Humans for Dogs

Should I get two puppies?

Many people wonder if they should get two puppies at once. Having two dogs gives your dogs someone to play with during the day, but if at all possible you should get them at different times.

If you wait until your first dog is at least five to six months old before you get a second one, your first dog will be well bonded to you.

If you get two puppies at the same time, especially if they are from the same litter, they are likely to bond to each other and pay more attention to each other than to you. Training them will be a lot harder! That said, I know some people that have gotten two puppies from the same litter and successfully raised them to be well behaved dogs.

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmoody/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Information from How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With.

The Secret to Keeping Snow Off Your Dogs Paws

I've written about keeping dogs warm in the winter and about buying a sweater for your dog, but I haven't written about one of the most important things, keeping your dogs paws warm and snow free when walking in the snow.  Here are some things to consider:

• Dog booties.  We have tried a lot of different types and a lot of different brands.  The ones that stay on the best are ones we bought were flourescent orange hunting ones we bought at Cabelas.  (We used them not just for hiking in the snow but for also covering injured paws that we didn't want the dog to chew on.  That worked until Chase chewed through one ...)  Some booties are just for warmth and some also have traction.  The higher up on the leg they come, the more likely they will stay on.
• Medical tape.  This is my favorite. I just wrap medical tape around their paws.  This works really well when it's not too cold but you have a dog with long hair that is always catching snow and forming icicles between her toes.
• Trim the hair.  You can trim the hair between the main center pad and the toes, but not between the toes.  This will help cut down on icicles.  If your dog does get snow balls, let them melt, don't try to pull them off or cut them off.  (I ended up cutting my dog trying to do that on one snowshoeing trip.)
• Vaseline can help sooth paws already irritated by the snow and it can also help prevent snow build up if you put it on before you go out.

Any other tips to share with us?

Photo by nuanc.

Cheap, warm dog sweaters

Looking for a warm sweater for your dog?  After checking out several pet stores where all the sweaters were made out of thin cotton, I went to our local thrift store and bought a kid's wool sweater.

Getting it on my dog is a trick but it fits great. I just fold up the arms, doubling them up on her front legs, since sleeves are longer than my dog's legs. It keeps her nice and warm and now she loves it because it means we are going snowshoeing!

You can also buy one for under $10 at Amazon.com.