in your neighborhood who’d be more than happy to walk your dog for a very reasonable price.

So get out there and make your dog’s day: Take him for a walk!

Guest Contributor–Danielle Grand has spent the last decade working to parlay her affinity for animals into a dog training career. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she was involved in an experimental study on canine cognition. She has also obtained her dog training certification from Animal Behavior College and attended numerous dog training seminars conducted by respected behaviorists. At home in New York’s capital region, she works closely with colleagues and mentors to expand her expertise; she hopes to help forge strong, happy relationships between many dogs and their humans.

Did you know that every experience your puppy has with people, other dogs, objects and noises when he is between seven and 14 weeks of age has a tremendous impact on the dog he becomes? Many fear and aggression issues dog owners face stem from improper socialization during this critical period. Such problems can make life with your dog quite stressful and often have a negative impact on his life as well; they can make it difficult to take your dog for a peaceful walk, to the vet or to a relative’s house.

Socializing Your Pup

So how should you go about socializing your puppy? The two most important things to remember are:

1. Do your best to expose your puppy to everyone and everything thing he may encounter later in life. This includes people of different ages, races, sizes and genders; people in wheelchairs or with walkers, and people wearing things like big hats or puffy jackets. It also includes dogs of different sizes and sexes, both spayed or neutered or not. Don’t forget about cats and other small animals, as well as noisy things like motorcycles and weird-looking things like umbrellas.

2. Keep all of these encounters positive. Dog parks are a bad idea for young puppies because one negative encounter with a not-entirely-friendly dog could frighten your puppy so much that he comes to fear all dogs. New people, objects and experiences should be accompanied by great things like treats or a favorite game. Do your best to keep these encounters low-key. Until your puppy is older, marching him right up to a motorcycle with its engine roaring, or into a birthday party full of six year-olds will not be a positive experience for him. Instead, you might begin by watching a schoolyard full of children or an idling motorcycle from across the street.

Putting these principles to work for those few crucial weeks will help to ensure a happy, relatively stress-free life for you and your dog.

Further Reading and Viewing

-Before and After You Get Your Puppy by Dr. Ian Dunbar; Ian Dunbar also offers much valuable information (some of it available for free download)

-Perfect Puppy in 7 Days- by Sophia Yin; the Socialization Checklist which is available as a free download.

-Puppy Primer by Brenda Scidmore and Patricia McConnell

Guest Contributor–Danielle Grand has spent the last decade working to parlay her affinity for animals into a dog training career. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she was involved in an experimental study on canine cognition. She has also obtained her dog training certification from Animal Behavior College and attended numerous dog training seminars conducted by respected behaviorists. At home in New York’s capital region, she works closely with colleagues and mentors to expand her expertise; she hopes to help forge strong, happy relationships between many dogs and their humans.

Ava in the Car

My dogs are my family. I take them everywhere. And when I moved from the West Coast to the East Coast in 2008, I planned my whole trip based around the comfort of my dogs. I researched flights and other ways to ‘ship’ them, and never found anything I was comfortable with. So, I decided to drive. Sure, it would have been easier, faster, and maybe even cheaper to fly, but I knew my dogs would be much happier and less stressed to be traveling directly with my husband and me in a car.

And I was right! They settled right in like they were seasoned world-travelers and were so excited to see all the places we stopped to explore. They forced us to stop and stretch our legs much more often than we would have otherwise, which actually allowed us to see more of the country than we thought.

But all four of us were cooped up in a car for many, many hours a day for five days, so we learned a few valuable lessons along the way.

1. Stop Often – For everyone’s sanity, it’s important to stop every 2-3 hours to give everyone (two- and four-legged alike) a chance to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. A simple walk around the block can cure a lot of pent-up energy.
2. Create a Safe Environment – Whether you choose to use crates, dog beds, blankets, dividers, or something similar, make sure that the environment you create for your pets is safe and comfortable for them and for you. Dogs should be able to rest comfortably with familiar smells around them (we used their dog beds and blankets from our bedroom) and shouldn’t be able to access the driver.
3. Stay Content – Dogs can sense our moods, so we found it was important to make sure we were relaxed and happy during the drive in order to keep them relaxed and happy. This meant being well rested and well fed, as well as creating a comfortable space to sit for those long hours in the car.
4. Research Pet-Friendly Places – It’s difficult to find safe, clean and inexpensive places to sleep when you are on the road. It can be exhausting and stressful when you are ready to stop for the night, but fail to see any hotel signs that say those magical words – ‘pet-friendly’. Doing some research even the night before can save a lot of headache. This is also true for places to eat and explore. We never wanted to leave the dogs in the car while we went into a restaurant to eat or walked around a new area. Pet-friendly places with outdoor seating were always lucky finds.

We made that same cross-country trip in 2010 when we moved back to the West Coast and because they were so used to traveling and because of the lessons we learned the first time, it was another successful and happy trip.

Even though we are now settled back on one coast, we still travel with our dogs often. They go with us on day trips to the beach and weekend trips around the Pacific Northwest. We can travel as a family, and that makes everyone happy. And inevitably, it is always an adventure.

Our Guest Blogger – Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance provider. Trupanion offers a simple, customizable pet insurance policy with no payout limits and 90% coverage of veterinary bills. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit. Heather is owned by an Italian Greyhound named Ava and a Spaniel mix named Jackson. She enjoys taking them to dog parks, on hikes around the Pacific Northwest, and to the pet-friendly restaurants in her city.
Contact Heather at heather.reynolds@trupanion.com.

Dogs are such an integral part of family life that they are included in local and interstate travel in automobiles and recreational vehicles. Pet participation adds joy to family travel because the entire family is present for every event along the way. Dogs love to participate and enjoy seeing new places and meeting other dogs from all over town and around the country. Once the family pet becomes used to going in the car or RV, leaving them behind is almost impossible.

When the unthinkable happens and a dog is injured in an automobile accident, the pet’s injuries have not been covered by the automobile insurance policy, until now. One of the most innovative insurance advancements is pet injury insurance, pioneered by Progressive (and discussed in detail below given that many other car insurance companies are taking note and designing similar pet car insurance benefits), which has been developed to address the gap in coverage incurred by the insured motorist to care for his loving pet.

Pet Injury Insurance vs. Pet Insurance

Standard pet insurance covers pet illness and injury that occurs at home in the normal course of life. Dogs that love to travel with their owners have not been covered for injuries that occur in the car. Automobile insurance companies have recognized the financial impact of injuries to man’s best friend and are beginning to create an additional benefit to cover veterinarian bills.

Pet injury insurance is typically nestled in the collision coverage of automobile policies offered by certain auto insurance companies. Injuries incurred in the accident that are treated by a veterinarian are typically covered up to $1,000. A simple fall that injures the pet while in the moving vehicle is not covered by the pet injury insurance. The car must be damaged in an accident and require repairs that are sufficient to require payment from the collision or comprehensive portion of the auto insurance policy.

Coverage Specifications

The automobile insurance policy must have a collision component to include the pet injury insurance coverage. Comprehensive policies automatically include collision insurance. One coverage component of a typical pet car insurance policy is $1,000 toward veterinarian bills incurred when a pet is injured in an accident that requires repair of the vehicle under the collision component.

Deductibles are paid on the automobile repair and do not apply to the veterinarian bills. After treatment has been obtained for the beloved pet, copies of the bills are provided to the insurance company, and the owner is paid up to $1,000 for the incurred expenses.

Pet injury insurance coverage is typically built-in to the collision coverage without increasing the premium charged for the policy. The added benefit is focused on relieving expense for the insured driver in the event of an accident that would require repair to the vehicle.

All collision automobile insurance policies have the pet injury component without having to be requested by the insured motorist. When a family pet is acquired, that animal is covered by the policy if the pet is inside the vehicle at the time of an accident. No special effort to record pets on the policy is necessary.

Circumstances Covered

One nice benefit to look for in a pet car insurance policy is that any pet belonging to the same household that is riding in the vehicle will be covered by the pet injury coverage. Typically each pet is not required to be listed on the policy to qualify for the coverage. When multiple pets are inside the vehicle and injured in an accident, the veterinarian bills are covered up to $1,000 per incident. Use of the collision coverage qualifies the insured to file a claim for the pet injury expenses.

An additional benefit that can be offered is if a pet is stolen from a vehicle and then injured in some way then that will covered under comprehensive component of the auto insurance. Also, an automobile fire that invokes the comprehensive coverage should also cover the pet for injuries sustained in the fire.

If the pet dies in an accident or fire that invokes either comprehensive or collision coverage component of the auto insurance policy, the pet injury insurance will likely pay out a death benefit to the pet owner for the loss of the beloved pet. No amount of money could replace the pet, but the money can relieve some of the final expenses as average pet burial expenses can be pricey.

Minor incidents that do not require automobile repairs under the collision component of the auto insurance policy will typically not trigger pet injury coverage. If the pet simply falls out of the vehicle while it is moving, the veterinarian bills associated with that injury are usually not covered under a policy.

When the dog loves to ride in the car with his head out the window in the wind, an eye injury incurred by a small piece of debris or insect is also typically not covered under the pet injury insurance. Just because the pet is inside the vehicle does not invoke the pet injury coverage in an auto insurance policy.

For the unfortunate pet that is hit by a car, the pet injury insurance in the automobile insurance policy typically does not cover the veterinarian bills incurred to treat the injuries associated with the event. These injuries would be covered under the separate pet insurance policy.

Traveling with Pets

Traveling with pets has become much easier in recent years because hotels, resorts, and campgrounds welcome pets with special play areas and daycare facilities. Since pets spend more time in the car than ever before, pet injury insurance is a logical addition to auto insurance coverage. No one wants to need the insurance coverage, but peace of mind comes from knowing there is a monetary compensation component to the auto insurance policy for the care of a beloved pet.

Only a couple of insurance companies currently offer the pet injury coverage, but others will follow in the coming years because of the appeal to pet owners. Consumer pressure will encourage most major insurance carriers to add this compassionate benefit to auto insurance policy coverage. Until then, care must be invested to keep pets safe while in moving vehicles of every size and type.

Our Guest Blogger: Samantha is a dog lover and part-time writer for a consumer website to compare car insurance quotes. When she is not researching money saving car insurance tips and tricks she can usually be found hiking trails near her house with her husband Tom and their German Shepherd Leonidas.

Owning a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences for any animal lover. However, with canine ownership comes the related responsibilities that can cause ongoing demand and frustration. Taking care of a pet is a labor of love but not every owner may have the time and energy to give every breed. Thankfully, there are easy care dog options available for owners that consider themselves too restricted for the exercise required for a husky or the grooming necessary for a sheepdog. While you’ll still find yourself reading up on puppy housebreaking tips, there are certain low maintenance breeds that can offer all the desired companionship a prospective owner is looking for without much daily hassle.

No matter what breed an owner chooses, they will still need to clean up after their pet. Thankfully, this task can be made easier for any lazy owner with an indoor dog toilet. When looking for the proper model, it’s best to avoid those that use litter, as this can cause a bigger mess. It’s much better to purchase a plastic model with a grate, allowing the owner to place absorbent pads below for improved sanitation. These choices keep dogs from leaving any tracks inside the home and are also easy to maintain. Before buying, make sure the canine toilet can sustain the weight of your particular dog.

Here are the top ten dogs who will tolerate your low-key lifestyle:

1. Pug
A Pug is a small, lovable variety that requires little space or training. These animals are not built for excessive exercise, so this can be kept to a minimum.

2. Chihuahua
Chihuahuas make a perfect indoor choice, since they are so small, yet they can be high energy and excitable around other pets. Little exercise is needed and all types are easy to groom.

3. Bulldog
If you are looking for compatibility with other pets, Bulldogs can be a proper choice. This dog should be walked here and there to prevent health problems, but nothing too strenuous is recommended.

4. Border Terrier
Border Terriers can be an easy dog to care for due to their short hair. This type of dog does not need to be walked, but still should have a reasonable amount of indoor activity. They are also fairly easy to train.

5. Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is one of the few smaller dogs that get along well with children. They require little food and usually have an agreeable temperament. Though they may require a little more effort to housetrain, they are also good at learning tricks.

6. Poodle
A Poodle is another good option, as these are actually quite easy to train. These dogs are a good fit for any of a number of sizes of living spaces. Though they do require professional grooming, they don’t require other excessive care.

7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
A great family dog is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These animals are able to adapt to any environment and have an easy going disposition. This breed is happy to either go for a walk or simply relax by you at home.

8. Beagle
Beagles can be either an indoor or outdoor dog and are known for being easygoing in many situations. Other than combing them weekly, they do not require an excessive amount of grooming.

9. Welsh Corgi
The Welsh corgi is easily trained and loves to spend time with their owner. They work well in small living spaces and do not have to be clipped or trimmed. Routine walks are important to help keep them healthy.

10. Greyhound
One larger dog that requires less care than you may think is the Greyhound. This dog is actually not a high energy breed, which makes it suitable for apartments and other smaller living spaces. Grooming is minimal due to their short coats and a daily walk will help keep them in good shape.

Our guest blogger: Erick D. Smith lives in San Diego, is a proud Dachshund owner, and blogs about dogs for UGoDog.com. He is kind of a lazy dog owner but mostly blames that on his lazy dog Minnie.

Being a dog owner is worth it, for all the troubles that it carries. Sure, you have a harder time finding an apartment and you have to do twice as much vacuuming in the summer, but at the end of the day, you live a lot longer than people who don’t own pets, and you have a friend who would take a bullet for you, so really, the extra hassle when it comes to finding cheap home insurance rates is nothing if not worth it.

Still, when you have a dog, insurers aren’t just looking at you, they’re looking at your dog and often making the assumption that your dog is some kind of untrained wild animal. Whether or not your dog is house trained, whether or not they’re even capable of biting the mailman, insurers are often working under the assumption that your dog isn’t doing anything in a day but biting people and soiling carpets.

Of course, when it comes to car insurance, some insurers will “throw you a bone” by offering free pet car insurance coverage with a standard car insurance policy but for homeowners insurance companies it can be quite a different story.

Risk Management

When it comes down to it, insurance is all about risk management, of course, so it makes more sense in the long run to ensure that you are protected in the event of mistakes, misunderstandings and even in the instance of a dog doing the right thing to the wrong person.

If, for instance, a burglar hops into your backyard and gets bitten, their story might not include the fact that they were planning on robbing your home. Their alibi may include a frisbee they tossed over the fence by accident. Even if you have the most well trained dog in the world, these are the kinds of claims you’re up against.

Just watch a court TV show sometime. No matter the circumstance, the judge seems to side against the dog owner almost one hundred percent of the time. In civil court, it’s one party’s word against the other’s, and if the only eyewitness on your side can’t speak, that puts you at a disadvantage in a court of law.

The “Trouble-Makers”

Whether it comes down to urban legend and misunderstanding, or real, scientifically backed points regarding the dog’s temperament, the following dog breeds can be hard to add onto a homeowners insurance policy:

- Staffordshire Bull Terrier

- Siberian Husky

- Presa Canario

- Rottweiler

- Pit Bull

- Doberman Pinscher

- Akita

- Chow Chow

- Alaskan Malamute

- German Shepherd

Pit bull owners will tell you that they’re really not anymore likely to attack random strangers than the next breed, but unfortunately, they have a bad reputation, and that matters in a court of law, so it matters when it comes to buying insurance.

Keeping Your Costs Down

There’s good news in all of this doom-saying: there’s a handful of things you can do that will be very effective in keeping the costs down. They include:

- Use A Beware of Dog Sign: Or a couple of them, even. These will let people know to keep out of your backyard. Yes, it’s odd that in this day and age we have to tell people not to trespass, but be that as it may, a beware of dog sign at least lets people know that your dog may bite intruders.

- Consult with a Professional if Your Dog Shows Aggressive Behavior: Even if the aggressive behavior was perfectly understandable, making sure that you keep that behavior in check is vital to keeping your costs down and protecting yourself should a case go to trial.

- Avoid Games of Aggression: In a broad sense, you may be thinking “what, no tug-of-war?” but aggression here is defined as being anything that can be construed as violence.

- Buy a Well Bred Dog: This tip is a little silly, actually, as pure-bred dogs often suffer from various aggression problems due to in-breeding. But, the courts don’t know this, so it doesn’t matter. Anyways, dog owners don’t choose who they fall in love with by breed, but by personality. Still, if you own a pure-bred, at least know that you have the upper hand here.

- Train Your Dog Well: A dog who’s been to a training school, or whose owner can show the receipts for a dozen books and tools for training, is going to result in much lower home insurance costs than a dog who’s been trained by the owner’s intuition alone. No matter how much you think you know about training, making sure they’re trained by the book can be a big help in keeping costs down.

- Talk to a Professional Before Adopting a Dog: Again, this tip sounds a little odd. Nevertheless, just showing that you bought or adopted a dog after consulting with a dog trainer who knows breeds can help in keeping your liability insurance cheap.

- Be Careful in New Situations: Try to avoid situations where you’re not one hundred percent sure how your dog is going to react. Even the most well-trained dog might have a bad reaction to certain situations.

- Spay and Neuter: This is simply an important tip whether or not you’re shopping for insurance but it’s also important to know that spaying/neutering may curb aggression.

- Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone with Children: Even if you know your dog can be trusted, other people don’t, so don’t leave your dog alone with infants or small children.

For dog owners, the world is full of people who misunderstand our best friends, who see aggression where a dog lover sees playfulness. Sadly, we’ve chosen as our best friends a breed of animal that some people are unjustly afraid of. This means we pay more for insurance and always have to be aware of the issue of liability. However, if you plan things through and make sure that you’re covered, you don’t really have too much to worry about in the long run.

Author Bio: Crystal is a freelance writer and mother. She writes for a number of different personal finance websites including a website for comparing homeowners insurance quotes online. When she is not researching and writing money saving articles she is probably getting some exercise walking around the block with her English Bulldog Charles.

Sadly, my Australian cattle dog cross is getting on in years. She’s not so sprightly as she once was, and at 14, isn’t nearly as keen to run around as she used to be as a young dog. I don’t mind at all- of course I love her anyway- but as she started to get less active she began to put on weight and also have problems with arthritis in her legs.

For many older dogs it’s a vicious cycle. As they age their joints begin to trouble them and they are less keen to run and exercise than they used to be, so they put on weight. Because they get heavier, the arthritis gets worse and it hurts more, so they get even less exercise and put on even more weight…

Proper diet can help and so can medication but what made the biggest difference to my dog was regular swimming. She’s always loved chasing sticks into the local rivers and lakes, but as my dog became less interested in the great outdoors and more interested in her nice warm cushion she naturally saw less of the water. My mother- the local vet- told me to get her back into it.

Swimming is great exercise but it’s also low impact. When walking and running, a dog or a person must bear their body weight on their leg and foot joints. When swimming, the body is supported by the water and there is far less strain on any one part of the body. For that reason it’s ideal for injury rehabilitation and exercising older dogs. It doesn’t take much to make a difference either. A few half hour sessions per week made all the difference to my dog’s weight and also added immeasurably to her quality of life. She’s still arthritic but much lighter on her feet and much happier.

Some dogs are reluctant swimmers but almost all can swim. You can encourage them into the water by throwing sticks to fetch (close to the water’s edge at first, then further out) or by taking them along with a dog that already loves to swim. Actually getting into the water with your dog isn’t recommended. They tend to try and climb your shoulders, which isn’t much fun and can be scary if for anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer.

Those who aren’t lucky enough to live by a natural swimming place should ask their vet- indoor dog swimming venues are popping up all over the country. I’d recommend it to anyone have trouble managing their dog’s weight, especially if joint problems are involved.

Our Guest Blogger: Jess Spate lives in Cardiff, UK, and edits Outdoor Equipment Online, a price comparison site for climbing equipment and outdoor gear. She also works as a green business consultant for FountainSpirit.com and numerous other companies.

from Chris Olson on flickr

According to a Reuters survey, as many as 20 percent of people from around the globe would rather stay home this Valentine’s Day — with their pets.

What’s causing Valentine’s Day to go to the dogs, so to speak? Perhaps it’s the economy. Prudent people realize that even if they’re in a relationship, there isn’t enough “return on investment” in a lavish Valentine’s celebration. It’s one day out of the year that could be better spent (without spending money) at home, maybe with pets and lovers.

While many couples stay home together, with the furry family at their feet, young single folk are most likely to opt out of San Valentino’s celebration. There isn’t much point in getting a date for that night if you don’t already have one. What’s more, you probably can’t afford the price tag! To spend the evening with a pooch is to spend the evening with someone who doesn’t care how much you spent on his or her dinner, and doesn’t care what movie you put on. It makes for a no-hassle, no-drama evening, guaranteed.

The most important reason for wanting to spend Valentine’s Day with your pet doesn’t brush off the holiday altogether, but celebrates it in a different way. If we are celebrating love on Valentine’s Day, why not celebrate the purest, most unconditional love humans have ever known? The love of a dog for his person deserves a day of its own.

In Europe another Valentine’s poll shows numbers as high as 40 percent spending the day with pets. The holiday is less commercialized across the pond, and perhaps the trend in the States will continue as Americans recovering from economic or relationship crises continue to reexamine their priorities.