Author Archives: Julie Walton

About Julie Walton

Internet Success Website Designer from Boise, Idaho. Designing websites for small businesses in the Northwest. Dogblog writer "A Dog's Eye View".

Top 10 Ways to Better Care for your Dog

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Spending time with our dog at the parkJulie, Murry and Blue Belle recognize the importance of taking good care of your dog. The picture to the right shows Blue Belle shortly after she was adopted. We took her for a walk in the park. She loves to go for walks. Our guest blogger shares ten ways to better care for your dog, including spending time with them.

Guest Writer: Ryean Bishop

We all do what we can to make sure that our pets are healthy, happy and well loved. But could you be over looking something? Here are the top 10 things to do for optimum health and happiness in your pet.

  1. Spend time with them! It is not enough to simply leave them in a room with a toy all day, every day. Dogs need that interaction with you to form a bond, trust you, and respect and take direction from you. They need cuddle time, walks, or play time with you to combat loneliness and feel loved.
  2. Exercise, exercise, exercise! Our pets need exercise to keep them healthy just like we do. Exercise will help keep them from getting more health problems or becoming overweight. It will also help to work off all their built up energy; thus creating a less crazed, well behaved pet.
  3. You are what you eat! Make sure that what your pet is eating is helping out his health instead of causing more problems. Your Veterinarian will be your biggest help in this department-don’t trust what foods the neighbors use, but get professional advice about what is healthy for your pet specifically. Whether they have allergies, digestive problems, or constipation, switching dog food may be the simple answer.
  4. Healthy, Positive Discipline. Mastering this will make both you, and your dog happier. You will be happy because your dog is behaving better and he will be happier because he knows what is expected, right and wrong, and what is allowed versus what isn’t. This sets him up for success more than guessing and trying feverishly to get approval when he doesn’t quite know how.
  5. Vet Visits. The minimum requirement for Vet checkups is once a year for most dogs. Doing this can help prevent future health problems from happening or properly treat existing ones. When a pet is healthy inside and out, it is easier for him or her to fully enjoy life.
  6. Keep Their Brain Active! One of the most common causes of behavioral issues in dogs is that they are simply bored. Keeping their mind active will not only help their overall well-being, but keep your house intact. A dog that is not being challenged mentally by you will make up their own challenges and games, and their ideas you probably wouldn’t like. Having toys with treats trapped inside or training them new tricks are ideas of how to give them constructive challenges.
  7. Gorgeous Grooming. Grooming will not only make your pet pretty, but healthy as well. If fur becomes matted it is unhealthy for the skin, and skin infections may occur. Grooming also helps prevent dogs from getting ear infections, excess tartar on the teeth, and ticks or fleas.
  8. Use Positive Reinforcement. Pets need to be appreciated just like we do. You don’t want the only attention that he or she gets to be negative. Let them know when they are doing something right or being obedient. Give them lots of praise and positive attention when they are behaving well, and they will want to do that more often.
  9. Social butterflies! It is important for dogs to be socialized to other dogs, animals, and humans. Socializing your pet will make it easier to go for a walk, to the vet, or into a pet store without pandemonium. Teaching your dog to maintain his or her manners and remain calm in lots of different situations will help him to be a better behaved and well rounded pet.
  10. All you need is love! Your pet feeling love from you and a secure attachment to you is obviously crucial. However, do not confuse the concepts of love and treats. Throwing the dog a bone is a nice reward, but will not help him to feel the love. Spend the time, and give him actual love instead of just treats.

Add these ideas to your routine and customize them to your pet and your life. There is no cookie-cutter, perfect way to take care of a pet; so do it your way. By following these simple steps, your dog is on its way to being the healthy, happy pet you want him or her to be.

Author Bio– Ryean Bishop is a health and wellness expert for dogs. He is a strong promoter of annual Veterinarian visits. Please click here to learn more about pet checkups and what you can do to keep your pet healthy.

Sparky Needs Annual Veterinarian Checkups!

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Guest Writer: Ryean Bishop

When in doubt have the vet check it out.You feed him, water him, take him for walks, and occasionally get him shots. So that means Sparky is perfectly taken care of and healthy….right? This might not always be the case because of health problems that may be occurring internally. Even if the problems are more obvious you may not be doing the right thing to treat them. Since dogs cannot communicate illness as well as humans can, it often goes unnoticed until it is too late. Annual checkups help with that problem by detecting any health irregularities early or helping to educate on what prevention may be needed.

It is just as important for your pet to get a check up as it is for you. Veterinarians can educate pet owners on signs of threat and how to combat them. For example, certain dogs are prone to hip dysplasia. If you find out your dog is susceptible early, you can prevent spending thousands on surgery later on by making sure that they have a healthy weight and lots of low impact exercise like swimming. With their expertise, Veterinarians can help Sparky to maintain a high quality of life for a long time.

So what exactly do they check? The typical procedure is called the “Head to Tail” method. A vet will literally work his or her way down the body inspecting for possible irregularities. At the head they inspect the nose for hints of Canine Distemper or a respiratory infection, the mouth for tartar build up, anemia, or oral tumors, and the ears for ear mites or other pests/infections. In the chest region they check the lungs and heart of the animal. An irregular heart beat or fluid in the lungs can be found with the simple use of a stethoscope and a trained ear. Vets then go on to check the skin and coat, spine and tail, digestive tract and abdomen. Dogs could get ticks, fleas, spine abnormalities, stomach pain or lumps, abnormal stool, and muscle damage in the legs or feet.

They are looking for very small details and narrowing down from wide range of possible issues. Without a trained eye and professional tools made specifically for examining dogs, the decision that your dog is “fine” may not be true. This professional advice is irreplaceable when it comes to the life of your precious pet.

Many believe that they will be able to detect health issues on their own by noticing a change in the pet’s temperament. The truth of the matter is, changes in temperament do not usually occur until the problem has become severe. Your dog could be suffering from bacterial infections, parasites, or allergic reactions and you wouldn’t even know it. Vaccinations are not a complete health care package for dogs. Most vaccinations do not expire until 1-3 years after the fact. Because of this, remaining attentive to your dog’s health throughout the year is crucial.

The minimum schedule for dogs to get checkups is once a year. However, if your dog is hereditarily prone to having a certain health issue, you may need to take more trips to make sure that you are still on the right track for prevention. If you live in an area where ticks are common or other dogs around are getting Heartworm, Bordatella, or ear mites a checkup will be necessary as well. A simple motto can be used to remind you when you to go to your Veterinarian. “When in doubt, have the Vet check it out.” Constant vigilance is key to your pet remaining happy and healthy.

The perfect way to ensure the health of your sweet, little Sparky is to trust a professional. Yearly checkups will allow him to live a better life, and you to provide that for him the best you can.

Author Bio- Ryean Bishop is a health and wellness expert for dogs. He strongly believes that annual Veterinarian visits are the number one thing owners can do to maintain a healthy pet. For more information, or to schedule your pet’s checkup today, please visit BAMCvet.com.

What Happens When Engineers Own Dogs

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We are not engineers here in the Walton household, but we do have a dog who would love this smart design. Belle loves to fetch a tennis ball, that is her favorite game. I was watching this video, laughing with glee, and Blue Belle noticed. She immediately brought me a ball.

Enjoy the funny video
“What Happens When Engineers Own Dogs”

Learning Mandarin Chinese With Our Dog

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Teaching our dog mandarin chineseHave you ever tried to learn a second or third language? If you are not living in a country where you are completely surrounded by the new language, with people speaking to you, seeing signs everywhere, it can be quite a challenge to learn a new language.

My hubby and I are learning to speak mandarin chinese, but we are here in the U.S. We are not surrounded by people speaking chinese. We do have friends from Taiwan who have returned to their part of the world. We will keep in touch with them and look forward to visiting Taiwan in the future. We have a favorite chinese restaurant and enjoy our attempts to use our mandarin when visiting.

We decided to begin our education by using the same books that are utilized by the foreign language class at our local university, so we will learn pinyin and also learn to write chinese characters. In addition to a weekly study group we have with friends and a private tutor, we are also using online resources. I have found many resources on YouTube and some websites with free basic chinese lessons. Today I found the site LearnChineseEZ. They show you words and phrases in english and then in pinyin with a sound link so you can hear the pronunciation.  I listen and repeat, it has come in quite handy.  And of course google translate is very helpful, but you have to make sure of the accuracy.  I think one of my favorite tools is an online learning tool,  Quizlet, which provides study tools and games which can be used for learning anything, but is especially fantastic for learning languages.  Using Quizlet, I made up my own set of words and phrases and use the flashcard feature, the scatter game and the tests.  I have found many useful apps for my iphone, including an app for quizlet so I can practice my sets while on the go.

One advantage for us is that we are doing this as a family. Our dog, Blue Belle, will become a part of the learning process. We can speak to each other in chinese and we can speak to Belle. How long do you think it will take for Blue Belle to comprehend our new speech? She is such a smart dog, I think she will pick up on the new lingo rather quickly.

How about you guys? Have any of you taught your dogs a new language?

Pet Product Review – Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats

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Blue Buffalo Review
Blue Belle Reviews Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats

Our new family member Blue Belle, the rescue dog, is happy to review her first pet product.  A package arrived from Chewy.com.  “How exciting a box just for me.  Let me get my paws at it! ”  In the box is a dog treat – Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Chicken Jerky.

We have heard of Blue Buffalo dog and cat products, but never tried them.  Before making the decision to review this product for our precious pup, I wanted to make sure it was safe.  Upon investigation I was reassured to realize that Blue Buffalo is made in the USA.  Our beloved dog, Maggie, recently died from something she ate, so you can understand our concern.

Blue Belle absolutely loved these tasty treats.  Of course she did, she’s a dog! We loved the details and information about the Wilderness Trail Treats.  The treats are made with the finest natural ingredients.  According to Blue Buffalo, Wilderness Jerky is a wholesome treat that will help support your dog’s strength, health and vitality.  Again, something that this dog loving family is very concerned about.  We find ourselves reading all the details on the packages, to make sure our dog gets the best of everything. There are no by-products or artificial anything in Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Chicken Jerky.

For those of you who need grain-free products, Blue Buffalo tells us that this is a perfect grain-free treat.  “High-quality poultry makes BLUE Wilderness Jerky the perfect treat for dogs who are fed a grain-free or raw diet.  It’s jerky with a wild side!”

The jerky is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only. Ingredients listed include chicken, dried cane molasses and salt. For maximum freshness Blue Buffalo instructs you to be sure to store BLUE Wilderness Jerky Treats in a cool, dry place.  To keep them as fresh as possible, they recommend refrigerating after opening.

Because the product is not cheap, it might be good to use some scissors to cut the jerky up into smaller pieces to make it last longer.  We think your dog would still be satisfied with a smaller piece.

We found this to be an excellent product and Blue Belle approved.

The Rescue Dog That Rescued Us

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By: Murry and Julie Walton – Boise, Idaho
December 7, 2012

Why We Needed to Be Rescued

Imagine yourself in our situation. The wife goes through two thyroid surgeries and cancer diagnosis. After being home from the hospital for just one week, your beloved 5 year old dog dies. This was our sad circumstance in the fall of 2012.

Having lost our treasured pet Maggie to sudden sickness and death, we were both devastated. Life was a struggle. Oh how we missed our early morning puppy play before going off to work. There was no longer a loyal companion to greet us when we entered our home. No longer a best friend to play fetch, find the hidden squeaky squirrel, sit up, roll over and to give praise with a treat. Our routine dog walking workout came to an abrupt halt. Our tail wagging puppy had filled our home with smiles and laughter. Our happy feelings were replaced with grief, a strange emptiness and a great big hole in our hearts.

Together we soon decided that we needed to look for another dog as our home was not the same without a canine companion. We wanted a young beautiful really smart dog (preferably one that would never die) We both realized the responsible thing to do was adopt another rescue dog. We started to camp out on the Petfinder.com web site to find a dog that we felt might best fit our family situation. We preferred a female dog of the herding breed, since that was the type of dog we were most familiar with. Murry found a nice female border collie named Misty that was in Thayne, Wyoming at the Animal Humane Association of Star Valley, also known as Lucky’s Place.  Julie really liked the look of Misty so she contacted Mary Ann Ahrens, the President and Director of the animal shelter.  It looked like Misty was already going to be adopted, but Mary Ann thought we should look at a dog named Bella.

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