Believe it or not, dogs are born to work. With a few exceptions, most are bred for a particular working purpose, such as herding, guarding, or pulling carts. dog sleeping on couch web sized

So what’s the predominant job our dogs do now? You got it – couch potato.

One of the most common mistakes that we humans make is misreading what our dogs are saying. Our dog’s body language may say one thing but we interpret it as something else. Take for example a hug. We do it all the time. Because I cherish my dog and want to share my love and affection with him, I hug him. But does he know why I’m hugging him? Actually, he doesn’t read it as affection at all. To him, it symbolizes dominance and an invasion of his space.

We get this question a lot – what is Pilates? The Pilates method was developed by Joseph Pilates. As a child, he was unhealthy and studied many forms of self-improvement drawing from Eastern practices and Zen Buddhism. Through his studies, he was motivated by the Greek’s ideal of man who was perfected through the development of body, mind and spirit.

If your dog is 30% above his normal weight, he is obese. Do you realize that by allowing your dog to get obese, he may be facing serious health issues? Like people, extra pounds put additional stress on every organ in the body and the consequences can manifest itself in sickness and worst case, death. Some of these health issues include,

What is it about the belly rub? Whenever I try to pet my dog Yankee, he immediately rolls over and wants a belly rub. Why is that? Do all dogs want belly rubs? Why does it feel so good? When I scratch his belly in just the right way, Yankee will fall asleep. If I don’t do it just right, it sends his back leg into motion, trying to scratch away at what seems to be tickling him.

We all know the saying “use it or lose it”. This saying not only applies to us, but also our dogs. We all need to exercise regularly. Our dogs need regular, moderate and healthy exercise. The proper level of exercise depends on a number of factors, including age, weight, physical condition, and more.

Most people are under the assumption that mixed breeds are healthier than purebreds. There is some logic to this. When two or more breeds are blended together, we assume the chance of inheriting a breed–specific disease or condition is less probable. Designer breeds have become very popular because of the notion that breed blending produces healthier dogs.

In my neighborhood there are lots of people out daily walking their dogs. I live in a residential area where often cars cut through to get to nearby streets, sometime at excessive speeds. It’s obvious to most people then that anyone walking their dog needs to have the dog on leash to prevent a possible accident. There are other good reasons to keep a dog on leash, such as to keep him from getting into something you don’t want him to, or to keep him from chasing the neighborhood cat.

I was talking to a friend the other day who has a 7 month old lab. She talked about how much energy he had and that she’d been running with him for a few miles each day. I suggested she rethink that, and she asked why. Labs and other larger dogs have growth plates that don’t close until the dog is over a year old.

I’ve been thinking recently about canine massage and why many people view it as a luxury rather than a necessity. In the human world, massage is routinely prescribed by doctors these days because the medical benefits are so clear and are growing daily.

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888