Tag: dog

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Did I make the right choice?

3 months ago, we made the decision to get Oolong thinking that we are prepared mentally and financially to be pet owners (whilst running a start-up). ☺

Rather than being informative, this is more of a #thoughtcatalogue kind of article.

?: “Can we get a dog, please?”
?: “No dogs! I’m busy enough taking care of you and cleaning the house. A dog is going to make it worst. You want your mother to die is it”

Does this sound familiar to you? #AsianMums

Just gotta add this in

I’ve always wanted a dog since young. I could never understand why my mum refused to let me own a dog even though she say that she is a “dog lover”. Now that I’m a dog owner, i kinda understand where she is coming from. Owning a pet is a huge commitment — and at that point she was right that we weren’t ready for that sorta commitment.

There are lots of sacrifices you have to made — mainly changing your lifestyle depending on the breed you got. This is why it is so important to get a dog that aligns with your lifestyle vs. getting something that is “popular” or “cute”.

Getting Oolong, the Siberian Husky

When we got Oolong, we thought we were ready (mentally & financially). We had all the boxes ticked — we are 28 years old and our house is arriving soon. We run a start-up so we can bring Oolong to the office every day; we are not exactly rich but yes, we can definitely afford a dog with our combined income.

Yes, granted that we were still staying at our parent’s house but we are moving out soon. We also had “the chat” to make sure they are okay with a new dog around the house (at least for the next 6 months max).

What could possibly go wrong?

We overestimated our financials. Theoretically, we are already spending $1,000 on taxi fare since we often work till 3-4am in the office (so cannot wake up in the morning, and no more train/buses after midnight).

We use telegram hitch a lot to get private hires, but we aren’t always that lucky. Grabpet would mean $50/day (to & fro) and that’s on top of his medical bills, food expenses and grooming.

Oolong was proving to be expensive. Eventually, we decided to keep him at home and only bring him to the office 2-3x a week — it would make a lot more sense financially and my husband’s parents were okay.

All good, till last month.

Oolong started getting jumpy and pushing boundaries with my PIL when we are not at home — jumping on guests, chewing on shoes/decor items, mouthing, etc. My PIL doesn’t know how to discipline a growing puppy — on top of that, having a dog around the house can also mean a “messier” house.

They had to make a few shifts around – meeting their friends outside of the home, cleaning up after him (he loves to stick his tongue out on the floor) and eventually, the pressure got to them. I understand — having a pet around (especially a puppy) wears you down. They were also scared of Oolong as he is growing exceptionally fast / big for a 5 months old puppy.

They started having 2nd thoughts and decided that they aren’t comfortable having him in the house whilst we were at the office.

Oolong is larger than a full-sized Singapore Special now.

Everything started to derail

Our initial plan was to do alternate weeks at my house and my husband’s house — but my mum backed out when she saw the “mess” and how dirty the house was after the first 2 weeks.

It’s not my house. It’s not their dog. I started getting really stressed because i needed to make sure Oolong wasn’t being naughty.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that when you welcome a dog into your family, your entire household needs to be EXCITED and AGREES to the plan.

Key takeaway

Lucky for us, we have our own office and we can bring him here everyday. That solves bulk of the problem — and we also got a long-term hitch driver to drive the cost down on transportation.

Oolong’s “work”

We were (kinda) lucky.

But what if you are working a 9-5 job and your office is not pet-friendly? What are you going to do?

Are you going to give up your dog?

Are you going to return home to angry parents?

Key takeaway

I’m slightly embarrassed that this seems to be a useless article HAHA but i think the point here is that with COVID, i’m seeing a huge trend of people owning a pet (adopt/buy). I’m happy to see more pet owners around because i believe that this helps to push the country in a progressive way (more pet owners, more demand, increase supply for pet-friendly related F&Bs, malls etc)

BUT

  1. If you are still living with your parents and works/study, MAKE SURE that you have 100% buy-in from the other household members. If they are hesitant, DON’T. It’s going to be painful.
  2. No, owning a pet is not just “it’s going to pass”. It’s a daily thing. It’s a 365 thing. It gets easier after puppyhood but they won’t magically be independent like your 12 years old sister. Throw them a phone and they will be fine. They going to get sick, bored, naughty and you are responsible for that. You CONTROL their life. It’s on you.
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Dog Hiccups Are Adorable — But Are They Normal?

dog

Article originally published on Dodowell. Written by Danielle Esposito. Refer to the original article here.

Let’s start off by calling dog hiccups exactly what they are: absolutely adorable.

And puppy hiccups? That’s an entirely different level of magic-on-earth that can cure any bad mood.

But as a responsible dog parent, of course you want to know if those cute little sounds could ever be a real problem.

What causes dog hiccups?

Without getting too technical, dog hiccups happen the same way human hiccups do, namely from involuntary contractions of the diaphragm.

“Hiccups is a typical puppy ‘problem’ and they seem to grow out of the hiccups by about 6 months of age,” Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in New York City, told The Dodo.

According to Dr. Hohenhaus, veterinarians can only speculate on the cause — which might be gulping air when eating, excitement, stress or maybe just a developmental issue most puppies grow out of. “I say stress, because puppies often have hiccups during a veterinary examination,” Hohenhaus said.

In general, hiccups are as normal and harmless for dogs as they are for us, and most dogs will get them at least once in their lifetime. 

How to help when your dog has hiccups

Generally an episode of hiccups will only last for a few minutes, and you’ll probably notice that your pup isn’t bothered by them. 

“Typically, hiccups are self limiting and don’t need intervention,” Dr. Hohenhaus said.

But, of course, you might want to try to help your dog, and luckily you can use many of the same remedies that you would for yourself.

You can try massaging her chest, lightly (and playfully) startling her, or even getting her to do some light exercise.

The only risk to note is that while she’s having her hiccup spell, it’s best to not give her any hard treats or foods since hiccups are involuntary and chewing can cause choking.

Should you call your vet?

While most hiccup spells are completely safe, there can be rare cases where hiccups can indicate a serious underlying issue.

Keep an eye on your dog and if you notice that her hiccups are lasting for hours or that they’re happening more often than usual, make an appointment to get her checked out by your vet.

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A Dogsitter for the Furkid!

Are you in a household where both pawrents work full time and the furbaby is mostly alone? Or perhaps are you considering getting a furbaby but are worried because all members of the household work full time? If you answered yes to any of the two questions then perhaps getting a dog sitter might be a good solution for you! I’d like to share with you my experience of getting a dog sitter and hopefully that would give you enough information to consider having one too. 

When we welcomed Ollie to our home, I knew that a puppy would need lots of attention. I had a week of leave and I thought that was enough. Little did I know, after reading extensively, that is not enough.  Though puppies spend a lot of time sleeping, they needed the human interaction as well. Without it, they might experience separation anxiety and perhaps face other emotions or psychological issues. 

I was fortunate that my mother-in-law was able to come over every day for almost a month from 12-1 to look after Ollie when he was a puppy. However, I knew this was not a  long term solution so I went online to see what I could do. That was when I stumbled on the site www.pawshake.com

Pawshake was a platform that allowed me to book a sitter. Most people, I realised much later, only booked a sitter when they needed someone to look after their furbabies when they were on vacation or over the weekend. It wasn’t common to get a daily sitter to look after the furkid. 

I used that platform to find a sitter for Ollie on a daily basis (weekdays). The platform encourages you to meet the sitter before confirming the deal. This was useful as it allowed me to see how they interact with Ollie. In fact, this was a very important part of choosing a sitter as sometimes Ollie wasn’t as comfortable or might even bully the person who came over to look after him. All the instructions to how this can occur is in the site itself. Thus, I relied on the information online and found sitter for Ollie when he was 4 months old. The person I found was a student who was waiting to pursue her studies online. The cost ranges and different sitters have a different price. It ranges from $10-$30. As I wanted someone on a regular basis, I asked if I could get a small discount. The first sitter I had for Ollie was 19 years old and had several pets before. She charged $10/hr and that amounted to $200/month. My husband and I decided to go with her as we found that once Ollie met her, he was instantly connected to her. 

Let me go to some details about what happened during her time with Ollie. As Ollie was still a puppy, she spent that time cuddling with him, playing with him and even teaching him how to pee and poo. We had a playpen for Ollie and so when she came she will release him from it and give him as much attention as she could. In fact, she even helped to potty train him during her time with him. In terms of safety, we gave the keys to her once we decided to get her help. We also informed her that we have a camera and always checked it when she was in the house. We locked the other doors when we left home. There must be some form of trust between the sitter and the pawrent for this arrangement to work. The sitter made a huge difference to Ollie’s growth. I leave my home at 6.40am daily while my husband would leave at 8. The sitter comes from 12.30-1.30. Once my husband leaves, Ollie will nap till the sitter comes. I would return home between 5.30-6 and Ollie would be napping until I returned. As Ollie knew someone would be there in the afternoon, he didn’t display any signs of separation anxiety. In fact, he is so used to the routine, even on weekends he would sleep till 12 then ask for attention and have a nap after. I’ve read a lot online about how sleep is important for canines. 

Now, Ollie is 2years and 3 months. Do I still have a sitter for him? Yes I do! 

The reality is, the sitter won’t be able to commit for the whole year. They too have different responsibilities at different times of the year. Normally I have a sitter that can commit at least 1-2months. It might also not be possible to always get a sitter for $10/hr. There were months where the sitter’s price would be $12-$20/hr. However, I didn’t not mind it as long as there was someone to walk him and play with him in the afternoon. In fact, I even made friends with some of the sitters and invite them over for Ollie’s birthday. Here is a picture of Summer who was Ollie’s sitter in 2019 with her husband at Ollie’s first birthday. Ollie absolutely loved all the attention from her.

In fact even over the weekends, if we needed help, we knew we could ask the sitter to come over and look after him! Thus, I would definitely encourage pawrents to get a sitter if they need help in looking after their furbabies. After all, a happy furbaby is a happy pawrent!

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As I go gray, I want my hooman to know…

I opened my doggo eyes to the warm sunlight and I think of my younger days where I would bounce up and run out to play. Somewhere in my 13 years of life, things changed.

It was not because I have become less playful, neither was it because the toys weren’t fun anymore. It’s simply because I couldn’t gather the energy to move like I used to. And that’s okay because it’s natural, right? Every doggo ages eventually.

As I go gray, I want my hooman to know that…

Age spots are a part of my aging journey.

You may have noticed that when you bathed me with your tender hands, my skin has more dark spots than when I was a pupper. I know you are concerned about why my looks started changing but I guess, it’s just a fact we both had to accept. Much like how grandma and granddad get their spots when they age.

My fur will turn lighter like how your hair will turn gray.

As you stroke my fur and look through my pupper photos, you gasped as you see how much my colour changed. It might seem like a little bit of colour gets washed off with every bath, which would be funny. However, it’s just that my body stops using energy to make colours for my coat so that I can have more energy to play with you.

English Cocker Spaniel Puppy Sitting On Ground Beside Grass

I wish I can walk a little further.

Nothing is better than some walkies with my favourite hooman, especially the reeeeaaalllly long ones. But my tiny little legs hurt inside with every step after some time, probably because of arthritis, weaker bones or simply fatigue. I can’t tell you when I am in pain, so all I can do is to stop a little while when it hurts. If you caught me limping, that’s because I was trying to keep up with you. Every day, I try to move a little further than yesterday.

My eyes that may have turned hazy, still see clearly.

When I see your worried look as you look me in the eyes, I knew my eyes did not seem as bright as they were. I know you are worried that I might be going blind. But, dear hooman, please don’t worry too much about it. My hazy eyes can still see you clearly and I am grateful for that. Nuclear sclerosis is the reason why my eyes are slightly blueish now. However, it is different from cataracts. I wish to see your happy face more while I still can, please do not worry as I can still see very well.

Pawn Pug Sitting on Beige Floor

Wrinkles are my evidence of memories with you.

With every walkies, zoomies and time spent panting living with you, my skin leaves precious folds to remember the good times we had. The first area you might notice where I have wrinkles would be my neck. The skin gets slightly loose and saggy. While it changes how I look externally, these marks on my body are beautiful souvenirs from the good times we have so I love every fold on my skin. I hope you love them too.

I am grateful to you, my dearest hooman.

In a blink of an eye, thirteen years have passed. While I don’t know how much time we have left to spend together, I just want to say thank you for giving me a good life. I know you sometimes blame yourself for not doing better but I wish you can find comfort to know that I enjoyed and appreciate everything you have done for me. I hoped I have been a good girl that doesn’t cause you any trouble and I will continue to strive to do so.

Lastly, I know you might already be thinking of my departure one day. Even though it is painful to separate, I wish you can be with me until my very last breath. And I hope that that is not too much to ask for in exchange for all the good memories we had created together.

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How to Stop Chewing in Puppies

Article originally published on The Spruce Pets. Written by Amy Bender. Refer to the original article here.

For puppies, the entire world is a chew toy. Puppies, like babies, explore the world with their mouths. Unfortunately, their explorations are not limited to their own toys. Your shoes, furniture, children’s toys, and anything else lying around your house are fair game for a teething puppy.

Unfortunately, your puppy may chew things that can harm it. You can put a stop to your puppy’s destructive behavior, but It takes time and consistent training.https://959980d490ba4ceaa2688c409992c87e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Why Do Puppies Chew?

Most of the time, chewing is normal behavior for puppies and dogs, and it serves many purposes, such as strengthening their jaws and relieving anxiety.

Like babies, puppies experience discomfort while teething, and gnawing or chewing on things provides some relief. Boredom is another reason that puppies chew. Dogs are social animals and need stimulation for their mental health. If you’re not exercising your pup enough or giving it sufficient one-on-one time, it may seek attention by chewing inappropriate objects.

puppy teething
  NatalieShuttleworth / Getty Images

How to Stop Destructive Chewing

There aren’t many medical conditions other than teething that cause a puppy to chew on things, but it’s worth a trip to the vet just to be sure. If the vet gives your puppy a clean bill of health, there are several ways to prevent your puppy from wrecking your abode.

Puppy-Proof Your Home

Puppies should not have the full run of your home until they are completely trained. Many people choose to use the kitchen since it’s easier to clean up accidents on an uncarpeted floor.

Once you’ve decided on the areas where your puppy will be allowed to play, take a good look around and begin puppy-proofing. Pick up or move any objects that your puppy might decide to chew. Get down at the dog’s level to see what might appeal to it. Remove or cover any electrical wires, houseplants, garbage pails, children’s toys, and anything else you don’t want your puppy to chew or knock over.

Crate Train Your Puppy

While crate training is usually talked about in terms of house training, it is also a good tool for curbing destructive puppies. When you’re not able to supervise your puppy, crating can keep it and your home safe. If you don’t have a crate, you can confine the dog to a small, puppy-proof room such as a bathroom or kitchen.

Provide Your Puppy with Toys

Chewing allows puppies to ease teething pain, and it alleviates boredom. To prevent your puppy from getting in the habit of inappropriate chewing, make sure you provide it with lots of appropriate things to chew on.

Toys that work well for puppies are rubber toys with a hollow center, stuffed animals with squeakers inside, and nylon bones. Avoid animal bones, hooves, and antlers.

Don’t give your puppy old shoes or socks as playthings; you’re likely to cause confusion between which shoes are OK for chewing and which ones are off-limits.

There is some controversy over the safety of items like rawhides, pig’s ears, and other edible chews. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian before giving any of these items to your puppy.

Puppy chewing a toy
 Mint Images – Norah Levine / Getty Images

Rotate Your Puppy’s Toys

Since puppies chew to alleviate boredom, it’s a good idea to rotate your puppy’s toys every few days. A puppy will be looking for something new and interesting to sink its teeth into. By changing its toys around periodically, you’ll be keeping it interested in the things you want it to chew, and it will be less likely to start gnawing on the kitchen cabinets.

Offer a Swap

Try giving your puppy a treat in exchange for whatever inappropriate object it has in its mouth. This is a good way to train your dog to learn the command “give” if you repeat it before giving the treat. Over time, your puppy should learn that “give” means “give me that thing in your mouth!”

Just take care not to lavish your puppy with praise when it swaps the inappropriate object for a treat. You don’t want to turn it into a game where your puppy expects a reward for chewing on the wrong things.

Redirect Your Puppy

When you see your puppy begin to chew on something inappropriate, don’t scold it. Instead, move the puppy away from the object and redirect it to something you want it to chew. Make your puppy’s toy more interesting by squeezing a squeaky toy or shaking a bone while talking to it in a happy tone of voice. Give the pup lots of praise for chewing its toys.

If you think your puppy is teething, you can give it a doggy version of a teething ring: Dampen a washcloth; then place it in the freezer for about an hour. Give it to your puppy to tug and chew on, allowing the cold to soothe its sore gums.

Give Your Puppy Plenty of Exercise

A tired puppy is a happy puppy. Be sure to give your puppy enough playtime and cuddle time. If it’s had all of its ​puppy vaccinations, make walks part of your dog’s daily routine. If left to its own devices, your puppy is going to start looking for ways to burn off energy. This leads to destructive behavior. A puppy who gets regular exercise is much more likely to be well behaved.

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Community Stories

All About Spitzes – Diet

Continuing on our series of Stories From The Community: All About Spitzes, this second article will be discussing the topic of diets – what are common foods they avoid as well as recommendations by our very own Spitz owners.

This article will feature the experiences & insights from the hoomans of Orithespitz, legendthespitz and hweeventures!

Q: What diet are your Spitzes on?

H: Hwee is currently on a 50% HCF & 50% Kibbles diet. She used to be really picky with her Kibbles so we introduced HCF to encourage her to eat more.

O: Ori is on an 80% HCF & 20% Kibbles. 

L: Legend is also currently on an 80% HCF & 20% Kibbles.

Q: Is there anything you avoid feeding them? Alternatively, what do you encourage them to eat?

H: We are very cautious and picky with what we feed Hwee. She is allergic to chicken so we naturally avoid that though it was pretty hard to find kibbles with no chicken by-products. Moreover, due to her previous pancreatitis flare up, we now have to keep her on a low fat diet. 

Hwee’s meals always consist of a good balance of lean meat/fish & veggies! We were advised to keep her meals within 20% of fat content, so we will always calculate the fat percentage for each of her meals. To keep the range within 20%, we will request for lean cuts from the butcher when preparing her meals. 

O: Ori is not picky or allergic to anything so I generally let him eat anything. But I avoid lamb because I don’t like the gamey smell. I’m also watchful of the amount of treats he eats, I definitely try to ensure he doesn’t eat too much.

L: We will avoid beef because Legend started to develop brown patches after we fed him canned beef in the past. We suspect it’s due to an allergic reaction. 

We would add salmon to his meals as it is a good source of protein and it helps to keep his skin healthy & shiny. We also feed him pumpkin as pumpkin helps to boost his immune system. On top of that, we try our best to incorporate fruits and veg into this diet. 

Q: Is there anything in particular that Spitzes should eat?

H: For Spitzes, coat care is very important so adding fur & coat supplements like fish oiI and coconut oil helps a lot with that!

And since they’re double coated, the Singapore weather may be too humid for them. Often, it leads to itching, scratching & hot spots! So I firmly believe in skin and coat supplements to help maintain a healthy coat condition. 

O: I would also recommend supplements for coat care. I usually add coconut oil, fish oil and other similar supplements to Ori’s diet whenever necessary. 

L: Spitz are prone to luxating patellas so it’s important to take preventive measures. We feed Legend Arthrix Plus as a joint supplement, Augustine Superboost, fish collagen and salmon oil supplements. Salmon oil helps with shedding and also promotes a shiny and healthy coat. This is especially good for them since they are a double coated breed.

– – –

THE WOOF AGENCY would like to thank Orithespitz, legendthespitz and hweeventures for sharing about their experiences!

Stay tuned to next Stories from the Community, where we talk to owners of long-back dogs to learn more about how to care for them! 

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A wonderful bak kwa recipe for your wonderful pups!

Are you looking to treat your amazing furkids to some delicious Chinese New Year goodies? I’ve got a fun one for you!

Not only is this recipe delicious (based on the reviews of the pups that have tried it), but it’s also extremely easy to make.

You’ll need the following ingredients/equipment:
1. A dehydrator
2. Baking sheet
3. Minced meat (pork/chicken) (~300g)
4. Herbs (Oregano, Rosemary, and any others that you like)

Step 1:

Firstly, be sure to thaw, wash and drain the meat! By doing so, it saves you a lot of time waiting for the dehydrator to make its living.

Step 2:

Once the meat is nice and soft, you can start to mix in any optional ingredients that you’d like. Feel free to add in some fat such as a little bit of butter to just give the meat a nice coating, as well as salt and other herbs that your pup prefers. Personally, I like to use rosemary and oregano as not only are they delicious, but they’re also nutritious for dogs to eat.

If you’re not into that, you can also opt to just pop the meat straight into the dehydrator as is and it’ll still be delicious!

Once done, you can leave the meat to rest as you start to set up the dehydrator.

Step 3:

Spread your baking paper on the dehydrator and make sure its covered as much as possible. Once done, take the minced meat and use the back of a spoon or spatula and spread the meat across the baking sheet.

*IMPORTANT: In order for your Bak Kwa to be crispy, spread the meat thinly across the tray.

Adding it in the oven for extra conchiness

Step 4:

Once done, set your dehydrator to anywhere between 60 – 80 degrees celcius, based on the total weight of meat you purchased. The total cooking time should be set to 8 hours. Once set and the dehydrator is closed, feel free to tend to other work, or just enjoy a nice break on the couch for 7 hours and 55 minutes while you wait for it to be done.

Yummy Bak Kwa for furkids

Step 5:

After 8 hours, your bak kwa will be cooked and ready for your pup to eat! For those of you who want it to be a little bit crispier, you can put the bah kwa in the oven for around 10 – 15 mins for an added cronch 🙂

After that’s done, you can cut the bak kwa into bite-sized pieces for your pup.

Summary

And there you go! An extremely simple recipe that you can make this CNY to give your pups some delicious treatos. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that this recipe is just a basic guide. If you’d like to use different types of meat or seasonings based on your dogs preference, feel free to do so!



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Community Stories

Tips on dog grooming from a professional groomer

During the Circuit Breaker period, many pawrents had to result to emergency DIY grooming to ensure that their pets were in pristine condition.

In order to provide our wonderful fur parents with some guidance, we had a chat with Andrea, co-owner of Shaggy Wagon. She shared some valuable tips on how to do DIY grooming, along with some things to take note of before you start out!

Tell us a little bit more about yourself and Shaggy Wagon!

Well I’m a crazy dog lady & have so much love to give to the animals! I was a makeup artist for 15years plus working in the office for my family and one day my (now) husband Rei saw how much I love animals and ask me, what does Singapore don’t have for pets.

I said a physical mobile grooming vehicle like in the states. Where we bring the grooming to your door step. So that’s how shaggy wagon was born.

But unfortunately due to the restrictions Singapore have, the wagon has to go on hold for now. However, we have Shaggy Hangout to provide all the pets in Singapore with our love!

Personally, I believe in the organic way of creating a comfortable environment for the pets before, during & after a grooming session.

What attracted you to the dog grooming business?

I grew up with dogs all my life, their well being has always been my priority. I have send my dogs for grooming and always thought there should be a way I can let the dogs hangout and enjoy themselves before their turn to be groomed and after, Instead of a cage system, but I would say cage systems is done to prevent accidents among the dogs which is not wrong too. Every groomer have their ways, but I’m sure they always mean well.

For Shaggy, we would want the fur kids to have fun before their groom. More importantly the team and groomer to interact with them before we start. So the pets do feel more at ease and don’t feel stressed out.
We will take note of the dogs health issues or past injuries on their record card, and work around what is more comfortable for the fur kid.

For first time pet owners, what are some important things to note when choosing a groomer (for both big and small dogs)?

Hmm, there is no difference for a big or small dog to a groomer.
More importantly, you can check with the groomers if they have groomed the breed that you have, to ensure they understand what your dog needs the best. Another important point is to always let the groomers know of any health or behaviour issues of the dog, so you can find a groomer that can provide the right way to handle and care for your pet.

What are the differences between grooming smaller dogs and bigger dogs?

Actually there is no difference, both still need the same amount of patience and care. The only difference is the time frame required for grooming due to their sizes, or if the dogs needs more time due to health or behaviour.

How did Circuit Breaker affect the way you ran your business?

Yea, we couldn’t operate due to lockdown, it was beyond our control. But it was for the best for the people! When lockdown was over it was our job to help all the dogs who were lacking a proper grooming and pampering session.

What are some common mistakes first time pet owners should avoid when trying to groom their pets at home?

Nail trimming is definitely a common error. Don’t cut their nails too deep of the quick. On many instances, when the trim is so deep they actually do remember the pain, and it affects their future grooming experiences. Expressing anal glands without knowledge – expressing anal glands without knowing the right way, may hurt or rupture your pets anal gland.

Brushing your pets fur is also another one – always brush your pets if the breed needs daily brushing, and be sure to brush them in layers. If the fur becomes matted, it can cause irritate their skin and even cause more serious skin issues.

Just picture a rubber band on your finger tied up, which cuts off circulation. Pets will get the same feeling. When matts are released the blood will start to circulate again, which could lead to the itching of skin, inflammation, or even hematoma’s the ears.

What are some things pet owners ought to know when grooming their pet at home for the first time?

Make sure to always visit your friendly groomers for tips before you perform DIY grooming! Also, having monthly visits to the groomer will eventually help your pet become accustomed to strangers and aid their social skills.

What do you love the most about your job?

What I love? I love it all, their company, grooming them, getting to know them, talking to them like kids, learning along the way what can be improved for each individual dog personality.

Because they they are not just a dog, they are like my kids.
_____

THE WOOF AGENCY would like to thank Andrea & Shaggy Wagon for sharing these insights for all pawrents!

Enjoyed this article? Let us know what else you’d like to read about in the comments below!

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Dealing With a Shedding Dog

Article originally published on The Spruce Pets. Written by Jenna Stregowski, RVT. Refer to the original article here.

Dog shedding can be frustrating for all of us, no matter how much we love our dogs. The mess of dog hair can be enough to drive dog owners nuts. All dogs shed to some degree, with the exception of completely hairless dogs. Certain breeds (so-called hypoallergenic dogs) shed very little, while others (namely heavily double-coated breeds) shed large amounts.

Year-Round Shedding

All animals with hair shed on a regular basis. This is part of the natural life cycle of hair shafts within the follicles. All hair shafts go through phases of growth and shedding. The phases affect the rate of hair growth and will vary by breed, age, hormones, environment and overall health of the dog. These factors also contribute to the length and texture of the hair, though genetics is the predominant factor.

Dogs with continuously growing hair, like Poodles and Yorkshire Terriers, have hair shafts with longer life spans and shed very little. On the other hand, dogs like Labradors and Huskies have a shorter hair shaft lifespan and more abundant undercoats, resulting in greater shedding.

Shedding Season

In general, most dogs will shed extra during spring and fall. Most dogs are double-coated; they have undercoats and top coats. The top coat is what you see and feel on the outside. The undercoat is made up of secondary hairs that grow around the primary hairs and tend to be shorter and softer. Seasonal shedding occurs as a result of temperature change. This process is sometimes called “blowing coat.” When the weather warms, dogs shed their old winter undercoats to make way for a lighter summer coat. Then, when it begins to get cool again, dogs shed their lighter undercoats and grow thicker, warmer coats for winter.

Not all coat types are affected the same way by temperature changes. For example, dogs like Bichons and Shih Tzus have less undercoat, so they shed less when seasons change. The old coat must still be removed by grooming the dogs. However, dogs like Newfoundlands and Malamutes have heavy, thick undercoats that make shedding much more obvious. Basic brushing is important for both coat types.

Other Reasons for Shedding

Your dog’s health can affect the shedding rate, so it is important to take note of unexplained excessive shedding. Skin problems, endocrine diseases, nutritional or vitamin deficiencies, and other metabolic disorders can cause hair loss or change the rate of hair growth. It is important to contact your veterinarian if the rate of shedding seems unusual for your dog. Keep your dog healthy with routine vet visits and proper nutrition. Contact your vet immediately if you notice any signs of illness.

Get Control Over Shedding

There’s no way to completely stop shedding. It’s a healthy and natural process that is necessary for dogs. Shaving your dog down is not a good idea, as it can interfere with your dog’s natural self-cooling and self-warming mechanism. In the long run, it will not make shedding occur any less. In rare cases, the hair in shaved areas will grow back abnormally or not at all. The key to preventing excessive shedding is to keep up with it.

Routine grooming is absolutely essential for all dogs. Brushing or combing your dog helps to remove dead hairs before they can fall on your carpet, bedding, and upholstery. It will also prevent those dead hairs from forming mats on your dog’s coat that can eventually harm the skin. Brushing also distributes the natural, healthy oils produced by the skin throughout the hair coat. Using the right grooming tools can make a great difference. For heavy shedders, a special shedding tool like the FURminator can work wonders. For some coat types, the dead hairs don’t shed as much, but they cause the dog’s coat to appear ragged and can eventually become matted. Some owners prefer to take these dogs to a professional groomer periodically for coat care. For some coat types, hand-stripping is a technique that is often preferred over trimming the dog’s hair.

Grooming a dog
 Maya/E+/Getty Images

Managing the Aftermath of Shedding in Your Home

Shedding makes a mess, no doubt about it. As a dog owner, you have probably come to terms with the fact that regular house cleaning is the norm, especially during shedding season. The key is to remove hair before it has a chance to embed itself into your carpet and upholstery. Keeping a pet hair tape roller around for touch-ups throughout the day is an excellent idea. For deeper cleaning of upholstery and small areas, consider using a handheld vacuum designed to pick up pet hair, like the Dyson DC31 Animal. When it comes to cleaning carpets, Panasonic’s Pet-Friendly JetSpin Cyclone does the job well. For non-carpeted floors, some excellent options include the Swiffer, the Fur-Be-Gone Broom, and similar style products.

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Community Stories

The loss that nobody wants to talk about.

It has been some weeks since I’ve thought of making a contribution to Pawjourr and I’ve finally plucked up enough courage to touch on a sensitive topic that’s really close to my heart. But before I begin, a gentle disclaimer that this story is not meant to tell or prepare you on how and what to feel, as in my opinion, no amount of preparation will ever be enough to deal with the loss of your beloved pet.

This is Junior, my little Bichon Frise who was always up for an afternoon snuggle – the bestest companion I had been longing for since before 2009.

I still remember the day I got him.

As though shouting to us “Notice me!”, a white ball of fluff jumped excitedly as he saw us in the pet store. My mum and I instantly fell in love and the moment I sat in the car with Junior in my arms, I knew my life was never going to be the same again. ❤️

Tug-o-war time!

Junior was a quiet little boy who didn’t really enjoy interacting with other doggos. He was like a little old man, always minding his own business and chilling out around us as we go about our daily activities. He enjoyed his squeaky toys and would occasionally come over to me for mini tug-o-war sessions. 

Junior was ALWAYS around – through the late-night studies, family celebrations, and festivities, he was always there. Junior was really the sibling I never had. Milestones after milestones, I could definitely count on him to give me a really big comforting hug, and as strange as it sounds, he’s always one of the first few “people” I shared my good news with. 

One thing I missed for sure was hiding food from him. Where there is the sound of plastic bags, there was Junior. ?  Someone, please teach me how to resist dem puppy eyes. ?

In March 2019, Junior left our family. 

His deterioration which led to his death went relatively fast and came highly unexpected. Everything happened in the span of 4 days and it was agonizing.

It was truly a roller coaster of emotions in the days he was admitted, I was not prepared nor did I expect to lose him when we did. I hadn’t the slightest idea that recovery was not in his books and hence was not able to process or accept the loss. It was absolutely mind numbing that sometimes I wish I hadn’t brought him to the vet, just so our time together would extend. (Although I know I did the right thing, reducing his pain and suffering)

When the loss is traumatising, recovering is often complicated. 

Without his little paws tapping the marble floors and occasional whines and barks, the house was unbearably quiet. Unable to face the silence alone, I purposely kept myself busy and stayed out a little longer. Every little thing reminded me of Junior and weeks following his death were just filled with sleepless nights and tears. I remember thinking to myself how nobody told me about this agony I would have to go through as a pet owner.

As much as I hate to admit this, the painful truth is that our pets don’t last forever. 

It’s been over a year since I lost my best friend but not a day goes by where I do not miss him. I still cry at the thoughts of him from time to time. Goodbyes are heckin tough but I would do it all again in a heartbeat (which was why I decided to adopt Dexter but that’s a story for another day). 

So as someone who has lost her bestest friend, here are some things that I found useful and would like to share:

Firstly, don’t be pressured to “move on” or “let go” – There really isn’t a reason why you should be expected to move on quickly. Give yourself time to grieve and reach out for comfort if you need to. It was a traumatic experience for me and the last thing I wanted was someone to tell me to move on so please do not offer such advice if you know someone going through such a situation. Just be there for them and lend them your shoulder to cry on. 

It’s ok to find yourself going through good and bad periods – Some days are simply harder! I could be dealing with Junior’s passing really well one day, and be hit by a truck of emotions the next. But that’s fine, acknowledge your grief and allow yourself to express it but most importantly, reach out and seek support when you have to. 

Lastly, amidst all the cuteness and silly moments with your furkids, know that the process of aging and death is inevitable. Spend and cherish the time you have with them as they had with you till now. Though it would eventually come to an end, the joy and sheer bliss of having met them are beyond the devastation that follows. So do not shy away or be afraid! I know Junior and I were meant to meet and he has been and always will be irreplaceable in my heart. ❤️