Joint problems, BARF diet & exercise

[Dawn_Elise]

Yesterday I read a book by Ian Billinghurst, "Grow your Pups with Bones", which has a very good section on lameness. Billinghurst is a vet from Australia who has been in practice since the '70's.

He believes all the skeletal problems listed by German are due to diet and over exercise. He recommends the BARF diet, detailed in "Give Your Dog a Bone". It stands for bones and raw food. I was directed to this diet by a friend and trainer who had great success with this diet and her older rottie.

I am sure I have been feeding too much protein and too much calcium, just as Billinghurst and German mentioned. (It's tough being a novice; everyone's an expert!)

I was unaware of the limited exercise too. Lily and I used to take 1 hour hikes at the local state park, just walking, but still I think that must be too long now. Comments?

Billinghurst says a pup's exercise should be chewing raw bones and normal yard play. Well Lily's yard play is lounging under a tree all day! I don't think I am ready for a playmate until she is trained.

We do have a "puppy party" every day at a local park. Dogs play off leash from 4-sunset. Nice for socialization but I always have concerns about aggressive dogs and nasty germs. I learned that a friend attended a dog show and her 2 year old rottie picked up pneumonia and died!

This is more challenging than kids!

[German Vanegas]

I too started out as a novice... the difference is, it was 25 years ago. Don't feel bad, you are researching and learning a lot... that it's the whole key to become an expert. Best regards!