Hershey is 61 pounds now!

This is week 6 of Hershey's weight loss process...and she has lost 4 pounds! I'm so excited that her swimming, walking, and dieting have been contributing to her improved health. She even runs up the stairs sometimes! The pictures in my room are the "after" pictures, and the ones with her outside are the "before" pictures...my goal weight for her is about 52 pounds or so. I was told she weighed that much when she was three years old, so I hope I can get her down to that weight at least.

WAIT!

Having three dogs comes with new challenges, especially when the newest addition, Hershey, dislikes my dobermans' rambunctious antics! Instead of making their playing off limits, I put one of my favorite cues to work. "Wait" is one of m favorite cues to teach a dog because: 

1. It doesn't require treats (with overweight Hershey, that is a mega plus!)
2. It can be taught very easily during everyday events
3. This cue is fairly easy to do with multiple dogs
4. Teaches self control 
5. Teaching your dog a release word is very easy with this cue

Before I continue, I feel the need to remind readers that "wait" and "stay" are very different. When I ask a dog to "wait," I am communicating "do not go past this boundary." "Stay" means, "remain still in your current position." This cue does not require treats because the reward is being allowed to go into the desired area.

Teaching Wait Part 1

1. Begin with one dog 
2. When allowing your dog to go outside to relieve themselves, go to the doorway with the door closed. It is sometimes easiest to face your dog when starting this exercise.
3. Begin to open the door slowly. As your dog tries to bolt out the door, block his path with your leg and  ask your dog "wait." If your dog is struggling to get past you, close the door and block your dog so they cannot get past you. Do not pull your dog's collar unless your dog is especially determined! Body blocking with your leg should be enough for most dogs, and the door should not be completely opened in case your dog is harder to handle.
4. Your dog should back up when you body block with your leg. Right away, verbally praise your dog and step to the side. If you step to the side of your door (with it partially open!) and your dog tries to go through again, body block him again. DO NOT REPEAT YOUR CUE WORD. If he pushes past you, get him back into the house and try again. An especially pushy dog might benefit from a leash to prevent escape. Escaping would be a self-reinforcing behavior, and we want to set our dogs up for success!
5. After your dog is successful with step 3 and 4 for one second or so (so your dog is not trying to bolt through when you body block, and they do not bolt through when you step to the side),  release them to go outside. A "release word" is very important, especially with cues such as "wait" and "stay." If you do not have a release word, your dog won't know when you want to communicate to him "alright, now you can go outside!" Good release words are, ok, break, release, potato, or anything you want to use as long as it is consistent. 
6. Repeat steps 1-5 the next time your dog wants to go outside. At first, only expect your dog to wait for a second with the door partially open. As your dog improves, raise criteria! To do this, open the door wider, and slowly have them wait for a longer period of time before you release them. Do this with all of your dogs individually, and you can start to do this with multiple dogs together as they improve with this important skill!

Extreme Waiting!

When your dog is waiting politely with minimal body blocking (or none at all!), ask your dog to wait in various areas of the house such as hallways and other rooms in the house. Ask your dog to wait in areas that you do not want them going into at all for a short period of time, such as remaining in the living room while you eat dinner in the dining room. If they leave the living room and go into the dining room, remember to put them back ! If you do this consistently when you eat dinner, they will learn quickly and it will only get easier!

     I'm very cautious with Hershey being around my two rambunctious dobermans, so I had her "wait" in a section of the kitchen while I had my boys "wait" outside of the area that she was in. I had to redo my second video several times so it was hard to show my boys turning away from the area that I asked them to stay away from. I was able to make my lunch in peace without worrying that my boys would go bother Hershey, and that she wouldn't leave to go bother them and get into trouble! 

Hershey's New Diet

I've had Hershey in my home now for about 4 weeks...and I feel that I've learned alot since then! My research led me to the knowledge about good diets for dogs with arthritis. No corn? No rice? Check, check. My dobie boys have been on a grain free diet with wonderful results, so Hershey was going to be on one even if the grain wasn't aggravating to her arthritis! But then I also found that potatoes, and other plants from the "nightshade" family (such as tomatoes) can aggravate arthritis as well. My first thought was "but grain free diets have potato in them!!!"

That disheartening discovery led me to learn about an ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties; sweet potatoes! So I am in the process of switching Hershey from grain free FROMM, to the limited ingredient natural balance foods that feature sweet potato. It still has potato ingredients, but sweet potato is the #1 ingredient (followed by a protein source of course, such as bison or venison). I hope the sweet potato will override the potato ingredients, and sweet potato has less calories with a hefty amount of vitamins...perfect for a pooch trying to lose weight!

I have yet to weigh her this week, but she only lost one pound over a two week period...so I cut her food back to 3/4 cups twice a day. Besides her food, she chews on cow femurs, and I cut her rawhides to one "mini rawhide chip" per day (but I'm going to switch her to sweet potato chews once her rawhides are all gone...). Other supplements include:

• "Organic Pet Superfood" Joint supplement  http://k9scrubclub.com/organic-joint-supplement-for-dogs.html (I am switching to herbsmith's "sooth joints" soon  http://www.herbsmithinc.com/Home/Canine/Herbs/SootheJoints/default.asp )
• A glucosamine supplement
• a teaspoon of low fat, plain yogurt (once a day...to prevent ear infections!)
• Fish oil supplement   

Eventually, I plan on going to a holistic vet in Muskego WI, and they specialize in holistic diets for specific health problems, so Hershey's diet might change once again, but we'll see how this unfolds from her. One pound gone, 14 more to go! The picture below is how she looked the first week she was with me...what a chunker!

Just so readers are aware, I am planning on seeing a nutrition specialist in the future...but here are some of my sources so you guys know where I got some of this information! I will be looking more into the articles pertaining to arthritis from Whole Dog Journal as well, and I recommend that journal to all dog lovers who want up to date information. I do not want to act like a vet, and I do not recommend that anyone take this blog post as something that they should do for their own dog. I just want people to realize that nutrition can play a large role in various diseases, such as arthritis, and changing a dogs diet can help them for the better!

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/12_9/features/Canine-Weight-Loss-Advice_16158-1.html

http://www.herbcompanion.com/pets/Pet-Corner-Heal-Your-Pet-with-Natural-Arthritis-Aids-41.aspx

http://dogaware.com/health/arthritis.html

Hershey

I just took in a sweet pit/basset mix named Hershey! She came to my home with a limp, and a whole lot of extra weight on her. She weighs 65 pounds at eight years old, when she used to weigh 50 pounds at 3 years of age...someone needs to go on a diet! Thankfully, this picture is very flattering...but I will be outlining her care because of her problems that are all too common: hip dysplasia and arthritis.

Using holistic methods whenever possible, I would like to share Hershey's progress. Her limp is gone, and we are now beginning a swim therapy program (I can take her for free...what great timing!), and she lost a pound within the first week of me having her. We have her on a grain free FROMM diet, and are supplementing her glucosamine with a fish oil supplement and an additional joint supplement. Instead of spoiling her with food like her previous family, my family and I are spoiling her with lots of belly rubs and heath supporting care!