First “test the waters” with your dog to see if Taylor (we’ll call him) likes water. Place Paws aboard Life Jacket on Taylor. Throw a floatable toy such as the Hyper Retriever into a very shallow end of a lake or river. If Taylor likes the water he’ll stride into it with no reservations.
Then try a slightly deeper section of the lake or throw the toy farther out. Be sure you know it doesn’t drop off unexpectedly so Taylor doesn’t unwittingly go under. Also, be sure you use a floatable toy so the tenacious dog will not die of exhaustion looking for the stick that sank out in the lake.
Then once Taylor is used to deep water swimming you can take him out on the boat. There is no reason to leave your arthritic, overweight or older dogs at home. You will have The Doggy Boat Ladder to help you get the dogs back on the boat so that you will not injure your back or pull muscles.
The lightweight ladder folds in half for easy storage. When Taylor is accustomed to the water and the boat ladder, everyone has fun. No more worries about losing him or injuring yourself. Now you can use your floatable toys and exercise your dogs.
Use caution when getting a dog accustomed to swimming. Never throw the dog’s favorite fetch toy in the deep end of the pool or lake without taking the steps above first. Have a safe and great summer!
Last week I was driving out my subdivision and almost hit this terrier mix that ran out in front of my car. When I opened my door he tried to jump in! He was so sweet! Then the odor hit me and I knew he was a stray or ‘drop-off’.
I knocked on doors and put up signs. No one claimed him and no one called. Looks like I was destined to be a foster mother again.
While setting up the house for another foster dog, I was really glad I had some of the products from the Pet Supplies Store. After a clean bill of health (except skin allergies) and a few shots from my vet, my agenda was: safety first, grooming second, and treats and playtime third.
I set up my Gateway Pressure Gate to keep him from going down the stairs into the dangerous basement. Then I set him up with a hood so he would not keep digging and chewing his skin allergies. I set up my Ergo Auto Feeder with his food that the vet provided for me and my Ergo Auto Watered. Then, I HAD to get rid of the “knock-down” odor he was giving off.
I gave him a bath with the Deodorizing Shampoo and Oatmeal Shampoo for his skin problem. Not only did he smell better but was snuggly soft. The next order of business was to get after those nails with the safety nail clippers. I didn’t have a new toothbrush but had the paste which he really liked and he almost bit my finger off in the process!
When it was time to go to bed, I showed him his kennel I had from the last rescue and after giving it a thorough sniff-down curled up inside and started snoring!
The next morning I decided to take him for a walk. Our neighborhood has strict rules on picking up “dog poop” when we walk our dogs. I took along the Clean up Claw and wore my Treat Dispenser so I could start awarding him for obedience.
He loved the walk but I think he needs a heavier collar and leash than one that I used with my last rescue. I could tell his former owners never took him for walks – definitely not leash trained.
Upon returning home I got to make use of my Cool Pad again. That thing is neat. He stayed on the porch while I was at work and kept cool all day on it. I didn’t even have to worry about him having a head injury.
I knew the (un)fortunate day would come when a family would want to adopt him. He was so cute and sweet and cuddly and with the help of the training spray, he didn’t bark except when a stranger came to the door. The lucky family took him in their arms and promised him a good home.
They even already had his toys! He was with me for one good month but that’s the life of a foster parent. You save them, train them, treat them, provide them with good pet supplies and find them a perfect home and then its time to say goodbye.
