Our Middle Aged Boxer...

 

      Lucy on one of our many hikes. 

Well, Lucy is now 9 years old and she is starting to show signs of being middle aged. While she still has a lot of heart, she is starting to slow down just a bit. I think this is mostly because of joint discomfort in her hips. 

In an effort to allow her more mobility and relieve joint pain, we've been very careful in helping her maintain a healthy weight. She is now down to a healthier 65 lbs. versus the 78 lbs. that she was at. In addition to weight management, we've put her on a glucosamine supplement. Before we started on the supplement, she would sometimes drag her rear back right leg. This got our immediate attention. The glucosamine seems to have helped her regain quite a bit of flexibility. 

We've also placed her on a daily doggy aspirin routine. She gets a dose of 160 mg. aspirin twice a day. One tablet in the morning and one before she goes to bed at night. This too seems to help her flexibility. I say doggie aspirin because it comes from the Vet and tastes like liver. Yes, I tried one! Not bad!!! Even the glucosamine has a nice taste - if you are a dog! 

Since we live in fairly hilly terrain, we are very careful in where we take her on our hikes together. We stop a little more often than we use to in order for her to cool down and take a break. I learned this the hard way one day when we over did it just a bit and Lucy insisted that we either stop or I carry her home. I did a bit of both. I think she got overly excited in the first part of walk and over did it on a rather warm day. That leads me to another topic...

Boxers aren't equipped with the best cooling system. Due to their shorter snouts they can overheat in a hurry if you aren't careful. We tend to pick cooler times of the day to hike with Lucy. The cooler the better. You can see in the picture we also keep a coat handy for comfort on the cooler mornings and evenings. 

If you would like more information on the supplement and aspirin, drop me a note and I'll be happy share where you can find what we are giving Lucy. Until next time, cioa! 

Peanut Butter and Molasses

 

And..

Peanut butter and molasses as a treat for your dog just doesn't sound right, or does it? It does when you consider that in a world of processed foods, there just doesn't seem to be anything out there that can be considered healthy. Most store bought treats contain large amounts of animal by-products, artificial flavors, artificial colors and artificial preservatives. All which can have an impact on your pet's overall health. 

Over the years we have experimented with many different types of treats for Lucy - some good and some not so good. We've tried people foods that were considered healthy but Lucy would just turn them down and besides, there can be dangers in feeding your dog the same foods that you eat. We've also tried what were considered wholesome foods from the pet store that upset her stomach and were very expensive. But there was one treat we could always count on that she could tolerate and seemed to enjoy and it just happens to be peanut butter! She just loves the stuff! I must warn you; it is not easy to watch your dog eat peanut butter, especially in its normal packaging. They will lick and lick to try to get it all out of their mouths. But they will never turn it down and it's actually good for them. 

One day while in the store I came across a box of dog treats that listed all natural and low fat "peanut butter and molasses" healthy treats for dogs. The treat is a hard baked cookie containing unbleached wheat flour, whole-wheat flour, blackstrap molasses, palm oil, whey oats, natural caramel, nonfat milk, egg, salt, baking soda, natural peanut butter and brewer's yeast. They are baked semi-hard to help keep teeth clean. There is no artificial anything in the cookie! I instantly purchased them and brought them home for my dog.

Lucy has been eating these cookies as a treat for about a year now and loves them. 
They come out of the box as what I would call a large cookie for a treat, so I break them up for her. She never gets more than one large cookie on any given day. She's actually on a schedule for her treats receiving about a third of a cookie three times a day. This helps us maintain her calorie intake and of course, her weight. What a great idea for a treat! 

Since I'm not in the business of selling dog treats, I won't list the company here on my blog but if you will drop me a note I will be happy to give you the name of the bakery. Just a note, if the company ever goes out of business I think these treats would be easily made from home. It might take just a little experimentation in the kitchen to make up a healthy treat for your favorite critter but it would be well worth the time to do so! 

Cheers!

What To Know Before You Give a Dog a Treat!

What dog does not love getting a treat or two now and then? Lucy love treats and looks forward to them! Dog owners also love giving their dog’s treats! I know I do! If you have a dog, then you probably have a good idea of what your dog likes to nibble on, right?

There are so many treats available these days and they all come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and consistencies. For every great treat, there are those on the market that are not good at all. Some treats can harm your pet by being lodged in your dog’s throat or intestines which can cause choking or intestinal ruptures. If you love treating your best friend, then you want to be aware of those treats that can be potentially harmful. Even with treats that are not usually dangerous, you need to supervise your dog when they eat. Here's a short list of things to treat or not to treat your dog with...

Dental Chews: Most dogs really enjoy these treats. They are advertised as a treats that help clean your dog’s teeth. However, you need to be aware that dental chews can cause choking. Some dogs eat these very quickly which causes large chunks that my lodge in the throat. Young puppies should not eat dental chews and as well as dogs that are prone to “scarfing” their food. If your dog eats these treats, be aware of potential vomiting, bloody stools, and difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these symptoms after your dog has eaten a dental chewy treat, seek medical attention immediately.

Chocolate: I've written about Chocolate in the past, it is a terrible thing to allow your dog to eat. Of course, sometimes dogs get into candy and cake without your knowing. Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, so you need to be aware of your dog sneaking chocolate nibbles. Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine. This acts in the canine about the same way caffeine acts in the human. A little will make the doge hyperactive, but a huge dose may be fatal. If your dog has gotten into chocolate, you need to look for vomiting, shallow breathing, and irregular heartbeat. A visit to the emergency vet is a really good idea if your dog gets into a large quantity of chocolate.

Bones: It seems that it is the right of every dog to be able to crunch on a real bone from time to time. Dogs love bones of all types. If you own a boxer or some other short face dog, it probably a good idea to keep all bones away from them. Bones can be dangerous for dogs like boxer for a couple different reasons, they are not set up dentally to chew the bones properly. In addition, both chicken and turkey bones are especially dangerous because they are brittle. When your dog chews on them, they can easily splinter and cause choking. Some pork and beef bones can also cause the same problem. Veterinarians agree that the one of the safest bones you can give your dog is a shinbone. If you must give your dog a bone, make sure you supervise your pooch and if he or she shows signs of bleeding, then you should call your vet immediately for some advice.

Rawhide: What dog does not love snacking on these chewy treats? Lucy will chew on one for hours, wearing herself out. Rawhide chews are good because they help clean your dog’s teeth and keeps your dog occupied. Rawhide can be dangerous as well! Some rawhide that originate outside of the United States may actually be preserved with arsenic-based chemicals that will be ingested by your dog when he or she chews. For this reason, make certain that any rawhide treat you purchase is processed in the United States where this type of preservative is forbidden. If you cannot tell where a treat originated do not buy it! It is best to purchase this type of chewy from a reputable franchise dealer such as Pet co or Pet smart. In addition make sure you buy rawhide that are the right size for your dog.

I'm not saying that you cannot give your dog an occasional treat. That is one of the fun parts of owning a dog. You do however, need to watch your dog and make sure that your dog is safe when snacking. Always pay attention to what kind of treat you give your dog in case of there is a problem! If you are looking for a proper treat for your dog, you may want to discuss the issue with your vet or knowledgeable people at a pet store such as PetSmart or PetCo. Lucy's treats come these, she really likes an all natural ingredient apple treat that we buy for her. Yes, I said apple treat, she loves them and they're low calorie as well... she must keep her girlish figure!