Dog Duties

Dog duties come with grooming responsibilities, between the fur, claws, eating, exercising, and "pick-up", things can get overwhelming quite quickly. Setting a schedule helps both dog and owner. Dogs love routine. In this article, we will briefly cover some of the daily routines.

Meet The Cover Dogs

Confetti, a Shorkie (Yorkie + Shih Tzu) loves to play and run. As a natural mouser, she has high energy all of the time. Princess' pup and Mawgane's grandpup, Confetti is almost through her puppy mode as she will reach 2 years this November.

Snowball, a Yellow Lab-Shepherd mix is a senior dog, 14 human years. Once a "Houdini" who would get out of his kennel and collar, now Snowball lives a retired life of eating, drinking, sleeping, and occasional playing.

Walking

We begin with walking because to a dog, working for food precedes all else. Simply putting down a bowl of food isn’t enough. There comes satisfaction for the canine community with exercise before a meal, as though they are earning their food. However, most dog owners may not have the time to fully engage a dog’s instinct to work for food. This is where walking steps in (no pun intended). A walk synergizes pack time, the need for migration, exercise, and bonding time.?Depending on the dog's breed and size, a walk can be fifteen minutes to an hour.

There will be times that walking is not an option; exercise and playtime may suffice for the short term. Snowball, the senior Lab, takes short walks with his owner. Princess follows her owner around the house, loyal at every step. Confetti loves to run and the open concept main room allows her enough space to run back and forth, spending her high energy needs.

Water

Having water available at all times during the day helps dogs stay hydrated. They lap water as they need it. Dogs who love to play will often stop drinking throughout their session. Dogs who return from a walk rehydrate when they return home, taking what they need.

Sometimes you can tell if a dog is not getting enough water by its dry nose; usually, the dog’s nose is moist. Snowball wouldn’t drink his water, and other times, he lapped it up in large amounts. His nose would get very dry. To coax him to drink water, his owner would wet her fingers and then touch his nose. Instinctively he cleaned it with his tongue. She then pointed to the water bowl and gave a specific phrase: “drink some water.”?Eventually, he learned the directive and would drink the water after a walk.

You may need to check the water bowl throughout the day, especially if it is outdoors. Grass, bugs, and other debris easily float in the water. It is important to keep the bowl clean and the water fresh. If your dog is indoors, keep the water bowl full and available and the toilet bowls out of reach. Snowball has only gone to the toilet bowl twice in his life. Both times were in days of each other. His water bowl was empty and the toilet lid was up. He had access to the bathroom and decided to take in some water.

Feeding

Most dog food packages carry information about how much food to feed your dog, according to age, size, and/or weight. Large dogs can eat as much as four to six cups of dry kibble daily, while small dogs can eat as little as half to one cup of dry kibble.???

The greatest concern with feeding comes with water. If a dog eats kibble and then drinks a large amount of water, the kibble swells and it sets the stage for digestive problems. A general rule that our family follows is to wait about 30 minutes between water and eating. Taking Snowball for a walk, then returning home to a bowl of water, he would drink almost the entire bowl (almost half a gallon or 2 liters). To prevent digestive problems and serious complications, his owner waited 30 minutes before feeding him dry kibble. She has never had a problem with him.

Clean-Up (Toilet Duties)

What goes in eventually comes out. While some owners use indoor pads, most owners have their dog's toilet outside. Cleaning up after a dog is a fact of life for dog owners. Some dogs have a section for their toilet. And that section moves in the yard throughout the year. Some dogs like grass tickling their backside, while others prefer sidewalks or roads. Wherever they decide to go, it will be up to us dog owners to clean up after them.

Pick-Up Procedures

Unless your dog has liquid waste (that is, diarrhea or the “squirts”), picking up after your dog as soon as he/she eliminates is the best approach. This reduces the opportunity for some dogs to eat their waste matter; it also keeps the yard clean. It is easier to pick up the dog poop before it rains (pelts it to mush), snows (freezes it to the ground and buries it), or before someone steps in it.

In the case of the “squirts”, carefully pouring a mixture of bleach and water (cap of bleach to 1 gallon or 4 liters of water) will help if your dog eliminates on streets, roads, and/or sidewalks. Hopefully, it doesn’t happen in the house, but if it should, then a white vinegar and water mixture (1 cup vinegar: 1 gallon or 4 liters of water) helps kill unwanted invisible bacteria.

Disposal

Dog poop disposal is important to consider as well. Most dog owners (I’ve been in this category lots of times) pick up the waste with a plastic bag, tie it and throw it into a garbage/trash can. It’s then forgotten, at least until the garbage is dealt with and its nasty odors. Dog poop eventually breaks down, but plastic doesn’t. Other options include (but are not limited to): picking it up with a paper towel and disposing of it in the garbage or down the toilet; composting it in a special bin (for dog poop only); finding a poop-pick-up service to do it for you (or maybe starting one yourself).

Flushing down dog poop may work for small dogs, but large dogs’ waste poses a problem for slow plumbing. I have tried composting it in a special bin and then dispersing the dirt into an area that may be a flower garden, but will never grow food. In the country, I have composted dog poop in a designated area. Unless the poop is infested with parasites (worms), this would work fine. If you’re dealing with an infestation, it’s better to let the waste matter dry out a day or two and the parasites will eventually terminate.

However, whatever method you choose, be sure never to come into contact with the waste matter.

Housebreaking

Housebreaking mainly focuses on your pet not toileting in the house, but it also can include furniture boundaries, avoiding destruction chewing of personal items, and conditioning your dog to household protocols (freedoms and restrictions).

New Room Introductions

Start with a segregated area where you don’t mind your dog having free access. If you’re introducing a busy room to your dog, then set up the crate in a quiet corner/part of the room. Walk your dog to the crate and put him/her inside for a few hours while you and your household members are actively utilizing the room. Ignore the dog. This gives the dog time to process the new room and becomes accustomed to it. If your dog has free reign of the house, it’s up to you to decide where your dog can and can not follow you.

When it’s time to start integrating the dog into the active room, view this time as training. Some dogs ease right into it, while other dogs don’t. Training time usually focuses on the dog more so than your current activities. Start slow and allow 10-15 minutes for the first few days (3-4 days). Slowly increase the time (5-10 minutes) until you’re sure you can trust your dog not to destroy anything.

Special Cases

If you let your dog run in your house the moment he/she first arrives, you have clearly communicated that you’re relinquishing your dominion and giving it to your dog. Everywhere the dog runs, he/she will think is his/hers.

If you have an outdoor dog that needs to come in when it’s too cold, or a storm is coming, designated an area and block it off. You may have to train the dog not to climb or jump the gate. Most dogs consider separation from the pack to be punishment. So take time to be with your dog or have a crate in your main room where your dog never feels alone.

Crate Training

A crate is basically a travel case or a metal cage that confines your dog to limited space. This is usually used to condition dogs for toileting. Dogs instinctively do not like to toilet in their den. Crate training should be fun and eventually become a secure place for your dog to go into. It becomes a safe place where a dog can be left alone (even if the door is wide open). You may have to train other household members to respect the dog’s personal space.

We have carpet in our main living area, so when Princess and Confetti receive treats, we bring them to their crates. This allows them private time to enjoy the treat without having to guard it against each other. One dog always seems to think she can have both treats, while the other dog growls and defends her prize.

When we leave our living space for more than an hour, we usually crate our dogs as a prevention measure. Each of them gets their own treat to have, after all, the crate is a good place.

Bath Time

See Bath Time.

Claws

There are special tools to clip dogs' claws. However, since I have a small dog, large nail clippers work best for her and me. I usually clip only a little at a time. Some of Confetti's claws are white (easy to see) while others are black (hard to see). When I clip her claws, I also steer clear of cutting too close to the quick. She'd yelp if I did. Having a bar of soap nearby is handy to run the bleeding claw across it. It stops the bleeding. Although I haven't done it myself, Snowball's owner (my sister) has and says it works.

When I clip her claws, I also need to be calm and in charge. Or else, she senses my anxiety and won't cooperate with me. Clipping dog nails has definitely helped my personal development in confidence!

Brushing

Confetti has inherited doggy dreadlocks, and matted knots in her fur, even if I miss a day of brushing. Usually, I resort to a pair of scissors, giving her a patchwork fur cut in the process. Brushing is a must with long-haired dogs. When I brush, I work from the neck to the tail, going along the fur. This feels better on the dog too. Gently on the ears and tail too. Short-haired dogs don't really need brushing, unless, of course, it's shedding season.

Shedding Season

Snowball sheds twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. About every spring (it used to be summer) he loses his winter coat. Since he is a permanent indoor dog, the loss of fur is more noticeable. Shedding is a normal event for most dogs. Some breeds don't shed in bulk, they need it cut every so often (like Princess and Confetti).

Dog owners who invest their time brushing their dogs have the advantage of limiting the fur loss. Brushing along the grain (from neck to tail) feels better on the dog and creates a mini bonding session. Don't have time to brush? Vacuuming will be the default, then. As your dog shakes, loose pieces of fur, sometimes even clumps will detach and land on the floor/carpet. During shedding season, vacuuming can be done daily.