5 Tips for Safe Summer Fun for Your Dog

The warm summer sun is just around the corner, and many dogs are headed outdoors to enjoy fun in the warmer weather with their owners on the other end of the leash. How many of you are truly prepared to protect against the dangers that the warm temperatures, intense sun, and nature throw your way during your summer adventures? Protect yourself and your canine companion against all the bugs, sunburns, and other dangers that lurk in your backyard with these 5 easy and affordable tips.

1. If you have a single-coated dog or a canine companion with light-colored and thin fur then you may want to invest in some quality sunscreen. That’s right, humans are not the only ones who benefit from the power of SPF! These dogs are susceptible to severe sunburns that can actually become more than just an uncomfortable situation. If left untreated, sunburns can even turn into painful infections that require vet care. A few minutes of application time can prevent all of this easily!

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Health Issues Associated with Certain Breeds of Dogs

When you picture your favorite breed of dog, a healthy and ideal conformation probably comes to mind. However, whether you are researching dogs to find the right breed for your lifestyle or learning about the dog you currently have it is important to know, recognize and be able to understand the genetic predisposition that some breeds have to both potentially major and insignificant health issues.

Small Breeds

From purse pets to pest control workers, the small breeds are loved as well. In many of the breeds, breeders are choosing to get smaller and smaller as the public’s interest in them continues to get larger every year. The smaller the dog, the more people want them as unique and loving best friends. But with small size comes great health concerns.

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12 Essential Tips for a Pet-Friendly Pride Month Celebration

Create a Safe Environment:

Before involving your pet in any Pride Month celebrations, ensure that the environment is safe and comfortable for them. Large crowds, loud noises, or unfamiliar places can stress animals out. If you’re attending a parade or outdoor event, make sure there is plenty of shade and water available for your pet.

Costume Considerations:

If you plan on dressing up your pet, ensure that the costume is pet-friendly and comfortable. Avoid any accessories that could be choking hazards or interfere with your pet’s ability to see, breathe, or move. Always respect your pet’s comfort level and don’t force them into wearing anything that makes them uncomfortable.

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How To Keep Your Dog’s Skin Healthy

Healthy skin in a dog is just as important to him as your skin health is to you. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from a variety of skin conditions from infections to parasites and even dander or dry skin. For dog lovers, nothing is more comforting or enjoyable than running your fingers through a soft and clean dog coat with healthy, moisturized skin underneath. By following these easy and simple tips you can make your dog’s skin healthy and keep it that way.

1. Don’t overwash your pet. A dog that is bathed too often has all of his natural, protective oils stripped from his skin, leaving him itchy and dry. This makes him scratch more than he should, which can lead to open cuts and sores all over his body and opens him up to secondary infections. Aside from those dangers, you also end up with a stronger doggy odor smell from a dog that is washed too often as his body attempts to compensate for the major loss in skin and coat oils. Use puppy bath wipes or waterless shampoos in between your regular washings. The rule of thumb for dog grooming is every 6 to 8 weeks unless he gets into something like mud.

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Am I Ready to Be a Dog Parent?

47% of all families own a dog. It’s a staggering statistic, especially considering so many of these families don’t ask themselves beforehand “Am I ready to be a dog parent?” Most people, unfortunately, look at a dog and think “It’s just a dog, and I’m its owner.” They don’t take into consideration that the dog is now part of the family, and it’s a lifetime commitment.

The sad part is, the dogs are the ones who suffer for it, while the human “owners” rarely suffer any of the consequences. Even worse, often the owners don’t realize they aren’t ready. They don’t realize the commitment, time, and finances, that go into having a dog be a part of the family.

It’s important, when thinking about dog parenting, to ask yourself some questions. Are you ready for the financial commitment? Are you ready for the time commitment? Are you emotionally ready to add a dog to your family? Before answering, you need to consider your answer and weigh them against facts to ensure you are truly ready for a dog.

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Dog Allergies – The Signs, Types, And Ways to Treat Them Effectively

Did someone tell you that their dog suffers from allergies? Or has your vet told you that your furry buddy might have an allergic reaction? Also, do you feel that your pet already has an allergy? In all the cases, you will notice that there is no specific rule that dog allergies follow. There are many kinds of allergies that can lead to issues in your dogs.

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Flea & Tick Prevention; Choosing the Right Option

Keeping biting pests off your dog can become a stressful job, especially during the warmer months. Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes carry with them deadly diseases including Lyme’s and the dreaded West Nile that can find their way into your dog’s bloodstream and wreak havoc on his body with a single bite from these parasites. Shopping for preventative care at your local pet store, online, and vet’s office can become overwhelming easily with the large selection. How do you know which one will work for you? It all depends on your dog, where you live, and the type of lifestyle you lead with your canine companion.

Know Your Dog

If your dog has a sensitivity to specific ingredients, consider this before putting any pest control on his body or spraying your yard. Yard sprays to control fleas and ticks can actually be far more harmful than spot-on treatments or sprays that go directly on your pet. However, some of these products that use harsh chemicals like ivermectin can also cause reactions in your dog from allergies to sensitivities or even chemical burns on his skin. If your pet is a sensitive one, think twice before buying conventional flea and tick preventatives.

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How Expensive is it to raise a Dog?

If you are a pet owner, the chances are that you love your pet almost as much as you love your family. That is understandable because in many ways our pets become part of the family.

This is true of dogs in particular because they have such loyal and affectionate natures. Many owners buy their dogs as pups and watch them grow like their children.

Dogs also need shelter, food, and a place to sleep, as people do. Unfortunately, another thing they have in common with us is that they sometimes get sick, leaving you scared and facing bills for treatment.

Let us take a look at the different expenses that keeping a dog entails so you have an idea of what to expect.

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Can Puppies Go Vegan?

Many vegetarians have at some point been confronted with this question when it comes to giving their puppies meat when they do not consume it.

The answer is yes.

Puppies like humans can be omnivorous. This means they can convert certain foods into amino acids. Some of the proteins you can try include beans, milk, eggs, soy, corn, or whole grain.

Your puppy may take some time to adjust to a non-meat diet. You may find your puppy peeping through its diet with that look of “Where is the meat?”

The decision to change to a vegan diet is an important one for humans. You avoid slaughtering animals in an inhumane way; you also lower your risks of obesity, heart disease, and many other diseases that are associated with meat products. Puppies have various omnivorous characteristics that enable them to adapt to a vegan diet. These include:

Their small intestines have the necessary gastrointestinal juices necessary for the conversion of amino acids in the proteins they consume.
Their molars are flat like humans, and this helps them chew hard vegetables like carrots
They also can also convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A

While the decision to provide a vegan diet for your puppy is a personal one, their cases where you find your puppy is allergic to proteins. According to Dr. Fox of US Humane Society, puppies can thrive on a purely vegan diet but is important that you supplement their diet with meat occasionally.

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The Unconventional Friendship Between A Cat And A Dog

With more than 17% of all households in the USA owning both a dog and a cat according to the ASPCA, it is safe to say that the age-old saying of “fight like cats and dogs” (implying that canines and felines are natural enemies) has been debunked. Despite their inherent differences, cats and dogs also have a lot in common. It is due to these similarities, which includes frequent grooming and sniffing, that cats and dogs living in the same household are more than capable of forming strong bonds, especially when introduced to each other as youngsters. Through intense observation and a bit of experimentation with regards to pushing each other’s boundaries, you may find your pets drinking from each other’s bowls, playing together & even sharing a bed.

Promoting domestic harmony between your cat and dog

While many cats and dogs will figure each other out and live in harmony without your interference, others are more stubborn and might require a little coaxing. It is important to take both animals’ personalities into account: an older, timid cat might not, for example, get on particularly well with an overly-energetic, bouncing puppy. If you find that your animals have a distinct personality clash it might be best to set up your household in such a way to allow each to have their own private space.

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Small Breeds

Create a Safe Environment:

Costume Considerations:

Know Your Dog