Lulu and Kelly Go to the Beach!

by Jay Anderson⁽⁴⁰⁾
Puppies For Sale Site

So, Lulu, your Chihuahua, and Kelly, your Maltese are 4 and 2 respectively, but they have never been to the beach. This weekend, you are planning an all out beach extravaganza with the family, and have decided to include the furry members. Naturally, you are feeling a bit wary - how will you keep them from overheating? What, if anything can you do to keep them from getting super sandy? How will they like the water? What if there are other dogs there? Pretty soon, you’re just a complex knot of anxiety.

Relax, and remember, this will be tons of fun. You just need to prepare for the best and worst case scenarios so that anything in between seems manageable. So, you have a black and tan dog, a white dog, 2 kids, and a spouse at a public beach. What is the best and worst that could happen?

Best Case Scenario

So, your best case scenario is that it is partly cloudy with a light breeze so that Kelly does not get a sunburn and Lulu does not overheat. The beach is not crowded, and therefore neither dog gets into a confrontation with a dog they don’t know or runs off to chase all the beachcombers. The dogs love the water on first contact, and dry off long enough not to get sand and wet dog smell all over the car. The kids help out, your spouse helps out, and everyone has a grand old time. The End.

Worst Case Scenario

Now, take a deep breath here, because the likelihood of your worst case scenario actually happening is low. It is super hot and awfully crowded. Kelly gets sunburned; Lulu gets over heated. They both get in fights with strange dogs and wreck a few people’s picnics along the way. They both hate the water, roll in dead fish, and the kids and your spouse are no help at all. When you get them in the car, they get sand everywhere and puke. The day was a disaster. The End.

Preparing for the In Between

Okay, so now you know the best and worst that can happen, so how do you prepare for the inevitable compromise between those two scenarios?

Sun

So, you are understandably concerned about how your pooches will do with a long day in the hot, hot sun. It is important, regardless of their fur color, to keep them hydrated. Bring a large bowl that you can pour ice water into for them to drink.

Set up shade nearby. Whether this means that you bring big beach umbrella, or set up at a picnic table that the dogs can lie underneath, isn’t important. What is important is that they have refuge from the sun and heat when they need it.

Light-colored dogs like Kelly can wear bandannas on more sensitive parts of their bodies like their heads and ears and such, which will help with the sun. Dark colored dogs like Lulu should be allowed, encouraged even, to get wet! Cold water will help bring their temps down. If they don’t like to go in the water, bring enough that you can pour some over them. Remember, dogs don’t sweat the way we do! In the hot sun, it will be next to impossible to regulate their heat easily.

Water

Do not force your dog into the water. There are a couple tricks you can try to get your dog comfortable, but don’t carry them out and drop them in, or anything like that. You can try bringing a ball or toy to toss around in the shallows to see if they follow it in. You can also just stand waist deep in the water give them a call, see if they will come to you. It is likely that either your dog will take to water right away, or that it might be a lifelong trepidation for them to figure out their feelings towards the stuff. Either way, there are other ways for them to have fun at the beach. If they don’t like the water, taking them for a walk up and down the beach or a good game of fetch in the sand will do just fine.

Other Dogs and People And Common Sense

Just like any other public place, your dogs will be over stimulated by the sights, sounds, smells, and of course, the presence of other people and dogs. Bring along their leashes, and keep an eye on them at all times. If it is necessary, put them in a harness or muzzle. Take them on frequent walks to make sure they’re doing their business. Bring baggies for their poop, and try to get them to pee on grounds near or around the beach, rather than on it. If they do pee or poop on the beach, clean it up in a baggie and throw it out. Be sure that the beach you are visiting allows pets. It is your job to ensure that your dog is behaving and not ruining anyone else’s time at the beach.

Going Home

Your dog is going to be wet, warm and stinky at the end of a long day at the beach. Be sure that there are towels for them to sit on, open windows, and water available for drinking for Kelly and Lulu in the car.

Bringing your dogs to the beach is like bringing a few extra kids along. It is a big responsibility, but if it goes well, will be more fun for all parties involved: Kelly, Lulu, you, your kids, and your spouse. Make sure to communicate and work together to make sure a good time was had by all.

Praise

As with everything, praising Lulu and Kelly for acting well is great encouragement. The more you praise them throughout the day, the more likely their experience will be considered a joyful one, which means they’ll look forward to going back to their new favorite place.

If you are looking for Teacup Puppies don't look any further because you are in the right place. We specialize in Teacup Puppies and take pride on how we treat our Yorkies, Maltese, Chihuahuas, Teacup Pomerainian, Teacup Poodles, Pugs, Bostons and other breeds. We also ship our puppieswith Delta or Continental because it's very safe and offer a Nanny Service. Visit us at www.PuppiesForSaleSite.com.

Article submitted Monday, July 04, 2011 & read 30 times.

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