Untrainable Dog

Expert Tips for Exercising Dogs On Beaches

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Whether you live on the beach or plan on taking your dog with you on the summer holiday you will surely do some exercise with him. There are some things you have be careful about when exercising a dog on a beach.

Summer is a season for fun and travel, but it can also bring extremely high temperatures which dogs are more sensitive to than people, and this is something you have to watch out for.

dog exercise on beach

Dogs with a long or middle length hair should be brushed regularly because tangled hair accumulates the heat and the dog may become excessively hot. Nurtured hair should help him overcome this.

Whether you’re going for a run on the beach with your dog or just a walk it is necessary to put a sun lotion on the top of his nose as well as the ears about half an hour before you leave the house. However, it is recommended to exercise early in the morning or in the evening when it’s not too hot. Just think how uncomfortable you feel walking barefoot in the sand! It’s exactly the same for dogs. So even though exercise is good, doing it in the middle of the day on the beach can be a health hazard for your pet.

Some dogs are afraid of water and you shouldn’t make them go for a swim if they don’t want to. You can try to get him slowly in, maybe throw some toys in the shallow water first, then gradually go deeper encouraging and praising him all the way through. Although this will take some time and nerves, you can at least be sure that your dog won’t end up traumatized or hurt. If you can’t get him in the water leave the dog to enjoy in the shade because you surely don’t won’t him to succumb to heat stroke.

Exercising is always good but the weather conditions aren’t. We already established that dogs can overheat and get a stroke and here are some things that can tell you if your dog is having one. Dog’s breathing is loud and heavy, he has bulging eyes and dry skin. Another sign is if the dog isn’t responding to his name, also his heart rate is elevated. Finally the dog collapses, loses conscience and if certain precautions aren’t met, he dies. If your dog is showing signs of a stroke stop the exercise immediately and lower his body temperature. Get him to the shade and give him plenty of water, dip his head in the not too cold water, or very gently pour water over his head.

Keep in mind that dogs such as boxers and bulldogs, puppies, older dogs, overweight dogs and those with health issues are more sensitive and they should be particularly looked out for.

Don’t let these few tips scare you and keep from taking your dog to the beach for some exercise. Use them to make your outing fun and more important – safe.

how to bath your dog

The Psychology Study of Successful Dog Bathing

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How to bathe your dog? Sounds very simple but sometimes bathing doesn’t go the way you intended, especially if you’re bathing the dog for the first time. However, some little and practical things can be of great help.

Before bathing, place a blanket or some rag on the floor, you’ll prevent the water and hair getting on the carpet. Have everything you need – two towels, a shampoo and a conditioner – near the tub or shower. When it comes to bathing a puppy for the first time, put some of his toys in the tub, make it a game for him.

If your dog’s hair is all tangled up, it will be even harder to untangle it after the bath, so do it before.
dog bathingSome dogs get really scared when you put them in a tub full of water; they jump, slip, shake and look all together miserable and sad. During the bath you might even get wetter than your dog and you’ll spend most of the time trying to keep the dog in the tub. Instead of immersing the dog into water, it is much easier to give him a shower. The dog will feel safer if he’s standing firmly in the tub and you won’t be as wet. It is much easier to shampoo and rinse with a shower.

Before you start with bathing it is recommended to put a rubber mat in the tub, or at least a towel so that the dog doesn’t slip. Some people prefer drenching their dog in the yard using a hose and a bucket, but this is recommended only if it’s a warm and sunny day.
It is recommended to wash the dog’s head and snout with a sponge or a towel. Beside the fact that this is more comfortable for the dog than having water poured over the snout, you won’t get the inside of the ear too wet.

Ideally, wash the dog with a pet shampoo customized for his hair type. However, if you’re not currently able to obtain such shampoo, use that intended for babies. If your dog has long hair add some conditioner, that will help you comb his fur more easily.

After shampooing, it’s necessary to rinse and then rinse some more. Any shampoo residue will cause itching. Pay special attention not to get the shampoo in your pet’s eyes or snout. When you least expect it, your completely wet dog will shake and spray the entire bathroom, and you won’t be spared. To dry the dog and avoid wet-dog shake, place one corner of the towel over its head and use the other side to wipe him.

After you’ve dried him the best you could, put him on the blanket. Although he will try to get away and wipe himself on something, hold him gently, dry completely with a blow-dryer or towels and enjoy! You pet is gorgeously clean and ready to get dirty again.

Overweight Dogs – How to Manage Your Dogs Health

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Obesity is a problem that is often encountered in dogs of all breeds and ages. It inevitably leads to health problems such as diabetes, various heart diseases and osteoarthritis.

Overweight Dogs – How to Manage Dogs HealthAs a mindful dog owner you have probably already asked yourself if your pet is overweight. And that is a completely justified question.

With today’s lifestyle and feeding habits it’s not only people who suffer from obesity, it is more frequently seen in pets. It is believed that every third dog is overweight. Increased amount of fat tissue affects general medical condition which can significantly reduce lifespan as well as negatively impact your pet’s mood.

To find out whether your dog is overweight or not, look at him. If he is short-haired, you should see and feel his ribs easily. If you are able to do that, there shouldn’t be any problems. However it is always best to take your dog for an exam.

If the checkup found your pet is overweight, it is recommended to introduce him to a diet. For eight weeks give him food based on reduced caloric intake and increased intake of crude fiber. There are many products on the market which will provide the desired intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals and such reduced diet won’t have any harmful effects on your dog’s health.

After about two weeks of such regime you should get your dog for another checkup and see if there are any improvements. If nothing has changed, think about introducing exercising to the program. By having the two week checkup, you’ll be able to see the results of a diet, get some new guidelines in nutrition and the other extremely important factor – implementation of intensive workout regime.

Obesity is something a lot of dog owners face without even realizing it. It starts with giving your dog treats believing it to be an excellent way to show your love. Coincidently, you don’t have much time to help your dog spend all the extra energy.

Dogs get used to this form of “love” really quickly, so they can even act insulted if you miss to “treat” them. In addition to that, they learn which pose, gesture or sound can “break” the owner’s resistance in the shortest time, if there is any. How many times did someone show you “just how cute” their pet is while begging for food?

The latest research shows that overweight significantly shortens your dog’s lifespan. Even though I can’t actually give any numbers you should take this quite seriously!

Altered food regime and increased physical activity are the only natural ways to regulate your dog’s obesity. As well as with the obese people, it is best to regulate food intake right away and gradually increase physical activity so that your pet’s heart doesn’t suffer any more than it already has.

So be patient, regulate his food, take your dog outside more often, play fetch with him and you’ll most certainly have a much happier and healthier dog.

How Your Dog’s Diet Affects its Lifespan

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How Your Dog’s Diet Affects its LifespanAlmost every dog owner doesn’t think of dogs as just pets but family members. Therefore, it is normal to provide best possible food you can afford for the members of your family. Just like people, dogs are what they eat, so dog’s poor nutrition can, in some cases, dramatically affect the lifespan of your four legged friend. Also keep in mind that even if your dog is slightly overweight it can reduce its lifespan.

What exactly is the best food for your dog is never an easy question. But, there are several things you should know when it comes to dog nutrition.

First thing you should understand is that you should always read the ingredients on the back of the dog’s food; that way you will get the picture if the food is good for your dog or if it’s just junk. Basic guidelines in choosing proper food would be checking the proteins – is it lamb, beef, turkey or chicken meal or by-product.

By-product means that the manufacturer is using any part of the chicken while in case of a chicken meal they are using only meat from the chicken to make the food. The other important thing you should check for is grain source. Certain dog foods contain corn as the others have rice or oatmeal. The best choice for your dog are grains which can be digested easily, so keep in mind that one of the hardest grains to digest is corn, while rice is much easier to process.

Note that some grains may contain pesticides which can cause odorous fur, fleas, mites, worms or other parasites. Also choose foods that have natural preservatives such as with vitamin E and not chemicals. If you follow these guidelines you will notice the level of improvement in your dog, its coat will be shinier, the energy level will be higher and the dog’s stool will be better as well.

Some of the generic dog’s foods may contain carcinogenic substance like BHT that is used to preserve food or higher doses of salt which can cause loss of kidney function. Equally bad is sugar since it can lead to tooth decay, bad breath and even diabetes.

Probably the best way to feed your dog is proper raw diet. This will consume a bit more of your time, but you will know exactly what your dog is introducing to its body. There are no preservation chemicals in raw meat and bones. The best way to organize your dog’s raw diet is to find a reliable butcher and make a deal with him to get scraps for a good price, which will result in healthier dog with a regular, dry stool and healthy teeth.

One of the most common mistakes dog owners make is overfeeding their dogs, studies have shown that reduction of calories in dog’s nutrition can extend the lifespan of your dog for about two years. Essentially what you need to do is find the food that your dog will eat, since they, as people, can be intolerant to certain things.

Correct Way to Groom Your Dogs Coat

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What is the Correct Way to Groom Your Dogs Coat?

If you don’t want to spend money on professional grooming, it’s good to learn how to do it properly at home. Although it may seem easy, grooming your dog takes time and nerves. Best way to keep your dog neat is to bathe him, clean his ears, trim his nails, brush his teeth and groom his coat on a regular basis. Many dog breeds are not thrilled when it comes to bathing. But who wants a dirty and stinky dog?
Correct Way to Groom Your Dogs CoatThe similar thing is with grooming his fur. If you own a dog with a long coat, it’s necessary to give him a haircut during hot summer days. Haircut will bring a feeling of comfort – something every dog is longing for. On the other hand, if your dog has very short hair, the scissors and other haircut tools are not a must. Remember, you don’t groom your dog just to improve his looks. By doing this, you’ll make his coat shiny which means you’ll spend less time cleaning and vacuuming the house.

For the start, you have to know which tools to use. You’ll probably need a dog brush, comb, dog grooming scissors, thinning shears, electric trimming shears, dog tweezers, and dog toenail clippers. Pick a quiet spot in your house and make sure you have all the tools to get started. The first step is brushing your dog. Brush down the neck toward his belly and tail. Be very thorough. If your dog is calm and stands still during the brushing, reward him for his good behavior.

Once you have finished brushing your dog’s coat, it is time for trimming. Be sure to remove the hair mats from your dog’s fur since they can cause problems during bathing. It is interesting that preparing your dog for bathing takes more time than the bathing itself.
The health of your dog’s ears is a vital part of his overall wellbeing. So, clean the dog’s outer ears with a cotton ball soaked into a pet ear cleaner. By removing the dirt and earwax from your dog’s ears, you are minimizing the chances for an infection.

Proper dental care will protect your dog’s teeth from decay, malocclusion and gum disease. Prevention is the key to health, so brush your dog’s teeth to keep them strong and clean. They should be brushed at least two or three times a week with a toothbrush and canine toothpaste. It’s a good idea to start taking care of oral hygiene in your pet from his puppyhood, so that he can get used to the procedure.

Avoid enormous claws by clipping your dog’s nails with a nail clipper or grinder. Don’t use human shampoo on your pet because it can cause skin irritation and hair loss. There are special dog shampoos on the market, adapted to suit your pet’s skin. Don’t forget to wash out and dry your long haired baby the best you can. With a proper care and grooming, your dog will stay healthy and clean for a long time.