Our two golden retrievers love the pool, well any water at all, but they can be found just about every day in our backyard pool year round. Our golden Rosa is the entire reason we put in a pool originally. It’s fun to watch them jump in, swim around and then get out and shake that big circle of water from head to tail before running full speed from excitement. Full of antics, fun and love I can’t imagine our lives without them.
Summer of course can be hard on some pets with the heat, keeping them hydrated and of course finding some cool water and pleasant shade to hang in. Just like us our pets can overexert, become overheated and overdo it all in the course of having fun and enjoying summer. How then do we support our beloved furry babies while still of course providing the basics of lots of water, high quality food and lots of love?
Doggie Massage
One of our golden retrievers, Rosa, is 9 years old. She still swims and enjoys hanging with us but we notice her slowing down. She’s still very healthy but like all of us age eventually forces us all to slow our pace and enjoy the views.
Since both our dogs are active swimmers their hips and leg muscles get a very good workout regularly. It is gentle on their joints and helps prevent or at least delay hip dysphagia which this breed is susceptibility for in their golden years. This doesn’t mean however swimming is our only support for them though.
With Rosa, our older golden, I also regularly give her deep massages all over her body. She of course thinks she is just getting special loving time which she is but she is also enjoying the benefits of massage. Massages are so good for everyone and every pet due to it’s ability to help with blood circulation, inflammation, pain, rest and more. Dogs aren’t that different than us when it comes to realizing the benefits of massage.
I use doTERRA essential oils on our dogs. They are 100% pure, of high quality and economical. A drop or two of doTERRA Balance and Lavender on my hands and then I deeply massage their bodies from tips of their ears to hind legs and hips. Based on the kisses I get and tail thumps it appears they both enjoy these sessions.
This is also a great way to help with anxiety during summer storms!
Paw Pads
The pads of their feet are exposed to everything. Think about going barefoot all the time and envision how that can feel on your own feet. Now imagine having 4 feet you need to protect against getting hurt from everywhere you walk.
During the doggie massages I will take a little fractionated coconut oil and drop of doTERRA Lavender to massage over the paw pads and in between the toes. Lavender is a natural skin healer and antibacterial oil. This ensures their feet are not only getting a nice dose of moisture but also some softening and protection against germs.
Just like us dogs absorb everything through their feet. It is one of the biggest reasons I changed what floor cleaners I was using in our home. In place of harsher chemical based cleaners I use natural plant based floor cleaner now. One of my favorites is the doTERRA Concentrate. With a natural plant based cleaner I don’t have to worry about what is being absorbed in any of our feet or if the dogs are happily cleaning up something that spilled.
Fleas, Ticks and Mosquitoes
Bugs are just part of summer. We all need protection against them but what has happened over time is the products we are using to do so have become hazards to our health and that of our environment. Harsh chemical ingredients emit into our air as well as into our skin causing all kinds of havoc in terms of illness, disease and pollution. The bad news is too most bugs become resistant to these chemical products over time and just bite us anyway.
I use doTERRA TerraShield on all of my family. These oil blend is 100% natural and over the test of time bugs still resist the plants that are contained in this mist spray. It’s true if you go out where these plants are naturally grown you will quickly realize there are no pests found! Those plants are hundreds of years old and still pests have not found a way to conquer them. Seriously, the next time you’re in the San Francisco area, stop by to visit the redwood trees (arborvitae)!
doTERRA TerraShield is a blend of ylang ylang, Tamanu, Nootka, cedarwood, catnip, lemon eucalyptus, litsea, vanilla and arborvitae.
For our dogs I simply spray two pumps into my hands and then massage it all over their fur about one time a week. For my family we spray it on anytime we are headed outdoors or I will soak some plastic bands in TerraShield to wear as bug bands on our ankles or wrists.
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Dog days of summer are some of the best summer days I know. Giving our dogs the love and protection they need to have as many summers as possible with us is important to me. Doing so without chemicals is one of best ways I know to make that happen.
Please note since this post was written we have lost Rosa over the 4th of July weekend a couple weeks ago due to an aggressive cancer that is typically found in cats. It was quite sudden and we are still grieving. I didn’t realize this post was scheduled when it was until the evening before it would be published and didn’t have another ready to place here instead. It was quite difficult for me to re-read this post and know she’s gone. She was a great companion to me and we greatly miss her being here. I pray Heaven has a nice big pool she is getting to enjoy.
If you can’t ingest your oils then I would question if they are truly safe to apply to your skin, that of your pets and children as well as being diffused in the air. Don’t risk your family’s safety with questionable oils! I only use doTERRA because of their commitment to high quality and purity.
If your family is ready to start a natural health journey and not break the piggy bank doing it, then simply join me and my other customers right here:
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