Vet aims to help trim down pet obesity

April 12, 2010 By: Krisha Williams Turbeville Category: Dogs, pet health

ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

First lady Michelle Obama and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver have declared war on childhood obesity. Now, Dr. Ernie Ward is waging war on another society ill: canine corpulence.

Ward is founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and author of the new book Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter — A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives. He’s also resident veterinarian on the Rachael Ray Show.

According to Ward, 45 percent of America’s dogs are overweight. And we’ve made them that way. Here are some tips to help man’s best friend slim down: (more…)

Portuguese water dog owners fear Obama effect

February 27, 2009 By: blogadmin Category: Animals and kids, Dogs, Pets in politics, The Dog House

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — It’s nothing against the Obamas. But some Portuguese water dog owners aren’t thrilled the breed is a front-runner for the first family.

The choice could mean a spike in the dogs’ popularity — and that could mean a rise in shady breeders and fickle owners who don’t understand the dogs and eventually abandon them, owners of Portuguese water dogs say. (more…)