Spring to-Doodle List
If your Doodle is not on year-round flea and tick preventatives, as the temps warm up, it’s time to begin administering them. Whether you use flea and tick treatments from your vet or combat fleas without chemicals, be sure your pets are protected. Also, after playing outdoors or hiking with your dog, check his body for ticks so that they can be removed immediately. Because our winter blessed us with milder temps, flea and tick season is expected to be excessive this year. Costco now sells flea and tick products at a great price.
The warmer weather is also the time to begin administering heartworm preventatives if your dog is not already taking them year-round as recommended.
Spring is a good time to update your dog safety kit so you have it handy for outdoor excursions. Safety kits can be purchased at Wagn’ Pet Safety—a link is on our Facebook page.
Before planting, visit the SPCA Toxic Plant Guide—a link is on our Facebook page.
Do a little Doodle Spring cleaning—a fresh haircut and pedicure are a great start. Take a little time to wash bedding, toys and collars. When you wash the collar, verify that the i.d. tags are legible and have current contact info on them. If you have toys and bedding that have seen better days, rather than throwing them away—consider donating them to the local shelter.
Dog TV—what every Doodle needs….
It’s the newest thing in the San Diego area—coming to a station near you soon. DogTV offers an 8 hour block of on-demand entertainment made especially for their canine audience.
The camera men got on their knees to shoot from a dog’s perspective. They then muted colors, altered sounds, and added music written especially for dogs. For years dog owners have left a television or radio on for company in their absence. DogTV provides the perfect entertainment for the stay-at-home alone dog. Research shows that prior to digital TV—dogs could only see a flickering screen—now they’re able to enjoy watching the screen, just like us. The early stages of research indicates that dogs not only recognize seeing other dogs on screen, they actually respond differently to seeing one of their own kind.
Dog TV offers segments for relaxation, energy, and sensory desensitization. Unfortunately, DogTV is currently only available through two cable companies in San Diego, but the response is so promising that the parent company is hoping to offer it nationwide in the next several months. The anticipated cost will be $4.99 a month. I visited their website and watched their sample videos—I think Winston will love it. When you hear a sonic boom, you’ll know I’ve just told Jim that Winston want s to watch his channel.
iPhone Apps for Doodle People
Dog Toy Free
Simple yet amusing, this app has just one function: shake your phone and it will emit a compelling squeaky sound to surprise and entertain your dog.
Pet Dossier: A Lifestyle Information Organizer $1.99
Keep a digital copy of your pet’s dossier in your pocket. Organize vet and grooming appointments, keep track of medications, dietary requirements, store photos, and more, for multiple pets. Plus, 25 percent from each sale goes to the ASPCA. Pet Minder is a free version
Pet Acoustics $1.99
This app plays mellow music designed especially to soothe dogs, cats, and horses. Of the 29 songs, nine songs are specifically for dogs, which users report help their dogs to relax and sleep. The app includes a timer, which is great for when you’re stepping out and want your dog to be calm and relaxed in your absence – that’s IF you leave your phone at home.
Pet First-Aid 3.99
This app provides concise 24/7 access to step-by-step articles and video on dozens of topics including bleeding, poisoning, rescue breathing and CPR, and more, as well as what’s normal. Each one is bundled with an offline access application and you can store your pet’s medical information for emergency visits. PetMD is a less expensive version
Dog Tricks: Best of 101 Dog Tricks $0.99
Trainer Kyra Sundance provides step-by-step instructions for eight basic tricks: sit, down, crawl, roll over, shake hands, fetch, spin circles, and hoop jump, as well as videos, tips, and troubleshooting. Portable how-to instruction, perfect for teaching your puppy at the dog park.
Screen Cleaner Free
Keep your iPhone screen “clean” with this screen saver of a dog licking the screen. In the free version, choose from eight dogs, or pay $0.99 for the pro version to access more breeds.
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