From the Sun: Pet obesity is a big, fat problem

Adapted from the August 22nd edition of the Woodford Sun: 

Pet obesity is a big, fat problem
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

Often overheard at the adoption center: “Ohh, I just LOVE fat cats!”  That phrase is such a mixed bag for us.  We always have overweight pets who need homes, and it’s nice to know that people are interested in them.  But pet obesity is a huge problem, and the thought that someone might take an overweight pet home and not make an effort to get it healthy - or worse, take a healthy pet home and deliberately let it become obese - is cringe-worthy.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53% of dogs and 55% of cats in American homes are overweight or obese.  Overweight pets suffer from severe arthritis (particularly declawed cats, whose joint alignment is already compromised), skin infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease.  Even their cancer risk is high compared to pets of healthy weight.  An overweight pet’s lifespan is reduced by an average of 2.5 years; their quality of life, as they struggle through the pain of all of the aforementioned medical complications, is reduced the moment we allow them to become overweight.  Intentionally or not, it is unkind to cause or perpetuate a painful lifestyle for your pet, and obesity is no exception.

Katie the cockapoo was 17lbs overweight

The driver of pet weight problems is – surprise! – diet and exercise.  We once took in a cocker spaniel/miniature poodle mix that weighed 42lbs; “healthy” for her body structure was 25lbs.  When asked what she was fed, the owner replied that the dog got whatever she wanted – mostly cheeseburgers.  An over-fed pet is not a well-fed pet, nor is a pet that is allowed to eat junk food, whether that’s low-quality, grain-filled kibble or the cheeseburger off your plate.  Get in touch and we’ll be happy to provide you with our guide to pet nutrition so that you can make good choices at the pet store; once you know how to read an ingredients list, it’s easy to do.   

Exercise is the other half of the equation, and it can’t be ignored – diet alone is often not enough to take off those extra pounds.  It’s up to us to take an active role in our pets’ exercise routines; just putting them out in the yard does not count.  Play fetch, take longer walks, have a play date, take a hike – there are lots of options.  As a rule of thumb, you should spend at least an hour a day exercising your dog.  For cats, exercise is all about toys; but again, just having toys around the house does not count.  Keep an arsenal of toys that move, bounce, or crinkle, toys that you wave, throw, or roll, and spend at least half an hour a day engaging your cat in the hunt.

is the other half of the equation, and it can’t be ignored – diet alone is often not enough to take off those extra pounds.

If your veterinarian tells you that your pet is overweight, don’t be offended; see it as a call to action to help your live a longer, happier life.  Open a dialog about healthier choices, make some changes, and help your pet slim down.  You’ll be happy you did.  Get in touch with us at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org if you need some suggestions - we're here to help.

Oh, and in case you're wondering how we do our part to help out the chunky pets in our care, never fear - we're all over it!  Our largest cat colony room is a fitness club for overweight cats; they're on a strict diet and have space, toys, shelves, and furniture to get them moving...and, of course, a core of awesome volunteers to keep them on their toes.  Overweight dogs are a little less common around here, but they get the same treatment: strict diets, and lots of exercise with staff and volunteers.  We've seen great results, but it's up to the adopters to keep the ball rolling. 

Hilda (top) and Tavia (bottom) have slimmed down in our kitty fitness camp

From the Sun: Cleaning up after your pet

From the August 8th edition of the Woodford Sun: 

Cleaning up after your pet
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

One of the first things you learn as a pet owner is that accidents happen.  Puppies, kittens, dogs, cats…nobody’s perfect (although some are a little closer than others).  Eventually, you just have to reach that state of zen where you can take a deep breath, remind yourself that things are just things, clean up, and move on.  After all, who could stay mad at those cute faces? 

Cleaning up after a pet can be trickier than it seems, though, and it’s all because of those sensitive noses.  Pet use urine to mark territory, and their noses are fine-tuned urine-detecting machines – much more so than ours are.  That means that, if urine has been somewhere – in the litter box, or on a potty pad, or on the carpet – your pet knows it, and it’s a big deal.  It’s usually a big enough deal that your pet, or other pets in the house, will want to “go” there again and again, which is fine if it’s in the litter box or on a potty pad…but less fine if it’s on your carpet, bed, or furniture.  

Busting the chain reaction of accidents requires you to stop thinking about what you can smell, and start thinking about what your pets can smell.  This is why cleaners that mask odors and add perfumes don’t typically succeed when it comes to pet stains; you might think your carpet smells like flowers, but your pet thinks your carpet smells like flowers…and pee.  And that’s an invitation.  What you need instead is a cleaner that gets rid of urine by physically breaking it down instead of covering it up.  Look for an enzyme- or enzyme-and bacteria-based cleaner like Nature’s Miracle or Unique Pet Odor and Stain Remover; the enzymes break the urine molecules down and the bacteria clean up what’s left over, effectively removing the urine – and the urine smell – from your home.  Another great thing about products like these is that they’re safe; you’re not putting harsh, toxic chemicals into your home where they could harm your pet.

Finding a great, effective pet stain cleaner isn’t the solution to all potty problems.  For that, you have to go to the source: a strict house training routine and a vet visit to make sure there’s not a physical problem – like a urinary tract infection or diabetes - causing trouble for your pet.  But it sure helps keep things on track when your pet is in the “accidents” stage.  If you can help your pet learn by removing those smelly distractions, you might do something much more important than save your carpet; you might save your pet from winding up homeless down the road.  Every year, dozens of pets are surrendered when their person’s patience for pee runs out; how many of those might have been prevented with the right tools and techniques to correct the problem?  Our goal, first and foremost, is always to keep a pet in a good home if it has one, and we hope this info can help that happen.

From the Sun: Training a Pet? Think positive

From the August 1st edition of the Woodford Sun:

Training a pet?   Think positive
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

When I was a kid, my parents gave me a few bucks a week as long as I did my chores.  I am not a natural chore-doer, so that little incentive made a big difference; in fact, I wish someone would offer me the same deal now.  My house would probably be neater.  In this respect, training a dog is a lot like training a child: a little bribery goes a long way.  That’s why positive reinforcement training is the most effective method around.  

Positive reinforcement is, in a nutshell, a method focused on rewarding good behavior instead of simply punishing bad.  Don’t get us wrong, it’s important to correct and discourage bad behavior as soon as you see it.  But think about when you were a kid; sometimes, getting in trouble didn’t mean you learned your lesson…you just learned how not to get caught the next time.  The other half of the battle is making good behavior rewarding, and when you’re trying to train a dog, the best rewards you can offer are praise and food (again, dogs are not entirely unlike children).  

That brings us to the first step of positive reinforcement training: find out what your dog loves to eat and keep the treat bag ready.  You don’t want to overload your pet with junk food, so the ideal training treat will be something that’s very appealing (AKA stinky), but very small.  The small size will also leave your dog wanting more, which works in your favor.  Be sure to always couple your food reward with praise, too; a “Good boy!” will go a long way, especially down the road when you’re not giving treats every single time.

Use short, simple commands when training – sit, down, come, off, leave it, etc. – and give your dog a reward immediately when he does the right thing.  If you wait more than a few seconds, he may not make the connection between what you’re saying, what he’s doing, and the treat in his tummy.  The same goes for correcting bad behavior, by the way; if you don’t do it immediately, he won’t know what he’s being punished for, just that he’s in trouble.  

When you’re first teaching a new command, reward your dog every time he does it right.  It’s not necessary to keep that up forever, but you want to make sure that your dog really knows the command and will respond reliably before you start tapering off the treats; otherwise you’ll end up with a frustrated pooch and a command that won’t stick.  Positive reinforcement can and should be used anywhere, anytime – not just when you’re having a training session.  Make your dog sit before you go out for a walk, or before a meal, or during playtime, for example, to send the message that commands matter no matter what else is going on.  

Got training questions?  We’re here to help!  Drop us a line at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org.  If you're really stuck, we're happy to recommend some great local trainers!