Putting your dog on a diet

Do you have a dog that needs to lose a few pounds or even ounces? If you cannot easily feel their ribs or they get out of breath faster than you do during a walk then yes, they are in need of losing some extra weight.

First you need to cut out those little high calorie treats for them. Then learn to weigh their dry dog food before each feeding. Most of the dry dog food bags suggest using measuring cup sizes but I have found that volumes can vary but weight of food is constant. I use a digital postal scale but you can use a kitchen scale or a lab scale as long as it can weigh up to 5 pounds including the container that is used to put the food in.

Next I separate the meals into 2 or even three a day. That helps the dog's stomach to shrink a bit.

I always check the dry dog food for ingredients before buying it. The first ingredient should always be whatever the main meat (chicken or beef). If a grain such as corn, wheat or rice is listed first then I go on to the next brand of food. Price has never been a good indicator of ingredients.......you have to read that label.

Then it is just a matter of sticking to the diet. After all it is up to you and not your dog to stay with the diet.

Puppy pics

It has been some time now since I last posted so I thought I would share a few puppy pics

Dachshund hounds are a wonderful small dog breed

When I decided to adopt a puppy, I knew I needed to research small dog breeds. Living in an apartment in the city meant that having a big dog was simply out of the question. I desperately wanted a canine companion, but I also wanted to make sure I chose one who could play fetch in the house and wouldn't require wide open fields to stay healthy and active. My friend knew I was looking for small dogs breeds and pointed me to a Dog Breed Gallery online. From there, I was able to look at all the different choices I had and make an informed decision. My first choice was a Boston Terrier. I just love those squishy little faces! Alas, I live in a 4th floor walk up apartment with one small a/c unit, and dogs with adorable flat faces simply don't function well if they can't be kept cool at all times. I was afraid the summer months in the city would be too much for a Boston buddy.

That's when I decided to think about Dachshunds. All the wiener dogs I've ever met have had nice, pointy faces, good for staying cool in the summer, but they have also had great big personalities. They are a playful breed that enjoys activity but are also happy to cuddle up with you in the evenings. Best of all, they stay small and can be perfectly happy in a house without a lot of space; in fact, some can even be trained to use a litter box or potty mat indoors which is very convenient in bad weather.

I decided to visit a small dog breed rescue site, and that's where I met my adorable new companion. She's turned out to be the perfect pet – it is simply a delight to come home to her wagging tail after a long day at work!

Warmer weather means fleas

My little dog has been bothered by fleas more now that it is warming up. In the house I use a premise spray as well as using a spot-on treatment for the dog. The problem is the warm weather - it speeds up the hatching out of the flea eggs. The spot-on treatment does work but the flea has to be on the dog for about 3-24 hours before it dies. That is a long time for a dog to put up with biting fleas running around on their bodies before they die.

My dog has gotten to the point that he prefers to be outside in the cooler evening and night time temperatures because he is bothered by the fleas. Right now as I write this he is standing near the where the corner tv stands waiting for me to get up and let him outside where it is cooler.

I need something that will kill the fleas on the dog and yet not interfere with the spot-on treatments either. I also do not want to make the dog sick from applying too many pesticides. Is that too much to ask?