Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” ~Robin Williams

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”  ~Robin Williams  Do you love spring?  How I love spring the air is fresh note I do not suffer from allergies. The earth is coming to life again after a winter of hibernation.  The sun rises earlier in the morning and sets later in the day.  The idea of spending more time outside playing fetch with my dog. The Winga by Kurgo is a fun way to play with my dog. He loves to catch the frisbee and return it to me.  Does your labradoodle, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd like to play fetch with a frisbee? The Winga allows you to throw the frisbee farther and is the right size.  www.funlovingepts.com carries the Kurgo Winga. It takes the place of a chuck it no sticky drooling mess.

Where do you like to play with your Rottweiler, Great Dane, Springer Spaniel, Labrador, Yorkie? Do you like the beach? Some of my favorite beaches are the Singing beach in Manchester, MA , Cape Cod National parks, Rye Beach in New Hampshire, San Diego Beaches.  Where do you take your Golden Retriever to play?  If you do not live or vacation near a beach a nice field or dog park is also fun to take your furry friend  (Chihuahua, Beagle, boxer, pug, poodle). The Kurgo Winga is good for throwing the frisbee long distances. If this is not feasible the Humunga Stache is fun to watch your dog carry.  Take a picture of your Cocker Spaniel carrying around what looks like a mustache.

Now to a serious side of walking your Boston Terrier, Great Dane, Toy Poodle, Border Collie out in areas with traffic. Make sure they know how to stay with you and not to run out in the street. The high visibility vest are good for both you and your dog. They even have special sizes for a Grey Hound.  You can pick your favorite color hot pink,     bright safety orange, Bright blue, have matching vests.  This will allow the drivers to see you as you walk. There have been people hit by cars because just as the sun is coming up or going down t hey are blinded and can not see the dog walker walking. I have a friend who lost her dachshund to just this. Someone was racing to Dunkin Donuts and did not see her poor little dog at the end of the leash. She now wears the high visibility vest and stays out-of-the-way of people racing for their coffee at Dunkin Donuts.  Maybe you have seen this happen.   What color do you like?  How do you stay safe when walking your rescue dog?

Additional Winga frisbee's

 

Traveling with your pet Dog or Cat

If you are traveling by air, car or train and bus with your pet. There are a few items very important to keep in mind.  Traveling by air can be stressful for both the animal and you.  The dog if small enough can ride under your seat, however if too large you will have to check the dog through in cargo.  The first thing to do is check with your veterinarian for all shots and boosters you may need depending on where you will be traveling.  Your veterinarian can also discuss any special requirements you may need to prepare for on you trip.

Getting your dog ready.  If your dog is not already used to being in a crate have them spend time in a crate. Praise your dog for staying in the crate. Take them for walks after spending the time in the crate. Take your dog for walks around people, children and noisy places.  The pet owner will want to do this in short stretches of time is your dog becomes anxious around noise and activity.  Remember your pet will be around lots of new noise and people while traveling. 

What to bring on the trip?  Bring treats for your dog such as Grizzly treats that can be broken into small pieces. Try and stay away from treats with Peanut Butter as you maybe sitting next to a person on the flight with Peanut allergies.   Most foods come in small sample sizes this will make traveling easier  as you will not be searching for your dogs food when you arrive at your destination.  Pumpkin will settle your dogs stomach and relief any gas issues.  Have a way to give water to your pet.  The Pet Topper screws on to a water bottle and is easy to carry. The dog just licks the top and water comes out. The other is Furry Traveler’s travel set it is great for traveling in a car or RV. It keeps the food and water all together. 

When packing bring along a favorite toy or toys and have a new one to entertain you dog and reward the dog. This also makes it fun for you to try out new toys. Are you going to a beach area bring along Kurgo’s Winga a frisbee for dogs. Want to have fun bring the Moody pets mustache. The loopy toys are good if your pet does not chew. If you have a heavy chewier bring Planet dog’s balls.

You will also need the pee pads as now that you have fed and watered your dog they will have to relieve themselves. Hopefully you will be at an airport that has a pet station.  The Denver airport has a designated spot for pets, Charlotte NC has large grassy areas to walk your pet check out the airports you will be passing through or arriving  at. If you have any good tips or experience with airports leave the information here for others.

When arriving at a hotel that you have checked for accepting pets. Inspect the room for unwanted visitors such as bedbugs and fleas. Unfortunately not all pet owners are as careful of their pet as you are.  There are some good pesticide free Bed Bug killers and repellant out there to try.  One is Bed Bug patrol it is made with Peppermint and clove oil among other items. It is pesticide free and has a light smell.  It is safe to spray around the luggage and crate. When you leave the hotel/motel wash and dry all clothing and bedding in hot water and dry for at least 30 minutes.  Bed Bugs have been making a comeback in all levels of hotels/motels and apartments.  Praise your dog as much as possible.

More about travel tomorrow.