Keeping
your active dog healthy- in body and mind!
Baltimore is a city of highly active dogs. In the city, half of our most popular dogs are medium to large sized working and hunting breeds, and most of the rest would like to think that they are! According to the American Kennel Club's 2006 registration statistics, the top ten most registered breeds in Baltimore City are as follows:
Knowing the typical temperaments and activity levels of our top ten dogs tells me that Baltimore's dog owners have their work cut out for them. All of our top ten dogs are working dogs, or have been bred down from lines of working dogs. This means that they are energetic and desire a job to do! So, what can owners do to satisfy the mental and physical needs of these non-stop dogs? The answer is through EXERCISE, WORK, and DIET.
EXERCISE is often overlooked, especially for those living a busy city lifestyle. Exercise may be an option for some humans, but is essential to our dogs. Our large Rotties, and even the smallest Yorkie crave challenging physical activity. Dogs that are under-exercised often exhibit a variety of annoying and undesirable behaviors. Simply creating a tired dog can relieve a majority of household behavioral problems that owners encounter. Burning off the energy that your dog has saved up (just for you) all day while you were at work is not always an easy task.
Playing a game of fetch is something that most of our Retrievers obsess over and thankfully for you, is great exercise for your dog! Our other working breeds are all capable of a good RUN! If you're not the running type, that's OK; most working breeds on a bad day can run faster and longer than even the most active owner, anyway. So, how is the energy effectively burned? How about biking with your dog? The "Springer" is a device that can attach to a bicycle and makes the task of keeping up with your dog much more attainable. For our local earth dogs (Dachshunds and Jack Russell Terriers, for example), creating a special place in the yard for your dog to dig and play is a great way to let your dog burn energy as he was bred to do. Create a sandbox just for the dog; be sure to encourage your dog to dig only in the sandbox, or you may end up with holes in the yard! A good romp in the dog park can help burn off excess energy and satisfy some of your dog's social needs as well.
Though exercise is effective in burning energy and maintaining a healthy dog, exercise alone is not enough to satisfy most dogs. All dogs need mental stimulation as well. This is where WORK comes in. Dogs are pack animals and need leadership. To put it simply, they want to be told what to do! If your dog seems to have a mind of his own, it's possible that you may need to re-establish yourself as the leader of your pack. If it seems you’re your dog doesn't want to listen, putting him to work can actually help you regain control of -and respect from- your dog.
Giving your dog a job is the fun part. . .for both of you! There are a number of ways to put doggie minds to work. Practicing obedience is a great start, and many owners find it very rewarding. If the two of you make a good team, maybe you should consider getting involved in some kind of dog sport. There are sports for dogs of all breeds and sizes. Competitive obedience, tracking, agility, flyball, weight pull, sledding. . .and, yes, even doggie dancing to name just a few! These are all great ways of keeping your dog active and stimulated. Not sure where to start? There are local clubs that offer many of these activities and most offer classes held on evenings or weekends, making it possible for you to maintain a regular work schedule with your dog. Bored dogs get into trouble, so if you have a troublemaker at home it may be time to put him to work. Beware: Giving your dog a job may cause him to sleep well at night!
Finally, proper DIET is of importance as well. Some behavioral and physical problems, including allergies, are diet related. If you decide to begin on a new exercise routing, or introduce work into your dog's life, the physical and mental challenges your dog will be taking on will make it even more important that he receive proper nourishment. The pet food debate is ongoing and most people have very strong opinions on the subject. The ingredients in commercial dog food are highly unregulated, making many consumers look elsewhere to ensure their animals receive a proper, safe diet. With recalls across the nation, pet food has received a lot of attention recently.
There are high quality kibbles, natural raw diets, and other foods available for owners to choose from. It's probably best to buy dog food from a pet store, specialty store, or other distributor and to stay away from foods carried in the grocery store, as they are generally of lower quality. While grocery stores do carry discount brands and lower-priced dog foods, these do not offer the same nutritional value as higher priced foods. This often results in allergies from low-grade fillers, and owners having to feed more to receive the same nutrition. Some owners actually insist on feeding their own raw mixture, or cooking for their dogs instead. This is a good way to maintain a healthy diet and beat the high prices of pre-made raw diets. However, the drawback to this is that it does not ensure your dog receives balanced nutrition. Check with your vet before starting a new diet to be sure that it is the proper diet for your dog.
Keeping an active dog healthy in a city is not always an easy task. Thankfully, Baltimore is a city full of parks and many other resources for our dogs. . .Who knows, maybe this is why Baltimore is home to some of the busiest breeds of dog! Remember, the key to keeping your dog healthy and happy is to focus on EXERCISE, WORK, and DIET. Keep those three things in mind, and you will have the happiest, healthiest dog around.
-Aja Harris, 2007
Mutt Magic Training Services