Tag Archives: dog care

Keeping Maizee Safe Part 2: Tips on Pet Poison Proofing Your Yard

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Hi everyone!  I hopeyou have puppy proofed the inside of your home, because now it’s time to tackle one of my favorite places in the whole world: my yard!  Yards are great places for puppies like me to run and play.  But they are also places where we can get into trouble.  Even if you think you have the best, safest yard in the world, I would double check.  A lot of very popular items are not good for your pup!

A lot of people have trouble with pests invading their yard and maybe even going inside their house. Things like snakes, ants, bees, rodents, flies, slugs, snails or toads really bother humans.  Me, I like them; it gives me something to examine and chase!  But humans really don’t like them and will set up traps and special liquids and sprays to get rid of these bugs and vermin.  But these traps and sprays are just harmful to the pests, they are harmful to your dog!  Make sure to read the instructions thoroughly when using the products to keep you and your pet safe.  Some of these products are very harmful to dogs and we should not be in areas where it is applied.  Others are more pet friendly
and we just need to stay away for a certain time period.  But no matter what, we should never be out in the yard with you while you are using these pest control products.  Bottom line, do yourresearch to keep  us safe!

And speaking of pests, mosquitoes is high on most people’s list in the warmer months as a top nuisance!  Dogs don’t like mosquitoes either because they carry bad germs for
doggies, like the ones that can cause heart worms.  But don’t worry, if we are on heartworm preventative medication a little mosquito bite won’t hurt us.  Humans like to use citronella candles to keep away pesky mosquitoes – but citronella candles are hazardous to puppies.  If you have one, make sure you keep it out of our reach when and when not in use.

And even just everyday things in your yard can cause us harm.  A lot of plants can be poisonous or cause digestive distress in puppies if consumed.  Fertilizers and cocoa mulch are also hazardous to your dog’s health.  So before you do any landscaping, make sure you do some research on the ASPCA’s Pet Poison Prevention webpage.  They have an extensive list of plants that are harmful to cats and dogs, so you know what not to get at the local nursery.

Remember, puppies love our yards and should get to play around in them daily.  But it’s also important to keep us safe.  For any items you are unsure of, keep them out of your pups reach.  That way we can have fun and stay healthy in the yard.

A Look at Dental Treats: Maizee Celebrates the last day of Pet Dental Care Month

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In celebration of Pet Dental Care Month, I want to tell you all about some treats that I really enjoy.  They are tasty, healthy and help clean my teeth.  I hear my Mommy and Daddy talking about getting the right type of dental treats for me and my doggie brothers and sisters.  Apparently getting the right type of treat is really important for our health, but I just love the taste!

Doggie Dental treats can help me and other pups keep our teeth clean.  Dogs that actively chew have less plaque build-up than other pups, and some type of doggie dental treats can reduce plaque build-up by 70%!  At first I didn’t know what plaque was other than a funny sounding word, but I heard my vet say it is a buildup of doggie saliva, bacteria and food on the teeth. Yuck!  I don’t want that!  Plaque buildup can lead to other problems like gum disease, broken or lost teeth, and the bacteria can get into other organs and cause all sorts of doggie health problems.  So it’s good to encourage us dogs to chew the appropriate doggie treat.

When choosing a doggie dental chew, you want to make sure it is approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).  The toys with their stamp of approval have been proven to reduce plaque and/or tartar by at least 10%.  All doggie parents should visit http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm to see their list. 

A lot of yummy treats have been approved by the VOHC, which makes me happy!  Rawhides, dental chews and bones, and even some types of kibble are on their approved list.  My Mommy always buys me firm dental bone treats because I’m a big time chewer with a strong bite!  My little brothers and sisters tend to get softer dental chews because they don’t chew as hard as I do.  If I chomp down on their treats, it just falls apart and doesn’t help me clean my teeth.  And my Mommy or Daddy is always around with I have one.  I get so excited and just chomp it up and they worry I might get choked while trying to swallow a big piece I bit off.  I never have, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry – so doggie parents, make sure you are supervising your pups while they are enjoying their yummy dental treat.

And remember – these are treats with calories!  So watch your pups food intake when giving them these yummy special treats to help clean their teeth.  And if you have any questions, always contact your vet.

Do you give your dog dental cleaning treats?

Maizee Celebrates National Dog Biscuit Day

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Today is one of my favorite days of the year!  It’s National Dog Biscuit Day!  Can you believe it?  A day dedicated to doggy biscuits!  What a wonderful world we live in!

My Mommy and Daddy like to feed me dog treats that compliment my dog food diet.  They make sure there are nutrients in my treats just like my food, to help me grow up
healthy and strong.  I get high-quality dog treats in my favorite flavor – chicken!
My Mommy and Daddy only give me a little bit of treats a day and I always want more.  But today I get a little more than average!

If you are a dog Mommy or Daddy who likes to cook, you can make your pup homemade treats.  Just be careful and make sure you get the recipe from a reputable source, like your veterinarian or a pet professional.  Some recipes call for things that are bad for puppies, like onions, grapes and even chocolate!  And if your pup has any
allergies, check the ingredient lists for recipes and store bought treats to make sure they do not have any allergens. If you are up to it, try this recipe. It’s yummy!

I hope you all enjoy National Dog Biscuit Day!  Give your dog an extra treat today.

Happy Snacking!

Treats can be a healthy part of a dogs diet but should not exceed 10% of their daily food intake.  What is your dogs favorite treat?

 

Keeping Maizee’s Teeth Pearly White: Dog Dental Care Tips

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I have to admit, I’m proud of my teeth!  They are so pretty and white.  And most importantly, they are healthy and strong!  That’s good because I use my teeth to do more than just eat, my teeth are like my hands.  And the vet says that healthy teeth means healthy puppies, which is good enough for me.

When my Mommy and Daddy first started cleaning my teeth, I really didn’t like it at all.  They started massaging my lips, gums and teeth with their fingers.  It felt really weird, but after a week or so I got used to it.  Which I guess was the point because after I got used to that, they started using doggy toothpaste on my lips and gums.  I liked the toothpaste because it tasted like one of my favorite foods – chicken!  I ate it all up!

Then came the toothbrush!  Oh my!  It was a bunch of bristles they put over their finger.  They put the toothpaste on the tooth brush and rubbed my teeth and gums with it.  They move it in small circular motion, which is kind of relaxing.  Then they move my lips around so they can get to the teeth on the side.  I just sit there and let them, though it’s definitely not my favorite part of the day.  I usually try to eat all the toothpaste off the brush before they can get to my teeth and gums, but I never get it all.  They do this 2 to 3 times a week to keep my teeth healthy.  It doesn’t take long, so I don’t mind too much.  And I really do enjoy the tasty toothpaste!

Did you know that 80% of dogs and cats will have periodontal disease by the age of 4?  What do you do to keep your pets teeth clean?

Maizee says “Brrr!” Tips to Protect Your Dog in the Cold

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Wow!  When I have gone outside the past few mornings, I haven’t wanted to stay out too long because it is sooo cold!  It makes me shiver and shake and I don’t like it.  And I’m a pretty big puppy so I can take the cold better than smaller dogs, baby dogs or
senior dogs!

My Mommy and Daddy limit our time outside when it’s cold, just like they do when it’s raining.  We go outside for a short amount of time, and they always stay with us, even when we’re in the fenced in yard.  This is because we can get too cold if we are left outside too long, so they keep a close eye on us.  They make sure we do not start shivering too much which is a sign of a doggie getting way too cold!  We go outside, play a little bit and do our business, then go inside to the cozy warmth.

My brothers and sisters are tiny doggies.  And since they are so small, they have to
wear sweaters outside when the weather is really cold.  This helps them stay warm!  Dogs with short hair, senior doggies and baby puppies should also wear sweaters in cold weather to help keep them warm.  A lot of people think sweaters are silly and
the owners are just trying to make their puppies look like people.  But that’s not true!  Sweaters are important for dog health in the cold.  If your pup doesn’t like wearing a sweater, they have Velcro jackets which are easier to put on and may be tolerated better than a sweater.

If it’s icy, like it was on Sunday night and Monday morning, or snowy, you really have to watch our paws!  We can get ice and snow stuck on them which is painful!  Plus, the snow and ice may have harmful substances on them, such as salt or slag.  When we get inside and see our dirty paws, we will quickly lick them clean!  These nasty substances can get into our tummies and make us sick.  So either doggie booties, or a good cleaning of our paws before going inside, is needed.

Pups like to be warm just like people.  When it’s cold out, make sure to pay special
attention to us so we don’t get doggie hypothermia or frostbite.  The above tips will help keep us safe.  If you notice any signs of us in pain or sick, call our vet.  Even though most of us hate going to the vet, he will make us feel better again!

What are you doing to help your dog survive the cold?

How to Entertain & Exercise Your Dog on a Rainy Day

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It’s a rainy day.  Rainy days are not only hard on people, they are tough on puppies as well.  I love to go outside, play with my brothers and sisters, run and jump and as my Mommy puts it “get all my energy out”.  When it’s raining, I can’t go outside and play as much.  I just have to go outside and “do my business” and then go back in.  And my little brothers and sisters have to wear special rubber-looking jackets so they won’t get their long fur all wet. It’s just no fun being a puppy on rainy days!

But I’m lucky I have a creative and fun Mommy and Daddy.  They come up with all sorts of games we can play when the weather is bad.  My favorite game indoors and outdoors is fetch.  I LOVE to chase a ball!  And my Daddy will clean out the hallway in our house so I can play fetch without knocking anything over.  Then he bounces a soft ball down the hall and I chase it!  I could do that all day long!

Another game I like (and my brothers and sisters love) is hide and seek.  This is when my Daddy hides treats around the house while all us pups are in our bedroom.  When he’s done, he let’s us out of our bedroom and says “go find them”.  We search all over and find yummy surprises everywhere!  I heard my Mommy saying she needs to buy us some of the toys that will dispense treats when we play with them for rainy days.  I like that idea too!

We always work on my commands more on raining days.  My Dad says it’s to keep me focused and stimulated.  I am good at sit, off, and no.  We are working on stay and come.  Sometimes I just want to explore and play, so those are hard for me!

So I guess there is an upside to rainy days after all.  I get to play games inside I normally don’t get too.  And I sure am hoping the next time it rains, we have those new treat-dispensing toys to play with!

 

It’s Valentines Day!

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So it’s Valentine’s Day – at least that’s what my Daddy tells me.  I’m not sure what that means other than we get extra kisses and cookies.  And the Yorkies, Sydney and Kai, have to dress up in clothes with heart shapes all over them!  They don’t seem to mind wearing the clothes, but I don’t think I’d like it!  They do get a lot of extra attention when they are wearing them though – lots of people telling them how cute they look and giving them extra attention, so maybe I would wear a dress if they made them for doggies my size!

Even our new friend Frederick, a foster English Bulldog from the Humane Society, is getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit.  I heard my Mommy and Daddy talking about how he used to live in a bad place where he didn’t get the love and care he deserved so the Humane Society rescued him from the bad place.  He is staying with us for a while until he can find his forever home.  He used to be fairly shy but now he is starting to play and want to have people pet him and give him love.  I think that’s what today is about – not about pretty dresses or sweaters, or special treats, but having fun and showing your love.

How are you showing your Little Friend your love today?

Yorkies

My brother and sister all dressed up

Hello world! I’m Maizee!

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Hi! I’m Maizee and I’m a rescue pup from the Humane Society of Charlotte.  When I was just four weeks old, a kind neighbor rescued me off of a porch next door where I was living.  I was pretty dirty and had a really bad case of fleas.  I was not happy. She wanted me to have a better life so she took me to the shelter where I was cleaned up and given my first shots.  I heard the folks at the shelter say I would need to have a foster family until I was old enough to be adopted to my forever home.  I was not sure what that meant, but it sounded pretty good to me.  Later that day, I heard them say my new foster mom was on the way to pick me up. I was so excited, but nervous too!
When they handed me to my new foster mom, I fell in love!  She was so sweet and loved all over me with kisses and hugs. I hoped I never had to leave her arms.  She held me in her lap all the way to my new foster home.  And when she took me inside, there was a whole new family. It was a zoo!  I had been rescued by a Zoo!!  Not really, but there were 4 other dogs, a cat and two ‘huge’ birds called amazon parrots.  Those birds seemed really happy to see me cuz they screamed really, really loud.
The other dogs seemed happy to see me to and they sniffed me all over.  To be honest, I really didn’t know what to think about all that sniffing but I was just happy to be there.  And there was a bonus family member; my new foster Dad.  He was really cool and took me in his arms and just kissed and loved me. I heard them talking and it sounded like I might have a forever home if I was a good pup! I was going to be very, very good cuz I really liked it here.
That night, I had a nice warm place to sleep with no fleas or scary outdoor sounds.  I had a nice bed, in a wonderful safe crate.  I slept good that night, better than I had ever slept.
The next day, my foster mom told my foster dad that she wanted to keep me..forever!!!!  Yeah, and he said ok.  They arranged it with the Humane Society and I was adopted with papers and everything that next week.  And let me tell you friends, I LUCKED UP! This place is soooo cool.  I get bones and treats and great food and love and they let me lay on the furniture and all kinds of stuff. And my animal siblings are wonderful, even the cat and birds, althought I have to say those birds are still really, really loud!
That begins my story.  I like telling this story and I want to tell you more about me. So I think I will keep this journal thing going.  See you tomorrow! Maizee