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Choosing the Right Type of Dog for You and Your Family (Part 1)
Before considering which breed, size, and age that your new canine companion should be, you should first determine if you can reasonably provide for a pet. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can you afford the necessary maintenance for a dog including plenty of food and treats, dog training, supplies (collars, leashes, toys, bedding, crates, etc.), veterinary bills (for immunizations, spaying/neutering, routine check-ups, and potential emergencies), grooming (especially for dogs with fancy-trimmed coats) and anything else that may arise in the dog’s lifetime?
- Realistically, do you have sufficient time to devote to your new dog, including dog training, attention, exercise (going for walks, playing ball, trips to the park), and general care?
- Do you have sufficient energy to do all of the above?
- Do you live in a place where you’re allowed and able to have a dog? (Note that some apartments, condos and rented houses have a “no pets allowed” policy.)
- Do you have a yard? Is your yard secure enough where your new canine will not be able to escape? Do you have a pool, and is it gated?
- Would the dog be left alone at home for several hours during the day without anybody to check on or spend time with him or her? Also, do you take frequent vacations or have to travel for work and are gone for extended periods of time?
- If your dog has or develops a behavioral issue, will you have the persistence to fix it (with assistance from a dog trainer)? Note: the most common reason why dogs are relinquished to shelters is due to unresolved behavioral issues.
If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, you are a good candidate for dog ownership. ]]>
Holiday Food Considerations
Here are some guidelines for feeding your dog properly in everyday life:
1. When feeding your dog her normal meals, make sure to feed her an appropriate amount (not too much, not too little). Take treats, doggie biscuits, and table scraps into account. If you’re confused on how much to feed her, talk to your veterinarian.
2. Puppies normally need to be fed twice a day while older dogs can usually be fed once a day.
3. However, certain factors must be taken into account, including the dog’s energy level, environment, size, breed (if known), and current state of health. Again, talk to your veterinarian if you are unsure of how much to feed your dog.
4. Puppies should be fed food meant especially for puppies as it contains the essential nutrients that their bodies need as they grow. As a general rule, they may be switched over to adult dog food as soon as they’ve matured past the puppy stage. This is usually one year for small dogs and two years for large dogs.
5. If you notice that your dog is getting skinnier or fatter on her current diet, adjust the portions (by making them larger or smaller) accordingly. Find out what weight is appropriate for your particular dog by consulting your veterinarian and try to maintain that weight by weighing your dog regularly.
6. If you notice that your dog is not finishing her entire meals or that she finishes her meals and continues to beg for table scraps, she may need to have her meal portions adjusted.
7. If you have a dog that is particularly active (i.e., trains for and/or competes in agility trials, plays ball excessively, or simply has a higher level of energy), her feeding rations should be compensated and increased. Likewise, dogs that are particularly lazy (i.e., they live in an apartment and/or lie around all day) should be fed less as they are not burning off as many calories.
8. While dogs are not true carnivores and can survive on a vegetarian diet, make sure to speak with your veterinarian if you are considering this route. It is crucial that all dogs get the recommended amount of calories, protein, fat, etc. each day.
Table scraps are an important factor to consider around the holidays, not only in feeding your dog appropriately but in consideration of her level of obedience. When eating a meal, do not feed your dog directly from your plate or at any time while you are still eating or sitting at the dinner table. This encourages begging, which can be annoying to you and your holiday guests and is an overall bad behavior. Instead, wait until after everyone has finished eating and reward your dog for minding her manners by taking her outside, asking for an obedience cue (sit, down, etc.) and treating her with a piece of meat or potato. Or, you may decide to give her an extra yummy dog food meal by putting doggie gravy on top of her everyday kibble as a special treat. Your canine can enjoy in the holiday festivities too as long as it is in moderation and under the right circumstances.
Also, when cleaning up after a holiday meal, make sure all leftover bones and other discarded food scraps are thrown away in a place where your dog cannot dig for and extract them. Turkey bones can splinter in a dog’s throat, stomach and/or intestines and cause major medical issues. If your dog’s training is not sound enough to trust her in the company of a trash can full of yummy goodness, take the trash out or put it up on a counter to eliminate the option for bad behavior.
May you and your canine have a wonderful holiday season!]]>
Have a Happy Halloween with your Hound!
To properly fit and accustom your canine to his costume, follow these steps:
Purchase your pooch’s costume early so you can help him become used to wearing it over a period of two to four weeks.
Bring your dog along with you when you purchase the costume (if possible). Stores may not allow you to try the costume on your dog, but you can at least estimate the size by holding it up to his body.
When fitting a costume, check the hemlines around the neck, feet, and tail. If it feels tight, it’s most likely uncomfortable and potentially hazardous to his health.
After purchasing the costume, take it home and begin getting your dog used to it at least several days before Halloween.
- Start by simply draping the costume over his back, and treat him lavishly for being a good sport.
- Then, you can move on to putting the costume on loosely, and again, treating him generously for compliance.
- Have your dog sit, lie down, and stay while wearing his costume to ensure that his movement is not impaired.
- Once he seems comfortable with the costume, zip or Velcro it accordingly and allow him to wear it around the house for a short period of time each day. Again, have him sit, lie down, and stay to ensure a proper fit. Treat him abundantly for his obedience.
Make sure your canine is always supervised when wearing his costume.
If your dog attempts to remove the costume, or if he seems unhappy or uncomfortable even after you have followed all advice for getting him used to wearing it, do not force him to wear it. Remove the costume and either attempt a simpler idea (such as adorning him with a festive Halloween bandana) or allow him to avoid a costume altogether.
For safety’s sake, it is also a good idea to attach reflective patches to your dog’s costume so he is easy to see on Halloween night. Trick-or-treating with your canine can be fun (as long as he is friendly, non-aggressive to animals or people, and not afraid of costumed kids), but safety is a crucial factor. If you are not 100% sure that your pooch will enjoy being out and about on Halloween, keep him inside and have him help you greet trick-or-treaters. The children will surely be thrilled by your festively dressed canine.
Happy Halloween!]]>
Naming your New Dog or Puppy
Choosing a Name
The following are a few guidelines for choosing a name for your new dog or puppy, recommended by Drs. Fosters and Smith at www.PetEducation.com:
- Teaching your dog obedience cues is essential in having a communicative and understanding relationship. Thus, you should avoid names that sound like obedience cues or commands that you will use with your dog in everyday life. For example, “Tidbit” sounds similar to “sit,” “Kay” can be confused with “stay,” and “Bo” sounds too close to “no.”
- Steer clear of names that are the same as people in your household. Your dog will surely be perplexed if he thinks he’s being told to “take out the trash” or “drop off the car at the auto mechanic’s shop.”
- Shorter names (one or two syllables) will be easier for your pup to recognize and respond to. A canine’s name should be simple and easily recognizable.
- Hard consonants (b, k, d, t) and vowels (y, ā, ē, ī) are easier to hear and distinguish than soft consonants (f, s, m, n) and vowels (ĭ, ĕ, ŭ). Thus, “Tito” or “Buddy” will be much easier for a dog to recognize than a name like “Fern.”
- Choose a name that you won’t mind saying out loud in public.
Getting your Pup Accustomed to Her New Name
If this is the first time your pup has had a name, you’ll have to help her get used to responding to a name in general. Begin by using her name regularly in her everyday life and encouraging her to focus on you using her new name only. To do this, say her name excitedly, but don’t repeat it excessively. If she focuses on you in response to hearing her name, reward her instantly with a food treat, verbal praise, a favorite toy, or petting (whichever she finds the most rewarding). Repeat this exercise often until she focuses on you consistently after hearing her name.
If your dog had a name given to her by her previous owner or by the kennel attendants that you’d like to change, it will be necessary to help her transition to her new name. Begin by saying her new name followed immediately by her old name. When she focuses on you, reward her (food, praise, toy, petting). Repeat this often until she focuses on you consistently. Then, drop the old name and begin using the new name exclusively. Every time she responds to her new name by focusing on you, reward her. She should soon respond to her new name dependably.]]>
Maintaining your Dog’s Obedience Cues
- Have your canine perform sit-stays before you give him his meals. Do not allow him to dig into his dinner until you release him.
- Ask your dog to perform a sit-stay or down-stay before you let him inside the house from the backyard and vice versa.
- Cue your dog to lie down and stay while you put on his leash before taking him out for a walk. He should stay in the down position until his leash is secured and you have opened the door and released him from the down-stay.
- Bring treats with you on your walk. Stop and practice different obedience cues intermittently throughout your walk. Don’t forget to treat and/or praise him for compliance.
- During your walk, practice the heel cue. However, remember to take breaks from training and allow your dog to walk leisurely (without pulling on the leash).
- Practice the come cue as a family – have each family member pick a room in the house and stay in there. Each person should take turns calling the dog’s name and saying “come” right before he reaches them. Not only will this reinforce the come cue, but it will also help the dog learn to obey every member of the household.
Remember to make training motivational and rewarding for your canine. He should always be praised, treated, and/or petted whenever he does the right thing. With consistency, effort, and an understanding relationship between you and your canine, he will be an obedient and enjoyable member of the family.]]>
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