Preparing Your Dog for the Fourth of July

The 4th of July will be here next week and you still have time to prepare your dog for the celebration he will hear. Some dogs are more sensitive to the loud sounds and bright lights, yet even the bravest dogs may become terrified from the sounds of fireworks. 

What can you do to prepare your dog for the 4th of July? 

Cute dog tutu for the 4th of July

If you plan to go out to a park to watch a firework display, leave your dog at home. He will be much more comfortable there than you think. Have a place where he can go to feel safe should he become anxious from the sounds. Keep the windows closed and leave a radio on or T.V. to help drown out the sounds of the fireworks. 

You can also work to desensitize your dog to loud sounds of fireworks by playing a video or audio of fireworks. Play this video a few times during the day when you are home with a normal volume setting. If your dog doesn't seem to notice the noise, turn up the volume each day. This should start to get his attention and you will want to pair this noise with things your dog enjoys such as treats, belly rubs and playtime. Continue this routine day after day until your dog can hear the sound of fireworks at fairly high volume without becoming fearful. 

If you are concerned about your dog's anxiety level on the 4th of July, talk to your veterinarian about medication. 

Heavy Duty Dog ID Tag

These heavy dog ID tags are made of stainless steel and will not bend, fade or rust. Just look at how thick this tag is. 

This id tag may cost more than the others but this tag is an investment in your dog's safety. Each tag comes with a lifetime guarantee should it not hold up as promised. We can also update your dog's information (for a small fee) should you move or change your phone number. Your dog will never walk around with outdated identification. These heavy duty dog id tags are designed, finished and engraved right in the state of Maine!

Win an Earth Day Dog Collar from LiveLoveAndBark.com

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, 2014, LiveLoveAndBark.com will be giving away a Medium Size Earth Day Dog Collar from Lupine Pet.

Simply send us a Tweet or Re-Tweet us on Twitter to enter now until 3/31/14. One lucky winner will be notified on 4/1/14 via Twitter. Happy Tweeting!

Does Your Dog Suffer from Separation Anxiety?

Does your dog miss you while you are gone? Of course he does, but does he miss you so much that when you return you find chewed furniture, clawed doors and chewed door frames? If this sounds familiar you probably know all about separation anxiety.

Dogs tend to become anxious when left alone and some dogs become more anxious than others. These are the ones that will show signs of separation anxiety. Here a couple of things you can try to help keep your dog calm while you prepare to leave the house.

Before you leave the house for the day, take your dog for a walk and burn some of that energy. He will be a bit tired and with less energy your dog will be less anxious.

Do not use "baby talk". "Bye-Bye- Mommy will be back soon". You know the voice I mean. We have all done it. Anxious dogs will sense that you are preparing to make your departure and the anxiety will begin.

If you must crate your dog every time you leave the house, make it a fun time. Offer treats when you are leaving or put a few inside the crate. You may also stuff a Kong as it will keep your dog busy for hours.

Treating Your Dog

Finally a big treat!

How many treats do you give your dog each day? I have never really counted but I would guess about 10? All dogs love to get treats and we may not realize how many extra calories we are "treating" our dogs with. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to giving your dog treats. 

Dogs care more about the number of treats they get than the size of them. Your dog finds it very rewarding to receive many small treats than one big one. Just think about the last time you gave him a special treat. I bet he ate it so fast that he was waiting for another. The small treats will be eaten just as quickly as the big ones. 

I buy the treats for small dogs even though my dog is considered large. This allows me to treat him more often throughout the day. For example, if he is outside and I go to the door to call him inside and he returns after saying Murphy..come once, he will get a treat. A small one, but he gets a treat. Dogs learn faster when treats are involved.

Apples, bananas, chicken and carrots are other small treats I use to reward or treat my dog's good behavior. Try small treats when learning a new trick and see how quickly that trick is learned. 

Healthy, Home Made Dog Food

Every dog loves wet food from the can. I would look at it and think...Gross!! But I would feed my dog a half of a can every morning anyway.  After reading all the ingredients on the can I decided I was going to make my own fresh and healthy dog food.

My "wet food" now consists of ground turkey, carrots, brown rice and a hint of garlic powder and parsley. While the turkey is browning I steam carrots and cook the brown rice. Drain the turkey when it has completely cooked, add the rice, carrots, a dash of garlic salt and parsley. Blend well and here I have a fresh and healthy treat for my dog each morning. (He does eat dry food too as this was just a way to get him to eat before I left each morning)

Keep this mixture in an air-tight container in the fridge. I serve my dog a half cup each morning.

Ingredients used:
1 pound of ground turkey or ground chicken
half bag baby carrots
half cup cooked brown rice
dash of garlic salt
1 tbs. parsley

Top Dogs for Dealing with Pet Allergies

How do you avoid pet allergies? By staying clear of dogs and cats. But, what if you are an animal lover and would love to share your home with a four legged friend? You will need a Hypo-Allergenic Dog. These dogs shed less, produce less dander or have no hair at all. Check out the Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog and Chinese Crested, just to name a few.

These three dogs are incredibly friendly, make excellent family pets and won't make you sneeze. You see the Poodle and Portuguese Water Dog have a thicker coat that produces less dander. Less dander equals less sneezing. The Chinese Crested has very little hair. You will only find a patch of hair on their heads, feet, and tails. Less hair also means less sneezing.

Not every dog will trigger itchy watery eyes and sneezing. You just need to find the one that works for you. Start with dogs listed as hypo-allergenic and don't miss out on a new best friend.