Winter Preparations for Your Outdoor Dog

Cold weather is fast approaching and if you have a predominantly outdoor dog, follow these preparation guidelines to ensure a warm, dry space for your dog this winter!

1. Outdoor Dog Runs

If your dog has an outdoor, fenced dog run, here are a few things you can do to make sure your dog can stay sheltered and warm.

• Board up/cover the top and sides of the fencing. Using tarps or plywood and zip ties or wires, secure these to the sides and top of the dog run to block wind, rain, and snow from getting inside your dog's enclosure.
• Make sure your dog has a dog house or retreat with an opening just large enough for them to fit into. Your dog's body heat can help to keep them warm in a dog house. Make sure the opening of the retreat is facing a wall so the wind cannot get into it.
• Replace bedding daily (if needed) so that your dog always has something warm and dry to curl up with.

2. Nutrition in Cold Weather

Outdoor dogs expend more energy to keep their body temperature up in cold climates. Ensure that you are supplementing your dog's diet with a little extra food as needed. It is also important that you are feeding your dog a high-quality food with adequate fats to keep them healthy during the cold.

Adequate fresh water is an absolute necessity. Snow and ice are NOT substitutions for fresh clean water.

3. Things to Avoid

It is NEVER acceptable to keep a dog on a chain or lead in an outdoor environment. Most dogs (especially in the pacific northwest) are not comfortable in extreme cold weather, wind, and rain and you risk injury to your dog by keeping them tethered. Your dog will try to escape the cold and can get themselves wrapped up in their lead causing injury and infection.

If you're going for a walk or playtime for an extended period of time in temperatures below 35 degrees, you'll want to cover your pet's feet with booties. Dogs are susceptible to frostbite so make sure they are protected.

4. When in doubt, bring them inside!

Dogs are almost always happier in the house with you. If you're home, bring them inside in cold weather. Your dog will be happier and healthier inside where it is warm and dry. And you'll stay warmer with a big, warm dog cuddled up next to you!

Dog Parks!

Many behavior problems in dogs are caused by a lack of physical and mental activity. Dogs were born to lead active lives. They’ve worked alongside people for thousands of years, hunting game, herding and protecting livestock, and controlling vermin. Dogs’ wild relatives lead busy lives, too. Their days are full of hunting, scavenging, avoiding predators and complex social interaction. Most pet dogs, on the other hand, spend the majority of their time alone at home, napping on couches and eating food from bowls-no hunting or scavenging required. Many become bored, lonely and overweight. They have excess energy and no way to expend it, so it’s not surprising that they often come up with activities on their own, like unstuffing couches, raiding trash cans and gnawing on shoes.

To keep your dog happy, healthy and out of trouble, you’ll need to find ways to exercise her brain and body. If she enjoys the company of her own kind, visits to your local dog park can greatly enrich her life. Benefits of going to the dog park include:

• Physical and mental exercise for dogs Your dog can zoom around off-leash to her heart’s content, investigate new smells, wrestle with her dog buddies and fetch toys until she happily collapses. Many dogs are so mentally and physically exhausted by a trip to the dog park that they snooze for hours afterwards.
• Opportunities to maintain social skills Dogs are like us, highly social animals, and many enjoy spending time with their own species. At the dog park, your dog gets practice reading a variety of other dogs’ body language and using her own communication skills, and she gets used to meeting unfamiliar dogs on a frequent basis. These valuable experiences can help guard against the development of fear and aggression problems around other dogs.
• Fun for pet parents Dogs aren’t the only ones who enjoy dog parks. People do, too. They can exercise their dogs without much effort, socialize with other dog lovers, bond and play with their dogs, practice their off-leash training skills, and enjoy the entertaining antics of frolicking dogs.

Here are a few of the dog parks in our area:

1. Grandview Park

Grandview at 37 acres boasts grassy fields, an all-weather play area and a long winding trail with fabulous views of Mt. Ranier and the Green River Valley.  Grandview sits on a double plateau.  The parking lot and the two entrances to Grandview sit on the upper plateau – two trails and a stairway lead down to a large grass field and an all-weather play area that used to be a soccer field.  Large logs (former light posts) surround the play area and provide seating for park users.  A paved walking trail circles the play area.  An open-air shelter in the large field provides shade in the summer and protection from rain in the winter.  Grandview Dog Park provides wide open spaces for dogs to romp, play and explore making it a popular destination for regional dog owners!

2. Marymoor Park

Marymoor is an example of a model dog park.  Covering 40 acres, Marymoor Dog Park includes fields, woods and a river, with well maintained access beaches, paths, walkways and bridges.  Over six miles of looping trails offer a variety of dog walking opportunities.  Five river access points are available for dogs that like to swim and water retrieve.  Acres of natural fields are available for dog romping, fetching and exploring.  It is a myth that “dog parks are just for for dogs.”  Rather, Marymoor Dog Park provides recreation for PEOPLE – over 800,000 visitations of people with their canine companions are made to Marymoor Dog Park each year, making it one of the most popular destinations for regional recreation!

3. French Lake Park

This is a large, 10-acre park with lots of trees, a pond, and a lot of space for running around! Make sure you bring your dog's own drinking water and a towel!

As always, if you don't have time to take your dog running or to a dog park, bring 'em on down to Holiday Kennels' Doggy Day Corral! We will exercise your pets for you while you work or do homework. Remember, a tired dog is an obedient dog!

The Best Cat Toys!

Having trouble figuring out how to entertain your cat? Today we have a list of the best cat toys out there! These products are guaranteed to keep your cat busy for hours and entertain you in the process!

1. Laser Pointer

Laser pointers are an awesome way to give your cat some much-needed exercise. Cats will chase the lighted dot for as long as you're willing to play with it. Run it up walls to see how high they can jump, point it on your friend's foot and watch your cat attack! You can find these at any pet store or on sites like Amazon.com.

2. Mouse Chaser

These little contraptions are great for cats of all ages. There are different styles but the main idea is a toy (usually a mouse) on a track that when batted at, goes around the circle. Some may have a scratching-friendly center panel that you can sprinkle with catnip. You can find them at any pet store or online.

3. Catnip

Catnip is a fun treat for cats. It is essentially a "drug" for cats in that they react instantly to it and maintain an altered state of mind for up to two hours. Being a naturally occurring herb, catnip is completely safe for cats. Use of catnip should be limited to once or twice a week in a direct dose, and sparingly when applied as an extract to toys or other items. Cats will roll in it, attack it, and play with it with more intensity than cats would exhibit otherwise. The effect lasts for up to two hours.

4. Interactive Dangling Toys

These types of toys are great for when you don't have the time to sit and play with your kitties. Usually they come with a mounting attachment where you can either hang or mount one end to a wall or piece of furniture, leaving a toy or feather dangling down for your cat to bat at, attack, and bite! Use catnip extract on this type of toy to entice your cat to play with it on his own.

Supplements and Your Dog

This post is dedicated to supplements. There are a lot of different supplements on the market for joint health, digestive health and other integral parts of your dog's daily life. Learn which supplements can be beneficial for your dog and at which life stage you should consider introducing them.

***Always ask your veterinarian before introducing ANY vitamins or supplements to your dog's diet!***

Joint Health

Though more common in older and large-breed dogs, any dog can suffer from joint disease, which is caused by weakening of the connective tissue, muscles, and ligaments around the joint bones. The effects of this can be made worse by overfeeding, injury, or overexercise in puppies. Genetics is often a cause as well.

Symptoms of joint disease include limping, pain during activities such as running or jumping or awkward gait, such as the bunny hop run where dogs appear to jump rather than run with their back legs. Traditional treatments include surgery and pain killers, but many supplements are also available to reduce symptoms.

One of the most common joint supplements is glucosamine, which is often paired with chondroitin to reduce inflammation and repair connective tissue in your dog's joints. Glucosamine is a major sugar that forms and maintains joint cartilage, and chondroitin inhibits enzymes that can damage the joint tissues.

Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can be found almost anywhere, including your local grocery store. Many owners report results from these supplements, but other owners claim better results from more expensive supplements. The course you choose will largely depend on your dog's response to the supplements.

However, glucosamine and chondroitin supplements aren't always effective, especially if there is significant joint damage. It can also take several weeks to see the effects whereas prescribed painkillers often take effect immediately.

Digestive Health

One of the simplest and most effective remedies for poor digestion is to administer probiotics to your pet. Probiotics are  supplements comprised of different kinds of friendly bacteria. The ingredients in them may vary from brand to brand, as do the methods of delivery. For instance, probiotics may come in capsule, paste, liquid, or tablet form. They may even be included in some brands of commercial pet food, although this is not considered the best source since, according to some studies, certain brands do not contain the amount or even the kind of probiotics that are stated on the labels. For this reason, supplements are considered the more effective way to go.

If your dog suffers from diarrhea, constipation, or other digestive ailments, adding a simple probiotic could be the answer.

Know which common people foods are good AND bad for your pups!

It feels good to treat your pet to human food every once in a while. Those puppy-dog eyes are hard to resist as they watch you eat and try to convince you that they are starving! It makes you want to give them a taste of everything you eat. But beware: Giving in to those eyes and giving dogs human foods can actually harm them.

In 2007, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. Most cases of animal poisoning were caused by common human foods and household items.

Many foods we enjoy can be dangerous to animals. It's best to stick to pet food and a diet recommended by your vet. Here are a few of the most toxic foods that can harm your pet:

Bad news foods

Avocados 
They contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many animals. This fruit is very toxic to dogs, cats and most animals.

Beer 
Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brain as they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on animals since they are much smaller than us. The smaller the animal, the more deadly the effects can be. Even a small amount of alcohol may cause vomiting and damage the liver and brain.

Nuts 
Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anything from vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts, pets start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. These symptoms can be even worse if your dog eats some chocolate with the nuts. The effect can cause kidney failure, often leading to death.

Chocolate 
Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill your pet if eaten in large quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous. Giving your pup a piece of chocolate cake or even letting him lick the chocolate icing on the cake could cause him to become ill. Theobromine can also cause a dog or cat's heart to beat very rapidly or irregularly, which could result in death if the pet is exercising or overly active.

Candy 
Candy or anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.

Caffeine 
Coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.

Grapes and Raisins 
Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.

Onions 
Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties. Their effects are also cumulative over time.

Medicine 
Hide medicine from your pets just like you would from your children. The most common cause of pet poisoning is from animals ingesting a medicine or drug normally prescribed for humans.

And this is not just because furry pals are getting into their pet parent's medicine cabinets. In many cases, pet owners give their feline and canine friends an over-the-counter medication to ease an animal's pain. But acetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common pain relievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastric ulcers, liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.

Good news foods

There are a few things that you CAN give to your furry pal. However, you should always consult a veterinarian before introducing a new food item to your pet.

Although these foods are normally harmless, some animals have sensitive gastrointestinal tracts. So even these healthy treats should be avoided if they cause gastrointestinal upset for your pet. Keep in mind that these and other "extras" should not make up more than 5 to 10 percent of the pet's daily caloric intake.

Lean meats 
Any cooked lean meat should be fine for most dogs. High-fat meats, chicken skin and fat from steaks or roasts are not recommended. Ingestion may lead to gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis. This can be a very painful condition for dogs. In addition, most companion animals do not need extra fat in their diets. Never give your pet meat with the bone in it. Animals can choke on the bones, and they can splinter as well.

Vegetables 
Carrot sticks, green beans, cucumber slices and zucchini slices are all OK.

Fruit 
Apple slices, orange slices, bananas and watermelon are all OK. Make sure the seeds have been taken out; seeds are not good for your pet!

Baked potatoes 
Plain baked potatoes are fine, but make sure they are cooked — no unripe potatoes or potato plants.

Bread 
Plain cooked bread is fine; just make sure there are no nuts or raisins added.

Rice and pasta 
Plain, cooked pasta and white rice are OK. Often veterinarians recommend plain rice with some boiled chicken when gastrointestinal upset is present.


In case of emergency

Despite all the precautions you take to keep your pet pals safe, accidents do happen. That's why the ASPCA, Humane Society and animal advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone numbers of their local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — (888) 426-4435 — in a prominent location.

Common signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures; vomiting and diarrhea; drooling; redness of skin, ears and eyes; and swelling and bleeding.

If you suspect your pet has consumed, inhaled or come in contact with a toxic substance, stay calm and call for help immediately. If you see your pet consuming anything you think might be toxic, seek emergency help immediately even if she or he is not exhibiting any symptoms.

Keeping Your Dog's Feet Cool

Dog's feet and pads are tough, right? Most people are aware that foot pads can be injured by stepping on something sharp, but what about something hot? Dangerously hot pavement and metal surfaces are hard to avoid in the heat of summer. Running on hard pavement is tough on feet, too. Read this blog to learn about this potential hazard and how to minimize risk.

Pavement, metal or tar-coated asphalt get extremely hot in the summer sun. We remember to wear sandals, walk on the grass and not sit down on these surface in the heat of the day.

Harder to remember is summer heat and our dog's feet. Unlike the obvious wounds such as lacerations or foot infections (fungal, bacterial), burned pads may not be readily apparent to the eye.

Signs of Burned Pads:

• limping or refusing to walk
• licking or chewing at the feet
• pads darker in color
• missing part of pad
• blisters or redness

Burned Pad First Aid

It is important to keep the foot area cool and clean. As soon as you notice the problem (limping along on the road), flush with cool water or a cool compress if available. Get the dog to a grassy area or if possible, carry him.

At first chance, your vet should examine your dog for signs of deeper burns, blisters and possibility of infection. Your vet will determine if antibiotics or pain medication is needed. Washing the feet with a gentle cleanser and keeping them clean is important. Bandaging can be difficult to do and to maintain (monitor and change often), but licking must be kept to a minimum. Some dogs will tolerate a sock to keep the area clean, but caution is advised for dogs that may chew and ingest the sock. Lick deterrents (bitter sprays) may help reduce the damage caused by licking.

Best advice is to be mindful of hot surfaces -- asphalt and metal (i.e. boat dock, car or truck surfaces) -- and walk your dog on the cool side of the street or in the grass. Another tip is to lay down a wet towel for your dog to stand on when grassy areas are not available. Good way to keep cool while loading up the car.

Walking Your Dog!

Hey you, new pooch parent—yeah, you with the cute puppy who can’t stop pulling! Want some tricks to keep Trixie on task? Or perhaps you’re already an old pro but want to make your outdoor excursions more fun for both you and your dog.  Follow our insider tips and your pooch will be eager to get going as soon as you pick up the leash!

Leashes

What’s the best type of leash? “Use whatever you feel most comfortable holding,” recommends the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center’s Kristen Collins, CPDT.

• Flexi-leads are best reserved for walks in the park, when it’s safe for a dog to explore a bit further away from her pet parent. They are NOT a good idea if you’re walking in an area with high foot traffic or off-leash dogs, as the long line may get wrapped around your dog, a person’s leg or another dog.
• Many people think chain leashes look nice, but they are much heavier than nylon or leather, and they can be very hard on the hands. Even so, they sometimes work well for dogs who like to tug or bite the leash. “Metal doesn’t feel nearly as nice in a dog’s mouth,” explains Collins. 
• Leather leashes are a good option because they are easiest on the hands. 
• Nylon leashes can cut into hands or give a pet parent “leash burn” if a dog pulls a lot or unexpectedly lunges forward. But they come in many stylish colors and designs, and they hold up well after repeated exposure to rain and snow.

Pulling

Constant pulling on the leash makes walks stressful for both of you. “It’s a common problem that can happen for a number of reasons,” says Collins.

• If your dog darts after local wildlife, it may help to walk him when critters are less likely to be out and about; avoid dawn and dusk. You can also check out our article Dogs Who Are Reactive on Leash. 
• Try using a head halter to walk a dog who’s excitable on leash. “They provide power steering for dog parents!” says Collins. “The Gentle Leader^® by Premier^® Pet Products is my personal favorite.” 

Grass and Flower Beds

The experts at the ASPCA Poison Control Center want you to keep your walks toxin-free: 

• During the warmer months, it’s important to keep your pet safe from toxic lawn and garden products. Insecticides and certain types of mulch can cause problems for our furry friends—during neighborhood strolls, please be sure to keep your pooch off the lawns of others. 
• Even though popular spring bulb plants like tulips and daffodils add much to our landscape, they can cause significant stomach problems for our furry friends. If your pooch likes to stop and smell—or nibble—the flowers, please keep him on a short leash during your walks.

Greeting

It’s great that your friendly pooch loves meeting people during walks—but not so great that she jumps up on them. “The basic idea is to teach your dog how to sit on cue and then require her to sit to interact with people,” says Collins. “No sitting, no greeting. But if she sits, she gets to enjoy the reward of greeting her friends.” It doesn’t hurt to reward the dog with a treat—or ask the person whom she’s greeting to offer a treat.

Three Things To Bring

• If you’re planning an extended walk, be sure to bring water for your dog—especially if it’s warm outside. 
• Don’t forget the goodies! Walks are great training opportunities. Bring Fido’s fave treats along, and practice tricks and obedience while you’re out in the world. “This will solidify your dog’s skills and convince him that going on walks is fantastic fun!” says Collins. 
• Don’t get caught without extra poop bags, particularly if you’re going on a long walk.  (P.S. This is a great way to recycle all those plastic grocery bags!)