5 TIPS NO ONE TELLS YOU TO KEEP YOUR DOG LOCKDOWN HEALTHY (and 3 tips for owners)
5 TIPS NO ONE TELLS YOU TO KEEP YOUR DOG LOCKDOWN HEALTHY
(and 3 tips for owners)
(and 3 tips for owners)
Firstly, HAPPY EASTER!
Secondly, thanks to all our fantastic owners who have sent in photos, emailed us with questions and kept their dogs supplied with healthy goodies. It's great to know we've helped so many so far. Keep the pics coming - remember we are offering a $200 voucher for the best "stuck at home dog" photo sent to us by April 30. Click here top check out ourextended sales.
Enjoy our newsletter - and scroll down below for links to lots of other great deals we have for you to get you and your dog through. We have some new stuff, including Variety Packs, Gift Cards, Human Essentials and heaps of great discounts.
Read on!
Secondly, thanks to all our fantastic owners who have sent in photos, emailed us with questions and kept their dogs supplied with healthy goodies. It's great to know we've helped so many so far. Keep the pics coming - remember we are offering a $200 voucher for the best "stuck at home dog" photo sent to us by April 30. Click here top check out ourextended sales.
Enjoy our newsletter - and scroll down below for links to lots of other great deals we have for you to get you and your dog through. We have some new stuff, including Variety Packs, Gift Cards, Human Essentials and heaps of great discounts.
Read on!
HEALTHY DOGS IN CRAZY TIMES
Right now we need to look after our dog's health as much as our own. For many their routines have changed, with winter also looming, but even moreseo for many their shopping habits have changed.
1. DIET
Many of you may have received some of our feeding and diet information over the years. Now is a tricky time to advise people with many forced to grab whatever they can for themselves and their dog.
Dry food, a staple of so many dogs, can be a cause of so many problems. We won't detail all those right here (feel free to email with questions) but we need to be aware that most dry food and kibble is way too high in carbohydrates for dogs. This can be compounded by being less able to get out and burn some off.
Like humans, excess carbs (ie more than you can use) can be bad for your health. And like humans, this can make some dogs fat, others hyperactive and stressed. We realise that this type of food is convenient in this time of "buy and store."
If you are feeding this, try to keep it to an absolute minimum. (We'll get around to changing it later - email if you have questions - dogstuff@iinet.net.au). Nature dictates the diet a dog needs is around 60% protein (red meat, chicken, eggs, fish, sardines, yoghurt etc), and 40% vegetable / plant matter (most vegies, fruit etc), all with an ample amount of chewing material.
Butchers and supermarkets seem to again have ample supply of most fresh produce. Talk to your butcher about bones, offcuts - it doesn't have to be costly. And in these crazy times any smart butcher will look after you for your business.
Vegies and fruit are ideally raw and blended or mushed up - this mimics how they would be naturally sourced. Cooked is not a bad thing, but raw is best. Dogs can't break down whole vegetable matter easily.
2. CHEWING
Contrary to popular advice, dogs don't chew up your house and garden because they're bored. It's because either they have kibble swelling in their gut (and therefore are lacking vegetable matter too) or because they aren't chewing their food.
The more chewing material you provide, especially with meals, the more it happens as nature intended and not on your outdoor furniture.
3. SCATTER FEEDING
If you have an outdoor area, "scatter feeding" is a great way to feed some meals that suit - and easy for you. This means simply scattering the food across the lawn or outdoor area. This achieves a bunch of things. Even the most voracious eaters will take a couple of minutes instead of 10 seconds to eat their meal. This is much healthier.
It represents natural foraging - most dogs love it (yes, some dogs can't be stuffed!). In times of lockdown, what better way to keep your dog entertained without leaving home. And just like the way humans rummage through the cupboard for one more chocolate, they'll keep searching til they have the last morsel.
And! It can refine toileting. Most dogs won't toilet where they eat. If you make the eating area regularly wider, they might find other garden areas to go - where you don't walk!
4. WATER
Change water daily.
Most owners do this in summer, but in winter it can get forgotten. It's just as important to change every day in the cold weather. Fresh water is important not only to be hydrated (even when it's cold), but to help with digestion.
5. BEDDING
Every house has different sleeping arrangements for their dog - there are no rights or wrongs! But if your dog has a basket, cushion or any type of bedding, these things need to be washed more often. Apart from sometimes wet or muddy dogs, damp is heaven for lots of germs and bugs. Even if you haven't got time to wash (we know they're hard to dry in cold weather), if you get a sunny day, make sure you expose your dog's bedding to as much sunlight as possible. This can kill off lots of nasties.
Let us know if there is anything else you need or want to ask on Face Book or email
AND NOW FOR THE HUMANS......
Your dog depends on you. You need to stay healthy too!
1. FRESH IS BEST
Contrary to most media reports, most humans have an immune system. It does an amazing job everyday to keep us safe, without us even knowing. Immune systems love fresh food - especially fruit and vegetables. Immune systems don't particularly like the kind of foods that most people have had to stockpile - pastas, white bread etc.
These things are OK to eat, but do your best to ensure you have something fresh everyday. And here's the tip - try to make sure you have at least two hours between fruit and vegetables! Your tummy requires different stuff to process the two and if you have them all at once your tummy waves the white flag and you may not get the benefits.
2. WATER
Just like above for our dogs, we need lots of fresh water daily too. But in winter, we feel less thirsty and we often don't have enough.
This is made worse now because many of us are out of our routines - drinking water at the gym, exercising, school, office etc - is not happening and it's easy to forget at home.
Try to start the day with a large glass (room temperature - NOT cold) and have more handy all day. You'll feel more energised.
3. SANITY
We can't guarantee this one at the moment!
But stress levels are up, challenges are everywhere and life is harder for most. We start shallow breathing. Did you know when you look at devices, you blink four times less? Your eyes get tired and strained. This is where your dog comes into.
Take 60 seconds, longer if you can, and just go stare at your dog. Focus on tiny details. Eyelashes, fur patterns, whiskers - the world gets blocked out for that time. Even a tiny break like that can give you a little re-set. Don't worry that your dog might think you're weird - they already did.
Do you have a friend or family member that can't get out at the moment. A GIFT CARD is a great way to get their dog goodies delivered safely to their door.
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