Train Your Dog

While a common question among pet owners seems to be, “What is the best dog food to feed my dog,” they often neglect to ask the equally important question, “How much should I feed my dog?”

There are some common tenets of feeding which are vital to every dog’s health, regardless of breed.

The one fundamental rule when feeding adult dogs is that the less they eat, the healthier they’ll be and the longer they’ll live. Obviously they need a balanced and complete diet. And they shouldn’t be permitted to get excessively thin or fat.

But nearly all pet owners overfeed. And nearly every animal will consume twenty percent more food than it actually needs. The proper way to feed your dog is to find the amount that will maintain your pet’s weight, and feed exactly that amount daily. This is the most important rule of feeding your dog.

If your dog is overweight, you will need to put it on a diet until it reaches a proper body weight, and then find the appropriate amount of food it takes to maintain that weight.

Pet owners often agonize over putting their precious pets on a diet, but an obese dog isn’t any happier about being fat than an obese person is. This feeling of distress over forcing an overweight dog to reduce its weight is based on the impression that starvation is painful. However it truly isn’t painful as long as there is a reserve of food stored in the body fat. Feeding a bit of protein and carbohydrate daily to stimulate the metabolism and burn the fat will cause healthy weight loss without any danger of the development of acidosis. Hunger pangs are really just habit pangs. Any pain associated with them is imagined only.

It is far crueler to overfeed your dog than it is to put it on a diet. Obesity shortens the life of the pet, and makes it lethargic in nature. It can make both the dog and the owner unhappy, and as the pet grows older, the affect of the excess weight will become more pronounced.

The following amounts are some general estimates of how much dry dog food is appropriate to feed considering the healthy weight of a dog. Considerations for factors such as how much exercise your dog gets and whether or not the dog is overweight will vary these amounts.

Toy breeds of dogs, generally weighing up to 11 pounds, should get 3-5 ounces of dry dog food per day.

Small dog breeds (Jack Russells, Beagles, etc.), weighing 11-22 pounds, should get 4-6 ounces of food per day.

Medium dog breeds (Bassett Hound, Springer Spaniel, etc.), weighing 22-55 pounds, should have 10-12 ounces of food each day.

Large dog breeds (German Shepherd, Labrador, Boxer, etc.), weighing 55-77 pounds, should get 16-18 ounces of food per day.

Giant dog breeds (Great Dane, Saint Bernard, etc.), weighing over 77 pounds, should get 24-30 ounces of dry dog food each day.

All dogs should have a fresh supply of water available at all times, regardless of how much you feed your dog.

Tags: Feed My Dog
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Vomiting, convulsions, pain, trembling, panting, drooling and coma are all symptoms of poisoning. These all however are symptoms of other maladies as well. If your dog displays any of these symptoms you should investigate the possibility of poisoning immediately.

It is not common for animals to be deliberately poisoned. Dog poisoning typically occurs by chewing plants that have been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides, by gnawing on old treated or painted wood, by catching rodents that have been poisoned, by ingesting poison intended for other animals or bugs, or by eating garbage that contains a poisonous substance. Poisons aren’t often easily traced, so it is important that dog owners know first aid procedures to follow in case your pet might have been poisoned.

If you know the poison is a corrosive, such as an acid or a petroleum product, don’t induce vomiting. Rinse the mouth and give 1-2 tablespoons of cooking or mineral oil orally.

If not a corrosive, induce vomiting immediately. An emetic such as ipecac is the best method for achieving this. Only giving the poison a few minutes to work in the system may result in irreparable damage. You can make your own emetic by mixing equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water. Force your dog to swallow one and a half tablespoons for each ten pounds of body weight. Puppies need less than one tablespoon, and large dogs require seven to eight tablespoons. Holding the dog’s muzzle in a manner that prevents breathing through the nose will force him to swallow the mixture. The dog will expel the contents of its stomach in two to three minutes. If no hydrogen peroxide is readily available, mustard or a strong salt solution will also work, but not as effectively.

Call your veterinarian as soon as you have administered the emetic. If you know the source of the dog poison and have a package it came in, check the label for an antidote. If you don’t know the source of the poison, the veterinarian will likely be able to figure it out based on the symptoms, and will be able to prescribe further treatment.

If there is even the remote chance that the poison can cause intestinal problems, it is vital that all traces of the poison be eradicated before administering drugs which will prevent bowel movement.

Tags: Dog is Poisoned, Dog Poisoned
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Dog aggression can manifest in behaviors such as growling, snapping, baring teeth, and biting. The underlying intent on the part of the dog expressing the aggressive behavior is to intimidate a person or another animal.

If you try to understand aggression from the dog’s point of view, there is always a reason for the behavior. He generally feels threatened in some way. He might interpret a friendly gesture from a human as an intention to do harm. Or he might think another animal, or a human, is after his food. Overcoming aggressive behavior in dogs can be a complex issue, and it is often a job better left to a professional.

Territorial aggression, protective aggression, and possessive aggression are all closely related aggressive traits are based in a defense of a resource. Territorial aggression is about the dog protecting his “turf.” This may or may not be confined to the yard. Even if the dog only leaves the yard on a leash, he may still consider his turf to be anything within the boundaries of his urine marks. Protective aggression is generally aggression intended for animals or people that the dog sees as a threat to his pack. It is important to note that a pet dog might consider his human family his pack. Possessively aggressive dogs do so out of defense of food, toys, or some object they have decided is “theirs.”

Dominance aggression in dogs manifests in situations related to pecking order in the pack. Again, dogs perceive their human “family” as part of the pack, and they may actually see themselves as having a higher status in the group than the humans. When your dog has a certain perception and he feels you are encroaching on his status, he may challenge you. Maybe you want him to get off the furniture, and he simply doesn’t want to. He may growl, snap, or even bite if you permit it. Hugging a dog or grabbing for it’s collar may also be interpreted as challenges to status and could result in such behavior.

Redirected aggression is common in dogs, but often misunderstood by owners. This occurs when a dog is prompted to be aggressive towards another animal or a human that it is unable to attack, so he redirects his aggression at a different animal or human that he is able to attack. A common example of this is two dogs who share the same yard are provoked by a third dog on the other side of the fence. Because the two dogs in the yard are unable to attack the third dog, they may become excited and attack each other.

All of these types of aggressive behaviors can be modified, but due to the dangers of working with aggressive dogs, and the complexity of animal behavior in general, dog behavior modification should be left to the professionals.

Do not attempt to punish a dog that demonstrates aggressive tendencies. You could actually do more harm than good. It also may result in you being attacked by the dog.

You should first consult a veterinarian to determine if a medical problem is causing the aggressive behavior.

If the problem is not medical, you should then consult with an animal behavior specialist. This is best done at your home with the dog in its normal surroundings.

You are ultimately responsible for the behavior of your dog. Make sure people and other animals are safe around your dog, or you could find yourself paying a doctor bill, or even being sued in court.

Avoid situations where your dog is likely to express aggressive behavior. Confine him and keep him away from people if necessary.

If your dog is territorial or possessive, simply remove access to the area or item, and the problem is solved.

Spay or neuter your dog. Dogs with intact genitalia are more likely to display aggression.

Tags: Dealing with Dog Aggression, Dog Aggression
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If your dog becomes injured or harmed in some way are you prepared to save your dogs life with first aid? Unfortunately a great many canine owners have absolutely no idea how to administer dog first aid if necessary. It is the intent of this article to provide useful tips which may well mean the difference between, life or death, for your beloved animal.

Perhaps one of the most common injuries which can be harmful to your pet is something as simple as an insect bite. Some of the insects which can cause pain and suffering to your pooch are the ants, hornets, spiders, wasp and other stinging insects. If your animal is going to have a possible reaction it will normally surface within the 1st half hour or so. It is fairly easy to recognize the signs of the dog’s reaction.

Your pet may suddenly start scratching excessively, nibbling or biting at the injured area and whining with pain. In some cases if it is sever enough anaphylactic shock and other forms of shock may occur. It is best if you give the dog first aid as soon as possible.

Find the location of the sting and try to locate the stinger. Many of these insects stingers will break off in your dog and can cause further damage if not removed properly. It is strongly recommended, by Veterinarians, not to use tweezers when removing the stinger. It is best to use the edge of a credit card or a similar object and scrape the stinger out, in lieu of trying to pull it out.

To ease the pain and itching of the bite you can apply things like calamine lotion or other similar salves and lotions. A really fast acting treatment is the blending of water and baking soda, which will form a paste and apply directly to the wound. Another alternative is to apply ice wrapped in a rag or an ice pack to the wound to keep the swelling and pain down. However, as soon as practical after administering the first aid, be sure to call your Vet.

As stated above it is possible for your dog to go into shock if it has received multiple bites and stings. The symptoms for this could be wheezing, high temperature, staggering, losing conciseness, difficulty breathing, very fast and shallow breathing and other symptoms. If your pet appears to be in shock, make every effort to keep it warm and hold its head up, as this may well ease the breathing situation. After administering the first aid it’s critical for you to get the animal to your Veterinarian or an Emergency Veterinarian Service. Without the proper treatment for shock your best friend may die.

These are just a few tips on how you can help your dog if it should get in trouble. Knowing the right thing to do and when to do it may save the life of “man’s best friend”. A very quick search on the internet, using the keyword “dog first aid” with the quotes, will give you tons of other information. In addition your local Vet will have a brochure on pet first aid.

Tags: Dog First Aid, Dog First Aid Tips
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Discover The Facts About Dog Aggression

You are the master of a beautiful and loving dog. Then one day the animal appears to turn on you and becomes aggressive towards you. You are completely baffled as to why “your best friend” has demonstrated this behavior. By reading on you will discover there are different types of dog aggression and the reasons behind them.

Normally when a dog becomes aggressive or more aggressive than normal, you can generally determine the reason for it. In most cases the canine will have a sense of being threatened, members of its pack (human family) being attacked or possibly in some type of pain. As an example of the pet feeling threatened, you or someone else may have made a covert move, which the dog perceives as being threatening to it’s self or to it’s human family. This covert move could be something as simple as reaching down to move the dog’s food bowl, while the dog is eating. However, when trying to figure out what has triggered this aggression, it may be more complicated than it appears on the surface, therefore requiring someone with more knowledge about dog behavior than you.

There is more than one type of aggressive behavior which your pet may demonstrate on different occasions and with varying degrees of aggression. Each of these individual types of aggression can be modified, but again you must remember, you may well need the help of a professional dog trainer to be completely successful in the modification of your canine’s aggression. Actually, there are 3 types of hostile attitude, which may be interconnected quite closely.

1. Possessive Aggression - The dog is defending what it considers belongs to him. Things such as food, a favorite toy or some innate object.
2. Territorial Aggression - The K-9 is protecting what it perceives to be its territory. This may not be restricted to the interior of the home or the yard. In fact if you walk your animal on a leash it may consider anywhere it has marked with urine as its own territory.
3. Protective Aggression – The canine will demonstrate this type of hostile behavior, towards other animals and humans, when it perceives a danger towards itself or the pack. Again remembering that the dog may well consider the family members as part of its pack.

One form of belligerent attitude which catches many pet owners off guard, when it happens, is known as domination aggression. This is when the dog feels that it is the “Boss” of its empire, including all the family members. In other words it feels that you are subservient to it in the overall pecking order. The behavior may well come forth as you try to move the brute, from your favorite recliner and it decides not to move. When this occurs the dog may snarl, growl, snap or even bite if you permit it to do so.

Each of these aggressive behaviors can be a danger to you and your family. However, with the proper advice by a competent authority, you will soon discover the facts about dog aggression.

Tags: Dog Aggression, Possessive Aggression, Protective Aggression, Territorial Aggression
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The vast majority of people believe that the best time to train a dog is during the early formative years. This may well be true, but it doesn’t mean you “can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. The older dog may be a little harder to teach, but it’s not out of the question. Although it is hard work training an older dog the following tips will smooth the way for you.

The hardest part of the new training may be the part where you have to break the old bad habits the K-9 may have acquired through the years. As an example, when the dog is very sociable, it may have a habit of jumping on people when it first greets them. This can be extremely embarrassing for you and may even be frightening for some of your guest.

The quickest and easiest way to solve this problem is of course to simply secure the dog in an area away from your guest. However, an older dog in this case may be easier to train than a younger dog, as they tend not to get as excited as the younger pooches. In this case the use of a short leash and collar will restrict the dog from jumping on the guest. As they desist from the jumping be sure to praise and reward him/her with kind words. Over a period of time the older dog will replace the “bad jumping habit” with the new one of calmly waiting for the “OK” to greet the guest.

Depending on the age of the pooch you may find the animal has some physical limitations, which will have a bearing on the kind of training you can give to your dog. Be alert for signs of arthritis, displaced joints, muscle damage and other possible injuries when training. The animal will normally reveal such problems with a whine, limp, stiffness or even refusal to respond because of pain.

In this same vain an older animal will tire more easily than a younger one. You may find your more mature pet will learn quicker and easier if you keep your training sessions to a shorter period of time. Several short sessions will accomplish the same objective, as the longer ones, and will give your beloved pet more time rest.

The actual learning pace of the older pooch may be somewhat slower than a younger one. Some dogs may show a decline in their learning skills as they grow older. Therefore, you will need to allow your pet to learn at their own speed. If you rush the dog, during the training cycle, you may cause more harm than good.

As we all know when training any dog, regardless of age, the use of praise (including petting) and treats is an important part of the training. However, with older dogs especially, it is best to use the treats sparingly. If you over treat the dog you may add unhealthy weight to your animal, which in turn can lead to other health problems. Remember, that often times, the dog will respond just as well to hugs and sincere praise as they will to a treat.

It is important for you to remember that, just like humans, older dogs will make mistakes when learning something new. If this is the case don’t resort to yelling and hollering or to physical abuse of any sort to your pet. The only thing you will do is confuse the poor animal and you may cancel out what you have already accomplished. However, you still need to correct the dog and let it know it has done something wrong.

This can be accomplished with the proper voice tone and body language demonstrated by you. Remember to use very short phrases or single words to express your displeasure with the performance. Repetition and consistency will help the dog understand when it has done something wrong and will also convey to the dog when it has performed well.

Training an older dog can be more difficult than a younger dog. You, as the trainer and master, are ultimately responsible for the effectiveness of the training. By being patient, consistent and repetitive in your methods you will be able to teach and old dog new tricks.

Tags: older dog, teach an old dog new tricks, Training Older Dog
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Even when fed poor diets, dogs are generally free from dental cavities. One study revealed that only 5.8 percent of teeth examined in dogs contained cavities. And many of the teeth that were found to have cavities were so loose and had such extremely receded gums that those teeth were for the most part useless to the dog anyway.

Dogs don’t develop the same type of painful cavities that humans do. Dog cavities are not a result of decay, but are caused by grinding the tips of the teeth away to the point that the enamel wears off and exposes the pulp of the tooth.

It is remarkable how few dogs have dental problems as the direct result of malnutrition during their development growth stages. Abandoned dogs, and the offspring of abandoned dogs that have never had the benefit of human care, that appear to be emaciated or malnourished will generally be found to have teeth that are as good or better than pets that have been spoiled.

The reason for this is that dogs that are allowed to run wild can just about always find enough bones to provide the calcium and phosphorus necessary for good tooth development. Their diets may be deficient in minerals that contribute to other health problems, but if a dog can find bones on a regular basis, he will generally have good teeth.

The dogs with the worst teeth are generally those raised in kennels or homes that feed primary dog biscuits and meat-based diets that are deficient in phosphorous. Dogs that are fed meal-type dog foods, since those feeds generally contain a sufficient amount of dried ground bone, will usually have good teeth. Bone meal is one of the most inexpensive ingredients that can be added to dog food that will contribute to the dog’s good dental health.

The quality of a dog’s teeth has little to do with the consistency of the food he eats, so canned or dry food in and of itself makes little difference. It is the mineral content of the food that makes the difference. The only advantage of dry food over canned is that a food that has an abrasive surface will help clean the teeth. Dogs that are fed exclusively canned or soft food will generally have heavy tartar deposits.

Giving your dog a big flat beef rib bone, and ensuring the chews it in a place where it can’t be contaminated by worm eggs, is one of the best dental care measures you can take. Chewing through the bone will keep his teeth clean and white, and ingesting the bone will provide the minerals necessary to keep his teeth healthy.

Tags: Dental Care for Your Dog, Dog cavities, Dog Dental, Dog Dental Care
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Here is a Packing Checklist when you bring you dog for travel

Prescribed Medicine
Immunization Records
Food Bowl
Water Bowl
Food, portioned out for trip duration
Bottled water
Blanket
Bed
Crate if your dog needs one
Harness or restraint system for vehicle
Chew Toys
Ball or other favorite toys
Training Treats
ID on collar with Cell phone number and e-mail address
Leash
Extra Collar, ID and leash
Shampoo
2 or 3 old towels
Sheets
With your Vet’s approval: Antihistamine for allergies, motion sickness medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine
First aid kit
Flashlight
Plastic bags, disinfectant, trash bags, carpet cleaning solution, paper towels.

Tags: Dog Travel, Dog Travel Packing Checklist
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Dogs vs. Small Children on a Trip: A side-by-side comparison
When deciding whether or not to take your dog on a trip with you, one good way to look at this issue is to compare the experience of having your dog along, versus a small child.
Yapping vs. Napping. On a long car trip, a child will continually pester you by asking: �Are we there yet?� or other variations, such as: �When do we get there?� or the ever popular, �You said we�d be there an hour ago, dad.�
A dog, on the other hand, is more than happy to lie down and snooze for the entire journey, because that�s pretty much what he does at home. Unless your dog�s snoring particularly bothers you, we�d have to score one point for the dog.

Score: Dog 1, Children 0

Avoid Sudden Stops. On a long car trip, a child tends to tell you, �I have to go potty,� at the most inopportune times, such as when you are crossing the hot, empty desert through Nevada, going up a winding mountain road in Colorado, or when you are stuck in traffic on the freeway heading to the beach. Should you not deal with this problem immediately, any number of unpleasant things could happen in the back seat. And none of them are likely to increase the value of your SUV.
Most dogs on the other hand, are used to being at home alone for long periods of time without any opportunity to go outside and do their �business.� They train themselves to maintain strict control over their bodily functions and not have accidents. The dog wins this round, too. No contest.

Score: Dog 2, Children 0

The Unfriendly Skies. The airlines are not a dog-friendly industry. Only small dogs are allowed in the cabin with the human passengers, and only if they are put in a container that resembles carry-on luggage. The container is stowed under the seat during flight. Larger dogs, even extremely well behaved ones, are treated like common cargo and put back with the luggage, again in a container. For some reason, small children, no matter how unruly or untrained, are allowed to sit in the cabin�right there with the adults, if you can imagine that! This system is patently unfair, but if you are planning a trip that involves air travel, it�s probably best to leave your dog at home.

Score: Dog 2, Children 1

Mealtime Mayhem. Mealtime on vacation is fraught with possibilities for disaster. The unfamiliar food that is encountered in restaurants away from home can cause children to throw tantrums or even throw the food itself. The change in routine, waiting to be served, can also make a child upset. It�s sad to watch the embarrassed faces of parents whose kids go out of control in a crowded restaurant. The kid knows he has the upper hand, and wields this power with impunity.
Dogs aren�t allowed inside restaurants. There are restaurants that have patio or sidewalk dining where dogs are allowed, however. Give the dog a bowl of water, perhaps a chew toy, tell him he�s a good boy every so often, and he will sit contentedly while you enjoy your meal no matter how long the meal takes or how poor the service is. He�s happy to be on an outing with you, and he enjoys the attention when people stop by and tell you how well behaved�and cute–your dog is.

Score: Dog 3, Children 1

The results are clear: For a relaxing, enjoyable vacation, Invite Your Dog Along!

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Dog Days of Summer at the Beach�and the Ball Park

Most dogs love the beach. They enjoy exploring, running, playing fetch in the surf, and the sounds and smells of the ocean are fascinating to them. Many beaches around the country have designated times that you can take your dog walking there, usually early in the morning and toward dusk, when the sun bathers are finished for the day. But some beaches go much further like Dog Beach, located in Ocean Beach in San Diego. This is an open stretch of beach where dogs can run to their hearts� content, off their leash. The beach is open year-round for dogs to run, swim and maybe even surf. Beach etiquette requires that you bring plastic bags and clean up after your dog. But you do that at home when you take your dog for a walk, right?

Chicago has its own Dog Beach, too, just off Lake Shore Drive. This a fenced off area of beach where dogs and their owners can play without bothering those rare individuals who don�t like sharing the beach with the frolicsome four-legged set. What�s the matter with these people?

Speaking of Chicago, Cominsky Park, home of the White Sox, has an annual �Dog Day� when ticket holders are allowed to bring their dogs with them to watch the game. Special treats are given out to the dogs who attend. A fun time had by both human and canine baseball enthusiasts; however, biting the Umpire is strictly prohibited. Howling at a bad call by the Ump is considered acceptable, though. Even encouraged.

Hawaii? Book It, Fid-O (Or Maybe Not)
Up until 2003, Hawaii was for all practical purposes off limits to canine visitors from the mainland. Extreme measure to suppress rabies outbreaks resulted in rules requiring a four-month quarantine for dogs arriving on the islands. Even with these changes, taking your dog with you on a Hawaiian vacation still requires significant planning and following very strict guidelines; those who don�t follow the rules still face having their dog buddy stay in the animal quarantine station for 120 days.

Animals entering the state of Hawaii must have had two rabies vaccinations at least three months apart, and a rabies blood test must be performed at least 120 days prior to arrival. The blood sample must be sent to a lab at Kansas State University for testing. Also, dogs must have an implanted microchip for identification (but this is a good idea no matter where you are traveling). Even if you follow these rules and all the proper paperwork (proof of vaccinations, the lab results from Kansas State, etc.) is sent in before you arrive, you still must pay a $165 dollar fee at the airport to have your pet released to you. The fee for the 120-day quarantine is a whopping $1,080.

If you can stand going through all this red tape and extra cost, some of the fabulous resorts in Hawaii have special amenities that cater to dogs. The Kahala on Oahu, has a bellman that greets your dog by name, and they provide fresh-baked peanut butter biscuits inscribed with your dog�s name. The extra charge for this pampering is $150, though.

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