Canine metabolic workouts generally come in two varieties: (1) “hard and fast” and (2) “slow and steady.” Some examples of hard and fast workouts are fetch games, jumping drills, full-speed agility coursework, off-lead running, and any other activities that require your dog to gallop intermittently at or near top speed. Slow and steady workouts are […]
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[This article is part of our “Evidence Round-Up” series, the purpose of which is to explain what published, peer-reviewed scientific papers and other credible evidentiary sources have to say about common nuggets of canine health and fitness “wisdom.” If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in the next installment of the series, please […]
If you’re reading this blog then you probably fancy yourself a pretty responsible dog owner. You probably hear us droning on and on about the prevalence of canine obesity and think to yourself “that’s a good point, but I’m part of the solution, not part of the problem. I work hard to keep my dog […]
If you want to help your dog lose body fat, become the Optimal Dog, and live the longest and happiest life her genes will allow, there are two fundamental strategies that you can use: (1) diet and (2) exercise. Obviously, these strategies aren’t mutually-exclusive. Meaning that you don’t have to just pursue one option or […]
Energy powers everything your dog does. Not “like everything,” but literally everything. Jumping, running, barking, eating, drinking, panting, slobbering, feeling excited when she sees you, learning a new command, snoring like a chainsaw, growling at the delivery guy, pooping in the living room, fighting off an infection, blinking her eyes, dragging a sled across the […]
Your dog’s veterinarian can be a tremendous resource in your quest to optimize your dog’s health and fitness. Vets are full of unique specialized knowledge and usually have years of experience helping dogs just like yours. They can diagnose latent problems, recommend the most effective interventions, and give you lots of helpful tips and tricks […]
Domestic dogs evolved from wolves some 15,000 years ago. When it comes to temperament, the animals are obviously quite different—the wolf is in every sense a “wild” animal, while the dog is the quintessential domesticated one. But when it comes to how the “below the neck” organs function and interact—particularly those organs relating to digestion […]
If there is a core principle at the heart of every morsel of health and lifestyle advice that we give away here at VP it could well be this: If you want your dog to live a long and happy life, you must minimize the amount of excess fat in her body. (We’ve expanded on […]
It has been my experience that most people believe that they make healthier lifestyle decisions than their generational predecessors. There is a compelling causal narrative at the core of their beliefs: scientific researchers uncover new truths about the world every day; as that newly-discovered information trickles down into the mainstream over time, we all become […]
At Varsity Pets we beat our anti-body-fat drum loud and proud. Body fat kills dogs. And we want our dogs to live for a long time. So we’re against body fat. The purpose of this article is to explain one of the reasons why body fat is so dangerous, not only for dogs but for […]
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