Bark City Doggy Daycare

A Kong has limitless options on what you can stuff into it. As long is it isn't something potentially poisonous to dogs like onions and chocolate. The easiest way to fill a Kong is to turn it upside down (biggest opening facing upward) inside a coffee cup. The coffee cup holds it in place while you spoon in the filling. Filling options can be as simple as a favorite canned dog food or can be a mixture of household ingredients that you have on hand, such as: Roasted Sweet Potato and Peanut Butter: 1/2 roasted sweet potato with out the skin 3/4 c. of peanut butter 1/4 c. of flax seeds 1/2 cut oats ~ Mix all the ingredients together and spoon into an ice cube tray. Place in freezer. When frozen, you can take an individual cube out and place in the Kong. Coconut Banana 1 cup of plain yogurt 1 tsp. of coconut oil 1 sliced banana  ~ Mix all ingredients together and stuff into your Kong. Place Kong into freezer until frozen.   Chicken and Pumpkin 1 jar of ch...

We all try our very best to keep our dog happy, healthy and safe. But, did you know that there are more than 100,000 cases of pet poisoning in the US each year? Many of these poisonings happen with everyday items that we humans use and don't really think about in regards to pet safety. Here is a list of the most common household items that cause canine poisoning: Common Human Foods : Foods like chocolate, xylitol, grapes, etc... can be toxic to you dog. Before you feed your dog any human food, please do your research on what is and isn't toxic for your pet. Just because humans can eat it, does not mean a dog can safely ingest. Insecticides : This could be a mosquito spray, bait stations or even flea/ tick treatments. Please be aware of what is within your dog's reach or what you spray onto their fur. Licking off these insecticides could can be toxic. Mouse and Rat Poison : Aside from just eating the poison, ingesting a rodent that has been poisoned can also be toxic...

We always set New Year's Resolutions for ourselves, but how often do we do it for our dogs? Or rather, for us to be better dog owners? This is Bark City's top 10 Resolutions for Dog Owners:   Weight Management -- Obesity in dogs can trigger a whole slew of health problems. Diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular disease are just a few. You should be able to feel your dog's ribs, but not see them. If you see them, Fido may be too skinny. One way to keep your dog's weight under control is to minimize the human table scraps and keep them on a healthy dog food. Read labels and opt for a higher quality dog food that is easily metabolized by your dog. One website that I use regularly is The Dog Food Advisor . This website has extensively researched a multitude of dog foods and rates them based on ingredients and health.  Grooming -- Keep up on matted fur, parasites, dental hygiene, toenails, ear infections and hot spots. All of these (and more!) can  lead to health pro...

Some of us celebrate Thanksgiving, some of us celebrate Friendsgiving and some of us just feast in gratitude. If you plan on feasting and including your canine friends, please remember: some of these foods can be shared with our four-legged loved ones and some of them can be dangerous. Please remember that things like mac 'n cheese and cranberry sauce should be in small quantities. These are an "occasionally" treats because of the fat and sugar. Also, be careful about the pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Pumpkin and sweet potato dishes can have nutmeg in them, which is poisonous to dogs. The rule of thumb is to make sure you know what you are feeding Fido. Check the ingredients and make sure nothing sneaky is in the dish (sage, garlic, nutmeg, ect..) To make it easy for myself, before I start seasoning the heck out of everything, I set aside a small quantity of the unseasoned foods for my canines. I realize that setting aside a portion of unseasoned turkey is a difficult...

Over the years, as I have written this blog, I have often talked about the necessity of mental stimulation for a canine in addition to physical exercise. As dog owners, giving our dogs physical exercise is top on our priority list for canine health. But often, dog owners neglect the mental stimulation a dog needs on a daily basis-- and they need a lot. A domestic dog's wild relative-- a coyote, a wolf, etc. -- will spend the day hunting, scavenging and foraging for food. Our domestic dogs need the same sort of stimulation on a daily basis. Otherwise, we pay the price in unwanted behaviors that cause stress to the human- dog relationship. When a dog is mentally bored, unwanted behaviors pop up: excessive barking, digging, escaping, inappropriate chewing and other destructive behaviors. The dog is bored. This can also lead to a mental decline in happiness, aka canine depression . Mental enrichment on a daily basis stimulates and assists a dog's brain growth, improves proble...

Thinking about planting a garden? If you are the type of person who has always wanted a garden, but has a dog and are not sure if the two can co-exist together, here are some helpful tips! Get to know your dog's personality : Is your dog a sunbather? A loyal companion that sticks by your side? A runner that uses your yard as a race track? Observe your dog's personality and how he/she uses your yard.  Avoid anything formal that sticks out: You will want your garden and yard to be a cohesive unit that flows together. That one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb, will of course, draw your furry friend's attention! Establish Pathways for your racetrack : If you have the kind of dog that runs and runs and runs and runs, they have probably established some worn paths in your yard. Keep these paths, but make them part of your landscaping. It's best not to build your vegetable garden right in the middle of your dog's racetrack. Unless you want them running right ...

         The above video, by Rodney Habib of Planet Paws, has been circulating around Facebook for quite a while. I am sure most of us have watched it. I also am guestimatting that most of us have also given our dogs rawhide chews. I know I have! Until one of my dogs inhaled a huge chunk of it and then hacked it up hours later. It made me realize that a rawhide is like playing Russian Roulette with your dog. It's only a matter of time until that twisted hunk of hide becomes an obstruction in your furry friend's stomach. And let's face it, watching the above video and actually seeing how a rawhide is made is somewhat cringeworthy. GROSS. Dogs need to chew on things. It not only cleans their teeth and is a natural way to strengthen their jaws, but it also combats boredom and relieves stress and anxiety. For puppies it also alleviates the pain that comes along with teething. Today, I have made a list of seven alternatives to a rawhide che...