Human Foods You Should NOT Feed Your Pet

 

How can you resist that face?  I mean, he looks so hungry and there you are with your full plate of steaming hot delicious food.  It's the holidays and he should have a treat too! You're torturing him!  Well, just so you know, dogs always look hungry.  It's a survival mechanism that began long ago when wolves first crept around our campfires.  They learned to be cute to get our scraps.  We're suckers for sure.  Now, grab a hold of your pity and steady your resolve because those left-overs are bad for Fido and you won't be doing him any favors.  The problem with most people food is the manner in which it is cooked.  Chicken, for instance, is fine as long as it's not covered in spices, salt, and oil.  Since almost all of our food is seasoned, it's just safer not to give table scraps to your pet.  I've compiled a list here of foods that are big no-no's for dogs and cats.  The afflictions that these foods cause range from vomiting and diarrhea to kidney damage, toxicity, and death.  To have a safe holiday and not spend it at the vet's office, this is what you should avoid:

1. Chocolate, Tea, Coffee, and anything with caffeine.
2. Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit)
3. Raw garlic
4. Grapes, Raisins
5. Hops - That's beer to you and me.
6. Macadamia Nuts
7. Onions, onions, onions!
8. Pepper
9. Blackberries
10. Salt
11. Avocado
12. Spices - Most are harmful so just stay away from them all.
13. Spinach
14. Raw yeast dough
15. Bones - Buy the ones from the pet store and don't give ones from your table.  They are too small and can cause choking and stomach perforation.
16. Fat trimmings- This is a favorite scrap of many people but it can actually cause pancreatitis.
17. Mushrooms
18. Raw eggs
19. Vitamins containing Iron
20. Dairy - It's not toxic but don't give it to your pup or kitty on a regular basis.

Setting Ground Rules

One of the things that I encourage all of my clients to do is to teach their dog commands.  From "sit" and "stay" to "rollover", "crawl" and "jump."  Some view commands as not letting dogs be dogs.  Some think that we are inhibiting their natural state.  This simply isn't so.  In the wild, the dog pack leader can control his pack with a simple look.  When we bring dogs into our homes and then let them run free, we are upsetting the natural order because dogs are missing the structure provided in the pack.  Can you imagine our society without any rules whatsoever? To replace this lost structure, we need to teach our dogs things like not jumping on the sofa until invited,  to sit and wait until we allow them to move to the food bowl,  or to not jump on visitors.  These things teach Fido that you are the pack leader and they also engage his brain.  It's very important to engage your dog in mental stimulation every single day.  This will help him stay emotionally stable.  He will have less behavioral problems in the long run.  We have a tendency to start some new rule and then get lazy.  Then our dogs break the rule and trying to train them over again becomes much much harder.  They know we'll probably give up and so they wait us out.  Consistency is the key. 

Here are a few tips for successful training:

1. Teach only one new command per week.   Start with "sit", use it every day, and build from there.

2. Speak in a firm, conversational voice.  Yelling is no good.  It just causes anxiety.  Besides, do you really want to yell at your dog to get him to comply all the time?

3. Stand up straight but remain relaxed when teaching commands. 

4. Assume your dog is going to do it right and limit your frustration.  This is a fun activity.  If you are frustrated, your dog can hear, smell, and see it.  Dogs will not follow a frustrated leader.  Take a few breaths and start over.

5. Use treats and praise.  Eventually, you will only need to use praise but in the beginning this will help get your dog's attention.  Show him the treats in your hand before you start.

6.  Make sure your dog completely performs the task, wait a beat, and then reward. 

7.  Don't continue to repeat the command.  Say it once while making eye contact and wait 10 seconds.  If he doesn't respond, then say it again.

8.  Do not reward anxious energy from your dog.  For example, if your dog sits on command but then wags his tail rapidly while seated and kind of wobbles from side to side, then don't reward him.  He is not really listening to you.  He is focused on that treat!  Wait until he calms down and then reward.

9.  Train before meal time.  If your dog is hungry then he will be more focused on you and your handful of treats.

10.  End each training session with lots of love and continue using those commands throughout each day.  If you don't happen to have a treat handy, then a scratch behind the ear and a "good boy" goes a long way.

Happy Training!

The Story of Buddy

I came by my love of animals naturally. No one in my family has ever been able to say "no" to an animal in need. This story is not about me though. It's about my mother and a dog named Buddy. I don't have a picture to show you so just know that he was a big, fluffy, cream and white mutt with the sweetest brown eyes you've ever seen.
One crisp morning in 1987 as my mom was taking the freeway to work with her friend, Gretchen, she noticed a car on the shoulder of the fast lane. As they passed by, she looked into the rearview mirror just in time to see two big golden brown eyes staring back at her. Quickly, she pulled over onto the shoulder and ran back to the car. There she found a big, fluffy, cream and white dog laying underneath the front of it. He had wounds on his hip and scrapes on his elbows. As she approached, the dog didn't growl or bark as stray animals will do when wounded. He simply raised his head to gaze at her. She crouched down to get a better look and noticed that his left front paw was stuck inside the bottom of the engine and he began thrashing to get it free. This must have happened on the impact somehow. There was no driver in the car and she couldn't see anyone on foot nearby. She motioned to Gretchen and asked her to take the car and go find a vet. Then, without another thought, crawled underneath the car in her white uniform to get a better look. She felt around but couldn't figure out a way to remove the paw so she began to gently pet the dog and talk to him. At least, she could comfort him. Every few minutes he would start to panic and every few minutes she would say "It's okay, buddy. We are going to get you out of this."
She waited and waited. Her hip was growing numb from laying on the pavement and her arm was completely asleep from cradling the dog's head. Then she heard a truck pull up behind the car. Finally, help had arrived. A man made his way to her and asked her about the dog. He was from Animal Control and upon hearing of the situation told my mother that he was going to have to remove the dog's leg and then "take him away." My mother wrapped her body around the dog, looked at the man and said " You are not TAKING this dog." The man, irritated, walked away for a few minutes and then returned to try to coax her into moving. My mother turned away from the man and said "Well, then you'll have to take me too." The dog, now quiet, was going into shock and she wrapped herself more tightly around him to keep him warm. Again the man approached, this time threatening her with legal action. Again, she turned the man away. The Animal Control officer went back to his car and waited. More minutes ticked by. She couldn't feel her legs anymore. Another car pulled up and she heard the short whistle of a police siren. She thought "This is it. I'm going to have to give him up." Two policemen approached and again she relayed dog's condition and Gretchen's impending arrival with a veterinarian. The police stepped back to talk more privately. She couldn't hear what was being said over the cars roaring by next to her. Then, one of the policemen came forward and knelt down. "Ma'am, I have two dogs at home. I'm an animal lover too. We'll try to find a way to get him out safely." As the policeman and his partner were discussing the situation, Mom continued to talk and sing to the dog. At this point she couldn't tell which parts of her were numb and which were normal. She just knew she was aching all over. Just when she thought she couldn't bear it anymore, all of a sudden, unceremoniously, the dog gently removed his own paw out of the engine. She yelled to the policeman "He's out! He's out!" By petting and soothing him, he relaxed enough to free himself. She carefully picked up the dog and attempted to stand but immediately her legs buckled. She had been under the car for two hours. The policeman grabbed her by the arm. "Let's just stand here a moment until you get your balance. His partner, anxious to get all of them off the freeway , stopped traffic and then took her other arm. They held onto her and she held onto the dog as they crossed the four lanes of traffic. On the other side, Gretchen was waiting with the car. "I couldn't get a vet to come here but they are waiting for us to take him in." Mom and Gretchen rushed the dog to the vet where he was admitted straight away as promised. After a couple of days at the vet and many many stitches, we picked the dog up and brought him to my grandparents to live. Buddy, as he came to be known, stayed there for the rest of his natural life and we would go visit him on weekends. He was a friendly dog and loved everyone he met but there was always a very special bond between him and my mom.

Transference of Energy

Ever have one of those mornings where everything seems to go awry? You wake up late because you forgot to set the alarm. The coffee maker explodes. You can't find your keys, etc. The day progresses and hopefully you've worked your way through the madness. Then, when you arrive home, you find your dog sitting in a pile of fabric that was once your favorite pair of shoes. Well, I can't explain why your coffee maker exploded or why it is that you can't seem to remember to set your alarm (shame on you! how old are you again?) but I can explain why Rover decided to have a leathery lunch. Dogs aren't the mind readers we want them to be but they do pick up on moods. They do it by reading your body language, by smelling you, and listening to the quality of your voice. You can't hide very much from them in the way of emotions because that is the only way they know how to communicate with you. If you are anxious, frantic, angry, sick, or nervously excited, your dog interprets this as unstable energy. He thinks "My owner is anxious so there must be a reason to be anxious and the worst part is....I don't even know what the threat is!" You left in a frenzy this morning and now he's home alone in the same mood. You eventually work out your anxiety but you are his whole world and he's home alone and filled to the brim with anxiety. He's gotta release that bad energy and what better way then by chewing on something. This is one thing that dogs have over us humans. We tend to bottle things up and "deal with it." They know they have to let it out. The worst thing we can do for our pets is to anticipate their bad behavior. If every time a guest knocks on your door you think "Oh, I hope Misha doesn't jump on them too much this time" then Misha is definitely going to jump all over your guests. Your dog can sense your nervous thoughts however fleeting they may be. We can't be on point all the time but we can remember to counter negative thoughts with calm and positive ones. If you are in a situation in which your dog usually acts out, then take your time and relax first. Don't proceed until you feel you are in control of the situation. Stop around the corner before you get to the yard that has the rabid German Shepherd and do some deep breathing and if you must anticipate, then anticipate Rover walking easily by without so much as a raised ear in the other dogs' direction.

The Importance of the Walk

Yes, it's important to take your dog out to relieve himself. In fact, every 5 or 6 hours during the day your puppy HAS to go. The walk is far more important than that, however. Unlike us, the dog's most powerful sense is smell. Up to 40% of their brain activity is designated for discovering and interpreting scents. Just look at the above illustration at the nasal cavity. It's gigantic! Whereas humans can only detect the most prominent smell in a room, your dog can simultaneously smell the furniture, your shampoo, what you had for lunch, what's in the garbage can, that cat that rubbed against your leg 4 hours ago, and the mud on the bottom of your shoe. When you take fido for a walk, it's like a smorgasbord for his brain. Every patch of grass is exciting to him. I would imagine it's akin to reading a good book or seeing a movie. Then he gets the added bonus of meeting other canines on the walk. Oh boy, how great is that!?! A dog's second most prominent sense is hearing. He can hear 4 times farther than you and more pitches. Trapped in your home all day, your dog gets bored. Same scents. Same sounds. Boredom leads to anxiety which leads to unwanted behaviors (i.e. ripping up shoes, compulsive grooming, excessive barking, etc) and your dog becomes unbalanced and unhappy. He needs to burn off that excess energy and pull in some new experience to his consciousness. The walk is also an opportunity for bonding with your dog. In the dog world, they don't sit around and bark at each other to relate. They move as a pack. There is something that I like to call "the zone" that happens on a long walk. Your dog gets in rhythm with your steps and both of you are silent and you begin to feel like you are moving as one unit. When I'm working with dogs, I notice a shift in their willingness to learn after we've had a walk "in the zone". This state of being is heaven to your pup. You are part of his pack. You are bonding with him. Remember, dogs interpret humans talking as excitement so silence really is key. Your being relaxed and walking with him is more positive reinforcement than you could ever imagine. You are taking him out of our artificial world of computers, t.v., loud noises, etc and bringing him back to his true habitat. The walk is also one of the best ways to establish yourself as the pack leader. The pack leader always walks in front so make sure Fifi isn't walking you. Good discipline on the walk will make all of his unwanted behaviors in the home easier to control as well. I think I could go on for days about this topic but the best way to sum it up is that dogs need to walk like fish need to swim.

Little Devils

Have you ever seen a Chihuahua shake? Ever see a Maltese growl and lunge? It's pretty common. It's natural for us to see these behaviors as cute. Something so small growling and even biting our pant leg is quite funny. The real story behind this behavior is not so cute and we, as humans, are usually the cause. A hundred pound Rottweiler's aggression is just the same as six pound Shih Tzu's but it comes in a smaller package so it's seen as adorable. Both dogs are equally unbalanced and it's torturous for them to spend a great deal of time in a tense or angry state. Little dogs are more quickly controlled so it's easier to ignore and stifle bad behaviors rather than dealing them. After all, you can just pick them up! And that's the beginning of the problem. Dogs don't want to be picked up. We may think they do but that's because we've actually trained them that way. When you continually pick up a dog, it feels powerless and develops anxiety and low self-esteem. How would you feel if you were going about your business and someone just came by and snatched you up about 20 times a day? This is why Chihuahua's shake. They are scared of everything they come into contact with because they lack confidence. I have seem some well-balanced ones but it is very rare. And I can't count how many aggressive little dogs I've come into contact with. The owners just laugh and call them "spunky" or "feisty" and then complain about them barking or biting visitors and peeing on the floor. The cure for these bad behaviors is to set boundaries with your dog and establish yourself as the pack leader. In the wild, dogs run in packs with a very clear leader who runs the show. If you aren't running the show in your home, then guess who is? The first thing you can do is not allow your little one to jump in your lap every time he feels like it. You can also train him to stay away from the door when visitors arrive. There are 1,000 ways to set limits for your pup but some people feel bad about doing this with a little dog. Just remember that you are doing it for him. He knows that a strong pack leader sets the rules but also protects him. Since aggression is predominantly the result of fear, your dog won't bother trying to "protect" his home or his family because he knows that this is your job. It will put him at ease. No more pressure! He will have a happier and healthier life because of it.

Why We Should Be More Like Dogs

This is a picture of Junior. He is a Black Lab/ Rottweiler mix with severe fear and aggression issues. When my client adopted him, we learned that he had been abused and then chained to a tree and abandoned for at least a month. Junior has come a long way but he still has plenty of problems. One such problem is the vet's office. No big surprise there. I end up taking Junior to the vet about once every six months and he loves the ride in the car. He pokes his head out the window and takes in all the wonderful smells on the way there. This is the only time he ever gets to ride in a car. Yesterday's vet experience was particularly turbulent. Every time we go, the vet has to lasso him from a distance and then tie him to the platform. The vet clipped his claws yesterday and accidentally cut two of his nails into the quick. He yelped, thrashed, and almost severely injured himself by trying to jump down while still tethered to the platform. After this trip, I just knew Junior would be reluctant to ever get in the car again but today when we were walking, he saw my car and immediately yanked me towards it. I opened the passenger door to get my cell phone and he jumped right in with a big goofy grin on his face. You would think that he would've formed a horrible association with the car because that is what transports him to the vet but he hasn't. Even the day after a traumatic experience, he was ready to hop right in. Some would say that dogs are simple but what we know about their brains tells us that they live in the moment. Junior didn't care if he was going to end up at the vet. He just wanted to feel the breeze in his face again. So, when you start your commute home from work today and your head is still swimming with unfinished business and frustrations, take a moment to roll down your window, stick your head out, and enjoy the ride.

Whiskers

Your cat has around 24 whiskers on her cheeks and even more above her eyes and on the backs of her legs. Apart from being simply adorable, these little hairs are very essential for your feline. Also known as vibrissae, whiskers pick up vibrations in the air currents around them. That's why felines are so adept at moving around at night. As they wander through your home, the air currents around furniture and heavy objects change slightly. This allows even blind cats to have a good sense of direction. They are also important for measuring space. The length of the whiskers from tip to tip is roughly the same width as the body. That's why you see kitty poking her head into tight spaces first. She's measuring to see if she'll fit. These little antennae are also good for judging your cat's mood. If she's angry or scared, the whiskers will be pulled back. If she's happy, curious, or her normal haughty self, they will be pushed forward in all their glory.

*photo by Eva101 via Flickr

Dog Days of Summer Pt. 2

It just can't get much hotter than this! Triple digits all week. That's why I thought it best to revisit ways to protect your pups from the heat. When the temperature rises there are several things you can do to minimize your pet's chances of heat exhaustion and skin cancer.

Skin cancers are the most common tumor in dogs according to caninecancer.com. We often forget that the little guys are susceptible because they are covered in fur. Dogs with short or light-colored coats have the highest risk of developing cancer. (think Pit Bulls, Dalmations, Bull Terriers, Boxers) It's very popular here in L.A. to shave your dog for comfort but all of that skin is now exposed and needs protecting. Most pet retailers carry dog sunscreen and this is very important if you are taking your dog out for an hour or more. Don't use sunscreen for people on dogs. Some are safe, but a lot of them are toxic and you know Fido is going to lick it off! Apply the sunscreen to areas of low pigmentation like the bridge of the nose, the ear tips, and the skin around the lips. Apply it to all shaved areas as well. If they like to lay around with their belly in the sun this should be discouraged as much as possible. Basically, if the conditions are right for you to get sunburned so can your pet. Also, make sure your vet checks all moles regularly and give your pet a good once-over every week or so. This is a good habit in general. It will keep you apprised of any new developments in your buddy's health. And if you forget all of the above and your dog does get sunburned then apply 100% Aloe Vera with no additives to the affected area.

Another important thing to look out for in these fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk temps is heat exhaustion. Signs of heat exhaustion are labored or rapid breathing, resistance to walking, and sluggishness. You should be able to tell if the panting is abnormal. If this occurs you need to find a patch of shade and cool your dog down by rehydrating her (bring a collapsable bowl) and pouring water over her neck and chest. Always take water with you when you exercise your furry friend in warm weather. Try not to exercise her when the temperature reaches 95 degrees or higher. Opt for morning and afternoon walks instead. Of course, she will need to be taken out to do her very important business so cut those walks down to 30 minutes or less. And if you have to keep your pup outside during the day, make sure you provide plenty of water and plenty of shade. She will thank you with a million slobbery kisses.

Pet Fire Safety Day

July 15th is Pet Fire Safety Day. The American Kennel Club offers the following list of tips to keep your pets safe from harm:

Prevent your pet from starting fires

• Extinguish open flames - Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Remove stove knobs - Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.
• Invest in flameless candles – These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks – Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.

Keep your pets safe

• Keep Pets Near Entrances When Away From Home – Keep collars on pets and leashes at the ready in case firefighters need to rescue your pet. When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
• Secure Young Pets - Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.
• Since Pets Left Alone Can’t Escape a Burning Home – Consider using monitored smoke detectors which are connected to a monitoring center so emergency responders can be contacted when you’re not home. These systems provide an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms.
• Affix a Pet Alert Window Cling – Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to update the number of pets listed.

On July 15th you can obtain a free window cling from your local volunteer fire department. For a list of locations go to www.nvfc.org/windowclings . You can also order them for free online at www.adt.com/pets .

Spotlight on Pet Photographer, Jeff Smith

I had a photo shoot this afternoon with Jeff Smith. Starting out in headshots and artistic photographs, he has recently turned his lens to portraits of people and their pets. I love his work because it is much more candid and beautiful than your average Olan-Mills-style portrait. Now you can finally feast your eyes on Ms. Claudia. I think you'll agree he did a fantastic job.

*If you are interested in photos of your furry friend, you can contact Jeff at 323-461-4577 for pricing and scheduling information.

The Foxtail: A Danger to Dogs

Warning: the following post contains graphic description
     This is the Foxtail weed.  These plants can be incredibly harmful to dogs and sometimes cats and they can be found all over the world.  Within the last week, I know of three dogs who were rushed to the vet with an embedded Foxtail.  The top picture above is a healthy plant and the bottom picture is a dying plant.  When the plant is dying, it is the most harmful because the barbs dry out and become harder.  These barbs are actually the seedlings of the plant and are designed to burrow themselves into whatever they come into contact with, whether it be the ground or an animal's fur.  These seedlings can burrow themselves into your pet via paw, ear, eyes, mouth, or genitals and continue to work their way through the body.  The enzymes they produce cause an infection which in turn produces pus.  This is one instance in which your pet's immune system does not work in his favor because the barbs then travel down tunnels of pus created by the infection where they can fatally puncture vital organs including the heart, brain, spinal cord, and lungs.  Every time a dog moves or the breeze blows, they inch a little further.

     I see Foxtails on every walk I take this time of year.  Excessive rain has made them more plentiful than usual.  In the city, you will see them most often in patches of unkempt, dying grass and hiking trails.  If you find Foxtails in your yard, rip them out! Their barbs enable them to be easily caught in fur so it is very important to check every inch of your pet on a daily basis during Spring and Summer months.  Pay special attention to between the paws since they make direct contact with the ground. Symptoms to look for in your pet are excessive sneezing, shaking of the ears, gummy discharge from the eyes, trouble swallowing, repeated licking of the paws or groin, and any swollen areas or lumps. If your furry friend has any of these symptoms, please seek veterinary care right away.

Oh the horror!

The dreaded litter box. It's gross. It smells. It must be cleaned. Daily. You have to muster the strength to face the beast. Cleaning the litter daily does three things:

1. It keeps you in touch with your cat's health. Cats are very cool characters. Even when they are sick, they hide it well under their icy exterior. Cleaning the box daily alerts you to changes in their health. Look for blood in the urine and stool. Look for diarrhea, constipation, and worms. You'll get a valuable, albeit gross, picture of kitty's inner workings. You'll know her regular schedule and you'll know if something's amiss.

2. It keeps you healthier. Just think of kitty stepping in her dirty litter box and then walking around the house. She is tracking bacteria everywhere as well as onto you. (Try not to think about this one too long as it may cause a serious case of the heebie-jeebies.) Also, cat feces can sometimes contain the parasite that causes Toxoplasmosis. This is extremely dangerous to pregnant women and those with HIV or other immune diseases. People with such conditions should not be changing the litter box!

3. It encourages kitty to go! When the litter box is really dirty, your cat will hold it. The less they go, the more likely they will develop bladder and intestinal problems. You know how prissy they are. They know this is the designated area and you simply aren't doing your job. If they could report you to a higher authority, they would.

It's also important to have a litter box for each cat in your household. This way you'll know which one is sick as well as greatly lessen the chance that certain diseases will be spread from cat to cat. Also, it cuts down on territorial marking.

Whenever I change Claudia's litter, she always sits next to me and watches. I imagine she's thinking "They worship me. I know they do. Look at they way they mine my poop as if it were precious gold."

*photo by Dan Queiroz

Punkin'

No, it's not even remotely close to Halloween but as I was feeding the ever-so-feisty, Ms. Claudia, Queen of Kitties, this morning I thought about how healthy she's been over the past few years. (By the way, that is her full name. Just ask her and she'll let you know by an intensely haughty stare.) Three years ago, the aforementioned queen got a severe bladder infection. My vet gave me a rundown of the usual things: make sure she is drinking enough water, give her wet food, clean the litter box daily, etc. Then she mentioned that Claudia was also constipated. She said this can contribute to bladder infections because the intestines press on the bladder and as cats age their systems start to slow down. She told me to buy some canned pumpkin and add a teaspoon to her wet food every morning for the next month or so. Well, it became kind of a habit and Claudia, who is very finicky, liked it so much that I just kept giving it to her. I've seen lots of cats get repeated bladder infections as they get older but I'm happy to report that she hasn't had one since. When I took her in three years ago, my vet gave me the speech that starts with "This is not surprising for a cat of her age...". When I took her back for her yearly check-up last fall, the vet said "She may be 14 but she looks and acts like a 9 year old. " Needless to say, I was ecstatic. Of course, I won't tell The Queen that. Her head is big enough as it is.

*photo by AliciaV via Flickr

Dog Days of Summer

After some pointed nudging from friends and clients, I thought it was about time that I dip a quivering toe into the blogosphere. Now seems like the perfect moment as we are gliding into summer. This season is a great opportunity to spend lots of time with our pets. We take them to the dog park, the beach, and for midnight strolls. Sitting at the traffic light today, I was surrounded on all sides by cars with furry snouts poking out of the window. This got me thinking about summer tips for dogs. One thing that many people forget about is just how hot the pavement can be for paws. Dogs can actually get their feet scorched on really hot days. When I'm walking, I try to keep them on the grass as much as possible and don't let them linger too long on the concrete. It's also not uncommon for dogs to get overheated. Breeds with short snouts (Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, etc) are the most prone. To cool these pups off, bring a bottle of water and pour it over his chest and neck after about 20 minutes out in the heat. These guys shouldn't really be out more than half an hour in triple digit weather. If you are going out for 45 minutes or more (with your long-snouted dog) and the weather is what you would consider hot, bring a collapsable water dish with you and make sure your little friend gets a drink as well. You can find these at most pet stores. Remember, if you are getting thirsty then your furry companion is too.

*photo by istolethetv via Flickr