Doggy Health, Training & Tips

Puppy Joint Care: Protecting Hips & Joints While They Grow

As a puppy it often felt like we had just got going on my adventures rambling the local countryside, when we we would  turn round and go home. It turns out it was for my own good. The vet told the pawrents that puppies, particularly Labradors, are prone to issues with joints (mainly Dysplasia in the hips and elbows) and should only be walked for up to 30 minutes at a time (dependent on age) with sufficient rest (minimum 30 mins) in between walks. Who knew! Is this why a pit stop at the beer garden was invented?

Concurring the stairs aka my Everest

For the same reason I was never able to tackle those stairs until I was 1 years old when my bones and joints had developed. Although many times I was keen to concur that Everest but when I did I’m so glad I was prepared!

Brain games to keep us puppies entertained

It was difficult to entertain me at a young age when I had so much energy and a couple of bouts of ‘crazy puppy hour’ a day. I enjoyed the brain games we played. You know; the usual, sit, lie down, we missed out the roll over but we played guess which box the treat is under, hide and seek, and watch me (a staring contest). It was heaven.

A whole load of treats for the simplest of things but turns out this was pre-school. I’d been tricked – played like a dog. I was being trained on my basic manners. I thought it was a game where I play the human to get a treat. Anyway I’m sure the mental stimulation has developed me into a marvelous young dog and it was fun.

Surf the web there are loads of ideas for DIY brain games for us doggies – have fun my friends. And feel free to post some ideas for my fellow hoomans and their puppies in the comments below?

Dylan  Paw Print

Doggy Health, Training & Tips

Practical Puppy Teething Tips to Soothe Sore Gums

My pawrents were introduced to the secret by another puppy owner and have been passing it on ever since. The secret of frozen carrots! There’re like the ice lollies of the doggy world. They sooth the gum, taste great and apparently are rich in Omega 6 fatty acid, vitamins A and K and potassium. So maybe more like a frozen yogurt than ice cream! Hopefully this will distract your bundle of joy from chewing up everything and anything in the house to chewing on some nutritious veg.

Carrots

Watch out they are also high in fibre so not too many or we’ll have a different type of trouble! You can also freeze your favourite soft toy or chew, leaving you some carrots for your dinner.

Ice cubes work too, very handy if you’re in the local pub or beer garden….

IMG_7580

What’s your teething tips? Feel free to share below.

Head back for another instalment of tips from my time as a puppy next week.

Dylan Paw Print