How To Avoid Injuries To Your Dog

Your dog is your best friend - or will eventually be if you recently got the dog as a puppy or from a shelter. That bond and relationship you build over time is a beautiful one and often enough, but we all wish that dogs could live just as long as humans can.

However, all those years of happiness you give them, they will return with unconditional love from the beginning to the very end. It’s important that you avoid injuries to your dog which can harm your pooch’s quality of life in general. 

Dogs can get into accidents and cause injury to themselves. Sometimes that can’t be avoided but when it can, it’s good to know what you can do to prevent the injuries from happening. 

Here are some helpful tips on how to avoid injuries to your dog.

,

Image Source

Understand your dog’s risk factors

First and foremost, understand the dangers that are present to your dog specifically. Every dog is different and therefore what might harm one dog might not harm yours. If there are certain health problems that your dog has had in the past, then you might wish to avoid doing anything that could trigger it to happen again.

For example, some dogs are known to pick up anything and everything, sometimes swallowing what they have, even when it’s not edible. As a result, some dogs end up getting foreign objects stuck in their intestine and needing some pretty life-saving surgery in order to recover from it.

That sort of injury is something you want to avoid from happening again, especially as it could be fatal the next time around.

Look at your dog’s risk factors and consider what you can do to avoid them from recurring again.

Brush up your knowledge of the dog breed and health conditions

In general, every dog breed has their own health conditions that they’re more susceptible to. The reasons for this could differ from whether they’re a mixed breed or if they are a certain shape or size which makes them more prone to the health condition itself.

Brushing up on your knowledge of the dog breed and the health conditions that are common with the breed is worthwhile. Learning more can help you put the preventative measures in place needed to reduce any risk of injury to the dog itself.

You might also find that some health conditions are better prevented with earlier care and others might be inevitable. This is something you should do fairly early on in your ownership of the dog, albeit before you even decide on what dog breed you’re going with.

Take your dog for a regular walk every day

A regular walk each day can keep the vet away. As the same saying goes for doctors, but in the shape of an apple, you should be doing what you can to keep your dog away from the vets. Other than any annual vet booster, you hope that your dog doesn’t need to keep going back to the vets at some point in their life time.

Image Source

Taking your dog for a regular walk every day is going to keep them healthy. Even for lap dogs or dogs that love to lounge on the couch all day, even those dogs need a bit of walking every day.

Twenty minutes should be the baseline for most dogs, with some needing slightly more and others needing well over an hour to tucker themselves out. Consider taking your dog for a good walk every day to mentally stimulate them and ultimately ensure they’re getting a good amount of exercise daily.

Keep your dog cool indoors and outdoors

Heat can be a problem for dogs, especially as they can only regulate their own temperature so much before needing help from their dog owner. If you’re taking your dog out in the heat during the day for a walk, then this can be dangerous to their health.

For some dogs a hot day can prove fatal so depending on the weather keeping your dog indoors is better than letting them get too warm outside.

The indoors can also be a warm place, particularly over the summer. That’s why you should be looking to keep your dog cool indoors too. Making sure there’s plenty of water out throughout the day, to opening windows and even filling a bath of cool water for your dog to take a dip in every so often. The more you can do to keep them cool, the better for their health.

Avoid slippery surfaces

Just like humans, slippery surfaces can be dangerous. When your dog loses control of their footing on a slippery surface, whether it’s wet and therefore slippery, or just does not have enough grip, it becomes dangerous.

Your dog could end up banging into a piece of furniture, which in turn could collapse onto them, causing injury. It’s best to try and keep surfaces as dry as possible and add gripping points in the form of rugs where possible.

Consider dog supplements for joints

Dog supplements are great and can be a good way to provide your dog with some extra nutrients. Your dog’s joints will be sprightly when they’re young but become more brittle and vulnerable as they get older.

There are plenty of dog supplements on the market that are great for joint care, so this is something that’s worth considering. If your dog has problems with their legs or they have trouble with their mobility, then Hero Braces are a great way to provide support and aid injury where it’s required.

Watch for signs and fatigue or overexertion

Finally, be aware of the signs and symptoms of fatigue or overexertion. Fatigue can quickly turn dangerous and some dogs don’t know how to slow down or take a break from their playtime. Try to look out for the signs, like excessive panting or fatigue itself as the indicator that you need to stop play for a bit.

These tips will help avoid injury so that your dog can live a long and healthy life in the future.

Mastering The Art Of Dog-Walking

Image

If you are thinking about getting a dog, you are going to need to think about a lot of different things in order to make sure that you really know what you are getting into. The truth about dogs is that they are a lot of fun, a lot of love and also a lot of energy - and you need to be prepared for that energy, otherwise you will find it considerably less enjoyable to be able to look after and have your own dog. There are a few things in particular you are going to need to focus on, and one of the main ones is walking them. Walking your dog is something that you will find is actually much more of an art than you might have thought, and requires a lot of skill and patience. Let’s take a look now and see what might be involved here.


Frequency


If you are to actually provide the benefit that walking your dog has, you need to make sure that you are doing it as frequently as necessary. You need to be sure that you are actually giving them the exercise they really need, otherwise you might find that you are in trouble and not really doing it right. The frequency, however, along with many other things, depends on the dog. You need to do your research regarding the breed and size of your dog, and you should also just pay attention to your individual dog’s needs, as you will find that it might differ to what other people’s dogs are like, or even other dogs of your own. However, in time you will come to see the kind of frequency that your dog needs to go walking for, and that will mean that you know how much you need to make that a part of your daily life.


Routine

It’s great if you can develop some kind of a routine with walking your dog, so that you can help them to understand when it is time and when it is not. It can also help with some of the more difficult aspects of the process. For instance, a lot of owners will have trouble getting their dogs on their leads, but if you do it as part of the routine, your dog will soon get used to it and expect it, and even make it easier for you by sitting still for it to happen. Likewise, if you need to clean your dog's afterwards, you should make sure you do so in the same way every time, so that they will eventually play along. Visit KingKanine.com to see some paw-cleaning products which can help here.


Length


Finally, be sure to be clear on the length of time that you need to walk your dog for every time you take them. It should be enough to get them tired, as that shows that it is good exercise, but you should not push them too hard in case you end up causing them some damage. As long as you get this right, you can be sure that the exercise is giving them what they need.

Eight Super Ways To Pamper Your Working Pooch

Caring for a dog isn’t a small job. You have to put in a lot of time and effort with them to ensure that they are well-exercised, happy, fed and healthy. This isn’t just something that can be done in a day. 

It takes time to win the trust of your dog and it takes time to know them; they may be dogs, but they have personality! If your dog is a working dog, as in it helps you to stay safe on long outdoor hikes, you know that you are working them hard. This doesn’t mean that you can’t spoil them, though. We are only blessed with our perfect pooches for a few short years, so you want to ensure that they are happy and healthy as much as possible in the time that you get to.

Doggy desires are usually quite simple. All they want is to be taken for very long walks and get exercised, chow down on deliciously natural dog food and enjoy the occasional scratched belly. Dogs want our time and our attention and when they get that from us, they stay loyal. 

They care for us. They watch out for us and protect us against any threats in a fierce way. Sometimes, you just need to give your pup a little appreciation, and that takes spoiling them and feeling good about it! So, here are some of the ways that you can pamper your pet to make them feel loved.

Image Source

Food.

Dogs are vacuums when it comes to food; anything, everything – even the things that they’re not allowed to eat, they eat. Cooking for your dog may seem like an extreme, but there some exciting dog treats that you can make from home without buying from the store. These recipes can teach you how to make your own puppy treats, and if you are feeding your dog a balanced diet, they’ll be healthy on the inside and out.

Exercise.

Going for a walk is sometimes the most exciting part of the day for a dog. They get to get their nose into the neighborhood and smell everything. They can get out a lot of their energy and if you alternate your walking routes, you can ensure that your dog gets the workout that they need with excitement added on. Dogs should be walked morning and evening, but if you can slip in an extra walk in the day your dog will love you for it.

Visitors.

Dogs get familiar with new people really easily, and it’s a good idea to have your dog get to know new people because when you need to leave the dog for work or for other purposes, they will have yet another person to spoil them with belly rubs, walks and treats! It’s never a bad idea to get your dog trusting new people, so socialize them as much as possible with new people and they’ll learn to trust others.

Learning.

Dogs and tricks. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and perhaps not, but a dog of any age will do what they can to learn new ones! Some breeds need to be entertained and kept busy. You can sign your dog up to classes to keep them worked out, entertained and having fun and this is the perfect way to spoil your dog. There are dog training books out there that you can choose as well as videos to watch. Once you know just how your dog likes to play, you can stick to a new routine.

Play.

While your dog is learning new tricks, you also need to ensure that they have enough toys to play with. Tug toys are a huge favourite with dogs of all ages and you can teach your dog to hunt by using treats and things to find. Dogs are naturally curious creatures and hunting is in their blood. Some breeds need a little more of a push than others to learn to hunt, but no matter which dog there will always be a wagging tail at the end of the game.

Swim.

As part of their normal exercise routine, your dog will likely love to splash around in muddy puddles and jump in the lakes and oceans when you’re out and about. Swimming is excellent for your dogs joints, so taking him to play fetch in the water is a great way for him to cool down, get exercised and stay kind to his joints all at the same time. Always clean her ears after a swim to keep her healthy and bring her a fluffy towel to help her dry her coat afterwards.

Physical Touch.

You cannot hug your dog too much. Scratching the ears, rubbing his belly and playing with your dog with cuddles and love is going to have them fall in love with you all over again. It’s a great way to indulge your pup with some love and it brings you closer together! Belly rubs are the ultimate pooch pamper time, and you get the chance to be physical with the puppy who needs you as much as you need him.

Love.

Spoiling your dog isn’t all one sided. You’re adding exciting food options and exercise to your day for your dog to enjoy. Your dog waiting for you at home and bringing you their favourite toy? That’s their way of telling you that they love you. They want to show you that you bring them as much joy and affection as you do him; that’s why they curl up against you on the sofa or on your feet while you’re in bed. Your dog will protect you an be loyal to you fiercely, so don’t stop pampering your dog. The love that you’ll get in return is enough to last you a lifetime.

Your dog will always appreciate your effort with them, no matter what you may think when they pee on the floor. Love on your dog and they’ll love you forever.