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by TLG
Bringing a new puppy home is a really satisfying experience, it's just that it can quickly become quite a frustrating situation if you experience potty training trouble. Here are a few simple tips to making potty training your puppy a pleasant experience for both of you.
Tip #1 - Confine Him:
You might prefer to purchase a crate to keep him in when you are not at home or you are unable to oversee him. Get one that's just large enough for him to lie in comfortably. Keep in mind that a puppy will normally not go potty where he rests. This way he will learn to hold it until he is in am appropriate spot to release. Just make sure you take him out in order to go potty straightaway after removing him from the crate.
Tip #2 - Be Consistent:
All of the time take your puppy to the exact same place you wish him to go potty. That helps make a routine for him, amd he would also be able to scent that he's 'done business' at that place earlier and will probably do it over again. Also make sure you use the exact same command every time.
Put your puppy on a schedule. Make certain to feed him at the same time everyday. Usually 20 to 30 minutes afterwards take him out to go potty, after naps, before you leave and after you get home, as well as before and after bedtime.
Tip #3: Pay Attention
Your puppy may often give you some kind of signal that he need to go potty. Sniffing may be one of the signs. By paying close attention to your puppy you'll before long to pick up on his signs.
Tip #5: Accidents DO Happen!
Anticipate your puppy to have a couple of accidents, but don't get discouraged. Every puppy could be potty-trained with enough time and patience. However if and when one does happen, never try to rub his nose in it. This could give your puppy a reason to refuse to go potty in front of you and hide someplace when he goes. Remember never to punish him for an accident that has already happened because that only confuses him.
Tip #6: Reward him!
When your puppy eventually 'does the business' where he is supposed to, make certain to reward him right away. This would let him know that what he has done has delighted you and he will be eager to do it over again!
Following these simple tips your puppy will soon be on his way to successful potty training, which would give you (and your carpetings) a sigh of relief.
About the Author
Find out more tips and tricks on Puppy Potty Training and be on your way to success!
Posted by molulu - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When my husband and I got married and moved in together, my cat Charlie, who acted fine around my husband all the time we were dating, suddenly started acting out (opening and closing cabinet doors at all hours of the night and howling like I have never heard).
Obviously I took him to the vet to see if there was anything I could do. My cat apparently now felt threatened by my husband’s 24/7 presence and started this alpha male competition thing. Basically Charlie had a nervous breakdown.
The vet put him on some kitty Prozac and suggested he stay at my parents house for a couple of days to get some R&R. Well, Charlie seemed so happy once he was there, even off the medication a couple of days later, that he has been there ever since. I cried over it and believe me, if my parents couldn’t have him around, he’d still be at our house howling away.
I would never give up a kitty for any reason, but in this case I still see him almost daily and he is soooooo happy and gets more attention since my parent’s house is busy all the time and my brothers are always there. I am pretty sure I made the right decision letting him stay over there and he’ll always have a home.
Dear Heloise: A good way to applaud a doggy after it completes its duties is to place some treats in an empty plastic bottle. When the doggy does a good deed, shake the bottle before handing out the treat. The doggy will love it!
Anna Victoria Reich, Stafford, Va.
By Dr. Michael Fox St Louis Today
Dear Dr. Fox: I always read your answers with interest. One in particular has me questioning how I handle the difference in opinion with our veterinarian over annual vaccinations.
In addition to the required rabies shot, they want to immunize my dog for distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvo and bordetella.
I thought the bordetella vaccine might be a good idea, as my dogs are exposed to other dogs when at the groomer. I also know that parvo was reported in the metro area last year.
What is the best practice with my dogs? I would be devastated if they had a serious reaction from any of the immunizations, but equally devastated if they got sick from not having them.
I also have a problem with ground or cooked pork (usually tenderloin cut) for their food. It is relatively cheap and offers some variety from the ground turkey/chicken I usually feed them, but one of my dogs is allergic to the ground beef.
Check my website, www.doctormwfox.org, for the latest vaccination protocols for dogs and cats. In my opinion, your dog does not need a bordetella vaccination. It is shocking how over-vaccinated pets are today, which is in total disregard for the new information and protocols established by experts in immunology and vaccinology. Rabies vaccinations should be given separately from other vaccinations, and no animal that is ill or has had serious vaccine reactions in the past should be routinely vaccinated.
A vaccination is a kind of infection and works best when the animal is healthy and has a strong reaction to the vaccine by producing lots of antibodies. The animal's response could mean life-long immunity — no booster shots ever being needed. But tests are called for every three years or so, to be sure.
Ground pork is fine as an ingredient of a balanced, whole-food, homemade diet. But cook it well because of parasite-contamination risks. Turkey is a good source for animal protein for dogs that are allergic to beef — thigh meat is more nutritious than white breast meat — and can be fed raw or lightly cooked.
www.doctormwfox.org
Dr. Fox, c/o "Animal Doctor," United Features Syndicate, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016
Al Martinez - Los Angeles Times
Our cat Ernie killed a mouse the other night and I was terrified.
It is not the first time he has done in mice that have invaded our home, and now I fear he may be targeted by animal rights activists.
I buried the mouse in the dark of night in an unmarked grave and hope that the masked terrorists who attack homes with firebombs in the name of animal welfare realize that the rodent's death was simply the result of the age-old game of cat and mouse.
But just to make sure, Ernie has been entered into a Federal Feline Protection Program and works as a gardener in the Valley. They call him Gus.
Activists have proven over the years that they are not averse to threatening the lives of other animals, namely humans, to make a point.
Their latest attack involved the firebombing of a home belonging to a biomedical researcher at UC Santa Cruz. The house was occupied by a scientist, his wife and two young children when the attackers hit, forcing them to flee out of a second-story window.
Ironically, the man's research involved mice, fruit flies and other non-primates. If terrorists can threaten the lives of those who experiment on fruit flies to benefit the human condition, you had better be careful the next time you step on a spider or squash an ant.
Radicals in the animal rights movement feel that it's just fine to cause injury or maybe even death to those who experiment on animals in the search for new ways of saving human lives. Recently Dr. Jerry Vlasak, spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front, was quoted as saying that in order to protect animals, "If you had to hurt someone or intimidate them or kill them, it would be morally justifiable."
It baffles me how atrocities can be sanctified in the name of compassion. The distorted philosophy bears a striking similarity to war in the name of peace and capital punishment as civilized justice. Murder as mercy is a perverted rationale in a world that increasingly seems to exist beyond the looking glass.
Attacks by activists are on the rise, according to the Foundation for Biomedical Research. Scientists involved in animal experimentation were victimized 70 times in 2003, compared with 10 the previous year, and the increase is continuing.
Intimidation in California has also reached researchers at UCLA and UC Berkeley. The methods are not dissimilar from anti-abortionists who employ violence to protect unborn fetuses. Death in the name of life is a mantra that bears the ring of madman's logic.
In our family, we have raised chickens and goats not as food but as pets. We have boarded horses without charge to give them a home. We have two rescue cats and a rescue dog; the newest cat, Colie, was given to me by our twentysomething granddaughter Nicole, and I adore him.
We spent thousands of dollars on our previous dog, Barkley, trying to save him when he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Raccoons, possums, coyotes and deer wander through and near our property almost nightly. We accept them as fellow occupants in the Santa Monica Mountains. When I meet a rattlesnake on a hiking trail, I let him pass.
I am opposed to torture of any kind involving either animals or humans and wonder why activists who target scientists don't pursue with similar enthusiasm those who have approved torture of humans as national policy. Reveal them. Picket them. Bury them in petitions. And then let the process of societal pressures force them to stop.
We accept too easily murder in the name of patriotism because the perpetrators are too far away, while those who experiment on animals are just down the street. It's easier to reach them.
"An animal has as much of a right to life as we do," said one activist, defending whatever method is applied to fighting biomedical research. I don't disagree with the basic premise. Animal rights organizations that neither practice nor encourage violence against humans have made me aware of the pain caused in the name of research and food processing.
On the other hand, animal rights groups that promote violence against researchers are guilty of stirring the misanthropes among us into murderous rages for causes they probably have no true interest in.
There is nothing contradictory about my love for animals and my intense dislike for those who act on their behalf by firebombing homes. It's the violence I abhor, that quirk in human nature that can justify pain to make a point.
In the end, outrage with their tactics will weigh heavily on the conscience of the body politic and the resultant backlash will hurt compassion for God's small creatures more than any scientist ever could.
The Traveling Dog - How to Make a Long Road Trip More Comfortable For Your Dog
by Kelly Marshall
Traveling with your dog? This can actually be a lot of fun. It's a great way to bond with your dog while experiencing new places along the way. If your road trip is going to be a long one then you may want to take a few extra steps to plan accordingly and make certain that you and your dog get to your point of destination safely and happy. Here are a few tips that I hope will help you during your travels:
1. The last thing you want to do is have to clean up a disgusting mess of diarrhea inside your car. Trust me, you don't want the headaches. Your dog can easily give you this headache when you do not stick to his regular feeding times and with his normal food. This is not a time for food experimentation. It is very easy to feed your dog unpredictably when you are making a long trip by car. However, it will be best for both of you if you bring along bags of his regular food and only feed him at the same time you would during his regular meal time at home.
2. Although it is obvious that you do not plan on ever losing sight of your dog during your travels, you should still make sure that his collar is tightly in place and that he has updated identification tags in case he gets lost. If for some reason you're making a temporary stay for more than a day at a location until you arrive at your main destination, add an additional identification tag that has the address and correct phone number of that temporary location.
3. When you make a rest stop along the way, make sure that you leash your dog before he gets out of the vehicle and keep a firm grip on him. Because he is in unfamiliar territory and may scare him easily, the instinct to jolt and run off may be intense. Keeping him firmly leashed will prevent this bad scenario from happening.
4. Try to avoid traveling by car during weather periods of intense heat, especially high levels of humidity. Dogs do not do well in this type of environment and if you must travel when its hot then be sure your vehicle is equipped with a good air-conditioning system.
5. Each time you stop for a rest during the trip, make sure you give your dog a few moments to exercise his limbs. Take your dog for a quick walk or allow him to run around the block. This will help get his blood flowing so that he can relax better for the rest of the ride.
6. Last but certainly not least, as much as it is common sense, do not keep your dog in your car with the doors locked and windows rolled up. This is known as common sense safety advice that every dog owner should know already, but unfortunately there are many instances where a dog dies from a heat stroke while sitting in a car during hot weather.
About the Author
Article written by Kelly Marshall from Oh My Dog Supplies - visit for dog food storage containers in every size
BY AMY SACKS
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Pooches try out one of cool pools at newly renovated dog run in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Nine-month project to spruce up city's first dog park cost $325,000.
If the skyrocketing price of gas put a damper on you and your pooch's summer travel plans, one fun option to consider is a "staycation." After all, with miles of sandy beaches, nature trails and upwards of 50 dog parks around the city to choose from, there are plenty of canine adventures to be had right here in our urban backyard.
A chance to check out the newly renovated Tompkins Square Park dog run, the city's first pooch park, is a good reason to head with Fido to the East Village.
After a nine-month face-lift, the 18,500-square-foot oasis reopened two weeks ago to much fanfare - and tail wagging. It's every urban dog's dream, boasting three bone-shaped doggy pools, a water fountain and a deck surface made from a paw- and eco-friendly decomposed granite called brownstone screening, designed to facilitate draining.
"I never thought it would come out so great," said the dog park's volunteer manager, Garrett Rosso. The $325,000 renovation, a collaborative effort between the city's Parks Department and the local Friends of First Run, which contributed $50,000 to the renovation, was more than four years in the making.
Other parks where dogs can make a splash include Washington Square Park, with a dog run especially for large breeds, and the DeWitt Clinton Park at W. 52nd St. and 11th Ave. for small dogs. The Hudson River Park (Greenwich Village) dog run on Leroy St. at Pier 40 boasts two pools and a cement surface to slide on.
The Chelsea Waterside Park at 22nd St. and 11th St. has a maze of hills and boulders for your dog to play on, a faux fallen tree to navigate and a man-made stream that runs into a small pool. Kowsky Plaza in Battery Park City has mounds for dogs to jump over and a cement water fountain for them to splash in or drink from.
Still, for canines that really want to practice their doggy paddle, few would argue that the dog beach in Brooklyn's Prospect Park is the place to go. To get there, enter the park at Prospect Park West and Ninth St., then follow the path past the tennis house.
For dogs that don't fancy swimming, the park offers the city's longest off-leash hours plus the monthly Coffee Bark.
In summer, the sand is off-limits for canines at all beaches run by the Parks Department. (www.nycparks.org). However, leashed dogs are allowed on the Boardwalk/promenade at Coney Island, Brighton and Manhattan beaches in Brooklyn and Midland and South beaches in Staten Island.
One pristine beach open year-round to canines is Great Kills Park on Staten Island, which offers a 5-mile stretch facing Raritan Bay.
On Monday, dogs of all shapes and sizes are invited to cheer on the Brooklyn Cyclones as they take on - who else - the Batavia Muckdogs. The dog-friendly event, sponsored by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, will also feature an adoption center and a microchipping station to make sure you never lose your new best friend!
Feline Panleukopenia Disease
by Omer Ashraf
Feline Panleukopenia or Feline Distemper is a serious disease that occur in cats. It is also known as Feline Distemper. The illness is caused by a Parvovirus that is present everywhere in the environment and has been recorded in many countries. As such most cats are exposed to the pathogen to varying degrees. However, the disease only takes hold in cats with weakened immunity.
Most cat owners are unaware of Feline Panleukopenia since kittens are routinely immunized against it as part of the standard vaccination regimen. The disease thus appears in feral, abandoned and other stray felines that have not received adequate protection. Once the illness takes hold, it is deadly - killing up to nine out of every ten individuals. No cure exists apart from dietary support and loving care. If the cat is able to pull through the acute phase lasting the first week, it is likely to survive and develop complete future immunity against the illness.
Feline Panleukopenia is quite a contagious disease and spreads readily through bodily secretions and fecal route. Often numerous cats in shelters and other crowded settings catch the infection. The virus spreads through the body's lymphatic system upon entry and rapidly enters the bone marrow where it shuts down production of body's protective white blood cells (panleukopenia). The result is a catastrophic decline in body's defensive abilities that often leads to mortality through secondary bacterial infection.
Next the virus moves to the intestines where it destroys the protective gut lining, again exposing the cat to infection as well as causing life threatening diarrhea. Since there is no medicinal cure, the virus completes its natural cycle of progression until either the victim succumbs or recovers enough to combat it. The virus, however, stays in the animal for several weeks and is capable of spreading to other felines even after there are no residual signs of illness in the originally infected cat.
Examination of infected cats reveals high fever, dehydration and lymphadenopathy. Blood picture reveals a universal reduction in leukocyte (white blood cell) count. Therapeutic options are mainly limited and supportive, comprising mainly of fluid infusion and antibiotic prophylaxis to protect against opportunistic infections. In pregnant cats even a mild infection may lead to abortion or cerebellar hypoplasia in kittens.
About the Author
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Feline Panleukopenia.
Read a story the other day and it got me thinking about how the world could really use more of me. I mean, who wouldn't want their very own Digger -- especially at the bargain price of only $150,000?
The cloning story gave me a great idea for a movie -- a little boy named Randy and his charming yellow lab Rigger are separated when the dog gets lost while on a family trip to Disneyland (yes, I know they don't allow pets -- stay with me). Thinking the dog forever gone, the overindulgent parents of the heartbroken boy use Rigger's DNA to make not one, but several Rigger clones back home in Peoria. Meanwhile, while wandering around behind the Pirates of the Carribbean ride, the original Rigger is discovered by a big-time movie producer, who casts him opposite Will Smith in a remake of Old Yeller (spoiler: in this one, the dog lives).
Rigger becomes a huge movie star, but starts to lead an increasingly out of control lifestyle to mask the pain in his heart because he misses little boy Randy so much. Eventually he's sent to mellow out in a dog behavior rehab clinic that just happens to be in...you guessed it, Peoria!
While jogging with his personal trainer (think Ben Stiller cameo) Digger spots a little boy playing in the park...it's Randy! Rigger races joyfully across the park to be reunited...but the six protective Rigger clones see him dashing madly toward the boy and fear he is going to attack. So they intercept him and soon the park is a snarling mess of yellow labs and a SWAT team must be called out to separate them. It's an action scene, so somehow a car blows up.
Seeing what havoc the errors of their cloning ways have wrought, Randy's parents decide the little boy should only be allowed to keep one Rigger (the rest will go to no-kill shelters). In the edge-of-your-seat conclusion , all seven yellow labs are lined up in a row and Randy is forced to choose.
Will he choose the original Rigger? And will Rigger be willing to give up fame and fortune to return to the only owner who truly loved him?
Gotta go write the script now, but I'll leave you a few questions to ponder.
Would you ever consider cloning your pet?
Would you consider spending 100K to do it?
What if it cost only $19.95?
And how about you pets out there -- any objections to having yourselves replicated?
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