Training Tips
Why Do Dogs Bark?
Dogs bark. It is part of their normal and natural communication and behavior. Dogs can bark for appropriate and good reasons, such as when strangers approach our house, they hear an odd noise, or they are herding sheep. Most of us want our dogs to be “watch dogs” and alert us to anything unusual. But dogs can also bark inappropriately. In two scientific surveys of dog owners, approximately 1/3 of them reported their dogs barked excessively. To control barking in our dogs, we first need to understand why they are barking.
Alert/warning barks are the type of barks some owners encourage. They want their dog to alert them to the presence of a danger or suspicious stranger.
Attention-seeking barks are most often used by puppies to get you to focus your attention on them. They can become very insistent and hard to ignore, but ignore them we must.
Play/excitement barks are often short and sharp. These barks are common if the dog gets too excited with the game. Often a time-out is in order.
Self-identification barking is what you may be hearing when your dog seems to be answering other dogs he hears barking in the neighborhood. It is his way of saying, “I am over here.”
Bored barkers simply need an outlet for their energy and a more stimulating environment.
Lonely/anxious barking occurs if your dog is experiencing separation anxiety. The barking can become self-reinforcing as he becomes more stimulated and anxious.
Startle barking occurs in response to an unfamiliar or sudden sound or movement. As with an alert/warning bark, we need to be able to control this type of barking quickly.
So now that you know the types of barking, you can begin to understand and control it by reading on….
Health & Lifestyle
We all know that a dog’s breath can get pretty stinky. Brushing his teeth helps with the breath, but it also has an impact on his health!
Canine Bad Breath is normally a result of improper dental care. Most dog owners tend to ignore dental care while grooming. Lack of proper dental care results in food particles, bone splinters and other substances that remain stuck between the teeth and gums causing decay over a period of time.
The resultant abscesses and Inflammation becomes a welcome home for bacteria. Untended, they invite more bacteria, which ultimately results in Periodontitis, a teeth and gum disease that can progress and infect other parts of the body.
Dental care is as important for dogs as it is for humans. If you want to avoid dental problems like Periodontitis, you need to brush the dog’s teeth, just as you do yours. The only difference is that you may have to learn how to brush your dogs’ teeth.
Your pet will also need to get accustomed to the manner in which you brush his teeth since it is not natural for them. However, the training is similar to the manner in which the pet gets accustomed to accept your commands.
Choose a time when your dog and you are relaxed. If your dog is disturbed or agitated he is most likely to resist your attempts at brushing. For the first few times, simply stroke the area with your fingers and let the dog get used to it. Choose veterinary toothpaste and apply some to your finger and let the dog get a taste of it.
Make sure you choose a paste with a flavor that you know your dog likes. There is a wide range of flavors available in the market and you can choose one that is flavored with poultry or other meats. Once your pet is habituated to the taste, you can introduce the toothbrush.
It is important to understand that since this is not a natural activity for a dog, he is unlikely to enjoy the process of brushing or accept it easily. You should try and make sure that brushing teeth becomes an enjoyable activity for your dog.
Start with brushing for about 30 seconds at a time and do not test the dog’s tolerance level. Don’t stop after he starts fussing. This will result in more fussing as the dog realizes that fussing results in putting a stop to the activity. Brush a few teeth initially and increase the number of teeth gradually. Don’t forget the ‘difficult-to-reach’ back teeth since they are most likely to accumulate maximum tartar.
Brushing teeth should be a regular exercise and if you notice a particle or splinter or bone that is difficult to dislodge, you may have to take your dog to the veterinarian for removal.
Source
Training Tips
If you’ve got a cat that chews, here are 7 simple
steps to addressing the problem!
- Check to see if there is a reason why your cat chews:
- Sometimes cats chew because of a vitamin deficiency. Feed a good quality cat food or check with your vet for supplements.
- Check with your vet for any other possible problems, such as fleas or an unhealed wound. This is especially important if your cat is gnawing at itself all the time.
- Check your cat’s dental health. If the cat is growing new teeth or has a toothache or aching gums, it may chew to relieve the pain. Have the cat treated accordingly by your vet.
- Stop the chewing. Feed a supplement if needed and follow any instructions a vet has given you. Otherwise, if your cat is given a clean bill of health, it may be necessary to find other ways to deter the chewing. You could try:
- Bitter apple spray – this is one of the best deterrents that is made for dogs/cats. Most dogs/cats will not chew on something sprayed with it.
- Cayenne pepper and water solution. Spray this onto the object being chewed and the cat will leave it alone because it is hot.
- Orange oil. Make a solution of 1 part orange oil, 3 parts water and spray this on the object.
- Other disliked flavors. You know your own cat; choose flavors that your cat finds distasteful and coat the object with these.
- Cover what the cat is chewing on (phone or computer cords). You can buy cord protecters (like a long tube).
- Move the object. Another great way to stop the chewing is to remove the object altogether for a time. Return it when the cat appears more settled. If the cat takes to chewing something else as a substitute, use a different deterrent such as the repellent odor.
- Distract your cat. Place cat-friendly plants in pots or in the garden to distract your cat to something more pleasurable. Plants to choose include lemongrass, catnip, catmint etc. Hopefully, the cat will take to chewing on these instead of the object if it takes a liking to the plant. Make sure to introduce the cat to the plant!
- Find an alternative chewing buddy. Substitute the object with something else, such as an old bath towel or mat, a scratching board, toys, yarn etc. Something it can either sink its teeth and claws into that will amuse it endlessly.
Did You Know???
Cats LOVE our Classic SleepEzz!
The Friday Scoop!
A Pit Bull from former quarterback Michael Vick’s dogfighting ring has a new job – helping cancer patients! This story is amazing!
“Leo — rescued from heavy chains that confined him as one of the pit bulls in former NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s dogfighting ring — is a lover, not a fighter. He now happily frolics in a clown collar as he makes the rounds at the Camino Infusion Center, where he brings comfort to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Despite his training as a killer, Leo is a sweetheart as he visits his friends on the ward. “He is wonderful, and all the patients love Leo,” said Paula Reed, the facility’s oncology director. “They really love his eyes and gentleness.”
Read all about this incredible dog Here
Health & Lifestyle
We worry so often about chemicals getting into our food & our kids’ toys, but harmful chemicals are affecting our pets too!
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that cats and dogs carry a much higher “body burden” — the amount of persistent toxic chemicals in the body — than their human caregivers.
Just why are our pets so susceptible? Their vulnerability is due in part to their diminutive size and lifespan, but a larger component probably has to do with the way pets live: close to the ground. Like human children, dogs and cats will eat food off the floor and spend a lot of time on toxin-laden carpets. Pets pick up outside dust, insecticides and herbicides, then ingest these chemicals through self-grooming. Toxic dyes in pet products and plastic chew toys and water bowls also play a dangerous role, as do high mercury and PBDE levels in seafood.
Here are some ways you can protect your beloved pet:
• Don’t use lawn herbicides
• Use plant-based kitty litter from wheat or recycled newspaper instead of clay-based litter
• Vacuum frequently, and bag resulting dust to prevent reintroduction into the house.
• Flea collars are ineffective and a source of constant toxic exposure to your pets and family. Choose natural pest repellants like garlic and clove oil instead.
• Pick pet food free of chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, vary cats’ diets to limit seafood mercury-exposure and choose organic or free-range ingredients rather than “by-products.”
• If you suspect your deck was made with arsenic-treated wood, don’t let pets underneath it. Regularly treat with sealant, wash with soap and water, and never power wash.
The Friday Scoop!
An uplifting story about an amazing dog…
We got to meet Faith at the Backer Expo in Baltimore, and we couldn’t get enough of her! Her story…
“Faith Stringfellow is an amazing little dog, with an even more amazing story. Faith suffered from a birth defect, she became a member of our family when she was just a three-week old puppy. My son Reuben (17) picked Faith out of a litter of puppies that his friend’s dog had recently given birth to. Several of the puppies were deformed; a few had already died. The mother dog was actually trying to terminate Faith’s life when Reuben lifted her weak body out from under the mother dog; he brought her home to me knowing I had a heart like a marshmellow.
Even though Faith has this defect we taught her to stand, hop, and eventually walk on her two back legs, like a human. She’s been a great dog and we forget she’s handicapped. You’ll turn around and she’s chasing the geese at the park, running, jumping, skipping, and acting like any other dog…well, any other dog with a nose reach of 40″ from the ground! (Watch your plate, she’ll clean it for you before you’re ready to share.)”
Learn all about Faith here
Health & Lifestyle
Just another example of how pets enhance their owners’ lives!
Parents with dogs claim that since the arrival of their four-legged friend their children are less stressed and fitter. Research conducted by Mars Petcare reveals the beneficial impact pet dogs can have on children’s lives with nearly half of all dog owners commenting that their children do more walking since their dog arrived. A quarter say they witnessed improvements in their children’s health and fitness.
Dog owners believe that, not only has their family’s level of exercise increased since getting a dog, but their family bond has also been strengthened as they now spend more time playing together or walking the dog.
Forty per cent of dog-owning parents comment that despite the increasing popularity of computers and video games, playing with the family pooch still tops the list of their children’s favourite pastimes.
According to the research conducted by Mars Petcare, makers of Pedigree and Cesar, families with dogs spend more time out and about exploring. One in three dog owners say that they and their family visit their local park more frequently since the arrival of their canine companion and 22 per cent now choose to walk the dog, rather than use their car, as they run errands.
Health & Lifestyle
Cloned Pets are becoming a reality. What do you think?
A California company will give five dog owners the chance to have a favorite pet genetically copied and brought back to life later this month. BioArts International has arranged an online auction to decide which dog lovers will qualify: at starting bids between $100,000 and $180,000.
This is not the first time animals have been cloned commercially. In 2003, the American Mule Racing Association funded the cloning of racing mules. Similar technology has now been used to replicate thoroughbred horses.
Some scientists warn that clones are prone to multiple health problems and premature death. Hawthorne responds that the success rate is one in four; he offers money back if the cloned dog is not like a twin of the original and does not survive for 12 months.
Others suggest customers may feel duped. A cloned dog is “likely to be a totally unknown dog, just as if you went to the pound and adopted another unknown animal”, says Dr Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at the Massachusetts biotech company Advanced Cell Technology. “If anyone thinks they’re going to get Fluffy back, they’re gravely mistaken.”
