Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

DOG FRIENDLY BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA

Like many other parts of the country, Florida has been experiencing an intense heat wave this Summer. The weather has been 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit every day for weeks on end! We really needed a break from the Florida heat so we took a last minute trip to dog friendly Boone, North Carolina. Boone is in North Carolina's High Country, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

We had initially planned a fabulous vacation in New Hampshire and Vermont, but Mother Nature refused to cooperate! First, the Canadian wildfires impacted the air quality all across the Northeast. We were elated when the fires were finally brought somewhat under control and air quality in New England improved.

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IMPORTANT: As of September 28, 2024 much of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, including Boone and surrounding towns, have been devastated by Hurricane Helene. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the wonderful people of Boone, and others who have been devastated by this monster hurricane. We hope they can all rebuild and move forward as soon as possible. Food and Water are being airlifted to hard to reach areas of the North Carolina mountains. As with most natural disasters, much of the communications have been lost. If you need help locating missing family members in the mountains of North Carolina, the Red Cross has a hotline to help you reconnect with those affected by Helene. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), select Disaster. They will try to help locate missing people. People can also use this line to list themselves as safe. Here's a link to the FEMA Hurricane Helene information web site.

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We thought we were in the clear, but wait! No sooner did we think our vacation was saved, when raging floods hit Vermont, as well as parts of New Hampshire! Sadly, we had to cancel that trip and search for another dog friendly vacation destination with cool weather.

DOG FRIENDLY BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA

At first we considered the North Carolina High Country to be a "consolation prize". We figured at least we'd have cooler weather up there, even if there wouldn't be much to do. But we couldn't have been more wrong. The Blue Ridge Mountain area of North Carolina took our breathe away! And we found out there was plenty to do, and lots of dog friendly activities in the North Carolina High Country.

Icy with a Blue Ridge Mountain view in the distance

Not only was the weather in the High Country in the 70's and low 80's, but the landscape is absolutely stunning. It's also extremely dog friendly! There are miles and miles of gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountain hiking trails that allow dogs. There are many charming restaurants and coffee shops with dog friendly outdoor patios, and other places that welcome dogs.

PET FRIENDLY HOTELS IN BOONE, NC

There are many pet friendly hotels and vacation rentals in the Boone area that will welcome your dog.

Townplace Suites, our Dog Friendly hotel in Boone, NC

We stayed at the Townplace Suites, which is owned by Marriott. It was close to everything, right at the North end of the town of Boone. I really liked that it had a kitchenette and dining table, and check out that closet in the above photo!

Another dog friendly hotel in Boone that looked really nice is the Holiday Inn Express, which was at the other end of the town.

The town of Boone is largely a college town, home of the Appalachian State University. It's an adorable, funky little town with thrift shops, coffee and donut shops, the charming Mast General Store (a Must see!), and an energetic vibe.

If you're looking for something a bit more upscale and quieter, nearby Blowing Rock or Highlands might be more your speed. Banner Elk is also a wonderful town to visit. There are several charming little towns up in the High Country that are a short drive from each other, so whichever town you stay in you can easily visit the others.

This Explore Boone Guide has great information on Dog Friendly Accommodations in Boone, as well as Restaurants, Shops, Hiking trails, and Dog Parks where your dog will be welcome!

RESTAURANTS IN BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA

The night life in Boone isn't really hopping, considering it's a college town, but we found a few restaurants we loved.

The Red Onion for dinner was my favorite. They had a delicious veggie pasta dish I loved. My husband had a coffee rubbed steak dish that was delicious. The restaurant has it's own parking lot, which you'll appreciate in the town of Boone, plenty of indoor seating, and the most charming covered patio dining area out front!

Macado's is an adorable pub style restaurant with a pretty extensive menu. We had delicious sandwiches here and great service. The place is large with plenty of seating, as well as a bar area that looks really fun.

Carolina Pizza Co is a really nice little pizza joint with quite a large menu. As really picky-about-our-pizza native New Yorkers, we were pleasantly surprised at how good the pizza was. We loved this place, just what we needed after a day of hiking! The food was great and so was the service. Such nice people! Very reasonably priced, too.

Another place you just have to visit in the town of Boone is the Mast General Store. Mast is a wonderful old fashioned looking general store, complete with creaky wooden floors and barrels of "penny" candy which you can gather into little baskets and purchase by the pound.

I loved browsing in this store, buying old fashioned candies I haven't seen in ages, cool tee shirts, handmade soaps, local honey and other goodies.

GREAT HIKING TRAILS IN NORTH CAROLINA'S BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

There's no shortage of beautiful dog friendly hiking trails in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains! We stayed for a week, but there were so many nearby mountains and trails and other places we didn't have time to visit.

We had such a blast hiking with our Husky, Icy and our recently adopted Silky Terrier, Jessie. Icy will be 14 years old next month (Yikes!) and we had no idea if 4 year old Jessie had ever hiked before so we weren't sure how this hiking trip would pan out.

Icy did great! We were so proud of her, and honestly quite relieved that she was able to handle the hiking so well and thoroughly enjoy it. Jessie was a bit unsure at first but she quickly got the hang of it and was clearly having a great time. It was a wonderful bonding experience for all of us.

One of the best hiking trails for us was the Boone Fork Trail Loop. It's listed as being an easy 5 mile trail, but honestly there were several parts that were not so easy, especially if you have dogs with you!

It took two separate days to complete the 5 mile loop. We did half of it the first day and half the second day, with a day in between to rest our muscles. The dogs seemed to need a down day too. It was a bit rugged in a few spots. Here's a video with highlights from hiking the Boone Fork Loop Trail, which is a great place for hiking with dogs!

Grandfather Mountain, Banner Elk, NC

Grandfather Mountain, at a 5,946 foot high elevation, is considered the Mother of all mountains in North Carolina! It's located in Banner Elk, NC, a 13 mile drive from Boone. It's a massive mountain park with lots of hiking trails, some of them very challenging, camping areas (permit needed), a wildlife habitat, and the BIG draw, the Mile High Swinging Bridge!

Grandfather Mountain allows dogs, pretty much everywhere that is outdoors. Much of the mountain is free of charge. However, special attractions like the swinging bridge and wildlife habitat are not free. Access to the area with the swinging bridge was $22 for adults, but let me tell you I think it's well worth the experience!

Grandfather Mountain, Banner Elk, NC. Mile High Swinging Bridge

The Mile High Swinging Bridge, Banner Elk, NC

At Grandfather Mountain, dogs are even allowed on the Mile High Swinging Bridge! There was a guy with his English Mastiff, a huge dog, walking across the bridge. Personally I wouldn't take my dogs on that bridge, I think it would be too scary for them. The bridge really does sway noticeably. I'll be honest, I was actually a little scared walking on that bridge! But I'm so glad I went because the views from that bridge are stunning. The views and experience of it were well worth it.

BLOWING ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA

We didn't make it to the town of Blowing Rock, and we didn't get to see the actual rock, the Blowing Rock, but we saw videos and it looks gorgeous! We ran out of time, and had to choose the few places we most wanted to see.

The town of Blowing Rock is named after an interesting rock formation with beautiful vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town of Blowing Rock is really quaint, and they clearly love their flowers! It looks like folks in that town must have green thumbs because all the videos and photos show beautiful flowers and gardens around the town!

The Blowing Rock is an actual rock that juts out over the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is a charming legend behind it the rock itself and how it got it's name.

One day a Chickasaw maiden, daydreaming on the rock, spied a Cherokee brave wandering in the wilderness far below and playfully shot an arrow in his direction. The flirtation worked and soon he appeared before her wigwam, courted her with songs of his land and they became lovers, wandering the pathless woodlands and along the crystal streams. One day a strange reddening of the sky brought the brave and the maiden to The Blowing Rock. To him it was a sign of trouble commanding his return to his tribe in the plains. The maiden implored him not to leave her, but the brave, torn by conflict of duty and heart, leaped from The Rock into the wilderness far below. The grief-stricken maiden prayed daily to the Great Spirit until one evening with a reddening sky, a gust of wind blew her lover back onto The Rock and into her arms.

According to area locals, there is a mysterious wind pattern at the blowing rock that "causes it to snow upside down"! I'm not sure what creates that and I hate to be a buzz kill, but I'm sure this wind pattern is rooted in science. We will make a point to visit Blowing Rock on our next visit to the area.

The weather in the North Carolina High Country was glorious! It was a wonderful respite from the extreme Florida heat and humidity. I wish we could have stayed a whole month!

My dog Icy was as sad as we were to leave the cool weather in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

Goodbye North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains! We can't wait to visit you again!

I'm excited to share my new ETSY store with you! It's called Nature and Critters. True to it's name, I sell nature and animal inspired photos and design works that are in Printable, Digital Download format. I hope you'll stop by my store and check it out!

Digital Download Designs available in my ETSY store

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Great Dog Friendly Travel Destinations in the U.S.

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NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR DOGS BY NATIVE PET

I'm excited to share some wonderful new supplements for dogs that I was given by Native Pet. Native Pet creates dog supplements that contain whole food ingredients. I've been using these products for several weeks now, and I'm really impressed! This line of natural supplements for dogs by Native Pet seems to be taking the pet industry by storm!

I was given these four Native Pet products to try for my own dogs, Icy and Jessie.

NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR DOGS
BY NATIVE PET

PUMPKIN

Native Pet Organic Pumpkin powder supplement supports dogs digestive regularity and firm stool. It provides digestive relief and supports a healthy digestive system by providing bowel movement regularity and assisting absorption of essential nutrients. This pumpkin supplement is working so well for both my dogs! Both Icy and Jessie really need pumpkin in their diets. When we run out of it ….. well, let’s just say it’s not pretty! It’s really helping both of their digestive systems and it’s so easy and convenient to add to their food.

PROBIOTIC

The Probiotic powder creates a thriving environment for healthy flora. It promotes dogs complete gut health and digestive wellness. Icy has always had a sensitive stomach. The slightest change in her diet, one too many treats, or well meaning guests who insist on giving her just a few bites of BBQ can really upset her delicate tummy! I’ve been adding this dog probiotic to Icy’s food and it’s been great! Even after a week long hiking trip with lots of treats and unfamiliar foods, she hasn’t had a single upset stomach since I started giving her Native Pet dog probiotic supplements! As you can see in this short video, it's easy to add to my dog's food.

CALM

Native Pet Calming chews for dogs promote calm and emotional balance. These clean chews provide a calming effect for fearful dogs. They’re great for dogs that are anxious during thunderstorms, fireworks, travel, or trips to the Veterinarian. My dogs are terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks. In Florida we’ve been getting frequent thunderstorms, so I’ve been giving them these supplements for dog anxiety. They love the taste and they really help ease my dogs anxiety! Here's a short video of me giving my dogs the Calm treats at the start of a thunderstorm. The first few seconds you can hear the thunder in the background!

YAK CHEW

The Yak chews are long lasting small dental chews that are stink-free and mess-free. They’re made with yak’s milk, as well as cow’s milk, and are high in protein, easily digestible, and long lasting. I had never tried, or even seen Yak treats for dogs, but I tried them and both Icy and Jessie really like the Native Pet YAK CHEW dog treats!

I love that the pumpkin and probiotic supplements are in powder form. It's easy to just mix them into my dogs food. I don't have to worry about whether or not they've eaten a tablet or chew, or spit it out behind my back! If they've eaten their food, I know they've had their pumpkin and probiotic supplements.

Each container comes with a little plastic scooper, making it easy to measure out the proper amount needed for each dog.

It's also great when we travel. It's easy to measure out the amount I'll need for each travel day, put it in a plastic bag, and pack it up in their travel bag. On our recent hiking trip I packed both supplement powders in small plastic bags. They took up very little room in the dogs bag and it worked out perfectly!

Also, this last year or two I've found it difficult to find canned pumpkin at the grocery store. For some reason my local stores have all been frequently out of it! I need something more reliable, and the Native Pet Pumpkin Supplement for dogs fits the bill.

This post is sponsored by Native Pet®. I am being compensated to share information about Native Pet's products. I am excited to share my experience with these wonderful dog products with you!

WHO IS NATIVE PET?

Their Love Language is Dog! That's how Native Pet describes themselves.

Dissatisfied by pet supplements they found for their dogs, they developed their own proprietary formulas.

Native Pet is committed to developing formulas and formats that offer the best, most innovative nutrition to directly benefit the health of pets. They "put in the work to do things right".

"Our dogs are family — the center of everything. We do everything with them, and anything for them. So it’s only natural that we’re just as over-the-top when it comes to the health of our pets." - Dan and Pat, Native Pet founders

I think we can all relate to that, right!?

NATIVE PET QUALITY, NUTRITION AND FLAVOR

No Additives and No Fillers

Native Pet never uses additives or fillers. They target no more than 5 inactive ingredients (the industry average is 20+!). Their products are never injected, molded, or "de-natured".

Vet Developed

Native Pet works with a Board-Certified Vet Nutritionist to create supplements that give pets all the nutrition they need. (there are only 40 Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists in the entire USA!)

Whole Food Ingredients

Native Pet uses ingredients like Wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, and organic chicken.

Other Native Pet Supplements For Dogs:

ALLERGY

Supports a dog's seasonal allergies and immune system. Helps alleviate occasional discomfort like red eyes and sneezing. Get Native Pet ALERGY Chews for dogs on Amazon

RELIEF

Specially made for senior dogs to help support joint flexibility and mobility. Supports normal inflammatory response and relief from daily activity. Get Native Pet RELIEF Chews for dogs on Amazon

OMEGA OIL

Packed with Omega 3 fatty acids to promote skin, coat, and joint health. Get Native Pet OMEGA OIL for dogs on Amazon

BLADDER

Promotes healthy bladder function. Supports normal bladder function, urinary tract health, and healthy kidneys. Get Native Pet BLADDER CHEWS for dogs on Amazon

BONE BROTH

A healthy meal topper that provides extra nutrition and adds delicious, organic chicken or beef to their diet. Helps support joint strength, immune support, and heart health. Get Native Pet BONE BROTH for dogs on Amazon

See the full line of Native Pet's supplements for dogs.

Visit Native Pet's blog with tons of helpful articles about dog health and nutrition, and helpful tips for dog parents!

Follow Native Pet on Instagram!

Which of these Native Pet products do you think would benefit your dog? Leave us a comment, we Love hearing from you! 🐾❤️

KEEP DOGS COOL AND SAFE IN SUMMER

The current heat waves around the country this Summer have been in the news a lot lately. Record heat waves are being seen all across the U.S. There are many instances of unusual, extreme heat. This extreme hot weather isn't just hard on people, it's also difficult for dogs. Here are some tips to help keep dogs cool and safe in Hot Summer weather.

Tips to keep dogs cool in hot weather

As a bonus, I also share 4 of my favorite cool, refreshing Summertime dog treat recipes down below!

HOT WEATHER TIPS TO HELP DOGS STAY COOL

❅ I'll start off with one of the most important tips to keep dogs cool on hot days, and that is to keep your dog well Hydrated at all times! The average dog drinks about 1 ounce of water (1/8 cup) for every pound of body weight. On really hot days, your dog might need even more water.

I never let my dog's water bowl run dry. I keep it full with clean, cool water day and night. I also mix canned or other wet food in with my dogs dry food for extra hydration.

❅ Add some ice shavings or ice cubes to your dog's water. Many dogs enjoy playing with, or even eating ice. This can help cool their body temperature down a bit.

❅ Take Cover! When you're out and about with your dog, or even in your own yard, always find shade for your dog. It's important to limit their time in direct sun and provide plenty of shade for them to escape the heat of hot direct sun.

❅ Limit dog walks to early mornings or later in the day after the sun sets. Midday is the hottest time of day, and the heat can be too much for your dog. I shorten my dogs' walks, and I don't take them out during the hottest time of the day.

❅ Watch out for hot pavement and beach sand! These surfaces can get extremely hot and potentially burn your dog's paws, especially during the hottest time of the day. Consider dog booties or carrying your dog if needed. Place the back of your hand on the pavement or sand for 10 seconds. If it feels too hot for you, it's definitely too hot for your dog!

❅ Never, ever leave your dog in the car on a hot day! It's amazing hot fast the inside of a car can become dangerously hot. The temperature inside a car can increase by 20F degrees within 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open! Heat stroke can be a significant danger. It's also illegal in many states to leave dogs unattended in a hot car.

❅ If you think the heat is getting to be a bit much for your dog during a walk or hike, soak your dog's favorite bandana in cold water. Ring it out and place it around your dog's neck. The bandana will stay cool for awhile and offers a bit of coolness on your dog's neck.

❅ Get a Cool Mat for dogs. I like the self cooling kind that automatically activates when the dog lays on it. Icy loved to lay on her cool mat on hot days. I recently got one for Jessie, and she Loves it!

❅ Similar to a cool mat, your dog can wear a cooling vest for dogs. I haven't tried one of those yet, but I think they're a good option.

Dogs (and cats) sweat through their paws, and cool themselves down through panting. Senior dogs, dogs who are overweight, and Brachycephalic dogs (short nosed/pushed in face dogs including French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pugs, etc) are at higher risk for heat stroke.

Following these dog health tips for hot weather will help your dog be more comfortable in Summer weather. But far more importantly, these tips can help avoid your dog getting Dehydration and Heat Stroke in hot weather.

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HOMEMADE DOG TREAT RECIPES

Now the fun part! Here are 4 of my favorite Summer Dog Treat Recipes to give dogs a cool, refreshing treat when the weather heats up!

Yogurt, Berry & Banana Dog Treat Recipe:

1/4 cup Blueberries

1/4 cup peeled, sliced banana

1/4 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Few chunks of watermelon (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Chop or Puree until mixed well but not liquified.

You can serve this dog treat in 3 different ways:

1 Pour the fruit mixture into ice cube trays and freeze them to give as individual treats.

2 Add the mixture into a treat toy such as a Kong toy and freeze as a fun, cool treat dogs can play with.

3 Chill the mixture in the refrigerator and once it's cool, spread it on a Lickimat for your dog to enjoy!

A Lickimat can be a calming activity for dogs. It can also slow down a dog's eating so they don't wolf the whole thing down. Or, it can just serve as a fun activity for dogs as they lick to work the treat out of the grooves in the mat. Spread about 1/4 cup of the chilled mixture around on a Lickimat and let your dog start licking!

A Lickimat is a fun activity for dogs!

Whichever way you choose to serve this treat, your dog will love you for it!

This next dog treat recipe is super simple! It requires just two ingredients.

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe:

5 Tbsp. Yogurt (Greek Yogurt makes for a good thick mixture)

2 large scoops of Peanut butter

STEP 1. Mix the yogurt and peanut butter together in a small bowl until blended. Mixture should be smooth and thickened. You don't want the mixture to be runny, otherwise you'll have trouble filling a stuffable dog toy or ice cube tray.

STEP 2. Add the mixture to a Kong toy or other stuffable dog toy.

STEP 3. Place the peanut butter yogurt stuffed toy into the freezer

STEP 4. OR you can spoon the thick mixture into an ice cube tray instead of stuffing a dog toy with it!

The blobs of treat mixture, once frozen, should easily pop out of the tray without sticking to it.

I love this next frozen dog treat recipe. This is a new one for me, and I love that it contains blueberries, which are healthy for dogs, and high in antioxidants and vitamins C and K. This treat recipe for dogs isn't one you can stuff in a dog treat toy, the mixture is liquid and must be frozen.

Pineapple Blueberry Frozen Dog Treat Recipe:

1/4 cup Blueberries

1/4 cup of pineapple juice, OR packaged/canned small pineapple chunks packed in pineapple juice or water (there should be more liquid than pineapple pieces)

STEP 1 Pour the pineapple juice and small chunks (if you included pineapple chunks) into ice cube trays. Don't overfill, leave a bit of room in the tray to add the blueberries.

STEP 2 Add blueberries one at a time on top of the pineapple mixture. Add as many as you want as long as they fit and the pineapple juice doesn't overflow.

STEP 3 Place ice cube tray in the freezer until frozen. Give these frozen treats to your dog for a delicious, healthy dog treat that's nice and cool!

This recipe can be extra fun if you have paw print shaped ice cube trays! Place blueberries in the "toes" of the paw prints.

Puppsicles are always fun to make, and this next recipe for Puppsicle frozen dog treats only requires 3 ingredients!

Pineapple Yogurt Jerky Puppsicles Dog Treat Recipe:

Frozen Pineapple Yogurt Jerky Puppsicle Dog Treats

8 oz Can (or other packaged) of pineapple chunks in 100% juice or water

1/2 cup of plain yogurt
Jerky Sticks

* I used Hill's Flexi-Stix Jerky for this recipe but you can use any other firm, stick shaped dog treat like Dentastix, Whimzees, or any other stick dog treats your dog loves.

STEP 1 Blend together pineapple chunks and about a tablespoon of the juice with the yogurt in a blender (or bowl if you're using a mixer).

STEP 2 Pour the mixture into ice cube trays. Then place a jerky stick in the middle of each tray so it functions as a popsicle stick. Shorter sticks usually stay upright in the tray a bit better.

Note: If the sticks fall over when you place them in the trays, you can break them into smaller sizes OR you can place the tray into the freezer for 15-20 minutes to stiffen up the mixture and then try placing the sticks in the trays again.

STEP 3 Freeze, then treat your dog to a cool puppsicle treat!

Dogs will appreciate the extra tasty dog treat stick in these delicious, refreshing Pineapple Yogurt Jerky Puppsicles!

Your dog will love these cooling homemade dog treats! But if you don't have these ingredients handy, or you don't have much time to make DIY dog treats, you can fill ice cube trays with bone broth and just freeze them. You can even put small dog treats and water into ice cube trays and freeze. Both of these quick simple dog treats will give dogs a cool, refreshing treat to help them beat the heat.

How do you keep your pet cool on hot Summer days? Leave us a comment and share your tips below!

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Summertime Skin and Ear Care for Dogs

SUMMER SKIN AND EAR CARE FOR DOGS

It's Summertime! Dogs love Summer and we love doing fun outdoor activities with our dogs. Hiking, swimming, boating, playdates in the yard, and extra long walks in the park are all activities we love to do with our dogs! Summer activities take us outside a lot more, but with all those warm weather outdoor activities with dogs comes the need for extra skin and ear care for dogs. Summer Skin and Ear Care for dogs becomes an even greater focus for overall dog health when the weather heats up.

Summer Skin and Ear Care for Dogs

The more time we spend outdoors with our dogs the more we want to be mindful of the health concerns that can develop with all that time spent outside.

Fortunately, Zymox® has you covered with a great collection of skin and ear care products for dogs and cats! I've been using Zymox pet health care products for my own dogs for years, and I highly recommend them.

*THIS GIVEAWAY HAD ENDED * To celebrate Summer, I'm partnering with Zymox to bring you a great giveaway, the Zymox Summertime Pet Care Giveaway!

This post is sponsored by Zymox® and Pet King Brands. I am being compensated to share information about some of my favorite Zymox® Pet Care products. I use all these products for my dogs, and am happy to share them with you! Enter the ZYMOX SUMMERTIME PET CARE GIVEAWAY below!

Zymox® Skin and Ear Care products for Dogs and Cats

The more time our dogs spend outside in warmer weather, the more we have to stay on top of the dog care issues that are more prevalent in Summer.

SKIN AND EAR CARE FOR DOGS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IN THE SUMMER

SKIN ALLERGIES

In general, dog allergies are a common problem, but they can be exacerbated in hot weather. Dog allergies on skin can really flare up when dogs spend more time outdoors.

In Summer, we often see an increase in dog seasonal allergies, dog allergies from grasses and flowers, and dog allergic reactions to pesticides or other treatments they come in contact with outside.

I use Zymox shampoo and conditioning products for my dogs to help prevent skin irritation. It leaves their fur soft and smelling fresh too.

Zymox Enzymatic Shampoo and conditioning rinse can help soothe Skin Allergies in dogs. Gentle cleansing soothes itchy allergy skin, and calms irritated or inflamed skin. It doesn't contain detergents, chlorines, or parabens and is safe for all animals, not just dogs!

Over the counter remedies may not help dogs with severe skin allergic reactions. If your dog has a severe skin irritation or allergic reaction, contact your Veterinarian right away to discuss emergency treatment or the need for prescription dog allergy medication.

EAR INFECTIONS

Ear infections in dogs are very common, particularly in the Summer when dogs are more active outside and are often in the water. There are several things that can cause an increase in dog ear infections in warmer Summer weather.

Swimming in pools, lakes, ponds, or oceans.

Boating, Dock diving and other activities that take place in or around water.

Wet ears can cause a buildup of bacteria and yeast in a dog's ears, which could lead to ear infections. It's important to keep your dog's ears clean and dry!

Hiking Dogs will come in contact with grasses, shrubs, puddles, bugs, bees and other critters that may cause irritation to their ears.

Walking Longer and more frequent walks in tall grasses or grass that may have been chemically treated can irritate dogs' ears. More bugs, bees or other critters may get inside their ears and irritate them as well.

Fortunately my dogs have never had ear infections. I keep their ears clean all year long to help prevent ear infections in my dogs.

I use Zymox Ear solution for my dogs. It's an effective and easy to use ear wash for dogs and cats. Ear cleaning for my dogs at home only takes a few minutes and doesn't bother my dogs at all! For me, it's an important part of our general dog health routine.

I clean my dogs' ears once or twice a month when the weather is warm and a little less frequently during colder months, but I keep them clean and dry all year round to help prevent ear infection and irritation.

Dog ear infection symptoms usually include dogs shaking their head a lot more than usual or pawing at their ears. If your dog appears to have an ear infection or irritation that doesn't clear up quickly with an at home ear cleaning for dogs solution, contact your Veterinarian. You may need a stronger ear infection treatment for dogs to address your dog's ear infection or irritation.

MINOR DOG INJURIES

With lots more outdoor time dogs are bound to get some minor cuts and scrapes. My Husky Icy is notorious for it! She's a senior pup but she still likes to explore new places and stick her nose in every nook and cranny. My little dog Jessie is young and really curious about her surroundings. Needless to say, these two get into everything, LOL!

I keep Zymox minor wound care and skin irritation products on hand for minor cuts, scrapes or skin irritations.

Zymox topical spray or cream with .05% Hydrocortisone soothes skin and provides relief from itching caused by inflammation, hot spots, minor cuts and other minor skin irritations.

I use the topical spray, as well as the cream, to help heal minor wounds or skin irritations my dogs may have. The spray is easy and convenient for larger or easy to get to areas like paws and legs. The cream is good for difficult to reach places or sensitive areas like the face. I like to have both the spray and the cream available.

Summer Skin and Ear Care For Dogs Pet First Aid Kit with Zymox Ear and Skin Pet products

I keep Zymox Pet Care Products in our Dog's First Aid Kit

I keep Zymox Topical Spray and Cream in my pet first aid kit, so I always have some on hand when we travel with the dogs. I use them quite often. Icy has gotten minor cuts and scrapes more times than I can count, especially when we travel or go on fun adventures!

I'm pleased to announce a Giveaway with a Prize Pak of all these wonderful Zymox products! TWO winners will be chosen to receive a Zymox Summertime Pet Care prize pak! (U.S. residents only)

***** THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED ******

Enter the ZYMOX SUMMERTIME PET CARE GIVEAWAY BELOW - Giveaway available to U.S. Residents only