My Akita topped the scales at 121 lbs. the other day at the vet which is an all time high for her.

It's time to get serious as i want her around for a while and she'll be prone to arthritis and diabetes if she doesn't get her weight down.

She's now on 3 cups of dog food per day (a cup below what the vet said is the right amount for her) and I walk her a half a mile a day now along with the 3 X daily she walks the perimeter of the 3 acre property. I'm going to increase it gradually to a mile or more.

Yes she did get people food with her dog food but that's in the past.

Anybody else have issues with an overweight dog?

I believe the dog is on a hunger strike as she refuses to eat the dry dog food. She give's me the this look like, "I'm not eating that! That's dog food!

Truthfully I suspect thyroid issues as the amount she ate didn't seem enough to cause this kind of weight gain. But the vet says she's negative although thyroid tests can be tricky.

Anybody go through this and have any helpful advice.

Yes. We cut back the food 1/3 as per vet and reduced snacks to dog treats. Increased exercise somewhat as he had hip problems from being too big and malnourished as a puppy before I picked him up in the woods. He lost from 105 to 80 lbs. Hip problems are much better but still a problem to watch. Swimming is great for them and ours loves the water.

From your pics I also suspect thyroid or other issues. I was shocked to see the change from before.

Big size





Slim mode

Greetings Cecil!

If weight loss is slow, then you may wish to add some coconut oil to the kibble you feed. Studies were done to determine coconut's potential for animal feed (cattle, pigs, ...) but the problem was that the addition of coconut oil in the diet resulted in lean animals without the desired fat percentages. There are also some studies on coconut oil aiding sluggish thyroids.

I have three lovely Scottish Deerhounds. Very big girls who can counter surf the kitchen. I give them a high protien,fat, grain free kibble (>600 Kcal/cup), one raw egg, a large glob of coconut oil, 1/3 bannana, 1/3 apple with either a glob of peanut butter or vanilla yogurt just for breakfast. Then treats after each walk and table food for din-din. Their activity level is not high. All are lean muscle. And yes, many have said they want to die and come back as one of my girls....

Regards!

Eric, good looking happy dog there. You too have shed several lbs between PB Conferences. Well done!

Also, word from NASA is they can see the glare from your legs from the International space station.

Sorry man, I couldn't resist! You owe me one, and I'm a helluva easy target.

Royal Canin makes Maxi weight Care and a diabetic dog food you can get from a vet.

http://www.royalcanin.us/products/produc...-weight-care-27
http://www.petsmart.com/product/zoom/index.jsp?productId=12964520
I package these feeds full time and they are of great quality. The price is a little high, but you get what you pay for i guess.

My sister switched her beagle to Blue Buffalo and he lost weight and just all around improved.She swears it added years to his life,he was around 18+ when we had to take him in.Towards the end he had some urinary issues and we also used the Royal Canin with positive results although you need a vet prescription to get it,it is simple to do as petsmart will give you a card to scan at the register.

Buddy, the guy shown below is now running with the site's deceased Mascot "Mason". He was 135# of solid muscle that played like a pup every day of his life till suddenly paralyzed one morning, lying as always, beside me. He never ate anything but Purina Pro Plan. I raised Shepherds for years and like Aquamax, it is highly digestible...by far the best feed I ever used...4 cups per 100 pounds of dog.

Buddy had also developed arthritis in his hips, yet in true shepherd style, ignored pain and it was a spinal disc that finally gave way from deteroration, ruptured and cut the spinal cord. He weighed <6 pounds when he came into our lives.


Buddy...11/09/2001-11/08/2012






We sure do miss the huge shadow!!!

Feed less they will lose weight.. Takes time I've done with a weiner dog and a beagle both were Roley Poley's had to take them down to 1 cup a day 1/2 in am 1/2 in pm.. They'll lose the weight if fed properly..

Wow Rex that has got to be one of the most beautiful specimens of a German Shepard I have ever seen bar none! Wow!

Cecil:

Like Rex, I've fed Purina Pro Plan since I got my first Springer in the early '90's.

It's a combination of amount of dog food, treats (even Peanut Butter) and exercise. Dog treats are just as bad for them as junk food is for us.

If she doesn't want to eat her food, she will when she gets hungry enough. I know it's hard, but tough love will be good for her. Split up the feedings in 2 or 3 sessions. If she doesn't finish the food from any of the feeding sessions, skip the next one. Feed good food, not the crap from Wally World, etc. Dog food is just like the fish food. Better food is more expensive, but a LOT better for the dog. Better food means less to pick up after it leaves the dog too.

Her joints will have less wear & tear, and her overall health will improve if she drops some weight.

Remember Anna from here a few years ago? She helped me with Cal when he was diagnosed with his heart murmur, and helped CJ with his dog when it was bit by the Copperhead. She has a business that is pet related.

Well, it seems that the website is no longer up and running, so I don't know if the business is a victim of the economy or what. Here's the info that I had for it:
Wholesome Hound
2005 S Brannon Stand Rd
Dothan, AL 36305
(334) 685-0002

Here's my experience just to give you an idea of how many calories dogs can burn.

28# Springer Spaniel. Reba

During the "off" season to keep her weight constant, I fed her 1 1/2 cups of Purina Pro Plan Performance Blend.

When I was field trialing her, and running her for hunters at a local put-n-take pheasant farm, I'd have to feed her twice a day, each time feeding her 2 1/2 cups of the same food. During training, she'd have 9 bird "contacts" per day, which meant that she'd be running between 30 to 45 minutes per day in 10 to 15 minute increments. We trained every other day, and usually hit a field trial once or twice a month. Put-n-take pheasant farm was once or twice a month too, but she'd be running for a total of an hour or so (maybe 2 depending on the number of birds put down)in 10-15 minute increments.

So, she'd bounce from 1 1/2 cups per day to 5 cups per day just to keep her weight constant.

Thanks everyone!

TJ I think those legs blinded someone on the space shuttle. Never have figured out why that pics is that way - legs do have pigment and not bleached white.

Think of the bright side Eric (no pun intended). You'll never have to worry about skin cancer on those legs!

Lol I had to go back and look again I thought he had his socks pulled up to his knees

Eric is smart...I am beginning to see the effects of many years of excessive sun exposure. I typically work the farm in shorts and sandals with no cap all Spring, Summer, and as late into Fall as I can stand. I need to start covering up.

TJ, smart move. I started the same plan this year after farming in flip flops for years. All I have to show for it is skin spots, and rebar wounds. Dicky's shirts and boonie hats for me now.

Rainman, I'm in no way affiliated with the sales department of my company, but our German Shepard breed specific food gets rave reviews from people I know. Police forces across the country feed this product to Their K9 heroes. The only other one we make that compares is Yorkshire food we make from personal experience.

Cecil, beautiful dog. I wish I could keep mine that clean. Like ewest said, cut back on food and a little more exercise. My sister cuts bananas into slices and then freezes them for dog treats. Don't know if it helps with their weight but they're not overweight.

ewest, beautiful dog and I agree with you on having dogs swim for exercise. Just like people, its a lot easier on their joints and over-heating isn't a problem. I hate seeing panting dogs trying to keep up with their jogger owner. I'm sure some dogs like it but I kinda feel sorry for them.

Rainman, Sorry to hear about Buddy. He looks perfect! I love the first picture of Buddy and your daughter. Is Buddy the dog that was with Mason in one of your pictures?

One more thing Cecil, I missed you 2 yrs ago at the OAA meeting because we were late. This year, you no-showed (I'm not picking on you) but I heard people talking very highly of you. Maybe next year I'll get to meet you.
Good luck with your Akita. Take her for some nice walks.

Dolly, our 2 year old springer keeps both of us trim even though she eats far better people food then I do as a vegan. She lives to walk and hunt and so my day starts in the dark walking about every other hour and ends at dusk. Thanks to Dolly I am in better shape then most people half my age. If she ever starts to get heavy I will cut her food. She just came into the computer room for the next walk. This is the third walk this morning and it isn't light out yet.

Thanks Cecil. He was a truly stately, protective, intelligent, proud and loyal part of our family. Cathy teared up as she saw me making the post. It tore us up to have to put him down, especially that he went out such a helpless way. I would have posted about his loss when it happened, but for some reason, this post still gets the keyboard a little moist...

All I can say is good luck. I have a 7 year old ChocoLab neutered male that I've tried to thin down. I think if I fed him nothing but celery and ice cubes he'd still be fat.

Yes Mark...Buddy and Mason enjoyed a nice play break together in Mason's long trip to you. That is my grand daighter in the picture with Buddy last summer.

Rex, I know they're all romping around a beautiful pond somewhere.... Now I'm not trying to kiss up to you but you look way to young to have a grandaughter her age.

Cecil, you could get a puppy for her to play with. Its funny how a puppy will bring out the puppy in an older dog.

My sister tried about everything with Sammy the beagle and while the Blue Buffalo food wasnt a magic pill over time he had more energy and lost weight.

just like people: [calories burned] > [calories eaten] = [lost weight] easier said than done!

Cecil, we have trouble keeping weight on our dog so I really don't have any good advice for you. Here she is pointing a bullfrog.

Beautiful dog! I've always wanted a German shorthair.

Our neighbors breed these dogs. Nice dogs but noisy in groups.

Cecil, I would encourage you and any dog owner to seriously read up on raw-food diets for dogs. There were some clients of mine here in Lincoln that started up a company 15 years ago called sitstay. Although they no longer own the business, it's theme was "good for your dog supplies". I always knew if I purchased a toy, snack, chew bone or food from them that it was tried and tested and good for my dog.

I spent many hours with them learning about the advantages of raw foods and the poisons in store bought kibble. I could fill several pages of facts of store bought kibble but I'll leave the research up to you and other readers as there's tons of info on the web. There are also breed-specific books on raw food diets, to know the right foods for your breed.

Our Golden Retreiver (Sammy) is 3 1/2 now and has been on a combination of raw food, canned and supplemented with only the best kibble (many varieties and a little more expensive.)

As Darcie said, dried kibble has only been around for about 60 years. Prior to that our dogs ate table food, yet our table food back then was not processed but good natural foods we used to eat, and good for our dogs.

Store bought kibble, although extemely convenient to just scoop some into their bowls, cause week immune systems, allergies, hair loss, weight gain etc. She also said that on raw food, Sammy's poop will literally disentegrate in the yard because Sammy's digestive system has utilized all the nutrients. After about 3-4 days in the yard, the poop is nearly pure white and turns to dust with the tap of a shovel! So why does dog poop from a kibble-fed dog look the same and stink many days later? Lack of nutrients and nothing but fillers.

Sammy has not been to the vet in 3 1/2 years (for any health issues), his teeth are beautifully white, has a beautful coat and is a very happy dog!

Dogs have a very short digestive system and very acidic which is why they're able to eat the raw foods we cannot.

Cecil, having a larger dog, toss her a raw chicken wing or a turkey neck, steak, fish, etc. She will love you for it! Especially Yams, very nutritious and they LOVE them! When Sammy was little and I was told to feed him a chicken wing, bones and all, I watched him like a hawk fearful of choking. From then on, he ate chicken wings, thighs, turkey necks, meats, fish, fruits and veggies etc. Raw chicken bones are very soft and the marrow is good for them. NEVER give your dog a cooked bone!

By the way, if I were to put store bought kibble in Sammy's bowl today, he too would look at me like "you think I'm gonna eat that?" If I mixed some in with his regular food, it would be left in the bowl. I know because I've tried it. They KNOW!

At 3 1/2 and fairly active, Sammy is only getting around 3 - 3 1/2 cups of food per day. If you can feel their ribs, feed more. If you can't feel the ribs, feed less.

Sorry for the long post but I am truly sold on feeding our dogs what nature intended for them to eat. So please research a raw-food diet for your dogs, learn the right foods to feed them, exercise them, and one day you will know when they look you in the eye and say "thank you!"

A healthy dog is a happy dog!

PB Rocks

Feeding dogs cooked bird (e.g. chicken) bones is dangerous due to splintering and choking hazards. Dogs are carnivours and they are not cooks. Thus, raw meat is what they are built to eat. Also, they are not built for lots of small meals, but rather large meals followed by nothing (unlike us). One meal a day is fine. We supliment as much as possible with venison. Beware of feeding raw meat from the store. We had a dog get samonella poisoning from a raw soup bone sold as people food. We do not feed any raw meat now unless we harvest it ourselves (deer). We lost 4 large-breed dogs at 14 to 15 years old a number of years back after long healthy lives, and have a German Shepard and Great Pyreneese at 14 years old right now. We attrribute their long healthy lives to a proper diet and excersize, but who knows?

RAH, I hope no where in my post I indicated or insinuated using any cooked bones as I agree wholeheartedly to NEVER feed a dog a bone that has been cooked! Very dangerous indeed!

Glad to hear your dogs lived long healthy lives and I believe your attribution is correct in a proper diet and exercise.

Now if I could just follow the same advice for myself!

You did not - just didn't want any mistakes.

Lovnlivin, I think you're saying raw chicken (bones) are OK. But is the same thing true with rib, steak, fish and pork bones?

Lovnlivin thanks for the heads up on vegetables for dogs and I will research this. I have always wondered that if veggies were so good for me, why not for dogs unless it had something about their makeup that was so different from us. Most processed foods today have had the nutrients wrung out of them and that has been in the back of my mind and worried me when I feed Dolly people food. When we walk if Dolly finds bones from dead animals she will lay down and eat them and when she catches mice she will eat the heads, so maybe that is also telling us about their preferred diet.

http://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_dg_focusing_on_protein_in_the_diet

That's an excellent article RAH, and there's so much information out there on raw foods that the "Purina Dog Chow" companies don't want us to know about, nor the ingredients that actually go into their foods.

JM, regarding vegetables and good and bad bones, one must use common sense on particular bones. When Sammy is finishing up a T-Bone and it's getting pretty small, I'll pull it away to not take chances. I also know they don't recommend pork as they don't digest that particular meat very well. On the vegetables, I don't think there's many that aren't recommended. Carrots I might soften up, yams I usually soften up as well but Sammy has no problem chewing away on a raw one.

Keep reading up on raw food diets and you'll find how truly good they are for our dogs.

I remember Darcie telling me once that if she saw her dog going to town on some road-kill she would just let 'em go. That one I have a harder time with. But have you noticed the first thing animals usually eat after a kill? It's normally the organs, for the protein.

Back to my original post, the thing that really sold me was not only Sammy's overall health but the way Sammy's poops turn white and then to dust. Pretty telling testament that they're actually getting nutrients from their meal.

As the article states "Meat such as chicken, poultry, beef or fish should be the first ingredient listed in any dog food you judge to be "the best"." What's the first ingredient on the bag of food you're feeding your dog?

Here's an example of some store-bought foods:
Pedigree - ground whole corn, chicken by-product meal, brewer's rice, corn gluten meal,,,

Purina dog chow - Whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal,,,,

IAMS - Chicken, corn meal, ground whole grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal,

Here's some "good for your dog" ingredients:

Orijen - Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned pacific salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned northern walleye,,,,

Taste of the Wild - Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber,,,,

You get the idea.

And lastly, get your dog some Tripe! It consists of the stomach lining of (usually) a cow, stinks real bad and looks disgusting, but so good for your dog and they LOVE it! (Trippet is a good brand)

Even after all this, know what you're feeding your dog, read up on the right raw-food diet for your breed, and watch them enjoy!

BTW, I'm not affiliated with www.sitstay.com in any way and don't know the new owners but it was always my reference point of knowing what foods were the right foods for Sammy.

(Sorry, started rambling again)

Keith

One thing NOT to feed raw is Salmon. IIRC some dogs have died from eating it. Please correct me if my memory is bad. Cooked, it's O.K.

You need to freeze any of the salmonids because they may have a parasite that is toxic to dogs (and humans). Can't remember the temp, but pretty sure you need a commercial grade freezer to do it. It's either -10F or -40F for 24 hours or so, but don't remember the actual.

You have to do the same thing if you are commercially producing smoked salmon.

You also need to freeze pork for a lengthy time (about 6 weeks), to kill parasites, if you are going to feed raw to your dog.

I spent quite a bit of time researching this in the past. One thing that still haunts me is the processing of grain based dog foods makes the food carcinogenic to dogs. Luna was given the top brand grain based diets for over 6 years. My ignorance may have killed Her

Before I get a new dog (Lab from local breeder, and they own a meat market), all the I's will be dotted and the T's crossed. Plus, I will have a commercial freezer!

I would not feed any uncooked meat, fish, or eggs from the "store" to your dogs. It simply is not safe due to microbial contamination risk.

Go to your favorite butcher shop then.

Go somewhere you trust is kept sanitary. For us, it means doing the butchering at home if the meat is fed raw.

We feed our dog raw meat that is raised by us and butchered by a very clean place.

Two ways to kill stuff. Freeze it really well or heat it up! No longer raw then with the latter, and you loose most benefits.

Understand your dogs digestive system, which is key.

Wild game is a risk, all and of itself, without preventative steps!

Butchering at home, may prove to be most unsanitary for some.

Yeah, I heard that the sky is falling, again!

It's up to each to make the best decisions based on their ability to seek out what is correct and follow thru. I expect to learn much, much more!

Nothing is without risk - just try to minimize where you can. Do not count on freezing to kill microbes! Cooked meat, fed cool, will not harm dogs - just no cooked bird bones.

Like I referenced, It is up to the individual making the decisions

Its an individual decision, but if you screw it up, you dog suffers.

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/raw-dog-food-dietary-concerns-benefits-and-risks

It helps to know the facts. Simply believing is not enough.

For now the dog is on high quality dry dog food only at 2/3's her normal amount although she stubbornly isn't eat that much.. No people food no matter how pitiful she looks. We're also walking up to 1 mile every day (longest was today) and I had to stop and let the dog rest three times. Maybe I should back off a little on the distance.

The vet is only five minutes away and I'm going to stop in next week to see what she weighs.

I'm researching making homemade dog food but it will be fully cooked if I do so and no bones and probably vitamin and calcium suplpliments.

Shorty, the look on your dogs face is priceless! It took me a while but I did spot the bullfrog also!

JKB, Please don't second-guess your decisions on Luna's diet. Sounds like she had a great life with you and your family. Nobody has the perfect system and diet to raise an animal.

I've had a husky live to be 17 yrs , my wifes doberman live to 16 yrs, Mason got to be an old fat dog for the 3 yrs he was here, a golden retreiver (still alive) 13 yrs plus this new bunch coming up. All brought up on Purina Dog Chow. But they all get a raw egg in their food 2-3 times a week.

Almost forgot to tell you I raised a raccoon (Rocky) from when his eyes were still closed till he bolted after weighing over 25 lbs. He was bottle fed then weaned onto the Purina.


This one gets me, my sister has a "Taco bell" dog,(I can't spell the name after chi) that is closing in on 17 yrs.

JKB, just remember Luna or anybodys pet could have had a lot worse life if it wasn't for people like us. Your ignorance (and I hate using that word) did not kill Luna. Sometimes things just happen (just like in people).

Sorry for rambling on for so long....Good luck with your new Lab coming in.

I agree with hang loose, paying attention to your dog is probably the most important thing you can do. Its about quality of life, not quantity.

I'm surprised no one recomended a little brother or sister to make her more active. My mom's dog always had weight issues until they adopted another dog. Now they run and play and old Sammie has dropped a lot of weight. I think the reason my dogs are in perfect shape is because they run and play with each other. I keep thier bowl full and they have never been a pound over weight. Of course quality food is very important as well, but I think Cecil has that covered. C'mon Cecil, save another pooch and I bet you your Akita will drop some pounds.

Great idea Sue, but be careful depending on the temperment of your Akita!

Good idea Sue but due to the major highway in front of the house I'm terrified to take her off the walking leash, so two dogs playing freely in the yard might not be a good idea.

When we first got her she got loose and headed for the highway. She was just standing there in the highway oblivious to the cars and missed getting hit by a few inches. A woman on a cell phone never even saw her. Imagine that a big brown white dog and you never see it. It explains why people hit deer here all the time.

My Akita female seems to be the exception to the rule. She's the least aggressive dog I've ever had, although she is protective and barks at strangers. Scott will probably agree as he rough houses with her.

One concern I would have though is jealousy. I've seen some really jealous dogs when a new dog is brought into the household.

My last dog freaked when I brought in a stray puppy and kept it in the garage until the humane society picked it up. She marked her territory wherever she found it's scent.

Cecil I thought I'd add that my old rottweiler mix loved baby carrots,she would actually eat just about anything to be honest but the carrots where her "doggy treats'

Could consider a cat, unless the dog thinks its a treat which would not help with the weight loss.

Cecil:

You've almost got the whole back yard fenced, it wouldn't take too much to finish fencing it off, then you could let the 2 play out there.

Scott,

Actually with the cost of those panels (I'd prefer to finish with all panels) it's a few hundred dollars more. But it will happen at some point. I'd getting tired of the neighbor's dog snooping around and pooping in my yard too. I've jumped the neighbor about it more than once and he doesn't care. I told him my dog is about 8 times bigger than his too and she kills muskrats the size of his dog. Still doesn't phase him.

Beat you to it Sue . One more observation on this, I noticed when our older dogs would kinda lose their appetite, there was no way some puppy was going to come in and eat "their food" out of "their bowl" (so they would clean their bowl). But they would still play and chase each other out in the yard. The tug of wars were comical. And it was nice to see them "cuddling and sleeping" with each other after they wore each other out.

Cecil, my nephew told me that a paintball gun works wonders for that. BUT, he said it leaves no incriminating evidence if you first put the paintballs in the freezer so they don't break...............

With my luck I'd probably kill the dog. It's one of those little lap dogs.

Cecil, I have heard that some jerk around my land has been known to haul "stray" dogs to the SPCA a couple of cities away.

Dave,

LOL I heard about that. I decided to not push it until I get the fence up as he could cause trouble for me. I'm raising fish as on a small scale fish farm and technically not zoned for it. Better not to open a can of worms.

Yep, his straying dog may not be a big issue.

I think he meant the owner of the dog and not the little critter itself

Right!

Still sticking to my guns on reducing the food of the dog and no people food, but I am adding a little chicken or beef broth to the dry dog food. I can't see how that would hurt.And we are also walking daily with few exceptions.

She can't understand why she isn't sharing our food anymore though.

Be cautious of adding liquid to dry kibble if the kibble contains citric acid as it could cause bloating. Most better quality kibble uses vitamin E where adding liquid can make a good gravy but just an FYI on the citric acid. Also, a low sodium broth is recommended as too much sodium is not necessarily good for dogs.

I wish you and your dog the best, Cecil she knows you're trying!

Thanks! I wasn't aware of that!

I'm not sure she knows I'm trying. She gives me looks like, "What did I do wrong? Why can't I eat with the pack?"

cecil I am glad to see that there is some one else besides my mom that will not give table scraps. If your pup refuses to eat the kibble and only will eat people food don't give in. my sister got a dog when she was little and it would only eat sraps my mom refused to give them to the dog.he eventualy got hungry and started to eat the kibble the dog hated my mom for that but but i think the feeling was mutual.

Cecil,I emailed my cousin who is a vet because this is a issue I've had in the past for her opinion.I would have done so sooner but she just had her first child and being a new father myself I know how that goes.When i hear from her I will post what she has to say.

Cecil, if you leave the kibble dry it will also keep her teeth cleaner.

I second about the salt in the broth not being good for them (depending on quantity).

Don't cave in, leave it dry is my feelings. If she's hungry, she'll eat it.

If I fill Kate's bowl, it'll take her 2 days to finish it. I was watching a buddy's lab, and it took her less than 5 seconds to finish up her food. She didn't bother chewing, nad it looked like she was drinking water the way she lapped up the dried kibble. I ended up feeding both dogs in different rooms, and if Kate didn't finish her food in 15 minutes, it was picked up. After 4-5 days she learned that she had to eat it when it was put down. It took her about 2 weeks to go back to her old habit of just picking at her food all day long after the other dog left.

Cecil, you have a lot of friends just on this site. Talk to some vets and use common sense. This is just my opinion but "if the dogs too fat, diet and exercise...to skinny,feed'em...been starved, feed them till they are happy".

I hope you don't get mad at me for saying this but put some of your fish raising energy into that big old puppy you have. Beautiful dog!

Thank you all for the suggestions and tough love is indeed the best way to go on this. And there 's no reason to get mad at you hang_loose. I have to keep reminding myself if she really is hungry she will eat the dry food.

Cecil, keep reminding yourself. I've found out that the only time that the above statement isn't true is when a medical condition exists. If that't the case, then you need to be more concerned about the medical condition than the food. In my case, with 2 of them, poor teeth and other side effects that we talked about took a back seat to getting food in them. Both of their medical conditions were to the extent that I didn't have to worry about long term dental care - it was more of making their last 6 months to a year on this earth enjoyable.

Agreeing with all that's been said, the right foods can also prevent medical conditions as well!

I realize I'm not in the majority in feeding Sammy based on a raw-food diet, but we chose that option to hopefully prevent trips to the vet and over the past 3 1/2 years we've been successful with a happy, healthy dog.

Sorry but I'm just a firm believer that based on my research, the 3 best foods (in order) being; Raw food, canned food and dry kibble (without fillers).

So Cecil, don't overlook good quality canned food (void of fillers) as well, even mixed in with the kibble if you like. Good canned foods have meats, veggies, fruits, etc.. She will surely like that far over the kibble and maybe give you the look of "now that's more like it!"

FWIW

BTW, for those in the path of "Storm Q", please be safe!

Keith

Good point esshup, when our dogs get older, they get the pref treatment (from me especially). I don't know why I do it but it makes them feel better and I am happier. It makes me feel better knowing the only thing they have to worry about is who gets the biggest blanket.

Has she lost any weight yet? If so how much?

5 lbs. so far. I haven't been exercising her lately due to lousy weather but will get back on it when the weather inproves.

Thanks for asking!

Better weather today. Cold, but no rain. First thing this a.m. the wind wasn't bad, but it's supposed to pick up later on in the day. No snow like Dwight has, but still had about 1/4" on the ground at daylight.

Thanks Rob. Very nice of you.

That sucks Scott but it can't hang on forever.

But I'm sure you'll agree I wouldn't mind a cool wet summer though. My trout would love it. Unfortunately at some point the temps could go the other extreme like someone threw a switch. Who knows? Like Mark Twain said, "Everybody complains about the weather but no one does a thing about it!

I'd be perfectly happy with a cool wet summer after last years summer.....

careful!! keep talking like that and we'll never see a day below 100 Now if you want a cool wet summer start hoping for a dry hot one it works every time

Or go by exactly the opposite of the NWS's long range prediction is and you may have what we can expect. I know of two cases it turned out that way for a winter prediction.

Cecil, do you have any recent pictures of your dog? Is she losing any weight? What's her name?