Missy and Prince went in for their annual vet visit yesterday morning. Everyone there was impressed that I had slimmed Missy down from 84 pounds to a svelte 72 pounds. Prince also lost a couple of pounds; down to 64 from 66.
Missy should be between 70 and 75 pounds and Prince should be around 65 pounds. Since I don't weigh them, I try to guage their weight by feeling how much fat is on their ribs. Actually, having put in the fence in the front yard did most of the work of getting Missy trim for me.
Since installing the fence, she and Prince can play and run together, something that wasn't very practical when Prince had to stay on the cable (and the pen is not big enough for them to stretch out and run). There is also plenty of room for us to throw a frisbee or ball for her to chase, so even if Prince isn't in the mood to tussle, she still gets plenty of exercise; she is tireless when playing fetch, we literally have to make her take rest breaks.
Since we don't have to worry about her "greeting" people that are biking/walking down the road, we have her (and Prince) out whenever we are out in the yard, so if nothing else she exercises herself by following us and trying to get us interested in a game of fetch.
Whenever the two dogs go to the vet, they (the vets, receptionist and interns) always exclaim over how shiny their coats are. The black parts of their coats shimmer in the light, at times almost looking a blue/black. "Did you just bathe them?" is the question that usually leads into the discussion about how good their coats look. "Nope, they haven't had a bath since sometime in July," is what gets to them.
How do they stay so shiny then? I don't think I have any deep secrets to it, and I'm not sure what the secret ingredient is, but I do supplement their daily food. Once a week they each get an egg and a couple of time a week I add a bit of flax oil in their dinner. They also get garlic pills, echenasia and alfalfa in their breakfast. Although I think the egg and flax oil help keep their coats shiny, I think the real secret is that I brush them at least once a week (and no, they weren't brushed just before going to the vet's). When they are shedding, of course, I brush them more often.
Not only does brushing help keep their coats shiny by removing dead, dull hair, but it also keeps me aware of any changes in their bodies. Even short hair can hide lumps, bumps and minor wounds so brushing them once a week lets me check for anything that might cause problems down the road.
This started as a post on the trip to the vet and ended as a post about keeping the dogs in good shape. How the hell did that happen?
Because you are a proud mommy. Nice looking kids, ya got there, by the way.
Posted by: Wichi Dude | September 28, 2003 at 12:22 PM
You're probably right. They got their looks from me by the way.
Posted by: bogie | September 29, 2003 at 05:29 AM