We’re officially in your pet’s favorite time of year – summer! Even though temperatures have been up and down, it’s that time of year where we get the opportunity to enjoy our FurBabies even more.
It is no secret that dogs love to play – and we’re all about playing with them! Below are tips to consider when going on long walks, research on how finding new smells can help your pets, and safety measures to know when your dogs are interacting with children. The important thing is to have fun and enjoy the outdoors while the weather lets us!
PLAY ON! LET YOUR PUPS SNIFF AROUND WHILE THEY’RE ON WALKS
Take advantage of the weather to take your pup on frequent walks for exercise. He will enjoy exploring the neighborhood and searching for new smells. We always say that dogs feel through their noses, as exposing them to new smells releases endorphins that relieve stress and make them happier all around. Click HERE to read more information on this topic by Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB. This weather is the best time to go on long walks and let your FurBaby sniff around! Walking is also a great form of exercise that helps keep your pup trim and healthy, so he lives a long life with you.
PLAYING IN THE PARK!
Reilly, our own FurBaby, especially loves to walk near the water in South Street Sea Port, and often drags us to take him that way. We think he likes the combination of the sun, positive energy from the people, and the movement of the water. Sometimes he’ll sit and stare at the water, waiting to see if some sort of sea creature pops up to play with him! We don’t have the heart to tell him that’ll likely never happen.
When not near the water, he also loves Central Park. We prefer the open, grassy areas with less people to let him run around. We have a 9ft leash that we leave on him at all times for safety, and play fetch or soccer with him. It is his absolute favorite thing to do in the world – you can see the smile on his face as we run around!
One safety tip to always keep in mind is to be sure that you have a good, strong leash to have control of your FurBaby no matter what. Even if your pup has a mild temperament and is super obedient, they’re still animals and you can never be too safe. In NYC especially, with our lovely drivers, it is extra important to have a secure hold on your pets to avoid any accidents. We love using the STUNT PUPPY leash when we go on walks with Reilly, as it’s very secure and allows you to clip it to yourself versus holding it in your hand. There are many colors and designs!
Click here to see them. If you’re interested in purchasing, use coupon code: URBANPAWZ for 20% off!
SAFETY AROUND DOGS AND KIDS
Baby Dante (our human baby) has learned to really love his older brother, Reilly (our Furbaby). He is all smiles when he sees Reilly or hears him bark. He loves watching Reilly play in the house, and sits there laughing watching our crazy FurBaby run around, especially since he’s so barky while he does it! We swear that Baby Dante is even trying to learn how to bark! Although we love all our children equally, we recognize that one is our FurBaby and the other is our Human Baby, and never let them play together without supervision, especially because our baby is so young. Children and dogs can be the best of friends, even family! But, they require supervision with young children to avoid accidents. Even if your dog is ‘good with kids’, it is possible that they find a kid that is not good with dogs. CLICK HERE for some tips on dogs & children from our beloved, Victoria Stillwell.
Even if you’re not parents or have young kids at home, NYC is full of children! When walking around with your FurBaby in the city and a child comes up to pet him or her without asking, don’t be shy to call the child out on it. It’s important for children (and adults) to learn that one needs to ask for permission before petting someone else dog. It’s never too late to learn that, and the importance of this is far greater than simple etiquette. Some dogs don’t have the best of temperaments, while other dogs may be older, blind, deaf or even easily startled. Although they’re all cute, they’re not all open to getting pet by strangers. People mean well, but often times they don’t know this and we can all do our part in helping teach this.
Remember, we’re always here if you have any questions or need our help. Keep these tips in mind and have a great summer!
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