Kato relaxing. He wasn’t keen on the photo taking.

When DawgBusiness wrote about pet obesity I knew I had to take up the challenge!

I see pets of all shapes and sizes. And more often than not I see pets that have a little bit extra. Or a lot extra. So many animals are getting overfed and under-exercised. I think the problem is more than people just overfeeding their pets but also the quality of food being fed. Many dog foods contain too many preservatives and not enough solid nutrition. Pet owners don’t understand what is in their food and what their pets need.

Kato is a medium sized dog. Ideally he should be 20 lbs. Right now he is a little pudgy (probably 28 lbs). I don’t know if it is because I have been gone and someone else is in charge of feeding him, or if it is seasonal. I have a hard time keeping people from feeding scraps and treats all the time. He has a really good begging face.  I’m very remiss on his exercise. We need to walk more often. We could also spend more time out at the park or my grandmother’s land. I wish he was more excited about swimming, he is so scared of water.

Kato digging through his goodie bag.

In 2013, I want to work on getting all of my pets on a healthier diet. My two cats are a healthy weight, but I know their overall well being would be improved with a better diet. We are working on transitioning to a homemade raw and I started Kato on supplements. He is a very active dog. We never have to worry about any small critters in our yard! I want to start Kato (and myself) on a walking routine. He already has his trekking backpack (I have one too!). There are plenty of trails in our area. We just have to get out there and do it!

Here’s to a healthier year!