Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Dogs as Pets | The benefits of having dogs as pets can make your life a lot more wholesome, you must realize the responsibilities it brings along. Being a good dog owner is not synonymous with knowing dog ownership laws. Even though these rules are equally important when it comes to having dogs as pets, you must understand that pet care is a lot more than this. Therefore, here at Dog Junkie, we aim to educate you about some dos and don’ts to keeping dogs as pets.

Do Understand Your Dog’s Nutritional Requirements

Just like we pay special attention to different breeds when adopting dog, it is also important to pay attention to their diet. Understanding your pet’s nutritional needs is the first step to being a responsible owner. Therefore, even before you own a pet, do thorough research on the following:

What kind of food do they require?

How many times should you feed them in a day?

What should be the balance between feeding solids and liquids?

Only by knowing their nutritional needs can you keep your dogs well-fed and healthy.

Do Keep Your Space and Your Dogs Clean

One of the most important aspects of pet care is cleaning up after your pet. If you’re keeping dogs as pets, you must always carry a poop bag with you whenever you go out with them. In some areas, you can also get fined for not clearing up after your dog when they poop.

You should also be super careful of hygiene within your house, especially when you have dogs roaming around, given that they are not accustomed to your space yet. Keeping a dog in unsanitary conditions or not cleaning up after them for long could expose them to sickness.

Do Keep an Eye on Where Your Dogs Are At All Times

You must keep an eye on your dogs at all times, even if you think they’re trained. Dogs are no different than children when it comes to watching them. They can easily get lost and may not be able to find their way back.

This leaves them at risk of getting shot or being in an accident. Hence, save yourself from court appearances, compensations, and of course, heartache, and don’t let your dogs get away from your sight.

Do Provide Them With Identification Tags

If you’re taking your dog to a public place, make sure they wear an identification tag. You can put essential information such as your name and address in case they get lost in the crowd.

Do Give Them Enough Physical Activity

Your dog needs the right amount of play and exercise on a daily basis so they can stay fit. However, the amount of exercise varies across different dog breeds, so make sure to have that knowledge from a relevant expert.

You can also enroll them in a training club nearby that offers classes to train your dogs. As they keep attending classes, they will evolve and learn new skills.

Don’t Take Your Dogs to Places They’re Barred From

Be mindful of the fact that many places do not allow dogs to enter, such as certain beaches, shops, and children’s parks. There are different types of restrictions in different places, such as:

Some places only allow you to have a single dog
Some completely exclude a dog from an area
Some have time-based restrictions
Some may ask you to show if you’re well equipped to carry a dog along, such as having poop bags, etc.

Even though most places that don’t allow dogs to enter already have signs outside, you should still do your research beforehand. We do know of a place that welcomes dogs who we love 🙂 PUCCI Café in LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch: www.puccicafe.com

Don’t Leave Them Unattended in Vehicles.

We understand the hustle-bustle of living in a city but no matter how important it is to make runs to your bank or pick up important documents, never leave your dog in a vehicle alone. Unfortunately, there have been several cases of toddlers and pets dying in hot vehicles.

Don’t Leave Your Dogs Out in Holiday Plans.

If you’re thinking about traveling soon, make sure to have something planned for your pet too. If circumstances and policies allow, you can also take them along. However, in case they don’t, make relevant arrangements for your dogs. Also, have all of their vaccination records prepared in case you plan to book them into kennels.

Don’t Use Traditional Chokers.

You may have seen dogs wearing collars in the past, but today they are considered old-fashioned and inappropriate. They can cause physical and psychological damage to them, so avoid using chokers or collars at all costs. If you’re concerned about keeping them in control, make sure to spend enough time training them before you take them out for the first time.

Don’t Skip Visits to the Vet.

The case with most dogs is, they can easily deceive you into believing that there’s nothing wrong with them. Often, there are no symptoms of any illness until it appears fully and makes your dog extremely sick. Therefore, never skip vet visits regularly.

Through regular assessment of their eyes, mouth, lungs, and heart, you can protect your pet from a serious illness through early detection. Moreover, visits to the wet are a crucial aspect of pet care generally. Unless you don’t care about your pet, there’s no reason for you to miss out on these visits.

Don’t Fill Their Bodies With Harmful Meals.

Getting treats is tempting for your dogs for sure but do not feed them a huge amount, or they’ll miss out on their daily essential nutrients. Also, never feed your pets human snacks or treats as they can cause them to gain weight. Be wary of giving them chocolate as it’s toxic and can make them very sick unless it’s formulated for dogs especially.

In the end, it goes without saying but do not over-feed them. Often, what looks like a small portion to you may be enough for your dog, so don’t compare human portions to dog portions.

There you have, a list of what to do and what not to do when you’re keeping dogs as pets. If you ever have a concern, remember your vet is only a call away.

by Maria A Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.