As we go into the holiday season it goes without saying to watch for all the hazards of decorations, open doors with company, and amounts of food or treats your best friend receives.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (www.Petobesityprevention.org) indicates that 52.7 percent of dogs are overweight (of that 35.1 percent overweight and 17.6 percent obese) as well as 57.9 percent (of that 29.8 percent overweight and 28.1 percent obese) of cats. That is a very large number! How to tell if your pet is overweight: ribs are easily felt; tucked abdomen, no sagging stomach; waist when viewed from above; see the body conditioning scoring chart on their web page.

Check your pet’s ideal weight range on the chart listed by breed of dog or cat. Especially note the pet-to-human weight equivalent chart listed by breed. As on www.RoversRestStop.com under the Rover’s Raves tab is Alex the Cocker Spaniel. He came in at 50 plus pounds. According to the chart he was 82 percent overweight; equal to a 264 pound 5’4” woman and a 308 pound 5’9” man. You can also see the photos looking from the top and side – his photos are amazing and he still had a few more pounds to go when those were taken. Love you Alex!

As with people, the extra pounds contribute to osteoarthritis; insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes; high blood pressure; heart and respiratory disease; cranial cruciate ligament injury; kidney disease; many forms of cancer; and decreased life expectancy (up to 2.5 years). We want them around as long as possible.

You obviously know where this is going. I recommend two walks a day for at least 30 minutes and preferably an hour. According to Cesar’s Way, exercise and watching the intake of type and amounts of food, as well as exercise, is the way to go. Visit www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesarsblog/Areyoukillingwithkindness. When owners relinquish their pets to Rover’s Rest Stop that is one of the first things we address. We exercise and feed as natural as possible to get them healthy.

The Cottonwood Pet Parade and our regular adoption event (November 7 and 14) have been canceled due to over seeding the greenbelt areas. We will, however, participate at the IronOaks Women’s Connection annual vendor show November 12. Check our calendar for updates. If one of the kids strikes your fancy, call for a meet and greet. You just might fall in love!