4 ways to give your family dog the royal treat
Your family dog is more than just a pet – dogs are like fur babies and they deserve to be spoiled. Here are 4 great ways to make your pet feel healthy and cuddly.
1. Use claws ointment regularly
Your dog will love putting paw balm in his towel. Palm pads tend to dry out and crack, especially in the hot months or when dogs are playing on rough terrain.
Paw Balm helps soothe the pain by treating cracks in the pads. It’s like using lip balm for chapped lips – it feels great.
You can get claw balm online from many different companies. Each brand is made with slightly different ingredients and they all have different textures, ranging from soft to hard.
If you’re new to using claw balm, check out Bone and Yarn’s review of the 10 best dog claw balms. You’ll find all kinds of information, including ingredients, where each product is made, texture, and whether or not it’s scented or contains chemical ingredients.
2. Give your dog a bath
Bathing your dog will likely not be any kind of royal treat, but don’t let that stop you. While dogs do not need frequent baths, they do need to be brushed periodically, especially if they enjoy walking around smelly things.
Before you bathe your pup, consider using bath time to teach your children how to bathe your dog. Poop picking is a good way to teach responsibility, but it’s not fun.
However, bathing a dog can be really fun for your little ones. There’s something exciting about getting soaked with soap while trying to bathe a giant monster that doesn’t want to sit still.
If you allow your children to bathe the family dog, you will definitely need supervision, especially if you have a large dog. If your bathtub or shower doesn’t hold your dog completely, consider bathing outside in a children’s pool.
So, how does giving a bath to your dog work in their favor? When your dog is clean and smells good, he will get more attention from the whole family.
3. Trim the dog’s nails
Grooming is important, but trimming the nails is vital to your dog’s health. Enlarged nails cause dogs to walk sideways on their paws, and dew claws can become ingrown. If your dog develops an ingrown, dewy paw, it is best to have his vet trimmed.
It’s actually easy to clip your dog’s nails when you know all the right tricks. For example, placing your dog on his back, between your legs, with your face facing away from you will give you the best view of the sternum. This quick mode makes them easily visible, as you’ll have a direct view of their nails from this angle.
You’ll also need to quickly get familiar with the shape inside the nail. Dark or black nails make it difficult to see fast things, but there is a way to make this easier. For dark nails, wear a headlight and shine the spotlight directly on your dog’s claws and you’ll be able to see the rapid onset of appearance while clipping.
If you’re using a toenail clipper for the first time, be aware that the dog’s speed will grow with the nail, so you don’t want to clip the entire dog’s nails in one clip.
Instead of clipping large pieces, start small and check the quick clip after each clip. If your dog is not afraid of noise, you can also use a Dremel or similar tool designed specifically for dog nails. However, be careful when grinding nails, as you can still apply pressure quickly.
Finally, don’t forget about Quick Stop – it’s a blood clotting agent that will stop the bleeding if you injure your dog quickly. It comes as a powder and gel in a tube.
4. Let the dog dig
Dogs love to dig, but most dogs can’t dig because it will ruin the yard. Consider creating a section in your dog’s backyard only. In that area, let them dig whatever they want. With some effort, you can train your dog to dig and just play in that area.
Give your dog the best life
Dogs just want to play and spend time with humans. Your family dog deserves to enjoy a better life. Give them all the love, time, and attention they crave.