Summer's here and so are Foxtails! Beware! Especially if your dog loves to get into those bushes like Moo Pie here on the left. These guys can get lodged up those cute wet noses and cause blood to come out of their noses. Foxtails can also get caught in your dog's paw, ear, eye, tail, butt cheek, you name it! If you ever suspect that your dog has a foxtail stuck somewhere, take your dog to the VET. Do NOT attempt to take the foxtail out on your own. Foxtails move forward and act like they have barbs as you can see in the pictures below. Vet's have special tools that can help safely take out foxtails. If left untreated, your dog would be in a life threatening situation because that foxtail could end up in a lung and cause internal bleeding. Symptoms and clues to see if your dog may have a foxtail stuck somewhere include head-shaking, paw licking, sudden and continuous sneezing, and swelling on the body. Be SAFE and try to avoid areas that have foxtails.

With summer heat, always make sure you bring plenty of WATER for your pup! Don't overwork your dog and try to avoid going out during the hottest parts of the day (around lunch). If you see your dog panting like crazy, avoid a heat stroke by taking a break in the shade and giving you dog some water. Check out our handy Stainless Steel Doggy Water Bottles. It's always nice to wet their bellies and paws. Since dogs don't sweat, they cool down by exerting heat through their paws and they pant to keep cool. If you have a brachycephalic dog aka squooshy faced dog like a pug, bulldog, boston terrier, etc. It's best to just spoil them rotten by keeping them inside with the AC on high blast. Another good idea is to bring out a cheap kiddie pool and fill it with some cool water so your pup can splash around in the back yard. Put some toys that float, like thePlanet Dog Orbees, in the water to encourage them to go in and play.

Lets not forget that sometimes there are days where you can cook an egg on the sidewalk and our four legged friends are walking around with bare paws! A great way to test to see if the ground is too hot is to put your hand on the floor for 30 seconds. If you have to pull away within those 30 seconds then it's too hot for your dog. Walk them on the grass or give them little fashionable booties to wear.

Hope this helps! Stay safe and have fun with your furry best friend! I know that I keep saying that the SHOP portion of our site will be up and running soon and it WILL! I'm working as fast as I can, with my full time job, volunteering, and giving my own TLC to my doggies and my bf. Thanks for reading and come back for more updates on the website!!
                                                                   Yours Truly,
                                                                          Chews Green