i get asked this all the time
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Hi [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE]! Heads up, this is a long email. But it's one you'll want to save! I'm answering my most common frequently asked dog questions. I put it all right here in this email so you can save it, forward it, print it, whatever... this is a resource for you to keep. These are the top 14 questions I get asked again and again via text message, social media comments, DMs, and even random people I run into on the street. I'll probably turn this into a blog post, but since you're on my email list I like to give you special treatment and share things with you early 😉 So let me answer your quick q's... What hip and joint supplement do you use? I’ve been giving Burt and Lucy Wag Worthy Naturals Hip and Joint daily for years. They each get 2 tablets per day. Another option I recommend is InClover Connectin. What do you think about CBD? I tried CBD for my dogs for a while. I felt like it had some impact on Burt, but none on Lucy. Then I did a food sensitivities test on Lucy and it came back that she has an intolerance for hemp. So I stopped giving her any CBD and she’s doing even better. For Burt, occasionally I give it for anxiety, but to be honest, I don’t think it does anything. What do you feed Burt and Lucy? Burt and Lucy eat the Raw Coated Kibble from Stella & Chewys. We rotate between the Chicken and Lamb (based on what proteins are best for Lucy according to her food intolerance test). I always add warm tap water to every meal (about half a cup). Do you have a recommendation for yummy treats? My favorite is Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried meal mixers. They’re supposed to be a topper for meals, but they’re little nuggets perfect for taking on walks and they come in a big bag. Another out-of-the-box idea is baby food squeeze pouches. Try sweet potato or turkey and green bean. Some dogs just don’t get excited about dry treats, so squeeze pouches are a fun idea. Do you have recommendations for a chew-proof lick mat? Yes! Lick mats can be a great enrichment activity, but they’re usually a silicon material that is no match for an aggressive chewer. Instead, get the Mine Pet Platter. The woman who created it has done a lot of great research behind the design. It’s made of a heavy-duty cellulose fiber material that your dog won’t chew up. What's a good stuffed animal that my dog won’t destroy? Do you have any recommendations for pet sitters who will stay in my home? I recommend looking at the Pet Sitters International directory, you can search by zip code. Anyone who comes up is a member, so I trust that they take pet sitting seriously and will be responsible when caring for your pets. What dog trainers do you recommend? The great thing about dog training these days is that you can learn virtually from awesome trainers anywhere in the world! There are so many great trainers! A few people I recommend are:
If you want to teach your dog fun tricks, my friend Sara runs the Puppr app. To find a dog trainer local in your area, check out the Fear Free directory. Our favorite Pittsburgh trainer, Brett Reynolds at the Dog Stop, is on their list. What temp do you decide not to take the pups for a walk? It really depends! In the summer, no matter what high temp is, we always walk before 10am. If the high that day is 85+, we walk before 8am. If the high is near 100 degrees, we walk in the woods at sunrise (that could be 5:30am!). I feel so bad for the dogs I see out for walks at noon on hot days. Many people don’t realize how hot the sidewalk is and that it can burn their paws. If you live near a trail, I recommend going there on hot days because it will always be a little cooler than the sidewalk. What about in winter? Find out how cold is too cold in this blog post! My dog has a hot spot, what should I do? I have a lot of experience with hot spots, Lucy gets one every summer. After all these years, when I see a hot spot pop up, I immediately trim the fur around the area with a trimmer like this one. The hot spot needs air to dry out and heal. If it’s in an area that she can lick, I put on an inflatable donut collar so she can’t reach it. I also like this Earthbath Hot Spot Spray to give relief and the Silver Honey spray to promote healing. Do you use a mobile vet? And do you like them? I was using a mobile vet for several years and grew to love the veterinarian who came to our house. She recently left the practice and joined a PetVet365 location near us and we will be following her there! The mobile vet was convenient, but it’s really the people I fell in love with. Plus, I’ve had great experiences with PetVet365. It’s a franchise and a lot of the locations near me are woman-owned, which is important to me. Do you recommend pet insurance? I’ve never had pet insurance, but I do have a wellness plan from Wagmo. I signed up a long time ago and I think I got locked at a good deal. The decision to get pet insurance really depends on you and your dog. If you're the type of person who will go to the vet for every little thing, it’s a good idea. And if you have a dog who is prone to issues, it might be a good idea. For me, I use the wellness plan to get reimbursed for some things and I have dog care funds set aside in a high-yield savings account. I want to build a dog wash in my home, do you have any recommendations for how to build it? My home dog wash station is the best thing! To build it, I used a shower pan and tile on the sides. It is completely open on the front, but I swear we don’t get water everywhere! On the walls of the room, I put up vinyl stick-on wallpaper that is easy to wipe off. One recommendation I do have is to find out what the in-stock standard shower pan dimensions are and then build your dog wash based on that. I did not do that and I had to custom order a shower pan that was more expensive (oops!) How do you make money? I get this question all. the. time. And I’m happy to answer it! I have a mix of different revenue streams like ads on my site, sponsored content, affiliate marketing (for example, affiliate links in this email), my membership, online courses, and services, and guest teaching opportunities. It all adds up to a thriving business that lets me do what I love and have a flexible schedule. See, I told you this was going to be long, [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE]. Is there anything I missed?? Reply to this email and let me know what advice above is helpful for you and if there are other quick q's I can answer. I'll always give it to you straight! P.S. This email includes a few affiliate links. I will only recommend products and services that I use and like myself. When you shop using my links I earn a few bucks here and there. Believe it or not, it really helps me keep doing what I do. So thank you! I have a page dedicated to all my favorite things if you need more recommendations. |