With the high temperatures we’ve had lately, you can feel that summer is almost here. And if you live near a school, you’ll know graduation season is in full swing.

Along with these hallmarks of summer come lazy days and more time to spend with your dog, hopefully. You might be wondering what activities you can actually do with your best furry friend this season.

Well, wonder no more! I’m going to share with you some of the awesome activities that are waiting for you and your dog in summer.

Before we dive in, one caveat: use common sense when you’re taking your dog outside for summertime fun. If the weather is really hot, it’s probably safer and more comfortable for your dog to stay home.

Remember to never leave your dog in a vehicle–it can heat up to a dangerous temperature in just a few minutes–and test the pavement with the back of your hand to make sure it’s not too hot for your dog’s paws before you walk with them.

By following these tips and using common sense, you can help make sure your dog stays safe and happy through all your summertime fun.

For Water-Loving Dogs And People

A lot of dogs love cooling off on hot summer days by splashing around in the water.

Keep in mind that, while water activities can be a lot of fun for you and your dog, you should keep a close eye on them and make sure they aren’t taking in more water than their body can handle. This can lead to water intoxication, which can be fatal.

In particular, water intoxication can happen when dogs swallow too much water while swimming, playing in the ocean, or playing with a hose or sprinkler. Play safe and supervise.

If you live near water or you’re willing to take a trip to catch some waves, here are a few fun suggestions for you and your dog this summer.

1. Canoe With Your Pooch

Taking your dog out with you for a day of canoeing can be a fun and rewarding experience for both of you.

It’s best to take them where the water is clear and shallow so you can make sure the conditions are optimal for your canine pal. If your dog enjoys swimming, they can take a dip in the water with you to beat the heat.

Make sure your dog wears a doggy life vest at all times when they’re on the water.

2. Make A Day At The Dog Beach

If you’re lucky enough to live close to a dog beach–I live relatively close to the dog beach in Huntington Beach, California–then you and your pal might have a blast soaking up the rays and frolicking in the ocean.

Make sure you keep an eye on your dog, and make sure to bring fresh water for your pal.

Dog beaches can get crowded, so pay close attention to your friend and make sure they don’t get stressed or overwhelmed.

3. Take Your Dog For A Swim

If you have a pool or a place that allows dogs to swim, it’s worth seeing if they love taking a dip.

One of our dogs, Motley, absolutely loves swimming, and he’ll happily paddle in lakes, the ocean, and anywhere else there’s a natural body of water–he isn’t a fan of our pool. The other dogs don’t enjoy it as much, but they do like to wade out in shallow stretches of water.

Some dogs really love to swim, and some don’t. If you decide to take your buddy swimming, watch them to make sure they’re having fun and staying safe. You should never force your dog to swim if they’re scared or reluctant.

4. Play In The Kiddie Pool

If your dog loves to splash around but doesn’t like the idea of a full-on swim, bringing out a kiddie pool might be the perfect afternoon activity for them.

The kiddie pool provides a safe, non-intimidating place where they can get wet and cool off, stress-free.

For Land Lover Dogs And People

If your dog prefers to keep all paws on solid ground, there are plenty of land-based activities you can enjoy in summer.

Of course, that also means that your dog might not have the option of a swim to cool them off. No matter what activities you choose to do, make sure your dog has some shade and ways to stay cool.

Always provide them with plenty of cool drinking water.

Here are some of my favorite activities for land-lubber dogs and their humans.

5. Go Camping

Just last weekend, we took our three dogs camping in Anza-Borrego in Southern California. We had a blast, and the dogs loved being out with us–hearing the coyotes howling was especially exciting for them.

There are lots of campsites that allow dogs. Be sure to check the regulations before you go. For instance, some campsites allow dogs in the campsite, but not on the trails. Make sure to obey all leash laws.

6. Take Them For A Walk Or A Hike

Going for walks or hikes can be really fun for you and your dog, particularly if it’s a normal part of your routine.

Aim to walk or hike early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler so nobody gets too hot.

7. Take Your Dog To The Drive-in

There’s nothing better than a drive-in movie, unless it’s a drive-in movie with your dog. Make sure to bring species-appropriate snacks for your dog, along with fresh water.

You can go to driveintheater.com to find drive-in movies close to you.

8. Go Wine Tasting

One of my favorite things to do in the summer–or anytime of year–is go to wineries. There are a lot of wineries that allow dogs—call ahead to see if you can bring your pooch with you.

I have some amazing memories of taking my English Shepherd with me when I went wine tasting with friends. Just remember to pack some fresh water and species-appropriate snacks for your dog, then hop in the car and go sip delicious wine in the company of your best friend.

Your pooch may not be able to drink with you, but they’ll be happy to come along. Seeing and smelling new things can help prevent boredom.

9. Join The Pup Scouts

Here’s one I haven’t tried yet, but I’m going to! Like kids with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, your dog can earn badges as a Pup Scout!

Pup Scouts are only for dogs and their parents. Dogs can earn badges for hiking, beach clean-up, arts and crafts, swimming, and more. Check it out at pupscouts.org.

10. Take Your Dog To A Baseball Game

Lots of baseball franchises are sponsoring Bark in the Park and other dog-friendly events. Check out dog-friendly baseball games at gopetfriendly.com.

So there you have it! Ten awesome activities you and your dog can both enjoy this summer! Now that the weather is getting warm, what are you waiting for? Get your pup and head out for summertime adventures! To schedule doggy daycare, overnight dog boarding, grooming or canine massage, pre-register online at https://www.dakotahsdoggydaycare.com or call us today at 763-777-9590.

*Reposted by DogTime at: https://dogtime.com/trending/65173-10-fun-summertime-activities-and-vacations-to-do-with-your-dog

Prevention for Dogs

Few dog owners are fortunate enough to avoid an eventual run-in with fleas, the most common dog parasites. Even with regular bathing and grooming, the tireless critters can find their way to the tender flesh of unsuspecting dogs (and dog owners). The bloodsuckers not only don’t pay rent, they cause itching and can transmit diseases to their hosts.Happily, controlling fleas has become much simpler, safer, and more effective in the last few years. New products that break the flea’s reproductive cycle make it possible to keep the little biters at bay without exposing your dog to toxic chemicals.

Symptoms

Your dog’s continuous itching and scratching will probably be your first clue that he’s got fleas. If you look closely, you may actually see the little dark brown bugs. More likely, though, you’ll see what look like black and white specks. The black specks are “flea dirt,” or flea feces. The white specks are flea eggs. If you do see actual fleas, they won’t be easy to catch because they move fast and can jump farther than you’d think their tiny legs could take them.

If you think you’ve spotted some but aren’t quite sure, run a flea comb (a fine-toothed comb) over your dog’s back, groin area, haunches, and tail. These are the places fleas like most. canine massage Rogers, dog boarding Ramsey, dog boarding Zimmerman, canine massage Elk River, canine massage Zimmerman, canine massage Otsego, canine massage Ramsey, dog boarding Otsego, dog boarding Rogers, dog grooming Otsego, dog grooming Ramsey, dog grooming Rogers, dog grooming Zimmerman

While some dogs experience nothing more than itching, others can develop flea allergy dermatitis. Heavy infestations can be serious enough to cause anemia. Some fleas carry diseases, such as typhus and tapeworm infections, that can be transmitted to your dog.

Flea basics

To really get rid of fleas, you have to disrupt their life cycle. Fleas thrive in moist, humid environments — that’s why they’re a much bigger problem in the summer than in winter.

An adult flea can live for four months on the body of a dog, but it’ll die in a couple of days without its canine host. After a nice meal of blood, fleas mate on the dog’s skin. The female can produce as many as 2,000 eggs during her short lifespan.

Those eggs fall off and hatch all over the house — in the carpet, on the couch, under the covers. Eventually those newly hatched fleas will need to find a host of their own, and the whole cycle starts all over again. So it’s not enough to kill the adult fleas; you have to get rid of all the eggs and larvae, too.

How to prevent fleas

New products are less toxic than older remedies and have made it easier to protect your dog from fleas. Some of these options can be pricey, but the upside is that they work.

Three types of control. Different vets like to use different products for controlling fleas. The most popular choices generally include spot-ons, which are dabbed between a dog’s shoulder blades each month; pills, which are also effective for a month; and sprays for the yard, which can work for up to three months.
What doesn’t work. It’s generally agreed that collars don’t work well, particularly pricey electronic flea collars. Products using only permethrin as the active ingredient usually don’t work well, because fleas have built up an immunity to this insecticide.

Widely used products

Adams: A spot-on liquid that contains the active ingredients etofenprox and s-methoprene; it kills fleas, ticks, flea eggs, flea larvae, and kills and repels mosquitoes.
Advantage: A spot-on liquid that contains imidacloprid, kills fleas currently on the dog within 12 hours; it’s also waterproof.
Capstar: Has nitenpyram; is a once-a-day pill.
Frontline Plus: A a spot-on liquid that contains the active ingredients fipronil and S-methoprene; kills fleas at all stages in their life cycle within 24 to 48 hours; is waterproof.
K9 Advantix: A spot-on liquid that has imidacloprid and permethrin.
Program Tabs: Monthly pills with lufenuron.
Revolution: A spot-on liquid that uses selamectin; is waterproof.
Sentinel: A monthly pill that combines both a flea killer and a heartworm preventative.

If it’s not working

If, despite your best efforts, your dog’s still a flea magnet, here’s what you need to know to get rid of the infestation.

Treat all your pets. If you have more than one animal in the house, you’ll have to treat them all to be truly rid of fleas.
Treat your house. Foggers and sprays are an effective way to control fleas indoors. Most experts recommend sprays, because foggers can miss crevices where fleas hide. Choose only safe, nontoxic insecticidal sprays for indoor use. It’s also a good idea to vacuum thoroughly each week, being sure to get under cushions — a favorite flea hideout.
Treat your yard. If you think your yard is where the fleas are coming from, you’ll need to treat it, too, with a spray product that kills fleas but is safe for pets and people.

When to go with the pros

Some of the effective flea control products are only available at a veterinarian‘s office. Those that are combined with heartworm preventive require a prescription.

Bottom line: Fleas are not only annoying, they can harm your dog’s health. By sticking to a regular flea control routine using the newest products, you can keep your dog comfortable and safe from most flea troubles.

To schedule doggy daycare, overnight dog boarding, grooming or canine massage, pre-register online at https://www.dakotahsdoggydaycare.com or call us today at 763-777-9590.

*Re-posted by: DogTime at https://dogtime.com/flea-control

Month: July 2019

Summer Fun With Your Four Paws