That's Fit

I'm all about helping my family follow a healthy diet, and by family, I mean everyone, including my dogs. I make an effort to buy a high quality dog food, do the vet visits as needed, and keep them free from fleas and heartworms. I like to treat them as well, and I often bring home treats from the neighborhood doggy bakery, and have been known to bake up some doggy biscuits for special occasions.

However, when it comes to my dogs' daily meals, I think I have to draw the line at preparing it myself. I came across a section in All Recipes where they list a number of different recipes for homemade pet food, such as Doggy Meatloaf with Vegetables and Poochie Meat Cakes (both of which take longer to prepare and bake than many of the things I make for the humans in my family).

What do you think? Does homemade dog food cross the line, or is it a great option for pet owners who wish to have more input in their dogs nutrition?

(If you do opt to make a change in your pet's diet, please discuss it with your vet to ensure your furry friend will receive the proper nutrition!)

The health benefits of pet ownership are well-documented -- lower blood pressure and less stress among them. But not everyone is able to keep a pet. Allergies, lifestyle, and restrictions on pet ownership in living spaces can prevent animal lovers from having a pet of their own.

In Tokyo, it's especially hard to keep a pet. The market for apartments is competitive, and landlords are increasingly banning pets from their properties. But a new cafe allows people to reap the benefits that pets can offer, without all the hassles that pet ownership can bring. At the Calico Cafe, customers can drink coffee, order snacks, and shop for a variety of goodies, all while enjoying a cuddle and a purr from the stores many cats.

Would a similar business be popular in the U.S? What do you think?

For my brother's 30th birthday party, we held a special costume party. Guests were asked to dress how they thought they might look 30 years down the road. I dressed up as a "cat lady." I lived alone at the time in a tiny upstairs apartment with two cats, and had taken in my grandparent's cat as well, while they vacationed in Florida. The costume didn't seem to be too far off the mark, all those cats in that little space. My friends and family nodded knowingly.

Fortunately for everyone involved, the cat population in my apartment decreased after that winter. But though my costume was meant to be funny, animal hording is a rare but serious condition. You hear about it every now and then on the news -- a person discovered with an alarming number of animals in their home, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Often, these people are arrested for neglect ,and the animals that are not adoptable euthanized.

MSNBC has an interesting article on why animal hording happens. It often stems, they say, from an abusive or traumatic childhood where animals become the only stable force for a child. In some cases, care-giving becomes compulsive. The condition isn't an isolated diagnosis, but often stems from a combination of attachment disorders, addictive behavior, and personality disorders. It's a sad situation for all involved -- human and animals alike -- but with treatment, people who horde animals can learn to control their behavior.

My husband often says that if our dog's and cats' bad habits were combined into one animal, we'd have grounds to get rid of it. He says it in jest, of course (at least I think he does), but a German family recently discovered that their pet was doing more harm than scratching up the furniture and keeping them up at night...it was harboring the superbug MRSA.

When a family member repeatedly acquired MRSA infections despite treatment, doctors couldn't figure out where she was being exposed to the potentially serious bacteria. All family members originally tested positive, but after treatment all were negative...except for the woman. Finally, it was discovered that one of the family's cats was the carrier.

Doctors believe it was the family who infected the cat originally, not the other way around, so you don't have to fear your feline. The family's pets were all treated and have since tested negative. Now the cats likely back to their normal, run-of-the-mill bad behavior (at least if they're anything like mine).

The majority of Americans have, or have had, a pet as part of their family. Studies have shown that having pets can be really good for your health (lowering heart rate and reducing blood pressure and cholesterol) but pets, like all animals, can also carry disease. If you don't take the right precautions you and your family could end up getting really sick. The very old, the very young, pregnant women, and anybody with a compromised immune system are at the most risk, but anybody could catch any number of nasty things. Here are a few pointers for avoiding pet-related illnesses:

You probably have a favorite brand of bottled water, but what about your dog? When you're out hiking or jogging you may bring water along for your dog in a bottle, but have you ever considered buying water already bottled, specially branded, and marketed just for your four-legged friend?

Fortifido is just that -- bottled water for dogs. Available in flavors like "parsley," "peanut butter," and "spearmint," Fortifido is fortified with vitamins to help promote healthy bones, healthy skin, fresh breath and healthy joints in your dog.

Will you buy it?

Fellow pet lovers know the joy that a animal can bring to your life. Whether it's a dog, cat, or less popular but equally loved animal, pet ownership has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve quality of life. Some people even claim that their dogs have helped them to lose weight. What else can a pet do for your health and well-being? According to eDiets:

• A dog can help you feel more secure on your daily walk.
• Pets help children develop higher self-esteem and build confidence.
• Kids who own pets are generally more involved in activities like hobbies, chores, and sports.
• People who suffer from heart disease and own pets have longer survival rates than those who are pet-free.
• Seniors who own pets tend to be more active and need less medication.
• Pets -- especially dogs -- may help you be more social.

(Of course, pets are also a huge commitment, requiring time, energy, patience, and money. So running out to get a pet when you aren't at a place in your life where you can care for one will only increase your (and your pet's) stress levels.)
What about you? How has your pet improved your well-being?

I don't think it's any surprise anymore that pets can be a great thing for the health of older adults, especially seniors living alone. But for those on restricted incomes (and that's quite a few) the cost of owning a pet can simply be too much. But the Humane Society in Colorado Springs, CO is making a difference in the lives of pets and people through a program called The Senior Citizens Pet Companionship Program. The program not only does the obvious of matching up seniors with happy companionship animals as new pets, but it gives them an annual allowance to help offset the costs of caring for them.

One 77 year old woman named Joan lost almost 40 pounds, stabilized her diabetes, and feels happier and less lonely since adopting a little Jack Russell Terrier named Monty through the program. Now doesn't hearing a story like that just give you the warm fuzzies?

As many of us become heavier in the waist area, are those lovable dogs at home becoming the same way? Those who feed their dogs table scraps (which is a no-no) filled with processed food and other nastiness probably have fat pets. Low and behold, there is a new diet drug that claims to help pets lose weight.

As ridiculous as that sounds, the same adage goes for dogs as for humans: there is no substitute for a good walk (exercise) and good food. Dogs are mammals too, and the same health maladies related to weight can happen to them just like us.

Having a dog and following the "walk every night" rule is a good one 00 it exercises both the pet owner and the animal. Why anyone would need something like Slentrol to help their plump pooches lose weight is beyond me. Just like kids, having a pet is a responsibility, and if there is lack of time to pay attention to your dog (like walking with him or her) or giving that pt dog a bunch of junk food, should you really own one?

I'm currently in Australia on an extended holiday and I learned pretty quickly that homesickness isn't just for kids. Whether you're a kid away at summer camp, a new university student away at college or an adult who has recently moved to a new city, it's totally natural to miss your family, friends, pets and old life back at home.

For me, homesickness struck this weekend, as it was Thanksgiving in Canada. Knowing that all of my family was getting together for dinner, and my friends were enjoying a long weekend together, made me feel terribly lonely and sad. Much like any other situation when someone is missing home, it's not that I'm not having a great time here, it's just that I wish everyone I love from home was here having a great time with me!

If you've found yourself in the situation where you're pining away for family and friends, take a look at these tips from the University of Cambridge on dealing with homesickness. While the advice is aimed toward students, much of it applies to pretty much anyone and could really help you feel a little bit less lonely.

With temperatures soaring around the country, most of us are heading to the pool, retreating to the air conditioning, or finding some other way to beat the heat. But, especially if you have a dog that lives outside, you should also think about how your pets are holding up.

There's plenty of ways to make sure Fido is staying nice and cool this summer -- like letting him inside (or at least make sure there's a shady spot in the yard), and giving him easy access to water so he doesn't dehydrate. However, if you want to take these basic ideas a step further, check out this post from Inventor Spot, that highlights 10 products designed to help you keep your dog safe from the sun.

My personal favorites are the PETCool Therm-ASSURE system (which is essentially climate control for the dog house), Grip Tex Dog Boots (to protect your pooch from hot tar and cement walkways), and the WindChaser Outdoor Misting Fan (that mists your entire patio, and keeps the whole family cool). However, I'm sure all the products could be useful, depending on the particulars of your pet and your home.

Pets have been shown time and time again to benefit people's wellbeing by helping to lower stress, relieve anxiety, and even boost our immunity. In a nutshell, here are some of the great things our furry friends do for our health:

• Dogs and cats are allergy fighters. Studies have shown that children who grow up in households with pets have a reduced risk of developing allergies and asthma.
• Dogs are date magnets. This is not one I would have guessed would be on this list, but it's true that dogs are natural conversation starters and can help people find new friendships and relationships.
• Pets greatly benefit the aged. Whether it's a dog getting an elderly person out for a short walk or a cat curling up on the lap of an Alzheimers patient, studies have shown that animals have a way of improving the quality of life (and sometimes the length of life!) for older adults.
• Pets are good for their owner's mental and spiritual health. People with debilitating diseases and high stress jobs have been shown to suffer less depression and lower blood pressure when they own and love a pet, and petting your cat or dog has been shown to release positive and calming brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.
• Pets benefit your heart. Not only do pet owners generally have fewer symptoms and risk factors for heart disease (like cholesterol) but also people who do suffer heart attacks tend to survive longer afterwards if they're pet owners.

So it's been proven scientifically that having a dog is good for your health, and it's not just because they provide that unconditional love and affection that earned them the title "man's best friend." Having a dog also makes it much easier to get outside and get moving, either walking or jogging, or for some people biking (although that always scares me a little). Well now there's a handy gadget that makes it so you don't have to hold the leash the entire time: the Cardio Canine human harness and dog leash system. It's a belt that goes around your waist with a clip to attach your dog's leash, a place for your water bottle, and pocket for keys or whatever.

This looks great, although make sure your dog is trained well enough not to bolt after a rabbit or other dogs -- getting pulled out of stride like that without your arm to soften the jolt you could easily end up laying on your face or twisting an ankle .


Via Fitsugar

Up until recently, my preschooler viewed our dog mostly as an annoyance -- a pet who sat on her toys, stole her cookies when she wasn't looking, and generally got in the way. Then we gave her the task of taking care of her pet each morning. When she wakes up, she lets the dog out, feeds her (measuring skills, bonus lesson!), and gives her some water. Suddenly, I hear her saying things like "my dog" and petting her and playing with her too. It's been a great lesson for her in responsibility and also caring for another living thing.

There are many reasons pets are good for kids. If you're considering pet ownership, take a minute to check them out. In addition, take some time to do your research about the kind of pet that's right for your home, your family, and your lifestyle.

Who would think that a darling little baby turtle could pose a deadly health risk? Well they can, and they do. Salmonella is often found in turtles as they can carry the bacteria without getting sick. This is nothing new as there was actually a law passed way back in 1975 that prohibited the sale of turtles with a shell smaller than 4 inches in the hope of lessening the risk, but there's no reliable way of telling whether any specific turtle is a carrier. It's possible to contract Salmonella poisoning, or pass it on to others, from simply coming in contact with the turtle itself or its feces. Sadly this issue has come to the forefront recently due to a tragic incident where a 4 week old baby died from Salmonella poisoning transferred to her from a pet turtle.

I'm not a big fan of turtles as pets anyway -- all too often they're scooped up out of the wild only to end up dying a slow horrible death in the hands of people who don't know how to care for them. I say if you're thinking about getting a turtle, don't, and if you've already got one then care for it carefully and wash your hands, etc. Whatever you do, don't go dumping it somewhere -- the little guy can't help it. If you must, find him a good home.