It's Bath Time!

What dog doesn’t love to go out for a walk or run, checking the messages left by other dogs and sniffing out the signs of other animals that have been in your neighborhood. But what happens when they bring some of that walk home? Mud, trash, and skunks can all leave him smelling less than “fresh”. When that happens, it’s time for a bath.

As with most things, there’s a right way and a wrong way. You may think that washing your dog is a no brainer, but there are some tricks to make sure both you and your pet have a pleasant bathing experience. Here are 7 easy steps to help you make sure you’re properly bathing your dog.  Warning- you will get wet so dress accordingly!

1.) Get your supplies: dog shampoo, towel, brush, comb and prepare your workspace. Where you bathe will depend on the size of your dog- inside in the sink or shower? Outside in the backyard with a hose?

2.) Make sure your dog is on a leash and comb through its fur, especially if it is a longhair breed. It’s much easier to comb fur when it is dry and you will get some of the dirt out before the dog is wet.

3.) Turn the hose on but don’t immediately spray your dog. You don’t want to make him scared of bathing or every time he sees you getting those supplies, he’ll be hiding in a corner. Make sure your dog’s fur is thoroughly wet before applying any chemical products like shampoo. Remember-your dog’s skin is more sensitive than ours, so water should be lukewarm, not too hot or too cold.

4.) Once your dog is wet, gently rub in the dog shampoo with large circular motions, giving him a big shampoo massage. He will love his baths from that point on! Don’t forget his belly and tail! Keep the soap out of his eyes!  To wash your dog’s face, use a damp washcloth, gently rubbing his face and under his chin. With the washcloth, wipe gently around the outer part of his ears-they are sensitive!

5.) Wash off all the shampoo from your furry friend until the water runs clear. Don’t forget the belly and tail again!

6.) All dog bathers have received a “shake off shower” at one time or another. To minimize the effect, take a large towel (or small- depending on the size of Fido) and gently give that puppy a rub down. 

7.) Lastly, add any cute accessories like clips or a  bandana and say hello to your squeaky clean pup.

Make sure to bathe your dog every week to once a month (depending on its breed). If it's an inside pet and sleeping on your bed, long haired or has allergies, than you’ll want to wash it more often than shorthaired, outside dogs. Know your breed- avoid bathing your dog too often. You don’t want to strip it’s fur of necessary, natural oils.

Remember, when your dog is clean, it’s healthy. With clean fur, your dog will look and feel great so keep your pet clean and happy with regular grooming!

Unleash your inner puppy San Antonio!

¿Perros o Gatos?

¿Es una persona de gato o una persona de perro? Eso se envejece pregunta vieja puede traer arriba algunas decisiones duras al tratar de escoger un nuevo amigo peludo para la familia. Bien estoy aquí ayuda-aquí viene mi comparación. ¡El tiempo de aprender si su casa será más armoniosa con un gato o el perro!

Gatos son más independiente que perros. ¡Mientras dependerán de usted para su alimento, ellos pueden mantener a sí mismo limpian y son el gasto fino la mayor parte de su tiempo solo, pero no consiguen la idea equivocada- adoran cariño, también! Otra cosa para pensar de para un gato es un lecho de arena higiénica. A menos que entrene su gato para ir a afuera hacer su negocio, deberá mantener un lecho de arena higiénica limpio disponible que es fácilmente accesible. Por otro lado, los perros dependen de su propietario para muchas cosas, como alimento, ejercita, y limpieza. Anhelan el amor y el cariño porque viven en paquetes en la tierra virgen. Cuando escoge un perro, su familia llega a ser su paquete y ellos quieren ser incluidos en todas sus actividades.

A causa de estos rasgos, los perros son más fáciles de entrenar que gatos. Los perros tienen rasgos naturales que los ayudan en vivo con otros en grupos, así que puede aprovecharse de estos rasgos al entrenar. Gatos son muy listas y pueden ser entrenado, también, pero los perros han sido criados para generaciones para completar ciertas tareas como la caza y tirar trineos. También, estudios recientes muestran que perros aprenden de la repetición. Puede utilizar esta punta al entrenar. ¡Cuando ciertas situaciones suceden una y otra vez, ellos paran hacer algo- por ejemplo, mi perro no molestará rogar alimento mientras leo un libro pero tiene razón por nuestra mesa de comedor si mi Abuelito allí!

Gatoson menos caras cuidar de y en el promedio vive más largo que perros. Los perros son muy cariñosos y siempre se esfuerzan por complacer su propietario. ¿ENTONCES todo se baja a usted- le hace quiere estar tirando la pelota y andar su perro diario o sentándose leyendo calladamente mientras su gato dormita en el alféizar? ¿Tiene tiempo diario para andar su perro? ¿Cuánto tiempo tiene realmente usted que dedicar a su animal favorito? ¿Cuánto esfuerzo es usted dispuesto a poner en a esta relación a largo plazo? Si desea un animal favorito que puede quedarse solo por espacios de tiempo largos, puede cuidar de mismo en la mayor parte y no le mendiga para cariño, entonces va para un gatito dulce y pequeño. Si es activo, querría un andar o a compañero corriente y son dedicados a poner en el esfuerzo a entrenar su perro con algunas órdenes básicas, entonces amigo mejor de hombre puede tener razón para usted. Ambas marca gran acaricia bajo las circunstancias correctas. Esté seguro emparejar su animal favorito con su estilo de vida, y usted disfrutará de años de gran compañerismo y el amor.

-- Katie White

Dogs vs Cats

Are you a cat person or a dog person? That age old question can bring up some hard decisions when trying to pick a new furry friend for the family. Well I’m here to help-here comes my comparison. Time to learn whether your household will be more harmonious with a cat or dog!

Cats are more independent than dogs. While they will rely on you for their food, they can keep themselves clean and are fine spending most of their time alone, but don’t get the wrong idea- they love affection, too! Another thing to think about for a cat is a litter box. Unless you train your cat to go outside to do its business, you will need to keep a clean litter box available that is easily accessible.

On the other hand, dogs rely on their owner for lots of things, like food, exercise, and cleaning. They crave love and affection because they live in packs in the wild. When you choose a dog, your family becomes their pack and they want to be included on all your activities.

Because of these traits, dogs are easier to train than cats. Dogs have natural traits that help them live with others in groups, so you can take advantage of these traits when training. Cats are extremely smart and can be trained, too, but dogs have been bred for generations to complete certain tasks like hunting and pulling sleds. Also, recent studies show that dogs learn from repetition. You can use this tip when training. When certain situations happen over and over, they stop doing something- for example, my dog won’t bother to beg for food while I’m reading a book but he’s right by our dinner table if my Grandpa’s there!

Cats are less expensive to care for and on average live longer than dogs. Dogs are extremely affectionate and always strive to please their owner. SO it all comes down to you- do you want to be throwing the ball and walking your dog daily or sitting quietly reading while your cat naps in the windowsill? Do you have time everyday to walk your dog? How much time do you really have to dedicate to your pet? How much effort are you willing to put in to this long term relationship? If you want a pet that can be left alone for long periods of time, can take care of itself for the most part and isn’t begging you for affection, then go for a sweet, little kitty.

If you’re active, would like a walking or running companion and are dedicated to putting in the effort to training your dog with some basic commands, then man’s best friend may be right for you. Both make great pets under the right circumstances. Be sure to match your pet with your lifestyle, and you will enjoy years of great companionship and love.
                                                              

--Katie's Kibble for Thought--

Q and A with Dr. Greller

The Pick of the Litter contest was launched early in January of 2013 to recognize outstanding veterinary service in the San Antonio community. Pet parents from across the city were able to nominate their vet through submitting a short story about what makes their vet stand out in the community. A winner was picked on February 25th and announced at Bark in the Park on March 2nd. We wanted to get to know our Pick of the Litter winner, Dr. Andrew Greller, a little bit better so we asked him a few questions and think you will be amused and humbled by his answers. Dr. Greller truly understands the enriching qualities of pet companionship. He has a special way of communicating with both pet parent and pet that make his service to the community a treasure.

Congratulations, Dr. Greller and thank you for your commitment to pets in San Antonio.

Pawfect Day in the Park

Bark in the Park-Perrito Grito was a huge success! The Talk About It! team woke up bright and early to make sure that everything was in order for the day. Then we just had to wait and watch for the fun to start.

Before the official start of Perrito Grito both SNAP Spay Neuter Assistance Program and the San Antonio Humane Society were busy organizing our spay/neuter clinic that began at 7 a.m. They were able to complete 91 spay/neuter surgeries for our early morning participants that day. That is nearly quadruple the amount of surgeries that were performed as part of Perrito Grito last year. Way to go guys!

Volunteers arrived early and were treated to fresh coffee and pastries to get them energized for a day of nonstop work. We were lucky to have volunteers from across the city and members of great organizations join us for Perrito Grito. Our volunteers included: Kym's Kids, AmeriCorps, Valero, Jefferson High School, Texas MedClinic, and many wonderful UTSA student organizations.

We started that morning off right with a day of fun that was MC'd by Spurs legend Tim Derk and his wonderful wife Colleen Quirk. They introduced our ceremony participants which included: presentation of the colors by VFW Post 76 and Sgt. Rambo (retired military working dog), national anthem performed a capella by Marie Cornelius, and the pledge of allegiance lead by Tim Derk. Fiesta Especial (R) Royal Court also participated in our Perrito Grito event. They were a wonderful addition to our festivities this year and we hope they will join us again next year! Then our wonderful MCs then introduced Councilman Cris Medina who read a proclamation from Mayor Julián Castro that declared March 2, 2013 as "Bark in the Park-Perrito Grito" Day in San Antonio.

That concluded the opening ceremony and the rest of the day was kicked of right by a wonderful musical performance by Las Alteñas. There was a brief music break and then The Krayolas kicked off another solid performance before the pet contests got started! Thank you to Congressman Lloyd Doggett for stopping by and spending time talking with event guests and participating organizations. While all of this was going on we had amazing food trucks and fantastic services stretched out all over Woodlawn Lake. The food trucks that kept our hunger at bay were: K-Hill BBQ, Grills Wheels, Pork U, and Say.She.Ate.

We were excited that they all joined us for Perrito Grito and look forward to having them out at more events in the future. We also want to recognize and thank all of our sponsors: Alamo Tees and Advertising, Camp Bow Wow, Great Ex-Pet-Tations Mobile Grooming, LAFMIL Photography, Lucy's Doggy Daycare, Quikprint, Pet's Barn, Starbucks on Cypress/San Pedro Location, Sparkletts, and Y&L Consulting.

There was something for everyone at this event: pet adoptions, low- cost pet shots, pet licensing, collars, pet beds, leashes, jewelry, crafts, music, contests and art. The Salvation Army provided bounce houses as well as children's activities for families to enjoy together. It truly was a beautiful day to spend with the whole family and enjoy the culture of San Antonio. The weather was perfect and we look forward to hosting the next Perrito Grito in 2014.

Keep your head high and tails waggin' San Antonio!