8 Tips For Caring For Your Pet This Winter

Living in a Winter Wonderland?

Unless you’re one of the lucky ones living in one of the balmier states, you've felt the cold chill of winter arrive. For some of us, cold weather is regarded as a mere nuisance; for others, it’s a fun time filled with snowboarding, skiing and other winter joys; and still others will find this time of bone-chilling weather and huge piles of snow a veritable nightmare to endure.

Whatever your viewpoint on winter, one thing remains the same for all of us with pets: it’s a time when our beloved babies need a little extra care. Luckily, PetMD has compiled a list of tips to protect your pet from the dangers of winter.

1. In or Out?

Does your pet spend most of the time in the backyard? You might want to keep her indoors during the freezing months, especially if you live in bitterly cold areas. No one wants an icicle for a pet -- they’re simply not that cuddly.

2. Bare Naked Truth

If you must keep your pet outdoors, consider this: Would a fur coat alone (even if it is faux mink) keep you warm against the elements? No? Well, your pet’s fur coat isn’t enough protection for your pet during winter, either. Be a pal and provide your dog with a warm, dry, and draft free shelter outside; the shelter should also comply with any state laws that apply.

3. No More Frozen Dinners!

Because it takes more energy to stay warm when it's cold, outdoor animals eat more during the winter. Likewise, fresh, running water is vital for maintaining your pet's health. Keep an eye on the water bowls and make sure they haven’t turned into little skating rinks for fleas (boo, fleas!). While ice pops might be a fun treat, your pet really doesn’t want to have to lick a frozen lump of ice to get his water.

4. Latest Fad Diet?

Indoor animals, meanwhile, have different dietary needs. They conserve energy by sleeping more in the winter. Dogs and cats also exercise much less when they do go outside, so you may need to adjust the amount of food accordingly. After all, no one wants an overweight pet.

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Summer Paw Care: 7 Essential Tips

Four-footed friends need special attention in summer. When the heat is on, make sure your dog’s paws stay cool and clean and that you prevent injury to their soft pads.

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Will you and your dog be spending more time outside in the warm days ahead? Summer is the time when you can be more active and really enjoy the fun of having a pet — going for long walks, vacationing together, perhaps swimming or playing catch with a Frisbee.

Your dog’s increased exposure to the outdoors does call for more vigilance on your part — particularly when it comes to those four feet. The condition of your dog’s paws is key to wellbeing. These tips can help ensure a happy and healthy summer for your dog.

1. Don’t let him sweat it. Did you know that when dogs become overheated, they sweat from their paws? While panting is the first clue that he needs to cool off, a trail of doggy footprints should also move you to action. Get your dog out of the sun and into an air-conditioned space, if possible. Then moisten a washcloth and wipe down his face and paws.
2. Walk when it’s cooler. Asphalt pavement and sandy beaches can get terribly hot when the temperature soars. With prolonged exposure to these surfaces, your pet’s paws could get scorched. To avoid that, take your dog to a pet-friendly park and walk him on the grass. The best times in summer for long walks and exercise are in the early morning and just before sunset, when it’s still light outside.
3. Keep nails trimmed. If you hear clickety-click every time your dog walks, his nails need to be shortened. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to trim them and to recommend the best tool for the job. If hair pokes out between the pads, that needs to be trimmed as well.
4. Look ahead. Keep your eyes peeled for broken glass and other sharp objects that could break the skin on your pet’s paws. According to the ASPCA, “Wounds that are smaller than a half inch in diameter can be cleaned with an antibacterial wash and wrapped with a light bandage. For deeper paw cuts, see the vet for treatment.”
5. Watch out for limping. Sometimes dogs in the countryside pick up a prickly burr that lodges itself in between paw pads. Tweezers may remove it. If your pet’s gait is off, inspect the paws for foreign objects and injuries indicated by swelling, redness, and discharges.
6. Check for cracks. Walking on hot, hard ground can dry your dog’s paws, which may lead to cracking. Examine his paw pads to make sure they’re soft. If not, moisturize them by rubbing in a little bit of petroleum jelly once a day.
7. Last licks. Dogs lick their paws for different reasons: For some, it relieves stress. For others, especially ones who take up the habit in summer, allergies may be the culprit. Contact with grass, weeds and pollen is a common source of irritation. And once your dog comes inside, tracking the substance into the house can prolong his discomfort. One way to combat that is to moisten a washcloth and wipe down paws after the walk.
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By following these tips, you and your dog can get the most out of the sultry season. As always, call your veterinarian if your dog is hurt or conditions worsen.

- Source: mypet.com

Leash Holding – Could it Really be Dangerous?

There is a right way and some wrong ways to hold your dog's leash. Avoid injuries to you and your dog and do it safely.

Today guest blogger Jess Fenyo from Vets and Pets in Sydney tells us the best way to hold your dog’s leash. Such a basic thing, but it could mean the difference between safety and some pretty awful injuries.

I know, right now you’re thinking something along the lines of “this person is insane, how could holding a lead be dangerous’. Many of us don’t even THINK about how we hold our dogs lead, we just do whatever’s comfortable.

Two years ago I got my first pet dog and on my first day of puppy class the trainer spend more time talking about how to safely hold the lead then he did telling me about how to get my dog to sit. What he wanted us to leave with, is the message that no matter how big or small our dog is, we were NEVER to wrap the lead around our arm, our wrist, or around any part of our body in general. He then recounted stories of owners being dragged by their dogs, breaking arms, de-gloving their fingers and even his own experience of a dislocated thumb.

I honestly thought the guy was having me on, I mean I’d always wrapped the lead around my arm when walking the family dog. After all I needed to make sure I had a firm hold on a dog that weighed about 25kg, especially because I only weighed in about 58kg! Then, a few weeks later I was walking my own 8kg dog with the lead wrapped around my wrist when he saw something interesting and took off. I wasn’t expecting it and the lead was still ripped from what I thought was a firm grasp. I also felt this horrible pain in my thumb (almost had it pulled out of its socket) and a nice piece of rope burn down the back of my hand. I subsequently went back to that trainer, admitted that I didn’t listen to him and asked to be shown a safer way to hold my dogs lead. In hindsight, I now really should get around to telling my brother he did an amazing job training our family dog to walk on a lead… Maybe one day.

Almost 2 years on I haven’t really thought about any of this until I was speaking to a rather unfortunate dog owner. Long story short, she used to walk her large breed dog with the lead wrapped around her arm because he pulled like crazy and she was scared he would escape her grip. Then one day she tripped, spooked her dog and he took off. Now, because that lead was wrapped around her arm she was pulled over. Apart from some nasty cuts, bumps and bruises, she walked away with not one, but TWO broken arms! She was sharing her story to hopefully save at least one other owner from an unfortunate fate!

So what’s a safe way to hold your dogs lead? Put only your thumb through the loop on the lead and hold as demonstrated in the photo. If you need extra support, also hold the lead with your other hand.

To hold a lead place your thumb through the loop, then close your hand over the handle.

If you do have a dog that pulls, work on teaching him to heel. If you are really struggling, ask a dog trainer who works with positive reinforcement and not choker chains. Or take a short-cut and use a head halter instead, these brilliant inventions can really help you take the lead again, pun intended. Reliable natural & holistic pet care information, pet care services, you can visit Petsmart.com. Check out $5 off $25 Petsmart and more Petsmart coupon codes for saving!