Dog mom and dad, your life is about to become easier. Looking at these tips, I have been using them to overcome everything from daily challenges to the slight inconvenience of being the guardian of two cute puppies.
Easily open the plastic poop bag
Opening a poop bag can be difficult, especially when your dog is pulling on a leash and trying to leave the crime scene. Thin plastic sticks together, like those annoying produce bags in a grocery store. In the post-COVID world, the last thing I want to do is to lick my fingertips to help me open my mouth.
repair? Call your dog and let them smell your fingertips. That cold and wet nose will moisten your fingertips, making it very easy for you to open the bag!
Get a lot of cheap, long-lasting high-value snacks
Cheap dog food in the store is usually the plain biscuits that dogs hate. Tasty, smelly, sticky meat is expensive, and its moist, chewy texture will quickly dry out. The most valuable foods — hot dogs, cheese, and chicken — are very perishable and inconvenient to prepare.
repair? Get some air-dried dog food.
It is light and crunchy, will not change, and can be stored forever, so you can divide it into smaller bags and prepare snacks anytime, anywhere.
Since it is 100% complete and balanced, you can give your dog as much food as possible, and you must limit most snacks to about 10% of your dog’s diet.
Remember-air dry, not dehydrated. Dehydrated food is often dry and powdery. It is very suitable for meals, but needs to be hydrated. Air-dried food is light, breathable and crunchy.
Ziwipeak (check Amazon price) with Real dog These are two great air-dried dog foods that can make excellent high-value snacks.
Hate carrying loaded poop bags?
I like to be a responsible dog parent. Just use a thin layer of plastic to protect my hands to pick up poop, and it doesn’t even confuse me anymore.
But walking down the street with a big, smelly poop bag is awkward.
I use a belt poo bag holder purchased from Amazon, but if you don’t have one, just grab a spare potato chip bag holder from the cabinet. Clip it to your leash and stick the bag there when your dog is away.
Important note: Always clamp the stool close to the leash handle, not closer to your dog. Otherwise, the warm poop bag will swing around and hit your leg and ruin your day. Ask me how to know.
Can’t find any clothes that suit your puppy?
If you have a puppy or puppy, you may notice that even the XS size in the pet store is too big for your child.
You can make a lot of clothes by cutting holes in the socks. I even made Matilda washable panties with socks before she was sterilized so that she would not bleed everywhere when she was in heat.
In addition, check the cat, rabbit, and ferret section of the pet store, they often have comfortable seat belts suitable for small animals.
Afraid to cut off your dog’s nails?
Using puppy nail clippers is really bad. It is difficult to cut off enough nails without risking a quick hit and bleeding your dog. Then, of course, they will never believe that you will cut their nails anymore.
Use Dremel! I have some posts on how to use it, you never have to worry about hurting your dog anymore. Make sure you have those air-dried snacks, it will be a breeze. Don’t let your dog grow gargoyle nails while you wait for the next veterinarian visit.
Can’t see the pleasure of your dog’s black nails?
Dogs with white/pink nails are easy to see, but dogs with black or black nails are more difficult to cut. Use the flashlight of your mobile phone to look at their nails quickly, and then you will know where to cut.
Tired of smelly kisses?
Sprinkle parsley on the dog’s food to eliminate the puppy’s tone. But remember, dogs should not have bad breath-this is an inevitable sign of overgrowth of oral bacteria. Parsley works in a pinch, but brushing your teeth is best to keep your puppy’s kiss fresh.
Need to cut?Try the small bowl
If your dog is overweight, daily overfeeding may be the culprit. One of the reasons we overfeed is that we “stare at it”. When your dog’s bowl is too large, the appropriate part may appear too small.
I noticed that even the smallest dog bowl is too big for Matilda. Even if I measure her food, this part looks small because it doesn’t even cover the bottom of the bowl, so out of guilt, I will eat a few more bites.
I recently bought her a cat dish, and now her part is well filled with bowls, so I am not sad about feeding her properly. This is more like a psychological trick to us, our dog does not really notice whether the bowl is half full or half empty.
Make leftovers
Whether you eat more chicken for dinner, enough to supplement your dog’s meal, or if you have a whole container of bone broth that you can never finish eating, the ice cube tray is perfect for distributing and preserving almost anything. You can also freeze smoothies into cubes to get delicious dishes.
Take better phone photos for your dog
By turning the phone upside down, close to the ground, and tilting up, you can use your phone to take better photos and videos of dogs. You will get a lens closer to your dog’s eyes and show more cuteness. You can also put it in portrait mode to take charming photos.
Stop recurring accidents
Does your dog always shit or pee in the same place in your house? Clean the area thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner (not vinegar, baking soda, or anything else… only an enzymatic cleaner can break down the stain, so even your dog can’t smell it). Then, start feeding your dog in that place. Your dog will not want to go to the toilet where they eat. However, they may find an accident in a new place in your home, so you need to go back to the basics and potty training them from the beginning as if they were a puppy. This is the only way to break the habit and stop accidents forever.
Make better use of your dog’s tags
There is no need to put your dog’s name on their collar label. You already know their names, but strangers don’t need to know. Including the name can make it easier for others to call your dog and may even kidnap them. Just provide your address and phone number so that your dog can be returned to you.
Get the carabiner clip
You can clip your dog’s leash to anything-trees, poles, signs, if you need to quickly tie them up. Never let your dog be tied up and left unattended. This is perfect for camping, picnicking or using park equipment so that your dog is always in your sight.
You can also use the carabiner to clip the belt to the belt or belt loop for immediate hands-free belting.
Spread essential oils where needed
Certain essential oils can be used to help your dog feel calm or to repel fleas. I am not an expert in this area, but I know that some things can be toxic to dogs if placed on the skin or inhaled. Lavender is safe for dogs and can help relieve anxiety. Just put a drop on their favorite blanket, collar or headscarf. Or, make a quick diffuser by mixing a few drops into a jar full of rice.
Turn dry food into a delicious paste
Mix the coarse ground flour with warm water and refrigerate for up to three days. You will get some paste that the dog finds more appetizing than dry food. You can also add your dog’s favorite decorations to this paste so that they can’t pick them out while leaving the kibble. Kibble is larger and has the same calorie content, so it can help your dog feel full on a weight loss diet. It also has a moisturizing effect, which is very suitable for keeping the dog’s digestive and urinary tract healthy.
Touch those back teeth when brushing
My favorite new way to brush my dog’s teeth is to sit on the floor behind him with his back facing me. When I brushed her teeth, she was able to sit down in a more natural position. I can let her get close to me to prevent her from twisting too much. It just works!