We’re often asked if we use life jackets during our dog hydrotherapy sessions at Rocky’s Retreat. The answer is no. Why? As you will see in this short video snippet, dogs often won’t move their back legs when swimming.

Many people set New Year’s resolutions for themselves because they want to make changes in their lives, but they often forget about their dog. The New Year can be a great time to change things up especially for dogs who may have become bored with their routine. Of all the dog related resolutions we’ve heard…

With the holidays here, many people think of bringing that cute puppy home as a Christmas gift. The kids think they want a puppy, so what better gift can you give them? Before you do this, stop and think, and continue reading!

The holiday travel season is coming up and many people will find themselves in need of a boarding facility for their dog. Does this sound like you? If so, do you want to make sure you choose the right home away from home for your dog but don’t know how? Cost aside, check out these six tips to make sure you select the best facility for your beloved friend.

Does your dog give you “that look” or growl at you when he has his favorite toy and you try to take it away? What about when your other dog gets near his food bowl? If so, your dog is doing what is called “resource guarding.” According to animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB, resource guarding is a behavior that discourages another to take, or get too close to an object or valued area in a dog’s possession.

Do you work long hours and worry about leaving your precious four-legged friend home all day? If so, you may have thought about enrolling him in a doggie daycare program so he can get some exercise, meet new friends, and socialize. But how do you know if your dog will truly enjoy himself and get the benefits you hope?

As we have often said, we use ozone to sanitize the water in our indoor pool. Why is that? Because chlorine is toxic, it’s a poison that kills things like e. coli and giardia. In a pool you need something to kill bacteria and other germs and chlorine is the most popular choice because it’s inexpensive. Unfortunately, because it’s toxic, it has actually been linked to serious health problems in humans because it absorbs quickly through the skin.

I love it when my dog is doing something really cute or cool and I manage to get a great photo of it. I use my phone, and I’m sure you do too. Unlike my camera, I always have my phone with me making it easier to capture those special moments. But I’ve also noticed that often the pictures don’t turn out as well as they could be, or my dog moves or stops being cute before I can snap that photo. So what can we do to take better pictures of our dogs with our phones?

We had a very nice older couple come to Rocky’s Retreat the other day who just adopted a six year old springer spaniel just diagnosed with spondylosis. They were concerned about their ability to care for the dog as the disease progressed. They wanted to know if hydrotherapy could help and what else they could do for the dog.

Ginger, a 15 year old shiba/chow mix has pretty severe arthritis, as well as muscle atrophy and weakness in her hind legs. She’s been swimming with us for a number of weeks now, and during each swim session we’re working on specific techniques to maximize the movement in her rear legs and range of motion in her front legs. In a short time, there has been a noticeable improvement in both muscle tone and strength in her hind quarters.

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888