Bark City Doggy Daycare

Winter is COLD... and it certainy has been cold lately! Certain breeds are more susceptible to cold: little dogs, short haired dogs. lean dogs (like a greyhound), puppies and older dogs. There are dogs that are "cold weather dogs". This means their fur and body is build to handle colder temperatures. BUT, even these dogs can get cold if left outside for too long or the temperature drops below zero. How can you tell if your dog is cold? A sure sign is if they start to SHIVER. They will also hunch their back (trying to make themselves smaller!), make sounds of distress and try to go to any shelter they can find (veer towards the neighbors porch while on a walk). If the vulnerable padding on their paws starts to freeze or becomes compacted with snow, they will limp or lift one paw up at a time. Cold weather can be extremely dangerous for animals. Yes, they can get hypothermi a which can lead to death . Here are some tips to keep your dog warm and safe this winter: Do...

Winter can be a beautiful time to hike in the sparkly, cold wonderland. But, it can also wreak havoc on your dog's paws: cracking, trauma, frost bite, chemical burns and drying. This can hurt! We often don't think about it, but steps can be taken to prevent painful paws. Here's what you can do: Prep the paws . Trim the hair between the toes and around the paws. This will prevent ice balls from forming. It is also especially important to keep your dog's nails trimmed. Long nails can cause the paw pads to spread out while walking causing snow to get packed in between the toes.  Invest in some Paw and Nose Butter . Yes, there is such a product! Before you go out into the wild, gently clean your dog's paw pads with a warm wash cloth and apply a thin layer of butter. This will form a thin barrier between your dog's paw pads and the elements. Once you are done with your walk, wash your dog's paws with warm water and apply the butter again. This will help moi...

Hypothermia is a dangerous drop in body temperature and can be caused by more than just being outside in the cold for long periods of time. There are a lot of factors that play into whether or not your dog is at risk of hypothermia, some of them include: Very young or old dogs. Dogs under anesthesia. Smaller breeds, because they experience faster loss of body heat.  Diseases of the hypothalamus (example: hypothyroidism). The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating and maintaining body temperature.  Shock And... of course... if your dog has been out in the cold or the skin/ fur has been wet for a long period of time. So, how do you know if your dog has hypothermia? A dog's normal body temperature is higher than a human's. The normal range is from 101-102.5F. When it drops to a human range of body temperature (97.6- 99.6F), they are in danger of hypothermia. In fact, if your dog's body temperature drops below 98F, you should seek a veterinarian immediately. ...

 I know, I know, this is not exactly a glamorous post. Nobody likes to talk about poop, unless you are my children! But recently, I got into a discussion with a friend on why it is important for doggy daycares to clean up dog waste (including urine) immediately. Contrary to popular belief, dog poop is not a natural fertilizer. Quite the opposite, it is one of the top contributors to water pollution. The EPA has deemed that dog poop can be as toxic to the environment as chemical and oil spills. Our waste water treatment systems are not designed to filter dog waste and 1 gram of dog feces is estimated to have 23 million fecal bacteria. This includes: Campylobacteriosis (symptoms: fever, vomiting and swollen lymphnodes.) Salmonellosis (symptoms: fever, shock, lethargy, dehydration and more.) Toxocarisis...aka.. roundworms (symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea and worms in feces.) Coccidia (symptoms: bloody diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.) Cysticerosis (symptoms: anemia and an...

As winter continues on, we all try to ward off the winter blues by taking our handful of vitamin D daily and watching endless hours of Netflix. Sometimes, we take hikes in the winter wonderland...or there is skiing...or ice climbing.  But let's face it, winter is a time of hibernation and cabin fever can take it's toll. A dog's mental health can suffer. While you can go skiing and ice climbing, a dog can't. They get bored when mental and physical exercise are not consistent. And a bored dog equals a mischievous dog. Luckily, humans are also a creative species and below I have found a bunch of DIY enrichment games for dogs. So start crafting away the winter canine blues! What you see above is a "snuffle pad". You can purchase these or make them. The picture above is a snuffle pad from an Etsy store: FleeceBeWithYou . The price of these mats vary depending upon size and weight ($9.00- $50.00) Snuffle pads are also fairly easy to make, but can b...