Should You Buy or Sell These Dog Gadgets?
With a continued rise in inflation, even the costs of owning a dog continue to soar. According to the American Kennel Club, the average pet owner spends $2,500 each year in veterinary services, food and toys. Plus, more pet products are hitting the market, putting another dent in the wallet. Founder of Strut Animal Mobility, Dr. Kelly Fishman, breaks down what dog technology is worth the investment for your pooch.
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VISITING OUR WEBSITE WGCU DOT ORG? WELL, I THINK A LOT OF US KNOW THAT THE COST OF OWNING A DOG CAN MAKE A DENT IN YOUR FINANCES. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB BETWEEN THAT MARION CARE FOOD TRAINING TREATS THE AVERAGE COST ON A POOCH IS NEARLY $2,500 A YEAR. THE PET BUSINESS HAS BEEN BOOMING IN RECENT YEARS WITH NEW GIZMOS AND GADGETS THAT PROMOTE EVERYTHING FROM STRENGTH TRAINING, 2 UPSCALE DOG, WATER AND DOG BOWLS. WGCUS K KRONON LEARNED WHICH ITEMS ARE WORTH THE MONEY. AND WHICH SHOULD BE LEFT BURIED IN THE YARD. >> FOR MORE ON SOME OF THE LATEST WELLNESS TRENDS FOR PETS, I'M JOINED BY DR. KELLY FISHMAN, FOUNDER OF STRETCH ANIMAL ABILITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. DOCTOR FISHMAN. >> HI, KATE. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT DOG WELLNESS AND FITNESS. >> SO FOR THE PEOPLE IN FLORIDA KEEPING YOUR DOG COOL. THIS SUMMER IS VITAL FROM PET SHOES TO COOLING GEAR. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU THINK EVERY PET OWNER SHOULD HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO BEATING THE SUMMER HEAT? >> EVERYBODY KNOWS THE OBVIOUS WHICH IS TO TAKE YOUR DOG OUT DURING THE COOLER PARTS OF THE DAY SPECIALLY MORNING AND EVENING. STAYING OFF THE HOT PAVEMENT IS A GOOD IDEA. WALKING ON GRASS OR, YOU KNOW, SAN JUST BECAUSE THE HOT ASPHALT CAN GET REALLY TOO HOT FOR THEIR PAWS. SOME THINGS PARENTS DO KNOW IS THAT THE HUMID DAYS? SO THERE'S HIGH HUMIDITY. YOUR DOG IS ACTUALLY THE HIGHER RISK FOR HEAT STROKE. IF IT'S LESS HUMID, SO BE ESPECIALLY WARY ON THOSE STATES. THAT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE SOME OF THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS THAT HUMIDITY AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO PANTS AND REDUCE THEIR BODY HEAT MORE SO THEN THE ACTUAL. >> TEMPERATURE FAHRENHEIT. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO SEEN A GROWTH IN FITNESS EQUIPMENT FOR DOGS FROM SPECIFIC TREADMILLS FOR DOGS TO WAIT TO 2 WAYS. DO YOU THINK THESE PRODUCTS ARE OVERKILL OR ARE THEY WORTH THE INVESTMENT? >> SO THIS IS MY AREA VETERINARY MEDICINE. SO I LOVED DOG FITNESS EQUIPMENT, DOG TREADMILLS. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE AS YOU'RE SAYING IS VERY HOT IN FLORIDA. YOU CAN'T AVOID THE HUMIDITY, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN WORK OUT WITH YOUR DOG INSIDE. THEY CAN GO ON A DOG TREADMILL WHICH IS NOT A HUMAN ONE. THEIR BIT DIFFERENT. THEY CAN GO TO A DOG TREADMILL AND KEEP UP THEIR EXERCISE DURING THE WAR WERE TIMES OF THE YEAR AND YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE THEIR STRENGTH. THEY DON'T GET OVERWEIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE EXERCISING. SO JUST A GOOD IDEA FOR MOST STOCKS AND IT HELPS BEHAVIOR ISSUES, TOO, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TIMES OR PENT UP INSIDE ON HER COUCH IN A SCENE THAT AND THEY'RE JUST GETTING BORED. >> OKAY. AND THEN ALONG WITH ALL THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY COMES THE NEED FOR WATER. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOGGIE WATER FOUNTAINS, THEY CLAIMED TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE. DO YOU THINK THAT'S NECESSARY FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH JUST ONE DOG? OR IS IT FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH MORE THAN ONE? >> SO I PERSONALLY I THINK THAT THEY ARE WONDERFUL. PARENTS WANT TO COURAGE THEIR DOG OR CAT TO TREAT MORE. BUT YOU DO NOT NEED ONE. THEY CAN BE A BIT PRICEY. THEY MAY BE DIFFICULT TO CLEAN AND ATTRACT MORE. SO WE GET A LITTLE BIT WARY ABOUT IT FOR THAT REASON. SO, YEAH, I LIKE AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, MULTI DOG HOUSEHOLDS AND MAYBE A GREAT IDEA. YOU KNOW, OTHER TIMES IT FOR THE REASONS. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE SO GREAT OF AN IDEA. YOU CAN CERTAINLY JUST HAVE A REGULAR DOG WATER BOWL. KEEP IT CLEAN. ED WATERS HERE. DOGS WHAT FOOD TO KEEP THEM OR HYDRATION SUMMER FEET. THINGS LIKE FROZEN BLUEBERRIES. FROZEN CUCUMBERS. THINGS LIKE THAT TO KEEP THEM HYDRATED IN MORE FREE AND CREATIVE WAYS THAT THEY MAY LIKE BETTER. THE FOUNTAIN. >> AND DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE MORE COST CONSCIOUS? PET PARENTS WHO WANT TO SUPPORT THEIR PET'S HEALTH, BUT ARE ALSO LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR BUDGET. SO ACTUALLY, I RIGHT NOW THAT KEEPING A DOG LEAN. SO NOT, YOU KNOW, SKELTON, BUT LEAN ACTUALLY AS DAYS TO THEIR LIFE. SO WE KNOW THAT SKINNY DOGS LIVE LONGER. THEY HAVE LESS HEALTH PROBLEMS. THEY ALSO HAVE LESS MOBILITY ISSUES AS THEY AGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE LESS WEAR AND TEAR THEIR CHOICE OVER TIME. AND THEN THE PARENTS ALSO SAFE MONEY BECAUSE OF YOUR NOT OVER FEEDING, YOU'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY ON PRICEY DOG FITS. SO I BELIEVE THE BEST THING TO DO IS JUST KEEPING YOUR DOG TRAM AND IF PARENTS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEY COULD TALK TO THE VETERINARIAN ABOUT STARTING A DIET. BUT IT TRULY IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO FOR YOUR DOG'S HEALTH SAYING THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. >> AND HERE'S ANOTHER DOG ON FAT FROM THE DEVIL. DID YOU SEE YOUR NEWSROOM WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A PET SIZE? DOES MATTER. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB, IT COST MORE TO CARE FOR GIANT DOGS. PLEDGE IS A GREAT DAY CAN COST WELL AS MUCH AS $3300 A YEAR. SMALLER DOGS, INCLUDING CHIHUAHUAS, AVERAGE AROUND 1800 AND COSTS FOR FOOD. AND VETERINARY BILLS FOR MORE PET RELATED STORIES. CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT WGCU DOT ORG. AFTER THE BREAK, IGNITING CURIOSITY WHEN IT COMES TO WILDFIRES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER TO LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO PREDICT AND COMBAT ENCROACHING FLAMES