Top 5 Dog Tips for Back-to-School

Can you believe it is September?

Fall is in the air! We have some suggestions for Autumn flavors to spice up meals and how to keep bored dogs happy now that everyone is back to school and busy! Also, we want your four-legged fur friends to be fall-ready with rain gear and winter coats, so read these back-to-school dog tips to the end for our fave raincoat brands.

Enjoy these 5 Dog Tips:

Weight loss for senior dogs

Many health problems are associated with overweight dogs, including heart disease, diabetes, hip dysplasia, and other forms of joint disease. You should easily be able to feel your dog’s ribs and shoulder blades. Reducing portion sizes is one of the best first steps. Also, measuring everything can help as well. Don’t try to eyeball it! Having your dog work for their meals is an excellent way to slow them down and let mealtime last longer. Puzzle or interactive toys are great for senior dogs that need to trim down!

Fall ideas for dog food toppers – spice up meals!

Try some autumn flavors, and these three suggestions are staff recommendations:

1. Fruits and veggies –puree them! Sweet potatoes and carrots are a great topper; you can use the sweet potatoes you cook up for your family.
2. Bone Broths – It is easy to make, and you don’t need to be a culinary expert
3. Canned pumpkin or yogurt -We sell Nummy Tum Tum pumpkin toppers at our stores, and their pumpkin is an excellent choice for meals as fiber can help all dogs with digestion. (link to both the topper post and the product page)

Toppers are so much fun!

Boredom Busters!

There are so many ways to keep your dogs busy! From calming music and interactive toys to calming supplements, we are here to help you. Our staff can help you pick out interactive toys that take dogs hours to work through in their crate while you’re away. You must also keep your dogs safe, so check with us about the toys you use at home to help with boredom.

Fall fashion!

How should you keep your dogs in vogue? The rain will, unfortunately, return later this fall, so it’s time to be proactive and prepare now! Don’t you want your dog to be “in fashion” at the pumpkin patch? We love RC Pet Products and will sell the rain poncho this season.

Proper supervision

There is a fantastic article in this month’s Whole Dog Journal by trainer Jill Breitner about “proper supervision.” The biggest takeaway for this season is knowing the difference between reactive, proactive, and active supervision! These three types of supervision will keep your household members safe!

1. Reactive supervision: reacting after the dogs are too close (we are guilty of this!)
2. Proactive supervision: having a plan, being prepared (excellent!)
3. Active supervision: fully present, adult supervision (essential in some circumstances)

If you know that your dog or a new dog that just came home to live with you this summer needs “active supervision,” – look for a dog sitter or dog walker, as this is the best and the highest management level. This time can be a hard transition for your dog, so be patient! If possible, slowly transition into the new routine; perhaps practice leaving for a few hours at a time rather than diving right into a 4-5-hour block where you’re on point for school pick-up and sports! We hope these back-to-school dog tips will help your dog transition quickly into a new routine. We are here to help you, and you can stop by anytime!