Rain Rain Rain

As winter approaches and we get more rain, the kind of things you can do for your dog is buy a water proof coat.  Some breeds you do not need to walk in the rain, and you can wait for it to pass, but the Vizsla is a dog which may well want to go out regardless.
Remember that paws can get soft, bacteria can grow, yeast growth appears on the skin if constantly wet paws.  Sometimes its a good idea to put a boot on the dog that has problems.  Paws may become soft, and then split.  Use paw wax on the dogs paw before going for a walk.  Also always wash the paws when you come back inside.  Washing off muck, mud which can aggravate the skin.  Remember in ice you get salted pathways which is very much a poison to dogs if they lick the skin.  So buy a paw wash.  I brought one off amazon the other year and I put a drop of hibiscrub in it with water, and as the dogs come back from the mud I dip the paws in before sending them in the house. It not only cleans the paws but also knocks bacteria on the head.  Then dry the paws.

If you own a dog that loves to roll on walks, you can have fitted and outside dog wash.  Their is a tap which converts cold water to warm in a hose and you can keep the dog clean on the outside of your home.  Their is also the mud daddy which you see advertised for horses. They also do dog ones.

I have a ring attached to the fence outside so if anyone has rolled I can pop the lead in the ring, get warm water and wash the worst off, before I go to the grooming parlour. 

In October time their is more cases of alabama rot, and no-one knows why this happens.  Places such as the New Forest, Sandringham woods are two key areas.  Some think its a mite which does it, others think its a strange bacteria growing in the mud.   So washing paws is again a very good idea.  The dog will develop lesions on the legs, and the kidneys are destroyed by the bacteria.   Many dogs die every year now from this horrible illness, which we still do not know enough about. 

This time of year dogs noses may become crusty, with the winds, and them sniffing in soil it dries out the skin.  Use a good nose balm.  I use one from Pets at homes superstore, and it sorts out dry noses in just a few applications. 

Check coats you are using on your dogs are not rubbing the skin making them sore.  Some coats are very ill-fitting as one coat fits all.  

We do not advise harness are used on a pulling Vizsla, as they can damage their own muscle and tendons.  But the Pug and French bulldog soft harness are ideal as they are not pullers.  

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