Dog Blog

I have been there, wondering if I pushed my dog too hard and worrying that maybe I had him out in the sun for too long. He was panting a little harder, getting a little more red than usual and I was scared that I was not careful enough. This was scary and I hope that you do not ever feel in this way. Here is some information to help you be able to better prevent, recognize signs, and care for a dog experiencing heat exhaust or heat stroke.

You are walking down the aisle, of pretty much any store, and you think... "Let me grab Rover a toy!" Wait!!! Before you just grab the first cute or cheap toy you see, remember, that's going into his mouth. Be careful of the toxins and dangers that many toys pose to our furbabies. Here are some things to know when choosing chewtoys and playtime toys for your pup!

"Wanna go for a......Ride?!" I think that this question gets everyone's doggy jumping up and down for joy as they run past you to make sure you do not leave them behind! Riding in a car seems to be on the top of most dogs' list of fun things to do with the fam, but are you putting your furbaby, yourself and other passengers in harm's way on these amazing adventures together? Here are a few things to help you be informed of some driving- with- dogs statistics, proper placement and restraints for dogs in the car, and some things to know when choosing a product to keep you, your family and your furbaby safe!

 I am guilty! I was the #dogmom who coddled and protected her puppy so much from fear of any harm coming to her furbaby. My dog was social with about two or three other dogs, and that was it. I realized as he got older that maybe I should have been a little more open to allowing him to mix and mingle while he was still young. I would notice his ears going back, face looking towards me and a sense of anxiety as other dogs smelled and came too close. He was the sweetest dog, would never hurt anyone, but I did not expose him to many other dogs and I became too fearful to try doing so at this point. You can start socializing your dog now... even an adult. If you notice your dog may be experiencing this, here are some tips and ideas for socializing them the best you can starting now!

We tend to be so busy and have so much going on in our everyday lives with family, friends, and working about 8 hours every day, that sadly our furbabies may not be getting the attention, exercise, and interaction that they need. Often times, this can lead to behavior that may seem to be "bad" or destructive, but usually this is just a dog's natural reaction to boredom. A tired dog is a well behaved dog. Without stimulation and exercise you may see excessive barking, chewing, whining, scratching, digging and other not so favorable behaviors. We should make ourselves knowledgable about why this occurs and how we can help provide the appropriate amount of physical and mental stimulation our dogs may need. Boredom and obesity are strongly tied together in dogs. In order to be a responsible dog owner we must make time for them. Here are some ways to help stimulate your dog and create the best life for you and your pup.

It can be so hard to not give in when your adorable dog gives you those sad puppy eyes and begs for the delicious treat you are enjoying, but it is very important to know which human foods can actually be doing harm to your little one. I have been there and done the whole "one for me, one for you" sharing bit, but that was before I became informed of what food I should not be spoiling my dog with. There are many, but here are some foods and ingredients that you want to avoid sharing with your dog.