Monday, April 28, 2014

I Wish I Knew These K9 Tips Years Ago

I always want to recap the weekend on Monday, but I don't have time between Sunday night and Monday morning to get it done, especially since I had a puppy with a tummy ache keeping me up all night. Between the fact that he's part Weimaraner (they have very sensitive stomachs) and mild levels of anxiety from being a rescue, it's no surprise that he has tummy problems, but finding new food after the move has proven trying. No one around here stocks anything that isn't full of fillers, so thank goodness for Amazon Prime sending some our way. I'm not even plugging them. I'm paying all $53.99 for the 24 lb bag, and I'm just relieved that I can get food that won't upset his stomach.


But let me just confess...I'm not a pet person. Please don't stone me, but I wouldn't have a dog if Will didn't demand one. Before you judge me, know that I had my very own dog when I was little. Precious followed me everywhere, protected me with the ferocity of a lamb, and was my best friend all the way up until the day that she was DOGNAPPED. Gasp! Can you imagine being a six year old girl, and your grandma has to tell you that some bad man stole your best friend? In case you can't, it scarred me for life and ever since then, I've never wanted another pet. What about Weiser you say? Well, he's kind of the best dog ever and if I have to have a dog, he's the only one I want. Plus, even though he's 'Will's dog', Sir William is always gone between deployment and training, leaving moi to play dog-mom and dad. This is why I have learned a TON about taking care of this little nugget. It's sad really, I think I'm better with him than people. Now I'll share my knowledge with you, you're welcome.


Food
Food is actually a tricky thing, because what works for one dog, may not work for another. #1 make sure you are feeding your dog the right amount. Too much and you will have a fatty, too little and they are like a baby in Uganda. Check with your vet or use this cool Food Calcuculator I found. #2 The crappier the food you feed them, the crappier they will be. Literally. If you feed them better quality food, their bodies will use more of it, and poop less. Not to mention, if the food doesn't agree with their stomach, it's going to come out of both ends. It may be more expensive to get good food, but I'd rather not clean up that nastiness, if you know what I'm sayin'.

Deodorizing
None of us want to give our dogs a bath every day, so you have to find ways to combat odor. Your best bet, is to brush them daily and use baby wipes to get rid of dead skin and hair, but you can also sprinkle Baking Soda or Baby Powder on them to soak up the oil too. While you are at it, mix Baking Soda or Vinegar with water in a spray bottle to spray on beds, furniture, and other pet areas. Just don't mix the Baking Soda and Vinegar or you'll get a volcano.
Don't say I didn't warn you.

For Unruly Fur-Children
 Make sure they have lots of exercise and toys to keep them entertained. If you think your dog is 'dumb' and doesn't need to be stimulated then a) you probably have a lot of chewed up chews/furniture or b) you should question your desire for a pet. Anyhow, fetch will keep them healthy and get them tuckered out, walking them will keep their nails filed down (just make sure the ground isn't too hot. If it would burn your feet, theirs will too), and if all else fails, a spritz of water to the face or coins in an empty water bottle are great deterrents for bad habits. Keep some cheese or treats on hand to reward them when they make improvements. Punishment doesn't actually work, but distraction and rewarding good behavior does.

For Allergies
Luckily, we are almost past allergy season, but this year was a killer. What you may not realize, is that your pets get allergies too. I noticed that Weiser was shaking his head more and sneezing, so the vet told me to put him on people Benadryl (not Benadryl D and not if your dog has a heart condition). You may think that those little sneezes are cute, but if your dog gets a Hematoma or has an ear infection, it ain't cute. I only give him two pills one or two times on the days he has problems, and he's all better.

Disclosure: I'm not a vet {duh}, so before you do anything with your dog, use your OWN common sense and/or consult with YOUR vet. I'm not responsible, and if you are going to have a pet, then you BETTER be responsible for your own little nugget.

Have you guys tried any of these or have any more tips?


13 comments:

Kenzie Smith said...

I heard that the "blue" dog food is really healthy.. I know it comes in a blue bag and I feel like the word blue is in the brand name. I see it on TV pretty frequently.
We learned the hard way that we were feeding our dogs too much, and I definitely recommend learning the right amount to feed. John takes them for mile long walks almost daily to keep them exercised since our yard is so dang small.

Cassidy C. said...

What a cute pup!

I've always been a 'dog-person,' but mostly in favor of my own dog. I'm not much into other dogs ha. I feel like I should run out right now and buy my pooch new food! Let's just say she's a regular pooper ;) So true about stimulating your dog and making sure s/he gets enough exercise. We spend a lot of time at the dog park and we have learned to get creative with stuffing her kong. Allergies hit the worst for us in the fall and she spends all of her time itching. The only alternative for her is benedryl, which knocks her right out.

Brittany said...

Lately I have been giving my pup coconut oil, either I let him eat, which he loves or I put some on his paws to help the dryness. I only do one or the other each day because he can only have so much and I know he will lick his paws

Pamela said...

Bentley got a hematoma a year or so ago! Scared us!!

Jen said...

Food is tricky for us too with our Emma, she can only have wet food and she is so picky!

Jenn said...

These are all great tips (I use the baby wipes, too and it helps a ton!). Love the comparison to a Uganda baby haha

Kathy@MoreCoffeeLessTalky said...

we had a dog (jack russel) and she never smelled. she got bathed maybe once a week and she never had bad breath either. that said, i dont know if i'll own another dog any time soon - they're like kids and i already one. not sure if id be able to handle two!

-kathy
Vodka and Soda

Lynn | Motherhood in Motion said...

Baby wipes... I need to try that and that baking soda/water for furniture thing.

SMD @ lifeaccordingtosteph said...

High quality food is really important.

Great post!

Helene in Between said...

hugo has been getting such bad allergies! at first i thought he was sick but now we use this spray on him and it works great!

Nicole said...

Interesting to know about the Benadryl...one of our pups was having a sneezing attack last summer and we didn't know what to do. I'll try that next time. I also learned that if they eat something they're not supposed to-aka chocolate!-give them about 1 Tbsp of hydrogen peroxide and it will help them throw up. Just make sure they're outside when they do it!

Rach said...

Our sweet mutt has all kinds of allergies which means he gets a Vet's Best Seasonal Allergy pill twice a day. That has taken care of the hives that he gets from his allergies. And it stops him from scratching so much. We've given him Benadryl before too, but it's not a good long term solution for us because it makes him sleepy all the time. And I definitely agree with you on the high quality dog food! It makes a huge difference!

Nicole said...

It does suck when people take your pooches! I've lost so many dogs throughout the years, it sucks.

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