Dogs and Cats 101 » Podcast

New Dog In The House – READ the PAGE before u bring the new dog home

Jan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:20:33 +0000

PLEASE:

BEFORE u bring the new dog home.. be prepared. what u do before the new dog comes home and what you do the frst hour will make a HUGE difference on if the dogs stays! Read this one page…

Click this link.. 3 minutes that will change your life..

BEFORE you bring the new dog home..

1- If small. bring home in a crate..

2- Take them through the house and into the back yard. If they try to escape, they will try to leave the way they came in.

3- Have them IMPRINT on the area where they will be staying for the first few weeks or until trained.

When parents find out they are going to have a child they make all sorts of preparations. A room is set aside and possibly the walls are covered with an appropriate wallpaper or paint, a supply of formula fills the pantry, baby bottles and diapers are purchased in huge quantities, toys and pacifiers are picked out, the baby’s doctor is selected, etc. You need to make the same preparations for the puppy, and think about the supplies you will need, the car ride home, and the new puppy’s activities, feeding, and health care check-up.

Equipment

Your puppy is going to need a room or at least a place he can call his own, and a cage or crate will fill this bill. You are better off getting one that is big enough for him to use as an adult. The pup will need food and water bowls, toys to chew on and play with, a collar and leash, a bag of a good quality dry puppy food, and plenty of newspapers or training pads if you are going to housetrain inside.

The car ride home

The big day arrives, and it is off to pick up the new puppy. Coming home will start out with a car ride from the shelter or breeder’s home. Try to keep this from being an overly stressful experience for the pup. The main problem dogs have with car rides usually is not what we humans refer to as motion sickness, but simple anxiety about the vibrations, sounds, and to a lesser degree, the movement. Many dogs that have developed problems with car rides get nervous or even nauseous before the engine is even started. It is important that this first trip not be a bad experience that regresses into a repetitious behavioral pattern.

Before you leave the kennel, try to get the pup to go to the bathroom so there are no floods or surprises stimulated by all the excitement of the ride. On this first trip home, we break a cardinal rule about traveling with pets. We do not put them in a crate for traveling. Remember, they are small and easy to hold. Rather, we have someone other than the driver hold the puppy in a blanket or towel and talk or in some way try to distract him from the ride. If you have a long way to go and need to stop for the puppy to relieve himself, do not use a highway rest stop. At his young age, the puppy has very little, if any, protection from common dog diseases, and these areas can easily be contaminated with the organisms causing these conditions.

Being with people the first day home

Leaving her mother and littermates will probably bring about some anxiety. However, this can be greatly diminished if you plan your schedules so that you will be home with the puppy the first 3 to 4 days. Some authors suggest leaving the puppy alone and give her time to herself to adjust to the new surroundings. We disagree. In our homes, we plan for this introductory period by keeping the puppy involved with plenty of attention from children and other family members. When we are not with the puppy, she is sleeping. You will be amazed how time spent in this manner will speed up the housebreaking process. If the children are young or are not familiar with how to handle puppies, you should spend some time with them during these first few days explaining common sense rules on how to play with the puppy.

Getting a health check

One of the first things you need to do is get the puppy into a veterinarian for an initial puppy examination. You will want to make sure the puppy is in perfect health, free of any congenitaltraits or other medical conditions. Also, find out exactly what the breeder (or animal shelter) has done for the puppy. In all probability, the puppy has had some puppy vaccinations given by the breeder or shelter. She probably has also been placed on a deworming schedule and may even be on a heartworm preventive. Depending on the breed, the tail may have been docked and the dewclaws removed. It is common for all or some of these to have been done. This helps to explain some of the initial cost of your puppy regardless of where she was obtained. Your veterinarian will need all of this information along with the puppy’s approximate birth date.

Feeding the puppy

What, when, and how to feed puppies becomes a major issue on the first day. Many new owners worry that without his mother’s milk, their pup is going to have a hard time adjusting to his new home. Hopefully, where you acquired the puppy will give instructions on what he has been eating. It is a good idea to continue feeding the same type and brand of food for at least a few days. Most people are soon surprised how well puppies make it through this transition because they do not understand how far along dogs are in their development at 7 weeks of age.

We have worked with hundreds of breeders and animal shelters. It is common practice for most of these individuals to start feeding their puppies a commercial food at 21 days of age. Some of the toy breeds will start 3 to 4 days later. Even though their eyes did not open until 11 to 13 days old, just ten days later, puppies are ready to start on something in addition to Mom’s milk. Most breeders take dry puppy food, soak it in warm water for thirty minutes, and then give it to the litter when they are 21 days old. The first day, they may only stick their noses in it and try to lick some of the liquid. But after that, they eat and they eat very well.

After a week or so, the puppies are getting these feedings twice or three times a day. This takes a huge burden off the mother, especially when she has a large litter. Puppies fed on this sort of a schedule grow rapidly and with fewer problems.

As soon as possible, the amount of water mixed in the food is decreased, and then finally eliminated. This depends on how fast the teeth are coming in and is done on the judgment and experience of the breeder. We always tell all new puppy owners to use a dry food formulated for puppies. Most 7 week old dogs can eat this, as it comes from the bag, without any problem. A few, especially members of the toy breeds, may need it moistened for one to two additional weeks, but that is all.

4- If you have a pool. BEWARE.. they may swim but not know how to get out of the pool.. see pool training blog.

declawing.. Rip out your nails and amputate the tips of your fingers

Jan — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:53:31 +0000

Am I sounding like a bleeding heart “humaniac”.. ?

If you MUST have a de-clawed cat, get one that has been dumped at he pound.. maybe dumped because many de-claws poop on soft surfaces.

Why? When the weather changes or it’s cold, the amputated area can hurt.. like when you have broken a bone and you have pain in cold or wet weather.. many of you are saying “we never had a problem”.. you are lucky..

Take a little survey. When someone complains that their cat is not using the litter pan.. ask if it is urinating in the pan and deficating outside the pan.. and on a soft surface like a pillow…. then ask if the cat is a de-claw.. I figured this out the 7 years that I worked for a very large animal hospital in Los Angeles..

Cats claw (scratch) because they are marking.. with the claw marks and the glands on their pads.. So that in the wild they can mark their domain and maybe find their way home..

also:

It sharpens their claws.
It exercises their claw muscles.
It helps to scrape off the old outside covering.
Gets your cats own smells around the house. (we can’t smell it)

http://www.pawproject.com

Silent Dog Whistles… “cats too!” EASY FAST TRAINING!! Do IT!

Jan — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:35:06 +0000

You will thank me for this one… This will only take a couple of weeks but do reinforce often.

Keep a dog whistle next to the dog (or cat) food and treats and use it EVEY TIME you feed.. Blow the whistle and use the “come” command with praise EVERY TIME… Start using the whistle for training when you call your dog.. NEVER PUNISH when a dog obeys the “COME” command..

You will be very pleased when you soon find that your dog comes to your verbal command even if you do not use the whistle… Your dog will have learned the vocal command .. If you have a dog that is not food motivated.. good luck! Many sled type long-haired dogs are not food motivated…

Silent Dog Whistles about $10-12..
Invented by Acme in 1935, the Silent Whistle is the perfect choice people who live in an urban environment, where noise is a factor. Most dogs hear quite clearly frequencies that the human ear cannot. Both models are adjustable within the frequency range of 5400 Hz. to 12,800 Hz. So they can be tuned to your dog’s specific hearing level. Whether your dog is working close to you or at a distance this model is the perfect choice

MORE detailed instruction…

COMING WHEN CALLED You must have the ability to recall your dog, no matter what the situation or other temptations. The best way to achieve this is by ensuring that returning to you is a rewarding and highly pleasurable experience available to them. To do this it is essential that you never punish your dog for returning to you regardless of what they were doing before (or how angry it made you!).

Recalling a young puppy is often quite easy as they often lack the confidence to wander far away. It is important to take advantage of this period in building the recall command and associating it with very positive experiences. To get your dog’s attention and make it return to you, be prepared to step out of your comfort zone in terms of your own behavior. Use high pitched voices, clap your hands, jump up and down. Make yourself seem as interesting as possible to your dog. If you are really desperate, use a treat or run in the opposite direction to your dog. Their natural chase instinct nearly always gets their attention and brings them running. When they get to you, heap on the praise, hug them, play a short game or a tummy rub. Anything that makes them think returning to you is just the real business.

Start to introduce the whistle when recalling. To start with, you could just whistle yourself unaided and gradually move onto the dog whistle as your distances increase. Assuming your dog is able to sit on command, practice walking away from them a short distance, then using the pip-pip to recall. Sometimes return to your dog instead of doing the recall. This will stop your dog anticipating the command or always assume a sit/stay is followed by a recall.

If at any time your dog seems confused, keep calm and don’t start shouting (this will only make things worse). Go back to commands that your dog has mastered and start to build up slowly again. Training is always two steps forwards and one back.

FOUND… a Lost Pomeranian male (owner was found)

Jan — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:36:14 +0000

Needed to get it on the web. Saw this sign while walking “Holly GoLightly”.

The man who found him will be getting him scanned.

“Jordan” FCE Spinal Stroke.. video of her year.. (SHE)

Jan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:19:50 +0000

Jordan today with Holly… Jordan now ALSO has Megaesophagus… blog coming soon…

This is a re-post… Jordan is well thanks to Animal Medical Center and Margret.

contact Jordan’s physical therapist, Margret.

—Her new info:–

Rose Aniaml Hospital–626-792-8433—-

dogpaddleinc@hotmail.com–

2695 East Foothill Boulevard–

Pasadena California 91107

“Jordan” FCE update.. she walks!!!!

Jan — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:47:12 +0000

If video does not appear click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyVvs8tNpNE

see previous below…

past blog of Jordan

Unrelated to the spinal stroke, Jordan has a tumor on her front toe and will have the toe amputated this Friday..
Results are expected to be good…

“Jordan” walks Dec. 2007

Jan — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:51:05 +0000

FC (spinal stroke) on Aug. 4,2007.. She was fully paralyzed on on 4 legs.. see previous..

Mom cat and kittens with Doberman nurse

Jan — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:06:16 +0000

This is “Jet” a nine month old Los Angeles shelter rescue, and kittens.. Born o/a April 12, 2008..

Homes are now being scrutinized! Several have wonderful homes waiting til they are weaned..

Danger In The Home.. dog and cat safety

Jan — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:16:31 +0000

NOTE: Have charcoal tablets in you medicine cabinet for possible poisonings.. When in doubt, use it.. human product that you can buy at the local pharmacy. ..cheap..

Easier to “liberate” information from the web.. here is a great link on pet safety.. check put the link..

also.. download, cut the strips and put the “dog left in car fliers” in your car.. “Dog Left In Car” flyer to downoad

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_HouseholdSafety.php

Dog Tip: Household Hazards, Poisons and Safety
* Medications: always put them out of reach of pets and children. For example, according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, pseudoephedrine – an ingredient commonly found in certain cold, allergy and sinus medications – can be extremely dangerous to companion animals. It does not take as much of the drug to cause a serious problem. As little as one tablet containing 30 milligrams of pseudoephedrine could produce clinical signs in a 20-pound dog, including nervousness, hyperactivity and elevated heart rate; a dose of only three 30-milligram tablets could be lethal to a dog that size. Avoid poisoning two ways:

1. Never give your animal any medication without first talking to your pet’s veterinarian.

2. Store all medications in a secure cabinet well out of the reach of animals. And remember: a pet can easily chew open even childproof containers.

3. Keep handbags, totes and other bags out of reach, particularly if you carry any medications in them.

* Antifreeze and bittering agents: in 2004, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center issued a notice that it is currently unaware of any well-controlled published scientific research demonstrating that dogs can be consistently protected from antifreeze poisoning through the addition of denatonium benzoate as a bittering agent added to antifreeze. While such products may be less toxic, there is no scientific proof that they are in fact safe. Be sure to see the antifreeze section later in this tipsheet.

* Continuous-cleaning toilet products: toxic reactions have been reported. See the toilet-related tip in the household dangers section below.

Submissive Urinating in Dogs

Jan — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:24:36 +0000

A LIBERATED LINK:

Many people are familiar with what is defined as the “submissive urinator”; the dog that urinates all over the floor, you the owner, and your guests, as soon as it becomes excited, aroused, or intimidated. It can be a frustrating and embarrassing problem, but fortunately is usually quite easily corrected. Puppies, especially shy, timid and oversensitive ones are the likely candidates for submissive urination, but it is not uncommon to see this problem persist into adulthood. There tends to be more females with this problem as well. Dog owners who are dominant and strict tend also to encourage a submissive relationship with their dog.

Common situations where dogs get excited or fearful, and urinate are:

-overaffectionate greetings
-when you arrive home
-guests entering your home
-arguments between people
-scolding
-loud noises
In order to understand this behavior, you must understand the language of dominance and submissiveness. Young puppies learn this from their mother. Gestures like averting eyes, rolling on their back, and urinating, are all used to express submissiveness. In situations where a dog feels intimidated, the proper learned response for them is to elicit some submissive signal to show the person or other dog that they recognize their dominance. Urination in this case is not deliberate or spiteful. To deal with this problem, the first thing that you must do is have your veterinarian examine your dog for possible physical abnormalities pertaining to this problem. Sickness and disease can cause difficulty for your pet to control their facilities. If physical problems prove to be the cause, discuss options specific to your dog’s situation with your veterinarian as to your possible options (e.g. surgery, drugs, coping mechanisms).

If your dog is found to be healthy and is diagnosed with a behavioral problem, begin by observing what types of situations make your dog feel excited or threatened. Knowing these, you can design your plan of action to suit the needs of your dog.

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/behaviourproblems/suburine.html