More Exercises to do with Your Pet

In our last blog we reviewed a few ways we could workout with our furry friends so both of us stay fit. We could all use a little more exercise! Listed below are a few more suggestions for these "buddy" workouts:


1.) Sumo Squats for the Critter
This workout is similar to the Squat and Toy Press. Only this time, you start with your toes pointed slightly outward, making sure that your knees line up with your toes. Hold the toy or ball in both hands, with arms extended straight down toward the floor. As you bend both knees, bringing your seat parallel to the floor and keeping your arms straight, lift the toy directly over your head. As you straighten your knees, jump off the ground a few inches and return the toy to the down position. Hopefully, your mongrel will continue to jump for the toy until your quads have hit exhaustion.

2.) Fetching Push-Ups
The idea is to set yourself up in a push-up position, with whatever modifications you require to do many repetitions (on your knees, against a wall, etc.). Lift one hand and throw a ball. Do as many push-up repetitions as possible until your pet returns. Repeat the toss with the opposite arm.

3.) Laser Creature Crunch
Domesticated animals seem to be fascinated by laser pointers. Get into a comfortable crunch position on the ground, and hold the laser pointer in both hands. Begin doing 10 crunches with the laser on your chest, and of course, pointed away from you. Watch your pet go nuts trying to chase it in the process. Every 10 reps, alternate arm positions behind your head, above your head, and even to your knees. Your dog will go insane, and you will have abs of steel!

4.) Dog Curl/Dip/Press
These options depend completely on the level of stillness your pet can provide. For my two dogs, playing dumbbell just ain't gonna happen. But I have many friends with extremely trusting animals that love to be bench-pressed. Should you try to press, curl, dip, or lunge your best friends, do it relatively close to the ground, just in case they change their minds.

There's a study that shows people with terminal illnesses are three times less likely to suffer depression if they own a pet. Pets are amazing stress reducers and loneliness decreasers, and have actually been proven to lower blood pressure. They also make us more social creatures, as we meet new people on walks, at parks, etc.

If you add a pet to your household, your life will be dramatically enriched. If you are unable to make a lifelong commitment, borrow a friend's dog for a day, or look into a short-term fostering program. And there are hundreds of organizations out there that could use volunteers to walk the dogs they are sheltering. That way, you get some exercise, and make a difference at the same time. Whatever you do, integrate some canine or feline time into your exercise regimen, and watch the change occur. Now that is doggone good!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TRAINING EXERCISES WITH YOUR DOG!
or visit
Stephanie S. Saunders' article on the Beachbody.com Newsletter, May 2010

http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/167#51927720

Buddy Workouts: Exercising With Your Pet -- Part of Dog Training ...

For those of us who have the pleasure of owning a pet, the benefits are fairly obvious. Pets offer unconditional love, listen to us without offering needless advice, and make fantastic snuggling companions. There is nothing like coming home to someone who is genuinely excited to see you and who wants nothing more than a chew toy for Christmas. But for all of the love we give them, we also seem to give them a lot to eat. Approximately 50 percent of the pets in this country are overweight—and with roughly 30 percent of the U.S. population also being overweight, we could all use a little more exercise! One possibility overlooked by pet owners is to recruit your pet as a workout buddy, which is odd, since pets will always show up and won't complain about how hungover they are. Let's look at some ways you can involve your furry friend in sweat-inducing activities that will leave you both reaching for the water bowl:  

1.Get outside.
Most of us are aware of the vast benefits of spending time outside on a daily basis. If you have a dog yet lack a large yard, being outside becomes a requirement. So if you have to walk your dog several times a day, why not use the time to your benefit as well? Try to speed up your pace along your normal route. Try alternating your quick pace with some speed walking or a light jog. Find a route that includes some hills or other challenging terrain. Add some high knee lifts, butt kicks, or lateral skipping if you are not embarrassed by public displays of exercise. Or simply try adding 5 minutes onto your quick-paced walk every week, until you are up to an hour. The added calorie burn will be worth it.

If you are a bit more daring, try hiking or running with your dog. There is the obvious increase in caloric expenditure for both of you, but also an increase in cardiovascular and muscular output that will definitely pay off. Look for soft surfaces—like a trail or dirt track—to help protect your joints, and remember that hot pavement is really painful for dogs' paws. Also, there are special harness-type leashes out there that keep your hands free and make running with more than one dog much more bearable.

2.It's all fun and games.
Playing with your pet can be great exercise and fun for both of you. If you have a yard, or live near a local dog park, all of this is much easier. Of course, it can be done in your living room, but it might be a bit dangerous for the furniture. Try playing fetch, but race your dog for the ball. Just throw and start running. Or play tag by chasing your dog around the designated area. If your dog is on the strong side, grab a rope and try some tug-of-war. If you're considerably stronger than your pooch, try tugging while standing on one leg, and using only one arm. Create an obstacle course, and run it with your dog. Find a ball and a wall, and play a version of handball mixed with "keep away"—from your dog. Practice your tennis swing and let your pup retrieve the ball.

Just doing something playful can make a normal workout feel like you are back on the playground with your four-legged best friend. How can it get better than that?

3.Train the dog, or train the owner?
This is not a section on teaching a dog to sit or training your spouse to get you a drink from the fridge. This is about using functional resistance training to manipulate your mutt's musculature, along with your own. Try the following exercises with some help from Fido.

Balance Challenge
Stand on both feet, hips-width apart, with your dog's favorite toy in hand, but hidden from view. Shift your weight onto one foot, keeping the other foot's toes just off the ground. Now show your pet a favorite toy. Try bending your standing leg and lowering the toy to touch the ground in front of you. Once you lose your balance, or your pup gets the toy, switch to the opposite leg.

Squat and Toy Press
For this exercise, use your dog's favorite toy or a small weighted medicine ball. Start with your feet hips-width apart, and in a parallel position. Bring the toy or ball to your chest. Squat down deeply with your butt going parallel to the floor, and your knees staying behind your toes. As you extend your knees to stand back up, throw the toy or ball into the air, and try to catch it before your mutt jumps up and grabs it! Repeat until one of you gives out.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TRAINING EXERCISES WITH YOUR DOG! 
or visit
 
Stephanie S. Saunders' article on the Beachbody.com Newsletter, May 2010
http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/167#51927720

Lyme Disease and Your Dog

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. It's been around for a long time but made headlines back in the 1980's when there was an eruption of the disease in a Connecticut town called Lyme. The bacteria is carried by a common deer tick. It's passed by a bite. Both people and pets can be infected, tho the disease will manifest differently.
For humans the vast majority of those bitten by an infected tick will experience flu type symptoms fairly quickly. Some will develop joint pain and later arthritis. A small minority will go on to develop neurological problems and a small minority will develop a heart rhythm problem. So there are some serious long-term problems for infected people.

For dogs, it takes weeks to months to first show symptoms. Most infected dogs - as many as 90% - will NOT become symptomatic. Those that do may experience arthritis type joint pain and inflammation and sometimes fever. Heart and neurological symptoms are rare. Long term however, dogs can develop kidney damage.

Dogs don't transmit the bacteria to humans (or cats), tho they may bring infected ticks into the house... who then go on to bite and infect household people.

Detection and Treatment:

Lyme disease can be detected with a blood test. It responds well to antibiotics so if detected reasonably quickly, the arthritis symptoms may reverse and you'll likely avoid the longer term problem of kidney damage.

Prevention and Vaccination:

Lyme disease is very regional. 90% of all confirmed cases have come from the North-East and North-Central States in the US. More specifically for human cases: 85% in the States from Massachusetts through Virgina, 10% from Minnesota through Wisconsin, 4% from North-Western California and 1% from elsewhere.

Since a common deer tick is the carrier, wooded, deer-populated areas pose the risk. In those areas you naturally want to be very vigilant about ticks.
                     
                          K9 Advantix Flea And Tick 4 Pack 

There are 3 types of vaccines. They can only be effective for dogs that haven't been already exposed to the bacteria and there is some possibility that they may cause the disease for a minority of dogs receiving the vaccine. The type of vaccine believed to be most effective is a recombinant vaccine that blocks the bacteria from passing to the dog from the tick. A different type of vaccine used a killed version of the bacteria. It's possible this type of vaccine produces the disease in a small number of dogs.

Vaccines for dogs are not without risk. Know enough about the risks and benefits of vaccines to feel comfortable deciding how to best care for your companion. Keep them healthy, happy and in your life. Get more vaccine and nutrition guidelines for well cared for pets at DogAndCatZone.com


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patti_Clark

The Importance of Being Alpha

Everyone wants their dog to listen and obey commands. But many people struggle with this, thinking: "I do everything I can and have tried multiple dog training methods, but he still won't listen!"

There may be a reason for this. Your dog may think HE is the leader of the pack!

Dogs are instinctively pack animals. In a pack, there's a pecking order to the group, with the alpha dog being at the top. The alpha is the strongest of the pack; he sets all of the rules and maintains the order of the pack.

When you introduce a dog to your family, to him - it becomes his new pack. Whether you know it or not, he will be feeling out his role is the hierarchy. If he is a dominant dog, you might find yourself in stiff competition to establish who is alpha.

The pecking order is like a ladder, where the alpha is at the top, followed by a second in command and so on. If you're at the bottom, then you're not in charge of anybody, and your dog will seize the opportunity to be in control of the situation.

You don't want your dog to think he's above anybody in the family. So it would be a good idea to make sure your entire family understands this concept and follows it.

Here are some steps you can take to establish yourself as the leader of your pack:

      Dog Training Secrets.




Don't let your dog sleep with you! We all want our dogs to sleep with us, but if he sleeps with you, he'll consider himself apart of the litter and equal or above you. The alpha dog always sleeps alone, in the most comfortable spot.

Walk through doorways first before your dog. The alpha always enters the den first, and has control over the room. So tell your dog who runs the show when entering a room, especially the front door.

Always feed your dog after you eat. Make sure the whole table is clean and some time has passed, then it's OK to feed him. If you feed him about two hours before you eat, this should be all right as well.

The alpha dog is never indecisive; he makes decisions and sticks to them. If you reprimand your dog or give him a command, make sure you follow through with it.

If he is completely disobeying and being unruly, gently place him on his back, hold him firmly and look him in the eyes. Keep him there until he relaxes. This means he's submitted to you physically. Dogs fight, and when you do this you show him who's the boss and who calls the shots.

Under no circumstances should any of these methods ever be too rough or harsh. You don't want your dog to fear you; you want him to respect you.

There is never a reason to mistreat your dog to show him you're in control. Choose a dog training guide that teaches a method you're comfortable with and expand on these ideas

Dog Training Videos: How to Teach Your Pooch Accurately

Sometimes, it is not enough to read the things you need to do in training your dogs. Reading does not always result to effective application. You may overlook some details that can only lead your dog training courses to failure. It is after all impractical to pay for a dog trainer if you can actually do the task yourself.

Because we all live in a high tech world, all of the methods in getting several things done successfully are now shown in videos. A dog training video is also now available for troubled dog trainers who can not do things the right way.

These kinds of videos are best for amateur dog trainers who are not good in visualizing what they have read in books and helpful articles. Sometimes, even if the instructions are already clear, some owners still tend to imagine something slightly different from what is written. These training clips can guide you on how to react whenever your pet fails to do the correct thing or how to reward it with food treats and cheerful compliments.

The training videos will also show how some training equipment are employed. For instance, in dog leash training, the clips can show you what appropriate materials should be purchased for your pooch. If you are clueless on how to correctly utilize a retractable leash, then a dog training video can surely come to your rescue. These videos can also teach you the right tone for scolding your pets. A video can help you mimic the expert trainer's tones and gestures accurately. With training clips, the owner is guided well and problems brought about by dog training are lessened.

These clips are also best for people who are too stubborn to read books. A book which contains 30 pages about dog training can be shortened into one to two-hour dog training clips which are definitely a lot effective.

Dog training videos can be obtained from the internet. You can watch them through several sites which offer varying videos uploaded by different users. Sometimes, a how-to article is also accompanied by a how-to video, but you should be warned that not all videos are made by professional trainers themselves. Some dog owners share what they have discovered through these dog training clips.

If you want to acquire a copy of a canine training clip made by an expert dog trainer, then you should purchase one. These dog training DVDs are actually affordable. You may order these clips as a set, each containing specific dog training courses you should learn by heart. You can also buy one at a time if you find buying a DVD set expensive. These videos can be purchased via the internet or in your favorite media stores.

Make dog training easier by watching a dog training video. Not only are you spared from the boring task of reading a book, you are also saved from the possibility of getting things done incorrectly. Of course, you would not prefer doing the latter.

Article referenced from Go-Articles.com by Fatima Edris

Importance of Dog Training Video

Dog training videos are created to assist owners and trainers to better train their dogs. With the help of visual aids and a step by step guide, training your dog should be easy. Training dogs in general requires a lot of time, effort and patience. Just like humans, some dogs learn faster than others. Make sure that your program is suitable for your dog. With the help of modern technology, dog training videos are also available through the internet. Some trainers or owners try to download these videos so that they can effectively train their dogs. Some dog training school offers a dog training video after the whole session so that the owner can do some follow up and recap with their dogs personally. Recap is important so that your dog will constantly remember the trainings.

There are so many kinds of dog training video and that is why it is important for you to determine as to what kind of training your dog needs. Some training might only cover the obedience training, tracking, agility and the likes. Some dog training videos even come with the basic background of dog's behavior and makers of these kinds of videos believe that learning some basic background on dog's behavior will help trainers understands the nature of dogs better. Make sure that your dog has fully mastered the old tricks or trainings before you continue teaching your dog some new tricks again. Dog training videos are only created to assist trainers in doing a step by step training. However, the hard work and determination will have to come from the trainer himself. Do not get swayed by the entire offer, stick to your desired programs for your dog. Remember one step at a time. You cannot bombard your dog with tons of lesson each session.

                                                 DOG TRAINER PRO

In order for you to properly select as to what dog training video suits your dog best is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your dog first. This way you can start enhancing your dog's strengths and follow through his weaknesses. If you happen to own a toy dog, do not expect the dog to be as agile and as aggressive as the guard dogs. Although all dogs may have some common traits, you still have to understand that each breed of dogs have their own uniqueness, strengths and weaknesses. Some dog training video also teaches the appropriate attitude to dog owners when it comes to teaching their dogs. Most of the dog training videos will advice all trainers and owners not to hit their dogs because this will not help at all. Rewards prove to be the most effective means or approach to training dogs. Dogs are like kids. They like being rewarded. Dogs are very sensitive and are keen to their owner's feelings. If you are a good owner or trainer, the dog will forever stay loyal to you. Another dog training advice on how your dog can enjoy each training session is to include some play time.

Article referenced from Go-Articles.com by Fatima Edris