Local Value Veterinary

Tag: Dogs and Winter

  • Simple Commands For Your Dog

    Simple Commands For Your Dog

    Four vital commands every dog should know

    Dog commands are the best ways of kick-starting meaningful communication with your pet. And just like any dog owner, you should know the vital role played by significant puppy and dog training throughout their lifetime. Therefore, it’s up to you to ensure your dog responds efficiently to basic commands. However, as much as there are various commands you can teach your dog, the importance placed on each one of them varies with the emotions they inspire. Here is a list of the four vital commands every dog should know;

    Name Recognition

    Before anything else, your fur friend should be able to recognize their name. To some, this might seem less important, but we strongly advocate for dog name calling. Once your dog knows its name, it gets convenient to communicate with them even from a distance. Seeing them respond to their cute title is a reward on its own. However, you have to exercise patience as the dog is not accustomed to word understanding.

    Courteous Commands

    Now that your dog is part of your family, it means they get to be present at various household occasions. Therefore, it is essential for them to learn basic “manners commands” to save you from embarrassing situations. Training involving permission seeking, exercising patience, keeping calm, etc. not only help in making your interactions easier but also improves the way your dog relates to other people. Courteous commands belong to the advanced group of dog commands and your dog might find them tricky to comprehend at the beginning. But don’t worry about that as they will eventually get it with time as you continue to persist. Remember you may have to be stricter with these commands.

    Bark; speak up!

    Though dogs are born natural barkers, it takes training to get meaningful barks from your pet. Teach your dog to bark as a way of conveying something to you. For instance when they are hungry, full, need to use the bathroom, when they notice a stranger, when in pain or simply excited. With time you will learn to understand the meaning of every bark depending on the tone, which boosts your level of communication.

    “Heel”

    We recommend you start teaching your dog the heel command at a young age. This way, they can get accustomed to it as they grow and be able to catch up with you during those long walks. However, remember that these commands require patience and you should continue training throughout your dog’s life.

    SOURCES: Dog Training Excellence, Pets 4 Homes, Puppy Basics

    COPYRIGHT: Local Value

  • Dogs in Winter

    Dogs in Winter

    4 Classic Tips For Dog Care During Winter

    Caring for your dog during winter is vital just as it is to you and any other member of your family. However, in some instances, pet owners tend to forget to plan for caring trends of their dogs in the winter weather. Just because your dog covering is made up of fur, doesn’t mean they won’t get cold during this season. How then do you go about it?

    Keep Their Drinking Water Warm

    Even during winter, your dog needs to quench its thirst. So we urge you to make sure a bowl of warm water is readily available for your dog. To make this possible, you might consider purchasing a heated water bowl for this purpose. Make sure to keep checking the temperature of your dog’s food and water from time to time to eliminate the accumulation of snow. However, be sure to adjust your dog’s food to light meals as they are not so active during this period.

    Keep your Dog in Sight

    It is during winter that we witness massive loss/ injury of dogs. Therefore, make sure to keep your dog from straying by ensuring you know its whereabouts. You might also consider keeping them indoors as it chills on the outside. If your dog starts to exhibit any signs of cold such as shivering, cover them with a warm blanket, warm clothing can also do the trick.

    Safeguard your Dog from Room Heaters

    While we understand the role played by heaters during winter, we also know how dangerous they can get especially with your dog around. The cold weather might trigger your dog into snuggling too close to the heating source a move that endangers their lives in case of a fire breakout. Hence, you should, by all means, avoid using space heaters and instead consider the installation of baseboard radiators for warming purposes.

    Keep Them Moisturized

    The harsh winter weather has diverse effects on your dog’s skin. So it is essential to keep them moisturized all the time. However, while motorizing is vital, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to bathe your dog frequently. In fact, you should reduce dog baths to a minimum during winter as this exposes them to cold, which might lead to a wide range of infections. Pay particular attention to your dog’s paws as they can easily get irritated with chemicals on the outside.

    You might also consider getting your dog footwear for protection from sand and salt.

    SOURCES: Dogs Naturally, Love To Know, Batter Sea

    COPYRIGHT: Local Value