How to Pamper Your Pets

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We love our dogs so much! Everyone said that once we had our daughter, we would not care about our dogs and that is not true. Our mini dachshunds Ava and Jaxen are still a huge part of our family and we love them very much. We have had both dogs since they were puppies and they are now 5 and 6 years old. They deserve star treatment and we try to do the things that they love often!

People laugh when they see our dogs because they are unusually active for dachshunds. It is not unusual for people to take videos of Jaxen running with me or guests to enjoy watching Ava swim laps in my parent's pond for 1/2 an hour straight. We do all that we can to love and pamper our dogs and today, I am going to share just how we do it.

I've written about it before that Jaxen loves going for walks. He walked me daily when I was pregnant whether I wanted to or not. This has continued to now where most days of the week, we walk together. This morning, when I walked Jaxen at 5:30 AM due to not being able to sleep, he was a little pokey but when I started running, he got excited and really picked up speed! My dogs love being active and I think that walking and running is Jaxen's favorite thing to do.

Jaxen is not a huge swimmer (only if my parent's dog Isaac goes in will he go in) but Ava absolutely loves to swim. When we go up north to my parent's farm and the weather is decent, you can catch Ava at the pond all day, often swimming. She will literally swim laps back and forth for up to 45 minutes. She does not like to be disturbed during this time and if you talk to her, she ignores you. This is her time where she gracefully swims back and forth with her skinny tail up in the air!

We do not overfeed our dogs because although the dogs would like it, it would be hard on their little bodies to handle extra weight. After a longer walk, I will give Jaxen a treat such as a dental stick for dogs (his breath is SO bad no matter what we do!). Also, this is a great task to give Adalyn to give the dogs a treat. It helps them bond! She has been liking to tell Ava "shake" before giving her a treat.

Just like for people, it is important to get your pet regular exams. This includes shots, blood work, medication if necessary, etc. We have to give them heartworm prevention medications so we make sure to get those from the vet regularly. We actually just go to mobile vets now at our local pet stores to save money and time for their annual vaccines. If they are sick, then we take them to a vet nearby but it is more expensive.

Ava is great about letting us know when she needs water by either scratching on the cupboard with her little paw or barking by the sink (such a lovely sound..). Especially during the hot months, we make sure that the dogs have access to water. The problem we face right now is our daughter wanting to flip over the bowl of water on the ground- oh toddlers!

We have been liking the new Purina® Dog Chow® Natural food from Kroger. This food is natural and affordable. It is made with real chicken, quality protein and is free of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors. They have it for adult dogs and a puppy formula as well. If you are not satisfied with the food, you can get your money back.

Look for the $3 off Dog Chow coupon in the Purina 7/31 insert in your local Sunday newspaper as well as online (Dog Chow and Tidy Cats coupons). Kroger has lots of treat options for pets as well!

Dogs are pretty simple! They mostly just want to be loved and they will love you right back forever. Hope you enjoyed these tips!