Dog Service Network, LLC » Exercise

The Secret to Cooking4Canines is Unleashed by NBC’s TODAY Show

Dog Service Network — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:56:03 +0000

Phoenix, AZ (Vocus/PRWEB ) August 14, 2009 — Yoga4Dogs co-founder, Amy Stevens, appeared on the NBC TODAY Show (Wednesday, August 12, 2009), alongside co-anchor Hoda Kotb and co-host Kathie Lee Gifford to share recipes from her new book, Cooking4Canines. Stevens is also the co-creator and host of the Yoga4Dogs DVD, the only dog yoga DVD available anywhere.

Cooking4Canines Book Cover

Cooking4Canines features 25 healthy, vet approved dog recipes including muffins, biscuits, yogurt, cookies and many others. The Cooking4Canines Cookbook also shares doggy cooking tips, the importance of bonding with pets, history behind the various recipes and more.

While on NBC’s TODAY Show, Stevens showed viewers and pet lovers-alike how to prepare Frozen Strawberry Pupsicles, a healthy, refreshing and delicious treat, as well as other doggy recipes including Cheesy Bark ‘n Biscuits and Turkey Muttloaf.

The Cooking4Canines Cookbook is available in an E-Book format for $9.99 with $1 donated to an animal wellness non-profit organization. Pre-sales for hard copies of the book are available for $14.99 (shipping November 2009). To learn more visit Yoga4Dogs.com.

In addition to the Cooking4Canines Cookbook, Yoga4Dogs offers a dog yoga DVD, which allows pet owners to practice yoga with their dogs in the convenience of their own homes. This is the only dog yoga DVD available anywhere. Getting healthy just got convenient, fun and pet-friendly! The DVD also shows viewers how to give a Happy Paws dog massage and includes sample recipes featured in the Cooking4Canines Cookbook.

To learn more about the Yoga4Dogs Cooking4Canines Cookbook, please visit www.Yoga4Dogs.com. To view Amy Stevens’ TODAY Show interview with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, please visit TodayShow.com.

About Yoga4Dogs
Yoga4Dogs strives to make a difference in the lives of pet owners and their pets. The Arizona-based company has released the only dog yoga DVD available, has recently launched Cooking4Canines – a cookbook packed with healthy dog recipes and also offers an online pet network with dozens of pet resources including dog news, health tips, doggy art and more (Yoga4Dogs.com). On a mission to help the pet community at large, Yoga4Dogs supports multiple pet charities and connects pet lovers to various animal charities and resources. To learn more about Yoga4Dogs, please visit Yoga4Dogs.com or call (866) 977-2221.

About Amy Stevens, Co-Founder of Yoga4Dogs
Amy Stevens is a fresh face in the world of fitness. As Co-Founder of Yoga4Dogs, Yoga4Dogs DVD instructor and author of the recently released Cooking4Canines Cookbook, Stevens is passionate about bettering the lives of both people and their pets. As a Yoga enthusiast and avid dancer, Stevens believes in the importance of maintaining a healthy mind and body and is committed to spreading her message, passion and energy around the globe. To learn more about Amy Stevens, please visit Yoga4Dogs.com.

Note to Editors: Contact Heidi Schwitzer at 952-913-8272 or heidi(dot)schwitzer(at)hotmail(dot)com or Jean Golden at 612-385-2324 or jeangoldenpr(at)aol(dot)com for interviews, photography and other requests.

Source: PR Web

Benefits of Dog Training, Socialization and Exercise

Dog Service Network — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:42:41 +0000

By: Susie Aga

I would like to share my professional opinion on the benefits of dog training. Through training you will build a strong lifelong bond between you and your dog. A well-behaved dog is more likely to become an active member of your family. Well-socialized, trained dogs make it easy for you to take them on vacations, to parks, and on visits to family members’ homes without it being stressful for either of you. Training requires consistency, motivation and timing. The main thing most people do not realize is that the training is for the owner as well as the dog. Dogs cannot think like we do, but we can surely think like them; we just need to learn how. Dogs are pack animals, and in their pack there is always a leader, the Alpha. We just need to understand how to become an alpha. Communication is the key. The alpha dictates everything to the pack; she or he will teach boundaries as well as what is acceptable and what is not. If we train like we are the alpha then it is instinctual for the dog to understand that we are in charge.

Socialization

Builds your dog’s temperament, and an even-tempered dog is less likely to be aggressive or fearful and will have fewer behavioral problems. Dogs that have been exposed to many different people, places and objects are much easier to train as well. If dogs are not exposed to different places, people, terrains and objects they can build up a fear of anything new or of any change in their routine. Always make sure your dog is fully immunized before you start any socialization. Check with your veterinarian first before any socialization occurs. People do not realize that dogs must be exposed to as simple a thing as sand, for example. I had a client call me while on her vacation; she was stunned that the dog she thought was well-socialized would not get on the beach. Her dog was scared of the sensation of her feet sinking into the sand. Now she remembered I had told her to take her puppy to sand early on, so there would not be an avoidance of it later in the dog’s life. She found out the hard way that socialization has many forms, shapes and textures. Another example involved a lady that moved into a new home where there were 4 stair wells. One was outside off a deck and you could see through to the other side, a very scary situation for some dogs. Now the dog is 2 1/2 years old and does not know how to go up or down stairs. The importance of socialization is tremendous. The main thing we all want is a well- mannered, well-behaved dog, and this can be accomplished through Socialization and Training.

Exercise

Dogs build up a level of stress and energy everyday which can determine how they interact with you, your kids and other dogs. Exercise releases stress and energy. Your dog needs exercise every day for this release. A bored dog can become a “bad dog”, whereas an exercised dog leads to a calm, well- behaved dog. Remember, an exhausted dog does nothing wrong! One form of exercise is getting your dog interested in a ball or Frisbee. Find places (if you do not have a fenced back yard) to allow your dog to run. Long walks are helpful, but running releases the most amount of energy and stress. Allow your dog to have “dog time” where he/she can just be a dog, and run, jump, play, chew and dig. Most of a dog’s natural behaviors are what we want a dog not to do; seems a little unfair, don’t you think? Dogs naturally greet one another by jumping, mouthing, and smelling. Within their pack the greeting is a big deal. There is competition for attention, and that naturally raises the dog’s energy level. You can teach a
dog another way to greet you besides jumping, through training and consistency. Dogs are social animals and want to be with their “pack” – you are their pack. Have fun! Exercise, Socialize and Train your dog and the rest is simple!

Author Bio

Susie Aga, Atlanta Dog Trainer
Susie is a Certified Canine Behavior & Training Specialist and a member in good standing with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She has four rescue dogs and donates much of her time and services to Rescue Organizations and hosts The Animal Hour Radio Show which can be heard through her site.

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New Year’s Resolutions – A Healthier Dog

Laura — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:19:51 +0000

By Laura Garber, CPDT

With the holidays behind us, we’ve all packed on a few extra pounds, even our beloved canine family members. So, as you determine your own New Year’s resolutions, make sure that you consider making some healthy resolutions for him as well. Fortunately some of our everyday tricks make for a great workout and, given the cold and inclement weather outside, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s plenty you can do inside!

Indoor Activities
“Take a Bow” or “Downward Dog” (a “doga” pose): The bow (front legs on the floor, standing on back legs) is a natural stretch, one that dogs will often do when they first rise from a nap. It’s a great way to start out an exercise session. Some dogs will easily go into a bow position by luring as if for a “down” but doing it from a stand rather than from a sit. Other dogs go directly to the down, whether from sit or stand. If this is the case, then you’ll have to shape the behavior. Starting from a stand, take the lure just a few inches below your dog’s nose level, so that he has to tuck his neck down a bit to follow the lure. Say “Yes!” and treat. When this is repeatable, try moving your hand a few inches lower but still not entirely to the ground. Again your dog will hopefully tuck his head even lower but remain standing. If he flops down to the floor, then go back to your previous stage and inch down the hand signal more gradually. At each stage where he’s tucking his head, maybe even bending the front legs, but remain on his back legs, say “Yes!” and give a treat. Even jackpot him for each new criteria he achieves. Before you know it, your dog will be bowing pretty as can be!

Tug: Tug is no doubt one of your dog’s favorite pastimes! Fortunately, it’s a great strength-building exercise as well as a fun bonding activity that we can do with our dogs. By holding the tug at head level, your dog is working out his rear legs. By tugging at ground level, he’s working out his front legs. Caution: It’s important that you do not jerk the tug toy quickly from side to side or up and down, as this can cause injury.

Variations on “Shake”
“SHAKE”: Shake is more than just a trick. It helps your dog get more comfortable with people touching his paws. It’s also a great strengthening exercise for your dog’s shoulders. With your dog in a sit, hold a treat above his head and off to one side. By rocking him to the side, often he will pick up the opposite front paw to reach for it. Mark it with a happy “yes!”, grab the paw with your other hand, and open the treat hand to reveal the treat. After he is consistently offering a paw, say the verbal command “shake” or “give paw” in front of it. By switching sides, you can train a “left paw” and “right paw” behavior.
Strength training: Once your dog has gained fluency, give the hand cue from higher up so that he has to lift his paw higher. Start with 5 repetitions each side and gradually increase to 20 repetitions, cuing from both the front and the side. Do this exercise every other day, with the day off in between to allow the muscles to mend.
“HIGH 5″: Just change the position of your hand so that it’s ready to receive a “high 5” when your dog does the “shake” behavior.
“WAVE”: Now give the cue for “shake” but instead of keeping your hand stationary to receive your dog’s paw, move it horizontally in front of him. This will cause him to lift his paw a little longer and perhaps even make another swipe to meet your hand. Especially reinforce the extra jabs in the air.

Back Up: Backing up is a great workout for the core and hind leg muscles. The easiest way to shape the back-up behavior is to hold a treat at the level of your dog’s chest with you facing him and then walk towards him. Let him nibble the treat along the way to keep him interested and playing the game. As he becomes more fluent, you can reduce the physical cueing necessary to effect the behavior.

Sit-Stand-Sit: The rear legs are often the first to weaken as your dog ages, so it’s important that you keep them strong. Moving your dog between a sit and stand can accomplish this. By holding a treat above your dog’s nose and moving it back over his head, you effectively push his butt down into the sit position. Now put the treat at nose level and pull it forward just enough to lure your dog to a stand in a single step. You want him to be pushing off with his rear legs for maximum benefit and not pulling himself forward with his front legs. Note: If your dog uses more than a single step to rise to a stand, it’s likely that he’s used his front legs rather than his hind legs.
For a greater workout, do this while facing uphill. Alternatively, face sideways on the hill, first one way, then the other, to target each side individually. Start with 3 to 5 repetitions, then gradually increase to 10 or 20 repetitions. Do this exercise every other day, with the day off in between to allow the muscles to mend.

Stand-Down-Stand: Moving from a stand to a down and back again is a great workout for the whole body. Hold a treat at your dog’s nose and push back and down, causing him to fold into the down position. Now put the treat at nose level and pull it forward just enough to lure your dog to a stand without moving forward.
As with the Sit-Stand-Sit exercise, increase the difficulty of this exercise by doing it while facing uphill, or by facing sideways on the hill, first one way, then the other, to target each side individually. Start with 3 to 5 repetitions, then gradually increase to 10 or 20 repetitions. Again, allow a day in between for recuperation.

Rollover: For the benefit of working your dog’s core muscles, do this exercise in both directions. Once in a “down” position, notice which hip your dog is settled on. Lure his nose around the opposite shoulder and, as he twists his neck, he will roll first flat, then on his back, and then onto the other side. If he has trouble doing the whole movement right away, reinforce approximations. For greater challenge, do several rollovers in one direction, then back in the other direction, or do the rollover up an incline.

Sit Pretty: Sitting pretty is a great workout for the core muscles and aids balance. From a sitting position, lure your dog into a beg position by pulling a treat back and above his nose. As he becomes more fluent with the behavior, start putting the verbal cue in front of the hand signal. Build duration in the time he remains in position. For increased difficulty, cue him to give left paw, right paw, or both paws at once. Also lure him to turn his head and upper body by leading his nose with a treat, first one way, then the other.

Crawl: The crawl is great for working out a dog’s forelimbs, trunk and rear limbs. From a “down” position, drag a treat along the floor just in front of your dog’s paws. Mark and treat for any slight forward movement with a paw. Gradually start to mark for more and more movement forward (as long as your dog never stands up to come forward). When your dog is fluently offering the behavior, put the verbal cue “crawl” in front of the hand signal. To encourage crawling, you can use props such as a low table or poles across chairs. You can increase the distance of the obstacle course or the number of repetitions as your dog gains endurance.

Spin: “Spin” is a propriaceptive exercise, one that challenges body awareness through limb placement and balance. With your dog in front of you, hold a treat at your dog’s nose height. Lead him around in a tight circle, first in one direction, then the other. If you’d like, you can precede the hand prompt with the verbal cue “spin!” once the behavior is coming fairly fluently. To increase its benefit, this is an exercise you can do on a variety of surfaces, such as gravel and grass.

Outdoor Activities
Digging: Some dogs are unabashed diggers. The dachshund, for example, was bred to dig in search of rodents. Digging is actually a good source of exercise – it’s a great workout for the forelimbs. So, rather than trying to inhibit the behavior completely, it’s better to reach a compromise by giving your dog a designated digging area or sandbox in which to exercise this instinctive behavior. In order to attract the behavior to the designated area, dig a shallow hole and lightly bury a ziplock baggy of treats. As he digs to reveal the baggy, open it up and produce a treat for him. As he progresses, plant the baggy slightly deeper in the dirt. You can use a heavier dirt medium or pack it more tightly for added challenge.
You can also bury stuffed puzzle toys in the soil for his search and recovery. Make sure to supervise so that you can discourage your dog’s wandering to other parts of the lawn. For building a canine athlete, do this exercise 3 or 4 times a week.

Retrieve: Playing a hearty game of retrieve has always been great exercise. You can expand on its efficacy by throwing uphill to work your dog’s hind limbs, and retrievals through water are a great full-body endurance workout.

Walkies!: Taking your dog for a walk is not necessarily beneficial if the walk is a slow saunter as he sniffs p-mail and leaves his own. In order to get cardiovascular benefit and build endurance, you want your dog to settle into a trot gait. Start your walk at a clip fast enough so that your dog needs to trot to keep up. After he’s settled into this gate, you can often slow your own speed and he will continue on at a trot.

Canine Sports
Sports such as agility, flyball, and winter skijoring are great sources of exercise for dog and human alike. Consider signing up for a class at a local training facility.

A Word to the Wise
Remember that outdoor activity is still an essential component of any exercise regimen, giving your dog a change of scenery, which is mentally stimulating, as well as burning physical energy. Consider your dog’s athletic program with the same caution and care as you would your own. As with any exercise regimen, start gradually. And consult your vet about whether there are exercises you should avoid because of your dog’s physical limitations.

Have a healthy, happy New Year!

* The DVD “Building the Canine Athlete” by M. Christine Zink DVM, PhD and Laurie McCauley DVM is a great resource for building strength and endurance in your canine athlete.

LAURA GARBER, CPDT, is a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor living in Hoboken, NJ. Her company WoofGang, LLC is committed to deepening the bonds between dogs and their people through positive training and behavior modification techniques, and it is these same topics that inspire her writing.

Physical & Mental Stimulation

Dog Service Network — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:58:16 +0000

Dogs need to be stimulated, both mentally and physically. Most breeds of dogs were developed to perform specific jobs for people, such as guarding, herding and hunting—work that demands great physical stamina and intense mental concentration. Without a “job” to do every day, our companion canines can become bored—at the very least. In general, a stimulated dog is a better-behaved dog. If the dog is physically spent, he is much less likely to engage in a variety of problem behaviors.

Physical Exercise:

Most dogs benefit from a minimum of two outings a day. If the dog is trained to come when called, it’s ideal if you can exercise him off-leash in a safe area. The first outing of the day should be 45-60 minutes, early in the morning, especially if the dog is going to be left alone all day. The second outing can be shorter, around 30-45 minutes. Strenuous aerobic exercise is best, such as off-leash running/play with other dogs, running alongside a bicycle, swimming, playing fetch games, accompanying a jogger, or running on a treadmill. (Yes, there are treadmills specifically made for dogs, but canines can also be trained to run on human treadmills.)

If your dog is a habitual couch potato, check with your veterinarian before staring an exercise program. You’ll need to build your dog up gradually, the same as you would with a person unaccustomed to exercise. Puppies who are still growing should never be made to do any exercise or activity in which they are forced to keep moving. Playing with other puppies or people is the best exercise for a puppy. If your dog has hip dysplasia or some other type of physical problem that limits his ability to exercise, swimming is an excellent option.

Mental stimulation:

Dogs enjoy searching and working for their food, so rather than simply giving your dog his food in a bowl, give him his dinner in a Kong, a Goodie Ship, or a Buster Cube. Hide small containers of food around the house and let him find them. Take his bowl of food and toss the kibble into the backyard so he has to snuffle around in the grass to find it.

Training is another excellent way to stimulate a dog’s brain. You can practice basic obedience behaviors, teach tricks, or set up a few obstacles in your backyard for your dog to navigate. Short sessions of 5-10 minutes once or twice a day are best. Keep it light and fun for the dog, with plenty of rewards for good behavior. There are unlimited activities that you and your dog can become involved in together, such as agility, flyball, tracking, search and rescue, pet visitation, clicker training, herding, freestyle dancing, etc. Ask your local Certified Professional Dog Trainer for guidance.

Doga, Which Means Yoga For Dogs

Dog Service Network — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:27:33 +0000

Nowadays, things that are designed for people, also have a purpose for dogs! There’s doggie clothes, daycares, beds, potties, and now there’s doga! Doga is a type of yoga that is specific for dogs.

The way Doga works is the owner attends the Doga class with their dog to help their dog do certain positions and stretches. Some of these classes may also require the dog owner to massage their dog and apply pressure in certain areas to enhance relaxation.

The idea of a dog doing yoga may take a little time to adjust to, but believe it or not, dogs throughout the day do certain doga positions already such as:

Chaturanga Pose, which is when dogs lie on their stomachs while someone strokes their back
Chair Pose, which is when dogs sit on their hind legs with their front paws in the air while someone holds them from behind
Savasana Relaxation Pose, which is when dogs lie on their backs while someone rubs their belly

Doga is a great way for dogs to find relaxation, help with digestion, and lower their blood pressure. Dog owners also benefit, because doga will help to calm a dog’s behavioral problems.

Dog Service Network, LLC » Exercise

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