If you are trying to think of the most enjoyable season for dogs and their owners is probably summer.Long warm days give way to mild evenings with long daylight hours, making the perfect conditions for walking.What could be better than a brisk morning walk or gentle evening stroll with your dog?The fresh air and exercise is good for your health and your dog will love you for accompanying him on his daily walk. But don’t forget that with summer comes new, unwelcome dangers to your dog.

BBQs

Everyone looks a good babrbeque. It is common that when you are outside cooking your dog will be enjoying the garden with you.But did you realise that having your dog around a BBQ can be very dangerous.Your dog may not understand that the BBQ is hot until it’s too late. If your dog is lively and enjoys running around it could quite easily bump into the BBQ unit. Plus, human food cooked on a BBQ is not actually very healthy for a dog.Dogs don’t mind begging for more, so offering him one sausage will only mean he expects another.This type of human food offer no nutritional value and will lead to your dog continuously asking for food from your plate.Just make sure he has a full bowl of his favourite dog food close at hand – that should help to keep him happy. Plus, your dog could end up choking on small bones if you offer it chicken wings or drumsticks.

Fresh Water

Water is an essential part of your dog’s daily nutritional routine.To avoid dehydration during the hot months of summer you need to make sure you are providing water.Make sure that you offer a bowl full of clean, fresh water with every bowl of food and when you are out and about take a bottle of water and a bowl with you.He will benefit from regular drinks and will certainly be thankful that you are quenching his thirst!

Hot Cars

Do not be tempted to leave your dog in a locked car for more than a few minutes, especially during summer.The inside of the car can rapidly overheat, causing dehydration and even death.

Sunscreen

Just like us, dogs can suffer from sunburn.If you know your dog is going to be out in direct sunlight for a prolonged period you need to invest in some dog friendly sunscreen. Be awre that it is the areas of the body with little fur coverage that are at greatest risk of sun burn, so pay attention to the nose, ears and paws in particular.

If you are a dog lover, you may feel that one dog is not enough.However, before you add a second dog to your household, there are a few important points you should consider.

Firstly, you need to have a serious think about the personality and character traits of your dog.To avoid fights, you should seek to pair your dog with a dog of a dis-similar nature, that way they should be able to establish which dog is the most dominant.If you do adopt a dominant dog and your existing pet is also dominant you face the prospect of daily battles. Conversely, if you do own a quiet and submissive dog you should avoid homing a very dominant second dog as it will more than likely bully your existing pet.The ideal situation would be to have two dogs with a similar, placid nature that is neither dominating nor submissive.

Size is the second important considerationIf you have a Yorkshire Terrier, you may not want to buy a Boxer puppy.A large dog will find it easy to hurt a much smaller breed, even if it is unintentional.If you already own a big dog it can be possible to add a smaller dog to the home, but only if the big dog has a placid nature.

You then need to considerer gender. Two un-neutered females are unlikely to get on with each other. You really need to think about neutering your female dog before you add another female to the mix. A male puppy may be the best partner for a neutered female because even after the operation a girl dog can remain aggressive towards other females.(Of course if you do pair a male dog with a female you need to make sure one of them is neutered or it won’t be long before a new litter of puppies arrives!)

Age is another important consideration and you should avoid pairing a very old dog with a puppy.Your older dog may be less active than when he was a pup himself and may not be interested in playing with a puppy.Instead, you may want to consider adding a more settled and mature dog to the family.

Some breeds of dogs have more trouble accepting a new puppy than other breeds.Toy dogs can often be soiled, jealous and keen for their owners attention. Smaller dogs will be unhappy about you introducing a puppy to the home.More aggressive and dominant dogs like pit bulls are also not good at accepting a new dog into the home.However, each dog is an individual and some dogs who are members of these breeds have no problem accepting a new puppy.

Your last consideration is financial, so make sure you can actually afford a second dog.Dog’s are not cheap so make sure you can afford to pay for the dog food, vets bills, vaccinations and accessories.

When it comes to dog boarding, it’s important to remember that you can find quality care, whether it’s Ann Arbor dog boarding or Albuquerque. It’s probably easy to find Ann Arbor dog grooming, but have you considered how difficult it is to find good dog boarding in YOUR town?

Do your due diligence prior to retaining dog boarding services. Emergencies are just that; they’re unexpected, so be prepared to provide care for your pet when they happen.

When selecting the right facility, you should follow a few simple steps to be sure you’ve found the right place for your dog boarding. Quality dog boarding facilities will have reasonable hours of operation, scheduled daily exercise for the dogs, socialization with other dogs (if appropriate), regular feeding and medication delivery, and comprehensive emergency procedures. If your dog has special needs, be sure to find out if the dog boarding facility is equipped to handle your special arrangements.

Call ahead and schedule your tour of a dog boarding facility. Ask questions over the phone; it’s a good idea to choose the ones that are deal-breakers, so that you don’t waste a visit if the facility is unable to meet your needs. No need to make a trip if they don’t offer as much exercise as you want, or are unable to accommodate your special needs. Some high-end facilities may offer other services, such as dog grooming.

When you’re on your tour of a dog boarding facility, be sure to check to be sure proper licenses are maintained and displayed. It’s always a good idea to check with your local Better Business Bureau to determine whether other clients are pleased with their service. Obviously, take a look around and note whether the rooms are clean and tidy. If you’re near water, it isn’t a bad idea to note whether or not the building is in a flood zone. If they do dog grooming as well, be sure to have a look at the work the facility does, and that it is satisfactory for your needs.

All these factors come into play when making the important decision as to where you’ll board your dog when you go out of town, or otherwise need care of your dog away from home. Whether it’s Ann Arbor dog boarding, Ann Arbor dog grooming, or Albuquerque, quality facilities are nearby, you just have to do the legwork to find them!

It’s no surprise that ours is a nation of dog lovers needing services, with people seeking Ann Arbor dog grooming and Ann Arbor dog boarding just as do those in Miami, New York, and everywhere in-between. The words dog grooming might make you think of upscale dog shows and immaculately manicured dogs, but think again. This is certainly not the case! Frequent dog grooming promotes good health for your dog. Families don’t neglect the personal grooming of their children, why then the family dog? You find quality caregivers when looking for dog boarding so doing the same for your dog’s grooming makes perfect sense.

Professional grooming is a wonderful choice when it comes to your dog grooming. Professional groomers offer a wide variety of services, and they vary from groomer to groomer. The simplest service offered by groomers is a simple body wash. Others have services as wide ranging as brushing your dog’s teeth and deep conditioning and styling his coat. Just because you don’t show your dog doesn’t mean she can’t look great for the next family photo.

Other services include pre-clipping, which allows dog grooming professionals to thoroughly wash the skin of the dog, before a final professional clipping. Additionally, you can get de-matting services to get rid of those unsightly fur balls. Nail clipping is a vital service, especially if you have wood floors at home. dog grooming also emcompasses ear cleaning, teeth brushing, and flea dips. Don’t make the mistake of assuming dog grooming is de facto veterinary service; your groomer may be familiar with dog health, but is not a dog health professional.

If you have a pure-bred dog, and are considering entering shows, you should definitely find a good groomer Certain breeds are expected to have a specific style to their coat, and groomers familiar with the show dog world should be able to conform to the rules and regulations for the particular dog show. There are usually higher fees associated with specialized services, so check with your groomer to determine the costs. Because of the care and precision needed to conform to show rules, it isn’t surprising that there are extra costs in most cases.

Wherever you make your home, dog grooming is a component of the proper care of your beloved pet.