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DIY Calming Spray For Dogs

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About ten years ago, we adopted our current dog, Libby, from the local animal shelter. When we got her, the lovely people who worked at the shelter told us she was probably about two years old. Now, I don’t know what happened to her for her first two years of her life, but whatever it was seriously messed her up. She wasn’t aggressive at all, but she was extremely nervous all the time and would jump and whimper at loud noises. She was timid, but sweet, and it took a lot to calm her down and reassure that we weren’t going to hurt her. The first time we left her at the house alone (we all went out to dinner for an hour or two), she went around the house and collected all our shoes. When we came back, she was lying in a pile of our shoes in our living room. We laughed, because it was so weird, but it pointed to her having some bad abandonment issues. She did it the next couple of times we left her as well (I guess having our smells around comforted her?), but once she was sure that we’d come back for her, she stopped. Now, Libby is perfectly a perfectly healthy, happy doggy (though she’s still spooked by fireworks and thunderstorms), after being shown years of unconditional love. However, having something to help her relax and adjust in the early days probably would have been extremely helpful. If you have a stressed out pooch, consider making him or her a calming spray to help relax them! Read how to do it at eHow:

-Fill a clean spray bottle with 4 oz. of distilled water. Add 4 drops of lavender oil to the bottle and shake well.
-Mist your dog lightly about 6 inches from his hair keeping away from his eyes and face. Gently rub the lavender spray into your dog’s coat
-Reapply the lavender oil spray to your dog in stressful situations, or at least once a week to reduce anxiety.

Photo Credit: Me! (Technically, my mom)- Libby today! 🙂 

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Basic Dog Tricks

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Some dogs learn tricks much easier than others. When my dog Libby was a puppy, I taught her how to sit in a single afternoon using pieces of poptart (don’t judge!). My youngest dog, Cocoa, however, has never learned any. It’s not that she’s dumb (she is though), she’s very stubborn and has a short attention span. All dogs are different! So be patient. If you’re interested in trying to teach your dogs some simple tricks, read this post by Kia Tinsley at 3 Million Dogs:

-Up – Hold your dog’s favorite treat up in the air and repeat the word “up” until he stands on his hind legs.  After he does so, give him a treat and say “good boy” and rub him.

–Shake – Say “shake” while holding your hand out and place your dog’s paw in the palm of your hand. 

–High Five – Say “Give me a five” while holding your hand up in the air and make your dog’s paw hit your hand.  

Photo Credit: Tom Newby 

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Preventing and Treating Heat Stroke For Dogs

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Where I live, it’s already about ninety degrees a day, and this weekend, we’re supposed to get slammed with a heat wave from the west. Saturday and Sunday, it’s going to be over one hundred! For me, this means I’m going to avoid being outside as much as possible. People can get heatstroke extremely easily. But, you know who gets it even easier? Dogs. They’re built for colder weather– they have fur coats and they don’t sweat. The number one way to prevent heatstroke in dogs is to bring them inside! Make sure they stay hydrated as well– always provide fresh, cool water– and lots of it. If you have an “outside” dog, make sure they have a shady spot to keep cool in, and double up on the water. I’d still recommend bringing them in for the hottest hour or two of the day. If you think your dog has suffered from heatstroke, read this post at Wikihow. Know the symptoms– heavy, rapid breathing, vomiting, high heart rate, and weakness or fatigue are all serious signs! This is how to treat it:

-Immediately bring them into a cool indoor room

-Cool them down: pour cool water over their heads, and cool off their paws with rubbing alcohol. Hose them down or place them in a cool tub.

-Fan the dog and spread open their fur with your fingers

-When they come around, give them a small amount of water to drink

-Contact an emergency vet clinic

Photo Credit: Wonderlane 

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