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Saturday, Sep. 26, 2009

The Old Trainer: Malamutes need exercise

Dear Old Trainer: My 4-year old malamute, Traveler, is overweight, but he is always hungry so I hate to cut his feed back. I leave food down in his dish all the time in case he needs to eat. How much should I feed a dog this size?

Concerned, South Lake Tahoe

A: Fat on a dog is just as big a health concern as fat on a human, Concerned.

The weight for a male malamute should be around 90 pounds. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to feel the ribs, but not see them. If you cannot feel Traveler's ribs then it is a sure sign that (a) you are feeding him too much, and (b) he is not getting enough exercise.

It is hard to give a malamute all the exercise he needs. Traveler is a good name for the breed because they can cover 30 miles a day without even breathing hard. Make sure you walk him every day, or, if possible, ride a bike and let him trail along. Ten miles a day running beside a bike will not be a strain for a malamute.

Proper feeding is much easier to accomplish. Years ago, a vet from the Bay area devised a diet that works well for the cold weather breeds: one-third rice, one-third meat or chicken and one-third commercial kibble. Avoid kibble where the first ingredient listed is corn. Cook a pot of brown rice at the beginning of the week and mix it with the other two ingredients.

For a young dog like Ralph, I advise ¾-cup of the mix per 15 pounds, but only if you make sure he exercises every day. Based on an average weight of 90 pounds, that would be four and a half cups daily, but Ralph needs to lose weight, so begin with four cups daily.

Follow the "predator's diet" used by zoos when feeding the big cats, and feed him once a day. If you give him a treat during the day, deduct that from the total.

Start exercising Ralph immediately. Cut his food to the proper amount, and you will see results in a few weeks. If you don't, Ralph will soon have a figure like Clemenza in "The Godfather" when he heads out the door and his wife tells him, "Don't forget the cannoli!"

Dear Old Trainer: You said it is OK for your dog to walk in front of you during the daily walk, but a woman who breeds dogs says that unless I tell Brown Sugar, my chocolate lab, to heel, she will think she's the alpha dog. Who is right?

Conflicted, Chowchilla

A: This is more nonsense from those in the dog marketing business, Conflicted. A dog does not decide who the "alpha dog" is based on where the trainer allows the dog to walk

There is a tiny bit of reality in the idea because if the lead dog in a pack wants to walk in front, he does so, but a lead dog may or may not feel like walking in front at any particular moment.

The "heel" command is beloved by the hefty ladies of the dog show business, but it has little to do with the real world.

Let Brown Sugar walk in front when you feel like it. She won't have any trouble understanding that you are the boss.

Send questions for The Old Trainer to theoldtrainer711@Yahoo.com.