Holiday Fishing Trip – Part 1
Wow summer has gone by fast! It’s Labor Day, The last holiday of the summer. It’s our last chance to go on a holiday fishing trip. School has started In most parts of the country and soon it will be fall. The leaves will be falling and signs of winter approaching. OOH what a scary thought, unless you like ice fishing, that is.
Fido is excited. The boat is hooked up to the pick up truck. The Travel Gear
is packed. Fido’s Kennel Carrier if firmly bungeed down in the back of the truck. Fido’s Life Safety Jacket is packed along with the brand new Rain Jacket daddy just bought for him. Fido’s folks sure do think a lot of him. They even brought along a bottle of Vetericyn Wound Treatment, just in case he gets a cut or scratch. The don’t want any infections you know.
What they didn’t need to bring, but they did anyway, was a bottle of Dog Shampoo. They are afraid Fido is going to roll in the fish found on the shore. Some people just can’t take a Joke.
Bath Time! Where is your dog getting his? – Part 5
The easiest and most expensive way to take the work out of grooming you dog is to take him to the Dog Groomer and let her do it. Bathing & grooming are essential to a healthy pet. Most professional groomers offer state-of-the-art dog grooming facilities with professional grooming stylists. They take the mess and work out of grooming your dog.
They provide all the tools products and expertise necessary to give you dog the best care. From quality dog shampoos
, haircuts, and flea treatments – to exotic styling, pedicures, skin care, and moisturizing treatments, your pampered pet will go home looking great as well as feeling great! Dog grooming services are available by daily appointment, or can be scheduled with boarding.
Always bear in mind that most dog groomers are pleasant, professional, and caring. The goal of keeping your pet a happy pampered puppy, will always be their top priority!
Bath Time! Where is your dog getting his? – Part 4
Washing your dog is a dirty job! The mixture of water with shedding hair and muddy paws makes for a messy clean up. Many pet owners have taken the mess elsewhere. When you wash your car, do you wash in the driveway of your home? Or, do you take it to the car wash.
When you take your dog to the dog wash the only thing you need is your dirty dog. The dog wash provides the rest! Wash stations are cleaned and disinfected after every use so you don’t have to bathe your pup in the wet hair of a previous pooch and you don’t have to worry about harmful germs that can cause Parvo and other illnesses.
When your traveling with your dog, it is not always practical to take all the grooming supplies
with you to respond to any unexpected events. Once we walking along a mountain lake when we saw Fido rolling on his back. He was rolling in a pile of dead fish. You can imagine the rest of the story.
Bath Time! Where is your dog getting his? – Part 3
Keep in mind when giving your dog a bath, use a shampoo designed for dogs, wear clothing you don’t mind getting wet and rap a towel around him after the rinse cycle to reduce the disaster when he shakes. Fido will tell you that shaking is the fun part, second only to the brushing your going to give him next. Make bathing and brushing your dog a regular and fun experience. It is a great way to bond with your dog.
The big question here is who is getting the bath? You or the dog? Probably both. If you are washing your dog in the laundry sink, as many people do, you need to place a wire mesh screen over the drain to keep any loose dog hair from clogging the drain.
Before dragging Fido into the laundry room, there are a few things you need to have on hand:
- Three large towels, one for the dog, one for you, and one for the floor under your feet. This will keep you from slipping on a wet floor and having Fido jump out on top of you.
- Dog Shampoo – When bathing your dog use a Shampoo made for them. Human Shampoo is not for dogs. Many different types of Shampoo are made for Fido and Fido will appreciate you using one of them.
- An extra set of clothes for you.
Wet dogs like to shake. After carefully rinsing Fido off after you have washed him, (soap left behind after a bath can cause hot spots), place his towel over him, pat him down, remove him from the sink and stand back. Your towel and dry cloths will come in handy at this point.
When Cats Collide
A few months ago, I agreed to take care of my friend’s cat while she’s studying in London. I didn’t have any qualms about the agreement at first, but I failed to consider how my own cat would react to the new roommate. We planned to try an introduction one week in advance of the drop-off date. My cat had never acted in a territorial manner before, but she really let the new cat have it, and it went sprinting out the window cat door.
Aggressive cat behavior is characterized by hissing, spitting and growling – noises that will only come out in your cat when a perceived threat or rival is in the area. I’ve learned in the time since that cats eventually learn to covet smaller territories. Even if they don’t learn to share all toys and furniture equally, most cats will eventually grow accustomed to each other and stick to their own space.
Bath Time! Where is your dog getting his? – Part 2
Get out the Garden Hose, turn on the water, and chase Fido around the yard until he’s soaked and call it good. I have actually seen people bathe their dog in this manner. What a joke. First of all when do you apply the soap? And how are you going to be sure he is rinsed thoroughly, to prevent hot spots? If you don’t use soap he’s likely to smell worse than before you started.
In warm weather you can bathe your dog outside. Pick a place that will not turn to mud when it gets wet. It’s a good idea a have a washtub large enough for your dog to stand up in and fill it with a few inches of water. Use a quality dog shampoo
made for dogs. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap.
Water straight from a garden hose may start off warm, but usually gets cold very fast. If your dog starts to resist and shiver, as the water gets colder, you may want to consider another option.
Bath Time! Where is your dog getting his? – Part 1
Every now and then, like it or not, your dog is going to need a bath. It’s a part of good grooming practices, health maintenance and, well, to put it simply, he’ll smell better. Many dog breeds like the Water Spaniel, love water, and look forward to every opportunity to get wet, and to share their wetness with you. Other Breeds, like the Norwegian Elkhound, believe water is for drinking and has no place on the exterior of their body.
If your dog is active, works hard and plays harder, he will need a good brushing
before his bath to remove any foreign object hanging out in his fur. Some dogs simply lays around the house all day, eating treats and getting spoiled by you. Guess what? You still need to brush him.
There are many methods and places to bath a dog. In this series of blogs we are going to look at the most common ones and discuss the benefits of each.
When Your Away – Where Does Your Dog Stay? – Part 5
One of the most important things a dog owner should learn when he gets a new dog is to anticipate what your dog is going to do when you’re not around. You can’t be home all the time and you can’t take him everywhere with you.
If you going to work, don’t leave your dog in the back yard to his own devices unless you are certain what those devices are. Be considerate of your neighbors. Many dog owners will keep their dogs inside in a wire pen or wire dog crate
, where they are comfortable in a place they call their own. If the dog is well trained, he often is allowed to be loose in the house.
If your leaving town for an extended period, longer term arrangements need to be made.
For those who decide to use a commercial kennel when they are away should use precaution. Do you homework to determine that the facility where you are taking your dog is safe for him. Make sure all of his shots are up to date. Kennel cough and other deceases are common in places like this. You don’t want to take in a healthy dog and get back a sick one.
Pet sitting offers the best of all worlds – for pets and their owners. Trauma is minimized. Owners need not go through the ordeal of transporting unhappy pets and worrying that they might be exposed to other animals’ illnesses. Animals get to stay in their familiar environment, sleep in their own bed, and maintain their diet and exercise routine and are attended to by caring people.
Don’t leave your dog stranded where he has to make choices or decisions on his own. He needs to feel comfortable in his environment. He needs to know you haven’t abandoned him and that you are coming back.
When You’re Away – Where Does Your Dog Stay? – Part 4
Can I Come? Can I Come? If my dog could talk, and sometimes I think she can, That is what she would say every time I pick up my car keys and head for the door. I call her my Go! Go! Dog because she always wants to go.
Most if not all professional people who own show dogs, place a high value on the safety of their dogs. For this reason, if you visit a dog show, you will see most of the dogs are transported in a van or SUV using a Wire Dog Crate or a Portable Dog Kennel
to contain their dog.
A Portable Kennel gives a dog a sense of security and a place of his own while traveling, and provides peace of mind for the dog owner. They are made of heavy duty plastic shells, and come with wire doors and vents. A quality portable kennel is Airline Approved for air travel, and is very popular with people who travel with their dogs frequently, whether around town or on extended trips.
When You’re Away – Where Does Your Dog Stay? – Part 3
Pets are happiest when they’re home, surrounded by familiar sights, smells and sounds.
For many years, pet owners faced a dilemma when they had to be away from home. Limited care options were available. One choice was boarding at a kennel or vet. Another was turning to family, friends, neighbors or a professional boarder. But these solutions were seldom ideal.
Pet Sitting has become a viable option for your pets care. Today, pet sitters and professional pet caregivers – look after an animal or animals, at home, while their owner is away. Pet sitting has taken the anxiety out of leaving a pet behind, which is why it is one of the nation’s fastest growing industries.
Pet sitting offers the best of all worlds – for pets and their owners. Trauma is minimized. Owners need not go through the ordeal of transporting unhappy pets and worrying that they might be exposed to other animals’ illnesses. Animals get to stay in their familiar environment, sleep in their own bed
, and maintain their diet and exercise routine and are attended to by caring people.
Professional pet sitting allows owners to confidently leave their pets home, knowing that they’ll receive the love and care they so rightly deserve.