Did you know that September is Responsible Dog Ownership month? Being a responsible dog owner means looking after all aspects of their mental and physical health. Having a dog is a HUGE commitment but well worth it in the pure, unconditional love and companionship that they provide to you and your family. You leave, have other obligations and work, but your dog lives for YOU and to waits all day to see you. So why not take a little time this month to learn ways to be a more responsible owner!
Follow along with us this month as we write about different ways to promote being a more responsible dog owner! We will be touching on topics from exercise to nutrition to play, and everything in between!
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Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Health
This is a great month to take a step back and assess your dog’s overall health. I know Grace has a bump on her back that I am going to get checked out. If you haven’t yet this year, it’s a good time to get your dog in for a wellness check at the vet. I feel like between the two dogs and three cats that I am always shuffling someone back and forth!
But by getting to the vet for a wellness check you can be proactive and hopefully nip any potential issues in the bud (bad pun intended!). I have had one of my cats get diagnosed with degenerative dental issues at just such a visit, which left untreated could have led to serious complications and tooth loss. Not to mention the great amount of pain she must have been in.
With such young dogs, I haven’t really run into too many issues with them yet. I hope I didn’t just jinx myself! But being they are Bernese Mountain dogs they are prone to breed specific issues so it is important for me to get them in for their annual visit when the time comes.
Training and Behavior
This is also a great time to take a step back and look at addressing behavioral and training issues. Grace and Benson are about a year and a half old now. But one thing I have learned with them is that the training never really stops! I think I have finally managed to keep the big boy from jumping on me and anyone who comes over. A good thing because he’s a BIG dog!
With Grace, she is always challenging me. So it ends up being a never ending battle for who’s the most dominant in the house. With a potential return to the office imminent, I have also been leaving the dogs home alone for longer periods of time to get them ready for it so we don’t have to deal with any separation anxiety issues when the day comes. For more tips on separation anxiety you can read the full post HERE.
I have also started allowing my dogs more freedom at night. They used to be in my room with the door closed at night because it seemed inevitable that Benson would use the kitchen as a bathroom without waking me up to go out (and without thinking to use the dog door…). But as they have gotten older they seem to be behaving better when left out on their own!
Exercise and Enrichment
Does your dog get enough exercise? Take a look at the condition of their body to see if it looks like they need to be getting more exercise in their daily routine! Check out Modern Dog’s Magazine’s article and chart on body condition HERE to see how your dog measures up.
If your dog is on the obese side, perhaps plan more walks. They don’t have to be long walks to be effective, but more frequent and shorter duration walks are a great start! I walk my dogs for about an hour and a half every morning and take them over to the park for some play in the afternoon.
There are also ways you can increase their activity around the house! A great game of tug or fetch can be a great way to tire out your dog! Hide and seek and snuffle mats for meal times are also great enrichment activities and can tire your dog out.
Hygiene
Does your dog need a bath or session at the groomers? Nails clipped or matts brushed out of their fur? Now that summer is ending, it is a great time to take a look at their overall hygiene! My dog Grace gets a nice smell over the summer months due to her allergies. With the cooler weather approaching it’s a good time for me to get her in the bath and get the stink to a reasonable level. Read more on how to deal with stinky dogs HERE.
And with my dog’s nails, we are very active in the summer so the pavement does a good job keeping their nails somewhat worn down. But I still need to make the time to clip their dew claws so that they don’t get too long and start growing into their pads. Those things can also hurt when they jump up to give me a hug…
Take the time to look into your dog’s ears and mouth to note any unusual conditions. A cotton swab and quick wipe with ear cleaner generally keeps your dog’s ears clean and helps prevent ear infections. And oral care is also extremely important to your dog’s overall health! Find more tips on keeping your dog’s teeth clean HERE.
Emergencies and Evacuations
Do you have an emergency and evacuation plan in place for your dogs? I have a window cling on my front door that shows the number and names of the animals in my house if there is ever an emergency when I’m not home. And I have seen pictures and articles of dogs in kennels due to fire evacuations out west this summer.
You should have a first aid kit on hand for any small emergencies so that you can treat your dog quickly before seeing a vet. Find out what you should have on hand by reading HERE. I also usually take a few things such as tweezers, wrap bandages and medical tape with me out on walks should something happen when we are out and about.
Outings and Daytrips
Fall is a great time to get out and explore your area with your dogs! Why not take your dog out for a hike and see the fall colors? There are plenty of places to hike with your dog, just be sure ahead of time to make sure that where you are headed is dog friendly. Don’t forget to pack plenty of poop bags and enough water! My dogs drink a TON so I have a backpack that holds extra water for them.
Fall can still present the risk for heat exhaustion, however, so keep a close eye on your dog and take plenty of breaks and find shade if you need to.
So get out there and celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership month! Watch for more articles on how to be a more responsible dog owner from us throughout the month! Have an idea you’d like us to write about? Drop us a comment below or send an email! Have you hugged your dog yet today???
