Send us to camp!

Ever thought of sending your dog to summer camp? It could be a fun way to keep our bodies away from obesity. Many Pet camps are made to keep our bodies in shape and healthy for our everyday activites and lifestyle. One specific camp that I always hear my owners talking about the Morris Animal Inn in Morristown, New Jersey.  There are many activities I could take part in at this camp, such as working out on the tredmills, doing arobic swimming, going on nature hikes (my favorite), and even practicing yoga and pilates! I know I would never get bored if I went to a pet camp! This camp isn’t in my area but i’m sure i could find some similar and close to home! It wouldnt only be fun but camp would also be a way to keep my good health up. Our Excercise isn’t the only area these camps focus on, they also offer lodging, spa treatments, grooming, daycare, and then weight-loss programs. I would love to go to a doggy camp like this! Not only would it help my health but also keep me beautiful!

Check out a Pet Camp near you!

We don’t always need someone to take care of us when we are sick!

Hi Everyone, Cash here! I know my owners have had conerns before about my grass eating habit every now and then, but they know now that when i start eating grass i do it to make my body healthier.

Ever find yourself strolling around the park with your owner and always getting told to “stop” when you start to nibble on the grass? Well what they might not know is that we don’t just eat grass because it’s there and because we can, but it’s actually a way to help our upset or gassy stomachs. When we eat the it, the grass blades tickle our throat and stomach lining which will cause us to vomit. Eating grass allows whatever is making our stomachs upset to get out of our bodies.

Many owners may think this is dangerous for our health and that we shouldn’t be eating anything other then our dog food, but the grass does not danger our bodies. Grass contains natural nutrients that we might crave and need in our everyday diet. The only concern our owners should get is when we start consuming too much grass, if we are eating large amounts of grass this probably means there is a more serious illness in our bodies that might need to be treated.

For now, don’t make it a big deal when we are munching on grass! Sometimes our bodies need it!

 

information from: http://dogs.about.com/od/faqs/f/whyeatgrass_petmd.htm

Ever wonder what it’s like to be one of us when playing at the dog park?

Check out this video that shows you what it’s like to be us, playing with all of our friends at the dog park! You’ll see why it’s one of our favorite places to be!

http://www.cesarsway.com/dogbehavior/funnyvideos/Experience-the-Dog-Park-from-the-Dog-POV

We all have our own favorite activity when playing at the dog park. It may be chasing after a ball, catching a frisbee, or just sun bathing; but me, I love wrestling other dogs more then anything!

We need mani pedis too!

Many humans don’t realize how important it is to trim our nails on a regular basis, just like them we need regular nail care as well. Having our nails trimmed helps with our comfort, but also our safety. The longer our nails get the more likely they are to break and crack which can be very painful to our paws. I was due for a nail trimming, so my owners did it themselves. The process was painless and simple, but they had to do some research to know exactly what to do so that they didn’t hurt me, or my nails. they occupied me with one of my favorite toys while i laid there, they also rubbed my belly while they snipped away. My nail trimming process isn’t over, they will trim a little more day by day until they get my nails to the length they should be. They found this diagram that helps explain how and why you should trim a little bit at a time and shows the blood supply to make sure they don’t cut them too short which would cause bleeding.

Make sure if your owners decide to trim your nails themselves that they know the right technique and they use the right equiptment to do so. If they are uncomfortable trimming your nails, they could take you to a groomer so they don’t risk hurting you.

How well are you trained?

All humans wish their doggys could be perfectly trained, listening and acting to their every command.  Us on the other hand,  all we want is to roam free and do what we please. But  for the safety of other dogs and humans it is important we are well trained and remember that our owners are the ones in control. I’ve been very well taught  by professionals to listen when i’m being told a command. Sometimes i get a little distracted by other dogs around me, or even strangers every now and then, but almost of the time i show everyone what a good puppy i am and how well i listen. It’s easier for us to learn commands such as, sit, stay, & come. Roll over isn’t as easy to dogs as the other commands but i have conquered it, no problem. below are a few Stats and Tips from pets 365 to help your puppy or dog be a happy well trained one. 

Just like us, humans have differenent ways of training their minds and bodies to respond to different situations such as eating habits, training their bodies to exercise, or even just healthy living in general. ACI in different ways can act as a trainer for humans, by helping to get them to the place they want to be and helping work on training their bodies.

Watch Your Furry Figure

Hello everyone, it’s Cash. I started thinking about my health today and realized how little i knew about obesity in my world. Some aren’t as lucky as i am when it comes to being taken care of. I get a lot of help by people who love and care for me to keep my diet on track and to help keep my body healthy.  Having your owner let you exercise everyday is one way to help keep our furry bodies clear of obesity. I run at the park everyday for an hour, chasing after tennis balls and wrestling the other dogs to the ground. Just like humans, our exercise schedule and eating habits are important to keep our figure slim and our body as healthy as can be. My puppy figure is important, too much figure could lead to unwanted problems. I found this interesting chart relating to obesity in cats and dogs and it showed me how big of a deal it is. Check it out below.

I have someone to take care of me and help my be healthy, just like the Wellness team at ACI Specialty Benefits that help many people who look for advice in keeping their body and mind healthy.

Hard Days Work

Today I went to work! Bellamy took me to her office because there were lots of kids as visitors today and they wanted to play with me all day! ACI is very pet friendly and everybody there loves to pet me and get me super excited (I love it here!). But sometimes the office can be a little crazy, so I have come up with a few tips on how to have a good Pet-Day at the office!

1. Take a morning walk–Like my favorite Dog Whisperer always says, if I have gotten exercise I am more likely to behave. Plus, it is good bonding time for you and your dog!

2. Practice safe puppying–Puppy proof your office and any office where your dog will be left to explore. Make sure you check the wires around your computer and phone and whatever else could be under the desk.  Remember, if I can chew it, I will find it.

3. Bring entertainment–If I have something to do I will be less tempted to entertain myself with your desk chair.

4. Inform co-workers–Many co-workers want to come up and play with me when they see me. This just gets me over excited and then I am not able to relax afterward. On the other hand, if people come up to me in a calm and relaxed state, then I will have an easier time settling down and remaining the perfect office pet. If you have to, send out an email or post a sign at your desk that lets people know how to greet me.

5. I need breaks too–A long days work can be just as tiring on me as it is on you, so take your breaks with me. Let’s go on short walks around the parking lot, or have an outdoor lunch together!

I love going to the office! And if you follow these tips, then I am sure you and your dog will love it too!

Holiday Treat!

The lovely Francesca

Fall is quickly becoming my favorite time of year! The weather is perfect for walking, the blowing leaves make awesome toys, and with all of the food, I am sure Thanksgiving will be my favorite holiday! Speaking of thanksgiving, my French Bulldog friend Francesca Stewart has given me wonderful ideas and tips for the holidays. Francesca and her owner are both extremely well known for their homemaking abilities and their quick tips that make the holidays easier on everybody!

Here are some of my favorites:

• DIY your own dog toys out of the fall decorations already around the house! (Pinecones are the best!)
• Stay in the kitchen and under the table during Thanksgiving dinner, this gives you premiere access to whatever falls on the floor.
• The human can use the Turkey-Day leftovers for super-special dog treats (I would roll-over a few extra times for some roasted turkey treats!)
• And lastly, if you are going out of town for the holiday, call ACI Specialty Benefits to make your trip as smooth as possible. They also have great ideas on how to keep the holiday stress from piling up!

Remember, the holidays are a time to enjoy the friends and family around you (and don’t forget the food!). So if you feel like you, your four legged friend, or anyone else in your family could use a little help just call ACI and they will surely have something to offer!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!

About Cash

Good day and welcome to my blog! My name is Cash and I am a mixed breed puppy (I think shepherd/terrier, but who can be sure?).  I was rescued by my owner Bellamy and now I have a wonderful home and a wonderful family that loves me. Because I am in this transition period of my life, it can be a little hectic…my new life is much different from the one in the shelter.  Luckily, I have the support of ACI Specialty Benefits! The wonderful staff there has helped me in everything from finding the best-place to make friends, to finding the best vet when I had a nasty case of Pancreatitis.  With all of ACI’s help, I have had many adventures and I will be sure to post the most exciting on the WellPup blog. Enjoy!

Cash and the Pancreatitis bug…

Since I have been out of the shelter, I have found that there are so many things to eat!!! There are bugs all over the sidewalk, plastic bottles in the trash, tasty shoes carelessly thrown on the floor, and there is ALWAYS something edible under the couch. Well one day after a fulfilling meal of wood and grass from the back yard, I began to feel lethargic, nauseated, and downright ill. At first, I thought I could just sleep it off, but when that didn’t work I knew I needed to go see…….the vet.  Now, if you have never been to the vet before, I advise you to stay away at all costs! Usually, it is a dreadful experience where you are poked and prodded and forced to stand on a large metal platform. But THIS time, Bellamy (the human) decided to call her EAP provider, ACI Specialty Benefits. After a quick chat with one of the dog-loving intake specialists (I also could have done it online), they referred me to 4 vets directly within my zipcode! Because this was so easy, Bellamy was able to pick the best vet for our needs and boy was it easy! And because Bellamy didn’t have to take the time out of her day to search through alllllll the vets around us, we were able to get it done quickly and WHAM! I am cured. No more Pancreatitis for me! Now I am back to being a healthy pup, and best of all I am back to rummaging for tasty treats under the cabinets.