Dog Food and Exercise

What can I say when there's not much to say?

Business is still going great. I had my second last appointment yesterday, and it went quite well. I'm finding the more and more I do this, the more confident I get. I suppose that's natural. Also, I'm finding that I'm picking up more about dogs than I thought possible. I learn so much from every dog I work with. It's so interesting having to come up with new techniques and methods for different dogs. Just like people (or snowflakes or ears), no two dogs are alike.

I'm also finding that I'm able to answer questions I'd been asking myself for a while. For instance, what's the dog food equivalent of rocket fuel? Would I recognize this food if I saw it? If I did recognize it, would I be able to explain why it acts as rocket fuel to my clients? I'd been doing some research for awhile, but I hadn't really found a great answer. I could recommend a few dog foods based on what Cody likes (Eukanuba Naturally Wild) and what my vet recommends (Purina Pro-Plan). I could also tell you a few not-so-great foods, but I couldn't tell you which foods were just way too rich. Then I encountered the holistic foods.

Most holistic foods are great for your dog. They're filled with iron and protein and fun foods for your pet. Here's the issue, though. Imagine what protein bars do for you. They give you energy, right? Body builders and marathon runners across the world eat protein bars and protein shakes. They fill up on red meat to build those muscles. Dogs who aren't getting that much exercise don't need that much protein. They have way too much energy and no way to expell it.

There are two things I always tell clients. 1) A tired dog is a happy dog. 2) What goes in must come out. Basically, these dogs are getting enough exercise, so they're not that happy, and what's going in has no way of coming out. That's why these dogs are jumping and biting and causing all sorts of trouble. That's where I come in. Consider me Richmond's own dog whisperer! Ok, so I'm not being very modest there. And my methods are a bit different from Cesar Milan's. That being said, his ideas are too far off the mark. People really just need to realize what their dogs need to be happy.

That being said, I've really been working with Cody and exercise. I said earlier he's on Eukanuba Naturally Wild. I'm finding it seems to settle better on his stomach, and he seems much healthier. However, he also has a lot more energy. So, we've been working on that. I've started walking / jogging with him every morning. I can't go extremely far just yet, but I hope to go further soon. Plus I'm taking him to the dog park when I can, and if he's really lucky he gets to come with me to appointments. I think Hans and I will take him to the river tomorrow. Swimming always wears his butt out. I'm finding it's great for both my health and his. Before you know it, we'll be running marathons together!

Anyway, now you know. If you want a healthy dog feel free to feed him protein-rich food. Be prepared, however, to run and run and run and to give him tons of exercise!