How A Dog Helps You Lose Weight

Article Title: How A Dog Helps You Lose Weight
Author: Dorrie Ruplinger

If you are one of those people that find it hard to motivate
yourself to exercise like you should, enlist the help of your
furry four legged friend, your dog.

Dogs love to go for walks. Even if you are not feeling
motivated and up to a daily walk, your dog is still more than
happy to follow you around with those puppy dog eyes waiting
for you to give in and go.

At our dog's last vet visit, we were told our dog needed to
lose a few pounds and were asked about how much exercise she
got. Although we live in the country on several acres of land
where our dog has the freedom to romp and play at will; our vet
pointed out it's not the same as giving her daily exercise like
a walk or run would. And, he only half-jokingly pointed out as
he patted my husband's found stomach, it a daily walk with the
dog wouldn't do my husband any harm either.

So a few month's ago the daily walks with our dog and my
husband started. I go along on the walks but I don't actually
hold the leash because our dog doesn't really walk, she pulls
on the leash like an Alaskan sled dog because she wants to go
faster and smell more things. I have a hard time controlling
the dog when she's in the mood to pull on the leash like that,
which is most of the time and she's not a huge dog, she weighs
less than 50 pounds but she's strong enough to nearly pull my
husband off his feet if he's not paying attention when she sees
a rabbit or squirrel that she thinks needs to be chased.

At first the walks were only a mile in duration. Now my husband
and dog, her name is Montana, walk three to four miles a day,
walking for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. There are days my
husband does not feel like going for a walk. But, Montana knows
the routine at our house. After my husband walks in the door at
night and has eaten she knows it is time for a walk. That's
when Montana starts to act like she glued to my husband. She
follows him around the house, dancing around him, licking his
hand when she can, wagging her tail, and looking at him in that
happy "we are going for a walk now aren't we" way.

Even on the nights he has looked at her and said "Montana, I
don't feel like going for a walk tonight," the dog just tilts
her head as if to say "But we have to go." Now that the dog is
used to the routine of walking, my husband never lasts more
than 10 minutes after saying he doesn't want to walk. He gives
in and goes because he can tell how much Montana wants to go
because like any dog worth its furry coat, she doesn't give in.
She just keeps waiting and being excited about that walk and
stays right next to my husband as a reminder that he needs to
take her. Now, even if it's raining (or snowing) they go for a
walk.

They have only missed a few nights and that was because it was
storming with lightning. On those nights my husband rewarded
the dog by playing a game where he chased the dog (yes, he
chased her around the house much to her delight), and played a
long game of tug of war with her to tire her out and make her
not miss her walk too much.

Has all that walking helped? It sure has. When our dog got her
shots last week she had lost two pounds. My husband has lost
nearly 10 pounds over the last three months by going on the
daily walks. He hasn't made any modifications to his diet or
added any other exercise. Just the walking itself has resulted
in the weight loss for him.

I'm not advocating that you get a dog just to help you exercise
every day. But if already have a dog, get up off that couch and
take him or her for a walk every day. It will be good for both
of you. And, if you have been wanting to get a dog anyway and
are ready for the commitment of caring for a dog and giving it
the exercise it needs, then visit your local pound and talk to
them about adopting a dog who needs a loving home.

About The Author: Dorrie Ruplinger is a featured writer for
http://www.LoseWeightForChristmas.com. Visit the website for a
free report on how to lose 10 pounds before Christmas.

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Dog Magazines

Article Title: Dog Magazines
Author: James Brown
Immanuel Kant very wisely once said, "We can judge the heart of
a man by his treatment of animals". However, your affection for
animals or pets may not necessarily qualify you to be the best
judge of how to handle them. Even experts go wrong sometimes -
case in point, Steve Irwin, god rest his soul. It should not
offend your ego to know that you do need guidance sometimes
with these four-legged, or winged, beings. And that is why
there are so many magazines trying to help you out.

A Portuguese proverb says that a house without a cat or a dog
is the house of a scoundrel. If you have a dog, there is a
barrage of dog-specific magazines in the market, and some of
these may take you beyond toilet training with newspapers.

The most popular breed of dogs that are considered ideal
members of the family is the Labrador, and the Just Labs
Magazine is committed to these black, yellow or chocolate dogs.
The Retriever Journal is another full-colored periodical that
offers brilliant training techniques. This should be ideal for
families, who want to cash in on the inherent fetching
abilities of this breed.

While we are on the topic of families, there is no denying that
the relationship between a dog and a child can be very intense.
Why not let the kids take responsibility for a well-trained
dog? The Dogs for Kids Magazine trains kids to train their
canine friends. There is also a section on jobs for dog lovers.

If you are a dog lover, who cannot keep a dog at home, then
open a kennel. The Dog And Kennel Magazine will show you how to
maintain it - grooming, feeding, training, etc. You will be a
popular person, because you will be taking care of man's best
friend, and loving every minute of it.

If you are fortunate enough to be living in a sprawling
countryside mansion, with acres of land to romp around in, then
it is inevitable that you will have a pet that belongs to the
Pointer family. And if you want to train your dog to hunt
birds, then the Pointing Dog Journal is the magazine for you.

There are times when you want to show your dog off. Local dog
shows add to the excitement and pride that you feel for your
pet. To make sure that your best friend shines, refer to the
Dog Fancy Magazine. It will give you guidelines on your dog's
fitness, diet, manners and breeding. This magazine also has
true stories of dog owners and their pets. If you already know
how to keep your dog well-mannered and healthy, you can always
opt for the Dog World Magazine, which will give you tips on how
to prepare for a dog show.

About The Author: James Brown writes about
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Pet Insurance - A Good Idea!

Article Title: Pet Insurance - A Good Idea!
Author: Michael Challiner

Ever thought about taking out insurance to guard against pet
theft? It is probably something you think most people have
never needed to worried about. But that is quickly starting to
change.

Statistics reveal that pet theft has overtaken mobile phone and
ipod robberies to become the most rapidly growing crime in the
UK. Each year, there are 50,000 dogs which are snatched from
their owners. Of those victims, 40,000 had pet insurance. This
sort of insurance can offer help in various ways.

First of all, the insurance pays for the costs of advertising.
It also pays for the costs of offering a reward. Then, when you
find your dog, it will provide the financial assistance to get
the animal back home. You can claim anything from £200 to £1000
depending on your insurance policy.

Then, in the unfortunate instance that your pet is never
recovered, the insurance company will pay anything from £500 to
£1500 for the value of your dog, provided that the animal has
been missing anything from 30 to 90 days.

You can take out claims with insurance companies like PetPlan,
E&L, Marks & Spencer and the Kennel Club is another. In fact,
many mainstream insurers also offer cover as well and you can
find out about quotes for different companies through the
internet. If you do pay for your policy online, it can be the
case that you can claim an online payment discount.

Some of the problems that cause pet theft in the case of dogs
is that the owners don't take enough care with respect to their
dog's security. Owners leave their dogs tied up loosely outside
shops and the advice from experts is that by doing this you are
making your pet easy prey for a criminal.

Pedigree pets in particular are targets. So are dogs owned by
celebrities. A criminal might not steal the pet because it is
high quality, but so they can make a ransom demand for the
animal to be returned.

Along with taking out insurance, there's also other things you
can do to guard against your dog's safety. This includes making
sure that your dog wears a collar and identification tag with
your contact details displayed on it. Dogs can also be
micro-chipped or tattooed so they can always be identified. The
Kennel Club Pet Reunification Service offers this service.

Keep all of your dog's documentation in a safe place. Also keep
a photo of your dog from the side so it can be easily
identified. But more importantly, don't let your dog out of
your site by not tying it up and leaving it. Keep the animal
secure in your back garden where it can be seen. Don't walk
your dog without a leash, leave it inside or lock it in a car
all alone.

If in the unlucky instance your dog does get stolen, report it
to the police. Then contact the local dog warden. If your dog
is micro-chipped, contact petlog or visit the organisation's
lost and found data base - http://www.doglost.co.uk

About The Author: Michael has worked in financial services for
over 15 years. He now writes for a number of UK based financial
web sites. Insurance bazar provides articles based around
insurance for uk residents. New and up to date articles from
insurance bazar http://www.insurance-bazar.co.uk

Travelling With Pets

Article Title: Travelling With Pets
Author: Abby Johnson

If you're moving or you want to take your pet on holiday with
you, chances are that you will want fly to wherever you are
going to. So it's good to know what you can do and what you
can't so your pet is exposed to as little trauma as possible.
If you know in advance exactly how you can travel with your
pet, it means you don't have to waste time at the airport which
could be tough on you and your pet.

Traveling with pets means you are subject to a different set of
rules. It would help if you are familiar with them even before
you book your tickets. First of all, check whether the airline
you plan to go in allows pets as not all do. Then clarify if
the pet you have will be allowed onto the flight. Again,
certain pets might be allowed, certain others may not. If you
go ahead and book without being sure, you could end up at the
airport with your pet and not be allowed on board. Be very
specific when you ask for information before you book your
ticket.

You will have to bear in mind that your pet will have to be
kept contained during the flight. So your dog or cat or bird
will have to be put into a carrier. Again, enquire about what
kind of carrier needs to be used. Not all carriers are allowed
on board. Then find out whether your pet can travel with you or
has to be checked in like baggage. Some airlines insist on this.
There are a few rules you will have to follow if you take your
pet into the cabin with you. Your pet can in no way affect the
well-being or the peace of the others passengers. Remember not
to place the carrier on any seat, even if it is empty and do
not place it on the aisle where it can trip up a passenger or a
member of the crew. Each airline has its own set of regulations
over and above this.

Ensure that all your pet's documents are in order. Here again,
it would be good to check when you are booking your ticket so
that you have enough time to make sure all his vaccinations
have been done and no shots that need to be given have been
forgotten in that last-minute rush. These are necessary not
only to protect your pet but also all the other passengers he
is traveling with. Some airlines need for you to have a medical
examination just before boarding so they are assured that your
pet is healthy enough to fly.

Once you have everything ready, your tickets, your pet's health
papers, the right carrier, make sure that you get to the airport
earlier that check-in time. This just helps iron out any
last-minute hiccups should they occur. And you can, no doubt,
have enough time to sort out things and board your flight
without problems. Both your pet and you will have to go through
airport security and your pet too will have to go through the
metal detector. It is likely that the pet carrier he is in will
also be subject to checking. It usually involves sending this
through the X-ray machine together with your carry-on bag. In
this case, very often, it is just the carrier that goes
through, not your pet.

However, there are airlines that say a big No to pets. Which is
why it is so important for you to make sure whether or not your
pet will be allowed well ahead of your traveling time. Some
airlines that do allow you to might charge quite a bit extra
for a pet. Do enquire about all the details before you buy that
ticket!

About The Author: Abby Johnson is a staff writer at
http://travel-gazette.com and is an occasional contributor to
several other websites, including
http://www.lifestylegazette.com.