My dog is fat. There's no two ways about it. I love her no matter how she looks, but she's fat in a way that the vet has gently encouraged me to do something about it. Do you have any thoughts in terms of an exercise routine that all dogs would jump at the chance to do (preferably a bunch of times)?
- Pooch has got some Pounds
Hi PP!
Boy, I totally hear you about the weight thing. A dog's life can be really cushy, you know. Eat, sleep, get up, wag tail, eat, sleep, get up, wag tail.
It's great that you love your dog so much that they don't have to do much in the way of physical activity. And you could always check to see if there's a lower calorie dog food that your vet recommends to feed your dog. But, as with so much in life, a good life routine includes some kind of daily sustained physical movement.
But it can be tough for a pleasantly plump poochie to start a routine when they've never had to do so. So try these few steps:
1. a simple walk. Start off slow, maybe just down the block. Then increase the distance a little bit at a time when they've got it down. You might be surprised, your dog probably would love the chance to explore new surroundings.
2. Chase your dog around the house. Most dogs are instinctively programmed to love the game tag and chase. Give it a shot.
3. Have the dog chase the cat around the house. Because the cat has probably done something bad and needs to have a good scare.
4. If your dog resists all attempts to play and walk, bring out the big guns. BACON. Lure your dog on a walk, or chasing around the house by using bacon as bait. This will probably work for you and him. The question is, who gets to eat the bacon first.
Good luck and thanks for the question!
Do you have a question for Ask Toto? Send him your queries at thedogtoto@yahoo.com
