NYC Dog Walking Blog

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and many of you will be giving your pets something special.

With so many holiday-themed pet gifts to choose from, it can be overwhelming. There are tons of lovey-dovey, heart-shaped this or that for Skie or Mr. Butter Cup, however not all traditional gifts are safe. With food or treats, for example, ingredients such as chocolate, xylitol and grapes can be toxic to cats and dogs. Here are 4 safe Valentines Day Gifts for your pet. They are al Bark and Walk Approved.

 1. Heart ID Tag

Has your pet’s ID tag seen better days? Prefer a tag with a love motif? You’re in luck. Check out this "blinger" on WaxWingJewelry.

2. Heart Bowl

Although food and water may just be daily ho-hum necessities, give it some flair with heart-themed bowls and dishes. This heart bowl is available here.

3. Posh Pink Tent

Is your pet’s pad in need of an upgrade? Or perhaps your pet is like mine — I get a new bed and she sleeps everywhere but there. I think it’s the bed, so I buy another. Well, here is a fantastically frilly one for Valentine’s Day.

4. Trendy Dog Collar

If your furball is still wearing a collar with reindeer or snowflakes on it, it’s time to update the look. Here are some Valentine’s colors to get you started. This dog collar has optional letters if you want it personalized.

As always, we would love to hear some past pet gifts you've given your pet and don't forget to share some of your gift ideas for this Valentine. 

We are now 11 days away from Valentine’s Day! This is a time for many pet owners to experience some TLC with their loved ones without the slobber.  If you need a sitter, Bark and Walk is here for the job. So I ask you, have you scheduled us to pet sit for February 14th? While you're being spoiled by your first love, let us spoil your other love. Here are 3 Valentine games your pup will love.

It's Play Time

This is a luxury for most pets, especially if they are hound breeds that cannot be trusted not to chase woodland critters. A doggie park is great for this activity.  This special treat will certainly make your dog’s day!

Extra Hugs & Cuddles

What could be better on Valentine’s Day than extra cuddles? Not only will we pet sit, but we will take him or her on a nice Valentine's Day walk. At the end of the walk, your dog's certified walker will give them a relaxing treat, some extra cuddle time! It's a win-win for our walker and your dog.

Special Game Time

Wouldn't your dog enjoy going to a local trail or have fun playing a game of “hide and go treat” where your dog walker hides treats around the house or yard for your dog to find. Whatever activities your pet enjoys, we can spoil your dog by playing a special game together after the walk.

We would love for you to share some ways you spoil your dog!

I'm sure you know dogs have a sixth sense when it comes to humans. When you are feeling down, your dog can often act as a confidant. They listen better than we do, respond appropriately to your emotions, and genuinely care about your feelings. To your dog, you are family. It is as simple as that.

Understanding how your dog perceives you can help you relate better to your pet. Here are 3 things your dog can sense about you.

1. You can't Hide Your Sadness From Your Dog

Think about a time when you were sad, did you notice your dog became more subdued than usual. Sometimes they even lose interest in their toys and refuse to eat. After observing your mood, after a while, he may come over and place his head in your lap. Some even try to lick away the tears. Why you may ask. A dog's owner is their entire world, so you being sad effects them as well. 

In a study published in the journal “Animal Cognition,” researchers found that a dog was more likely to approach someone who was crying than someone who was humming or talking. Furthermore, they found that dogs respond to weeping with submissive behavior.

In other words, dogs have a caring spirit rather it's for their owner or a complete stranger.

2. Dogs can Detect Diseases You May Have

Various studies have confirmed that dogs have the ability to detect certain diseases such as cancer. Some dogs have been trained to warn individuals who suffer from seizures when an episode is about to take place.  

A dog’s ability to sense disease comes down to an ability to detect chemicals known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs. VOCs are what allows us to sense odor and though some are toxic, the term generally applies to any chemical that can get into your nose because it is a gas. While humans can detect certain potent VOCs, our limited sense of smell is no match for what dogs can do.

If your dog has been paying particular attention to a certain area of your body, you may want to visit your doctor to make sure everything is okay.

3. Your Dog Knows About His Vet Appointment

How in the world is a dog able to differentiate a trip to the park vs a trip to the vet? I've been wondering the same thing. It's like as soon as you load him into the car to head to the vet, he already knows what is going on. 

When you get to the vets, most dogs develop a set of anti-lock brakes that makes them impossible to move.

A dog knows that he is going to the vet thanks to his sense of smell and his ability to read body language. You probably can’t make a trip to the vet fun for your dog, but you can make it less anxiety-provoking.

Most experts recommend that you acclimate your dog to the vet by taking him there on visits (no shots or prodding during these times). You should also “play doctor” with your dog. That means touching him on the pads of his feet, looking in his mouth, and otherwise doing things that a vet would do. This makes the trip and visit a lot more comfortable.

We would love for you to add some things you've noticed your dog has sensed about you.

If you are a doggie parent, then you should know how to perform CPR on your dog. Seeing your dog in a life-threatening situation can be a frightening and stressful experience. Equipping yourself with the knowledge to effectively recognize and take action treating your dog’s condition can keep you calm and greatly increase your dog’s chance of survival. 

The infographic below: How To Perform CPR on Your Dog

Why hiring a dog walker is important? The best way to make sure your dog is getting a regular workout is to provide him or her with daily companionship, motivation, and structure. However, most doggie parents work full-time to provide Fluffy with her cushy lifestyle, right? For most people, there are just not enough hours in the day. The truth is, hiring a dog walker provides amazing benefits for your pet, as well as for you. 

Here are the top 5 reasons hiring a dog walker is important:

1. Health – To live a long, healthy, and happy life, your pet needs a routine and consistent work-out plan. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, an estimated 54% of dogs and cats in the United States are obese.  With proper exercise, you can prevent or reduce the chances of your dog acquiring specific health problems in their lifetime. A 3 or more 20+ minute walk per day is one of the absolute best ways to keep your dog healthy.

2. Socialization and Encouragement – Meeting other people or animals is a great way to stimulate your dog's senses. He/she gets to see, smell, feel, and hear a variety of new and interesting things while out for their walk. This is an excellent way to encourage proper socialization for your pup.  Believe it or not, but a simple walk can be the highlight of your pet’s day.

3. Calmer Behavior – With frequent long walks your dog will be less likely to do unnecessary barking, chewing, and/or biting. Releasing excess energy through regular walks results in calmer behavior at home. Simply put, a tired dog is a good dog. 

4. Peace of Mind – Close your eyes and imagine not having to rush your dog in the mornings to go potty. Imagine not having to rush home from work to walk your dog. With a daily dog walker, you don’t have to worry as much and it gives you a peace of mind that your dog is well taken care of, even when you're not home. Just knowing that your dog will get quality time outdoors during the day helps relieve the guilt or stress that they're left alone, often for 8 or more hours every day. Now you can feel confident that your dog is living a rewarding, happy life.

5. Time – Trying to fit a lengthy walk in your schedule is like trying to fly an airplane down a bowling lane, it's just not happening. The truth is we all live busy lives, and every second counts. With a regular dog walker, your dog still gets all of the exercise and attention they deserve, while you get back a great deal of time.  This way it's a win-win situation for all.

There are many other reasons why hiring a dog walker is important, but by now, I'm sure the benefits are pretty clear.  Bark & Walk make hiring a professional dog walker simple and affordable while offering top notch services.

We’d love to help you and your dog get the benefits you both deserve.

Benefits of Taking Your Pet to a Dog Park

You love your dog. He's like a member of your family. But there are many places that you can't take your four-legged companion. He's often left cooped up at home. Dog parks offer you a designated place that you can go with your dog, and there are many benefits of taking him.

Doggy Socializing

Often, when dogs are brought into a closed environment, they become fearful of anything outside, including other dogs. Taking your dog to a dog park allows him to meet other dogs, as well as other humans, allowing him to learn to interact with others and lessening his fear response. You can even arrange future play dates with your dog’s new friends!

Physical and Mental Stimulation

When left cooped up, especially in small areas, dogs have a tendency to become bored. Bored dogs are often destructive dogs. You may come home to find pillows, cushions or carpets chewed up. Your dog may also bark and howl, which can be disturbing to your neighbors.

Dog parks offer a large open space for your dog to run freely. It is a safe environment, free of cars, bicyclists and other things that may be harmful to your pup. You can bring some of his favorite toys to play with him. At the end of a good romp in the park, you get to go home with a tired but satisfied dog, and your home is as you left it.

Human Benefits

Dog parks don't just benefit dogs, they also benefit their humans. Taking your dog to the park gets you out into the sunshine and fresh air. It encourages you to interact with him, giving you a chance to get some exercise as well. It also gives you an opportunity to meet other dog owners and socialize. Not only does your dog get to make new friends, but so do you!

Keeping your dog at home, indoors, all day makes both you and your dog sad. Dog parks offer a great way for the two of you to get out, make new friends and get some exercise, all in a safe, enclosed environment.

Food Versus Affection - Which is the Better Training Reward

Rewards are an excellent way to get the desired responses you want from your dog.  They greatly helps in the training process.  There are a couple of ways you can reward your furry friend: food or affection.  Both are effective, but which is better?

Food Rewards

Dogs love to eat, so food is a very enticing reward.  Most dogs, upon seeing a treat, will respond very quickly in order to get it.  There are a couple of arguments that say using food can actually be detrimental to training, but their effectiveness depends upon your approach.

Some say that dogs come to expect treats and will only obey commands when they get treats.  Taking away a treat is removed when the command is learned means the dog will no longer listen.  Dogs, however, are eager to please.  While they may enjoy the treats, slowly phasing out their use decreases the likelihood the dog will always come to expect it.

There are some who say using treats will result in overweight and unhealthy pets.  This can be the case if you use too many treats in conjunction with their regular diet.  Rather than using a bunch of treats, you may consider breaking up treats into smaller pieces and using only a portion of the whole treat as a reward.  Or, you can use some of the food in their regular feeding, so you don't risk overfeeding your pup.

Affection Rewards

Dogs also love affection.  They will do almost anything to please their people.  This makes affection an excellent reward as well.  Affection also has many benefits.

First of all, the affection should be calm.  Becoming overly excited and loud could actually incite your dog to get overly excited and may cause him to jump around and defeat the purpose of training.  A simple smile, scratch behind the ear and pat on the calm "good dog" is all some dogs need to encourage repeat behavior.

Affection is also easy to give.  It doesn't require you to remember to bring treats everywhere you go.  You can never give too much of it, and it won't potentially make your companion a little chubby.

When it comes to food versus affection, both have their merits.  Some dogs respond extremely well to affection, such as working dogs, while others may need a little more enticing.  For those that need a little extra push, food is an excellent motivator.  Every dog is different.  Which reward is best is the one that works for you and your pet.

The actual act of walking a dog is a relatively simple process. Attach leash...start walking. Not very complicated. So why would anyone need a professional dog walker?  Simply put - it's all about the benefits. At Bark & Walk, we are focused on making sure our service is providing benefits for our dogs and their owners. In this blog we will be focusing on the benefits for your puppy or mature dog. Feel free to view our blog where we discuss the benefits for our owners.

While most dog owners take their pet for a walk so they can relieve themselves, the exercise they receive is beneficial and should become a part of your normal routine. Your dog should be taken for walks even for non-bathroom reasons. The most obvious benefit is that it keeps your pet healthy. A consistent walking schedule will keep your pet healthy, agile and limber. Your dog can’t tell you how their feeling, so keeping them as healthy as possible is paramount to a dog’s lifespan. Most dogs relieve themselves on walks and this is no coincidence. Regular walks greatly aid your pet’s digestive system and can help with constipation.

Regular walks can also be beneficial in breaking your dog’s bad house habits that include chewing, digging and scratching. Pets want to be kept busy and allowing your dog to explore the outside for even an hour a day will greatly help their temperament, especially in puppies. Dogs, especially ones who are at home alone all day, have oodles of pent up energy and it needs to be released. Just letting them out in the backyard isn’t enough, they need to explore the sites they stare at through the window all day. Keeping with this narrative, excessive barking and whining could be a direct cause of not enough attention. Walking your dog shows him/her or both that you care and want to spend time with them.

Two huge benefits of walking your pet is the bond and trust it builds between the two of you. Some pets are innately timid or fearful and constant walks out in the big, scary world can help tame your pet’s anxiety. With you by your pet’s side, it will be easier for them to open up and interact with other humans and animals.

Pets may only seem like an animal to some, but to most pet owners they are an extension of their family and are viewed as such. You should be taking care of your dog and any other pet just as you would a human. Now, you may not have the necessary time in a day to do all of this for your dog, but we at Bark & Walk are here to help! Our friendly and experienced experts will keep your pets safe and healthy.