Dog Help Blog

Dogs sniff, do you know, why?

Kadir — Sun, 15 May 2011 01:36:39 +0000

The dogs are excellent at smelling. The dogs are known their excellent olfactory capability. At times the same capability makes the owners nose wrinkle in disgust. The dog’s digs and rolls on some thing that is buried long back. It will smell a hell, is it not? Now, the owner will have the burden of cleaning the dog once again.

It is very common sight, the dog sniffing at the owner or other people or grass or food. Many won’t know the reason. The reason is nothing but the excellent capability of its special equipment, nose. Because of the special equipment only the primitive dogs survived. The olfactory sense of the dog helped them to smell the prey from longer distance and also helped the fury companion to escape from danger.

The dogs sniff a lot. By this they can smell the presence of other dog in the near distance. One could have noticed the dog sniffing the other dogs back. The dog does this to identify whether the other dog is friend to play with or foe to be wary off. Each dog has unique smell and the smell is very different from the other dog like finger print in human beings.

There is no doubt that the dog is the best friend of the human beings. The dogs will give their life if it is required to protect the owner from any danger. The dogs can also sense the emotional state of his master and behave accordingly. The extra-ordinary olfactory sense of the dog can very well differentiate the tears of pain and tears of joy. The dog will lean on you and snug at you, if they sense that you are sad. They are doing this to offer comfort to you to over come the sadness.

The dog also sniffs the stranger to know whether he is a danger to the house or friend of the owner. The dogs can easily tell you whether the pooch is pregnant or not. The furry friend can also find out whether the owner is well or not. This ability is not by sixth sense. This ability is by their extraordinary olfactory sense which is many times better than human beings. The dogs not only find out whether a women is pregnant or not, they can also find out find out certain type of cancer and other ailments by the special equipment, nose.

As you know the dogs help a lot in policing. The dogs are very effective in search and rescue operation, all because of extraordinary olfactory sense. The dogs can find the person who is buried under rubble or snow or any other. The dogs are very useful in narcotic squad and bomb squad. The dogs which are specially trained can find out the narcotic substance and alert the police to apprehend the person. Likewise the dogs can also help in defusing the bomb by identifying the location of the bomb using the excellent smelling ability. Kudos to the furry companion for the great help extended to the human beings. They deserve it for sure, is it not?

Protect your Dog with Pet Insurance Plans

Kadir — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:38:08 +0000

Sometime ago, if you told someone that you would be getting pet insurance for your dog, that person would have advised you to avoid wasting money. But the insurance industry has surely changed! Pet insurance has become something inevitable owing to the rise in cost of pet care and treatment. Even animal welfare groups are aggressively promoting pet insurance plans these days. The reality is that most of us cannot afford the type of care that is offered at modern veterinary hospitals. On the other hand, we have pet health insurance to help. Pet owners like you will never have to miss out on a pricey but crucial treatment for insurance dogs.

What do you get with Pet Insurance?

Most of the pet insurance plans present coverage for illnesses, cancer, surgery, hospitalization, accidents, lab and diagnostic tests including MRI, X ray scans and medication. A number of pet insurance plans also offer coverage for breed related and genetic issues, chronic and persistent ailments and alternative treatments like homeopathy, holistic therapy and acupuncture.

Please note that you may get partial coverage for behavioral therapies and prescription diets – this depends on the type of plan you go for. You can also get coverage for office visits, routine care and treatments, spaying or neutering. In point of fact, routine care coverage is something handy because you can channel all the pet health costs via a single avenue. You can also try dog liability insurance that covers for any damages caused by your dog. But you should know that pet insurance offers no cover for cosmetic or preventive treatments like tail docking, de clawing, veterinary expenditures linked to pregnancy, experimental procedures, pre existing ailments, dental procedures etc.

By and large, pet insurance may be right for some and may not be suitable for some others. That’s why you need to consider the dog’s specific needs, like his chronic ailments and age. You must also mull over your personal finances. A full coverage plan will cost a lot more than a mere accident insurance plan. And you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of preventive care insurance – this is especially useful for the pups.

If you are sure that you need pet insurance, once you have a prepared list of issues that are to be covered as well as the monthly premium you can pay for — it would be much simpler for you to go through all the pets best insurance plan options.

How to Spot Lyme Disease Symptoms in Dogs?

Kadir — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:01:13 +0000

By learning how to spot the symptoms of Lyme Disease you will be able to put off some serious medical conditions in your dog. It is important to know the particulars and symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs. Lyme Disease can happen in your pet as well as you. Without timely treatment, the disease paves way to problems in various areas of the body of your dog. The areas affected may include kidneys, heart, and also the joints. Sometimes, it may also lead to neurological issues. More often than not, Lyme disease is linked with symptoms like high fever, lameness, distended lymph nodes and a lack of desire for food.

Lyme Disease Symptoms and Types

Others, in the meantime, may get acute lameness, which stays only three to four days but comes back days to weeks later. Dog illnesses and symptoms in this case are typified by lameness in one leg, with a return to standard function, and another leg is then caught up. In the absence of treatment, the condition may lead to glomerulonephritis, which causes inflammation and associated dysfunction of the kidney’s glomeruli (basically, a blood filter). Sooner or later, complete kidney failure is caused and the dog starts to show such signs as diarrhea, vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss, more urination and thirst, fluid upsurge in the abdomen and fluid increase in the tissues, particularly the legs and beneath the skin.

Other symptoms linked with Lyme disease include rigid walk with an arched back, Sensitivity to touch, trouble in breathing, Fever, lack of appetite, and depression might come with inflammation of the joints and so on. Watch out for lethargy or any other mysterious changes in your dog’s behavior. Be alert for confusion, anxiety, and even seizures. Check if there is an extended or swollen abdomen, breath that smells like ammonia, and increased or severely reduced urination. Also, see that you look for pet insurance plans and carry out the daily check and elimination of ticks on your dogs.

Author Bio

The author is an ardent dog care enthusiast who also writes articles on various dog issues such as dog illnesses and symptoms, how to plan health of dogs, pet insurance plans, dog day care and the like.

Duration of Dog Mating is Long: Why?

Kadir — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:45:30 +0000

The bitch in heat will produce phermones that will attract males. Many males will surround a female dog living in the street. The female dog will select a male and allow a single male to mount. The male dog will sniff and lick her vulva it means that she is receptive of the male’s attention. Females will allow the males to mate only during oestrus cycle, which will last for approximately twenty-one days and this cycle usually occurs every six to seven months. Unlike females, male dogs would always be ready to mate.

Female dog will flag or hold the tail to one side, so that the male can easily penetrate the vulva. Male dog’s don’t need erection to penetrate as its penis contains a bone called baculum. Once the penis enters, blood will surge to the erectile tissues at the base of the member. There will be a clamping response in the vulva once the penis swells up with blood. Now the member will be trapped and both the dogs will stuck together for long period, say, 30 minutes. Immediately after penetration and swelling of its member, the male dog usually swings the legs over the bitch. This will made the dogs to face opposite directions while mating is progressing.

After 30 minutes, once the dog has complete ejaculated, both dogs will disengage. The sperm will transferred inside the vulva to make the female pregnant 100%.

Top Five Things That made your dog get Annoyed

Kadir — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:44:37 +0000

I am damn sure that you will adore your dog like anything. But have you ever thought why your pet bark at all hours, hump the pastor’s leg or gnaw your kids’ shoes? There are numerous things you do to make your dog howl. I have listed below top five things that made your dog annoyed.

1. Sleeping Late

Your Max and Fluffy don’t know why you sleep late on weekends at the cost of their walking and sniffing time. Dogs are always time consious. They will always stick on time. Yes!!! They believe that their jpb is to keep owners on the proper schedule.

2. Forcing a Car Ride

Don’t think all the dogs love car drive. Loving or hating the driving based on what happens during or after the ride. Always use the car drive for positive experiences like dog park, atop at drive-in restaurant for a tasty treat rather to trip to vets’ office.

3. Bad Weather Walking

Just like you, dogs also hate going out in bad weather. If you force them to do so, your dog will get annoyed. The bad weather includes romping in snow, going out in the rain. Try to cover your dog with jacket or raincoat to protect dog from bad weather. This will reduce barking. Even you can try to build indoor-potty zone for small breeds that will get affected with chill easily outside.

4. Pusing Him Outside

Most of the dogs love to spend outside during conducive leather. But leaving them alone will hurt his feelings. Incarcerating oustside alone will dig, jump, or climb fences to see you or find company. If you chain him, the dog will get annoyed and pushing him to extreme situation of aggression.

5. Misconstruing His Bark

Barking is a method of communication of boredom, excitement and alarm. Usually, the owner will shout – “Shut up!”. This will increase your dog’s barking. Lonely dogs will bark to releive boredom by talking to themselves. If you pat your dog with “Good Bark”, then he knows you heard him. Then, it will become quiet.

How to Control Submissive Urination in Dogs?

Kadir — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:59:45 +0000

Have you ever experienced submissive urination in your dog? It is nothing but when you back home form work, your dog flip belly up and urinate. I have experienced this problem with my Golden retriever. I have consulted my vet. he gave few wonderful and useful idea that helps me a lot to prevent this problem. Today I am going to share those solutions for submissive urination in dogs for your kind perusal

1. Ignore your dog completely when you come home, direct your dog directly to the outside, go out or wait till dog urinates then give them your attention justly deserved after returning home. With young dogs/pups sometimes there urination control muscle has not yet developed and will come with time. But the same holds true with older dogs who have lost some control.

2. Don’t intimidate your submissively urinating dog.

3. Once you come home, do not get over excited and speak gently.

4. Dogs often mirror the behavior they are shown, so if you and your company are quiet and calm and ignore the dog, it will help your dog learn to acclimate without becoming overly excited!

5. If possible, get him outside to potty where it is appropriate.

How Well Is Your Dog Groomed?

Kadir — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:35:58 +0000

How Well Is Your Dog Groomed?

The reason one should groom his/her Dog is simple – your dog’s physical state influences the way he feels and the way you look at your dog. Extreme cases, where lack of proper care, cleaning and grooming can directly affect the behavior of your Dog, are not rare.

Proper grooming not only infuses a healthy glow to your dog’s appearance, but also helps develop his self-esteem; while it makes you a very proud parent, when you show off your Dog to others.

The first step involved in dog grooming is: Brushing!

Brushing has been universally acknowledged by expert dog groomers as the single most important step in grooming.

The benefits of brushing are many. To name a few:

Better blood circulation
Shinier and healthier coat
Better bonding

Subscribe to this FREE dog grooming mini course and learn more about brushing and combing and other grooming tools and their applications.

Even if you know how crucial brushing is for your Dog’s health and well-being, we all know that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing anything. And without doubt, you would like to do everything the RIGHT way when it comes to your Dog.

Yes, there’s a method to follow while brushing your Dog.

Here are FIVE steps to successfully brushing your Dog that will prove to be extremely useful:

Brush against the growth of the hair first with a slicker brush and then with a medium or wide-toothed comb.
The slicker brush removes all the loose hair and the comb takes care of the tangles.
Brush your Dog along the hair growth and make sure you reach the skin as you brush his way.
Then use a flea comb over the coat to get the fleas and remove any remaining tangles. Part the coat and start from the root and then comb through.
If your Dog’s paw pads are hairy, then clip them using electric clippers. Do not clip the hair in between the pads. Clip only the excess hair.

Brush your Dog’s hairs to prevent it from matting. Matting can be a very painful experience.

Regular brushing untangles the matted hairs on your Dog’s coat. Since this is a risky job to do, the best way out is to prevent them from forming in the first place. And doing this is simple: just brush and comb your Dog regularly. If and when you see any mats or tangles, use a detangle solution and a medium-toothed comb.

Don’t wait until your Dog is dirty or matted to introduce him to grooming. That would make him associate the experience with unpleasantness. Moreover, many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an alternate form of petting, i.e. another source of affection and attention.

Subscribe to this FREE dog grooming mini course and start Grooming your Dog all by yourself right from the comfort of your home Today.

Is Your Dog Potty Trained Enough?

Kadir — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 20:33:32 +0000

House Training a puppy or adult Dog is such an essential issue for its owner that even a single exclusive tip turns out to be extremely helpful.

The first step in making your Dog fit for polite company would be to potty train him. Some see this training as a hassle and some as a challenge.

For me, it is part of bringing up a pet.

Click here to subscribe to a FREE course on housetraining puppies and dogs.

There are a few things you need to know before you actually start potty training a puppy or adult Dog. I enumerate these below:

You need to understand your dog’s body language. Watch for signs that will indicate to you when your pet wants to eliminate.

If you own puppies, remember that they need to go potty at fairly frequent intervals – as soon as they wake up, after short naps, after play-time, after meals, before and after being crated and finally, before retiring for the night.

Take your Dog for walks at the time that he usually does his potty. Take him out to the yard and then to the same place there every time he needs to answer nature’s call.

Praise your Dog after he eliminates at the right place. Some Dog owners even give treats to their dogs. But remember to do this every time he does it right. He will relate the rewards to his having “done it right” and zero in on the spot where you want him to defecate regularly.

With time, you can try signal training. This is so that you know when your doggie wants to go. You can hang a bell at his level near the door and teach him to push it with his nose or pat it with his paw on his way out.

Until your Dog has been fully potty trained keep him under strict vigilance. Do not let him roam around the house freely.

Use a crate. A crate-trained Dog is usually very happy to get his own den. The advantage of crating is that dogs do not soil the place where they sleep. So, he will naturally not eliminate inside the crate.

If you have a small dog and if you live in a high-rise building or in a place that does not have a proper backyard, you can try litter pan training. What you do is create a space for your pet to eliminate in your house itself.

Use positive reinforcements while housebreaking puppies or adult dogs. Do not scold or hit him as you will gain nothing by doing that. He will only associate punishment with your return from outside. If you catch him in the act, a stern ‘NO’ or ‘FREEZE’ will do. It will startle the Dog enough for him to stop pooping.

Be prepared to return to a soiled home if you are keeping your Dog home alone for more than 4 hours as separation anxiety is quite common among home – alone dogs.

Accidents will happen. It is unusual for a trained adult Dog to work against its house training. But medical problems or health disorders may lead to sudden accidents.

Many dogs mark their territory. These can be a leg of a table or a particular wall. Intact male and female dogs mark their territories by urinating. Use deodorizers to spray on the places where your Dog has marked.

If you are patient and are ready to accept that house training a dog takes time, even months sometimes, you will end up having a good housetrained Dog.

Click here to subscribe to a FREE course on house training puppies and dogs.

Now we will move on to how to potty train puppies and adult dogs.

Potty Training A Puppy:

Irrespective of breeds, housetraining a puppy is considered to be one of the biggest challenges by dog owners. If you think housetraining your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers, then think again.

A puppy does not develop full control over his bladder until it is over 4 or 5 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burn more calories and need to eliminate more frequently than an adult Dog.

After each nap, meal, drink or play, take your puppy to his designated area (indoors or outdoors, wherever you have decided) and stay there until it eliminates. Then bring him to his crate.

Repeat this situation everyday until he has developed a habit out of it.

Click here to subscribe to a FREE course on housebreaking a puppy.

Potty Training An Adult Dog:

The best way to housetrain an adult Dog is to begin all over again.

Observe him very closely. Maybe even maintain a diary of where he goes and when. Whether he is pooping when you are home or only when you are outside; whether you can time yourself to be home when he feels the need to go outside.

You can try dog crates, but be careful to introduce him gradually to them.

Click here to subscribe to a FREE course on potty training a dog.

Remember, commitment, consistency and intelligent use of positive reinforcement will make you the owner of a perfectly housetrained Dog. Don’t expect miracles. You will only be disappointed.

Get this FREE course on potty training a dog.

Get this unique Housetraining guide and start Housebreaking Your Dog Today.

Training Your Dog to Listen to You

Kadir — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:29:35 +0000

Why Won’t My Dog Listen To Me?

This is a common question that most first-time Dog owners ask me. Before I answer your question, let me ask you a few instead:

Do you use cookies, collars, head halters or clickers to make your Dog listen to your commands?

Do you have to raise your voice every time you want your Dog to listen to you?

Does your Dog always come or sit on command – anytime and anywhere you want him to?

If your answers are mostly in the negative, its time you seriously reconsider your role as a sincere Dog trainer and an ideal pet parent.

Learn how to bond with your Dog with this free mini course.

Get Your Dog To Listen To You

Before you begin any training, you must first establish yourself as the "ALPHA dog" of your family. Your Dog must know that you’re the leader of the pack and it is YOU who is in charge.

Here is a list of simple DO’s and DONT’s that you must follow if you want to be the Alpha:

Always go out or come in through the door first – remember you are the leader;

Always eat first – give your Dog something to eat only after you’ve finished your meal;

Don’t circle around your Dog when he is lying on the floor – make your Dog move out of your way instead;

Don’t let your Dog set the rules – pay attention to him when you think fit and not whenever he demands;

Don’t permit your Dog to sleep with you in your bed – demarcate his sleeping area clearly.

Once you successfully established yourself as the Alpha, training your Dog and making him listen will be a lot easier than you can imagine. Remember, if your Dog does not learn to "listen", all your training efforts will be in vain!

Does your Dog know his name? Does your Dog look at you whenever you call him by his name? This is the first and the most critical step involved in Dog Training. If your Dog doesn’t respond to his name, you cannot have his attention for teaching him any other commands.

To make sure that your Dog recognizes his name, take a treat in your hand and hold it away from your body. Call your Dog’s name. He is most likely to look at the treat in your hand. Continue calling his name untill he turns and looks at your eyes. Give him the treat immediately. Repeat this exercise by holding the treat in the other hand. Once you’re sure that your Dog has learnt to recognize his name, just call his name and reward him for looking at you by petting or with a hug.

You must understand that Dogs respond far better to positive reinforcement than they do to coercion or force.

Learn how to train your Dog better with this free mini course.

How to take care of your pet?

Kadir — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:06:49 +0000

Pets are often a human’s best friend. It can be a dog, a cat, a bird or simply a fish. But a difference between your human best friend and your animal best friend is that the former is self-dependent while the latter requires you to take its responsibility. Having a pet can actually add a lot of life to your house. Imagine you return from your office completely exhausted and your entire spirit totally drained out. As you enter the gate, your pet dog comes running to you wagging its tail so vigorously that it almost seems like it’s going to hurt him. It nearly jumps on you simulating a hug and clings onto you making cute little sounds, pushing its wet nose against your hands and licking you at the same time. Isn’t that a scene worth watching? Don’t you feel totally invigorated after that jocund greeting? This is exactly what the presence of a pet does to you and your house. It reduces your stress, gives you an emotional pump and many times a better physical health too.

Remember, your pet is not a show piece. It is a living being. It eats drinks, moves around and plays. It also gets angry, falls sick and feels sad. So, merely buying a pet and cuddling it everyday, won’t put a full stop to your responsibilities. You need to take special care of it and give it a lot of attention. Here help is at hand, providing you with some tips on the things you need to do for keeping your pet in good shape.

Be it a cat, a dog, a rabbit or a bird, you need to train it well. Unless you do this, both of your lives will be hell. It is very important to build a good communication between you and your pet. Like if your dog poops on your favorite bed sheet, all it needs is a dog whisperer potty training. Dog whisperers are experts on canine communication. You can hire them for the first few weeks till your pet learns all the ways. Likewise, you get trainers for all kinds of pets.

Give your pet proper food and water. Do not over-feed or under-feed them. Keep them clean. Give them proper baths and if they are furry, brush them regularly. Use special pet products to nurture them. Ensure their kennel, cage or basket is in good condition.

Spend quality time with them else they will lose their mirth. For mammals, you will need a proper space for its physical exercise. Also be regular with their vaccines. Try to predict when your pet is getting ill. If you closely observe their behavior you will be able to figure this out. For example, a dog’s nose becomes dry and it responds slowly to your commands when it falls sick. Every pet becomes quiet when they are ill and when you notice such behavior, immediately take measures. Take it to a vet for proper treatment. It would be better if you don’t start your own diagnosis as a dog fever is very different from a human fever.

Keep your pets happy and help it to keep you happy!