I have witnessed the aging process of many dogs. I personally had a Pitbull that was puppy for so many years that when asked how old she was, I would say, “five.” However, I had her since she was about two, and at least five years had passed. “Oh,” I corrected myself, “she’s seven or eight!” I believe that is because most of us want to deny our dogs are seniors even before they hit their early teens.
From the age of twelve to thirteen, it was evident there is truth to the concept that dogs age approximately seven years to our one. To me, it appeared she literally aged in a few months. Sure, denial played a part, but so did the fact that our dogs are proud creatures. They will rally and pull it together to please us at times when if they were human, they would be curled up in bed making certain we knew how bad they felt!
I have also learned that dog hours are very different than ours. Moby will assure me at 3:00 that it is at least 6:00 or 7:00 in dog-time. He comes to me asking for dinner, as I assure him, “it’s only 3:00 so you’ll have to wait, Bud.” Just to keep things interesting, some days, I will put the food down early. All it means to them is a full belly and nap time. When the real 6:00 rolls around and they look at me like I’m forgetting something, I remind them they already ate dinner according to human time.
It’s ok to honor dog-time. Some would encourage tough love – I say, “pick your battles.” If feeding a dog at 3:00 (actually 6:00, their time), is the most you give in to your dog, you’re doing great!
No one wants to talk about over eating, yet most of us are guilty of it. We all know what excess calories can do to our bodies. I am not so sure that has translated yet to how we care for our dogs. Maybe there’s more that travels down the leash than our energy.
I’m speaking figuratively. While food doesn’t physically make its way from our hand down the leash, it can and does find its way from our hearts. If we feel sad for an animal that was once starving, we may over compensate by giving them too much food. If they are our dining buddy, we may give them food that would be better left on our plate (or in the garbage.) We “reward” them excessively because they are such good dogs!
When a dog becomes an extension of the human family, it may take on the habits and certainly the behaviors of the humans where it lives. Not all dogs can be free feeders in that if food is left out for them on a constant basis, they will overeat (a lot of humans can relate.) It’s not likely a dog living without human intervention would ever face the diseases and/or illnesses of what they experience from eating the doggy-junk food and from being over weight – even if that weight came from healthy excess calories.
Much like the Mother who tells a child to clean their plate, I witness as humans acknowledge feeling like they need to feed their dog proportions that are excessive because they feel bad that the dog was once starving. If their dog doesn’t eat what is placed in front of them, they add all sorts of goodies to entice the dog to indeed clean their plate. What if they were full? What if that particular day, they just weren’t that hungry. Of course, they will eat when tempted with what to us would be desert!
Below is an excerpt from an article about things our vets may not tell us. Why won’t the veterinarian talk with us about it? Talking about our dog being over weight is as sensitive a subject as speaking about it human to human. If you notice, there are isles in the pet stores dedicated to products that are equivalent to fast food for dogs. Unfortunately, it has the same affect on them as it does on us. Considering they age much faster than we do, the negative affects of a poor diet or excessive consumption shows up exponentially.
1. Your pet isn’t “extra-fluffy” or “big-boned.” According to Bernadine Cruz, DVM, member of the Iams Pet Wellness Council, it is estimated that 40 percent of pets in the U.S. are overweight. Obesity in pets can cause a number of health problems, from heart disease to diabetes to skin inflammation. “I wish that more pet owners monitored their pets’ weight,” says board certified veterinary nutritionist Edward Moser, DVM. To do so, Dr. Moser recommends visiting the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine website to help determine the presence or absence of body fat. Though ideal weights vary within breeds, there are general indicators of an overweight pet, including not being able to feel their ribs, seeing a pooch in their abdomen from the side, and panting and shortness of breath. After noting these factors, consult your vet to figure out if your pet needs to be put on a weight-loss plan.
If you have questions about a dog that is a picky eater or one who eats anything (and does), I am happy to assist in any way I can.
How important is the height of a dog’s bowl? I have read a lot of information regarding barrel-chested dogs (Great Danes, Boxers, Standard Poodles, etc) and how they should be fed from an elevated bowl. The school of thought is this would help to prevent bloat. Having known of several dogs who died from bloat even with the use of an elevated feeding bowl, I am not so certain it is necessary.
It may look more comfortable for the dog to not bend over; however, if they were eating in a more natural setting; i.e., a rat, rabbit, squirrel, they would not carry it around in order to find something to put it on so they could be more comfortable as they ate.
I have tried elevated and the eat-like-the-rest-of-the dogs bowl on the floor and Mac (who is very tall and barrel chested) prefers to get very comfortable. Since a contributor to bloat is caused from inhaling too much air as a dog eats quickly, I think Mac may be on to something. There’s no chance of that with him…
I conducted a sleep study on dogs, and the outcome was amazing! One of the dogs has sleep apnea – I’m sure of it! Knowing several humans with this condition, this is not to make light of it. During the study, his snoring and intermittent gasps were so loud I was torn between laughing at the sound emitting from this little guy and telling another dog to dial 911.
I am going to contact a veterinarian to see if there is a very petite C-PAP mask available. I will let you know what I find out. I am assuming he is not the only dog with a snore and restless sleep patterns.
Another interesting finding is that a snoring dog may be referred to as cute or funny, while a human making the same sounds was found to be annoying. Isn’t that fascinating?
The video below is of Schlappie, a Great Dane, that found my company less than stimulating!
As my dog ran inside eating something not intended for dog consumption, I said, “drop it! You’ll be sicker than a…..a…..a dog?” I quickly changed it to sicker than a human. Generally speaking, I believe dogs are much healthier than their humans. Considering the amazing food they have for dogs and that the requirements for food-quality are higher than on human food, dogs aren’t what I think of when someone is sick.
A dog can’t be a hypochondriac or feign a soar throat to get out of obedience class. They may drink their water too fast, but they don’t typically over-indulge and regret it the next day. We may quickly use antibacterial wipes after petting a dog, but I would imagine that the medicines in the cabinet are not for the dog.
Next time someone tells you they are sicker than a dog, I wouldn’t worry too much.
Anthropomorphism is a word that means to assign human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects. Humanizing a dog happens all too often as their human swears, “my dog doesn’t know he’s a dog!” I assure you he does. Here’s an article featured in the Seattle Times about this topic. I agree with Cesar Millan on this one.
Did you know that the word terrier is derived from the word terra, which means earth? Ever wonder why you can’t seem to get your terrier to get it’s nose off the ground? Here’s a fun, informative video regarding Earth Dogs. Grab your dog and watch. . .they are sure to enjoy it (and I can guess what they’ll be asking for at Christmas!)
Most dog people have heard that what affects them also affects their dog. Our energy does travel down the leash to our dog. What else does? As you take your Tylenol, are you also giving one to the dog? Has your dog started to share in some of your nervous or anxious behavior? Here’s an article about what else may be traveling down the leash.
Do all dogs need to have their teeth cleaned? Tooth decay is very common in dogs. Some breeds, much like some humans, are prone to plaque and issues with their teeth. Genetics and nutrition play a huge part in it. There aren’t any bones in the soft toys our dogs love to disembowel. Perhaps if there were, the dog would also get a teeth cleaning while they chewed.
Clients often look to me for advice and ask if I clean my dogs’ teeth. I have to say I don’t. Not that I wouldn’t if it were needed, but thus far, it hasn’t been an issue. I’ve been known to be the common sense trainer. So, here’s my advice, if you have a dog that needs preventative care or will face infection, clean their teeth. However, if your dog’s teeth look good and there’s no concern, don’t!
I was in the pet store and a woman was asking if she should buy the peppermint or chicken flavored toothpaste for her pup. I suggested she get the kitty litter flavor and her dog would welcome teeth cleaning.
