Summer is the perfect opportunity to spend some extra time with your dog. You can bring him along whether you head to the beach, the lake, fishing, or just hanging out at the pool. Of course, it’s still important to be mindful of water safety, even with a dog!

I love these doggy life jackets. Available in sizes from XXSmall to Large, the sturdy vests have brightly colored prints and reflective strips for easy sighting, and a handle on top for fast retrieval. They also have a mesh underbelly which allows water to drain away from the dog, and heavy duty Velcro to keep everything in place.

Dogtopics.com also offers some general water safety tips, including being mindful of what your dog is drinking, rinsing your dog off with fresh water after they’ve been in the water, and keeping your dog hydrated and rested.

[image: petco.com]

We recently put up a soft-sided above-ground pool and all got in for the first time this weekend.

We’ve had Chip since he was a puppy and know that he’s never swam before, so we carefully brought him in with us and let him paddle around for a minute. Though he’s not able to tell us what he thought of the experience, he was licking and wagging his tail when we held him, so I’d guess he didn’t mind too much! He also seemed to like following my husband around and swimming to him.

Honey, on the other hand, had a brief paddle before clinging to my husband before he lifted her back out to me. She’s never been crazy about getting wet — though she’ll put up with baths she hates going out when it’s raining, and avoids the yard altogether when we’re watering plants.

She doesn’t like the sound of water either — whether in a spray bottle or running from the kitchen faucet. We don’t know much about her history up until the time we got her so we don’t know what might have happened to her to make her so wary of water.

Since it’s an above-ground pool with a removable ladder, there’s no chance she’ll get into the pool by accident, otherwise we’d bring her in so we could teach her how to get herself out (swim to the steps). So my first instinct, since she gives no signs of enjoying it, is to not going to bring her into the pool anymore. But I wonder if bringing her in with us and helping her feel safe and secure might help her get over whatever issue she has with it. What do you think?

[image: flickr]

Our little dog Honey is quite a ham and definitely knows how to keep herself cool!

I kind of look forward to when we bring out the floor fans as the temperatures rise because Honey likes to situate herself in front of one to cool off. She’ll roll from one side to the other, sometimes going straight onto her back to make sure her tummy gets optimal cooling coverage.

Since she’s a rescue I’m not sure if this is something she’s always done or if it’s something she’s only figured out since she’s been with us, but I think it’s one of the cutest things ever and can’t help but harass her with tummy rubs when she’s got it bared for all.

Have your pets figured out ways to keep themselves cool during the summer months?

While picking up some dog food at the pet store this afternoon we saw a little display at the check-out with a bunch of small containers of pet grass. Grass is something we haven’t had to think about in a while, since we moved into our house last summer, and it dawned on us then that the dogs haven’t had any to nibble on in that long.

Chip was immediately interested and stuffed his face right into it. Though he only took a few nibbles he seemed to remember exactly what it was and probably that he liked laying around on it in the sun, too!

Honey was a little more hesitant but took a few nips at it as well before wandering off.

I do wish that we had a backyard full of grass again but it’s just not practical in the desert southwest, so we’ll probably plant just a small patch sometime soon.

When we did have grass, I’d see them occasionally nibbling it. I’ve always assumed it was because they had an upset stomach and the grass would help them vomit, and though that seems to be the common thought, no one actually seems to know for sure why they do it. Some vets suggest it may be more of a dietary imbalance while others just brush it off. I lean toward the upset stomach theory, at least as far as our dogs are concerned, since any kind of discomfort they seem to be going through was usually eased with a little bit of green.

As long as your dog isn’t gorging, a little bit of grass now and then obviously won’t hurt them. But if they’re acting like mini lawnmowers a trip to the vet might not be a bad idea. And of course, make sure any grass your dog has access to hasn’t been recently treated with chemicals.

I was recently sent some Goochii Poochii pet shampoo and conditioner to try out on my dogs.

Goochii Poochii is a line of natural bath and body products for pets that was launched in 2008. The line is formulated with the finest natural and pet-friendly ingredients.

They create rich shine, a luxurious coat, eliminate odor and hot spots as well as retract ticks and fleas. The formula in non-toxic, biodegradable and safe enough to eat (but doesn’t taste good!).

The shampoo did lather up pretty well and got the dogs clean. I’ve never used a conditioner on either of them because they’re both short haired, but I tried the Goochii Poochii conditioner and it did make their coats that much smoother.

The scent was a little too flowery for me, but I was pleased to find that it didn’t linger after the bath was over. I’m not a big fan of scents on dogs (powders, shampoos, etc) because it just gets mixed in with stinky dog after a bit.

Overall it’s a great shampoo and conditioner for your dogs!

[image: goochii poochii]

Want to share the Passover holiday with your pet but not sure how to? Many commercially made pet foods contain certain grains that are verboten during Passover.

KosherPets.com, however, has come up with a solution: Kosher pet food!

With food and treats available for both dogs and cats, the food claims to be free of wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt, making it acceptable for Passover. They also have a Passover Feeding Guide for Pets available [pdf]. You can also check out what’s new and what they have in the works.

The foods are available at brick-and-mortar stores and can also be ordered online.

[image: kosherpets.com]

Get your dog to eat his veggies! Well, sort of!

These cute carrot-shaped dog treats are actually chicken flavored biscuits. They’re sold four to a bag for $7.99 and are available from Kool Dog Kafe.

Want something more Easter specific? You’ve got to see the rest of their spring treat line-up: Spring Cannoli, Big Spring Bunny Cookies, Easter Dipped Bones, Spring Bunnies, and Spring Eggs. So cute!

[image: kooldogkafe.com]

What is usually thought to be a funny quirk in some dogs — chasing their own tail — is now being thought to have a more serious link.

Researchers are discovering that tail chasing might be a sign of high cholesterol, which adds one more symptom to a list of behavioral issues that they already feel can be attributed to high cholesterol in humans, such as panic attacks and OCD.

They tested 30 dogs — 15 who chased their tails and 15 who didn’t — to come up with their data. The tail chasers had higher HDL and LDL cholesterol numbers. As for why it happens, the researchers say:

“The reason could be that high cholesterol levels glob up cell membranes at the microscopic level, affecting the flow of brain hormones such as serotonin that are involved in mood and behavior.”

Physical trauma to the dog is also thought to contribute to the quirk, and bull terrier and German shepherd breeds are more likely to do it.

[source; image: flickr]

If filing down or clipping your dog’s nails aren’t enough to keep your pooch’s paws pretty, Paw Palace has a little something extra you can add to your next grooming session.

These floral applique stickers are applied directly to your dog’s clean nails, and are perfect for a spring or summer look (if you’re into that!).

Each order comes with four sheets of non-toxic, peel-and-stick stickers, and at $10 a package you’d have to decide if it’s worth it or not yourself, especially if your dog is a digger!

I think Honey would look sweet with them but I don’t think they’d last long in our backyard! Would you put these on your dog?

[image: pawpalaceonline.com]

This week’s Pet of the Week is Pearl, who belongs to Sherry and her family!

Pearl is a sweet nine month old beagle. Sherry says:

“Favorite Toys: Her favorite thing to chew on is actually paper, which is annoying but as far as actual toys, she loves these plush soccer balls from the dollar store. Luckily they’re only a buck since she destroys them by the end of the day. She’s also partial to rawhide bones.

“Favorite Foods: Pearl is a total scavenger and will eat anything she can find, as though we were starving her. Her definite favorite though, is peanut butter. When she sees me stuffing her Kong full of peanut butter, she looks just like that photo up top!

“Pearl is still having trouble remembering that she’s at the bottom of the pack and is not an actual person, but she’s the most loving, kind-hearted dog I’ve ever known!”

Thanks, Sherry!

Do you want your pet featured as Pet of the Week? Just follow the instructions here!