Keep those Paws Safe: Hot Pavement

Summer is Here, Are you prepared?

Summer is finally in full force. This means lots of fun at the beach, camping trips, swimming and evening nights at the park with your pooch! As happy as all of us Vancouverites are to have the summer sun out, it's important to be aware that the heat brings dangers to our furry friends. As the sun heats up roads, sidewalks and sand, the pads of your dog's feet need to be protected from burns and blisters.

I'm positive almost everyone has experienced the sensation of standing on a very hot road and know just how unpleasant that can be. Not many people realize how dangerous this can be for our dogs.

Be sure to recognize the signs that of your dogs pads being affected by the hot pavement. Signs such as limping, refusing to walk, darker than usual pads, blisters, redness, missing parts of the pad or licking and chewing the foot.

Water is always a refreshing way to cool of your dog but be aware that pads that have been softened by the water are more likely to be injured.

If your dog experiences any of these symptoms, the best treatment is to immediately flush the injured paw with cool water, get the dog to a grassy area, and carry him/her if possible. The paws should be kept as clean as possible and bandaged until they fully heal.

Always consult your vet if your dog has injured their paws.

Have a fun and safe summer with your four legged friends!

One Year Old

Dapper Dog Port Coquitlam Turns 1

It's been a busy few weeks, which is why the weekly blogs have not been up to date. All last week we celebrated the 1 year anniversary of our Port Coquitlam location.

All the staff would like to thank all of our lovely daycare and grooming clients for joining us on our journey. Although Dapper Dog has been around for over 5 years, the daycare is our newest venture. We learn so much every day from our clients and have gained so much more knowledge along the way.

From all of us here at Dapper Dog, we thank you and look forward to many more years with you and your furry friends/family!

http://www.dapperdog.ca/

Oral Care for Your Dog

Dogs need

Monitoring Your Dog’s Dental Health

A lot of dog owners don't know that dogs teeth need to be checked and kept healthy. Most people just assume that dogs bad breath is normal. Catching teeth problems early will help avoid severe dental disease. The best and easiest way to keep track of your dog’s teeth is to look at them on a regular basis and check for signs that may indicate a problem. Some signs that your dogs teeth may need professional cleaning or a vet trip are:

• ~ Bad breath
• ~ Reluctance to chew / crying out when chewing
• ~ Salivating from the mouth more often than usual
• ~ Bleeding gums
• ~ Tartar Build Up
• ~ Red and/or puffy gums

If Plaque builds up on the teeth and turns into tartar there is a serious risk of Dental Disease. When the bacteria is allowed to grow it eats away at the teeth and gums. If this happens your dog might get such things as: Halitosis, periodontal disease, oral pain and tooth loss. The bacteria not only causes disease in the mouth – they can also affect the heart and kidneys. Preventing Dental Disease in Dogs is very important and can be achieved many ways. Here are a few steps:

~ Use special enzymatic toothpaste made especially for dogs. Do not use human toothpaste as it can make your dog very ill.

~ Daily brushing is recommended. Use a “finger brush” or special long toothbrush designed for use on dogs. When introducing your dog to tooth brushings, the finger brush is a great way to start as it feels less awkward for them as brushes can.

 ~ Having your dog chew on raw bones or tough raw meats such as pigs legs. It's great for the                  "flossing" effect. Try to avoid giving marrow bones or any cooked bones as they can chip your dogs teeth or splinter and cause a painful reaction on their stomachs.

If your dog's teeth have gotten away from you and have now got a solid build of of tartar, you may need to consider having your dogs mouth seen by a professional. Your vet is usually a good first stop. They can clean your dogs teeth under anethetic, but if you are not comfortable having your dog put under, you can also look into having a non anethetic procedure done at your own home.

There are many options to help keep your dogs teeth and gums happy and healthy. Help your dog live the happy healthy life they were born to experience!!

The Importance of Trimming Your Dogs Nails

One of the most common things we come across here at Dapper Dog is over grown toenails. Alot of owners just don't know how often they need to be done or even done at all. We want to help educate people, helping them understand that maintaining your dog's toenails is more than just for vanity's sake.

Major toenail issues that can occur are:

If dogs toe nails are allowed to continue growing, they can actually grow into a complete circle and pierce the dog's footpad causing pain and potential infection. If your dog has dewclaws, it is especially important to trim those as those nails have no way of naturally filing down as they don't reach the pavement. Some outside dogs that walk on concrete have the opportunity to wear down their nails naturally.

We offer nail trimming packages as well as drop in nail trimmings for your dog. We are always eager to answer anyones questions when it comes to these important matters.

Help your dog get a grip and have their nails trimmed regularly :)

Paws for Winter Saftey

With the snow finally deciding to show up here in the lower mainland, the dogs get to enjoy all the fun things that snow has to offer. Things like turning snowmen a shade of yellow, eating all the freshly dumped snow, running around like little puppies, and helping your kids plow down the hills on their sleds.

As fun as this weather is to most of your dogs, there are some hazards that we need to be aware of. Snow, slush, ice and cold weather all take their toll on a dog's paws. In addition, rock salt and other sidewalk treatments can leave your dog with painful, sore feet.

To prevent your dogs from having sore painful feet you will want to make sure to wash their pads asap once they have been in contact with road salt or road de-icing chemicals. Also be sure to not let your dogs lick their feet before washing or wiping them down as some of these chemicals can also cause your dogs to have upset stomachs.

Another good option is to buy your pooch a product called "Invisible boot". Dapper Dog has been selling invisible boot since we opened 5 years ago and highly recommend this product. It's 100% natural and provides a protective barrier against salt, ice and cold weather.

So be sure to maintain a happy healthy lifestyle for your furry friend and keep enjoying the fun stuff winter has to offer! If anyone has any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us :)

www.dapperdog.ca

Introducing Dapper Dog

Dapper Dog is new to the blogging world and we thought we'd start by introducing who and what we are all about.

We are a team of caring individuals who have all come together with one thing in common. The love of dogs. We groom them, we take care of them, we teach them, and most of all we love them. In these weekly blogs we will be talking about all the things important to us. From which daycare dogs had a birthday this week, to grooming topics that might educate those who don't know a whole lot about grooming certain breeds.

Dapper Dog is reaching out to those of you out there who loves dogs just as much as we do and we hope you enjoy and maybe learn something new from time to time from our blogs.

Welcome!

Feel free to check us out at: http://www.dapperdog.ca/