Bark with Me

Are you a pet lover and a traveler who stays in hotels like hotels in Italy or hotels in Rome? Do you plan to bring with you that cute lap pup or that family dog in staying in hotels in Venice or hotels in Milan? Then you ought to get ready and and prepare before any trip.

Always make sure that the hotel you are staying at is dog-friendly, one that allows you to bring your dog inside. The simplest thing to do is to call them. Always let the clerk know that you have a dog at check-in. Do not try to hide the dog at a hotel that doesn’t allow pets, as you could be asked to leave (probably with no refund), which would be a huge inconvenience, I’m sure.

If your hotel is pet friendly, just make sure to take Jimmy out to potty often, since he may be disoriented from being in an unfamiliar place. I would also crate him if you’re going to be leaving him in the room alone. In addition to the fact that he might be scared, he might take out any anxiety by chewing, peeing, and much other weird stuff.

Before leaving, asses whether the hotel has been good to you and your dog and leave a good tip if so. If you frequent that hotel, that tip would sure go a long way.

Many online shops that are open in the web use a shopping cart software that conveniently lets a shopper browse through the catalog and pick as they go along. Good sites give you great deals and may even give you freebies if you are up to date with their news and promotions. As a pet owner, it is very convenient and easy for me to buy me pet products on the internet because it can save time and money. I don’t need to ask somebody else to buy things for me on the store because everything is on the internet and all I have to do is to choose, click and purchase. This is really easy, I can’t wait to buy new pet things for my two shih tzus! They’re sleeping now and I need to have a rest now for I will be busy tomorrow. Duh, I was planning to send my dogs at the salon tomorrow for their grooming but I don’t have time anymore for it. I might send them there next week

Your dog is much more vulnerable to summer heat than you are. Make sure he/she has shade and plenty of water if left in the yard. Be especially careful when exercising your dog during the hot season. Do not force your dog to run or walk with you. Exercise with your dog only if you are confident that you can recognize when he/she has had enough. Provide plenty of water at all times. Heat stroke is a very real (and life threatening) possibility if your dog overheats. Don’t hesitate to contact your vet if your dog seems under distress due to the heat.

Maybe someone could soon invent a computer for dogs so that they could play games and chill all the more. This could give them time to enjoy like catch the ball or online casino games. I don’t think this will be impossible. Computers where thought to be impossible to make several decades ago. Today, nothing seems to be enough. People just keep on inventing. Why not invent something for our dear pets.

Types of Dryers:

There are at least four types of dryers you can use at home for your Shih Tzu the same as a professional would use. These are:

1. A cage dryer.

2. A floor dryer.

3. A wall dryer.

4. A Pet dryer.

Cage Dryer: After your bath your Shih Tzu, towel-dry and place your Shih Tzu in a cage. A professional cage dryer will hook onto the cage. Set the dryer to either warm or hot. Your Shih Tzu should dry in a short period of time.

Floor Dryer: A floor dryer is used for blow-drying. A floor dryer will usually have a stronger blow than a cage dryer. Floor dryers are usually mounted on a movable stand. You can move the dryer in a variety of positions.

Wall Dryer: A wall-mounted unit is also available. The maneuvering for blow-drying is done with a hose. There are several advantages to this type of dryer. They are:

1. Does not take up space on the floor. 2. The hose is easy to maneuver. 3. Since the blow is stronger through the hose, the dryer requires less electricity.

Pet Dryer: Just about any human hair dryer can be used as a pet dryer. Some companies manufacture special made pet dryers. They work fine, but will not give you the same look as a professional dryer.

Source: StainGlassShihtzu 

A Shih Tzu is one of the rare breeds that actually have hair like humans instead of fur. A Shih Tzu’s hair is its crowning glory.

Blow-Drying:

The reason for blow-drying your Shih Tzu’s hair after a bath is to get the coat as fluffy as possible. You want a lush, powder-puff look. To blow-dry a Shih Tzu’s hair:

1. Place the damp dog on the table. 2. Work from rear to front. 3. Hold the dryer in one spot. As the hairs blow apart, brush the Shih Tzu’s coat out once again. 4. Brush until the area is completely dry. 5. Move on the next spot.

To get a good blow-dry of your Shih Tzu’s hair be especially systematic. Otherwise, some areas will look kinky and curly. If the Shih Tzu’s hair dries too quickly, dampen the kinky areas and blow them dry.

If your Shih Tzu’s coat is heavy and thick, you will need a stronger dryer with a more powerful air flow to achieve the desired look. Do not brush your Shih Tzu’s hair heavily while blow-drying. Light, quick strokes are best.

If you have your Shih Tzu’s hair cut short, you can use a regular cage and towel dry.

Source:  StainGlassShihtzu

Known Food Toxins To Dogs
Fruits, Vegetables, Food

Apple, Almond, Apricot, Peach, Wild Cherries, Plum, Balsam Pear, Prunes and similar fruit: Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, (Stem, Seeds and Leaves) The seeds of most fruits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans.

Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart

Broccoli: reported to be pretty potent gastrointestinal irritant

Cherry: rapid breathing, shock, mouth inflammation, heart rate increase

Chocolate: seizures, coma, hyperactivity, rapid heart beat, tremors, death. Bakers chocolate is the most dangerous. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated but is still very dangerous.
• 1 oz per lb of body weight for (2 oz per kg) of body weight for bakers chocolate
• 1 oz per 3 lbs of body weight (1 oz per 1.5 kg body weight) for semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 oz per 9lbs of body weight (1 oz per 4 kg) for bakers chocolate
• Please keep in mind that these are only guidelines, and if you suspect your pet had ingested chocolate, please keep an eye out for ANY signs of poisoning! Every dog reacts differently to quantity.
Coffee/Tea: Drinks/Foods: containing caffeine or sugar may cause many of the same symptoms chocolate causes

Cooked Bones: uncooked bones should be safe but if they are cooked you should refrain because they deteriorate and easily splinter. Can cause extensive damage to internal organs and passage ways, may times resulting in death.

Mushrooms: acute gastric effects, liver and kidney damage, abdominal pain, nausea, salivation, vomiting

Nutmeg: tremors, seizures and death

Tobacco: nausea, salivation, vomiting, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

Onion: (cats are more sensitive), gastrointestinal upset, hemolytic anemia, heinz body anemia, hemogloinria, destroys red blood cells

Grapes, Raisins, Prunes: kidney failure, as little as a single serving of grapes or raisins can kill a dog. It takes anywhere from 9 oz to 2 lbs of grapes and raisins (between .041 and 1.1 oz/kg of body weight), to cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, and possible kidney failure

Salt: excessive intake can cause kidney problems

Scratching is a common symptom in dogs, and a whole range of underlying causes can be responsible. If your dog is scratching, it is advisable to seek treatment as soon as possible, as self trauma can cause secondary injuries that may extend the duration, and cost, of treatment. So, if you have noticed your dog scratching, what should you do about it?

Firstly, ask yourself when was the last time I put anti-flea medication on him/her? Most spot-on flea products only provide protection for a month, so if it has been longer than this then you should re-apply the medication. Be aware that anti-flea products that are on sale in supermarkets and pet shops are general sales list products, and are not as effective as the products available from your veterinarian. However, Frontline® has recently been made available on general sale and so can be purchased without a prescription.

If flea treatment is up to date, with a reputable product, the next step is to rule out mites. Most anti-flea products do not kill mites. The most common type of mite infection in dogs is sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies. This mite causes an intensely itchy dermatitis that can also be transmitted to humans. It is often spread by foxes, so if you have many foxes in your area, this is one to be especially aware of. This is one you have to approach your veterinarian for. Scabies is diagnosed either by doing skin scrapes (using a scalpel blade to scrape debris from one of the affected areas, placing it on a microscope slide, staining it and examining it under a microscope) or via a blood test. Many vets though will choose to simply apply the appropriate drug and if the itchiness stops, a presumptive diagnosis is made. If your dog does have scabies, your vet might give a one off steroid injection to alleviate the itchiness in the short term until the anti-parasitic drug kicks in.

If external parasites have been ruled out, the next step is to rule out a bacterial infection, a yeast infection or ringworm. Of these, only ringworm is potentially transmissible to humans. Ringworm is not actually a worm, but a type of fungus. It is usually tested for by examining the affected area with an ultraviolet light, which causes a certain type of ringworm spore to glow green. If ringworm is diagnosed, your vet will dispense either oral or topical medication to cure it. Bacterial infections are treated with a 2-3 week course of antibiotics, whereas yeast infections are usually treated with a medicated shampoo.

If parasites, bacteria, yeasts and ringworm have all been ruled out then your pet probably has an allergy. This could be a food allergy, a contact allergy or an environmental (e.g. pollen) allergy.

Source: ArticlesAlley 

Before I signed up on this site I was thinking of the topic or category to put up here. Then, I decided to have "for the love of my dogs" blog and finally named it as Bark with Me. After naming it, I can’t resist to put different articles and entries (based on my experiences) almost everyday. I wrote entries that would help me to remember things for my dogs and to share my experiences with my two cute shih tzus. I never stop putting entries on this blog and found out that I can get paid for blogging. I thought this page won’t qualify for any programs because it only contains things about dogs. But, when I tried to register this blog to Smorty, I was a bit surprised because it passed! Maybe it passed for the following reasons, this has page rank and indexed pages to Google. After reading my email about this program I immediately started and it never stressed me out. I love what I am doing and all of these entries and posts are "For The Love of My Dogs!".