Jul
1
Barking is completely normal for any dog but it should be considered a problem if it becomes excessive. Most dogs will bark at strangers passing by, and this is to be expected. However, you need to teach your puppy that although some barking is OK, too much barking is not.
Allow your puppy to bark two or three times when someone rings the doorbell, approaches your house or walks past your yard. Don’t let your puppy bark frantically until the person eventually leaves the area.
A Simple Anti-Barking Routine
To train your puppy not to bark excessively, be consistent and plan ahead. Ask a friend to come to your home and ring the doorbell. When the bell rings, your puppy probably will run toward the door and bark.
Take hold of your puppy’s collar at that moment, and say his name and then the cue “be quiet.” When he listens to you and ceases his barking, praise him heartily. After several practice sessions, your puppy should start to catch on.
Once your puppy has learned to respond reliably to the quiet cue while inside your house, you can begin the training session outdoors in your yard. Ask friends and neighbors to help you with the training by walking past your property or doing whatever else it is that sets your puppy off on a barking spree.
Remember, too, that bored dogs will bark more than those who are getting enough stimulation. If your puppy is barking like crazy at everyone who passes the house, he may need more exercise and stimulation. That way he won’t feel compelled to come up with his own distractions.
Digging
The instinct to dig is strong in most dogs and often starts in puppyhood. If your puppy is starting to dig up the yard, you need to intervene before your garden begins to look like a mine field.
The best way to control your puppy’s urge to dig is to give him a spot in the yard where he can dig to his heart’s content. This might be a place where you’ve already seen him digging if you don’t really mind that he digs there. Or, you may want to entice him to dig in an area that is out of the way and not visible from most parts of your yard.
If you catch him digging in a place that is not allowed, correct him by saying “NO DIG!” and take him to his allowed spot. If he digs in this designated digging area, praise him to let him know he’s got the right idea.
Even though he has his own digging spot, you may find that your puppy still likes to dig in places he shouldn’t. Protect these areas with temporary fencing (like chicken wire) until your puppy gets in the habit of digging only in his designated spot. Eventually, you should be able to take down the fencing and give him the run of the yard.
Jun
27
Special Diets For Dogs: Your Veterinarian Has Something Very Important To Tell You
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Special diets for dogs are not only prescribed by veterinarians for the obese animal, but also for various health reasons.
For example, if your dog suffers from congestive heart failure, due to heartworm or other heart diseases, your veterinarian may want to put him on a low-sodium diet, along with the proper medications, which combined, may literally save your pet’s life. There used to be an old saying: “You are what you eat,” but your dog has no choice, “He is what you feed him” and his welfare is always in your hands.
A veterinarian once told me that over half of mature dogs alive have kidney disease. Your pet’s doctor may suggest that he be given a special diet that will not put a strain on his kidneys. This will often correct many problems and keep an animal from becoming seriously ill. All of the prescribed dietary foods must be given according to your veterinarian’s strict instructions.
What About The Puppy & The Pregnant Dog, Do They Need Diet Food?
This too is a question which must be left up to your veterinarian. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t, depending upon the physical condition of the animal. Physical and mental stress is sometimes a determining factor in the prescribing of a diet program for puppies or the mother dog.
Diarrhea & Loose Stools
If your dog has diarrhea, he may need a bland diet. The intestinal tract of a dog is similar to that of a human and when it is irritated, a change of food can sometimes correct the problem.
Allergies & Skin Problems
Does your dog have an allergy or dermatosis? It may be that he is being fed the wrong food. Many times the well-meaning dog owner will spray, bathe, or put ointments on their pet, when what the dog really needs is a special diet food. Your veterinarian is the person who can determine the cause of your dog’s itch, so don’t try to diagnose it yourself.
Take Responsibility For Your Dog
Animal nutrition has made giant strides during the past 30 years. Today it is said that most dogs who are fed regular commercial dog food have a better diet than an American child. However, I’m sure this is a debatable statement and a hot topic. But the day is long past when we threw the family dog a bone from the table and expected him to grow just fine on any scraps left over.
Whenever your dog is not eating properly or is overweight, consult your veterinarian. He may suggest that you put your dog on a diet and if he does, be sure to stick with it. Try not to overfeed your pet. If he gets more calories than his body size needs, based on how much he weighs and physical activity, you may become a fat pup. Our pets have a way of becoming part of the family circle, but we must remember that their dietary needs are not the same as that of the rest of the family.
Jun
25
Pet Insurance ? Lower The Cost Of Veterinarian Visits With Pet Insurance
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Bringing home a new puppy is the equivalent to adding a new member to your family, literally. With this new edition comes lots of love and excitement, as well as new responsibilities, especially in his first few weeks at the house. These responsibilities include feeding him well and providing the pup with necessary supplies such as a crate, blanket, toys, etc. Most importantly, you need to make sure that he is healthy and will stay that way throughout his life.
Finding The Right Vet
A very important requirement that many new pet owners tend to overlook is finding the right veterinarian for their pets. Taking your puppy to the vet right away, preferably within the first two days of bringing him home, is a must. This is to ensure that he is in perfect health and that he is getting all of the preventive caring needed, like vaccinations and regular routine exams.
Your family and friends may be able to recommend you to a nearby vet clinic. You may also do your own research by calling several clinics and setting up an appointment to see the place and find out first hand if it is the right one for you and your pet.
Veterinarian Expenses
For many pet owners, finding the right vet is not the problem, but rather the costs of veterinary care. Visits to the vet can be pricey, even with minor cases such as getting his yearly vaccination or a routine checkup. In addition, an illness or severe injury can occur at any time, and many dog owners end up having to pay a lot of out-of-pocket expenses to the vet clinic. This is why it is highly recommended that you get pet insurance as soon as possible.
Having pet insurance is the best way to ensure that your puppy is getting the best health care possible. Pet insurance is a practical way to lessen the cost of veterinary expenses, whether it is related to routine care, accidents, or injuries. Pet insurance also covers the cost of minor surgeries, major surgeries, treatments for illnesses and diseases, and other medical procedures such as neutering or spaying.
Finding the right, affordable pet insurance is as easy as picking up the yellow pages or searching online. Most pet insurance plans offer a monthly premium that is less than what you typically pay for your cable bill.
Jun
23
Puppy Mills ? Learn The Shocking Truth About Pet Stores
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Pet stores are a very popular place to shop for young puppies and other animals of your choice. There is practically a pet store in almost every city. And it is hard to resist that cute and desperate looking puppy caged up waiting to be taken home. But before you make this decision you really should know a little bit of “insider” information about these pet stores and the origins of the puppies they sell.
Have you ever heard of puppy mills?
Do you know where most of these puppies come from that you see being sold in pet stores? There are certain breeding centers that cater to high-volume puppy production which sells them to pet stores, which then is sold to you. They are called “puppy mills” and are probably the most disgusting form of dog breeding practices that I have seen.
Disclaimer: Let me be clear on one thing: Not every pet store gets their puppies from puppy mills, but enough research has been done to find that a large majority of stores in the United States do in fact use puppy mills as their resource for pets to sell to the public.
What exactly are puppy mills?
To put it in simple terms, a puppy mill is a farm that is found most often in the Midwestern part of the United States. These farms breed animals for profits, mostly dogs. That may not sound that harsh but imagine these puppies being bred in high volumes and mistreated in the same way that cattle or chickens are.
If that doesn’t give you a disturbing vision, then imagine cages stacked upon cages with these small adorable puppies, all suffering and ignored. Now picture rows and rows of these dog filled cages, all with minimal human contact and the only care they are getting is enough food and water to survive. You can easily find pictures by doing research online which would absolutely break your heart.
What is so bad about buying a puppy that originated from a puppy mill?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking home one of these puppies, and it is definitely a positive choice to make. On the other hand, many of these dogs have what is called “early stress syndrome” and may grow up to be nervous and frightened dogs which are very hard to instill confidence with training. Of course there are exceptions to the rule with these puppies, however, before you spend your hard-earned cash be sure to know all there is to know about where your puppy came from when considering purchasing from a pet store.
Jun
21
Backyard Party ? How To Host A Successful BBQ With Dogs In Mind
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The next time you decide to put on a small barbecue party in your backyard during the warm, sunny summer months, make considerations for your dog and other guest’s dogs. Most friend and family gatherings are planned and entertained without a single thought of providing an atmosphere where both dogs and people can enjoy themselves together.
And consider for a moment just how more pleasant the atmosphere will be with your close friends and dear family members enjoying themselves with a drink and a good hamburger on the deck of your house, while just off the corner of your eye your dog is having the time of his life, chasing and being chased by other guest’s pet dogs.
Not only will your BBQ appeal to everyone attending, but how cool would it be to tell them that they can bring their family pet along for fun and games? So during your next backyard event, take some time to plan ahead and include these animals in the plan.
Plan For Success
According to the Hearth Patio and BBQ Association, the backyard party trend has blown up into a $55 billion dollar per year industry. Houses are becoming smaller and more and more families look towards their home for fun and relaxation. Lawn chairs, picnic tables, and cooking facilities are all designed to bring the inside party “out”.
What you want to avoid is having your dog or someone else’s dog jump up into people’s laps begging for food and annoying the guests. Such behavior can ruin a good time, especially when drinks are spilled and dog paws just ruined your best friend’s shirt
The key is to single out those guests that have dogs and other dog lovers from the group. A good host for such dog-planning would have new toys that can be played with between your guests and the dogs. Many people love to play fetch and tug-of-war with friendly dogs so why not offer this activity at your BBQ?
Provide a common area for both dogs and your guests. Invest in a fenced-in enclosure where the dogs can play with each other without annoying the rest of your guests. And for the dog enthusiasts of the party who would love to take a break from mingling and head over to the doggie hangout, a perfect common area keeps the fun and games in harmonious order.
Consider the seating arrangements you have made. Think about where each person will be seated and make sure that the dogs are secured in an area that faces the party. Your pets want to be in on the action, even if it’s just to see what’s going on.
If you are hosting a backyard party at night, consider the safety of your animals. Should you allow them to run free, attach a small flashlight to each of the dogs’ collars. This is a perfect way for your guests to see them coming without an accident by stepping on the dogs. You can also attach a bell that jingles which will give people more warning before a dog is approaching.
