February 13th, 2008 — Agility, Dog Sports, Dog Agility Training
Dog agility is a sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. The handler can’t touch the dog or obstacles. Only voice and hand commands are allowed.
A basic agility course is run on an area of apporoximately 100 by 100 feet and has numbered obstacles (tire, jumps, weave poles, a-frame, tunnels), laid out by an agility judge in a design of their own choosing. The numbers represent the order in which the obstacles are to be completed.
Agility courses are made difficult enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction.
December 31st, 2007 — Dog Massage, Winter Safety, Dog Health, Dog Walking, Dog Sports, Dog Hiking, Dogs
Don’t forget to check your dogs paws when icy weather hits. Snow and ice can cause many of the same problems that humans have with the cold.
Think about getting booties for you dog. These can protect your dog’s feet not only from harsh chemicals, but also from broken glass that might be hidden by snow and ice.
Here’s a link to a website that sells them: Dog Boots
Chemicals used to melt ice and snow are harmful to your pet. Don’t let your dog eat the ice and snow in a neighbor’s yard. You never know what chemicals they could have used to speed up melting. And, many neighborhood streets are sprayed with chemicals by the highway department.
If your dog is like mine, he LOVES to catch snowballs. Roll balls of snow from your own yard or any other source you know doesn’t use chemicals. Don’t dig down to get a handful, skim off the top. This will minimize the chance of picking up rocks and sticks that could hurt your dog. Push the snow together only enough to keep its shape for you to toss. Packing it down tight might hurt your dog when he catches it.Always check your dog’s paws after playing in snow or ice. It’s a good idea to wipe your dog’s paws with clean warm water after a walk in the neighborhood. After your dog has had a good day’s play in the cold, wash and dry them off thoroughly. Then check the pads of each paw. Look for swelling. Nicks and cuts as well as abrasions could cause infections. If you don’t find anything, watch your pet to see if he licks his paws. This may be a sign of an injury and the main reason you rinse your dog’s paws off after a walk. Check him again. If you find something, clean the wound gently. For a serious cut, contact your vet or local animal emergency hospital. Don’t let it fester before seeking help.Once you’ve checked your dog and everything is okay, treat him or her to a nice gentle leg massage. This will stimulate circulation and keep his paws nice and toasty. Sit beside your dog and take one leg in both hands. Make slow circular movements with your thumbs as you work down from the top of the leg to the paw. Use a steady, light pressure. When you reach the paw, take one finger and slide it between the toes. If your dog doesn’t like this, then stop. Otherwise, continue between the toes using only one finger. Don’t push the toe outward, keep it in its natural line. Only apply enough pressure for your finger to glide through.As always, offer your pet fresh clean water after any massage. This helps flush out toxins from the muscles that can be released during massage.
Have a fun, safe, and healthy winter!
December 21st, 2007 — Winter Safety, Dog Gifts, Cats, Dogs
If your dog is anything like my Lucas then he or she absolutely loves Christmas! The crinkling of the paper, the bright colors, all the hustling and bustling about is extremely exciting to them.
Christmas is a fun time of year for dogs and cats, but for our own pets safety we have to remember that they don’t always use the best judgement. Our pets lack in good judgement and our lack of foresight can be dangerous.
By following a few common sense Christmas rules you can keep your pet safe this holiday season.
- If you know your pet is going to rip into presents while you are gone, make sure you either put your presents out of reach or use wrapping paper with non-toxic dye.
- If your cat loves to climb, don’t leave them access to the Christmas tree when you are not around. Don’t let your cat climb the Christmas tree. The tree could fall on your cat, or the cat could get tangled up in the lights .
- Turn off your Christmas lights when you leave the house.
- Poinsettias are poisonous, don’t leave them around your pets.
- Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, don’t leave gifts under the tree that contain chocolate. Your dog will sniff them out.
- If you have a puppy, unplug everything. Do you have candle lights in the windows? Unplug them. Your puppy will chew on the cord, which will give them a giant shock.
Every house hold is different. You better then anyone else knows your pet’s personality. Take a look around your home and access the possible dangers. Chances are you will find many. The best gift you can give your pet is a safe Christmas.
