Exercising Small Dogs

Exceptional Canine: Active Dog

By Stacey Brecher for Exceptional Canine

Just like you, your small dog needs exercise to stay healthy and happy. Small dogs are defined as those that weigh less than 22 pounds and who are shorter than 16 inches.

“Exercise helps to keep your pet physically fit, mentally secure, socially engaged and emotionally happy,” says Lori Morton-Feazell, Director of Animal Care and Education for Petco. “It also reduces stress and deters negative behaviors such as chewing, digging and barking.”

If you are considering an exercise plan because you believe your pooch is overweight, your veterinarian can examine your dog and let you know if he needs to lose a few pounds. If your dog has difficulty walking or playing, he could be overweight, and it will be important to start any exercise regime slowly to build up endurance and lung capacity.

Even if your small dog is the proper weight and is healthy, it is still important to check with your veterinarian to learn about any specific precautions you may need to be aware about for your dog’s breed, like breathing problems. Additionally, if it has been a while since your dog has exercised, start slow with short walks and play sessions.

 Always take your dog’s age, breed and health into account when starting any exercise routine.  “Begin with a 15-minute walk each day, and after the first week increase it by 5 minutes,” Morton-Feazell recommends. “Watch your dog for signs of exhaustion like heavy panting or their tongue hanging out, and remember if it is a long walk, take water to give to your dog. If your dog is used to exercise, a 30-60 minute walk daily is enough to keep him physically fit and emotionally happy.”

Keep in mind that the amount of exercise your dog needs is not equivalent to his size, but rather to his breed. For example, a small Jack Russell Terrier requires more exercise than the much larger Great Dane. Conversely, a Labrador Retriever is a very active dog and would need more exercise than a tea cup Poodle. Ask your vet about how much exercise your particular breed of dog should be getting.

Of course going on walks isn’t the only way to exercise your pup. Other options include obedience training and agility training. “Try teaching him a new trick,” says Morton-Feazell. “Some simple ideas are give paw, high five, sit and stay. This can help keep your dog emotionally happy and social.”

As far as agility training goes, many small breeds are very agile, and doing agility training through simple obstacles is a great way to experience the human/animal bond with your dog, in addition to providing exercise.

The key to getting the most out of an exercise program is getting your dog’s heart rate up, which will cause her to have a good pant. “Be careful not to over-exercise your dog and cause heavy panting or heavy breathing,” explains Morton-Feazell. “Give your dog breaks to catch his or her breath and get a drink of water.”

The best way to encourage your small dog to exercise is by incorporating toys into the workout. Puppies in particular love to chase toys and put them in their mouths. Some options for older small dogs are balls, frisbees, Kongs or other toys that can be thrown for your dog to retrieve. Morton-Feazell advises that you pick the right size toy for your dog. Don’t give your small dog a large toy as they may not want to play with it. You also want to make sure that the toy is large enough to not get stuck in the dog’s throat and cause an injury.

Most of all, keep in mind that all small dogs are different and will receive the most benefit from different types of exercises. There are no exercises that are off limits for your small dog, although some modifications can be made to accommodate their size. While playing, walking or training your dog, notice if he is tired, panting excessively or thirsty. These are signs that you may be pushing him too hard and that he needs a break and/or water.

Stacey Brecher is an editor at Woman’s World magazine, and a contributor to Animal Fair magazine. Stacey's blogs have previously appeared on Exceptional Canine.

Shyla's Allergic Treatments (update)

I met Shyla a few months ago. She was this sweet, sweet girl with a terrible sickness. Her sweet character has stayed the same and so did the allergies. 

Here are some updates about her:

Shyla, please get better

• The hot, summer weather did not do good for her condition, it actually worsened her itchiness.

• She is showing different symptoms. While before, it used to be only on her side, now her ears, side and neck all have sore wounds from scratching.

• The holistic treatments show little improvement. After moderate progress, a greater set back follows.

• The raw diet did not work. 

After 20 holistic treatments, there is little to no improvements in her allergic reactions. It takes time to observe any changes in her condition, as the analyses of the effects of a new food can go for as long as 3 months. Currently, the foster parents are introducing Shyla to a dog food called Taste of the Wild. 

According to the holistic vet, in many cases tests and treatments might take up even 2 years until the solution is found. They have to take many factors into the consideration, such as food, weather or environment changes. So far, it's hard to tell what it is for Shyla. They are suspecting it to be either seasonal allergies (her symptoms worsen around spring time or early summer), food allergies or an autoimmune disease. 

After all your generous donations, we received $245. Shyla and the TAGS team would like to thank each and every one of you who donated! It is hard to donate nowadays when money is tight but sometimes it is even harder to see a poor little soul suffer from something that's hard to trace. The vet appointments and the dog food are not cheap so we would like to ask you to spare a little change for Shyla if you can. 

Even if you can't, we are very open to hearing any ideas, tips or well-tried out methods that you know have helped other dogs suffering from allergies.The solution might just be around the corner.

You can click here to donate:

When Your Dog Is Coughing

Cold Dog Treats for Hot Temperatures

Written by: Nomi Berger, content writer for our newsletter

 

Like us, pets need proper protection from the heat and adequate shade from the sun. This year, take shelter from the swelter and turn each day into a holiday. Spread a sheet on the grass, fill a small wading pool or set up an umbrella on the balcony. Then, invite your pets to feast on their own, specially prepared doggie desserts.

Recipe One: Jewel-Toned Jello

1 pkg. cherry jello

1 chopped apple, banana and pear 

Mix jello as per instructions and stir in fruit. Pour into ice cube tray or small, individual moulds. Refrigerate until firm. Turn over onto plate and garnish with sliced strawberries. 

Recipe Two: Peanut Pupsicles

Peanut butter treats. Photo credit: Jennifer Yu from userealbutter.com

3 very ripe bananas

1 cup peanut butter

½ - ¾ cup wheat germ

½ cup unsalted peanuts finely chopped

Mix bananas and peanut butter. Add wheat germ to make dough. Form into one inch balls and roll in peanuts. Freeze on cookie sheets. Arrange on plate and garnish with frozen banana slices.

Recipe Three: Yummy Yogurt

½ cup blueberries

½ cup plain, low-fat yogurt

2 tsps. honey

Puree ingredients in blender or food processor. Pour into ice cube tray or small, individual moulds. Freeze at least 6 hours. Turn over onto plate and garnish with blueberries.

Recipe Four:  Cool Cupcakes

4 cups rice milk

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. honey or peanut butter

Place paper cupcake liners in muffin tins. Stir ingredients and pour into cups. Set tiny dog biscuit into center of each cup and freeze. Peel back paper liner and arrange on plate. Garnish with more tiny dog biscuits.

Two words of caution:

(1)   Ensure that your dogs aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients you’re using.

(2)   Serve cold treats on a hot day in moderation. Too much cold in their systems can reduce their core temperature.

Me and My Shadow

The following adoption tale came to us from Nomi Berger, a TAGS volunteer.

"May I pat your dog?"

It was a question I posed to many of the dog owners I met on my early morning, fall walks around the Rosedale reservoir.

If the answer was "yes," I'd smile gratefully and bend to stroke the top of yet another warm and furry head.

"Do you have a dog?" I'd invariably be asked.

"No," I'd reply. "I'm just living vicariously."

Was it my imagination, or were the looks I'd receive slightly sad, almost pitying?

As a child growing up in a highly allergic family, I'd never owned a pet. As a woman with a successful career and an active social and cultural life, having a pet had never crossed my mind.

Then, in late middle age, I'd found myself with no family, no career (due to the diagnosis of a chronic neuromuscular disease) and a life of increasing pain and decreasing mobility.

In an effort to stay limber, I'd begun taking long walks through the city. But as time passed, and my body grew stiffer and more resistant to the concrete sidewalks, I'd turned instead to the softer earth paths of the reservoir.

It was there that I'd discovered a delightful and unexpected diversion: dog watching.

Photo courtesy of Gareth Williams.

Some of the dogs were on leashes, bouncing or plodding, sprinting or chugging, alongside their owners. Others were off leash, barking as they chased after squirrels or raced to catch bright rubber balls and frayed plastic Frisbees.

Their owners chatted easily among themselves as they strode together in pairs and in groups, calling out a cheerful "’morning" to everyone they passed—even solitary figures like me.

Oh, how I'd envied them.

Dogs and owners alike.

I'd envied their closeness. Their unique relationships. Their shared experiences. They were like privileged members of an exclusive club, bound by mutual love and loyalty and respect.

Suddenly, I wanted to be part of that club.

Throughout the winter, as my pain grew worse and my walks grew shorter, I immersed myself in all things dog. I watched every dog program on TV, even the reruns. I memorized the names of every dog breed recognized by the Westminster Kennel Club. I wept for every dog on every online rescue site.

By spring, I’d made up my mind.

I would adopt a dog.

One Saturday morning in early May, I found her.

Half maltese, half yorkshire terrier, her pert, whiskered face with  impossibly long eyelashes, gazed out at me from the computer screen.

And I fell in love.

We met in the flesh that same afternoon. And on Sunday—her third birthday—she was officially mine.

I renamed her Shadow. Because of her smoky, black and gray colouring and because, within hours of entering my world, she literally became my shadow.

In the days that followed, I was stunned by the depth of my love for her. It was a love unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Fierce and protective. So intense that it made my chest ache and brought tears to my eyes.

With her came a new routine, a broadening of my narrow world. Each morning, I'd open the baby gate to the empty storage closet I'd turned into her bedroom (complete with wallpaper, a shelf lined with dog care products and whimsical china dogs, and assorted plush toys propped up on the floor), and there she'd be.

Shadow

My reason for getting up every day. The perky, welcoming presence that dulled my pain for a while. The tender, wriggling bundle of warmth that allowed me some temporary peace.

We were equal partners, Shadow and I, starting together from scratch.

Just as I'd never walked a dog before, she'd never been walked before. Her original owners had simply opened the back door of their house and let her out into their yard.

I bought a harness and leash and began our mutual training by walking her up and down the corridor outside my apartment. We then progressed to the large, landscaped garden with its stone pathways off the third floor of the apartment building itself.

I ignored the new, gnawing pain in my right shoulder and focused solely on Shadow. My goal: to become an expert dog walker while making her an expert at being walked.

Finally, after weeks of practice, I felt secure enough to attempt our first trip to the reservoir two blocks away.

My heart was pounding as I led her across a busy street for the first time. I held my breath, then slowly released it, as we crossed the second street without incident.

This was it.

I straightened my back, tightened my grip on the leash and gave it a gentle tug. Then, woman and dog moved forward in perfect synch onto the grounds of the reservoir.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Shadow marching along next to me on her short, slender legs. As if sensing my gaze, she turned her head and glanced up at me. I mouthed a flurry of proud, happy kisses her way, then returned my attention to the path ahead.

A woman I'd seen on many of my walks was coming toward us, her brown standard poodle, Eli, prancing regally beside her.

Once again, I held my breath.

"’Morning," she said as she drew closer.

"’Morning," I replied.

And then I waited. For her to notice.

Without breaking stride, she called back over her shoulder, "You finally got a dog! Good for you."

I could actually feel my smile as it stretched across my face.

"Y-e-s!" My free fist pumped the air. "We did it, little dog, we did it!"

Shadow's reward: not one but three of her favourite liver treats and a series of tight, ecstatic hugs.

After that, my spirits soared with every step we took along the reservoir's wide path.

"’Morning" came the usual greeting, as dogs and owners passed us, in pairs and in groups.

"’Morning," I echoed, nearly giddy with excitement now.

I was oblivious to my body as I walked, longer and faster than I'd been able to walk in months.

I felt a space opening up around me, like a pair of welcoming arms, granting me access, at last, to that exclusive club, and issuing me a lifetime membership.

For as long as I had my Shadow.

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