anti-bark 'thingy' - updated - built run instead *pics*

I agree with Erica, if I was being nit-picky, I'd like to see more tuck on the black and tan dog or more well defined muscle tone.  I would not call the dog overweight, but if it were my dog I'd like it to be leaner b/c it is such a large dog.

As for mental stimulation, my dogs get it through training, especially Kenya (who requires more mental stimulation than physical).  For her, no amount of walking at a human pace is sufficient exercise.  She gets that from agility, running off lead, jogging w/ DH, and/or playing HARD with other dogs.  So for us we use walking primarily for training and proofing things like loose leash walking, heeling, turns and pivots, stops, circles, attention, stand-stays, etc.  Generally we walk a few blocks, then train a few blocks, then walk a few blocks..on and on, about three or three and a half miles.  If I just walked her that much with no mental exercise (she is not a sniffer, she will just walk on the sidewalk in heel by her own choice), when we get home she's just more revved up and wants REAL stimulation.

hey folks...I heard a GREAT reason for a little extra weight on an older dog. IF they get sick...as older dogs do at times...and miss a few meals as a result they will not become skeletal. There is a "cushion" quite literally to fall back on. This to me is actually a wonderful idea. Older dogs take longer to recover from illness many times...and often the appetite can be affected by drugs they are given and the dropping of weight can cause a real concern.

Personally I see the arguement in an older dog...for a bit extra (not obese...a bit extra)...I would not want a 10 year old as slight as I kept them at 2....

Just another viewpoint.

rwbeagles

hey folks...I heard a GREAT reason for a little extra weight on an older dog. IF they get sick...as older dogs do at times...and miss a few meals as a result they will not become skeletal. There is a "cushion" quite literally to fall back on. This to me is actually a wonderful idea. Older dogs take longer to recover from illness many times...and often the appetite can be affected by drugs they are given and the dropping of weight can cause a real concern.

Personally I see the arguement in an older dog...for a bit extra (not obese...a bit extra)...I would not want a 10 year old as slight as I kept them at 2....

Just another viewpoint.

While that may be true, I would think that the odds of an older dogs that end up suffering the effects of extra weight in the form of arthritis (remember in arthritis every extra pound puts that much more strain and causes that much more inflammation) would be far greater than the odds of an older dog at a good weight becoming ill and losing too much.  I have actually never known anyone whose older dog has had that happen (although I'm sure it happens), but I have known *lots* of people whose dogs have the weight/arthritis issue.  The insidious thing about it is that it can sneak up and become a vicious cycle (joints hurt and dog does not get as much exercise, puts on more weight which causes joints to hurt more, etc), especially if the dog is carrying extra weight.

But, then again you have to keep in mind that I come from a perspective of someone who has spent *way* too much time reading about dog arthritis.  Having Jack go through what he has really has given me quite a different way of looking at things than I used to have.

akyramoto82

i guess i don't really have the opportunity to have my dogs play with other dogs on a daily basis - if thats what you mean by socializing. they have their doggy 'friends' but we don't get to see them every week 

 

there's also not many people out & about when I'm walking them.......... 

Well, if there are no opportunities in your area, that definitely isn't the only way for your dogs to get mental stimulation.  Puzzle toys, treat balls, games, burying objects in an area that is OK for digging, obedience, even teaching tricks are all good ways for your dogs to work their brains.  Some dogs are more into it than others.  My pit mix will only try to get kibble out of a more challenging treat ball in little spurts--she won't keep at it, and if she only has a little bit of kibble left she'll just leave it.  My lab, however, will stay at a treat ball for as long as necessary to get all the food out.  i have literally seen him work over half an hour to get one kibble out of a ball that my other dog decided was too much work to get out....Not only that, but he was happy to do it... 

 they each have a buster ball - poor sheba, is not cut out for 'puzzles' lol, akyra tried it a little bit but wanted to guard it rather than try to get the food out, then there's Bella who couldn't really figure it out either. I even got on my hands and knees trying to show her how to 'use' it - she didn't like me showing her with her paw.  lol so the treat balls sit around for now, i think my boyfriend has knocked more food out of them by tripping on them rather than the dogs playing with them. I'll keep trying though!

Akyra is great at doing tricks or responding to my commands, yesterday I was having her jump onto a tub that was flipped over, had her sitting & laying down on it on command. Amber was pretty good at it too, then there's Bella again - having no clue what to do & freaking out when I was showing her.  

 
 A long time ago I heard you can put a biscuit under a towel & see how long it takes your dog to find it - Akyra did great - getting it out within a minute or so, Sheba did horrible. haven't tried that one with Bella yet.

akyramoto82

A long time ago I heard you can put a biscuit under a towel & see how long it takes your dog to find it - Akyra did great - getting it out within a minute or so, Sheba did horrible. haven't tried that one with Bella yet.

"find it" is a great game to teach them. You start out by tossing a treat out (not too far) and say "find it". Do that several times and then increase the distance and eventually you can hide it under or behind something and give the command. If you've got a food hound like mine are, you can make them wait and go hide it in another room. It's a great game and can be done inside when the weather's crummy.

I bought the treat ball that's clear and perfectly smooth. It might be okay outside on the grass, but inside it's way too annoying. Sassy gets it rolling so fast, it's slamming into walls and stuff. She also likes to roll it back into areas she can't reach and then gets frantic about it

cakana

akyramoto82

A long time ago I heard you can put a biscuit under a towel & see how long it takes your dog to find it - Akyra did great - getting it out within a minute or so, Sheba did horrible. haven't tried that one with Bella yet.

"find it" is a great game to teach them. You start out by tossing a treat out (not too far) and say "find it". Do that several times and then increase the distance and eventually you can hide it under or behind something and give the command. If you've got a food hound like mine are, you can make them wait and go hide it in another room. It's a great game and can be done inside when the weather's crummy.

I bought the treat ball that's clear and perfectly smooth. It might be okay outside on the grass, but inside it's way too annoying. Sassy gets it rolling so fast, it's slamming into walls and stuff. She also likes to roll it back into areas she can't reach and then gets frantic about it

I'll def have to try that, Akyra does that with her toys. I can tell her to go get a ball, she'll leave the room & raid the toy box bringing back a ball.

I've almost got Bella rolling over on command.