While most people love summer for all it represents – warmth, long days and loads of fun – it can also be a serious season when it comes to extreme temperatures and the dangers that could evoke, especially when it comes to our pets. Summer can be a wonderful time for both you and canine, however do not take the freedom of summer for granted. It is important to plan for a comfortable environment for your dog and to stay on top of the weather patterns and forecast. One missed step could lead to a serious health risks with your beloved pet. Look at some of these healthy tips to keep your dog safe, cool and enjoying the summer months as much as you do!

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

When it is hot outside, you sweat out a lot of your hydration and need to refuel your body – the same goes for our pets. It is extremely important to always have fresh, cool drinking water available for your pets, but even more important during the heat of summer. By keeping your dog hydrated, you can help beat off heat exhaustion and keep his internal organs running smoothly.

Shade is Necessary

If your dog must be outdoors in the summertime, it is important to have a place for him to hide away from the sun’s UV rays that are beating down on him. This can be the shade of a tree, a covered patio, a pergola or even a makeshift tent made of a sheet. Just allow your pup a shady place to retreat and cool off! This would be the ideal place to leave your dog’s food and fresh drinking water to help it remain cool as well!

Know the Forecast

It is important to stay on top of the forecast so you know what type of weather elements your dog will be dealing with outside. Will it be 100+ degrees or 98 percent humidity in the air? By knowing what to expect you can make a better judgment call as to if your dog really needs to be outside or if you need to make a trip to doggy daycare if you must be away from home for an extended time. Knowing the forecast is extremely important if you have a flat-faced dog as they have trouble regulating their body temperatures in extreme weather conditions.

Flea & Tick Prevention

The summer months provide more opportunities for getting out. Make sure you act appropriately to protect your dog from insects like fleas and ticks – you will be glad and your dog thanks you ahead of time!

Non-Toxic Lawn & Garden Products

If you are trying to improve the look of your landscape do your research ahead of time to ensure you are not using any products like fertilizer, pest control or weed killer that could end up being hazardous to your pup. Also, make sure that your plants are also dog friendly as some can be dangerous to Fido.

Remember Your Pet

If you like taking your dog for trips in the car make sure you only take him when you can actually bring your dog inside on the errands you are running. Cars are notorious for becoming extremely hot in the summertime. Even with the windows down, the car can become so hot it begins cooking whatever is left inside. Be good to your dog and leave him at home, or take him in.

This post is brought to you by the Dog Blog Party Campaign hosted by the dog containment systems people.

This post authored by: Susan Wright, DMV is a practicing veterinarian with more than a decade of experience. Susan’s heart goes into providing quality care to family pets. Dr. Wright is a writer and expert on wireless dog fence.

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Most humans have at least one type of food that they won’t eat – either because they were ‘force-fed broccoli’ as a child and have never recovered from the trauma, or because they simply don’t like the taste. In the same way, pets can be fussy about their food, and if you smell the contents of a ‘budget’ tin of dog food it’s not hard to see why they would turn their very sensitive noses up at it! As well as being nutritious and full of the right essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients, pet food should be appetising, encouraging your dog to eat regularly. But what can you do to encourage a truly ‘fussy eater’ to stick to a healthy diet?

What NOT to do…

The worst thing that an owner can do is indulge their pet’s fussy fads. Most dogs will eat whatever is put in front of them, but if they start getting too picky or choosy about their food, pandering to their demands reinforces negative behavioural patterns and can compound the problem. Not only could this get expensive if your dog develops a taste for organic chicken breasts, for example, but you could also be damaging their health by upsetting the balance of vitamins and nutrients your dog really needs. Fussy eating is in most cases, a psychological condition and this behaviour needs to be corrected. However, if your pet is off their food completely rather than just becoming merely fussy, consult a vet to ensure that there is not a more serious underlying health problem.

Changing behaviour patterns

As much as it goes against a pet owner’s nature, hunger is the best cure for a dog that’s become a fussy eater. Make sure that when you do put food down, it is appetising and encourages the dog to eat. Brands such as Eukanuba and Arden Grange use natural ingredients that are designed to be both nutritious and appetising. By introducing a ‘little and not too often’ routine for a couple of days, you should be able to cure your fussy eater of its habits very quickly.

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Good dog movies are few and far between. Nevertheless, there are several must see dog movies available for you to catch. Bring a few home and be sure to have a good supply of hankies. Here, we look briefly at several classic dog movies made pre-1980 that no dog lover should ever miss.

• Lassie Come Home (1943)

Although there are human actors in this movie, its focus is on the dog star of the time. This is the incredible Pal, known in the film as Lassie. Lassie Come Home is a film created in that tried-and-true formula. It is about a boy and his dog.

The cast of the movie includes Roddy MacDowell (Joe Carraclough) as a young Yorkshire boy and Elizabeth Taylor (Priscilla), an interested party from a wealthy family.

• Old Yeller (1957)

If you enjoy crying, watch Old Yeller. The yellow lab is played by Spike, a former animal shelter dog. This tear-jerker also features a memorable cast. They include Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker and Jeff Young. Set in Texas in the late 19th century, ths is another heart-warming story about a boy and his dog.

• Benji (1974)

For a while there, everybody knew about Benji. This cute little dog established a role for small but tough loveable mutts. The role of Benji became a family affair. Higgins, the dog star of the movie, created the character then passed it on to his daughter.

Benji is about an orphan and an abandoned dog making their way in the world. It is about establishing friendships and standing up for what is right. There are good townspeople, kind children and despicable villains. Their roles serve to  support the performance of Benji.

• The Wizard of Oz (1939)

To some people, the Wizard of Oz is about Dorothy. To dog afficionados, the movie revolves around Toto. This is another deadly combination of child and dog. It is, after all, Toto who uncovers the fakery. It is Toto who launches the desire to leave Kansas where he is on less than good terms with the prototype of the Wicked Witch, Elmira Gulch (Edith Hamilton).

In this case, the dog role was played by Terry a Blue Cairn Terrier. Together with Dorothy (Judy Garland), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), the Scarecrow (Ray Bulgar), the Tin Man (Jack Haley) and Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke), they make this a classic movie for both humans and dogs to enjoy.

• The Incredible Journey (1963)

This is truly an animal story. It involves the adventures of 2 dogs and a cat. The incredible journey tells the tale of how these 3 beloved pets make their way across treacherous and dangerous country back home. The movie stars in this film are the animals. The dogs are named Luath and Bodger. The former is played by Rink, a Labrador Retriever. The older male , Bodger is performed by Muffy, a female bulldog. The cat, Tao is played by Sym Cat.

• Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Lady and the Tramp is an animated movie from the Walt Disney studios. It is the story of 2 dogs from different spectrums of society. It is a love story even the young children can enjoy. Lady is a purebred; Tramp is a street urchin. Together, however, they will forge a life together. This, however, can only occur after various adventures, including clashes with a villainous dog catcher.

• 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Lady and the Tramp was a sensation during its time. Children fell in love all over again with animated dogs some 6 years later with the release of another Disney Studios film – 101 Dalmatians. It focuses on the attempts of 2 dogs: Perdita and Perdo, to thwart the evil designs of Cruella de Vil. She wants to make a coat completely out of dalmatian dogs. Can the 2 courageous dogs save their new family of puppies? This was the movie that sparked an intense interest in Dalmatians, not for the best.

Content written by Steve Perry of ohmydogsupplies.com , the top spot to purchase dog clothes and accessories online.

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