Talking Tails - 8/6/19

Did you know that we can get sunburned and can even develop skin cancer? To our furry friends who are short-coated, hairless, or freshly shaven, lather on the sunscreen. For the rest of us, sunscreen should be applied to our ear tips, noses, and paws. A chemical-free sunscreen with a least an SPF of 30 is recommended. Do not use any that contain zinc, as it can be toxic if ingested. Those of you with sensitive-skin should avoid any sunscreen with a fragrance. For our hairless friends, in addition to sunscreen, we recommend a t-shirt…many are fashionable!

Hot sand can be very painful…enough to actually burn paws. If your human cannot stand on the sand, then neither should you. Walk on the wet sand, let your human carry you, or sport some cool booties.

A harness and a long leash allow you to run on the beach and play in the water, while keeping you safe. Your human can pull you back if you wade out too far or wander down the beach. A life vest is a must if you swim or engage in water sports. Even if you are a strong swimmer, you may tire or be swept up by waves. We basically just sit on the beach!

Although sand is so much fun to play in, it is also a skin irritant, which may lead to rashes and hot spots. When you head back home or to the hotel, shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

Speaking to the humans for a minute here…we get hot and we get thirsty at the beach. Having a towel for us to rest on will keep us off the hot sand, but better yet is a cooling pad. It can slip very nicely into the cooler! Speaking of the cooler, be sure to pack us some water to help in the cooling down process. It would also be great if you would keep our water bowl in the shade. Please, stop us from drinking salt water, as we may develop diarrhea. Not fun for you or us!

Oh, and be sure your human checks that your destination is a dog-friendly beach!

Talk to you soon!
Buster and Joey