We all know, dogs make excellent companions and are almost always content in doing whatever we are doing.  Dogs will do just about anything with us, from taking a ride in the car to lounging around on the couch (which I know I do a bit too often) all afternoon.  However, having a fur buddy gives you a great excuse to get out and exercise.  You and your dog will both benefit by taking a brisk walks around your neighborhood or jogging along a park trail.

THE ADVANTAGES
Walking or running with your dog does more than increase your physical and cardiovascular health, it can also help:

• Boost your mood
• Lower your blood pressure
• Strengthen your bond with your pet
• Keep you motivated to exercise regularly (your dog will bug you to stay on your routine)

WHAT YOUR DOG GETS OUT OF THE DEAL
Going for runs or walks with your pooch isn’t just good for you; it’s good for your dog too!  Exercising keeps your dogs heart, lungs, joints, digestive and circulatory systems healthy. 

I’m sure you’ve noticed your dog bouncing and zooming around the house in attempt to burn up their excess energy.  Exercising with your dog will help expend excess energy and control your dog’s weight. 

Regular exercise can also keep your pet’s not so fantastic behaviors in check. 

It can help prevent the sometimes destructive behavior hyperactive or anxious dogs have, like chewing, biting and digging.

KEEP IN MIND
Dogs can run (or walk) farther and faster than people, but that doesn’t mean your fur-baby should leap off the sofa and run for miles.  Gradually build up the distance when beginning.  Start with short walks/runs and slowly over time extend the distance to something you are both comfortable with.

Be careful to keep puppies from over exercising.  Strenuous activity for long periods of time can damage their developing bones and joints.  Follow the same rule with dogs that are older or recovering from illness or injury, it may be better to take it easy and exercise for shorter periods of time.  Switch your half hour run to two 15 minute walks.  Swimming is a great alternative for recovering pets.

Exercising in the middle of the day when the sun is at it’s hottest, can cause your pet to get heat stroke.  The best times to run/walk with your dog is dusk, dawn or anytime after dark.

THE ULTIMATE REWARD
Don’t feel like exercising?  It won’t just be your daily exercise that you’re blowing off, but your loving companions too.  Exercising with your dog will keep you motivated to stay on track and get healthy together.  Besides, what could be better than spending quality time with your best friend?

Tips for Protecting Your Dog’s Paws

1. In hot weather, walk you dog in grassy areas as much as possible to avoid burning of the paws.
2. In cold weather, consider having your dog wear booties to prevent contact with ice and de-icing chemicals (plus it’s really funny watching them get used to wearing booties).
3. Once inside, wipe off your dogs paws.
4. Inspect your dogs paws after every walk or run

We have always been curious.  As the proud grandparents of two lovable mutts we wondered how they got to be the way they are.  So when we saw the brochure on the vet’s counter for a DNA testing service we jumped at the chance to see what breeds made up our dogs.  In addition to satisfying curiosity, the tests are marketed as an aid in health wellness planning for your dog.  Supposedly, by giving advance notice of some breed’s most likely health problems, you and your vet can construct a better lifetime care plan.

Unfortunately the test results are often not specific enough to answer heritage questions or provide health guidance.

The science behind the tests needs more work.

How it Works
Mars Veterinary has started marketing Wisdom Panel, a test to determine breed mix through local vets.  It involves having the vet taking a blood sample and sending it to the testing lab, which then compared the DNA in your dog against a database of the DNA of 130 “purebred” breeds.  Costs can vary from vet to vet but run in the $150-$175 range.

Metamorphix is another company that has been offering DNA based testing for some time.  They have 38 breeds in their canine heritage database and offer a cheaper and less invasive mouth swab sampling technique that you can do at home.  Sampling kits are ordered from their website and you return mail them to the lab in envelopes they provide.  The cost is about $80.

Although the size of the database varies, the process at both companies are similar.  Their software compares your dog against 100-300 genetic markers and reports it’s findings in three categories.

1. Traces – which may be great grandparent and beyond, and are very small amounts with little influence on behavior and appearance.
2. Secondary – this breed has a strong showing in the DNA mix and is more influential but still makes up less than the majority of the dog’s DNA.
3. Primary – this is the breed that represents the majority of the dog’s DNA makeup.  Having a “primary breed” is rare in a mixed breed dog unless they have at least one purebred parent.  In ten reports we examined covering eight dogs, non had a primary listing.

The point here is that you probably aren’t going to get something as definitive as you would like.  You may well get a listing of traces of 8 different dogs that look and act very little like the one at your feet.  And while not satisfying from a curiosity standpoint it is not helpful creating a breed specific health care plan for your dog – a benefit that both companies tout.

And worse yet…

Test results for the same dog can be markedly different between the two companies!

We were surprised and confused by the very different answers by the two companies for the SAME dogs.

Company Response
Key executives and scientists from both companies reviewed the tests, concluded that the samples were good, that their testing process was good, and both stood by their results.  They have seen these differences before and discussed how it isnot as cut and dry as we might imagine for a couple of reasons:

• First, there is no such thing as a “pure” dog. The AKC recognized purebreds are actually man made mixes created by controlled crossbreeding to enhance certain characteristics.  So even the DNA of an American Kennel Club purebred is a mix that may vary within limits.
• Secondly the database samples are not perfect.  They are based on good sampling techniques that will improve over time with more samples.
• The software for both companies reports the breeds that have the highest statistical probability of matching the DNA from your dog, not definitive matches.

Both believe that their answers are as good as the science can offer right now.  Wisdom Panel believes their larger database yields better probabilities.  Heritage is expanding their database this spring to include approximately that same number of breeds.  But the truth remains; the tests are someone’s estimation of the probabilities – not the definitive facts that guarantee an understanding of your dog’s behavior or health profile.  The results can be answers that are as different as Daschund and Dane.

Our Recommendation
Don’t test.  Save your money.  Wait until next year and give the industry time to debug itself.  We will try again and report the results.  In the meantime, enjoy your mutts for what you know them to be – good friends and good dogs!

You can save money by reading a good dog book and making your own guesses about your pooch’s heritage, and you may be just as accurate!

People are living much longer today than in the past.  Our society has more Seniors now than ever before.  I like to think the vastly growing love of our pets plays a part in our human longevity.

We are all social beings and dogs are pack animals that fit perfectly into our daily lives.   Pet ownership is especially beneficial for the elderly and has numerous benefits.  

Animal behavior specialist Lynette A. Hart, PhD. says “Taking care of a creature that cares about you and responds to you is a real antidote and preventive medicine for loneliness and depression.”

Some Seniors will become more reclusive after the loss of a spouse.  Pets can give them a sense of security, with their unconditional love and companionship.  Knowing that another living being depends on you and feeling needed is a powerful motivator. 

Pets seem to relieve the stress of our daily lives, by the companionship they bring.  Studies have shown that people who own a dog or cat tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  They have even shown that heart attack victims that own pets have a higher survival rate after a year than those that do not.

Richard B. Ford, D.V.M., M.S., a veterinarian in Raleigh, N.C. says “Seniors can benefit substantially from pet ownership.”

We may all know that by keeping our bodies strong and fit we will live longer and healthier lives, but the older we get the less we tend to exercise.  Even though we may not exercise for ourselves, we do what we have to for the creatures we love.  If “Fido” needs his daily exercise and romps at the park, then that is exactly what gets done. 

Once you’re on the search for a pet, be sure to do your research.  Raising puppy can be an overwhelming task for an energetic 20 something, so be sure to select a pet that is appropriate for your lifestyle.   A great place to start your pet search is with your local humane society. 

For Seniors who live in convalescent homes and are unable to take care of a dog or cat full time there are Pet Therapy programs that will visit the centers. 

Nationwide Pet Therapy Groups

Pets have a Fountain of Youth quality and seem to keep us young by their very nature.  It’s tough to feel old when your playing.  Throwing balls, making silly sounds and laughing with a furry bundle of joy.