P O O C H N E W S

Edition 19 / 2018 1.866.933.5111 www.ThePoochMobile.com

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In the warmer summer months, there are precautions we need to take to help keep our dogs healthy and safe.

Regular grooming can prevent summer skin problems, such as flea infestation, especially for dogs with heavy coats. Fleas thrive in moist, humid climates and live off the blood from their hosts. This can cause itching from the bite itself or simply from the fleas crawling around under your dog’s coat, yuck!

Dry climates can also cause uncomfortable dry itchy skin. The Pooch Mobile uses a unique, organic cleansing shampoo together with Lavender Aromacare rinse to help cleanse and moisturize the skin and coat.

Having your dog washed regularly on a 2-4 week year round schedule will help keep your dog’s skin and coat in top condition, all summer long. Your dog will not only look beautiful, his coat will be clean, soft and smell amazing. This also helps reduce shedding.

Outdoors — Always provide your dog access to shelter from the harsh sun and heat. Trees with large canopies can be planted. You can construct a shelter using timbers, insulation and shade material. Wind flow is also important for keeping animals cool; consider this when deciding the location of the shelter.

Make sure your dog has fresh, cool, clean water available. Dogs drink more on hot days and water warms up quickly. A good idea is to provide two sources of fresh water. Water bowls should be large enough and designed so they cannot be overturned. Be sure to check water bowls morning and night to ensure there is adequate water. Scrub all bowls weekly to prevent and eliminate slime and bacteria.

Summer exercise — Dogs need exercise even when it is hot, but extra care needs to be taken with older dogs, short-nosed dogs, and those with thick coats. The best time for walks and playtime is in the cool of the early morning or evening.

When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog stand on hot asphalt or concrete as his body can heat up quickly and sensitive paw pads can burn. Look for alternative surfaces such as cool grass. Remember — if the surface is too hot for you to stand on, it’s too hot for your dog.

Sunburn — Dogs can get sunburned too, and may require sunscreen on their nose and ear tips. Dogs with light-colored noses, or light-colored fur on their ears are particularly vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer.

Heat stroke is a very serious life-threatening disease that can affect dogs quite rapidly. Dark colored dogs are particularly prone to heat stroke due to the fact that their dark coat absorbs heat. Other medical factors that predispose your dog to heat stroke are: obesity, laryngeal paralysis, and heart disease. Some common early signs of heat stroke include panting, excessive salivation, hyper-excitement and increased rectal temperature. Heat stroke can affect every organ in the body; if you suspect that this is taking place, seek immediate veterinary attention for your pet.

Things Our Dogs Need From Us The Most! 2The 10 Best Guard Dog Breeds 2Adopt - Don’t Shop 2Why Do Puppies Get Hiccups? 2How To Raise A Friendly Dog 3Have You Heard Of Pica? 3Hot Cars 3Pooch Popsicle 3How Do Dogs Communicate? 4Snake Awareness 4Do You Love Dogs? 4

Keep Your Dog Happy And Safe This Summer

THUNDER STORMS

We Care

If your dogs are afraid of thunder, place them in a safe environment where they cannot escape. If they find a place where they feel safe (like under a bed) leave them there; don’t try to pull them out. Putting a blanket, coat or towel over your dog can have a calming effect.

Masking the sound of the thunder with an air conditioner, vacuum cleaner, or television might help your dog relax. Music can help calm your dog – classical is best.

See your vet for medication that may be suitable to calm dogs if they are particularly fearful.

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Things our dogs need from us the most!

THE 10 BEST GUARD DOG BREEDSThis list mentions the 10 breeds that take

guarding your home seriously

Our dogs are our family, and we always want to make sure that they have everything they need. Fundamental things like food, water and shelter are a given, but what else is necessary to make our dogs’ lives the best they can be?

Undivided attention (at least some of the time): It’s important to dedicate some time every day where our dogs have our undivided attention.

Boundaries: We love to spoil our dogs, but they still need some boundaries and consistent rules put in place. It helps to build a positive relationship and helps to avoid problem behaviors.

Exercise: While lots of dogs love lounging, they also need their fair share of exercise.

Mental stimulation: A destructive dog is often a bored dog. Make sure to keep that doggy mind busy with puzzles, toys, training and playing games.

Grooming: This includes: nail clipping, brushing, dental care and regular baths every 2 – 4 weeks.

Quality food and water: The wrong food can cause all sorts of troubles for your pooch. Do plenty of research. Ask your vet what’s best to feed your dog and make sure he always has access to clean water.

ADOPT — DON’T SHOPIf you are looking at buying a friendly, loving addition to your family why not head over to your local shelter? The main reasons dogs are surrendered are for a change in family situation, not because they have any issues. In fact, many shelter dogs have already had some basic training.

Just a few benefits of rescuing a dog are listed below.

You will be saving two lives — The life of the dog you adopt and the space that opens up for another dog.

Most dogs would have completed a veterinarian valuation and examination.

Most of the time they will be able to tell you all about the dog’s behavior and personality.

Many adult dogs are already potty trained.

Most rescue groups will take the dog back if it’s not a good fit for you.

Mixed breed dogs tend to have less inherited genetic problems.

The cost of adopting from a shelter is much lower than from a breeder.

The love and gratitude you will receive from a shelter dog is unlike any other.

1. Giant Schnauzer2. Akita3. German Shepherd4. Chow Chow5. Kuvasz6. Chinese Shar-Pei’7. Doberman Pinscher8. Komondor9. Belgian Malinois10. Rottweiler *by Kristina Lotz

Why do puppies get hiccups?Hiccups occur when your pup’s diaphragm becomes irritated, possibly from eating or drinking too fast. Nervousness or excitement can also cause hiccups in a puppy. Don’t be alarmed by your dog’s hiccups. Puppies tend to gulp a lot of air when they eat or drink.

The Pooch Mobile loves referrals and on-line reviews. If you are delighted with the service you receive from your local Pooch Mobile operator please tell EVERYONE. If you are not satisfied, call us and we will fix it. We thank you for your continued support and business.

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The Pooch Mobile Emergency Contact & Hot Safety Card

Ever since early history dogs have developed a special bond with humans. As pack animals, dogs have a need for companionship, love, security and friendship. As humans, we share many of these same needs. Over the years this had led to dogs being right by our side as man’s best friend. All dogs are loyal and friendly when they are treated right and trained correctly. For all training, the key is having the right timing to reward your pooch. It’s best to use a short sharp word like ‘yes’ when he has done the right thing. And remember the key to having a well-behaved pooch is to reward, not punishment. Here are few tips to help you raise the friendliest pooch you can.

Schedule playdatesPuppy play sessions are always beneficial to ensure a friendly, well-rounded pet. During play, dogs determine their role in the social hierarchy and learn how to properly approach and interact with their own species. New dogs and puppies should have practice interactions with other dogs inside the home, outside while on a leash, and in an off-leash fenced setting.

Provide in-home and in-public socialization sessionsJust as important as learning to act appropriately around other dogs, new pups must also learn how to behave around humans. Socialization with people is important to ensure that your dog does not suffer undue stress and anxiety at the vet, groomer or boarding kennel. It also reduces the risk of liability from a fear-induced dog bite. Encourage frequent visitors to your home as training exercises and provide lots of fun public visits to pet-friendly establishments so your pup can learn that strangers are not always threatening.

HOW TO RAISE A FRIENDLY DOG

HAVE YOU HEARD OF PICA?Pica is the technical term for a disorder where your dog ingests items that are not food. Usually, Pica is simply a sign of boredom, especially in younger dogs and puppies. Items being ingested may include rocks, dirt, paper etc. If your pooch starts vomiting, has diarrhea or constipation, or a painful abdomen after eating a foreign object, you should take them to a vet to get assessed.

HOT CARSNever ever leave your dog alone in a car or any vehicle, as it could be fatal. Dogs can’t sweat the same way as humans and even with the windows open, a parked car can quickly become a furnace; and parking in the shade offers little protection.

Always carry cold, fresh water when traveling with your dog as they will get thirsty just as easily as you when it’s hot. Ask your Pooch Mobile operator for a Safety Card.

Ask your local

Pooch Mobile today!

POOCH POPSICLEWhy not give your pooch

a summer treat?Simply make ice cubes out of chicken/beef stock

and place them in your dog’s water to add flavor and to cool the water.

You can also make large popsicles by using a plastic tub, fill with water, add chicken or

beef stock and a few of his favorite cookies, and freeze. Then simply pop it out of the tub

and your dog can enjoy licking away at his frozen treat for hours.

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Armed with curiosity and natural hunting instincts it is not uncommon for our favorite four-legged friends to cross paths with a snake. At this time of year, even city dogs and cats can have these encounters in local parks, particularly those near bodies of water such as lakes and beaches.

Precautions

Use a leash—When exercising them in bushland or near beach dunes.

Keep your backyard clean—clear any long grass, and remove any piles of trash.

Be aware—when out and about be aware that there may be snakes in the area.

Have you ever wished your dog could talk to you? Well, they do. Just not with words. Research shows that dogs have their own way of communicating with their owners, as well as with other dogs.

We send our dogs to obedience school to teach them how to understand what we want from them. But they also need to tell us what they need from us, and they do so every day. We simply have to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to understand what they are trying to say.

Any dog owner will tell you that their furry family member speaks volumes with their bodies. Here are a few typical signals dog’s use:

Face: Dogs will wrinkle or straighten their foreheads to show confusion or determination.

Eyes: A dog’s eyes brighten when they look at a creature they consider friendly. When they are afraid, their pupils dilate and they show the whites of their eyes.

Lips, teeth, and tongue: If your dog is happy or wants to play, they may pull their lips back and show their teeth in what appears to be a smile. This is a gesture that is reserved only for human/dog communication; a dog will not do this with other dogs.

HOW DO DOGS COMMUNICATE?

Some of the common symptoms of a snake bite

Weakness or lethargy

Shaking or twitching

Dilated pupils or difficulty blinking

Vomiting

Loss of bladder or bowel control

Loss of function of body movements

Rapid and shallow breathing

Excessive drooling

Paralysis, collapse, coma

Snake Awareness

Ears: If a dog’s ears are raised, they are relaxed or listening. If they are back, they might be signaling submission.

Dogs are social animals, and there is a universal language they share when communicating with other dogs.

Play bow: This means let’s play. However, it can also be a sign of apology; it’s a dog’s way of saying, “Oops. I didn’t mean to play so rough. Let’s keep playing!”

Paw slap: This is like a human coming up and slapping you on the back. This gesture puts the dog at an awkward angle, so it’s also a sign that the dog trusts the dog it is playing with.

Rearing hind legs: When dogs rear up on their hind legs, it’s a sign of affection. It often looks like dancing when dogs do this together when they’re playing.

Play biting: Again, it’s a sign of play. Dogs are careful to avoid sensitive areas of the other animal.

Bark: Just like their human owners, dogs like to talk. However, unlike body signals, barking can represent different things to different dogs.