An Interview with Author Peggy Frezon, part 1...

Today, my guest is award-winning author Peggy Frezon. Peggy has written two books: Dieting with My Dog and Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw, is a regular contributor to "Guideposts" magazine, and a staff writer for "Be the Change for Animals." She also writes the web columns "Pawsitively Pets," "Animals4People," and the popular "Peggy's Pet Place." Peggy's stories appear in books such as Animals and the Kids who Love Them, The Ultimate Dog Lover, Miracles and Animals, and more than a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul books. We will also be giving away a copy of Dieting with My Dog to one lucky reader, so look for details on how to enter at the end of today's post.

Donna: Peggy, welcome to "PetWise Online" and thank you for being my guest today.

Peggy: Thank you for the opportunity.

Author Peggy Frezon with Kelly

Donna: Today, I'd like to ask you about your books, Dieting with My Dog and Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw. Readers always want to know how writers get their ideas for books, so let me begin by asking what gave you the idea of writing about dieting with your dog. Did you know right from the beginning that you would write a book about your experience, or did that come later?

Peggy: I first wrote about dieting with my dog for "Guideposts" magazine; and the story, "The Doggy Diet," was published in January 2008. When the story came out, we got such a good response, I wanted to write the book to encourage others who were in the same situation.

Donna: In Dieting with My Dog, you said that having Kelly as a weigh loss buddy was a bonding experience for the two of you. How do you feel the experience deepened your bond with her?

Peggy: Kelly and I have always been close; but through dieting together, I saw how we could work together toward a common goal. I also took more time with her to walk her more often, knowing that was healthy for both of us--not only physically, but it was more time spent together to deepen that bond.

Donna: Kelly only had a few pounds to lose. Once she had lost that excess weight, what kept you motivated to continue until you reached your goal?

Peggy: As I write in the book, losing and maintaining weight loss is a lifetime journey. We both became healthier due to our weight loss, and I know if I go back to my old habits, that weight will come right back.

Donna: Some say it takes 21-28 days to form a new habit, and some say it takes 66 days. Now that you've been eating a healthier diet and exercising for a longer period of time, has it become a habit for you, or is it still a struggle sometimes? Are you still tempted to slack off at times? If so, how do you overcome that temptation?

Kelly looking fit and trim.

Peggy: Parts have become a sure and fast habit, and I've slipped in other parts. A lot of my diet changes have stuck, such as eating whole grains, more fruits and veggies, low fat and smaller portions. The exercise has stuck, in fact I've added more walks and going to the gym. The part that is the most difficult for me, and where I slip the most often, is with sweets. I am still tempted by ice cream in particular. I do allow myself to have it sometimes, but try to keep it for special treats.

For Kelly, it is pretty easy to keep up the good habits. I consistently measure her food and feed her the proper amount. I'm conscientious about giving her healthy treats and making sure I calculate the treats into her daily intake. She still loves baby carrots for snacks.

Books by Peggy Frezon

Donna: Now let's turn to your other book, Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw. What was your Mom's reaction when you first approached her about writing a book about her life and the role animals have played in it?

Peggy: She was thrilled, but she also didn't realize that her experiences could be interesting to anyone else. Through daily interviews over the course of many weeks, she shared such touching tales of struggles and hope, and, of course, the inspiring animals in her life.

Donna: How much influence did your Mom's relationship with animals have on you? How has that carried through to your own children?

Peggy: It had a huge influence. I remember watching her loving care of any injured or stray animal she came across, and I love that quality in her. I've always loved animals, and have never been without a pet in my life. My husband loves animals. And our kids love animals, too. Right now, my daughter and son-in-law have a cat named Cinnamon, and hope to get a dog when they buy a house. My son also wants a dog, but right now he's in an apartment that doesn't allow pets.

Donna: What is the most significant thing you learned from your Mom about animals?

Peggy: That animals deserve to be treated with respect. And, every animal, no matter how small, homely, or seemingly unwanted, has something wonderful to offer.

Donna: Thank you, Peggy. I've read both of your books and found them really inspiring. My own dog, Paige, needed to lose about three pounds, and I needed to lose a "bit" more. It hadn't occurred to me that Paige could be my weight loss buddy, but after reading Dieting with My Dog, we implemented some of your suggestions, and we are both losing the excess weight. So, would you tell our readers how they can get their own copies of Dieting with My Dog and Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw?

Peggy: If you'd like a signed copy, you can contact me directly by leaving a message on my blog or Facebook. Books can also be ordered on Amazon.com here: Dieting with My Dog and Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw.

Donna: Recently, Peggy and her husband adopted a second dog. Next week, she  will be back here with me to talk about the challenges and rewards of adding another dog to the mix, especially since Kelly had been the only one for so many years. If you're thinking about adopting a dog, or adding a second dog to your family, you won't want to miss what Peggy has to say.

Kelly and Peggy hope you win!

Also, we are giving away a copy of Peggy's book Dieting with My Dog to one lucky reader. To enter for a chance to win the book, complete the following 4 steps:

1. Leave a comment or ask a question in the comment section below.
2. Send me (Donna) an e-mail at PetWiseDBR (at) aol (dot) com with your name and e-mail address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. Put "Peggy's book contest" in the Subject line. If you win, I will send you an e-mail letting you know, and you can then send me your mailing address. Your personal information will only be used for the contest.
3. Go to Peggy's Facebook page and click "Like" and leave a message saying you saw her interview on PetWise Online.
4. Finally, leave another comment here confirming that you "liked" Peggy's page.

The contest will be open from midnight EDT July 13 through midnight EDT August 24, 2012. All qualified entries will be included in the drawing. You must be a resident of the US to be eligible. The winner will be contacted by e-mail following the close of the contest.

K9Kamp Week 4, Kamper's Choice--results...

It's hard to believe that K9Kamp is over! Paige and I had a lot of fun participating, getting a bit more active (not that Paige needed any help with that), and incorporating her training with the challenges. For the final week, we were able to choose activities from the previous challenges, choose from the suggestions given by the camp organizers, or come up with our own ideas.

Paige races around the
corner during a game of "fetch."

Since "fetch" is one of her favorite things (especially when she gets a training treat for placing the toy in my hands), we did that almost every day. As we progress with training, she'll graduate from bringing me toys to bringing me objects I ask for, and picking things up off the floor for me.

"Here I come. Get the
treat ready, Mom!"

And after a few rounds of "fetch," we played "tug-of-war." Sometimes I'd win, but mostly Paige did. And she seems to understand that when we play tug, she doesn't have to let go; but when I say "give," it's time to release the toy. She's very strong, and smart, too!

Paige and Mom play "tug-of-war."

We did some more stair-walking, and she really improved on letting me ascend and waiting for the "okay" to come up or down herself. This is very important to her service training so she doesn't bump against me and make me lose my balance, or trip me up.

"Colby may be Mom's grandson,
but he's my buddy!"

Our daughter Sarah, son-in-law Louie, and grandson Colby spent time with us Sunday and Monday while back in Vermont for the closing on their house here.

Paige enjoyed her time with Colby, let him play with her toys, and even sit on her bed.

"Colby can play with my toys and
sit on my bed because we're buds."

She is very tolerant of him, too, not even raising her head when he stepped on her tail once, and twice lost his balance and sat on her back. I just want to add here that, even though we trust Paige and she is well-behaved with Colby, we never leave her alone with him, and we're always watchful to make sure that all interactions between them are positive ones. And Colby is learning how to properly pet her with "gentle touches." (Way to go, Mama Sarah!) After they left, though, Paige was worn out!

After playing hard, Paige conks out
on the couch.

We also played with Paige's gobble ball and rope ball, played keep away, and practiced recall. All-in-all, it was a good week.

Thanks so much to Peggy Frezon and Koly for sponsoring this year's K9Kamp. Paige and I plan to continue the "Doggone Minute to Win It" challenge because that's the one I can do consistently, and appreciate all the other great ideas for exercises we can do together. We can't wait for next year's K9Kamp!

K9Kamp Week Two: Play with Your...um...Balls!...

Mindy never cared much for balls, so when we adopted Paige she inherited a fair number of them: tennis balls in various colors, hollow rubber balls that squeaked, a hard rubber ball that sounds like a turkey call when rolled or bounced (dubbed the "gobble" ball), balls on ropes, even a ball that looked like a relief map of the earth complete with blue oceans and green continents. Within a few minutes of being given each one, however, Paige had reduced most of them to unrecognizable shreds! She acted more like a puppy than a three-year-old dog. Never having had toys to play with, she didn't have a clue what to do but to chew!

Part of Paige's ball collection.

So, in addition to the three balls that survived (the gobble ball, a puzzle ball that holds treats, and a fuzzy, squeaky one that looks like an over-sized softball with a rope through it), we bought her a Kong ball (virtually indestructible) and a squeaky soccer ball.

Paige pauses to gobble a treat from
her puzzle ball.

Paige's favorite is the puzzle ball. Mindy never felt the amount of effort required was worth such a tiny reward, but Paige LOVES it! In no time, she had figured out how to roll the ball upside down to get the treats. She spends about twenty minutes rolling it all over the house, pausing to gobble its delicious contents (the liver-flavored treats are her favorites), before pawing the ball, or nosing it across the floor, and resuming the game. If it rolls under a table or chair, she will retrieve it and carry it in her mouth to her dog bed (home base), and the game begins again. We now use the puzzle ball twice a week as part of a meal.

Paige carries the puzzle ball
back to  her bed.

I was a little nervous about giving her the soccer ball because it's hollow, and I figured she'd have it demolished in no time. But she seems to have learned that if she wants to be able to keep playing with it, she has to leave it intact. She loves the loud squeak, chases after it, skidding to a halt (or into the wall or door, if inside), then bounds back proudly bearing her prize. 

Game called on account of rain?
No way!

Paige thinks the best part of the game is playing "Keep Away" when I try to retrieve the ball from her so I can throw it again, so I got a lot of exercise this week, too. When I say, "Paige, give," she will--but not until I actually have my hand on the ball. Until then, she'll bob and weave, duck and run, until she thinks I've had a good workout. Talk about a tough personal trainer!

Paige runs to score a goal!

In spite of a week filled with doctor appointments, thunderstorms, and farewell activities for our daughter Sarah and her family, who are moving out of state, Paige and I were able to do between ten to twenty minutes a day of ball play. By the end of the week another three pounds had vanished!

What do you like to do with your dog? Does she have a favorite toy? Does he love to exercise, or is he a couch potato? There's still lots of K9Kamp left, so why not join us--have some fun, shape up for summer, and enjoy special time with your furry best friend! For more information, just click a link below:


Kol's Notes


Peggy's Pet Place

2012 K9Kamp Challenge: Why Paige and I are Kamping...

A few days ago I read a post by my Facebook friend and writer, Peggy Frezon, about K9Kamp, which piqued my curiosity. Peggy explained that there would be exercise challenges each week for participants to complete with their dogs, and assured me I could modify them to fit my physical limitations. Another component of K9Kamp would involve blogging about our weekly challenge experiences. This sounded like fun, but there was another reason I decided to participate. 

Paige is prepared for "walkies" in all kinds of weather.

I've only had my dog Paige for about five months. She was a rescue, and was underweight when we adopted her; but at her last checkup, the vet said she'd filled out a little too much and needed to lose two or three pounds. I needed to lose...more, and had started doing Weight Watchers online. I was doing well with weight loss, but finding it difficult to exercise and was looking for a weight-loss/exercise buddy. I had just finished reading Peggy's book, Dieting with My Dog, and found it very inspiring. It was then that I thought perhaps my buddy could be Paige!

I originally began this blog as an extension of a print column I've written for over twenty years for a monthly newsletter. But shortly afterward, a year-long series of events, including the death of my service dog, Mindy, and two weeks later Paige's adoption, took a toll on my health which was already taxed by chronic pain and illness. So, I'd had to put the pet blog on the back burner. K9Kamp sounded like a great opportunity to revive "PetWise Online."

Is that a squirrel over there?

Paige is all muscle and, being a young dog (she's about three years old), has more energy than Mindy had, and certainly more than I have. Due to years of chronic pain, my body has become an alien entity that reacts to movement with pain and exhaustion. It has become very energy efficient, preferring inertia to exercise. So, while Paige's biggest challenge will be focusing on what we're doing (she's easily distracted), mine will be to tackle the exercises in a way that won't land me flat on my back in bed.

Both Paige and I have already taken some steps toward becoming more fit. I've cut back on her dog biscuits and substituted pieces of an orange or apple (without seeds) which she really enjoys. I also now limit her puzzle ball (filled with treats) to a couple of times a week as a meal replacement instead of every day in addition to meals. For myself, I've replaced high calorie desserts with fruit, increased intake of fruits and vegetables and cut back on carbs, and I keep a food journal.

K9Kamp, here we come!

Paige has a lot of enthusiasm and enjoys the training I'm doing with her (basic obedience, as well as learning the service behaviors I need her to perform for me), so I'm sure she'll dive right in when we start the challenges. I'm a bit skeptical of my ability to keep up, but I'm willing to try. So, K9Kamp, here we come!

If you'd like to be part of the 2012 K9Kamp Challenge, you can get more information at these links:

Kol's Notes


Peggy's Pet Place

February 23 is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

No, this isn't likely to be listed on your Hallmark calendar, banks and offices will NOT close, and mail WILL be delivered. There won't be any parades, special cards, or bone-shaped candies in colorful bone-shaped boxes or wrapped in pastel-colored cellophane. And it won't inspire family get-togethers or calls from out-of-town relatives and friends. It won't be the main news topic on CNN, not even a mention on your local TV stations.

There are no colored eggs to hide (though you could make a game of it by hiding a few biscuits around your house for your dog to discover), no hams or turkeys to buy, no loud firecrackers, no colorful costumes or knocking on doors, no candles to light or dreidels to spin, and no trees to decorate or stockings to hang. No shopping. No stress. Nevertheless, February 23rd is a holiday for our canine friends, and it is truly one of the easiest holidays to celebrate. So...

May I eat them now, Mom?

Woof, woof, hooray--Happy International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day! Go to your cupboards, get out the Mother Hubbard's (Mother Hubbard's dog biscuits, that is), and have a party with your pooch! The day may not have any special significance for you, but your dog will appreciate your efforts on his behalf. 

Here's a little quiz to test your knowledge about one of a canine's favorite treats. You'll find the answers at the end of this article.

1. What were the earliest known dog treats?

2. Who was the first person to make dog biscuits in the USA?

3. When were the first bone-shaped biscuits made? By whom?

4. After NABISCO bought Bennett's company in 1931, the name of Bennett's Maltoid Biscuits was changed to the name they are still known by today. What is it?

5. Why are dog biscuits and other dog treats an effective training tool?

Aww, there's only one left!

My dog, Mindy, loves Mother Hubbard treats in various flavors, but her number one favorite treat is Frosty Paws--a dog-alternative to a Skippy cup ice cream treat. When given her Frosty Paw, she carries it to her favorite spot in the living room, lays down, her half-closed eyes glaze over, her tongue makes contact with the tasty frozen treat, and she's in another world--her own private bliss.

Frosty Paws = Bliss

So, to Mindy and all our canine friends, a very happy International Dog Biscuit Day! What are you doing to celebrate with your dog?

Want to make some homemade treats for your favorite canine(s)? Check out this recipe from Martha Stewart-- http://www.marthastewart.com/article/homemade-dog-biscuits

Answers to Quiz:

1. In Roman times, people gave their dogs very stale, dry pieces of bread, called "dog's bread."

2. James Spratt, from Cincinnati, Ohio, got the idea while on business in England in 1860. He was the first to obtain a patent for dog biscuits.

3. In 1907 by F. H. Bennett, to try to improve sales of his dog biscuits.

4. Milk Bones

5. Because most dogs are motivated by food, though some prefer a favorite toy as a reward, or just a good old-fashioned tummy rub.