Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Planning a day out at the beach for your dog? Keep these tips in your mind and go out and enjoy your day with your furry friend. Spend some quality time with your dog, soak in the sun and enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. We can’t think of a more perfect way to spend your day!

Pick a Dog-Friendly Beach

Sadly, not all beaches allow dogs at the premises. Though dogs bring nothing but joy wherever they go, some people are not comfortable having dogs around them at the beach. Fair enough, everybody must feel comfortable in a public space, and dogs do tend to get overexcited around a lot of people and other dogs. For this reason, the government has specified some beaches where you can bring along your furry friend. Other beaches remain pet-free spaces. This ensures everyone is happy!

When planning your dog’s day out, make sure that the beach you are planning to visit allows dogs and is a dog-friendly beach. Not only would it be far less complicated for you, but also a lot more entertaining for your dog to go to a beach where everyone appreciates his company and he also has a lot of other dogs to befriend and play with.

Keep your Dog on a Leash

Always keep your dog on a leash. Even on a dog beach, it is recommended that you keep the leash on and keep some control over your dog. Watching other dogs and people around can excite your dog and cause him to cause trouble, hurt himself or someone else. Once your dog is calm and the beach isn’t too crowded, you can perhaps let him run loose for a bit. Always keep him within your sight, though, and well within reach so he can always come back to you if you call him.

Use a Sunscreen

Use sunscreen. Not just you, but your dog too. You might not know but some breeds of dogs are also prone to getting sunburned. The sun is just as harmful to dogs as it is to humans. You don’t want to lather up in sunscreen and leave your dog to burn in the sun, do you? Put sufficient sunblock on you’re the tips of your dog’s ears, and on his paws. Provide him shade as well and keep him out of harsh sunlight for long periods of time.

Put the ID Tag On

Do not forget the ID tag when leaving the house! Make sure to keep the id tag on your dog whenever you are stepping out of the house. Make sure the dog’s name, your contact number and address are listed clearly on the tag. In case you lose the dog, someone else can help you out and get the dog safely back to you if the right information is provided.

Dog Waste Bags

Leaving trash at the beach is extremely lowly and so is not picking up after your dog. Keep dog waste bags with you so you can clean up after your dog at the beach. And then discard the waste bags in a bin, responsibly. Always pick a dog waste bag that is environmentally-friendly and is made of sustainable, and recyclable material. Leaving this on the beach would mean it would eventually make its way to the ocean and accumulate in more trash in the sea.

Pack Fresh Water and Food

There is water all around you at the beach… but none to drink. While you pack a picnic for yourself, make sure to include fresh water and food for your dog as well. Being out in the sun for so long, running, playing and swimming can make your dog very dehydrated and thirsty. Make sure he has sufficient intake of water, so he doesn’t end up falling sick.

Arrange for Shade

Though you might have coated your dog in sunblock, you still need to provide him shade. Too much sunlight isn’t good for anybody and overexposure can lead to medical conditions in dogs too. Being in the sun for long can also dehydrate your dog and turn a fun day at the beach into a painful one. Keeping an umbrella or something of the sort that you can prop up at the beach for shade is enough.

Keep a First Aid Kit

Keep a first aid kit handy. The beach may look harmless enough but there are plenty of items that can hurt your dog and the need for a first aid kid to arise. Trash at the beach, little pieces of metal, and sharp pointy rocks could possibly injure your pup. In such cases, a good ointment and some bandage wrap could ease and alleviate the pain of your dog. In case the wound is deeper or more serious, rush to the vet’s urgently.

Go to the beach and have fun but never forget that the reason you and your dog have a clean beach to enjoy is a bunch of people who are working to make beaches and the ocean clean again. People go to the beaches, throw their trash and litter without a second thought. If not for organizations that have committed to keeping our beaches clean and preserving these natural spots of beauty, we might have no nice beaches to go to. The least we can do is be responsible citizens and not litter at the beach, and also donate to these organizations so they can continue the good work they are doing!

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.