February is American Heart Month, a good time to review how you keep your dogs fit. Keeping them in good condition is critical to your breeding program, and educating your puppy buyers will help them ensure their dogs have long, healthy lives. They need to know that their dogs, just like humans, need good nutrition, exercise, and regular checkups to give them the best chance at good health.
AKC GoodDog Helpline trainer Shawn Hart enjoys keeping her Whippets in good shape with an active lifestyle and participation in several dog sports. Below, she shares tips for you to share with your buyers.
- Limit table scraps, adhering to a lower-sodium diet (no deli or cured meats). No shellfish or foods with salts or seasonings.
- Staying physically active keeps the heart muscle strong and reduces blood pressure.
- Keep dogs’ weight in check. Obesity in dogs is very common now and many owners don’t know how to recognize it in their dogs:
- Ensure your dog has a waist.
- You should easily feel your dog’s ribs when you place your thumbs on the backbone and spread fingers across the rib cage.
- If your puppy’s ribs, lumbar vertebrae, and pelvic bones are visible from a distance, your puppy may be underweight.
- Annual exams to early detect a heart murmur, irregular heartbeat. Dogs can hide heart disease, so it’s important to schedule regular veterinary checkups.
- Heart problems are often congenital abnormalities, and some breeds are more at risk than others. Know your breed and the recommended tests published by the parent club. Almost every AKC breed parent club requires heart screenings in order for dog to obtain a Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) number.
- Talk with your vet about supplements, such as Coenzyme Q, which can slow the progress of heart disease and omega-3 fatty acids. Both L-carnitine and taurine are amino acids that are good for your dog’s heart.
- Weight management for puppies – a puppy being fed a “complete and balanced” diet should not need additional supplements.
Encourage your puppy buyers to look into AKC Companion Sports, Performance Sports, and the AKC Family Dog Program for ways to have fun, get healthy, and maybe even earn titles with their best friends. AKC’s Fit Dog is the perfect place to start!