Pet Gazette

One of the hardest things about being a pet owner is knowing when it’s time to say a last goodbye.  If you’re lucky, nature will take its course and you’ll wake up one morning to find that after many happy, healthy years, your four legged friend has passed away in his sleep.  For many dog owners however, this isn’t the way that things will go, and if you have a dog that’s starting to get on in years then it’s something that you need to be thinking about now.

The thing is that most dog owners who have enjoyed their canine friend’s company for a great many years are faced with their dog being affected by health issues that are not only incurable, but they are also having a negative impact on their dog’s quality of life. There is even the odd sad occasion when someone doesn’t have pet insurance, and they can no longer afford the medication. If your dog has a health problem that is kept under control with appropriate medication and/or treatment and is otherwise having a great health, then this isn’t going to be a decision you need to consider at this time.  If, on the other hand, your dog develops a health problem that will become increasingly worse, and your dog is feeling pain or discomfort, then at some time soon your veterinary is going to recommend that you make a decision as to whether or not to put your dog to sleep.

At this point you have to consider the quality of life that your dog has left rather than how much of a gap there’s going to be in your life.  It could be that despite the fact your dog is not able to get around very much, he still seems to enjoy himself and if so then you could postpone what the veterinary thinks is inevitable until such time as you believe your dog’s life is little more than an endless round of medication and treatments to keep him on his feet.   Prolonging the pain isn’t going to make the decision any easier, but if delaying it by a couple of days means that you are able to feel as if you’ve had a chance to say “Goodbye” properly, then don’t let your veterinary rush you into making a decision that you’ll later regret – not because it was the wrong decision, but rather that it was done so fast that you don’t feel you had a chance to come to terms with it before it was too late.  Considering what you think of as being a good quality of life when your dog is fit and healthy, alongside what you think to be a bad quality of life, means that if the day comes that he takes sick with a permanent de-habilitating health condition, you are able to assess if you are doing what’s best for your dog, rather than what’s best for your heart.

Another thing you should consider before the time comes is what you want to do with your dog’s remains.  At one time it was common to bury a four legged friend in a blanket in the garden, but for many people, that’s not a viable option.  One thing you can consider is cremating your dog.  Ask at your veterinary practice for information on this – they should have a leaflet or phone number of a local organization who offer this kind of service.  By preparing yourself in this way you’ll be sure that when the day finally comes that you must say a final goodbye to your dog, you’ll know exactly what to do, instead of having to make difficult decisions when your mind is full of tears.

It’s not just humans who are getting heavier!  Take a look around at the cared for dogs in your neighbourhood and you’ll find quite a few of them who are carrying more than a few extra pounds.  Although a dog with his ribs on display isn’t attractive, one that’s a little flabby may be destined for more problems than not being able to run a doggy marathon. 

A dog’s health is also negatively affected by excessive weight.   They are prone to many of the same conditions that their owners such as diabetes and heart disease.  Their weight can also affect their skin and even increase their chances of having heat stroke in the summer.  Many dogs develop arthritis as they age, but overweight dogs are at a much greater risk of this because of the added stress they are placing on their skeleton.

So is your dog overweight?  The best way to find out is to have a word with your vet.  If you are really concerned, make a specific appointment to discuss this.  If you think your dog is possibly a few pounds overweight but nothing serious then you could wait until your dog’s next annual booster vaccination and then talk about it with the vet – but in the meantime start to watch what your dog eats and try to switch to a healthier eating plan. 

At the meeting with your vet make sure that you find out not only the kind of nutrition that your dog needs, and the quantities they should have for their size, but also how much exercise they need.  Again, like humans, overweight dogs need to start a new exercise regime gently and gradually build up to what should be perfect for them.  The added exercise for your dog will have the positive bonus of helping you put in some additional workout time too – whether it’s simply walking around the block, or toning up your muscles throwing a ball or Frisbee!

As cute as you think your chubby dog looks, remember that additional weight is a health hazard that could not only create a lot of expense in future veterinary bills because of the potential illnesses the weight can create, but also it could cost your dog a number of years off his life. 

Start the New Year with a determination to create a healthier lifestyle not only for yourself, but also for your dog.

The dark winter nights are here and so it’s time to think about keeping safe when out walking your dog.  At one time there was little you could do other than hope that the drivers were watching the road and would see you and your dog, but these days are a number of items that you can buy to ensure that you are seen and safe even in most badly lit of areas.

The first thing you can get is some kind of reflective collar for your dog; this will show up in the cars headlights.  You could get one that is completely reflective, or you don’t fancy that, you could buy one that has reflective parts to it.  An alternative to this would be to put a temporary reflector – such as one you’d attach to a child’s jacket to the dog when you’re taking him out.

The dog’s leash is another good thing to have reflected, although having it in some kind of luminous colour won’t just show a driver that there’s a dog nearby, it will also let you see where the dog leash is so that you don’t fall over it.  If you can’t find one of these to buy, or you use a retractable leash that isn’t night reflective, buy some luminous/reflective fabric paint that glows in the dark, and paint a line up the centre of the leash (keep it taut out of the hand grip until it dries).  Depending on how this works on your particular leash, you may have to apply this again during the winter as it may wear off with the leashes retracting mechanism making it scuff against itself, but it should work well for letting you see where the leash is especially if your dog’s managed to get himself a good 3-4 meters away from you!

Lastly, you also need to think about your own personal safety in the dark.  If you don’t want to wear a bright jacket, at least wear a reflective strip around your arm, or across the back of your jacket.  You may also find some things at a cyclist’s supply shop that you mightn’t be too reluctant to wear!  Remember that winter clothes are dark, and at night motorists may not see you (especially if they’re gossiping on a mobile phone, or to someone in the car) so wear something that will be picked up in their headlights and make sure both you and your dog can be seen in the dark.

If you’re tempted to follow the current trend to turn out your dog in some form of canine fashion this Christmas, or even if you’re just thinking about buying (making) a coat to protect them from the cold weather, then make sure you take a good look at your dog before you go and actually purchase something because there are three essential things that you really need to know.

1.        What size is your dog?  OK so you have a rough idea that it’s about knee high, hip high or whatever, but what about its actual size? 

Dogs are not unlike humans.  Their bodies have different proportions in different areas – for example, do they have a long neck, how much do they measure around their back/rib area, how long are they from neck to base of tail?  These measurements will help you to get canine clothing that will actually fit your dog and not need to be stretched to fit, or hide the dog because it’s larger than it should be.

Most dog clothing, especially winter clothing to protect from the elements comes in standard sizes, but as with human clothing, these “standards” can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so the best thing to do is to find out your dog’s measurements, and then take a tape measure with you when you go shopping. 

2.        Take a good look at your dog.  A GOOD look!  Do you really think he’s going to look “cute” in one of the designer dog outfits that the likes of Paris Hilton put on her dog?  Chances are that if your dog is larger than the average sized loaf of bread, it’s not going to look good at all!  Make sure that what you buy for your dog is something that suits your breed of dog, and not what makes you go “ahhh” in the celebrity magazines!

3.        Finally remember that this is for your dog.  Your dog that is apt to go splashing through puddles and even roll in the occasional pile of mud (or worse!).  Dog clothing items are not cheap, so make sure that whatever you buy is not only safe for your dog to wear without bits that can be bitten off and be a choking hazard to your dog, but also that the clothing is easily laundered.  You need something that you can just throw wet and muddy in the washing machine at the appropriate temperature, and for it to come out the way it was when you first purchased it – oh and don’t forget to make sure that your dog isn’t sensitive to the detergent you use because this clothing is going right next to his skin!

I am sure you have heard of clicker training before. I often wondered what it is all about and did some research I would like to share with you.

Back in the 60ies clickers were children’s toys that where made mostly of metal. These pieces a tongue that made a clicking noise when pressed. I only remember them too well. Some were sold in animal shapes and real cute looking. Today, clickers are mostly made for use in animal training. It’s used to trigger exactly what behavior the animal is being rewarded for. The click communicates to the dog that that specific behavior was expected and that a reward has been earned!

Combining the click and the reward the dog learns that the click means something positive Most dogs understand the idea after 10 to 20 tries. Since the clicks are associated with being rewarded, the rewarded behavior will increase. Keep in mind that the click signals the end of the behavior that indicates that the reward is coming. For example, if you click for stays, the number of stays will rise, but every time you click to stay, that stay is over and the dog may to receive his reward.

If the dog is capable of doing it, you can train the behavior with a clicker. Clicker training generally do not include positive punishment. However, it uses a reinforcement trigger that decreases a dog’s unwanted behavior such as a jerk on leash.

The reason why clickers are so unique and work better than our voice is that dogs hear our voices all the time, and thus often ignore them, as you probably have found out the hard way already The clicker is asound that has no other meaning to the dog. And people can usually click faster than they can verbally praise the dog.

Clicker training is great for one on one obedience training but it doesn’t work well with groups and just causes confusion amongst the dogs and handlers.

If a strange dog approaches you, should you run or should you stay calm? Of course, you need to stay calm, rulenumber 1. Emotions are a weakness in the animal world and fear is an emotion.

Here are some guidelines of what you need to do to stay save when a strange dog approaches you:

1.  Do not take it personally; the dog is only protecting his own space and not out to get yours.
2. Stay calm. Dogs communicate with energy. Fear and anxiety is energy. If the dog is aggressive, he wants you to get scared which spells vulnerability in the dog world. Any emotion does. So stay calm and controlled and the dog will be thrown off.
3. Stand your ground, don’t run. If you have a purse, an umbrella, a stick, or something similar, place it in front of you to make yourself appear larger. Body language is another form of communication that the dog understands and he will see that you are no threat to his space, because you are claiming your own. By staying calm and claiming your space you are building an invisible energy boundary between you and the dog. You let him know that you are not afraid.
4. Wait until the dog retreats or simply looks away or turns his back on you. Then calmly walk away.

If your dog pees on the carpet you should rub his nose in it in order to house-break him.

Wrong - All you will really achieve with this is that your dog will get sneakier in peeing on the carpet.

Only male dogs raise a leg to pee.

Wrong – Quite a few of the alpha females raise a leg as well, usually not as high as a male dog though.

Puppies should stay with their mother for at least 8 weeks.

Correct – This gives them the time to get weaned properly and learn how to socialize with their siblings.

Small dogs don’t need obedience training.

Wrong – There is no difference if your dog is huge or tiny, a dog is a dog is a dog. Obedience trained dogs have learned how to behave when and where and you will much more fun and feel much more secure on your outings.

Dogs are smarter than Cats.

Correct – Laboratory tests have shown that dogs are by far superior when it comes to solving problems, arrange puzzle pieces, learning tricks and commands, etc.

Summer is a wonderful time to spend time outside with your dog, however, many do not take the heat into consideration. People leave dogs in cars, take them for long hikes, let them chase after a Frisbee without end and then are devastated when the dog suffers heat exhaustion or in the worst scenario, a heat stroke and death.

None of the dog owners has the intention to harm their dog and usually a little bit of education can save a dog’s live, so please read on!

No living being should be left in a car, EVER! Not even for 5 minutes (because you never know what is going to keep your from coming back). If you see a dog unattended in a car, call the police!

It is a myth that long fur insulates a dog and keeps them cool. Imagine you were wearing a fur coat in the heat and you’ll get the idea. Trim your dog’s long fur in the summer!

Jogging, running, or hiking is good exercise for your dog. The moment your start sweating, you can be sure that your dog feels the heat too. Cool your dog by pouring some water on his belly, chest, and paws, never over his head or back! If your dog starts to slow down, be sure he has a reason for it and don’t push him to go faster.

I personally do not believe in dogs that are stuck in a back yard and left unattended most of the time, but many people think that is a good idea. So please do provide shelter and enough COLD water for your dog to cool down and stay hydrated.

Rule of thumb: If you feel the heat, your dog does too!

Chocolate is highly poisonous to your dog, because it contains a substance called theobromine which will make him violently ill. In many cases it has been fatal.

Mexican drug lords put a $300,000 bounty on US Customs dogs Rocky and Barco’s heads, because they did their job so well patrolling the border.

The basenji, a wild African dog, is the only dog in the world that can not bark at all.

Only humans and dogs have prostates.

The first dogs kept as pets by humans was over 12 000 years ago.

Some say dogs are color blind, but this is a myth. Dogs can see in color, just not as good as we do.

Basset Hounds can’t swim.

Obesity is the number one health problem among dogs in the

A day or two before your dog will give birth, she usually stops eating. See this as a sign that the time is nearing. Always make sure, no matter how experienced you are, that you have a Vet ready to intervene if something goes wrong.

Let’s assume everything goes smooth and you have witnessed the birth of a healthy six puppy litter. Now the most important and first thing is momma’s nutrition. The older the puppies get, the more they will drink, and the more mommas need to eat.

Give her all the food she wants. Rule of thumb: you always pay for quality. The cheap dog foods at most stores is also cheap in nutrition! A minimum of 1600 digestible calories per pound of food and at least 21% of crude protein is a must. Read the label!!!! If your dog tends to gain weight, measure her food intake. If not, give her all the food she wants. If she starts to lose weight moisten her food or try switching to a more nutritionally dense brand.

After three or four weeks the pups will probably start playing with the food and start to get interested, which is also a good way to introduce them to solid food. At six to eight weeks most puppies are weaned and you can put your dog back on a normal diet, provided she has gained back her normal weight she had before she got pregnant.