Hiking with dogs - some important stuff to think about

I love taking my dogs and going for a hike. It's unlike a walk in two ways, it usually allows me to let them run off lead, and it is often 'out in nature' as much as I can get in a big city. I imagine that many people would enjoy this, and I always encourage people to get out there and walk more often, especially with dogs in tow. They need more exercise than we think, and more mental stimulation too, and a good hike meets both of those demands.

Plus, you get to take wonderful pictures.

Isn't she just beautiful? It was a cloudy day, that one, which makes for the most marvelous soft light.

I digress.

Picking up a lead and a collar, some poopie bags, and heading off on a neigbourhood walk is easy. There's very little preparation to be done. A hike, however, needs a little more thought. Let's look at some of those things:

1. Good dog kit.
A collar is mostly ok for neighbourhood walks, given that your dog is not much of a puller or not a type of dog susceptible to tracheal collapse. For a hike, though, you may need to hoist your dog bodily up a cliff, rapidly pick them up out of harm's way, or rescue them from a river. A good harness, one that is study, lightweight and neither chafes nor interferes with your dog's natural movement is the way to go. The Julius K9 harnesses are really neat (Talos is wearing one in the picture above), having a handle and space for some doggie back packs, but any sturdy H-harness works well too, though they do tend to wear away some hair at the very base of their rib cage. I've found, for the terrain we tend to hike through, that fabric harnesses pick up too many burrs and seeds and get scratchy very quickly (poor dogs!). This may well differ in your area. I don't much like step-in harnesses, they tend to catch my dog in the armpit which affects their gait.

In the picture above, you can see my preferred hiking kit - collar and leather h-harness. Having clearly marked and readable tags on your dog is a very, very good idea, and forms part of what I would consider good dog kit.
In colder climates, good dog kit may extend to include a coat or booties. Even mid winter it's never cold enough to warrant clothing on a dog while active, so I know pretty much nothing about what makes good active cold weather gear.

2. Good human kit.
Don't underestimate the value of a good, comfortable backpack that has enough space for all your things (in my case, this would include my camera) and a little spare, in case you need to pop a dog in there. Well, if you have bigger dogs, maybe not that last one. Additionally, take some time to think about your leads. You will want something that does not cause rope burn if you end up walking with dogs on lead for hours (you just might). Leather or soft rope leads are best, in my experience. A good hat, and some good, comfortable hiking boots with proper ankle support are good ideas too!

3. A good emergency plan.
If something happens in the suburbs or on a city block, you have many people around you that could help, and often, veterinary care nearby too. If something happens on a hill somewhere, though, it's not so easy. This teeny tiny emergency kit is a super idea:
Be Prepared: A Tiny First Aid Kit for Hiking With Dogs
Another thing to think about is what you'll do if your dog is so badly injured it needs carrying. Mostly this won't be an issue, unless you have a 50 kilogram plus big dog, or are physically unable to carry a pet. Having a working phone and someone to call for help is a very good idea, as is knowing where you are (or, more relevant, how others can get to your location).

4. Enough water.
This is perhaps less of an issue if you hike in an area with abundant clean water sources to drink from. In SA, though, it's hot and it's dry, and what water is available is usually not drinkable. Pack enough water for you and your dogs. In my case, an hour's walk in hot weather on a dry, dusty hillside sees me carrying about three liters of water. Half of that will go to me, and half to the dogs, more or less. I have a light plastic bowl for them to drink out of - collapsible silicone bowls are awesome for drinking water.
As an aside, knowing the signs of impending heatstroke is a good idea too.

This here pug is too hot, and needs to cool down. Shade, and water both to drink and to wet her with is called for. Look at that tongue - the bright pink, cup-shaped tongue is the key.

5. Pest control.
Where we walk, we encounter lots of ticks. Where you walk, it might be mosquitoes bearing heartworm, or snails bearing bilharzia, or leeches. Either way, you need to be ready. I apply some bug repellant to my legs, and both my dogs are treated with a topical spot-on treatment every four weeks.

6. A good recall.
Perhaps that's phrasing it a bit lightly. A really, really solid recall that will not let you down when your dog sees a zebra or a fieldmouse over there and wants to go eat it, but is likely to get killed if they try. This is the dealbreaker of off-lead hiking, if your dog does not come back, you will be without your dog very quickly, and very few dogs could survive on their own in the wilderness.
So practice, practice, practice. :)

Now go! Explore the wild places with your pooches!

Your dog is fat

I need to get something off my chest.

It's not something we like to talk about. But it's time.

Your dog, it's fat.

It's not 'just a Bulldog', if you cannot feel the ribs, if there is no waist and no tuck up from the side. It's fat. It can't breathe, it overheats faster... your dog is fat.

It's not a snuggly Labrador if it has a giant pocket of fat over its shoulders and in front by its chest. It puts strain on its joints, leading to faster hip degeneration and earlier old age problems. Your dog is fat.

It's not a cute Pug with puggy rolls if it is cylindrical. I don't care what the breed standard says, or what your expectations are. I don't care if the vet tells you your dog is healthy, trust me, they've either gotten used to seeing fat, fat, fat walk through their door so much so that they only really note horrible obesity, or they're too scared to tell you. Your dog is fat.

There's a secret behind all of this. You control all their food. Absolutely every bite that goes into that dog's mouth  -  it's on you. Your dog is fat... because you made it fat.

And the health problems that goes with a fat dog? It's on you too. Sore hips, faster arthritis, heart problems, overheating ... It's on you.

I'm sick of seeing dogs that are fat. Because it's on you. Because you're hurting your dog.

Food is not love. It's part of an expression of love, sure. But so much that you hurt them? That's not love.

I'll let you in on a secret - those images? I just googled 'bulldog', 'labrador' and 'pug'. No qualifier. These are what we think these dogs should look like. And you know what? They're all too fat.

Enough with this.

Put your hands on your dog. Can you feel their ribs, easily, like you can feel the bones on the back of your hand? Good - your dog is not fat. But you can't, can you?

Look at your dog. Can you see a waist? A nice tuck up from the side? Good, your dog is not fat... but again, this is not what you see, is it?

Your dog is fat... and it's on you.

Chronic pain and what you can do about it.

It's one of those things that most doggy people will have to deal with eventually: chronic pain. Either from arthritis, or hip dysplasia, or simply weary old dog bodies, or, as is the case here, from an accident that left lasting damage.

Chronic pain in dogs, like in humans, can either be a constant factor or it can come and go, be better and worse over time. Sadly, just like in humans once again, there are things you can do to make it better, but rarely things you can do to fix it completely. You can manage it, though, and by taking an active role in pain management, you can improve your dogs quality of life quite a bit.

With that in mind, here is a list of things you can do to help manage pain:

1. See your vet.

Dogs are stoic creatures, and especially old dogs often have their quiet, reserved habits attributed to being old, in stead of to being in pain. This puts the onus on us to make sure what we're seeing is in fact old dog (or calm dog) behaviour, and not behaviour that signals "I'm in pain". It's like the vet joke about tooth and gum disease in dogs - the main symptom is none at all.

In Talos's case, times when she is in more pain are marked by her disappearing for stretches of time. Not exactly the easiest marker to spot, since she alternates being out of sight with being on my lap, very close to me. She also sleeps more, is less playful, and is much quieter. Our vet (and other professionals) recommended we keep a journal, this has been absolutely crucial in figuring out a pain scale, with which I can assess when we're at crisis level and need to go see the vet, when I can just medicate at home, and when she's sore, but it's not yet time to medicate.

When you suspect you're dealing with pain, go see your vet.

2. Medication

This is, for many reasons, a tricky one. You don't want to dope your dog. Many painkillers over time cause liver damage, or stomach upset. That said, having a supply of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (or whatever is most relevant to your dogs type of pain) that your dog both tolerates well, and is effective, is worth its weight in gold. Some dogs will need a pill every day, especially if they have the kind of chronic pain that stays constant throughout. Others, like Talos, will need a pill during a bad spell.

We use Rimadyl  - not necessarily the best choice. But, since we only need it infrequently, it is readily available and reasonably inexpensive, Talos tolerates it well and it relieves her pain, this is our choice. It is well worth reading your medication's information leaflet. Here is the one for Rimadyl:
https://www.rimadyl.com/other-links

3. Exercise

It may sound weird to recommend exercise for pain, since usually the advice is to rest. However, especially joint pain from joints that are surrounded by muscle can be kept at bay by having exactly those muscles strong and capable of supporting the joint. This is not as easy as it sounds, however, given that your pooch is likely to be compensating for pain by avoiding the use of that (or those) joints. Also, given that your dog is in pain, and that your dog is compensating for this in various ways, the injury risk is actually quite high. If you have one available, I encourage you too consult with a doggy physiotherapist or other doggy exercise specialist to help you make, stick to and frequently evaluate an exercise plan. We have a three pronged approach, using swimming, slow, controlled leash walks, and specific exercises that if you blink, you'd think are tricks.

For swimming, we go to a fantastic hydrotherapy place where we both swim in the conventional way (into the pool you go, little pug) and walk in an underwater treadmill. As a first line of defense against muscle atrophy, this is perfect. Her weight is supported, so she can safely use the full range of motion in her limbs against a resisting force (water) that really gets those muscles working. Swimming works all her muscles, especially the core (they actually have to use their core muscles to keep their bums from sinking - good swimmers have good core muscle strength, and one of the things that makes many pugs such poor swimmers are just plain old weak muscles).  In both cases, the dogs are closely supervised and their progress is tracked and recorded.

At first, Talos did not swim very well. She's gotten much better, considerably less splashing!

Slow, controlled leash walks we do in the neighbourhood in the mornings. 30 minutes of slow, close heelwork. It can be very boring, but it can also be a lot of fun if you put some energy into it. We criss cross the roads, turning every which way, weaving around decorative lawn boulders, turning both with us in sync, or with me and dog turning in opposite directions. I add in spins (see below) and various sits/downs/stands. I heel with her on the left and right of me. Generally, I do my best to keep her engaged and happy, and generally, I succeed. Half her breakfast she earns on these walks. The benefit of slow walking is that it makes them use all four of their limbs more evenly than they do if they're at a faster pace, plus it encourages good use of the entire range of motion available to them. It really builds muscle and muscle control where those have been lost. In the interest of full disclosure, this is also the thing we cut out when Talos is having a more sore period.

Lastly, the 'tricks' we do. Some of these are stretches. Leg tucked up against her body, in full extension forward, down and back. A 'bow' stretch. A 'reach up as high as you can' stretch, for her core. We do some balance work, on a balance ball or, at hydrotherapy, on a boogie board in the pool. Both of those she enjoys. We do 'doggy pushups' sit-down-sit-down-sit-down repeat (if they keep their bum stable, this exercises their forelegs). You can do 'doggy butt-ups' too, bow-down-bow-down-bow repeat, but we're still learning bow, so we're not there yet. Give paw is a great way to get your dog weight shifting, as long as you include all four paws. Our front-right paw is super good at targeting all sorts of things... our front left paw is getting there (my girl is rather right-pawed). Our back paws... yeah. Once she realises they exist and can move independently we'll get to working on her picking them up. Lastly, we do slow, controlled spins. 'Sit pretty' or 'beg' (whatever you call the meerkat sit, where they sit on their haunches) is another really great core muscle workout, but we cannot do this one. These things are done under the recommendation of a physio - I am not suggesting a workout for anyone else.

4. Alternative therapies

We make use of a few alternative therapies to help with pain. I say 'alternative' therapy in the sense that some vets (or doctors) would only consider medication or surgery true therapies. Many of these have good research backing up their efficacy, some have hearsay only. But heck, my dog is sore, if it actually helps, onwards!

Massage, cold laser, acupuncture, chiropractics, and hot and cold therapies are what is available in our area. We have good experience with all of them aside from chiropractics, which I have not yet been able to overcome my skepticism of and actually try. A lot of research shows chiropractics does more harm than good, especially over time, and there is little support for their 'alignment' ideas of bodies, but I have to immediately veto this with the hundreds upon hundreds of dogs who have  gotten help from chiropractors. Massage is something you can learn to do at home, it stimulates blood flow and makes everything loose. Cold laser helps with pain. Acupuncture (or more accurately, dry needle, my skepticism is with me always) has seriously helped us. Talos lies down on the mat, and relaxes as the needles go in. Afterwards, there's a spring in her step and a lightness to her bearing that we only see otherwise on really good days. She's also more active, and the improvement lasts for a few days at least.

Talos at the vet, getting acupuncture. 

Hot and cold is another thing we do nearly daily. An ice pack in the morning, a hot pack in the evening. They numb pain, stimulate blood flow, and are easy to do (and can do no harm).

5. Supplements

This is another grey area. We give a joint supplement, chondroitin, glucosamine, MSM. Research here is dodgy. Some say it works, others say under double blind tests no difference can be seen in comparison with a placebo. We take this supplement because our specialists say we should, and I have not seen a difference on it (but maybe there would be one if I stopped it and found out). I've put our older dog on this same supplement, hoping that it might help with arthritis down the line  -  she currently has no issues. I am not ashamed to say that while I try my best to research these things, I also succumb to my fair share of 'try and hope'.

Another supplement often recommended is coconut oil  -  it has anti-inflammatory properties and is good for the skin/coat. And it feels nice. And tastes nice. Much love for coconut oil here.

 Spirulina has shown some promise as an alternative protein and as a supplement too.

Then there's the great mess of quackery that is also variously expensive, like 'stempets' (which we're finishing a bottle of, because some people swear it's miraculous... I've seen none of that, but I've also seen none of the bad side effects other people have ... and there's perhaps some case to be made for cyanobacteria as a supplement ... maybe). Of these, there are hundreds. I'm trying to keep an open mind. So many of my doggy friends have had results with some of these, but if you look online, so many have had bad side effects... most therapy people have some types that they prefer. That's probably the place to start.

There's also joint soup, which is rich in glucosamine/chondroitin too:
http://www.cookevet.com/2012/02/10/make-your-own-glucosaminechondroitin-tendonligament-soup-for-dogs-cats-people/

All that said, a good multi-vitamin, the best diet you can manage (which is probably not for sale at your vet's office... just saying) and nutritious treats (not the flour-and-flavourant biscuits that some people seem to think is a good idea, and probably not spray cheese or peanut butter either) will all make a difference to quality of life, if not to pain management directly.

Do dogs self-medicate?

Last night, around three am, Talos suddenly got up, and asked to be let outside. I figured she might want to go use the bathroom, usually she uses her litter box, but she has not done so in a couple of days. This could mean one of two things, either she has not pooped, or she's been pooping outside. If she has not pooped, it would make sense for her to need to go at an odd time.

This was not the case, however. Once outside, she proceeded to eat grass. Huge mouthfuls of it. Grabbed it and mowed it like a horse. Kept it up for about five minutes, then came back inside.

She repeated this a number of times, I watched her for the entire time for the first four or so, then I pretty much let her out, checked that she was doing the same thing, and went back to bed leaving her to her grazing.

I expected her to throw up, but she did not. I expected poop this morning, but there has been none. That's not so much the topic of this post, however (don't worry, her behaviour is otherwise perfectly normal, wolfs down her food, plays, walks, naps on my lap and we've taken some 'move yer bowls' action. If there's no poop by tomorrow we're headed for the vet!)

What this has me wondering is if dogs have the ability to self medicate. I know they eat grass occasionally anyway, but many people have a similar story where their dog eats grass seemingly to get their bowels a-moving, or to induce vomiting. Basically, it looks like they're taking a laxative to feel better.

This is pretty much right up there with anthropomorphising your dog, as bad as seeing the 'guilt' in their eyes when they've done something bad (it's all in out heads, by the way, they're not feeling guilty at all). Most dogs will nibble on grass, and some seem to really love it, especially fresh young shoots. It's hard to argue that this nibbling has much to do with inducing vomiting or bowel movements, given that after their graze, they have perfectly normal digestion related events. It would be an entirely reasonable supposition that their grazing when they're feeling less than optimal is just ordinary grazing that we now take note of because of our heightened observation of our unwell furry buddy.

But that does not quite cover what I saw last night. That nearly desperate ripping out of the poor lawn and gulping it down looks nothing like the dainty sampling of leaves she does ordinarily. It also does not cover other pet owner's experiences, which seems to hint, like I'm thinking, that dogs do indeed have some sense of which plants (or minerals, many dogs eat clay occasionally) have what effect on their systems, and use them to effect changes in their bodies. Zoopharmacognosy is the official term.

The evidence is hardly clear on the matter, but it seems there may be a case for it. It is well documented that animals make 'choices' regarding foodstuffs that do indeed relate in some way to their physical state. Especially interesting to me is how other mammals than us humans also sometimes get it wrong, and ingest substances that harm them in association with a certain physical condition. I mean, we know how very many of our 'folk' medications turn out to be duds, despite people having sworn by them for hundreds of years, and even our contemporary biomedicine gets it wrong all too often (pills for depression being a big one, often being only as effective as a placebo in long term studies - here's an interesting article) . It's quite cool then to see that it's a feature of animals to 'get it wrong' sometimes. To me, at least.

Here are some additional articles, if you're interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoopharmacognosy
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2012/10/zoopharmacognosy-do-animals-self-medicate/
http://pacificcrestpethealth.com/blogs/?p=68

The Bee

There is something very, very cute about a dog standing knee deep in wildflowers.

Of course, it's also pretty much a matter of time before the dog knee deep in wildflowers encounters a bee. Prevention might be best, keeping them out of the flowers, but no one can watch their dog 100% of the time, and many dogs enjoy chasing these buzzy things that move in such a tantalising way ...

Which explains why most bee stings are to the dog's face.

Luckily, compared to a bee to the face, Kira just stepped on one.

Front left paw, poor girl. Second toe. I was woefully unprepared for any kind of accident (time to figure out a small, very portable emergency kit!). Kira, in turn, is not a big fan of having her feet messed with, and she's not shy with her teeth. 15 minutes of arguing to get the stinger out. Half an hour later, she was walking around, and another 15 minutes or so and she was running and playing happily.

Well, so that no one else has to be quite as unprepared as I was, here are some steps to take in case of a bee sting:

1. Be prepared. Get some anti-histamines from your vet, and keep a tweezer in your wallet.

2. Remove the stinger with tweezers, or, lacking that most useful tool, scrape it off with a card or a twig. Keep the card (twig) flat against the skin, and scrape to remove the stinger. Tucking your dog's head between your legs can help make an impromptu bite shield for your hands.

3. If you have clean water, washing the sting site helps make sure the stinger is out and helps prevent infection.

4. If there is swelling, give your dog the anti-histamine, and head home. Apply a cold compress to the area. If there is severe swelling, or any sign of breathing difficulty, go straight to the vet.

5. Once home, a baking soda poultice can help reduce minor swelling. Mix baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste and use a wrap or a bandage to keep it on. Again, severe swelling warrants an emergency vet trip.

6. Monitor for the next 24 hours, at the first signs of respiratory distress, or if the swelling is not reduced, or if the swelling gets worse, head for the vet. You can repeat the cold compress as necessary.

Kira's foot still itched until late that night, but the next day, all swelling was gone, and she was not worrying it any more. She is luckily not allergic, had she been, we would not have waited out the worst of it in the park.

Tracheal collapse - or, skip the collar and use a harness.

The trachea, or wind pipe, of a dog, is a semi-rigid structure help open by c-shaped rings of cartilage, connected with a soft membrane, making a circle. Normally, the trachea is circular. Good breathing, facilitated by a healthy trachea (among other things, of course) is important not just for oxygen in the case of a dog, but also for keeping cool - they don't sweat, aside from their nose and the pads of their feet, so cool air in and hot air out as they breathe helps them regulate their temperature. It also helps evaporation off the surface of their tongue, another essential cooling mechanism.

Amongst dogs, but especially toy breed dogs, you get a condition known as tracheal collapse. This includes pugs, who are quite vulnerable to this condition                                   . This is where the cartilage of the trachea has weakened enough that it does not remain circular, but in stead closes in on itself. In milder cases, it presents as a honking, dry cough, gagging and difficulty breathing. In more severe cases, a collapsed trachea can lead to severe respiratory distress and death (or a trip to the ER vet, and a night in an oxygen cage). Milder cases may have a relatively minor effect on quality of life - playing might have to be limited, and in extreme temperatures, your dog will have to stay in the cool, calm house. Severe cases can leave a dog pretty much perpetually crate bound. The condition is progressive, but progression can be managed.

We're not exactly sure what causes tracheal collapse, but heart issues, obesity, intubation, allergies, poor dental hygiene, the presence of a smoker in the household and respiratory infections are all associated with the condition.

There is little by way of treatment for tracheal collapse. Anti-inflammatory medications often help limit the swelling that accompanies tracheal collapse, which makes it all so much worse. Steroids can help for much the same reason. Limiting their exercise, and crucially, keeping them on the thin side of normal also helps.  Having a home oxygen tank can really save you in a crucial moment. Elevating their food/water bowls so they need not lower their heads, providing a cushion  for them to sleep on so they can keep their heads up at night and never leaving them alone (so that you don't miss a dangerous collapse episode) all helps to keep them going.

Surgically, a trachea can be tied back to keep it circular. Plastic rings are placed around the trachea, and the trachea is sutured to the rings. This treatment is often a lifesaver, but afterwards, the dogs are not like normal dogs (it's not a cure). Added to this, that when things do go wrong, they go very, very wrong.

There's also a procedure where a stent is placed along the trachea, a technique that seems to have positive outcomes too. The stents have a tendency to fail over time, and then need replacing.

Sometimes, a tracheotomy is done to 'bypass' the tracheal collapse by making a breathing hole in their throat. This requires that the dog be hand fed, to prevent food getting into their airways. The hole needs to be cleaned, since the cold air directly into the lungs leads to some mucus formation. The hole sometimes heals up too small, requiring a repeat surgery. This surgery is not always successful, is rarely recommended, and only sometimes gives satisfactory results.

Now, let me be clear, as far as I know, there has been no systematic, long term research showing that a collar causes tracheal collapse. It is common advice to recommend a collar be replaced with a harness once tracheal collapse has been diagnosed, and it is common advice to encourage small breed dog owners to use a harness, not a collar. There has also been some cases where use of a choke chain (oh, pardon me, euphemistically a 'slip collar' or a 'training collar') has lead to tracheal collapse - though many people would justifiably argue that this is misuse of a choke chain.

But, bare with me here. Let's look at those symptoms again:

• honking cough
• gagging
• choking
• difficulty breathing

People with dogs who really, really pull - tell me, do these sound familiar at all? I'd bet they do! I've seen many dogs pulling along, honking like a goose, gagging, choking... now tell me, is their trachea under some distress or not?

And tell me, how does cartilage heal? (the answer is very slowly, and often imperfectly unless carefully managed) Do you think repeated pressure on a trachea could lead to damage?

And the last question - given that we have harnesses that put no, or much, much less pressure on the trachea than collars, is it worth the risk?

If you have a small dog, or a heavy puller, just don't take the risk. At least, that's what I think. You get superb tools to teach a dog not to pull without jerking their throats or their necks. You get easy to use training methods that do the same.

Here is a good article on tracheal collapse from the Journal of Veterinary Clinics of North America, volume 30, issue 6, November 2000:
http://www.2ndchance.info/dxme-BreathsPerMin-Johnson2000.pdf

As a final word, if you have a source for me that investigates collar use and tracheal collapse, I would greatly appreciate the reference.

Cute puppies - don't get one.

Puppies are cute. Adorable, actually. Look at that face. That little pawsie. And aw, biting my toes!

Here are some more adorable puppies, not mine, not my pictures, but adorable:

Lookit the little great dane nosey-wosey!

An itty-bitty-pitty!

and... aw, a husky. Everyone's favourite with those blue eyes.

Why we find them cute is easy enough to understand. Most mammals are, by the nature of their hormones, bound to like baby mammals. Yep, scientifically, you think they're cute because your body thinks it's a baby, and you're wired to want to care for babies. (Seriously, don't take my word for it, here's a linky)

But, and I hope this is obvious, getting something because your hormones are screaming at you that it's a baby and you want to protect it and keep it safe is a pretty stupid thing to do. This is true of human babies (but thank the lucky stars our hormones do that, since babies really try their parents' patience), but it is especially true of puppies (or kitties, or bunnies, or fishies, or any animal that will be dependent on your benevolence and care for the duration of its life).

The thing is, that cute puppy grows really quickly. By five months, your adorable puppy is teething with all its might, and that little bite to your toe is now a needle-fanged piranha preventing you from walking barefoot, in socks, or even with loose laces. It's all fair game. Sure, it ends in a couple months, even if you teach them nothing (but teaching them helps a lot! ... oh, and is actually really important to avoid bite risk in the future ... another linky for you!).

By 8 months, we have entered adolescence, were their brain melts and runs out their ears. You, and your interests, take a second seat. That puppy that always came when you called is now running across the busy street at full tilt chasing a kid on a skateboard - something Fufu (what do you name bassets nowadays? Captain America? Bruce Wayne? I digress) has never done before. This is when you usually discover a new fitness regime, and either grow a patience muscle the size of a theoretical Olympic athlete specialised in the patience event or buy a crate (or toss the dog outside for the rest of its life, sigh).

As adolescence wanes (which, for small dogs, takes a couple months. For big dogs, you're in for another year or even two) and your dog takes on a young adult's persona, things become easier. Well, sort of. Did you get a husky? Congratulations on your running partner. An hour or more, a day, every day. Sound good? Awesome! You are one in a million people (I over exaggerate, but I am honestly frustrated by this) who actually got a dog you can adequately care for.

Every dog, even a pug (perhaps, especially a pug) needs 30 minutes of intense cardio, two to three times a week. Heck, you do too, but you're considered a human, and so can decide for yourself how much you care about your own health. This can be a rowdy game of tug, fetch or flirt-pole chasing. This can be swimming, or sprinting, or zoomies. This can be anything, as long as that heart rate gets up there and stays up there. Strong bones, strong muscles, and a happier dog. Some really athletic dogs (australian cattle dogs, collies, pitt bulls, huskies ... most working dogs would fall into this category) will need much, much more than this. I'm pretty sure Aussies can do this all day and still be ready for more.

This has not yet occupied your pet's mind. Yes, your dog has a brain, and in some cases, they may even be smarter than you. I know Talos has me outsmarted often, and her brain is the size of two thumbs squished together. Take that, ego!

One of the easiest ways to occupy their minds is to take them for a walk. New sights, but most importantly, new smells, really gets them thinking. With smaller, less fit dogs, this walk can sometimes provide enough exercise too - given a good hour and a daily frequency. With bigger dogs, and more athletic dogs, it won't.  Other ideas include nose-work, training, puzzles, climbing (both a physical and a mental challenge - "find a way up this boulder, Piddles"! (Piddles is, of course, a rottweiller. Maybe 'Mayhem' or 'G.I. Joe' would be better?)

That was the fun part. Your pup will need bathing (if you're me, this is weekly), nail clips (this should be weekly, and yes, dog owner over there that hasn't done it in a couple months, I'm looking at you!), parasite protection both internal and external, both manual (tick removal is fun, yo...) and chemical. They will need specialised care according to their breed (wrinkle wipes, face wipes, butt squeezies (sigh, alright, emptying anal sacs) ear cleanings, paw cleanings, fur brushings, and so on). They will need food, and it will cost more than you thought to get them the even moderately good stuff (which you really should. The bad stuff is really, really bad). They will need to go to the vet. They won't like it, they will be harder to manage than you could ever have imagined, and all your training will fail and fail and fail before you succeed. Vet bills will be astronomical.

Then there's the sad part. Your pup will get old. They'll need your care in the last years of their life. The fun stuff slowly shrinks and is replaced by sleep. They will get old, and fragile.
Dumping them in the pound is never an option simply because they are old. There are always better alternatives, even putting them to sleep (which will happen anyway in the pound, just with your dog scared, lonely and abandoned).

I think we should sell puppies with old dog faces. Here! Get this adorable dog! He adores humans but has a death wish around big dogs, pees pretty much where he likes (including women's legs), barks at things that don't exist, can't hear, can't see very well, and is likely a little demented. He has a dodgy hip and he really can't walk half a block before you'll need to carry him. He will love you more than you can ever understand, and you will never be the same as before he came. Dog pictured may take over 13 years of dedicated assembly.

Heat Stress

A friend kindly pointed out that Kira's picture in my last blog post shows her with her tongue making a little bowl - a sign of heat stress.

Here's the lady of the moment, in case anyone forgot that picture:

Dogs can't sweat except under their paws and on their noses, something that makes it rather difficult to keep cool. Their fur provides some thermal insulation and they pant as their primary way of cooling down - evaporation on their tongues lowers their temperature. When they get very hot, the blood vessels on the bottom of their tongue dilate, increasing the surface area - causing a bowl-shaped tongue that is extra pink or reddish.

Talos demonstrates this beautifully:

"Some water, maybe?"

Side view:

"no, really, Nina, water... not flash photography!"

If you see this, it's definitely time for a water break. Wetting your dog can help cool them down too, but some get zoomies if they're wet, which works a bit against you in terms of getting their temperature down. 

Why does this matter? 

Well, heat stroke can set in in mere minutes, and can be fatal. It affects the brain, heart, liver and nervous system - a pretty comprehensive list of things your dog needs to keep on truckin'. 

Now the bowl-tongue is a fairly early symptom that your pup is getting too hot - a great time to cool down. If, however, you miss it, some later symptoms include:

Heavy panting
Excessive thirst

Excessive drooling

Increased pulse and heartbeat 

Elevated body temperature (40ºC or 104ºF and up - if you have a rectal thermometer available this is a good way to keep track)
Glazed eyes

Bright or dark red tongue, gums 
Staggering

Vomiting and bloody diarrhea
Weakness, collapse
Seizures
Unconsciousness

If it gets this bad, you must immediately cool your dog down, and call the vet. At 42ºC, or 109ºF, heatstroke sets in, leading to rapid death. If your dog is responsive, giving them small sips of water will help. It's worth talking to your vet about a heat stroke procedure next time you're there.

Pugs and other short nosed breeds, old dogs and puppies (and of course sick dogs, and dogs that are not used to hot temperatures) are at a greater risk of heatstroke.

Be careful, and carry water! 

  

Pugs are cruelty?

You hear this one every so often - that pugs are cruel, that they (and dogs like them) should not be bred. The argument goes that it is cruel to breed these dogs, as they suffer because of their appearance. Pedigree Dogs Exposed is a big factor of what lead to this argument being as popular as it is, but the general feeling of distrust we have at the moment for our governing bodies surely cannot have left the dog world untouched, and a great many have begun criticising bodies like the UK Kennel Club, or the American Kennel Club, and a great wash of critique has also come over breeders, especially those who breed dogs that have exceptional features.

 I want to make a good, logical, dispassionate argument. But I am woefully biased. Full disclosure: there is a pug on my lap as I write this. I am smitten with my Talos, I was smitten with my Zakkie. The first pug I ever met smote me, like cupid of old, with an arrow right to the left ventrical.

Seriously, though, can you resist this face?

With that in mind, let us start looking at why people argue that it is cruel to breed pugs. The primary point that is pushed is that the physical attributes of the dog are entirely designed by humans, but that they come at a potentially enormous cost to the dog health-wise. I wish I could whip out the evidence that conclusively proves that the adorable flat face of the pug comes at no cost - but the truth is that it does make them prone to overheat, prone to breathing problems (sometimes severe enough to require surgery), prone to eye injuries, prone to wrinkle infections and it is likely that the little curly tail, and the requisite oddly-shaped backbones, relates to spinal malformations and lameness. Their small size often comes with bad knees (luxating patella - a small breed problem). Then there's pug dog encephalitis (PDE), a really nasty one that kills pugs before they are two.

 These attributes - a short muzzle, a tightly curled tail, facial wrinkles - can all be classed as exceptional doggy features. It generally seems that there is a preference for dogs that are 'moderate' in all things. A mesocephalic face (muzzle neither particularly long nor particularly short, so neither Basenji nor Boston Terrier, think Labrador Retriever here). Moderately long legs (move over Whippet! For shame, Valhund). Moderate build, neither heavy nor light (bye bye, Bulldog). In a sense, what they are after is a dog that is wolf-like in appearance. The argument goes that these dogs are the soundest dogs, the least likely to have medical problems due to their appearance - they are the least likely to suffer. Well, that is only partly true.

Dwelling on the health problems, especially in the manner that Pedigree Dogs Exposed did, makes it seem like we have a clear cut idea of what causes these problems - and that clear cause is bad breeding (or, if you will, overly selective breeding to create these more exceptional features). The argument goes that these problems are caused by genetic factors, and all we need to do to eradicate them is to not breed dogs with those genetics anymore, and they'll disappear. But of course, we people being as we supposedly are, we care more about how they look than how much they need to suffer for those looks. The truth of the matter is considerably more complicated than this. We have very little idea which genetics link up with which diseases, and we have very little way of predicting which mating will produce perfectly healthy puppies, and which will not.

This, of course, is not to say that we don't have serious health problems in far too many of our breeds. This is not limited to 'non-wolfy' dogs either, like pugs, bulldogs or shar-pei. The toy Spaniels are tragically compromised with heart problems, the Dalmatians with urinary problems, the Great Danes with their incredibly short lives, Golden Retrievers with cancer, most large breeds with hip dysplasia (but here I always think of the German Shepherds - oh, and as an added bonus, wild wolves too! They just tend to die before they get old and stiff enough for us to notice). Blindness/deafness in blue puppies of many breeds, back problems in achondroplastic dwarfs (Basset hounds, Corgis, Dachshunds), stomach problems in white dogs... the list goes on and on. Every single type of dog is affected by some or another severe ailment with some regularity. I think a lot more can be done to study and understand what causes these diseases, and a lot more can be done to help reduce the incidence in our dog population.

That said, however, a lot of these problems are inherently part of what it means to be a dog, even if that dog is extremely wolf-like in appearance and conformation.  We also need a great big helping of reality here - we get old, all of us, dogs and humans. As we age, our bodies deteriorate. The shape of our bodies (and our lifestyles) affect how this deterioration happens to an extent... this is how things work. When we started selecting dogs for certain traits, we chose to breed dogs that exhibited certain behaviours and had a certain appearance. What mattered, health wise, were things that would impede the dog from performing its job. So corgis came to be, with their short little legs, partly because it lets them turn on a dime, partly because it keeps them low enough to work with cattle, partly because we liked the appearance. Yes, they have bad hips. Yes, they are likely to have back problems in their old age. The question is - is this cruelty? The answer to this hinges on suffering. The essential question is: "Is the dog suffering?"

Let us return to pugs. Historically, their function is to be the companion of human beings. It is a fairly old breed (some saying they go back well over a thousand years) and one of a very few breeds that have never had another purpose. There's no denying it, their faces, selectively bred over many years to resemble that of a human child, tends to melt our hearts.They are lovable to a fault, cuddly, and they want companionship, human companionship, as much as they want food (pug people already know, but food is very, very high on a pug's priority list). Taking this into account - that we will find them pleasant to have around, and that they want to be around us, interacting with us, at our speed - which is downright slow by dog standards, they fulfill their bred for purpose very, very well. As well as a Bloodhound sniffs, or a Collie herds. To quote a friend, they don't just sit on laps - they SIT ON LAPS. It's the same difference between a dog that chases sheep and a dog that herds them. A pug without human companionship must suffer, as much as a Greyhound that never gets a chance to run (and then nap somewhere soft and sunny afterwards) must suffer, or a Bloodhound that is somehow forbidden from using its nose must suffer. Their purpose is bred into them as strongly as their appearance.

Does a pug suffer from its short nose? I'd say in most cases, no. Yes, it makes it more likely that they'll get heat stroke, but then, you'd get heatstroke too if you ran around in temperatures that affect pugs. Yes, it makes it that breathing is different for them than it is for other dogs - they won't ever be athletes by Husky standards... but then, neither are you. Considering that they are made to spend time with you, it seems that their physical attributes are a boon, not a hindrance.

It is absolutely a case of human preference to breed dogs that look, and act, like pugs. This is true of every kind of dog. Is a wolf like dog the healthiest type of dog? Only by one, very narrow set of measurements. A wolfy dog, for example, a Malamute, would never sit on my lap happily, curled into my elbow, as little Talos is now - it simply would not fit, or its energy levels and exercise needs would push it to want to move in stead of staying with me for hours on end as I work on my computer. A Terrier would never be content with life in our apartment, with a few short, and one longer walks a day. I can't imagine a Belgian Malinois calmly using a litter tray, like my puggy does, or subsisting on the little food that my puggy subsists on.

A more wolfy dog would suffer, and suffer badly, if put into my pug's life.

Does my dog suffer because of her appearance? If I am correct in stating that appearance and behaviour (and health) are linked with genetics, and that she is especially suited to her life given her appearance and behaviour, it seems logical that the answer must be no. In fact, because she is made for the life she is living, she flourishes.

Are pugs cruelty, then?
I'd say no.

Pap en sous

I think we'd all agree that feeding your dog mielie pap with a bit of fat from the pan is not a good diet. Our SPCA tells people not to feed their dogs only pap, and we can all easily see this is not a well balanced diet, especially not for mostly carnivorous creatures that have limited ability to process grains of any kind, nevermind mielies. I mean, even we humans can't do mielies easily, as anyone peeking in the loo after a nice braaimielie can attest to, and we're omnivores in the true sense of the word!

Despite this, do you really know what's in your dog's kibble?

Most supermarket food is pretty much exactly that, mostly maize, with a sprinkling of meat, fat, flavourants, colourants and a host of preservatives. But, luckily, many pet owners have seen the benefits of feeding a higher quality kibble (smaller poop, less gas, better fur, more energy, brighter eyes, it goes on for some length, this list). This is partly on recommendation from your vet, which is normally a fairly good place to get some advice on your dog's health and care. If you're still feeding Purina, Bobtail, Pedigree or the like, I strongly suggest googling around a bit. None of these are really things a dog should be eating, the health benefits (and fewer vet visits) plus the smaller portions of a better quality food means the price is not that much higher.

I want to take a quick look at four of the most commonly fed higher end kibbles available to us, the thought being that now that we've moved our pets to a better food, we've gotten rid of the pap and sous, and gotten to the good stuff. The price surely should indicate this, especially on the first four of the five I will be looking at - Hill's Sience Plan, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Montego and Vet's choice.

To be able to read ingredient labels you need to know a few things. Firstly, the ingredients are listed in order of the weightiest component to the component with the least volume. The first five ingredients are often taken as a good way of knowing what's mostly in the product. Secondly, the ingredients are listed before processing, which means meats that lose up to 70% of their mass during the kibble making process are still at the top of the list, despite actually being a fairly minor part of the kibble in the end. Thirdly, a lot of fairly commonly used ingredients in dog food are hotly contested, so any info needs double, triple and quadruple checking before you make up your mind as to what you find convincing.

Because reproducing the whole ingredient list is really not fun reading, I'll stick to the first five ingredients myself of the above kibbles - they are all certified 'nutritionally balanced' by many different organisations, so none of them need to be checked for whether your dog will develop nutrient deficiencies on them.

Let's start with the Science Plan, Adult Dry food (lamb flavour, because why not?).

First things first, this food is pricy. Due to the high price, we want the very best here. And the bags sure do claim that they are the best thing ever...

But:
Lamb meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat...
Well, well, well. So the largest ingredient is lamb meal, but that's truly about all the meat in this. The rest is all starches. Rice is sometimes considered better than corn, because it is more easily digestible, but it may also contain arsenic, so the jury is out. Corn gluten meal is a source of protein that your dog cannot really digest - it's bioavailability is rather low. Overwhelmingly, this is (expensive) pap en sous.

Next up, Eukanuba dry dog food. Also expensive, and like the Science Direct, it comes in so many types it's overwhelming.

The first five ingredients are:
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, ground whole grain sorghum, brewers rice...
Hey, two proteins at the start - the chicken will be mostly lost during kibble making, but we're already a step ahead of Hill's. The rest is back to pap, though. In general, I'd say this is a slightly better food... but really, that's partly a reaction to how Hill's markets itself.

Right, Royal Canin. Since I'm a puggy person, we'll look at the mini adult type.

In here, we have:
maize, maize flour, dehydrated poultry meat, animal fats, maize gluten...
Am I seeing a trend here? Pap en sous indeed! At least this one is a little less expensive in most cases, but those are a horrible set of five ingredients.

Then, Montego. A good ol' South African brand, specifically the Montego Classic Adult dog formula.

On this menu:
cereals (4% rice), meat & animal derivatives (includes ostrich), cereal derivatives, fats & oils, natural flavouring agents...
A much more ambiguous list of ingredients, but much cudos to them for being honest, and clumping cereals into one category, so it goes where it should, at the front of the list. Of course, we'd need to know a bit more about what on earth meat & animal derivatives are to really judge anything here, especially with the recent inclusion of feather meal as a potential dog food ingredient. But, this is a much more affordable option, and is still a much, much better choice than anything in a supermarket!

Lastly, Vet's choice. Also a bit less pricey than the first three, inside this kibble you will find:
Cereals, meat and animal by-products, vegetable protein extract, oils and fats, minerals, vegetable derivatives, vitamins, amino acids...

We fed this for quite some time, in fact, after discovering how truly horrid the Pedigree and Purina puppy food was that we started out on. At the time their recipe read a bit differently, including more meat.

That said, though, while this is (was?) a more meaty pap, it's still not really getting away from the problem - lots of stuff in this food that the dog cannot easily digest. Now, grains aren't bad, per se (there is a case to be made for the immediately available energy they can provide), but I don't think they should be the majority of what a dog eats, with vitamin supplements to make up the rest. I am one of those cooks that thinks maybe dogs should eat healthy food, not just healthy supplements.

What do we feed nowadays? Earthborn Holistic grain free. It's hard to find at times, and it's expensive (I doubt this will be possible for people with many, or large dogs). We're looking at finding us some premade raw (doing it myself is beyond me and my kitchen at the moment - yet it is very affordable, and in many ways really the very best you can do for your dog).

Honestly, tough, it's tough finding dog food that sounds like it's actually food.
I do know though that pap en sous is not it.

Getting your pet 'fixed'

As a child, we called getting our pets spayed or neutered getting them 'fixed'. When we decided to get a dog, it was in the back of my mind right from the get go that we'd need to get him or her fixed.

Let's quickly define fixing - to put in order or in good condition (thanks online dictionary!).

Talos was spayed on Monday. She came through A-ok, and a day after her surgery, when I got home from work and my relief at seeing her just fine (bouncy happy puppy) overwhelmed me a little, she held my hand.

Yes, I'm holding her chewy stick, but still... 'holding my hand' is totally legitimate interpretation of what she was doing. It was a long day, ok?

Before her spay, I believed what everyone believed, and what you read on almost every website out there on the topic of spaying and neutering. 

In short, you should spay because:

• Spaying leads to a happier, healthier, longer life.
• Reduces hyperactivity.
• Prevents constant crying and pacing of a dog in heat.
• You never have to deal with messy heat cycles. 
• Increases affectionate behaviour to owners.
• If you spay before the first heat, you eliminate the risk of breast cancer.
• No chance ever for uterine infections or cancers.
• No chance ever for ovarian cancers.
• Decreases aggressive tendencies..
• Decreases bad behaviours related to trying to escape.

My sources include the American Humane Association and the Humane Society, and the South African Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They also include numerous vet's websites, and the procedure was recommended to me by our own vet at a routine vaccination appointment. I dare say that I, and anyone else finding this info, has/have every reason to trust these sources, since these are our usual sources for best practice regarding our animals.

 A very big feature of the discussions around spaying and neutering also center around responsibility, specifically our responsibility to help decrease the number of unwanted pets. By spaying and neutering our pets before they ever have a chance to breed, we may just get to a point where they don't have to put down millions of dogs and cats a year. I feel obligated to add here that I really wish this weren't the case. I really wish for a world where every pet has a happy home from birth to death, after a long, healthy life. I feel very emotionally invested in trying to change the fact that millions of furry creatures are killed simply because we have nothing else to offer them. 

In light of this looming mass euthanasia of dogs (and cats too), many humane societies and vets have started advocating what they call a pediatric spay, this is a spay that you do as early as 8 weeks. That means that this little belly:

Talos on her second day with us, 8 weeks old

That little belly can be given an ovario-hysterectomy.

In technical, surgical terms, that is what a spay entails. They cut the dog open from the belly button down, between four and seven cms is typical. The cut happens in stages, first the skin, then the subcutaneous layer, then the sac that holds the internal and reproductive organs. They dig out her ovaries, pulling them out one by one, clamping them and cutting them off. Then they pull the uterus through the incision, clamp it, and remove it. Everything is sutured off, leaving a 'stump' of tissue where the uterus used to be. Then, everything is sewn closed, the internal-most suture often being stainless steel and present forever more. 

Here is a video that shows a spay being done, for those who want more graphic info (warning - actual surgery footage, it's not blood spurting everywhere, jack the ripper style, but it's not for the very squeamish either):

Part 1:

Part 2:

Pediatric spays are said to be a good thing because of how quickly such young dogs heal after the procedure, and how simple the procedure is for vets - there is not very much abdominal muscle or fat yet. At the very least, we hear, you should spay your dog before the first heat cycle to eliminate the chance of pregnancy. 

The main reason for pediatric spay is to prevent irresponsible pet owners from ever even having the temptation of breeding - this is why it's done at many humane associations. Again, - if I had to kill pets day in and day out, I would also be on a crusade to prevent this from continuing.  

What these websites don't tell you, though, is the negative effects of early spaying and neutering - nevermind pediatric spay, we're now simply talking about spaying before your pet reaches complete maturity.

Research has shown that spaying does not, in fact, reduce the risk for mammary tumours. It substantially increases the risk for cardiac tumours. In large breeds especially, early spaying/neutering pretty much doubles the risk for bone cancer. Spaying early makes dogs grow taller and leaner than non-spayed dogs (or dogs spayed later), due to a lack of hormonal regulation of their growth plates. It leads to a much increased incidence of knee injuries (specifically canine anterior cruciate ligament tears). It increases the risk of hip displasia. The remaining stump after a spay can develop stump granuloma, which needs surgery. It may lead to incontinence in female dogs, an increased risk for hypothyroidism, an increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccines and if you spay really young, a greater chance for your pet to get a variety of infectious diseases. Oh, and just to add to this list, early spaying increases certain behavioural problems, like noise phobias, fearful behaviour, aggression and it may even lead to a dog that humps more, not less. The behavioural benefits attributed to a spay can all be achieved through training.

In short, this procedure can shorten a pet's lifespan by 30%!

If you look at that list again of positives again, all you're left with are the benefits of the stuff you've removed not being able to get cancer or infection, no messy heat cycles, and, the big one, no puppies.

Surely, though, there is a better way to prevent puppies?

There is, you can either just remove the ovaries (this eliminates the risk of uterine infections too, by the way, since they're caused by cysts forming due to hormones released by the ovaries). You can even go for a tubal ligation, like they do for humans (you'd still have heat cycles in this case). Both of these are considerably less invasive surgeries, with considerably better outcomes. 

Not in South Africa just yet, though. Perhaps at veterinary schools. If you find out, let me know. We NEED this info to get out there.

This has been an astonishingly difficult post to write. I've tried being lighthearted, stunned and angry, naive ... nothing seemed to work. In the end, factual and grimly resigned is where I've ended up - and that's how I feel about spaying as well. Talos is sleeping on my lap, having had the procedure that may well have cost us 30% of our time with her.

Why did I do it, knowing the above? 

My little pup lives near unneutered males, and will live near them her whole life. Not my dogs, but dogs near her. There will always be some fool who didn't want his dog to lose his balls (because his dog is a projection of his own masculinity?), that is both off lead, with zero training, and in my face. (I don't mind intact males with sensible owners, and it is never the dog's fault in this case). Probably even in my yard, or in my house, while I'm harbouring a female in heat. While I am a responsible person, I cannot absolutely guarantee that I can keep her safe from these other dogs, all the time, 100%. I can keep her indoors for the two months and a bit out of a year her two heat cycles would make her able to breed, but I cannot keep my doors permanently closed (I need in and out), nor can I absolutely guarantee that my little girl won't escape. Now, never mind the 'too many puppies already' spiel, a little pug like Talos is not a good candidate for random matings with almost definitely larger males. It could well kill her. Either in his attempts, or in her birthing. 

Spring is coming, which would have brought her first heat cycle. We waited as long as I (and our vet) felt was reasonable, but that said, we could probably have stretched it by a few weeks.

And that would be my advice to others. Consider your own situation. Maybe you can absolutely guarantee the safety of your female. If you can, please, for her health, for her wellbeing, for her happiness in general, let her mature fully. Let her reach one and a half, two years old, maybe more if she is a large breed  -  a lot of the above mentioned problems are not an issue if she is given a chance to fully mature. 

Also, if you can, find a vet, demand a vet, campaign for a vet that will do either a tubal ligation or an ovariectomy.

Seriously, though, don't breed more puppies because you couldn't be bothered. Of course, that's not who will read this, and be troubled by this, and despite all the dreadful things you're causing, still spay your puppy. I need to say this again  -  go and volunteer at an SPCA. Lead a few hundred dogs to the euthanasia room, then come back here and tell me how you didn't spay (or take measures to prevent any puppies ever).

(I'm not talking to you responsible breeders out there. Please, keep fighting the good fight.)

At the very least, it's high time we stop saying that we should spay/neuter all pets because it's the best thing for them. It isn't. It may well be the best thing for us, but we need to own up to the fact that that is the real reason. I want to say that again - spaying and neutering is something we're doing to accomplish a human end, not something we're doing for the good of our pets.

We are not 'fixing' them. 

Here are a list of references:

Vet Practice News Columns: is early neutering hurting pets

Hypothyroidism in Golden Retrievers

Spay-Neuter considerations for the canine athelete

Dogster on spay/neuter

Spay/neuter adverse effects

When to spay/Neuter

Spay, neuter and cancer

Dr Karin Becker on Spaying or Neutering

And academic articles:

Stöcklin-Gautschi N. M., Hässig M., Reichler I. M., Hubler M., Arnold S., The relationship of urinary incontinence to early spaying in bitches.  Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, Supplement  2001 (57) Pp. 233-6.

Slauterbeck J. R., Pankratz K., Xu K. T., Bozeman S. C., Hardy D. M.,  Canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy increases the prevalence of ACL injury. Clinical Orthopeadics and Related Research 2004 (429) Pp. 301-5.

Grumbach M. M., Estrogen, bone, growth and sex: a sea change in conventional wisdom. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2000 (13) Supplement 6, Pp. 1439-55.

 Ru G., Terracini B., Glickman L. T., Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma. Veterinary Journal 1998 (156: 1) Pp. 31-9.

 Ware W. A., Hopper D. L., Cardiac tumors in dogs: 1982-1995. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medecine 1999 (13:2) Pp. 95-103.

For the boys:

Cooley D. M., Beranek B. C., Schlittler D. L., Glickman N. W., Glickman L. T., Waters D. J., Endogenous gonadal hormone exposure and bone sarcoma risk. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2002 (11:11) Pp. 1434-40.

Obradovich J., Walshaw R., Goullaud E. The influence of castration on the development of prostatic carcinoma in the dog. 43 cases (1978-1985). Journal of Veterinary Internal Medecine 1987 (1:4) Pp. 183-7.

 Howe, L. M., Slater, M., Boothe, H. W., Hobson, P., Holcom, J. L., Spann, A. C., Long-term outcome of gonadectomy performed at an early age or traditional age in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association  2001 ( 218: 2 ) Pp. 217-221 

 Spain, C. V., Scarlett, J. M., Houpt, K. A., Long-term risks and benefits of early-age gonadectomy in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2004 (224: 3) Pp. 380-387

And lastly, a link to alternatives:

Alternatives to Spay/Neuter

The Pug and the Paunch - why less is more

There's no denying it, pugs are cute. Those little wrinkles on their faces and the curly tails … it's enough to make most anyone go 'aw'. Add to this cuteness a propensity for begging and a bottomless pit for a tummy, plus a tendency to prefer a warm lap over an intense workout … it's no wonder so many pugs are overweight. I mean, who can resist this face?

Talos is such a charmer!

Why is too much weight a problem?

Being overweight comes at a hefty price, though (pardon the pun!). Medically, being overweight increases breathing difficulty, something no pug needs. It increases the risk of cardiovascular complications like heart attacks and strokes, and it makes dogs more susceptible to diabetes. Being heavy places extra strain on a dog's joints, and makes an already heat-intolerant pug even more so. There is an increased risk of cancer. The liver can't function as well either.

Practically, being overweight makes any surgical procedures more risky. It can make it difficult or impossible to hear a dog's heartbeat, or to find a vein to administer anaesthetics. It also makes for a larger, much more cumbersome pet to transport. Pugs are cuddle-buddies, but too big a cuddle buddy can't easily sit on a lap any more.

The most prominent reason for me personally to help your furry friend weight less, though, is the impact being overweight has on their quality and length of life. They are more lethargic, and less eager to play and to go places with you.

Loopythepug's Loopy is clearly happy to be out and about

How do I know if my pug is overweight?

Now that I've got everyone convinced that slim-and-trim is the way to go, we need to know how to judge if a dog is overweight. There are many given methods to judge, but for me, a combination of three things seems to work best. Firstly, with pure bred dogs like pugs, you have a slight advantage. You have some idea of what a typical pug should weigh – between 6 and 9 kilograms (14 to 20 lbs) according to the AKC standard. This is a poor guide for many pugs, though – they seem especially variable in size, with even champion litters occasionally having very small or very large pugs.

Secondly, you can judge weight by feeling for certain features. The key area here is the ribs. Believe it or not, you actually want to be able to feel each rib fairly easily under that lovely coat of fur. If you run your fingers along the back of your hand, you can get a good idea of what it should feel like – each bone is distinguishable without being overly prominent. If each rib bone is very distinct, and you can easily feel the hip bones (to either side of the tail when it's curled up over their back), chances are your pug is a little too skinny.

Wonka and Nilla's Wonka shows off a lovely waistline on the beach.

Finally, you can tell by looking at your pug. I think this is where pugs make life difficult for us. Cobby and square, after all, does not look like a greyhound (nor should it!). However, even on a beautifully cobby pug, a waistline is apparent, and there is a slight tuck under the tummy. Square from above is definitely not ideal.

Countrypug's Toby is a tank of a pug, square and cobby. No saggy stomach or bulgy belly here!

How do I help my pug lose weight?

As pet owners, especially as owners of pugs, who typically do not hunt, we have the great advantage of being able to control pretty much everything our dog eats. This means that we can easily (no, little pug, stop staring at me like that!) regulate our dog's daily intake of food. The first thing to do, however, is to go see your vet. Sometimes, weight problems are caused by thyroid issues, and it's always best to have your vet on board with a weight loss program.

Every weight loss program starts the same way – weigh that pooch. Keeping a chart will really help keep track of things. There are many weight loss diets available on the market, and your vet may prescribe one of these to help your dog lose weight. While I am sure these food have helped many, they promote weight loss by reducing fat and protein, and increasing carbohydrates in many cases. This can encourage excess glucose in the system, which is not always an ideal situation (especially in a dog more prone to diabetes). Cautiously, I would advise you to cut out a third of your dog's daily food ration (this includes treats and table scraps if you feel you must give them – everything shrinks by a third). Keep it up for two weeks, and weigh your dog again. If your dog is losing weight, fantastic! Keep it up until you get to an ideal weight. If there has been no weight loss, decrease by another third, and repeat the experiment.  

Since a lot of overweight dogs have lower metabolisms, getting them moving will really help speed along their weight loss. Walks, playing fetch or tug, a doggy play date with a playful canine pal, even a dog sport like obedience or canine freestyle will really help to get your pug moving.

Remember to get agreement and cooperation from the whole family. It won't help if you're carefully counting calories while your significant other is sneaking them cookies. In the end, this irresistible face is not asking you for food, it's simply saying: “love me”.

Frida's pug Popeye

source:
Wolfsheimer, KJ. Obesity in dogs. The Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian. 1994:981-998.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=694

http://doghealthdoc.com/body-organs/overweight-dog-how-to-tell-health-consequences/

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dog-lose-weight/

http://clicktreat.blogspot.com/2012/03/does-your-dog-have-waist.html

With thanks to the members of Pug Village!

http://www.pugvillage.com