Freddy - Photo by Louwuselchen, Ireland

If you have a dog then you will of course want to do everything that you can to keep them fit, healthy, and happy.

Here are five simple tips that will help you to ensure that your four legged friend will stay healthy.

1. Keep On Track of Their Vaccinations, Worming, and Flea Treatment

This is possibly the most important thing to remember when you first  get a dog. As a puppy you will need to take your dog to the vets so that they can get their vaccinations. These vaccinations will protect your dog against a whole host of illnesses and diseases such as kennel cough and many  more. However, many people get the first set of jabs and then don’t go back. This is not a good idea as your dog will need boosters over time to ensure that they are still protected. Worming is another important part of keeping your dog healthy, as is flea treatment. These two things should also be done regularly.

2. Ensure That They Are Walked Regularly

Walking your dog is especially important. A lot of people think that letting the dog run around the garden or yard is giving them adequate exercise, but it really isn’t. Not only this, but how would you feel if you were stuck in the same place all the time? This is why they need to be walked at least twice a day. It will keep them active and happy. It also gives them a chance to interact with other dogs who may be out walking which they will really enjoy.

3. Don’t Feed Your Dog Junk Food!

This is probably one of the worst things that you can do with your dog, but unfortunately, a lot of dog owners do it. Although it may seem unfair not to give your dog bits of food that you are eating, you are doing them a favour in the long run. Certain foods are actually poisonous to dogs, and human food certainly is not good for them. If you want to give your dog snacks then you should purchase some proper dog treats. They will love the taste, and you don’t have to worry about making them unhealthy.

4. Don’t Let Them Play With Sticks

Although it is well known that dogs like to carry sticks around and play fetch, a lot of vets will advise against letting your dog get a hold of sticks and pieces of wood. The reason for this is that the wood can actually splinter and get stuck in their throat or tongue. Of course, this poses a great risk for infection. This is why you should ensure that you keep your dog away from things like this. Get them safe dog toys that they can play with instead.

5. Interaction Is Key

If you are going to get a dog then you have to be prepared to dedicate the time to interacting with them. They are just like us; they get bored too. Buy them interactive toys that they have to work for to get the treats. These will keep them busy for ages, and it also stimulates their brain and keeps it healthy. Talk to your dog and play with them as much as you possibly can. This way they will not only feel loved and wanted, but they will also get excited every time that you come home because they know that it is playtime!

Article by Pet Insurance Ireland.

Click here to find dog insurance deals in Ireland.

Photo: Freddy by Louwuselchen, Ireland.

"Lucy on the Beach" - Photo by Blue Sky 4691

An interesting article in the Irish Times today by Rosita Boland brings up the point of just how hard it is to find dog friendly accommodation in Ireland.

I think this quote sums up just how fantastically wrong it can get:

I arrived to find the “pet-friendly” accommodation for my dog consisted of a wooden garden hut full of uncovered saws and building tools with a door that wouldn’t close, next to the main Sligo-Donegal road.

I had to go looking for a piece of wood to jam up against the door and spent much of the night fretting the dog would get out.

Oh dear!

It is fair to say that anyone who has travelled with a dog will agree that it adds another level of difficulty to finding a suitable hotel or B & B.

Features to look for in a dog friendly hotel / B&B

Are you travelling for business or leisure?

Business

Dog walking and a concierge services are a great luxury.

If you think you are going to be busy for long periods you may want to look into dog kennel services.

Leisure

If you are staying for leisure some of the things you might want to consider are:

Location! – You will of course want to find somewhere that has great places to walk your dog. Many pet friendly hotels/B&Bs have pre-planned dog walks you can go on.

Dog friendly rooms. Can you keep your pet in your room? Are there water and food facilities? Litter trays?

A dog hotel in Tokyo - Photo by monika.monika

Finding pet friendly accommodation in Ireland

A great website we found that is made for the purpose of finding dog friendly accommodation in Ireland is StayDoggy.com.

StayDoggy.com – “Ireland’s only dog friendly accommodation website” — at the time of writing lists almost 60 dog friendly hotels and B & Bs in Ireland.

Here are some popular dog friendly hotels in Ireland:

Cork

Castle Hotel – The Castle Hotel in Cork aim to provide a dog walking, concierge and grooming service, dog friendly rooms with water and food.

Website: http://www.castlehotel.ie/dog-friendly

Donegal

Harvey’s Point – Provide pet friendly rooms and a beautiful pet friendly location on the shores of Lough Eske.

Website: http://www.harveyspoint.com/bedrooms/default.asp?id=182

Help us make this page better!

Do you know a pet friendly hotel that you would recommend? Get in touch! We would love to list it here.

This article was written by PetInsuranceIreland.com. Compare and review the best pet insurance deals in Ireland.

Lucy looks towards Black rock and Ballyheige - Photo by Blue Sky 4691

We thought we would compile some of our favourite dog pictures at the moment from photographers in Ireland.

If you have any pictures of your pets you would like us to add to the site we would love to show them so please get in touch here.

Photo by Guimo.

Photo by Fiona MacGinty.

Photo by .ky

Photo by by Ciaran McGuiggan

]]> http://www.petinsuranceireland.com/news/pictures/pictures-of-dogs-and-cats-in-ireland/feed/ 0 http://www.petinsuranceireland.com/news/dogs-news/dog-detects-early-colon-cancer-by-scent/ http://www.petinsuranceireland.com/news/dogs-news/dog-detects-early-colon-cancer-by-scent/#comments Sun, 20 Feb 2011 01:32:11 +0000 admin http://www.petinsuranceireland.com/?p=841 A report in the Irish Medical Times featuring information from a new Japanese study states that dogs have the ability to detect bowel cancer by scent.

The Japanese study found that the information seem to “show that a specific cancer scent does exist.”

Over a period of server months an expertly trained Labrador retriever would conduct 74 sniff tests, where only one was cancerous.

The dogs had the ability to sniff out cancer at a very high degree of accuracy.

Samples from smokers or patients with gut problems might have expected to mask or otherwise interfere with the dogs ability to detect caner but it did not.

The authors concluded that although using dogs to screen for cancers was impractical and expensive, it showed that a scent based sensor in theory could be developed.

For more information on the study visit this page.

Article by Pet Insurance Ireland.

John Greene of Greystones was in his house when he heard the nine chickens he owns making a commotion.

He saw the outside that his puppy was in the water of his pond and struggling to keep afloat.

Mr Greene ran outside, and pulled Nutty out of the pond, then ran with inside into the house and laid him the counter.

He was still and lifeless, his tongue was blue and his eyes wide open.

Mr Greene gave poor Nutty mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and action that vets say saved Nutty’s life. He kept working on the dog for over 20 minutes before he came back to life.

“Now he’s back to himself and chasing after the chickens again the whole time,” said loving owner John Green.

Nutty was only eight-weeks old at the time of the incident.

Article by PetInsuranceIreland.com. Compare and review pet insurance in Ireland.