Thursday, July 15, 2010

Meet Guinness!



My sister and brother-in-law just bought an adorable new puppy. A Flat Coated Retriever named Guinness! The excitement of their newly purchased home was quickly over-shadowed by this little bundle of joy.

The running joke has been that my brother-in-law's Irish side will call him Guinness, while my all Italian side will lovingly refer to him as Guinny. (Not exactly PC, but funny none the less.)

Never having a dog of my own, (even after wishing for one over 15 consecutive birthday cakes) I am especially excited about the newest addition to our family, and want to make sure we take the best care of him possible.

A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend from school who told me that she takes her dog to a holistic Vet. She then shared a tip with me that her veterinarian had shared with her; "thoroughly wash your dog's bowl after meal time and store in a high place."

The reasoning behind this is that dogs (like humans) salivate when they smell food, which is necessary for proper digestion. By not thoroughly washing the dog's bowl after it has eaten, the smell of food will always be lingering and the dog will grow immune to it. Therefore when it's feeding time, the dog will not produce a sufficient amount of saliva. This can lead to digestive issues and other complications.

Washing the bowl, however, is not enough. Due to a dog's keen sense of smell, it becomes necessary to store the bowl away in a high place until it is time for its next meal.

Although I still haven't found a way to wean my sister and brother-in-law off of potato chips and hot pockets, they've taken my advice on the dog bowl. Won't you do the same for your pooch?

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