General Articles

Tips To Protect Your Dog’s Paws From The Pavement

Many people like to go for walks with their dogs in the summer season when temperatures are highest. This can be very harmful to them, as the pavement absorbs the heat and burns their paws, causing pain, discomfort and exposing them to infections, especially when they are puppies and the skin on their paw pads is very thin. Read these 10 tips that will help you take care of your dog’s paws against the constant threat of burns caused by walking on hot pavement.

  1. Take Your Dog For A Walk When It Is Not Hot.

It is essential to take your pet for daily walks. Still, you must take into account at what time of the day and where you take him, especially in summer, since during the afternoon, the sun’s rays are powerful and radically increase the pavement’s temperature. The best time to go out is early in the morning or at dusk when the pavement is freezing and does not burn your dog’s paws.

  1. Get Your Dog’s Paws Used To Walking On The Pavement.

A good idea to help strengthen your dog’s paws against any damage is to make him walk for long stretches on the pavement when it is cold so that his skin adapts to this material’s hardness and is more difficult to break or burn because it will become harder.

  1. Keep Your Dog On A Grassy Path.

If, for some reason, you can’t avoid going out with your dog during the hottest part of the day, be sure to have him walk in grassy or shaded areas to avoid burns. Parks with lots of trees are ideal for hot afternoons, and you will also avoid coming into contact with corrosive substances that may be on the street or with dirt, which eventually dries out their pads.

  1. Moisturize Your Dog’s Paws

Consider moisturizing your dog’s paws daily to prevent cuts, nicks, or peeling, as these small wounds make them more susceptible to burns and other skin problems. You can find Paw Repair creams and lotions at pet stores and veterinary clinics.

  1. Protective Pad Wax

Paw Repair wax can be easily applied to your dog’s paw pads to protect them from damaging surfaces such as hot pavement. You can use it whenever you need extra protection during a walk, and you can find it in pet stores and veterinary clinics, just like moisturizing creams and lotions.

  1. Adhesive Pads

Just like a sticker, these pads peel off from their packaging and stick easily to your dog’s paw pads. You can find them at any home improvement store and just cut them to the size your pet requires. They are a quick solution to minimize the dangers of hot pavement and injuries and are even slip-resistant.

Another option is silicone sheets that are reusable, easy to cut, and moisture resistant. You can get them at drugstores.

  1. Dog Shoes

These shoes are one of the best ways to protect your dog’s paws; the important thing is that they are of good quality, comfortable and non-slip. Not all dogs get used to them, so don’t worry if you notice that your pet takes a long time to adapt or doesn’t want to wear them.

  1. Disposable Boots

Disposable boots are ideal for hot days. They are made of rubber and resist chemicals, moisture, heat, sand, salt, and much more. They can be used several times without problems, biodegradable, and sold in packs of 12 in pet stores.

  1. Socks

As a quick fix to keep your dog’s paws from getting damaged by hot pavement, you can use dog socks or a pair of baby socks. Not all dogs get used to wearing them, so as with shoes, don’t worry if your pet doesn’t want to wear them.

  1. Check And Wash Your Dog’s Paws Daily.

Check your dog’s paws daily for any signs of damage and frequently clean them with soap and warm water. If his paw pads are damaged, take him to the veterinarian for advice on the best way to heal his wounds.

By following these tips, you can prevent your pet from being exposed to burns from walking on hot pavement and also improve their quality of life, since their paw pads serve as shock absorbers for their weight, maintain their balance, and allow them to walk on hard or rough surfaces.

 

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Dog Adoption

How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Lead

There is nothing worse than grappling to control your dog as it pulls you along, it’s tongue to one side of it’s mouth as it pants and pulls on the neck muscles close to strangulation. No matter what command you shout, nothing seems to work, until now!
Straight from the off, you need to show your dog who is the boss. You are the master and it takes directions and guidance from you. Make dog pulling a thing of the past with these proven methods. It’s going to take a little patience and a strong mind from you. You are going to have to give some simple commands and do some positive actions which your dog may not appreciate at first, but it’s necessary for long term success.
Place the lead on the collar before you go outside. Never allow the dog to bite the lead. If yours does this then say a firm ‘no’ command. Hold the lead in your left hand and let the lead cross your body down to the dog which will be at your right side. Your right hand should also be holding the lead in a gentle grip. Your dogs position should be slightly behind the lead just enough so it can see it in the corner of it’s eye. The dogs position should always be slightly behind the lead.
Proceed to walk, if the dog pulls and it probably will because it’s excited. It does not know where it’s going, it just wants to get there as fast as it can. When it starts to get ahead of the lead which you are holding across your body then stop quickly. Tell your dog to ‘heel’ and to position itself next to you. Some prefer to give the ‘sit’ command next before you start to walk again.
There is no need to yank the dog back sharply. The collar will hurt the neck and it may yelp, there is no need for this. Now it’s time for the patience to set in. You can give the command to ‘walk’ as you set off again. If the dog starts to pull again you do the same thing. Stop walking immediately.
Your dog will get frustrated of course. It wants to get wherever it’s going and you are not helping. But dogs are not stupid animals, they will soon work out that If they walk in a particular manner then they are going to make some progress on the journey. If it pulls you stop walking and go back to the sit command.
When you come to road junctions then you should always give the command to ‘sit’ and wait until the road is clear. All this is good practice which will educate your dog to be a very responsive animal. Success is not going to happen overnight, but trust me, this is a proven method of success that I am sure will work with you. Failure only comes when the owner feels sorry for the dog and gives it some leeway.
Never forget that you are the master and they look for you for guidance. Just be firm with your verbal commands and actions, be patient and you will get the reward of a dog that you are in complete control of when you walk together.…

Dogs for Adoption

Raw Bones For Dog Health

Raw bones:

-will keep teeth clean and reduce tartar buildup, therefore great for reducing offensive doggie breath!

-are naturally high in essential fatty acids (EFA’s), fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, marrow (blood forming proteins), collagen, minerals (boron, calcium phosphate and phosphorus in the perfect ratio and availability)

-improve skin, coat and general wellbeing of your dog

-beneficial to muscle and bone development as it is an isometric exercise

-dogs can store stress in their jaw, chewing is soothing and serves as a stress release activity as it helps release endorphins which creates a feeling of wellbeing

-chicken bones are high in omega 6, essential acids and raw young bird bones are quite soft

-important for your dogs dental health as bones help prevent periodontal disease, gingivitis, and cavities therefore saving you expensive visits to the vet

-helps strengthen your dogs own bones, teeth and jaw

-will help anal glad problems, so if your dog scoots on grass this could be a sign that including raw bones in his diet would be of benefit

-dogs fed a proportion of raw meat and bone have much smaller, slightly harder and much less smellier stool

-good for dogs that are crated or confined for longer periods of time as it keep them calm and occupied

-ends of bones contain cartilage, great source of glucosamine which has anti inflammatory properties

Suitable bones MUST BE RAW and never cooked as they can splinter internally and cause impaction, also

-discourage your dog from eating old dried out bones

-avoid large marrow type bones as they can wear down teeth enamel and cause cracks

What type of bones to feed?

Always chose an appropriate bone size for your dog. Medium-large dogs: lamb shanks and necks, raw chicken and turkey necks, chicken carcasses and frames, pig’s trotters, beef marrow bones, kangaroo tails. It is always ideal for your dog to chew all bones a few times before swallowing , however if your dog gulps down rather than chewing the bones do not feed lamb shanks).

Smaller dogs, bull terriers, boxers: can be fed raw meaty bones but leave out the larger bones such as lamb shanks. Chicken necks are good for puppies and smaller dogs (or mixed up with other foods for larger dogs who chew well, otherwise they are most likely to be too small and swallowed without chewing. For puppies also try and include bones with some meat as it encourages them to use their front incisor teeth while trying to tear off the meat. This can help prevent further chewing of furniture, shoes it helps the puppy through the teething stage.

Please note that some adult dogs can’t eat any cuts of raw bone perhaps due to the shape of the head of some small breeds, or having an undershot jaw. Older dogs may have lost too many teeth and may be unable to chew bones.

Otherwise, generally feeding your dog raw bones twice weekly is a great start to introducing him to a natural form of food dogs have been accustomed to eating for thousands of years. Dogs are carnivores (meat eaters) so their entire anatomy and physiology is well adapted to digest bones. Their stomach acid is much stronger than humans so they can readily digest bits of bone and chunks of meat. Their strong stomach acid also kills any bacteria or pathogen that would otherwise be harmful to humans. Organic meat and bones are always preferable.

By feeding your dog what dogs would naturally eat in the wild you will be tremendously contributing to his welfare. Why not start by introducing a few different types of bone and create some variety to your dog’s diet this week, observe carefully when he’s eating, and come to your own conclusion!…

Pet

Containing Aggressive Dog Behavior

Back in the old days when all dogs were wild, barking, chewing, and scent-marking were natural among dogs. However, since dogs have become a part of our household and society, they had to be taught on how to act accordingly. These natural behaviors have become behavior problems that are imperative to be dealt with. Aggressive dog behavior is not natural in dogs. It is something that they adapt from their environment specifically when a dog lacks proper socialization or when a dog experienced being attacked by another more aggressive dog. Aggressive dog behavior is one of the major pains in the head of dog owners.

It is difficult to have an aggressive dog at home especially when you have children. Dogs with this kind of behavior tend to dominate the household which can actually be a dangerous one for dogs and the owner?s family as well. Aggressive dog behavior often begins when a dog is still a puppy and it is hardly noticeable. There are specified dog training techniques for very specific cases. Thus, not all techniques will work in a dog. Environmental or health factors may cause aggressive dog behavior. So, it is highly recommended that you keep in touch with your veterinarian when it comes to treating aggressive dogs.

There are various other reasons why dogs behave aggressively. Some dogs are aggressive because they want to protect their territory, they are in pain, they are defensive, they have reproductive urges or they are mere playful. As the owner, you have to be keen at knowing why your dog is becoming aggressive. Do not wait until your dog bites or attacks a family member or a neighbor. It is your responsibility as the owner to contain your dog and prevent him from harming other people. You may only take them to public places when you know what necessary precautions to take in case they will panic.

Keep in mind that some dogs fear being around strangers or other dogs, so some of them panic in cases like this. If you have seen such behavior in your dog, then perhaps he needs to be trained on socialization. Many dog trainers believe that punishment is not a good remedy to treat aggressive dog behavior. It might even trigger aggressive attacks especially that physical punishments result to fear and anxiety making the matter worse. Aggressive dog behavior may also be dealt with through games. Play a game that challenges your dog?s dominance and when you win, you will establish an impression on your dog that you are still the dominant one.

Otherwise, if the dog would often see that he is the dominant one, he can become more aggressive and dangerous. Aggressive dog behavior can be resolved with the right training regimen. Praises, compliments, rewarding with dog treats will surely reinforce a positive response from your dog. Treating dog aggressive behavior is a long process since your pet will have to learn behavior patterns all over again. Do not expect overnight results so be very patient. Treat aggressive dog behavior the soonest time possible for everyone?s safety.…