Hot Dogs

With the weather brightening up we're all desperate to get out and about and if there's a dog to be walked and a park to be walked in we're doing it. As we don't see the sun very often we're all desperate to get a bit of colour about our skin and often find ourselves with a wee touch of sunburn, telling everyone "Give it a couple of days and that'll be golden". However we must consider how the weather affects our furry friends. So here goes the rules of summer dog walking...

1) Try to walk your dog when its cooler. Walking your dog in the hottest part of the day may seem great for your tan but dogs can quickly overheat, especially if they have a lot of pent up energy and are running around like maniacs, morning and evening walks suit your dog best in this weather. On the note of overheating, dogs in cars is a bad thing anyway... Please don't do it in hot weather, it is dangerous.

2) Dogs need sunscreen too. This doesn't apply to all dogs but if your dog is white or light coloured then its important to protect his most sensitive bits (the same applies to white/ light cats). The tips of his ears or his nose if its lacking pigment can easily suffer damage in the sun, think about the whole head as well as tails in particularly short coated breeds. This takes me on to our next tip...

3) When it comes to coat remember that your dog is wearing a fur one, it may be a bit thinner now than it was in the winter but its still there. Whilst we're all stripping down to the bare minimum to cool down, considering doing the same for your dog. Have him stripped, clipped or otherwise removed of excess hair. Your local groomer will be able to give you advice for your particular breed/ type of dog.

4) Water. If you are going for a long walk or taking your dog away for the day make sure to take some water for him. Most pet shops sell portable water recepticles of various forms. Particulary popular are the ones which are water bottles with bowls attached. These are easy to carry and use. Speaking of water, there is no better way to cool down that a good swim so plan on some days at the beach for your pooch. Remember to pick up after your dog as always and obey the rules of the beach. take a towel and give him a good rub down making sure to clean his paws of sand which can irritate later.

5) As always, have fun. Take advantage of the good weather and look out for local dog shows or classes which are often run outside on summer evenings. There is loads of fun to be had with your dog, even if its getting out in the garden after work to play with him. There are no excuses now, its barely dark by 10.

Missing

This poor puppy has been taken and needs regular medical attention, this is yet another example of why microchipping should be compulsory. For further details check out this link... http://bit.ly/aBSqVV