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Diet Bites Explores Pet Fitness

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A nutritious dog biscuit recipe is included in this article.

Has your little pumpkin been putting on a little extra padding lately? Kitchen goodies could be one of the reasons for that unwanted added girth.

Our pets are a lot like us. One of the main pleasures in life is eating, and like us - they love to eat!

Though this article's focus is on dogs, the information can be applied to most of your other pets, too!

Imagine this...

It's Sunday afternoon and football is in season. It's just you, your pet poochie Zelda, and the super-sized bag of cheese flavored snacks. First thing you know, your quarterback makes a mad dash across the field during the last 10 seconds of the game for a touchdown to win!

After you've finished dancing around the den you pause to look at your empty cheese flavored snack bag. How did this happen? You and Zelda have managed to finish off the entire contents. It's evident by the orange on your fingers and on her nose.

No doubt that all those calories and added fat aren't going to be kind to you when you hop on the scales during the next few days. But, what about Zelda? On the last visit to the vet she weighed in at 18 pounds - 4 pounds over what is considered normal weight for a dog her height and frame.

Zelda will blow up faster than the Hindenberg from her feast of cheese flavored snacks. Just a single serving of those orange flavored devils contain about 200 calories - which is close to her daily allotment.

And isn't it a shame that cheese flavored snacks aren't healthy? Not for us, and certainly not for Zelda. Her consumption accident is going to cause her weight to reach dangerous levels very quickly. In addition, gorging on goodies can create all sorts of health problems for your pet such as gastric upset, diarrhea, vomiting and can even contribute to pet diabetes. And if you've ever been in the company of an overweight dog, you've probably heard a lot of belching noises. They also tend to look like they are in total discomfort.

Your pet's nutritional intake is dependent upon several factors. Some of the things to consider are:

- the type of pet you own
- the physical composition of your pet
- the metabolism of your pet
- the activity level of your pet
- your pet's daily vitamin requirement
- your pet's stress level
- your pet's persuasion power (begging)

It's very difficult to say no to a begging pet. They are cute, pitiful, adorable and irresistible when they are in this mode and they know it! A pet can arrange the most appealing expression on its face during begging season. Your pet probably knows how to work you well. You are merely the string tied around their little paw.

So, what's a pet owner to do? Well, next time Zelda settles in for some food comfort time with you, try the following:

- Put all snacks away. Make it a practice to only eat at mealtimes and even then, eat in seclusion, away from your pet. Not only will your overweight pet benefit, you will too!
- Take your pet for frequent walks. Play games with your pet.
- Ask your vet to provide you with an idea of the amount of food you should be feeding your pet and stick to that amount until your pet drops some pounds.
- There are several brands of pet food on the market that were developed to help our pets conquer unwanted weight. If your pet likes to eat, they'll probably be just as content with the healthy version as they are with the unhealthy version.
- Even your pet experiences levels of stress. Maintaining a happy environment goes a long way in reducing stress for your pet.

Be patient and success will come. The future looks very promising for pets, with the onset of pet health insurance and many other medical discoveries. Before we know it, perhaps there'll be diet programs popping up all over the country, specifically for pets! Can't you just imagine the names of these nifty clinics? Weight Watch Dogs? Me'tag'o'life?

Dog-Gone Good Dog Biscuits - No MSG

Have some fun experimenting with this basic dog biscuit recipe by adding spices, lean bacon bits, sausage morsels, fat-free bullions and dehydrated vegetables. This recipe is guaranteed to get someone's tail wagging and is much healthier than most boxed biscuits that contain mystery ingredients.

Grab a bowl, a large spoon, one hungry dog and the following ingredients. These are so tasty that your dog may need a protective bib. Wolf!

Basic Recipe

4 cups of whole wheat flour
4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup of white or yellow cornmeal
8 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
10 beef bouillon cubes
½ cup of boiling water

Dissolve beef bouillon cubes in boiling water then add oil. Combine flours and cornmeal, then add the dissolved bouillon and oil. Mix dough to form a ball. The dough will be stiff. Roll onto floured board and cut into desired shapes by using cookie cutters.

Bake the biscuits in a preheated 300-degree oven for about half an hour. As the biscuits cool they will harden. Allow overnight for thorough hardening. Store in an airtight container.

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