Tag: dog tips

Doggy training tips

Top 5 tips to keep your dog cool in this gorgeous weather

thetailsofdylan

Unlike human’s us dogs can’t sweat through our skin and have limited ways of cooling down. Dogs do sweat through the pads on their paws, but it’s by panting that us dogs circulate the necessary air through our bodies to cool down. So here’s a few tips on how you can help keep your furry friend, like me, cool in hot weather.

1. Frozen fruit and vegetables
Frozen berries, apples, bananas and carrots are perfect for keeping a dog
cool in hot weather whilst keeping us entertained. They also make a
perfect gum soother for teething pups. The plus side is hoomans can enjoy
these treats too, but DON’T include grapes or cherries as these are toxic to us
dogs.

2. Walkies early in the morning or late at night
Roads and pavements absorb heat from the sun throughout the day and hot pavements can burn and blister our paw pads. If it’s too hot for your own bare foot, then it’s too hot for your pooch. Also, walking dogs during hot summer temperatures can lead to heatstroke, which can be fatal. So, heading out first thing or last thing when its cooler will be welcomed by your woofer.

Evening dog walks in the shade

3. Doggie paddling pool
For those dogs who LOVE water like me, nothing beats a refreshing doggy paddle in the pool to cool down those paws.

4. Stone/ tiled floors
A tile floor is a great flooring option to keep your dog happy. In hotter months, your pet will have the coolest, most comfortable spot in the house. Provided your underfloor heating is off!

5. Ruff and Tumble dog coat
For those fashion-conscious owners look no further than the Ruff and Tumble dog coat. These versatile coats act as a brilliant drying/cooling/warming coat for your furry friend. In hot weather soak the inside of the drying coat in cold water to cool a hot pooch! I love it!

Ruff & Tumble Dog Coat
My life 'tails'

My first spa treatment – a treatment for anal glands

thetailsofdylan

So I had my first spa treatment last weekend. A treatment which I believe is similar to what you hoomans call a colonic irrigation. In our dog world its known as having your anal glands emptied. I’m not sure why I’m telling you my intimate details but as there may be others out there suffering in silence like me – I thought I’d ‘man up’ and share. This isn’t a problem shared by all dogs, many can go though life without having to think about their glands at all.

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What are the signs of anal gland issues
In my case I wasn’t showing any of the typical signs of the disorder, which include:

  • dragging your butt on the floor
  • excessive licking and/ or biting of the behind
  • sitting uncomfortably
  • a foul smell
  • chasing our tails
  • licking paws, both front and back

But some of the above can result in fishy smelling breath and that’s when my pawrents realised something wasn’t right. After all I regularly clean my teeth!

Natural activities of the anal glands
Us dogs can’t voluntarily empty our anal glands. That happens naturally when we need to go, if you know what I mean. These glands excrete fluid that helps us mark our territory. Occasionally these glands fill up. A common reason for this is a result of a period of diarrhea. Glands fill due to insufficient pressure being excreted to empty the glands naturally. Some dogs can’t empty their glands and if the fluid is left to thicken they can get blocked. This isn’t a breed disorder so it can happen to the best of us.

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Emptying anal glands
Full anal glands can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful if they become infected.   Luckily I avoided an infection but if your dog is showing any signs of anal gland problems then contact your vet. Your vet will empty the fluids and if necessary, your vet can teach a pawrent how to do it if it becomes a chronic problem. Our anal glands normally need emptied around every 6 weeks. Be aware that applying pressure to an full or inflamed anal sac could cause the gland to rupture – that sounds painful – so should not be carried out without the right training to do so. There is a great article written by vet Marc Abraham published on the kennel club site www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-owners/anal-gland-impaction that talks about anal gland impaction in dogs: its treatment and prevention.

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High fibre diet
The good news is I’ve discovered porridge and its good for me. My new high fibre diet should bulk me out and assist in the natural gland emptying process.

Dylan Paw Print