Dog Health | Dog Training

Owning a puppy is a big commitment for all family members, especially in the first few days and weeks.

Puppy potty training is not a race, the key is to prevent mistakes and establish good habits early – dogs are creatures of habit.

From your dogs point of view there is no right or wrong place to go to the toilet, they feel like going and just do it. It is our job to clearly communicate and reinforce where it is acceptable to eliminate and also where it is not acceptable.

Opening your back door every couple of hours to let your puppy out will not house train your puppy.

A puppy’s natural instinct is to keep their bedding/sleeping area clean – the potty training method outlined below utilizes this knowledge to our advantage.

No matter how attentive and diligent you are in the house training process there is bound to be the odd slip up. Don’t worry about it just ensure that you clean mistakes up thoroughly, including the use of an odor neutralizer to take away any lingering smell.

My puppy house training strategy involves close supervision and confinement to start with but only so we can allow our puppies greater freedom and much sooner.

Understand your puppy’s capabilities and be realistic, keep in mind you are dealing with a very young animal. Young puppies can only hold on for so long before they need to go, they don’t have much control early on. As a general rule a puppy can hold on an hour for every month of his/her age, plus another hour. This means that a 2 month old puppy can be expected to hold on for three hours and at 3 months old this same pup could be expected to hold on for four hours at a time.

Develop a food and water schedule. Each day feed at the same time (never close to bed time) and take away your dogs water bowl before you go to bed (don’t forget to put it back first thing in the morning!). You’ll develop a routine this way and “what goes in on schedule comes out on schedule”, if you know what I mean…

 a condition that affects millions of dogs around the globe. It is a condition that causes intense anxiety, fear, and nervousness when the dog is separated from their human companions or pack leaders. As a result, many dogs with separation anxiety attempt to relieve their anxiety by digging, escaping, self mutilating, chewing, barking, or excessively whining.

In order to help your dog overcome dog separation anxiety, you will have to retrain him to deal with the anxious feelings that he experiences while you’re gone. For some dogs, medication may be needed, but for others behavior modification is best. In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of behavior modification as a way to counter condition your dog’s negative behavior and recondition him to not feel stressed and anxious upon your absence.

1. First of all, you must understand that separation anxiety is a medical condition that only gets worse with time. It is not something that you can ignore. Therefore, if your dog is experiencing the symptoms of dog separation anxiety, you should take him to the veterinarian right away. Your veterinarian will do a complete health exam and offer tips and possibly medication to assist him.

2. Second, don’t escalate the problem. This means that you must make a commitment to not spoil your dog. That is, you can’t enable his condition by giving him your undivided attention when you’re home. This just teaches him that your life revolves around his. For instance, if your dog follows you around all the time, then don’t let him. Encourage him to have his own interests and to play by himself. Give him accolades when he plays independently.

3. Third, engage in basic obedience training. That is, you must be careful not to respond to all his demands for attention and to only give him attention when you’re ready to give it to him. For instance, if your dog jumps on you for cuddles, gently push him away without making eye contact. Then when you’re ready for cuddles, you should do so on your own time. You can call him over to you and offer him your attention. Another example is if he constantly barks and whines, ignore him. This will demonstrate that you’re the “leader of the pack” and that negative behavior will not be tolerated.

4. Fourth, give your dog plenty of exercise every single day. Exercising him for about 15 minutes a day (especially before you get ready to leave) will inevitably tire him out and cause him to feel more relaxed and less stressed. After all, a tired dog is often a calmer one.

5. Fifth, in addition to not spoiling your dog, you should prepare him for departures. That is, most dogs experience separation anxiety quite intensely as soon as you leave home, so you should start paying less attention to him about 20 minutes before you leave. This will help you distance yourself from him and mentally prepare him for your departure. Another option is ignore him for 6-8 hours when you’re at home. This teaches him how to handle being alone and encourages him to entertain himself.

6. Lastly, you can try the following:

a. Only give him free access to a smaller part of the house and then extend that time as you notice a positive behavior change. Another suggestion is to use a crate when you’re away which can help him feel less anxious. The only exception to this is if a crate makes him feel more anxious. In that case, a baby gate may work better.

b. Give him some special treats when you leave. Most dogs love natural sterilized bones or a special squeaky toy. Another option is to make him a buried treasure box full of toys.

c. Put on tape recording of yourself talking, but make sure that you play the same tape when you’re at home, as well.

d. Dog proof the house. You should cover electrical cords, close toilets, doors, cabinets, etc. In addition, you can spray items with a terrible tasting spray like bitter apple to keep him from chewing on it when you’re gone.

 A researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, England, has proven that pets and their owners often look, think and act alike. Unfortunately, that’s not always a good thing; pets and humans can have similar weight problems.

It’s estimated that between 25 and 40 percent of dogs and cats and 31 percent of people in this country are overweight. The problem is even worse for pet horses; a recent study at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and Virginia Tech found roughly half were overweight.

What’s the solution? Add your pets to your own weight-loss resolutions for 2008. Having a companion will help you lose weight and improve your pet’s health. Studies have shown that people who exercise with friends are far more likely to keep up a workout regimen and that people diet more effectively with friends. Exercising with a four-legged friend results in a healthier pet owner, and can even help a human recover from surgery more quickly.

“What many of us assumed was true for decades has now been proven — taking a dog for a walk is healthy for both the dog and the dog’s owner,” says Dr. Roger K. Mahr, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), who has spoken out on the important linkages between animal and human health. “Many pet owners are probably more concerned about exercising their pets than they are about getting some exercise for their own health, but both will live a healthier life as a result. Pets don’t just improve your quality of life; they also improve your health.”

Just like humans, overweight dogs and cats are more likely to get a number of diseases and health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, skin conditions, liver disease, and joint problems. So putting yourself, Fido, Fluffy, and/or Flicka on a diet and exercise regiment will result in a better new year for everyone.

Here are some AVMA pet weight-loss tips:

* A visit to your veterinarian is the best way to determine if your pet is overweight, but there are a couple common sense guidelines. A dog should have a discernible waist without fat deposits, and ribs should be easy to feel while stroking a dog. In cats, if there is any rounding of the abdomen or bulging in the back, limbs, neck or face, you’ve got a fat cat.

* Carefully measure the food you give your pets and feed them at least twice a day. If the pet hasn’t finished their food in about 20 minutes, take the bowl away to discourage overeating. Dogs and cats fed once a day, or continuously, tend to be the fattest.

* Monitor the number and size of the treats you give in praise. A large dog treat can be over 100 calories, while a small treat has as little as 10 calories. If you can’t help but treat your beloved pet, break them in half to cut the calories.

* Diet pet foods are available but must meet certain standards to qualify for that designation. For instance, “low-calorie” dog food must be no more than 310 calories per cup for dry food or 90 calories per 1/2 cup wet, and “low-fat” or “lean” must be no more than 9 percent fat in dry food and 4 percent fat wet.

* High-fiber pet foods can help a pet’s diet by making your best friend feel full with fewer calories. No-salt, canned string beans can be added to either dry or wet food to provide bulk and fiber with very few calories.

* The more exercise the better; research has shown that dogs are 10 percent less likely to be obese for each hour of exercise they got every day.

* To exercise a cat, engage them with a feather, string or laser pointer, and try to get them running after a toy as they swat at it. To exercise a dog, consider agility training, play time with other dogs, and chasing a ball or Frisbee. There is no better exercise for dogs, horses and humans than a brisk walk.

* Hypothyroidism is a common cause of obesity in humans, dogs and cats, but it’s much easier to diagnose in humans. If your dog or cat is obese without a clear cause, make a veterinary appointment.

* Finally, if your pet is a little on the pudgy side, and you think it might benefit from an increased exercise regiment, see a veterinarian first. No exercise program should begin without a veterinary checkup. If your pet is more than 20 percent overweight, consult your veterinarian immediately

This is probably the most obvious item on the list, but providing routine shots and heartworm prevention is absolutely essential for your dog’s health. Countless dogs become ill each year with diseases that could have been prevented with inexpensive routine shots.

One fairly common dog health problem is items being lodged in the animal’s digestive tract. The best way to avoid this is to keep a close eye on what types of treats and toys you give your pet.

Do not give your pet regular stuffed animals as they may have parts, such as eyes, that can easily come off and be ingested by your dog.

Instead, only give him toys that are meant for use by dogs. Keep an eye on the toys and when they begin to fall apart, throw them away and replace them.

You should also be mindful about the types of treats that you give your dog. Do not allow your dog to have large treats, such as rawhide or pizzle sticks, unless you are in the room. This will help eliminate the chance of your dog choking on the treats.

Keeping your dog clean and well groomed is another way to ward off some common dog health problems. If the skin is dirty, it may become itchy. This could cause the dog to bite or lick at the skin, causing hot spots.

Keeping the dog’s nails trimmed to a proper length is also important. If the dog’s nails are not properly trimmed, that can lead to ingrown toenails.

Another health bonus to regularly bathing your dog is that it will give you a better chance of spotting problems with your dog’s eyes, ears and skin.

If you catch a problem early and seek treatment, there is likely to be a better outcome than if the problem is not caught until later.

Flea infestations are not only annoying, but they can also cause health problems in your dog. Some dogs develop an allergy to these insect’s bites that can lead to skin infection.

The best way to avoid such problems is to take steps to ensure that your dog does not suffer from a flea infestation.

One of the best ways of doing this is by applying a monthly topical flea preventative such as FrontLine or Advantage.

Some pet owners do not want to take on the expense of adding these products to their routine care, but failing to do so can result in your dog being infested with fleas and with the possible health problems that could result.