Adding another dog to your household - few tips

We all love dogs and if you’re like most folks who own dogs, sooner or later you may think, that as wonderful as one dog is, having two dogs would be even better. There are many reasons to add another dog as new family member but you should also remember that there are reasons to not have another animal - like more vet bills, more food and toys to buy, etc
However if you decided to have another dog, here are some advice how to introduce him to your current pet.

First of all you should make sure that your first dog is dog-friendly. If you don’t already know that take him to the dog park, find a friend with a very dog-friendly dog and introduce your dog to another dog in a safely fenced neutral territory. If your dog won't be very friendly towards other dog you need to find a good, positive trainer/behavior consultant to help you convince your pet.

Next thing to consider is which dog should you select as a second one. If your current dog is very assertive, adding another similiar breed could be very bad idea. In such situation you need to look for a dog who defers to your first dog. Moreover, size of the new dog needs to be taken into account. If you have a three-pound mini-dog, there are inherent risks in adopting a large-breed dog. Even in play, big dogs can cause serious, sometimes fatal, injuries to toy-size canines.

If you already chose your new pet, you need to script his introductions. Set up your introductions in that safely fenced neutral territory, like on a short walk through your neighborhood, in a nearby park or in a friend’s yard. Have 2 people, one to handle each dog, while keeping the dogs on leashes.
To minimize tension, try to keep the dogs’ leashes loose so that they’re not feeling pressure on their throats.
Don’t force any interaction between the dogs. If the dogs ignore each other at first, or if one dog seems reluctant to interact with the other, that’s okay. Give both dogs time to get comfortable. They’ll interact when they’re ready.

Here are some things you shouldn't do during first introduction - don't introduce a puppy to a grown dog by holding him in your arms. The puppy could feel restrained and vulnerable. Don't let a grown dog walk over, knock down, or bully the puppy. Moreover don't confine dogs together in a crate, automobile, or small room until they are fully at ease with each other and never, ever don't let a fight between two dogs go on.

Last but not least, make sure that both of your dogs have enough toys to go around, food to eat and separate comfy beds located in low-traffic areas of the home.

How to talk with your dog - interpreting your dog's barking

Your dog won't "talk" to you in English, but you can interpret his intentions and immediate desires if you know what to listen for. Below is a few examples of sounds that dogs make, with human translation and the moods of the dog.

You should remember that generally, a low pitch indicates a more dominant or threatening stance, whereas a high pitch conveys just the opposite - insecurity and fear. A dog whose pitch or vocalization varies is emotionally conflicted.

First lets talk about rapid strings of three or four barks with pauses between in midrange pitch. Such sound mean something like - gather together - I suspect that there may be something that we should look into. Dog is more interest than alarm in such situation.

Next is rapid repetitive barking also in midrange pitch. It's dog signal that someone is entering our territory. It's just a basic alarm bark. Dog that makes that sound is aroused but not anxious.

Continuous barking (a bit slower and lower pitch) means that intruder is coming and you should get ready to defend yourself. Here dog is more worried than in his basic alarm bark.

Long string of solitary barks with pauses between each one may indicate that your pet is lonely and need companionship. On the other hand, one or two sharp short barks (high or midrange pitch) means simple hello. It's typycial greeting or acknowledgment signal used by dogs.

Single sharp short bark in lower midrange pitch is a dog signal to back off. For example when you disturbed him from sleep or pulled his hair.

Stutter bark like "ar-ruff" is and invitation to play with your dog. Dogs usually make that sound with front legs flat on the ground and rear held high as a play invitation. Rising bark is one of dog signals that he is having fun.

We hope that now you can be albe to communicate better with your dog and maybe he whisper to you that he is dreaming of one of our comfy beds ;)

Feeding your dog - few tips for all size of dogs

Feeding a dog is not an easy task. You must be very carefull what you give him to eat and in what doses. If you are wondering - does size affect how you should feed your dog, the answer is simple - only when you feed puppies, because they need to eat four times a day. The general recommendation for adults of all breeds is that they need to be fed twice a day.

Now lets talk about free feeding. Leaving food out for a dog to eat whenever he wants is called free feeding and most experts recommend against it for several reasons. If you have a puppy you should feed him on a meal schedule - giving dog food at the same times every day and leaving it down for only about 20 minutes. Then you should pick up the bowl whether your dog has eaten or not. That way you will learn your puppy when it's time to eat.

One of problems with free feeding is that it can lead to health problems related to obesity as some dogs can't controll themself and could eat more than they should.  Some dogs know when to stop eating, other won't stop eating, and many owners don't measure and even refill the bowl throughout the day and they have no idea how much food their dog is eating.

This leads us to another important issue - why you should measure the food you give to your dog.
By measuring food it is easier to know how much your dog is eating, which helps control your dog's weight. And how much should your dog eat? It all depends on his size and level activity. You can always ask your vet how many calories your dog can eat daily.

And what about the situation in which your dog don't want to eat and is skipping meals? Some people get concerned if their dog misses a meal, but if there are no symptoms of illness - such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy,  there's no particular reason to be concerned about an occasional missed meal, bacause dogs can go a long time without eating.

Tips to keep dogs cool in the heat

Summer is one of the happiest times of year for people and dogs, but if you’re not careful, it can also be a dangerous time for your pet. Here are some tips that will help you and your dog have safe and fun summer.

First of all you need to provide shade to lessen risk of heat exhaustion. As we know summer is the perfect time to enjoy green parks and sandy beaches where you can walk with your dog. Just make sure you protect your dog from the potentially dangerous summer heat.
Unlike people, dogs can’t perspire as efficiently as we do. In order to cool off, they dispel heat by panting and perspire only minimally thru their pads. Unfortunately, this method is less efficient than sweating and your dogs can overheat quickly on a warm day. So make sure that your dog always have access to shade and fresh water.

You should also know what are the signs of heat stroke and what to do when they appeard.
Stay watchfull all the time and look for the following sympthoms: excessive panting, bright red tongue and gums, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, unsteadiness, collapse, and seizures. If any of this happend to your dog, take him immediately to the vet.

You can prevent all that to happend by doing some little things like for example, add a few cubes of ice to your pet water bowls. He’ll enjoy it, and it will help to keep his body temperature down.
If your pet can’t be in an air-conditioned area, consider placing a fan where it will blow on him.
Remember also to exercise your pets only in the early morning or late evening when the temperatures are lower. Try to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Last but not least, freeze some treats and give them to your pet. It will keep him busy for a while and help cool him down.

A dog could be your heart’s best friend

Did you know that a dog could be your heart's best friend? It turns out that having a canine companion may help lower your risk of heart disease.

As you may noticed, studies linking dog ownership to better physical and mental health have been popping up for many years. The findings were usually encouraging to dogs owners, but none of these studies offered conclusive proof. But recently American Heart Association (AHA) has check all the available data and came to conclusion that having a dog lowers the risk of heart disease. Are you courios why?

The evidence reviewed by the AHA indicates that dog owners are more likely to exercise, have a better cholesterol profile and have lower blood pressure. The are also less vulnerable to the physical effects of stress.

The data show that dog owners get more physical activity than people who don’t own dogs, the evidence is pretty convincing that ownership isn’t enough. A study of over 2000  people found that those who owned a dog but didn’t walk it were actually more likely to be obese than people who didn’t own a dog. Dog walkers, on the other hand, were much less likely to be obese.

Another study looked at 48 people with high blood pressure and high-stress jobs who agreed to adopt a dog. Half did, and half year later those who got a dog had significantly lower blood pressure during stresfull moments.

Even if you already have heart disease, you could get a dog to help you. A 1995 study followed people with cardiovascular disease. A 12 months later, those who owned a pet were 4 times less likely to be death than those who didn’t have a dog.

As you see dogs unconsciously take care of your health - you can repay them by buing something nice - like our comfy beds for dogs.

Taking your pet abroad - everything you should know

If you want to take your dog with you on vacation to another country you have to remember about few things. It's essential that you meet the entry requirements for your pet dog for the country you’re going to or coming from.

First a list of things you need when you enter the UK from the European Union country
Your pet needs to meet these requirements:
-a microchip
-a rabies vaccination
-a pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate
-a tapeworm treatment

You must also use an approved transport company and an approved route unless you’re travelling between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

When you enter or return to the UK from another country, your pet needs to meet similar entry requirements:
-a microchip
-a rabies vaccination
-a blood test - the vet must take the blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination
-a third country official veterinary certificate
-a tapeworm treatment

And what if you have special guide dog?
The rules for assistance/ special dogs when travelling under the EU are the same as for any other dogs. However assistance dogs can travel on more routes than people with pets normally can travel, and they can use other forms of transport where regular animals aren’t allowed, like for example the aircraft cabin.

So how does it looks in practice? When you return to the UK, the staff from the travel company will scan your pet’s microchip and check your documents. If you don't have required documents your pet will be put into quarantine or sent back to the country from which he travel and you will be charge for the costs of quarantine or the re-export of your dog.

Can all dogs swim?

Dogs, like every other animals are born with strong natural instincts like barking. Some people may also think that swimming is a skill that all dogs naturally have. But swimming isn't necessarily all dogs ability. While many pooches are perfectly amphibious, many dogs tend to sink like a sack of bricks. For these dogs, keeping their heads above water is not an easy thing to do, sometimes even impossible.

When it comes to swimming, we can split canines into 3 categories. There are dogs that can swim, dogs that can be taught to swim and dogs that should steer clear of all aqueous environments. Water spaniels, golden retrievers and English setters fall into the first category. They are excellent swimmers. It's because of their strong limbs and some genes. Many were bred specifically for things like water rescue.

And we have also some others breeds like bulldogs and boxers. There simply isn't enough thrust from their short legs to keep them afloat. Breeds that have short faces, such as the pug, also have a very hard time swimming since they fatigue easily.

Furthermore, some dogs may have the physical tools to swim, but have some kind of a mortal fear of the water. These animals tend to panic when submerged. For a dog in water, panic quickly leads to fatigue, and that makes drowning much more likely.

Remember that if your furry friend isn't a dog version of gold medal swimmer, don't despair. You can still enjoy fun with a land-loving lapdog. Instead take him to you car, put in safe carbed and go for a trip somewhere where are no lakes and rivers ;)