Basic Supplies You’ll Need for a New Pointer Puppy
Of course you’ll need to buy some nutritious puppy food – that goes without saying. But beyond that, you’ll also need some basic supplies to keep your new Pointer pup both happy and healthy.
Is Your Pointer Overweight?
Your Pointer is probably not overweight – in fact, there’s a great chance that your Pointer is just the right weight. If your dog is like a lot of Pointers, he’s a high-energy, active dog that pesters you for walks and other types of exercise. But, canine obesity is becoming very common, just like the “epidemic” of childhood obesity we’ve been hearing about. So, I thought I might write something quick about how you can tell whether your Pointer is overweight.
Homemade Toys for your Pointer
In a separate post I wrote about the dangers of some of the dog toys that are being made in China. Some of these toys contain toxic substances that can cause some serious health problems for your Pointer. I decided that the best way for me to get around this potential problem was to make my own dog toys.
Made in China: Are These Toys Safe for Your Pointer?
We’ve all been horrified by the succession of news reports and warnings about children’s toys that are made in China. Apparently, many of them contain toxic substances. So, have you ever wondered if any of your Pointer’s toys originally came from China? And if so, are Chinese-made dog toys safe for your Pointer?
The Dangers of One Little Flea
I take my Pointer out hunting as often as I can during quail season. Unfortunately, it’s easy for him to pick up some fleas or ticks when he’s working his way through the underbrush and tall grass. Well, let me tell you what I’ve learned about the dangers of one little flea.
Help Your Pointer Keep His Cool in Hot Summer Temps
Panting helps keep your Pointer cool in two different ways. For one thing, the saliva evaporating from his tongue and inside his mouth cools your dog off the same way sweating cools you. Panting also helps exchange the warm air inside your dog’s lungs with the cooler air outside his body.
The Five Things Every Pointer Needs
I’ve been around dogs – including Pointers – for so many years now I feel like I’ve seen just about everything. That’s what happens when you’ve owned and shown dogs for as long as I have. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of dogs get sick over the years. I guess a certain amount of that is inevitable, but sometimes it could have been prevented. Take my friend whose dog almost died because of heartworms as a good example. He didn’t think giving his dog a heartworm preventive was necessary.
How You Can Make Your Pointer’s Vet Bills More Affordable
We all love and enjoy our dogs, and so we should. But owning a dog carries certain responsibilities, and making sure our dogs receive the veterinary care they need is one of the big ones. Yes, most people make sure their Pointers get the basics – an annual exam, shots, heartworm preventives, worming and so forth. It all adds up, though, and owning a dog can mean several hundred dollars a year in vet bills. And that’s just for the routine stuff.
Dogs Have Friends Too
We all have our friends, and they’re an important part of our lives. But one thing you might not realize is that your Pointer probably has friends too. I’m not talking about human friends. Nope, if your Pointer has regular play buddies at the dog park, if people visiting your home often bring their dogs with them, or if you and your Pointer take daily walks with another person and their dog, he probably has some canine friends. But one of the classic examples of doggy friendship occurs when you have more than one dog.
Spoil Your Pointer the “Right” Way
Let’s face it – we all love spoiling our dogs. After all, that’s part of the joy of having one! There are all kinds of ways you can spoil a Pointer, but one of my kids’ favorites involves giving our dog treats and chew toys. And I have to admit to giving him a few myself. Actually, between all of us, he gets more than a few every week, although we do try to limit it to no more than one or two dog cookies per day