How to Include Your Dog in Your Easter Celebration

If you celebrate Easter then you know that your dog probably gets just as excited about this holiday as anyone else in your family. Sure you can share some of your famous Easter ham with them, but what else can you do to make this day memorable for them as well? Here are a few things you can do to have a great day with them.

 

Have a Doggy Easter Egg Hunt

shutterstock_172940522__1454605130_47647Doing a doggy Easter egg hunt before your kids hit the yard can be a great way to include your pet. You can put treats in the yard and even an extra boiled egg. Here are a few tips for making this memorable:

 

  • Do not use plastic Easter eggs to hide treats. Your dog will not be able to find them and the plastic can break and harm them.
  • Follow your dog to make sure they get all the treats
  • Do the dog hunt first to ensure your dog does not pick up chocolate left from children

 

Give Them an Easter BasketiStock_000001256761Large__1454605381_46920

Now this is a little trickier than the Easter egg hunt because easter baskets are not exactly good for your dog. The baskets are easily splintered when chewed on by your dog and the grass in the baskets can be toxic to your dog. This is why giving your dog their own “basket” while your kids open their baskets can be helpful. You can just hand them the items or put it in a pet safe basket without all the Easter grass.

 

Set Them a Place at the Table

OK well chances are you are not literally  going to set your pet their own place at the dinner table but you can still make them a part of your Easter dinner. Make them their own plate to enjoy. Just make sure you are not giving them foods  that are toxic such as onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Carrots and green beans on the other hand are an excellent choice for your pet on this holiday. Also, make sure you do not give them too much food as this will upset their stomach. The best way to do this is to make them a plate rather than hand feeding them where you can lose track of how much has been given.

These are just a few of the ways you can get your dog involved in your festivities. This can help to make your dog  feel more like a part of the family and the entire family can have fun with this.

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Toxic Plants- What Every Pet Parent Needs to Know

Now that spring is upon us, chances are you are thinking about ways you can spruce up your home. While you can spring clean in the home, you also want to make the outside of your home look amazing. Whether you are thinking about adding new shrubbery to improve your curb appeal or simply want to start a garden in the backyard, you want to make sure the things you are doing are pet safe. This is why it is helpful to know about toxic plants.

 

Flowers

shutterstock_279579728__1454606518_54640Flowers are a beautiful way to decorate your yard. They can help add brightness and make your yard more inviting. Plus they are just gorgeous to look at and can brighten your mood. There are several types of flowers that are toxic to dogs. Some of these include:

 

  • lillies
  • baby’s breath
  • begonia
  • carnations
  • daffodil
  • chrysanthemum

 

Shrubs and Common Landscaping Plants

Now the type of plants you plant in your yard will be dependent on the climate you live in. So some of these plants may not be relevant to your zone but this will at least give you an idea of what plants are toxic to dogs. Some of these are:

 

  • Ivy
  • Hosta
  • Sago Palm
  • azalea
  • poinsettia

 

Garden Itemsshutterstock_276516368__1454606602_73386

Creating a garden in your backyard can be a great way to have fresh produce when you want it. While this is no easy task, it can be rewarding. There are some garden items that are toxic  to dogs, either because of the leaves or what they produce. These include:

 

  • tomato plants
  • mushrooms
  • onion
  • potato
  • grape
  • rhubarb

 

Tips for Gardening with Plants Toxic to Dogs

shutterstock_105631460__1454606817_35175There are times when you will want to use a plant that may be toxic to your dog. This is not necessarily a problem as long as you take the proper precautions. One of the things you can do is to make sure the plant is on a raised flower bed so you can keep it out of their reach. Also work on training to keep your dog from messing with the different plants. It is also good to understand the part of the plant that is toxic to your dog. You can find a full list of toxic plants as well as the part of the plant that is toxic to dogs here.

 

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5 Ways to Prepare Your Dog for Spring

Now that spring is upon us, it is time to think about the ways that we can prepare for the season. In our homes we find ourselves deep cleaning the home and organizing things that may have gotten out of order over the long winter. Getting your dog ready for spring is just as important as spring cleaning. There are a few things you can do to prepare your dog for spring.

 

Brush, Brush, Brush

iStock_000010121338Small__1454603778_25680This is the time of year when most dogs will shed as they get rid of their winter coat for a thinner coat designed for the warmer temperatures. The best thing you can do is to brush your dog regularly. In some cases you may want to invest in a brush that is designed for shedding. This will help keep the tumble fur in your home to a minimum.

 

Start the Prevention

We all know that prevention for fleas, ticks, and heartworms are important. In some parts of the country, especially the south, it is important to use protection all year round. If you are in an area where this is not needed or you simply have not been using it, now is the time to get your dog back on preventative medication. As the weather heats up, the pests come out which means more chances for all these parasites to attack your dog. It is best to be prepared and the best way to do this is with prevention meds.

 

See Your Vetshutterstock_123791044__1453911719_36282

Your dog should have at least one vet visit a year and what a better time to do this than in spring? Since this is the prime time to get vaccines taken care of, you can schedule their checkup at the same time. This will help you to understand where their health is as well as what you can do for them to keep them healthy in the warmer months. You can even schedule your dog’s yearly teeth cleaning during this appointment.

 

Update Your Dog’s Information

Chances are your dog is required by local ordinances to have up to date tags. These are easily obtained when your dog goes in for their shots. However, this is not the only thing you need to update. If your dog has a microchip, it is a good idea to ensure that all the information is up to date.

 

Check Your Yard

This is especially true if you live in an area where the ice and snow has built up over the winter. You want to make sure there are no holes in your fence your dog can escape from. You also want to check your yard for hazards that can harm your dog while playing.

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Spend St. Paddy’s Day with Man’s Best Friend

St. Patrick’s Day is fun day where we can all pretend we’re Irish and have a few drinks and hey, if you’re not Irish by birth you can still just wear green and participate in the festivities! If you are looking for the perfect companion for this day, then you should take your dog with you. There are many great ways to involve your dog in this and here’s what you need to know.

 

Pet Friendly Events

iStock_000005231738XSmall__1454606127_70370Many bars and outdoor events will allow you to bring your dog for the St. Paddy’s Day celebrations. Make sure you are taking your dog to one that is dog friendly so you don’t have to make last minute changes- or worse, make the decision to leave your pooch in the car while you have fun.  If you have a favorite place to visit, give them a call ahead of time to make sure they are allowing dogs.

 

Take Your Dog Out to Eat

Another great way to incorporate your dog into your St. Paddy’s Day celebration is to take them out for dinner or share with them at home. Sure you do not want to give them a ton of food, but feel free to share a little of your corned beef with them. They will be glad you did.

 

Dog Safe DrinkingiStock_000003797401Large__1454606202_65664

It is imperative that people realize alcohol is not safe for your pet. It is toxic and can cause serious harm. While you may want to drink the night away, be sure you are not sharing your green beer with your furry wingman. Rather, if you want them to join in on the festivities there are dog beers you can get for them. These are made to be non-alcoholic so that it will not harm your dog. While a night of drinking may seem fun, keep in mind that the health of your pet is more important.

 

Going Green

A big tradition with St. Patrick’s Day is wearing green. Sadly there are no dogs born with a green coat. There are a few ways you can improvise for the holiday. One option is to dye your dog’s coat. It is best to  leave this to the professionals at the grooming salon where they will use dog safe, vegetable based dye. The other option is to invest in something cute for your dog to wear. You can get them anything from a full costume to just a headband with green in it. You could even just splurge on a fancy new green collar to get them into the festivities of the holiday.

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Say Goodbye to Winter with These Short Funny Dog Videos

We are all glad that the weather is warming up and sandy beaches and sunbathing are in the future. This is a good time to say goodbye to the fun of winter. What better way to do that than with  some short clips that remind us of all the terrible things we love and hate about the frozen weather.

 

Dogs Slipping on Ice

We’ve all slipped  on ice at some point in our lives and while dogs may seem graceful, they are no less clumsy than us on the frozen ground. This just proves the point.

The Dog Version of Sledding

Personally we like to think this dog is an innovator, someone who knows how to make due when he doesn’t have what he needs. While his baby human sister is trying to figure out how sledding works, he takes it upon himself to sled down on his tummy.

 

Shiba Inu Sees Snow for the First Time

Do you remember the first time you saw snow? We’re sure this pup won’t forget her first encounter with the snow. This video is the exact cuteness the internet was made for.

 

 

Confused Chow Chow Puppy in Snow

The life of being a puppy can be confusing enough on its own. Puppies want to figure out how the world works. This poor pup thinks he knows just the world works and then Bam! This fluffy white stuff falls from the sky and changes the way he sees the world. The inquisitiveness of this chow chow though is down right adorable.

That’s all we have for now. So long winter! We’ll see you at the end of the year! Now we’re ready for dogs in bikinis!

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