Your Dog is Fat

People don't like to be told that their pets are fat. They get highly offended and react negatively, and often deny that their pet has a weight problem. Being defensive doesn't help the animal at all. Recently I saw a social media account with two dogs who were so obese I at first thought they were pigs. Upon scrolling through their 100+ pictures, I noticed that there were no more than 3 or 4 that showed the dogs doing anything other than laying down, napping on beds, couches, blankets, etc. The owner made it a point to mention that the dogs "get the best of everything". 
Unfortunately these dogs were not getting what they needed to thrive and live happy, healthy lives. The best of everything does not include all you can eat meals and sedentary lifestyles. In fact, aside from being too fat to run and play, they were probably bored out of their minds. Overweight animals are not cute or funny. Abuse comes in many forms.

Over half of the dogs and cats in the US are overweight. That is an astoundingly shocking number for something so easily prevented, especially when you take into account all of the owners who would rush their pets to the vet at any sign of illness. If you would do anything to keep your best friend healthy, why wouldn't that include a healthy diet? Obesity can cause arthritis, heart disease, and kidney disease, just to name a few.

Maintaining your dog's ideal weight is as simple as following the feeding instructions on the package label, making sure they get adequate exercise, and limiting treats and snacks.
Free-feeding, where you fill your dog's bowl and let them pick at it all day, should never be done. You have no control over when and how much your dog eats. It gets even worse when there are multiple dogs in the house eating from the same bowl. If one dog should ever become sick and stop eating normally, you'd want to know right away!

Some dogs will stop eating when they feel full, but others will keep going as long as food is available. Overfeeding your dog because you think he is still hungry is not doing him any favors. Nor is feeding him a lot of treats just because he loves them.
The type of food you buy should be one of the most important aspects of owning an animal. Ask yourself before getting a pet if you can afford to feed a good quality diet. A german shepherd is going to cost a whole lot more to feed than a chihuahua, and it's sad to see people heaving around 50lb bags of dog food that they got for 20 bucks. Not all food is created equal, and chances are that food is the lowest ranking.
Real meat (not by-product) should always be the main ingredient. Stay away from "colored" kibbles. Those look fancy to humans, not dogs. 
Know what a healthy dog is supposed to look like! Dogs of all breeds should have a noticeable "tuck" in the abdomen while standing, as well as a defined waist when viewed from above. Run your fingers along your dog's side and you should be able to feel ribs with only a slight amount of pressure. Dogs eating healthy diets should also have a nice coat and little to no odor.

Our pets don't feed themselves. If your dog is overweight consult with your vet or a nutritionist and make a change! There is nothing shameful in admitting that your dog needs to lose weight, and the journey to a healthier lifestyle can be started at just the next meal.

Primal Freeze Dried Food

 
I'm really excited to get the chance to do a review for Primal Pet Foods because it is one of my favorites! The minute I dug into this food I knew it was the best ever. Primal Pet Foods is a California based company that focuses on complete and balanced raw nutrition for dogs and cats. I got a bag of Turkey and Sardine freeze dried formula and a bag of beef nibs treats. 
This particular food has 87% organs and bone and 13% produce and supplements. The ingredients are pretty phenomenal. Just check out the list below. Human grade meats without any added hormones. Certified organic fruits and veggies. No by-products or things you've never heard of, and completely grain and gluten free.

 Feeding is super quick and easy! All you do is count out the number of nuggets you're feeding (there is a helpful feeding guide on the bag to get you started!) add some water, and break the nuggets up to let the moisture re-hydrate them. We have decided that using a fork to break the nuggets up is the best way to go. By the time they are all mashed up into tiny pieces and mixed around, the water has soaked them thoroughly and the meal can then be fed without it having to sit for 10-15 minutes like some other brands. Dogs hate waiting!!
You can also use goat's milk as a delicious and healthy substitute for water. Bottles of goat's milk can be purchase by Primal as well!  

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4 EAT!

 This is a great food for traveling since it's very lightweight and doesn't need to be kept frozen.

I wouldn't mind stashing a few of these away for later!

 Primal also has 15 different varieties of wholesome, grain-free, treats to choose from. They are single source proteins which are great for pets with food allergies. I tried the beef nibs, which are soft treats that are great training aids or a healthy snack. Beef heart, honey, and sea salt are the only ingredients in these treats, so there are no mysteries on what you are feeding your pet!

I give Primal Pet Foods two paws up. Humans will not be disappointed with this brand and pets' taste buds will love it too!

woofs*Sun
 

Performing and Having Fun!

Recently I got the opportunity to be a featured performer along with one other act at Bark in the Park Chicago. It was a gorgeous day and everything went pretty well! I got distracted a couple times but I am going to blame that on the strange mood I had been in that week. BOL. I still did all of my parts though so who cares? We were going to perform twice but one event was canceled so that was a bummer. This was my biggest performance so far and there are definitely huge improvements with both my focus and abilities.

My super awesome friends at "I and Love and You" let me represent with some of their NICE JERKY. And it really is nice. It is all natural, grain free delicious jerky. There was enough for everyone who watched my show.

I am working on setting up a couple more shows this summer not only in Chicago but possibly other locations as well. That would be fun!

woofs*Sun

Frisbee with Atomic Dogs

Last week I was in Las Vegas preparing for my first UFO competition with Atomic Dogs. It was gorgeous all week, until the very day of the competition and then... WIND! The weather was not only windy but there was a storm passing though and it was just terrible. My freestyle routine, as well as many others, was ruined. I didn't get to try out my new stunts. On the bright side, our throw and catch was much improved from the previous competition, even with the strong winds. How funny! I actually made a catch.

The video is uploaded on my youtube. I think I'll opt out of posting it here!

One thing that did go well was my trick performance the day before. We attended Bark in the Park in Henderson, and I got to show off some of my moves to music. It was really fun. I got a new jump rope and it works great! My focus is starting to be very sharp even with a crowd so close to me when I'm performing.

*woofs*Sun