We pet parents love our pups more than anything.

I’m sure that just like me, your dog is your world and you love to look after him or her as well as you can. The good news is, having a dog is great for us humans too!

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Happy Pet Parent

Have you decided to get a new dog? This article can help you decide on how to choose a new dog, or how your next dog might choose you!

The golden retriever is a popular choice for a family dog – check out why it might be a good choice for your family.

Lots of families these days like the idea of a doodle dog, as they’re known to shed less hair. That’s not always the case though. Find out more about doodles in this article.

Sometimes life is full-on and we don’t have as much time with our dogs as we’d like. Here are tips for keeping your dog happy even when you’re crazy busy.

One thing that’s often hard to keep on top of as a pet parent: keeping the house clean! Get the best tips for keeping your house clean with a dog in this article.

Get a fantastic picture of your pup made: Personalised dog art

The Hardest Part of Being a Pet Parent: Pet Loss

Unless you’ve never had a dog before, you’ll know exactly how heart breaking it is when you have to say goodbye to your beautiful fur baby. Here are some resources that I hope will help you through that process.

Grieving The Loss Of A Dog

Dog Cremation And Dog Memorials

An eBook Pet Grief Journal to assist on working through the grieving process – this can be used for any pets, not just dogs.

Dog Mom DIY Projects

Do you like sewing? Make a bat bow tie for your dog to celebrate Halloween.

This article shows you how to make a bow tie for your pup and a matching face mask for you.

Alternatively, you might like to see your dog in a bandana, rather than a bow-tie: here’s the pattern for an easy-sew dog bandana.

DIY Dog Toys

If you like to make your own dog toys, try these homemade dog toy projects.

5 Easy DIY Dog Toys To Make From Rubbish!

How To Make A Snuffle Mat For Your Dog

Make a dishwasher-washable, silicone snuffle mat for your dog

Other dog topics you might like:

Dog toys and games to play with your dog

Dog treats and dog food information

Dog care – keeping your dog happy and healthy – including dog DIY articles such as DIY dog paw balm

The post Pet Parents appeared first on Canine Compilation.

Mmm-hmmm… that gorgeous smell that wafts through the air when you go into some homes… It might be a zingy, citrusy scent, or something floral. Or… the smell of damp fur after a walk, smelly dog breath, or just a lingering doggy odour.

For us pet parents, an occasional stinky dog smell is a fact of life. We need to have ways to make our homes smell – and look – divine, but not all of them are dog-friendly.

Scented candles are just one way we can add a lovely fragrance. What’s more, certain candle scents can be calming to both us and our dogs. However, whilst some candles are safe for dogs, others certainly are not. The ingredients they are made from can potentially affect your dog’s health.

If we want to protect our precious pooches, we do need to be careful with the candles we burn.

Dogs have an incredibly powerful sense of smell – it has been estimated that they can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than we can. This means that they are particularly sensitive to smells and can be easily affected by strong or toxic scents.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

DO CANDLES CONTAIN HARMFUL INGREDIENTS?

When a candle burns, it releases chemicals into the air. The artificial scents and colours, as well as the base material in certain candles, can be harmful to dogs – and to us.

There are several ingredients in candles that can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and cancer, to name just a few.

However, not all essential oils used in scented candles are harmless to pets. Here is a list of essential oils that should never be used around dogs, as they are toxic to dogs.

TYPES OF CANDLES SAFE FOR DOGS

However, not all candles are bad for dogs, so what candles are safe for pets?

Instead of a paraffin candle, look for a soy, vegetable or beeswax base, none of which are believed to emit toxic fumes.

Scented candles should only contain natural, pure essential oils instead of artificial fragrance. Make sure they are dog-safe essential oils – here is a list of essential oils that are OK for dogs.

Avoid lead wicks. Instead, you need a cotton, wood or paper wick.

Candles made from dog-safe ingredients are usually more expensive, but that’s a small price for your dog’s and your own health, right?

DOG CANDLE SAFETY TIPS

Once you’ve found some dog-safe candles, there are a few other precautions to be aware of before you light up.

Wherever you burn the candle in your home, make sure your dog has the freedom to leave the room. Whilst dog-safe candles may not bother most pups, your dog might not like the fragrance, or the smoke of your candle.

If you can, keep the door or a window open, to ensure ventilation.

Keep your lovely candles out of reach of your dog. I’m always amazed by what some dogs eat: socks, tennis balls, cushions… and yes, some dogs would eat candles too!

From a fire safety point of view, it goes without saying that candles should be placed far from anything that could catch fire, such as curtains and upholstery.

DOG FRIENDLY CANDLES IN THE UK

Pooch and Pup

Pooch&Pup produce dog-safe candles, hand-poured in small batches in their Norfolk home in the UK. Their candles are 100% soy wax with cotton wicks, and are phthalate-free, cruelty-free. They are also plastic-free: all of their candles are poured in glass containers and they use recyclable, cardboard packaging. They donate £1 from each sale to the Many Tears Animal Rescue charity. As well as candles, they have a range of cute, paw-shaped wax melts too.

I love citrus scents, but I’m a sucker for the smell of roses too, so their Garden Rose & Sweet Orange candle was perfect for me!

It’s a really gorgeous combination and it makes my living room smell divine.

I bought this candle for myself but its combination of great fragrance and elegant presentation make it the perfect gift for any pet parents in your life.

Their other fragrances include:
* cedarwood, lavender & amber
* vanilla garden
* vanilla musk

Follow this link through and use the coupon code CANCOMP15 to get 15% discount on their products (excluding the gift sets).

See Range

DOG FRIENDLY CANDLES IN THE US

Made by pet parents for pet parents, these candles have thousands of 4.5 – 5 star rated reviews on Amazon. With up to 60 hours burn time, and many different fragrances available, there’s sure to be a scent perfect for your home.

They are made from:
* 100% natural soy wax
* 100% cotton wick
* non-toxic fragrance
* no dyes
* no parabens
* no pthalates
* no parabens

Get on Amazon

CLEANING TIPS TO KEEP YOUR HOME ODOUR FREE

You might just be interested in dog-safe candles because you love to burn candles and want to know your pet is protected. Some of us also use them to help make our homes smell nice. This article has lots of suggestions for ways we can help keep a house free of ‘eau-de-dog‘.

CONCLUSION

Burning the odd candle from time to time might not do any harm, but we should avoid candles that have ingredients in them that are known to be bad for dogs, or for us for that matter!

We can minimise potential problems by not burning candles all the time. Our dogs’ noses are far more sensitive than our own, so we should burn candles in a well-ventilated room and keep the door open so our dogs can leave the area if the candle emissions bother them.

Clearly, something as simple as a candle can have far-reaching consequences.

The post Are Candles Safe for Dogs? The Risks of Toxic Candles and Your Pet appeared first on Canine Compilation.

I love halloween, but there may be some aspects of it that our dogs don’t appreciate. Here are some tips for a spooky but safe Halloween for you and your dog.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

WALK YOUR DOG BEFORE DARK

All the things that make Halloween such fun for us – weird face painting, freaky costumes, spooky lighting – can make it equally scary for a dog.

Even the calmest dog can be spooked by something otherworldly and out-of-the-ordinary. If you walk your pup before dark, you should be able to avoid any such encounters.

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

There are some really cute Halloween costume for dogs, but what if your dog hates being put in a costume?

I’m lucky, I could put my girl in anything and she wouldn’t have a problem with it. However, not all pups are like that. If your dog is uncomfortable in costumes, how about a more simple Halloween costume that won’t upset her?

There are lots of lovely bow ties for dogs that you can buy, or make your own dog bow tie. You could even make your pup a gorgeous, bat-shaped Halloween bowtie like the one below – no sewing required!

HALLOWEEN DOG FOOD

All festive occasions involve food – a delicious treat for us but potentially problematic for our pups.

If you’re having a Halloween party, make sure Fido can’t get at the kids’ sugary trick-or-treat bowl. Not only is the sugar really bad for dogs (or potentially even worse, the toxic sugar replacement, xylitol), but they could choke on a candy and its wrapper.

Just because some human food is bad for your dog though, doesn’t mean your fur baby has to go without.

You could have a bowl of treats that are just for your dog and make sure that any guests know they can only give your dog those treats.

Dehydrated dog treats like chicken jerky are great for parties – if any of the 2-legged guests accidentally eat them, they’ll probably not even realise they were for your dog! Here’s a tutorial for how to make chicken jerky for your dog.

Making celebration cakes for a dog is fantastic fun. Here’s a recipe for a Halloween cake for dogs.

One of the things I most enjoy about Halloween is pumpkins, and that’s something I can share with my dog. Pumpkin is super healthy for dogs and there are plenty of pumpkin treats for dogs you can make.

TRICK OR TREATERS AT THE DOOR

Where I live, the general rule of thumb if you’re participating in Halloween is to put a carved, lit pumpkin in the window, a sign to the local kids that there’s a bowl of yummy trick-or-treat candies waiting for them. Otherwise, close your curtains and you won’t be bothered by trick-or-treaters (these days there’s only treats, no tricks!)

Thankfully, my dog doesn’t get upset when people come to the door or ring the bell, but not all dogs are like that. If your pup does get upset with people coming to the house, make sure she has a safe space to snuggle up in, where she can get some distance from all the excitement at the front door.

Even dogs that don’t normally have problems with visitors can end up feeling overwhelmed by a constant stream of excited children in strange looking costumes. If you keep your dog in another room, both she and your visitors will stay safe and calm.

You could also put some calming music for dogs on in whatever room she’s in.

HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS

Sadly, most candles nowadays are bad for dogs. They’re made with potentially toxic things like synthetic fragrance oils and paraffin.

Dog-safe candles can be made from beeswax, coconut wax, natural soy or vegetable-based wax, with something like a cotton, lead-free wick. Since some essential oils are toxic to dogs, beware using scented candles. If you want to know more about essential oils for dogs, see this article.

So if your dog is in the same part of the house as your lit pumpkin, could you use a pet-friendly candle in it instead of a standard tea-light?

Another consideration is to make sure that Fido can’t jump up and knock any candles over. The last thing you want is to be putting out house fires!

With a little careful consideration, Halloween can be a hoot for you and your dog!

The post Halloween For Dogs: Tricks, Treats and No Trauma appeared first on Canine Compilation.

It turns out that although dogs shake for different reasons, one of them is that, just like sniffing, shaking also appears to release tension and lower their pulse rate.

I’ll go over the other reasons a dog shakes in another article, but I really wanted to explore how by shaking itself, a dog appears to be calmer and less anxious. I also want to share how I’ve adapted this observation to create an effective way to help a reactive dog calm down once the trigger’s gone.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

RESEARCH ABOUT DOGS SHAKING

In their citizen science experiment, the Dog Field Study, researchers concluded that when a dog ‘shakes it off’, it results in a lower pulse rate. This ‘shaking it off’ behaviour was often seen when the dog’s pulse rate was particularly high.

Here is a link to the video of their observations about how shaking affects a dog’s pulse rate.

Tap twice to load then open Video...

Think about your own dog, and when he or she vigourously shakes. Does she do it right after something else happens? Did she see a squirrel, or a cat? If her reactivity is bicycles, for instance, did someone ride past?

You might notice that whatever the trigger is that upsets your dog, she does a full body shake for a couple of seconds after the trigger’s gone. This kind of shake looks like what a dog does after getting wet, not if she shivers because she’s cold, for instance. This shake helps her by releasing some tension and lowering her pulse.

ANIMALS IN THE WILD AND SHAKING

As I researched the phenomenon more, I came across the work of psychologist, Peter Levine. He saw that animals in the wild don’t show signs of stress. He describes how an impala freezes and goes into an unconscious state once it is caught by a predator, such as a cheetah. If the cheetah doesn’t eat the impala right away, let’s say she takes it back to her lair to eat it later, the impala might still escape with its life. If it wakes up from its unconscious, frozen state before being eaten, there’s a chance it will get up and run away to safety. (from the book Peter Levine: Waking the Tiger)

Levine says:

“When it is out of danger, the animal will literally ‘shake off’ the residual effects of the immobility response and gain full control of its body. It will then return to its normal life as if nothing had happened.”  [my italics]

Peter Levine

So, how do these observations about shaking help us as pet parents with nervous, stressed or reactive dogs?

APPLYING THIS TO A REACTIVE DOG

Aside from drenching our dogs with water after we see a trigger, we can’t guarantee that our dogs will shake, thereby losing the potential for their pulse to lower and for them to return to a calmer state.

My dober-daughter sometimes reacts when she sees other dogs. Her dog-dog reactivity is something we’ve both been working on for some time, and she responds much more calmly now when we come across another dog. Both she and I have learned how to manage these occurrences better. If you have a reactive dog too, you’ll know that any techniques that help you and your pup feel calmer are very welcome.

First, I give Toxa time to recover once we get distance from the trigger (another dog). Very often, she will indeed shake. I’ve even started to coordinate a voice command ‘Shake!’ when she shakes, to encourage her to do it in future.

After shaking it off, she can usually resume the walk fairly calmly.

If she doesn’t ‘shake it off’ afterwards, I’ve noticed that she pulls on the lead and continues on the walk in a heightened, hyper-alert state. Many dog trainers describe this as a dog’s ‘bucket’ getting too full as the tension and anxiety continue to build.

A TECHNIQUE YOU CAN TEACH AND CUE FOR LOWERING TENSION IN DOGS

However, I’ve been experimenting with another way to get the same results as the shake.… I ask her to do a jump.

Of course, you’ll need to teach your dog to jump on the spot for this, but that’s a fairly easy behaviour to teach on cue.

Her jumping seems to get the same results as shaking. If she still seems tense, I ask her to do a couple more jumps, until she is calmer. After that, she continues without pulling and her behaviour is indeed calmer.

Both the shaking and jumping are full-body, physical activities, and in my observations, they both seem to have the same desired effect of reducing my dog’s tension. Result!

So, if you’re looking for ways to help your reactive dog with her reactivity when out on walks or in the face of her triggers, let her shake to her heart’s content, and try the jumping technique. Let me know how it works for you!

The post How to Help Reactive Dogs Feel Calmer: Two Techniques appeared first on Canine Compilation.

Scroll through the photos on your phone and what will you find? Pictures of your partner, garden and human kids? Or pictures of your dog…? Most of us pet parents have waaay more photos of our fur babies than anything else!

And like most pet parents, I think that my girl is the most beautiful dog in the world! Since we tend to only have photos on our phones though, I thought it would be wonderful to have a personalised pet picture made of her, to hang up in my house. What could be better than having some cute, funny, custom art work of her on my wall, too?

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

PERSONALISED PET ARTWORK

There are lots of beautiful designs available at Guilty Paws, so it took me a while to choose exactly what I wanted. Thankfully the website is very clear and easy to use though, with lovely examples of different pet artwork options and helpful information about each product.

You can choose from glamourous magazine cover artwork and customised mugs, as well as posters based on the notion of a police ‘rapsheet’. The rapsheet was perfect for my cheeky doberpup!

The pet canvases (mugshots!) come in different sizes, from 9×12″ up to 18×24″. How big is your wall space…? Alternatively, you can order just a digital download of the artwork.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN TEXT

Once you’ve chosen your product style, you decide on the text you want on your artwork.You’re given various cheeky, funny options.

First, you can specify a ‘crime’: Indecent exposure, public urination, eating garbage, shoe thief… There are more than 25 naughty things to choose from, or you can specify your own. My girl loves to run, I mean really, really loves to run, so I chose ‘speeding’.

If you go for the rapsheet, as I did, you can then choose the ‘Police (Pawlice) Dept’ and height marks. That’s it, so simple!

Finally, I chose a vintage filter for Toxa, but I could have chosen full colour or black and white.

These are the details I sent them for my custom artwork of my dog:

name: Toxa
crime: Speeding
police station: Pawlice Dept.
height mark: 24″
style: Vintage
size: 12×16″

GET THE RIGHT PHOTO OF YOUR PET

You’ll need to upload a photo of your pet for the graphic artist to work with. I recommend you read the photo guidelines on the website to get the purfect image of your pet.

The guidelines are straightforward: what was difficult was choosing JUST ONE photo of my girl. It’s so tempting to have one of each product, with a different pic on each one!

This is the original photo I sent to Guilty Paws. I chose this one because I liked the idea of her wearing clothes in the mugshot, more like a person.

The next day I got an email with a design proof to check and approve. Their digital artist cuts out any background, leaving nothing more than your gorgeous pup looking out at you from the screen.

There was no need to make any changes to the proof: it was exactly as I’d requested. A few days later, a carefully boxed package arrived with my crazy canine’s mugshot inside.

Here’s the custom canvas artwork of my dog.

It comes with a hanging fixing on the back, but I decided I liked it leaning on my mantelpiece more.

Here’s a close-up of the hanging fixing on the back.

You can see that the folds and edging on the canvas are really neat and tidy.

Right: a close-up of the canvas quality.

I absolutely love this canvas of my dog. It’s funny, just like her, and it’s great quality. It looks purfect gracing my lounge, and it makes everyone who comes to visit smile and admire it.

If you’re looking for somewhere to get custom pet artwork for your dog (or cat/rabbit/gerbil…?), or a gift for a pet parent, I really recommend Guilty Paws. The whole process was easy and seamless from ordering to receiving the pet canvas. Honestly, the only difficult aspect of it was deciding just which photo to use…

Do you want to capture your pet’s unique personality with a fun and hilarious portrait of your furriest family member too? Get 10% off + Free Shipping of any of Guilty Paw’s custom pet artwork of your own beautiful pup with the Coupon Code: CANINE

Deal ID – 940701. Click on this link to get free shipping too!

The post Best Personalised Dog Art appeared first on Canine Compilation.

The Golden Retriever is one of the most adopted dog breeds in the world, with an impressive history and a joyful personality. Although my current preference is for a dobermann, as a kid I grew up with these wonderful dogs as our family pets. These dogs are some of the most well-rounded family pets you could ask for. Their friendly, playful, loyal, and easy-to-train nature makes them an ideal fit for anyone who is looking for a family pet companion. Moreover, they can be great around children, particularly if they are provided with appropriate training.

Once you adopt a golden retriever, you want to know that your baby is growing up healthy and strong. You can check their weight, height, and head circumference on a golden retriever growth chart. You can also utilize this chart to know what size dog supplies you might need to fulfill the needs of your growing pup.

However, there are a wide range of reasons why this breed could be the ideal choice for your family. Here are five of them:

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

THEY ARE LOVING AND INTELLIGENT DOGS

The popularity of golden retrievers has soared in the last few years, and for a good reason. They are loyal, intelligent, and friendly to everyone around them. This means that if you are looking for a dog that remains with you through all ups and downs, the Golden Retriever might be the dog for you. 

Moreover, imparting training to them is not a difficult job for pet parents. This means that they learn faster, and it’s easy to teach them new tricks. Golden Retrievers are also extremely intelligent and very sensitive to praise and rewards. They respond well to positive reinforcement, so they will be delighted to do whatever you ask as long as you ensure they know how proud you are when they’ve been good.

THEY ARE PLAYFUL AND AFFECTIONATE

Golden Retrievers are popular for their energy and playfulness, particularly when they are around children. They love to play around and zoom around the yard with their owners. They also enjoy playing fetch with a ball or toy, which is a great method to bond them with your children and other family members.

Golden Retrievers like attention, whether it’s being petted or simply sitting in your lap while you read a book or watch TV — they will often cuddle you whenever they get the chance. This makes them perfect companions for cuddling on cold nights in front of a fireplace, too, or even just on rainy days when everyone else is stuck inside.

GOLDEN RETRIEVERS ARE EASY TO TRAIN DOGS

One thing is sure – golden retrievers are very easy to train. This is because they look for ways to please their owners, and they love learning new things. In addition, they also like to be involved in whatever you’re doing, so if you need help training your dog, try teaching him a few commands. Once he begins to respond to them, you will feel proud of yourself and your golden retriever.

If your golden retriever is a puppy, start training him early, so he knows what is expected from him when he gets older. Some common commands include “sit” and “stay.” These commands can help keep your dog safe by making sure that he doesn’t run into the street or get into trouble around other people’s homes.  

THEY ARE PROTECTIVE

Golden Retrievers are known for their protective nature, making them excellent guard dogs. This means that they can protect your family, which is necessary if you have small children or live in a high-crime area. Even if you don’t want your Golden Retriever to be trained as a guard dog, they will still do their best to be cautious about everything going on around them.

They’re particularly good watchdogs because of how vocal they are—they’ll bark whenever any known person steps into the house unexpectedly or if there’s something unfamiliar happening outside. However, this trait can turn into a disadvantage when people want silence while they’re sleeping. That’s why it’s essential not to leave them alone outside at night unless you want constant barking throughout the night. 

THEY ARE LOYAL

Golden Retrievers are loyal to their families. However, they prefer being disloyal to other dogs, other animals, or even people outside of their families.

This means that if you have a Golden Retriever and an Australian Shepherd living under the same roof, the chances of tension are high. The Golden Retriever is going to want to spend all his time with his human and not really give any attention to the Aussie.

You may find yourself having to train your dog so he will bear the presence of others like cats or hamsters in the house. Even after being trained, the golden retriever can’t bear other dogs messing up his belongings like bedding, toys, leashes, and others.

CONCLUSION

I am sure these reasons have made you confident about the fact that the golden retriever is indeed a great family dog.

The key takeaway from this post is that golden retrievers are great family dogs because they are intelligent and friendly but also calm enough for smaller children to play with them without being harmed. Lastly, they have a lot of energy. So, they need plenty of exercise and playtime. But they also like to cuddle next to you when it’s time for bed. Before adopting, it’s important to know everything about the golden retriever. You may want to check their common physical characteristics, personality, health, and other aspects to ensure you can manage all these aspects throughout their life.

The post Looking for a Family Dog? – 5 Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Are the Right Choice appeared first on Canine Compilation.

Your dog is an important member of your family, and you want to make sure that he or she is always looking and feeling their best. 

Part of being a responsible pet parent is knowing how to properly groom your dog. Believe it or not, not grooming your dog properly can lead to some serious health problems, and grooming doesn’t mean just brushing your dog’s fur!

This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when grooming your dog.

First, you need to be gentle. Dogs have sensitive skin, and you don’t want to hurt them while you’re grooming them. Not only that, some dogs dislike being groomed and need to be handled with extra love and care.

Second, you need to be patient. Grooming can be a long process, especially if your dog is particularly hairy. 

Finally, you need to be consistent. It’s important to groom your dog on a regular basis so that they stay clean and healthy.

Here are a few tips on how to groom your dog properly:

BRUSHING A DOG

You should brush your dog’s fur on a regular basis. This will help to remove any dirt or debris that may be trapped in their fur. 

It will also help to keep their fur looking shiny and healthy. You should use a soft brush on your dog’s fur to avoid harming their skin.

DOG BATHING

You should bathe your dog regularly, but not too often. Over-bathing can strip the natural oils from their fur, which can lead to dryness and irritation. 

When you bathe your dog, only use a mild shampoo for dogs and make sure to rinse all of the soap out of their fur. Some people think it’s OK to use dish detergent as shampoo for dogs, but it really isn’t very good for your dog’s skin and there are lots of dog-safe alternatives.

If your dog is a little smelly, it might not be necessary to fully bathe them – here are lots of alternative ways to get rid of the doggy smell without a bath.

You could also try my DIY dry dog shampoo recipe: it’s easy to make up, doesn’t go off, and my dog would much rather be brushed down with this that have a bath!

NAIL CARE FOR DOGS

It’s important to keep your dog’s nails trimmed. Long nails can be uncomfortable for your dog and can also cause damage to your furniture or floors. 

You can either trim your dog’s nails yourself or take them to a professional groomer. 

If you decide to do it yourself, you must be careful. If you trim them too short you can cause your dog pain, and nails bleed, A LOT!

DOG EAR CARE

You should check your dog’s ears on a regular basis and clean them if necessary. Dog ear infections are the second most common reason for a vet visit, so it’s important to keep your pup’s ears clean. 

You can either use a cotton ball dipped in water or a dog-safe ear-cleaning solution to clean your dog’s ears. Be sure not to insert anything into their ear canal.

DOG DENTAL CARE

Just like humans, dogs need to have their teeth brushed on a regular basis. 

Dental problems are really common in dogs, so it’s important to keep their teeth clean and healthy by removing any plaque or tartar that has built up. 

It’s best to use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs. You can also give your dog dental chew treats to help keep their teeth clean.

You’ll find much more dog dental care advice in this article.

DIET

What your dog eats plays a huge role in their overall health, including their skin and fur. Make sure you’re feeding your dog a healthy diet that’s wholesome, fresh and nutritious. It’s crucial that you research the food you are giving to your dog.

Some dogs are prone to skin issues and allergies, and the cause is often food-related. A lot of dogs are sensitive to certain ingredients in their food, such as sugar or carbohydrates. 

Yeast is also a problem for these dogs, and it can grow unchecked in areas like the armpits and pads, causing extreme irritation. Some owners see an improvement in their dog’s condition by switching to a raw food diet. 

KEEP YOUR DOG HAPPY AND HEALTHY WITH THESE HOME-MADE RAW TREATS

Raw Fed Dog Treat Guide – eBook

In the Raw Fed Dog Treat Guide, you’ll find over 40 pages of raw treat ideas and recipes, perfect for your four-legged best friend.

From frozen treats for summer days to dehydrated delicacies, or nutritionally complete treats to raw celebration cakes – there’s something for everyone, or rather, everyone’s dog.

$9.99

Shop now

HAIRCUTS

Dogs with long fur may need to have their fur trimmed on a regular basis. 

This will help to keep their fur from getting tangled or matted. It’s important to use scissors that are designed specifically for dog grooming.

You should never shave your dog’s fur down to the skin – this can lead to irritation and even infection. 

If you’re not comfortable giving your dog a haircut, you can take them to a professional groomer.

SUPPLEMENTS

There are a variety of supplements that you can give your dog to help with their skin and fur. These supplements can include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and biotin. 

Supplements can help to improve the quality of your dog’s skin and fur. When your dog is receiving the right amount of nutrients, it can help to prevent skin problems and make their fur look shiny and healthy. 

Just make sure to check with your vet before giving your dog any supplements.

EXERCISE

Dogs need exercise to stay happy and in great condition, just like people do. It is important for your dog’s overall health that they get enough exercise. 

It is important for all dogs, but it’s especially important for dogs with skin problems. Exercise helps to improve circulation and increase the oxygen flow to the skin. This can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing. 

Exercise can help to reduce stress, and in turn helps to lessen skin and fur problems.

Dogs benefit from mental as well as physical exercise though, and not all dogs need the same level of exercise.

This article on walking your dog looks at the alternatives to long daily walks and how to provide your pup with the physical and mental stimulation they need.

CONCLUSION

Last but not least, remember to have fun while grooming your dog. 

This is a great time to bond with your fur kid. Most dogs will love the attention and affection that you are give them. 

If you want more in-depth knowledge on how to groom your dog yourself, you can get yourself some books on dog grooming or ask your veterinarian for advice. 

Grooming is an important part of being a responsible pet parent, and by taking the time to groom your dog properly, you can help to keep them healthy and looking their best.

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