Service Dog Etiquette

For dog lovers, resisting the urge to interact with a service animal can be extremely difficult.  However, distracting a service dog from its job can put the animal’s handler in danger.  Listed below are 9 rules of etiquette that people should follow when encountering a service dog in public.  Do Not Distract a Service Dog When a service dog is in a public facility wearing a vest or other indication that he or she is a service dog, you should always assume the dog is on duty.  Distracting the dog in any manner prevents the dog from providing the handler its undivided attention.  As a result, the dog may miss subtle cues that are important for the dog to perform its job.  Ultimately, service dogs are medical devices.  If you would not tamper with a diabetic person’s glucose monitor, you should never inhibit a person’s service dog. Do Not Touch...
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Product Review: Zesty Paws Allergy Immune Bites with EpiCor

The diagnosis of allergies in dogs is on the rise, which means more veterinary visits for pet owners.  Dogs with chronic allergies are more likely to suffer from repeat skin and ear infections, both of which can hinder a dog’s quality of life. Allergy treatments often have side effects such as sedation, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased itching and scratching.  For these reasons, dog owners frequently turn to natural allergy remedies to holistically solve the problem.  Here, Zesty Paws Allergy Immune Bites with EpiCor will be reviewed. Zesty Paws Allergy Chews Allergies can occur when the immune system is overreactive or under-supported.  Therefore, targeted immune system support can be very beneficial for dogs that suffer environmental, seasonal, food, or skin allergies. Zesty Paws Allergy Immune Bites contain colostrum, apple cider vinegar, and wild Alaskan salmon oil, all of which are common allergy fighting, natural ingredients.  Additional antioxidants control pollen and histamine...
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Do’s and Don’ts for Dog Owners: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

As a dog owner, I look back to my childhood in horror and cannot believe what awful dog owners my parents were.  I know that sounds harsh, but the level of pet-parenting dogs receive today is vastly different than it was 20 – 30 years ago.  Today I am what might be called an over-protective pet parent, but I am probably this way due to years of learning from my parents’ mistakes.  Here are my top do’s and don’ts for dog owners, gathered from my own experiences growing up. Don’t Assume All Dog Breeds are the Same Before I was born, my parents had only ever owned purebred cocker spaniels.  Until I had a spaniel of my own, I never understood why my parents thought dogs didn’t need training or exercise [note:  I do not recommend not training or not exercising a spaniel; rather, some dog breeds just happen to...
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6 Changes to Make with your Dog in 2020

A new year often spurs people to make significant changes in their own lives; but what about the lives of their pets?  Though 2020 is in full affect, consider the following in order to improve the life of your dog.  Sign Up for a Class Together Many pet owners wish they spent more quality time with pets while also wishing for better behavior and more socialization.  You can check all of these boxes by enrolling your dog in a training class.  Even if your dog has already mastered basic obedience, there are plenty of opportunities for teaching your pup new tricks.  For instance, introduction to Agility, Rally-O, or Canine Good Citizen training may all be appropriate for your dog. Learn to Make DIY Dog Treats More than half of household pets in the United States are obese, which leads to expensive health problems, decreased quality of life, and a shortened...
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The Importance of Good Gut Health for your Dog

Increasing research has shown that good gut health is vitally important for all mammals.  Not only is the immune system housed in a dog’s gut, but healthy bacteria are responsible for emotional response, nutrient absorption, and digestion.  Here, everything a pet owner needs to know about a healthy gut and your pet will be discussed.  What Does Good Gut Health Mean? What does it mean to have a healthy gut in a dog?  The digestive system is filled with good and bad bacteria.  There are specific colonies of good bacteria, each with a specific job.  When those bacterial colonies are well-populated and balanced, the dog’s digestive and immune systems function properly.  However, when the bad bacteria outnumber the good, the dog can suffer many health consequences.   Signs of Poor Gut Health There are numerous signs that your dog’s gut health is not in tip-top shape.  These symptoms include: Allergies/itchy skin...
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Product Review: Missing Link Ultimate Hip & Joint Formula

Nearly every senior dog will develop hip, joint, and arthritis pain as they grow older.  Oftentimes, arthritis pain can be managed with exercise and nutrition due to the inflammatory nature of this disease.  There are many supplements on the market for dogs that promise to alleviate arthritis pain, but which ones live up to these claims?  Here, The Missing Link Original Ultimate Hip & Joint supplement will be reviewed.  The Missing Link – Original Ultimate Hip & Joint Missing Link is marketed as the original superfood supplements for dogs.  The parent company was started in 1892 by a husband and herbalist wife duo who were interested in finding a way to keep their working horses healthy.  Eventually, Mary Ida Young capitalized on her herbalist background and created a company dedicated to providing premium care to animals.  Missing Link is formulated with so-called “superfoods” that are naturally sourced and contain high...
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Why Puppy Mills Are So Bad

Are you interested in buying a puppy? Then you should avoid getting it from a puppy mill. What’s a puppy mill and why is it so bad? In the following lines, you will find out more about puppy mills and why they are not recommended at all. They are bad for the dogs and future dog owners alike. You have very good reasons to avoid puppy mills and opt for responsible breeders instead. Puppy mills don’t care about the well-being of the dogs One of the reasons puppy mills are so bad is the fact that the dogs’ health and well-being are utterly disregarded. In this kind of facilities, dogs are kept only for breeding purposes. The owners or managers of puppy mills are simply looking for a profit and care less about the dogs that produce the puppies. They often use a female dog until the verge of exhaustion...
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How to Euthanize Your Dog at Home

No dog lover likes to think about saying goodbye the family’s beloved companion. Most don’t even give it thought until the time comes. But, death is a part of life’s cycles, whether we like it or not. Since dogs live much shorter lives than humans, it is something we need to consider when you look to welcoming a dog into your life. When your dog’s health starts to turn, all we can do is to cherish the moments we have spent together and make the dog’s last days on earth as comfortable and easy as possible. Euthanasia is something you need to consider when you have an ill dog that suffers a lot due to its condition. In spite of the treatment it receives, there can be cases when medication won’t help any longer. When the dog is old, weak, can barely eat, and is in pain, you need to...
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13 Signs of Pain in Dogs

Pain is a very serious condition for dogs.  Not only does pain reduce a dog’s quality of life but it can also put others in danger, due to aggression.  Many dogs have high pain tolerances and instinctively do not show signs of pain.  Therefore, any obvious pain symptom should be taken very seriously.  In addition to noticeable pain there are subtle signs that pet owners can look for, both of which will be described here. Signs of Pain The signs your dog may be experiencing pain include: Change in Sleep Patterns Dogs that are painful tend to sleep more frequently throughout the day.  If your dog is suddenly less active, consider whether pain (such as arthritis) may be reason.  Additionally, a dog that is more restless throughout the night may also be suffering. Withdrawn Attitude Does your dog normally cuddle with you on the couch but suddenly spends most of...
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5 Signs Your Dog May Be Overweight

Approximately 80% of UK vets have described an increase in dog obesity. While most owners are aware of the health risks of dog obesity, only up to 30% of owners admit that their own dog is overweight. To keep your dog in their best shape, here are 5 signs your dog may be overweight. 1.      No visible waist Start by standing over your dog and look down to their waist. Every dog, no matter the breed, should have an hourglass shape, even if it is very slight. Look for a tuck behind the ribs and hips. If you cannot see any clear tuck, then your dog is likely overweight. If there isn’t just an absent tuck, but the waistline projects outwards, then your dog is certainly obese. 2.      Missing abdomen tuck Now, observe your dog from the side. Like the waistline, the abdomen should tuck upwards towards the spine. If...
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