It’s been reported that up to 79 percent of pet owners allow pets to share beds with their human family members. Despite the popularity of the practice, physician and veterinary groups have taken turns speaking out against human-pet bed sharing for a variety of reasons. Let's take a look why. In the case of some physician groups, the warnings are human health based. Confirmed transmission of MRSA skin infections and H1N1 influenza, for example, gives fodder to the speculation that humans who share the covers with their furred family members are more likely to become ill. While this is certainly more of a possibility with immunosuppressed humans (HIV-positive, transplant recipients, or chemotherapy patients, for example), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer no explicit warnings on this issue beyond the standard warnings for these immunocompromised groups of people. In fact, when it comes to infectious disease transmission, physicians and veterinarians agree there is scant evidence that healthy, well cared for pets are detrimental to human health under these circumstances. Indeed, human family members are much more likely to transmit diseases to each other during bed-sharing than our pets are. SO IT'S OK TO SLEEP WITH MY PET? Not exactly. "Although uncommon with healthy pets," the CDC wrote in a 2011 report, "the risk of transmission of zoonotic agents [those transmitted from animal to human] by close contact between pets and their owners through bed sharing, kissing or licking is real and has been documented for life-threatening infections such as plague." Some veterinarians also believe that allowing dogs to sleep on human beds is a not a good thing, behaviorally speaking. Puppies that are more prone to issues with aggression may fully develop these behaviors when allowed to sleep with humans. Housebreaking may also be affected if beds take the place of crates, for example. That’s why bed-sharing should always be delayed until training is complete and social maturity is achieved, behaviorists suggest. SAFETY TIPS FOR SLEEPING WITH A PET To reduce the health risks associated with bed sharing and other close contact with a pet, the CDC recommends that pets have regular veterinary care. This should include keeping up to date with vaccinations, treating illnesses with medications, and using flea and tick preventives, since often fleas and ticks carry bacteria and diseases that can also be transmitted to people. Source: Pet MD / Dr. Patty Khuly A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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Is your pet shy or a social butterfly? Many experts say that they key to having a well-behaved dog or cat is socialization — here's how to get started. Veterinarians can tell if an animal has been socialized the moment they walk into an exam room. “Some animals come bounding up and are happy to see me and everyone in the waiting room,” says Bonnie V. Beaver, DVM, professor in the department of small animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, and past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Others hide behind their owner and don’t want to come out. Life is stressful for them.” And socialization helps make the difference. When puppies and kittens are introduced to a variety of people, other animals, and environments during the first several weeks of life, they tend to do better, and have less stress and fewer problems later on. Think about everything your pet will be exposed to during life: different people, animals, places, situations, cars, noises, and smells. When they’re puppies or kittens, they take new experiences with stride. But as they get older they quickly start to become nervous and scared when confronted with something or someone new. Why Socialize Your Pet? Animals are preprogrammed to become fearful of people and things that aren’t part of their everyday life so they react appropriately when they are in danger. But you can introduce a new dog or new cat to a variety of situations when it’s very young so it doesn’t live its life afraid of straying from its neighborhood or meeting new people. When you do, your pet will be more laid back and can enjoy life. Pets are also safer once they’re socialized because they’re less likely to react in a fearful or aggressive way when they’re faced with something new. How To Socialize Your Pet The key to socializing dogs and cats is to start very young and to introduce your new dog or new cat to as many different things as you can. Here’s what to do:
Check out this checklist of things to expose your dog to. Kittens can also be socialized by having people come to your house or by bringing your kitten to other people’s houses, although it’s better to visit someone who doesn’t already have a cat. Socialization Tips When you’re ready to begin socializing your dog or cat, keep in mind these tips for success:
Socializing dogs and cats this way ensures that they’re better adjusted as adults and may be easier to train because they’re less distracted by fear, Beaver says. Source: Everyday Health / Marie Suszynski A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control is reporting that there have been more than 1,000 cases of canine influenza in the Chicago area in recent weeks. Unfortunately, five dogs have died from the flu during this outbreak. Canine influenza is a relatively new disease having first been diagnosed in a group of racing greyhounds in 2004. It developed after the equine influenza virus mutated and gained the ability to spread from dog to dog. The disease has been reported in most states and in Washington, D.C. Chicago is just the latest hotspot. For most dogs, the symptoms associated with canine influenza are indistinguishable from what we traditionally call “kennel cough” — a condition that can be caused by a variety of germs like the parainfluenza virus, or Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria. All of these respiratory infections typically make dogs cough, sneeze, have a runny nose, lose their appetite, and be somewhat lethargic, but a small proportion of dogs do go on to develop pneumonia, some of whom die. A laboratory test can determine whether a dog with signs of a respiratory infection has the flu or another condition. Treatment for canine influenza generally consists of supportive care, rest, and antibiotics to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections. Severely affected dogs may need to be hospitalized for oxygen therapy and other forms of more aggressive treatment. In light of the current outbreak, what can owners do to protect their dogs from canine influenza? If you live in the Chicago area… 1. Keep your dogs as isolated as possible — no doggie daycare, trips to the dog park, stays at the kennel, etc. It is important to realize that dogs may have the virus in their bodies and be contagious even if they don’t show signs of illness. Also, people can transport the virus from one dog to another even though we can’t get sick from it ourselves. Anyone (including you!) who has had contact with other dogs should wash their hands thoroughly before touching your dog. 2. Make sure your dogs are up to date on their canine influenza vaccines. Your dogs may not have gotten this vaccine in the past because it is considered “non-core,” meaning that it is generally only given to dogs who are at higher than average risk for the disease. Dogs in the Chicago area are definitely now at higher than average risk! A previously unvaccinated dog should receive two inoculations 2-4 weeks apart. Annual boosters are recommended unless a dog’s risk factors decrease. The canine influenza vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent dogs from becoming infected with the virus, but it does significantly reduce the severity of disease that can develop as a result. If you don’t live in the Chicago area… Stay calm. Ask your local veterinarian whether he or she knows if dogs are being diagnosed with canine influenza in your area. If your town is influenza-fee and you have no plans to travel with your dog in the near future, your dog does not need a canine influenza vaccine and can continue with its normal routine. If canine influenza has been seen in your area and your dog has significant dog to dog contact, talk to your veterinarian to determine whether or not vaccination is in your dog’s best interests. Source: Pet MD A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Being a successful search-and-rescue (SAR) dog and handler requires intense training. There are a kennel’s worth of commitments and sacrifices involved, say the experts. The first consideration is the age, breed and temperament of your dog. Because young dogs are easier to train, “you need to start as early as possible during puppyhood,” said Ken Chiacchia, the Pittsburgh, Pa.-based owner of Sophia, a two-year-old female German shepherd, and Pip, an eight-year-old female English shepherd. An older dog can be properly trained if it has already established a good working relationship with its owner. Older dogs trained for police and security work can also be good candidates for search and rescue (SAR) missions, provided they are not aggressive and can be trained not to bite or attack rescue victims on command. A dog of nearly any breed can be trained for specific SAR missions, said Harry Oakes, owner of International K-9 Search and Rescue Services, a training and SAR-for-hire company based in Longview, Wash. Larger dogs such as Labradors, German shepherds and golden retrievers are popular choices for the rugged and demanding nature of many of these jobs, including water, wilderness and avalanche rescues. “But medium-sized dogs like border collies and Australian Kelpies seem to live longer and do well in all aspects of SAR,” Oakes said. “And small dogs are great for disaster work – they can get into tight spaces.” Teaching a young dog old tricksAccording to the Centreville, Va.-based National Association for Search and Rescue, training typically takes a year before a dog and its handler are ready for SAR missions. Some trainers, such as Oakes, are more rigorous in their stipulations. “Our program requires a minimum of four hours of training a week with your dog for 18 months,” he said. To attain “expert” status, that time span stretches to six years. Oakes says dozens of private and public SAR training organizations exist around the country to educate future handlers. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency offers an urban SAR certification program for dogs and handlers. After the minimum training is completed and you gain certification from that organization or individual trainer, “you have to get certified as a search-and-rescue team member by your county sheriff’s office if you want to get called out on search-and-rescue missions in your county,” Oakes said. “In our area, for example, this is a 40-hour program.” Your homework doesn’t stop there, however. Once trained, “you typically spend 10 hours a week keeping your dog in shape and ready to work at peak performance,” said Michael Lueck, a member of the Search One Rescue Team in Dallas, Texas. “A rescue situation can happen any time, anywhere, so you need to be ready at all times.” Cash commitmentSAR involvement can total up to $4,000 a year or more in out-of-pocket expenses, said Debbie Palman, game warden specialist in Aurora, Maine, who owns an 8-year-old male German shepherd SAR tracking dog named Alex. “I’m lucky, because I get paid to do this professionally, but I also do it on the side as a volunteer,” Palman said. “But most people do it strictly on a volunteer basis.” “There are no municipalities in the United States where there’s enough business to do search and rescues and make a profit,” Chiacchia said. “The only people really making money doing this are being paid by the government as law enforcement personnel, firefighters or rangers.” Making a differenceSo, if there are no greenbacks to be made from becoming a search-and-rescue dog team, why do it? Chiacchia says SAR volunteers do it “out of the kindness of their hearts to make a difference in the lives of others. Let’s face it – there aren’t a whole lot of boy scouts out there.” Most people do it “because they really love spending time with their dogs,” Palman said. “It’s also nice to have a talent or ability that few other people have.” Ultimately, asks Oakes, “What can be more rewarding than the ability to use your dog and your own skills to help save a life or bring closure to a family’s suffering?” Source: webvet A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Buying Flea and Tick Medicine for a Dog? Read This First!With so many brands and types of flea and tick medications being sold today, it can be rather overwhelming choosing what's best for your dog. Here are a few important things to consider before grabbing the first flea and tick control product you see. 1. Usage Flea and tick control products come in a variety of forms, including foggers, wipes, dips, shampoos, spot-ons, collars and oral medication. Some products repel fleas and ticks; some attack the immature forms of the bugs so that they never have a chance to develop and reproduce; and others kill the adult fleas and ticks. There are even some products that do all three. Read the label carefully to select the best product for your situation, and consult your veterinarian if you have any questions. 2. Flea/Tick Species Effectiveness It may be a bit overwhelming to think about, but there are hundreds upon hundreds of flea and tick species worldwide! The dog flea, black-legged tick (pictured above), American dog tick and brown dog tick, just to name a few. Discuss with your veterinarian what type of fleas and ticks are found in your area and confirm that the flea and tick medicine you're considering is effective against those species. Look for medications labeled "broad spectrum," which are effective against several species in one easy-to-use form. 3. You and Your Dog's Preferences Another important consideration is you and your pet's preferences and lifestyle. Perhaps your dog isn't very fond of having spot-on flea and tick preventives and won't stay still during application. Try a flea and tick collar. What if you have a busy lifestyle and want something that is both effective for long periods and that isn't visible on your pet? Check out oral flea and tick preventives (i.e., pills or tablets), as some are effective for up to 12 weeks. There isn't necessarily a right or wrong choice when it comes to choosing flea and tick medication. Just choose what is best for your situation. 4. Intended for Dogs or Cats? There are times when dogs and cats can take the same medication, under a vet's supervision, to resolve an issue. This is definitely not one of them. Not only are some flea and tick medications specifically formulated to be effective for dogs (or vice versa); there are certain ingredients that can actually be harmful, even deadly, to cats. "Cats should never be given products designed for use on dogs," says Dr. Jennifer Kvamme, DVM, "nor should you use your cat products on your dog." Always read flea and tick control products labels carefully and only use as directed. If you have any doubts, ask your veterinarian. A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Many pet owners will tell you their bundle of fur is like family. So there’s no shame in feeling just a little guilty when you have to leave yours behind, whether it be for a quick errand or night on the town. (The adorable drooping face and sad eyes don’t make it any easier.) You might be tempted to try an age-old trick: turning on the radio or TV to keep your furry friend company. Turns out, though, neither may produce sounds he’ll actually enjoy. Cats, for instance, just aren’t that into human music (the classical kind at least), according to new research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study, recently published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, compared how 47 felines responded to two different types of music at home, the first being classical melodies from the human world and the second dubbed “cat music.” That would be music composed specifically to appeal to cats using a particular pitch and tempo. “Their normal communication is at a much higher frequency range than humans,” says Charles Snowdown, PhD, the study’s lead author and professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. So the study’s two “cat songs,” created by University of Maryland composer David Teie, are an octave higher than regular human speech or singing voices, Snowdon says. Plus, the songs were formatted to match tempos cats might enjoy, such as purring and the sucking noises made during nursing. Snowdon and his former student, Megan Savage, played four sets of sounds for the cats, including two classical songs and two cat songs. The pair found that the kitties showed more positive behavior (like purring and rubbing against the speaker) when listening to the music created for them versus the human music. And they reacted to the cat music about a minute sooner, too. Though the researchers aren’t exactly certain how cats might respond to other musical genres like rock or country, one thing is clear. “From the cats’ perspective, they really don’t care about classical music,” Snowdon says. And what about dogs’ preferences? Those would be much trickier to pinpoint. “We chose cats [for the study] in part because they are fairly homogenous in body size,” Snowdon says. “Dogs range in size and voice, so we’re not sure whether there would be a universal music created for them or whether it would be different for each breed.” (Small doggies make noises that sound very different than big ones.) Still, entertainment isn’t a total wash for pets. Some dogs with separation anxiety may respond well to radio music or TV noise if used as a safety cue. “The whole idea is to get them to like something that doesn’t remind them of you,” says Jeff Werber, a licensed veterinarian and founder of Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles. To spot separation anxiety in your pooch, look for behavior problems such as destructive chewing, howling, or urinating without cause. Then, start by training Fido to associate the radio or TV with positive things, such as a treat or praise (you can also use a word or action as a safety cue, he says). “Now the dog is getting rewarded for listening to music and it’s taking attention away from you,” Werber says. The more you do that, eventually your lonesome pup will learn to keep his cool when you’re gone. Before you go, be sure to hide anything he could link back to you, like a toy you often play catch with, then turn on the radio or TV. This trick is especially great if your dog already likes sitting in front of the tube (dogs CAN see what’s on the screen, according to Werber), but it’s not guaranteed to win over every furball. In that case, you could try investing in soothing tunes for canines, like the Through a Dog’s Ear music series, he says. You could also set out a toy with hidden pockets for treats to keep your animal busy, Werber suggests. Cats, on the other hand, may not need a safety cue to feel better about being alone. “Cats have more natural instincts that allow them to find ways to take care of themselves,” Werber says. That said, there are still little things you can do to keep your cat distracted and happy, Werber says, such as setting out a maze of treats or buying a diffuser like Feliway which sprays natural pheromones in the air to reduce your cat’s stress levels. Lucky for your feline, the cat music used in Snowdon’s study is also available to purchase ($1.29 per song) through the composer’s website MusicForCats.com. So even kitties can have their own jam session while you’re out. The important thing to remember is that human music may not always be the answer to help your pet feel better when you’re away. “To assume that just putting on a classical music station will calm your animal may not be the case,” Snowdon says. “We know very little about what animals really like, and we hope people start thinking more carefully about that.” Source:news.health.com / Rachel Swalin A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
How Many Calories Does Your Pet Need? In order to properly determine how many calories your pet needs, his or her lifestyle, age, activity level, and many other factors must first be considered. How do these factors affect your pet and how should you go about determining your pet's caloric needs? Let's take a look. 1. Ask Your Vet Including your veterinarian in any conversation dealing with your pet's dietary and caloric needs is vital, particularly if your dog has any health problems or special dietary needs. "Nutrition, including determining how many calories a pet should be taking in, is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor," says Jennifer Coates, DVM. This is exactly why you need the expertise of your veterinarian. Calorie “calculators” or tables cannot take into account what might make an animal’s situation unique. 2. Whip Out the Calculator The standard steps used by veterinarians to determine a pet’s caloric needs (otherwise known as their maintenance energy requirements) are as follows:
3. Factor in an 'Appropriate Multiplier' Appropriate multipliers include such things as whether or not the pet is neutered or intact, whether the pet requires weight gain or weight loss, and a variety of other factors. For example, a 10kg (22lb) adult neutered dog of healthy weight needs RER = 70(10kg)3/4 ≈ 400 kcal/day. You then multiply 400 times 1.6 (the appropriate multiplier for a neutered pet), which equals 640 kcal/day, or the MER. However, this calorie count should only be viewed as an estimate. Your veterinarian will use this information as a piece of the puzzle; also taking into account a pet’s lifestyle, age, activity level, etc. Watch Out for Low Quality Dog Food Remember to do a nutrition comparison. Some pet food brands require more calories to be fed to the pet in order to achieve the same nutritional benefits a higher quality pet food can achieve with less. This is due to the difference in nutrient content. Consult your veterinarian on how to determine if this may be affecting your pet. Source: Pet MD A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Reigning in Your Teething Puppy Menace Puppy teething can be a difficult time for both you and your puppy. However, there are certain things you can do to alleviate the issue and protect your household from puppy accident like this. What is Puppy Teething? Contrary to what many may believe, puppies don't teeth like human babies. Yes, puppies do lose their baby, or deciduous, teeth at an early age (usually around 3-9 months old). However, the act of destructive chewing (sometimes referred to as puppy teething) is often due to behavioral issues which need to be nipped in the bud early. 1. Designate Teeth-Free Zones Don't tempt your puppy with scrumptious shoes and flavorful furniture. Block your puppy's access to areas that have been especially troublesome. Afterward, work with a dog trainer on resolving the puppy teething issue at hand. 2. Use Dog Chew Toys Introducing your puppy to age-appropriate dog chew toys early can also save your precious household items. Chew toys designated for puppies are a little smaller and softer than the adult toys because puppy teeth are more prone to fracture. However, they still should be durable enough to handle aggressive mouthing. In fact, monitor your puppy during playtime and remove any destroyed chew toys immediately to prevent accidents from occurring. 3. Incorporate Healthy Eating Caring for a teething puppy also means caring for the puppy's teeth. Ensure your new dog is getting a properly balanced diet, including vitamins and minerals such as calcium, so that his or her new adult, or permanent, teeth can develop normally. Having two teeth crowded into a space meant for one can cause discomfort and possibly initiate some destructive tendencies in your pup. Source: Pet MD A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Stool eating, also known as coprophagy, is actually quite normal behavior for a puppy. And though you may find it utterly gross, the behavior does have an underlying cause. Moreover, if the cause is not addressed appropriately and in a timely manner, it does have a good chance of becoming a recurring habit. To begin, do not be immediately alarmed when you see your puppy doing it. Reacting in a way that is alarming to the puppy can do more harm than good, and may even lead to other behavioral problems. Stool eating typically begins when a puppy is still in the litter. At this stage, it is natural for the mother to eat the stool of her puppies. She does this both to keep the “den” clean and to protect the puppies from predators that might be drawn by the scent. (It doesn’t matter that there are no predators in your home, this is primitive evolutionary behavior -- other animals do the same thing with their young.) The mother does this from the time the puppies are born until they are weaned, and since puppies are in the process of learning how to be dogs, they are naturally going to follow her lead and do what she does. Of course, the mother stops eating her puppies’ feces around the time that they have begun eating solid food or have weaned from her milk, but the puppy may still continue the behavior until he becomes more mature. It is learned behavior along with natural puppy curiosity that leads them to smell, taste and even eat their own or other dogs’ stool. To begin discouraging this behavior before the puppy is ready to go to its new home, it is the breeder’s responsibility to always clean up after the puppies -- before they have a chance to eat it. However, this may not have been the practice used for your puppy. OTHER REASONS FOR STOOL EATING As previously stated, it is not uncommon to find your puppy eat its own or other dogs’ stool. However, dogs who are receiving a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet should grow out of this behavior naturally by the time they are one year of age. If your puppy continues this behavior past his first year, you will need to consult a veterinarian or behaviorist in order to identify the problem. Here are several of the reasons that are typically associated with coprophagy: Poor digestion Your puppy may not be digesting his food properly. This may be because the food is low in digestible nutrients and is coming out basically the same way it went in, or because the puppy has a problem with his digestive system. To the puppy, his stool tastes pretty much like the food he just ate. For the former, switching to a higher quality food can solve this. For the latter (if switching foods has not helped), you will have to have the puppy checked by a veterinarian. Boredom Boredom is another cause for stool eating. If a puppy is left alone for a long time, he may find relief from boredom by playing with his own stool. This also occurs more often during cold weather, because they are fascinated by their frozen stool. Stress Stress will often drive puppies -- and dogs -- to eat their own stool. This may be stress from being brought into a new home, or from any of a number of reasons. It is because of this that you should not induce further stress in the puppy by punishing him for eating his stool. Hunger Parasites and worms can leach nutrients from the puppy’s system, causing him to be hungrier than normal. He will respond to his hunger by eating whatever is available. On the same note, your puppy may simply not be getting enough to eat during the day. Puppies are growing and need to be fed at least three times a day. If you have any questions regarding how much you should feed your puppy, talk to your veterinarian, or to the breeder bought the puppy from. Attention If you have already responded several times to this behavior by getting upset, your puppy may continue to do it just for the reaction. Even though the reaction is a negative one, all the puppy knows is that he is getting extra attention from you. Conversely, your puppy may eat his stool to avoid negative attention. If you have been responding angrily to “accidents,” his response may be to effectively “hide” the evidence by eating it. Just Because Finally, some puppies -- and dogs -- will eat their own stool just because they like to do it. There is not always a satisfying explanation for the behavior, and the best you can do is to try to prevent your dog from doing it by distracting him and getting the stool picked up as quickly as possible. TECHNIQUES FOR TREATING COPROPHAGY Always feed your puppy a good quality puppy food so that you can be sure that he is getting all of the protein, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients he needs for normal growth. Observe your puppy for signs that he may be suffering from poor digestion, such as watery stool or stool with large particles of undigested food. If you see any of these signs, consult your veterinarian. This can become a serious issue if not resolved. Be diligent in cleaning up after your puppy eliminates. Do not give him the chance to play with or eat his stool. Try placing the puppy on a leash when you take him outside to relieve himself, and do not allow him to inspect his stool after he has defecated. Distract him from the stool by calling him to you, and when he responds appropriately, reward him with a training treat and verbal encouragement and then take him inside, away from the stool, before you go back to pick it up. Some experts have found that adding meat tenderizer, digestive enzymes, or natural additives to the puppy’s food makes a big difference, since these additives cause the stool to have a particularly unappealing smell that will discourage him from eating it. If you cannot immediately clean up the stool, or if there are some old stool piles in your yard, you can spray it with hot pepper sauce or mouth wash. However, it is still more effective to just clean up after the puppy each time he eliminates. Always keep your puppy on a leash whenever you take him out for a walk. This will prevent him from smelling and eating the stool of the other dogs that are left lying around in the streets. Note that some parasites and illnesses can be transmitted through stool, so you don’t want your puppy to come into contact with stool under any circumstances (of course, this is not always possible). If the puppy begins to sniff at a stool pile, gently pull on his leash and lead him in another direction. Use immediate distraction techniques as soon as he begins to show curiosity for his or other dog’s stool, and reward him with verbal praise and a training treat when he responds appropriately. If he is consistently discouraged and appropriately reprimanded each time he plays with or eats his stool, he will learn to let go of this habit in a short period of time. Soon enough, you will be able to allow your dog to walk around freely and not have to worry about him eating stool when you are not looking. source: PetMD A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Nuisance jumping is a common complaint from owners. Most often, dogs are jumping for attention. Dogs who are overly anxious, such as those with separation anxiety, may also jump even when the owner is ignoring them. Don’t make jumping more than it is. It is not an effort to dominate you or lead your pack. First, domestic dogs don’t form packs, so you are not a pack member. Second, dogs generally don’t want to run the world. Nope, no visions of grandeur. They simply want attention from you. That is it, plain and simple. The dog is trying to get you to give her attention. If you are a dog, it’s natural to want to be up near the hands or face of someone who may pet you. Third, dogs don’t try to dominate each other by jumping up to lick each other’s faces. Unfortunately, owners generally do pet dogs when they jump up. This reinforces (rewards) the behavior, making it more likely to occur again. To the dog, any type of attention can be considered reinforcement. This includes pushing her away and yelling at her. Through basic positive reinforcement (there’s the science of learning again), we have trained our dogs to jump on us starting in puppyhood. Once again, it is not the dog’s fault. Take the following, common example: When first adopted, the puppy jumps on you. You bend down to pet her. While this is fine when the puppy is 10 pounds, it’s not nearly as enjoyable when she’s 100 pounds. Then, when the puppy gets a bit larger and is in adolescence, the jumping becomes annoying. You try different methods, such as ignoring her, kneeing her or yelling at her. She continues to jump. Making it even more difficult for your dog to learn what is appropriate, there are inconsistencies within the family regarding how they interact with the puppy. Some people pet her when she jumps up and some yell at her. Finally, there are invariably inconsistencies between what family members and visitors do. This is very confusing to the puppy. She can’t be sure what type of behavior is appropriate. The scientific term for these types of interactions is variable reinforcement. Variable reinforcement means sometimes the pup is rewarded and sometimes she is not. Believe it or not, this kind of reinforcement is the most powerful kind you can apply to a behavior. You read that right. You are actually making the behavior stronger by sometimes punishing and sometimes reinforcing. What results is a very persistent jumper. To understand variable reinforcement better, consider the example of a person at a casino. This person might leave the roulette table after losing 2 or 3 times, but will sit at a slot machine for eight hours. Why do they do that? Because the slot machine employs variable reinforcement. The slot machine delivers small rewards intermittently throughout the day. There are enough rewards, statistically, to keep the person playing all day. There's even the promise of a possible huge jackpot at some point during the day. Teaching pups not to jump is pretty simple — ignore the pup when she is jumping and teach her an alternate way to get attention. Follow these simple tips and your dog will be asking for attention politely in no time.
Source: PetMD A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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