dogIDs "How-To" Dog Blog

Your Dog Got Skunked! Now What?
Has your dog ever been “skunked”? If so, you know how difficult it is (nearly impossible) to get rid of the strong skunk odor. In this post, we’re sharing some tips on what to do if your dog gets sprayed by a skunk and how you can attempt to remove the odor from her coat and collar. If your dog has ever been skunked, we’d love to hear what you did. What worked and what didn’t?What to…
5 Tips to Keep Your Senior Dog More Active
If you have a senior dog, you might have noticed he’s having a harder time keeping up while walking or running. Or maybe he’s stiff and sore after playing at the park, chasing a ball or doing agility. My own Lab mix is 9 years old. He used to be my running buddy, but today we stick to short walks because longer exercise sessions are hard on his joints. Obviously, dog owners want to ke…
How To Care For Your Nylon Dog Collar
Nylon collars are a great option for your pet. With a variety of colors to pick from, you can match your pup's personality. But what happens when your nylon collar starts to show wear and tear?Here are the dogIDs tips for caring for your nylon dog collar.Nylon Collar CareHow to Set the Color of Your Nylon CollarIt's always exciting to order a new collar for your best friend. dogIDs offers a variet…
Fur Babies - An Alternative to Having Kids?
I am a newlywed, which means everybody is asking when my husband and I are going to have kids. It’s a tough question to answer. Am I ready for children? Do I even want to have kids? Can’t our two cats and Boxer-mix dog be enough? They sure feel like kids to me, and truth be told, I usually prefer spending time with animals anyway. Not to mention the fact that we are still paying off debt, sa…
How to Stop a Dog From Counter Surfing - 4 Tips
You set a bag of rolls on the counter and then head out to your car to carry in another grocery bag. You’re gone a whole 30 seconds and … the rolls are gone! Raise your hand if your dog is guilty of this! Do any of you have dogs that like to steal food off the counters? Not only is this frustrating, but it can even be dangerous if the dog takes something that could be harmful, like ch…
The Many Benefits of Exercising Your Dog
As dog owners, we want our furry friends to live as long as possible. Here are some tips for exercising your dog!Benefits of Dog Exercise Exercising your dog isn’t just to control their weight, but it can also help with diseases such as hip dysplasia and heart disease. It also improves bone and joint health, as well as lung function. Having your dog exercise every day will help tire them…
5 Puppy Exercise Tips: How to Get Your Puppy Tired
If you have a puppy, you’re probably looking for some ideas on how to safely tire him out, especially if he’s in that naughty, “teenage” stage. Taking your puppy for walks is a good idea, but you may be wondering how far you can walk him without putting too much stress on his joints. And, is it safe to take him running? I asked two dog trainers to share some of their ideas for exercising…
How to Soothe Your Aging Dog’s Arthritis Pain
Often times we get our dogs as puppies. We spend their lives training them, playing with them, caring for them and loving them with all our hearts. Watching our dog grow old can be hard. As your dog ages, you’ve probably noticed that they’ve slowed down quite a bit and appear to be more “careful” with their movements when they lay down or get up. This is usually due to dog arthritis pain. Unfortun…
6 Ways to Boost Your Dog’s Mealtime
We all want our dogs to live healthy and long lives. A large factor in making that happen is how and what we feed them. The Internet has thousands of ways to switch up your dog’s meal routine, but many of them take a bunch of extra preparation, and/or aren’t recommended by experts.Here are 6 simple and safe ways to boost your dog’s mealtime for optimal health.1. Start with a quality kibble…
How to Prepare Your Dog for a New Baby
If you’re expecting a baby, you might be wondering how the heck your dog will react to the new family member. You’re probably also thinking about what you can do ahead for planning that introduction.The following are some tips and tricks from parents who've been there.How to introduce your dog to your newborn baby1. Change up the routine before the baby arrives.Obviously, once the baby arrives you…
7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Walks Interesting
Walking your dog is not only a form of exercise; it is also an opportunity for him to explore the world around him and learn some good behaviors. And, of course, there’s the chance to pee and poop. However, having the same dog walking basics everyday is dull and boring. While your dog may be always excited for the walk, some people may grow less and less optimistic each day that they would wish…
What to Put in a First-Aid Kit For Your Dog
April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month. If you don’t have a first-aid kit for your dog at home, now is the perfect time to put one together. You can either buy a first-aid kit for dogs or put one together yourself. I reached out to a couple of professionals for advice on the best items to include in a first-aid kit specifically for dogs. Here’s what they had to say. Items…
What to do with Your Dog When You Travel
Leaving your dog while you travel can be difficult *cue In the Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan* but with proper planning to accommodate your dog’s needs, you can both have a fun getaway... but just what do you do with your dog when you travel?The best thing about traveling is getting to come home to our dogs. The first time they see you after a weekend, week-long, or even month-long trip is th…
3 Spring Grooming Tips for a Happy Dog
Healthy fur makes for a happy dog. But when your dog grows a thick coat in the winter, keeping it groomed and tangle-free isn’t always easy. That’s why spring is an important time to give your dog a good grooming.Follow these three grooming tips to prepare your dog for spring:1. Brush your dog regularly. Whether your dog is short-haired or long-haired, repeated brushing removes loose hair fr…
How to Get a Puppy Used to Walking on a Leash
Oct. 1 to 7 is National Walk Your Dog Week, so this week is a great opportunity to encourage other dog lovers to get out and walk more with their dogs. For this post, I thought I’d focus on puppies and when to start teaching them appropriate leash manners. If you've recently adopted a puppy, you're probably already teaching her the basics such as “sit.” But at what point should you start…