Hello, this is our first PetsWay blog, so I figured I would keep it light and just see where this thing goes…
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that I have a dog, two actually, but the other one is a subject for another day. This dog’s name is Bosco and he is a rescue mutt. Bosco has a skin issue and I am sure that many of you can relate. Bosco likes to chew on his back, just above his tail. We call it his butt and the running joke in our house is that he eats his butt like a sandwich. It’s good for a laugh around the house for both me and my 4 year old son. But at 3am the butt sandwich is not funny at all. It’s one of those sounds that simply makes you wake in a cold sweat. Bosco has been a challenge for me as I have tried different foods, supplements, etc. All with only marginal effectiveness. I have a frame of reference to understand the plight of the pet owner.
I have worked in the pet industry since the year 2000, so I am neither the greenest newbie nor the most grizzled vet. Much of that time I have spent dealing with pet food whether I was unloading it, selling it, researching it or buying it. When I started working for Pet Warehouse I thought there were a handful of foods in the whole world. Dog Chow, Ol’ Roy, Kibbles and Bits and the like. Seems like I recall a commercial with a dog chasing a creepy little covered wagon. Oh, and there was a time that my cousin and I tried a Gaines Burger. It did not taste like any kind of burger to me. I think I had the same knowledge of pet food that many people do if they haven’t been initiated into this crazy world.
The fact is that there are literally hundreds of brands of pet food out there and each one has its own marketing, claims, promises and ingredients. They are all similar on some level, but they are incredibly diverse and can be confusing and overwhelming. I am not a vet and I am not an expert. I simply have seen, read and been told many, many things in this pet industry and I thought I could share some really basic things that the person I am today knows that the kid that tried to eat a Gaines Burger didn’t. Of course, the first thing is don’t eat pet food, it’s for pets.
- If you find something that works, use it. If your dog eats it, uses the bathroom without causing you to have nightmares about cleaning it up, has a healthy, shiny coat, isn’t clearing the room with gas and maintains proper weight and activity, you are doing just fine.
- Follow the directions on the bag. Some dogs will act as if they are starving no matter what. Just like a kid won’t turn down cake or candy, dogs won’t turn down food. The amount recommended on the bag is what they need. I guess if your instincts come from an animal that doesn’t know when it will next eat, you eat when you can.
- Give them water. They need it just as bad as we need it. Always have a water source. Supplement with wet food, which has a very high moisture content. Put water on their kibble.
- Make sure they are hydrated.
- Their teeth are not only their teeth, but their “hands”. Take care of their teeth. Hydrating helps, since saliva is the first step of the digestive process. You should brush your dog’s teeth. I know, I have tried and it is next to impossible. Bosco goes from a cute dog to the gaping maw of some stinky, slimy, toothy monster when I think about sticking my hands in there. There are dental treats, use them. It’s important and it will save you money by preventing future health issues.
- When you treat them, remember you are adding to their calories. It is a treat. Also, always supervise your pet when they get a treat, especially for the first time. If your dog is a gulper, don’t get them something that is going break in half, get swallowed and sit in their gut for 100 years. Not every treat is right for every dog.
- Get them toys and play with them and supervise. Once again, the first time you try a toy, you need to see how they work with it and if there is a danger. Some dogs will keep a plush toy for years until it looks more like road kill than an adorable stuffed bunny. Some dog’s will swallow the thing whole.
Play with them and spend time with them and take good care of them. You will get the value of your time back 100 times over. Nobody loves you like your dog. I knew that before, I just know it better now.