• 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

• 21Dec

  The Holidays and Your Pets

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  Christmas is the time of giving and cheer, and we love to share it with our pets!  However, many items this time of year can prove hazardous to animal health, so please, keep a watch out for dangerous items and situations!

  • Decorations – light cords, real pine trees, tinsel, poinsettias, chocolates, and mistletoe are all ‘new’ things in the house that a pet will want to explore.  Keep the animals safe by securing decorations and keeping the pets contained and away from open flames and electrical cords.
  • Food – holiday food is notoriously sweet and fatty! Keep treats to pets to a minimum, and food stored safely away from them.  Even the best dog will steal a turkey if it’s left within reach.
  • Stress – with so many people in ‘their’ house, or being in a new place, your pet may stress out. Provide them with a safe place to go to – a quiet room, a crate, or an elevated cat tree.
  • Open Doors – This time of year we are always opening the door to welcome in family, unload the car, or take the packages from Affordable Agility off the stoop. Be careful that your pet doesn’t make a break for the great outdoors!
  • Gifts - sometimes we wrap delicious food and put it under the tree. If your dog or cat is half as smart as you think they are, they probably think it’s a game to unwrap!

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

• 29Oct

  Emergencies and our Pets

  Interesting and Funny 1 Comment

  Planning for disaster doesn’t mitigate the fallout, but it can help you stay calm, which could make a huge difference in outcome for you and your pet.

  Here’s a list of ideas to get you started – do you have any ideas you’d like to share?

  • ID – make sure your pets have ID tags, and preferably microchips as well.
  • Papers – vaccination records,  especially rabies, identification papers
  • Water and bowls – several gallons of water allocated for your pets is a good idea.
  • Several days worth of food in sealed containers
  • Carriers in a handy place
  • Blankets
  • First aid kits
  • Up to date photos
  • Kitty litter and disposable pan, for those who have cats
  • Leashes/harnesses

  What else can you think of to include?  The ASPCA has more information here.

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

• 18Oct

  Tubby Dog Trouble!

  Dog Agility Training, Interesting and Funny No Comments

  Q. Sorry to bother you …but one of the dogs we train dog is nine pounds heavier than he should be, the vet is concerned for his well being as he gets older, He has been doing agility since he was very small, I just found out that he was overweight recently. But I don’t understand, shouldnt the agility have helped him not gain weight? or was it just a waste of time?

  A. I’m so sorry to hear that your dog is overweight.  Agility does help with weight issues, however, there are some other things to consider in addition to agility exercise, such as diet, walking, or other health issues that the dog may have.

  If your dog is overweight, I suggest switching to a low fat treat for training.  Training treats add up fast, especially for a positive trainer! you can subtract it from their lunch, or try carrots, many dogs love them. I have also known a dog that adored lettuce!  One of my dogs enjoys raw potatoes and apples.  Lowering the amount of treats your dog gets to eat may help them get over their best.

  In addition to agility, it is important that dogs also work on conditioning to keep lean. Conditioning includes walking, running, and using step obstacles (like a ladder or cavaletti) – though in this case I believe  long walks (or chases after a ball!) would probably work best. Using conditioning obstacles has the added benefit of strengthening shoulder muscles.

  As for other health conditions, I can not comment but your vet may be able to work with you to discover why your dog is overweight. I’m sorry you are going through this, it is very difficult and distressing to realize!  I hope all the best for both of you.

  ~Agility Fusion

  

  Tags: agility training, dog safety & health

• 17Jul

  Hot or Cold?

  Dog Training (General) 2 Comments

  Do your dogs like it cold or hot? In the summer, my dogs seek out any cold surface, and in the winter, they run around in the snow happily except for on the very coldest, windiest days.  What about your dogs?

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

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