Hi there friends…you keep asking for more Hack posts and believe me…you will be getting more very soon…but we thought maybe you would like a few Dog Hacks…some helpful little tips and then some very informative infographics for your furry friends! Sure hope you enjoy and we hope we get a 4 paws up from your pooch!
Pick up a shower cap for your pup or pups and let them wear it during their bath…it really helps prevent the soap and water from getting into their ears and eyes. Then when it is time to wash their little faces…just pop it off! Just make sure to put it out of reach when you are done…we don’t want any chewing going on : )
With the warm weather here…I bet your pup would love a Frozen Treat Cake while you are all hanging outside for a bit! Come and check out Gus the Pug and his cake…see how it is made (really simple..broth…water…toys and some treats all frozen together! ) There is a little video that shows us Gus attacking his little fun iceberg. This will keep your pup cool as you enjoy the outdoors and hydrated!
Have you ever thought about recycling a tire? Well you just might give it a try once you see this DIY Dog Bed! Pretty amazing what a good scrubbing…some PET SAFE Paint that sticks to rubber and a soft cushy pillow can do! You can find the details on Practically Functional! Isn’t Fawkes adorable! : )
Do you have a doggie that gulps? Eats so fast he/she has no idea what it was that they ate? Well have you ever tried to put a tennis ball into the Dry Food Bowl (don’t try it for wet food : ). With the ball in the bowl it should slow down your pup a bit which will be a very good thing for digestion. Give it a try…just might be the trick. There are also dishes made especially for gulpers…but this is a quick and easy way to see if it works…then if it does…it may pay to get a specialty bowl.
Does your pup have a touch of stinky breath? You can finely chop some fresh parsley and add it to your doggies food…dry…wet or homemade! Just chop it fine enough so they can’t pick it out…mix it well and it should help. Over at Dog Tutorial you will find other methods to keep your dogs breath fresh like keeping your dog bowl and water bowl…crystal clean…having a well balanced diet and some other wonderful suggestions. If your doggie suffers from really bad breath…the best thing to do is to see the Vet to assess exactly what is happening! But Parsley is a great way to freshen it up and you can do it every day with no problems!
This is a wonderful idea if you have the space but please beware as it was pointed out by a reader…even though the drawer closes…the container holding the dog food should have it’s own lid to protect the dog food.
Here is yet another great way to store dog food…take a small metal trash can (new : ) …paint it…decorate it and voila! You can see how this one was made over at 733 Blog. You can design it any way you want and in any color to fit your home decor!
Do you have a bit of dog hair around the house? Well here is a quick and easy way to remove it from upholstery…simply put on a slightly dampened rubber glove and run your hand over the area…the hair will stick to the glove. Then of course clean the glove for further use : )
Many pups can not handle fireworks or loud noises…here is a quick and easy wrap that will make your pet feel safer. You can also use this when your pup is upset with the thunder…when they are under stress. It makes them feel much more secure and safe. There is a product called a Thunder Jacket which you might want to get if your pet is under distress a lot…but this is a great way to see if it helps.
If you visit Craftbits you will find the DIY for this fun and fabulous Pull Toy! You will need 20 pieces of 1 inch X 20 inch recycled stretch knit in assorted colors (you can use old t-shirts : )Tie a large very tight knot at each end and voila! Check out the diy and you will be done in NO TIME …there is no gluing or sewing…how great is that!
Time to Hack a Pair of Cargo Pants to make a Cooling Vest…if you can handle some sewing this is a GREAT thing to make your pup especially if they go for walks in the heat…you just slip an ice pack in those pockets and you have one cool dog! Drop by Instructables for the DIY…this is really a wonderful thing to keep your pups cool…calm and collective while taking walks in the Summer Time. Always carry some water with you on your walks…keeping the pups hydrated during the Warm Months is so important…also watch those doggie pads…you don’t want to burn them.
Eileen from Yes Missy show us how simple it is to create a fun game for your doggies! Tons of FUN!!!
Doggy CPR is something we should all know…here you go!
The Heimlich Maneuver is yet another one we should know because you NEVER know!
Keeping your dog cool and hydrated is even more important during the HOT months…if your dog shows any of these signs…they need help. All very important to know for your dogs better welfare.
What does that pose mean? Check out this body language graphic to see what your doggie is tell you!
BE SAFE with FOODS!!!!
PLEASE NOTE: Mushrooms are on the moderate list on this chart…TOXIC mushrooms are poisonous to dogs and to humans. Mushrooms that grow outside under your trees or on the paths that you walk while hiking should NEVER EVER be eaten by a dog and if your dog does eat them contact your Vet immediately and go there. If you dog happens to eat a slice of your button mushroom or cremini…etc. there is no need for worry but I think it is best to error on the side of safety and just stay away from mushrooms. In the end…if you see mushrooms growing in your yard…pull them up to avoid problems and never let your dog eat any on your walks. A side note…ACORNS ARE POISONOUS TO DOGS…so if you happen to have them in your yard…please take the time to clean them up daily so your pup does not get any of them. The results can be deadly. One more note…Artificial Sweeteners are Toxic to Dogs. SO NEVER FEED your doggie “sugar free” items…NEVER!
This says it all…If you see a dog in a car…SAY SOMETHING!!! Get HELP!!!
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Hope you finds these helpful! WOOF WOOF!! More Doggie Hacks to come!!!
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The idea with the drawer with the foodcontainer, without lid, is not a good idea: kibble for doga (&cats) contain -ofcourse- fats, which will oxydise when not stored air tight,,, oxydized foods are unhealthy.
You are absolutely right Kitty!!!! I was thinking the same thing but automatically thought that most people would put a lid on it…but I have re-written the description to include that info! Thank you so much for your input…it is greatly appreciated! Take care and enjoy your day…hugs…
Mushrooms: in one place they say dogs can have in moderation and in another say all mushrooms a deadly to dogs. Just curious, which is it?
Hi Monika, how are you. The mushrooms we eat from button to portobello to oyster to shitake are all fine for dogs to eat in moderation…the problem comes from TOXIC MUSHROOMS like toadstools (the red ones in yards and the forest and all other toxic mushrooms. The problem is many dogs spend a lot of time outside and encounter them…this is the PROBLEM! So the answer is yes and no…mushrooms that we eat are fine in MODERATION but toxic ones are not and they are also not for us either. I sure hope that helps. I am attaching some more info for you! You take care now and have an amazing day. Give your pups a BIG HUGS!!! I highly recommend that doggies go outside Supervised : ) Mine go no where if they are not on a leash : )
Dogs and Cats and Mushrooms. Pets have been known to eat mushrooms in yards and while on walks. While 99% of mushrooms have little or no toxicity, the 1% that are highly toxic can cause life-threatening problems in pets.
Mushroom poisoning occurs as a result of ingesting toxic mushrooms, which is a common hazard for dogs because of the amount of time they spend outdoors or in wooded areas, particularly in the summer and fall. Toxic mushrooms are classified into four categories (A, B, C, D), based on the clinical signs and their time of onset, and into seven groups (1-7) on the basis of the toxin they contain. However, because it is sometimes difficult to identify what type of mushroom your dog has consumed, you should always bring the suspected mushroom with you when you take your dog to the veterinarian.
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Symptoms and Types
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Symptoms vary greatly depending on the type of mushroom ingested. Category A mushrooms, for example, are the most toxic and cause the destruction of cells, especially liver and kidney cells. Category B and C mushrooms, meanwhile, affect nervous system, and category D mushrooms cause gastrointestinal irritation. The following are some of the more common symptoms associated with mushroom poisoning:
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• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
• Uncoordinated movements
• Excessive drooling (ptyalism)
• Seizures
• Coma
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Causes
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Ingestion of toxic mushroom(s).
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Diagnosis
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You will need to give a thorough history of your dog’s health to your veterinarian, including the onset and nature of the symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated the complications. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination as well as a complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis — the results of which may reveal may reveal abnormally low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) and abnormally high levels of liver enzymes due to liver damage. Your veterinarian will also typically take a sample from the stomach to identify the type of mushroom.
check here for photos: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/5-common-mushrooms-that-can-poison-your-pet
Another tip to use instead of the pricey thunder jacket,
My dogs calm down quickly when the wear snug doggy sweaters! And I must say they are quite stylish
My favorite of these hacks have to be that half-wrap. What a great alternative to thunder jackets which can be very pricey! I did enjoy the rest of the hacks. Thank you!
Wonderful information. We did not know nuts are bad for our dog. We have our dog food in a locked, plastic container. She tries to open it at times. ????
Hi there Nichole! How are you : ) To be honest with you…I did not realize that nuts were bad either…they can cause gastric distress and obstructions (makes sense right!) The more we know…the better for our pups : ) That is so funny…I don’t know how they know…but they know where the food is for sure…now if she picks the lock I think she deserves a prize lol!!! We watched a whole crew of dogs during Katrina (my family watched rescuers dogs here in our NJ home so they could volunteer) Well one of the doggies …a big Springer Spaniel came with his tin of food and as you can imagine we had all kinds of dog foods here for all of the doggies plus our 3 and we had 2 fosters at the time…we even had a bird (yes…it was a ZOO!!!) well any way…I never aw this before…but this pup literally rammed his tin with ALL HIS MIGHT and popped it open lol…he go an extra scoop and then we purchased a container with a lock on it for him! You gotta love them all …they are full of personality and your little girl sounds like she is full of personality! You take care now and here’s hoping that you and yours have an amazing day! Hugs to you and your pup!!! Thanks for visiting and hope to see you again : )
I love the shower cap idea….. not only for bath time, but for MEALTIME! I have basset hounds and I’m going to try this when they eat, to keep their ears out of the bowl. UGH. I have to wash them after almost every meal. The bowls made for that don’t seem to help my two – they still manage to end up with their ears in the food!
I LOVE IT Leslie!!! Let me know if it works and you MUST send me a pic of your cuties with their shower caps on! I LOVE ALL Animals…but I have a sweet spot for the long and short lol!!! I have had dachshunds all my life lol! Sure hope it works because I am positive it is a real pain cleaning their ears each time for you and for them! Sending puppy hugs and wishes for a picture perfect Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year filled with CLEAN EARS : )
Hi I have bassets too and I have Buster Bolws. They work great for clean ears!
I’ve always heard that you should not give dogs pork, something about parasites. Is this not true?
All this information is very helpful specially the ones about toxic foods and plants if you don’t mind I will put it on my website as a blog of information..
http://www.lipigicoart.com
Hi Lissette! How are you! So glad you enjoyed the article and found all the hacks helpful! Thank you so much for sharing it on your beautiful site…LOVE your artwork! Hope everyone clicks into it from her …I am sure everyone will SMILE! Here’s wishing You and yours a very Happy New Year filled with all things wonderful…hugs!
Hiya great info and ideas here! I’m certainly going to try a few! I love the info posters but struggling to open the images up to print, could you advise please? Thanks ????
What kind of dog is Fawkes? We just got a lab mix and she looks a LOT like Fawkes! So Cute!
NEVER FEED YOUR DOGS CORN COBB because my friend fed a corn cobb to her dog and the dog ended up in the vet and had to sty there for a week because corn cobs ARE REALLY BAD FOR DOGS. NEVER AT ANY SIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR DOG CORN COBB.
I make my babies frozen treats in hotter months, but never did larger ones with their toys in there. Definately giving that a go!!
Such an informative post Andrea. Thank you for compiling all this info in one post. I will pin and use it for reference. I can never be to careful when it comes to my sweet dog!
Hi there Mary! So happy you enjoyed the post!!! I know I always look forward to seeing you! Tons of Hugs and wishes for a wonderful day!
I am shooketh. After doing A LOT of online digging, the consensus was that ibuprofen is okay for dogs if not taken for an extensive period. One of our dogs, Coburg, will be 11 in August (he’s a Pitt/hound rescue just over 80 lbs) and has trouble getting to his feet and going up & down our stairs. His arthritis is particularly bad in his front right shoulder due to a tumor removal surgery back in 2014. We already give him cosequin daily and add one 250mg ibuprofen every 3rd day. Without it, he has a hard time walking at all and is in a lot of pain (I know he can’t speak human but there’s a remarkable visible difference). All of that said, I’m not freaking out again from the bit about nsaids being most poisonous to dogs. What should I do? I can’t stand seeing him in so much pain and unable to really even get out of bed to enjoy a walk, but I also don’t want to poison him!
Hello Christine. I am so so sorry that your dog is in pain… I hate hearing this. I wish I had solid advice but my BEST advice is to call your Vet… or contact an On-Line Vet to check the dog out and let them tell you what your next step should be. This is serious and should be handled bu a professional. If you need any help with that… please let me know. I really think the dog needs professional help to ease his pain. You can contact me at thecottagemarket@gmail.com any time. Sending hugs and love to you and your pups and thank you for Rescuing. Thank you for caring for you pup… I am sure there is something the Doctor can prescribe and do to help him.. Hugs…
The rubber glove hack is genius! I don’t know how I haven’t used it sooner. My carpet cleaner came over the other day and showed me on one of the couches he was cleaning. It worked like a charm. Thanks for these tips <3
Hi there Janae! How are you! I LOVE hearing that some of the tips we collect are helpful for our reader’s!!! So happy to hear that this one worked like a charm! I will be doing more new hack posts SOON… so stay tuned! Here’s wishing you and yours a wonderful weekend! Hugs!
Thank you for the reply!! I would love more hack posts! Happy March and hope you also have a great weekend. <3