We just got back from the beach and my dog is a (happy) mess! What should I do?

End of Summer Clean Up

Labor Day marks the “official” end of summer for most of us. Vacations are over, it’s back to school time, and it’s time to think about getting out warmer clothes. This is also a great time to put your pet’s care in order.

1. Check your dog’s inoculation records and make an appointment with her vet for any vaccines she’s lacking.

If you choose not to revaccinate each year, this is the time to have titers done to check immunization levels in your dog. Then, if your dog needs boosters, now is a good time for your vet to administer them.

2. While you’re at the vet’s office, have your dog checked for parasites. If you have traveled with your dog during the summer, there is a greater chance somewhere along the way he may have picked up some unwanted intestinal or surface companions. When you make the appointment, check to see if they want you to bring in a stool sample or not.

3. Give your dog a bath or a groom or book an appointment with your dog’s professional groomer. You may not want to give your dog a short cut since cooler weather may be on the way, but this is the perfect time to get rid of any mats or burrs your dog may have picked up

along the way and get rid of them before they turn into a real hot mess that could lead to a shave down just as winter weather arrives. Don’t forget to trim those summertime nails!

4. Launder your dog’s bedding. Beach sand is stubborn and the best way to get rid of it is a thorough laundry cycle. No one wants to sleep on a sandy bed!

5. Check your house and yard for fleas and ticks that might have followed you home

from vacation. Treat both your house and your yard with safe but effective flea and tick killer. Eliminating them now before they “go to ground” for the winter will help keep them under control next Spring.

We really hope you had a great summer. The fun need not stop now. Autumn is right around the corner and there are many Fall activities you can do with your best fur pal. Let’s first and foremost keep them all safe and healthy. And that goes for you, too!

Hi! I hope you found this article informative and interesting. If you would like to read additional articles and essays by me, including some exclusive content, you can support me and my work through Patreon. Just click the Patreon icon below and you will be redirected. Thank you.