If your dog’s like mine then he plays hard! Cannon’s frequently running through mud, splashing through water, pushing through tall grass or rolling in goose poo. This makes getting him clean, on a regular basis, an important task for me. This turned on the lightbulb for today’s gift idea – bath time products.
There are a lot of shampoos that you’ll find at your local pet supply store. My brand of choice is Earthbath. It’s an all natural shampoo, which means no harsh ingredients that could hurt your dog or the environment. They sell products for dogs, cats and horses. They also sell several wipes and spritzes, besides the old standard, shampoo.
Alright, even I am beginning to think I am a little paranoid by suggesting all these “safety” products for holiday gifts. But here’s the thing, you and your dog-adoring friends need this stuff and as we all know, sometimes the non-toy gifts end up at the bottom of the list.
So today’s canine holiday gift idea is a first aid kit from Ruff Wear. I have written about this before, but it occurs to me that it makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone who loves their dog – which is all of us, right? I am probably going to buy a second one so I can have one for our hiking gear and one for our trial travels – can’t be too safe!
During the holidays, no doubt you will have an extra cookie or two and you may even let your pooch cheat on his “diet” as well. It happens.
So while you are making promises to clean up your act in ’10, make a promise to take a look at your dog’s diet too.
Suggesting a diet for someone else’s dog is about as inflammatory as bringing up religion at a cocktail party so I won’t even try!! What I will do instead is offer a site I have found helpful in learning how to better read labels and get educated – Dogma!
I will also suggest researching your specific breed requirements as well. When I first got Karma I learned that his breed has much different protein requirements than my Labrador did and that was helpful.
If you can’t stick to your new year’s resolution diet, for sure your dog can!
In all actuality, what your dog really wants for the holidays is more time with you doing fun things and we couldn’t agree more! Be sure that when you are choosing toys, you are choosing things that require interaction because the real goal of toys is to build a better relationship with your dog, not just have your dog keep busy in the corner! In simpler terms, you=play!
One of the best way (according to experts, of course) is to play tug with your dog and I just love the fleece tug toys at Genuine Dog Gear. Their toys are as soft as they are durable which makes tugging for you and your pup more enjoyable.
Playing tug is not only fun for the dog but reinforces what we all know: you control the universe and all the fun in it! Tug toys shouldn’t be left laying about the house, rather they should be a special toy that comes out for interactive fun time! Karma will “steal” tug toys from their hiding spot and bring them to me when he wants to play, demonstrating that he does in fact know I am our home’s “Julie, the cruise director.”
There is no doubt I have enjoyed getting into agility with Karma. While at first glance he is an unlikely breed to be hurling himself over obstacles, he is actually quite athletic and fast – proof that you can’t judge athleticism by the breed!
If you are interested in giving your dog another challenge, agility could be a fun way to go. If you have a puppy or a dog who isn’t full grown, please check with your vet before asking your dog to jump, climb or weave since stress on growing bones can be damaging.
Also, I strongly encourage enrolling in a class or two to learn the basics about introducing your dog to obstacles. Of course I am partial to Karma’s “school,” A Click Above, but there are many who are qualified to give you the basics. Who knows, you may get bitten by the agility bug as we have been and work towards trialing.
For gear, there are LOTS of choices! I have chosen to include just a few including a basics starter kit that may be just right for your backyard. As with anything, you can spend as much as you want and quality will vary so be sure to get the right gear for your purpose!
Clean Run – This is such a go-to for serious enthusiasts!
J&J Dog Supplies – Great for all types of supplies!
Doctors Fosters & Smith – Lower-end agility products, but a great all-around site!
Seems like come January 1, 2010 there will be more cars in the gym parking lot and fewer in the Dunkin Donuts lot as many of us vow to get in better shape. Well your dog is no different. It’s easy to slack off on the exercise in the winter when the weather isn’t cooperative, or it’s dark when you get home from work at night.
So how ‘bout a treadmill? That’s right, a little indoor exercise for your best friend while you both watch TV. PetZen’s Dog Tread is just the thing. According to the site, “Dog treadmills provide increased muscle definition, toning, improves vitality, increases life span and can help curb destructive behavior or excess energy often associated with the lack of regular exercise.”
So why not kick-start those new year’s resolutions for you and your dog!
As the seasons move closer to winter Cannon is spending less and less time laying in the yard soaking up the sun and more time sprinting toward the house when he has done his business. Let’s face it, it’s getting cold! For those of us with short haired dogs, or smaller dogs whose core is closer to the ground we need to begin thinking about their needs during the upcoming winter months.
Just yesterday I received my copy of the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) magazine, familydog. I’d already resolved to sit and write this post and was happy to note that they included an article titled “How to Winterize Your Dog.” If you don’t have access to this magazine then I recommend checking out their guidelines on how to keep your dog both safe and warm. For those of you who work at a veterinary clinic, groomer, pet store or the like, you may also be interested in posting the AKC’s flyer that includes these guidelines.
In any event, some gear may be necessary to keep your dog from turning into a pupsicle. If you’re looking to purchase a coat or turnout (style of coat, originally designed for horses) then I highly recommend Foggy Mountain Dog Coats! I’ve purchased two snuggler (fleece) style coats for Cannon; one when he was a growing pup and another now that he’s full grown. They are durable, washable (bonus!) and come in many different patterns. Blackwatch plaid is my fav. Also notice that they have some breed specific coats as well. Warning: if you get a coat just be careful that you’re not getting too excited to see your dog sport his new fashions and that the weather is truly cool enough to justify wearing it. You don’t want to overheat him.
No matter how much we want to fight it, there are snowflakes in our future. Remember that while we start shivering so will many of our dogs. Get out the shovel and clear those paths for potty walks. Be careful where you sprinkle that rock salt, it can hurt their paws. And, if you have a Berner (like Julie) then let them off the leash and watch them in their element… no coat necessary here!
Do you have other favorite winter gear, such as sweaters and booties? Please share with us; we’d love to learn how you’re keeping your best friends warm this winter.
On a recent camping trip, while trying to untangle the dogs’, I unclipped Cannon’s leash and watched him run off and around the campground like a total maniac!!! While still in our campsite, I reached over to grab his collar and rein him back in when he got a mischievous glint in his eye and proceeded to run through the brush and into a nearby site. I called and called but he wouldn’t even look up at me. I had to resort to shaking a bag of treats to get my unruly Ridgeback to come back to me. Ugh… this was not his finest hour. It’s times like these when we realize that our sidekick requires a much needed tune-up.
The summer months are great for Cannon since we spend so much time outside, hiking and camping. What I discovered though is that this year we took no trips into town to mingle with all the passersby – resulting in some antisocial behavior on the trail; I didn’t work on sit and down or enforce them with consistency – resulting in Cannon’s long thoughtful consideration of whether or not he would do what I was telling him; he spent a lot of time on leash and so recalls didn’t happen much either – which resulted in an impromptu romp through the campground.
As winter approaches, so does more hours indoors. This makes fall the perfect time to do some extra work with your pup, especially if you’re like me and slacked over the summer. The cool days make pushing those walks a little further an easy task. Walks can be for exercise and to practice getting your dog to heel properly at your side (I prefer the “turn-around” method). Time in your backyard, at a dog park or even in the house can be dedicated to making a game out of practicing recalls, sit-stays, down-stays and wait. With all the fall festivals, pumpkin patches and wine festivals you should get that leash out and practice walking through the busy crowds and interacting with strangers (remember! it’s okay to say “no” if someone asks to pet your pup while you’re training or just not in the mood).
I’ve taken my own advice and I’ve gotten Cannon back on track. After just a few days of re-training my husband even remarked about what a good boy he’s been on his walks. Now I can enjoy my pack being back in order.
Last week my husband (Dan), my Ridgeback (Cannon) and I took a drive from Virginia to upstate New York to celebrate the wedding of some friends of ours. Originally we were going to board Cannon, so we wouldn’t have to worry about walks and things while we were busy with the rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception. We’d stay one night with my in-laws and the next night at the hotel where the wedding would take place. After a bit of discussion we decided to put Cannon in the backseat of the car and take him along with us. My brother-in-law agreed to doggy-sit while we were out having fun and we knew our nieces would give him a lot of love in our place.
So off we went, our happy little family. About 3 hours into the trip I cracked the window a bit to let Cannon get a good sniff outside and to get some fresh air in the car. It wasn’t more than an hour after that, that my husband asked me if it looked like Cannon had some bumps on his muzzle. I was driving and took a peek back at Cannon and while he did appear to have some strange puffiness around his mouth it didn’t seem like anything to worry about. An hour after that I looked back and noticed Cannon’s eye half swollen shut. Still two-hours from our destination (yes, it’s a very long drive!) we were approaching a bigger town where we knew there’d be a vet clinic.
Dan checked for local vets on his Blackberry and gave them a ring. He explained that Cannon had had his head out the window and may have been stung by something, that his face was swelling. They advised us to stop and get some Benadryl. Simple enough and not as urgent as I was anticipating. We dialed our home-town vet to confirm the instructions and checked the dosage for Cannon, since he’s much more familiar with our pup – 1mg for each pound of weight was prescribed. Our vet also let us know that though the hives might look bad the things we needed to worry about was if they didn’t go away over time or if he was having trouble swallowing, indicating swelling of the throat, in which case Cannon would need to see a vet ASAP.
We stopped at the first gas station we saw, put the Benadryl in with a bit of kibble and let him gobble them up. We were all relieved that over the next couple hours Cannon’s mumps and bumps went away. When we got the in-laws’ they couldn’t even tell anything had been wrong with him in the first place. Wonderful! Dan and I were able to change quickly and off to the rehearsal dinner we went.
It wouldn’t be as interesting if the story ended there though. We got back to our family’s place sometime around or after midnight and we were greeted by Cannon and the new display of hives, which were not only on his face and head but also down his back and some on his legs and ears. Poor dog. Dan took me by the shoulders and instructed me not to cry. I didn’t. We dispensed some more Benadryl and headed for bed. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep well. Cannon slept next to me and I kept a hand on his side, so when I woke up I could pet him to see if the hives had come or gone.
The next morning there were only the remnants of a few hives. I took care of Cannon’s potty walk. He met a kitten that he decided was a terrifying creature. He had a nice breakfast. And that’s when the hives started breaking out again. What I thought were leftovers from the night before were really the first to appear for the next day. I kept an eye on him and over the next 20-30 minutes I was witnessing a full body outbreak. And this time they were itching him.
My 10-year old niece and I were the only ones awake. She let me log onto the family computer with her password. She gave me the name of the vet they use for their animals. I was able to look up the number and give them a ring. No appointments open for the day (Saturday) and the emergency vet they recommended me to was an hour away. Next. I called another vet and was in luck. They had an appointment open in a couple hours. I locked that in and gave Cannon another dose of Benadryl. Worried that it would kick in before we made it to the vet I made sure to take plenty of pictures with my digital camera, just in case.
This story does have a happy ending! We made it to the vet with only a mild scattering of hives. The vet looked Cannon all over, as well as the photo’s I’d taken. He explained that the reason the hives seemed to be coming back was because the Benadryl was wearing off before the allergen (hystimine) was out of his system. He told us there’s no telling exactly what it was that caused the allergic reaction but that it’s not uncommon for owners to have to administer Benadryl or the like for a week or even two – depending on how bad the allergy attack is. He also gave us some education on what type of injuries can occur from letting your dog stick his head out the window. The most frequent cases he sees involved tears to the cornea (eye). There’s a lot flying around in the air outside the car and getting kicked up by other vehicles that there’s any number of injuries that can occur from flying objects. Besides that, stopping quick or getting in an accident can be fatal to your canine friend. Dan and I agreed, there will be no more windows down for Cannon.
That afternoon we kept up with more consistent doses of the Benadryl. Checked Cannon into the hotel with us, for the extra fee, to keep an eye on him. And within 24-hours he was drug and hive free. It was an exhausting weekend, which left Dan and I wishing we would have boarded him instead of carting him 800+ miles total and exposing him to whatever it was that “got him”.
So, start your engines. Windows up. On we go 
Every so often we sneak a new site into our “Sniff These Out” section but we don’t always chat them up the way we should. So in no particular order …
Dog Paddling Adventures is really responsible for my love of camping with my dog. Back in 2004, my then dog, Dugan, and I joined up with a couple friends and their dogs and traveled up to Ontario, Canada for a six-day canoe and camping trip. It was incredible! We would canoe during the days and camp at night and the dogs never saw the clasp of a leash. The owners and founders started small with weekend trips every once in a while and demand grew quickly. Now they offer year-round opportunities – even skijoring in the winter!
NOVA Trail Dogs is a local organization that promotes safe, responsible canine hiking in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Most events are day hikes, but they have some overnighters thrown in there too for the dog and owner who enjoy camping or backpacking. They also have both on leash and off leash hikes to satisfy different puppy needs.
We’ve talked about Dogs & Ticks in a previous post and it is a must read to bone up (haha) on your pest knowledge.
And finally – for now anyway – a “woof” to Karma’s many great trainers at A Click Above. Solid obedience is key to having a reliable dog on the trail who behaves well and demonstrates that dogs do belong on the trails.
More later on our other great links, but in the meantime Sniff Them Out!
Whenever you travel with your dog, you need to have water – everyone knows that, right? But when you’re hiking, carrying enough water for both of you can be a challenge. How do you lug it around? How much do you need?
How much you need will depend on many factors – what’s the weather? Does your dog drink a lot? Get hot easily? Will there be safe drinking water available?
Cannon and Karma have very different water needs. Cannon, our Africa dog, requires probably half the water Karma does on a typical summer hike. Katina and I have separately paid attention to how much water our dogs go through and have altered how much water we carry to accommodate our boys.
Karma will easily go through a 32oz Nalgene bottle on a 3-4 hour hike in the summer. To do this I have purchased a CamelBak daypack with a reservoir that holds about 48oz of water. I can also fit a 32oz Nalgene in the pack along with a collapsible water bowl and other necessities.
If you’ve ever used a CamelBak or similar product you know that you must bite the straw-like tube and suck the water out like a straw. It’s a little hard to train a dog to do this – haha. However, if you hold the tube open by squeezing it and then squeeze the reservoir – either by wearing the pack and leaning against a tree or taking the pack off and pushing on it – water will flow out and into the dog bowl.
Honestly, I think it’s easier to pour from a bottle but the CamelBak is a great option and it’s much easier to carry the water in this way.
A note on “safe drinking water:” Just because a trail has water – in the form of a stream or pond or other – does not mean it’s safe to drink! It is so easy for your dog (or you!) to pick up a parasite from a stream that looks perfectly fine. When in doubt, try to keep your dog from drinking water that you don’t know anything about. Also, monitor your dog’s health for a few days (especially his poop) following a slurp from an unknown stream.
I am not a vet nor have I ever played one on TV. This is important because you should always take your vet’s advice over mine. Always. That said, I do have some tips and advice to share about making sure you are prepared when you head out on your next adventure.
One argument for always hiking with a buddy – I actually mean a person, not just your dog – is in case of serious injury to you or your dog, there is someone who can go for help. I am not a paranoid person, but it is possible that someone sustains an injury that keeps him or her from hopping out of the woods on his/her own. Also, I have a big dog and I only outweigh him by (ahem) 20 pounds so carrying him anywhere is out of the question!
So in my day pack at all times is the first aid kit from Ruff Wear. It comes with a first aid booklet and let me say, the first time you read this should NOT be on the trail when you need it! Know what information and materials it contains before you head out – you may even want to add to it.
For instance, recently I had to make a muzzle out of an old T-shirt in order to examine Karma’s foot. It worked great and I learned two things: 1) Karma is more the biting type than the submissive type when he’s hurt and 2) the T-shirt worked great. (I cut a 4” strip off the bottom of a cotton T-shirt in one long strip all the way around. I then applied the center of the strip to the top of Karma’s muzzle, then crossed it under his muzzle then wrapped it up behind his ears where I tied it around the high part of his neck.)
You should also have a little kit of other necessities that are more specific to your dog in a waterproof baggie. Karma’s contains Pepto Bismol, K9 aspirin, a tick remover (or tweezers) and that stretchy & sticky bandage stuff known by a brand name of Vetwrap made by 3M. (Be careful with this wonderful invention as you can easily pull it too tight and cause a different problem than the one you’re tying to solve. Practice on yourself to see how it feels it you’ve never used it!)
I also just read about another 3M product – Pet Care Spray-On Liquid Bandage to use on split or cut paw pads. I am definitely going to pick up a bottle of this.
Dog “booties” are another thing to have on hand. On our last hike, Karma started out great, but by the end of 3+ miles and several rock scrambles, a rear foot was hurting him. Dogs have to build up the toughness on their pads just like we would if we suddenly went from walking on grass and sidewalks to gravel. Be sure you are checking their feet throughout the hike and looking for signs of stress.
Finally, I picked up a great book that also comes with a DVD. Dog First Aid by the American Red Cross is a great reference book and video. This is a great reference for every dog owner and covers topics from giving your dog medications all the way to choking and serious injuries. Within the book it also has little disc icons that refer you to the included DVD for more information.
Got a first aid tip to share? Tell us!
These days it seems that every adventure brings its own etiquette – from Twitter to hiking with your dog. While I haven’t personally encountered it, there apparently is a growing contingent of people who want to ban dogs from trails – can you imagine?
So what is our responsibility in all of this? We all have to demonstrate that our dogs can be well behaved on the trails and give others we encounter only positive experiences sharing the trails with our best friends.
Myths & Misunderstandings
Some believe that dogs on trails will discourage wildlife from using the area. So long as dogs are trained not to bark and don’t chase the animals, they actually can alert you by pointing in the direction of wildlife and providing a heads up.
Another myth is that dogs spread disease through feces and waterborne illnesses. Actually, there isn’t any real science behind the feces argument. However, good trail etiquette says you should either pack out your dogs business or bury it off the trail at least 10 feet. As for waterborne illnesses, usually people are talking about glardia which is a real issue but actually humans are the biggest spreaders of the disease. Best for both you and your dog to drink the water you bring with you or trust a high-quality filter system. Ticks can also spread disease, but again, dogs do not worsen the problem.
Some believe dogs can damage sensitive environments, but certainly less so than humans. It is important to keep dogs on the trails and not to let them wander off into fragile areas. Both you and your dog need to respect the environment and keep all six feet on the trail (Um, that’s your two, plus Fido’s four – get it?).
Finally there is an argument that trails are already too crowded and some trails are too narrow or restrictive for dog passage. First of all, if trails are too crowded for dogs, who else will soon be banned? Kids? (The people, not the goats.) This is a silly argument. And if a trail is wide enough for a person, it’s wide enough for a dog.
Responsible Hiking with Fido
We are responsible not only for our actions but also for those of our dog. Simple. We want to make sure that everyone that encounters us has a great experience. Here are some reminders:
- Keep your dog on a leash or under very tight voice command. Most trails require leashes anyway, plus it’s just safer for everyone.
- Be sure to yield to everyone else – horses, hikers coming in the other direction, people passing you. Pull off the trail slightly if possible and make sure people can pass without getting “sniffed.” Remember, some people are deathly afraid of dogs like others are of spiders or clowns.
- Speaking of yielding, when hikers meet other hikers, the group going uphill has the right of way for safety reasons so keep that in mind as well.
- Stay on the trail and minimize your impact in general and obey all rules specific to the trail you are on. Don’t know the rules? Get a guidebook or ask a ranger if there are any special guidelines of which you need to be aware.
- Do not disturb wildlife, creatures or any aspect of the land. Leave it as you found it and try to minimize your impact at all times. This is the only way we will preserve these spaces for generations to come.
- Don’t roll rocks – or anything else – off of overlooks or cliffs as you have no idea what (or who!) may be below you.
- Some advise that your dog should wear a bandana, reflective vest or pack because it helps to make them look friendlier. I guess that could be true. Also, a reflective vest could be especially smart during hunting season; a pack really useful; and a bandana could be soaked with water to help keep you dog cool … so sure, why not?
- Your dog should have basic obedience and listen when you tell him/her to sit, lay down, stay, etc. It’s also really helpful if they have a “no barking” command as they will for sure see or hear something they want to talk about! If you normally have treats to reward/reinforce good behavior, then by all means, bring some along!
At the end of the day, it’s about being a steward for our environment and realizing that not everyone thinks your dog is as perfect as you do. We should all try to convince those we encounter that having dogs on trails is a perfectly pleasant experience!
