Entries Tagged 'Dogs' ↓

Relocating to a new home can be an epic event for everyone in the household, imposing a great deal of stress on all those involved. One member of the clan who may be overlooked at moving time is the family dog. Dogs are very routine-oriented. They have a sense of what is “their” territory. They are also gregarious by nature, and have friends that they’re likely to miss, just as children do. When moving them to a new place (which can include radical changes in climate) caring dog owners will go a few extra steps to ease the transition for their family pet.

Make Your Dog Feel At Home

Of course, the most important thing to the dog is that he or she is still with his or her owners; they take great comfort in that. Being left behind at the old house to cope with a whole new set of people would be infinitely harder for most dogs (and is an unlikely scenario in any event). Bringing along your dog’s favorite items, be it a pet bed or those favorite toys, will give them a measure of comfort that can keep them from worrying as much as they otherwise might.

A Little Extra Attention

There are other responsibilities that are the sole proprietorship of the owners. Your pooch might be able to fetch your newspaper, but he can’t fill out his own licensing paperwork, nor can he make the calls required to transfer veterinary records to an animal hospital in your new city or town. Having up-to-date files can wind up being crucial in the event that your dog runs away. If nobody knows you’ve moved, it makes it that much harder to let you know when your pet has been found.

The most important resource for your pet’s well-being is you, the owner. Nobody knows your dog like you do. Stick to familiar routines where feeding and walking are concerned. Introduce your dog to his new environment. Take the time to find out if there are any free-range dog parks nearby – and pay a little extra attention to Man’s Best Friend during the move, which can be a trying time for everyone in the family.

Also, if you have the the opportunity to move anywhere choose a dog friendly area, such as looking into the Vancouver, Washington DC or Austin real estate markets.

When the trend initially took off, it was known as BARF, which stood for “bones and raw food”. Later it turned into “biologically appropriate raw food”, and now it is just known as “raw”. Feeding your dog a raw food diet basically means giving them raw, meaty bones rather than packaged dog food.

The Appeal of the Raw Food Diet

Recently, the raw food diet has gotten a lot of praise because of the wide-scale pet food recalls that have been occurring. Suddenly, pet-owners were concerned for their dogs’ health, and since pet food was being scrutinized, the next option was raw foods. Many people favor the idea of feeding their pet a fresh, well-hydrated, raw diet. Not only that, but because the meat has not been cooked at all, its enzymes and amino acids have not been altered. Raw foods have been the go-to solution when a dog has been diagnosed with a health problem like allergies, but now pet-owners are choosing to extend that diet to their dog’s daily routine.

Things to Consider

Many people are still considered with feeding their dogs foods that mimic what they would be eating in the wild (raw meat, bones, vegetables, fruit). Pet owners fear bacterial contamination, dietary imbalances, and internal injury from inadequately chewed bones. There are also specific dogs that may not be well-suited for the raw food diet, such as immune-compromised dogs. One of the biggest concerns over raw food is the cost. If you create a proper, well-balanced raw meal for your dog, it can cost as much as feeding yourself!

There are benefits to the raw food diet, but it may also not be for every dog. Look at online pet supplies to get the help you need.

Well, it’s the time of year to again get out the battle gear and combat that awesome pest…the flea. Flea season is upon us (April-September) and since an adult flea can live and breed well over 100 days on your pet if not disturbed, we have quite a task ahead if we don’t take some preventive measures early on:

* Vacuum frequently- all floors and carpets, stairs and under beds too.

* Wash pet bedding frequently.

* Use a safe topical treatment, flea powder, spray or other product. Follow the product instructions provided carefully.

* Ask your vet about topical treatments like Frontline, Advantix & Advantage (now purchasable at pet stores without a veterinarians prescription – Tip: You can save some $ using Petsmart coupons) – these products kills adult fleas, and makes them unable to reproduce, cutting your combat time in half.

* Brush and comb your dog frequently.

* Bathe him/her if heavily infested.

* Spray the house with a flea product at least once a week, under beds, couches, etc.

It might be tough to see fleas, but they certainly make their existence known – especially to your pet.

WARNING SIGNS
The first step to stopping a flea-for-all is to be aware of their presence. Keep an eye out for the warning signs that fleas have set up shop on your pet!

BLACK SPECKS — black specks on your pet or in your pet’s bed could be flea dirt, which is feces from the adult fleas. There are two easy ways to check for black specks:

Flea Comb — available from your veterinarian (the metal ones are the best). Run the comb over your pet, making sure the comb reaches the skin through the coat. If black specks are on the comb when you pull it off, they may be flea dirt. If fleas are on the comb, drown them in a bowl of soapy water before they can get away or jump back on your pet.

White paper towel — place a white paper towel beneath your pet and rub your hands across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, they may be flea dirt.

The following steps can also be taken to prevent ticks from harming your pet:

YARDWORK — you can remove tick habitats from your yard by keeping tall grass clipped, removing any mulch or leaf litter and trimming bushes.

AVOID TALL GRASS OR BRUSH — keep your pet far away from these tick breeding grounds.

EXAMINE YOUR PET — examine your pet thoroughly every day for ticks. Although ticks prefer attaching to your pet’s head, neck and paws, you should still try to cover as much of your pet’s body as he/she will allow.

Don’t despair: if you follow through with the steps above, you’ll end up ahead of the battle. As always the best combat is prevention-good luck!