TresSugar

Has Fido Fattened Up? Services to Help Your Dog Drop Pounds

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:31:25 PDT

Dog, plus too much food, plus not enough exercise, equals one flabby little Fido. Although a roly-poly pooch might look cute, obesity poses the same health risks for your pet as it does for you. Diet and exercise are key, but if you're having trouble slimming down Sparky, here are some services that can help.

Pooch to 5K
Yes, you read correctly. Just like the Couch to 5K for humans, there's a Pooch to 5K for dogs, a service that offers personal training for the furry loves of your life. Over 40 percent of dogs are overweight, which can lead to joint pain and heart disease, so there's no time like now to get your four-legged friend in tip-top shape. The free Pooch to 5K 12-week training program will help your dog go from lounging around to comfortably running a 5K. What's even better is that you're the one running with your dog three times a week, not the dog trainer, so you too will get in excellent shape. Two paws up!

Keep reading to hear the other ways you can help your beefy Boomer lose weight.

How Much a Pet Is Going to Cost You Each Year

Emily Co — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 PDT

Pets are such a joy to have, but people definitely need to think long and hard before they decide to get one. I've been hesitant about getting a dog, because not only does it take a lot of time and commitment, but raising an animal can also get pretty pricey. Before you take the plunge and fall for a furry friend, make an estimate of what the pet will potentially cost you. Here is a list of basic annual expenses for a variety of pets calculated by the ASPCA.

Small dog: $580
Medium dog: $695
Large dog: $875
Cat: $670
Rabbit: $730
Guinea pig: $635
Small mammal: $300
Small bird: $200
Fish: $35

Keep in mind that getting a pet will initially be a lot more expensive than the annual cost, because you'll have to buy new equipment and pay for the cost of the pet and standard checkups.

Readers Say Pets Are Worth Their Weight in Gold

SavvySugar — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 06:00:00 PST

Wow, readers got pretty passionate when I asked if pets are worth their cost. I guess there are a lot of animal lovers on Sugar (you and me both)! All of the commenters chimed in about how their furry friend is their sun, moon, and stars. Read on to hear what they had to say:

Yes . . . in fact, my dog is snuggled up against me right now, keeping me warm. No one else shows me the unconditional love that she does, and I wouldn't care if I had to go into debt to pay for her care.- bsglrok132
Only $7,000? We spent way more than $20,000 on our lab. Worth every penny and a heck of a lot cheaper than having a kid. - imLissy
Nothing in this world can offer you the same love and affection that a pet can offer you. So yeah, I do think a few thousand dollars is worth it.- Vampyre
The money you'd save by not having a dog (or cat) cannot buy the utter joy that having one gives!!! Also, I would think twice before buying a pet, because there are so many that need good homes (available at your local shelter). Both of mine are adopted, and they are just as good as a dog you would purchase from a breeder. - Vampyre

To hear more, read on.

Happy Easter From Patterbun!

Pet Community — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 07:00:35 PDT

This adorable photo comes from community member Happsmjc in the PetSugar's Dress Up and Play Extravaganza! group.

Happy Easter

Love,

Patterson (& Emmy too!)

PS: I can't believe he puts up with me!!

There's lots of fun stuff going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your posts or advice in the great groups and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

Download of the Day: Fluffy's Log

GeekSugar — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:45:36 PDT

With all the geeky pet goodies my pal PetSugar and I spotted recently, I figured I'd take it a step further with this pet-themed download for Mac users. Fluffy's Log is a purr-fect home for all of your pet's information - health info, schedule, insurance info, and more.

In addition to storing all of your pet's information in one place, Fluffy's Log also automatically generates a lost-pet poster including all of your furry friend's details and your contact information.You can download a free trial version of the service from the Apple website; if you like it, the full program is $25.

Have you found a cool download-worthy treasure you'd like to share with the rest of us? Create a PopSugar Account or log in to your account. Then join the Download of the Day group, where you can submit your favorite downloads and widgets. And you never know, it could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Relax Already: Play With a Pet

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:00:00 PDT

People de-stress in different ways, and if soaking in a warm bath doesn't do it for you, try something a little more active and playful in the four-legged variety. Many studies show the health benefits of pets for relieving stress, reducing high blood pressure, and boosting your mood.

Calm your mind by playing with your pet. If you don't have one, canoodle with your friend's goldendoodle. Pet your neighbor's cat. Visit a shelter and play with the animals there. Aside from a cute face, cats and dogs provide unconditional affection, which is great after a stressful day.

Source

Fit Tip: Be As Excited to Exercise As Your Dog Is

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:00:00 PST

Early in the morning, my dog Bonnie is raring to go. She wakes me up with tons of licks, and paces coyly around the room until I pull my lazy bum out of bed. She can't wait to get outside, not only to "do her business," but to run and jump and chase and play. Every day her boundless energy inspires me to get my body moving, too. She reminds me to stretch and I feel I should do a down dog every time she does. So the next time you see a dog zooming by, catch their buzz and be just as excited to exercise as they are.

If you have a dog that motivates you to get up and go, be sure to check out PetSugar's giveaway to win $250 worth of food, toys, and grooming supplies. Plus, two Kuranda beds will be donated to the animal shelter of your choice. It's a great way to thank your dog for encouraging you to get off the couch and move.

Source

Do Tell: Have You Ever Lost an Animal in a Breakup?

DearSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:00:00 PDT

There's nothing easy about a breakup, but when you own an animal together, things get even more complicated. The way one loves an animal is like nothing else - your pet is your most loyal friend, the one that brings you instant happiness, and your favorite cuddle buddy - so if your partner feels the same way about your four-legged friend, who gets custody? Of course sharing it is always an option, but the constant communication makes moving on that much harder, which is why one person usually ends up saying goodbye to their pet post-split. I've never owned an animal with anyone before, but what about you? Do tell, have you ever lost an animal in a breakup?

Source

You Asked: Can I Use My Dog to Get to My Ex?

DearSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:00:00 PDT

Dear Sugar,
I realize that I am supposed to cut off all ties with my ex-boyfriend, but I've broken the rules. We didn't talk for a month and I haven't seen him since we broke up, but I just texted him about my dog, whom he had cared for a great deal. My dog just got diagnosed with cancer, and my ex about this opened the floodgates for communication. We have arranged for him to see my dog without me present. We haven't talked about ourselves or our lives, it has just about the dog, but I want more. Can I use this tragic situation to my advantage? - Pining Penny

To see DearSugar's answer,

read more. Dear Pining Penny, Using your dog's condition to get to your ex will certainly do the trick, but I think it would behoove you to be honest with him from the start. While I'm sure he appreciates being able to see your dog, it just seems a little cheap to use the dog as a way to get close again. If you miss your ex, just tell him! If this situation does in fact bridge the gap between you, great, but make sure he's aware of your intentions or your plan could actually backfire - he could end up resenting you for using such a sad scenario to your advantage. Like I've said a million times before, honesty is the best policy. Good luck with everything. Source

Handle This: You Make a Big Mistake

DearSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:00:00 PDT

Your new boyfriend went away on a business trip for more than two weeks and left his pet bird in your care. A graduation present from his family, the bird means a great deal to him and holds sentimental value. He's given you very specific instructions on caring for it, with the very explicit declaration that he'll be destroyed if you kill it.

You're not a huge fan of pet birds, but you know that he cares about it, so you do your very best. In an effort to avoid going to his house every day, you decide to bring the bird to your place. One morning when you go to feed it, you find it lifeless in its cage, completely dead. A trip to the pet store confirms that it's really gone. He won't be back for another week, but you feel awful and can't bear the idea of telling him. It's an inevitable conversation, so how would you handle this?

Source