|
|
|
|
|
|
Pet Care Tips
 Socialization Biscuits |
Socialization is the process during which a puppy develops relationships with other living beings in its environment. Its experiences during the first four months of life will dramatically influence its adult personality. To prevent antisocial behavior, fear and biting, a puppy must have frequent positive experiences with everyone it meets during these early months. Be sure to avoid physically punishing the puppy and any interactions with people that make it anxious. Puppies that don’t socialize enough with people, other animals and new environments during their first four months may develop irreversible fears, leading to timidity or aggression.
Every puppy must meet as many new people as possible in a variety of situations. To help introduce the puppy to new people, encourage each person who meets the puppy to give it a biscuit. This will teach the puppy to look forward to meeting people and discourage “hand shyness”, since the puppy will learn to associate new friends and an outstretched hand with something positive. Once the puppy has learned to sit on command, have each new friend ask the puppy to sit before giving it the biscuit. This teaches it how to greet people properly and will make the puppy less likely to jump on people. Be certain that the puppy has the opportunity to meet and receive biscuits from a wide variety of people of all ages, races, appearance and both sexes during the first few formative months.
Since obesity is a dangerous condition for growing dogs, never use biscuits merely as a snack or to win the pet’s affection. Your puppy will actually develop a closer attachment to you if you show your leadership and only provide treats and attention when it earns them. These techniques can also benefit adult dogs that have social problems.
These biscuits help remind you of the importance of proper socialization. The only rule is that only new people it meets - and not family members - give them to the puppy. Once the puppy has been well socialized, you can use the treats for other training purposes.
Best wishes for a long and happy relationship!
| | Crate Training and House Training | Crate Training
A dog’s crate not only prevents behavior problems (chewing, “housesoiling” destructiveness, digging, escaping, raiding the garbage and other problems) but also serves as a home or den for the dog. Crate training is neither cruel nor unfair. On the contrary, not supervising the dog and leaving it to wander, investigate, destroy and, perhaps, get injured is far more inhumane than confinement. As long as the crate is big enough, the dog gets sufficient exercise and you don’t leave it in the crate longer than it can control itself, the crate is a safe, secure and humane place to confine a pet when you can’t supervise it. Keeping a dog outside in a yard and confining it to a pen or dog run, or in a room that you can properly dog-proof, are also acceptable alternatives.
Crate training has a number of important advantages:
-
Increasing security
A contented dog spends time sleeping, grooming or chewing a favorite toy in a secure favorite location.
- Increasing safety
Since dogs, especially puppies, have a strong desire to investigate and chew, the crate, like a child’s playpen, is an excellent way to keep a dog safe when you can’t supervise it. Dogs that you allow to investigate on their own may get into medicine chests, diaper pails, garbage cans and kitty litter. Some dogs have even gone through drywall or glass windows trying to escape.
- Preventing costly damage
With their instinctual desire to chew, investigate, dig, escape, scavenge and, of course, “eliminate” [insert a link here to a new page that explains in plain language what “eliminate” means], dogs are capable of doing a great deal of damage. A secure, inescapable confinement area can prevent costly damage.
- Preventing behavior problems
Besides preventing destructive behavior, crate training also can prevent dogs from barking at doors and windows, jumping onto furniture or counters, “housesoiling” [insert a link here to a new page that explains, in plain language what “housesoiling” means] and entering rooms or areas of the house that you want to be “off-limits” for dogs.
- Correcting behavior problems
To correct problem behavior, you must supervise your dog so that you can reward it when it behaves properly and punish it when it behaves undesirably. Since no owner can monitor a dog 24 hours a day, keep your dog in a confined area, such as a crate, when you can’t supervise it.
- Training what to chew and how to control “elimination”
Since most dogs will not “soil” their den, crate training is one of the best ways to teach a dog to control “elimination”. You can also direct your dog also to chew on appropriate objects by placing selected toys in the crate.
- Reducing barking
Often puppies cry when they’re separated from you, their owner (especially at night). Using crate-training techniques, you can teach the puppy to spend time alone in its crate. Some owners may prefer to allow their puppies to sleep in their bedroom (in the crate) where it is less likely to bark, whimper, cry or otherwise vocalize.
- Improving your relationship with your dog
Since crate-trained puppies require you to discipline them less often when they misbehave, cause fewer problems and frustration for you and are much less likely to cause damage, your bond with your pet likely will be stronger.
- Traveling safely and securely with your dog
Since most crates are collapsible or portable, you can take them on trips to securely and safely house your dog.
| | Ten Things You Should Know About Dogs |
- Never give table scraps and other types of human food to your dog; they have very different nutrition needs from people. Some foods can make dogs seriously ill. For example, chocolate can be very toxic to a dog - even deadly. To make sure that you have a healthy dog only give it food that’s made especially for dogs.
- From the first day you have your new dog, make sure that you assume the role of the leader over your dog. Dogs are naturally pack animals and they will frequently challenge you to establish the leader of the pack. A dog will look at its new family as a pack. Your dog will try to become leader of this new pack, leading to all sorts of problems including barking and lack of control. You need to prove that you are the leader of the pack.
- When your dog rolls over, it may be telling you that it wants you to scratch its stomach, but in this vulnerable position (exposing the throat), your dog is also letting you know that it completely trusts you. Rolling over is also a sign of submission (you are the leader!) Make sure you take the time to show your affection by gently patting or stroking its stomach.
- Grooming is not only a good way to make sure that your dog has a healthy coat, but also a great way to bond with your dog and to let it become familiar with your scent. Stroking it gently with a brush makes it feel loved and accepted – and clean.
- When first introducing a dog to a new home, always walk him around the house and backyard to familiarize it with its new surroundings. Showing the dog its sleeping and eating areas and the door to outside is also a good idea.
- Start training your dog to obey you on day one. Teach your dog what behavior you accept and what behaviour you do not. If you have poorly trained your dog, it’s not only a nuisance but also a danger to itself. Many pet owners make the mistake of allowing bad behavior in puppies because they think that it is cute, and then later punish the dog for the same acts. This confuses a dog and can lead it to behave even worse.
- When you’re training your dog to obey you, your two best tools are your voice and consistency. Your dog does not actually react to verbal commands such as “yes” and “no”, but, rather, to the tone of your voice. When you are scolding a dog, your tone of voice is usually harsh and that gets your dog’s attention. But, when you are happy with him, your tone is soothing and relaxing. You should maintain a consistent tone for each type of command.
- Never leave small children alone with a dog or allow older kids to play roughly with them. Dogs have a natural predatory instinct that they cannot totally control.
- Never make the mistake of giving your dog chicken and meat bones as a treat. These treats are not good for your dog because slivers from the bones can travel through their systems and seriously damage their insides.
- Dogs with shiny coats, sparkling eyes and cool, wet noses are usually in good health. One way to detect any signs of illness is if your dog has a warm nose and if its gums appear to be a different colour than usually. Also, if you discover any changes in your dog’s personality or appearance, then you should contact your veterinarian.
| | Kennel Cough |
Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs. Dogs often catch it while boarding at a kennel, where they may come into contact with other dogs that either have the disease or carry it. Several viruses and bacteria, alone or together, cause kennel cough.
You can usually tell that your dog has this illness if it has a harsh, dry, spastic cough. Otherwise, your dog might look bright and alert, eat relatively well and seem to maintain an overall good condition. Most cases are mild. With rest and proper care, dogs with kennel cough usually recover in two weeks.
Kennel cough is a more serious illness for puppies. Often the puppy suffers from nasal congestion along with the cough. That’s because puppies often have narrower nasal passages than adults and those narrow passages are often obstructed. You may need to take your puppy to the vet so that you can loosen the thickness in its nasal passgages, improve its breathing and prevent pneumonia. Toy breeds, because they’re smaller even when adult, often suffer from similar problems as puppies of all breeds.
Animal shelters or other facilities that house a large number of dogs can’t do much to prevent kennel cough. The dog that you recently adopted may have already been exposed. If you recognize the symptoms, we recommend that you bring them to your veterinarian’s attention. The vet may recommend antibiotics that can treat or prevent kennel cough.
Moderately exercising your dog every day helps drain your dog’s nasal and bronchial passages, but avoid strenuous exercise. Coughing helps them to clear the nasal and bronchial passages, but excessive spasms of dry, unproductive cough can irritate them more and lead to exhaustion.
Vaccines that fight some of the kennel cough viruses are available. However, they will not prevent all cases.
| | Please Neuter or Spay Your Pet |
Neutering and spaying are surgical procedures that prevent your pets from having babies or from making other animals pregnant.
Why do it?
To stop the overpopulation of dogs and cats!
Every year, millions of healthy, wonderful, friendly dogs and cats are killed in Canada because there are not enough homes for them all.
Spaying or neutering your pet is the only way to prevent unwanted kittens or puppies. Killing animals is not an acceptable solution!
Spaying and neutering your pets also benefits their health because it:
- Prevents reproductive tract infections and reduces the risk of females developing mammary cancer
- Reduces the risk of males developing cancerous tumors (for example, in the prostate.)
- Reduces the risk of cats developing severe infections, abscesses and lacerations which are common injuries from cat fights
- Reduces the risk of pets contracting highly contagious and fatal diseases from intimate contact
Other important reasons to spay or neuter your cat
- Male cats won’t spray, which means: no smell, no mess, no abscesses, no late-night squabbles and roaming, no amorous females at your door. (“Unfixed” male cats have little of no chance of being adopted at a shelter).
- You’ll have happier pets, since they will no longer be obsessed with being a part of the “singles scene:, they can concentrate on being a family pet and interacting with their family
Please make the responsible choice… the only choice. Spay or neuter your pets. Their lives depend on it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|