If your dog stays fairly clean with a regular brush you might get away with less baths.But generaly dogs should be bathed about every three months.If your dog gets dirty for example, by outdoor runs, consider bathing more often. Always use puppy or dog shampoos, never human shampoos. Human shampoos aren’t toxic, but they may contain fragrances and ingredients that can irritate pets’ skin.

And though regular brushing can do wonders for your dog, the same is not true of bathing. Don’t overdo it some people bathe their dog more often than they need to, sometimes weekly or every other week. Too many baths will strip the coat of natural oils that protect the skin — and your dog’s coat will lose some of its shine.

*Real xmas trees are lovely but can be harmful for our pets they are very sharp and can get stuck in their feet and throats.

*Tree decorations are lovely but dont hang the chocolate ones on your tree they are highly toxic to your pets.Tinsel can be very harmful if chewed.

*Try to hide or cover any electric cords we always have twice as many at christmas with all the lovely lights,pets could easly chew them and get electrocuted.

*Try to keep the tree tied down to stop pets pulling it over.

* Holly,poinsettia,lily and mistletoe is poisonous to pets and must be kept out of reach.

*Loud noises can affect some pets remember that when you are pulling your christmas crackers,party poppers,opening corked bottles.

*Balloons are great but when burst can cause a fright or a danger if eaten.

*Our favourite turkey can cause problems to, especially if  bones are eaten they can cause choking, constipation, as well as seriously damaging internal organs.

*Grapes and raisins can cause renal failure and can be fatal dont forget they are in the christmas cake.

MOST IMPORTANT IS TO CHECK YOUR VETS CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS AND KEEP THE SURGERY TELEPHONE NUMBER BY THE PHONE.

To properly win the fight against fleas you have got to target the source .
Flea control must involve all areas of infestation, your pets,and around  your home  and it must involve treatment of all phases of the flea lifecycle, adult, eggs, larva and pupa.

Flea Control on Your Pet

There are several products on the market to treat and control flea infestations on your dog. Collars and spot-ons are the most up to date for long-term control.  If you should chance to use a spot-on it is advised that you not wash your dog the day of or one day after application of the spot-on treatment. As well as spot-on treatments, sprays and foams are available too.

You should include all cats you have in your flea control program regardless of whether they are showing any signs because cats can easily carry fleas from your garden into your place. Cats are a lot more attuned to flea control chemicals (some products for dogs can’t be used on felines ) so be certain to only use products that are totally safe to be used on cats.

Flea Control in Your House

Treatment of your house should be focused on areas where your pets spend most of their time.  There are plenty of carpet sprays available and you need to also vacuum source points regularly and dump the bag, wash pet bedding in hot water and dry on extreme heat for about twenty minutes.

Exercise: All dogs need regular exercise. Depending on the type of dog this can be anything from a quick run around the block to two hour long walks.

Food: What you feed your dog and how much they need varies according to the breed of dog. Try to feed them a good quality, complete dog food; whether this is dry or canned or a mixture of the two is entirely down to personal preference. Ensure that whatever food you use, that your dog always has access to clean water.

Veterinary care: Find a vet you can trust and visit them regularly. Ensure your dog is micro chipped in case it gets lost and keep their boosters up to date.

Play: In the wild dogs play with each other to strengthen the social bond. A dog that isn’t bored is also less likely to chew furniture and be destructive. Any shop with a decent amount of pet supplies will stock chew toys, balls and tugging toys, get a few and see which your pet prefers as no two dogs are the same.

Clean and comfortable: A clean dog is a happy dog. If you have access to the sea or a river, encourage them to swim. Don’t be tempted to bath your dog too often as this will dry out their skin. A bath once every two months should be fine with a dog shampoo. Regular brushing is much more important and also helps bonding with your pet. At the end of the day make sure your dog has a clean, dry, adequately sized dog bed  sleep in.

National Dog Walking Register – www.ndwr.co.uk

Fill My Bowl, pet store – www.fill-my-bowl.co.uk

Problems To Look Out For :-

Constant scratching of the ears

Constant shaking of the head

Bad smells coming from the ears

If your dog shows any of these signs you should definately take them to the vet for a check.

 Yeast infections are the most commom ear problems making the ear red or inflamed and very smelly and can occur when dogs have been in water.

Ear mites are another common problem causing inflammation and a lot of discomfort.These can also be transfered from one dog to the other.

Prevention:-

Keeping your dogs ears clean is the best way to stop infections,ear wipes or cleansing pads are the easiest and also remove any hair growing inside the ear canal.

Even if your dog has had chocolate and escaped ill-effects before, we would encourage you not to risk it. Here’s to a happy and healthy Easter for all the family!

Dogs Trust – SHOCKING SURVEY REVEALS DANGERS TO MAN’S BEST FRIEND THIS EASTER!

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Try to book your homeboarder as early as you can a good reputable boarder will have repeat business all year round and can be full early on.Bring all paperwork with you ie: name ,address,phone number also vets address and phone number.An emergency contact ie family member is good if you are out of the country for any decisions that might have to be made if your dog becomes ill while you are away.

Just relax and enjoy your trip,remember your dog will be in good hands and will enjoy the care and attention as if they were at home.

Lead pulling can be caused from a variety of different things,the dog may simply be so excited to go for a walk that they are unable to control themselves. In other cases, the dog sees itself as the leader of the pack and simply takes the “leadership position” at the front of the pack.

If excitement is the motivation for leash pulling, simply giving the dog a few minutes to calm down can often help.Simply stand with the dog on the leash for a couple minutes and let the initial excitement of the upcoming walk pass. After the initial excitement ahs worn off, many dogs are willing to walk calmly on their leash.

The basis of teaching a dog to walk calmly on the lead is teaching it to calmly accept the collar and lead. A dog that is bouncing up and down while the collar is being put on will not walk properly. Begin by asking your dog to sit and insist that he sit still while the collar is put on. If the dog begins to get up, or gets up on his own after the collar is on, be sure to sit him back down immediately. Only begin the walk after the dog has sat calmly to have the collar put on, and continued to sit calmly as the lead is attached.

Once the lead is attached, it is important to make the dog walk calmly toward the door. If the dog jumps or runs ahead, gently correct him with a tug of the leash and return him to a sitting position. Make the dog stay, then move on again. Repeat this process until the dog is walking calmly by your side.

Repeat the above process when you reach the door. The dog should not be allowed to rush out of the door, or to pull you through the open door. If the dog begins this behavior, return the dog to the house and make him sit quietly until he can be trusted to walk through the door properly. Starting the walk in control is vital to creating a well mannered dog.

Remember that if your dog pulls on the lead and you continue to walk him anyway, you are inadvertently rewarding that unwanted behavior. Dogs learn whether you are teaching them or not, and learning the wrong things now will make learning the right things later that much harder.

It is important to be consistent in your expectations. Every time the dog begins to pull ahead, immediately stop and make the dog sit. Continue to have the dog sit quietly until his focus is solely on you. Then start out again, making sure to immediately stop moving if the dog surges ahead.