Blog 2017

We've come up with 5 ways to travel with your pet.

#1. Advance booking is key. When you set an arrival date, you should book ahead. The site Booking.com is great, as it allows you to filter search results by those that are pet-friendly. But be sure to read the fine print. Some places say they're pet-friendly but require prior approval. Or you’ll arrive and find that they only permit small dogs. Specify that you’ll have your well-behaved pup with you, and call before booking if you have doubts.

#2. Local hotels are more flexible. While some, such as Kimpton and La Quinta, are pet-friendly, many are not, and they tend to have stricter policies that are applied across the entire chain. Local hotels or regional chains are sometimes more open to bending the rules (or creating new ones on the spot).

#3. Show and tell. Because not everyone’s a dog-lover, it often helps to share a bit about your dog. For example “She’s well-behaved, trained, does not bark and will not go to the bathroom inside.” If the staff is still unsure, give them a little show never hurts.  Just showcase a few tricks to demonstrate that she listens and obeys commands.

#4. Get references before leaving. Before leaving a hotel, ask a member of the staff to write a short review about your stay on company letterhead. Show this whenever you need to do a bit more persuading. Having a reference from another hotel is a great way to establish your credibility and prove that your pup does not cause problems.

#5. Don't forget the do hair! Dogs tend to leave behind piles of hair wherever they go. This can be a major put-off for hotels, which have to deal with it after you leave. Try brushing your dog before your stay, and travel with a pet brush. This will help reduce the amount of hair he or she leaves behind.

The mother dog performs lots of canine hygiene chores by licking her puppies clean, but once the puppies start moving around or are away from mom, they can get awfully dirty from poop, newsprint if they are being paper-trained, dog food, or just plain dirt. Most times, all you need to do is sponge them off with a warm moist washcloth or a disposable wipe, but sometimes only a bath will do.

Even if they are just a few weeks old, if you do it carefully, you can safely bathe them. In fact, if your puppies are a breed that will require professional grooming, it’s a good idea to get them used to the bathing process early on. It’s also important to instruct new owners on the proper way to bathe a puppy before they go to a new home.

How To Bathe A Puppy

Bathing a young puppy is not much different than bathing a human baby. First and foremost, you need to keep them warm when they are bathed: a warm room, warm water that is comfortable on your own skin, nice fluffy towels, and warm air — not hot — from a blow dryer if they are full-coated and need blow drying. Of course, you should never allow them to go outdoors if they are damp. Not only could they catch a chill, they just might roll in whatever is handy, including grass, gravel, and mud, undoing all of your work in the process.

Fluffy-coated puppies need to be brushed thoroughly before they are bathed. Water adds volume to mats and tangles, tightening them up during the bathing process. Most puppies can be bathed right in the kitchen sink. Place them on a rubber mat to prevent slipping and using the dish-spray hose or a hand-held shampoo attachment used for travel, wet them down from the back end with a gentle spray so they won’t panic.

In most cases, a puppy tearless shampoo works best, but if your baby is really stinky, you may have to use a deodorizing shampoo. If the skin is dry or flaky, a soothing oatmeal shampoo would be a good choice, leaving the lather on for ten minutes before rinsing. If the puppy has fleas, for safety’s sake use a natural flea shampoo rather than harsh chemicals to get rid of those unwelcome visitors. Do not use shampoos made for humans; they have a different pH level and often contain harsher detergents than quality pet products.

No matter which shampoo you use, be sure to keep the lather out of the puppy’s eyes. I like to wash and rinse the face with a washcloth so spraying that area won’t be necessary. Always rinse very thoroughly as any shampoo left in the coat will cause dryness and itching. If you start bathing puppies when they are young, bath time will be a normal experience in their lives, not a traumatic experience.

To identify a problem or an abnormal situation, you must first be able to recognize what’s normal for your dog. Performing this exam in the comfort of your home when your dog’s in good shape is the best way to do this. Consult your veterinarian if you’re concerned about any exam finding; early recognition can save your dog’s life.

Before you start the exam, take a good look at your dog when she’s just hanging out; observe her posture and general demeanor. Getting a good picture of your dog’s “normal” in a relaxed environment will help you pick up any subtle changes that may occur.

1. Take her temperature. Using a digital rectal thermometer (the ear type is less reliable, and mercury thermometers can break), lubricate the end with petroleum jelly and gently insert it into the rectum, about 1 inch for small dogs and about 2 inches for larger ones. If it does not slide in easily, do not force it. A normal temperature is between 100º and 102.5º F.

2. Check her heart rate by taking her pulse at the femoral artery, which you’ll find on the inside of her thigh; feel for the roll of the artery and a pulsing sensation. Count the number of pulses in 15 seconds and multiply by four. A dog’s pulse rate is highly variable, but generally, normal is 80 to 120 beats per minute. Relaxed, large-breed or athletic dogs tend to have slower rates, while the rate for puppies and small dogs tends to be higher.

3. Start at her head. Nose: smooth, soft and clean, like supple leather (noses aren’t necessarily always cool or moist). Eyes: bright, moist and clear, with pupils equal in size; the whites should be white, with only a few visible blood vessels. Ears: clean and dry, almost odor-free; you should be able to gently massage them without complaint. Mouth: teeth clean and white, gums uniformly pink and moist to the touch.

4. Watch her chest as she breathes. The chest wall should move in and out easily and rhythmically in an effortless way; each breath should look the same as the last. (Unless she’s panting, you should not be able to hear your dog breathe.) A normal resting respiration rate is 15 to 30 breaths per minute; a sleeping or relaxed dog would be near the low end, while an active and engaged dog would be higher. As with heart rates, smaller dogs tend to have a faster resting breathing rate than larger dogs.

5. Examine her skin. One of the body’s major organs and an important indicator of overall health, the skin of a healthy dog is soft and unbroken, with minimal odor and—except for wirehaired breeds—the hair coat is shiny and smooth.

6. Check her hydration with the skin turgor test. Pull the skin over her neck or back into a “tent” and release; it should return quickly to its original position. If it returns slowly, or remains slightly tented, your dog may be dehydrated.

7. Finish up with the torso. Starting just behind the ribs, gently press your hands into your dog’s belly; if she’s just eaten, you may feel an enlargement in the left part of the belly just under the ribs (where the stomach lives), which can be normal. Proceed toward the rear of her body, passing your hands gently over the entire area. Lumps, bumps or masses; signs of discomfort; or distention of the belly warrant further investigation by your vet.

For a more detailed discussion of the in-home exam thebark.com/exam and see Dr. Shea Cox on bridgevs.com

Thanks to our friends, Modern Magazine for the article below. We hope you enjoy.

Imagine this: You’re in line at the grocery store. The man behind you is standing very close, and you become uncomfortable. He inches up to where he’s practically touching you. There’s a woman in front of you, and the aisles are narrow. You have no space to move away. What would you do? Most people would turn around and say, “Excuse me” or something similar. But now imagine that your ability to speak was gone. You could try giving the man a stern look, but if that didn’t get the message across, you would eventually be forced to resort to physical measures, putting an arm out to stop him or even pushing him away.

The ability to communicate discomfort is very important to both people and dogs. Growling is a perfectly acceptable canine warning which, roughly translated, means, “Hey, I don’t like that,” “Don’t come any closer!” or “Please stop what you’re doing.” Just as in the grocery store scenario, taking away the ability to politely ask the offender to cease and desist eventually results in having to take physical action, which could result in a dangerous situation for both parties.

Humans are hard-wired to understand that a growl is a threat, so it’s reasonable and even advantageous to become upset when we hear one. But a growl from a dog is actually a good thing. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting that it’s desirable for any dog to growl at his owner, but again, growling is a non-aggressive form of communication. Whether a dog is growling at another dog or a person, it’s a warning. If the dog wanted to attack, he would. Growling is meant to avert aggression, not cause it. But many owners misunderstand and correct their dogs. The dog then learns that growling leads to being punished and suppresses the growl, which often results in biting with no warning. As a trainer, I’ve seen many cases like that over the years, and they can be both difficult and dangerous to rehabilitate.

Growling has its own spectrum of intensity. If the pitch of a growl deepens, the dog’s arousal level is becoming more intense. The accompanying body language offers information as well. A dog who is standing stock still when growling (as opposed to moving away in fear) is conserving his energy and standing his ground; this is a potentially volatile situation, whereas backing away while growling is the behaviour of a dog who is fearful or conflicted and is attempting to make the big, scary thing go away.

Read full article...

Taking care of your dog’s nails when they get too long is important, but it’s also important to make clipping their nails a good experience. Dogs have a quick in their nails, with a blood supply and a nerve, so if you cut into it, it hurts. Find out some tips on clipping canine nails in this week’s clip.

Thanks to our friends at Modern Dog Magazine, we've found an awesome DIY heart that you can create for your dog.

Ever had one of those Valentine’s Day when you’ve completely forgotten to organize anything? Yep, me too. So to save you tears on February 14th, here is a great quick fix that doesn’t involve flowers from the service station—the FIVE MINUTE VALENTINE! Grab your favorite four-legged friend and let's get started!

Materials

•    1 large sheet red (or pink!)
cardstock
•    1 ruler
•    1 pencil or white marker
•    A pair of scissors or X-Acto
knife
•    1 round cake tin or other 
round object approximately the
size of your dog’s head 

Handy Prepping Tips

• If you don’t have a cake tin, use a vase or similar circular object. Try to get something close to your dog’s head size.
• When cutting out the heart, feel free to cut slightly rounded lines to make a more organic heart shape.
• If you don’t have an X-Acto knife, gently fold the heart to cut the cross in the center with scissors.

Directions

1. Trace two circles using the cake tin to make the top of the heart.
2. Rule two lines to complete heart shape.
3. Cut out the heart using scissors or an X-Acto knife
4. Cut a cross in the center of the heart shape.
5. Slip safely over your dog’s head. Ensure it causes no discomfort to your dog.

Creative Ways to Use Your 5 Minute Doggie Valentine

•    Use your photo to create a personalized e-card, or better yet print it out and make your own real card.
•    Take a photo of your pooch with your phone and send a surprise Doggie Valentine text!
•    Forgo the photos and cards and simply have your dog greet your main squeeze, friends, and/or family
wearing his face-framing paper heart. What could be cuter than a living, breathing, wagging, smiling real life 
doggie valentine?

Find more super-awesome dog-themed DIYs over at prettyfluffy.com.

Click here for more Valentine's day treats, gifts, and goodies!

This video is hilarious. If you are looking for a way to get over hump-day Wednesday, watch "Dog Wants a Kitty" video below. 

Valentine Pupcakes is an awesome way to include your pup in your Valentine's Day shenanigans before hitting the town with the Mr. or Mrs. The video below shows you step by step instructions on how to make this a perfect day for everyone.

Valentine Pupcakes:

1/4 Cup of Canola Oil
1/3 Cup of Beet Puree or Beet Juice
1 Cup of Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cups of Flour (of your preference)

Frosting:
1/4 Cup of Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/3 Cup of Beet Puree or Beet Juice
8 oz. Light Cream Cheese

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Mix wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients and mix. Put mix into a non-stick mini muffin pan. Should make about 16 pupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool down.

Make Frosting. Mix ingredients together with powered hand mixer. Frost Pupcakes.

Visit PetWorldInsider.com for more great recipes and pet information. Don't forget to listen to Pet World Insider Radio at www.petworldinsider.com for daily pet industry experts, nutritionists and other important and fun pet related topics.

Let us know how your Pupcakes turn out.