Pup Tip | Pilling Your Pup

Some of you may remember that Andy got a minor bite wound back in  December while at doggy day care. While the wound was small it did require regular cleaning and medication. Speaking from personal experience, pilling a pet can either be as easy as pie or like pulling teeth. The trick is to make the experience as stress-free (for both you and your pet!) as possible and to exhibit bucket loads of patience. Lucky for Andy we're seasoned pros when it comes to medicating both cats and dogs. 2011 was the year of medicating pets. At any one given time at least 2 out of 3 of our pets was on medication. At the peak of Maxwell's illness he was taking five pills, twice a day. Add to that Pablo, who was on antibiotics for reoccurring urinary tract issues, and Diego, who had to take steroids at some point for allergies, and we're talking about a lot of medication! It took a bit of research and a lot of trial and error before we had pilling the pets down pat. Here are some practical tips to help you get your pup pilled quick and easy. 

Pup Tip | Old Towels

Old towels sure come in handy when you have dogs, especially if you have one that likes to roll in poop and requires frequent baths. We got a lot of life out of the towels that were gifted to us when we got married, a good 8-9 years I'd say, before we decided to start replacing them. Throwing them out seemed like a waste so we decided to try to squeeze more life out of them by designating them as pet towels. They're great for post-bath dry offs, for lining kennels, and just practical to have around for household emergencies like faucet leaks. I also keep an old hand-towel by the front door to dry Andy off when it's raining outside. 

Towards the end of Maxwell's life he was on a pretty high dose of prednisone. One of the side effects of the medication was that he had to urinate frequently, like every 20-30 minutes. At some point it become impossible for us to take him out every time so we had to just let him pee on the floor in the loft (thankfully we have wood floors). After going through like 2 dozen rolls of paper towels and a couple of bottles of surface cleaner we knew we needed to devise a more practical system to deal with the issue. I ended up picking a spot on the floor near the front door, putting a sheet of heavy plastic down, then spreading an old towel on top of that. Maxwell learned pretty quickly to pee on the towel and we would throw it in the wash and put out a new one as needed. Sigh. The things we do for the dogs we love.

If you don't have a pet and are looking to unload some old towels consider contacting your local humane society, animal shelter, or rescue group. Most of these organizations are happy to take old towels, blankets, and sheets to use for bedding or post-bath drying.

Pup Tip | Repurpose Old Dog Tags

What do you do with your pet's old rabies and dog tags? I'm guessing most people put them in a drawer and forget about them or throw them out altogether. I started putting old tags on my keyring a number of years ago after a beloved dog passed away very suddenly. It was just a small way of keeping a piece of him close. Over the years, as my pet's rabies tags have expired, I've added them to my keys. When Maxwell passed away my husband added his i.d. tag, which is engraved with his name and our numbers, to his key ring. The tags are lightweight and colorful and are a great conversation starter. Instead of adding another piece of metal to our landfills consider paying tribute to your pet by carrying their rabies or i.d. tag on your key ring.

Post Day Camp Wipe Down

Andy's always a little grimy when he comes home from Camp Bow Wow. He spends the day running around tussling with other dogs, both indoors and out, so it's really no surprise. His paws get especially dirty and dusty from the gravel that covers the outdoor play area. In lieu of giving him a bath every Wednesday night, which is impractical and wouldn't be good for his skin and coat, I've taken to wiping him down thoroughly with a baby wipe once we get home. I picked up a package of Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wipes at Target a couple of weeks back ($1.99 for a pack of 56 wipes) and so far I'm really happy with the product. The wipes are sturdy and one is usually enough to freshen Andy up and get rid of the dust on his coat and paws. The scent is light and refreshing and a great alternative for folks who don't like baby powder scents. The next time I see these wipes on sale I'll probably pick up a second pack for the car. 

I've seen specialty "pet wipes" at pet supply stores that sell for around $5-10 for 50-100 wipes. That's a little pricey for my taste. These "pet wipes" typically differ from baby wipes in that they contain coat and skin conditioners, but really, if your dog is eating a high quality dog food his coat and skin should already be in great shape. Many are also labeled as "veterinarian approved" - which I think is just a gimmick to get us to spend more money on a product that isn't really necessary. As far as the baby wipes are concerned, I figure if they're good enough for a baby's bottom, they're good enough for a dog. Of course there is always the off chance your pup could have an allergic reaction to a particular brand of baby wipe, so it's always smart to proceed with caution when trying out a new product. These Huggies wipes have worked well for us so far and I foresee us always having them on hand to keep the pup fresh.

Nail Clipping Nightmare

Andy is the first dog I've owned that doesn't mind having his paws touched. My dogs of yore never tolerated paw touching, much less paw holding, so this is a nice change. I was nervous the first time we clipped Andy's claws because I've never owned a dog with black claws before. Makes it impossible to see the quick! I asked my vet for tips and he recommended making an initial cut up to where the claw begins to curve, then making smaller cuts until I start to see grayish-pink, which means I'm coming up on the quick. The quick is the bundle of blood vessels and nerves that feed the claw and if cut into will bleed and give your dog pain. Talk about pressure! I found this claw clipping guide from Washington State University's Vet Med program extremely helpful.

We have to clip Andy's claws every 3 weeks or so. The first 2 or 3 times we trimmed them it was a piece of cake. My husband held him while I systematically worked my way through each claw using a pair of spring-loaded clippers. He didn't put up a fight at all. The last time we trimmed them Andy put up a little bit of resistance. This time. Huh. This time was a nightmare. He fought us tooth and nail - literally! There was squirming, writhing, scratching, growling, attempted biting...the works. In hindsight we should have stopped and continued at a later time. Unfortunately I was stubborn and wanted to get it done. We were down to the last paw, only 3 more claws to go, and Andy jerked his paw right as I was clipping. I cut into his quick. There was blood. I felt like the worst pet owner ever. Sigh. So now the pup is running around with 3 nails that still need to be trimmed and I'm dreading having to do it. I'm thinking maybe I need to get sanding bands for my Dremel so I can just grind them down and avoid sharp cutting implements altogether. I'm a wuss when it comes to pain - my own and that of others. 

Car Seat Cover | A Life Saver!

I bought this tan car seat cover 6 years ago and it's still going strong; granted it didn't get much use with Maxwell, who most frequently rode in the back of the suv. Andy on the other hand likes riding in the middle (passenger) section of the car because of his earlier bout with amaxophobia. He's since overcome his fear of the car and now hops right in without any reservations. Lately though we've been dealing with his love of rolling in piles of smelly crap - literally, I'm talking poop here, and the seat cover has been invaluable.

I wish I knew more about the specifics of the car seat cover we have but because I bought it so long ago I no longer have the packaging. I do know I bought it at a discount store called Tuesday Morning (my love of discount goods and all). To my recollection it cost about $20 and has been worth every penny. I don't know how we would've managed getting Andy home post-poop roll without it. I've seen similar covers at pet supply stores and I highly recommend them in general. Our particular cover is made of waterproof canvas with a vinyl backing. We've washed it multiple times and it's held up well. The cover has adjustable straps up top that fit around the headrests and the bottom corners have elastic that fit around the corners of the seat. You want to make sure you get one that fits your type of car - ours is for a small suv. The one downside of our cover is that the surface is a little slippery. I do have to be mindful when making turns otherwise Andy will slide right off the seat. Have been trying to think of ways to fix that issue. Other than that the car seat cover has saved our backseat from water, dirt, drool, and other more unsavory things.

What's Your Poison?

I've always known chocolate is toxic to dogs but it was only recently I found out from a neighbor that moldy black walnuts are also a no-no...not that I'd let Andy eat anything with mold on it anyways. While it's impossible to keep an exhaustive list in our minds of things that are toxic to our pups it is a good idea to at least be familiar with some common things around the house that can cause our dogs problems:

• people food (chocolate, avocado, macadamia nuts, etc.)
• medications for people
  
• chemicals (cleaning products, pesticides, etc.)
• household plants

Click here for a Top 10 list of dogs poisons as identified by WebMD.
Click here for an ASPCA list of People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
Click here for a comprehensive list of toxic and non-toxic plants from the ASPCA.

I was surprised to learn raisins and grapes are toxic to canines as well as xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly found in sugar-free gum and candy. When it comes to things in and around the house that may be toxic to our pups we all need to be vigilant and let common sense prevail. I've always had a bad habit of sharing food with my dogs in the past. Thankfully I managed to not give them anything toxic in all those years but with Andy I'm trying really hard to avoid the issue completely. This will not only keep my boy slim, it'll also ensure I don't inadvertently poison him, and that I can eat my meals in peace. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it!

Pup Tip | These Nuts Are Whack!

As we were walking Andy through a local park the other day a black walnut hit the ground a couple feet away from me with a loud thud. It fell at a pretty high velocity and had I been walking any slower it might have hit me square in the noggin - whack! Ouch! Thankfully I made it out of the park unscathed. Black walnuts are sold commercially in the U.S. but also grow in the wild. Squirrels would bring them into our backyard when we lived in Indiana and I see them all over the place here in Pennsylvania as well.

When black walnuts fall fresh from the tree they're covered with a tough husk. The husk is acid green in color and has a nice lemony scent. As the husk ages it turns black. These are the nuts you typically see on the ground in the fall. Dog owners need to be aware that these black walnuts can turn moldy. If your dog ingests a moldy black walnut he can get seriously ill. The moldy nuts are toxic and can cause tremors and seizures according to the ASPCA. Thankfully Andy pays no heed to the nuts we pass on the ground but their round shape may prove tempting to your pup. Keep them away!

Remembering Maxwell | Bees and Benadryl

Years ago, when we were still living in the Midwest, I let Maxwell out to do his business just before we were going to turn in. I watched him from the back porch as he walked the perimeter of the backyard. He was walking nose to ground, as hounds are apt to do, when suddenly he jerked his head up and shook it vigorously from side to side. I had a feeling he had been stung by an insect of some sort but thought little of it since he seemed unfazed by the attack and continued on his merry way. 

About 5 minutes later Maxwell came back inside the house and that's when I noticed a large welt on the side of his muzzle, where he had been stung. As I examined the welt the rest of his muzzle began to swell before my eyes. I started to panic when his muzzle nearly doubled in size. Since it was already past 11:00 p.m. I knew our vet wouldn't be around so I called our local animal emergency clinic. I explained the situation to the person on the other end of the line and she said it sounded like Maxwell was having an allergic reaction to a bee sting and that Benadryl should be enough to stop the reaction.

Pup Tip | Grow Your Own Greens

Moderate consumption of grassy greens can be quite beneficial for our furry friends. Greens (such as wheat grass) are fiber rich and contain folic acid and B vitamins and are a great natural supplement to your pet's commercial diet. Both dogs and cats may benefit from eating grass when they're experiencing stomach upset. This is going to sound gross, but if they consume enough grass it'll make them vomit and help clear out their system. Cats get an added benefit in that grass can help prevent the build-up of hairballs. 

I generally wouldn't recommend letting your pets eat lawn grass if you can help it. Lawn grass may have been exposed to pesticides and harbor parasites. Pre-grown pet grass sold at pet supply stores are preferable as they're grown in controlled environments and contain nutrient rich grass (such as wheat grass) as opposed to your run of the mill Kentucky bluegrass. But at $4-6 a pop pre-grown pet grass isn't cheap so here's a fun and cost effective alternative: grow your own greens! 

Pup Tip | Coupons

I hate paying full price for something when I know I can get my hands on a coupon. When at all possible I don't believe in paying retail. What can I say, I can be cheap like that. I see coupons for dog/cat food and treats in the Sunday paper all the time. Generally speaking these coupons are for brands like Purina or Alpo. I've also seen coupons for Freshpet products now and then. You may have noticed refrigerated units containing Freshpet products popping up just about everywhere. I have some first-hand experience with this brand that I can share at a later time.

If you want to get your hands on coupons for higher end brands, like Blue Buffalo or Wellness, you need not go any further than the computer before you. Most brands have communities you can join or newsletters you can sign up for. In exchange you will receive coupons via email, or in the case of Blue Buffalo, they will be mailed to the address you provide at sign up. I also recommend joining "perk" or "rewards" programs at your local pet supply store. If you keep an eye out for sales on your preferred brand of pet food you can combine the discount with a coupon for some pretty decent savings. Pablo approves!

Pup Tip | Discount Toys and Treats

I was at T.J. Maxx the other day and came across a decent selection of products for pets at heavily discounted prices (as compared to retail). You name it they had it - treats, toys, grooming supplies, bowls, beds, etc. I picked up a Nylabone Dog Chew (the one shaped like a bone) that retails for $6.49 for $1.99. Got the Rhino Chew above for $2.99.

They also had an assortment of "high end" treats. I got a bag of Get Naked dental chews which retail at Petco for $7.99 for $4.99. The biscuits also retail for $7.99 at Petco but were marked $2.99 at T.J. Maxx. I picked up random products and checked expiration dates and they were all good. Marshalls (owned by the same company) also has a similar selection.