Pet Appreciation Week
The second week of June is National Pet Appreciation Week! Show your pup some love by treating them to a day of play with all their friends. Check out this great article on how regular exercise (like doggie day camp) can help improve your pet's quality of life:
Why Dogs Need Camp
Bow Wow®!
Today it is estimated that 40% of
American dogs are overweight. Regular exercise improves blood flow to the
heart, and oxygen to the lungs, builds strong muscles, increases joint
mobility, increases energy levels and helps to control weight. Exercising
your dog can enhance their quality of life, decrease risk of cancer, diabetes,
arthritis, heart attach and strokes and extend their lifespan and the
time that you can enjoy them being part of your family. Exercise also
improves a dog’s mood, and decreases the risk of dog depression. It is
especially important to keep aging pets agile and fit as they may not be
inclined to exercise without your encouragement.
Preventing Behavior Problems
Exercise relieves boredom that can
cause behavior problems such as destructiveness, separation anxiety, and
barking. Exercise gives your dog a way to channel their energy in a positive
way. Active dogs are typically happy, well-adjusted dogs. For good health and
wellbeing of your dogs, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A
regular routine of exercise and playtime may be exactly what your dogs need to
maintain its health for many years. Pet obesity is a serious problem as it puts
pets at risk of diseases such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart
disease, hypertension and cancer. Extra weight can also worsen existing
conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, hormone imbalances, and joint
diseases. Put simply, carrying around the extra pounds will shorten the life of
your pet. Veterinary Pet Insurance reported that last year they reimbursed
policy holders over 14 million dollars for claims related to obesity - around 7
% of their total claims. . If the number of calories consumed by the pet each
day is more than is used for normal body functions and during exercise then
extra calories are stored as fat. Usually all that is needed for weight loss is
reduced calorie intake and increased exercise.
