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By Christopher HIllenbrand - TheSop.org
A chihuahua named Tinker Bell was swept up by winds gusting up to 70 mph on Saturday in the small town of Waterford Township, Michigan 25 miles northwest of Detroit. Her owners watched in horror as the six-pound toy dog was lifted off the ground and carried away.
The dog`s proud owners, Dorothy and Lavern Utley from Rochester, were selling their wares at an outdoor flea market in the city with their loyal companion seated on their display stand when the gale-like winds hoisted the dog in mid-air and threw her out of view of her appalled caretakers.
After searching for their beloved pet for over a day, the couple sought out assistance from a pet psychic who then led them to a wooded area about a mile away from where the flea market was located and to a very frightened furry friend.
Tinker Bell had managed to survive without her owners` care and attention, and when she was found, she was slightly malnourished and caked in dirt but surprisingly in good health.
The owners praised the medium for her valued services, who they firmly believed had a second sight in finding the unlucky canine.
Dorothy Utley told The Detroit News that when Tinker Bell first saw her owners coming to retrieve her, she "just went wild."
By Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services
St. Bernard's bad breath could be an infection
Q: Clifford, my 4-year old, 160-pound St. Bernard, has breath so bad that when we invite people over, he has to go out in the yard. His breath smells like rotten meat. I've changed his food and flavors of toothpaste. I've added lemon to his water. Nothing helps. He's seen the veterinarian, who says he's healthy. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas? -- D.B., Shoreview, Minn.
A: St. Bernards tend to drool, especially those big guys. Veterinary dentist Dr. Jan Bellows of Weston, Fla., says that drool getting into all the facial hair may have caused an infection, and that could be what you're smelling. Use your own nose and attempt to determine if the odor is coming from inside the mouth or outside. Your vet can help. If the odor is coming from the facial hair, you'll need to clip and clean. The vet may prescribe an antibiotic if there's an infection, and suggest antiseptic wipes. Bellows says a long-term solution to this drool issue could be plastic surgery to decrease the amount.
While Bellows commends your for brushing your pet's teeth, changing toothpaste flavors, changing diet and adding lemon juice to his water aren't likely to do any good; you must sniff out the cause. If the odor is coming from within the mouth, potential explanations vary. Bellows suggests that since your own vet hasn't been able to pinpoint the problem, you may want to consult a veterinary dentist. You can search for one at www.avdcorg.
Q: A friend told me it's possible to receive financial help to care for a stray cat I just took in. I've already taken her to the vet, and she has all her shots. -- S.D., Cyberspace
A: Congratulations for adopting this cat. You may have saved a life. Here are some general money-saving tips for dog and cat owners:
* Free toys! "Coincidentally," take your dog walking past local tennis courts just as they're shutting down for the night, You'll find a treasure trove of used balls. Milk rings, bottle caps, wine corks: The list of free cat toys is limited only by your imagination.
* I'm all for premium pet foods, but all diets approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) promise to be well-balanced. Ultimately, whatever your pet does well on is a good diet. If you combine diets, sudden transitions can cause an upset tummy and a vet bill. Even premium brands usually offer coupons, so keep an eye out for sale prices and promotions.
* Some communities have pet food pantries, offering low-cost, even free food to owners who can demonstrate need.
* Some shelters offer low-cost veterinary care to those who need it. A growing number of shelters offer low-cost (even no-cost) spay/neuter. Spay/neuter is not only responsible but may prevent costly medical issues down the road.
* Big-box pet stores periodically offer low-cost vaccinations. The only down side is that you want to be sure you're not over-vaccinating or under-vaccinating your pet. That's why having your pet's vaccine history is helpful.
* Pet insurance is like having a rich uncle helping to pay bills, especially if something traumatic happens. Realistically, not everyone can afford the premiums (which tend to rise as pets age).
* Twice-annual wellness exams are a worthwhile investment. If your vet catches a disease process early, that's less suffering for the pet and lots less suffering for your pocketbook later on. Many pet insurance carriers will pay for at least a portion of wellness visits.
* If your veterinary clinic is one of more than 3,000 American Animal Hospital Association-certified clinics, you may qualify for a grant (up to $500) from the Helping Pets Fund to pay for a specific treatment or procedure.
* Why pay to have someone else clip your pet's nails when you can learn to do it yourself?
* While professional dog walkers and pet sitters offer a valuable service, it may be significantly less expensive to find a responsible teenager who wants to sock away extra cash, or a capable senior looking to supplement his or her fixed income. Your dog may even benefit from a longer walk, or your cat from more play time. As for pet sitting, start a neighbor exchange program; if you care for my pet when I'm away, one paw can wash another.
Q: My husband and I bought a house in New Mexico. We'll be making trips back and forth for a while. We want to travel with our cat. We're told cats don't travel well. Any tips? -- S.G., Louisville, Ky.
A: While many cats do not travel well, who knows, maybe yours will. Show cats or just plain well-socialized kitties brought up on the road have no problem, and some outgoing individuals can deal with it. However, cats with no prior travel experience become homebodies. What's more, their only trips are to the vet's office, and you know how they feel about that.
If you have the time before starting those trips, desensitize your cat to the carrier by making it a happy place. Feed your cat from the carrier. Periodically, walk around the house with her in the carrier, so she understands that it's no big deal to be in there. Once she's adjusted to being in the car, take her on a "trip" out of your driveway and back; literally go no farther. When you come back in the house, offer treats or feed the cat. Follow this routine for a few days, then start offering treats in the car as you go on "trips" around the block. After a few more days, take your husband and your cat along to run errands. One of you can stay in the car to keep kitty company.
If you don't have the time to get your cat used to the car, it's in your pet's best interest to be left home while you set up the new house. Hire a pet sitter, or ask a friend to look in on your cat until you finally make the big move.
Remember, too, that cats should wear ID tags and be microchipped, especially if you're traveling.
The Coloradoan
How dare I write that feral cats don't eat birds. Of course, they eat birds, one person wrote, my cat left a bird on my doorstep this morning. And that's the point. I didn't state that cats don't eat birds. I stated that feral cats don't eat birds. His cat isn't feral.
Without question, wandering house cats and homeless cats prey on our native birds. But, although all feral cats are homeless, not all homeless cats are feral. The distinction is in their behavior. Unfortunately, the studies done on bird predation do not distinguish the two.
House cats that are allowed outdoors are not afraid of humans. They have leisure time to spend hunting birds, and they do. Homeless cats also are acclimated to people and prey heavily on our songbird population. If someone invites them into the house and gives them a warm lap and a meal, they take it immediately. These are the cats that have been left behind after a move, leave on their own when the family acquires a new pet or move on when no longer allowed in the house for whatever reason.
These cats, in huge numbers, are what most people think of when they think of feral cats. Except that they aren't feral.
Truly feral cats do not eat birds because, unless they are starving, they don't hunt during daylight. They don't want to be seen by people and dogs. Since birds, squirrels and lizards are not out at night, these cats prey on what is available in abundance - rodents.
I have many feral cats in residence around my ranch. These are not barn cats. These are not cats taken to the countryside and dumped by their owners. Those cats don’t survive more than a few nights with the resident coyote population.
These are feral cats living off the land and completely not desiring of the attention or notice of humans.
I know they are here because I see evidence of their trespass in the snow, tiny footprints entering and exiting my barn and outbuildings. Since my cats don’t go outside, these are the footprints of ferals. I see them rarely, and only if I happen to arrive home late at night, my headlights sweeping the driveway as I pull in. I might see an unrecognized cat perhaps only once every few years. I am happy they are here. They keep the mouse population in check.
Feral cats have their role in society, or rather, outside of it. Stray cats do not.
Trapping and then releasing stray cats is a bad idea. They will most likely never go into a trap again. Keeping feral cats in check by neutering and vaccinating them is a good idea. The key is in knowing which is which.
Terry Jester is a nationally recognized companion animal behaviorist. To learn more about companion animal training, visit www.rockymountainrawhide.com. For questions about your own pet, call Jester at 568-7585 or send e-mail to
arriniranch@aol.com.
By Laurie Denger - DaytonDailyNews.com
But I have heard plenty of horror stories from friends and readers about problems they have encountered — everything from pets left stranded on cold runways to pets getting out of crates and disappearing into the blackness of the night.
That may be a thing of the past if a new airline that ONLY flies pets gets off the ground.
The company’s Web site, www.petairways.com, announces it will start flying this month. The first flights will be Los Angeles to the east coast (New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.) with stops in Chicago and Denver.
“With Pet Airways, your pet will be safe and comfortable, flying in the main cabin, not in cargo. From check-in at our pet lounge and throughout the flight, our pet attendants will be caring and catering to all your pet’s needs.”
Pet Airways even has a place to monitor your pet’s flight.
No flights are listed on the Web site, which promises “coming soon,” but the Web site lists plenty of other possibilities. A MyPAWS Club to give you pet supply discounts, a Facebook fan page and even news stories about pet travel.
The downside to all this is you will have to find your own way to get to where you are going. You won’t be allowed to fly with your pet.
Meeting friend’s pet
If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to a woman’s heart may be through her pet.
The American Humane Association says there is an easy way to prepare to meet the pet of a new love interest. But it’s going to require some homework.
Rolling in catnip before meeting your friend’s feline might not hurt either. But seriously, there are some tips. Ask questions.
• Where does the animal like to be petted?
Some dogs and cats hate being touched on their heads. Try kneeling down and petting the soft part of their chest between their legs.
• What is their favorite treat?
Bring a small bag of the treats with you to help associate your first meeting with getting that extra special treat, for the animal.
• What kind of toys do they prefer?
Some prefer toys that squeak and some prefer stuffed animals. Before you step past the door, keep these tips in mind:
• Put the animal at ease by looking down and away from them while speaking softly and offering your hand, palm down.
• Some animals won’t go near strangers until they have watched them for a while. Give them their space, ignore their presence and let them come to you. They might just jump up on your lap when you least expect it.
• Pets don’t always have the same good manners of their pet parents, and may jump up enthusiastically. Don’t reinforce the bad behavior. Turn away and don’t pay attention to them until they have all four paws on the floor.
Vaccinations offered
The Humane Society of Preble County is holding its 28th annual low-cost vaccination clinic on Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Preble County Fairgrounds, Eaton, in the Flower Building. Vaccinations for dogs and cats will be provided.
All proceeds from the clinic will benefit the homeless and abandoned dogs and cats at the Humane Society of Preble County.
For more information, contact Jo Ann Hofmann-Sandro at (513) 524-3349 or sandrop@muohio.edu
Rhett A. Butler, mongabay.com
Poor regulation of the international wildlife trade has increased the vulnerability of the U.S. to outbreaks of disease and alien invasive species, report researchers writing in Science.
Analyzing Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) data gathered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2000 through 2006, Katherine Smith of Brown University and colleagues found that of the more than 1.5 billion live wildlife animals legally imported to the United States during the period, only 14 percent were classified to the level of species despite federal mandates for such labeling. The lack of accurate reporting makes it impossible to "accurately assess the diversity of wildlife imported or the risk they pose as invasive species or hosts of harmful pathogens," they write.
"If we don't know what animals are coming in, how do we know which are going to become invasive species or carry diseases that could affect livestock, wildlife or ourselves?" asked Peter Daszak, president of Wildlife Trust and a co-author on the paper.
"The threat to public health is real. The majority of emerging diseases come from wildlife," added Smith, assistant research professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Brown University and lead author on the paper. "Most of these imported animals originate in Southeast Asia — a region shown to be a hotspot for these emerging diseases."
The author cite the 2003 outbreak of Monkey Pox as an example of the health threat posed by wildlife imports. The virus — contracted from pet prairie dogs infected with monkeypox by African rodents imported for the pet trade — resulted in 72 human cases, but no deaths.
The researchers found that 92 percent of imports were designated for commercial purposes, the majority of which were for the pet trade. Almost 80 percent of shipments contained animals from wild populations, "the majority of which have no mandatory testing for pathogens before or after shipment," they note.
"That's equivalent to every single person in the U.S. owning at least five pets," said Smith.
The authors call for stronger regulation to improve monitoring of the live wildlife trade. They note that Congress is currently deliberating the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (HR 669), which would tighten regulations on wildlife imports but say that the proposed legislation doesn't go far enough to control what they term "pathogen pollution."
A snake with eyes bigger than its stomach. Michael Barron of the National Park Service took this picture of a carcass of an alligator as it protrudes out from the body of a dead Burmese python in Everglades National Park, Florida. The Burmese python is an invasive species -- 144,000 were imported to the U.S. between 2000 and 2005 for the pet trade.
"We believe measures should include third-party screening of selected species for high-priority diseases before importation—a measure not covered by H.R. 669. Screening would be improved by the development and/or validation of testing tools," the write.
The authors further urge education programs to make individuals, importers, veterinarians and the pet industry aware of the "dangers of diseases transmitted from wildlife to humans and domesticated animals." They also call for captive-breeding initiatives to reduce pressure on wild populations and reduce the risk of disease introduction.
Katherine F. Smith et al. Reducing the Risks of the Wildlife Trade. 1 MAY 2009 VOL 324 SCIENCE Supporting Online Material
DogChannel.com
New Jersey appeals court rules the value of a pet can’t be measured in money alone.
A New Jersey appeals court recently ruled that pets, like family heirlooms, have more than just monetary value to their owners and that this so-called “special subjective value” should be considered in resolving custody disputes.
The opinion, issued March 10, came from a three-judge panel in a case involving a South Jersey man and woman who were engaged to be married but then broke up. The panel ruled money was inadequate compensation for Doreen Houseman whose former fiancé, Eric Dare, kept their dog after the breakup of their relationship, despite an oral agreement that she would keep the pet.
According to a court document announcing the panel’s decision, Houseman and Dare had a relationship for 13 years before it ended in May 2006. They had purchased a Pug, named Dexter, for $1,500 in 2003. When they broke up, Houseman took the dog and his “paraphernalia.” According to the court document, she left one of the dog’s jerseys and some photographs behind as mementos for her ex-fiancé.
Houseman alleged they had an oral agreement that the dog would be hers. She did keep Dexter for several months after she and Dare separated, but she gave him the dog to watch while she went on vacation in February 2007. He refused to return the pet when she returned. Shortly thereafter she sued him.
The court found that Houseman and Dare had an oral agreement, but that Dare could retain ownership of Dexter because he was already in possession of the dog. Dare had to pay Houseman $1,500, the value of the Pug agreed on by the couple.
Explaining its reversal of the trial court decision, the appellate court ruled that the pet, like heirlooms, family treasures and works of art, induce a “strong sentimental attachment” that monetary damages cannot compensate. The case was sent back to the trial court for further proceedings.
According to a report in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), many veterinarians are wary of rulings that tinker with the legal status of animals. Specifically, they worry veterinarians will be exposed to increased liability from aggrieved pet owners if courts put an economic value on the human-animal bond. The good news in this case, according to Rick Alampi, executive director of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, was that the court did not fix a price tag on the bond between Houseman and the dog.
The AVMA welcomed the court’s rejection of a best-interest-of-the-pet standard as urged by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Lawyers in Defense of Animals. The best interest doctrine is typically used by family courts to determine what’s best for children whose parents are separating, according to the AVMA.
PressConnects.com
The recent warm weather has led many people to decide that it is time to bring in their four-legged friends for spring and summer grooming.
During this time of year, the grooming industry sees many long-haired dogs brought in to be shaved down. This procedure is done for different reasons. Sometimes, it is because the dog's coat was left to grow out for the winter with minimal maintenance and is now overgrown and matted. In this situation, the groomer often decides that it is best to shave the dog and let the hair regrow with a fresh start.
Many people shave certain breeds of dogs regularly to both lessen the regular maintenance that breed would require as well as for aesthetic purposes. This is done a lot on the spaniel breeds as well as many other smaller-breed dogs.
Other people, who have dogs that have fairly well-maintained, non-matted coats, believe that the dog would be much cooler without all that hair. This is a subject that I talk to many people about every year. I can understand how some people might look at their overly hairy dogs and think, "Gosh, my dog must be sweating to death." The truth is that dogs have hair for a reason - it helps to insulate them from the cold and the heat. Dogs do not perspire the same way humans do. They perspire by panting. By shaving a dog down too far, you strip the dog of its natural protection from the sun and make it more vulnerable to sunburn.
If not done properly, shaving can produce clipper burn and there also is a chance that when the hair does grow back, it will be patchy-looking. Having said this, longhaired dogs do need maintenance in the spring and summer, such as getting out the entire winter coat and trimming all the overgrowth. You can safely take down the length of hair of many breeds to one that is more manageable without possible injury to the dog, but what you feel looks or is best for Fido may not always be the case. The best thing to do is bring your dog into your favorite groomer and ask her to talk to you about how much hair can safely be taken off. Also ask what the proper maintenance schedule is, or how often you should bring in your dog as well as what you should do at home in between grooms.
Having the specific knowledge on your breed will help both you and your four-legged friend have a happy, healthy hot-weather season.
Four-Legged Friends, a pet advice column, runs every other Friday. Cascun can be reached at countrycomfortkennels@ yahoo.com or go to www.cckny.com.
By Karen Lee Stevens, wehonews.com
If your cat has ever scratched the floor before or after eating a meal, attempted to cover uneaten food, or (yuck!) plopped a toy into her food or water dish, please raise your hand.
Right now, many of you are probably waving your hand in the air and nodding your head knowingly. If suppertime at your house seems more like a junior high school cafeteria than a chic café, you’re not alone.
When I needed a few anecdotes recently for a veterinary journal article I was writing about cats and their quirky eating habits, I posted a notice on the Internet and within a few hours, my email in-box was overflowing with responses.
This week, I share some of the funny—and frustrating—tales about felines and their food fetishes. Can you relate to any of these bizarre behaviors?
MY FLAME POINT SIAMESE, aka “The White Kitty” wants to show anyone and everyone his food dish. Doesn’t matter if it is full – he just wants you to follow him to his dish so he can eat for you.
He gets especially excited if there are house guests, and meows and meows until they come and look at his bowl. –Heidi
MY CAT carries my ponytail holders to her food and water dishes and drops them in. If I can't find any around the house, I am sure to find one there. Oddly, it’s only the covered, thick, elastic ones.
She steers clear of the thin ones, and scrunchies. She is 12 years old and has done this since kittenhood. At first I thought it bizarre, but now it is just endearing. –Jessica
CHARLIE is 14 pounds and is ALWAYS begging for food. I used to keep dry food available at all times, but now I keep him on strict portion sizes and feed him twice a day.
One of his behaviors has not changed: he will scarf down the entire meal as if he is starving, but always leaves himself two to three bites...just in case he needs a snack later. –Leigh
PUNK loves to “kill” socks. More often than not, he will leave his treasure in his food bowl. –Rod
I HAD ONE CAT, Prynn (who unfortunately passed away a year ago at 19) who would eat her food while sitting in a high chair. She would make a “hole” in the center of the bowl and when it got down to the bottom, we would have to move the food to the center to get her to eat. –Amy Marie
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, my family had a short-haired tabby who loved tomatoes. We have a photo somewhere of her stalking my father's salad!
She would steal tomato slices whenever they were left unattended and raided anything made with tomato sauce or paste, so we had to guard the spaghetti sauce at dinner. –Carolyn
COOKIE is a rather finicky eater. When we serve her something she doesn’t like, she sniffs it, then lifts her front paw and shakes it over the food as if to say, “No, I won’t eat that! Take it away!” We find it to be a funny behavior (although expensive as her tastes are as changeable as the wind!). –Michelle
CLEMENTINE seeks out the water on the shower door before her bowl or her cat fountain. We have a glass shower door and she will meow until you let her in to lick the door, even though she always has a clean bowl of water and a filtered cat fountain at her disposal. –Suzanne
BABY sticks her paw in her water dish and slides it around or tips it to let me know that she wants her water filled or refreshed. If I don’t hear her the first couple times (such as when I’m sleeping), she will then incessantly bang on the side of her bowl, tipping it back and forth or flipping it over, until I jump up and fill her bowl with fresh water. Baby also won’t eat unless her food dish is put on our dining room table. –Kristy
MY CAT dips her paw into the water bowl and licks the water off her paw, and then “digs” in her water, not really drinking it, but almost like she’s cleaning it out or something. It drives me insane. Not sure what it’s about, but she’s got a drinking problem! –Katy
Send your thoughts to Karen Stevens at karenleestevens@cox.net. For more columns, visit allforanimals.com/forpetssake.html.
Yvette Van Veen - thestar.com
Behaviour is sign of submission and may only increase if dog feels it has to appease owner
Q: We have a well-tempered 2 1/2-year-old American cocker spaniel that piddles. It seems to happen when she sees another dog or someone new comes to the house. We have tried to tell people to ignore her. It works some of the time. The veterinarian told me some dogs will do this because they are submissive. Is there something else we can try in order to stop this behaviour?
A: Many patterns of behaviour in dogs are submissive gestures, signalling friendly intentions and serving to prevent and resolve conflict. They are an essential tool for social species.
But in a home, many of these behaviours – such as piddling – are undesirable. Submissive gestures are much like waving a white flag. When that act is met with displeasure or hostility, the dog will make greater efforts at offering appeasement. Piddling can escalate. Some dogs become so frustrated with the situation that they retaliate.
Many friendly human overtures collide with a dog's natural communication style. What the person means to be a positive action is perceived as provocation by the dog. For example, people greet one another with direct eye contact. We naturally bend down to speak with young children.
Dogs read these behaviours as threatening because direct eye contact often precipitates a fight. Small dogs are particularly vulnerable. Our size is naturally intimidating by comparison to theirs. Leaning over a dog can trigger defensive behaviour, resulting in a bite.
Attempts at solutions, such as asking people to ignore the pet, are meant to reduce direct eye contact. Although this advice addresses the problem up to a point, it fails because our turning away isn't clear enough body language to reassure the dog.
In this case, the behaviour you ask of visiting friends to head off the spaniel's piddling should be specific enough to elevate the animal's confidence.
Food – in addition to a well-balanced diet rather than a replacement your dog's meals– makes an excellent ice breaker.
Prepare for unexpected guest by keeping a full tin of dog's kibble or boring dry treats near the door. When guests arrive, ask them to toss the kibble or treats across the floor, so the dog is drawn away from them. If friends want to continue interacting with the dog, ask them to walk away while continuing to throw food in the opposite direction.
This accomplishes several key things. The food creates a positive association without the undue excitement that special treats would bring. As pets engage in a fun activity, they become preoccupied with the game rather than grovelling. Finally, visitors can interact with pets but avoid direct eye contact or other behaviour that an animal would find intimidating.
With repetition, dogs will show signs they are anticipating the food. At that point, you can ask trustworthy adult friends to take a more active role. More intimate contact would be visitors interacting with the pet but always with their bodies turned sideways to the animal or visitors feeding treats to the pet from the open palm of their hand.
By turning to the side, visitors cannot lean over the dog or make direct eye contact. Confrontational body postures and challenges are minimized. Scratching the pet under the chin and less structured interaction can proceed as confidence develops.
Do continue to intercede on your pet's behalf. Safe interaction between species is a two-way street.
All owners should actively teach dogs to accept routine handling with grace from an early age. And they should also ensure that visitors safely respect the boundaries of their animal by giving a clear and firm directive.
Certified animal behavior consultant Yvette Van Veen can be reached by email at petadvice@awesomedogs.ca.
A: Many patterns of behaviour in dogs are submissive gestures, signalling friendly intentions and serving to prevent and resolve conflict. They are an essential tool for social species.
But in a home, many of these behaviours – such as piddling – are undesirable. Submissive gestures are much like waving a white flag. When that act is met with displeasure or hostility, the dog will make greater efforts at offering appeasement. Piddling can escalate. Some dogs become so frustrated with the situation that they retaliate.
Many friendly human overtures collide with a dog's natural communication style. What the person means to be a positive action is perceived as provocation by the dog. For example, people greet one another with direct eye contact. We naturally bend down to speak with young children.
Dogs read these behaviours as threatening because direct eye contact often precipitates a fight. Small dogs are particularly vulnerable. Our size is naturally intimidating by comparison to theirs. Leaning over a dog can trigger defensive behaviour, resulting in a bite.
Attempts at solutions, such as asking people to ignore the pet, are meant to reduce direct eye contact. Although this advice addresses the problem up to a point, it fails because our turning away isn't clear enough body language to reassure the dog.
In this case, the behaviour you ask of visiting friends to head off the spaniel's piddling should be specific enough to elevate the animal's confidence.
Food – in addition to a well-balanced diet rather than a replacement your dog's meals– makes an excellent ice breaker.
Prepare for unexpected guest by keeping a full tin of dog's kibble or boring dry treats near the door. When guests arrive, ask them to toss the kibble or treats across the floor, so the dog is drawn away from them. If friends want to continue interacting with the dog, ask them to walk away while continuing to throw food in the opposite direction.
This accomplishes several key things. The food creates a positive association without the undue excitement that special treats would bring. As pets engage in a fun activity, they become preoccupied with the game rather than grovelling. Finally, visitors can interact with pets but avoid direct eye contact or other behaviour that an animal would find intimidating.
With repetition, dogs will show signs they are anticipating the food. At that point, you can ask trustworthy adult friends to take a more active role. More intimate contact would be visitors interacting with the pet but always with their bodies turned sideways to the animal or visitors feeding treats to the pet from the open palm of their hand.
By turning to the side, visitors cannot lean over the dog or make direct eye contact. Confrontational body postures and challenges are minimized. Scratching the pet under the chin and less structured interaction can proceed as confidence develops.
Do continue to intercede on your pet's behalf. Safe interaction between species is a two-way street.
All owners should actively teach dogs to accept routine handling with grace from an early age. And they should also ensure that visitors safely respect the boundaries of their animal by giving a clear and firm directive.
Certified animal behavior consultant Yvette Van Veen can be reached by email at petadvice@awesomedogs.ca.
Our Favorite Examiner Pet Experts
Pet-Friendly Landscaping 101
Michaela DeGraw - Denver Pets Examiner
Make sure your yard is a safe place for your pets.During spring, many people will take the opportunity to clean up their yards and even begin some new landscaping projects. People with pets may want to consider how the landscape can affect their furry friends. Here are a few tips to get you started in creating beautiful and safe pet-friendly landscaping. (Click here to continue reading)
The Necessity of Pet Steps
Bedside Pet Steps
The health of your pet is extremely important to you, right? You worry about their teeth, their diet, and make sure that they get adequate exercise. If you are like many people, you consider them a natural extension of your family. If this fits your feelings toward your pet, then there are three big reasons to consider bed pet steps a necessity, not a luxury.
It is often assumed that pet steps are only for elderly or ill pets that are no longer capable of pouncing up onto the bed on their own. While it is entirely true that older pets will need steps to protect their joints and muscles, this is true of younger pets as well. The strain of constantly jumping up and down can put pressure on your pet's body with time.
It is quite common for injuries to pets as well as owners to happen when a pet has to jump up and down from a high bed. To avoid broken bones or collisions with your pet, you will need steps so they can crawl up in a more safer manner.
Have you ever been jarred awake by the pounce of your pet on or off your bed? This is especially an issue if you have a larger dog who is probably not as graceful as you would like. By placing a pet step near your bed, you minimize any excess movement from your pet.
You could compare the jostle of a pet on your bed to the same situation involving another human. If your partner tosses and turns throughout the night, you are more apt to take precaution by purchasing a mattress that minimizes motion transfer. In the case of your pet, you can easily minimize his excess movement by keeping pet stairs nearby.
You can understand the amount of stress your pet's joints go through to absorb the shock from jumping. Pet steps are a healthier, safer alternative to jumping on a bed. When searching for pet steps, you can choose from a variety of designs and styles, such as wooden pet steps and carpeted pet steps.
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