Exercising Your Puppy

Puppies can be quite active and they need exercise to stay them in smart shape.  Sometimes a brisk thirty to sixty minute walk can be quite invigorating for them.  If you’re unable to do this each day, guarantee your yard has more than adequate space for the pup to run around in and play.  You can even take the dog to the highschool’s track and walk it there.  Some individuals even train their dog to walk on the treadmill with them.  This can afford each of you some great time together and smart exercise too.
Evaluate your dog’s desires and formulate an exercise plan that can work for both of you.  A young puppy might like to travel for a run whereas an older dog could simply fancy a pleasant leisurely walk.  Start out with puppies for regarding fifteen minutes.  Build up to an hour as they get larger and can handle it.
If you wish to walk in the dead of night, use some reflective clothing therefore that cars can see you on the aspect of the road.  You’ll be able to additionally wear lightweight coloured clothing as well.
The most effective time to exercise your puppy is correct before or right when they have eaten.  Additionally give him with terribly small amounts of water, a full stomach may cause upset.
Upon arriving back home, check the animal’s paws to create sure there’s nothing stuck in it.  Items such as glass, burrs, ice, and rocks will be removed immediately.
Teaching your dog the way to play “Fetch” can conjointly be nice exercise.  Start by rolling a toy a brief distance far from the puppy and letting him go get it.  As he gets older, increase the gap you throw the toy for him.  Forever give praise when he will go get the toy and convey it back to you.

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Dog Care Tips: Feeding Your Puppy

Puppies have slightly different nutritional needs than adult dogs. Their coat, bones, organs, and teeth are still maturing. The foods they eat must have an ample supply of nutrients to support their growth. Remember the difference in energy levels there come from puppies as compared to older dogs. In order to remain energetic, they need a constant supply of foods that provide a source of vitamins, minerals, and the right kinds of fats. Further we will review four tips you can use to feed your new puppy.

#1 – Buy Commercial Brands

Many owners are tempted to prepare specific meals for their pups, but it’s usually a bad idea. Without rigorous attention to detail, it’s practically impossible to measure the right level of vitamins, fats, proteins, and other nutrients.

By contrast, commercial puppy foods are specifically formulated to provide the right blend for a puppy’s growing body. Manufacturers understand the special needs of puppies. These formulations take into account the high energy and protein requirements of puppies. As a side note, if you’re raising a large breed (for example, a Bernese Mountain Dog), visit your pet supply store to check whether they carry a breed-specific brand.

#2 – Be Consistent

In many ways, puppies are creatures of habit. Once they start eating a brand they enjoy, changing that brand – even for “variety” – isn’t normally welcome. But all dogs young or old will eat a meal if one is presented. However, unless there is a compelling reason to change brands, avoid doing so. If you must switch, try to wean your pup off the old food by gradually mixing the new food in.

#3 – Set A Time And Stick To It

In the same way people normally establish certain times to eat meals, you should create a feeding schedule for your puppy. Puppies if not supervised will often times overeat. Because canine obesity is such a debilitating problem, try to encourage the right eating habits when your pup is young. Pick two or three times during which you’ll feed him. He’ll quickly come to recognize those times instinctively.

#4 – Make Drinking Water Available

Puppies need water just like people and some breeds require more than others. Always make sure their is plenty of water available for your puppy. A youthful puppy will use more energy through the course of the day than an older dog. That means he’ll be drinking more water to keep hydrated. Provide him with all he needs.

It’s not difficult to design an easy feeding plan for your pup. Invest in a high-quality commercial brand, avoid switching it, pick feeding times and don’t deviate from them, and give your puppy all the water he wants. You can add all natural dog treats or dog chews as a special bonus for your dog as well. If you follow those guidelines, your pup should grow up to be a healthy, happy adult dog.

What is Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis

If you work or play outdoors, you and your pet may be at risk of exposure to an old bacterial disease that is getting a lot of new, and news attention recently. First identified in the late 1800′s, Leptospirosis, commonly called “Lepto”, is a bacterial disease. Veterinarians are finding Lepto more commonly because of an increased exposure of our pets to wildlife. It is rarely fatal, but can seriously damage the liver, kidneys, and eyes.

Veterinarians have used vaccines to protect dogs against Lepto for a number of years and these vaccines were successful in decreasing the incidence of the disease caused by the two most common strains of the bacteria that affected dogs. But two other strains of Lepto have become more prevalent in dogs, so new vaccines have been developed.

With recent public awareness of possible side effects of vaccines in general, these new vaccines have met with mixed emotions from some veterinary practitioners, but most agree that the severity of the problems associated with Lepto infection may outweigh possible vaccine-related risks.

“Should we do it?” asks Dr. Katherine Lunn, PhD, MRCVS, DACVIM of the Veterinary Referral Center in Waukesha, Wis. “I think so, as long as we evaluate the potential risks and discuss them with our clients. Like any medical procedure, vaccination has risks and benefits. The client and the veterinarian have to weigh these. If the vaccine were 100% safe, I would recommend vaccinating every patient. Sudden kidney failure due to Leptospirosis is devastating. I would not want my dog to experience it. But if side effects are common, then that’s a different story.”

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease- a disease that affects both animals and people. It is spread by spirochete bacteria in the urine of infected rodents, wildlife, and pets. The leptospira organisms enter the body through mucous membranes or through abraded skin. People and animals can become infected from direct exposure to infected urine, but also through contaminated environment, such as water or damp soil. People can even become infected at certain high risks jobs if they handle animals or animal products. The Lepto organism depends upon wet conditions for survival, therefore increased caution is advised during times of increased rainfall or when there is any standing water.

Leptospirosis is on the rise due to urban sprawl and an increased exposure to wildlife that can carry the disease. People and pets may be exposed to more animals such as raccoons, skunks, opossums, coyotes or deer that are infected with Leptospirosis. Livestock owners protect their animals such as pigs, cattle and goats with vaccinations and good husbandry.

Dr. Kenneth Harkin, a veterinarian and infectious disease specialist with Kansas State University says “While people may think of Lepto as a disease spread by wildlife, it can come from backyard wildlife, including raccoons- even city dogs can get Lepto.” He cautions that every pet owner needs to be aware that “Lepto is everywhere.”

People and pets can also become exposed to Lepto while camping or participating in outdoor recreational activities. Drinking or swimming in water that is infected with Lepto is the most common exposure, but wet soil can be contaminated as well, so be cautious when digging in damp ground. And don’t let living in a city be your dog’s only protection against a serious disease.

The signs of Leptospirosis can resemble many other diseases and illnesses. The first signs in dogs can be depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, and generalized pain. Signs of infection in dogs may include execssive thirst and urination and may have swollen, red and painful eyes. Because these signs are common to other diseases and non-specific, owners may try to treat their pets at home for such problems as an upset stomach or arthritis. This delays proper diagnosis and treatment for their dog, and alss increases their own exposure to the disease. If caught early, treatment is usually effective and the survival rate is good. However, time is of the essence.

Dr. Harkin warns, “If you let it go for three to five days, or treat it with the wrong medication, it can cause irreversible kidney failure.”

Discuss the risks of Leptospirosis for your dog with your veterinarian. Ask if vaccinating your pet is appropriate. Lepto is extremely rare in cats, but horses can get the disease and there is no vaccine at this time to protect them. Leptospirosis in people can often begin with vague, flu-like symptoms. If you engage in outdoor work or activities, ask your doctor about protecting yourself.

Preventing Leptospirosis
Dogs should be vaccinated on a routine basis against the Leptospira bacteria. Unfortunately, there are many subtypes of the bacteria and vaccination against one subtype will not protect against another. Talk to your veterinarian about the most effective vaccine for the subtypes prevalent in your area.

Avoid drinking or swimming in water that is likely to be contaminated with wild animal urine. Discourage dogs from drinking this water as well.

Control rodents and clean up areas where mice and rats have urinated.

Wear protective clothing if working with contaminated soil or other material on farms, in sewers, or during rodent control. Wash your hands after handling animals or possible contaminated material.

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Case Study: Advice on People with Whining Dogs

Major and Princess are two Golden Retrievers that have matured in a nice suburban home together. The owner, Ms. Vicky, has no objection about the behaviors of the two dogs, with the exception of the fact that they whine relentlessly . Seeing as her prince and princess do not have any aggressive tendencies, are not territorial, and do not have any other bad habits, she has overlooked this dog whining issue for years. However, as years passed by, the whining became annoying and Ms. Vicky began to speculate exactly why they are always whining.

In an effort to stop this behavior, she used her time to find the root of the problem. Dogs whine for a lot of reasons, including pain, fear, or boredom. In this phase , she thought that the cause of the whining was probably boredom, but she also felt that the other reasons should not be completely ruled out and so she decided to seek for the expert’s opinion. Toby and Josie’s owner brought the pair to the vet’s office to get more information regarding the the situation. The veterinarian believed that the whining behavior stemmed from Toby and Josie being left alone for a large portion of the day while Ms. Vicky was at work. Although Toby and Josie were placed outdoors, so they can play, do their business, and exercise at will, the pair was still lonely. Given that this behavior has never been checked, the dogs have acquired the habit as a sympathy ploy to get what they want. Ms. Vicky confirmed this idea and the next step of breaking the habit started.

First of all , Toby and Josie were noticeably not okay with their current condition of being left alone during the morning. To make her dearly loved prince and princess happier, Vicky hired a pet sitter who comes in twice a day to walk, pet, and play with Toby and Josie. Despite the fact that the whining was still present, they’ve observed that the two dogs seem to be much happier when their owner returns from work. If Ms. Vicky didn’t allowed this whining problem to continue for such a long period of time and corrected the problem sooner, this new arrangement would have likely ended the whining altogether.

In the mean time, the owner began to put into practice the new training method for the two dogs. Every time any of the dog whines, she firmly states “no whine”. She gives this command with a quick squirt of water from a spray bottle to get the dog’s attention. Once the dog stops whining, the Miss lavishes it with praises and treats. Once the dog stops whining, the Miss lavishes it with praises and treats. Of course, tasks like going outside cannot be punished, since many dogs whine when they require to relieve themselves.

This training technique accompanied with hiring of a pet sitter has dramatically changed the whining situation with Toby and Josie. Now, neither dog whines to get what they want! Furthermore, Miss Vicky finds the situation a great deal less stressful on both her and the dogs. If you too are experiencing a similar situation, consider following this case study to help break your dogs from whining. Always remember that pain or discomfort is a possible reason for whining, so regularly visit your vet to ensure your dog is always in good condition. Best of Luck! Cheers!

Puppy Potty Training Made Simple Simple Steps to Training Your Puppy The Keys to Training Your Puppy Quickly Master the Art of Puppy Housebreaking Housebreaking Without Rubbing His Nose In It

A puppy can be a great joy to a household. While kisses and cuddles are the high points, I think it’s safe to say that cleaning up after a puppy can be considered one of the lowest points. During these formative years for your puppy, you’ll probably want to start the potty training lesson as soon as you deem your puppy ready.

The most important thing you can do for your pup at this time is to establish a steady routine. Without the adaptation of a routine to daily life, a puppy can become confused and may develop anxiety issues later in life. Begin by setting certain times in which you feed him, take him to potty, and sleep. Try to stick to the same general time every day.

Although some people are adverse to the idea, others find that keeping a pallet of newspaper near an exit (one your puppy will soon associate with the outdoors). Although we do our best, we don’t always pay attention or are in a position to let our dog outside-especially at nighttime. This is a positive alternative for your puppy to use until he develops better bladder control.

Understand that a puppy’s system is like clockwork. When you feed or water him, he will be ready to potty about 15 – 20 minutes later. The key is to make sure your pup has access to the yard (or wherever you’re teaching him to potty) when the time comes. Arranging your puppy’s routine to match your own is the easiest way to expect when he’s hungry or needs to potty.

Be sure that you separate “potty time” from “play time.” Puppies love to explore. It’s natural and should be encouraged, but only when it’s the appropriate time. Nothing is more frustrating than to be up at 2 am with your little guy running around the yard for twenty minutes, only to potty as soon as you get back inside.

This period in your puppy’s life is a great one to start administering praise and discipline techniques. Many people prefer “good boy/girl” and “no,” which can be still be used when your dog is older. Although puppies need a lot of repetition, routine, and firmness, remember that your puppy will soon grow up, so enjoy his puppyhood while you can!

Dog Whining Behavior Case Study

Rufus and Mermaid are two Doberman Pinschers that have grown up in a pleasant suburban home together. The owner, Ms. Vicky, has no objection about the behaviors of the two dogs, with the exception of the fact that they whine incessantly. Seeing as her prince and princess do not have any aggressive tendencies, are not territorial, and do not have any other bad habits, she has overlooked this problem with whining for years. But, years have passed and the whining progressed into impatiently annoying and Ms. Vicky started to think why the two frequently whine.

In an effort to stop this behavior, she used her time to find the root of the problem. Dogs whine for a lot of reasons, including pain, fear, or boredom. In this instance, she thought that the cause of the whining was probably boredom, but she also felt that the other reasons should not be completely ruled out and so she decided to seek for the expert’s opinion. Toby and Josie’s owner brought the pair to the vet’s office to get more information about the situation. The veterinarian believed that the whining behavior stemmed from Toby and Josie being left alone for a large portion of the day while Ms. Vicky was at work. Although Toby and Josie were placed outdoors, so they can play, do their business, and exercise at will, the pair was still lonely. . Since this behavior has never been corrected, the dogs have adopted the habit as a sympathy ploy to get what they want. Ms. Vicky confirmed this idea and the next step of breaking the habit started.

First of all , Toby and Josie were noticeably not okay with their current condition of being left alone during the morning. To make her dearly loved prince and princess happier, Vicky hired a pet sitter who comes in twice a day to walk, pet, and play with Toby and Josie. Despite the fact that the whining was still present, they’ve observed that the two dogs seem to be much happier when their owner returns from work. If Ms. Vicky didn’t allowed this whining problem to continue for such a long period of time and corrected the problem sooner, this new arrangement would have likely ended the whining altogether.

Meanwhile, the owner has started implementing the new training command for Toby and Josie. Each time either dog whines, she firmly states “no whine”. She gives this command with a quick squirt of water from a spray bottle to get the dog’s attention. Once the dog stops whining, the Miss lavishes it with praises and treats. Once the dog stops whining, the Miss lavishes it with praises and treats. Of course, tasks like going outside cannot be punished, since many dogs whine when they need relieve themselves.

This training technique accompanied with hiring of a pet sitter has dramatically changed the whining situation with Toby and Josie. Now, neither dog whines to get what they want! Furthermore, Miss Vicky finds the situation a great deal less stressful on both her and the dogs. If you too are experiencing a similar situation, consider following this case study to help break your dogs from whining. Keep in mind that pain or uneasiness is a viable motive for whining, so visit your veterinarian to guarantee your dog is in top health. Best of Luck! Cheers!

Bad Dogs

When a dog is termed as bad by the owner, usually it is they who are the cause. The feeling is very irritating when a dog jumps on you and puts paw prints over everything you’re wearing. The dog next door might also prefer to leave his calling cards on your front yard.

These are bad dogs? Perhaps, but they are only as bad as the kids next door who have never been given a good upbringing. What else other than bad behavior can you expect from animals and kids when the concerned adults have no idea what they are supposed to do? Sensible owners take the help of dog trainers who teaches them proper handling methods without breaking the natural spirit.

To get to know a good trainer approach your vet or pet store; these trainers often hold private lessons with the pet and the owner but it is just as easy to solve your pet behavior problem by attending any online course on pet management.

Part of this training is to teach the owner how to handle their pet. There is a saying amongst trainers however that it is far easier to train dogs than the people that own them! Dogs need to practice when they are taught to walk with leash when they are taken out and for this they need to walk around in a yard or any other area.

One of the behavioral traits is barking; however, this will often annoy almost anyone that can hear it. Shouting or punishing your pet for engaging in this normal communication is counterproductive – as well as confusing to the animal.

When a dog needs something to eat or drink, even to be played with, they will begin to bark. Completely suppressing a dog from barking will not help to prevent a burglar from trying to enter your property! Remember not to promote barking when he is a puppy and then get all worked up when he continues to bark even more as he gets bigger.

You could learn from your trainer how to reinforce certain behaviors in a puppy, which you desire, by giving them the occasional gift for being good. You could start rewarding and motivating your puppy so he will continue with the good behavior; most animals will normally stop doing things for which they get reprimanded.

Remember that you can not coach a dog to adapt to certain behaviors which are not part of his genetic make-up. The best option for getting certain specific behavior is to acquire your pet from a breed which displays those traits. When does a dog become good? Well, when you train them with patience, resolve and of course, a great deal of affection.

How To Train Your Dog To Play Fetch

So you’re the proud owner of a dog and you love him to death. Now you want to play with him in order to strengthen the bond between you two. What better way than to play fetch with your dog?

Some dogs know instinctively how to play fetch. Other dogs need to be taught. Luckily, dog training for playing fetch is a fairly simple process. You need to stick to a few simple guidelines for a couple of weeks. The three simple guidelines are listed below.

1. Your dog needs to pay attention to a ball that you want him to fetch. After all, if he’s not paying attention, he’ll never chase after it. In order to teach your doggy to become interested in a ball, praise him whenever he sniffs it or pays attention to it in any way. The objective is to teach your dog he will get a reward every time he follows the ball.

2. Once your dog has learned to pay attention to the ball, he must learn to pick it up in his mouth. It’s possible that he will do this all by himself. In this case, you simple need to praise him and feed him a dog treat. If he doesn’t pick up the ball on his own initiative, you can make the ball more enticing by smearing some peanut butter on it. Keep this up long enough and your dog will eventually learn to pick up the ball.

3. After your dog knows how to follow a ball and pick it up, it’s time that he learns he needs to take it back to you and drop it. You can do this by throwing the ball ten feet away until your dog follows it and then picks it up. Now you call him and show him a dog treat in your hand. This will make him run back to you with the ball still in his mouth. He will probably drop the ball in order to make place for the dog treat.

After you have gone through these simple steps, you are ready for a few small scale experiments. Throw the ball a short distance and say “Fetch!”. If the dog doesn’t go after the ball, you should try throwing it closer, or handing it to him again. When he does it correctly, make sure to treat and praise him.

If you repeat this whole process often enough, your dog will learn to play fetch for sure. It’s usually a matter of a few weeks. After a few weeks, your dog will have comprehended the whole game of playing fetch. From hereon, playing fetch becomes its own reward. You can still tell him is a good boy, but you won’t have to stock up on dog treats anymore. You can save those to teach him another game in the future.

Owning a dog is a great thing. Dogs are loyal pets that will love you unconditionally. It’s definitely worth investing your time and energy to get the two of you closer together. Playing fetch is a great way of doing this. So stick to the training, and before you know it your doggy and you will be having a ball!

Air Travel – Don’t Let Your Dog Be A Statistic

An alarming number of dogs and other pets become injured, lost, or even die on board an airplane when traveling. Compared to the number of successful animals transported from one location to another via the airlines, this number is low, however, it only takes one incident to change your life forever when your dog becomes seriously injured or dies because of a lack of preparation on your part.

We already mentioned about the most important precautionary measure to take for the safety of your dog, which is simply to take him to the vet for a complete checkup to avoid complicating a pre-existing medical condition. Please add the following additional tips to your list:

Select The Quickest Airline Route
Researching for the flight that will make the trip for your dog go by the fastest is easy, but one that many dog owners do not think about. Take some time and research all of the options available and ask the airline which flight time is the fastest.

Additionally, avoid flights that do not fly directly to your destination. It does not happen often, but some dogs get transferred to the wrong airplane, arrive in a totally different location than the intended destination, and worse yet – never make it back to its owner.

Choose Flight Times During The Morning Or Evening
As far as comfortability for your dog go, do your best to select a flight that is either during the early morning hours or early evening time. These are the best times during the day in which your dog will experience the most comfortable of temperatures. Avoid flying your pet during extreme weather climates that are too hot or too cold. Remember, he will be stuffed down in the cargo area.

Puppies Are Advised To Fly With You In The Cabin Instead Of The Cargo Area

It may seem like common sense to advise this tip, but it does happen at times where puppies are loaded in a crate and do not handle the flight very well. Always fly your puppy with you in the cabin area so that you can keep the dog comfortable with small treats and affection.

A puppy’s early weeks (and months) are a very crucial time in its life. Everything that the dog experiences becomes downloaded into its memory. It’s called socialization and a traumatizing flight that keeps a puppy in a constant state of shock and anxiety for hours on end may have disastrous results that could last a lifetime for the pup.