You may have a New Year's resolution to lose weight, but maybe your pet should have one too?
Studies show pet obesity is on the rise.
Wag 'N' Tails in Shelby Township offers exercise classes for you and your dog.
Owner Christine Fox said, "What better than to have your dog as your workout partner."
Exercising can be really "ruff" for you and your over weight pets.
Christine knows this well. She offers exercise classes to help turn your pudgy pooches into fit Fido's.
"A tired dog is a good dog," she said. "To prevent obesity, to prevent boredom, to prevent behavior problems really."
Christine says is common for dogs to gain a little winter weight because it's hard for owners to get moving outside, which is why they offer indoor classes.
"Don't know a lot of people that have what it takes to layer and get all geared up to bring their dogs outside."
Nationwide pet insurance released their latest data saying in 2015 members filed millions of claim for conditions related to pet obesity and that totaled $60 million dollars in veterinary expenses.
Just like in people, obesity in pets can cause other health problems.
That's why Wag N Tails offer a "Bark N Burn" class for dogs and their pet owners.
Christine added, "Actually teaching people how to work out with their dogs."
After all that hard work, you may want to give your dog a treat. That's a big no-no.
Diet is also a part of pet health. That's why Wag N Tails will be offering a nutrition class on January 25.
The first thing to do when picking out food is to look at the back of the bag.
Andrew Jacob is the owner of Purely Pets.
"You want your first couple of ingredients to be meat based, just so you are getting a high amount of protein. It will give them the proper nutrition they require," he said.
Andrew says to avoid foods that have grains.
When it comes to treats, use them sparingly.
"If you are going to do treats, it's better to do fresh treats like meats or fruits, vegetables," he added. "But you still have to watch how many during the day you are giving."
For more information on the nutrition and exercise classes at Wag N Tails, go to: http://wagntails.net/
