Doggone Healthy Choices with Pam and Freedom

Welcome to Doggone Healthy Choices Doggone Healthy Choices Logo A healthier, happier life with your dog can begin with something small: a walk around the block, a new game, a quiet moment together, or the decision to try again tomorrow. I’m Pam, and my dog Freedom is usually right beside me. Together, we’re exploring what it means to care for our health while making the most of the time we share with our dogs—one foot, one paw at a time. Freedom and I stop to say Hello Some days that looks...

A Little Crunch for Fall: Celebrating National Pumpkin Seed Day 🎃🐾 By Pamela Schmidlin Doggone Healthy Choices with Pam and Freedom Pumpkins get plenty of attention in October. They decorate our doorsteps, appear in recipes, and somehow find their way into just about everything. But today, October 7, we’re giving the seeds their moment. Happy National Pumpkin Seed Day! Full disclosure: I don’t currently have pumpkin seeds in my kitchen. This observance has given me a reason to put them on my...

Reading Food Labels for You and Your Dog Before it goes onto or into plates and bowls,let's turn the package around When we’re choosing food for ourselves and our dogs, the front of the package can catch our attention. But turning it around gives us information we can use. Words such as “natural,” “organic,” and “sugar-free” don’t tell us everything about a product. What’s in it? How much are we serving? Does it meet our needs? Whether I’m shopping for myself or Freedom, those are the...

Water, Alcohol, Sports Foods and Artificial Sweeteners and Your Dog and You Hydrate First: Healthy Choices for You and Your Dog Before we lace up our sneakers, pick up a weight, or settle onto the mat for doga, there’s one basic need we shouldn’t overlook: water. As Freedom and I prepare for some fall running once my back has recovered, I’m looking at the everyday habits that support us both. Hydration belongs at the top of that list. Adult human bodies are up to about 60% water, and...

Protein for You and Your Dog Eating well and staying strong while working toward a healthy weight As a vegan, I’ve heard this question plenty of times: “Where do you get your protein?” BTW, I am so done with that question….answering it feels like a broken record a long time ago now! My answer starts with foods like tofu, lentils, beans, and soy milk. But the more useful question is: Are we getting the protein we need to support the life we want to live? That matters when we’re walking,...

Why Fats Matter—for You and Your Dog Some healthy fats that benefit health! Keep the fats that nourish us, limit the extras, and enjoy a healthier life together. Remember when “fat-free” seemed to mean “healthy”? Those words appeared on everything from cookies to yogurt, and many of us learned to think that eating less fat was always better. But a fat-free label doesn’t tell the whole nutritional story. A product can contain little fat and still have plenty of added sugar. And removing all...

Using the Glycemic Index to Fuel Runs and Support a Healthy Weight Doggone Healthy Choices Friday, October 2, 2026 We want enough energy to enjoy our walks and runs, meals that satisfy us, and a healthy weight that helps us keep moving. And of course, we want our dogs beside us for as many happy miles as possible. The glycemic index, or GI, can help us understand the carbohydrates on our plates. For our dogs, the useful lesson is to consider the whole diet, portions, and individual needs. We...

Getting Smart About Sugar—For You and Your Dog An apple in one hand. Candy in the other. Both taste sweet, but what comes along with that sweetness? That’s what I want to look at today. We’ve talked about carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and grains. Now let’s talk about sugar—and a few small choices we can make for ourselves and our dogs. Apple or Swedish Fish.....Healthy Choice made! You don’t have to give up fruit I’m not going to tell you to stop eating apples or bananas because they...

Grains for You and Your Dog: Can They Help You Lose Weight and Run Better? The Happy and Healthy Six-Legged Times Wednesday, September 30 Pam and Freedom Grains have taken a beating in the carb conversation. If you’re trying to lose weight or train for a race, you may have heard that you should give them up altogether. But a bowl of oats, a slice of whole-wheat bread, and a doughnut DO NOT bring the same things to the table. And then there’s the other question in a house like mine: What about...

Fruits and Veggies for Weight Loss: Fuel Your Day and Share Safely With Your Dog How produce can help you build satisfying meals, fuel a walk or run, and offer your dog a safe little taste. Hi Reader, Yesterday we talked about carbohydrates and why they deserve a place in our bowls. Today, let’s head to the produce aisle. check out yesterday's post here.... Carbohydrates Fruits and vegetables can help with weight loss because their water and fiber add volume to meals. They can help you feel...

Carbs for Dogs and Humans: Good Fuel or Food to Fear? What to put in your bowl, what belongs in your dog’s, and why the answer changes with activity. Hi friend, One day carbs are fuel. The next day, someone tells us to cut them out. Then we head out for a walk or run with our dogs and wonder: Do they need carbs, too? Here’s the answer I keep coming back to: the food, the portion, and the individual matter more than a “good carb” or “bad carb” label. And while we share the trail with our dogs,...