Sep
30
Do you want your dog to stop chewing on your furniture, shoes, and other things? Imagine what it would be like if your dog was well behaved and only chewed on his things. Dogs don’t figure out basic obedience on their own, they must be trained.
When to Begin Dog Training.
You can start training your dog to stop chewing on your things as early as eight weeks of age. Puppies that are handled and petted consistently during the first eight weeks of life are more amenable to being trained. It is also important that everyone in the household be consistent in the commands, methods, and enforcement of the training.
Teething.
Puppies begin to get their adult teeth around 3 to 6 months of age. During this time it can be quite painful and owners need to recognize dogs naturally need to chew more frequently during this time. If you want your dog to stop chewing on table legs and other furniture you can divert has attention by providing specific chew toys designed to ease the pain of teething. Toys like a frozen nylon bone, or freeze some raw hides. Then use some type of bad tasting, bad smelling spray on your favorite items, such as furniture, or shoes. There are several sprays available, the most well known is bitter apple.
Training tricks
Teaching your dog tricks serves several purposes, it develops a stronger relationship between you and your dog. It engages your dogs mind, which alleviates problems caused by boredom, and provides entertainment. When you alleviate boredom you get your dog to stop chewing in a destructive way.
Dog Proof Your House.
You will need to dog proof your home, and not give your dog free run of the whole house until you can trust your dog to stop chewing on your things. Put everything out of reach that you can, and keep all other doors in the home closed.
We have talked about starting training early with your dog, what to expect while your dog is teething, the importance of teaching your dog tricks, and dog proofing your home. The next most important thing to do is start obedience training, especially about chewing.
By: John R Bennett About the Author:
Get your Free article mini-series here @ get my
dog to stop chewing.
Topics I will discuss are training, destructive chewing, dog aggression, and many other dog behavior problems.
Or go to my blog site here Dog Behavior.
Your Family
Sep
22
We often hear of dogs with a chronic and insistent itching problem. And guess what? The problem can’t always be prevented by a flea collar. There are a number of reasons why your dog might non-stop scratch and require some form of pet medication. Below I will list and try to explain 6 reasons why your dog might scratch himself.
1.
Environmental Skin Disorders - Dogs with environmental skin problems are otherwise healthy, but present with signs of itchy skin and/or hair loss. By matching what is visible on the dog’s skin with a probable environmental irritant - the cause of the skin problem can be determined and corrective measures taken. Contact with some plastics can create an environmental pet skin disorder.
2.
Nutritional Skin Disorders - Correction of these cases of itchy dog should be a very simple and no pet medication is required. Unfortunately, many dogs and cats live their entire lives in less than optimum health because their caretaker feeds them the least expensive food in the grocery store and feels secure in doing so because of that “Complete and Balanced” statement on the packaging! Without proper nourishment this dog’s entire body, not just its skin and coat, will be continuously under stress.
3.
Parasitic Skin Disorders - Pet owners most commonly associate dog scratching with fleas. Often, but not always, this guess is correct.
There are a number of highly effective and safe flea medications and natural flea remedies. Repeated exposure to fleas can trigger a hypersensitivity to the bite of even a single flea. In some cases a simple flea bite can turn into an allergy itch from the flea’s saliva. It is very important to get rid of dog and cat fleas as soon as possible. Cheyletiella mites are often called “Walking Dandruff” because upon close inspection it seems like little flakes of dry skin are actually moving about. These mites can be eliminated easily by using any common flea shampoo and no further pet medication is needed. Sarcoptic mites can be a terrible problem and can only be solved under vet care and with pet medication. Also called scabies or red mange, they create very intense itchy skin, hair loss, and inflamed skin with multiple small scabs. Sarcoptic mite infestation, more than any other pest, is frequently misdiagnosed as Allergic Pet Skin Disorder. There are also Demodex mites (mange). These parasites live just under the skin surface in the tiny hair follicles and oil glands of the dog’s skin. Demodex mites can be seen on a skin scraping viewed under the microscope. Demodex is most commonly seen in young dogs. An older dog with these mites might have a differnt and more serious problem
4.
Infectious Skin Disorders - Bacterial, fungal and yeast organisms can lead to awful skin and coat problems. Ringworm is an example of a Fungal organism. Yeasts can irritate an already diseased skin surface. Yeast infections typically create greasy, smelly and itchy signs in affected dogs. If a yeast infection is diagnosed, there’s generally some other problem going. Bacterial problems rarely occur spontaneously on a dog with normal healthy skin.
Infectious pet skin disorders are often is so irritating that dogs will lick continuously at a spot and undo any healing that has taken place. These spots can spread rapidly to other areas of the skin through chewing, licking, biting and scratching of previously healthy areas.
The treatment for Infectious skin disorders often include clipping the hair from the area to allow the air to dry it. The application of topical pet cream is helpful as is the administration of oral antibiotics.
5.
Allergic Skin Disorders - These can be a challenge to diagnose, and once identified they can be difficult to treat. Food ingredients, synthetic and natural fibers, medications and pharmaceutical products, plant material and even dust all can trigger an Allergic Pet Skin Disorder.
Even common bacteria on the dog’s skin can provoke an allergic reaction to themselves! Food allergies are so common that pet food manufacturers have invested millions of dollars in research for diets to help dogs and cats with food allergies.
The treatments of allergic skin disorders include topical medicated soothing baths and ointments. The use of oral antihistamines can relieve some of the itch. More effective in alleviating the discomfort of allergies is cortisone.
6.
Neurogenic Skin Disorders - This group presents a major challenge to diagnose and treat. Although rarely seen in cats, in the dog something creates an impulse to lick at a specific area of skin. Characterized by persistent, obsessive licking and chewing at a specific area, the cause of these problems is unknown. Most cases have a suspected cause such as boredom, confinement, separation anxiety, family disruption, new environment, frustration or even a minor physical origin such as a tiny wound that catches the dog’s interest. No specific pet medication can be used to prevent this skin disorder.
In summary, keep in mind that any dog whose skin and coat are not in good condition needs vet attention and possibly pet medication because that dog likely does not feel very well.
If your dog is suffering from Chronic Itching, all is not hopeless, but you must consult your vet as soon as possible.
I hope you found this information on pet skin disorders helpful. This article was condensed from a much longer article which can be found on the my-dog-has-fleas.com website at: dog skin problems
By: Jen Moore About the Author:
Sep
20
Many hunters entertain the idea that their prized hunting dog will never be a good hunting dog if he is allowed to step foot in the house. This notion is absurd. Modern hunters of today often miss out on the true companionship that their hunting dog can give to them in the other areas of their life and perhaps in the end, they suffer as much as the dog does from the lack of socialization with their hunting dog who can also be their companion and friend.
It took thousands of years for mankind and canines to develop a partnership. That partnership included the mutual ability to give each other aid and affection. It also built upon the canine’s natural watchdog and guarding capabilities and afforded both the human and the dog a sense of companionship and mutual trust. That togetherness also allowed for the dog to learn more and for the human to train the dog more.
Certainly in the early days of the settling of America the settlers who were lucky enough to have a dog did not dream of sticking him into a pen and leaving him there…the dog was a valuable part of their survival because it could do a great deal to protect the homestead besides being a warm body next to the fireside and helping the hunter to bring home the next meal.
Perhaps the basis of keeping the dog penned except during the hunt came from the traditions established by the nobility of Europe and England when large kennels were the norm for the landowner. Of course it was unfeasible to keep hundreds of dogs in the house. But there was never a time when the Lord of the Manor did not keep his favored hounds in his home with him. The large kennels did a great deal to establish good hunting lines and different breeds, for selective breeding could be more easily accomplished when there were large numbers to choose from for the matings. But the average hunter is not selectively breeding. He has no need at all to keep the dog penned up except during the hunting season.
Apparently there are hunters who believe that allowing a hunting dog to have the run of the house will ruin his nose, deflate his natural hunting instincts, make him fat and lazy and make him become somehow badly mannered and disobedient. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Firstly, the power of the dog’s nose to scent comes with it when it is born. The idea that letting him be in the house will help to destroy his scenting ability is ridiculous. Actually the ability to scent well and to discriminate scents is an inborn ability and increases exponentially as the dog learns to distinguish more and more scents, often many of them having nothing at all to do with hunting. It would seem that the more exposure the dog has to a myriad of scents of all kinds would be better than less exposure. Surely when indoor living is also combined with outdoor living there would be more scents involved!
Then there is the idea that living indoors will allow the dog to grow fat and lazy. Here again, the exact opposite is true. A do who is with his humans will get up and follow his master, will roam the grounds with his master, will investigate his household environment and be more stimulated to activity than a dog who is penned in a 10 by 12 foot area day after endless day with no stimulation to make him want to get up and move. Furthermore if a dog happens to have the good fortune to live with someone who is even minimally healthy and likes to walk and get outside, there is just naturally more of a willingness for the human to take the dog along when he is right there by his side and not stuck in a pen out in the back forty. Also the question of his weight has to do with how much he is fed regardless of where he is living. The wise owner will regulate the dog’s consumption of calories, giving him more during the hunting season and less when he is not hunting.
But the single most important reason, which I have not yet touched upon, for the dog to live with his hunting companion and master in the house, has to do with the dog’s capability to learn more effectively when it is coupled with the desire to please his master. A dog who is bonded to his master is a dog that will try harder and accomplish more than a dog who is not motivated to learn, is not trustful of his human companion, is distracted by the joy of being out of the pen more than he is wants to be trained. In short, a dog who is allowed to be a pet is a dog that is much more ready to be trained and has much more opportunity to learn than a dog who is shunted away into a pen and forgotten about between hunting seasons.
By: Michael Russell About the Author:
Baby Showers
Sep
8
A very common problem that virtually all of us see as dog owners is dog vomiting.
There are potentially many different causes of dog vomiting. The most common cause is garbage gut, where your dog consumes something he shouldn’t have, resulting in vomiting. Other causes include food allergies, parasites, medications, infectious causes (i.e. parvovirus), cancer, liver or kidney disease, pancreatitis, metabolic disorders (thyroid disease or diabetes), physical obstructions such as a ball or a bone, and primary motility disorders (the stomach doesn’t contract normally).
Any vomiting dog must be evaluated for dehydration. If your dog is vomiting persistently and unable to retain even water, wait no longer than 24 hours before going to your veterinarian. This indicates a severe problem, such as an obstruction, that needs to be treated with IV fluids and possibly surgery. If your dog is still consuming water and occasionally vomiting, then you can try some of the home remedies.
Fasting. A 24 hour fast is the most important thing you can do to allow your pet’s inflamed stomach to heal. Allow access to controlled amounts of water, but no food. After 24 hours offer bland food such as plain cooked white rice; give equivalent amounts of rice as you do dog or cat food. After 48 hours mix their regular food with rice and don’t fully go to regular food until after 72 hours.
For Food Allergens. For dogs and cats with chronic vomiting, I strongly recommend a diet change. Preferably switch to a hypoallergenic food or homemade allergy diet. At the very least, change to a premium quality food - I find that some pets respond to a more natural diet. In light of the recent Pet Food Recall, paying close your dog’s diet is even more important than ever.
Homeopathic. Nux Vomica is an effective homeopathic remedy for dog vomiting. Give 1 tablet of the 30C strength per 40lbs once daily for 3-5 days.
Herbal - Ginger. A tasty addition for a curry is also effective for vomiting. The dried herb dose is 25mg per lb or 1 drop per lb twice daily of the tincture.
Acupressure Point. The ST36 point, located on the outside of the hind leg below the knee may be effective; press it for 1 minute twice daily for 3-5 days to see if it helps.
Flowers to the Rescue: Bach Rescue Remedy can make your pet feel a little better about their illness. Give your pet 3-4 drops by mouth every 6 hours.
Herbal - Chamomile. This is commonly used in people with mild stomach upset and it may help your pet. Give 30mg per lb of the dried herb, or 2 drops per lb of the tincture three times daily.
The treatments I covered may be all that you need for now. But I guarantee that you will use many of the thousands of at home remedies in my book.
I use them every day in practice. They work. No side effects.
You should try it.
To your pet’s good health,
Dr. Andrew Jones
By: Dr. Andrew Jones About the Author:
Symptoms Lung Cancer
Sep
6
One of the most heartbreaking experiences for any dog lover is watching their best friend suffer a seizure. That seizure, successfully treated, might never be repeated, but the worry remains despite veterinary reassurance. When another seizure happens, and another, and still more, that’s when dog owners become seriously worried about their pet. They might be confused about what to do while their dog is having a seizure.
I’m not talking medicines or veterinary examinations here, I’m talking about the physical act of protecting a dog during a fit and in the immediate aftermath. Contacting your vet is the very first thing to do once that first fit passes. Once medication is prescribed you vet will keep in constant contact and often the fits can be solved or reduced in frequency and ferocity. For some dogs, however, the problem is permanent, but not always life-threatening, and you will learn to cope and help your dog during and after the fit.
I’m not a veterinary surgeon or a medical expert, but I am an expert of sorts on canine fits, if only because I’ve been through the experience twice, first with a ten year old Boxer called Barnaby; then Gregory, also a Boxer, and just 18 months old when his first fit occurred. Despite long and exhaustive checks, no cause was found for either dog’s condition.
Barnaby was old and growing frail and fits were another part of the ageing process. Daily medicines kept his fits under control and usually several months apart. Once Barnaby died, of old age, I expected never to encounter dog seizures again. I was very wrong.
Gregory’s problem began less than six months after Barnaby died but these later fits were very different; they were regular, and violent, and extremely debilitating.
Three things I learned helped me stay calm while my dog is fitting, making me better able to care for him.
1) From talking to humans who take seizures I understand the sufferer feels no pain during a fit, only confusion and helplessness. That’s comforting and helps reduce worry and panic for dog owners.
2) Except where some life-threatening condition exists, there’ no need for seizures to spoil quality of life or shorten life expectancy and I have spoken to people whose dogs have lived long and happy lives despite regular fitting.
3) I worried my dog would swallow his tongue and choke during a fit though in reality it rarely happens. But dogs can and do bite their tongues when fitting which is painful and makes eating difficult. Our first sufferer, Barnaby, bit his tongue during one of his final fits and was unable to eat properly for days. Barnaby loved his food and given that most dogs become ravenously hungry after a seizure, it was heartbreaking to watch him try to eat but fail.
Our solution to this problem was to take a long strip of fluff free cloth, preferably a new meshed dish cloth, which we rolled into a strip about one inch in diameter. We kept this close by until a seizure looked imminent, whereupon we’d dampen the cloth and place it loosely across the Barnaby’s tongue with strips falling out either side of the mouth which we held together under the jaw until the fitting stopped. Then we’d remove the cloth, wash it, roll it up and dampen it to use again. The water helped his mouth stay cool and the cloth helped mop up some of the froth from fitting, but mainly it prevented the teeth closing in on his tongue. You must be careful not to get bitten yourself and you should never put the cloth in place when your dog is champing (the process of jaws fast opening and closing and usually with froth coming from the mouth). Be sure to insert the strip by holding the ends well away from the side of the mouth while you slip it over the tongue.
In another article I’ll give more information about coping with a dog before, during and after a fit.
By: Avril Harper About the Author:
Avril has created a special web site containing information and advice based on her own experience of two dogs suffering regular seizures. You’ll find it at
http://www.dog-seizures.com
Free Phone Line
Sep
6
A dog’s digestive system is a highly specialized anatomical structure. To gain an understanding of how it operates and what it requires it helps if you understand how it compares to the other types of digestive systems in the animal kingdom.
Herbivores (plant eaters) have the longest digestive tract in the mammalian kingdom. Some of them like, cows have multiple stomachs that are used to break down and ferment various plant materials. True herbivores have the ability to digest plant and vegetable cellulose and can rely on plants for complete nutrition. They have flat blunt teeth, which they use to grind cellulose and grain. Their jaws have the ability to move sideways and grind their food. Of course dogs don’t fall in this category and their digestive organs were never designed to assimilate or catabolise plant based materials.
Omnivores: (plant and meat eaters) have one stomach and their intestines are shorter than the cow but longer than the dog. They have the ability to digest vegetation but they have enough enzymes and acid in their gut to digest animal protein as well. Their ability to break down cellulose is limited and they need both vegetation and animal protein for complete nutrition. Omnivores have a combination of sharp teeth used for tearing and ripping flesh and flat molars used for grinding grains and plants.
Carnivores: (meat eaters) like the dog has the shortest digestive system in the kingdom of mammals. Their jaws are hinged and contain sharp jagged blade like molars, which allows them to swallow large chunks of meat and gorge themselves. This ability enables dogs to consume a great deal of food and then rest until the next kill. Dogs are direct decedents of the wolf and they require meat protein to stay healthy and vibrant. Dogs do not have the ability to digest or assimilate cellulose and have no real need or craving for grain or vegetable based food.
The dog is a carnivore with a digestive system and process designed to break down and assimilate protein, bones, and fat. Their stomachs have a much higher level of hydrochloric acid to digest and assimilate meat protein.
Many commercial grade dog foods are produced on the premise that a dog’s digestion is similar to humans. Because it’s cheaper to make dog food with grains and plant materials many times the main ingredient in the dog food is corn, wheat, or some other type of plant-based carbohydrate.
Many veterinarians believe commercial grade dog food is garbage or even poison. Some of them have stated carbohydrates are not required at all for the nutritional need of dogs. It’s not hard to understand if you consider a wolf will starve before it will eat corn or any other vegetable. Dogs require a vast array of amino acids that are only found in meat. To feed them vegetable products will only shorten their life and ruin their health.
Have you ever wondered what’s in your dog’s food? Dog Food Secrets reveals what is used in the manufacture of your dog’s food. If you love your pet you owe it to yourself and them to read the free report.
By: John Steele About the Author:
Home Business on the Web
Sep
5
The current crisis in our pet food supply has many of us looking for homemade dog food recipes for our beloved pets. I have been cooking for our dog for many years and find that he likes mostly the same foods that we do. Each animal has his own preferences, just like we do. For instance, our Oscar will not eat tomatoes, but Bonnie loves them. Use these recipes as a starting place for homemade dog food recipes. Then, as you discover your pets preferences you can customize them more. One caution: you should not serve onion or chocolate to dogs as they contain substances that can be toxic to dogs.
Some veterinarians prefer raw meat for our pets. I prefer to cook the meat because of concerns over E Coli and other bacterial contamination. If you wish to use raw meat, do not use ground meat. The grinding process increases the possibility of contamination by providing more surface area for the bacteria to grow.
Canine Meat and Grain Menu 2 cups cooked brown rice
2/3 cup Lean beef
2 teaspoons lard — or veggie oil
1/2 cup vegetables — no onion*
Mix all together. You can serve the beef raw if you use chunks of beef. Do not serve ground beef raw, the grinding process increases the chances of bacterial contamination. Use any vegetables you like. You will find over time that your dog will leave any vegetables he does not like. Mix the above. Serve slightly warm, but not hot.
Chow Chow Chicken You must remove the meat from the bones in this recipe. Chicken bones can easily splinter and cause choking problems in dogs.
2 chicken thighs — or white meat
1 stalk celery — sliced thick
3 carrot — peeled and halved
2 small potatoes — peeled and cubed
2 cups rice — uncooked
Place chicken pieces in large pot. Cover with cold water (5 -6 cups). Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to water. Add salt to taste if you want. Cover and simmer on low heat about 2 hours until the chicken becomes tender. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove soup from heat. Pull the chicken meat off the bone ( it will practically fall off), discard bones. Return shredded pieces to pot. Stir well. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.
Meaty Dog BiscuitsUse beef, chicken or lamb strained baby food for these biscuits.
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 to 10 tablespoons water
2 jars baby food meat, strained
Mix all ingredients together and knead for 3 min. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a dog bone shaped cookie cutter, and place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 min.
Makes approximately 2 dozen doggie biscuits
Bacon Bites for Dogs 6 slices cooked bacon — crumbled
4 eggs — well beaten
1/8 cup bacon grease
1 cup water
1/2 cup powdered milk — non-fat
2 cup graham flour
2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cornmeal
Mix ingredients with a strong spoon; drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cookies on baking sheet in the oven overnight to dry out.
Ace’s Favorite Cheesy Dog Biscuits1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 pound margarine — corn oil
1 clove garlic — crushed
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup Milk — or as needed
Grate the cheese into a bowl and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, garlic, salt and flour. Add enough milk to form into a ball.
Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll onto floured board. Cut into shapes and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until slightly brown, and firm.
Makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size.
I hope that these free dog food recipes will inspire you to cook safe and healthy food for your pet.
By: Diane Watkins About the Author:
Do you need more free dog or cat food recipes? Download our free collection of dog and cat foods at
Free Dog and Cat Food Recipes. and instantly download the ebooks.
Are you interested in traditional southern cooking? Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!
Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking
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