Is Your Dog Obese?

Pet obesity is a growing epidemic. A survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and Mars Inc.'s Banfield Pet Hospital found that more than 50% of dogs and cats in the US are overweight or obese. An article in The Wall Street Journal explored the causes and treatments of pet obesity.

“The main culprit: owners who routinely overfeed pets, don't exercise them enough and are unaware of the severe, and costly, health problems caused by excess weight. Common woes include diabetes, arthritis, kidney failure, high blood pressure and cancer. Research also suggests that pets fed less over their lifetime can live significantly longer.”
 

“To encourage weight discussions, Banfield is rolling out software into its 770 hospitals that will require vets to give pets a Body Condition Score on a scale of 1 (too thin) to 5 (obese) during routine office visits.”

Following feeding directions on packages can still result in overfeeding. Larger breeds need significantly more exercise than smaller breeds. Dog resorts, camps, and treadmills may be appealing, but the cheapest treatment is smaller healthier meals and more exercise for both dogs and owners!

Westminster 2011: Preview Video and Television Schedule

Watch this video of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Press Conference on February 10, 2011. See the six new breeds that will compete in the show, and hear facts from the show co-host on USA Network, David Frei. The Icelandic Sheepdog is the first breed from Iceland to compete.




Below is the television viewing schedule. For more information and interesting facts about the show, read our earlier blog post.

NIGHT 1:
Monday, February 14
Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups
8-9 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network
9-11 p.m. (ET) live on CNBC

NIGHT 2:
Tuesday, February 15
Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, Best In Show
8-11 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network

Breed judging highlight videos are available throughout the day on Monday and Tuesday on the Westminster Web site. These highlights will be available after the show, as well.

To our West Coast viewers: Please note that the West Coast telecast is delayed for your time zone. Since results are posted to our Web site as they occur live, if you want to enjoy the drama of the moment, please avoid the Westminster Web site after 5 p.m. Pacific Time on each evening.

Video: Behind the Scenes of the Puppy Bowl

The seventh annual Puppy Bowl will air on February 6 at 3 pm E/P on Animal Planet. Watch this brief video to learn about the making of the great event. Catch some adorable puppy action before the Super Bowl.

For more videos, visit the Puppy Bowl website. Imagine how easy clean up would be if they had the Doody Digger pooper scooper!

The Most Popular Dog Breeds in the United States

Chocolate
Labrador Retriever

The American Kennel Club just announced the most popular dog breeds in the United States. The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular breed now for 20 years! Here are the top 10 breeds in 2010 based on the American Kennel Club’s registration statistics.

1.    Labrador Retriever

2.    German Shepherd Dog

3.    Yorkshire Terrier

4.    Beagle

5.    Golden Retriever

6.    Bulldog

7.    Boxer

8.    Dachshund

9.    Poodle

10.  Shih Tzu

This is the highest ranking in 100 years for the Bulldog. The Yorkshire Terrier gained popularity, moving from seventh in 2009 to third in 2010. The rankings of three breeds increased dramatically.

 

“The French Bulldog made the largest leap in the past decade, jumping 50 places from 71st to 21st. Other breeds with the biggest increase in rankings over the last decade include the Havanese (from 86th to 31st) and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (from 54th to 23rd).”

View the rankings for 167 dog breeds to discover where your dog ranks. Foxhounds ranked the lowest.

Six New Breeds to Compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Six new dog breeds will compete at the Westminster Kennel Club 135th Annual Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. The show starts on February 14, 2011, and will air on USA Network and CNBC.  The second night of the show, February 15, will air exclusively on USA Network at 8 pm ET.   

The American Kennel Club now recognizes these six new breeds, which will compete in the show.

·       Boykin Spaniel (Sporting Group)

·       Bluetick Coonhound (Hound Group)

·       Redbone Coonhound (Hound Group)

·       Cane Corso (Working Group)

·       Leonberger (Working Group)

·       Icelandic Sheepdog (Herding Group)

Visit the Westminster Kennel Club website to view photos and descriptions of each new dog breed. 

Here are some interesting facts about the Westminster Dog Show.

·       “First held in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is America's second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby.”

·       “Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.” (The first show was held in 1877.)

·       “There have been a total of 299,024 dogs entered in Westminster's 134 shows through 2010.”