Staying Active in the Cold

As we navigate these wintery days of ice, snow, and sub-zero temperatures, it is important to stay healthy and active.  This is also true for our canine companions.  Admittedly, it's not as easy to be active with frigid temperatures outside, but there are many options that can be found indoors that are both fun and engaging for your dog.

In this issue, we will identify some great ways to stay warm and active during the dog days of winter.

Indoor Agility

This is a great way to engage your dog both intellectually and physically.  Agility takes your dog through a series of obstacles where the dog must work with you and follow your verbal commands to navigate the course.  This activity is fantastic because it offers a myriad of benefits such as burning off extra energy, building endurance, and stimulating your dog mentally.  Dogs of any shape and size can participate...so don't hesitate to invite your friend's Pug to join you and your Golden Retriever.  Plus, agility is a wonderful way to bond and strengthen the relationship between you and your dog.  Courses cannot be completed alone, you both need one another to complete the course which promotes team work and trust. 

Be sure to check out a class near you!  Businesses offering agility classes are becoming increasingly popular all over the country.  If  you get really serious about agility, you may want to consider entering agility competitions in your area.

Indoor agility obstacle course

Indoor Dog Parks

Indoor dog parks are also becoming more popular, particularly in urban areas where green space is limited.  Indoor dog parks are a great way to allow your dog to exercise off-leash; which can be quite exhilarating for dogs dwelling in the city where leash laws are heavily enforced.  Secondly, taking your dog to an indoor dog park, or any park for that matter, is a good way to socialize your pooch.  By interacting with dogs of all shapes, sizes, smells and personalities; your dog will be better adapted to social scenarios.  In fact, it is believed that most dogs would "prefer" to meet off-leash.  This puts both dogs on neutral playing fields and eliminates the anxious and/or protective behavior that can occur when on leash.



Indoor dog park



Indoor Activities at Home

Never underestimate the convenience and comfort of staying home.  If you don't feel like braving the elements and driving to your local agility course or indoor dog park, use this opportunity to get creative with activities at home.  One of our favorite home activities is hide-and-seek.  Our 6yr old Japanese Chin, Jack, absolutely LOVES this game!  He gets so excited with the anticipation of knowing he's about to find you and loves to be surprised and chase us when he finds us hiding around the house.  Additionally, a good old-fashioned game of fetch or tug-of-war can be a great deal of fun for your dog.

Happy playing!

Love,

A & A

Nutrition: Wet vs Dry Foods

It's challenging enough to sort through the countless brands and nutritional trends in order to make a diet selection for your dog.  Never mind deciding if you should buy wet or dry foods.  Is one better than another?  Should you alternate?

In this issue, we will break it down to help you better understand the differences between wet food and dry food.

Wet Food:

What is wet food?  Wet food is also known as canned food.  To the human eye, it is not always the most pleasing to look at or smell, however, most dogs absolutely love it!  Canned food comes in countless varieties and flavors; which is a great way to feed picky eaters, older dogs that may be losing interest in food, and as a reward option for dogs on kibble-only diets.  Canned food also contains the highest water content compared to other forms of dog food.  This helps dogs maintain healthy levels of hydration, and particularly helps dogs with dry skin and coat issues.  Lastly, canned food tends to be higher in calories compared to other foods.  This is great for active dogs and aging dogs needing more caloric intake than the average daily recommendations.

When feeding canned food, be sure not to allow the food to sit in the bowl for too long.  If left out for too long, bacteria can develop and harm your dog.  It is also necessary to clean the bowl after feeding so that food particles don't begin to grow harmful bacteria.

My boys had this for breakfast this morning.  Wellness has numerous flavors that your dog will love!

Dry Food:

Dry food, kibble, bagged food...this is your most common and basic format of dog food.  The vast majority of dogs in America live strictly on a dry food diet (with the exception of the occasional table scrap or potato chip handout...we don't recommend).  Dry food diets are not only great because of their convenience, but they are also less messy and smelly than canned food, and are intended to be "complete and balanced" diets.  Never feed your dog a dry kibble that does not display the "complete and balanced" verbiage on the label.  This wording is stating that the kibble is formulated according to AAFCO standards and nutritional profiles and is intended to be adequate for your dog's sole nutrition source.  While this may meet the published requirements, even the best food can be deficient.  

When feeding kibble, be mindful of the ingredients.  Dogs benefit and absorb nutrients more effectively from protein than from starchy, high grain feeds.  It is also important to store your food in sealed containers.  The fats in the kibble can be become rancid and spoil towards the end of the bag, causing diarrhea and upset stomachs. 

Dry kibble is also great for dental health!  Crunching on the kibble can help reduce tartar build-up

  

So, as you can see, there are multiple forms of food that you can feed your pooch.  We don't recommend one food over another; we recommend incorporating  a variety of these forms into your dog's diet.  After all, isn't variety the spice of life?  Dogs, just like humans, can become bored with their food and genuinely enjoy variety.  

Additionally, even though your dog's food may say "complete and balanced" no food is perfect and can still be deficient from certain nutrients and minerals crucial to your dog's overall health.

We hope you enjoy this post!  Happy eating and be sure to check out our Facebook page for the brands we feed our beloved pooches!

Love,

A & A  

Disclaimer:  As with any nutritional advice The Upper Paw provides; we strongly advise you to consult  with your veterinarian before altering or changing your dog's diet.  Discuss your dog's specific health needs with your veterinarian.

Tea Time with your Dog

With the new year upon us, there are so many exciting changes coming in 2013!  For the new year, one of our many resolutions is to strive to live a healthier and happier lifestyle.  As a result, these resolutions have inspired this week's post to introduce your dog to the benefits of tea.

This topic also happens to perfectly coincide with the main events occurring (at least for me) in January 2013.  One event being a 7-day juice cleanse, which will most likely end up being 3 days, and the start of the long anticipated 3rd season of Downton Abbey!

Isis from Downton Abbey

With that said, let's talk tea!

Up until now, you may have only considered tea for human consumption.  However, tea can offer many health benefits for your dog, such as promoting calming and healing affects.  We have tried to dedicate this post to leading you in the right direction when it comes to choosing tea for your dog.  As with any supplement to your dog's diet, be sure to consult your veterinarian before introducing an addition to their diet.  Also, be sure to test small quantities of tea with your dog to ensure there is no allergic reaction.

Suggested Teas and their Benefits:

Herbal Teas - Teas within this category have several benefits for your dog.  Of the herbal teas, chamomile is the most popular.  The anti-inflammatory properties contained in the chamomile flower help soothe dry, itchy skin.  This tea also aids in easing digestion for dog's with primarily dry food diets, and can serve as a powerful calming agent for anxious pooches.

Green Tea - This tea is most notable for being packed with anti-oxidants and immune-boosting powers.  Green tea is powerful not only in keeping your dog healthy, but can help promote healthy teeth and better breath.  Many retailers have jumped on the "Green Tea Bandwagon" and you can find various ways to incorporate its benefits into your dog's diet.  Caution:  Be sure not to incorporate too much into your dog's diet as this can be toxic to their digestive system

Black Tea - There are many different types of tea, and you are probably most familiar with Earl Grey or English Breakfast when it comes to black teas.  This group of teas has powerful anti-inflammatory affects on the digestive tract and can be a powerful remedy for dog's suffering from extreme digestive issues.  Dog's with upset stomachs and diarrhea can benefit greatly from having just a bit of this poured into their water dish.  Not only will this curb their discomfort, but will help hydrate in the healing process.

The teas discussed above are a good place to start when introducing your dog to tea.  They are most likely to be found in your pantry and local grocery store.  If you don't want to brew your own tea at home, or you are looking for a specialized blend, we suggest you take a look at some of our favorite herbal blends listed below.

Teas we LOVE!

• Machu's Blend - Tea for Dogs by The California Tea House = Named after the owner's Great Dane, Machu Picchu, this tea contains chamomile, ginger root, fennel seed, skullcap and calendula to create a wonderful herbal supplement.  The tea boasts such benefits as supporting a healthy skin and coat, as well as, reducing stress and stomach discomfort from indigestion.
• http://www.californiateahouse.com/Herbal 
• products range from $5 - $26

• Quiet Tea by The Honest Kitchen = Ingredients include oat straw, chamomile, passionflower, skullcap and Valerian root.  This tea is great for promoting calming and anxiety-reduction during stressful situations, such as travel, separation anxiety, thunderstorms, and so forth.
• http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/quiet-tea/ 
• priced at $10.99

• Lithe Tea by The Honest Kitchen = Contains alfalfa, white willow bark, yucca, ginger, red clover and boswellia.  This tea is great for aging and large-breed dogs that require supplements for bone and joint function.
• http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/lithe-tea/ 
• priced at $10.99

Enjoy your next tea time and don't forget to invite your pup!

Love,

A & A