Dogs and humans need relief on hot summer days. Most dogs love water, but not everyone has easy access to an ocean, lake or pond.
Solutions:
1. Give your dog access to plenty of fresh, cool water. Make sure the bowl is clean and hasn’t been sitting out in the sun all day–bacteria can grow in their bowl if you don’t wash it and provide fresh water. Don’t try to force or pour water into your dog’s mouth, even if he refuses to drink, as he will likely just suck it into his lungs and choke.
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2. Remove your dog from the heat. Get him indoors as soon as possible. If you are outdoors and can pick your dog up, carry him back to your car or house. If there is a pond or stream nearby, allow him to stand in the water and cool down a little before heading back. At the very least, try to get your dog into a shady spot.
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3. Cool your dog down by draping cool, wet towels over her neck, under her forelimbs (in her armpits) and between her hind legs (around her groin). These towels should be cool, not cold. Don’t ice ice or icepacks–you need to bring her temperature down gradually. If you lower her temperature too quickly or it falls too low, it could be just as dangerous as overheating
Summertime means time to enjoy the outdoors! And for many of us, it’s the perfect time of year to go camping with our four-legged friends. There are plenty of great reasons to take your dog with you on your camping trip:
Travelling and camping with your dog not only connects you to nature but also to your pet. If you think your dog smiles when you go for a walk, bounces when you give it a treat, or rolls over for some loving rubs wait for the reaction you get when your dog goes camping. Camping can be a dog’s dream come true…and for that matter yours as well.
Here are some general airline travel tips for pets to bear in mind:
Never sedate your pet on a flight. High altitudes and sedatives are a dangerous combination and should never be mixed.
Always have your pet’s leash and collar easily accessible for walking prior to departure, but do not take the pet out of the kennel inside the airport.
Identification tags for your pet and travel kennel, including pet’s name, home address and phone number, are essential.
Never use a muzzle on your pet during travel, as this is dangerous to the pet.
Familiarize your pet with the kennel prior to the trip so that it is comfortable to him/her at travel time.
Always make advanced reservations or arrangements with the airline when you are making your own reservations. The airline always reserves the right to refuse travel if there are too many pets on board, so make sure you advise them early.
It’s that time of year when having a barbecue is a good idea, especially with how spectacular the weather has been lately. Bringing your dog to a barbecue is a great idea! It gives your dog the opportunity to socialize with other dogs and humans.
You might think you aren’t harming your dog by offering him or her a scrap of leftovers, but it can have some severe consequences! Dogs don’t have the same digestive systems as we do. Many of the foods we love to eat can make your dog ill, causing symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting.
These foods are usually high in sugars, salt, or fat. Other foods, such as chocolate, macadamia nuts or onions (popular barbecue foods!) contain chemicals which can be deadly to dogs.
Before you think about sneaking your dog a piece of your food from under the table, consult with your veterinarian or do your research! Keep your dog safe and healthy by only feeding it an appropriate diet.
It’s important to spend quality time with your dog, and though your daily routine will normally be a few walks and some play, why not make things exciting on occasion by going on an adventure!
1. Find a local park and figure out a time when no one else is around so that your dog can run free, off leash (assuming they are well trained). If they need a little work on their recall, a dog-friendly playground or tennis court works as well.
2. Visit friends or relatives in rural areas with plenty of land to explore. The more fenced in the better, but on leash romps are great too!
3. Setup play dates with other friendly dogs. Create a network of “social buddies” for your pooch.
4. Find a quality doggie daycare that lets the dogs socialize and play all day.
5. Go to an empty beach in the off-season and let your dog dig in the sand! Many dogs go crazy once they realize the holes they can dig!
6. Contact a friendly farmer and make arrangements to tour and/or roam the farm at appropriate time, so your dog can experience new sights and smells.
7. Hire a pet care specialist who knows of unique exercise opportunities for your dog.
8. Visit local streams and rivers and let your dog wade and swim in warm weather.
9. Find unique terrain that your dog has never seen before and let him explore.
10. Take your dog bird watching, or maybe just squirrel watching! We have a feeling this may not be too successful!
11. Take your dog camping! Spending time in the outdoors is a great way to bond with your dog!
12. Take a Dog friendly vacation! Rent a cabin by a lake, a yurt in a forest or a room at a Canine friendly B&B!
13. Get involved in dog sports or clubs. There are local groups in almost every state.
14. Introduce your well-behaved dog to other animals. Many farm animals get along great with friendly dogs. We’ve seen dogs play with goats, horses and cows.
Hiking with your dog takes some preparation. Use our nifty dog hiking checklist to make sure you don’t leave anything behind even when you’re running out the door in a hurry.
Up-to-date ID tags and microchips
Hiking booties for sensitive paws
Water bottle and doggie water bowl
Food and treats
Leash, harness, and collar
Insect repellent and tick collar
Cloth or paper towels to wipe down dirty paws
Dog brush
Plenty of poop bags
LED light to attach to the harness
First aid kit complete with bandages, antiseptic for wounds, and tweezers to pull out ticks or thorns.
Those of us who own any type of retriever know that on a hot day, it’s hard to keep them out of that nearby pond, lake, or stream. No matter what the breed, water sports are a great way to cool down your dog as the temperature heats up, and now it’s safer than ever to let your pet go for a swim.
Just as you would with any member of your family, consider water safety if you like to take your best friend out boating with you. While many dogs are natural swimmers, you should still bring along a coast-guard approved pet life preserver to keep your dog’s head above water without restricting her movement or breathing.
Here are a few important tips that will help to keep you, your best friend, and others safe and happy on your trip:
To avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety, work your pet up to longer trips by taking shorter treks before taking on a long expedition.
Just in case you and your pet become separated, be sure that all ID tags are properly affixed to your pet’s collar and that they have your current contact information, including cell number(s).
Update your microchip registration and pet license information to ensure its current and consider including the name and phone number of an emergency contact.
Never leave pets unattended inside of vehicles.
Properly restrain, contain or crate your pets inside of your vehicle prior to your trip. Consider purchasing a specially designed pet seatbelt, carrier or barrier to avoid irreversible consequences due to distractions or other mishaps.
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Never allow pets to sit on your lap or remain in the front seat while you drive.
Never allow pets to stick any portion of their bodies out the window.
Pets should never be transported in the bed of a pickup truck.
Do not leash your pet inside of a truck bed even when parked to avoid strangulation hazards and because open truck beds do not provide any protection from the weather.
Keeping pets safe is every pet owner’s responsibility. Being a safe driver is not only your obligation – it’s the law!
Just like people, every dog is unique. Some foods work well for your dogs, while others won’t agree with her tummy. Picking the best dog food for your pup is not easy choice. There are so many different brands out there. How do you know which one will be the best for your dog.Let’s go over a few tips to keep in mind when choosing the best dog food for your dog.
Know your dog. This one’s easy! Is your dog a small or large breed? How old is she? Is she active or does she like to lounge around on the couch all day? These are criteria that will affect the food you give your dog. Allergies, such as wheat and gluten, mean that you need to watch your dog’s diet carefully.
Read the labels. You read the nutritional labels on your food before you buy it – you should do the same with your dog’s food. Look at the list of ingredients carefully, especially the first five.
