Petcare - Page 8 of 29 - Wags About You

What to Bring With You While Hiking With Your Dog

Hiking with your pet is some of the best alone time you could enjoy. You both have lots of sights, sounds, and smells to take in and it goes without saying that your darling pet would be ecstatic.

However, before you embark on a hike with your dog, it is important to ensure that you have checked certain boxes. Some of these boxes include bringing along adequate supplies and ensuring that your pet is in tip-top shape.

So, here’s a checklist of what to bring with you while hiking with your dog:

Water
Food
Leash
Collar or harness
Canine first aid kit
A bowl
Clothing
Microchip or ID card
Flashlight

If you are hiking with a big dog, they can carry some things, nothing too heavy. On the other hand, for small dogs, you do all the carrying.

Before embarking on the hike, here are some things you need to ensure:

Physical shape; ensure that they are in top shape and ready for the rugged trails
Ensure that all their vaccinations are up to date, you can always pay a visit to the veterinarian if you’re not certain
Train your dog for the trails so that it’s not an entirely new experience
Research where you would be hiking; the weather conditions, any specific occurrences that are peculiar to that area, among others
Learn and understand how walking the trail goes, otherwise known as trail etiquette

The benefits of hiking are immense for both you and your pet. There is the baseline benefit of the physical fitness aspect. In addition, the atmosphere helps you and your pet relax and provides for an excellent adventure.

Conclusion

For a successful hike, be sure to check off the list here and of course, have a great time!

Why You Need a Poodle Mix

Poodle mixes like Cavapoos, Goldendoodle, Cockapoo, and Maltipoos, have attained critical acclaim because of the myriad of benefits that owning one can bring.

They are highly attractive, intelligent, and take training easy. In addition to these qualities, here are some others that would definitely seal the deal for you:

Hypoallergenic

A number of poodle mix-breeds are hypoallergenic which implies that they are great for people who have allergies. This is because they either do not shed or shed less and infrequently. So, they would either have no dander or very few clinging to their coat.

Small Size

They come in very small sizes which makes them well suited to small apartments and given that they don’t shed, you won’t have to worry about getting fur all over your apartment.

They are also very easy to carry around and their owners explore this benefit to the fullest. For instance, the Cockapoo weighs only about 12-25 pounds and has a height of 9-18 inches.

The Goldendoodle, which is one of the biggest in this breed category, has a height of about 22-22.5 inches and weighs around 50-90 pounds.

Great for Families

Poodle mixes also make for great family dogs, one great example is the Goldendoodle. They also have excellent traits gotten from both parents that they were bred from and are considered a superior breed to their parent breed.

They do well with kids and are not temperamental. In spite of their small size, some of them are quite energetic and playful and make for a good playmates for your kids.

Conclusion

Opting for a poodle mix could be an excellent option especially if you are looking for a small dog.

This is Why You Need a Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles are a cross between a purebred Golden Retriever and a Poodle. They are a highly intelligent, loving, and loyal breed that sheds way less than a purebred Golden Retriever. This gentle and affectionate breed started gaining popularity following breed development in the 1990s.

Relative to other designer breeds, it is still regarded as a young cross. Goldendoodles are very social and would interact well with everyone. They would do well in both country and city settings. However, apartment living might not suit them. Rather, they do better in an enclosed space like a fenced yard.

They also shouldn’t be kept in kennels as they thrive with human contact.

Here’s a table that details their attributes:

Height	17-21+ inches
Weight	50-90 pounds
Life Span	10-15 years
Breed Size	Large (61-100 lbs.)
Good With	Children, Families, Dogs, Cats
Temperament	Friendly, Gentle, Playful, Outgoing
Intelligence	High
Shedding Volume	Infrequent
Exercise Requirements	Medium
Energy Levels	Active
Drool Amount	Low
Bark Level	When Necessary
Coat Length/ Texture	Medium, Curly
Breed Group	Hybrid
Colors	Black, Gray, Blue, Red, White, Gold, Fawn, Brown/Chocolate/Liver, Gold/Yellow
Patterns	Brindle, Bicolor, Black, Tan, and Merle

They also have other traits such as the fact that they are easy to train, are excellent for first-time pet owners, are great hiking buddies, require a great deal of grooming, are strongly loyal, and they may require a significant amount of grooming.

They have a very affectionate nature and are hypoallergenic. The hypoallergenic feature makes them great for people who typically react to allergens. Goldendoodles come in a large standard size as well as a smaller, miniature size.

They make for great emotional support animals and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. You can achieve this by taking walks or playing outdoors. This helps to cover their physical needs.

Conclusion

A Goldendoodle is the perfect canine companion for both individuals and families.

How To Trim Your Dog’s Nails

An important aspect of dog grooming is trimming your dog’s nails. While a routine trip to the groomer also comprises nail trims, sometimes Saul’s nails may be overgrown and you may have to do it yourself. This is how to make this happen step by step:

The first step is to gather your supplies
Up next, gently pick up the foot
Isolate the nail that you want to cut
Select the precise place you want to cut
Do the cutting at a 45-degree angle
Chip it off in bits
Remember the dewclaws
Nail grinding (use as a finishing tool)
Reward your pet

It is important to note that a dog’s nail comprises the outer material known as the shell, which is hard and the living pink quick. The quick runs through the core of the nail and supplies blood. To ensure your dog’s wellbeing and guarantee easy maintenance, short quicks are the recommended length.

Similarly, if you are cutting your puppy’s nails for the first time, you would have to go very slow, starting with picking up the paw, isolating the nail, getting your pup familiar with the trimmer (especially if there is any vibration involved), cutting only a tiny chip initially. All of these would have to be done over a period of time to aid easy adjustment.

If your dog feels uncomfortable, it is best to retreat or you might have to eventually use a muzzle. In the way of products, there is a range of nail trimmers comprising scissors as well as grinder tools specially designed for dogs. The main thing is to use what works best for your pet. Also, styptic powder should be kept close in case of bleeding.

Conclusion

Trimming your dog’s nails can be quite the task, so remember to be patient and reward Saul with treats too.

Here Are the 5 Best Dog Blogs You Need To Check Out

Learning about dogs is really such a fascinating subject and you can be sure there is a whole lot to be learned. Certain dog blogs are dedicated to creating useful content that would provide you with comprehensive information. Here are the best 5 of these blogs:

The Bark Magazine

The Bark focuses on need-to-know content for dog owners, especially in the area of pet upkeep. You would find real-life dog-friendly stories about various happenings to dogs. They also highlight issues that might affect your pet’s health, both apparent and non-apparent, and discuss treatment options.

Dogtopia

Dogtopia might be known for their dog spa services and others, however, their blog is filled with so much goodness! You would find anything from puppy socialization to ensuring dogs in apartments are happy to getting rid of separation anxiety. These tips come in very useful.

Whole Dog Journal

Whole Dog Journal provides you with a slew of information from dog care to in-depth reviews on various dog products. They also feature teaching training methods that are positive in nature. The blog always offers something worthwhile to read and the website boasts lots of useful pet care information.

iHeartdogs.com

iHeartdogs.com blog is massive and mainly focuses on four areas; Lifestyle, Behavior, Healthy Pups, and Pup Stories. Each category offers something in the way of excellent information or entertainment. The blog covers the needs of dog owners such as care of dogs with various ailments as well as recommending useful products.

Pawleaks

Pawleaks is great because of just how comprehensive it can be when guiding dog owners through each stage of their dog’s life. They are also heavy on health-related advice, solutions to problems in your dog’s behavior, as well as in-depth puppy training tips.

Conclusion

These websites provide golden information and you should definitely check them out.

Activities To Do At Your Local Dog Park

Playing outdoors with their favorite human in the world is definitely one of the best things that pups love. Maybe other dogs and humans may add a bit of spice. So, if you’re out at the dog park with your pup, here are some activities you can try out:

Races and Training

A tired pup is a happy one, and you can always achieve this by allowing your pup to race. You could raise him or simply toss a ball and play fetch. For some mental stimulation, you could also include some training exercises, and what better place to do this than one with distractions.

Agility Courses

Jumping over bars and clearing hurdles might not be your best definition of fun. However, this is something your pet would definitely love. Explore the agility courses available and encourage your dog to surmount these obstacles. For a true boost, wait for them at the other end.

Doggy Play Dates

A picnic sounds like fun and your pup would definitely love that doggo cake or ice cream. To amp up the fun, organize a doggy date for one or some of your dog’s buddies and watch them have maximum fun. You could have some fun too with other dog parents.

Photography

What’s cooler than your pet donning sunglasses and maybe a muffler and posing for an incredible picture? You could be grooming a future model and photography sure is so much fun as well. An incredible natural and improved background like the dog park would make for a great backdrop for the pictures. Be sure that your dog strikes fun poses!

Conclusion

There is a vast range of activities that you could do for fun at the dog park and be sure to add some more to this list.

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?

Tail wags are commonly associated with excitement or happiness. However, dogs wag their tails for a range of reasons, and this article covers the various wagging you may notice and what they might mean.

What Is the Role of the Tail

Your puppy’s tail is mainly a communicative tool and she would typically use it to pass across a range of information. You can regard it as a barometer for her mood. Knowledge of tail position, as well as the proper interpretation of further canine body language, can help you understand how your pup feels per time.

Here are some general reactions and interpretations:

A lowered tail stuck between the legs could indicate anxiety, submission, or fear
A higher than usual tail could indicate alertness, such as when something piqued her interest
A side to side wag probably accompanied by licks or a play bow could indicate a friendly greeting
A vertical tail could indicate aggression

Before entirely concluding, be sure to look out for other factors.

The Research

According to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, dogs use the motion and position of their tails to communicate their present emotional state.

In 2007, researchers found that the wag pattern contains clues as well. For instance, wagging to the left implies negative emotions while wagging to the right was indicative of positive emotions.

Research showed that the right hemisphere of the brain in some animals was associated with negative-avoidance feelings while the right hemisphere could be linked with positive-approach feelings.

Since the brain’s right hemisphere controls the left part of the body and vice versa, the phenomenon would hold.

A 2013 study also showed that canines understood these motions themselves. A left-wagging tail made other canines stressed while a right tail wagging helped them relax.

Conclusion

The tail wag pattern could be a pretty good way to ascertain how your pup is reacting to a situation. However, that’s not all there can be, be sure to look out for other signs.

Why Do We Love Dogs So Much?

For the longest time, dogs have been tagged man’s best friend as a result of the love and fierce loyalty that they display to their humans. So, why exactly is there so much love between the canine and human?

Humans started keeping dogs as pets since ancient days prior to civilization. This implies that this fierce love and unbreakable bond between humans and dogs has been repeated multiple times all through history.

It goes without saying that beyond their simple angelic existence, dogs provide their owners with benefits ranging from emotional and mental to physical as well. Dogs are very useful and can be trained to hone their special attributes like their strong sense of smell or hearing for various uses.

For instance, they are members of various important units in the society such as the firefighter departments, K9, search and rescue, as well as sniffer dogs at airports. The services that they provide have constantly saved the lives of humans time and time again.

Dogs are also regarded as immediate family members and treated as fur babies. Dog owners commonly claim to be in a better mental space after having a dog relative to before they had one. In addition, people dealing with various traumas get support dogs who constantly comfort and keep them stable.

In essence, the benefits that dogs offer humans as a result of their presence in our lives cannot be quantified.

Conclusion

Discussing the reasons why we love dogs so much could extend so much with each individual having their own personal reasons. However, the bottomline is that they very much deserve this love and even more.

What are the Benefits of Owning a Dog?

The only downside to owning a dog is that those gooey eyes would charm you anytime, anyway. That said, there are loads of benefits to owning a dog; emotional, physical, mental, social, basically loads. This article highlights some of these benefits:

Companionship

If you’ve been battling loneliness for a while, owning a dog is precisely what you need. There is no feeling lonely when you have a pup that constantly craves your attention and worships you. It’s no wonder then that dogs are known as man’s best friend.

Uplifts Your Mood

There’s no feeling depressed around your dog. Pups are generally lively and full of energy and are ready to play at every turn. Their antics are bound to crack you up and you would find yourself bursting into laughter now and again. Dogs make humans happy.

Longevity

People with pets have generally been shown to live longer. This is especially true for seniors. Having to care for a pet extends their lifespans and this applies to middle aged individuals too.

Teaches Vital Lessons

Owning a pet teaches vital life lessons like caring for other people besides ourselves. Knowing that a vulnerable pet totally depends on you teaches responsibility especially to kids at a young age. It improves social skills too.

Improved Mental Health

People battling depression and other mental health issues are often assigned support dogs to help them through. This is because having a dog that adores you stimulates feelings of hope and happiness.

Conclusion

There’s really nothing as blissful as owning and caring for a dog. In addition to the benefits outlined above, the daily walks are beneficial to physical health too while providing good bonding time with your pup.

Should I Crate Train My Dog?

Crate training is the process of introducing your dog to view and accept a dog crate as a personal safe space. There are various benefits that crate training offers particularly for your pet. Here are the most profound ones:

Provides a Familiar, Safe Space

Sometimes, your pet needs a place to retire, particularly if they encounter something new. For instance, some dogs are not great at getting used to strangers and would rather stay away. A crate provides a form of escape for your pup and allows them to retreat from new, disturbing changes until they can eventually adapt.

Provides a Den Feeling

Many advocates point to the fact that dogs are den animals and a crate can serve as a substitute for a den. Daisy’s den is where she reigns supreme and feels like her own personal kingdom. This space serves as a sanctuary and your dog feels very secure in that space.

Helps With Potty Training

Dogs generally keep their sleeping areas clean as a matter of instinct. Providing your pup with a crate would help them learn to hold and this in turn strengthens bladder and bowel muscles. They inadvertently learn housebreaking on their own.

Makes Life Easier Generally

Crates generally make yours and your pet’s life easier. Transporting Daisy is safer using a crate whether by road for long distance trips or air trips. It results in less distractions for the driver and you would be able to have your dog with you whenever you travel.

Conclusion

Crate training your pup offers too many benefits for you to pass it up. During the process, ensure that you’re patient and reward with treats for good behavior.