DogBoy's Dog BlogDog boarding, training, daycare and wellness in the Austin area

Noodle stays cozy at DogBoy's Dog Ranch, photo by Deb Marvin

Let’s face it—holidays are a stressful time of year. We’re hosting and attending parties, trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on our list, maybe planning a road trip or flight to visit far-away loved ones. And if all this is stressful for us, what about our dogs? Dogs are, along with us, probably the most adaptable animals on the planet. But like us, they have their limits.

So…what can you do to make your dog’s holiday season as happy and stress-free as possible? As with any time where your dog’s routine is being disrupted, spending lots of downtime with your dog, away from activities, will help, as will routine exercise and activity.  Paula Baker-Prince, our Director of Training, also suggests providing fresh mental challenges for your dog, such as a new puzzle toy, to help your dog relax.

One thing to avoid at all times of the year, but especially during the holidays, is treating your dog to overly rich or toxic foods. Dog First Aid 101 has a complete list of toxic foods for dogs, but there are a few that are especially common this time of year. Dark chocolate is a biggie that most people know about.  Less well-known are foods and spices like nutmeg, raisins, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts. The last thing either you or your dog want or need is a trip to the emergency vet after snacking on a holiday beef log!

And don’t forget about fireworks. Growing up in northern Indiana, I never associated New Year’s Eve with fireworks—sitting outside and watching them is a lot less fun when it’s below freezing—but here in Austin we’re blessed with warmer weather and some great displays. Unfortunately, many dogs are very afraid of fireworks. For mild anxiety, an herbal relaxant such as Rescue Remedy or Dog ‘n’ Kitty Calm (available for sale at DogBoy’s) might help. If you feel your dog might need something stronger, talk to your vet about a prescription sedative.

What if you are taking a long car trip with your dog? If you’ve ever had a dog in the car, odds are good that you already know they can get car sick just like people. And just like people, one remedy can be limiting visual cues that may contribute to motion sickness—chiefly by having them face forward. Opening the windows a little can help too, as can the Through A Dog’s Ear series of CD’s—they’re also available at DogBoy’s and there’s even a special car edition. For stronger remedies it’s best to consult your vet. And if you’ll be spending any time in a hotel, sites such as DogFriendly.com and Yelp.com are excellent resources for planning where to stay.

And finally, DogBoy’s is here to help. Other than over Christmas, we have plenty of room to board your dog overnight during holiday parties or in daycare to help them blow off some steam. And for some serious stress relief, you can always schedule a massage session here at Chelsea’s Place with certified pet masseuse Christina Hardinger. Your dog will thank you!

And whatever you do—and however you celebrate—we wish all our two- and four-legged family and friends a most joyous holiday season!

Nicole Mlakar Photography, http://www.nicolemlakarphotography.com

Summer’s here, and it’s time to start being conscious of the heat.  Not just in regards to ourselves, but also with our dogs. Most of us know when the heat’s getting to us, our children or our friends; do you know what to look for in your four-legged friends?  Dogs do sweat, but unlike with people, it is not their primary means of cooling down. In fact, once the temperature or heat index reaches the upper-90s to low 100s, all dogs have a much more difficult time cooling down.

VetInfo.com has an excellent summary of the signs to look for, but here are the major symptoms:

1. Heavy panting and hyperventilation;
2. “Belling” of the tongue; if your dog is panting heavily, his tongue will flare out into a bell-like shape at the bottom; 
3. Lethargy or confusion; 
4. Staggering gate.

As the dog’s body temperature rises:

1. Gray or pale gums;  
2. Shallow and/or labored breathing;
3. Vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Some dogs are more at risk than others.  Much like people, puppies and senior dogs are more prone to heat stress.  Short-snouted breeds such as pugs or boxers also overheat very quickly, as do dogs on thyroid medications such as soloxine or thyroxine.  Both of these factors make dogs less able to regulate their body temperature, especially when it comes to keeping cool.  Finally, overweight dogs are at increased risk for heat exhaustion—one more incentive to make sure your dog maintains a proper weight.

Working at the front desk at DogBoy’s, one of the most common questions I get from clients and prospective clients is “What do you do with the dogs when it gets hot?” Typically, we turn on the air conditioning in the kennel buildings in the late morning, then bring the dogs in at mid-day for a few hours’ rest to cool off.  Dogs who are particularly intolerant of the heat will spend much more time indoors, either in our kennel buildings or in the front office—where they’ll still get lots of people time and spoiling.

For the dogs that do get to spend more time outdoors, our hard-working kennel staff refreshes the water buckets and baby pools at noon so there’s lots of nice cold water to play in and drink. And as long as our pond has water that is safe to swim in, our best behaved and water-loving dogs will be able to have a dip as well during our pond hikes.

As always, we are happy to accommodate your dog’s special needs—heat-related or otherwise. And don’t forget: summer fills up fast, even on non-holiday weekends, so if you haven’t reserved a spot for your dog during your summer vacation, give us a call or email!

written by Jay Robison

photo by Nicole Mlakar Photography

It’s been a week and I’m just catching my breath to tell you all about our big Open House weekend.  What a wonderful time it was – celebrating with family, friends and staff.  We’re still smiling about it!

We kicked off the weekend with a pre-party, taking time to thank our builder, our bankers, our local vets, and many of the others who made this project possible.  We decided to give the Training & Wellness Center an informal nickname, Chelsea’s Place after our first dog, Chelsea Garbo.  She’s the reason we got into this business, after all!

We also announced some BIG news.  We have made a committment to a formal partnership with the Austin Humane Society!  We are SO excited about giving back to the Austin pet community, and can’t wait to get started.  DogBoy’s will be helping out some of their more active dogs – who really need to get out and run!  We’re giving a free evaluation and day of day care for up to three shelter dogs per week.  In exchange, DogBoy’s will have the honor of a dedicated run at the AHS, and will get to be a big part of their annual Rags to Wags gala.  We just love the work that the AHS does, and we’re so proud to be a partner with them.

I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to Nicole Mlakar-Livingston of Nicole Mlakar Photography for shooting the pre-party and Saturday’s Open House.  For even more of her great pics, you can read her blog.  We’re really looking forward to working with Nicole more in 2010!

I’d also like to send big hugs and thank you’s to my mom, dad & sister for all their help with Friday’s event.  We couldn’t have pulled off such a wonderful evening without their help! 

The Open House on Saturday was loads of fun too.  We had our wonderful trainers doing demos on Agility and Rally Obedience.  So impressive!  Lisa Knaggs, Owner of Bark for Peace gave some great mini-classes on canine massage.  She’s teaching her second class out at the ranch on Friday, 2/12 if you’d like to join us!

Marcella and I did three FULL tours and really enjoyed showing everyone around.  Thanks to everyone who helped out and please come join us at Chelsea’s Place soon!