Teaching your dog tricks is not only fun but a great way to strengthen your bond.

Below I’ve put together 2 easy tricks that you can teach your dog.

Here’s what to do:

To teach your dog tricks, even easy ones, you need to have some small reward treats, be in a quiet suitable place and keep the training sessions to 10 – 15 minutes or your dog will start to get board.

Remember when they get something right give them lots of praise and a treat, just be careful not to get them over excited or they will lose concentration! 

Getting your dog to give you their paw

First get your dog to sit, then as you say the word ‘paw’ take your dogs paw in your hand and give them a treat and then repeat.

 After a few times do not take their paw so quickly, say the word, count to one then take it and give them a treat. You’ll notice they soon start to bring their paw up as you say the word (if they don’t go back to saying ‘paw’ and taking their paw at the same time).

Do this for a few more times then gradually increase the time you take their paw after you say the word ‘paw’.

After 2 or 3 sessions most dogs pick this one up quite happily.

The high five

The high five is a progression of the paw trick.

Hold a treat in your fingers and raise your hand slightly higher than you would for the paw trick.

Your dog will think you want to do the paw trick and will reach for the treat with their paw, as they reach up you say “high five” and give them the treat.

Once your dog has mastered the paw trick this one should be very easy for them to learn and with just a few sessions they will be doing it on a hand signal as well as a command.

Have fun and let me know in the comments below how you get on 🙂

If you have ever listened to me on the radio you will have heard me mention acidophilus. The name is not easy to remember so I very often spell it for the listeners! Acidophilus is the number one supplement that I recommend, it helps, and often cures, almost all conditions and can really be a magical supplement for so many people and dogs.

If you think I’m exaggerating just look at some of the many benefits and symptoms it works with:

• Creates a healthy digestive system.
• Stops and prevents diarrhoea.
• Yeast infections and urinary tract infections can be cured by using acidophilus supplements.
• Stops unpleasant wind and smelly stools.
• Rectifies bad breath caused by the digestive system not working effectively.
• Relieves muscular and arthritic pain.
• Prevents shedding and scratching caused by stress related to the improper functioning of the digestive system.
• Antibiotics, anti-fungals and wormers can destroy the natural bacteria required for a healthy digestive system. Acidophilus replenishes the good bacteria and any side effects caused by taking the medication disappears.
• Improves your dog’s immune system.

What is Acidophilus?

Acidophilus is known as a probiotic and is part of a group of beneficial intestinal bacteria called lactobacilli. L. acidophilus is present in the intestines at birth and is eventually joined by another well known bacterium called L. bifidus. Both are highly beneficial to the proper function of the intestine and to overall health and may be the most important bacteria of over 400 species in the digestive tract. It helps maintain a normal balance of health flora (bacteria). This ‘good’ bacteria is beneficial to both human and dog’s digestive tracts and assists in the optimal functioning of the body. It is thought to also play an important role in supporting a healthy immune system.

Is Acidophilus Safe for Dogs?

Yes, You can get acidophilus specifically for dogs. It is free of side effects as it contains all natural ingredients. You can also use live natural yoghurt instead as this contains live cultures which are beneficial for a healthy digestive tract. However, acidophilus is a great solution for dogs that are lactose intolerant and cannot be fed yogurt for correcting their troubled intestines.

It comes either in powder or in a capsule so it is easy to put straight onto your dogs dinner. It has no flavour so dogs are happy to eat it and rarely know that it is there.

Where can you buy Acidophilus?

Vets often sell acidophilus which will be specifically for dogs. You can also type into google ‘acidophilus supplements for dogs’ to see a range of on-line companies that sell this product. Please do shop around as the price can differ quite considerably.

Please check with your vet if you have any concerns.

Please note – If you also suffer from any digestive disturbances taking acidophilus for humans could seriously improve your health too. Give it a go!

Training your dog is not as difficult as you may think.

Now there’s a bold statement for you!

In fact it is certainly possible for ANY dog owner to train their dogs themselves provided they put in the time and effort to do so.

Below I’ve listed some principles to follow that will help you. 

Consistency

Consistency is very important during training, always use the same command for a specific behaviour that you would like to teach your dog. Using different commands will confuse them and are unlikely to give you the results you are looking for.

Please remember that their name is NOT the “come” or any other command. Using their name will get them (in most cases!) to look at you so you can then tell them what you want them to do next.

Once you’ve establish some house rules such as – keeping the cooking area out of bound to your dog, implement them constantly. If your dog learns that they can get away with it now and then, your previous efforts will go down the drain.

Lastly, make sure everyone in the family understand and follow these boundaries consistently too in order for this to be effective. 

Timing

Timing is critical to successful training. Praise your dog whenever they are doing something right and correct them straight away when they misbehave or don’t respond to your command. Praise and correction that happen later will have no effect on your dog as they live in the present moment and associate with what’s going on NOW.

Correcting a dog does NOT mean hitting, shouting or forcing them, instead use a deep and confident tone of voice.

There are 2 main schools of thought on how to correct a dog when they misbehave.

The first approach simply requires that you tell your dog off instantly when they are doing something unwanted. This is often the method that most dog owners use.

The second approach requires that you take no notice of your dog and withdraw your attention when they misbehave and encourages you to pay attention to your dog only when they are good. 

Almost all dogs love attention and are hugely motivated by it, whether it’s good or bad attention it’s still attention! They see things in a simple way. If a certain action gets a reaction and attention, they’re very likely to repeat it over and over again.

More often than not we give our dogs negative attention. For example, “Do you consistently tell them to get down when they jump up?” or “Do you run after them when they run off with your socks?” They are getting attention, albeit negative, and are being rewarded for their unwanted behaviour, which will encourage them to do it more!

When your dog understands that they only get attention when they’re being good, they’ll learn that only good behaviour attracts attention and will repeat this good behaviour.

The rule of thumb with this method is to focus your attention on your dog only when they are behaving. Give them plenty of praise or a treat so they associate that this behaviour is good to do so that they regularly repeat it. 

Training Time

You need to be in the correct frame of mind when you train your dog. If you’re feeling frustrated, tired or short tempered then this is not a good time to do it!

Training a dog does require patience, a calm and gentle tone and consistency.

If possible, it’s a good idea to allocate regular time in your diary to train your dog, it’s important to make it fun and see it as your special time together. I’m sure you’ll agree there’s nothing better than having a happy, well balanced and well behaved dog.

The rewards of putting this in place are endless.

10 Things Every Dog Owner Should Do Around Firework Season

Remember, remember the 5^th of November – it’s a time that dog owners dread and never forget. Of course, the main problem is that the 5th of November is just the start of the firework season with a lot of displays starting before the 5th and continuing long into the New Year.

It’s heart wrenching watching our dogs shiver, pant and pace when fireworks are being let off, so many people tell me they feel helpless in knowing what to do to help their dog and that what they are doing seems to make them worse.

So what should dog owners do in order to best support their 4 legged friends and turn a stressed dog into a calm and happy dog? Here’s what I suggest:

1. Plan ahead. Contact your local council and ask for details of local firework displays so that you can be fully prepared. It would also be good to know if your neighbours are planning any firework displays in their garden, so you can be ready for the celebrations that are happening closer to home.

2. Start a desensitizing programme in advance. You can buy CD’s that play firework noises to help desensitise your dog to loud bangs or download these noises from the internet.

Sounds scary! Has a range of different CD’s that can be helpful when de-sensitising your dog to fireworks, thunder, gunshot noises, traffic and even baby noises in preparation for bringing a new baby home.

The Dogs Trust have partnered with vets Sarah Heath and Jon Bowen from Sounds scary! to offer their range of sound based treatment programmes for free. www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/dog-behaviour-health/sound-therapy-for-pets

You start by playing the noise at a low volume while doing something that your dog likes, such as playing with his ball or giving him treats – this will create a positive association. You gradually increase the volume until your dog adjusts to the noise without showing fear or anxiety.

This isn’t usually a quick fix but it gives you control of how loud the firework noises are. The other benefit is that the desensitization training can also be done during the day when it is not dark, which can be helpful to many dogs.

3. Put your dog’s collar and ID tag on. Ensure that your dog wears a collar and ID tag and that his microchip details are up to date just in case he panics and somehow manages to escape.

4. Think about using a dog appeasing pheromone (D.A.P). The appeasing pheromone mimics the pheromone produced by lactating mothers which gives comfort to her puppies and helps reassure and calm anxious dogs in stressful situations. This can also be affective for dogs who suffer from nervousness and separation anxiety. D.A.P can be purchased from a vet (or internet) either as a plug in, collar or spray. 

5. Consider investing in a Thundershirt. This is a coat or vest that is put on a dog to help calm and comfort them. It is thought that the gentle pressure applied by the Thundershirt has a calming effect on the dog’s nervous system and reduces symptoms of stress and anxiety. The shirt can be used before, during or after fireworks in order to help calm and reassure a dog. Thundershirts can be purchased at places such as Pets At Home, Amazon and ebay. 

6. Natural remedies can be effective. Bach Rescue Remedy for pets (can be purchased online and at some pet shops) is an emergency remedy which consists of 5 different natural solutions that help calm and reassure pets. Skullcap and Valerian can also be helpful – These are licensed herbal medicines which are used to relieve stress, nervousness, over excitability and travel sickness in dogs (and cats). Dorwest herbs offers this combination in tablet form and it can also be purchased from other animal herbal stockists. Some homeopathic remedies can also be helpful such as: Aconite – this works with dogs that have been frightened badly, particularly by thunder. Borax – this works for dogs that are frightened by sudden noises. Gelesium – this is for fear and anxiety from loud sounds and for trembling and shaking. These remedies can be prescribed by a homeopathic vet.

7. Exercise your dog. Ensure that your dog is well exercised both physically and mentally so that he is tired. Feed him a few hours before the event and ensure he has access to plenty of fresh water. Plan the last walk or toilet break just before it gets dark, this is likely to be the last toilet outing of the day.

8. Create a familiar safe place or den. Some dogs like to go to a den when fireworks are being let off. This could be a crate, a wardrobe or even under a bed. If using a crate you could cover the top and sides with a blanket in order to buffer the loud bangs. Some dogs like to elevate themselves when frightened, if they are not normally allowed on the furniture and jump up they are not being naughty they are simply finding the best way to cope with what’s going on outside.

9. Close all windows and curtains. This will help defuse the firework noise and block out the firework lights. Turn on the TV or put the radio on – choose a radio station that plays classical or soothing music to help drown out firework noise.

10. Give the right signals to your dog at the right time. The best thing you can do for your dog when fireworks are going off is to act as if nothing is happening, demonstrate that you are not upset about the fireworks and take no notice of any stressed behaviour your dog demonstrates. I know this sounds crazy but it’s good to remember that your dog is an animal who speaks a different language to you and that it’s your calming presence that will non-verbally soothe him.

For dogs that pant, pace and run towards windows and doors, place them on a lead and keep them gently by your side. By keeping them still will cause them to calm down quicker as the pacing creates more stressed behaviour.

It’s essential that you stay calm. Try not to feel sorry for your dog, or try to get him to understand fireworks or even become frustrated as this will communicate to him that he has something to worry about. It may take a little while, but you will notice that your dog will gradually relax and that your calming presence is the reassurance that he needs. When you remain calm and pay no attention to his shaking and upset you will allow him to move on much quicker and come back to balance. Once your dog has calmed this is a good time to offer gentle praise and comforting strokes.

Getting your dog’s attention is one of the most important things you can do in order to get the type of dog behaviour that you would like. And if, once you’ve got it, you can keep that attention, then you’re really going to make some fast progress.

Keeping your dog’s attention is not only essential in competition work but also invaluable in everyday life too.

Okay, so we’ve established the advantages, now we need to look at how to achieve this goal. It isn’t necessarily going to be easy to keep your dog’s attention at first, and some personality types are more difficult than others but here are some tips on how to accomplish this with most dogs.

Introduce a new command such as ‘watch’ or ‘look at me’ or whatever word you’d like to use to get them to focus on you (do not use their name as the command, it needs to be a separate word).

Use their favourite tasty treat to get their attention and to encourage them to look upwards at your face. Praise them when they focus their attention on you, give them the treat and say the ‘watch’ (or whatever word you have chosen) command.

Release them from the watch command.

Do this again and again, each time increasing the time where they are looking and concentrating on your face. You want to have their attention, so they are responsive to your next command.

Soon, your dog will automatically look at you when you say the ‘watch’ command, because they become accustomed to being praised and given a treat. As with all training, you can gradually replace the treat with praise, just giving them an occasional treat to maintain their interest.

Once you and your dog are working well with this in a quiet location, you can gradually add other distractions, increasing these in small increments to allow your dog to adjust. Praise them when they get it right, give the release command and play with your dog – they must know when they have done well, and training should be a happy, pleasurable experience for both of you.

This method will  gradually teach your dog that it is to their advantage to watch you, to be looking at you for your next command, during all obedience training. The key to this is to build their attention span by tiny increments and praise them when they have done well.

Never get frustrated or angry with your dog if they lose attention, this will be detrimental to their training – simply praise them when they get it right and make sure, at the beginning, that the treat you choose is their absolute favourite.

Praise, fun and patience are the three things that will gradually build trust and good behaviour in any dog.

I think I’m safe in saying that summer is here in the UK 🙂

With it comes a big increase in the number of dog deaths and heat related problems.

Which is why I thought it would be good to post information about dogs that is crucial to know this summer, including heat stroke in dogs, explaining what symptoms to look for and what to do.

Here it is…

Heatstroke in Dogs

Symptoms of a dog suffering from heatstroke include:

A raised body temperature, heavy and rapid panting, laboured breathing, weakness, wide eyes, red tongue, rapid pulse, disorientation, exhaustion, diarrhoea, vomiting and distress. If left untreated a dog can also collapse and go into a coma.

What you can do to help cool down a dog with heatstroke:

• Ensure the dog is in a cool or shaded area.

• Offer water but do not force the dog to drink.

• Dogs cool themselves from their paws upwards. Using a wet towel soak them in cool water (not freezing) or ideally stand them in a paddling pool or a shallow bath of cool water.

• Stay calm and be a reassuring presence to the dog – anxiety in you will create anxiety in them.

• If you have access to a phone, call a vet immediately for advice on what to do next.

How dogs cool themselves down

Dogs breathe in air through their nose which is then cooled in the nasal passage before it reaches the lungs. Short nosed/flat faced dogs (technically known as ‘Brachycephalic’ dogs), such as British Bulldogs, Boxers and Pugs are at more risk of overheating during the hot weather due to the length of their nasal passage and muzzle.

When a dog’s body temperature rises they do not perspire through the skin like humans but pant in order to cool themselves down. Dogs do sweat through their paws but do not release enough perspiration there in order to be effective and panting is the main way they regulate their body temperature.

Dogs left in cars

Cars heat up like an oven, even on a cloudy day and many dogs suffer heatstroke or die in cars every year. Leaving water down in a vehicle or the window open is not going to stop your dog from overheating, please do not leave dogs in cars this summer.

Exercise – Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun – Noel Coward was right!

Avoid the hot times of the day to exercise your dog (usually between 10am – 4pm). Choose places that are naturally shaded (such as an old railway track with overgrown trees) and avoid pavements and open spaces if you do not have a garden and need to take your dog out to toilet during the day. When you go out always remember to take water for both your dog and you!

Dogs get sunburn too!

Just like humans, dogs can suffer from sunburn too, particularly in areas that have little hair such as the tips of the ears, bridge of the nose and around the tummy area. In the same way pale skinned people burn more easily the same is true for white dogs (such as white American Bulldogs and Bull Terriers) due to a lack of skin pigmentation.

There are a number of products on the market that protect your dog from harmful sun rays. This includes sunscreen sprays, wipes and sticks as well as nose balm and sun-proof dresses and clothing for dogs. 

When selecting a dog sunscreen ensure that it has both UVA and UVB protection, in order to protect them from the two types of harmful sun rays.

The sunscreen is applied to the dog’s skin so make sure it is hypoallergenic and fragrance free and as natural as possible so it doesn’t upset their skin or is harmful to them should they lick that area.

I wish you a fun, happy and healthy summer with your dog.

I’d love to hear what you think – do you have any suggestions that will help other dog owners? Please share in the comment box 🙂  

Click here to get your FREE E-Book that reveals… How To Easily STOP Your Dog From Pulling On The Lead AND How To PREVENT A Dog Attack.

Did you know that in the UK a new dog law came into force on Monday 20th October 2014?

This new law empowers the police and local authorities to stop dog attacks from happening by demanding that irresponsible dog owners take appropriate preventative steps.

It will also enable them to issue community protection notices, or ‘dogbos’ which will demand that the owner takes the necessary measures to control their dog’s behaviour.

Dog owners seen as irresponsible can be issued with on the spot fines, have their dog/s taken away and even face prosecution.

This includes owners whose dog’s growl at strangers, intimidate postal workers or forcefully chase cats.

For all the details click on the link below:

https://good-dogs.co.uknewdoglaw

Now here’s something FREE to help you 🙂

I’ve written a free e-book which explains:

How to Stop Pulling on the Lead and Dog Aggression FAST!

Click on the link below to get your copy:

https://good-dogs.co.ukwalk

In the book you’ll learn:

* How to stop your dog from pulling on the lead using kind, easy and extremely effective methods.

* What to do BEFORE you go out which will make a HUGE difference to your walk.

* How to read what dogs are saying and how to prevent dog attacks.

* And much more…

Click on the link below to get your free e-book:

https://good-dogs.co.ukwalk

Let me know in the comments below what you think about the new law.

With kind regards,

Sharon

A lot of puppies and dogs love to dig, it’s in their blood and is quite often their favourite pastime! This is especially true for the sporting, terrier and Nordic breeds. 

I know this only too well having 2 terriers myself!

In the early days there were lots of holes in our garden and although I didn’t want to stop them from doing what was natural for them to do, I didn’t want a garden that looked like an assault course! 

I realized that the answer was to teach them to dig in an area that was safe for them to do so and a place that we were happy with too. 

I’m delighted to say that I found a win-win solution where everyone was happy, so if you have a problem with your puppy or dog digging up your garden this is what I suggest you do… 

1. The first thing you need to do is to find an area that your dog can dig in to their hearts content without causing any damage either to themselves or your garden. 

I looked to see if there was part of our garden that ticked both those boxes but couldn’t find the right place. 

So I bought a shell shaped paddling pool (usually used for young children) and half filled one side of it with sand…perfect! 

2. Next make it fun for your puppy or dog to dig by burying some of their favourite toys underneath the dirt or sand. 

Now play with your dog and start digging with them so you can both play the game of looking for their toys while digging. It’s a lot of fun to watch your dog dig along with you in search of their hidden treasure. 

Whilst doing this introduce a ‘digging command’ such as ‘go dig!’ so your dog associates that this is a good place to dig. 

3. Every day, go back to your dog’s digging area and repeat your digging command and encourage them to start digging. It won’t be long before they immediately begin clawing at the dirt in wild anticipation for the fun that lay ahead. 

4. If you see your dog or puppy digging in any area other than their digging spot, correct them with a confident “NO!” and guide them to their special digging place saying your digging command. Eventually, your dog will look for his digging area when he feels the urge to dig away. 

I remember seeing my terriers initially still digging in other areas of the garden, I’d go outside, say their name followed by ‘go dig’ and they would run with delight and excitement to their sand pit and happily start digging there instead.

Nowadays they never even consider digging anywhere other than their sandpit and in the summer I fill the sandpit cover with water which they love to splash around in and cool themselves down. 

They also use the sandpit as a good place to sun bathe in as you can see below!

It really is a dog’s life! 

Let me know in the comments below how you get on or if you’ve got any other methods that have worked for you 🙂

Did you know that ear infections in dogs are said to be the main reason that people take their dog or cat to a vet, other than with life threatening illnesses?

And did you also know that on many occasions these infections could be treated naturally without reoccurring incidences?

Now I know that giving you tips and advice on how to do this naturally is not going to make me very popular with some vets, but I realized a long time ago that not everyone always likes what I say (it certainly would be a boring world if we were all the same) and it’s impossible to please everyone.

To be honest I no longer try!

So fasten your seat belts, because here we go…

The number one root cause of many illnesses in our pets is due to insufficient nutrients and inadequate ingredients in their food and diet as a whole. This can be further aggravated by exposure to environmental toxins.

The number one solution to avoiding illness is to have a good diet (this is also true for us too!).

So let’s look at what causes ear infections.

1. Bacteria – they love a warm living area and a scratch or a cut close to or inside the ear canal can provide a very good breeding ground.

2. Allergies – both food and environmental. Food allergies can result in Candida, which is a yeast infection, that causes pain and inflammation.

3. A suppressed immune system – this could be due to reoccurring infections, overuse of antibiotics, allergies, hormonal imbalance and medication.

4. Ear mites – these are very small spider-like insects that like to live in the ears of dogs, cats and other small animals. They like nothing better than a moist, warm environment to set up home in, such as an ear canal, and cause irritation and inflammation in the process.

5. A foreign object – this could be something organic or non-organic that has lodged into the ear canal. Fox tail grasses found in fields can often be a culprit.

Symptoms that your dog may have an ear infection are:

· A regular build-up of ear wax which returns within a day or two after being cleaned.

· Pain and sensitivity – your dog may turn their head or cry out when you touch their ears.

· Giddiness and/or being sick.

· Holding their head on one side.

· The ear flap and ear canal are red and inflamed.

· Persistent and repeated scratching of their ear.

· Excessive shaking of their head.

· A nasty smell.

4 natural remedies for treating ear infections.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar – this has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and is great for any infection as long as there’s no open wound (it will sting). It must be raw or unfiltered in order to be the most effective. Braggs organic apple cider vinegar or Raw Health organic raw cider vinegar with mother are good choices.

2. Colloidal Silver Water or Gel Ear drops – Silver has powerful natural broad spectrum antibiotic properties and quickens the healing process. It is also a brilliant antiseptic, anti-fungal and disinfectant agent. (This can be purchased online.)

3. Garlic and Mullein oil ear drops – Mullein contains anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. Garlic is a natural broad spectrum antibiotic. This can be purchased online or you can make your own (google garlic and mullein oil for dogs).

4. Garlic oil ear drops – Garlic is often used as a natural antibiotic. It also has many other healing properties such as being an antioxidant, anti-allergen, anti-fungal and anti-carcinogenic. This can be purchased online or you can make it yourself (google garlic oil for dogs).

You may have heard that garlic is bad for dogs. The confusion about whether garlic is good or bad seems to have arisen because of its close cousin, the onion.

Both garlic and onion contain thiosulphate, the substance responsible for causing ‘Heinx Factor’ which is anaemia in dogs. However the amount of thiosulphate found in garlic is much lower than in onions, in fact the amount in garlic is barely traceable!

When I worked in my complementary therapy practice my motto was:

‘Treat the cause and the symptoms magically disappear’.

It is a motto that remains with me today and forever more 🙂

By using the natural remedies above you will treat the ’cause’ which means no reoccurring infections and no side effects.

Vet’s do an amazing job and at times their services are invaluable. Give the remedies above a try but naturally if you are in any doubt about your pet’s health you should seek professional help from a qualified vet.

Today I’d like to tell you about a natural remedy that I’ve been giving to ‘the boys’ (my 2 Parson Terriers) for years that has helped keep them in tip top condition.

I also recommended this natural remedy to my human clients when I had a complementary therapy practice and they had amazing results too.

This is something that has powerful healing properties, is cheap to buy and something you may already have in your home…

So what it is, you may ask!

Apple Cider Vinegar.

Yes, good ole apple cider vinegar, not any other type of vinegar it must be apple cider vinegar.

So what’s so good about apple cider vinegar?

I’ll tell you…

Apple cider vinegar contains minerals and essential vitamins, including magnesium, potassium and iron and is great for healing so many ailments.

Adding apple cider vinegar to your dog’s food is a very good way to keep their body in good acid/alkaline balance. Since apple cider vinegar makes the skin more acidic but has an alkalizing effect inside the body, it’s the perfect treatment for pets.
It’s also good for:

• Digestion.
• Allergies – such as watery eyes, a runny nose or a wet cough.
• Repelling parasites – such as fleas, ticks, bacteria, ringworm, fungus and mange.
• Easing muscle fatigue.
• Improving the quality of their coat.
• Cleaning ears – the anti-bacterial properties are great for clearing out unwanted visitors!
• Arthritis.

Treating arthritis in humans and dogs was the number one condition I used to recommend apple cider vinegar for in my complementary therapy practice.

The common cause of pain with arthritis is the build-up of calcium deposits around the joints which causes stiffness and discomfort. Apple cider vinegar helps to wear down these build-ups leaving joints noticeably easier to move and free of pain.

You’re probably wondering how much to give your dog…

Here’s what to do:

Topically

• Make up a 50:50 mix of vinegar and water and gently put on scratches or grazes that are scabbed over with a cotton pad. This solution is also good for cleaning out dog’s ears but do not put this on any open wound as it will sting.

• You can also use this mixture as a final rinse after bathing your dog, make sure to work it through the coat evenly so that you cover all areas. This is particularly good to do if your dog has fleas as the shampoo suffocates them and the apple cider vinegar removes them from the dog’s coat – fleas don’t like the smell or taste of cider vinegar!

• You can also spray your dog with apple cider vinegar before going out for a walk, in order to repel fleas and ticks naturally.

• Additionally you can also apply cider vinegar topically to yeast infected areas.

Internally

• For a 50 lb dog (there’s 2.2 lbs to a kilo) add one-teaspoon to their food twice a day, this can be increased up to 1 tablespoon for the same sized dog if necessary. Adjust the above dosage according to the weight of your dog.

• You can also add the vinegar to their drinking water although it’s harder to tell how much they are taking a day so I’d only use this method if all else fails!

As you can see there are lots of really good reasons to give cider vinegar to your dog. The best apple cider vinegar is that which is fermented and unfiltered because it has “the mother” (a stringy substance) which contains the most enzymes and minerals.

Cider vinegar is also really good for baking and cleaning and is a great natural remedy for humans too.