Still battling the bulge

This latest cold snap can put a damper on the best laid plans to get out there and get moving with your dog. Although a brisk walk on a bright, sunny day can be exhilarating, perhaps you're not up for a romp in the snow, or your dog hates getting cold feet. Even though it's wintry outside, there are other ways you can work on your pet's mental and physical health, which gives your mental and physical health a boost too.

First, think of ways to exercise with your pet indoors. About 13 million people practice yoga and 75 million homes have dogs. A few years ago, Jennifer Brilliant and William Berloni made the obvious connection and wrote a book, "Doga: Yoga for Dogs," which portrays dogs in various yoga positions and describes the breathing exercises. Originating in New York, Doga classes have now spread to other major cities, inspired clothing lines and pet accessories, and prompted the first doga exercise video for those who like to practice their poses in the privacy and comfort of their own home. Proponents insist the stretches and massage help to soothe and relax their pets, just like it does for people.

If you're looking for something a little more active, and if you have room, create an obstacle course inside with boxes for jumping or tunneling through, balls for chasing and stairs for climbing. Or challenge your dog to follow your verbal instructions to go under tables, over stacks of books or around boxes. Teach your dog to dance. Freestyle dance with your dog is a fascinating sport, and if you have internet access, you can learn several routines from the site, www.dancingdogs.net. Dogs can also learn to use a treadmill.

Mental stimulation is also important and doesn't necessarily need a lot of room. Create fun games that make your pet think. One game of concentration requires hiding favorite treats at the bottom of a basket or buckets filled with rags or old soft toys and have your dog find the treat. Or, you could hide several rolled up towels and have your pet find the one with the treat inside. Make up your own version of the shell game by hiding a treat under a bowl and then shift them around. Ask your pet to sit until you release him to find the right bowl. Play hide-and-seek with a favorite toy.

One way to judge if your dog is getting enough stimulation is to see how he behaves when the family settles down in front of the television at night. A dog that competes for attention, crowding in between you and the TV, still needs more exercise. A dog that received an adequate mental and physical workout will sleep contentedly by you or will quietly occupy himself with a chewy or favorite toy.

An obvious focus for getting yourself and your pet into better shape is to look to your diet. While you and I can be tempted by bad food choices or snacks, formulated pet foods tend to be nutritiously balanced, and all we have to do is to heed the directions for feeding on the bag. The problem is that many owners freelance, either by allowing their pets table food or by giving too many treats.

Food can be a big part of the bond we share with our pets, especially in training. Instead of rewarding behavior with a treat every time, increasingly substitute verbal praise. Easy diet changes will help slim your pudgy pooch. Reduce or eliminate table scraps, substituting healthy raw vegetables or small amounts of fruits. Don't just toss several handfuls of food into the bowl, measure the food amounts. Manufacturers suggested portions are usually determined by age and weight to maintain an ideal size.

Check to see that you are feeding the proper formula. A high performance diet is not needed for most of our pets and the puppy formulations rich in protein and fat are not usually recommended after one year of age, or even earlier for certain large breeds. Most manufacturers offer choices for large breeds, smaller breeds, weight management and older pets, so check with your pet professional about which one is right for your pet.

If a light diet fails to tickle your pet's palate, you can always add a dollop of canned pumpkin, which is pure fiber, and not pumpkin pie mix, which contains sweeteners. Having a little something extra in the bowl can be quite exciting.

In addition to these suggestions, look at your dog's environment from his perspective. In many homes there's not much for the dog to do, particularly during extreme cold or inclement weather, and so they invent their own entertainment, oftentimes to their own detriment. Interesting toys, such as the ubiquitous Kong or the Everlasting Treat Ball series, which also engage the pet mentally, are a good choice for relieving boredom. Varying those with different types of chew toys can keep your pup busy. A busy dog is a happy dog. When your dog is happy, Mama is happy, and when Mama is happy, everyone is happy. I

Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo's, Ltd., Nantucket's year round pet supply shop, Cold Noses downtown pet boutique and is a member of DWAA and CWA (Dog and Cat Writer's Associations of America). Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retrieve, kitties Mr. Fish, Retd. and Priscilla. At the shop are Mr. Chips, Flower bunny and three budgies. Send e-mail to jan@geronimos.com.