Bark City Doggy Daycare

You have decided to adopt a shelter dog--- Congratulations! You have chosen to save a life and provide a second chance for a dog that has had a bad turn in life. There are certain things you must do before you adopt and things you will need to do once your dog is part of your family. Before You Adopt:  First and foremost-- decide how many dogs you want, because you will want them all when you walk into that shelter. Stick to that number.  Decide what kind of dog you want. Do you want a small dog or a big dog? And active dog or a laid back dog? An adult dog or puppy? You will want to try to find a dog that fits your lifestyle. Stick to the plan. If you are planning on getting a small dog, don't come home with a Great Dane.  Research, research, research-- Do you know what you will be feeding your dog? How much exercise your dog will need? What things are essentials for getting a dog (bed, bowls, leash, crate, ect...)? What vet are you going to use? What do you need...

In the past I have written about proper dog park etiquette , but I have yet to write about the do's and don'ts of hiking trails. If you and your dog are not properly armed with knowledge, training and equipment for hiking on a trail, bad things can happen. Before I list out the etiquette portion of this blog, I will first list out the preparations you need to make before you hit the wild. First and Foremost-- Is your dog even capable to hike a trail? Age : It is highly advised to take your dog's age into consideration. Puppies should hike for less than an hour. Elderly dogs joints, health and stamina should be considered. If you are going to take an elderly dog or puppy on a hike, please check with your veterinarian first and follow their guidelines. Dogs with a high prey drive or are highly exciteable : It is recommended that these dogs do not take hikes without a leash and have gone through rigorous obedience training. The wilderness offers a lot of stimulus-- w...

Summer is right around the corner and soon it will be time to slather ourselves in sunscreen and hope for the best. Did you know that dogs are just as much at risk for sunburn as humans? Dogs at the highest risk for sunburn are light skinned dogs, dogs with short hair, with little to no hair and dogs that spend a lot of time in the water (or soaking up the sun rays). In addition, a dog's nose, ears and underside are the most at risk for getting sunburned. Like humans, genetics and diet play a role in the susceptibility to sunburn. Some dogs are just more sensitive to the damaging effects of the sun. A lot of caring dog owners will use sunscreen on their dogs, but they should never use commercial sunscreen made for humans. Human sunscreen has a whole list of ingredients that are toxic to canines, including zinc oxide. Dogs lick themselves all the time and end up ingesting the toxic components of the sunscreen. For a list of toxic elements, please visit this website--> click he...