7 Ways to Prepare Your Dog For Spring
Spring can be a fun and exciting time for both you and your dog. With the proper precautions and planning, you can help make it safe and enjoyable for your furry friend. We have compiled our top 7 tips and tricks to help keep your dog safe and happy as you prepare for spring and summer together.
Washing Your Pet’s Toys & Bedding
The winter likely brought a fair bit of dust into your homes, and with keeping windows shut your pet’s favorite items become stale. Take some time to get these items clean and ready for summer. Bedding and fabric toys can be run through the washing machine, while leashes, collars, and plastic toys should be hand washed in hot, soapy water.
Get Grooming
This is the time of year when most dogs will shed as they get rid of their winter coat for a thinner coat designed for the warmer temperatures. Brushing your dog regularly can be one of t he best thing you can do. In some cases, you may want to invest in a brush that is designed for shedding. This will help keep the tumble fur in your home to a minimum. If your dog has a particularly difficult coat or needs trimming, consider a trip to the groomer to get off on the right foot, or paw!
Pest Prevention
Warm weather also signals the beginning of pest season, and we are all aware that prevention for fleas, ticks, and heartworms are very important to the health and well-being of your dog. In many parts of the country, especially the south, it is important to use protection all year round. If you are in an area where this is not needed or you simply have not been using it, now is the time to get your dog back on preventative medication. As the weather heats up, the pests come out which means more chances for all these parasites to attack your dog. Prevention is the name of the game here and can save you considerably when it comes to the vet bills and the health of your dog. Your vet will be able to give you the best type and dosage for your pet. Commonly, these preventatives also help with other pests too.
Schedule a Physical Exam with your Vet
Just like humans, dogs should have at least one vet visit a year; and there is no better time to do this than in spring. This will help you to understand where their health is as well as what you can do for them to keep them healthy in the warmer months. Since this is the prime time to get vaccines taken care of, you can schedule their checkup at the same time; you can even schedule your dog’s yearly teeth cleaning during this appointment and get it all done in one quick visit.
Update Your Dog’s Information
Is your dog required by local ordinances to have up to date tags? These days, most cities do, so take a moment to get updated this month. This can be easily done when your dog goes in for their shots. If your dog has a microchip, it is also a good idea to ensure that all the information is up to date there as well.
Seasonal Allergies
Just like people, many pets get seasonal allergies too. Pets have very similar symptoms for allergies: runny nose, watery eyes, itching, coughing, or sneezing. These symptoms are inflammatory based, the same as in humans. Luckily, there are things we can do to ease our pet’s allergies. If you notice any of these symptoms with your dog, check with your vet to see what options are best for your dog and area.
Check Your Yard and Common Areas
While we are staying warm inside during the winter months, environmental changes, trash and other potentially harmful items can collect outside, this is especially true if you live in an area where the ice and snow have built up over the winter. You want to make sure there are no holes in your fence your dog can escape from. You also want to check your yard for hazards that can harm your dog while playing.
We hope these tips will help you to get your dog back outside and enjoying our warmer temps and green grass. If you have a tip that you would like to share please leave it in the comments, we'd love to hear what you do to help get your dogs back in actions outdoors.
- May 05, 2020
- in Pet Blog