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Night Heron in algae water.

Have you seen the tragic news stories about the dogs who have died this week after swimming in toxic fresh water?  I am so sad about it because it’s a preventable death if the owner would have known the dangers that live in our fresh water lakes during summer months (but mostly August and September).

I am writing this post simply to help get the word out about the importance of keeping your dog(s) away from our lakes during this time.  Instead, take them swimming in a pool that is properly maintained or play with them in your yard with the garden hose.  Please do not take the chance and think that the water looks safe so it’s ok.

If you want more detailed information, check out this article or Google, ‘blue green algae danger with dogs’.

Play Safe!

Julie

Two dogs ready to play safe in a pool.

Come to HELP’s booth

(located in front of Sweet Natalie’s Gluten Free Bakery, corner of 3rd & Fulton St.)

and see

Julie Nelson

(owner of Lifestyle Dog Training and Paws In Time)

doing FREE dog training demonstrations!

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

11-11:30 am

We truly appreciate dog owners who bring their puppies in at about 12 weeks of age for grooming.  At this point it’s more about training them that grooming is a good thing. A basic bath, light blow dry and clip with a little nail trim goes a long way towards helping them learn to trust a groomer.  In order to make sure every grooming experience feels like a spa day; your dog needs to learn to tolerate grooming when he/she is a puppy.

If you wait to begin grooming sessions when your dog is older, he or she may make it almost impossible to complete grooming routines, especially nail clipping and ear cleaning.  Around 6 months of age your dog has developed a few fears and may not embrace this new experience as easily.  Also, around this age their coat starts to change from puppy to adult.  If the dog has not been properly brushed out and kept clean their coat could already be in trouble which will make the first experience more stressful than it needs to be.

Long-haired breeds are especially in need of early exposure to grooming. Their long hair requires more intense grooming sessions than short-haired breeds. By keeping them on a strict 4-6-week grooming schedule, they will learn to stand still from a young age, making it easier on them and the groomer.  Hair build up and underlying mats can cause major skin problems if they are not removed.  Not to mention it can cause your fur baby extreme discomfort.

Another challenge in grooming is realistic expectations, especially if a regular routine is not in place.  Many people love the ‘fluffy’ look, but they don’t realize how much work goes into having a nice full coat.  If the client wants fluffy but the dog has hair mats in their undercoat, we have to shave the dog and start from scratch.  This look is considered ‘non fluffy’ and usually not very appealing on a longer haired breed.  An example of a dog that needs daily brushing with a regular grooming routine is a doodle.  Their routine should be a combination of complete service and baths to keep the coat very clean.

A good grooming routine of about every 4-6 weeks also gives the groomer a chance to check for any physical abnormalities (such as skin infections, hot spots and sores).  When found early, many of these common health problems can be treated right away, before they have a chance to become more serious (and could include an expensive treatment).

In conclusion, grooming your puppy regularly is about more than just keeping him/her looking and smelling nice (although those are important benefits too!). Regular grooming is important for maintaining your puppy’s overall physical health. I hope this article encourages you to talk to us or a professional groomer about your dog’s grooming needs.

Written by Tatyana Romero, one of Paws In Time’s expert groomers.

Paws In Time works with Lifestyle Dog Training to provide exceptional small group classes to help dog owners achieve excellence.  Both facilities host classes throughout the year, offering all 3 levels of training.

Are you planning a summer vacation with the family? Many of us like to take nice vacations in the summer and we look forward to it for a long time. We plan everything out so no detail is missed, no excursion over looked. However, how many of us take the time to think about what the family dog is going to be doing while we are on vacation?

Dogs like to feel safe and they feel safest when they know where they belong. They are not at their best without clear, well-defined rules and clear cut boundaries. This is the why factor for the value of crate training your dog. So, to crate train your dog, and to use the crate throughout the dog’s lifetime, you are providing the dog with a safe place to rest and a safe place to be in your home… as well as your car.

Dogs Travel Happily and Safely In A Crate

Do you wear a seatbelt? I’m sure you do for a few reasons, right? First of all it’s a law, written to protect people from flying around in the event of an accident. Secondly, we wear seatbelts because we are having more fun being alive then dead, right?

Q: I have a new puppy and when I take him for a walk, he wants to run up to all of the dogs in the neighborhood. Is this a good idea?

A: This is not a good idea for several reasons. The question to ask yourself is this: what do you want your dog doing for the rest of its life? What you do with your dog even as a puppy is what he thinks he will be allowed to do for the rest of his life.

The ticks are very bad already this year so please make sure you have your dog on some type of flea and tick preventa-tive. If you use Frontline Plus, we carry it here and are more then happy to help you with it. It does not matter to me what you use but please use something. If your dog comes to play or board and is found to have fleas, we will be giving your dog a flea bath immediately and a Frontline application. You will be charged for it that day. There is no exception to this.