What your dog is trying to say - dog tail language

The most common misinterpretation of dogs is the myth that a dog wagging its tail is happy and friendly. Although it may be true in some cases, other wags move can mean fear, insecurity or even a warning that if you approach you can be bitten. You can say that, tail wagging serves the same communication functions as a human smile, greeting or a nod of recognition. Nods and smiles are social signals and are thus reserved mostly for situations where somebody is around to see them. For dogs, this same can be said about the wag.

When not wagging, dog tails may be in one of 3 positions: up high, horizontal to the ground or down/between hind legs

Let's check what this position means - first up high
Dog that his tail in the up high position, is confident, powerful, and secure.  In fact, this position indicates a dominant pooch with an alpha streak.  Alpha dogs are commanding, take charge creatures. Self-assured, the dominant, tail up dog communicates power and control via body language.

Horizontal to the ground position
Dogs with their tails held straight out in the horizontal to the ground position indicate neither clear dominance nor submission.  Their unrelaxed position indicates curiosity.

Down/between hind legs position
Just as up high position means dominance, the inverse position indicates the exact opposite emotion. With his tail in the down dog communicates an understanding of another’s dominant position and his submissive one.

So now when we explain what non-moving position of dog tail means, lets take a look at wagging tail position
In recent years, with increased observation of the link between action and right and left brain reactions, scientists have been able to isolate certain prevalent characteristics to help shed some light on this issue.

There are studies that demonstrated that lopsided tail wagging links to right or left brain relationships. Scientists involved in the studies determined that a right wag tail position indicates happiness and playfulness because the left brain controls the right side of the body as well as energy and engagement responses.  According to these scientists a left wag tail position indicates restlessness and insecurity.

Help your dog survive hot summer

You may think you feel hot on a summer day, but you should consider a heat wave from your dog's perspective. Dogs have no more layers to take off and are still stuck in a fur coat. This could not only be uncomfortable, but also very dangerous.

If your dog is very active animals, your biggest summer concern could be the threat of heat stroke. Unlike human, dogs are not capable of sweating profusely to regulate their body temperatures. Moreover, temperatures close to the ground can be a few degrees hotter than what is officially recorded. That way, small dogs are at a high risk for heat exhaustion.

So make sure your dog has plenty of shade and fresh drinking water. A place for cooling down is always appreciated by dogs. Most importantly - do not leave pet alone in the car.You should also remember that not all dogs respond to the heat the same way. For example, older dogs and puppies have a harder time regulating their body temperature.

Keep your pet wet
Water is a dog's best friend during hot summer days. By getting your dog wet you will have great solution to minor overheating. Afterward, let your pet rest in the shade or in air conditioning. For more serious overheating, wet him down and don't hesitate to get him to a vet immediately.

Rearange your walking schedule
Your dog may loves lunchtime walks during winter or autumn, but not so much during the summer. So during the sammer you should walk your dog early or late in the day, when the weather has cooled off.

How to really clean a dog

Do you know what a stinky dog, an itchy dog and a muddy dog all have in common? 

The fact that they need to be washed! Time to round up the dog shampoo, towels, comb and brush and clean your dog really good - here are some tips how to do it properly.

When we talk about getting a dog clean, we think about 3 things: that he smell clean, that his fur look clean and he appear to be well kept. As you may guess, this is harder to achieve with some breeds than others. 

Firtst o all - brushing

Brushing is any dog owner's first line of defense in the battle to keep a dog clean. You should brush your dog at least once a week or few times a week if your dog belongs to long-coated breed.

Brushing removes loose fur, prevents matting, gets rid of existing mats, and helps eliminate dirt. And remember that brushing is essential before giving your dog a bath.

Next - ear cleaning

Dirty ears can cause odors and lead to infections. Some owners prefer to clean out a dog's ears prior to a full bath, but you can always take care of this task after bathing.

Hoolywood smile or tooth brushing

You can choose to use doggie toothpaste or simply use water. Start at the back teeth and gently work the brush against the teeth in a circular motion, taking care to clean the gum line especially well. 

Bathing

As you know bathing is the single most important step in cleaning your dog. It's honestly better to forego the tub full of suds in favor of a sprayer set up. It will be easier to see if you're really getting your dog clean when he's not submerged.

Time for drying

Many people prefer to skip the drying, however, blow drying does give the coat a finished look, and is required for long coats in order to keep your dog from becoming chilled. It also makes it easier to brush out mats.

Pediciure / maniciure or just nail clipping

Once your dog is clean and dry, it's time to carry out any clipping he might need.

First, examine your dog's nails to see if they need to be trimmed. Only trim the nails up to the pink just barely visible through the nail. If you go any further the nails will bleed. 

Last but not least - fur trimming

Some extra trimming may be necessary to help your dog stay clean. Check his pads to determine if the hair between them needs to be trimmed a bit. Excessive pad hair can become matted and also trap debris.

Easy to clean sofa for dogs

Now when your dog is clean and smells good you can easily let him take a nap in his favourite bed or pillow. Even when he gets a little dirty it won't be problem - if he uses one of our products - you can clean them easily.

Do you love dogs more then you love other peopole?

The old saying states that dogs are man’s best friends. And sometimes we love our furry friends more than other people. But how to be sure who we love more? Here are some examples.

First - you’d cuddle your dog over anyone else any day. Dogs bodies make the best pillows you can find.

Cuddle with your dog

When you meet a new baby, you smile and say “aw,” but when you meet a new puppy, you squeal, jump up and spew out unintelligible words of affection. Deep down you know that nothing is cuter than a baby dog.

Baby human and baby dog

Another example. If your dog doesn’t like the date you brought home, you refuse to ask them on a second date. Dogs have a great sense for judging character - they can't be wrong.

You would never watch someone sleep because it's creepy but you could spend hours watching your dog sleep. Their little smushy faces are just so cute.

Your dog’s toys, accessories, bed and clothes are probably worth more than your own wardrobe. That’s not even factoring the amount of money you’ve spent on others thing for your puppy.

Comfy SOFA bed for dogs

You need a facebook reminder for your friends’ birthdays, but you very well remember your dog day or birthday? It's a sign who is more important for you.

How long do dogs sleep?

Almost every time you look at your dog, he is asleep. Have you wonder how much dogs sleep every single day ? Let's find out.

To understand dogs sleeping habits, we must first understand that their sleeping patterns are much different to those of us. Moreover their sleep requirements vary depending on their breed and size as well.
As a bonus we will check out what dog sleeping position means.

Sleeping time
The average amount of time for a dog to sleep in a day is between 12 and 18 hours. However, there are some different factors listed below that could affect your dog’s sleeping patterns. Even though every breed and even every dog is different. Have you ever noticed that when you are home, your dog may only be awake a few hours a day, but then when you take him to the car, buckle up him in his car bed and bring him on a trip somewhere, he can run and play all day without stopping?

The reason for such an unusual behavior is because dogs don’t have a regular sleeping pattern. There are 2 main stages of sleep in dogs. First - Slow-wave sleep (SWS), which is a lighter type of sleep with less brain activity and the second one - rapid eye movement (REM), which is a deeper type of sleep with higher brain activity.

Dogs spend between 8 and 12% of their sleep time in the so called REM while humans 20 to 25 %.

Similar to us, dogs have a favorite sleeping position. There are 4 typical sleeping positions.

Side sleeping – when a dog is sleeping on his side or belly with all four paws stuck out. Usually, this position is only for napping, but occasionally they will sleep like this for longer periods of time. This is the most common and comfortable position for a dog.

Next, back sleeping. One of the funniest positions to see. There could be two reasons for back sleeping of dog. The first possible reason dogs do this is to expose their belly. Place on a dog with little to no hair. Exposing it is one of the fastest ways to cool off. The second reason is because in back sleeping position all of the dog’s muscles are able to relax completely.

Curled in a ball – very common napping position. In order to hold this position, your dog must use his muscles. This is not a relaxed position by any means. But dogs can get up and begin move very quickly when sleeping in this position.

And the last one back to back or touching – either their owner or another dog – while sleeping shows attachment and affection to that person / animal.

Is your dog afraid of car rides?

People like to travel and they usually do it by using car. It can be disheartening for dog owner to discover that the dog is terrified of riding with him in the car. Such fear is a very common dog phobia. Fortunately, most people are able to overcome this fear by gradually introducing the dog to riding in the car using lots of positive reinforcement.

So what causes the fear of car rides? There are several reasons:

First - car sickness. Just like people, some dogs may feel nauseous or even vomit on car rides.
Secon, the fear of the unfamiliar feeling. Dogs who aren't used to going on car rides may be disturbed by the odd feeling of riding in the car. Cars usually have their own smell, and there is also the sound of the engine, the vibrations of the floor, and seeing everything whizzing past at a fast speed.
Next one - association with negative experiences. For many dogs, the only time they set paw in a car is for a trip to the veterinarian. If your dog has negative feelings about going to the vet, he may transfer that feeling to car rides.

Now, that we knew what causes the fear, let's see how it could be overcome.

Begin by luring your dog to the car rather than forcing him to approach it. Many dogs with a fear of car rides put on the breaks as soon as the car comes into view. Instead of dragging your dog to the car, slowly lure him closer using lots of treats and praise.

Continue using positive reinforcement to get him inside. Once your dog is comfortable with approaching the car, you can begin to lure him inside. Start by opening up all the doors so your dog won't feel like he'll be trapped once he gets inside. Use treats and praise to coax your dog into the car.

Have some special bonding time with your dog inside the car. Don't rush to slam the doors shut and start the engine the minute your dog finally hops inside the car. Instead, leave the doors open, and spend some time snuggling with your dog in the car.

Start your engine. When your dog has become fairly comfortable hanging out with you in the car, you can start the engine. As soon as the car is started, give your dog some treats and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Remember to make sure that your will travel in comfy conditions, it is a good idea to buy him special carbed.

Start off with small trips. Don't make your dog's first car ride a long road trip. The first few times out of the driveway, you should probably drive no farther than around the block, giving your dog treats the whole way. Gradually work your way up to going longer distances.

The dog breeds that are perfect for travelling

Are you an adventure kind of man and you want your dog companion to be always eager for an adventure just like yourself?

Over the course of thousands years of domestication, humans have designed dogs to fit their lifestyles. They’ve raised working dogs to herd the flock and hounds with sensitive noses to hunt. Despite all their different jobs, at the end of the day, these pets are content to snuggle next to you as you relax on the couch or read a book.

To find the right furry friend for your adventures, it helps to know a little about dog personalities generally. Retrievers are fun, loyal and eager to please. They love the water and will fetch until your arm is ready to fall off. Sighthounds hunt prey with their speed and agility, making ideal companions for active runners. There are many outstanding dog breeds with amazing endurance, agility and personalities. Below are some of them who would make a perfect fit for an adventure seekers.

Rhodesian Ridgeback is native to South Africa, originally bred by Boer farmers to hunt lions. These muscular and courageous dogs can run alongside horses while hunting for 30 miles thanks to their thick padded feet.

The Saluki is one of the oldest breeds of dogs. A sighthound and Salukis were originally bred to hunt gazelles. Independent, gentle and affectionate, these hounds are marathon runners with slower heart rates pumping more blood and oxygen to the body, allowing them to go on longer.

The Weimaraner is a muscular dog, originally bred in Germany to hunt deer, boars, and bears. Their iconic silver coats, and their eyes — blue at birth, eventually turning amber — give them the nickname “the gray ghost.”

No matter which dog breed you will choose, you need to remember to provide your dog with some travelling equipment - just like ours car beds.