Oprah's Amazing Pets: Part 1

Oprah has put together a list of 10 amazing animals, which I want to share with all of you. I hope that these stories inspire you, and touch your heart....

Here is our first pet - Faith - and her story.

Courage comes in all shapes, sizes and species—3-year-old Faith is a one-of-a-kind miracle! Born with severely deformed front legs, the tiny pup was rescued by the Stringfellow family after the mother dog was found trying to smother her. Faith could only move by dragging herself along the floor, a habit the veterinarian said would rub a hole in her chest and chin.

Although their vet recommended they put Faith down, Jude, Faith's adoptive mother, and the family chose to give her a home.

The family trained Faith by holding a spoonful of peanut butter above her. They motioned for her to come and rejoiced in every small victory. "When she took that first hop, we totally rewarded her with peanut butter and gummy bears and hugs and kisses," says Jude.

Laura says Faith is a gift from God and living with her special needs has helped the entire Stringfellow family become more compassionate. "We had to take care of her," Laura says, "[and] make sure she's okay. That's what made us less selfish."

Faith spreads the love she's received from the Stringfellows. As a therapy dog, she interacts with students learning English as a Second Language (ESL) by providing companionship and emotional support to kids trying to improve their reading.

Watch the video of faith walking here: http://www.oprah.com/media/20080601_tows_tows_20060519_1

Puppies and Worms

Most puppies are infected with worms at some point in their life. The good news about worms is that they sound worse than they are. Getting rid of them is not difficult – but prevention and treatment are very important.

Your veterinarian can diagnose what kind of worms your puppy has and recommend the appropriate prescription. The bad news is that worms can cause weight loss, weakness and dehydration. Some types, if left untreated, may even be transferred to humans.

Most puppies experience worms at some point in their life so it is important to know how to recognize and treat worms.

The four most common worms
1. Tapeworms: There are many different types of tapeworms. Swallowing infected fleas while grooming is the way most puppies get the tapeworm infection. If you see your puppy dragging his behind along the ground, or excessively licking his anal area, he may have tapeworms. Tapeworms can grow to be up to 32 inches in length. Segments look like bits of rice, and can be found on the skin and in the hair around the anal area. They may also show up in your puppy's stool. Getting rid of your puppy's fleas is important in preventing future tapeworm infections. The stool of infected puppies is full of tapeworm eggs. Flea larvae eat the tapeworm eggs, and can then re-infect your puppy.
2. Roundworm: Roundworms can grow up to seven inches in length. They may be visible in your puppy's stool as eggs, or what looks like strands of spaghetti. Puppies become infected with roundworm when they ingest something that has been contaminated with larvae. If your puppy has roundworm his weight may drop and he may appear tired and weak. See your veterinarian immediately. If left untreated, roundworm can be passed to humans.
3. Hookworms: This worm is passed when dogs ingest the hookworm larvae - it can also penetrate a dog's skin. Hookworms consume large amounts of blood and are usually ¾ of an inch long. They live on your puppy's intestinal wall. Your veterinarian may be able to spot these worms by examining your puppy's stool under a microscope. If your puppy has diarrhea that is very dark in color or contains blood consult your veterinarian immediately.
4. Whipworms: Whipworms are passed to your puppy when he swallows the eggs. They live in the colon of infected puppies and can cause inflammation of the colon. They can be difficult to diagnose because the eggs don't show up in stool until about 3 months after infection. The main symptom is a bloody stool.

Prevention
Puppies should start receiving treatment a few weeks after they are born, before they show signs of the infection. When you bring your puppy home for the first time, or if you suspect he has worms, take a stool sample to your veterinarian to have it checked microscopically for intestinal parasites. Keep your puppy free from fleas and this will help prevent tapeworm.

Always clean up after your puppy. Infected stools that haven't been cleaned up can re-infect him. Most puppies take heartworm medication – speak to your veterinarian about heartworm medication that helps to prevent intestinal worms.

Funny Foto: The Panda Dog?

Soooo many things that could be said. Perhaps better to be left UNsaid..

Emergency Care for Your Dog

In the event of a canine emergency it is important to immediately perform any life saving measures that are needed to preserve the dog’s life, and then stabilize the dog as quickly as possible before heading to a veterinarian. The first few moments after an emergency has occurred are the most important, and your quick response could save a dog’s life.
Approaching an Injured Animal

Injured animals have a strong instinct to leave the area of the accident and to hide in order to protect their selves. In nature, this instinct serves to keep injured animals safe from predators that may exploit an animal’s injury for their own gain. Keeping this instinct in mind, it is important to approach an injured animal slowly while talking to the animal in a calm and non-threatening voice.
What To Do First

Once an emergency has occurred, the first thing to do is to check the dog’s ABC’s: airway, breathing, and circulation. If the dog is not breathing and the airway seems obstructed, visually check for any obstruction that could be blocking the dog’s airway and if necessary perform the canine Heimlich maneuver. If the airway is open but the dog is not breathing, canine CPR should be carried out at once.

Once the dog’s ABC’s have been checked, look for any signs of bleeding, broken bones, swelling, bruising of the skin or limbs, or any objects which have hurt the dog (gunshot wound, knives, glass, and other foreign objects). If the dog is bleeding, control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound. If a foreign object has broken the dog’s skin never remove the object, and instead try to control bleeding around the object. Once any life threatening bleeding is addressed, stabilize any injured areas and prepare the dog for immediate transport.

If there are no signs of injury to the dog, quickly check the dog’s temperature for any signs of heat stroke (hyperthermia) or extreme cold (hypothermia) before beginning transport. If the dog is suffering from these conditions, cool the dog down (or warm the dog up in the event of hypothermia) before beginning transport.
How to Identify and Manage the Dog’s Pain

Most dogs will show some symptoms if they are in severe pain, but this is not always the case. Certain breeds of dogs have an extremely high tolerance to pain, and they may not show any symptoms even if they have severe injuries such as a broken bones. This is why it is so important to have a dog thoroughly checked by a veterinarian after an accident even if no symptoms of an injury are apparent.

When an emergency has occurred and the dog seems injured but there is no sign of injury, you can gently palpate the dog’s body and limbs to check for any areas where pain is present. Once painful areas have been identified, these areas need to be stabilized as quickly as possible to prepare the dog for transport.

While a dog in an emergency may be in extreme pain, it is important to realize that the pain cannot truly be managed until the dog has received professional medical attention. However, you can help to reduce the dog’s pain by stabilizing the injury, keeping the dog warm in the event of shock with a blanket, and staying calm with the dog (if dog’s sense that their owners or people around them are upset they will pick up on those emotions and become further distressed).
Transporting an Injured Animal

Keep the injured animal from moving as much as possible and try to stabilize any injuries before transport.

Stabilize any injured areas by wrapping the injured areas in any type of cloth. Stabilize broken limbs with cloth, newspaper, cardboard, or whatever is handy at the time.

Once the injured area has been stabilized, use a large towel or blanket to move the dog. Gently scoot the dog onto the towel or blanket, have two people pick up each corner of the towel or blanket, and lift the dog into the vehicle.

If a dog tries to bite or snap during the transport, it may be necessary to muzzle the dog with a strip of material.

(content courtesy of petwave.com)

The Tornado Dog

Dog Survives Toto Impression During Tornado
RICHTON PARK, Ill. (CBS) ―

Chase certainly doesn't look like Toto from "The Wizard of Oz." He's a big rottweiler, not a little cairn terrier. But he certainly does a wonderful impression.

On Saturday, June 7, 2008,, when a tornado swept through Richton Park, Chase was hanging out the backyard of Sandra Holmes' house. That is, until the tornado picked him up and took him on the ride of his life.

"People started coming up and saying 'we saw your dog in flight,'" said Holmes, Chase's owner.

Neighbor Tatyiana Smith saw it. "The dog was in the air, he was going around like he was pulled out of the ground," Smith said.

Luckily, Chase didn't get whisked away to the magical land of Oz. Instead, residents found him more than a block away in the woods, dazed and shocked, but alive.

"It's a miracle," Holmes said. "It's a blessing from God."

(story can be found in its original entirety at http://cbs2chicago.com/watercooler/tornado.lifts.dog.2.743773.html)

Do Dogs Have Emotions? You Be the Judge...

I don’t have too many friends. Most of the very few friends of mine are dog owners, yet some people are there who do not have dogs, but they love dogs. Most of my pals who don’t have dogs seem to be really confused when I say my dogs have emotions. Yes, this is something that has created a real buzz across the web.

Do dogs have emotions?

I am sure you will agree with me if I say dogs have emotions and if you are a dog owner. Still I have come across peeps who own dogs don’t know how to recognize a dog’s emotion. I do recognize my dogs’ emotions and moods through their gestures, body languages, expression of their eyes, and not to forget, the sound they make. Well, I am not a professional canine behaviorist or scientist. I just love dogs, can’t live without them, try to learn from them as much as I can. I can understand when they are excited, when they are sad and when anxious. It’s not a rocket science! Just what we cannot do is we cannot measure emotions of a dog. There has been a hard topic of debate amongst the canine behaviorists because it's not possible to quantify the emotion of a dog. Researchers cannot say exactly how happy or sad a dog is. Only I can say that Roland is very happy because his mum, Mrs. Gordon, got back home, or he is very sad since his bother – Gordon’s son, has caught cold and cannot play with him.

So how do I recognize my dogs emotions?

Emotion is what delivers your dog an impulse to act according to situations. While the negative emotion or the emotion of fear will deliver a dog an impulse to defend himself, a happy dog will come close to you, wagging and appreciate a physical contact. Touch definitely strengthens the man-dog relationship. There’s no doubt about the fact that your dog has rich emotional aspect of his life. He feels happy when he should and becomes sad during the gloomy moments of his life. That is the main reason why your dog show symptoms of pleasure like jumping and springing, wagging and licking your face, holding his ears back and making sounds of love and happiness etc. when you get back from your work place at the end of the day.

No dog owner on the planet can understand exactly how much happy his dog actually is, and hence most owners choose to ignore the emotional part of their dog’s life! A very few people who have lived with dogs would deny the fact that dogs have emotional feelings. Every time Reva (my female GSD) meets with her daughter (Rechie), they greet each other with love, wagging their tails, licking each other and biting each others’ muzzles. They seem so happy, chasing one another. The facial expressions of both the dogs are different from the expressions they both show when they come across the strangers. I am sure you might also have noticed this with your dog!

Until a recent research study, the canine experts and behaviorists used to believe that dogs have only the primary emotions or basic emotions like love, joy, sadness, fear and anger. Primary emotions are those emotions that form the basic platform for all other secondary emotions (which are more complicated emotions) like anxiety, jealousy and shyness. Recently researchers have come up with the conclusions that dogs have both emotions, and this is what all responsible dog lovers, who have noticed dogs, have always known! It is now proved that dogs have all emotions that we humans have. Now I am sure training your dog yourself is going to be a bit easier. All you need to do is to trigger his emotional aspect. Dogs have inherent instincts to learn things just like human babies. They know how to love and be loved. Sadness, fear and anger put extra mental stress on them, which makes them hard to learn new tricks. Hence Yelling at them will never work. Scaring and hitting them will make your dog more obstinate – just like human babies, and will make training harder.

A happy dog will be anxious to see what trick is going to be made by his master. If you carefully notice his ears, eyes, head movement, tail position and movement, the way he’s carrying his head, the posture he is carrying himself with, etc. you will get and idea of his emotional state. Not just one thing can give you a correct view, for example, tail wagging doesn’t always mean that he is in playing mood. A bed ridden dog will wag his tail seeing his owner; that doesn’t mean that he wants to go out to play, but it’s an indication that he is happy to see his loved one and wants his owner to stay by him during his bad time. Tail wagging indicates excitement, anticipation, playfulness, contentment/enjoyment, happy, self-confidence etc. Along side the tail wagging, I notice the tail position, facial expression, ear position and obviously the vocal communication to conclude exactly about my dogs’ emotional state.

Bottom line is that I try to understand the communication of my dogs to identify his requirements.

(this article can be found in its original format at http://blogs.dogtime.com/welcome-dog-lovers/2009/07/identify-your-dogs-emotions-dogs-have-emotions-and-feelings )

10 Most Fascinating Dogs

I'm not exactly sure how the results were quanitified, but a pretty neat read, regardless. Now, perhaps I am a little biased, but I was REALLY hoping to see Patton's Bull Terrier Willie listed.......

Check the list out by heading over to http://www.oddee.com/item_96606.aspx

Funny Foto: A Way to Ensure Your Dog Doesn't Get Washed Away by the Current

Why Do Older Dogs Get Fat?

Obesity is a very big problem in our society, and this problem goes for dogs as well. All dogs are susceptible to gaining weight as they become less active in old age. But some breeds have been reported to be more likely to become obese than others as they watch the birthdays fly by.

West Highland white terriers, beagles, cocker spaniels, collies, cairn terriers, and retrievers are breeds that are noted for obesity in old age.

Older dogs are about twice as likely to be overweight as younger dogs, probably because of genetic factors as well as people feeding them high-calorie treats from the table. Also, smaller dogs can run around the house for exercise, but larger dogs need to be taken out. Because most dogs depend on people to take them out, it doesn't always get done.

As adult dogs become elderly, a number of factors limit their exercise - including their physical and physiological condition (and perhaps that of their owners as well, if the owners are also slowing down a bit). So, lack of exercise coupled with the same amount of treats as they had when they were younger can lead to obese pets.

Female dogs are more likely to be obese than male dogs and cats, and spayed animals are more likely to be obese than reproductively intact ones. Here's an interesting statistic: Pet owners who are 40 years old and older are more than twice as likely to have obese dogs as younger owners are. Not only are the owners getting older and probably less fit, but so are their pets!

Further, about one-third of owners of obese dogs do not consider their dogs to be overweight; they consider their dogs to be in the normal range of weight. I suppose the worst-case scenario would be a couple of spayed female Labrador retrievers who are about 14 years old, living with elderly "nurturing" (literally - with food) owners. Both the owners and their dogs are arthritic and overweight, with poor aerobic conditioning. Or maybe the owners smoke and have shortness of breath with even moderate exercise, and they enjoy fried foods and feed their dogs from the table or the couch (of course) or from anywhere else in the house. The owners equate feeding the dogs with giving them love. It's the proverbial "recipe for disaster"!

So do anything you can do to prevent your dogs from getting fat and out of shape. This may also be a good reason to watch your own levels of activity and diet.

More on Choosing the Right Dog Food

Part 2......

1. Look for natural preservatives. These include Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Vitamin E and mixed tocopherols. As I mentioned in a previous post, avoid ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT and propylene glycol.

2. Avoid foods with artificial flavor enhancers, such as phosphoric acid.

3. Avoid artificial colors. These include azo, azo dyes, and sodium nitrite.

4. Essential fatty acids must be added - of utmost importance for allergies, arthritis and cancer prevention.

5. Additional antioxidants, such as Vit E, Vit C and flavanoids - are an excellent supplement to your dog's diet....

How to Choose a Quality Pet Food

If you are to going to feed your dog a commercial food, here are some tips to check for quality:

1. Ingredients are listed in descending order. The first ingredient should be an animal based protein.

2. When selecting a commercial food for your animal companion, make sure the label has an “AAFCO guarantee,” preferably one that references “feeding tests” or “feeding protocols” rather than Nutrient Profiles.

3. Avoid foods that list by-products. (AVOID Meat, Bone, Fish and Chicken Meal) These rendered products are the most inexpensive sources of animal protein. They are not a reliable source of nutrition for your animal.

4. Avoid those that list the food fractions – i.e. wheat middlings or corn gluten instead of the whole grain. These ingredients are leftovers from the human food processing and don’t provide the best nutrition.

5. Avoid generic or store brands. These may be repackaged rejects from the big manufacturers, and generally contain cheaper and poorer quality ingredients.

(Content courtesy of Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM)

Funny Foto: Just Trying to Fit In....

Dangerous Chemicals to Avoid in Dog Food

As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of feeding my dogs a healthy diet, free from toxins, chemicals, preservatives, and anything else that can harm them. In my research, I found the following, and wanted to share with all of you....

Here are 3 things you need avoid in your dog's food. All are chemical preservatives that can have grave consequences for your most beloved companion....

1. Ethoxyquin - Has been observed to cause auto-immune response in some pets, and promoted kidney, stomach, bladder, and colon cancer.

2. BHA - Causes squamous-cell carcinomas in rats and hamsters, as well as enhanced stomach and urinary bladder carcinogenesis.

3. BHT - Promotes urinary bladder cancer, and suspected to increase thyroid cancer.

Hyper Dogs Make Bad Pets, Great Life-Savers

Reporting - Simon Perez
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ―

Rescue dogs help save lives during times of disaster, but the work of some keen-eyed volunteers keeps those dogs alive and sends them on the path to help people. Nino the dog plays tug of war with anyone willing and strong enough to hold the other end of the toy. A lot of times, dogs like Nino end up in shelters, behind bars, headed to death row.

"They make terrible pets," said Marin County Fire Capt. Jim Boggeri. East Bay SPCA Shelter Supervisor Lenny Deets adds: "Rambunctious, high-energy escape artists dogs...are going to require a lot more maintenance."

Karen Klingberg works for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and scours shelters across the state, searching for dogs with the right frenetic temperament to become urban search and rescue dogs. The foundation is looking for volunteers to test shelter dogs, to see if they've got the right stuff.

Here's what volunteers look for:
The dogs must be two years old or younger and about the size of a golden or Labrador retriever - those are the ideal breeds.

Initially, volunteers are looking for a dog that pays attention.

Then, volunteers take the dog outside to see if it will persist in hunting for a toy and if the dog can handle being startled. One test includes opening an umbrella in the dog's face. The successful search and rescue dog must stay focused and ignore a distraction, like clanging pots and pans that erupt as it's searching for a toy.

Volunteers will challenge the dog to find the toy, even when it's turned around. And lastly, a volunteer has to find out if the dog have enough drive to even scale a tree to get the toy. "You don't have to be a dog trainer to evaluate these dogs," Klingberg said. "You can spend less than an hour walking through and if you can find a dog that's going to react to your toys and talking to it and building its excitement, chances are this is a dog we're going to want to look at."

If the dogs do have the right stuff, they go through six to eight months of training and end up trying to save lives instead of counting down to the end of their own.

For more information on the program, head over to http://searchdogfoundation.org/98/html/index.html

(this story can be found in its orignal format at http://cbs5.com/pets/rescue.dogs.volunteers.2.837764.html )

Dog First Aid Kits

Having a first aid kit specifically prepared for your dog ensures that you are prepared to properly treat minor injuries to your favorite four legged friend.....

The materials inside a pet first aid kit can be used to treat minor emergencies and to assist you and your pet in case a major emergency occurs. As you build your pet first aid kit, familiarize yourself with materials and methods that may be needed to help your pet in an emergency.

Recommended Materials
* Thermometer and small jar of Vaseline: if your pet ever seems like he or she is not feeling well, or if the pet is unconscious or is in an emergency situation, it is important to quickly take the pet’s temperature to ensure that the pet is not in a life threatening temperature situation such as hypothermia or hyperthermia. To use the thermometer apply a small amount of Vaseline, and place the thermometer in the pet’s rectum. The normal temperature for dogs is between 100.0 – 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the normal temperature for cats is between 101.5 – 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
* Hydrogen Peroxide and a plastic syringe: hydrogen peroxide is an emetic which induces vomiting. Only use this emetic when warranted, such as if a veterinarian or poison control center tells you to immediately administer it. Purchase a syringe from a pharmacy or a veterinarian that is the right size for your pets. Dogs and cats should receive 5 – 25 cc’s of hydrogen peroxide (orally) for every 10 pounds of weight. If vomiting does not occur in 15 minutes repeat the dose.
* Muzzle: a muzzle by be needed in an emergency to help restrain your animal if it becomes aggressive due to shock and pain.
* Karo Syrup: If hypoglycemia is suspected (a condition that can occur in diabetic pets and in small dogs with low blood sugar), Karo Syrup can be rubbed in the pet’s gums to help increase blood sugar levels.
* Medical bandages, gauze, or used cloth: in the event of bleeding emergencies, these materials can be used to apply pressure to the bleeding areas. These materials may also be used to stabilize an injured limb. Try to pack the emergency kit with enough materials to suit the size of your pet.
* Small flashlight: A small flashlight can be used to check for any injuries within the mouth or any objects or materials that could be blocking respiration in the upper part of the throat.
* Stethoscope: A stethoscope can be used to check the pet’s heart rate in the event of an emergency. You may also want to ask your veterinarian to show you how to check your pet’s femoral pulse.
* Air Splint: These emergency splints can be used to immobilize a limb if a break is suspected.
* Hot/Cold Pack: Use the emergency packs that can be stowed in an emergency kit and will change temperature when broken or shaken.
* Emergency Heat Blanket: These thin foil-like emergency blankets should be used if an animal’s temperature is decreasing due to shock or exposure. Always take the pet’s temperature first before using.
* Tweezers: These items can be used to remove any small painful objects. Keep in mind though if the pet has a serious wound such as a gunshot wound, or has been impaled by an object, do not remove the object yourself. Instead, stabilize the area and take the pet to a veterinarian immediately.
* Saline Solution: This solution can be used to clean out wounds and flush the eyes.
* A card with the phone number and a map to your veterinarian’s office, the phone number and map to the nearest 24 hour emergency veterinarian clinic, and the phone number to a 24 hour pet poison control center.

Funny Foto: New "Up" Movie Promotion Poster

Dogs and Your Pool: Safety Tips

On a hot summer day a swimming pool is a great solution for cooling down and having some fun. However, like with small children, your dog can be at risk of getting hurt or killed if not properly supervised. Here are some simple Dos and Don’ts to help ensure a safe and fun summer by the pool for everyone.

Do's

• Remember that around the pool summer heat can cause heat stroke. Keep your eyes out for the symptoms (lethargy, excessive drooling, foaming at the mouth, etc.)
• After swimming in the pool, help avoid any potential irritation caused by chlorine by washing your dog off with fresh water.
• Clean ears after swimming. Many dogs can get ear infections. Dogs with floppy ears are most prone for infection.
• Install a Scamper Ramp. This makes it easier for small or older dogs to exit the pool.
• Keep your pet's eyes safe from chlorine irritation with Doggles.

Don’ts

• Don't assume your dog knows how to swim. If he/she has never swum before, make sure to slowly introduce them to the water. Never throw your dog into the pool and think they will just swim!
• Don't let your dog drink the pool water. Chlorine will make him/her sick.
• Don't allow a dog to swim in a pool that has a cover. This cover can be deadly if the dog gets stuck underneath it.

By keeping these simple things in mind you will in a better position to ensure that you and your dog have a safe, enjoyable summer.

(content courtesy of petwave.com)

A Little Snippet of Information when Traveling

To all who didn't know this (I most certainly didn't til I saw an ad this morning), Motel6 is claiming to be "America's Original Pet Friendly Hotel Chain" (and no, I'm not getting any kickbacks from them for posting this)....

So, if you are anything like me, and feel terribly guilty about leaving the "kids" at home, this might be a great option for you. I know that I will certainly be keeping this in mind when booking future travel plans....

An Inspiring Story...

This story is worth taking a few minutes out of your day to read:

http://network.bestfriends.org/campaigns/pitbulls/news.aspx?pID=11674

Funny Foto:

Not sure about anyone else, but I'll be the first to admit, this has happened to me before. Had to upgrade to the super duper deluxe version. =)

Training an Alpha Dog

If you own a dominant dog-- especially a dog that has exhibited aggressive behavior-- then you'll need to follow these guidelines for the rest of your dog's life. They will help create a more natural relationship between you and your dog.

But don't be fooled: This approach also works on shy, timid dogs--
because the shy, timid dog gains confidence by knowing that you are
a strong leader who will protect and keep him safe.

Following this approach will create a balanced, harmonious and more natural relationship between you and your dog.

Remember: Dogs are not "hairy children." They have different drives and instincts than children do. And although there are some similarities-- your dog will interpret your behavior through the eyes of canine genetics that have evolved over several hundred years of domestication.

1. Neuter or spay your dog. Not only will it eliminate the possibility for various types of cancer to develop, but it will also reduce hormonal dominance levels. Have your veterinarian give your dog a full health check-up.

2. Stop roughhousing and playing tug-of-war type games with your dog. It teaches your dog that challenging you is fun. It is not a productive activity in any manner, for the dominant dog. When your dog wins, he thinks he is stronger than you; and stronger dogs are always higher in the social hierarchy of the pack.

3. Teach your dog the down-stay exercise and use it throughout your day. Instead of letting your dog wander around the house or go where he pleases, make him hold a down-stay while you're preparing dinner, watching television, changing your clothes, etc... Make your dog stay down for at least a full 30 minutes every day.

4. Do not reward your dog if he hasn't first earned the praise. That is, make him "work for the praise." If your dog approaches you and demands to be petted, then make him sit, first. Or hold a down-stay. Or some other exercise. He needs to learn that nothing in life is free!

5. Only issue commands that you are in a position to enforce. In other words, don't use the formal "Come" command if you're not in a position to physically make your dog come. Do not tell your dog, "Down" if he's not wearing a training collar and short leash (tab). Otherwise you'll be teaching your dog that your commands are meaningless. And in the pack, when the alpha dog wants a subordinate dog to do something... he's never ignored, as this would jeopardize the survival of the pack.

6. Don't wait to see if your dog will obey a command. If you're having dominance problems with your dog, then every command needs to be enforced, immediately. Eventually, your dog will become conditioned to respond to commands -- and at that same time, you will have noticed your dog has begun to see you is his pack leader. But until that point (which can take several months) ... you need to enforce commands, as soon as you give them.

7. There's an old military slogan: Lead, Follow or Get out of the Way. In short: You need to be the leader. This means that you need to be the first one to walk through doors, the first to eat, and the first to decide where you're going to walk. Alpha dogs never walk behind the pack. They always lead. If your dog is pulling on the leash or walking out in front of you-- you need to change this and learn how to get your dog to walk on a loose leash and pay more
attention to you than anything else that may be going on.

8. Your dog needs to "work" for everything. Does he want you to throw the ball? Then he needs to lay down first. Is he hungry? Then he needs to sit and stay there, until you tell him that it's okay to eat.

9. Your dog should be wearing a leash and training collar, anytime you're with him. You cannot enforce a command if your dog isn't wearing a short leash and a training collar.

10. If your dog is not wearing a leash and training collar, then he needs to be confined in his crate or dog run. Free run of the house is no longer permitted. Seems harsh? Only to us humans. Remember: You're dealing with a dominant dog. Act like the pack leader so he'll view you as the pack leader! Note: Never leave a training collar on your dog when he's unsupervised-- even in the crate or kennel run.

11. You can create your own short leash by buying short piece of rope (or plastic coated cable if your dog is a chewer) and then tie a knot at the end of the rope. Attach the other end to a harness snap. It just needs to be long enough that you can grab, create a bit of slack, and give a tug on the tab when you're correcting your dog
for bad behavior.

12. Do not let your dog sleep on the bed. And do not let your dog sleep on your child's bed. This is very important. More dominance and aggression problems are created by people who let their dogs sleep on their bed, than probably any other single behavior. The pack leader always sleeps on higher ground. Subordinate dogs sleep on lower ground. Being higher (or on top) is a dominance behavior.

13. Work short obedience sessions, throughout the day. 5-15 minutes. There is no limit as to how many obedience sessions you can work with your dog. The more, the better.

14. When your dog does something right, praise him. The way to effectively praise you dog is by saying, "Good dog!" and then making physical contact. Dogs are very physical animals. And don't be shy. Some dogs like to be patted, while others like to be stroked. Observe which style of praise your dog likes best, but always make physical contact when you praise your dog.

15. Correct your dog every time your dog exhibits an unwanted behavior. There are many different ways to correct your dog. Remember: You must make sure that your dog gets corrected every time he exhibits an
unwanted behavior. (See point #10, above).

16. Dogs live in the moment. You should, too. If your dog exhibits a bad behavior, correct him for it and then forget it. It's not personal. Dogs don't do things out of "spite." They do not possess the ability to use long term logic.

17. You decide when your dog is allowed to meet visitors. Do not let your dog immediately run up to visitors and greet them. You need to decide when and how-- which in most cases, should be after holding a sit-stay or down-stay.

Petition: Stop Legislation Against Certain Dog Breeds

Target: U.S. State Representatives

Sponsored by: American Humane Association

Many states, counties and municipal governments are turning to legislation targeting specific breeds as an answer to dog attacks. While supporters of this type of provision - commonly called breed-specific legislation - argue the only way to be safe from dog bites is to eradicate "dangerous breeds" from the community, there is little to no evidence that breed-specific legislation reduces dog bites and dog attacks.

In 2008, cities in over half of the states considered some form of breed-specific legislation. In Omaha, NE pit bulls are required to have a $100,000 liability insurance policy. And some cities like Denver and Sioux City have banned pit bulls altogether.

Sadly, a bill recently failed in Illinois that would prevent insurance companies from unfairly discriminating against consumers based on the breed of dog at their residence. And now, several cities across the country are considering some form of breed-specific legislation, including Mississippi, Massachusetts, Ohio and Washington.

Breed-specific legislation does not work and we know it.

Show your dedication to stopping breed-specific legislation from being implemented across the country.

The more signatures we have, the stronger our voice!

Make your voice heard by clicking here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/399090619?z00m=19780971

Puppies! Cleaning Up!

People aren't perfect and we shouldn't expect our puppies to be perfect either. Puppies are very cute but they do make mistakes. Sometimes they don't even know they've made a mistake unless we communicate to them that we find a certain behavior unacceptable.

One mistake that puppies may make, especially during house-training, is relieving themselves indoors, instead of the appointed space outside. If this happens it's important to clean your puppy's accident up quickly and thoroughly. Proper sanitation controls odor, prevents ruined carpets or stained floors and helps keep your home clean and healthy. Proper cleaning of your puppy's accident will also prevent "scent posts."

Scent posts
Scent chemicals may remain even after an accident has been cleaned up – these chemicals are released where your puppy urinates or defecates. When your puppy smells the scent chemicals he may get the urge to relieve himself in the same spot – this creates a scent post. Your puppy's nose helps him to smell things that our much weaker noses might never smell. We may think that our puppy's accident on the hall carpet has been thoroughly cleaned – the hall may even smell like roses – but when your puppy returns to the scene of his accident he may easily detect the scent chemicals under the smell of floral cleansing products. This smell triggers your puppy's urge to eliminate.

If the area where the scent chemicals exist is not cleaned up thoroughly your puppy may repeat his behavior. There is some good news about scent posts: the outside scent post directs your puppy to the designated spot where he should relieve himself. Scent posts in the house are not desirable but outside scent posts are very helpful when house-training your puppy.

To clean carpet stains
Clean up your puppy's accident as soon as possible. Conventional household cleaners, perfumed sprays and carpet shampoos don't get rid of scent posts. They just make the area smell nicer to us. Ammonia based cleaners should not be used to clean soiled areas. The ammonia may smell like urine to your puppy, and may act as a scent post. To get rid of the scent posts you need to thoroughly clean the soiled area with a product that will neutralize the odor.

First remove as much of the dampness as possible from the area. Next, clean the area with a product made specifically for cleaning up puppy accidents – it will neutralize the scent posts if used properly. If the stain has soaked through to your carpet padding you will also need to treat it and the floor with the solution. If the stain has set you may need to use a product made specifically for dried stains, and apply it a few times.

It's also important to make sure that old stains have been thoroughly cleaned. Although we may not see the stain it may still be there, and it may be a scent post for your puppy. Black lights are available from pet supply stores and should make any old stains visible, so that you can clean the stain thoroughly and get rid of the scent post.

Never yell at your puppy or reprimand him for having an accident in the house. Unless you catch him in the act he won't associate the reprimand with his accident. If he is reprimanded during the accident your puppy will try to hide from you the next time he relieves himself in the house, and this will make it more difficult for you to clean immediately.

With patience and consistency you can house-train your puppy. Speak to your veterinarian if you have any concerns, or suspect that your puppy's accidents are not house-training related.

Funny Foto: Choosing Your Battles

I think the title on this one says it all..............

Evanger's Pet Food Not To FDA Standards

PLEASE! If you are currently feeding your dog ANYTHING from this company, STOP IMMEDIATELY. For the safety of your dog....

Pet food news, this time it’s regarding Evangers pet food.

June 12, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today it was suspending the temporary Emergency Permit issued to Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc. Evanger’s, operating in Wheeling, Illinois, deviated from the prescribed process, equipment, product shipment, and recordkeeping requirements in the production of the company’s thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products.

The deviations in their processes and documentation could result in under-processed pet foods, which can allow the survival and growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), a bacterium that causes botulism in some animals as well as in humans.

In April 2008, Evanger’s was issued an “Order of Need for Emergency Permit” after the agency determined that the company had failed to meet the regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. In June, 2008, FDA issued Evanger’s a temporary Emergency Permit.

During inspections conducted between March 2009 and April 2009, FDA determined Evanger’s was not operating in compliance with the mandatory requirements and conditions of the Temporary Emergency Permit. “The FDA is stopping Evanger’s ability to ship pet food in interstate commerce,” said Dr. Bernadette Dunham.

“Today’s enforcement action sends a strong message to manufacturers of pet food that we will take whatever action necessary to keep unsafe products from reaching consumers.” In order for Evanger’s to resume shipping in interstate commerce, the company must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard.

Botulism is a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. The disease has been documented in dogs and cats. Signs of botulism in animals are progressive muscle paralysis, disturbed vision, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and progressive weakness to the body. Death is usually due to paralysis of the heart or the muscles used in breathing.

While FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for regulating all human and animal LACF processing, FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has authority over animal feed and foods. The two centers are collaborating on this enforcement action.

What's Next for Michael Vick?

Pretty good blog post on a fellow dog lovers site can be found here:

http://blogs.dogtime.com/the-news-hound-blog/2009/07/whats-next-for-michael-vick

I believe that I've been pretty clear as to my thoughts on this one... I am a firm believer that people should be forgiven for their mistakes IF they are sorry. And I am just not convinced he's sorry for what he did - moreso sorry he got caught. I understand him wanting to get back into the NFL, which requires lots of training, etc. However, I'm surprised that he's not trying to do more damage control... why haven't we seen him doing any volunteer work with animal organizations yet? I'm not a fan of anyone who harms animals - so it's going to take a lot of convincing on my end.... Should be interesting to see how all this pans out, thats for sure....

Funny Foto: Where to even begin...

Sadly I can totally relate to something like this, as my male bull terrier has a tendency to do ridiculous stuff like this.... well, this, as well as burrowing. He loves to dive into the mountain of pillows on my bed. I swear, he just might be the world's largest groundhog!