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Dog Recreation

An Active Dogs' Recreation Hub.

Hiking, biking, swimming, watching t.v. or just playing catch; DogXtreme will provide the active dogs' best friend with a one-stop-shop for the latest information on all of them.

Hiking With Your Dog

There is nothing finer for a dog-owning outdoor enthusiast than hitting the trail with their four-legged friends. The exercise benefits for both dog and owner are obvious but the mental health benefits for both are just as great. The pure joy dogs exhibit while engrossing themselves in the wonderful scents of the great outdoors is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Without this physical and emotional stimulation, many dogs turn to destructive behaviors to relieve their boredom and anxiety. This can exhibit itself as inappropriate hyperactivity such as chewing objects, digging holes or excessive barking. It can also manifest itself as self-destructive behavior such as obsessive licking or chewing at an area of their body resulting in painful and even infected wounds. Visti our Hiking with a Dog page for the remainder of this article.

Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca

Traveling with a Dog

Traveling? Looking for a new and exciting trail or dog friendly accommodations? Many hotels and accommodation cater to dogs today but some do it better than others. Plug in your destination in Kayaks search enging in the right sidebar to find a pet friendly hotel. Visit our Traveling with a Dog page to travel tips, airplane safety informaion for dogs, dog travel advisories and travel gear recommendations for the active dog.

Helping a Dog's Fear of Water

dog swimming

There is a misconception that every dog loves water. Some dogs are so afraid of water they will not even go near it. However, there are ways to help your dog overcome the fear of getting wet. Knowing these ways can help ease the tension for the dog and for you if you happen to go somewhere that water is present.

One way to help a dog get over the fear of water is to calm the dog down before they approach any type of water. Speaking to the dog in a soft voice and easing them toward the water will help to build trust. The dog will trust you not to let anything happen and eventually approach water more and more.

Another way to help any dog to get over the fear of water is to have a reward system in place. For each step the dog takes that brings him closer to the water, praise them. The dog will realize that they are doing a good thing and will wish to do it more to either get the praise or make you happy. The reward system can work also with treats that the dog really likes to help put him more at ease

An important part of helping a dog with its fear of water knows why the dog may fear the water. Was the dog abused you know of with water? Did he have an accident involving water? You may not be able to find the reason behind the fear, but if you do you can be a step closer in helping remove that factor so your dog can be by water.

Finally, you can have a small pool in your yard that you can persuade your dog to even put a paw in. Using the reward system mentioned before, the pool will serve as a guide for the dog to eventually want to play in once the fear goes away.

Knowing just a few key things will help you help your dog feel more secure when it comes to anything dealing with water.

Source: PetWave

Taking Your Dog Outside in the Winter

Dogs, as a general rule, love the great outdoors and the winter is no exception. To properly determine how long your pet should stay outside in cold temperatures, a number of factors need to be taken into account. These include breed, coat type, general health, and age of your dog; whether he/she has been acclimated to the colder weather; the availability of shelter; as well as individual differences in the desire to spend time outdoors. Smaller, short-coated, ill, or geriatric dogs have less tolerance for the cold and therefore are limited to the time they may be able to spend outdoors.

Certain breeds, such as the northern breeds (husky, etc), may actually prefer extended periods outside in the colder weather. If this is done, ensure that adequate shelter is available and that they have been acclimated to the colder weather. Shelter should be an insulated dog house, off the ground with the door protected or facing away from the prevailing wind and some straw or a blanket for the dog to burrow into. Dogs rely on their body heat to warm their immediate environment, so an appropriate shelter should only be large enough for them to lay down comfortably.

Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca

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Teaching Your Dog to Retrieve

Some dogs will naturally retrieve objects, and other dogs seem to have no interest whatsoever in retrieving. Teaching your dog to retrieve may either be a quick lesson, or it may take a lot of time and patience; it just depends on the dog. Follow these steps below, always use positive reinforcement, and eventually you and your dog can have fun playing retrieving games.

Step 1:

Teaching your dog to retrieve is much easier if your dog already knows the "come" command. Take the time to teach your dog this essential lesson first, and then progress to the 'retrieve' lessons. See the remainder of this lesson on our Dog Tricks page.

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