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Who Kills a Dog Then Sues Its Owner? Ask Jeffery Ely
SF Gate
Animal Doctor - Washington Post
Correcting Bad Dog Behavior
by Jim Liu
Dogs get into trouble all of the time. For starters, they can turn your squeaky-clean pad to a total mess in no time flat. But how can you find it in yourself to scold them when they amble up to you with remorseful, innocent, puppy-dog eyes?
Here's how.
How to keep him from chewing the wrong things: For starters, pups tend to gnaw on anything and everything they see. This can be remedied by crate training, or by placing your dog somewhere away from any areas that might be potentially harmful for him (like electrical wiring).
You can also provide chew toys (some are edible) and let him know which things are okay to gnaw on. Do not give him old things like shoes or socks to chew on. This might give him the idea that it's also okay to chew on your "other" shoes as well.
Remember that puppies don't differentiate between things that he can chew and those that he shouldn't. Anti-bite liquids, which are available in pet shops, can be sprayed onto items he shouldn't chew ' these liquids are bitter and will often keep him away from the item after a quick taste.
How to keep him from straying during walks: During walks, your dog may yank the leash to get closer to spots that interest him. To avoid being "dog handled," stand still and do not reinforce the dog's direction. As soon as he is settled (he comes close enough to have a slack in the leash), praise him for his good behavior.
How to keep him from making a fuss when you leave or arrive: Since he usually becomes agitated before you leave the home or after you return, your dog may be overly frantic when he sees you. When you see the signs of separation anxiety, take five minutes to just sit and ignore his pawing, whining, or any other attention-seeking action. Don't speak or look at him. After five minutes, go ahead with what you plan to do with your day.
How to keep him from greeting guests too enthusiastically: Similarly, he may become overly emotional when it comes to greeting guests. One technique would be to let your friends visit your home often. When your dog starts jumping around, both you and your friends should ignore him. This way, your pet can practice curbing his tendency to become very overwhelmed. When your dog has calmed down, ask your friends to praise him.
How to keep him from being rowdy for no reason: Sometimes, dogs can appear to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) too. Behaviors like chasing inanimate objects or persistent barking for no reason are a few manifestations of doggy OCD. This usually means the dog is bored, or has energy that he'd like to find an outlet for. This is remedied by taking him out for exercise more often ' twice daily should be enough.
These are only a few examples of bad behavior in dogs. If he has other behaviors that bother you, check with his veterinarian for advice. Vets can help you train your dog to be the best friend you want him to be.
SF Gate
Animal Doctor - Washington Post
Correcting Bad Dog Behavior
by Jim Liu
Dogs get into trouble all of the time. For starters, they can turn your squeaky-clean pad to a total mess in no time flat. But how can you find it in yourself to scold them when they amble up to you with remorseful, innocent, puppy-dog eyes?
Here's how.
How to keep him from chewing the wrong things: For starters, pups tend to gnaw on anything and everything they see. This can be remedied by crate training, or by placing your dog somewhere away from any areas that might be potentially harmful for him (like electrical wiring).
You can also provide chew toys (some are edible) and let him know which things are okay to gnaw on. Do not give him old things like shoes or socks to chew on. This might give him the idea that it's also okay to chew on your "other" shoes as well.
Remember that puppies don't differentiate between things that he can chew and those that he shouldn't. Anti-bite liquids, which are available in pet shops, can be sprayed onto items he shouldn't chew ' these liquids are bitter and will often keep him away from the item after a quick taste.
How to keep him from straying during walks: During walks, your dog may yank the leash to get closer to spots that interest him. To avoid being "dog handled," stand still and do not reinforce the dog's direction. As soon as he is settled (he comes close enough to have a slack in the leash), praise him for his good behavior.
How to keep him from making a fuss when you leave or arrive: Since he usually becomes agitated before you leave the home or after you return, your dog may be overly frantic when he sees you. When you see the signs of separation anxiety, take five minutes to just sit and ignore his pawing, whining, or any other attention-seeking action. Don't speak or look at him. After five minutes, go ahead with what you plan to do with your day.
How to keep him from greeting guests too enthusiastically: Similarly, he may become overly emotional when it comes to greeting guests. One technique would be to let your friends visit your home often. When your dog starts jumping around, both you and your friends should ignore him. This way, your pet can practice curbing his tendency to become very overwhelmed. When your dog has calmed down, ask your friends to praise him.
How to keep him from being rowdy for no reason: Sometimes, dogs can appear to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) too. Behaviors like chasing inanimate objects or persistent barking for no reason are a few manifestations of doggy OCD. This usually means the dog is bored, or has energy that he'd like to find an outlet for. This is remedied by taking him out for exercise more often ' twice daily should be enough.
These are only a few examples of bad behavior in dogs. If he has other behaviors that bother you, check with his veterinarian for advice. Vets can help you train your dog to be the best friend you want him to be.
Smokers Put Pets at Risk
By Marilyn Pokorney
Do you smoke? Need an incentive to quit? Do you have pets? Then that beloved pet just might be the incentive you need to stop.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have discovered that pets are affected by second-hand smoke.
Cats living with a smoker are two times more likely to get feline lymphoma than one that's not. After five years the rate increases to three times as likely. When there are two smokers in the home, the chances of a cat getting feline lymphoma increases to four times as likely and after five years, three times the rate of cats living in smokefree homes.
Dogs living in a smoking household have a 60 percent risk of getting lung cancer.
Long-nosed dogs, such as collies or greyhounds, are twice as likely to develop nasal cancer if they live with smokers.
Pets of all sizes and ages are affected. But especially small pets, the very young and the old.
Second-hand smoke contributes to a other pet ills as well. As a smoker exhales, the air is filled with poisonous fumes.
A pets eyes can become irritated due to the smoke's effects on the tiny blood vessels found within the eye.
Smoke can damage the sensitive lungs in a pet. Additionally, the noxious fumes can cause a cold that can lead to more serious, life-threatening conditions.
Smoke inhalation quickly irritates an animal's throat because animals have a shorter esophagus than humans.
Just as smoke affects furniture, rugs, curtains, etc. the smoke also affects a pet's living quarters and gets into the pet's fur and skin. A cats hair continuously traps large quantities of smoke particles just like drapery, furniture and clothing. The cat sniffs and inhales these concentrated particles from his fur while grooming which leads to lymphoma in the nasal passages and intestines as well as the chest.
Some pets are allergic to smoke.
Animals have a very acute sense of smell and the odor of smoke is very offensive to them.
Nicotine is a highly toxic chemical. Some pets may suffer the effects of nicotine poisoning when exposed to high concentrations.
If a pet has respiratory allergies such as asthma, the illness is going to be worsened by constantly breathing the second hand smoke.
Respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, and a collapsing trachea are the most common possible causes of a chronic cough in dogs. The constant irritation eventually causes the trachea to lose its round open shape. It begins to collapse resulting in even more coughing and irritation, and to an untreatable, intolerable condition usually leading to euthanasia.
So the next time you light up, think of the air that your beloved pet is being forced to inhale.
Here is more information on helping you to kick the smoking habit: http://www.apluswriting.net/smoking/smokingpets.htm
About the Author:
Marilyn Pokorney is a freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment. She also loves crafts, gardening, and reading. Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
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