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5 Ideas for a Fun Weekend with Your Dog

As a pet parent you know it is important to spend quality time with your dog. While walks and just going to the pet store are fun, there are other ways that you can have a fun day this weekend with your pet. Here are a few activities away from the pet store to keep your pet active.

 

1. Have a Scavenger Hunt

This one is a creative way to work your dog’s mind in a fun way. To start, go to your local pet store and pick up high value treats for your dog. You can even pick up a few 19caabb213e50a683d2afff45f71ad3ftoys if you want as well. Then place them around your backyard while your dog is inside. Then bring your dog out and let them hunt. You may want to help point them in the right direction if they are new to this game.

 

2. Go for a Swim

Most dogs love water. If you have a pool, then make it a day at the pool with your pooch. If not, then you can always find other water sources for your dog. There are many dog beaches where you can take your pet. Even if your dog does not like the pool, it could be due to the chlorine and you will find they love the natural water. This is a great exercise for everyone!

 

3. Go for a Hike

It is no secret that dogs love new smells. Take your dog to an area that you have never been to before. This will give them the chance to find new scents and sights while getting some exercise. Just make sure you have the proper supplies, such as plenty of water for your dog. You can pick up a portable water bowl from your pet store.

 

4. Find a Meetup

There are many breeds that do meetups in different areas. This can be a fun way to let your dog socialize and play with other dogs that are their size. If there isn’t one in your area, start one! Even if it is not breed specific it can be fun to get together with your friends and their dogs at the dog park for an afternoon of playing and hanging out.

 

Dog 25. Work on Training

Training is essential for your dog to be a good canine citizen. Even if your pet has mastered basic commands, there are fun tricks you can teach them. This can be anything from how to close a door to completing an obstacle course. While you should not expect them to learn the new trick in one weekend, this can be a fun way to introduce a new trick and bond with your pet. After training your pet it never hurts to find a great place to take them to get cleaned up. Splash and Dash is a wonderful option. If you are interested in owning your own pet store franchise check out our Affordable Franchise in Texas opportunities.

 

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8 Yard Safety Tips for Pets

If you have a yard and a pet, then it is natural to want to let your pet play outside. However, you need to make sure the area is safe for your pet or pets to play in. There are a few tips you should keep in mind that can help you keep your pet safe.

1. Skip on the Spraying

While yard spraying may make your yard look lush and full, it is not healthy for your dog. If you must spray the yard, try to contain the spray 19caabb213e50a683d2afff45f71ad3fto the front. Also, you can look for yard professionals that offer dog services with non-toxic sprays.

 

2. Inspect Your Fence Regularly

If you have a fenced in backyard do not assume that your pets will be contained to that space. Pets can dig holes under the fence or there may even be a weak spot where they can get out from. Performing regular checks of the yard and fence will ensure that your pets do not escape.

 

3. Think About Dog Services when Landscaping

If you are having any landscaping done on the yard, make sure the professional you hire is experienced with pet friendly plants. There are many plants that are toxic to dogs so you want to avoid these in your yard.

 

4. Keep Grass Cut

Not only will short grass look better, it is also safer for your pet. You will be able to see what is in the grass. Also, this can help to deter pests, such as ticks.

 

df0b97ad2a56ea251a2a5f49d89537f95. Do Not Forget About Pest Prevention

Even if you have your yard sprayed for pests, do not forget about flea, tick and heartworm prevention. These are essential to the overall health of your dog.

 

6. Check for Pest Regularly

Having pest prevention treatments are helpful, but they are not foolproof. Make sure you are checking your dog on a regular basis for fleas and ticks.

 

7. Make Grooming a Priority

Dogs love playing in the yard which unfortunately means they will get dirty. This is why frequent baths are needed for active dogs who play outdoors. If you have problems with bathing your dog on your own or simply do not have the time, find an unlimited monthly bath membership for your dog to make this easier.

 

8. Keep Tags On and Microchip Updated

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a pet can escape. While this is scary for you as a pet parent, it is even more traumatic for your dog. Make sure their tags are on them at all times and that the information is up to date. You should also ensure their microchip information is correct as well to increase the chances of finding your pet.

 

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Dog Services – Tips on Hiring the Right Dog Sitter

Find the Dog Services You Need

As pet lovers, we all can benefit dog services such as dog sitters every now and then. Whether it be for travel, long work days or an illness, a professional pet sitter can provide peace of mind. This allows our beloved pets to stay in their familiar home environment. This is a stress-free alternative to boarding. But hiring a pet sitter for our furry family members is a serious process, and care must be taken before providing unsupervised access to our pets and our homes. Here are a few tips to finding the right dog services.

 

The Basics of Finding Dog Services

When hiring a pet sitter seeking referrals from friends, neighbors, your veterinarian or the local pet store is a good starting point. You can also take some time to look online at candidates as there are many sites devoted to dog services. Once you have some good candidates, it’s time to start the interview.  finding the right dog services

The Interview Process for Dog Services

Ask your prospective sitter what they like about pet sitting and inquire about experience in specifics. Here are a few good questions to ask:

  • How many pets have they watched at one time and how did they deal with that?
  • What has been their greatest challenge?
  • How would they handle an emergency? Do they know canine CPR? First Aid?
  • How often will they be coming to the home and how long will they stay with your pet?
  • Are they experienced and comfortable administering medications?
  • Do they have a valid driver’s license?
  • Why do they consider themselves the best candidate for the job?

 

Other Factors You Need to Explore Before Hiring

it is important to find the right dog servicesInquire about references. It’s important that a potential pet sitter provide references, and good ones. Check them out thoroughly. Ask for proof of bonding, professional liability insurance and/or National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Certification. Finally, observe how this person interacts with your pet, are they nurturing? Do they speak to your pet? Are they affectionate?   Once you’ve found a pet sitter that is a good fit, invite them to the home before you leave to bond with your pets while you are there. Be clear about your needs and expectations and make their job easier by preparing everything needed in advance. Finally, good pet sitters are priceless; once you’ve found one, hold on to them! On the flip side, if you find a sitter that is only good on paper but does not work out, do not be afraid to let them go and start again. There are many dog services out there and you will be able to find the right fit for your pets.

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How Smart is Your Dog Really?

Every pet parent has stories about the smart things their pets have done, such as sneaking treats when you aren’t looking or throwing toys into your basket at the pet store. But the question many ask is, how smart is your dog really? There are a few things you should take into consideration before you enter Jeopardy for pets at your local pet store.

 

The Basics

Scientists have done studies and determined that dogs are about as smart as a two year old, according to Livescience.  This means they can learn between 165 and 250 51ab762f28ecb9f3ece27ef9384bf3f8words, signals, and gestures just like two year olds. They have also found that dogs know basic math, just as a toddler would. The way they found this out was by putting one and then another treat behind a screen. When they lifted the screen there would be either one or three treats and the dogs would be surprised. This shows they have a basic understanding of math as well.

 

The Evolutionary Link

Evolutionary Anthropologist and founder of Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center, Brian Hare, claims that dogs and humans experienced a unique co-evolution. Due to evolving alongside them, dogs now have a genetic advantage to understand humans. He argues that this has led to dogs knowing more about humans than humans do of them. Dogs are intuitive, empathic and can even understand gestures.

Research published by Animal Cognition claims that dogs use light intensity when strategizing ways to steal food. The darker the room, the more likely the dog will attempt to steal food. This suggests that dogs understand what humans have the ability to see or not see. Further implications of this is that dogs can think in our point of view and take that into consideration when strategizing.

Yale University’s Canine Cognition Center evaluated memory, attention and counting skills and saw that the results were as individual as the dog themselves. Which makes sense. Not all human intelligence is equal, why would all dogs have equal intelligence?

 

Can We Make Dogs Smarter?

While there is no way to boost your dog’s intelligence significantly, there are ways that you can keep their brain working. For instance, head to your local pet store and pick up some intelligent toys for your dog. The main way this is done is with treat toys. This makes your dog solve a puzzle to get the treat. These often have varying levels of difficulty so you can increase the difficulty as your dog figures out how to solve the puzzle. Thankfully, each local pet store has a different variety of brain games for your pet.

 

Just as with people, dogs need to exercise their brains to keep their intelligence level high. So head to the pet store and pick up a few intelligent toys for your dog.

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Why Dogs Love Getting Dirty

Your dog loves to play dirty and you like to live clean. It can seem like a constant battle to keep your dog clean. Dog grooming is a great way to keep them clean and healthy, but for many the cost can be too high to do this on a consistent basis. This is why it is helpful to understand why dogs love being dirty and the best solution for keeping them clean.

 

The Science of Dirty Dogs

According Dr. Stanley Coren from Psychology Today, the most widely accepted theory is that being dirty is an evolutionary trait from the days before canine 41c996e9707b5941d04589561042007edomestication. The putrid smell of nature supposedly cloaked the dogs from their prey, or at least gave the prey a false sense of security.

 

A second theory also refers to the times before domestication. It is believed that wild dogs would roll in odorous things in order to tell their pack mates where they’ve been. Their dirty fur served as a smell-based diary. Think of this like Facebook for dogs.

 

Other theories

  • Use mud to cool off: this theory is mostly based on how other animals, such as elephants, coat themselves in mud to cool off.
  • The scent is actually aesthetically pleasing. We are, after all, different species. It makes sense for dogs to enjoy the smell of something we want to hose down.
  • Dogs simply love to play and getting dirty is just part of this.

The Solution to Dirty Dogs is Dog Grooming

Obviously dog grooming is the best way to handle dirty dogs. While a dirty dog may be adorable, most pet parents just want to snap a picture of their messy pup and then they want the dirt gone.  You can bathe your dogs every day, but it can be hard to find time for this in your busy schedule. Also, bathing your dog on your own can be quite the headache as muddy paws somehow end up on the ceiling.

 

This is where Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique can help. With the unlimited monthly bath membership you will be able to bring your dog in whenever they are dirty. You pay one monthly rate which is comparable to what you would pay for one dog grooming service from a major retailer. This will give you the ability to keep your dogs looking and smelling great all month long.

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To Share or Not to Share- the Coffee Dilemma

A morning cup of coffee is a wake-up routine for many of us and it is normal to want to share with your pet. Even though there are many foods that are perfectly fine to share with your pet-and even healthy- it is important to understand whether coffee is safe dog food. However, our pets are more sensitive to caffeine than we are.

 

The Scoop of Coffeecoffee begger

Caffeine in coffee, coffee grounds, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks, all of which contain theophylline and theobromine. These cardiac stimulants can cause palpitation and abnormal heartbeats and damage to the central nervous system. Within 1-2 hours of pet ingestion, symptoms can include mild to severe hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, hypertension, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and seizures. These are the signs of poisoning, which are the same for tainted dog food, coffee, alcohol or any other substance. This requires an immediate trip to the vet.

 

The caffeine can leave you with a dog that is wound up which is especially terrible if you’re on your way out of the house. This makes them more apt to chew, eat things that aren’t dog food, and get into trouble they may not otherwise get into. Even if you have an otherwise calm dog, you will find that the coffee can cause them to become restless.

 

Is a Little Coffee Safe?

coffee sharingWhile one to two laps of coffee or tea will not contain enough caffeine to harm most pets, the ingestion of moderate amounts of the drug in the form of coffee grounds, tea bags or 1-2 diet pills can cause death in small dogs or cats. There are also some animals who can become addicted to the coffee and beg for it in the morning which is not something you want to go through. It’s best to just keep caffeine away from all forms of dog food.

 

The Coffee Alternative

Instead of giving your dog any of your morning coffee, consider finding another type of treat to add to their dog food. Perhaps a dollop of peanut butter in their kibble. Maybe mix in some wet dog food with the dry. While you enjoy your human treat, give them some treat of their own that they won’t have to covet.

 

If you shared your coffee as a way to spend more time with your dog, consider something away from dog food and coffee in the morning. Perhaps through in a morning walk before work. This will give your dog the exercise they need and can be a great way for you to multitask. Even if you do not want to walk this early in the morning, just spending time with your dog playing and petting them is better than the best coffee you could give them.

 

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Dog Safety Summer Pet Care Quiz

1. Which of the following are signs of heatstroke?8a1605eb6dc0afd3228c67b3749291ff

A. excessive panting

B. color change in the gums or tongue of your pet

C. lethargic or unconscious

D. all of the above.

 

2. Shaving my dog with an undercoat in the summer will help them stay cooler.

True or False

 

3. It is OK to leave your dog in the car while you run in to the car if the window is cracked and you will only be a couple minutes.1b4fd677e9958d25dac1aa76fd79f1f6

True or False

 

 

 

4. What is the best way to handle ticks?

A. Regular brushing

B. Preventative solutions

C. Routine inspections

D. shorter walks and avoiding wooded areas

 

5. You should put pet sunscreen on your pets.
True or False

summer pet care quiz-01

Answers:

 

1. (D) Heat stroke is a serious condition that can kill dogs within a matter of minutes if dog safety isn’t maintained. If you notice any of these signs you need to cool your dog down immediately. This can be done by giving them plenty of cool water to drink as well as getting cool water on them right away to help bring down their body temperature.

2. False. Many people think that a dog’s undercoat is designed just to keep dogs warm. Because of this, many think they need to shave them in order to keep them from getting hot in the summer. In truth the undercoat is actually a temperature regulating system for dogs and helps keep dog safety in the summer. It helps to keep them cool in the summer just as it keeps them warm in the winter. They get sunburn easier and may have more skin and coat problems if they are shaved as well.

3. False. A good rule of thumb for dog safety is if the temperature is above 70 degrees, do not leave them in the car. Even cracking the window will not be enough to keep the car from reaching sweltering conditions within just a minute or two.

4. (B) The only best way to keep ticks away and maintain dog safety is with a preventative solution. This can be either topical or in a soft chew. This does not mean that you should not brush your dog or still inspect them. There are instances of dogs getting ticks even when they are on preventative medicines so make sure you still perform regular inspections while brushing.

5. True. Just because your pet has fur does not mean they can’t get sunburn. This is especially true if you have a pet with a light colored coat. Even if they have a thick, dark coat you should still apply sunblock to the bridge of their nose, ears and belly. Just be sure you are using pet sunscreen for dog safety as excessive sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer.

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Crappy Pictures: Win a Year’s Splash and Dash for Dog’s Signature Bath Membership

Don’t act like you haven’t snickered at your dog’s adorable pooping face. Maybe it’s the shameful eyes, the arched would-be eyebrows or the lost expression on their face. Maybe it’s when they look away in shame. Whatever the case, we pet parents like to snap pics of our dog’s shame and share it with our friends. In fact, I bet you have at least one of these pictures in your phone’s gallery right now. If you don’t, you’ve at least thought about it! Now your dog can earn the gift of dog grooming through his or her pooping face! Remove dog grooming from your budget and enter your dog’s best pooping face to our dog photo contest in order to win a year-long Splash and Dash for Dog’s Signature Bath membership. This includes an unlimited amount of wash and brush at a location near you, a $480 value! Rules:

  • Submit up to two pictures of your dog’s hilarious/embarrassed/ridiculous pooping face to socialmedia@splashanddashfordogs.com from July 5 to July 30. We will be posting your pup to our Facebook & other social media pages
  • Make sure you like our Facebook page (facebook.com/splashanddashfordogs) and share the link of the picture we upload of your dog with your friends
  • Picture with the most likes on our page wins
  • You are also eligible for the weekly prizes by participating in the bonus contest below.

yoshi pooping

 

Weekly Prizes: Don’t want to publicly embarrass your pup? You still have a chance to win one of our weekly mystery prizes from our pet store. All you have to do is like our Facebook page and share this dog photo contest with their friends. BONUS: Earn the equivalent of one Facebook like by sharing this dog photo contest on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram using the hashtag #SD4D Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/splashanddashfordogs

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Watch the Dog: Introducing Cat to Dog

Stereotypically cats and dogs are some of the oldest villains. From cats stealing dog food to dogs chasing cats through the house, there is a reason people say, “fighting like cats and dogs”. Brute playfulness vs. trickster playfulness doesn’t always translate the best. However, this does not mean they cannot get along. Whether you’re introducing new dog to old dog or cat to dog, dog safety must be maintained to create a strong, lasting relationship. Here are some things you need to know when introducing cat to dog or vice versa:

 

How This Can Play Out

If your pets have never been around the other species, then it is especially important to evaluate the way they react to each other for cat and dog safety. They can react in one of three ways:

Play: Dogs may attempt to play with the cat. Cats can be alarmed by rambunctious behavior and become aggressive towards it.

Prey: Some dogs do see cats as prey, especially if the cat runs away from the dog. The dog’s instinct is to chase the cat as he would any other prey. This is also dangerous for the cat, as it can lead to its death.

Cautious: Older dogs may be intimidated by a new cat and will either approach cautiously or observe from afar.

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So what should pet parents do to maintain dog safety when they are introducing cat to dog?

Do:

  • Make sure the cat has the freedom to hide and you have places where the dog can’t get to. The cat should have perches or cubbies to hide in. Consider purchasing a baby gate the cat can jump over, but the dog can’t.
  • Make sure the dog is on a leash when introducing dog to cat. Keep him from chasing after the cat for the pets’ safety.
  • Remember that, for the most part, dogs just want to be friends and don’t know how to express their interest in friendship. Cats are sometimes socially awkward and they don’t always know how to accept their friendship.

Don’t:

  • Force proximity between the cats and dogs. Let the cat and dog approach and introduce themselves at their leisure.
  • Forget to make the appropriate preparation before introducing cat to dog, such as moving obstructions and creating a safe environment for both. Make sure the cat and dog food is in their own safe area.
  • For the cat and dog safety, never leave them unsupervised until you know they are happy with each other and know when to stop.
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