NOVADog Blog

Tippy Peterson before (left) and after her participation in the NOVADog Magazine Canine Fitness Challenge.

Hi I’m Caroline, Amy’s daughter, and I’m the one who submitted Tippy for this challenge. Her final weight is 57.9 pounds, which means she lost a little over 5 pounds! I am so proud of her! She did a better job than I ever could have imagined. I have to admit that at first I wasn’t so sure how well she would do, considering that she is such a scaredy cat. But, now (to our amazement) she likes going on walks and does very well on them too. She still enjoys taking naps throughout the day, but when its time to go for a walk she doesn’t hide like she used to. This challenge has been nothing but a positive experience for her. Not only is she in great shape now but she is also a much more relaxed and happier dog in general. I’m so glad I decided to enter her in this challenge! We could not have done it by ourselves and we will definitely be keeping up with her exercise and nutrition routine. A huge thank you to all the sponsors for letting us be a part of this challenge.  Especially our walkers at DogOn Fitness, Rachel and Heather, Carol and Lesley.  Megan the ever patient photographer with Paws and Claws and Janelle at NOVADog Magazine, who kept us all connected.  Thank you also to Canine Caterers who gave us the nutritional guidance and Bark ‘N Bubbles where we kept her clean and shiny.  We had a great time!

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant said that Tippy had about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which ran through March of 2010.

I’m a girl from the deep south who prefers my winters on the mild side (in Mississippi we pull out our turtleneck sweaters when the thermometer hits 70 degrees).  Apparently Tippy is a southern girl too.  By the time we lost our sidewalks to all of the snow Tippy had had enough. She did not like walking on the streets and proved to be a bit difficult.  Rachel, our DogOn Fitness walker, handled her tempermental behavior like a pro by changing up her routine to help with the anxiety.  Unfortunately Tippy’s tempermental behavior was apparent when the photographer, Megan from Paws and Claws, came to take her picture.  All we wanted was a picture of Tippy standing up so you could see how trim she looked but Tippy refused to cooperate.

Thankfully spring weather appears to be on the way (yeah!) which means this challenge is coming to an end.  When I took Tippy into the vet to be weighed last week her weight had to ticked up slightly to 58.4 lbs.  I am not disappointed.  That is a reality of weight loss whether you are a dog or a human. We are determined to finish this challenge on a high note.

Now that my teenagers activities have ended I have put them on more dog walking duty to help keep Tippy moving.  We are still watching Tippy’s calories by using a mix of dry dog food and green beans with no added salt and Tippy has an appointment for a check up with the vet next week.  I am hoping that the vet will be excited about Tippy’s weight loss.  My fingers are crossed for good results at the last weigh in but either way we are so happy for the goals that have been accomplished.

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant says that Tippy has about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which runs through March of 2010. We invite our readers to check back often to follow her progress and read interesting articles about canine health, fitness, and nutrition.

By Caring Hands Animal Hospital Staff

Did you know that dogs are also susceptible to the same seasonal allergies as humans?  These seasonal allergies are caused by inhaled allergens, among them dust, dust mites, mold, mildew, house dust mites, and tree, grass and weed pollens.
Seasonal allergy and “atopy” are terms used to describe the same type of allergic skin disease. The majority of atopic dogs experience itching during certain seasons, when flowers or trees are blooming and producing pollens.

What are the symptoms of allergies in dogs?

The main inhaled allergens are tree pollens (cedar, ash, oak, etc.), grass pollens, weed pollens (ragweed, goldenrods, etc.), molds, mildew, and house dust mites. Many of these allergies occur seasonally, such as ragweed, cedar, and grass pollens. However, others such as molds, mildew, and house dust mites are year-round. Humans inhale these allergens and the allergy manifests mainly with respiratory signs - runny eyes, runny nose, and sneezing (”hay fever”). But in dogs the result is itchy skin (pruritis). Due to these clinical signs, the condition is also called “Inhalant Allergic Dermatitis”. The dog may rub its face, lick its feet and scratch the underarms.

How are allergies in dogs treated?

Treatment depends largely on the length of the dog’s allergy season. It involves three approaches:

Anti-inflammatory. Treatment with anti-inflammatory medications such as corticosteroids, or antihistamines, will quickly block the allergic reaction in most cases. Fatty acid supplementation of the diet can improve the response to steroids and antihistamines in some cases.

Shampoo therapy. Frequent bathing with a hypoallergenic shampoo can be soothing and helpful. The bathing may also rinse out allergens in the coat that could be absorbed through the skin. Some therapeutic shampoos contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that may further benefit your pet.

Hyposensitization therapy. The third major form of allergy treatment is hyposensitization with specific antigen injections or “allergy shots”. Once the specific sources of allergy are identified by allergy testing, very small amounts of the antigen are injected weekly. This repeated dosing has the objective of reprogramming or desensitizing the immune system. Results are sometimes good but success is variable. Approximately fifty-percent of treated dogs will see significant improvement in their clinical signs while approximately twenty-five percent more will see a decrease in the amount or frequency of corticosteroid usage.

Caring Hands Animal Hospital offers an open and friendly environment helping to ensure that everyone is comfortable with every aspect of each visit.  Each of their locations are fully accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, which is well known for its high standards in veterinary clinics and quality pet care.  Services include wellness care, vaccinations, comprehensive dental care, puppy and kitten care and a welcoming and knowledgeable staff.  For more information, visit www.caringhandsvet.com.

Many pets will sit still and pose for the camera, allowing even an amateur photographer to get a great shot.  But the most common complaint I get from my clients is that their pet won’t sit still or look at the camera (which is why they called me in the first place.)  Let me share a few pointers with you.

First, shoot at the highest shutter speed the lighting in your situation allows.  The fast shutter speed “freezes” the action, but requires a larger aperture opening because it doesn’t allow much time for light to reach the sensor (assuming you use digital now.)  For point and shoot cameras, this means using the “sports” or “action” setting.  If the picture is too dark, use a flash, increase the area lighting, or move to a brighter area.  You may find with the larger aperture that your photos are out of focus.  This is because the depth of field is reduced and you are shooting a moving object.  Often your autofocus will focus on something in the background, making your subject blurry.

Second, you can attempt to get the pet to sit still, even if just for an instant, so you can get your photo.  The easiest way to do this is by using an assistant.  For example, have your assistant keep your dog on a leash and place him where you want him.  Have the assistant stand at an angle to you, and then ask him to command your dog to stay.  Then compose and focus your camera BEFORE you have the assistant remove the leash.  You can make a noise to get your dog to look at you, then press the shutter release.  You may only have a fraction of a second, but that’s all it takes.  This method takes lots of patience, since it may take ten or twenty tries to get the photo you want.

Finally, why not just give in and take an action photo of your pet?  Since you have an active pet anyway, it makes sense to capture him in motion.  There are two ways to do this.  One is to hold the camera still and take a portrait of your pet as he runs past or towards you.  There will be some blurriness, but if it’s not too much the portrait will convey the impression of action.  The second is to pan the camera along with your pet as he runs.  This is difficult, but when done right will “freeze” your pet in motion and the background will be blurred.  This gives the portrait the effect of speed, much like you see in a still photo of a racecar at speed.

Photographing your pet may present many challenges, but it is also very rewarding.  Keep your pet in mind, use the right techniques and remember to be patient!  You’ll soon have some wonderful pet photographs.

Megan Baden is owner and founder of Paws and Claws Photography. She has been passionate about both pets and photography for many years, and started her own company in 2005. She is currently raising two miniature Schnauzers, Parker and Hunter.

Recently I was speaking with Carol Brooks from DogOn Fitness about some of the obstacles we have dealt with during the Canine Fitness Challenge and I had to be honest and say that if it were not for the accountability factor of the Challenge I (not my dog) would have quit.  I really don’t like winter and we are getting bulldozed this year.  My husband and I moved to Northern Virginia in 1989.  He is originally from South Carolina and I am from Mississippi.  We can take the summer heat here…no really, in 20 summers I can honestly count the number of days I could not go outside for an extended period of time on one hand.

But winter makes me crazy.  How does the dog feel about it you ask?  This is her first snowy winter.  She doesn’t seem to mind it.  She doesn’t beg to get out in the snow but neither does she shy away when we grab the leash. My daughter is walking her as the snow falls now.  Since I don’t love walking her in the snow I have come up with other ways to get some exercise indoors.  I think I mentioned in a previous blog that Tippy’s energy levels are way up so she has become a big fan of tug toys.  She likes to play a version where we tug for several minutes followed by a game of  ”keep away”.  She also enjoys being chased around the house.  She will play some combination of these games for up to 30 minutes.  This works for me because I get to stay warm and she is getting the exercise she needs.

We still use treats with her.  Especially as we have been working through some of her issues.  Canine Caterers generously supplied us with several bags of healthy treats but her favorite is the Crunch-eze health snacks.  They come in several flavors but Tippy will eat any of them.  We have worked very hard to cut back on the treats because we felt that with 5 people in the house she was probably getting “treated” a lot. She still wants more…but she is no dummy.  She is not an aggressive beggar.  She instead prefers to use her cuteness to get us to cave.

But we have become much stronger than even I thought we could be and it is really starting to pay off.  As we head into the home stretch of this challenge I am looking forward to the warmer spring weather  so I can enjoy the walks as much as she does. but I am also excited that the changes we have made have really worked for Tippy! Keep warm!

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant says that Tippy has about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which runs through March of 2010. We invite our readers to check back often to follow her progress and read interesting articles about canine health, fitness, and nutrition.

Boy are we glad to be through with the holidays!  With all of the extra food temptations in the house it was not easy for Tippy.  We caught her on more then one occasion counter surfing.  But apparently we did a great job helping her stay on her path to health because this morning she weighed in at 57.8 lbs!

During the holidays we took over the walking since the kids and I were home and I have to say it was truly a challenge.  Between the snow and ice (I fell on the ice more then once walking Tippy) and the bitter cold (I really do not like cold weather) it was not easy for any of us, including Tippy, to get motivated for a walk.  Since this was Tippy’s first big snow we discovered she does not like snow but I have to give her credit for being a trooper.  Not only did she manage to maintain her diet and exercise during the holiday season she also lost about 3 lbs.

She is looking great as she now has curves where she did not before and her energy levels are way up. What a great way to start the New Year!

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant says that Tippy has about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which runs through March of 2010. We invite our readers to check back often to follow her progress and read interesting articles about canine health, fitness, and nutrition.

Not just for you, but for your BFLFF too (Best Four-Legged Friend Forever).

By Kate LoStracco, Managing Partner of Canine Caterers

Why not ring in the New Year with a resolution that will stick?  Not to your BFLFF’s waistline, that is, but stick as an easy adjustment to improve your pet’s overall health and well-being.

Most health-conscious people will advise you to shop on the perimeters of the grocery store.  Buy fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, etc. and stay away from the processed, chemical loaded foods crowding each aisle in between. One step further, shop exclusively at local family-owned stores which promote and help our local commerce to thrive.

Is it more time consuming to make each meal?  Maybe.  More expensive?  Not necessarily, especially if we look at the bigger picture.  Better diet = better health; better health = a fuller, more satisfying, energetic life.

The latter is true for Fido, Fifi and Fluffy too.  Whatever you name your pooch, a better diet will help him live a healthier, more vibrant prolonged life.

Not all foods are created equal and this is certainly true for dog foods as well.  In my article for NOVADOG’s summer ‘09 issue, Deciphering Your Dogs Diet, I suggested staying away from potentially harmful ingredients such as animal by-products, artificial ingredients and possible allergens.  All natural doesn’t always really mean all natural and if you don’t know what an ingredient is, it’s best to do a little research before feeding it to Tank, Zoe or Riley.

If you choose the perimeter diet for yourself (hmmm….maybe we should write a book and name it The Perimeter Diet), why not take the same approach to the food you feed Chloe or Jake? Whole meats, fewer grains, vegetables, fruits and organically occurring vitamins and minerals will approximate what your pooch would eat naturally much better than foods with sugar (who ever heard of a dog eating sugar?), potentially cancer causing chemicals and fillers with little or no nutritional value.  Plus, when buying locally, you have peace of mind knowing that your ingredients are domestic and you may establish a relationship with the people whose livelihood depends on the quality of their offerings.

Canine Caterers exclusive Total Focus super premium dry pet food formulas contain unsurpassed ingredients from domestically grown and purchased sources.  With seven superior formulas to offer, each contain human-grade, holistic, EU certified simple proteins, probiotics, prebiotics, antioxidants, vegetables, wholesome grains and added glucosamine supplement.  Canine Caterers formulas have never been a part of a pet food recall and are indefinitely exclusive of by-products, chemical preservatives, wheat, corn, soy or synthetic ingredients of any kind.
As a small company, our formulas are made in small batches to supply our demand which guarantees the formula you choose is always fresh.  Choose from Puppy, Adult Maintenance Lamb, Adult Maintenance Chicken, Active Dog, Grain Free, Weight Control and Senior.

In addition to Total Focus we also offer a variety of other local canned foods and treats from small, family companies that are as health-conscious as we are.

Canine Caterers is family-owned and family-operated in Chantilly, Virginia.  We offer a 100% money back guarantee, formulas that are both economical and unsurpassed in quality and the personalized service that doesn’t exist with larger pet food companies. Buy Fresh, Buy Local. Buy Canine Caterers.

One big food holiday down and 2 to go over the next few weeks.  But Tippy is still succeeding!

She weighed in at 60.5 lbs this morning which means she managed to lose weight (more than a pound since her last weigh in before Thanksgiving) despite the obstacles that the holidays and winter weather brings.

This time of year brings with it a lot of crazy activity and overloaded schedules. Unfortunately as the parents of 3 young teens we often find ourselves in that boat regardless of the season. I am truly grateful for the dog walkers at DogOn Fitness because without them Tippy would definitely not be getting the exercise she needs to meet her goals.  As I run the kids around to their activities I find myself figuring out where we will squeeze in 30 minutes of walking the dog.  Throw in the really wet and increasingly cold weather we’ve had lately and I can come up with a million excuses why I will have to put it off until the next day.

So this challenge has been a great motivator…there is an external pressure to succeed.  But as we watch the weight come off, see her energy levels increase and the pleasure she is taking in playful exercise we realize the payoff will be huge for her health which will result in a happier longer life for her. Which will mean we get to enjoy her for many more years to come.

Wishing everyone a peaceful holiday season filled with many wonderful walks with your dog.

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant says that Tippy has about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which runs through March of 2010. We invite our readers to check back often to follow her progress and read interesting articles about canine health, fitness, and nutrition.

Seeking a quality boarding option for your dog while you’re away over the holidays can be a daunting task. Venture to Google and search “dog boarding Northern Virginia” and an array of options will greet you. Everything from daycares to traditional kennels to luxury resorts. But which option is right for you and your discriminating canine?

Your first step should be scheduling a tour of the facility before making your reservation.

A few things consider:

• No one wants that sinking feeling of guilt when leaving their pup for the holidays. From the moment you walk in the door you should be given a positive impression. The facility should look and smell clean, as well as have a comfortable temperature.

• When taking your tour, do the pets you see appear to be happy and content? Could you envision your own dog enjoying themselves there? Your pup should be free to stretch their legs and romp while you’re away. Are the play and boarding areas large enough? Ask about exercise or open play options. All indoor exercise areas, as well as outdoor should appear safe and secure. Ask what a typical day’s schedule will be like for your dog.

• The staff should give you that “warm and fuzzy” welcoming feeling in addition to appearing knowledgeable and capable of handling any special issues your dog may have.

• Ask about requirements for dogs staying with them. Prior to booking your stay, they should ask questions of you as well: your dog’s background (temperament, likes/dislikes, comforts, special needs, etc), confirmation of their vaccinations, food and medication specifications and emergency contact information in case of illness.

• Ask if you’ll be able to bring your own food and if comfortable bedding will be provided. Boarding can be a stressful time for some pups and it’s not a time to switch up their diet. A comfortable place to sleep at night will ensure they receive enough rest.

Don’t be afraid to ask the gamut of questions - make sure you feel confident about the care being provided to your dog. Ensure that your four-legged friend will be happy and healthy at their new vacation hot spot!

Alexandra Bowens is the Marketing Manager for Dogtopia—a dog daycare, boarding and spa facility with five locations in Northern Virginia. Dogs are free to romp and play in open playrooms, monitored by staff trained in pack management and dog behavior. Live webcams on the company’s website www.dogdaycare.com offer a peak into the fun.

Happy holidays from the Caring Hands Animal Hospital family to yours!

The holidays are a time for celebration with friends & family … pets included!

Decadent food and festive decorations are what make the holidays special. Be aware of the dangers that are out there for your cat or dog.

Watch what they eat.

Plants such as ivy, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, lilies and Christmas greens can be very toxic if animals ingest them.  Keep pets from drinking from Christmas tree water, because it may contain harmful chemicals.

Decorations should be kept out of pets’ reach.  Artificial snow, glass, metal, the liquid in snow globes, ribbons, and tinsel could cause serious medical emergencies if any of these items are ingested.

Many of the holiday meats we eat are fatty and can cause gastrointestinal problems for our pets.  Bones can cause bowel obstructions or choking and are not recommended.

As always, pets should not eat chocolate!  Chocolate contains a chemical that can be highly toxic.

Cold weather hazards.

With the possibility of snow & ice, it is important to wipe your pet’s paws and belly when he/she comes in from the cold.  De-icing products, salt & ice can get into their fur and paws, which can cause skin irritation or more serious problems.

Antifreeze has a sweet taste that dogs and cats like, so make sure to clean up any spilled antifreeze.

To ensure pets’ safety, there are pet-friendly de-icing/salt & antifreeze products that are available.

Sometimes the hustle and bustle of the holidays can frighten pets and cause them to run away.  Create a quiet, secure place for your pet to rest away from the crowd.  Having your pet microchipped and wearing a collar with up-to-date ID tags is a good idea too.

Caring Hands Animal Hospital offers an open and friendly environment with four locations that are fully accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. Services include wellness care, vaccinations, comprehensive dental care, puppy and kitten care and a welcoming and knowledgeable staff.