Author: Luisa
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3 Things Every Hiker with a Small Dog Should Own
Every hiker with a small dog knows that little dogs have tons of energy. So why not bring them along for a hike too? It can be intimidating, because it is instinctual to want to protect them, and that might take away from your hike. But you can have it both ways! Keep them comfortable and reduce the after mess of a hike in the rainy West Coast rain forest with these three must haves.
Paw Protectors
There are so many reasons to have two pairs of these on hand anyways, even in the city. But especially, it’s ideal to have a set specifically designed to be outdoors. There are paw protectors that are slip proof and water proof, ideal for a wet hike out in the Norther rain forest. Check out these waterproof anti slip paw protectors. They’re lined for additional warmth and comfort, too.
Lined Anti Slip Dog Rain Boots
Rain Jacket
Of course it’s ideal to have your small dogs body protected from the wet chill that comes with the West Coast rain forest hikes. Keep your small dog warm and dry in water resistant jackets. You can find these lined and unlined, lined for additional warmth in colder weather, and unlined for lighter rain protection in the warmer weather.
Hands Free Dog Leash
This is not only handy, but can work for safety as well. Keep your hands free for your hiking stick, or picking up your little dog over more difficult terrain. This works well for if you get distracted by local wildlife, your little dog will always be attached at your hip, like always.
BONUS
Of course, all of the above are ery handy for keeping your little dog dry, warm and clean on a hike. But what about your car on the way home? Here are two sizes that fit most vehicles; one for the front seat, and one for the entire back seat.
Back Seat Cover for Muddy Dogs
Split Seat Cover for Muddy Dogs
Happy Hiking!!
Why Shaving your Dog is Counter Productive
You want to keep your dog as comfortable as possible when they’re overheated. So when they are panting after working up a sweat on a hike, it’s only natural to feel like you need to help cool them down. There are lots of ways to do this; unfortunately many dog owners go straight to the groomers to keep their dogs cool. It seems like common sense; shave the fur, cool off right? Nope. Here are the most important reasons to reconsider shaving your dog.
Recognize the Purpose of the Double Coat
First consider the reason certain breeds have this coat to begin with. Yes, it keeps them warm in cold weather, but it also keeps their skin dry and acts as insulation against the UV rays and heat, too. There are many small dog breeds blessed with tons of hair. Some well known breeds include Pomeranians, American Eskimo Dog, Shiba Inu and some mixed breeds will have the double coat as well. Actually, lots of small breeds are double coated. You can do a quick google search to find out if your dog has a double coat. The fluffier he is, the better the chance there is that he has a double coat. It isn’t common knowledge that double coated dogs are negatively affected by summer shave downs. This is because each hair growth stage poses a threat to the dogs comfort.
One Coat, Two Coat
You’ve got two coats; one “guard” coat that makes your dog looks so majesticly handsome, and the shorter, fuzzy fur underneath that protects your dog from sun rays and self regulates the body temperature. It is the waterproof layer of fur, but it also protects your dog the extreme cold and the extreme heat. Think of it as insulation for your dog; you can put hot or cold coffee in your thermos, and it keeps it the desired temperature for a longer period of time than a mug would. So what happens when you shave your dog? Here are the stages of grow back, and why they affect your double coated dog negatively.
Stage One: After Shaving
When you first shave your dog, there isn’t much undercoat left. This poses a problem because sun rays can reach your dogs skin with little effort. The air pockets your dogs natural gorgeous mane has provides him with cool air on his skin when he is overheated, by nature or exercise. A shaved coat prevents cool air from reaching the dogs skin. You could liken this to the hydroplane effect, the air glides over his coat instead of going into air pockets within his longer fur. So you’ve essentially increased the exposure to harmful UV rays, and removed his coats self cooling ability.
Stage Two: The Slow Growth To Normalcy
This reason is pretty much self explanatory; it takes a really long time for your dog to grow his coat back to it’s original glory. So if you’re reading this a week or two after you’ve already shaved your canine pal, you’ve still got a long ways to go. It changes from breed to breed, but it generally takes months to grow a coat back to it’s original thickness.
In the meantime, his normally protected skin is now subject to sores and rashes, since he usually had a nice, soft tuft to protect him before. If your dog has grown from puppy to adult without his skin ever being directly exposed to carpets or outdoor elements, it will be much more sensitive than the skin of a single coated dog. This is why a single coated dog can scratch his back on the carpet, and the shaved double coated dog may develop a rash after from the same action.
Stage Three: The Final Growth
Finally his fur has grown back, and after taking many precautions against potential sunburn and sores, you’re relieved to have his beautiful mane back to its former glory. Well, there is some bad news to share. It isn’t the same undergrowth as he had before. The new growth isn’t nearly as useful as the original undergrowth. It has grown back to be less dense, it now soaks up water like a sponge, losing it’s waterproof ability. Also, the older the dog, the less likely it is to grow back to it’s original glory. More often than not, depending on your dogs health, age and other factors, it won’t grow back properly at all.
Wait! There are always exceptions.
As with most rules in life, there are always exceptions! Besides the obvious being a single coated dog whose coat doesn’t face these challenges, you could also be facing the following issues with yours:
- You’re just trimming to make mats easier to maintain or to avoid fecal matter matting up the behind
- Older dogs who can no longer self groom (consult a vet first)
- Skin Diseases
- Adopted dogs who suffered neglect and have mats beyond repair
While it can’t be argued that many dogs look coiffed and doubly cute with haircuts, there are some dogs we need to consider these factors for. It goes without saying that your dogs health is the most important thing to you, above appearance every time.
3 Ways To Increase Your Dogs Safety in the Vehicle
3 Ways to Increase Your Dogs Safety In Vehicles
More often than not, dogs are free to roam the back of a vehicle until they reach their destination. They have four legs instead of our two, so that should make them more stable then us right? Yes and no. It should not be forgotten that they too run the risk of getting hurt in the same circumstances we face in a vehicle accident. Its not something we like to think of often, but your pets safety in vehicles is very important part of a long and healthy life for them.
Some smaller dogs get anxious in car rides. Ideally they should be kept in a safe and comfortable carrier that won’t allow escape until you reach your destination. Having a familiar toy or blanket can improve their travel experience. Healthy treats, like dehydrated chicken bits, can help keep them optimistic about the journey away from their home. Most dogs, however, deserve extra attention in this area, because most genuinely enjoy the experience. Here is 3 ways to improve the your pets safety in vehicles.
A High Quality Harness
The first line of defense is a high quality harness that you can feed the seat belt through, behind your dog. If you have one already, make sure the stitching is tight and it sits comfortably on him. This method will safely and effectively prevent your dog from many scenarios he’d be left vulnerable in a worst case scenario.
Find strong and comfortable harnesses for small to medium dogs here: Mesh Dog Harness
Find strong and comfortable harnesses for medium to large dogs here: Nylon Reflective Harness
Seat Belt Leash Clip
These are quite cost effective, so it wouldn’t make sense to not have it in your car. Ideally, these solutions are used in conjunction with each other for maximum effectiveness. But it is best to have at least one available in your car at all times, especially if you and your dog go out together often. This is a product identical to a seat belt, but the other end clips on your dogs collar instead. When used with the first method, it can be considered a fail safe back up plan.
Find one here: Safety Pet Seat Belt
Pet Shirts, Sweaters or Jumpers
Some dogs get anxiety in the car, whimpering until they are free to get out again. Believe it or not, a simple shirt or sweater can help ease their anxiousness. Mothers will swaddle a baby to reinstate a sense of security. Animals and humans alike feel comfort with mild pressure on soft tissue spots on the body.
There’s a brand of animal clothing designed specifically with this same science behind it, and they claim to have an 80% success rate with their main product, a close fitting shirt. So a nicely fitted shirt might help your dog make it through the trip with less anxiety. What’s this got to do with car safety? This tip is mentioned with the reaction of an anxious dog in mind; if something outside of the car frightens them, it is very likely they will immediately run to you. This can be a fatal reaction in the wrong circumstances,
Find our selection of pet clothing here: Pet Shirts and Sweaters
There may be reasons why your dog in particular cannot use on or more of these methods. There are new ways to keep your pets healthy everyday, and special needs pets are in no way a new thing anymore, so don’t lose hope. Try all three if you can! It’s always better to have preventative measures in place, than deal with the consequences of an accident after the fact.