dogIDs "How-To" Dog Blog

Sometimes it’s just too dang hot out to do any serious exercising with your dog. I normally recommend a walk every single day for most dogs, but I live in an area where it rarely gets above 85 degrees (that’s nothing for some of you!). For unbearably hot days, I still try to walk at 5 a.m. or in the evening, but I know that’s not always possible and some pups really need a mid-day activity. Here is my list of exercise ideas for dogs in the heat. These have worked well for the dogs I kno …

As we head into summer, lots of dogs will be traveling to various lakes and beaches with their families. While the dogs swim, run, play fetch and chase squirrels, it's important for dog owners to keep some safety tips in mind. The following are someIdeas to help keep your dog safe at the lake this summer.1. Don't forget your ID! Make it as easy as possible for your dog to get back to you if he ever gets lost. Dogs should always wear their collars with ID tags, but this is even more importan …

So your summer travel plans are in place. But who will take care of your dog? Is it best to hire a pet sitter? Should you leave him with "Grandma"? How about taking him to a boarding facility? These are all great options, but this post will focus onHow to prepare for leaving your dog at a boarding facility.1. Tour the facility in advance.It's a good idea to tour the boarding facility before you actually drop off your dog. You don't want to find out it's a sketchy place on the day you're trying t …

Your pet’s ID tag is his ticket home if he gets lost.But how many dogs wear tags with old addresses or disconnected phone numbers? Or what about collars with no tags or nameplates at all?Responsible dog owners do irresponsible things sometimes. We’re all guilty. We spend money on new collars without bothering to order new tags. “Oh, we’ll just use the old tags,” we say. Then we wait days or weeks before transferring them from the old collar to the new. And that’s if we bother to move the tags at …

I leave my dog in the car from time to time. I live in a coastal town where the mornings are cloudy, and we have a cool sea breeze. My dog waits for me while I run in to pick up a prescription or whatever it might be. I love my dog very much, but I know some people would find my actions inexcusable. There are, of course, very serious risks to leaving a dog alone in the car, and anyone who does so has to accept those risks: The dog could bite someone who decides to reach thro …

At dogIDs, our mission is to improve the lives of dogs. With our Paw It Forward program, we are able to donate to deserving organizations thanks to our customers. With your help, we have raised an amazing amount for Best Friends Animal Society, World Vets and Military Working Dog Team Support Association Inc in the past year! To celebrate our year of Paw it Forward, we're featuring our first paw it forward partner, Best Friends Animal Society for Quarter 1 of 2016. Stay tuned to find out whic …

National Dog Bite Prevention Week takes place the second week of April every year so we put together this infographic with statistics on dog bites in the United States for our readers.Dog Bite Prevention You'll notice that some of the reasons dogs bite include fear or pain, resource guarding or re-directing their aggression. A couple of things you can do to help prevent dog bites include educating yourself on dog behavior and learning their nonverbal cues for potential aggression. You c …

The scruff, the loose skin around a dog’s neck, plays a vital role in canine behavior and communication. From a young age, dogs experience interactions involving the scruff, primarily through their mothers. A mother dog uses the scruff to carry her puppies, keeping them safe and under control. This natural action is instinctively understood by puppies, who go limp when carried in this manner, trusting their mother’s guidance.For humans, however, the scruff presents a more complex subject. While …

When I foster dogs, it would be great to have a leash that says “ADOPT ME” to let people know the cute dog at my side is looking for a home. I like to take my foster dogs out and about to public places to get them attention, but I’m shy about starting conversations with strangers. This type of leash could help me get a conversation going with potential adopters. dogIDs is now offering Embroidered Awareness Dog Leashes. These nylon leashes come in highly visible colors and you can ch …

The other day, my dog, Peanut, and I were on our daily stroll through the park. Instead of trying to chase down the squirrels or sniff every park bench like he usually does, he was obsessed with eating the grass. I’ve seen Peanut eat a few blades of grass before, but this time I could barely pull him away from mowing down the lawn. This got me thinking… Is my dog sick? Is eating grass bad for him? Does the grass fulfill some nutritional need that his food isn’t giving him? So, I did a littl …