Dog News

Dealing With Dog Shedding

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Michael Moll

TAMING THE HAIR IN YOUR HOME
husky dog in pile of hair

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
Source (Image): Animal Health Care

Posted in Helpful Tips

Reading Dog Body Language

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Michael Moll

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. 

 

dog body language

Relaxed 

  1. Ears up 
  2. Head high 
  3. Mouth open
  4. Loose stance 
  5. Tail down and relaxed

Playful and Excited

 
  1. Pupils dilated
  2. Ears up
  3. Mouth open (tongue may be out)
  4. Front end lowered (like a bow)
  5. Tail up 
  6. Looks like they are ready to run

Alert 

  1. Eyes wide 
  2. Ears forward
  3. Smooth nose 
  4. Tail high
  5. Body tense
  6. Mouth closed
  7. Slight forward lean

Dominant  Aggressive    

  1. Ears forward
  2. Nose wrinkled
  3. Lips curled
  4. Teeth visible 
  5. Mouth open and C-shaped
  6. Stiff stance
  7. Hackles raised
  8. Tail raised

Fearful Aggressive  

  1. Ears back 
  2. Head can be raised or slightly raised
  3. Pupils dilated
  4. Nose wrinkled
  5. Lips curled 
  6. Hackles raised
  7. Body lowered
  8. Tail tucked (or raised if just being aggressive)

Anxious   

  1. Yawning 
  2.  Lip licking 
  3. Brief body freezing
  4. Head turned 
  5. Shaking
  6. Drooling
  7. Lack of focus
  8. Sweaty paws 

Frightened     

  1. Eye contact brief
  2. Ears back 
  3. Mouth closed 
  4. Body lowered and crouched
  5. Tail down

Submissive 

  1. Eyes partially closed
  2. Head turned to avoid eye contact
  3. Ears flat and back
  4. Rolls onto back
  5. Tail tucked 
  6. May pee 
  7. Corners of mouth back

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

Posted in Helpful Tips

Chocolate Toxicity In Dogs

Posted on October 05, 2016 by Michael Moll

Chocolate And Dogs

dog eating chocolate

As we move closer to chocolate infested holidays - you know, Halloween and Christmas - it's super crucial to think about hiding places for your chocolatey treats. Most dogs will take any opportunity the eat something sweet if they can access it, so you need to ensure that everyone in the household understands just how bad chocolate is for our furry friends. Chocolate Toxicity is not a myth - it is a certain recipe for severe consequences.

Chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthines (caffeine and theobromine). The level of methylxanthines in chocolate varies based on the type (dark, milk, white chocolate). Theobromine is similar to caffeine as it is medicinally used as a heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and smooth muscle relaxant. Theobromine toxicity can result in very severe clinical signs if it is left untreated. Symptoms include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Increase in body temperature
Increase in reflex response
Muscle rigidity
Hyperactivity
Increased heart rate
Decreased blood pressure
Seizures
Weakness
Heart Failure
Coma

Basically, chocolate is a huge NO for our dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. This makes baking chocolate and high-quality dark chocolate the most dangerous. Toxic doses can be as low as 20 mg of chocolate. If your pet ever ingests chocolate, it is crucial that you contact your veterinarian as well as the Pet Poison Helpline @ 1-800-213-6680 immediately.

Below are some helpful charts from PetMD outlining the different types of chocolate and the amount of theobromine/caffeine per serving.
 
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
Source (Image): Pets4Homes
Source (Image): MADMIKESAMERICA

Posted in Helpful Tips

Choosing The Right Dog For Your Lifestyle

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Michael Moll

Right Dog For The Right Home 

Line of different dog breeds

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:

  1. What size dog are you interested in and why?
  2. Does the size dog that you are interested in seem realistic for the space that you live in?
  3. How energetic do you want your dog to be?
  4. How much time are you able to devote to exercising your dog?
  5. How much time are you able to devote to playing with your dog?
  6. Are you looking for a very affectionate dog?
  7. Do you have other pets? What have their reactions been towards other pets in the past?
  8. How much time are you able to devote to training your dog?
  9. Are you looking for a protective dog or one that just loves everybody?
  10. Do you have children? Is the breed that you are considering good with children?
  11. Are you able to keep up with the grooming needs of the breed you have in mind?
  12. Do you live in a primarily hot or cold climate? (it is important to consider this before bringing home a dog who can not adapt to the climate that you live in)

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
Source (Image): Mark Vette

Posted in Helpful Tips

Dog Nail Trimming Tips

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Michael Moll

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:

  1. Ensure that you have the right size nail clippers for the right size dog (This is important because if you try using a clipper that is too small, you may cause pinching or splitting of the nail).
  2. Ensure that your clippers of choice are sharp 
  3. Desensitize your dog's paws (work on simple stroking and touching of the paws before attempting to clip them)  
  4. Always have lots of your dog's favorite treats to offer before, during and after the clipping
  5. Keep the nail trimmers almost parallel to the nail
  6. Cut a little bit of nail until you can see the beginning of a circle (this is the beginning of the vein that runs through their nails) 
  7. Don't squeeze the toes, ouch!
  8. Cut a small amount every 2 weeks for maintenance 
  9. Keep styptic powder on hand in case you do cut the quick
  10. PRAISE PRAISE PAISE your dog after every nail trim (even if they are used to it)

     

    dog nail trimming diagram

     

    Source (Image): Dog Guide

    Source (Image): PEI MAG

    Posted in Helpful Tips

    Toothbrushing Tips and Tidbits

    Posted on September 20, 2016 by Michael Moll

    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. 

    dog and toothbrush

    Getting Ready To Brush

    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. 

    1. Find a toothbrush that is designed for pets or a very soft toothbrush designed for kids. 
    2. Dip your finger into something tasty like beef bouillon or tuna juice and rub it along their gum line to get them used to the feeling of having something on their teeth.
    3. Next try dipping a gauze square into your choice of juice, place it over your finger and rub teeth in a circular motion. Once your pup is comfortable with the process then try to look for a toothpaste with their favorite flavor.
    4. Practice holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth surface and move it in a circular motion.

    Brushing Time!

    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. 

    1. Find a calm and relaxing room to begin. 
    2. Put a small amount of toothpaste on your finger and let your pup lick it off.
    3. Gently lift your pups lips (starting from the back of the mouth).
    4. Put a small amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and starting brushing in a circular motion. 
    5. Brush as many teeth as your pup will allow.
    6. End with a reassuring pat and a dental appropriate treat.
    dog having teeth brushed

      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

      Posted in Helpful Tips

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