Sunday, November 24, 2013

Overweight Pets: The Begger

When the vet tells a pet owner that their dog is overweight and needs to go on a diet, it can be tough to get them to comply. A lot of pet owners think that they can't put their dog on a diet because he is always begging for food. They tell the vet, "He is begging for food - he must be hungry. Besides, how can I say no when he gives me that soulful look?"

Well let's get a few things straight.  First, he is not actually hungry. If he eats on a regular schedule, his dietary needs will be met - I promise.Your dog is begging for food because he knows that you will give him a treat when he begs. It is more about the attention that your dog gets from you than the food.

You can curb the begging by replacing the treat with a toy or play time. If the begging continues, you must ignore it. Do not cave in and reward the begging with food.  That only encourages more begging.

Dogs are smart - they know what works to get what they want. If you set reasonable rules, and you are consistent with the new rules, your dog will figure it out pretty quickly.  And if your dog is overweight, his health and well being are at risk.  If he begs for food, and it's not time for a meal, distract him with a favorite toy, some personal attention, or a walk around the block.  He's not begging because he's hungry, so don't reward him with food.  Your dog's health is too important.

Be wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:


Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more, in the convenience of the customer's home.  Every Bewaggle employee is bonded, insured, professionally trained and has undergone a background check.  Be wise... Bewaggle!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Overweight Dogs: How many nibbles make a meal?

Every dog is unique, of course, and they all have their own preferences when it comes to eating.  Today, I want to talk about those dogs that seem almost completely uninterested in food, and yet they somehow manage to be overweight.   I call these dogs the “nibblers” because that’s all they ever do. 

You fill his bowl in the morning, and he eats a few kibbles, but walks away before the bowl is empty.  A few hours later, he stops by the bowl for another nibble or two, but he never really seems very hungry.  He’ll eat table scraps, if you offer them to him, and he enjoys those treats with the squishy center.  But if all he’s eating throughout the day is a handful of treats and a few choice nibbles from his bowl, how can he possibly be fat?

It’s a simple case of calories, of course.  Those choice table scraps and the yummy treats are almost always loaded in fat and calories, while the food in his bowl may not be.  It’s sort of like offering a child a tossed salad in the morning, but giving him a piece of chocolate every time he walks past you.  He’s not going to eat much of that salad, now is he?  The dog’s hunger is satisfied with the treats, so he can skip the salad bar and wait for the next dessert cart. 


If your dog is overweight, you need to do a better job of controlling what he eats.  If you love him, and I know you do, you have to take responsibility for his health.  Find a good dog food, and feed him according to the package instructions.  And if he gets a treat, you need to subtract those calories from the dog food bowl.  If you are serious and diligent, but he’s still overweight, ask your vet for suggestions.  You have to do the math and be in control.  Your dog is counting on you to keep him healthy. 


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more. We are bonded and insured, with background checks and references. Be wise... Bewaggle!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Dog Exercise 101

Just like humans, dogs need daily exercise, and like us, they benefit best from the right kind of exercise, under the right conditions. It's not safe, for example, to go out in extremely hot or cold weather. During those periods, it’s best to stay inside, but you can still exercise your dog if you get creative.  Remember that dogs need to exercise their minds as well as their bodies, so teaching tricks to engage your dog's mind can have additional benefits.  You can also throw toys, play tug-of-war, or run up and down the stairs together to get their aerobic exercise in, even when the weather outside isn’t right for outdoor play.

Where to get exercise

Like people, most dogs enjoy both familiarity and variety in their exercise routines.  Your dog will get to know the neighborhood during his daily walks, and he may enjoy revisiting his favorite spots.  But the best exercise routines use both mental and physical muscles. Exploring a new hiking trail, for example, or learning a new trick will engage your dog's mind as well as his body.

Your local dog park can be a great place for off-leash exercise and a place to play with other dogs. But if your dog doesn't like other dogs, the dog park is definitely not the place for him.  If he’s not comfortable at the dog park, don’t push him. 

But I can't do this!

Inactive dogs are often overweight dogs, that can cause a number of serious health risks. Obesity contributes to a dog's risk of diabetes, respiratory disease, and heart disease. It also leads to muscular-skeletal problems like hip dysplasia and arthritis. Obesity can place additional stress on joints, ligaments, and tendons. And older dogs often have a hard enough time getting up without the added problem of lifting excess pounds.

But many dog owners find they simply can’t give their dogs the exercise they need because their own health, or their lifestyle or their schedules don’t allow it.  If you can’t physically keep up with your dog’s exercise needs, or you don’t have the time in your busy schedule to do it, there are options.  These are the most common ones, but your veterinarian may be able to suggest others.
·    Enroll your dog in a doggie day care.  Day cares can provide him with the physical workout and the interactions with both people and other dogs that will leave him tired and content.
·    Hire a dog walker.  A good dog walker (or pet sitter) can provide exercise and mental stimulation that your dog needs, from the convenience of your own home.

Remember that a tired dog is a happy dog, and he’s relying on you  to keep him healthy and happy.  It’s your responsibility as a pet owner.  Take it seriously.

Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:


Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more, in the convenience of the customer's home.  Every Bewaggle employee is bonded, insured, professionally trained and has undergone a background check.  Be wise... Bewaggle!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Overweight Dogs Need More Exercise!


If your dog is overweight, he’s either getting too much food or too little exercise… or both.  This blog series will focus on both sides of the weight equation, but today, let’s begin with this axiom:  If your dog is overweight, YOU aren't getting enough exercise!  

Dogs especially, need more exercise than most can get on their own, in the house. Like humans, they need both strength and cardio workouts every day. If your dog is overweight, he's consuming more calories than he's burning, and the very best way to correct that imbalance is to add regular, appropriate exercise to his daily routine.  

Generally speaking, a leashed walk around the block isn't going to be enough to keep him healthy, let alone to reduce his weight.  Most healthy dogs need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, including a hard aerobic workout.

Older dogs, overweight dogs, or dogs with other health issues will need exercise that is specifically designed for their own circumstances, so check with your veterinarian to understand exactly what your dog needs.


And if your own health, schedule or lifestyle doesn’t permit you to provide your dog with the exercise he needs, you should hire someone to exercise him every day.  Your dog relies on you to keep him healthy.  You must take that responsibility seriously.


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more, in the convenience of the customer's home.  Every Bewaggle employee is bonded, insured, professionally trained and has undergone a background check.  Be wise... Bewaggle!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Overweight Pets Part 1

Pet obesity in America is a major problem.  It causes several serious health issues for pets including diabetes and heart problems. So many pets are overweight simply because they are eating more than they need - they are consuming more calories than they are burning off. Pet obesity is preventable - you control what and how much your pet is eating. Some pets don't make that easy for us, so we will be posting a series of blog posts about how to handle your fussy pet so that you can get them to a healthy weight and keep them there.

Over the coming days, we'll be posting tips on feeding and exercising your pets for a longer, healthier, and happier life.

We'll be covering the following topics:

  1. Exercise Guidelines
  2. Pets that nibble all day long
  3. Pets that beg from their owners
  4. Food as a reward for good behavior
  5. The Fussy Eater
Be Wise... Bewaggle!

About Bewaggle:


Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more, in the convenience of the customer's home.  Every Bewaggle employee is bonded, insured, professionally trained and has undergone a background check.  Be wise... Bewaggle!

Sunday, November 3, 2013

A Cause We Believe In!

A special blog post from co-founder, Marianne Carlson.
A few years ago, I published a book about cause marketing called Ten-Fold Marketing: Growing Your Business by Growing Your Heart.  (The book includes a foreword by Tory Johnson from Good Morning America, and is available on Amazon.)  Today, I want to tell you about the cause that we have embraced as our corporate charity, and a little bit about why this cause is so very dear to me, and to my business partner, Paula, who happens to also be my daughter.

In 2003, I was working in Germany as a civilian employee of the US Army, when the war in Iraq began.  In July of that year, I was deployed, and I spent the next six months there.  It was the most horrible, frightening, miserable, degrading, physically challenging, emotionally draining experience of my life.  And in some ways, it was the most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced.  During those horrific months, I came to have a deep and enduring love for the men and women who serve in our nation’s armed forces… men and women for whom “Duty, Honor and Country” are not just words.  If you know me, you know they are never far from my mind.

In 2004, I returned to America, and that Christmas, I saw my son for the last time.  In March of 2005, he committed suicide.  Words can’t describe the agony that surged through our family, and the pain that continues to live in the hearts of all who loved him.

In 2013, my daughter, Paula, and I began Bewaggle Pet Services – a brand new kind of Pet Sitting company, and we began the search for a cause that we could embrace as our corporate charity – the focus of our Ten-Fold Marketing campaign.  We looked at animal shelters, dog food banks, humane societies and more.  Then during our research, I learned that more of America’s military heroes have died from suicide than have died in combat, and that the most susceptible are those veterans who suffer from PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  That fact struck me in a very personal, very profound way, and we expanded our search to include veterans’ charities and suicide prevention services. 

After a lot of research and soul-searching, we decided on one charity that met our search criteria perfectly.  K9s for Warriors is a 501c3 that rescues dogs from shelters, then trains those dogs to rescue veterans with PTSD.  They are supported, in part, by some larger charities, including the Wounded Warrior Project, and over 94% of their revenues go directly to helping dogs and veterans.  And most importantly, the program works, which comes as no surprise to anyone who has known the love and support of a faithful dog, or seen a good service dog at work.


I invite you to visit their website and see the photos of their graduates, to see the good they are doing for both dogs and veterans, and to join us in supporting this wonderful organization.  For the dogs, for the veterans, and for the families who love them, no one is more deserving of this “new leash on life”.  www.k9sforwarriors.org


About Bewaggle:

Bewaggle is a pet services company located in DeLand, Florida. We offer pet sitting, dog walking, puppy training, basic obedience training, and more, in the convenience of the customer's home.  Every Bewaggle employee is bonded, insured, professionally trained and has undergone a background check.  Be wise... Bewaggle!