Dog Park Fun!

Doggy Treat Truck Returns

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:00:08 +0000

Dog treat Truck Visits Local Dog Parks Along East Coast

NORWALK — Tails are wagging across Fairfield County since the Best Friends Pet Care Treat Truck for Dogs is back touring local towns with free cookies and ice cream for canines.

The colorful, doggy-logo’d truck will be visiting local dog parks through Monday, May 7, with stops scheduled at Cranbury, Rowayton and Taylor Farm dog parks in Norwalk; Winslow Dog Park in Westport; Stamford Dog Park and Ridgefield Bark Park as well as other pet friendly locations.

At each stop, the staff gives away doggy ice cream treats and cookies for pups and healthy treats for their humans, along with fun items like tennis balls, paw towels and paw-shaped bag clips.

Best Friends created its Treat Truck for Dogs to give the community a taste of the fun and caring its staff provides to pet guests every day in its pet care centers. The Treat Truck has been on the road since last summer and has visited 12 states, traveling as far south as Florida and west to Texas.

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Does Your Dog Bite?

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:21 +0000

How To Protect Your Dog And Yourself From Liability

MuttShack Foundation for Animal Foster and Rescue, claim that dogs bite more than 4.7 million people every year in the United States.

The blame could be the dogs, the owner’s, or the victim’s. But the one, who invariably pays, is the owner. The owner of the dog becomes responsible for paying for the medical bills, time lost from work as well as pain and suffering. The one who suffers most, is the dog that is abandoned in a shelter or disposed of.

Dog owners should assume more than their share of the responsibility for protecting people and other animals from their dogs, and also assume the responsibility to protect their dogs from people. Kids will run up to a dog screaming in delight and frighten the dog. A dog in his excitement to greet someone may jump up and scratch him or her. A passer-by may approach a dog aggressively or provoke him. Neighborhood kids may let the dogs out just to have some fun.

There Is No Way To Guarantee That Your Dog Will Never Bite Someone. But You Can Significantly Reduce The Risk:

Spay or neuter your dog. This important and routine procedure will reduce your dog’s desire to roam and fight with other dogs, making safe confinement an easier task. Spayed or neutered dogs are much less likely to bite.
Socialize your dog. Introduce your dog to many different types of people and situations so that he or she is not nervous or frightened under normal social circumstances.
Train your dog. Accompanying your dog to a training class is an excellent way to socialize him and to learn proper training techniques. Training your dog is a family matter. Every member of your household should learn the training techniques and participate in your dog’s education. Never send your dog away to be trained; only you can teach your dog how to behave in your home. Note that training classes are a great investment even for experienced dog caregivers.
Be alert with your dog around children. Rambunctious play may startle your dog, and he may react by snapping or biting. Neighborhood children may be attracted to your dog, so make sure you have a childproof lock on your gate and there is no way for little hands to get through the fence.
Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Never teach your dog to chase after or attack others, even in fun. Your dog can’t always understand the difference between play and real-life situations. Set appropriate limits for your dog’s behavior.

Don’t Wait For An Accident.

The first time he exhibits dangerous behavior toward any person, seek professional help from your veterinarian, an animal behaviorist, or a qualified dog trainer. Dangerous behavior toward other animals may eventually lead to dangerous behavior toward people, and is also a reason to seek professional help.

Be a responsible dog owner. License your dog as required by law, and provide regular veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations. For everyone’s safety, don’t allow your dog to roam alone. Make your dog a member of your family. Dogs that spend a great deal of time alone in the backyard or tied on a chain often become dangerous. Dogs that are well socialized and supervised are much less likely to bite.
Stay on the safe side. If you don’t know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If your dog may panic in crowds, leave him at home. If your dog overreacts to visitors or delivery or service personnel, keep him in another room. Work with professionals to help your dog become accustomed to these and other situations. Until you are confident of his behavior, however, avoid stressful settings.

If your dog bites someone, act responsibly; take these steps to mitigate the harm:

Confine your dog immediately and check on the victim’s condition. If necessary, seek medical help.
Provide the victim with important information, such as the date of your dog’s last rabies vaccination.
You should cooperate fully with the animal control official responsible for acquiring information about your dog. If your dog must be quarantined for any length of time, ask whether he may be confined within your home or at your veterinarian’s hospital. Strictly follow quarantine requirements for your dog

Seek professional help to prevent your dog from biting again. Consult with your veterinarian, who may refer you to an animal behaviorist or a dog trainer. Your community animal care and control agency or humane society may also offer helpful services.

Teaching A Dog To Swim The Right Way

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:09 +0000

Do You Want Your Dog To Swim?

We’re going to try to give some advice on how to teach a dog to swim and provide some general safety issues. As always check with your vet on any medical questions.

Teaching A Dog To Swim:

I would suggest starting your dog out in a pool or shallow lake where you can enter the water with your dog. Many dogs will be more confident if you are standing with them if they are nervous about venturing out on their own. So by walking out, you can build their confidence before letting them go on their own. Bring a favorite toy with you and encourage them out further by tossing the toy short distances and swimming over to it.

Some Tips:

Bring another dog who knows how to swim along to help encourage your pet to try.

There are life vests (life jackets) you can purchase to aide in teaching your dog. These usually have handles that you can hold onto easily and are helpful for getting a dog back into a boat.

Water Freaking

Here is a common problem. Your pup goes off and won’t come back. You have two choices, swim out and get them, or wait until they get tired and come back. Never let them off leash and away from you until you know they will return or start in shallow water where you can go get them should you need to.

I use a two-toy approach to retrieving and swimming. I always keep one close by so I can toss it near me. Try to make a lot of noise to get their attention and toss it into the shallow water. Tennis balls are not the best choice as they can become lodged in the throat blocking the airway. I really like kong retrieving toys or retrieving bumpers.

Afterwards, make sure you RINSE your dog with fresh water to get out any bacteria or chemicals. You can also rinse your dog before hand to help the water not absorb into the coat hair.

What Is Your Dog Thinking?

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:37 +0000

Brain Scans Unleash Canine Secrets In Emory Study

Many dog lovers make all kinds of inferences about how their pets feel about them, but no one has captured images of actual canine thought processes – until now.

Emory University researchers have developed a new methodology to scan the brains of alert dogs and explore the minds of the oldest domesticated species. The technique uses harmless functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI), the same tool that is unlocking secrets of the human brain.

The Public Library of Science (PLoS ONE) is publishing the results of their first experiment, showing how the brains of dogs reacted to hand signals given by their owners.

“It was amazing to see the first brain images of a fully awake, unrestrained dog,” says Gregory Berns, director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy and lead researcher of the dog project. “As far as we know, no one has been able to do this previously. We hope this opens up a completely new door for understanding canine cognition and inter-species communication. We want to understand the dog-human relationship, from the dog’s perspective.”

Key members of the research team include Andrew Brooks, a graduate student at the Center for Neuropolicy, and Mark Spivak, a professional dog trainer and owner of Comprehensive Pet Therapy in Atlanta.

Two dogs are involved in the first phase of the project. Callie is a two-year-old Feist, or southern squirrel-hunting dog. Berns adopted her at nine months from a shelter. McKenzie is a three-year-old Border Collie, who was already well trained in agility competition by her owner, Melissa Cate. Both dogs were trained over several months to walk into an FMRI scanner and hold completely still while researchers measured their neural activity.

The researchers aim to decode the mental processes of dogs by recording which areas of their brains are activated by various stimuli. Ultimately, they hope to get at questions like: Do dogs have empathy? Do they know when their owners are happy or sad? How much language do they really understand?

In the first experiment, the dogs were trained to respond to hand signals. One signal meant the dog would receive a hot dog treat, and another signal meant it would not receive one. The caudate region of the brain, associated with rewards in humans, showed activation in both dogs when they saw the signal for the treat, but not for the no-treat signal. “These results indicate that dogs pay very close attention to human signals,” Berns says. “And these signals may have a direct line to the dog’s reward system.”

Berns is a neuroeconomist, who normally uses FMRI technology to study how the human mind works. His human brain-imaging studies have looked at everything from why teens engage in risky behavior to how adults decide to follow, or break, established rules of society.

Dog lovers may not need convincing on the merits of researching the minds of our canine companions. “To the skeptics out there, and the cat people, I would say that dogs are the first domesticated species, going back at least 10,000 years, and by some estimates 30,000 years,” Berns says. “The dog’s brain represents something special about how humans and animals came together. It’s possible that dogs have even affected human evolution. People who took dogs into their homes and villages may have had certain advantages. As much as we made dogs, I think dogs probably made some part of us, too.”

The idea for the dog project came to Berns about a year ago, when he learned that a U.S. Navy dog had been a member of the SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden. “I was amazed when I saw the pictures of what military dogs can do,” Berns says. “I realized that if dogs can be trained to jump out of helicopters and airplanes, we could certainly train them to go into an FMRI to see what they’re thinking.”

All procedures for the dog project were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Emory. “From the outset, we wanted to ensure the safety and comfort of the dogs,” Berns says. “We wanted them to be unrestrained and go into the scanner willingly.” The dogs were trained to wear earmuffs, to protect them from the noise of the scanner. They were also taught to hold their heads perfectly still on a chin rest during the scanning process, to prevent blurring of the images.

“We know the dogs are happy by their body language,” says Mark Spivak, the professional trainer involved in the project. Callie, in particular, seems to revel in the attention of breaking new ground in science. “She enters the scanner on her own, without a command, sometimes when it’s not her turn,” Spivak says. “She’s eager to participate.”

How Many Dogs Are Too Many?

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:45 +0000

What About City Dog Bylaws?

I’m a pariah among the dog fanciers in my community. Why? Because I testified in support of a new regulation to limit pet ownership to no more than a total of three dogs and/or cats, older than six-months of age, in one household. The reason for the age threshold is to give people time to place any puppies or kittens that their family pet has.

Every major dog/pet organization I’m familiar with opposes such regulations or laws. That includes not only the animal rights people but also mainstream groups such as the American Kennel Club (AKC). So why would I break ranks and support it? Reality. I support limitations on the number of pets in one household for the following reasons.

1. Nuisance Laws Are Difficult And Expensive To Enforce.

In one instance in my town – that has laws on nuisance dogs – the city police had been to a house three times after calls from neighbors. In each instance, the dogs were quiet when they arrived and no ticket was issued.

That’s the problem with the type of enforcement other dog-owner groups want. It requires catching the animal/owner in the act. Then both have the right to protest and appeal any fines or other punishments. How much of a city’s budget should go to this type of effort? It is much more cost effective to enforce limits on the number of pets as this can be more readily identified and controlled.

2. The Worst Pet Owners Are Beyond Caring About The Law.

They fall into two categories. One is the drug addict, gang members or other criminal who breeds big, dangerous dogs for protection. An example is a homeowner who had 14 Pit Bulls in his metropolitan home. The other is the disturbed pet collector such as a woman who had 40 cats in her suburban house. She had no recognition of why this should be a problem and was surprised that her neighbors called the police because of the odor from her house. Neither of these types of pet owners is going to be deterred by a misdemeanor fine.

3. Dogs In Packs Are Difficult To Control.

The more dogs in the home, the more problems you have. Initially it may be as the dogs joust among themselves for positions in the pack. Even once that’s been settled, outside events – such as a dog coming back after a hospital stay – can trigger another round of fighting for position.

There’s always a danger the dogs may get loose. Having three or more dogs in one backyard can be intimidating to neighbors and other small pets in the adjoining homes. A neighboring community has a dog park near a beach and people are often knocked down by packs of dogs. The dogs aren’t attacking them; they’re just running together and oblivious of their impact when they knock down a little one or older person.

When dogs are in groups, they work together and mob psychology rules. They may attack and kill smaller animals not for food but for sport or territory. Even dogs that live with cats will kill other cats when working in a dog pack outside the home.

4. Dogs In Packs Are More Susceptible To Illnesses.

As a former breeder, I truly appreciate how difficult it is to prevent the spread of diseases when you have many dogs in one home or kennel. There’s a reason it’s called “kennel” cough.

5. Some Dog Owners Have Lost Perspective

One of the objectors to this new rule participates in a rescue organization. She had six people testifying on her behalf as to how needed her service is (I agree) and how well she manages her household of dogs. None of the six people, however, lives near her. When her neighbors testified, it was another story. She had started her rescue work by telling the homeowners group that she would have no more than six dogs at one time. In one instance when the police were called to her home after a loose dog attacked a neighbor’s pet and discovered she had 23 dogs there. This is just a typical suburban home – not a rural or country area.

I’m sympathetic to wanting to care for abandoned and mistreated dogs but neighboring homeowners have rights as well. If you’ve paid $600,000 for an 800-sq ft home in California (as our Sunday newspaper stated), you are going to be very concerned about maintaining property values. Too many dog owners are oblivious to the rights of other people. Just walk in any city park and see how many people don’t pick up after their dog.

I love dogs but I wish I could have more confidence in their owners.

Seven Simple Ways To Safe Guard Your Dog This Summer!

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:29 +0000

Learn How To Keep Your Pooch Safe

If you have a hard time in summer imagine how it must feel under a fur coat! here are some simple tips to help your dog beat the heat.

1) Bob The Hair

If you have a shaggy dog like a Pomeranian, Pekinese or any such variation then listen up. Your dog needs a haircut. The hair should be cut with scissors and not shaved. Do not cut around the whiskers but you can carefully trim around the eyes. The less hair on your dog the cooler he will keep. If you have a shorthaired dog no, need for a trim.

2) Play it cool

Food can be lighter, given before it gets hot in the morning, and after it cools down in the evening. Depending on the dog’s normal diet, reduce or eliminate meat. Replace with soya, mashed or cooked with meat flavour. When a dog is panting give ice to lick.

3) walk on the mild side

Walks should be taken early and then again after sundown. Don’t encourage chasing, fetching games too much.

4) Cool it

If you enjoy air conditioning so does your dog. If you have a cooled space share, it with your pooch.

5) No closed encounters

Never leave dogs in a completely closed space. If your dog is home, Leave on the fan. In a car, leave the window partially open.

6) Let it all hang out

Dogs sweat from their tongues so never tie or muzzle the mouth in the summer. Whilst giving medical treatment see if you can hold the head rather than tying the mouth. If you have to tie the mouth be sure to release as quickly as possible.

7) Do not bathe your dog more than once a month

Soap/ Cleansers strip their skin of natural oils and lead to skin irritation. When dirty you can simply towel dry with a damp towel.

Time For A Canine Bloat Reminder

admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:00:16 +0000

What Is Canine Bloat?

Bloat refers to the bloating of the stomach. Essentially, it is a buildup of gas in the stomach, which is unable to be released. Bloat with Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) occurs when the stomach fills with gas and twists 180 to 360 degrees on its axis between the esophagus and duodenum or the entrance and exit parts of the stomach. Bloat is a very serious problem in large breed dogs. When combined with the complications of GDV, bloat is a leading cause of death of dogs, second only to cancer.

The exact cause of bloat is still unknown. Generally, it is believed that excessive eating and drinking of water followed by exercise can cause bloat. It is thought that exercise causes food or fluid in the stomach to cause a buildup of gas. The severity of the conditions is more serious when the stomach twists upon itself within the abdomen in a clockwise rotation causing the inlet and outlet of the stomach as well as blood vessels, which supply the stomach to become constricted at both ends. As a result, the constriction will cause the stomach tissue to die. In a very short time, the stomach becomes restricted of nutrients and oxygen. If not treated, the dog can die.

What Are the Symptoms of Canine Bloat?

Anxious, restless
Distended abdomen
Attempting to vomit
Excessive drooling
Whining
Pale gums
Increase in heart rate.
Difficult breathing

What Causes Bloat?

The stomach becomes filled with gas and because of several possible factors; the dog is unable to relieve the pressure. Bloat, with GDV, is when the stomach goes in to a twist. This closes both the esophagus and pylorus, preventing the dog from relieving the gas pressure which can quickly build up after a large meal. This condition is fatal, causing shock, coma and eventually death. Like many other conditions, which affect our dogs, the actual cause of bloat is still unknown. Several factor seem to contribute to a dogs chances of getting bloat

Stress
Eating or drinking too fast.
Exercise before and immediately after eating
Having a large deep chest
Elevated food bowls
Hereditary
Disposition

Are All Dogs At Risk Canine Bloat?

Canine bloat and GDV usually only effects large breed dogs, but smaller dogs are still susceptible. It is thought that some lines of breeds are genetically at a higher risk. Though bloat can occur in puppies, it is a condition, which usually occurs in adult dogs. Furthermore, male dogs are more likely to suffer from bloat than female dogs. Here is a list of some breeds that have a higher chance of being effected by bloat and GDV.

German Shepherd – Great Dane – Standard Poodle – Rottweiler – Akita – Bloodhound – Great Pyrenees – Irish Setter – Old English Sheepdog – Boxer – Golden Retriever – Irish Wolfhound – St. Bernard’s – Labrador Retriever – Newfoundland – Doberman

What Is the Treatment of Dog Bloat?

Canine bloat is a very serious problem. If you suspect your dog of having bloat, contact your vet immediately. Every second counts! If caught and diagnosed quick enough, initial treatment will involve inserting a tube or tochar in to the stomach wall to remove the gas. If necessary, the vet will then operate, attempting to untwist the stomach. Secondary treatment will involve treating shock, dehydration, fatigue, and other complications resulting from the distension of the stomach.

Is There Any Way To Prevent Dog Bloat?

Prevention of bloat can be difficult. Because there are so many possible causes for this condition, prevention must be examined on an individual basis. If you have a dog that is at risk, there are a couple of things that you can do to decrease the chances of this fatal condition. Since bloat is believed to be connected with genetics and hereditary, these preventive measures can only decrease the chances of bloat.

Do not overfeed. Feed 2-3 small meals a day.
Do not use elevated food bowls
Do not allow your dog to drink large amounts of water after eating.
Add an enzyme product to your dog’s food
Keep emergency veterinary contact handy
Gastropexy surgery

This only provides BASIC information about canine bloat. Your veterinarian is always your best source of health information. Consult your veterinarian for more information about Canine Bloat and GDV and its prevention.

Dog Doors – Dog And Owner Reprieve

admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:00:34 +0000

Buying Dog Doors Online

If you need to buy a dog door then have some fun doing it online. Not only will you find discount prices but you’ll have a huge selection of colors, designs, shapes, sizes and multiple features you haven’t even thought about. You’ll find designs that fit any wall or door with easy install instructions. Finding a dog door couldn’t be much easier than online.

To begin your shopping journey you’ll need to measure your doggie to determine the size you’ll need. Instructions to measuring are on most all sites along with even being able to call if you have additional questions.

Wouldn’t it be great if your dog could open doors? Well, they can’t. Therefore, freedom and convenience for you and for your dog is right at your fingertips and just a few days away. I don’t know if doggies can think but imagine how we’d feel if we had to ask permission every-time, we needed to go potty! Ridiculous, but maybe our little best pet friends would also be happier with the independence that the dog door is going to provide?

We dog owner’s love our dog doors because the flexible, two-way panel is safe for any pet. The soft vinyl flap won’t trap or injure tender paws, ears or tails…AND, the permanent magnets assure you of a draft-free, energy efficient closure.

Placing a floor mat on the inside of the dog door is also recommended. A great advantage of having the dog door installed in a wall (instead of a door) is that no one needs to know that you have a dog door. This is important for some people who fear an intruder may crawl through the dog door into your house. However, our guess is that if the dog door is big enough for an intruder to crawl through – he’d be stupid to do it, as he may end up face-to-face with the big dog on the other side of the door! In any event, when you have an in-wall installation.

If you are renting your place of residence, or do not want to cut permanent holes in a wall or door, you can still have a dog door. In this case, you will want to install the dog door in either a sliding glass door, or a regular door. Dog doors that are made for sliding glass doors actually come as a whole panel (patio dog door) that you install in the doorway section; therefore, it does not permanently affect your sliding glass doors in any way. Enjoy your little project as your doggie is gonna love you more for it with the new found independence a door dog provides.

The seven Stages Of Puppy Development

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:29 +0000

Raise Your Pup Correctly Through “Childhood”

Let us look at the different stages, but before we do, keep in mind that these stages are generalizations – each dog will progress at its own pace.

Stage 1: The Transitional Stage

2-3 Weeks

The Transitional stage generally lasts from age two to three weeks, and it is during this time that your puppy’s eyes will open, and he will slowly start to respond to light and movement and sounds around him. He will become a little more mobile during this period, trying to get his feet underneath him and crawling around in the box (or wherever home is.) He will start to recognize mom and his littermates, and any objects you might place in the box.

Stage 2: The Almost Ready To Meet The World Stage

3-4 Weeks

The Almost ready to meet the world stage lasts from 3 to about 4 weeks, and your puppy undergoes rapid sensory development during this time. Fully alert to his environment, he will begin to recognize you and other family members. It is best to avoid loud noises or sudden changes during this period – negative events can have a serious impact on his personality and development right now. Puppies learn how to be a dog during this time, so it is essential that they stay with mom and littermates.

Stage 3: The Overlap Stage

4-7 Weeks

From 3-4 weeks your puppy begins the most critical social development period of his life – he learns social interaction with his littermates learns how to play and learns bite inhibition.

He will also learn discipline at this point – Mom will begin weaning the pups around this time, and will start teaching them basic manners, including accepting her as the leader of the pack. You can begin to introduce food to the pups starting around the 4th week – transition gradually as Mom weans them.

Continue handling the pups daily, but do not separate them from either Mom or litter mates for more than about 10 minutes per day. Puppies that are removed from the nest too early frequently are nervous, more prone to barking and biting and have a more difficult time with socialization and training. Puppies need to be left with Mom and siblings until at least 7 weeks of age – and preferably a little longer – for optimum social development.

Experts say that the best time in a puppy’s life to learn social skills is between 3 and 16 weeks of age – that’s the window of opportunity you have to make sure your puppy grows up to be a well-adjusted dog. It is extremely important to leave your puppy with Mom and his littermates during as much of this period as possible. Do not discipline for play fighting, housebreaking mistakes or mouthing – that is all normal behavior for a puppy at this stage.

Stage 4: The “I’m Afraid of Everything” Stage

8 Weeks to 3 Months

The “I’m Afraid of Everything” Stage lasts from about 8 weeks to 3 months, and is characterized by rapid learning as well as a “fearful period” that usually pops up at around 8 to 10 weeks. Not all dogs experience this, but most do, and they will appear terrified over things that they took in stride before. This is not a good time to engage in harsh discipline (not that you ever should anyway!), loud voices or traumatic events.

At this time, your puppy’s bladder and bowels are starting to come under much better control, and he is capable of sleeping through the night. (At last, you can get some rest!) You can begin teaching simple commands like: come, sit, stay, down, etc. Leash training can begin. It is important not to isolate your puppy from human contact at this time, as he will continue to learn behaviors and manners that will affect him in later years.

Stage 5: The Juvenile Stage

3 Months to 4 Months

The Juvenile stage typically lasts from three to 4 months of age, and it is during this time your puppy is most like a toddler. He will be a little more independent – he might start ignoring the commands he is only recently learned – just as a child does when they are trying to exert their newfound independence. As in, “I don’t have to listen to you!” Firm and gentle reinforcement of commands and training is what is required here.

He might start biting you – play biting or even a real attempt to challenge your authority. A sharp “No!” or “No bite!” command, followed by several minutes of ignoring him, should take care of this problem.

Continue to play with him and handle him on a daily basis, but do not play games like tug of war or wrestling with him. He may perceive tug of war as a game of dominance – especially if he wins. In addition, wrestling is another game that can rapidly get out of hand. As your puppy’s strength grows, he is going to want to play-fight to see who is stronger – even if you win, the message your puppy receives is that it is ok to fight with you. Moreover, that is not ok!

Stage 6: The Brat Stage

4-6 Months

The Brat Stage starts at about 4 months and runs until about 6 months, and it is during this time your puppy will demonstrate even more independence and willfulness. You may see a decline in his urge to please you – expect to see more “testing the limits” type of behaviors. He’ll be going through a teething cycle during this time, and will be looking for things to chew on to relieve the pain and pressure. Frozen doggie bones can help sooth him during this period.

He may try to assert his new “dominance” over other family members, especially children. Continue his training in obedience and basic commands, but make sure to never let him off his leash during this time unless you’re in a confined area. Many times pups at this age will ignore commands to return or come to their owners, which can be a dangerous, even fatal, breakdown in your dog’s response to you. If you turn him loose in a public place, and he bolts, the chances of injury or even death can result – so don’t take the chance.

He’ll now begin to go through the hormonal changes brought about by his growing sexual maturity, and you may see signs of rebelliousness. (Think adolescent teen-age boy!) If you haven’t already, you should have him neutered during this time. (Alternatively, spayed if you have a female.)

Stage 7: The Young Adult Stage

6-18 Months

The Young Adulthood stage lasts from 6 months to about 18 months, and is usually a great time in your dog’s life – he’s young, he’s exuberant, he’s full of beans – and yet he’s learning all the things he needs to become a full-fledged adult dog.

Be realistic in your expectations of your dog at this time – just because he’s approaching his full growth and may look like an adult, he’s not as seasoned and experienced as you might expect. Gradually increase the scope of activities for your dog, as well as the training. You can start more advanced training during this period, such as herding or agility training, if that’s something both of you are interested in. Otherwise, extend his activities to include more people and other animals – allow him to interact with non-threatening or non-aggressive dogs.

Brushing Up On Dog Grooming

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:15 +0000

Is Your Dog Due For A Makeover?

Has she been enjoying the great outdoors a little too much? Here are some simple tips for helping your dog put her best paw forward. It all begins with the brushing:

- Brush your dog regularly. Daily is best. Be sure to also brush against hair growth direction to check for fleas and ticks.

- The right tools. For shorthaired dogs, most groomers recommend stainless-steel combs because they slide through coats very easily. For medium to longhaired dogs start with a slicker brush and then follow with a stainless steel comb. In hot months, consider investing in a flea comb to make sure your dog has not become a flea hotel. To make your dog’s coat really shine, finish with a soft bristle brush.

- If your dog hates being brushed it sometimes helps to brush after playtime. Start by brushing in the hair growth direction. When you are finished, reward your dog with a treat. Each day brush your dog a little longer. In addition, if you are lucky, your dog may even begin to like being brushed.

Now For The Bath:

- Brush your dog from head to toe making sure all mats are gone. For small dogs, a sink works great. For medium to large dogs, a tub or shower works best. Use only warm water and a good shampoo made for dogs. People shampoo is too harsh and can irritate your dog’s skin. Most groomers recommend working from the back end forward, lathering the head last.

- Rinse, rinse, and rinse again to make sure you have removed all shampoo.

- Short-haired dogs dry quickly and only need to be dried off with a towel. If your dog has long hair, you may need to brush him while he is drying to avoid tangles.

The Grand Finale:

- Finish by giving your dog a treat.

- Then celebrate! You and your dog survived the bath, and you have a clean dog.