dog love Archives - PawSoCute

The 8 “Commandments” Your Dog Secretly Wants You To Know About (#5 Is Very Important)

Nate — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 19:56:23 +0000

Whether you just adopted a four-legged best friend or you are a seasoned dog guardian, one thing is certain: you always want what’s best for your dog.

Chances are, these are 8 things your dog wants you to know about – even if you don’t speak fido’s language!

1. “Let’s Go For a Walk”

Exercise is good for you and your dog!

The amount of exercise your dog needs on the regular basis depends on their age, breed, and health.

If you have a puppy, most dog owners know that they need exercise and play time at the park. But did you know that senior dogs need exercise too? While a senior dog may not be able to go for a five-mile walk with you, they still need physical and mental stimulation such as learning new tricks or doing dog agility training.

Exercise is one of the most important factors to avoid obesity in dogs. Make sure you are giving your dog daily exercise. A 30-minute walk, twice a day is ideal.

2. “Ouch! Don’t Pull On My Leash!”

Please never pull or yank on your dog’s leash!

For smaller dogs especially, you could hurt their fragile necks. If you are still using a leash connected to your dog’s throat collar, consider opting for a body harness that will make walks much easier and comfortable for both you and your pup.

A full body harness with the right leash will help to avoid skeletal injuries.

Often times, these injuries don’t show up until your pooch is much older and you’ll wish you never yanked on them!

3. “Don’t Yell at Me, I Don’t Understand!”

We’ve all been there: “I can’t believe you pooped on the floor!”

While you may be mad that your dog destroyed the carpet, dogs are just like small children and can’t understand why you are upset with them.

Instead, dogs pick up on the TONE of your voice. And they also can’t make the correlation as to why you are yelling at them.

If it looks like a toy and smells like a toy, then it’s a toy in your dog’s mind.

Many dog lovers are familiar with the “guilty” look that a dog gives, such as when they avoid eye contact and hide from you, but in reality, fido is trying to appease you with their body language.

“People anthropomorphize dogs quite a bit. We give them so much credit for being masterminds, but fail to recognize if the dog is so smart and understands they’re going to get into trouble for a behavior, why would they do it again and again?

To make their human, the people they love most, super mad for fun? That makes no sense,” said Kris Crestejo, a certified dog behavior consultant to PawCulture.

Next time your dog misbehaves, try using positive reinforcement techniques such as using praise and food for good behavior.

4. “Pet me more please!”

Some dogs don’t like cuddles and pets and can exhibit signs of stress, such as lip-licking, turning away, and moving away from you when you stop. If your pup likes to be pet, massaged, and/or cuddled, give them what they want!

Not only will your dog enjoy the attention, spending time with your dog is known to reduce stress in people.

Cuddle bug or not, don’t let young children hug dogs. If the dog suddenly becomes stressed, the child’s face is directly in the dog’s bite zone. On a similarly important note, if you are out on a walk and see a dog, always ask if you can pet the other person’s pup!

5. “Don’t Leave Me Outside in the Summer Heat”

Summertime can certainly be fun, but the soaring temps can also be dangerous and sometimes even fatal for our furry friends.

Never leave your dog alone in a car during the summer, even just for five minutes.
As the Humane Society of the United States notes, on an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees in just ten minutes.

It’s also important to keep in mind humidity.

“Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly,” said Dr. Barry Kellogg, VMD, of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.

During the summer months, you’ll want to limit your exercise time outside. Always carry fresh water with you when you are with your dog and don’t let them walk on the hot asphalt, walk on the grass instead. Add some refreshing ice to their water bowl and/or make some doggy popsicles to help your canine BFF cool down!

6. “I Want to Be Comfortable, Too”

Dogs truly don’t ask for much: food, clean water, toys… and a cozy bed!

Investing in a warm, plush bed (or maybe two) for your house will let your dog know they are part of the family.

Better yet: you can let your dog come up on the furniture with you for cuddle sessions while watching TV… but if you don’t like having companion animals on your furniture, at the very least offer them their own bed!

7. “Play With Me”

When you’re away at work, it’s important to give your pup something to do so that they don’t get lonely or bored.

From plush toys, Kong treats, and dog puzzles, toys make for excellent mental health stimulation.

Take your dog to your local pet store and let them choose a toy that they like best. Not only will your dog get a new toy to play with, but a trip to the pet store together makes for great bonding time!

When you are home, spend 20 minutes a day or more playing fetch (or whatever your dog’s favorite game is) to give them the mental and physical stimulation they need.

A well-engaged pup is a happy pup!

8. “You Are My Entire World”

While you have friends, family, and work engagements, your dog only has YOU!

Your dog wants nothing more but to love you unconditionally and make you happy. It’s important to keep this in mind when caring for your dog or when making the decision to adopt a new family member.

Your dog puts you first, so you should put them first too!

The post The 8 “Commandments” Your Dog Secretly Wants You To Know About (#5 Is Very Important) appeared first on PawSoCute.

Puppy Gets Excited to Reunite with His Brother at the Dog Park

Nate — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 01:56:46 +0000

For many pets, leaving behind siblings in the litter is part of life…but in some incredible cases, these siblings may cross paths again.

A 4-month-old German Shepherd-Border Collie named Sevro au Barka was venturing to the park with his owner, Calvin Crook. While enjoying the autumn weather, the pair noticed someone in the distance…

To the great amazement of Calvin Crook, Sevro au Barka went bolting across the grass!

“The two dogs ran right for each other and began a full-on wrestling playtime instantly,” Crook told The Dodo. “They seemed very similar and comfortable right away.”

While the likelihood of this encounter was close to zero, Crook knew there was something valuable in how these dogs interacted with each other.

“There is definitely a distinctive way they play with each other compared to other puppies they meet,” Crook said.

On usual one-hour walks in Sue Higgins Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Sevro usually comes across up to thirty dogs! It is very unusual for there to be a loving or gentle greeting in the process of these encounters. On some occasions, Sevro may show interest in playing, but in other situations, he merely sniffs and moves on.

In this moment, Sevro was leaping around excitedly. Crook decided to have a conversation with the other dog’s owners – and that’s when things started to click.

The other dog was also a Shepherd-Collie mix, and was similarly 4-months-old. The dog was named Harley.

“[Sevro] looks like he is a furry black bear, with brown socks on,” Crook said, while Harley is a golden brown, and yet, there was something so familiar about them together.

Crook had saved photographs of Sevro’s birth parents on his phone, so he quickly took them out to show the other owner.

“It was then we found out they were siblings,” Crook said.

Harley was Sevro’s brother!

After being separated for nine weeks, the two were thrilled to see each other again.

For the puppies, it was an odd adjustment coming from a large litter of other dogs.

“When he first got to his new home, he seemed happy and playful, but the first night was tough for him,” Crook said. “It was hard for him to go from having eight furry bedmates to alone on the floor.”

“I know you aren’t supposed to have them sleep in the bed with you, but now he has his own little corner of the bed that makes him really happy,” Crook explained.

Now, Sevro and Harley get to spend time together on a regular basis playing in the park.

“Sevro is a ball of energy,” Crook added. “He will never stop playing as long as there is someone willing to wrestle.” And when they see each other, Harley is always happy to oblige.

Source: Reddit and The Dodo

The post Puppy Gets Excited to Reunite with His Brother at the Dog Park appeared first on PawSoCute.

Dog Escapes to Hug Best Friend

Nate — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 03:21:00 +0000

Messy is a yellow Labrador with a passion for friendship.

Messy lives with his mother, Oranit Kittragul, in Thailand. While she benefits from the love of her dog, Messy’s caring and affectionate ways go much further. Another dog ends up having a better life – all thanks to Messy!