PetLife Blog @ Pet & Country

How to be a Responsible Dog Owner

Our dogs give us so much affection and joy and show us so much loyalty and love that we owe it to our four legged friends to understand what they need to keep healthy and happy but also to understand our responsibility as pet owners in our communities.

LEGAL & MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Make sure your dog is microchipped and always wears a collar and ID tag.  The Dog’s Trust run free microchipping events, alternatively, some vets and some groomers may offer this service. You will find an excellent selection of collars to suit all sizes and types of dogs in Pet & Country, we also offer an engraving service for your dog tags. After all if your dog every goes astray, you should feel happier knowing that you can be contacted easily. 

Dog Fouling

This is a very contentious issue and one in which many towns and council areas including Ballymoney  are trying to eradicate. The law allows our Environmental Crime Enforcement Officers to give anyone seen not clearing up after their dog an on-the-spot fine called a fixed penalty notice (FPN).   If you are prosecuted in court for dog fouling you could receive a maximum fine of £1,000. This is a serious issue and is both annoying and a danger to health.  Therefore it always pays to have your poo bags to hand and to know where the relevant bins are.   After all nobody likes to have to clean poo off their shoes. 

HEALTH & HAPPINESS OF YOUR DOG

• Keep up to date with vaccinations, worming, flea and tick treatments as these will prevent infections and illness.  Investing in pet insurance helps you prepare for the unexpected. 
• Neutering is the responsible way to prevent unplanned pooch pregnancies which can lead to puppies which you may be unable to look after, and animal rescue centres are already oversubscribed.
• Just like you, your dog needs a healthy balanced diet Choose a pet food that is suitable for their stage of life and that is labelled ‘complete’, as then you can be sure it has all the nutrients your dog requires.  If you are unsure of what food to select, chat to a member of the Pet & Country team who can advise. For instance the Greenhill Farm is a pet food brand exclusive to Pet & Country - with each range specially formulated to suit your individual cat or dogs needs and ages - we have Super Premium, Grain Free and Naturally Hypoallergenic in a range of great flavours like turkey, duck, chicken, fish and more! Greenhill provides the correct nutrition for each stage of your pup or cat's life, with it's puppy/kitten, adult and senior ranges.   
• A good nights sleep is as important for your dog as it is for you.  A lack of sleep will weaken your dog’s immune system leaving them open to illness and will also affect their mood, so make sure your dog is well rested. Do they have a comfortable bed that is the correct size and are they warm enough at night as well?  Check out our excellent selection of beds instore and online. 
• Showing affection to your dog will help them feel safe, included, and understood. Cuddles and affection are a great stress reliever for both dog and owner and useful when training your dog.
• Dogs will enjoy many training activities as they feel like games but skills like walking to heel and coming when called or training them in calm behaviour when meeting people and animals out and about are important so that you and your dog can get out into the community and feel comfortable and safe.

GROOMING

A big part of keeping your dog healthy will be grooming, looking after his coat, caring for ears and eyes, maintaining oral hygiene and regularly clipping nails. The most obvious reason to have your dog groomed professionally is that they will be returned to you looking and smelling better than they went in, but the benefits of grooming do not stop there. 

Regular grooming will ensure excess hair, matts and tangles, dirt and bacteria are removed from the dog’s coat.  Removing excess hair will allow more air to flow through the coat and allow your pet to regulate its temperature better.

While we recommend visiting a professional groomer there are a number of home grooming activities you can carry out to maintain your dog’s coat between visits.  Furrish is a fantastic new brand targeted at pet owners.  This range includes everything you might need to look after your dog’s coat, and each product is developed for quality and effectiveness.   Furrish use a full proof key to identify the products suitable for each coat type which covers, puppies, long straight coats, short coats, sensitive coats, curly and wavy and not forgetting the excessive shedders.

Bathing

Furrish have a range of shampoos suitable for all coat types.  All Furrish shampoos are free from alcohol, silicones, SLES and parabens meaning they will be gentle on your dog’s skin & coat, add moisture and prevent static.  The shampoos also contain natural wheat which will nourish, prevent breakage and strength, and plump the coat.  There are 6 shampoos in the range.  However if your dog has any skin issues or allergies there are a number of products stocked instore that can help with this.

Brushing

Brushing helps stimulate hair growth and distributes natural oils throughout the coat to keep it healthy and shiny as well as removing dead hair and debris from the coat.  This prevents matting which can cause irritated skin, redness and sores.

There are a number of detangling sprays depending on your dogs coat and this is the perfect companion when brushing. 

Nail Care

If you can hear your pup’s paws clicking on floors – it is time to trim! If you want to tackle them at home use small plier style nail clippers and shine a torch under the nail to show the transparent area where it is safe to cut.

Regularly cleaning your dog’s ears and eyes is good practice and will reduce irritation and the risk of infection.  Furrish have made this easy to you, with handy ear wipes. For quick touch ups Furrish also have paw and body wipes in 3 scents.  These are great to keep in the car or by the back door to use after walks. 

For all your dog care needs please call into Pet & Country or contact us through our website or on social media where our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to assist.