Mindysmom
Well-known member
Karlin's thread with the link to the severely obese Cavalier made me start thinking about how everyone keeps their Cavs slim and trim over the winter.
Max gained three pounds last winter without me even realizing it:sl*p: It took a fair bit of work to get it off because the extra weight made him less active even when spring came. I'm trying to be very proactive this winter to make sure that neither he or Rylie get overweight.
We walk daily except when the weather is really bad BUT I'll admit we don't walk as far because the salt in town bothers their feet (I use either booties or invisible boot) and if we go on trails they get full of snowballs and that isn't very pleasant for them either. Also our agility class doesn't run in the winter.
In the summer, in addition to their walks they spend hours a day in our back yard running around (particularly Rylie who will play ball for hours on end if someone will throw it for him) that and swimming whenever we can is where the bulk of their exercise comes from. The snow in the yard is too deep for them now to do much running around and we can't throw the ball off the deck or it gets buried. We have taken to indoor exercise - I do ball work with them to keep their muscle tone and we've been playing hide and seek (which they do love) - What does everyone else do to keep their dogs in shape over the winter?
I'm monitoring their weight this winter and really hope that I don't have to reduce their food because Max seems to be always hungry and Rylie needs three meals a day or his tummy starts going wonky.
Max gained three pounds last winter without me even realizing it:sl*p: It took a fair bit of work to get it off because the extra weight made him less active even when spring came. I'm trying to be very proactive this winter to make sure that neither he or Rylie get overweight.
We walk daily except when the weather is really bad BUT I'll admit we don't walk as far because the salt in town bothers their feet (I use either booties or invisible boot) and if we go on trails they get full of snowballs and that isn't very pleasant for them either. Also our agility class doesn't run in the winter.
In the summer, in addition to their walks they spend hours a day in our back yard running around (particularly Rylie who will play ball for hours on end if someone will throw it for him) that and swimming whenever we can is where the bulk of their exercise comes from. The snow in the yard is too deep for them now to do much running around and we can't throw the ball off the deck or it gets buried. We have taken to indoor exercise - I do ball work with them to keep their muscle tone and we've been playing hide and seek (which they do love) - What does everyone else do to keep their dogs in shape over the winter?
I'm monitoring their weight this winter and really hope that I don't have to reduce their food because Max seems to be always hungry and Rylie needs three meals a day or his tummy starts going wonky.
