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Life of a dog

We all love our family pets and want them to live long, happy, healthy lives, but at times they get curious and go into areas where they can find garbage, food, paper, makeup, pills, coins, jewelry, glasses, etc. that could make them very sick or an emergency trip to the vet. 

They can be escape artists when frightened, only to find the outside world doesn’t protect them as we do at home.

Here are some suggestions on how we can try to feed, exercise, protect, and love them to be as healthy and safe as possible.  

Make sure they are healthy

First off when you add them to your family unit, take them to the vet to make sure they are healthy and are up-to-date on their shots. 

Feed them healthy nutritious dog food, in the appropriate amounts for their age, which will help them maintain a healthy weight, and can help prevent over-weight illnesses.

Take them in for yearly checkups, and discuss if the food is right for them and if they might need supplements.  Treats should be limited.  Give them fresh water daily. 

Here is a link from the ASPCA on how to keep your animals safe during the coronavirus outbreak. ASPCA and pet safety for coronavirus

Training

We started taking Lexi, our dog when she was a puppy to training, as we were told she was high energy, and that “A Happy Dog Is A Tired  Dog”. 

She learned the basics, sit, stay, come, heel, leave it, off and out.  There were probably less than 8 people in our 8-week class. 

After that, we thought she needed 1 on 1 training, as she had issues barking and growling at other dogs when we went for walks.  She was also a runner if she accidentally got out of the front door! 

My son would have to tackle her after she ran out of steam.  It was scary, as she would not come even with treats!  We worked with Jaime for a couple of months, and then we started taking her to doggy daycare once a week. 

Get plenty of exercise

Take them out for a daily walk, which is also a good exercise for you.  Change up your routine every once in a while.  Have plenty of toys, a ball or frisbee, to play with them and keep them stimulated.

Be careful of loose dogs that might attack your dog.  People have encountered this in our neighborhood and suggested bringing an umbrella and opening up towards the loose dog when you see them approaching you in an aggressive manner, you have the right to defend yourself and your dog. You can also carry a can of Spray Shield, a pet-safe product you can spray at the dog or dogs, that will not harm them. 

Yearly exams

Make sure you schedule yearly exams and keep their vaccinations current.  In order to get into doggy daycare, you will have to have the canine flu vaccine and bordetella vaccine current, now every 6 months. 

Brush their teeth daily, give them dental chews, and also, have their teeth checked and if advised have a dental cleaning done yearly, to prevent more serious problems.  I had a friend who lost her fur-baby due to dental problems.  Make sure they take a monthly heartworm medication. 

What to know about Covid-19 and your pets

• Worldwide a small number of pets, including cats and dogs, have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, mostly after close contact with people with COVID-19.
• In some situations, it appears that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals.
• The risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low based on the limited information available to date.
• Do not let pets interact with people outside the household.
• Isolate anyone in the household who becomes ill from everyone else, including your pets.
• Information will be updated as it becomes available. Go to the CDC website for more details or call your vet.

Safety in the house, yard, and car

Lexi has always eaten anything in sight, ever since she was a puppy, she even chewed up several pairs of glasses, the car key, plastic earbuds, (came out in one piece), linoleum flooring in the kitchen, shoes, paperwork, and more…  She has not outgrown this, so we have to make sure everything is put away before we leave. 

In the yard, she will eat rocks, apricots from our neighbor’s tree, cat poop in the flower beds, and whatever else she finds interesting to chew and eat if possible.  I keep saying we need to get a dog whisperer to talk to her! 

All our toxic cleaning supplies are up where she can’t get into any of that.  We also have to put the garbage can in the bathroom up on the counter, so she won’t get into the kleenex my son throws in there!

When your pet rides in the car with you, use a good dog safety harness to keep them safe to your destination. DO NOT leave them unattended in the car!

Have them groomed regularly

Have them groomed regularly, where they trim the nails, clean the hair out of their ears, express them, and are able to see if they might see a skin condition or lumps that could be of concern. The groomers will ask for verification of vaccines or if they are up-to-date on them.

Our dog is a Malti-Pom (Maltese Pomeranian mix and she has a thick coat that grows fast, so we try to have her groomed every 5  weeks, especially in the summer, with the heat. 

Love and affection

Giving your dog hugs, kisses, a belly scratch, and petting them, creates a stronger bond with them, which carries over to how they react with other humans and animals.  Our pets are always happy to see us and receive our attention!

Lexi brings out her toys when Steve and Chris get home from work, and she runs as fast as she can back and forth between them, and wants them to throw her stuffed squeaky toys so she can play fetch. It is so funny and cute to watch!

Socializing

Now that Lexi has been in Doggy Daycare, for several years, she knows how to relate with other dogs and humans. There are also numerous dog parks you can take them to, so they can run off energy and make new buddies. Just be careful to check it out and make sure there is nothing on the ground to harm them.

We had her microchipped when she was younger as she was a runner and an anxious dog by nature. This way we knew we would hopefully be able to find to her if she escaped.

They say her breed becomes more attached to one person in the family, and it is me, so she follows me around the house constantly, even when Steve and Chris are home.

Closing thoughts

Our pets bring so much joy to our lives on a daily basis, and nothing makes your day more than a wagging tail, lots of kisses, and unconditional love!

If you found this post informative, share it with family, friends, and on social media platforms.

Here is another post you might find interesting – Mourning The Loss Of A Pet

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See you soon, Denise

Below are some products from Amazon you might like for your pets!

Posts may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases and collect a small commission at no cost to you. This helps my blog to keep going. Thank you! For more info, read my disclosure policy.