Your dog's wellness is all about balance. Spot's body has to maintain symmetry to sustain health. The term for this inherent balancing act is homeostasis. When homeostasis, or systemic equilibrium, is not sustained, your dog's body becomes dirty, and vulnerable to disease. In Stretch Your Dog Healthy, I refer to this as "dirty dog syndrome". Luckily, billions of cells are created in Spot's body everyday. This allows us some influence over this symmetry and balance. By making the best hound health choices, given each individual situation, we ensure cellular repair versus breakdown. We can keep "dirty dog syndrome" at bay and be sure of one clean canine, inside and out.

A "dirty dog" is susceptible to disease and health issues. This is because the body functions most efficiently if it is clean. When toxins start to build up in your dog, it hinders the natural, necessary functioning of every body system, thus weakening your pup's immune system. Toxin build-up can come from questionable food additives (sugar, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, low-grade ingredients); chemical exposure (yard fertilizers, household cleaners, heartworm/flea/tick preventatives and shampoos; excess vaccination); lack of movement (stretching, exercise, massage); and impure drinking water.

At a glance, some simple steps to avoid "dirty dog syndrome": stretching and massage (facilitates toxin flushing); exercise (provides movement thereby stimulating repair/healing); a wholesome natural diet (organic when possible); clean, filtered water (enhances blood cleanliness); vitamin and nutrient supplementation (enhances cellular repair); limit chemical exposure (natural shampoos, natural flea/tick preventives, keep prescription use to a minimum); good hygiene (don't forget the teeth!). Adopt a preventative and you will be well on your way to a healthier hound!

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Flexibility is key to Fido's longevity. A simple stretching routine can drastically improve your pup's mood and also stave off some unwanted discomforts of aging. Muscular imbalance and tightness in your pup can lead to orthopedic issues such as dysplasia, arthritis, and consequently pain. You can't stop body breakdown completely as your dog goes through life, but you can definitely keep pain to a minimum with some simple, consistent moves.

In Stretch Your Dog Healthy, I provide stretches (with accompanying photos) for your dog's entire body. Range of motion exercises allow for proper hydration of the muscle and connective tissue, as well as the joints. This movement is integral to the total health of your dog's body. Since the body tends to overprotect by hindering movement with inflammation, a gentle stretch can actually override this "fear" response and encourage healing to take place.

Luckily, veterinary medicine is beginning to tout the efficacy of hands-on therapies such as stretching and massage. Many veterinary surgeons have shared with me their astonishment at the improved rates of recovery for dog's receiving immediate post-operative "hands-on" care. The animals had increased range of motion, required less pain medication, and returned to normal functioning more quickly. In other words, this movement most certainly facilitated and stimulated healing.

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Health is cumulative. This is great news. It means that consistency is much more important than intensity when it comes to maintaining your dog's longevity. No need for long distances, high speeds, deprivation diets, or drastic behaviors. Keep your pup around for 15+ years by adopting a balanced wellness approach that includes movement, proper nutrition, minimizing toxins, socialization, and love.

In Stretch Your Dog Healthy I discuss movement options for your hound including stretching, massage, acupressure, and Fido-robics. I also touch on ways to keep Spot clean inside and out with a preventative approach and thus avoid "dirty dog syndrome". I cannot stress enough how vital movement is to your dog's wellbeing. Movement is how the body heals. Toxin flushing, proper circulation, oxygenation of the muscle tissue, joint hydration, and balance of the nervous and energetic systems all result from getting your mutt moving. Even if you have a couch canine, a gentle, daily stretching routine will provide your pup with a systemic boost. It really does not have to be all that complicated.

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Raquel Wynn is our guest blogger during the week of December 1st. If you have any questions for Raquel Wynn, add a comment to any of her posts. Here is some more information about Stretch Your Dog Healthy:

A holistic trainer and physical therapist tells dog lovers how to keep their pets healthy for a long and happy life.

Dogs' lives are high impact-playing, chasing, begging, walking. Just like people, they experience joint degeneration, muscle pain, stress, and general body breakdown. In Stretch Your Dog Healthy holistic health specialist Raquel Wynn offers dog owners the latest information on stretching, massage, acupressure, and other techniques to improve and maintain their dogs' good health, enhance calm energy, and strengthen the pet-owner bond. The natural treatments in this book suggest preventive care and offer an alternative to expensive prescriptions for day-to-day ailments, including such chronic problems as hip dysplasia. The stretching routines that form the centerpiece of the book are clearly explained and accompanied by photos of dogs and owners demonstrating the poses.

Raquel Wynn's stretching and massage techniques have been shown to drastically improve dogs' daily well-being in addition to overall health and life expectancy. What better way to treat man's best friend?