First Coast Pet

Archive for May, 2009

When it comes to the matter of orphaned puppy care, there are many different things that you are going to have to know and take into consideration. After all, most of the time any orphaned puppies that you find are going to be very unhealthy, and so you are going to have to know how to properly and safely nurse them back to health.

About Orphaned Puppy Care

One of the first and most major things that anyone should know about orphaned puppy care is the fact that when you come across an orphaned puppy, you really have to make sure that you do not move them.

This is because before you can move them you have to see what is wrong with them, so that you can be sure that moving them is not going to make it worse.

Feel around their body lightly, to see if they make any noises when you go near certain areas, and if they are silent while you poke gently around, then most likely they do not have any broken bones and so you will generally be okay to move them, take them back to the shelter or your home, where you can provide further orphaned puppy care for them.

However, if they do whimper when you go near a certain area, then they may have bruising around there or they may even have a sprained or broken limb. Therefore, you are going to have to make sure that you have a veterinarian standing by who can tell you exactly what is going on and whether or not you should move them.

Just remember that orphaned puppy training is a wonderful thing, and if you are out there taking care of orphaned animals, then you are really doing something great for the world. There are so many cases around the world each day of people simply dropping off animals wherever they feel like it, without a care in the world.

These animals would not be able to make it on their own most of the time, particularly not when they are babies, such as puppies, and so the fact that there are people out there who are caring and willing to do something about this is truly a wonderful and fantastic thing.

Just make sure that you know what you are doing and that you never rush anything when you find an orphaned animal, because just like humans, you can worsen it if you rush it.

Labrador retrievers are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the United States today, primarily because their friendly disposition makes them an excellent choice as a family pet. This dog was originally bred in Newfoundland, Canada, and was used by fisherman to jump into icy waters and pull up nets. These dogs turned up in England in the 1800’s, and this is where the retrieving instincts of the breed were sharpened. Today, in addition to being a popular family dog, the Labrador retriever is used as a service dog for the disabled and as a drug detector for law enforcement organizations. If you are considering this type of dog for your next family pet, there are a few basics that you need to know about Labrador puppy training.

The Temperament of the Labrador Retriever

This breed of dog is extremely social and energetic, so a big part of your Labrador puppy care will be to provide your dog with plenty of room for running and lots of playtime with you. A large fenced yard is the best place for this type of pup to play, and you will want to have a few toys on hand that you can use to play fetch with your pup. Another important part of Labrador dog traing is to take him on many walks, but never allow your dog out of his confined space without a leash. Because Labrador retrievers have so much energy, the more exercise you offer to your pup, the easier it will be to train him.

Labrador retrievers are intelligent animals, so training needs to begin as soon as your puppy comes home. An obedience class is a good idea as part of your Labrador puppy care as well, and should be done as early as possible for best results. House breaking your puppy is one of the first types of training that you will do, and will require plenty of consistency and patience on your part for the best results. For more specific information about house breaking as a part of your Labrador puppy care, you can contact your breeder, veterinarian or consult sites on the Internet.

Socializing your Labrador Retriever

Labs are social and friendly creatures by nature, so most do very well in families with children and even other pets. Keep in mind that while this dog may bark if a stranger approaches, it may not make a particularly effective guard dog. Because of their social nature, these dogs can become bored and destructive when left to their own devices too often. If you are considering a Labrador retriever as a family pet, it is important for you to be prepared to spend plenty of time with your new pet as a part of your Labrador puppy care. This will ensure that you and your pup will start out a relationship on the right foot – or paw, as the case may be.

The problem of where to buy Parvaid doesn’t seem like it should be too hard – all you need to do is go to the local store and pick up a bottle.

Sorry, but you know that life is usually a lot more compex than that!

Parvaid is an herbal product that is free of both chemicals and synthetics. It is both safe and effective. Unfortunately, it is not a chemical-based drug, which means that most vets who are trained in Western Medicine entirely dismiss organic products as nothing but some alternative solution that can’t possibly work as it is not “FDA”-approved.

Herbal products classed as food supplements or botanicals, as in the case of Parvaid and all of the other products required to treat Parvo, do not need to be evaluated by the FDA and therefore do not have to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Whenever you run into non-traditional and non-mainstream products, you will find a wall of resistance. Most vets know practically nothing about organic treatments, and in many cases they will be rather dismissive of any product that wasn’t produced by a drug manufacturer as they receive plenty of financial incentives for promoting the big pharmaceutical companies’ drug; the small, independent herbalist, on the other hand, can’t match the payoff levels that a company the size of Pfizer, for example, can dangle in front of a struggling vet.

So, trying to get inexpensive herbal products into established distribution chains is not easy. The financial rewards are simply not there, there will be much less residual income, which is because herbal products normally provide long-term relief compared to drugs that produce multiple side-effects creating a scenario of even more drugs to counter-act the side-effects, and to continue to put a band-aid on the problems, to the point where you could end up taking pills and such for the rest of your life – which brings in a steady flow of cash each month.

What it boils down to is this – vets could get paid once (by really treating the problem and not the symptoms) or they could get paid many times, so it’s not too surprising that they choose the latter option.

Sadly, in this country we once had a proud tradition of using organic and natural products to solve all kinds of ailments, but a couple of hundred years ago, drugs began to appear, large marketing campaigns were launched proclaiming how fantastic drugs are and that they are the only path to good health, and so the propaganda machine went on full force.

The organic market could not then and by-and-large still cannot compete with fat cats and their deep pockets. If you brainwash people, day after day after day, with hype-filled ads that play on their emotions, they will get so worn down that they will come to believe the only viable solution is drugs.

The “pop a couple of pills and everything will be OK” mentality is all that most people know, because it’s what they grew up with. But nowadays bugs (i.e. bacteria, parasites, viruses, germs) are getting very strong and immune to conventional treatments. You may find it easier to get your hands on chemical-based products but you probably won’t get the type of relief that you need.

Products like Parvaid work with the body, and not against, it, to help it heal from within. If you could go to your local market and pick up this type of organic product, that would be great, but as there are no big companies willing to promote these “non-standard” treatments, you will not readily find these sorts of products in supermarkets, or even in any of the larger pet stores such as Pet Co or Pet Smart. You may, however, have some success if you look in small independent pet stores or feed stores.

Before you take this approach, there are a few facts you should be aware of first.

Most of the smaller retailers selling Parvaid just carry this product like any other product, and they know nothing about how it works or how to use it successfully. For them this is just another product on the shelf.

Now, in order to maximize your dog’s chance for a successful recovery, you will need to know how to use this product and you will also have to administer several home remedies for Parvo in conjunction. Retailers of this product simply will not have that body of knowledge or expertise.

Also the manufacturer requires a minimum of four (4) different products to treat sick Parvo dogs or exposed Parvo puppies as well as exposed adult dogs. Many retailers do not carry all of the required products.

So, here’s your dliemma: do you spend valuable time trying to hunt down a retail store within driving distance (which may be several hours away if you’re unlucky), in the hope that they stock all of the products you need, and then return home and try to cope by yourself as best you can, or you do buy the products online?

Now of course, if you buy from the retail store it would save some a bit of time (and perhaps some money as you would not have to pay for shipping – just gas and time), but you will not get any support whatsoever. If anything does go wrong, because no matter how good the products are (and they are!), some dogs don’t respond to the standard treatment protocols for any number of reasons and therefore need adjusted dosage schedules, you’ll probably find that you’ll get no help from the store you bought the products from as they simply won’t have the knowledge and experience that you’ll need.

If you buy Parvaid online, then you have to examine who is selling the products, how much experience do they have should you need help, which is most of the time, and how trustworthy is their website.

The Internet is well known for being a place where websites will take your money and run, without ever delivering what you ordered.

One way you can tell is to look for the quantity of Parvo information that is on their website. If you can’t find very much (and on some sites, you’ll find none at all), then it’s highly likely that these are nothing more than a few additional products to them, which in turn means they’ll know very little about Parvo and its treatment

Also, check to see what types of shipping methods are available. If they only offer USPS Priority Mail for example, that means they have no clue about how deadly this virus is and time is against you, so UPS or FedEx Overnight services are the ONLY acceptable shipping methods for sick animals.

We’ve dealt with 870 cases of Parvo (and counting), we will only use FedEx Priority Overnight (deliveries Monday through Saturday) if your dog is sick, we make available a 100+ page book that we wrote all about Parvo, called Parvo Treatment 101, which you can download to your computer instantly and completely free of charge, we have developed (and frequently update) the most comprehensive Parvo Home Remedy Plan that will help sustain your sick dog until your products can be delivered, and throughout the treatment schedule, that you will find anywhere on the Internet, and we are the only company who offer all customers completely free and unlimited 24 x 7 phone support and personal coaching.

If your property is infected with Parvo, assuming you have dogs, or with Feline Distemper, if you have cats (because, unfortunately, dogs can pass Parvo on to cats, where it manifests itself in the form of Feline Distemper, also known as Feline Panleukopenia), then it is more than likely that you will need some support (maybe at 3:00am on a Sunday morning, when you won’t be able to contact most vets or retail stores, of course) to help you through this horrific ordeal.

If you have not already done so, please visit ParvoBuster to help get your pets back on their feet again, and don’t forget to check out the many Parvaid testimonials that other satisfied customers have left.

You have to admit it, the first you saw that little Akita dog in a pet store, you know you’re in love with it, right? That’s why, it’s now sleeping there like a log in your living room carpet. My, just look how lovely and angelic your Akita dog is but you know very well that once it has awakened from its deep slumber, it’s going to turn into one hell of a little devil he is, just like what he’s doing ever since you brought him home. Now, you’re thinking about learning some Akita information including how to train him the right way, right? But first of all, you have to know and put in your mind that dogs are dogs and Mother Nature have made them the way they are supposed to be. The only thing you need now is learn how to train him and make him behave the way you want him to be.

So, the very first thing you have to do is to look for someone who can do the right Akita dog training, correct? Well, partially, yes. You see, a lot of dog owners today would prefer to train their own dogs in their own pace and time. One of the prime reason for this is, they wanted to build stronger and lasting relationship and bonding with their furry best friend. An Akita dog owner is not far from everyone else. Certainly, a certified Akita owner will really try to find some good information of an Akita dog breed and learn, not just how to train him but how to feed him, how to care for him and how to make his best friend truly the “bestest” best friend of all.

So, how can he manage to go through this kind of training? First of all, he can find a book guide on the Net that tells all about the essential Akita information and learn it in his own pace and time. As a matter of fact, there are dozens of Akita dog training guide that has been promoted and circulating all over the Web and to help you decide which one to choose, you should need to read some product reviews first.

Of all of the types of dogs, Pit Bulls have gotten a bad rap when it comes to their temperament, and what kinds of dogs they become as they get older. This means that for those that are looking for pit bull puppy care, the most important thing for them to worry about should be socialization and puppy training. Yes, it is important to take care of your puppy properly, including feeding the correct food and doing the correct things for dog training, but with pit bull puppy care socialization is going to be the most important thing you can do.

How To Do It?

There are many mistakes that people make with pit bull puppy care. First of all, some people buy a pit bull because they are rumored to be mean and to be a fighting dog, and this is what the people want. When this happens, the owners tend to get into pit bull puppy care in the way that they would want their pit bull to behave. This means that they will play roughly with their pit bull puppy, and try to make him into something he is not. Playing rough and hitting or teasing a pit bull, or any dog, will make it mean and aggressive as it ages.

This means that the most important parts of pit bull puppy care are loving it and giving it socialization. A dog, any breed of dog, will end up being exactly the dog you treat it as when it is a puppy. If you act like you are fearful of the dog and want the dog to act aggressively towards you, even in jest, and this is your type of pit bull puppy care, you will find that your puppy grows up to be exactly what you treated him as.

Therefore, when you are looking at pit bull puppy care you need to socialize your puppy very much. You need to take him places and have him exposed to many different sounds and loud noises, as well as people. You need to expose him to children and other animals and make sure that he is able to handle the stress of meeting new animals without getting aggressive.

Remember your dog will be as you want him to be. This means that pit bull puppy care should include teaching him how to be kind and loving and gentle, and should not include teaching him how to be mean and aggressive.

Crate training benefits both your dog and yourself, the loving dog owner.  Your dog will be more loving and affectionate towards family members when he understands his boundaries.

A Crate Makes Housebreaking Easier

Since dogs in general do not like to sleep in their own mess, housebreaking will become much easier.  Dogs will develop better bladder control when confined to dog cages over a specific time.  He will learn when to relieve himself after taking him outside immediately after his release from his cage.

Generally, dogs are den animals that like their place to be quiet and clean.  It is good to keep in mind that puppies need to go frequently, so limit their time in the crate.

Destructive Behaviors Are Limited

Dogs naturally enjoy chewing.  Your dog needs to learn the things that are acceptable or not acceptable things to chew on. Since your dog is generally going to chew on something, would it not be better to chew on acceptable toys rather than your chair legs and shoes?  Therefore, by providing safe chew toys in his crate, you will protect your house from damage and also teach your dog acceptable things to chew on in the house.

A Crate Keeps Your Dog Safe from Household Hazards

Typically, a house contains many potentially dangerous objects for your dog.  You can be asking for trouble when you let your dog roam the house unsupervised.  Your dog may be tempted to chew on lethal objects like electrical wires or poisonous foods or plants.

Crate training your dog will bring you peace of mind since your dog will be out of danger when you’re not around to supervise him.

Traveling in a Car Is Safer

A crate-trained dog will rest in his crate during a car drive and make the trip for you and him safer and more peaceful. Containment will eliminate some possible distractions if you have a very active dog.

Provides your dog a little safe space (security) where they retreat to when they are tired, not feeling well or want to be alone.

Do you ever notice dogs sleeping under tables or desks?  Naturally, dogs like small enclosed spaces in your home that may mimic a den.  Dog crates can serve as a great refuge and excellent dens your dog can hangout in.  Crates will also prepare your dog from some potentially stressful situations like going to the vet.

Crate training is great for both your dog and you.  So why not buy a dog cage and start you crate training today!

Getting a new puppy is very exciting. It doesn’t take long, however, to realize that a new puppy takes more patience than you may have thought.  Potty training a puppy, including teaching him to go outside requires a lot of effort on your part. The biggest question new owners ask all the time is how to potty train a puppy.

If you try potty training your puppy to go outdoors too soon, say at one month, you will probably meet with little success.  Wait until your puppy is at least two months old to get started potty training in the great outdoors.  If the puppy is with its mother, you may have an easier task of training, as the puppy will tend to take its cues from the mother.  Otherwise, one thing you need to do is establish a routine.

Instead of running your puppy outside every few minutes, start with thirty minute intervals.  The times between going outside can be longer or shorter depending on your dog.  Then, take your puppy out around mealtime, so that your own meal will not be interrupted to jump up and run outside with your puppy.

Get a routine going and maintain it and you will have your puppy potty trained in no time.  Trust me; it seems to take forever if you don’t work with your dog on a schedule.  You and your puppy will be more happy with a schedule which you intend to stick with.

Some people feel that establishing a routine is just too excessive.  The reality is that it is a fairly simple thing to do, and it will help get your puppy trained.  It is the best way for your puppy to learn.  Just like potty training a child, your puppy will need to see and complete the process a number of times before it actually “clicks” that going outside means time to potty.

If your puppy refuses to go outside try your best to figure out the problem.  The first thing the dog has to learn to do is potty outside, not inside.  Once that is mastered you can begin to work on other puppy issues, like barking. Keep up and be persistent. In doing so, you will learn how to house break a puppy.

So you’re getting (or have gotten) a new family member!  With a new puppy comes new responsibilities. It is going to be up to you and the other members of your household to train, or perhaps teach is a better word, your pet the rules and regulations. You’re going to want him to learn specific commands and to behave in a certain fashion. And chances are that there are also behaviors that you are going to want to discourage or stop altogether. One of the secrets to quick and easy dog training is consistency.

To make your pet’s training as simple as possible, it’s necessary for all members of the family including the puppy to understand exactly what the rules of the household are. If possible, it would be advantageous to get the whole family together and outline what the rules of the house are going to be prior to bringing your new pet home.

The list might include things like the following:

The dog is not allowed on the beds
The dog is not allowed on the sofa
The dog is not allowed to jump on anyone
The dog is not allowed to beg at the table
The dog is to always sit before the door is open

Once you have a set of rules laid out that everyone understands you have to make a list of command words. Whatever words you decide to you use is not important, rather that everyone in the household uses the same words for each command. To achieve this, make a list of all the basic instruction words that you think you are going to need. Do not worry if you do not think of all the commands that might be necessary since you are most likely going to have to make additions to the list as time goes on anyways. It is probably also a good plan to post the list where everyone in the family can see it. In addition, if you do find that you have to add to the list, be certain that the rest of the family are aware of the new additions.

This may seem a little silly but look at an example situation where you and your spouse find the puppy on the sofa. You have been using the phrase “down” to teach the dog to lay flat on the ground, and you have been using the command word “off” to tell your pet that he is not allowed to sit on the couch. If your spouse tells the dog to “get down”, what is the dog going to do? Does he lie flat on the sofa? Or does he get up and move? You have confused the dog. This is why it is so important that all household members know exactly when and how to use each of the command words.

You also have to be certain that all members of the family follow the rules. It is not fair to the animal if one family member lets the puppy on the couch to watch TV and the others do not. The dog does not know which rule is correct and all your dog training efforts will be for not.

So to avoid these unnecessary confusing situations, train the family, preferably before you bring your new dog home.

Dog grooming can be very expensive if you visit a pet grooming salon. However, you must not compromise your pet’s hygiene and overall physiological and psychological health by ignoring its need to be well-groomed. Just like people, they also need some pampering and grooming every now and then so that they look and feel better.

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on dog grooming. It’s not that hard to groom your dog on your own right at home. Just buy some pets grooming supplies and read the following tips on how to groom your dog.

The place to start is with your dog’s coat. Cleaning and grooming your pet’s coat is essential if you want to keep pests such as fleas from making their home in it. One very essential pet supply is the soft-bristled brush. It’s important to give your dog a good brushing each day so that its coat doesn’t become matted. Regular brushing will also make the coat shiny because it stimulates and spreads the natural oils found in the coat. It prevents shedding because it removes dead and dying hair.

Also, the dog’s coat should be clipped every month or so, depending on the length. If you want to do this on your own, you need to have clippers or trimmers, scissors, a brush or a comb, a blow dryer, and towels.

The next step is giving your dog a bath. For this you’ll need a shampoo formulated for dogs, some soap, a comb and brush, and lots of towels. Prior to bathing, brush out the coat so it doesn’t get hopelessly tangled in the water. Your dog needs a bath once a month if it has long hair, and every two months if it has short hair. Sometimes it will need an extra bath if it’s been engaged in particularly messy activities. Routinely giving your dog a bath will keep fleas at bay, and help to avoid various skin conditions. And your dog will smell fresh and clean.

Dog grooming also involves nail clipping. Your dog’s nails grow just like yours and longer nails can do a lot of damage to your home. As well, they could break off, which can be a painful situation. So you need to trim your dog’s nails on a monthly basis. This is quite different from trimming your own nails since your dog’s nails are thicker and a different shape. A dog nail trimmer must be utilized. You’ll also need some powder to stop the bleeding if you should happen to cut your dog.

Twice a month, check your dog’s ears for fleas and infections. Then use warm water, mineral oil and cotton balls to get them clean.

Finally, not only people have to brush their teeth. Dogs too can get cavities and other unhealthy conditions on their teeth and gums. You need pet toothpaste and a toothbrush to clean the mouth twice a week.

Dog psychology is a fascinating subject and one we will explore today. Taking the time to understand your dog’s pysche a bit better will prove to be quite helpful in understanding your dog and in applying it when you train your dog.

When we learn to understand why a dog behaves and acts the way that he does , then we are essentially learning dog psychology. The way the dog-a descendant of the wolf- has adapted to human social organization is truly fascinating.

Dogs have learned to live with and obey humans through successful training. A dog learns that when he behaves well, he will be rewarded and this is one facet of creating a trusting bond and relationship between you and your dog.

The importance of understanding how wolves live plays a large part in understanding dog psychology. Wolves live in the wild in packs of two or more.The dictatorship system that the males and females use is strictly defined.

The leader or “alpha leader” of this system is almost always the biggest male in the pack.The alpha leader is eagerly followed by the other wolves with the utmost respect.

Thousands of years ago wolves were able to adapt domestically with man because of the similar social organization and instinctive mental or psychological structure. When it comes to dividing duties like feeding, some wolves track the animal, one stands guard, and one makes the attack.The alpha leader allows the other members of the pack to finish his “leftovers” when he has fed first and is satisfied.

As part of your household your dog views the members of the family as the pack.Your dog will be watching everyone closely until he can figure out who the alpha leader is and exactly where he fits into this new system.

He will be watching for clues such as the physical size of each family member as well as the tone of voice that each person speaks with.The way everyone interacts with one another is another clue your dog will watch for throughout the day.

It is essential to establish yourself (or another responsible adult in your household) as the alpha leader.The sooner this is established, the fewer behavioral problems you will see.

Establishing yourself or someone else as the alpha is not the only understanding that you need to have, but you need to also need to understand that your dog is at the bottom of your family’s heirarchy.

Without a hierarchal system in place, your dog will create one and put himself in charge. This is when a lot of dogs can become overly dominant and destructive. It needs to be very obvious to your dog that he is subordinate to everyone-including children.

Because of their small size and their dependency on adults, it is sometimes difficult for a dog to understand that he is lower ranked than children. Dogs can sometimes become very aggressive towards children for this reason and might even bite on occasion.

Your dog will realize he is subordinate to every other family member through disciplined training.Good quality dog training resources can help you with this process.

Remember, training does take time and effort, but it is definately worth it!

All the best with the process of training your dog.

Darcy Austin is editor in chief of Dog Obedience University, a comprehensive resource on dog obedience training.