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Here Are 3 Reasons Monitoring Your Dog’s Poop Is Important

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Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker

As a dog walker in San Francisco, it’s clear I have a passion for dogs, but that passion extends beyond socializing them or helping them release their energy. I also have a passion for ensuring dog owners are equipped with the knowledge they need to keep their dog happy and healthy well into their senior years. Though it isn’t a glamorous topic, dog poop is a massively important to ensuring your dog’s health. Your dog’s poop talks to you far more than your dog can. 

As an important reference point, you need to have an awareness of your dog’s typical poop. A healthy dog poop is decently firm and a bit moist. Once you understand the look and frequency of your dog’s typical poop, consistently monitoring your dog’s poop for irregularities becomes much easier. Here are three reasons checking your dog’s poop is so important to their health: 

  1. Early signs of illness first present themselves in your dog’s poop. The way those signs present themselves can vary, depending on the ailment, but their poop is one of the first places the issue will appear. As a more dramatic example, your dog could have worms in their poop. That is certainly terrifying to see (occasionally looks like rice in their poop), but actually quite common, especially with puppies. Another signal of a potential illness is black, tar-like poop – a sign of potential internal bleeding in their stomach or small intestine. Both of those types of stool are cause for a trip to the vet immediately.
  2. Changes in your dog’s poop could be a signal they are experiencing anxiety. If your dog suddenly starts experiencing diarrhea, that may mean they are dealing with anxiety that was triggered by something new in their environment. Sometimes the cause can be something like a move, which may just take time to adjust, while other times, you may be able to remove the trigger from their environment. Either way, if you notice your dog is dealing with frequent diarrhea, you should be sure to keep them hydrated. Additionally, if the problem persists for more than 24-48 hours, it’s worth a call to your vet. 
  3. Food issues or allergies appear in your pooch’s poop. Though the signals can vary, if there is something wrong with your dog’s diet, their poop is the first place you’ll notice the issue. As an example, if your dog’s poop is white or gray in color, that could mean they are getting too much calcium in their diet. If their poop is greasy, you may need to cut back on the coconut oil. Yellow poop is a sign of too much fat in their diet, while diarrhea after a diet change could mean your dog has a food allergy. 

Every color, texture, and frequency change in your dog’s poop means something different. Being able to spot those changes is massively important to maintaining your dog’s health. Some issues can be monitored for a couple of days at home, while others signal an immediate vet visit. Regardless of the issue, spotting it early is always essential to keeping your pooch healthy and happy. 

Now equipped with three reasons monitoring your dog’s poop is so important, it’s time to start examining your pooch’s #2! 

Reference Links:

https://noochypoochy.com/what-dog-poop-is-telling-you/ 

 

 

3 Reasons Consistent Exercise is Essential for Your Puppy

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Puppy wanting to go out for a walk
Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker

The Pandemic brought an entirely new wave of dog ownership. Many people adopted their first puppy or rescue, given the additional time they were spending at home, while existing dog owners were soaking in all of the time they were able to spend with their pup thanks to being at home all day. Though dog owners have been able to be at home more over the last year and a half, that doesn’t always mean dog owners are exercising their dogs as much as they should. Afterall, many dog owners still spend most of their day working while they’re home, unable to step away for the lengthy walk their dog needs. 

Whether you are still able to work remotely, or you are now working in-person again, your dog needs to be getting consistent exercise. From the expertise of a San Francisco dog walker, here are three reasons exercise is so essential to your pandemic pup’s life:

  1. Consistent exercise combats obesity. Perhaps the most obvious, though still extremely important, benefit of consistent exercise is the decrease in the likelihood your dog will become obese. Even if you are feeding your dog the right amount of food, you are avoiding table scraps, and you monitor their treat intake, if they aren’t getting the exercise they need, they will start packing on the pounds. Obesity is just the first red flag to a dog’s health. After a dog becomes obese, it is subjected to many other health concerns no one wants their best pal to endure – all avoidable with a dedication to consistent exercise. 
  2. Exercise promotes joint health. Beyond the damage obesity can do to your dog’s joints, stiff joints can be problematic in and of themselves. Proper exercise for your pooch keeps their joints moving in their full range of motion while strengthening the muscles around their joints – fantastic ways to reduce arthritis pains in the future. The consistent movement also helps to prevent accidental joint injuries (from a particularly energetic play session, as an example). 
  3. Dogs need an outlet. Consistent exercise not only helps your dog’s physical health, but their mental health, as well – great for you and them. Without the right stimulus, dogs can become anxious and restless. Those symptoms can be displayed in different ways, but commonly, especially with puppies, your dog might lack the obedience you know they are capable of. Perhaps they don’t listen to verbal commands or recall as well as they should, or perhaps they start releasing their energy in unwanted ways (like chewing on furniture or digging in carpet/the backyard). Reliable exercise can help you avoid those problems and have a happier pooch. 

As a dog owner, you may have noticed a need to help your dog get better exercise recently, which likely led to Google searches like “dog walker SF.” If you are new to dog parenthood and are beginning to notice some behavioral changes in your pandemic pup, you may now realize that point three (shared above) has become an issue. Whatever the case may be, allow me to help you conveniently build consistent exercise for your dog into your schedule. As a professional dog walker in San Francisco, I would be honored to help you and your furry pal. 

Reference Link: 

https://jetpetresort.com/blog/dog-care/the-importance-of-exercising-your-dog/ 

 

3 Reasons Consistent Exercise is Essential for Your Puppy

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Why is exercise important for puppies?
What happens if I don’t exercise my puppy?
Is it important that puppies get enough exercise?
At what age should I start exercising my puppy?

3 Reasons Why Dogs Need Walks: An Exercise Guide for Puppies
Welcoming a puppy into your home is a joyful experience, but it comes with responsibilities, including understanding their exercise needs. With their outgoing natures, pups need a ton of physical and mental stimulation to develop properly. But contemporary life can make it difficult to make sure your dog gets enough exercise – navigating work, family, and other responsibilities can make this a challenge.
For new and existing dog parents, regular walks and exercise is a must. We provide you with an exercise guide for puppies, the benefits of walking a dog, and why exercise is necessary for their health, behavior, and happiness.
3 Reasons Why Dogs Need Walks
From the expertise of a San Francisco dog walker, here are three reasons exercise is so essential to your pandemic pup’s life.
1. Consistent exercise combats obesity
Perhaps the most obvious, though still extremely important, benefit of consistent exercise is the decrease in the likelihood that your dog will become obese. Even if you are feeding your dog the right amount of food, avoiding table scraps, and monitoring their treat intake, they will start packing on the pounds if they aren’t getting the exercise they need. Obesity is just the first red flag to a dog’s health. After a dog becomes obese, it is subjected to many other health concerns no one wants their best pal to endure – all avoidable with a dedication to regular exercise.
Obesity not only shortens a dog’s lifespan but also leads to health complications such as diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems. Establishing a routine walk for dogs is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent these issues. Following an exercise guide for puppies can ensure you strike the right balance between activity and rest, preventing them from overexertion while helping them build healthy habits.
2. Exercise Promotes Joint Health
Beyond the damage obesity can do to your dog’s joints, stiff joints can be problematic in and of themselves. Proper exercise for your pooch keeps their joints moving in their full range of motion while strengthening the muscles around their joints – fantastic ways to reduce arthritis pains in the future. Consistent movement also helps prevent accidental joint injuries (from a particularly energetic play session, for example).
For young dogs, adhering to puppy exercise guidelines is essential to prevent damage to their developing bones and joints. Activities like walking are low-impact yet effective ways to build strength and flexibility. Puppies exercise chart can help you determine how much to exercise a puppy based on age and breed, ensuring their joints are well-supported for years.
3. Walking a Dog Provides a Vital Outlet
Consistent exercise helps both your dog’s physical and mental health – great for you and them. Without the right stimulus, dogs can become anxious and restless. Those symptoms can be displayed in different ways, but commonly, especially with puppies, your dog might lack the obedience you know they are capable of. Perhaps they don’t listen to verbal commands or recall as well as they should, or perhaps they start releasing their energy in unwanted ways (like chewing on furniture or digging in the carpet/the backyard). Reliable exercise can help you avoid those problems and have a happier pooch.
A proper exercise guide for puppies should include regular walks for mental stimulation. Exploring new sights, smells, and sounds during a walk for dogs satisfies their natural curiosity and prevents boredom-induced behaviors. Puppies who get enough mental engagement are less likely to develop destructive habits.
Integrating Exercise Into a Busy Schedule
As a dog owner, you may have noticed a need to help your dog get better exercise recently, which likely led to Google searches like “dog walker SF.” If you are new to dog parenthood and are beginning to notice some bbehavioralchanges in your pandemic pup, you may now rrealizethat point three (shared above) has become an issue. Whatever the case, allow me to help you conveniently build consistent exercise for your dog into your schedule. As a professional dog walker in San Francisco, I would be honored to help you and your furry pal.
FAQ: Your Questions About Puppy Exercise Answered
Why is exercise important for puppies?
Exercise is crucial for puppies because it supports physical development, builds strength, and prevents obesity. Following an exercise guide for puppies ensures they get the right amount of activity for their age, breed, and health, fostering mental and physical well-being.
What happens if I don’t exercise my puppy?
If you don’t exercise your puppy, they may develop behavioral problems such as anxiety, restlessness, and destructive habits like chewing or digging. Physically, lack of exercise can lead to obesity, joint stiffness, and poor muscle development. Regular walking a dog is an essential part of their growth and happiness.
Is it important that puppies get enough exercise?
Yes, puppies must get enough exercise. Proper activity levels, as outlined in puppy exercise guidelines, help them develop healthy joints, muscles, and cardiovascular systems. It also prevents health issues later in life and ensures a balanced temperament.
At what age should I start exercising my puppy?
You can start exercising your puppy when they’ve completed their vaccinations, usually around 12–16 weeks old. However, follow a ppuppyexercise chart to ensure you’re providing age-appropriate activity. Short, gentle walks and play sessions are best for young pups.
How much to exercise a puppy?
The amount of exercise a puppy needs depends on their age, size, and breed. A general rule is five minutes of exercise per month of age, up to twice daily. For example, a 3-month-old puppy can enjoy 15-minute walks twice a day. Always adhere to exercise guidelines for puppies to avoid overexertion.
Why do dogs need walks?
Dogs need walks to maintain physical health, mental stimulation, and socialization. Walking a dog also provides essential bonding time and helps prevent obesity, joint issues, and behavioral problems. It’s one of the most effective ways to ensure your dog leads a happy and balanced life.
Consistent exercise is vital for every dog, whether a puppy or an adult. So follow these tips and utilize a puppy exercise chart, and your furry buddy will become the new proud consequence of the household. The simple act of going for daily walks will make all the difference in your dog’s life!

 

Let’s Talk About Wag

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Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker


A few years back a dog walking company by the name of Wag moved into the world of dog care providers. What made them different from other existing dog walking companies was that they were not a small, local company managed by professional dog walkers, but rather they came in brandishing their guns and tried to monopolize the dog care industry.  Wag is a giant, national tech company which was started with 2 million dollars.

By making themselves appear trendy with celebrity endorsements, slick advertisements and an app for quick online scheduling they were off to a fast start.  Wag’s marketing strategy included the phrase “Uber for dog walkers”. It was clever to say the least, given how popular Uber has become. Wag recruits thousands of people without experience and places them on an app, which is very easy to use and it schedules on-demand dog walking services in a snap.  Quick, easy and no strings, what more could you want?  

When a dog walker can be found instantly in one click on a gimmicky website such as Wag, it’s important for you to understand that these people, who are signed up to be dog walkers, do not necessarily have any training in dog care.  Wag and Rover hire anyone to do their dog walks and are not allowed to provide any training to these people because they are hired as contractors.

What stands out most about Wag’s hiring process is that there doesn’t seem to be any attempt to get to know their walkers. Wag employees should spend a week or two shadowing them out on the job to see how they relate to animals, how dedicated and reliable they may be and how they handle the stress of being in charge of someone’s pet.  You have to see them in person to be sure they are capable of doing the job correctly.

Need San Francisco Dog Walker? Contact Me Here

Wag’s may have taken the on-demand dog walking business by storm, but what they didn’t count on was the scrutiny and backlash they would get from their participants. Glassdoor is a website that give employees a place to share their insider info and a place to air their dirty laundry.  The hiring process consists of filling out a multiple choice questionnaire, watching a video, and attending an exam in which the object is to fit three kinds of harnesses to a dummy dog.  It is reported that anyone can fake who they are on the tests and still pass the scrutiny of Wag.

Would you really want to give the key to your house to just anyone?  Sure, you read over their bios, but do you really know them?  Are their references people that live in your neighborhood and have used this person before?  Who are their friends?  Sure they look trustworthy in their pictures, but you are leaving your key in a lockbox and you have never even met the person that is coming into your house to walk your dog.  These are things to think about before hiring Wag to walk your dog.

Read reviews and complaints about Wag Dog Walking.

Is Wag Dog Walking Service safe to use?

What’s so bad with Wag Dog Walking?

Video from KTVU showing Wag Walker mistreating dog

San Francisco Dog Walker-Ticks in San Francisco

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Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker

San Francisco Dog WalkerGolden Gate Park and Fort Funston are crawling with ticks. Even if your dog has prevention, such as a tick collar, they still crawl off of him and on to you! Be sure to check your dog over carefully when you return home and frequent grooming and chemicals for control may help to control the spread.

Ticks can detect heat emitted from dogs and humans from far distances and will often situate themselves on well traveled paths to gain access to hosts. They will generally drop off the animal when full, but this may take several days. In some cases ticks will live for some time on the blood of an animal. Ticks are more active outdoors in warm weather, but can attack a dog at any time. Ticks can be found in most wooded or forested regions throughout the world. As a San Francisco dog walker, I find that they are especially common in areas where there are deer trails or human tracks. Ticks are especially abundant near water, where warm-blooded animals come to drink, and in meadows wherever shrubs and brush provide woody surfaces and cover. Ticks are a vector for a number of diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

The American dog tick
The American dog tick is perhaps the most well-known of the North American hard ticks. This tick does not carry Lyme disease but can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. As a San Francisco dog walker I have come across them numerous times.
The black-legged tick

The Western black-legged tick lives in the western part of North America and is responsible for spreading Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It tends to prefer livestock such as cows as its adult host.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be lethal. Initial signs and symptoms of the disease include sudden onset of fever, headache and muscle pain followed by development of rash. The disease can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and without prompt and appropriate treatment it can be fatal. Tetracycline has dramatically reduced the number of deaths caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

The San Francisco dog walkers top tips
Check your dog over when you get home. Put your clothes in the dryer on high heat or just simply wash them in hot water.  Be sure to check yourself over too!

Video/How-to-Remove-a-Tick-from-Your-Dog watch this video for more tips!

What you Need to Know about Tennis Balls

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Posted by The San Francisco Dog Walker

 

Roxy Fun At Beach with Ball

As a dog walker in San Francisco, I’ve seen countless dogs that absolutely light up when they see a tennis ball. Does your dog love to chase after tennis balls? Even, perhaps, a little obsessed about it? You’re not alone—many dogs go wild for the thrill of fetching these bright green toys. While it’s great to see them having fun, there are a few important things to consider when it comes to dogs and tennis balls.

The Joy (and Risk) of Tennis Balls

Tennis balls are a fantastic way to exercise your dog and keep them mentally engaged. I’ve used them countless times to tire out a high-energy dog at Golden Gate Park or Fort Funston. However, as fun as tennis balls are, there’s a hidden risk most dog owners don’t think about.

Something you need to keep in mind is that a tennis ball is made of abrasive material that can quickly wear down your dog’s teeth. Some dogs love them so much that their teeth have ground down to little nubs. That is important because a dog must have their teeth last a lifetime, and you definitely want to protect them whenever you can.

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Alternatives to Traditional Tennis Balls

If your dog is one of those tennis ball fanatics, it’s worth considering alternatives to protect their teeth. Rubber chuck-it balls are a great substitute. These balls are durable, easy to clean, and, most importantly, don’t have the abrasive properties of regular tennis balls. When I take dogs out to the park, I always recommend owners switch to rubber balls if I notice excessive wear on their teeth.

So, why don’t more people make the change to rubber balls? For starters, not all dogs experience dental issues with tennis balls. It’s a matter of keeping an eye on your dog’s teeth to determine if adjustments are necessary. Another factor is cost—rubber balls tend to be pricier, and if your dog has a habit of leaving their toys behind in bushes or tall grass, it can get expensive quickly.

Safety Tips for Tennis Ball at Play

As a dog walker, safety is always my top priority, which extends to playtime with tennis balls. Here are a few tips to keep your dog safe while they’re having fun:

  1. Inspect Your Dog’s Teeth: Regularly check your dog’s teeth for signs of wear. If you notice flattening or chipping, it’s time to reconsider tennis balls.
  2. Monitor Their Play: If your dog is chewing aggressively on the ball, take it away and redirect their attention to a chew toy. Chewing can turn a harmless game into a dental hazard.
  3. Beware of Squeakers: If your ball has squeakers, keep an eye open to ensure your dog does not chew the ball to get the parts out. They can choke on the squeaker parts inside the ball if they get them out. Always supervise squeaker play to prevent accidents.
  4. Replace Damaged Balls: A torn or damaged tennis ball can become a choking hazard. Toss it out and replace it with a fresh one.

The Joy of Fetch Without the Risks

Playing fetch with tennis balls is a wonderful way to bond with your dog and give them the exercise they need. But, as with all aspects of pet care, balance is key. Whether I’m out on a walk with a pack of dogs or playing one-on-one with a client’s pup, I always keep an eye on the toys they’re using to ensure they’re both fun and safe.

If you’re worried about the risks associated with dogs and tennis balls, switching to rubber balls or mixing up their toy selection can make a big difference. This is another way in which your dog will still be getting all of the fun involved with your dog chasing and retrieving something because it can be kept fun but not cause any lasting dental problems.

Closing Thoughts

Every dog is different, and some may have no issues with tennis balls at all. However, it’s important to keep an eye on their behavior and their teeth. I am a dog walker and have witnessed how many dogs adore their tennis ball play and the issues it can lead to. So be proactive and consider using things like rubber chuck-it balls; that way, both your furry friend and your wallet will be ready for the next adventure!

So whether your dog spends time poking through the dog-friendly parks of San Francisco or is just playing in your yard, a touch of extra attention to your pup’s toys is good insurance. Oh, and you really should also peek inside those bushes—no one likes to see their favorite ball lost to the foliage!

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