• 26Apr

  Pawdicure!

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  Cold weather cracks, chaps and dries skin, and hot weather brings its own risks with hot tar,  – and your dog is not an exception to that!  Keep your canine’s paws healthy.

  • Use a paw salve or balm made especially for dogs to keep his pads from getting chapped or raw.  This is especially important for dogs doing indoor agility (or outdoors on dirt or sand), since already irritated pads can tear on matting, and dogs who walk on salt or chemically treated areas.

  • Keep paws clean.  Wipe them off when the dog comes inside, and if they walked on freshly treated lawns, mud, or salt, wash them off.

  • Keep nails trimmed. Long nails cause pain while walking, and if they get too long, they cause toe deformation.  If you can’t trim your dog’s nails, take them to a groomer or get a dremel.

  • Keep fur between the toes trimmed, too.  That REALLY attracts snowballs, and also causes slipping on floors! I used to think I should leave that fur, but then I learned that it does the exact opposite.

  • Consider Booties  I know dogs often hate these, but if your dog has extremely sensitive feet, it may be worthwhile to consider putting booties on them for agility and walks outside.  A friend of mine has a dog with contact allergies, and booties do seem to help him.

  I hope these tips and tricks keep your dog’s paws happy and healthy!

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

• 19Apr

  Peanut Butter Stress Fix

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  When I have to take my older dog, Nova, somewhere where she will be stressed (such as a class with many dogs outside, or the vet) I have found it very useful to put a wad of peanut butter on my finger and then smear it on the top of her mouth (inside!).  She is distracted from her stressor as she licks it off the roof of her mouth.  The same trick might work with stuffing peanut butter into a hollow toy, too!

  Certainly, conditioning her to work with the stressor is better, but for a short term fix, I have found that this works fabulously for my dogs.  How do you destress your dogs?

  
• 10Apr

  Clear the Decks

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  For spring! it feels a bit more like early summer, though, it’s been so warm.  Here at Affordable Agility, we’re taking advantage of the warm weather, and it’s to your advantage to see all the stuff we’re clearing out of our storehouse!  We’re sweeping the decks to get ready for summer stock, so check out the clearance page for bargains.

  
• 15Mar

  You Got Lucky!

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  You got lucky! Affordable Agility’s sale is starting today!  hurry over to save yourself some green!

  
• 13Mar

  Warming up – and bugging out!

  Dog Training (General), Interesting and Funny 2 Comments

  Get a weather eye out for fleas and ticks! Most of the United States had a mild (temperature wise) winter, which means the nasty little parasites didn’t have as much of a die-off as could be hoped.  As warmer weather comes back, so will they, and they’ll latch on to your furry friend like… well… ticks.  I recommend carrying a tick puller on your keychain, in addition to keeping your dog’s flea and tick medicines up to date (don’t forget, these dog medicines are often toxic to cats – ask your vet what will work best for you and your dog).  I check over my dogs every time they come in from field and forest romping – I hate parasites so much!  Does anyone have any tried-and-true methods for keeping their dogs vermin free?

  

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