Keeda did very well – she heeled perfectly, got along with other dogs, sniffed, and just had a great time. We finished the 5km distance in no time and then it was time to check out the various booths and tents that the Million Paws Walk sponsors and RSPCA set up. There were so many great stalls set up. Keeda and I browsed and attended a dog behaviour seminar at the Vetwest booth. I was wearing my 1 Fit Mutt shirt and got quite a few questions about what it is I do and about the site.

In the end we strolled over to the stage and found that there was a dog show contest happening, with the presenters announcing different categories for people to enter their dogs. We got there toward the end and I entered Keeda in the Weirdest Looking Dog category just because I wanted to go up there and parade around with all the other entrants . Entry cost $2 and that was my last bit of cash so unfortunately it meant I missed out on the next category – best trick. If we’d known that one was coming up I’m sure we would’ve won, Keeda has some great tricks up her sleeve .

Anyway, overall it was a great day, although I’m not happy with the online registration costing $15 at first, but when I went to register online this Friday the price jumped up to $20! I did read that registration would be $20 on the day, but Friday was not the day of the walk and it just seemed like a bit of an underhanded tactic.

I’ll be drawing the winners of the two dog books from those who contributed to the RSPCA through the 1 Fit Mutt fundraising page at the beginning of next week, so keep your eyes peeled and thank you so much to everyone who’s contributed.

Check out some photos from the 2010 Perth Million Paws Walk below:

We keep hearing more and more stories of animal cruelty, like the puppy who was dumped in a drain, a poor mutilated dog whose four legs had been cut off, and so many other cases of animal abuse. Videos like the following (warning, this video is highly disturbing, it depicts horrible abuse. I couldn’t stomach watching all of it) illustrate all too well how sick and disgusting some people are.

Sitting there and talking about how shocking and horrible it is won’t help these dogs – taking action through supporting organizations who actively fight animal cruelty will.

All contributors to the RSPCA Million Paws Walk through 1 Fit Mutt go into a draw to win free dog related literature. The prizes are:

The Dog Owner’s Manual by David Brunner
Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats by Bradley Trevor Greive

If you’re going to run with your dog, you’ll need to invest in a pair of good running shoes. In fact, running shoes will likely be your biggest expense when you’re starting to run. You can seriously mess up your feet, ankles, and/or knees if you run in shoes that are too old or don’t suit you. Just as it’s important to watch over your dog and make sure it’s handling the running, it’s important to watch over your own health as well.

When buying running shoes it’s really recommended that you see a podiatrist or a specialist running shop and get them to recommend a type of running shoe for you. No, Athelete’s Foot is not a specialist running shop. In my area, for example, we have Runner’s World – check out running forums and such for a good store in your area (I’ve put together some resources and good communities to check out when getting into running at the end of this post).

Anyway, personal stories aside, here are some general tips about running shoes:

• Running shoes last approximately 400-600km. This does not apply to all running shoes, some may last hundreds of kilometres more and others may last less. When you start getting up in the km in your shoes pay attention to any new joint pain you may have, whether your shoes start or feel “flat”, new muscle soreness or tension, or anything else of the sort. If you pay attention to your body you should be able to feel when it’s time to get a new pair of running shoes. Don’t go just by the look of your shoes – your shoes may still look great, but the cushioning on the inside could be completely worn away. How quickly your shoes wear out will also depend on your weight and how hard you are on your shoes.
• Just because a pair of shoes feels good to walk in does not mean it will be good to run in. Some shoes may feel great to run in, but absolutely horrible to walk in. This is why so many runners have dedicated running shoes and never use them for anything except running.
• Start off slow when breaking in a new pair of running shoes. You don’t want to risk injury by launching into a super long run in shoes you haven’t run in before.
• When you find a great type of shoe to run in, stick to that shoe. You don’t have to try a new model each time you buy a new pair of shoes – keep using what works.

Some useful online resources for the beginner runner (or any runner, for that matter):
CoolRunning
The Runners Guide
Runner’s World Forums

Do you have any tips or experiences to share about running on your own or with your dog? Please leave a comment below!

Don’t Chain Your Dog Up

If you’re going to keep your dog outside, don’t chain it up to its kennel and expect it to be ok. Dogs need to have space to move, run, play. If you’re going to keep an outside dog, make sure you have a fenced yard that’s big enough for your dog’s roaming needs. How much space your dog needs to roam will depend on its breed, size, and overall energy levels.

Give Your Dog Attention

Your outside dog will need plenty of attention from you and other members of your family. You may need to dedicate even more “strictly dog time” than you would if your dog was an inside pet. Inside dogs often get human contact throughout the day even when their owners aren’t directly playing with or paying attention to them as they go about their chores. No such luck with outside dogs, unless you’re gardening all day. Dogs are social animals. Your dog needs to know that it’s part of your pack/family and to do this, it needs to get attention from its pack-mates.

Make sure your dog has shelter

Your dog will need to stay cool in the heat of summer and warm in the cold winter. It will need to stay in the shade when it’s scorching and stay dry when it’s raining. Never keep a dog outside without sufficient shelter. Get a high quality dog house and furnish it with warm, comfortable blankets. Make sure your yard always gets enough shade throughout the day. Also make sure that there is more cover in your yard than just the dog house. If it’s raining all day, your dog will get either bored being stuck in its dog house all day or sick staying out in the rain.

If your dog is sick or if the weather conditions are unsafe, bring it inside

I know, I know, your rental doesn’t allow indoor dogs, your partner is allergic, your cat doesn’t get along with your dog – everyone has their own reasons for keeping a dog outside. But if your pet gets sick or if the weather is extreme enough to cause potential illness or harm to your dog, find a way to bring it inside no matter what your reasons. Assign a room for your dog to stay in and stay there with it if you must, but get your dog into the house where it’s safe. Your partner can stay in a different part of the house for a while, you can vacuum up the fur and get the carpets cleaned if it’s a rental issue. Whatever it is, your first priority is taking care of your pet. There is no excuse to leave a sick dog out in the cold on its own.

Go for daily walks, runs, or bike rides

Go for a walk, run, or cycle with your dog every day. This will get your dogs some exercise and allow the two of you to spend some much needed time together.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy from Backyard Breeders

I define “backyard breeders” as dog owners who throw a couple of dogs together and make them pop out some babies to make a bit of cash. What puppy buyers need to realize is that this is not an acceptable way to breed dogs. Responsible breeders would never breed two dogs without conducting necessary health tests (and no, a vet checkup isn’t enough) including testing for various genetic diseases that some breeds are predisposed to, temperament testing, etc. Not only do backyard breeders not do the necessary health testing to ensure that their puppies are healthy, but they often don’t know and/or don’t care to learn about how to properly take care of a newborn puppy. This includes handling, socialization, and other factors necessary to ensure a happy, healthy, socialized pup.

How to Spot Backyard Breeders

Backyard breeders are usually not too difficult to spot. Here are some telltale signs of a backyard breeder:

2)     Advertising “Cavoodles”, “Choodles”, “Spoodles”, or other “Designer” breeds. I’m of the opinion that not all breeders of mixed breeds are irresponsible backyard breeders. After all, there’s an entire organization promoting responsible breeding and a breed standard of “Labradoodles”. But let’s be honest: most breeders of mixed breeds are backyard breeders. Backyard breeders will often try to pass off mixed breed dogs (or mutts) as some sort of fancy designer breed and charge a small fortune for them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with mutts – Keeda is a mutt and she is the best dog I could ever ask for. But trying to pass off a mutt as some sort of fancy breed is irresponsible of the breeders and is one sign of a backyard breeder.

3)     Advertising in newspapers or online classifieds. The majority of breeders advertising puppies in newspaper listings or on websites like Gumtree or Tradesales are backyard breeders. Granted, there are some responsible breeders who advertise on these websites, but you’ll have to do a lot of wading through the junk to find them.

4)     Breeders without waiting lists. Responsible breeders do not breed puppies whom they don’t have homes for. There are some breeders who have people on waiting lists for months or sometimes even years! It’s worth waiting on a list for a few months and getting a well bred, healthy, socialized puppy.

5)     Breeders separating puppies from their mothers before they are 8 weeks old. A puppy should never be taken away from its mother if it is under 8 weeks old. Some breeders wait even longer. In the state of California it’s even a misdemeanour to give a puppy away before it reaches 8 weeks of age. Puppies are mentally and physically not prepared to be weaned at 7 weeks or younger and can develop separation anxiety and other problems.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy From Puppy Mills

Puppy Mill

You will probably never see an actual puppy mill in your life, but if you buy from a pet shop or from one of those websites that advertises dozens of different breeds of puppies and always has plenty “in stock”, you are likely buying from one. Puppy mills are horrible establishments where dogs are kept in cages for the sole purpose of breeding. You can find hundreds of malnourished dogs in barns, in horrible conditions, just breeding all the time.

By buying from pet shops you are not only likely contributing to this problem of dog abuse, but also potentially purchasing a sick dog. Not only are puppy mill dogs not health tested, but they are often mistreated and get sick after they’re born. Sometimes puppies are separated from their mothers straight away, and the crowded conditions inside puppy mills mean that puppies can get all kinds of diseases in that kind of environment. You can end up with a puppy with kennel cough, Parvo, or countless other health issues.

Where to Buy a Healthy Puppy

Your best bet of finding a healthy puppy is to buy from a registered breeder and to go on a waiting list. When selecting your breeder, keep the following in mind:

1)     The breeder should let you see the parents. If for some reason you can’t view your puppy’s parents, that’s cause for suspicion. Granted, breeders may sometimes own just one of the parents, just the mother for example. This does not mean that they’re irresponsible. They should still be able to give you details about the sire of the puppies – his name, lineage, assure you that both dogs have had all of the necessary health tests, etc.

2)     The breeder should have a waiting list. Responsible breeders don’t bring puppies into the world without having homes for them to go to. Sometimes plans fall through or a person on the waiting list backs out or is unable to take the puppy anymore. In this case they may find a suitable home for the puppy after it’s been born.

3)     The breeder should take responsibility for their puppies. Responsible breeders will take dogs they’ve produced back in or work to find them another good home should their family not be able to keep them anymore.

4)     Responsible breeders screen their potential owners. A responsible breeder may ask you about your family, your home, if you have any other pets, and even information about your income to make sure that you are able to give the puppy the care it requires.

5)     Responsible breeders give you information about your new puppy. Many responsible breeders compile puppy packs to give to their new puppy owners. These packs may include information leaflets, food rations, even toys for the puppy. Responsible breeders will make sure that you have their contact details should you need to contact them for advice or in an urgent situation.

6)     Responsible breeders will encourage spaying or neutering your pet.

As you can see, responsible breeders take a lot of precautions to make sure that their puppies go to good homes and are happy and healthy. After they go through all of the necessary steps, tests, etc. they are lucky to break even after their puppies have been sold. Responsible breeders do not breed to make a profit. They breed to better the breed they are passionate about and promote responsible ownership of dogs.

Sometimes screening for a good nreeder may seem like more trouble than it’s worth, but there are plenty of responsible breeders out there. By doing so you are promoting responsible ownership and breeding of dogs and greatly increasing your chances of having a strong, healthy dog.

Another option when buying your dog is to go to a dog shelter or rescue organization and save a dog’s life. Most of the dogs you see in pounds come from irresponsible owners and breeders. Breeders who care about their puppies will not let their puppy go to a pound if they can help it. Backyard breeders and puppy millers, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about what happens to the puppies they brought into the world after they got their wad of cash for it. It’s important to remember that dogs aren’t like furniture – to be created, sold off, and then forgotten. Please do your research before buying or breeding a dog.

Regular Training Sessions

Take a few minutes throughout the day to teach and refine your dog’s commands. Even working on basic commands can stimulate your dog’s mind. Start off with teaching your dog to sit, stand, lay down, and other basics and then move on to more advanced commands like heel, bark, or fetch.

Teach Your Dog Manners

Never allow your dog to get away with behaviors you don’t want. Don’t keep training just to your few-minute specific training sessions. Make your dog sit before crossing the road, teach your dog not to trip you up in the house, and don’t let your dog drag you all over the place when you’re walking on a leash. Enforcing good manners throughout the day will also force your dog to put its brain to good use. Not only will life be easier for you, but your dog will be working mentally on a regular basis. With Keeda I use the “nothing in life is free” approach. If she wants a treat, she needs to sit or lay down or shake her paw before she gets it, depending on what I ask her to do at that time.

Play Thinking Games With Your Dog

Instead of just playing fetch or tug of war, try playing hide and seek. Have your dog sit in one spot while you hide a toy somewhere in or around the house. Then, get your dog to hunt for the toy and bring it back. Or you can teach your dog the names of all of your family members or friends and get it to find them on command. You can also teach your dog the names of its toys (for example, Keeda knows her “stick” is different from her “ball”). Then, scatter the toys around the room and tell your dog to find specific toys from the bunch.

Get Playmates for Your Dog

Find another dog for your pet to play with. Socializing with other dogs through play can be a great form of mental stimulation for your pet.

Get Involved in a Dog Sport

Dog sports like Agility or Flyball require a lot of thinking and training on a dog’s part. Not only will a dog sport keep your dog fit physically, but also provide the mental stimulation it needs.

Remember to reward your dog with verbal praise, a pat, or treats (whichever you prefer working with) when it performs what you ask during training or play time. Having a fit dog isn’t just about physical exercise and nutrition – a fit dog requires a fit mind.

When exercising your dog becomes a chore it is very easy to let it slip from your daily to do list. Avoid the temptation to put off exercising your dog by making exercise time fun. Exercising your dog should be something you enjoy. It is a great time to bond with your dog and it is a necessary part of your job as your dog’s caregiver. Your dog needs you to ensure that he is getting the proper amount of exercise so that he is healthy and fit. So, instead of making exercise time something you dread, make it something you can’t wait to do every day.

Make Exercising Do Double Duty

When your dog exercises you can take care of your own exercise needs at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone, as the old saying goes. There are many different activities that you can do that will get both you and your dog in shape.

Fetch is a classic game that, if done right, will give you and your dog a nice workout. You should stand while throwing the object to be fetched. Try using a tennis ball and tennis racket, if you have the space. This will give you a great upper body workout and put some distance on the ball so that your dog can really run.

Walking or jogging are other great double duty exercises. If you already do a walking or jogging routine as part of your own fitness plan, than just start bringing your dog along. Walking is perfect for older dogs and a good jog will really help energetic dogs burn off that excess energy they have stored up.

Make Exercise a Social Thing

Another great way to make exercise fun for you and your dog is to make it a social affair. There are no rules saying that you have to exercise your dog alone. If you live near a dog park then give that a try. You can meet other dog owners and your dog will get the chance to socialize with other dogs. You might also try to meet up with a friend or neighbor who also has a dog and you can exercise the dogs together.

Find Something you Both Like

One of the keys to making exercise fun is to do something you like. Your dog is more likely to have a great time exercising and really get the best benefits from it if he is doing something that he enjoys. Try out new things and see what you both like the best. Maybe you will find that the best exercise is just playing around in the backyard. Whatever you do is fine as long as you get your dog moving every day.

Exercising your dog will help him to live longer, be healthier and improve his behavior. Your dog will be a better dog if he just gets the exercise he needs. Long days at work and all the demands of daily life can often make exercising your dog one of the last things you want to do, but as a dog owner you have to be responsible. You are in control of his health. To avoid problems like obesity, some behavior issues and health problems, you dog must get exercise regularly. So try to make it something fun, so it becomes the highlight of your day and something you never want to miss out on.

^{Thanks for the great article, Kelly. Oh My Dog Supplies is an online dog supplies store that stocks everything from dog beds to ceramic dog food storage containers.}

So I decided to create my own home-made solution to the problem when I run with my dog. The “solution” would consist of a belt to go around my waist and a leash with a clip on either side to clip one side onto the belt and the other onto my dog’s collar. I went to Bunnings on Saturday morning and bought the following:

• A pack of two nylon tie-down straps, 2.5m each. I’m not sure the technical name for these, but they were straps around 3cm wide and 2.5m long with a metal buckle that resembled a belt-buckle. You pass one end of the strap through the buckle and it holds the “belt”. This was originally meant for holding things down on top of cars or trailers by tightening the nylon straps around the object.
  
• A pack of four metal rings, 2.5cm in diameter. You can use as many as you want for your hands-free dog leash. I used two.
  
• Two metal clips for the leash. One leash clip was like a regular clip you’d see on a leash you buy from the store. The other, however, opened in a way that instantly releases whatever it’s holding as the two “pincers” part in the middle, not on the side like the regular clip does.
  

You will also need a sewing machine (unless you plan on doing this by hand) and some strong thread that isn’t pure cotton, such as nylon.

First, the belt. The nylon straps I bought were 2.5 metres each, which should be plenty for just about anybody. Wrap the strap around you to decide what length your belt will need in order to fit you comfortable. I suggest leaving some excess length to the strap just in case. Cut off the length you don’t need and seal the nylon edges by running a burning match over the fraying ends quickly (you might need a few tries to get the hang of it, which is where that excess length comes in useful).

Once you’ve sewed on all of the rings you need, your belt is complete. Keep in mind that this version of the belt doesn’t have any padding on the back, which is fine for dogs that don’t pull or smaller breeds. If you have a large pulled, however, or if you’re building the hands-free dog leash for a child, you might want to be careful that the belt doesn’t put too much pressure on the back.

Moving on to the hands-free dog leash itself. Judge how long your leash should be by your dog’s size and how much slack you want to give it when you run. Keeda stands just below my knee and I want her to be in a Heel when we run, so I cut off just enough of the second nylon strap to form a loose “L” when the leash is clipped at my hip and to her collar. I made sure to leave about 10cm of excess strap for the purpose of attaching the clips. Loop about 5cm of the end of the nylon strap through your clip and sew it in place. Sew around all of the borders and sew a V or X pattern into the middle to make sure the stitching is strong and sturdy. Do the same for the second clip. I cannot reiterate this enough – make sure that everything is being held together properly! Don’t do a shoddy job on the stitching or you could wind up in trouble later.

You’re done! Use the clip with two pincers that open equally on both sides and release whatever they’re holding instantly to attach the leash to your belt. This way should you need to urgently release your dog, you can undo the clip quickly and easily.

Test out your new hands-free dog leash and tell me how you go! Check out our results:

The Shar Pei were originally bred to be protection dogs in China. Proper socialization is crucial to this breed as poorly trained and socialized dogs can develop aggressive tendencies due to their natural instinct to guard and protect their owner and territory. With their family, the Shar Pei can be extremely affectionate, playful, and loyal.

The Shar Pei could do well as an apartment dog as long as they get sufficient exercise. Their exercise requirements aren’t overly great, but just as with any dog they do need to stay fit and not be cooped up inside 24 hours a day seven days a week. Even an hour-long power walk per day can be sufficient for some Shar Pei (of course each individual is different). Try to avoid exercising your Shar Pei in very hot weather and go for walks either in the morning or evening during the summer as opposed to taking your Shar Pei out for a walk in the heat of the day. Unlike herding breeds like Border Collies or Australian Cattle Dogs, the Shar Pei does not cope as well in the heat.

As you can see, the Shar Pei can be a great breed if they’re properly socialized and get a daily walk to keep them happy and healthy.

Obesity can cause serious health problems in dogs. Weight gain and loss can also be caused by underlying health problems. If your Shar Pei is obese or experiences sudden weight gain or weight loss, it is always recommended to take it to a vet for a checkup.

Talk to your dog

Your voice can be very soothing to a dog. Talk to your dog and praise it in the car. However, remember to tell your dog all about how well it’s doing when it’s quiet and not whining. Attempting to soothe your dog’s nerves with your voice while it’s whining and acting scared will only reinforce the fearful behavior.

Give your dog a chew toy

Occupy your dog in the car by giving it its favorite chew toy to play with.

Take your dog to fun places

If the only time your dog ever goes in the car is when you’re taking a trip to the vet, you can understand why the car wouldn’t be its favorite place. Start going to more fun places than scary or unpleasant ones – drive to the dog beach, a nice hiking spot, to a playdate with another dog, or other place that your dog actually likes. Show your dog that a car means doing something fun is going to happen.

You can teach an old dog new tricks, so with a bit of patience and dedication you can teach your dog to love the car.