Bark City Doggy Daycare

Giant dog breeds are any dog that will eventually weigh 100 + pounds. Though giant dogs are majestic to look at, they do require special care in order to ensure they live a relatively long, healthy life. If you noticed I used the word "relatively" in the last sentence, it's because in comparison to a regular sized dog, giant dogs have a shorter life span-- 6 to 10 years in comparison to the average 12 to 15 years of a "regular" dog. If you are considering adopting a giant dog, here are the "ins and outs" of care: Typically, giant dogs are very gentle, affectionate and loyal. They make great family pets. BUT, they must, must, must be trained and socialized starting at puppyhood. Otherwise, your gentle giant could end up a bulldozer which equals injuries for all living creatures in the vicinity. The good thing is that gentle giants are generally very trainable. Once they get older, their energy level decreases and they don't require as much exe...

Ear problems are probably one of the top reasons dog owners visit the vet. A dog's ears should be regularly monitored in order to keep them healthy and infections at bay. Once an infection starts, it can become time-consuming for the owner and agony for the dog. Often, a two-prong attack is what is needed to find out what is causing a dog's ears to become infected and to provide relief. The owner needs to 1. consult a veterinarian for medication that will provide immediate relief and 2. Examine what environmental factors are causing the dog's ears to become irritated. It is important to stay on top of your dog's ear health. Prolonged ear infection can cause permanent damage to you furry family member's hearing. A veterinarian's medication will provide immediate relief for your dog's ears, but if the environmental factors that are causing the problem are not fixed, ear infections will become chronic. Often, an ear infection is caused by a dietary alle...

Hip Dysplasia is an inherited condition resulting from an improperly formed hip joint. In normal growth, the "ball and socket" portion of a hip would grow at an equal rate. In hip dysplasia, the ball and socket do not grow together at the equal rate. This causes the hip joint to eventually develop degenerative bone disease and/ or osteoarthritis. It should be noted, that the gene that causes hip dysplasia has not been conclusively identified. BUT, it is believed to be more than one gene. Diet also plays a crucial role in the development of hip dysplasia. Dogs that are genetically more prone to this condition are large breed dogs and purebred (though, all breeds large and small, can develop it). Hip Dysplasia generally starts to show up around mid- late age for dogs. But in severe cases, puppies may show signs as early as 5-10 months of age. It is important that at-risk large breed puppies are given controlled exercise . This means you need to limit high-impact games ...