Amy Robinson is a nationally recognized dog trainer living and working in Vero Beach, Florida, with her husband and adopted dog, Mac. She specializes in canine commands and good manners, and has appeared on television news shows and lifestyle programs. Her website offers more training tips: www.droolschool.com
Happy, Healthy Holidays for You and Your Dog
By Amy Robinson, CPDT-KA, D.A.R.T.
The winter and holiday season bring lots of images to mind: basking in front of a fire, buying presents, cold air and icy windshields, shoveling snow, and heaps of rich food. We are all picking up the pace this time of year, but you have a live-in stress buster right at your feet. Getting out and enjoying the winter weather with your dog is your best friend in the fight against holiday stress and overeating.
Cool Canines: Embrace the winter weather with your best furry friend. Watch his enthusiastic reaction to cold and snow and let him bring out your inner sprite. Bundle up and go for a walk, allowing your dog to poke his inquisitive nose into drifted snow. Hit the park in your city or get out to the country for a longer romp along a nature path. The aerobic benefits for both of you outweigh the hassle of suiting up in your cold weather clothes. A walk after dinner burns calories, aids digestion and helps you sleep more soundly, even if your dog snores. Instead of a hyper house pet, you’ll have a contented canine, happy to chill out at your feet.
Pause for Paws: Frosty walks on urban sidewalks are a sensory treat for you and your dog and a great way to fight off cabin fever, but prancing paws can be irritated by salt and ice. A dry cloth lightly brushed across the bottom of your dog’s feet should bring relief. For especially furry pups, ask your dog’s groomer to trim the hair between the foot pads so ice and salt can’t cling and cause discomfort.
Social season: This time of year brings people together. Parties, gift exchanges and family visits are a staple of the winter season, and your dog can be a part of it all with a little planning. It’s a great idea to practice a few basic commands so your dog’s manners get you compliments, not complaints. Teach your dog to sit when greeting guests. You can accomplish this by practicing when it’s just the two of you. Instead of petting your dog right away when you arrive home from work or shopping, ask him to sit, and then give him attention. If he jumps up on you, don’t touch him, and stand up straight. Ask for ‘sit’ again, and pet him only when he complies. Do the same when you sit in a chair or on the sofa. Nothing wrecks cocktails and hors d’oeuvres like a persistent pooch pawing Aunt Jane’s stocking-clad knee. Use the ‘come’ command to keep your dog close to you and away from the cheese and crackers.
Puppy surprise: It can be daunting to find the perfect gift for someone you really care about, but resist the temptation to buy them a puppy. Think of the long list of things you need to do to prepare for a new four-legged friend. A puppy is a lifelong commitment, and cannot be returned with proper packaging and a receipt.
This doesn’t mean you have to abandon the surprise. Consider buying an attractive crate or furniture-quality convertible pen, and filling it with toys, chew bones and food and water bowls. Include a gift certificate or brochure from a local shelter. If you know your loved one favors a specific breed, download photos and breed info from AKC-linked breed rescue websites, or research a reputable breeder in your area. Do a little homework on local boarding facilities, veterinarians and groomers, and ask your friends for referrals. Having these resources at hand shows the recipient you are considerate of their needs, and they can have some control over the selection.
Another option is to involve the gift recipient early on in the process. Children, especially, are surprisingly opinionated and educated on the subject, and will wear out your computer doing research. Older folks will praise your forethought, and may relish this new challenge in their lives, but be prepared if they politely say ‘thanks, but no thanks’. You can still do some good by making a donation to your favorite pet rescue charity on their behalf.
Good food, bad food: As cold weather sets in, our bodies seem to crave more food. Unfortunately, we seem to gravitate toward the heavy items, breads, sweets, pies, meat with gravy, and the list goes on. Much of this is loaded with butter and sugar, and you may be tempted to share the bounty with your drooling dog. Rich food can cause a host of problems for your dog’s digestive system. Foods with high fat content are especially harmful, and painful pancreatic attacks can result. Anything outside his normal intake may create other problems like vomiting and diarrhea, and can take days to clear up. A more appropriate treat is a hard rubber toy with nooks and crannies stuffed with biscuit pieces and a bit of canned dog food. This makes the dog feel included and helps prevent begging for table scraps. Beware of poisonous plants this time of year, too. Indoor decorative plants like poinsettia and mistletoe are especially toxic to pets, and Christmas trees and their decorations need to be kept off limits for your dog’s safety.
Stress? What Stress? Exercise reduces stress, and what better motivator than those big eyes pleading for a walk? British researchers surveyed 5,000 participants and found that dog owners exercised up to eight hours per week more than non-dog owners frequenting health clubs. 86% of the dog owners were happy to spend time walking their dogs, while only 16% of gym-goers enjoyed their workouts. Other studies have shown benefits of dog ownership to include reduced stress and lowered blood pressure. Interaction with animals has been shown to lessen symptoms of depression, too. All this adds up to a tail-wagging trainer that melts off extra calories and can put a smile on your face.
The Sporting Life: If you and your dog are active, athletic types check out the latest craze in dog sports: skijoring. Simply put, it is cross country skiing combined with dog sledding, or mushing. Your dog, or a team of two dogs, pulls you through the snow using a special harness and hands-free leash, as you ski behind. This can be done on a smaller scale with a saucer sled and a willing dog. You’ll need dog-friendly trails and some special harnessing equipment to make this work. Keep safety in mind at all times and start slowly to acclimate your dog to this strenuous activity. Snowshoeing with dogs is very popular, and equipment is minimal. When Mother Nature dumps ten inches and the city is at a standstill, you can take in the rare hush of an urban wonderland while others are stuck indoors. When you return home, you’ll both have earned a long winter’s nap.
