Almost every dog owner deals with the ongoing frustration of hair everywhere. Some dog breeds shed more than others and for different reasons - other than just being furry. The most common reasons for shedding are old, damaged or extra hair (double coated breeds). Although hair kinda comes with the territory of having a pup, there are ways to help reduce floating hair in your home.
Regular Brushing- daily brushing helps to remove the loose hairs before they have a chance to find a nice spot to land, like all over your black couch. Be sure to talk to your local groomer or pet store for the right type of brush for your dog's coat. This makes a big difference in successfully catching up all those loose fly-aways while brushing.
Regular Bathing- frequency of bathing depends on how “dirty” your dog gets on a regular basis. Typically once a month (if your dog is not constantly rolling in mud) is a good guideline to follow. A clean coat is generally a healthier coat. Make sure to get a gentle and moisturizing shampoo, conditioner is not a must, but it doesn't hurt!
High Quality Diet- feeding your furry friend a high quality balanced diet is key to maintaining healthy skin and therefore a healthy coat. Speak to your veterinarian regarding the best diet recommendation for your dog.
Bug Control- prevent your pet from unwanted parasites like fleas, mites and ticks. These are all parasites that will affect the health of your pet’s skin and coat. They cause itching, redness and irritation which leads to shedding.
Allergy Control- if your dog has seasonal or environmental allergies be sure to address these based on your veterinarian's recommendations. Typically it just takes medication or medicated shampoos. Itchy skin means increased shedding - aka more hair!
Vacuum Often- vacuuming as often as possible will obviously help with the hair and debris in the environment. Don’t forget to vacuum your dog's bed.
Regular Veterinary Visits - there are many skin conditions and internal diseases outside of the scary ones that can cause hair loss in patches. Regularly visiting your veterinarian will help to ensure that if any conditions arise, they will be treated accordingly.
You will never be able to eliminate shedding, but being mindful of these basic points can help to significantly reduce the daily hair balls flying around your home!
Source (Image): Bully Rubs Pet Care
It is important that we know how to read dog's body language. This can help us to determine if it is safe for us or our canine companions to approach another dog. Below are some helpful descriptions of dog body language.
Before you approach any strange dog, look for signs of relaxed or playful body language and always ask the owner if it is ok to approach.
Source: Modern Dog
Source (Image): Dog Listener
Source (Image): Modern Dog
| Common Household Items | Serving | Theobrominea | Caffeinea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Cream Rich Chocolate | 1 cup ( 148g) | 178mg | 5.9mg |
| Peanut M&M's | 1 cup (170g) | 184mg | 17mg |
| Ready to Eat Chocolate Pudding | 4 oz (108g) | 75.6mg | 2.2mg |
| Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar | 1.55 oz (43g) | 64mg | 9mg |
| Hershey's Chocolate Syrup | 2 Tbsp (39g) | 64mg | 5mg |
| Hershey's KISSES (Milk Chocolate) | 9 pieces (41g) | 61mg | 9mg |
| Hershey's Semi-Sweet Baking Bar | 1 Tbsp (15g) | 55mg | 7mg |
| Cookies, brownies, commercially prepared | 1 Square (2 –3/4” sq x 7/8") (56g) | 43.7mg | 1.1mg |
| KIT KAT Wafer Bar | 1 bar (42g) | 48.7mg | 5.9mg |
| REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups (2pk) | 2 cups (45g) | 32.4mg | 3.2mg |
| Doughnut, cake-type, chocolate, sugared or glazed | 1 Doughnut (3' dia) (43g) | 12.6mg | 0.6mg |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies , made with margarine | 1 Cookie Med (2 1/4" dia) (16g) | 20.3mg | 2.6mg |
| Milky Way | 1 bar (58g) | 37.1 mg | 3.5mg |
| Generic Hot Fudge Sundae Topping | 1 Sundae (158g) | 77.4mg | 1.6mg |
| REESE'S PIECES Candy | 1 package (46g) | 0mg | 0mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali [Dutch cocoa] | 1 cup (86g) | 2266 mg | 67.1mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares | 1 cup, grated (132g) | 1712 mg | 106mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened | 1 cup (86g) | 1769 mg | 198mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid | 1 oz (28g) | 447 mg | 13.2mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, regular, dry mix | 1 Package (40g) | 238 mg | 7.2mg |
| Desserts, rennin, chocolate, dry mix | 1 Package, 2 oz (57g) | 242 mg | 7.4mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, instant, dry mix | 1 Package, 1.4oz box (40g) | 189 mg | 5.6mg |
| Syrups, chocolate, HERSHEY'S Genuine Chocolate Flavored Lite Syrup | 2 tbsp (35g) | 68.3 mg | 2.1mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali | 1 oz (28g) | 685 mg | 20.2mg |
| Candies, chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids | I bar (101g) | 810 mg | 80.8mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, plain | 1 Tbsp (5g) | 92.6 mg | 10.3mg |
Source: PetMD
Owning a dog is a long-term commitment, regardless of the size, shape, and temperament. It is no secret that their everlasting companionship and unconditional love is well worth the sacrifices you make, BUT are you ready for those sacrifices - that responsibility? Not everybody is, despite the idea of having a furry friend to cuddle with.
The responsibility of meeting a dog’s needs can be overwhelming, but making sure that you pick the correct breed for your lifestyle can help ensure both your pup and you will lead a happy life. A few important questions must be considered to make an educated decision for your lifestyle:
Once you have answered all of these questions, look into breeds that are the closest match to your answers. Doing your research before bringing a new furry friend into your home will ensure you and your new pup will live a happy life together.
Source (Image): Canine Kids
Most dogs do not love getting their nails trimmed but here are some helpful tips on how to make the experience less stressful and more PAWsitive:
Source (Image): Dog Guide
Source (Image): PEI MAG
Dental disease is one of the most common diseases affecting dogs around the world. You may notice from time to time that your dog has bad breath, red gums or even tartar and plaque build up on their teeth. Just like humans, dogs dental health declines over the years leading to infections and disease of vital organs. That is why it is so important to keep our canine companions mouth clean and kissable! One way of doing so is regular toothbrushing.
Some of you might be saying "yeah right, my dog won't let me do that!" But we are here to provide you with some helpful tips on making toothbrushing a positive experience for your best friend.
Patience is key when introducing something new to our pups. As they are masters at feeding off of our energy, we want to make sure we are in a calm and patient state. Once your energy is channeled to the right place, focus on these few steps before beginning the toothbrushing process.
Now that you and your pup are ready for the brushing process, follow the steps below for a successful experience. Before you begin, make sure you have the toothbrush, favorite toothpaste and most importantly the well-deserved treat to finish off.
Remember that this is a new and sometimes stressful process for your furry friend. You may need to take it slow and build up to brushing the whole mouth once daily. As you want this to be a positive experience, make sure that you reward your pup after each brushing experience. Be sure to choose a treat that possess dental benefits, to make sure you're not adding to the existing build up of plaque and tartar such as our Bullwrinkles Dog Treats.
Source (Image): Ruff Ideas
Source (Image): Cesarsway
Source (Image): Celiasue
