Archives July 2022

Note: Julia Thomson is a contributor to That Mutt. She maintains the blog Home on 129 Acres.

On our farm, we do not experience spring. We experience Mud. With a dog, keeping the mud outside is sometimes a challenge.

Until we get my dream mudroom total with a doggie shower, we make do with what my husband calls the “dog wash.” It’s definitely not fancy. just a low area behind the barn where water pools.

Despite being in the middle of a field, it really does a great task of cleaning off the mud. We wade with the dog laundry at the end of our walk as well as then stay on the grassy path up until we’re back to the house.

Now, I recognize not everybody has gain access to to a dog wash—or a doggie shower (and if you do, please share so I can online vicariously with you—is it as wondrous as I imagine?). So today, I believed I’d share my tale of woe tips for making it with the season of Mud.

I’d like to hear yours too. Seriously, I’ll take all the help I can get!

Tips for surviving Mud Season—Ways to eliminate mud from your dog

Towels – Baxter gets his feet wiped every time he comes inside no matter the weather. however in Mud the towels are essential. Old bath towels work well sufficient for us, although there are fancier microfiber versions available if you want to upgrade—or even specialty sponges. Baxter gets a full-body toweling—which he loves. Pay interest to bellies as well as legs as well as those mud-magnets, the toenails, as well as feet.

Squirt bottle – On days where the dog laundry as well as the towel are not as much as the task, I’ve discovered a squirt bottle full of water is my savior. I utilize an old meal soap bottle.

It enables me to direct a stream of water between the toes, under the toenails, around the pads, down the legs, anywhere mud may be hiding. I do this outside, as well as then bring Bax inside your home to towel off.

Brush – I am thankful that we have a short haired dog. Usually, a energetic rubdown with a huge towel is sufficient to eliminate most dirt. For short-haired or long-haired dogs alike, a clean can be truly helpful, especially if the mud is dry.

Handheld shower head, gentle shampoo – sometimes there’s no method around it. The only method to get rid of the mud is to bathe your dog. To make bath time go smoothly, I extremely suggest a handheld shower head (the MIU PET that Lindsay reviewed last month likewise dispenses shampoo) as well as gentle shampoo. You don’t want to bathe your dog every day, however I’ve resigned myself that Baxter is going to get more baths in Mud than in any type of other season.

Household cleaners – in spite of your finest efforts, mud may get past you. An arsenal of mops, carpet or upholstery cleaner as well as laundry detergent can assist to keep your home looking clean, even though you might be knee deep in Mud.

That’s my list. Hvad er din?

Let us understand in the comments!

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Emily fra min kalk havde dette spørgsmål, hvad er det smukkeste spil, du leger med din hund?

Jeg har ikke mange spil, jeg spiller med ess, men jeg kan godt lide at gå rundt med ham og gøre narr af ham. En ting jeg gør er at kaste et tæppe over hele kroppen, dreje ham rundt og se, hvor hurtigt han kan komme ud (ikke hurtig). Han kan også lide at finde ting, jeg skjuler og løber frem og tilbage mellem Josh og jeg, når vi løber i modsatte retninger. Ofte spiller jeg skjul med ess, men jeg er altid den, der skal skjule. Han kender også “få spejder”, hvilket indikerer at finde min kat.

Hvad med dig? Hvilke spil leger du med din hund? Ace og jeg kunne bruge nogle nye spilideer.

The outdoor cat. A complimentary spirit.

Beamer is an indoor cat now. So is Scout.

There is a difference between our cat who used to roam outdoors and our cat who has never had that freedom.

Two levels of awareness.

Beamer would often be out for hours, napping on the deck, slinking between bushes.

Sometimes he’d be gone for days – hunting and killing birds, rabbits, mice; checking out other homes; battling other cats.

He chose to sleep in window wells, sometimes, even on the coldest January nights.

After his excursions, he would sleep for days on our bed, cuddling and enjoying free store-bought cat food.

With time, he’d leave again.

Beamer knew to look both ways before crossing the street. He knew when to fight other animals and when to flee. He knew if he showed up at the back door we would always let him in.

Is that love? To allow a suburban cat that type of freedom?

Jeg ved ikke.

Is it love to keep a cat indoors in any way times?

Jeg ved ikke.

I keep my cats indoors today, out of love.

They are safe indoors – safe from traffic on 32nd, safe from our neighbors’ dogs, safe from animal control.

Yet, what if Beamer and Scout were two of the millions that end up in U.S. shelters?

What if they, although healthy, were facing potential death due to a “lack of homes”?

What if someone wanted to give these two cats – Beamer and Scout – a life with the freedom to go outdoors?

I know what I would want, if I were a cat.

I would choose life, even if that life indicated a lot more of a “risky” life.

My cat Beamer is an animal who could’ve been killed dozens of times – by the cold, by trucks, by a pet dog attack. His lifestyle was a gamble, and I did worry.

But cats can be, in lots of ways, complimentary spirits.

A complimentary spirit is able to come and go, to make choices, to think through and navigate his environment.

A complimentary spirit has the ability to make mistakes. often he learns from these mistakes. often he succumbs to them.

Is that so cruel?

Dogs bring numerous benefits to senior citizens. They offer companionship as well as decrease feelings of loneliness. They boost social interaction. as well as people with dogs are much more active.

However, some seniors can face major challenges in caring for their dogs. They may encounter health and wellness issues that impact their capability to take their canine for a walk. financially they may discover it challenging to pay for their dog’s needs. Or they may not be able to drive making visits to the vet or the groomer difficult.

Still, the benefits of having a canine outweigh the challenges, so discovering ways to support seniors with their dogs is extremely important.

Helping seniors take care of their dogs

ELDERDOG is a Canadian registered charitable organization aimed at helping senior citizens keep their own dogs in their own homes by supplying additional support as well as care that’s needed. see their web site here.

Sue Wilson leads the ELDERDOG chapter—or pawd—in Guelph, Ontario. She explains, “I was believing one day about exactly how my canine needed to go out, as well as I thought, “What’s this going to be like when I’m older?” That got me believing about older people in my neighborhood as well as exactly how I might assist them with their dogs. A few weeks later, I discovered out about ELDERDOG.”

ELDERDOG was started by Ardra Cole, a professor of education at install Saint Vincent university in Halifax. Cole’s research study into caregiving as well as Alzheimer’s illness led to the establishment of ELDERDOG Canada.

Volunteers like take legal action against help seniors with exercising their dogs, delivering pet food, grooming, transportation to as well as from the vet or groomer as well as short-term care during hospitalization.

ELDERDOG’s services are likewise offered in emergencies, which assists to alleviate tension as well as concern for seniors as well as their families.

Sue describes one client, who does not have household to assist her as well as likewise has major health and wellness challenges. “She has not allowed herself to be admitted to medical facility since she has no one to take care of her dog. now that she is connected with ELDERDOG, she has us as backup. The concern of who would take care of her canine was a huge mental burden.”

All of ELDERDOG’s services are supplied by volunteers as well as are totally free to seniors. (Information on volunteering is offered on their website.)

What volunteers do

Volunteers will likewise help in fostering or adopting dogs. In the circumstance that a senior has to provide up his or her dog, ELDERDOG assists with rehoming.

The organization works carefully with humane societies as well as other volunteer organizations in the areas it serves. Last year, ELDERDOG rehomed much more than 300 older dogs across Canada. numerous of these dogs were rehomed from one senior resident to another, with the ELDERDOG village of volunteers as well as helpers.

While numerous communities have organizations focused on helping older people embrace dogs, ELDERDOG focuses likewise on continuous support for helping seniors take care of their dogs. take legal action against encourages seniors to seek out organizations in their regional areas.

She likewise encourages people to reach out to elderly neighbours as well as relatives as well as offer to help with their dogs. “The finest thing to do is ask if you can help. It’s practical to be particular about what you’re offering. rather than asking ‘Do you requirement any type of help?’ ask ‘Can I take your canine for a walk?’ particularly as we head into winter, this support may be extremely appreciated.”

Sue receives various inquiries every week from seniors, their families as well as even care facilities seeking support for seniors as well as their dogs. The requirement is great, however so are the benefits for seniors, dogs as well as the volunteers who assist them.

Do you have a group like ELDERDOG helping seniors take care of their dogs in your area?

Have you ever faced a difficulty in caring for your dog?

Do you assist any type of elderly friends or household with their dogs?

Let us understand in the comments!

To discover much more about ELDERDOG, check out the web site or these articles.

Buddy finds a new home

Volunteers assist senior take care of her dog

Relaterede indlæg:

What does a therapy canine do?

Julia Thomson is a blogger at Home on 129 Acres where she writes about her adventures of country living as well as diy renovating. She as well as her household online on a 129-acreGård i Ontario, Canada. Overhold Julia på Instagram her.

I fostered an ancient black lab named Dora a couple of years ago.

Even with pain medication, her joints were so bad I just didn’t take her for walks at all. Looking back, I wish I would’ve come up with some ways to exercise her.

Today, my own black lab mix Ace shows signs of sore joints. We still choose walks, but I no longer take him running and we don’t play as much fetch.

Ace is one of those dogs who is completely obsessed with a tennis ball, and playing fetch tends to hurt his legs. So now, we just play a game every night where we roll the tennis ball back and forth in the living room. He loves it!

With older dogs (Ace is now 10), it’s tempting not to walk them as much or even at all, especially if they have less energy or if they have joint pain.

But as you know, exercise is still crucial for older dogs, for evident reasons such as:

Weight management
Nydelse!
Stresshåndtering
Bonding with family members – Ace’s favorite thing is probably to go on a walk with my husband and I together
Continued socialization and training
A healthier immune system

So, generally the same reasons why we must ALL be exercising, right?

It gets a lot more challenging with an older dog, though, because you may not be able to take him running, hiking or on those off-leash pet dog park excursions.

In Ace’s case, I can’t just throw his ball 20 times to help him burn energy like I used to do. He’ll hurt his legs.

So, here are some ideas for exercising your senior dog, especially if he’s having joint issues:

Tips for exercising a senior dog

1. just do it

Don’t use a senior dog’s age as an excuse not to exercise, said lab owner Kate O’Brien.

“It’s even a lot more crucial to appropriately exercise a senior, as arthritic joints do better if they are kept loose and limber,” she said.

She also suggested massaging your pet dog after a workout.

2. multiple short walks throughout the day

Ace gets sore after a mile or so, but he also still has energy after going that distance. I used to take him on one longer walk each morning and call it good, but that doesn’t work for him anymore. Instead, I walk him for about 20 minutes in the morning and then we choose a second walk some evenings.

On the other hand, if your senior pet dog still seems to do ok on longer walks or even running sessions, that’s great! I would keep it up if it’s working. See my post on taking senior dogs running.

3. use hills

“Hills can be a great way to keep a pet dog in shape,” according to Steve Pelletier, the other blogger behind Slim Doggy.

“Seniors in particular will often show a marked weakness in their hind legs,” he said. “Which can hinder their mobility.”

He suggested to walk uphill to a lot more successfully engage the dog’s hind legs and then “zig-zag down to alleviate anxiety on the front legs.”

4. Swimming

It’s not always easy to find a convenient, controlled area to take a pet dog swimming, but if you have the option, use it!

We are fortunate to live just a 5-minute drive from the Pacific coast and ideal by a pet dog friendly beach. pet dog paddling is beneficial for Ace because it gets his heart rate up while strengthening his muscles. He also doesn’t get too hot like he often does on walks.

Playing fetch in the water vs. on land is also much easier on his joints.

5. range of motion  

Pelletier suggested a stretching exercise you can try with your senior dog.

“Have your pet dog sit, and with a treat in hand, have them follow your hand as you slowly step it away from them, and then side to side,” he said. “You can even step it back towards their flank so they get a really great stretch.”

To make this stretching exercise effective, he said the dog needs to remain in a seated or down position. It can be used as a warm-up and will “keep your older pet limber.”

SlimDoggy.com also has a great post on balancing exercises for dogs of all ages.

6. Walks in new places

Some senior dogs are well behaved in new areas, which makes it much easier to take them places. To tire out your senior without putting too much anxiety on her body, you could take her on a walk through a pet friendly store or to an event like a street fair. Ace is wiped after such events.

What do the rest of you do to exercise your senior dogs?

Fortæl mig det i kommentarerne!

Also see my posts:

Older dogs and running

My dog’s tennis ball obsession

i sidste måned komponerede jeg om, hvordan min hund bliver ophidset, når han ser andre hunde på vandreture og trækker.

Et almindeligt problem, ikke?

Det er ikke det, at min hund overhovedet er reaktiv, og han trækker ikke engang så hårdt. Jeg vil bare have ham til at forblive fokuseret og fortsætte hælen, når vi ser andre hunde.

Jeg har høje forventninger.

Jeg har ikke gjort meget fremskridt, fordi jeg ikke har gjort en indsats for at følge med i mine træningsmål.

I stedet for at bruge en choke/slip krave og bære godbidder som planlagt, har jeg faldet tilbage på den blide leder. Jeg elsker den blide leder, men det giver dybest set min hund mulighed for at trække, mens jeg minimerer virkningerne af at trække, så jeg kan “tjekke ud” på træning. Det er fantastisk, når jeg tager ess til butikker eller travle begivenheder. Det er ikke fantastisk, når jeg arbejder på træning i nabolaget.

Så jeg har besluttet at genoptage mine originale mål:

[check_list]

Brug en spids krave. Jeg har besluttet, at det fungerer bedre end vores billige, tunge choke krave -ess, der bærer på billedet herunder.

Bære godbidder.

Hold nok afstand fra andre hunde, så jeg kan belønne god opførsel.

Forøg langsomt udfordringerne.

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For at gøre dette har jeg altid godbidder i min frakke lomme på forhånd, så de er altid der. Ellers er det for let for mig at springe godbidderne over.

Jeg har også skåret min hunds daglige mad tilbage med ca. 1/6, så de ekstra godbidder forårsager ikke vægtøgning. Dette vil også holde ham mere interesseret i godbidder, da han ikke vil være for fuld. Han er smuk godkendt, men det hjælper altid med at træne, når hunden leder efter et måltid!

Årsagen til, at jeg kan lide spidsen, er fordi det føles som en almindelig krave for min hund (mod at have noget over hans næse med den blide leder).

Når vi passerer andre hunde, holder jeg snoret (ingen spænding), så min hund kan tage valget om, hvordan man skal reagere. Jeg bruger kommandoen “ur”, mens jeg lokker ham med en godbid. Hvis det ikke fungerer, giver jeg ham et let slæbebåd på spids krave efterfulgt af en “god dreng!” Og en godbid, når han ser på mig.

Det er meget grundlæggende træning, og det fungerer godt for os, når jeg følger igennem. Sådan trænede jeg af hund, da jeg først fik ham.

Jeg kan også godt lide spidsen, fordi jeg kan skifte snor frem og tilbage mellem spids krave og nylon krave, og min hund vil ikke engang bemærke det. Målet er at komme til det punkt, hvor han ikke har brug for spidsen.

I’m hoping if we work on this each day for about a month, I will notice significant improvements.

Så hvad med resten af ​​dig?

Har du nogen træningsmål til dine hundvandringer?

This post was a part of the walk Your dog hop sponsored by BoingyDog and Paws and Pedals. 

Få det Mutt’s nyhedsbrev i din indbakke:

What do canine walkers do when they’re sick?

I launched the canine walking, running and pet sitting company Run That Mutt in 2008. because then, I’ve helped several hundred other canine lovers start their own canine walking businesses. One question I receive fairly often is: What do canine walkers do when they’re sick?

Obviously, if you have a company partner or employees, you ought to be able to cover for one another.

You would want to discuss this to your clients ahead of time, of course, so they are aware of who could be entering their homes. You ought to introduce your company partner or backup employee to your clients in advancement so they know who the backup person would be if you are ever sick. Then, on the day you are sick, you ought to also notify the clients to let them know the backup person will be walking the dogs that day.

If you are sick, some of your clients might choose not to have a backup person walk their dogs. This is a sensible request. Some dogs just don’t do well with unfamiliar people.

But many canine walkers don’t have employees.

Personally, I choose to keep my company small. I don’t want a company partner or employees at this time for my company offering dog walking in Del Mar, Calif.

When I am sick, I take a day off. My clients know there is not a backup person. I give them as much notice as possible, and people understand and plan accordingly. Some might stay home with their dogs. Some will ask a neighbor to drop by. Some dogs will go without a walk that day, and they are just fine.

In-home child daycare providers get sick every now and then too. numerous of these daycare providers do not have employees, and they have to cancel their daycare services from time to time because they don’t want all the kids to get sick. Livet går videre. parents plan accordingly, often staying home with the child or calling on grandma to help that day.

Getting sick is part of life. It happens to all of us, no matter what our professions are. Ikke noget særligt.

What do pet sitters do when they’re sick?

Pet sitting gets challenging because the owners are out of town. If I am sick, I am still responsible for those animals.

Thankfully, I have never been so sick where I had to cancel a pet sitting appointment. I have been sick, but I was still able to care for the animals as usual. If for some reason I were unable to take the dogs for walks or so sick where I could not get to the client’s house, I would contact the client and honestly discuss the situation.

There are also a few options for these types of emergencies:

Use your spouse (or a significant other, family member or friend) as a backup during emergencies. You would only want to do this with the client’s permission, of course. and you want to make sure your pet sitting insurance covers this backup person ahead of time.

During your meet and greet with the client, ask if anybody else in town has a essential to his home. If so, ask for that person’s contact information. Then, in an emergency, you could potentially organize for that person to stop by and make sure the animals are ok – with the client’s permission, of course.

Overall, it’s always best to be truthful with the client, discuss the situation and continue to touch base. If you are sick, you may be able to continue checking on the animals as usual, but maybe the visits will be a little shorter (make sure to give a discount). people are typically understanding if you are honest.

For much more information, get my ebook on how to start a canine walking/running business.

Learn much more here.

You can also sign up for my canine walking and pet sitting email list and get professional suggestions from me once a month