Coyote Sighting in Britannia park!

Although coyotes live in many types of habitat, they typically prefer open areas. This might be one of the reasons we are seeing coyotes along the Ottawa River in the City of Ottawa. 

How to protect your dog from coyotes. 

1. Monitor your dogs when there are outside, even inside fenced yards.

2. Keep your dog on a leash when walking in park areas where there has been coyote sightings.

3. If you do see a coyote approach while walking your dog try yelling at the coyote, act      aggressively and walk back slowly from coyote.

4. Keep a lid on your compost containers and secure your garbage containers.

5. All individuals have to be careful in areas where coyotes have been sighted. Coyotes have not only killed dogs,cats but humans too. 

Chase!

Charlie loves to have the ball and if he doesn't have the ball he chases the other dog till he gets it. Charlie also chases everything he sees especially squirrels and cats. The main reason Charlie chases the wildlife is because it's enjoyable. He loves it! 

It was recommended that we hide treats for Charlie to sniff and find them at home to curb his chasing. Charlie loves this game, but it has not stopped Charlie from a good chase.

Another recommendation was to keep my dog on the leash whenever he is in a situation where there may be animals he may give chase. In my neighbourhood there is many squirrels.

So how do you stop your dog from chasing? I would appreciate any tips!

 

Who's got who?

Hope Mom buys treats for me when she is in the grocery store.

I don't want to go home!

In the dog world this is called a "Sit down Strike" or "The stop and drop phenomenon" But before you scold your dog check to see how your dog is feeling. Make sure your dog has no sprains or pulled muscles. Also check your dogs paws. Look for ice, cracked pads of feet or foreign object wedged between paws.

The laying down behavior could also be that your dog is overwhelmed, scared and shutting down.

Or your dog is just being silly and having fun! Like Charlie is :)

A great winter day!

The snow, the sun and a good stick. It doesn't get any better.

Charlie wants to join the skiers.

Not messing with this guy!

Charlie at Wag's....A Posh shop for spoiled Pets

Great place to take your dog after a long walk in Windsor Park.

Charlie enjoyed his visit to Wag's while his pet parents had a coffee. Coffee was good! 

You can also buy dog treats and dog supplies at Wags. There is seating in the front of store for you and your dog or you can join others and their dogs in the corral in the back of the store.  As you can see Charlie enjoyed his time here.  If you want to visit Wag's it is located at 1071 Bank St, Ottawa. Open every day except Sunday 8am to 8 pm, open Sundays 8 am to 6 pm. 

Charlie's not happy,too many of his favorite trees have been damaged bythe ice.

Charlie sees his friend Maxine in the distance. Charlie has more friends than his pet parent.

Keep your dog active in the winter.

Four ways to keep your dog active this winter

1. Long walks are always good. 

2. Try to make mealtimes fun and stimulating. Put treats and wet dog food in a Kong and freeze. 

3. Play find the treat. Hide treats in the house and tell your dog to find. 

4. Look for a winter agility class.

Playing in the snow to snoozing on the bed. What a hard day!

Charlie hiking

Charlie loves, I mean really loves a good hike. 

Yesterday we went to Shirleys Bay-P2 hiking trail. The trail does a loop to the Ottawa River and back. If you like to hike below is a list of 7 dog breeds that like hiking too.

1. Labrador Retriever 2. Bernese Mountain Dog 3. Siberian Husky 4. Portuguese Water Dog
5. Alaskan Malamute 6. Australian Shepherd 7. Border Collie and Mixed breeds

Charlie enjoys the snow

Charlie at the park

Charlie at the playground

Charlie is a hot dog!

Some dog breeds are blessed with thick fur that keeps them warm naturally, even if the weather is below freezing. Dogs with a thin fur coat may need a coat or sweater. 

How much sleep does a dog need?

The average amount of sleep for adult dogs is 12–14 hours per day.

Charlie loves to sleep. He can sleep anywhere but usually sleeps in the room I'm in. So now while I write this he is in the office/bedroom on the floor. When I leave the room he will follow me. 

Dogs sleep in short and long stretches throughout the day and night. Dogs almost spend half their life sleeping. It is important to teach children and guests to not approach your dog while its sleeping. A dog that is startled can jump or bite.

Why is Charlie so darn cute?

Lots of dogs are cute but why?

Humans find dogs cute because of their soft and furry coat and the sad puppy eyes that you can't help falling in love with. Just look at Charlie. You can't help yourself saying "awww-how cute".

Many say we like to be a surrogate mother to our dogs forming long loving friendship. But being cute can be a bad thing too. Many dogs get adopted because their cuteness and later brought back to the dog shelter. So before you adopt a dog do your research. Find the right dog for you, looking at temperament, how much exercise it needs, how big will it get. Does everyone in the family want a dog? Getting a dog is a big commitment.

Dogs can be cute but they can also be destructive, aggressive, dangerous, high-strung, fearful, shy, hyper-active, temperament and dominant to name a few.