Benefits
of Dog Training:
Puppy classes provide the opportunity
for getting your new family member started off right. Puppy classes provide
the experiences and opportunities for your puppy to develop interaction skills
with other puppies, with people, and in new environments.
Puppy socialization has been found
to be critical to the psychological health of adult dogs. Puppy classes provide
the opportunity for this important facet of your puppy's upbringing.
Training classes provide dog owners
the skills and knowledge for dealing with common, normal dog behaviors--starting
with puppy behaviors such as housetraining and chewing.
No matter what age you start training
your dog, foundation training provides the basis for any activity, behavior
or job you want your dog to do.
Training provides dogs with the
basic good manners we all want--from polite greeting when guests arrive, to
walking nicely on the leash, to coming when called.
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Tips
For Traveling With Your Dog
Never leave your dog unattended
in a closed vehicle.
Never let your dog ride in the back of an open truck. This could lead
to severe injury.
Keep your car well-ventilated. Especially
if the dog is in a crate.
Dog should travel on an empty stomach
if you are startin out on a long car trip.
Make sure your dog has plenty of
water. . Stop for potty breaks and exercise.
Do not let your dog ride with its
head out the window. This can lead to car injuries.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough can be caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria. It is
very contagious and your dog can become infected if it comes into contact
with an infected dog. Dogs with kennel cough may not seem ill in the early
stages of the disease but they can still infect other dogs. Most commonly,
dogs with kennel cough will have a snotty nose and a dry, hacking cough. Consult
your veterinarian about whether or not the kennel cough (Bordetella) vaccine
is right for your dog.
Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is caused by a very contagious virus. Dogs usually become
infected through virus particles in the air or in the respiratory secretions
of infected dogs. Infected dogs typically develop runny eyes, fever, coughing,
vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and paralysis. It is often fatal.
Fortunately, there is an effective vaccine to protect your dog from this deadly
disease. The canine distemper vaccine is considered a "core" vaccine and is
recommended for every dog.
Dog Flu
Canine influenza is caused by the canine influenza virus. It is a relatively
new disease in dogs. Because most dogs have not been exposed to the virus,
their immune systems are not able to fully respond to the virus and many of
them will become infected when they are exposed. Canine influenza is spread
through respiratory secretions, contaminated objects (including surfaces,
bowls, collars and leashes). Dogs can be shedding the virus before they even
show signs of illness, which means an apparently healthy dog can still infect
other dogs. Dogs with canine influenza develop coughing, a fever and a snotty
nose, which are the same signs observed when a dog has kennel cough. Consult
your veterinarian to determine if the canine influenza vaccine is recommended
for your dog.
Canine Parvovirus
Parvo is caused by the canine parvovirus type 2. The virus is very contagious
and attacks the gastrointestinal system, causing fever, vomiting and severe,
often bloody, diarrhea. It is spread by direct contact between dogs as well
as by contaminated stool, surfaces, bowls, collars, leashes, equipment, and
the hands and clothing of people. It can also survive in the soil for years,
making the virus hard to kill. Fortunately, there is a vaccine for parvo.
It is considered a "core" vaccine and is recommended for every dog.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a big risk during warm and hot weather. Remember that your dog
is always wearing a fur coat and they are usually warmer than you are. A temperature
that seems only a little warm to a person can be too hot for a dog. Add to
that the fact that dogs at dog gatherings are often active and playing, and
the heat could become deadly for your dog. Never leave your pet in the car
on warm days. Even a 70 degree day can be too hot in a car. Short-nosed breeds,
such as pugs, Boston Terriers, boxers, bulldogs, etc. are more prone to heatstroke
and breathing problems because they don't pant as effectively as breeds with
normal-length noses. Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting and drooling,
anxiousness, weakness, abnormal gum color (darker red or even purple), collapse
and death.
Any dog showing signs of heatstroke should be immediately taken to a shaded
area and cooled with cold, wet towels that are wrung out and rewetted every
few minutes. Running cool water over the dog's body and quickly wiping it
away (so the water absorbs the skin's heat and is immediately wiped away)
can also help. Transport the dog to a veterinarian immediately, because heatstroke
can rapidly become deadly.
External Parasites
External parasites, such as ticks, fleas and mange, are fairly common dog
problems. Ticks from the environment, fleas from other dogs and the environment,
and mange from other dogs pose risks at dog gatherings. Ticks can transmit
diseases (see tick-borne diseases below). Fleas can transmit some types of
tapeworms as well as some diseases, and they may end up infesting your home
and yard if they hitchhike home on your dog(s).
Cheyletiella mites cause "walking dandruff" on dogs (itching and flaky skin
on the dog's trunk). They are spread from dog to dog by direct contact, and
may require more aggressive treatment than fleas.
Fertilizers and Pesticides
Some fertilizers and pesticides can be toxic to dogs. Avoid letting your pet
walk, run, play or roam in areas that have recently been treated with fertilizers
or pesticides.
Heartworms
Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and can cause coughing, lethargy, difficulty
breathing, heart disease and death. Fortunately, there are many approved products
to prevent heartworm infection. Consult your veterinarian about the best product
for your dog.
Intestinal Parasites
Coccidia and Giardia are single-celled parasites that damage the lining of
the intestine. Dogs can become infected with coccidia by eating infected soil
or licking contaminated paws or fur. Puppies are at the highest risk of infection
and illness.
Proposed
Microchip Would Track Lost Pet
Escape Alert is developing a postage stage-sized pet microchip that would
recharge itself.
By Veterinary Practice News Editors
Pet owners could use a smartphone to find their microchip-carrying cat or
dog. Escape Alert Lost pets and drained batteries will be a thing of the past
if Escape Alert gets its way. Coming as soon as 2015, if the Los Angeles company
raises enough money and perfects the technology, is a veterinarian-implanted
microchip with GPS capability. Pet owners could set virtual boundaries, receive
a text message or email if the cat or dog strays across the line, and follow
and recover the animal. Unlike today's competition-battery-powered GPS collars
that owners must remember to recharge-Escape Alert intends to use piezoelectrical
nanogenerator technology. That means the microchip would be recharged through
the pet's body movement alone. Compared with the common rice grain-sized implanted
microchip, which reveals owner information only when scanned, the first-of-its-kind
Escape Alert chip would be much larger - at least initially. "There is
a lot of technology which needs to fit in that tiny space, including, but
not limited to, the GPS, battery and antenna," spokeswoman Karen Zaxton
said. "We know we can make it as small as a postage stamp and are now
working to make that even smaller."
Escape Alert reported that patent applications have been filed, and in the
meantime the company is looking to raise $50,000 to fund the development of
a prototype. A fundraising campaign is scheduled to run on Kickstarter.com
from Sept. 23 to Nov. 11. Wayne Norris, who co-founded Escape Alert in 2010,
is confident his microchip will succeed. "We have been working on this
GPS microchip for years, but the trick was how to power the battery of an
implanted device," Norris said.
Veterinarians would act as intermediaries in the sale and implantation of
the device. Escape Alert estimates a price of $99 to $129. What might raise
the cost is the ability to track a pet both outdoors and indoors. "It
adds cost to make the chip function indoors," Zaxton said. "I was
soon made aware by our friends from the UK and Ireland that dog theft is a
huge problem there. And so for that reason, it is important to make it work
indoors." Escape Alert forecasts a large market. The company quotes national
figures such as 1 in 3 pets will become lost during their lifetime and 32
percent of lost dogs are found more than 10 miles from home. "This is
a game changer and could put an end to lost pets once and for all," Norris
said.
A Little Habit That Can Sicken Your Pets
Many dogs and even some cats have a thing about licking their
humans right after they apply lotion or a medicated cream to their skin.
This presumably harmless habit can actually cause big problems
depending on what you've rubbed on, that your pet has licked off.
There are many types of lotions, ointments, creams, and topical
medications that can make your pet sick, or even desperately ill, if ingested,
including several you might not suspect.
To be on the safe side, it's best to consistently discourage
this type of licking so that no matter the situation, your pet won't be tempted.
If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially harmful topical
product, call your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital right away.
Dog Bite Prevention
Recognize the Signs
It is important
to understand dog body language and know the warning signs that can lead to
a bite. Rarely does a dog bite without warning; usually baring the teeth or
growling occur directly before the bite.
Signs of a friendly dog include:
Happy, relaxed face
Relaxed body posture
Tail wagging happily
Play bow (dog's elbows on ground and hind-end raised up)
Mouth closed or tongue hanging out
Roll over on the back for belly rubs
Signs of an unfriendly dog that does not want to be petted include:
Backing away with tail tucked
Lunging forward, barking, then backing away
Ears flat back or high on alert
Head turned away from you
Lip licking or heavy panting
Stiff posture
Tail wagging on a low and slow fashion
Growling
Air snap (snapping in your direction without making contact)
Preventative Measures
Always ask the owner before you pet a dog. Then allow the dog to approach
you and sniff your closed hand. If the dog is friendly, you may pet the dog
lightly (not heavy patting or thumping) on the back and/or shoulders. Most
dogs do not like to be patted on top of the head. Don't stare directly into
a dog's eyes and do not hover over the top of them. Stand slightly to the
side and bend down so you are more on their level.
Never approach an unattended dog. Do not reach over a fence or through a car
window to pet a dog.
If an unattended dog approaches you, whether he seems friendly or not, immediately
"Be a Tree." Do not run! Stop, fold your arms, and look at your
feet. The dog will think you are uninteresting and move on. Stay in position
until the dog moves on or someone comes to help. Do not yell, strike at, or
make sudden movements toward a dog that has approached. This may cause the
dog to react fearfully or aggressively in return.
Never leave young children unattended with a dog, no matter how nice the dog
seems or how well you know the dog. It is very important to teach children
polite behavior around dogs.
Can a dog that bites someone with HIV get infected?
If a dog bites someone with HIV then bites someone else right after, can it spread the virus? The answers are no, no and it's very, very unlikely. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) does not infect dogs.