Prisons and dog rehab

Those people who have gone through some type of rehabilitation program themselves are the most likely to work with others to help them over come their problems. That theory also applies to human and dog interaction. In Washington state, the Department of Corrections has a program where women prisoners in the system take dogs from local shelters and train them to become service dogs. The program is called the Prisoner Pet Partnership Program aka the PPPP.

The women prisoners have more than likely gone through drug rehab or other type of rehab program. They then spend 2 years in the program to learn all the aspects of training. It takes 8 months for a dog to be fully trained from a shelter dog to being placed as a service dog. Out of 15 dogs taken from the shelter only one will make it to becoming a service dog. Not all dogs are suitable or have the knack for the job.Those dogs that do not make the grade are better qualified to find better homes since they have undergone basic training.

The program helps the prisoners find better employment once they leave the system and the dogs find better homes. It seems to be that it is one prisoner (the human kind) helping another prisoner (the shelter dog) get a better life.

Dog training

There is a wide variety of dog trainers out there that want your money. Petco has a dog training section which I discovered are only trained to sign you up for more training. In fact Petco does not want people that have any experience with formal dog training, they want people they can train their way, even if the training methods are faulty.

The experiences I have had with professional dog trainers has been very positive. I was fortunate to attend a 8 week course at an AKC sanctioned training club. The trainers both had trained dogs to their championships in obedience class. The credentials that those dog trainers had were in no way a comparison to a Petco dog trainer. They did not have a location next door to circuit city like the Petco had. Their location was in a huge warehouse in the industrial section of town. The space inside the building was great for off leash training and obstical courses. On the other hand the Petco store was way too small for having a proper dog training area.

Human habits in dogs

I bet you often comment to your friends that your dog is almost human. Does your dog have any human habits like watching tv or loves to ride in the car? I have a dog that has to be by my side like glue day and night. I do like to watch tv but the dog has ignored the screen when ever the tv is on. Strangely enough our cat loves to watch our tvs. There are plenty of photos on the web showing dogs that love watching TV, riding motorcycles (sitting behind or in front of their owners) and other human hobbies and habits. I just hope not to see one smoking.

BIG dogs

I found this assortment of very large dogs and thought I would share them with you.

 

Now most of the dogs look to be in good shape for their size except for the last dog in the line up. That dog is a prime candidate for weight loss pills for dogs that the vet can find. That dog looks like it might develope heart trouble if it doesn't lose some weight.

Dog grooming - the comfortable way

I don't mind giving my dogs the occasional bath in my bathtub, but I do mind getting on my knees to wash them while they are in the tub. My back usually starts to hurt and it is just plain awkward. I mention that fact because 10 years ago a local dog grooming place opened up a few miles from me. It was called Pup N' Scrub and it was a self serve dog washing place. I went in there just once to look around and decided not to use the facilities. The main reason was the fact that they had installed bathtubs at the regular level, on the floor. Even the American Standard sinks were installed at an awkward level.

I had not noticed the store after that visit many years ago and I had not even thought about it. That was until a friend of mine mentioned how she ran into the former owner. It seems that the dog wash place only lasted just over a year and no one had bothered to tell her that everything was installed wrong for dog washing. Come to find out, the former owner was not even a dog owner and had no clue about dog grooming or washing, she was just a business owner hoping to cash in on the dog craze at the time.

Flyball, a fast dog sport

Flyball is not a new sport for dogs, just a lesser known one. The sport originated in California in the 1970's. The object of the sport is to have a team of dogs, in relay fashion, complete a hurdle course, catch a ball shot out of flyball box and race back over the hurdles to the finish line. The sport is fast and is a fat burner for the dogs.

Most dogs that compete in this sport are from the working or herding dog groups. The herding dogs tend to be faster and have more energy than the working dogs do. Border Collies and Australian Shepherds seem to dominate the sport. Other breeds also compete like the min pin in the photo above.

Jobs for dogs

Your dog may not be up to doing an Executive Job Search but he or she can still have a job. I am betting your dog has a job right now and you don't even know it. Do they bark when someone comes down the driveway or knocks on your door? They are performing the job of an alarm or watch dog. Does your dog give you comfort when you are feeling blue or when you get home from work or school? Then your dog is a therapist. Does your child want to go out and play but you say Ok only if they take the dog with them? Then you know your dog will act as a deterant to anyone who might want to harm your child.

Dogs in art

If you were old enough you would remember when those old paintings of dogs playing poker were very popular then you would have seen one example of how dogs appear in human art. Putting human attributes such as smoking pipes and gambling has always been quark of artists. Some websites have even used those paintings online to advertise cigars online, which would make sense, since those paintings do look like old time advertising posters.

Later, when photoshop was introduced to the public, those dogs with the really big eyes started to become popular. They appeared on birthday and greeting cards. posters and t-shirts. They soon disappeared from vogue. I wonder what the next big thing in dog art will be?

Fun stuff

It is time to show another photo of a dog and dog owner enjoying each others company. What better than a lick on the face. Warning, please don't use this method as a one of your acne treatments, it is sure to get some eewws from your family.

Dog cancer

Having a beloved dog die of cancer just 6 months ago, I was rather interested in the news story about a dog owner and their dog trying to raise money for research into dog cancer. The video news below shows Tula practicing for the competition she will be in to raise money for the cause.

Tear stains on white dogs

I have never had a white dog. A good friend of mine has a miniature poodle that is white. She is always cleaning the light brown to almost orange tear stains that her dog has. I have asked her in the past why does her dog have such watery eyes that they stain the fur. Even with my darker colored dogs I have hardly ever noticed that they had excessive tears. She thinks her dog has allergies and just puts up with treating the stains with under eye cream, stain remover. It told her to get the dog to the vet but she insists that all dogs have that problem and there is nothing the vet can do about it.

I would like to hear from white dog owners with this problem. Can you tell me why white dogs have tear stains?

Career with dogs - professional dog walker

Have you ever thought about being a professional dog walker? New York City seems to have cornered the market on them. If you have ever travel new york, or seen the big Apple on TV or in the movies, you would have seen at least one professional dog walker. They are the people with at least 5 or more dogs on a leash. I wonder how they handle the pooper scooper laws with all those dogs?

Playing with your dog to help with training

I have always preferred to train a dog the fun way - by playing with them. The video below shows you how to can use a simple game like "hide and seek" to train your dog to come when called.

Halloween and time to dress up your dog

Only a few more weeks to go till Halloween. Are you dressing up your dog for the occasion? In my next few posts I will have links for dog costumes you can make and online stores where you can buy ready made dog costumes.

Dressing up your dog is not limited to Halloween. I have seen a few weddings where the family dog was the ring bearer and was outfitted in a tailored tux complete with a ruffled tuxedo shirt. So stick around while I go and dig up those links to post on here in the next few days.

The Italian Greyhound

Puppy

Greyhounds are the large sight hounds that are often raced. Whippets are smaller versions of the Greyhound. Still smaller than the Whippet is the miniature Italian Greyhound. Cute, fast and friendly they are a tad more fragile than the Whippet.

Adult

They are the smallest of the sight hound group, standing under 15 inches at the shoulder. They are light weight with most of them weighing between 8 - 13 pounds. They are fast little devils with a top speed of 45 miles an hour so you had better keep an eye on them when they are out and about.

The breed is not recommended for cold climates. These little dogs love to be warm and will burrow into warm clothes and blankets. Their fragile legs make them an unwise choice for families with children that like to rough house with their pets. Often at time these dogs overestimate their jumping abilities and end up breaking a leg.

They make great companion animals and are very loving and devoted.

Goofy names for dogs

The name Goofy is a goofy name but actually there are some goofier ones. "Bear" is one of the most popular ranked names at the AKC. Of course how many own dogs named "Dog"? Or "Dawg" to be fancy? Then there is the play on different spellings for words and name like our dog. She was originally named "Katie" but my daughter insisted on calling her "Kay-Dee" or "KD". Then there are the misspellings of words and created words to become names. Some of them are fantom (Phantom), socrotees (Socrates) ,phentermine (Friend of mine), gaggle (a play on the name Google) and a host of others.

I would like to hear about your dog's goofy name, leave a comment.

Acne in dogs

Did you know that dogs could get acne? Acne is not limited just humans. In fact cats and horses can also have acne. All 3 of those animals get acne on the nose and chin areas. The acne areas can get infected and become small boils. In most cases it comes and goes away without much fanfare and mostly dog owners don't worry about it.

So are there any acne treatments that you can do if it does alarm you? First talk to your vet. There are a few medicines on the market that your vet can suggest for use. Keeping the area washed and clean will also help speed up healing.

Dog acne is nothing to get alarmed about. It is not fatal and other than look nasty, it is not a problem for the dog.

Can dogs get human ailments?

That question is more common than you think? Can they catch human colds? No. Can they catch HIV? Not likely, no. Can they get diseases from the environment that both humans and dogs are exposed to? Yes. In fact there can be environmental causes of many cancers that both dogs and humans get. Eating contaminated foods or breathing particle laden air can cause cancer, kidney failure or even death.

If a dog is exposed to asbestos, just like a human, that dog can get malignant Mesothelioma. It is just that a vet might not know that the dog was exposed. Treatment would be delayed and the dog would die of what the owner might think is natural causes. Exposure to contaminated soil could also be a cause of toxic poisoning. A dog or cat walking in a vacant lot might walk through some duped chemicals and lick their paws thus ingesting the chemical. It could then cause kidney damage or a whole range of symptoms.

To answer the title of the blog post "can dogs get human ailments?" It is a loaded question. The short answer is no but the longer answer is yes.

The elderly and dog ownership

Older people can benefit greatly from pet ownership. Dogs are wonderful companion animals for the older adult that does not have any close family members. Dogs fill a void that us social humans need.

Unfortunately due to the economic climate and the price of dog food rising, many elderly dog owners have been forced to choose between paying for their Medicare supplement insurance, utilities or even their own food. Thankfully many local agancies have stepped up and supplied dog food for those who rely heavily on their dogs as their only form of companionship.

Drum dogs

I just had to share a few dog photos showing dogs the were either posed playing stainless steel drums (like the photo above) or showing they love their drum playing owners. I also threw in a cartoon just because it looked so funny. Enjoy the pics.

The Sharpei

That fabulous dog with the wrinkles - the Sharpei. This is a dog that looks like it permanently has on the wrong size coat. No need to worry about finding the best eye wrinkle cream with this dog. In fact the more wrinkles the better. There wrinkles are a form of protection for them. Since they were originally used as fighting dogs their adversary could do little damage to their internal organs since they couldn't get past having a mouth full of skin.

Books about dogs

There was a point in my life that everyone knew I loved and owned a dog. It seemed that every Christmas I was the recipient of at least 3 dog books. You would be amazed at how many gift books there are about dogs. Lots of pretty pictures and hardly any really good information.

I am ashamed to say that most of those books were re-gifted to younger dog owners that loved to look at the pictures in the books. I am not saying that those books were not good but I am saying that I needed more juicy information about first aid or training for my dog other than sit-stay or how to give a pill.

My favorite place to shop for books online is the biggest one at Amazon books and I try to make sure that I get a review of what I am buying first.

Dog in Lima dognapped

A dog on a leash was grabbed by men from it's owner in Lima Peru and ended up at the local university animal dissection class. Watch the video below and find out how she rescued her dog.

Jogging with your dog

Getting in shape is never easier when you do it with a friend. Why just take your dog for a walk when you can go jogging. It is healthier for both of you and cheaper than buying weight loss pills. There are some things you should take along with you when you go jogging with your furry friend. Bottled water for both you and your dog, plastic bags to pick up after your dog and maybe one of those hands free leashes that is shown in the picture above.

Most of all have fun doing it.

Vacations with Fido

Our local county park system does allow dogs but they have to be on leash at all times. It is plainly posted all over the parks. The park system includes many large 1000+ acre areas that allow for overnight camping with tents and motor homes.

Many of those vacationing in motor homes have brought their pets with them. The leash law was put in place to protect people from those dogs that have idiots for owners that let their dogs roam free in the camp grounds. Sure Fido was good yesterday but today Fido wanted to pee all over the clean pile of towels that someone placed in a hamper next to their motor home. When Fido got caught in the act the owner of the towels got just a tad upset with Fido's owner, who in turn called the towel owner a few choice names and it went on from there.

Having a pet off of the leash can ruin enough vacations so that you want to sell motorhome as soon as you got home. Find out the leash laws of the area you are visiting even if you don't have your own dog with you. There might not be a leash law and you will want to know that too.

Obesity in dogs

Extra weight in dogs can cause pretty much the same problems as they can in humans. Dogs will have increased mobility problems as well as increased joint pain. Dogs cannot use wheel chairs so a decrease in weight is necessary. Several major pharmaceutical companies have come up with what they consider to be the best weight loss supplements on the market today. I would strongly suggest that you talk to you vet before buying any highly marketed pill for your dog. Not all research is sound nor supervised as it is in human medications. The same is true for so called "herbal" remedies. Just because it is natural does not make it safe.

Bathing your dog

I typically only bathe my dogs during the hot months or when one of them has played in the mud in the spring. The rest of the year they just get brushed out and groomed by me. The larger dogs I tie up on the lawn and use dog shampoo and the garden hose, minus a tub.

I see lots of photos showing people washing their dogs outdoors in a tub and I wonder why. It is so much easier to do without a tub. Now if the tub was elevated so you didn't have to bend over then that would be a good idea. They do make wash tubs for dogs that are on stands and some of them are walk in tubs for the larger breeds of dogs so you don't have to lift them up. Those types of tubs are usually for the professional groomer and can cost thousands of dollars.

There was a do it yourself dog grooming place where I use to live 7 years ago. It was called "Wash a dog, doggy" or something like that. They had human bath tubs set up with rings on the wall to tie your dog to while bathing your dog. I think the business closed after 3 years and I can see why. The customers had to sit down or bend over to wash their dog. It was almost the same as washing your dog in the bathtub at home. So why pay $5-10 to use their tubs? They had a good idea but the design was all wrong.

Bathing your dog should be easy, cheap, quick and not physically painful for you or the dog.

Dog owners are not made of money

The products that I have seen made and marketed to dog owners have run the gambit from great to useless and everywhere in between. One of them that starts out as a great idea is the Dirty Dog Bath Tub (pictured below). It looks like a neat item - doesn't it? That is until you find out the price.


The price for the tub is $65!! Heck I'll stick to the bathtub or get one of those big tubs with the rope handles you can get for $9 or less at Walmart. Dog products should not cost and arm and a leg.

Now there are some really great products for dogs out there and one of them is the hip support brace, shown below.
Now that item is great for dogs that have hip problems and still need to get out and exercise. I wish dog product manufacturers would concentrate on inventing items that dog owners need and not try to make something that can be replaced by something else (like the dog bath).

Your dog and water

Is your dog safe around lakes, swimming pools and other deep areas of water? Contrary to popular belief not all dogs can swim. Some dogs even panic when tossed into the family swimming pool. If your dog is out of shape, swimming could lead to their drowning.

Introduce your dog to swimming slowly. Play fetch over a body of water to encourage the dog to enter the water and play in it. If you plan on taking your dog out with you on your boat either get a life jacket or rent one for the day. One place near us called Outer Banks rentals not only rents out boats on the lake for the day but life jackets for humans and dogs.

Of course there are dogs that simply do not like water at all. I had a Labrador Retriever that would not go near water. She even stayed away from our swimming pool. After having her I know that the love of water is not breed specific but up to the individual dog.

Obesity in dogs

I am sure you have seen a fat dog or 2. Maybe even your own dog is fat. Did you know that obesity is now a growing concern for dogs? Dogs have short enough lives as it is with some dog breeds only living to 9 years old. At the age of about 7 years most dogs are turning grey around the muzzle and are middle aged. Add to that any extra weight on the dog and now you have a dog that will have a shorter life expectancy than normal for that breed.

In recent years there have been a few diet pills just made for dogs but it is still too early to tell which is the best diet pills that work. The best way is to quick overfeeding the obese dog. Don't give in to those soft begging eyes.

Keeping your dog active and healthy

Unlike us humans dogs are a pretty active lot. Their bodies can handle foods that are off limits to many of us. Their digestive systems are not only are able to raw meats, bones and are in fact little fat burners. It is now coming to light that a raw meat diet is preferred for dogs over the dry or canned diets that have been pushed down the consumers throats by the pet food industry.

About 18 years ago I use to breed and show Chow Chows and they are known for having skin problems. My vet had me put the dogs that were having skin problems on a raw meat diet and all their skin problems cleared almost overnight. My vet said it was because the dog food companies do not always put on the labels ALL the ingredients or lump them together under a "by products" labeling.

If your dog has been having problems with dog foods then you might want to add real meat to their diet everyday.

Camping with your dog

Just about the only way to take your dog with you when you go on vacation is when you camp. Staying in motels or hotels with a dog can be a little expensive because the hotels, even if they accept pets they do charge extra for them. Camping either in a tent and roughing it or in a rv can be fun if you take some simple precautions before you set out on your trip.

Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with ID and current rabies tags. Go the extra step and have your dog mirco chipped before the trip. Make sure your dog has all of it's vaccinations up to date just in case your dog encounters another pet dog that is sick.

Take with you a dog bed or a blanket that will just be for the dog. It will help the dog feel more at home rather than on the road. Plan what you will be doing with the dog while in camp and away from the camp. Keep in mind that a dog is an attractive nuisance for small children near your camp and take precautions.

Care of the older dog

If you are fortunate enough to have your pup grow to old age then you would know that as a dog ages their bone joints get stiffer. Small breeds that use to jump up on the couch or your bed now can't manage it at all. Larger dogs might have trouble going up or down stairs.

One of the best items I have found to help dogs with stiff joints is nutritional health supplements made with yucca. Yucca has anti-inflammatory properties and worked great for our dogs when they were 14 years old and older. You want yucca to be in the top 3 listed items of ingredients when you are looking on the supplement package. Anything less than that and you are not getting the full benefit of the yucca.

Teaching your dog to shake hands

Here is a video on how to teach your dog to shake hands. The large mop of a dog is entertaining to watch.

Doggy doors

So you have decided to install a dog door because your dog is constantly asking to go out and in. You are not limited to installing the doggy door on the human door but you can also install it in a wall. It takes just a tad more know-how and knowledge of your walls to do the wall installation but sometimes it is a better option. Just install the door on a flat panel mounted area and make a frame for it. A doggy door is also a better option for dogs in colder climates in rural areas to have access to closed barns rather than the house. The reason for that is to deter unwanted wild animals from entering your home.

What is the best dog breed for your family?

Choosing the right dog for your family will help you and the dog in the long run have a long and happy relationship. Picking a breed that is known to howl or digg when you don't want that will cause you to hate your new dog and the poor animal ends up at the local animal shelter because YOU had a problem and not the dog. Here is an article that has a few pointers for finding the right dog breed for your family:

What is the best breed of dog for you?

Dog stamps

Do you remember the rubber stamp craze years ago? There were even whole stores that were dedicated to nothing but rubber stamps. I think most of those stores have moved on and become scrapbook stores now and even some of them are gone. I thought about that the other day when I ran across a rubber stamp I still have that had dog paw prints. I use to use that stamp when sending out Christmas cards. I would sign all of our names (the humans of course) then add a few stamped paw prints to signify the dogs. It was cutesy for awhile but got old after a few years.

How much does owning a dog cost you?

Interesting video below on the cost of owning a dog. The cost of training is added to the list but I train my own dogs so that would be a savings for me. The cost of a dog license is lower where I live at $6 a year so there is a savings over the video listing.

The life of a telecommuting dog owner

I bet you wished that your job was at home, no commute and you take long walks with your dog when it pleased you. Other than working for yourself there are not many careers that will allow that. Of course with the internet comes a whole different set of careers. Someone has to maintain the internet and websites.

Can you imagine just waking up in the morning and taking the time to enjoy your life with your dog on a nice long walk before you started work? If you took a few online college study courses you could do that. There is a demand for people with internet security experience and or training. You could start a whole new career. You could get a MS in Information Security online.

Your dog would no longer be alone during the day and since they have such a short lifespan compared to ours, wouldn't you rather spend more time with your dog than in the car commuting?

Bald dogs

Yes there are times when a dog might drop their fur in patches or all over. One of the main reasons in nutrition, the lack of the proper type. A dog needs the right food to keep all of it's body functions to work and that includes having a shinny coat. Other items that will make a dog drop fur in patches is food allergies, fleas, fungus infections and rubbing from unknown skin irritations.

I have dealt with food allergies, fleas (had one dog allergic to them) and malnutrition (stray dog). The food allergies was one of the hardest to figure out but skin irritations were easy. After bathing a dog I would put on them Straight Arrow's Mane and Tail conditioner (for horses). I would use the leave-in conditioner and found it was great for skin and if there was a bald spot would grow the fur within a week. I found it to be one of the best hair loss treatments I have ever found for dogs.

Humans love dogs so much that.....

In Japan they love dogs so much that they have invented robot dogs for people that are not allowed to have dogs in their homes. They can never create the affection that a person gets from the companionship of a dog but the robots go through the motions of dog behavior.

Is it something that we can expect more of in the future? Just go down to your local wholesale electronics store and pick out your new puppy? I would say no but considering the fact that many a teenager now likes to text message their friends rather than talk it might be in our futures.

Be careful what you leave out

Dogs can get into the craziest of things. They learn how to open doors and even watch you operate little things like door bell buttons. They are also very smart about getting something they want, like food. They can either beg until you give in to them or they will chew open a container to get what they want.

That brings us to keeping an eye on your medications, weight loss supplements and foods that are harmless to us but toxic to dogs. For example did you know that chocolate is toxic to dogs? Two to three whole candy bars can cause seizures and possible death in a 10lb dog. Small amounts of chocolate seem to have little affect but why take the chance. The toxin is a type of caffeine called theobromine which causes the release of hormones in the dog that in turn causes irregular heart beats.

What should you do if your dog just ate a whole bag of chocolate? If you can't get the dog to the vet right away then induce vomiting. That is what the vets suggest. I have never had to INDUCE my dog to vomit, he just seems to do it especially right after eating grass. Be warned that the dog might not bring up all the chocolate and your dog will need medical attention within the next few hours.

The Obama puppy and mutts

You have by now seen that the Obama family has a new dog. It is not a mixed breed from the local animal shelter or rescue but a purebred Portuguese Water Spaniel. The fact that the Obamas did not rescue a dog or puppy from the local animal shelter has gotten a lot of people up in arms. It is true that there are many dogs that are awaiting to be adopted from rescues and animal shelters all over the country but those dogs are there for a reason. Often they were given up by owners because the owner acquired a cute puppy with unknown parentage from a backyard breeder that had puppies for sale. When the puppy grew it often took on the personality and size of the unknown breed or mixes of breeds that the owner was not aware of. That in a nut shell is the number one reason against indiscriminate breeding of unregistered dogs.

The Obama family wanted a dog that they knew what it's breed characteristics would be. They did not want surprises 6 months down the road. Acquiring a purebred dog is the only way to insure that. The Obamas did quite a bit of research on different breeds before acquiring "Bo", the dog that they decided on.

There are several internet directories that list Dogs for sale or Puppies for sale so check them out, you might find what you are looking for in a lifetime companion. At least by acquiring a purebred puppy you will know what size, color and temperament it will be when it is fully grown.

Cute poster, t-shirt

I just happen to run across this during my time on the internet:I think it was on a t-shirt but it would also make a great poster. Heck print it out and have it laminated so it can be placed under the dog food bowl. If they sold it in the stores I wonder how the barcode scanner would handle it?

Flea control

Fleas become more active when it starts to get warmer and drier. I live in the Pacific Northwest so our flea season doesn't start until the rainy season is over with. Fleas don't like moisture so a wet lawn and damp or wet cement around your home will help control the flea population from entering your home on your clothing.

For dogs it is a simple matter of using some sort of flea control to keep the fleas at bay for the warm months. I use Advantage spot on flea control.

Advantage comes color coded for the weight of the dog it is used on. Green Advantage is for dogs 10 lbs and under. Teal Advantage is for dogs 11-20 lbs. Red Advantage is for dogs 21-55 lbs. Blue Advantage is for dogs 55-100 lbs.

You can often find Advantage on eBay at discount prices but watch out for counterfeits.

Dog friendly hotels in San Diego

Planning a trip to San Diego this year? How about this handy list of dog friendly San Diego hotels -

• Hotel Solomar: no deposit for pets and no size limit. Includes pet bed, distilled water, pet treats.
• Loews Resort: $25 deposit per stay, no size limit. Room service for pets with a wide variety of foods. Pet beds, treats and list of pet friendly parks and local attractions.
• Su'ruff Camp: Dog surfing lessons at Dog Beach are included in the room accommodations.

As you can see, more and more hotels and resorts are catering to dogs.

Muddy dogs

The spring rains are here and so is mud, lots of it. One of our dogs loves to run down to one of our creeks and roll in the Outer Banks of it to cover herself in mud. I don't know what it is about that dog but she just loves to roll in the muddiest part of the creek.

To clean herself off she then rolls in tall grass and she comes out clean! Interesting behavior to say the least.

Overweight dogs

How to tell if your dog is overweight. You should be able to feel your dog's ribs without digging your fingers into their sides. The ribs should be only slightly noticeable while looking at the side of your dog. The ideal dog would have their ribs not seen by the eye but easily felt when touched. They waistline should look trim and not bulge below the ribcage.

That is only a rough idea of what you should look for in your own dog for the ideal weight. What do you do if your dog is overweight? You can't just find a website that lists best rated diet pills for dogs, they just aren't there and are not recommended. Feeding them less would be the first step. Look for a dog food that is high in protein and low on filler foods like grains. The more meat and less grains in their diet would make a huge different in their weight. Dog foods that list rice, wheat, soy or other grains as their first or second ingredient should be avoided. They are simply dehydrated bread with meat flavoring.

If you cannot locate a dog food that is low in grains you might want to look into the option of making your own dog food. Organ meats such as hearts and livers when cooked and poured over a small amount of dry dog food will add the much needed meat to an overweight dog's diet.