Tuesday, September 2, 2014

How to Make the Dog Take the Plunge - Successfully Bathing Your Dog

Pet dogs. You just got to love them, especially when it’s bath time when you yourself

get a good amount of exercise from chasing your pet around.

So how do you make the dog take the plunge and make sure that it does each time?

Below are some helpful tips to a successful bath time with your dog.

Things to do before bathing the dog


It’s a great idea to give your dog a long walk before bathing to help it become more

relaxed and calm. It will also become less likely to resist.

Be sure to have every item you need before the bath such as towels, shampoo,

conditioner, and have them within reach from the tub. Also set the right temperature for

your dog beforehand.

During bathing


Treat the bathing process as a bonding activity between you and the dog. That’s why

keep a positive attitude and make the dog feel your love and affection while bathing it.

The best way to start the bathing process is just to pick it up without having to call, drag

or pleading with it. Put a leash on the dog, and simply lead it to the bathroom. Gently

start wetting your dog on a gradual manner. This also helps in minimizing resistance.

Start wetting from the neck and shoulders and go down lower to the rest of its body.

Apply shampoo and conditioner gently, and be careful not to hit your dog’s skin with

your fingernails.

Rinse thoroughly and ensure that no shampoo or conditioner residue is left to avoid

irritation.

It’s also a good idea to bring along some toys to the tub to make bathing a happy,

playful experience for the dog.

After bathing

Dry your dog well with a towel. You can also use a blow dryer to gently dry the dog. Be

sure to have someone secure the house to ensure that the dog doesn’t come dashing

out of the house as soon as bath time is over.

Make the dog feel that bathing isn’t something to fear or worry about. Just be calm and

let out a loving and caring feeling that your dog can pick up.

How to Choose the Right Type of Dog that Fits Your Lifestyle and Personality

Are you the type of owner who end up abandoning your pet dog just because you found out that

you chose the wrong breed for your lifestyle? If you are, here are some tips for you on how to

choose the right pet dog beyond choosing the breed.

Some main considerations


If you’re an adult, you should consider that size of the pet dog that goes well with your size. The

size of your home should also be taken into consideration. As the dog grows in about two to

three years, will its living space still able to accommodate it comfortably?

The dog’s physical demands


No matter what breed you’re going to end up owning, a dog will need to have some exercise

during the day. Are you able to commit to that? Some breeds will only require some brisk walk,

while some require a healthy run. As for grooming, some breeds with short fur may require

little to no maintenance, while others, especially those will long fur may need some intensive

grooming on a regular basis.

Considering your own needs

At the outset, ask yourself why you need to own a dog. Do you need a dog as a companion?

Or one that will help you keep an eye on your property when you’re away? If you do own a dog,

how much time can you set aside to spend with it? As you may already know, dogs do need to

have their emotional needs taken care of too.

If you want a companion dog, choose a smaller breed, but keep in mind each one of them

has varying levels of physical energy. These pets require some huge amounts of exercise,

and they do require lots of attention. You can choose from English bulldogs, French bulldogs,

Chihuahuas, Japanese Chins and Jack Russell terriers.

For the great outdoors

If you love going outdoors or hunting during the hunting season, consider choosing from

any of the Labrador breeds, spaniels or Golden retrievers. You can also have any from the

pointer breeds. However, during the off-season, these dogs may require some good amount of

exercise, so be sure to take them out for a walk or a good run regularly.

A good guard dog


If you’re primary concern for owning a dog is to have something to help you guard your property

while you’re away, any breed will actually do, but there are those that are simply born to be

quite a good guard dog. Schnauzers, Bullmastiffs and English Mastiffs are good choices. For

their aggressiveness, you can opt for a German Shepherd, a Doberman or maybe a Pit Bull.

As a dog owner, your responsibility goes beyond ensuring that your dog gets along well with

other people and other pets; you should also ensure that you are fully capable of looking after

the dog properly.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Pet 101: How to Deal with Your Older Dog’s Needs

Dogs are indeed man’s best friend. However, like most living creatures, they age and

they age fast. And they way they age is similar to us humans. They become less active,

and they manifest needs that have to be addressed right away.

Here are some signs of the dog’s aging with their needs that are commonly associated

with it to better help you understand how to deal with them as transition to their version

of old age.

One of the signs to look for is they greying of your pet’s muzzle, which spreads to

almost the entire face as it grows older. You will start to notice that it could become

harder for them to leave their sleeping spot early in the morning. As they age, they may

also start to develop visual and hearing problems.

Some older dogs may also suffer a form of dementia known as canine cognitive

dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is their version of the humans’ Alzheimer’s disease.

This affects the pet’s behaviour as their mental capacity starts to diminish. Some of the

signs that your older dog may be suffering from the syndrome include urinating and

defecating inside the home when they have been trained not to all these years. To deal

with this, simply allow the dog to spend more time in the yard throughout the day.

Dogs with CDS may also start to show heightened anxiety, becoming more agitated

and nervous mostly for no apparent reason. This condition may cause insomnia or

restlessness during sleeping hours.

They may also start to become withdrawn and may no longer crave for attention.

As the owner, you need to make sure that your responsibility should extend to the dog’s

old age by making sure it stays as healthy as possible. Visiting the veterinarian at least

twice per year greatly helps. You can also take the following measures at home when

they start to show conditions indicative of old age:

● Provide them with the best and most nutritious foods, especially those that the

veterinarian recommended for older dogs

● Give the dog plenty of good exercise recommended for its age daily

● Provide ramps to assist the dog when climbing stairs or furniture to make it easy

for its joints

● Don’t let the dog sleep on bare floors, especially at night, and provide blanket for

warmth and comfort

● Get the dog to stay active by providing new toys for it to play with regularly

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Getting Ready for a New Pet Dog

Everyone, whether a child or an adult, seems to get so excited with the arrival of a new

pet, especially of a new cute and cuddly puppy. However, owning a new puppy goes

beyond a simple welcome and introduction to each of the members of the family. There

are things that should be considered when preparing for a new household member.

Some of the common questions you need to ask yourself when getting a new puppy are

the following:

● What breed of puppy is suitable for our family?

● Will it get along with the kids and other pets at home?

● What are the potential health problems that the puppy may encounter?

A puppy is a living creature that also has its own unique personality, much like a little

human child. It also has a unique set of needs that need to be satisfied. That’s why

before getting a puppy, you need to be fully committed to taking care of the animal for

as long as it lives.

Whatever dog breed you decide to go with, there are certain things you need to

provide your puppy for health and comfort. The food should always be the one that

the veterinarian recommends. Foods that have high levels of protein are essential for

energy and growth.

It’s also highly recommended that the puppy stays hydrated throughout the day. That’s

why keep a good supply of healthy drinking water for your puppy in a stainless steel

bowl. Using this kind of equipment is much easier and convenient for you as it is much

easier to clean and maintain. It’s also good for the dog, because it’s a material that the

puppy can’t chew on.

Because puppies are usually playful and extremely active, provide it with lots of toys

and make a point of spending some time playing with it. Avoid small and soft toys that

the puppy may chew off and ingest. They could cause gastrointestinal problems.

Some of the other things you need to keep in mind before finally deciding on owning a

puppy include:

● Having a first aid kit for emergency situations

● Choosing the right set of collar and leash for when spending some time with the

dog away from home

● Allowing the puppy to sleep in the bedroom with the right set of sleeping

equipment

● Getting the puppy to a training facility

● Proper hygiene

● Giving the puppy lots of attention, especially when it needs it most

For more information on owning a pet dog and on how to properly take care of it, talk to your veterinarian.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Top Tips to Keeping Your Pet Dog Healthy

One of the joys of life is owning a pet dog. It’s akin to having a kid of your own,

especially if you are big animal lover. However, along with owning a pet dog is the

enormous responsibility of taking care of it and making sure that it stays healthy.

The following are some practical tips to keeping your dog healthy.

Choosing the breed

Before finally deciding on which breed of dog to go with, find a breeder with a good

reputation. You can ask around from friends and relatives who have already owned a

pet from a good dog breeder. Pay a visit to the breeder’s facility and ask questions such

as how the dogs are bred and how they deal with genetic problems.

Behaviour
Puppies are normally active and frantic. However, be careful not to choose those that

are hyperactive or those that show extreme shyness. Go with the puppy that greets you

as it comes out of the kennel without showing extremely active behaviours.

Vaccination and de-worming

Be sure that the puppy has already been de-wormed and that it has already received

basic vaccination against common canine diseases. Puppies that are six to eight

weeks old should receive a four-way shot against parvo, hepatitis, distemper and

parainfluenza.

Checkups

It’s also very important that the dog gets checked up regularly. Ideally, a dog should

have yearly check ups to ensure that its vaccine is current and that it stays in the pink

of health. The dog may also need to have a comprehensive check up that includes

complete bloodwork to determine the condition of its kidneys and liver.

With a healthy dog, you can rest assured that you have a jolly companion for a long

time.

Friday, May 2, 2014

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