We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But here at Pawsitively Pure dog food, we believe that any dog can learn a new trick with the right incentive! Soft enough to break into small chunks and packed with the best nutritious ingredients, our human-grade dog treats are the perfect reward for a learning dog. Even our senior boy, Jackson, has learned a few new ones in recent years!

To celebrate the return of the school year, here are a few fun and easy tricks you can teach any dog, no matter what stage of life they’re in: 

• “Shake Hands” may look like an advanced trick, but it’s one of the easiest there is to teach a dog! Dogs will naturally paw at you if you’re holding something they’re curious about. If you tuck a treat in your closed fist, hold it toward your dog and say the command word, “shake!” When they reach to paw at you, reward them for their response.

• Many people shy away from teaching their dogs “speak” since they probably already bark enough. However, putting “speak” and “quiet” to commands is one of the easiest ways to combat excessive barking. This one does take a little bit of vigilance, as you’ll need to pay attention to the times when your dog is barking and reward them systematically for following your commands.

• “Spin” is another great trick for a treat-motivated dog. When you hold a treat right in front of your dog’s nose, they’re likely to follow it. Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose to guide him in a circle, then repeat the pattern. As your dog gets more familiar with the movement, you may even be able to teach them to “spin left” and “spin right!”

Pawsitively Pure Dog Food’s treats are perfect for training dogs of all ages and sizes. Available in peanut butter & pumpkin and blueberry & oat, our flavors are craveable enough that your dogs will look forward to learning new tricks every day. Send us a message or browse through our shop to learn more!

If you’ve been keeping up with us on social media, you’ve probably seen a couple videos of our dog Jackson at his hydrotherapy sessions. It’s hard for us to believe that our boy is already 11 years old, and when you see the sparkle in his eye and the pep in his step, it might be hard for you to believe as well! Of course, we attribute a lot of his health and happiness to his human-grade dog food diet, but hydrotherapy plays a huge part in keeping him spry for his age.

Jackson loves his hydrotherapy sessions with Dip’n Dogs Hydrotherapy in Orlando. Hydrotherapy is great exercise for all dogs, especially senior dogs or those recovering from surgery or injuries. Here are just a handful of the big benefits it’ll bring to your pups: 

• No dog is too big or too small. At Dip’n Dogs and many other hydrotherapy facilities like it, the therapy session takes place in a pool, often assisted by a floatation vest. Dogs of any size are able to hop in and take a lap around the pool or to complete the exercises set out for them by their therapists. Under supervision, they’ll be able to carry out several exercises designed to target their problem points.

• Swimming has less impact than out-of-water exercises. Joint health is so important for older dogs. Often, the reason why they start to slow down with age is that their joints become stiff and painful. Water therapy offers enough resistance for a dog to get a good workout without jostling or impacting their joints. This is also important for dogs healing from injuries!

• Water-based activities can easily target any number of joints, muscles, or problem areas. Therapists design their activities based on your dog’s individual needs. By simply tilting your dog to one side or another, they can put the focus on the areas that need it most. Activities like swimming in figure-8’s are very helpful for spine strength and conditioning. Often, therapeutic pools have jets that they can turn on for an additional challenge or more resistance.

We highly recommend hydrotherapy for any senior dog. Even if your dog is young and in great shape, swimming is one of the best ways to help your dog stay active, build critical strengths, and get a good cardiovascular workout in. To learn more about Dip’n Dogs, click here. To browse through our selection of human-grade dog food, treats, and bone broth, click here. 

We hope you and your dogs have been enjoying a fun and exciting summer! Everyone loves the spring and summer months as they give us a little extra time to get outdoors and have some fun in the sun. Even if you and your furry friends don’t get the opportunity to take a little vacation, there are plenty of dog-friendly locations around Central Florida for you and your pups to play and explore. Orlando Weekly compiled this great list, if you need a few ideas! 

As you enjoy the summer months, there are a few safety precautions you should keep in mind so you and your dogs can have the best time possible. Here are a handful of suggestions to help you have safe fun in the sun: 

• Take care not to let your dog walk on hot sidewalks or asphalt. Since you’re almost always wearing shoes outside, you probably don’t realize just how hot the pavement can get. Studies show that when the outside temperature hits 86 or 87 degrees, asphalt can clock in at over 130 degrees - and here in Central Florida, we’re regularly seeing temperatures above 90 degrees. Surfaces that hot can easily burn your dog’s feet, causing pain and blistering or worse. As a rule of thumb, if the pavement is too hot for you to leave your hand there for five seconds, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.

• Be sure to help your dog stay hydrated, and get familiar with the signs of overheating. Dog’s can’t sweat like we can - they pant and drink water to help regulate their body temperature. When your dog is playing with its friends, it may not be getting the hydration it needs to stay happy. Try to encourage your dog to drink a little bit of water at frequent intervals, rather than a lot all at once. If you notice that your dog has wobbly legs, is drooling a lot, or is vomiting, they may be suffering from overheating and need to see a vet right away. For more information on keeping your dog hydrated, check out our blog here.

• Your dogs need sunscreen, too! Dogs with shorter hair and lighter colored coats are especially susceptible to sunburn and associated skin cancers that come with it. Make sure you at least apply sunscreen to the areas of your dog where skin is exposed, like nose and bellies. Your vet should be able to recommend a dog-friendly sunscreen formula for your pup. 

Having fun in the sun is quite possible with the right precautions! For more great pet health and safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

July! One of the hottest months of the summer. We know it and love it as the month when we spend extra time splashing in the pool, fire up the grill, and head to the beach. It’s also one of the months when we celebrate a holiday with fireworks. Many pet parents have noticed that fireworks seem to start launching earlier and earlier in the season, and as such, they’ve had to calm down their nervous pets for longer. 

For the month of July, we want to focus on the importance of microchipping your pets. Here are 3 reasons why microchipping is not only a good idea - it’s a necessity: 

1. It could be a lifesaver in times of distress - like during fireworks season. Loud bangs, like thunder and fireworks, are enough to truly frighten a dog. Sometimes, in times of panic, your dog’s first reaction is to bolt, and if they run from your home while they’re not wearing a collar or ID, no one will know who they belong to. Microchips are a built-in identification that will be with your dog at all times and could save their life.

2. It’s as easy to get as a vaccination. Microchips aren’t as scary as they sound! They are administered to your dog the same way shots are, and don’t require a serious procedure. Often, animal shelters will microchip their animals before they go home with a new family, but it’s always a good idea to check with your vet to make sure your dog is properly identified.

3. It’s more effective than a collar and tag. Collars and tags are the traditional method of displaying your dog’s identification. But sometimes, especially with older collars or harnesses, they can be torn off or removed. Your dog’s microchip will be with them forever, and as long as you keep your account current, the vet can find your info to contact you if your dog gets out.

Microchipping is a quick and easy way to make sure your dog stays safe and happy, even in troubling events. This July, the month of fireworks, consider microchipping your dog if you haven’t already. We wish you a safe and happy 4th of July!

Our chocolate lab, Jackson, just turned 11 this month, officially making him a senior dog. While he stays healthy with his natural food diet and bone broth, we’ve seen that he’s getting a few more aches and pains that he didn’t have when he was a young pup. Of course, everyone experiences new ailments as they age - even humans. But some age-related issues may be more difficult to detect in senior dogs.

Mercola recently published an article titled, “Age-related issues your dog may be hiding” on their Dog Health blog. What may be surprising to you is that many dogs tend to try and remain stoic as they experience some symptoms, making illnesses more difficult for you to detect. This is an instinctive action, as displaying signs of weakness or illness in the wild makes them vulnerable to predators. Even though your dog has been part of your family for years, some old instincts stay around forever.

According to Mercola, the most common age-related health issues you should look for in your dog include joint pain and arthritis, oral health issues, urinary issues, and eye health issues. Again, it can be hard to tell when your dog has an illness as he may be hiding it, but keep an eye on his regular daily behaviors and monitor if anything has changed.

To read the full article, click the link above. To stock up on bone broth to keep your senior dog healthy, browse through our website.