Make sure your dog is up to date with his vaccinations, flea and tick medications as this is the time of year fleas and ticks start to increase in number. Make sure you are checking for ticks, especially at this time of year. Learn how to pull a tick off (at some point you will have to do it) it's not very hard, so don't freak. Most cases of wasp or bee stings are not emergencies. With a bee sting, check and remove the sting if it is still in place, then bathe the area in bicarbonate of soda (one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to 300ml warm water). With wasp stings bathe the area with malt vinegar or lemon juice. If your dog is stung in or near the mouth or neck then you may need to seek veterinary help. Dogs, like humans, can be allergic or become allergic to stings. Signs include swellings, distress and breathing difficulties. You should already have a regular vet, but also be aware of a 24hour animal hospital in case of after hour emergencies. I have personally used West Bridgerwater Animal Hospital on RT106, right off RT24
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The weather is getting nice (hopefully) and you are all probably ready to start gardening. Just be aware of what can be dangerous to your dog, as there are many poisonous plants. Most common species at this time of year include lilies, daffodils, spring bulbs and azaleas. Other things to keep your garden safe for your dog and to be careful if you need to use any pellets, pesticides or other chemicals. Slug and snail pellets (Metaldehyde) is a common poison seen in dogs. The toxic compound is metaldehyde (not all slug pellets contain metaldehyde) and only small amounts of pellets can cause significant poisoning. So be aware of the ingredients when buying products. Also, avoid using cocoa shell mulch, it is toxic to dogs (contains the same ingredient as chocolate). Some common signs of poisoning are excessive salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, appearing ‘drunk’ or even collapsing. If you notice any of these signs, then contact your vet immediately. You may have some leftover Easter goodies hanging around.
If so, remember that chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine (a bit like caffeine) that is poisonous to dogs, and hot-cross buns contain raisins, which can cause renal failure in dogs. So staying on the spring time theme, you should be aware of some common dangers. Sprouting bulb plants attract not just your dog, but squirrels and rodents. So your dog could be interested in you bulbs or just be chasing a mouse. Either way please know that some of these bulbs, like those in the allium family, such as onions are toxic. Also cocoa mulch, like what is commonly used for bedding at parks are highly attractive and toxic.
Keep your dogs out of flower beds and no one will get hurt! I have been neglecting you all, sorry. Hope everyone is enjoying April Vacation and had a great Easter.
So as we can see spring is well underway. Please remember, just like we have allergies, our dogs can too. They may have never been bothered that can change from him being a puppy to becoming a dog, also just like us. Tree pollen, dandelions, flowers, cut grass and mold are some common spring time allergens. Dogs have many of the same symptoms we do: watery eyes, runny nose, itching, coughing and sneezing. They can have ither symptoms such as flaky skin or a coat that feels oily. There are canine allergy medicines as well as some human medicines that can work. Check with your vet and he will reccommend which is best and the proper dose. Do you have a dog that loves to pull no matter what techniques you use to curb it? Keep in mind there are alternatives to the traditional flat buckle collar that you can use to walk your dog. These are two options I not only recommend but also use.
Try a "front connect harness" (even as apposed to a traditional harness, which can encourage pulling) Try a "head collar" like a Gentle Leader or Halti. These go around your dog's head and nose to give you the most control. They do take a bit for your dog to become used to them, but don't let that deter you, they are amazing. This is an easy recipe and a good way to prevent begging or serve your dog's dinner in a creative way.
Take a bowl with some dry dog food in it. Add water. Enough to wet it but not to make it super soggy. Add a few spoonfuls of peanut butter. Mix it all up good. Put your finger over the small end of the Kong and stuff it. Use a plastic bag to wrap tight around the Kong, so nothing falls out. Freeze it. Serve during dinner time to avoid begging, when you crate you dog or on a hot day. You have less than 2 seconds for your dog to learn to associate an action with a behavior. When training, treat/praise your dog as soon as he does a command so he learns to connect his action with your command. With a “sit” command, treat/praise the second his butt hits the floor. Dogs live in the now and you can’t punish him for what he did hours or even minutes ago. If you catch him in the act, however, you have a chance to change his behavior with positive reinforcement.
Reward your dog after a training session. Even though you only trained for 15-20 minutes, reward your dog for his attention. Play a game of ball, fetch or just letting him run outside. You know your dog and what he likes so you will know how to reward him. This will make him happy and that will help with training progress.
Do the opposite of your dogs energy level. So for example, if you have a hyper dog, make sure to remain calm. On the other hand, if you have a lazy dog, you will have to put a little pep in your step to motivate him. Be Confident. When you are training your dog, he can tell when you are confident or not. Body language, tone of voice and how you handle him can show your confidence. Also, the higher your confidence, the more you dog will trust you.
Learn from your mistakes. When training your dog, you are bound to make mistakes. Don't make a big deal, it happens. Just move on like nothing happened and learn from it. Make sure to incorporate training into your daily routine. Simple tasks like asking for a sit before putting on his leash. Asking for a sit and wait for dinner, when you are putting down his food. This will keep both you and your dog on point. Repetition is important. Just because your dog learned something today, does not mean it will stick tomorrow. The more you repeat a command, the more your dog will do it and the more he will remember it. |