Spring Cleaning's for the Dogs

Along with March Madness, we get the reappearing yard. The snow has melted, spring rain is on the way and already there're mud puddles everywhere. My yard looks like New York harbor from the air: little brown islands surrounded by turgid water with floating debris. (I'm from New York, I can say things like that). I think people mistake my property for a recycling center; currently an abundance of soda cans, Big Gulp cups, broken beer bottles and assorted paper flyers are protecting the soil from erosion. I was outside with Daphne and Benny this morning enjoying the emerging colors and warm sun when I remembered the joy of raking rotting leaves off the gardens. Still it was wonderful.

What's not so wonderful for dog owners is that the reappearing yard contains - you guessed it - a winter's worth of dog doo. Even if you've been good about cleaning up during the frigid months, there's always a certain number of poops that hide in the snow, or just get overlooked. It's extremely important to go after those sneaky ones NOW. Fecal matter spreads disease that endangers everyone from you and your family to the lawn or garden... and of course your pets! Once fecal bacteria find their way down into the soil, it's very difficult to get rid of them. Both your pets and wildlife pick up the bacteria and carry it wherever it is they're about to go. So get out there and pooper scoop before it's too late!! I only have to think of my kitties dancing on my head in the morning (for them breakfast time is 5 am) to want the area around the house where their little feet tread to be CLEAN.

Get Doggie a new coat for Easter!

The New England winter has hung on in a disgraceful manner. There's dirty snow everywhere, people are fed up, dog's have no clean place to pee, and once a week we get a threat of more snow! In some drinking establishments they're taking bets on whether we'll have to shovel ourselves out for the Easter parade!

Nevertheless Spring is in the air. You know it well if you're around dogs that shed.
Also the days are getting longer (yay!) and single-digit temps are history. As the weather gradually warms, many breeds of dog lose the coat that has kept them warm all winter and grow another one. They do the same thing in the fall. So it's a time when you definitely need to take Fluffy to a pet groomers. A professional "do" will ensure that old hair gets stripped out to make room for the new. If the old hair isn't removed some of it will decorate your furniture, and some of it will settle against the dog's skin. This settling is called "packing" in the dog grooming business. The loose hair packs itself down under the outer coat, against the skin. When that happens it's harder to get the old hair out, and your pup becomes ultra-susceptible to skin problems - anything from dryness and rashes to inflamed "hot spots" that your pup chews and licks incessantly. Dogs prone to allergies and eczema are especially at risk when their coat gets packed.

Some dogs play, others get a massage!