dogs

They say pets are like a mirror image of the owner. So a well-balanced pooch means a well-balanced you. Taking care of your dog’s health can be as simple as first getting to know his dosha…

We found our dog, an Airedale/coonhound mix, while on a hike deep in the jungles of Kauai. Starving, flea-ridden, and skittish, the malnourished dog managed to keep up with us for the entirety of our 5-mile hike, lured along by a stale granola bar we had packed. As soon as my husband named him (Mohihi Wai’ale’ale, or Mohi for short, after the trail on which he was found), it was game over. We brought him home.

It can be hard to look away from puppy-dog eyes when you’re enjoying a piece of meat, a cube of cheese, or (in the case of me and my dog, Mohi) a slice of cucumber. Providing your pet with treats is fun, rewarding, and useful as a way of positive reinforcement training. Unfortunately, much like their human counterparts, many dogs, cats, and even smaller critters don’t receive enough exercise and thus can be victims to weight gain, lethargy, and the host of symptoms that overeating can bring.

Imagine feeling anxious: your palms sweat, your mind races, and you feel sick to your stomach. Sometimes anxiety comes out in the form of obsessive nail biting, while other times it rears its head in avoidance. Unfortunately, dogs can also have anxiety and while their paws can’t sweat and we don’t know for sure if their minds start to race, we do know the behavior that can come out: destruction.

Despite my best efforts, there are some days where the only exercise I get is from walking my dog.  I’ve mentioned this to people (I’m looking at you, doctors!) who give me a look that clearly says “I’m trying not to roll my eyes right now” while telling me that I should really do more regular “real” exercise.  So let me explain: my dog walks aren’t leisurely strolls where we stop to sniff the sunflowers—my puppy pal and I set a brisk pace and incorporate all kinds of cross-training into the routine to make it a little more exciting and a lot more beneficial for our bods.

Several fruits, vegetables, and nuts that are touted as superfoods to humans are surprisingly toxic to dogs—toxic enough, unfortunately, to kill your pet. What benefits us might not benefit our pets, so it’s important to ensure that certain foods always remain far out of reach for a dog, cat, or even bird. Not sure what’s toxic and what’s not? Here’s a list of foods to put on your “Not for Fido” list and another for the open-door policy—whether that means leftovers, treats, or homemade dog food. 

Springtime can be tough on people who experience allergies, and summertime, while slightly better, can still be a rough season for those allergic to pollen and environmental toxins. Just like humans, however, pets can also suffer from seasonal allergies due to a variety of reasons. Last week, for example, I brought my dog on a camping trip to the nearby mountains.