Wonderful Springtime

Finally the dreary winter has let go of it's death grip and the springtime has come rushing into our lives.   The pets and people seem to have a bit of spring fever as we push ourselves to start planting gardens and flowers.

Our canine companions are just as eager to get out and over exert on walks and play time.   We, as their guardians must watch out for their health.  Older pets as well as ones who have packed on the pounds and become sedentary during this long cold spell must be gradually worked into a new routine.  Especially if you like to bike with your dog, be aware that a dog will run until it drops from exhaustion.   Take it slow and begin with daily, short walks.

Our older companions and ones with health problems need to be walked in the early morning hours when it is cool.  Morning is the optimum time of day to walk your dog as it most closely resembles what their wild ancestors did.   The pack would wake, then roam long distances searching for a meal.  After eating a meal they would rest during the heat of the day and maybe again trek and eat at night. Likewise, after a nice walk with our companions, come home to a measured meal for your pet.  It is not recommended to free feed (leave food out all the time) because it creates bad habits for your dog.   In puppies it makes house breaking very difficult and in seniors, giving medication that must go with a meal may be a problem because your pet may not be hungry at the time you are scheduled to give the medication.   It is also impractical if you ever have to board your animal while you go on vacation.

Spring is a good time to take a close look at your pet and access his/her weight or overweight issues.  First, read on more than one website about the brand of dog food you are feeding.  Is this the best you can feed for the amount of money you are paying ?   Maybe there is a better brand where you can feed less food and have lower stool volume.  These better brands may costs a bit more but work the digestive system less.

Second, stand your canine companion up on all fours and look at his general outline.  Does the body go in at the waist area like you would expect?  If you are unsure from this angle, run your hands along the ribcage.   You should be able to feel every rib on the dog.  Not prominently, but not with a layer of fat over them either.  When you head to your veterinarian for your yearly shots ask them to weigh your pup and then their opinion as to a weight loss program.

Third, you have a good food and you want to know how much to feed.  Read the label but do not take it as written in stone.   The company wants to sell dog food so they want you to feed a lot.  If you have a sedentary dog who only gets out when you walk him then you can feed just two meals a day to an adult.  Puppies should have three meals a day. Conversely, if you have a high drive / energy dog that never stops, he may require more food to keep a steady weight.  Each meal should be placed in a bowl and left down for fifteen to twenty minutes.  After that time, pick it up and put it away until the next feeding.  This teaches your pet to eat when the food is present.  

Fourth, and most important is not to sabotage your pets weight loss by feeding people food or dog treats.   The dog treats of today are very high in sugar and salt unless you make your own or get some from special gourmet bakeries.  They pack on the pounds and sometimes make the pet not even interested in eating normal dog food at all.   If you are using treats to train, pick something low in salt and sugar, then figure out about how many calories you are feeding during your daily training sessions.   Remove the approximate equal amount of calories from their daily portion of dog food.  Practicing this will allow you to give treats and still maintain your dogs figure. 

Spring is a wonderful time of year indeed.   Pets and people alike eager to get out and enjoy the fields, flowers and fauna.   Use this time to take stock of your canine companion and spiff them up to be the best they can be slowly.   A few simple ideas kept in mind will have you and your dog in tip top shape by fall. 



                                                                     © Pawearfulllegacys

Pet Emergency Preparedness

At some point , in your life, you may find yourself facing an emergency.  Whether big or small, it is always best to prepare for yourself and your family which should include your pets.   Far too many people hear the tornado sirens or get that call to evacuate for flooding or fire and have nothing planned for the animals they have chosen to take into their lives.

Just as you would prepare yourself with essential provisions if you had to leave  home in an emergency, you need to pack a bag for your pet as well.   The easiest way to figure out what should go in this pack is to start at the beginning of a normal day caring for your animal.   For example, if you feed in the morning and give medication then write down a list of how much fed, how many times per day, what medications, dosages, and approximately how much water you see your animal drinking.  By the end of the day you should have your list complete with the basic essentials you will need to keep your pet healthy while away from home.  Type up a list of medical problems (past and present),  temperament issues (good or bad), shot information, and anything else pertinent to your animal in case you become separated and someone else must care for your pet.   Add to the bag a basic first aid kit of gauze, scissors, self adhering vet wrap, antibiotic ointment, peroxide, cotton balls, needle nose pliers, and tweezers and you are about ready.

Purchase or make, for each animal, a quick clip well fitted para cord collar with current owner information tags.   Include on them your name, address, home and cell number and a vet clinic that has records on your animal.   Often you can not get copies of rabies tags so engraving more than one tag with various information, especially the vet's phone number, can save much heartache if a lost or frightened pet bites someone.  

Keep the pets bag stocked with everything but the water, making sure to change out the dry pet food every four months to keep it fresh.   When you are readying your own water  add  the amount  your pet will drink  if you are going to keep the animal on the move with your family.   If dropping the animal off at a shelter the go bag will serve as a big help to the temporary guardians.
No matter what the emergency is, leaving a pet behind in the home to fend for itself is not a viable option.   Far too many die from lack of water or heat stroke when officials would not allow owners to return to their homes in time to care for the pets.  Setting them free is also not an option.   With any major disaster, there are operating shelters that one can drop their animals off at to be cared for rather than die a horrible death. 

Just remember that preparedness plus practice equals calmness when the time comes to act.





                                                            ©   Pawearfulllegacys