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Weighty Matters: Is Your Sunday Dog Overweight?

Weight matters!

Just as in humans, there is an obesity epidemic in companion animals. And, the people who love them are responsible for it.

“Over the past five years,” according to a national survey of 2.5 million pets by Banfield Pet Hospital, “overweight and obesity have increased by 37 percent in dogs, affecting approximately 1 in 4 pets.”

Start with Your Veterinarian

Any weight reduction program should begin with an assessment by your veterinarian to be certain a health or medication issue is not responsible for the weight gain. You should discuss what type of exercise and diet might work best, and if any medical support is needed to succeed.

I sat down with in-home, mobile veterinarian Brian Bourquin, DVM of Dr. B Concierge Veterinary Clinic to learn how your veterinarian can help. He explained that first you need to have, “…a realistic goal of where the dog should be.” To do this, he takes into account the breed characteristics and recommends an ideal weight for that particular dog.

Log that Food

Next, he asks the client to figure out what they are actually feeding. “Everything that is ingested by the dog counts as calories,” he said. That includes food, treats, chews, and table scraps. And, he requests actual measurements in cups, pieces, or ounces.

It may not be just what YOU are feeding your dog. How about the rest of the family? Dog lover, Lynne Schneider told me how she finally got the cooperation of her husband and three sons who were overfeeding their Golden Retriever, Prince. “When I couldn't make one of the vet appointments, my husband filled in and took the dogs – and was told that Prince needed to lose a lot of weight or he would die very early.”

Apparently, the doctor was able to convince the guys to change their ways and Prince is now a trimmer, healthier dog. So make it a family vet visit and family project for best results.

Regular Weight Checks

Do a regular weight check on your animal and keep track of it. Not only is it a way to track progress, but it also can alert you to anything that might be going wrong. “It happens rarely,” Dr. Bourquin said, “but, you can actually lose weight too fast. It needs to be a slow gradual loss.”

More on this Topic

We'll hit this topic again soon with tips on increasing the exercise and calorie burning half of the weight loss equation.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Previously published as one of Penny's City Paws newspaper columns.
Photos: Courtesy of Pooch Hotel

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

November 3, 2013
Weighty Matters: Is Your Sunday Dog Overweight?

Weight matters!

Just as in humans, there is an obesity epidemic in companion animals. And, the people who love them are responsible for it.

“Over the past five years,” according to a national survey of 2.5 million pets by Banfield Pet Hospital, “overweight and obesity have increased by 37 percent in dogs, affecting approximately 1 in 4 pets.”

Start with Your Veterinarian

Any weight reduction program should begin with an assessment by your veterinarian to be certain a health or medication issue is not responsible for the weight gain. You should discuss what type of exercise and diet might work best, and if any medical support is needed to succeed.

I sat down with in-home, mobile veterinarian Brian Bourquin, DVM of Dr. B Concierge Veterinary Clinic to learn how your veterinarian can help. He explained that first you need to have, “…a realistic goal of where the dog should be.” To do this, he takes into account the breed characteristics and recommends an ideal weight for that particular dog.

Log that Food

Next, he asks the client to figure out what they are actually feeding. “Everything that is ingested by the dog counts as calories,” he said. That includes food, treats, chews, and table scraps. And, he requests actual measurements in cups, pieces, or ounces.

It may not be just what YOU are feeding your dog. How about the rest of the family? Dog lover, Lynne Schneider told me how she finally got the cooperation of her husband and three sons who were overfeeding their Golden Retriever, Prince. “When I couldn't make one of the vet appointments, my husband filled in and took the dogs – and was told that Prince needed to lose a lot of weight or he would die very early.”

Apparently, the doctor was able to convince the guys to change their ways and Prince is now a trimmer, healthier dog. So make it a family vet visit and family project for best results.

Regular Weight Checks

Do a regular weight check on your animal and keep track of it. Not only is it a way to track progress, but it also can alert you to anything that might be going wrong. “It happens rarely,” Dr. Bourquin said, “but, you can actually lose weight too fast. It needs to be a slow gradual loss.”

More on this Topic

We'll hit this topic again soon with tips on increasing the exercise and calorie burning half of the weight loss equation.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Previously published as one of Penny's City Paws newspaper columns.
Photos: Courtesy of Pooch Hotel

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

November 3, 2013
Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.
One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …
- “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
- "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
- "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”
We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End

Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
November 1, 2013
Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.
One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …
- “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
- "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
- "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”
We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End

Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
November 1, 2013
Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.
One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …
- “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
- "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
- "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”
We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End

Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
November 1, 2013
Halloween Sights around the Back Bay

Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.

Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.

His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)

While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.

This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.

Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 31, 2013
Halloween Sights around the Back Bay

Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.

Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.

His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)

While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.

This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.

Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 31, 2013
Halloween Sights around the Back Bay

Pumpkins, witches, ghouls, goblins, and flying bats have taken over the usually sedate front yards and doorsteps in the Back Bay.

Looks like the pumpkin above lost a few teeth in a bar brawl.

His pal, on the step below, is just sick about it. (Or else, he ate too much candy!)

While the winner of the tussle smirked at them from his perch, out of reach, in the fork of a tree.

This house on Marlborough Street went on a pumpkin carving spree but, sadly, only a few made it until today. I'm glad we preserved their work in photos.

Elsewhere, there was plenty of evidence of busy spiders and creative minds.

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and TV shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 31, 2013
What’s Open in Boston on Veterans Day 2013, MBTA Schedule Changes

UPDATE: This page is out of date. We have created an ongoing resource page for the Veteran's Day holiday at this link. We update that one each year with any new information that becomes available.

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Veterans Day, information on Boston trash collection, parking meters, and MBTA schedules for Monday, November 11, 2013.

This is an old post: Here is the link to:

This year, November 11th falls on a Monday. That means you can start planning a long weekend.

(Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library ) Photo created: 1877 – 1900 (approximate)

We publish these reminders before each holiday to help you make the most of your time off!

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Open

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes schools, libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with most Banks closed. But, we are noticing that some banks are keeping some branches open so check with your own institution.

Stock market: Open, as are international markets.

Boston Parking: The city says, "City of Boston parking meters are free on Sundays and legal holidays and no time limit is enforced. All other parking regulations, including rush hour restrictions at meters, remain in effect."

Street Sweeping: City says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

Boston Trash Collection: The City says:

Veterans Day Monday, November 11 | 7am -Saturday, November 16, 2013, 5pm

"No Delay of trash or recycling collection in Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Fenway, Leather District, Mission Hill, North End, Roxbury, South Boston, and the South End.

Delay trash and recycling collection a day only if you live in Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

The MBTA indicates it will operate on a weekday schedule: Complete Details Here.

For additional information on routes, schedules, and fares, "please call the MBTA Customer Service Center at 617-222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (hearing impaired TDD 617-222-5146)" or contact them at www.mbta.com.

And, if you have to work: Holiday Pay Information For Retail Establishments from the Secretary of State.

"Retail establishments which operate on New Year's Day, Columbus Day after 12 noon, or on November 11th after 1:00 p.m. are required to pay their employees time and one-half regardless of the number of employees on their payroll."

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: (Photo of the Soldier and Sailors Memorial on the Boston Common: courtesy of the Boston Public Library Collection)

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 30, 2013
What’s Open in Boston on Veterans Day 2013, MBTA Schedule Changes

UPDATE: This page is out of date. We have created an ongoing resource page for the Veteran's Day holiday at this link. We update that one each year with any new information that becomes available.

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Veterans Day, information on Boston trash collection, parking meters, and MBTA schedules for Monday, November 11, 2013.

This is an old post: Here is the link to:

This year, November 11th falls on a Monday. That means you can start planning a long weekend.

(Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library ) Photo created: 1877 – 1900 (approximate)

We publish these reminders before each holiday to help you make the most of your time off!

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Open

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes schools, libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with most Banks closed. But, we are noticing that some banks are keeping some branches open so check with your own institution.

Stock market: Open, as are international markets.

Boston Parking: The city says, "City of Boston parking meters are free on Sundays and legal holidays and no time limit is enforced. All other parking regulations, including rush hour restrictions at meters, remain in effect."

Street Sweeping: City says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

Boston Trash Collection: The City says:

Veterans Day Monday, November 11 | 7am -Saturday, November 16, 2013, 5pm

"No Delay of trash or recycling collection in Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Fenway, Leather District, Mission Hill, North End, Roxbury, South Boston, and the South End.

Delay trash and recycling collection a day only if you live in Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

The MBTA indicates it will operate on a weekday schedule: Complete Details Here.

For additional information on routes, schedules, and fares, "please call the MBTA Customer Service Center at 617-222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (hearing impaired TDD 617-222-5146)" or contact them at www.mbta.com.

And, if you have to work: Holiday Pay Information For Retail Establishments from the Secretary of State.

"Retail establishments which operate on New Year's Day, Columbus Day after 12 noon, or on November 11th after 1:00 p.m. are required to pay their employees time and one-half regardless of the number of employees on their payroll."

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: (Photo of the Soldier and Sailors Memorial on the Boston Common: courtesy of the Boston Public Library Collection)

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

October 30, 2013