When the COVID-19 quarantine began early this year, we pet parents were certainly thankful for the company of our furry friends. Many people brought home a new dog or cat for their companionship, giving animal shelters across the country record adoption numbers. Our pets have helped reduce our feelings of loneliness when we’ve been self-isolating, reminded us to stay active, and given us an outlet to snuggle and pet and laugh the stress away. 

Still, it can be monotonous for both you and your dog to see the same scenery day after day. Now that some health and safety restrictions have been lightened, we have the opportunity to take part in a few different public activities. Your health and safety is of the utmost importance, so if you do choose to participate in any activities, be sure to follow all of their stated safety rules, maintain a 6’ distance from other people at all times, and keep hand sanitizer and masks handy. With that in mind, here are some of our favorite dog-friendly social distancing activities in Orlando. 

Parks

Many dog parks around Orlando have reopened. Lake Baldwin Park is one of our favorites; it’s big enough to give everyone plenty of room to stay distant and offers lots of different activities in one place. Lake Baldwin Park is famous for its dog beach, but it also has a wooded trail area and lots of open grassy areas for dogs who love to fetch. 

Other parks that aren’t specifically dog parks offer a breath of fresh air for you and your dogs. Take a stroll around Lake Eola with your dog now that the temperature is finally starting to cool off. Or you can head to one of our frequent stops at Cranes’ Roost park near Altamonte Springs. Both offer opportunities for walking, playing, and relaxing safely.

Shopping

Nothing beats a morning of open-air shopping with your dog! Head over to Park Avenue in Winter Park to take in a little window shopping; many of the restaurants and stores in that area are dog-friendly. Farmers’ markets are another great option, and a handful of markets have resumed their normal operation with extra safety precautions in place. Pawsitively Pure has a booth at the Lake Mary Farmers’ Market every Saturday Morning at 9 AM. Friendly leashed dogs are always welcome. To keep everyone safe, booths have been spread out and all vendors wear masks.

Restaurants

If your dog loves coming with you to grab lunch, Orlando has plenty of options available with social distancing rules in place. Areas like Thornton Park, Mills50, and the Milk District have wonderful restaurants that serve everything from sandwiches to tacos. Best of all, many of these restaurants offer outdoor seating or takeout options so you and your dog can enjoy your favorites in a safe space. 

Rule number one for when you and your dog venture outside of the house: be smart! Following posted instructions and all possible safety precautions not only keeps you safe, it also helps keep those around you safe. In any new situation, it’s a great idea to keep some tasty treats handy for training and reward purposes. If you want to bring some extra special treats along with you, head over to our store and pick out your dog’s favorite flavors.

As we hope you’ve heard by now, we released our brand new Chicken Crisps over the summer! They’re the latest addition to our line of wholesome, human-grade treats for dogs. How do we make them? We dehydrate chicken--and that’s it. Nothing more than wholesome protein and a craveable crunch for your four-legged friends.

If you’re just entering the world of human-grade dog food and wholesome diets, knowing which proteins to choose for your dog might be difficult. After all, we know that some human foods--even healthy fruits and vegetables, like grapes and avocados--are dangerous to dogs. Luckily, most dogs can ingest a wide variety of proteins, from chicken to lamb, without too much difficulty beyond the normal food transition period.

A Lean, Healthy Protein

You’ve probably had a chicken-based or chicken-flavored food for your dog at some point. Most dogs find chicken pretty tasty, giving it instant appeal as a treat. Chicken is among the lean proteins, so it’s a great way to provide your dog with the energy he needs for a full day of fun without extra calories.

Vitamins and Minerals

Chicken is full of healthy vitamins and minerals that help your dog live her best life! First of all, it’s a great source of Omega-6 Fatty Acids, which are beneficial fats that give your dog a beautiful coat and healthy skin. It’s also packed with glucosamine, a natural substance that helps maintain healthy joints and reduce pain and stiffness from arthritis. The great thing about dehydrating the chicken, like we do for our Chicken Crisps, is that they keep all the added nutrients of chicken since they’re not heated or cooked.

A Word of Caution

Most people think that grain allergies are the most common food allergies in dogs, when in reality, dogs are more likely to have sensitivities to proteins they’re not used to. Before you feed your dog chicken and chicken-based products, give them a small amount and monitor them for any stomach upset or loose stools. 

Dogs go Crazy for Chicken Crisps!

So far, all the dogs we’ve seen that have gotten to try our Chicken Crisps gobble them up like there’s no tomorrow! They’re crunchy without being too hard on the teeth and just plain delicious. Purchase a bag for your dog here, or call Pawsitively Pure at 407-450-6151 for more information.

If you’ve ever trained a dog (and we hope you’ve spent some time training your own fur babies!) you’ve definitely encountered the term “positive reinforcement.” In simple terms, positive reinforcement is the act of rewarding good behavior with positive feedback, i.e. giving your dog a treat after he performs a trick. But why is it that this technique is so important and so highly praised by pet psychologists and trainers?

Of course, there’s the obvious answer: you love your dog, and your dog loves you too! It’s a much happier situation for everyone when you reward good behavior versus punishing bad behavior. But the importance of positive reinforcement in training goes deeper than that. Here are just a few reasons why this technique is the way to go for your training needs:

Positive Reinforcement Fosters Confidence

It may seem like just a human trait, but confidence is so important for dogs! Self-confidence affects every aspect of your dog’s life, from interacting with other dogs and humans to performing tasks correctly when under pressure. Dogs who are frequently punished rather than praised are often unsure of how to behave in specific situations and may display fear in their everyday interactions, which can lead to even more problems down the line.

Positivity Makes Training a Treat in Itself

If your dog knows that he’s going to get a lot of tasty treats during training time, he’s going to look forward to his training sessions! Giving your dog appropriate rewards can encourage them to view these sessions as times they enjoy rather than dread. Again, this goes back to building confidence. Just like a child who’s encouraged in school looks forward to their studies, your dog will be a willing participant when you set aside time to learn a new trick.

Positive Reinforcement is Fun for the Whole Family

Positive reinforcement can be administered by anyone in your house! This is great if you have young children in the house, as it gives them the opportunity to give your dog a treat or a belly rub when they see him performing good behaviors. When your dog notices praise coming from several different sources, they can take on whatever challenges face them with calmness and--you guessed it--confidence.

Positive reinforcement can come in many forms, like head pets, belly rubs, or tasty treats. If you rely mostly on treats for rewards, make sure you’re giving your dog something healthy, wholesome, and free from fillers. We humbly recommend Pawsitively Pure gourmet gluten-free treats or our new Chicken Crisps! Browse through our website to learn more, or give us a call at 407-450-6151 today.

To say that lots of aspects of our lives have changed during quarantine would be the biggest understatement of 2020. For months, school students learned at home instead of going to their campuses, and many workers transitioned to working from home, as well. Of course, our dogs appreciate all of the extra time and attention we can spend on them while we’re cooped up at home, but you may have noticed that this extra attention has developed into a problem: separation anxiety.

What is separation anxiety? It’s your pet’s feelings of distress when his or her owner isn’t home, according to the New York Times. If you’ve ever returned home to a torn-up couch cushion or noticed that your dog excessively “marks his territory” when you’re not around, you’re probably seeing the signs of separation anxiety firsthand. But one of the reasons why it’s so hard to correct is because these behaviors occur when you’re not around. 

Here are a few things to try to help your dog regain confidence when you head back to work or school:

Give your dog puzzle toys and “active” toys

Toys that give your dog a challenge, like Kong toys, help keep your dog occupied in a positive pursuit while you’re away. As you may have heard in your last training session, dogs are at their best behavior when they have a “job” to carry out. So if your dog’s job is to free the tasty treats from their Kong toy, they’ll be less likely to chew on other things in the house. 

Take brief breaks outside by yourself

Your dog is probably excited about all the extra walks you’ve been taking together, but now they expect to go on a walk every time you leave. Allow them to get used to being by themselves in small increments by taking 15-minute breaks outside while they stay in the house. This helps your dogs understand that you’re not leaving forever when you walk away. Gradually increase the length of time you spend outside the house until you know they’ll be comfortable with a full work day alone.

Fill your dog’s space with soothing items, and try calming aids

Changes in routine can be stressful for everyone--animals and humans alike! Calming aids like pheromone sprays and chewables can help your dog relax instead of giving into their anxieties. Additionally, leave a few well-worn articles of your clothing in their sleeping and napping spaces so they’ll be soothed by your scent all day.

Quarantine has been hard on everyone, including our dogs! They deserve a treat. Browse our shop to order delicious, wholesome, gluten-free treats in a handful of craveable flavors. Give us a call to learn more!

We love having a multi-generational dog family! Our oldest boy, Jackson, is 12; our weimeraner, Finley, is in his adolescent phase, and our youngest Miles, is still just a puppy. As you probably know by now, we adjust each of our dogs’ meals with supplements that address their unique needs. For each of our boys, we use a blend of our favorite Mercola supplements to keep them active and healthy. One supplement we use for all of our boys is fish oil.

You may even take fish oil for yourself! Commonly found in both liquid and capsule form, fish oil is a supplement that provides a whole host of health benefits for those who consume it. For dogs, fish oil provides support for the heart, skin and coat, joints, and immune systems. 

Why is Fish Oil So Great?

Fish oil is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are “good” polyunsaturated fats that support both the body and the brain. Dogs and humans alike can’t produce omega-3 fatty acids on their own, which is why taking a supplement is critical for their overall health and wellness. Fish oil can be used as a temporary booster or as part of a comprehensive health and wellness plan for your dog. As with any new supplements or diets, be sure to consult with your veterinarian before you start giving your dog fish oil.

How Does Fish Oil Benefit My Dog?

As we mentioned above, fish oil offers a plethora of nutritional benefits to dogs and humans alike. Often, if a supplement promises to help too many different systems at once, the professionals dismiss it as snake oil, but the benefits of fish oil are easy to see once they’ve been added to your dog’s diet. 

Fish oil is one supplement that can benefit a dog from puppyhood all the way through its senior years. For puppies, this supplement helps direct proper development of the brain and eyes. It helps your dog maintain cognitive function throughout adulthood. For seniors, it has been shown to help combat canine arthritis and chronic kidney disease. At every age, it also helps improve the appearance and quality of their skin and coat and wards away flakes and itchiness.

What Should I Look For in Fish Oil for My Dog?

According to the AKC, fish oil is commonly available in 3 varieties: natural triglyceride oil, ethyl ester oil, and synthetic triglyceride oil. Each variety comes with its own benefits and setbacks that affect ease of absorption and bioavailability of nutrients. Your veterinarian should be able to recommend the right type of supplement for your dog based on their lifestyle, size, age, and breed. 

For dogs who refuse to take supplements, our bone broth is a miracle worker. Simply mix in the proper supplements with your dog’s food and pour a little bone broth over the top. Our dogs love it and eat all their supplements without batting an eyelash! If you give fish oil to your dog, leave us a message on our Facebook page!