June 27, 2007
A Nursing Home for Pets?
The Associated Press had a story about Japan getting its first nursing home for dogs, which has round-the-clock monitoring by vets and some puppies to help the aging pooches feel younger. The dogs are fed a special fortified diet. Owners pay $800 a month to keep their pets at this nursing home. Truly, it sounds like a nice place to be, and the dogs will be fed good food, medication, and have socialization with puppies. I don’t know about your dog, but mine had little tolerance for puppies. Actually, that would work two ways, the old dog would be a teacher for the pups. The pups would be taught manners and “disciplined” by the old dogs; my old dogs were always awesome teachers of puppies.
Well this just brings all sorts of questions to my mind.
So the owners are tired of taking care of poor “Poopsie”, are they in effect, abandoning their dogs at this place? Is the $800 like a boarding fee? Could it be that poor old “Poopsie” has become incontinent and the owners don’t want to deal with the mess anymore? What happens when the family gets tired of visiting “Poopsie” in the doggie nursing home? Do they just stop coming, sort of like the relatives of residents in human nursing homes?
I’ve had dogs that I’ve groomed that were old and I wanted to adopt them, because I felt like I could take better care of them than their owners did.
Therefore, I do see the reasoning behind the nursing home idea. However, what about how the dog feels to be separated from his family? I know dogs adapt to new situations well, but that’s just the human in me feeling sorry for them being left. They would probably have a better situation, be regularly medicated, and I’m sure the staff would love them. I would think if someone were paying $800 a month for the dogs care, they would at least go visit.
Although, I do know of a couple of dogs that are in a posh kennel in Rockford, IL, that have an airline pilot for an owner, he pays the kennel extra to play with the dogs. At the time of my visit, it had been over a year and a half and he had never come to see them. He just sent checks. My heart broke for those dogs, thinking it would somehow be better for them to live in a real house, with people who loved them. However, not everyone thinks like me. So often, I see “the family dog” tied up in the backyard. No attention, just food, water and a dog house if it’s lucky. The law says that’s adequate care. You couldn’t do that to a human.
I would imagine that Poopsie’s quality of life would be enhanced at the nursing home, he would get pain relief medications and any other medications he would need. Which is more than most people do for their old dogs now anyway. Pets don’t even complain when they are in pain. You’ll never hear a dog whining about his troubles and expecting you to cater to him. Most dogs are stoic about pain. You have to really “KNOW” your dog, to see if he’s in pain.
If your dog has trouble rising or walking, or starts walking stiff-legged, especially on those rainy days, it could be arthritis. How many of you have arthritis? Don’t you take medication for your pain? Why wouldn’t you give your dog medication for his? Many senior citizens are on heart medications, and many senior dogs have the same heart ailments as people. In fact, one of my dogs is on heart medication now.
Pharmacies always act so surprised when you go there to pick up a prescription for your dog. Why? They take most of the same medications we do and the vets don’t always have a supply in their shops ready for us to buy. Is it so surprising that we give our pets medication?
Now if only dogs would draw Social Security and Medicare benefits to help pay for the nursing home fees and medications, that might make it worth it.
What do you mean dogs don’t work? Dogs do have jobs you know. They just aren’t paid. My dogs have the job of watching the house (home security system), barking when people come (doorbell), playing with the kids (physical education instructor), barking when the boys are roughhousing (referee), in effect, telling on them. They are all therapists, you can tell them anything, and they won’t tell a soul. You can cry on them, laugh at them, play with them, cuddle with them and you get unconditional love. They act as pillows or blankets on the bed or couch. They make great throw rugs on the floor, although you do have to step over them and not on them. They make good babysitters too, now if I could only get them to do laundry they’d be perfect. Dogs are worth so much more than $800 a month, but for all they do for me, I feel it’s MY job to take care of them when they age and begin to have difficulties. Luckily, I can.
June 13, 2007 Is the dog food recall over now?
June 13, 2007
Is the dog food recall over now?
Funny you should ask, with all the news about Paris Hilton going to jail, getting out of jail and going back to jail, there isn’t much on the news about more important issues such as our pets’ food supply, or our human food supply. The fact is it’s not over. Still daily, I get email updates on the latest recalls and as of today, Sunday, June 10th, there have been 588 different kinds of dog food recalled…that includes, canned, pouched, dry, and treats! In addition, 378 different kinds of cat food recalled! Including the same, canned, pouches, dry and treats!
June 6th - Ol'Roy has SalmonellaMay 17th - Recall of "Lick Your Chops"May 12th - Royal Canin adds 15 itemsMay 11th - Natural Ultramix recalledMay 4th - SmartPak extends recallMay 3rd - Over 200 items recalled by Menu FoodsApril 30th - Sierra Products/Harmony Farms listedApril 27th - Natural Balance recalledApril 27th - Chenango Valley Foods on listApril 27th - Diamond Pet Foods addedApril 26th - American Nutrition and Blue Buffalo addedApril 26th - SmartPak Canine RecalledApril 19th - Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin addedApril 18th - Wilbur-Ellis makes recallApril 17th - Natural Balance, Natural Life, and moreApril 12th - Science Diet extends listApril 10th - Menu Foods Recalls 9 more brandsApril 5th - Over 15 brands add more productsApril 2nd - Dingo recalledMarch 31st - Del Monte Dog treats addedMarch 30th - Alpo pet food recalled
This information is from www.nationalpetfoundation.com; new updates are coming out every day. Subscribe to the "Recall Email Update List" to get additional recall information within the hour it is reported.
New Recalls Coming . . .
There is an investigation by the FDA going on now that has found acetaminophen in pet food, that is the active ingredient in Tylenol® that can be deadly to animals, especially cats. Here’s the interesting part, the FDA wont say which brands of food has acetaminophen in it. They aren’t “releasing” that information yet. Nice, huh?
According to the website www.itchmo.com, there are some private individuals who have had their pet food tested by a lab, and it has shown cyanuric acid, and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) were in the samples they had sent in.
And if that isn’t enough, even your pet Goldfish isn’t safe!
Sergeant’s Pet Care Products is recalling some production lots of Atlantis Goldfish Flake Food and Atlantis Tropical Fish Flake Food due to melamine being found in these specific products (approximately 20-80 parts per million). The fish food that is being recalled is for pet/ornamental fish and not used to feed fish intended for human consumption.
Here are the products that are being recalled:
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 2.25 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.75 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 2.15 oz.
Atlantis® Color Enhance Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Betta Food, 1.2 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
So, you thought you’d play it safe and give your dog some hamburger and rice to feed him, because the recalls of pet food have been scaring you. Guess what?
It has been announced the E.Coli has been found in ground beef, and over LOS ANGELES - Southern California meatpacker United Food Group LLC expanded a recall to include 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday.
Fourteen people in six Western states have fallen ill after eating the beef but all have recovered, the department said.
The beef was butchered and shipped in April, and is no longer on store shelves.
You can find that information on this recall on either of the previously listed websites as well.
Frankly, all these recalls are making my blood boil. What really “frosts my flakes” is that none of these recalls seems to be “news worthy.”
I keep talking to my clients, and none of them were aware the recall is still ongoing! I’ve had clients tell me “oh well I’m safe because I feed xyz brand…” then I pull out my fourteen page list of recalled dog food and my 12 page list of recalled cat food and show them that indeed their “xyz” brand is on it.
I know I don’t get to watch much television, or read any news, but I do hear about things from my clients, and my computer, and there just isn’t enough information out there. I’m still feeding my old faithful, mail order dog food brand that is made with human grade ingredients, and so far so good. People assume that because they feed an expensive brand of dog food, that they are safe. They couldn’t be more wrong.
This recall affects expensive brands, inexpensive brands, generics, popular brands, and the list grows and grows. You need to know, WHAT ingredients are in your pet’s food, WHERE it is manufactured, and IF it’s been recalled, or if it may be soon.
If your pet is showing ANY unusual symptoms, please don’t just assume that is because of old age. I have a client with a twenty-year-old toy poodle. They lost their other two dogs because they had been feeding them food that was recalled, but they didn’t know that at the time. When the twenty-year-old dog started going downhill, it was naturally assumed that it was because of his age. Luckily, they found out about the recalls, stopped feeding the dog pet food, and started cooking for him, the formerly lethargic, ancient dog that was dying, started to perk up. He runs around like a puppy now! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking or acting so good. In fact, he just turned twenty-one! She jokes that he can now go to a bar and have his first drink. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to drive home and end up like Paris Hilton.
Is the dog food recall over now?
Funny you should ask, with all the news about Paris Hilton going to jail, getting out of jail and going back to jail, there isn’t much on the news about more important issues such as our pets’ food supply, or our human food supply. The fact is it’s not over. Still daily, I get email updates on the latest recalls and as of today, Sunday, June 10th, there have been 588 different kinds of dog food recalled…that includes, canned, pouched, dry, and treats! In addition, 378 different kinds of cat food recalled! Including the same, canned, pouches, dry and treats!
June 6th - Ol'Roy has SalmonellaMay 17th - Recall of "Lick Your Chops"May 12th - Royal Canin adds 15 itemsMay 11th - Natural Ultramix recalledMay 4th - SmartPak extends recallMay 3rd - Over 200 items recalled by Menu FoodsApril 30th - Sierra Products/Harmony Farms listedApril 27th - Natural Balance recalledApril 27th - Chenango Valley Foods on listApril 27th - Diamond Pet Foods addedApril 26th - American Nutrition and Blue Buffalo addedApril 26th - SmartPak Canine RecalledApril 19th - Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin addedApril 18th - Wilbur-Ellis makes recallApril 17th - Natural Balance, Natural Life, and moreApril 12th - Science Diet extends listApril 10th - Menu Foods Recalls 9 more brandsApril 5th - Over 15 brands add more productsApril 2nd - Dingo recalledMarch 31st - Del Monte Dog treats addedMarch 30th - Alpo pet food recalled
This information is from www.nationalpetfoundation.com; new updates are coming out every day. Subscribe to the "Recall Email Update List" to get additional recall information within the hour it is reported.
New Recalls Coming . . .
There is an investigation by the FDA going on now that has found acetaminophen in pet food, that is the active ingredient in Tylenol® that can be deadly to animals, especially cats. Here’s the interesting part, the FDA wont say which brands of food has acetaminophen in it. They aren’t “releasing” that information yet. Nice, huh?
According to the website www.itchmo.com, there are some private individuals who have had their pet food tested by a lab, and it has shown cyanuric acid, and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) were in the samples they had sent in.
And if that isn’t enough, even your pet Goldfish isn’t safe!
Sergeant’s Pet Care Products is recalling some production lots of Atlantis Goldfish Flake Food and Atlantis Tropical Fish Flake Food due to melamine being found in these specific products (approximately 20-80 parts per million). The fish food that is being recalled is for pet/ornamental fish and not used to feed fish intended for human consumption.
Here are the products that are being recalled:
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 2.25 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.75 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 2.15 oz.
Atlantis® Color Enhance Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Betta Food, 1.2 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
So, you thought you’d play it safe and give your dog some hamburger and rice to feed him, because the recalls of pet food have been scaring you. Guess what?
It has been announced the E.Coli has been found in ground beef, and over LOS ANGELES - Southern California meatpacker United Food Group LLC expanded a recall to include 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday.
Fourteen people in six Western states have fallen ill after eating the beef but all have recovered, the department said.
The beef was butchered and shipped in April, and is no longer on store shelves.
You can find that information on this recall on either of the previously listed websites as well.
Frankly, all these recalls are making my blood boil. What really “frosts my flakes” is that none of these recalls seems to be “news worthy.”
I keep talking to my clients, and none of them were aware the recall is still ongoing! I’ve had clients tell me “oh well I’m safe because I feed xyz brand…” then I pull out my fourteen page list of recalled dog food and my 12 page list of recalled cat food and show them that indeed their “xyz” brand is on it.
I know I don’t get to watch much television, or read any news, but I do hear about things from my clients, and my computer, and there just isn’t enough information out there. I’m still feeding my old faithful, mail order dog food brand that is made with human grade ingredients, and so far so good. People assume that because they feed an expensive brand of dog food, that they are safe. They couldn’t be more wrong.
This recall affects expensive brands, inexpensive brands, generics, popular brands, and the list grows and grows. You need to know, WHAT ingredients are in your pet’s food, WHERE it is manufactured, and IF it’s been recalled, or if it may be soon.
If your pet is showing ANY unusual symptoms, please don’t just assume that is because of old age. I have a client with a twenty-year-old toy poodle. They lost their other two dogs because they had been feeding them food that was recalled, but they didn’t know that at the time. When the twenty-year-old dog started going downhill, it was naturally assumed that it was because of his age. Luckily, they found out about the recalls, stopped feeding the dog pet food, and started cooking for him, the formerly lethargic, ancient dog that was dying, started to perk up. He runs around like a puppy now! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking or acting so good. In fact, he just turned twenty-one! She jokes that he can now go to a bar and have his first drink. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to drive home and end up like Paris Hilton.
May 30, 2007 Do dogs go to Heaven?
May 30, 2007
Do Dogs go to Heaven?
Losing a beloved pet is an unfortunate part of life. When our animals pass away it seems so soon, so unfair and why can’t they live longer? For many people, myself included, our pets are part of our family. I can’t imagine a house without my pets. When you lose a pet, that emptiness surrounds you and even though you are sure you will never want another one, when you least expect it sometimes, another pet finds you, and you start all over again.
It’s never easy losing a pet. Facing the thought of euthanasia is daunting to most people. The guilt of playing executioner looms over us. Yet, it is humane and kind and ends suffering. I recently had the honor; yes, it was an honor, to help a friend who just could not take her dog on that last trip to the vet. I took him and stayed with him until the end. He was held gently and loved. He was kissed and spoken to softly, and told how much his family and I loved him. He passed quietly and peacefully. I know the pain of losing pets, and I know how hard it is to make that final trip. It was an act of love for him and for my friend. I gave her a card with “The Rainbow Bridge” poem on it. Rainbow Bridge is a place pets go to wait for their owners when they pass away. When the owner passes away, they are reunited with their beloved pets so long from our memory but never long from our hearts and they cross the bridge together into Heaven.
Do pets go to Heaven? There is no definitive answer in the Bible to say for sure, that is really up to us to decide. This is what I choose to believe:
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.
He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white, stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road, which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.
There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing,” the traveler said, "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too!"
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Well, doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” the traveler asked.
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
Author Unknown
Do Dogs go to Heaven?
Losing a beloved pet is an unfortunate part of life. When our animals pass away it seems so soon, so unfair and why can’t they live longer? For many people, myself included, our pets are part of our family. I can’t imagine a house without my pets. When you lose a pet, that emptiness surrounds you and even though you are sure you will never want another one, when you least expect it sometimes, another pet finds you, and you start all over again.
It’s never easy losing a pet. Facing the thought of euthanasia is daunting to most people. The guilt of playing executioner looms over us. Yet, it is humane and kind and ends suffering. I recently had the honor; yes, it was an honor, to help a friend who just could not take her dog on that last trip to the vet. I took him and stayed with him until the end. He was held gently and loved. He was kissed and spoken to softly, and told how much his family and I loved him. He passed quietly and peacefully. I know the pain of losing pets, and I know how hard it is to make that final trip. It was an act of love for him and for my friend. I gave her a card with “The Rainbow Bridge” poem on it. Rainbow Bridge is a place pets go to wait for their owners when they pass away. When the owner passes away, they are reunited with their beloved pets so long from our memory but never long from our hearts and they cross the bridge together into Heaven.
Do pets go to Heaven? There is no definitive answer in the Bible to say for sure, that is really up to us to decide. This is what I choose to believe:
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.
He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white, stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road, which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.
There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing,” the traveler said, "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too!"
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Well, doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” the traveler asked.
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
Author Unknown
May 16, 2007 Dog Walking 101
May 16, 2007
Dog Walking 101
While taking my son to 4H dog obedience this year which is his second year in it, I was quietly observing the kids in the class and noticing some things about how they handled their dogs. At the end of the class a little girl was struggling with her large chow mix dog that was dragging her all over the place. Her mother told me how softly she speaks and she doesn’t want to hurt the dog, yet I couldn’t help myself and just had to jump in and show her a few tricks to help make her a better handler.
I began by placing the dog’s choke collar very high on his neck directly under his jaw so she would have more control and the dog wouldn’t choke himself literally by pulling so hard on the chain across his trachea. Next I didn’t say a word to the dog; I did all my speaking through the leash. We walked around the ring, the instructor gave commands and I simply followed along not having any problem whatsoever with this dog. When I halted, he sat as he was supposed to do. He didn’t whine and whimper and carry on with me like he did with her. He didn’t drag me. I gave a little tug on the leash to encourage him to sit, stay, heel or down and he listened immediately.
The little girl’s mother was in awe. Then I gave the little girl the lead and showed her where to put her hands. As she was walking along, I saw her hands riding up higher next to her waist. I told her to relax her arm and only give him a tug to correct him if he pulls ahead, otherwise relax. She did as I told her and she was surprised to get the very same results that I did with her dog. Her dog quit making noise as well. This was a two minute lesson! The trick I told her was do not talk to the dog with your voice, but only through the leash. When she saw how he responded she instantly gained confidence and I gave her some other hints that I swear by such as you go in and out of doors first, the dog must sit and stay until you say “ok” and then he is to come out. That little bit of body language puts you in the leadership role in your dog’s eyes. Her dog wasn’t a disobedient dog; he just did not view the little girl as a leader so he didn’t respect her. After she gained a bit more confidence, her attitude changed, and so did her dogs! She thanked me as if a miracle happened before her eyes.
It was really nothing more than being assertive and demanding respect. Learning how to properly walk any dog will change their attitude and behavior at home immensely! I have groomed some really large and obnoxious dogs that outweigh me and can definitely out muscle me and ended up soaking in a hot tub that night and waking up very sore the next day. Recently I decided that the next time I have an unruly dog that we would be teaching walking 101 for dogs before I groom them to save my aging body. Well I had the pleasure of doing some training for some really big dogs lately and it was a huge success! Within five minutes of walking the dog decided, “Oh, so you are the leader I get it now”. When we got back from our walk the dog calmly walked into my shop, I was leading of course, and the groom went off without any fight at all. Suddenly the dog respected me and realized that I was the leader and they couldn’t lead me and they became so cooperative! I wish I had time to do that with all the dogs that I groom! I may institute this new rule with new clients or old clients with unruly dogs. It sure made my life easier and of course when the owner came to pick up their dog they got a mini lesson in dog walking 101 so they could get the same results. You may have heard Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer” refer to learning the walk on his show. I can honestly say that the walk is the foundation of everything you teach your dog. Walking your dog is leadership and once your dog understands that you are the leader, the rest is easy. So now that the weather is nicer, get your dog out of the house and take him for a nice long walk, with him by your side and not ahead of you. Lock those flexi-leads into a fixed position so they can’t keep pulling on them. Make sure your dogs collar is up high on his neck just under his jaw and take off with your head held high, chest out, looking ahead, don’t watch the dog, just look ahead and your four-legged companion will soon turn into the best walking buddy you have ever had!
P.S. Don’t forget the baggies to clean up after him just in case . . . be a good neighbor and a good walker!
Dog Walking 101
While taking my son to 4H dog obedience this year which is his second year in it, I was quietly observing the kids in the class and noticing some things about how they handled their dogs. At the end of the class a little girl was struggling with her large chow mix dog that was dragging her all over the place. Her mother told me how softly she speaks and she doesn’t want to hurt the dog, yet I couldn’t help myself and just had to jump in and show her a few tricks to help make her a better handler.
I began by placing the dog’s choke collar very high on his neck directly under his jaw so she would have more control and the dog wouldn’t choke himself literally by pulling so hard on the chain across his trachea. Next I didn’t say a word to the dog; I did all my speaking through the leash. We walked around the ring, the instructor gave commands and I simply followed along not having any problem whatsoever with this dog. When I halted, he sat as he was supposed to do. He didn’t whine and whimper and carry on with me like he did with her. He didn’t drag me. I gave a little tug on the leash to encourage him to sit, stay, heel or down and he listened immediately.
The little girl’s mother was in awe. Then I gave the little girl the lead and showed her where to put her hands. As she was walking along, I saw her hands riding up higher next to her waist. I told her to relax her arm and only give him a tug to correct him if he pulls ahead, otherwise relax. She did as I told her and she was surprised to get the very same results that I did with her dog. Her dog quit making noise as well. This was a two minute lesson! The trick I told her was do not talk to the dog with your voice, but only through the leash. When she saw how he responded she instantly gained confidence and I gave her some other hints that I swear by such as you go in and out of doors first, the dog must sit and stay until you say “ok” and then he is to come out. That little bit of body language puts you in the leadership role in your dog’s eyes. Her dog wasn’t a disobedient dog; he just did not view the little girl as a leader so he didn’t respect her. After she gained a bit more confidence, her attitude changed, and so did her dogs! She thanked me as if a miracle happened before her eyes.
It was really nothing more than being assertive and demanding respect. Learning how to properly walk any dog will change their attitude and behavior at home immensely! I have groomed some really large and obnoxious dogs that outweigh me and can definitely out muscle me and ended up soaking in a hot tub that night and waking up very sore the next day. Recently I decided that the next time I have an unruly dog that we would be teaching walking 101 for dogs before I groom them to save my aging body. Well I had the pleasure of doing some training for some really big dogs lately and it was a huge success! Within five minutes of walking the dog decided, “Oh, so you are the leader I get it now”. When we got back from our walk the dog calmly walked into my shop, I was leading of course, and the groom went off without any fight at all. Suddenly the dog respected me and realized that I was the leader and they couldn’t lead me and they became so cooperative! I wish I had time to do that with all the dogs that I groom! I may institute this new rule with new clients or old clients with unruly dogs. It sure made my life easier and of course when the owner came to pick up their dog they got a mini lesson in dog walking 101 so they could get the same results. You may have heard Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer” refer to learning the walk on his show. I can honestly say that the walk is the foundation of everything you teach your dog. Walking your dog is leadership and once your dog understands that you are the leader, the rest is easy. So now that the weather is nicer, get your dog out of the house and take him for a nice long walk, with him by your side and not ahead of you. Lock those flexi-leads into a fixed position so they can’t keep pulling on them. Make sure your dogs collar is up high on his neck just under his jaw and take off with your head held high, chest out, looking ahead, don’t watch the dog, just look ahead and your four-legged companion will soon turn into the best walking buddy you have ever had!
P.S. Don’t forget the baggies to clean up after him just in case . . . be a good neighbor and a good walker!
May 2, 2007 It's SPRINGTIME!
May 2, 2007
It’s SPRINGTIME!
Yes it’s that wonderful time of year, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, everything is green and beautiful and we have our lovely spring rains. Our dogs are eager to play outside and go after all the new little bunnies, squirrels, and other creatures and some dogs love to DIG in the ground for them!
Well this means only ONE thing; you open your door to a dirty, wet, smelly dog! Most people can manage to wipe off Fido’s paws as he comes in the door or towel him off after his romp in the wet grass. In extreme cases Fido may need a bath, no problem, pop him into the tub and scrub him down. Unfortunately if Fido has a longer coat you may then discover something you hadn’t notice before this bath; matted hair.
You dig out your grooming tools, find the dog brush and brush away but you notice that those matts are not coming out or you have managed to brush the entire top coat OVER the matts so they are now less noticeable. Hmmm, better call the groomer you say to yourself. You dial your groomer and you get her answering machine, so you leave her a message. She calls you back but you aren’t home so she leaves you a message to call her back. This scenario goes on for a few days. Meanwhile, Fido continues to go outside and play in the mud and comes back inside and after toweling him off you notice something else. Tiny little ticks embedded in Fido’s skin! Uh oh! Well what did you expect? It IS mushroom season in Indiana now.
You head for your vet and pick up some Frontline Plus for fleas and ticks, you figured it was so cold out last week you wouldn’t need it before now. Au contraire! Haven’t you learned yet that there is one thing you can count on in Indiana that is the weather changing all year long, balmy and sunny one day, rainy and cold the next, snowing the next day, 74 degrees the next. When you do your laundry you discover shorts and tanks, sweaters, coveralls, mittens, hats and bathing suits.
Your groomer finally manages to reach you but she’s booked up for the next month! Wow! You didn’t have that much trouble getting an appointment in the winter, why is she so busy now? Why? She is busy because it is spring and all the dogs are shedding their winter coats, getting filthy and hot! You asked to be put on her cancellation list just in case she gets some time to squeeze you in. So you apply your Frontline Plus to Fido and a week later the phone rings and it’s your groomer calling to tell you that she had a cancellation for TODAY and she can get you in. Whew! What a relief, Fido’s odor was really beginning to get to you and all that hair to wipe off day after day was wearing you out washing all those towels. You look outside and it’s raining. If you get Fido all cleaned up today he’ll just go outside and mess himself all up again. You briefly consider not taking that open appointment, but then look at poor Fido and his long matted hair and decide that it’s the best thing for him, besides can you stand him another 3 weeks?
Fido gets groomed, looks great, smells great, and now thanks to you getting Frontline Plus he has no more ticks. The moral of this story is, we live in Indiana. If there is anything consistent about Indiana it’s the weathers inconsistency. So what’s a person to do? My advice is this: stay on a schedule all year round for grooming appointments, flea and tick control, (yes even in the winter!) and heartworm medication then you won’t be caught off guard by the sudden emergence of long matted hair, fleas and ticks, and groomers who are too busy to squeeze you in. If you pretend it’s spring all year round you’ll always have a clean, parasite-free pet, and it’s really time to put your New Year’s resolution into effect about getting organized. Get out your calendar now, make your appointments, stock up on your pets’ flea and tick control, and take Fido for a walk in the woods and start looking for mushrooms!
It’s SPRINGTIME!
Yes it’s that wonderful time of year, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, everything is green and beautiful and we have our lovely spring rains. Our dogs are eager to play outside and go after all the new little bunnies, squirrels, and other creatures and some dogs love to DIG in the ground for them!
Well this means only ONE thing; you open your door to a dirty, wet, smelly dog! Most people can manage to wipe off Fido’s paws as he comes in the door or towel him off after his romp in the wet grass. In extreme cases Fido may need a bath, no problem, pop him into the tub and scrub him down. Unfortunately if Fido has a longer coat you may then discover something you hadn’t notice before this bath; matted hair.
You dig out your grooming tools, find the dog brush and brush away but you notice that those matts are not coming out or you have managed to brush the entire top coat OVER the matts so they are now less noticeable. Hmmm, better call the groomer you say to yourself. You dial your groomer and you get her answering machine, so you leave her a message. She calls you back but you aren’t home so she leaves you a message to call her back. This scenario goes on for a few days. Meanwhile, Fido continues to go outside and play in the mud and comes back inside and after toweling him off you notice something else. Tiny little ticks embedded in Fido’s skin! Uh oh! Well what did you expect? It IS mushroom season in Indiana now.
You head for your vet and pick up some Frontline Plus for fleas and ticks, you figured it was so cold out last week you wouldn’t need it before now. Au contraire! Haven’t you learned yet that there is one thing you can count on in Indiana that is the weather changing all year long, balmy and sunny one day, rainy and cold the next, snowing the next day, 74 degrees the next. When you do your laundry you discover shorts and tanks, sweaters, coveralls, mittens, hats and bathing suits.
Your groomer finally manages to reach you but she’s booked up for the next month! Wow! You didn’t have that much trouble getting an appointment in the winter, why is she so busy now? Why? She is busy because it is spring and all the dogs are shedding their winter coats, getting filthy and hot! You asked to be put on her cancellation list just in case she gets some time to squeeze you in. So you apply your Frontline Plus to Fido and a week later the phone rings and it’s your groomer calling to tell you that she had a cancellation for TODAY and she can get you in. Whew! What a relief, Fido’s odor was really beginning to get to you and all that hair to wipe off day after day was wearing you out washing all those towels. You look outside and it’s raining. If you get Fido all cleaned up today he’ll just go outside and mess himself all up again. You briefly consider not taking that open appointment, but then look at poor Fido and his long matted hair and decide that it’s the best thing for him, besides can you stand him another 3 weeks?
Fido gets groomed, looks great, smells great, and now thanks to you getting Frontline Plus he has no more ticks. The moral of this story is, we live in Indiana. If there is anything consistent about Indiana it’s the weathers inconsistency. So what’s a person to do? My advice is this: stay on a schedule all year round for grooming appointments, flea and tick control, (yes even in the winter!) and heartworm medication then you won’t be caught off guard by the sudden emergence of long matted hair, fleas and ticks, and groomers who are too busy to squeeze you in. If you pretend it’s spring all year round you’ll always have a clean, parasite-free pet, and it’s really time to put your New Year’s resolution into effect about getting organized. Get out your calendar now, make your appointments, stock up on your pets’ flea and tick control, and take Fido for a walk in the woods and start looking for mushrooms!
April 18, 2007 I Wouldn't Feed It To A Dog!
April 18, 2007
I Wouldn’t Feed It To A Dog!
I’m sure you have all heard of the massive recall of many pet foods that are believed to be poisoning our pets. I get emails daily of the growing list of foods it includes and honestly, I am not surprised. In my opinion this was a ticking time-bomb. We've heard of "mad cow disease" and I've been waiting to hear of "mad dog disease.” I know I'm going to touch some nerves with this article but this HAS to be written.
I will not profess to being an expert on pet foods or ingredients as I learn more every day but what I do know is this: Most pet foods use ingredients that are not for human consumption because they are inexpensive as they are a waste product of human foods. Why throw it out when the pet food industry will buy it? Pace Dairy in Crawfordsville cuts and shreds and wraps cheese for Kroger. They do a wonderful job. I love the cheese. Manufacturing cheese is a job like most factories. Floors get dirty and cheese gets on the floor. At night when the machines are cleaned out there is cheese residue that gets cleaned out. I took a tour of Pace Dairy and saw huge bins labeled "INEDIBLE.” I asked what that was and told that is the stuff that is swept off the floor and cleaned out of the machines and the dog food companies buy it.
Meat packing plants do similar things. Parts that we don't eat from a cow go to dog food companies. Remember there is NO waste. If we can't eat it, a pet food company can buy it pretty cheap. Then there is "rendered" meat. Dead livestock is picked up by a meat rendering truck. Those animals aren't buried or cremated. Think about it.
Last year Diamond dog food recalled its' food due to aflatoxin in the corn. Have you ever seen corn sitting outside in huge piles because the grain bins were full? What happens to grain that it outside in rain? Is it any wonder why pets died? West Points’ grain elevator several years ago had a similar incident when several horses died after eating grain purchased there. There was mold in it. I had horses and I know how careful you need to be to avoid any mold in the hay or grain. Mold doesn't need to be obvious in food in order for it to affect an animal.
For years I’ve fed a human-grade pet food that I became a distributor of after seeing the positive results on my own pets. I have recommended this food to my clients for their pets especially if their pets were having issues with itching, dry flaking skin or wheat allergies. My own dog Jasmine (in the photo above) has a wheat allergy and today I am thanking God for that! Wheat gluten seems to be the ingredient that is causing the kidney failure and killing pets around the world. Wheat gluten in itself isn’t a bad thing, but it’s tainted with melamine which is used as a pesticide. Honestly, they still are not 100% sure that is the entire issue. I don’t feed wheat or wheat gluten due to Jasmine’s allergies and I am relieved to have dodged this bullet!
I know that dogs eat nasty things. If you live in the country I’m sure your dog has found some really appetizing critters to bring home. I haven’t had to mop my floors since my sheltie arrived in October, I considered renaming him "Dyson" or "Kirby" or "Hoover" as there is not one crumb on my floor that gets by him! I know that if my cats’ litter box was lower my dogs would enjoy the "kitty crunchies" in it as treats! That being said, I would never purposely feed something to my pets that wasn’t fit for me to eat. I don’t eat dog kibble but after learning about ingredients in some pet foods compared to what I feed, and reading labels on human food, I know that it would be healthier for me to be pouring my milk on my dogs’ brand of food instead of the cereal I eat.
I don’t care if my pets are "just animals" and they can eat all kinds of things we humans can’t, or won’t. If I wouldn’t eat it, and would throw it away, I won’t give it to my dogs for garbage disposal. This is why it irks me to see the huge number of recalls from the big companies that spend big bucks on commercials to make the public THINK they are feeding nutritious food to their pets! Some are "Veterinarian Recommended." Normally that would make most people feel safe but the truth is the ingredients came from the same place! How can you trust pet food companies anymore?
You start by learning about what's in your pets food by reading the label and doing some research. There is a wealth of information on the internet about ingredients and where they come from. I have checked out several websites but the one that like is the Animal Protection Institute http://www.api4animals.org/%20therethere is a report on what’s really in pet food that is eye opening. Whole Dog Journal is a magazine with many informative articles on best and worst foods. I am in the process of making a binder with information I've received on pet nutrition and what is in pet food for my clients to read. Education is the best defense against potential poisoning of your pet.
Sadly, the more holistic pet foods that use human grade ingredients are not available in Attica. Buckles Feed Depot in Lafayette carries a few brands that I would recommend or approve of but I don’t drive to Lafayette that often, so it’s really inconvenient to buy those brands. This is why my pet food is delivered by UPS. I won’t give you the details of what brand I feed because I don’t want this to come off as a commercial for it, but feel free to contact me if you want information about it. My email is thegroomroom@insightbb.com. I wish there was a store in Attica that would stock only the best human grade foods available for pets. I sincerely hope that this tragedy will wake up consumers and the huge conglomerates that own pet food companies, such as Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Nestle who have the lions share of dog food brands on the shelf at every store, and the pet food industry as a whole will do a complete change and quit feeding cast off garbage to our pets and thinking of the bottom line money, to remembering that our pets are family to us and we only want to give them decent food to nourish their bodies and keep them healthy and happy.
Until then stay updated on the recalls and please read your pet food labels, and treats, and anything you feed your pets. I personally know dogs and cats who have been affected by this recall. One has died that I know of. Many more either died or got sick before the recall actually happened. How many pets were buried that we thought just got sick, or died of natural causes before anyone knew about this? There are alternatives to pet foods such as feeding a raw diet or cooking for your pet but this isn’t practical for me at this point in my life. I rely on pet foods as most of you do to feed my pets, besides I’m not that impressed with our own food supply with the peanut butter recalls, salmonella scares and e-coli outbreaks. I don’t know all the answers, I wish I did. I hope this article helps you make a more educated decision about what to feed your pet so you aren't swayed by the cute commercials, the "veterinarian recommended" tag lines or food that your pet really gobbles up because it's so tasty to him. Price isn't the only consideration. Many foods in the recall have a premium price. Be aware, be informed and be safe.
I Wouldn’t Feed It To A Dog!
I’m sure you have all heard of the massive recall of many pet foods that are believed to be poisoning our pets. I get emails daily of the growing list of foods it includes and honestly, I am not surprised. In my opinion this was a ticking time-bomb. We've heard of "mad cow disease" and I've been waiting to hear of "mad dog disease.” I know I'm going to touch some nerves with this article but this HAS to be written.
I will not profess to being an expert on pet foods or ingredients as I learn more every day but what I do know is this: Most pet foods use ingredients that are not for human consumption because they are inexpensive as they are a waste product of human foods. Why throw it out when the pet food industry will buy it? Pace Dairy in Crawfordsville cuts and shreds and wraps cheese for Kroger. They do a wonderful job. I love the cheese. Manufacturing cheese is a job like most factories. Floors get dirty and cheese gets on the floor. At night when the machines are cleaned out there is cheese residue that gets cleaned out. I took a tour of Pace Dairy and saw huge bins labeled "INEDIBLE.” I asked what that was and told that is the stuff that is swept off the floor and cleaned out of the machines and the dog food companies buy it.
Meat packing plants do similar things. Parts that we don't eat from a cow go to dog food companies. Remember there is NO waste. If we can't eat it, a pet food company can buy it pretty cheap. Then there is "rendered" meat. Dead livestock is picked up by a meat rendering truck. Those animals aren't buried or cremated. Think about it.
Last year Diamond dog food recalled its' food due to aflatoxin in the corn. Have you ever seen corn sitting outside in huge piles because the grain bins were full? What happens to grain that it outside in rain? Is it any wonder why pets died? West Points’ grain elevator several years ago had a similar incident when several horses died after eating grain purchased there. There was mold in it. I had horses and I know how careful you need to be to avoid any mold in the hay or grain. Mold doesn't need to be obvious in food in order for it to affect an animal.
For years I’ve fed a human-grade pet food that I became a distributor of after seeing the positive results on my own pets. I have recommended this food to my clients for their pets especially if their pets were having issues with itching, dry flaking skin or wheat allergies. My own dog Jasmine (in the photo above) has a wheat allergy and today I am thanking God for that! Wheat gluten seems to be the ingredient that is causing the kidney failure and killing pets around the world. Wheat gluten in itself isn’t a bad thing, but it’s tainted with melamine which is used as a pesticide. Honestly, they still are not 100% sure that is the entire issue. I don’t feed wheat or wheat gluten due to Jasmine’s allergies and I am relieved to have dodged this bullet!
I know that dogs eat nasty things. If you live in the country I’m sure your dog has found some really appetizing critters to bring home. I haven’t had to mop my floors since my sheltie arrived in October, I considered renaming him "Dyson" or "Kirby" or "Hoover" as there is not one crumb on my floor that gets by him! I know that if my cats’ litter box was lower my dogs would enjoy the "kitty crunchies" in it as treats! That being said, I would never purposely feed something to my pets that wasn’t fit for me to eat. I don’t eat dog kibble but after learning about ingredients in some pet foods compared to what I feed, and reading labels on human food, I know that it would be healthier for me to be pouring my milk on my dogs’ brand of food instead of the cereal I eat.
I don’t care if my pets are "just animals" and they can eat all kinds of things we humans can’t, or won’t. If I wouldn’t eat it, and would throw it away, I won’t give it to my dogs for garbage disposal. This is why it irks me to see the huge number of recalls from the big companies that spend big bucks on commercials to make the public THINK they are feeding nutritious food to their pets! Some are "Veterinarian Recommended." Normally that would make most people feel safe but the truth is the ingredients came from the same place! How can you trust pet food companies anymore?
You start by learning about what's in your pets food by reading the label and doing some research. There is a wealth of information on the internet about ingredients and where they come from. I have checked out several websites but the one that like is the Animal Protection Institute http://www.api4animals.org/%20therethere is a report on what’s really in pet food that is eye opening. Whole Dog Journal is a magazine with many informative articles on best and worst foods. I am in the process of making a binder with information I've received on pet nutrition and what is in pet food for my clients to read. Education is the best defense against potential poisoning of your pet.
Sadly, the more holistic pet foods that use human grade ingredients are not available in Attica. Buckles Feed Depot in Lafayette carries a few brands that I would recommend or approve of but I don’t drive to Lafayette that often, so it’s really inconvenient to buy those brands. This is why my pet food is delivered by UPS. I won’t give you the details of what brand I feed because I don’t want this to come off as a commercial for it, but feel free to contact me if you want information about it. My email is thegroomroom@insightbb.com. I wish there was a store in Attica that would stock only the best human grade foods available for pets. I sincerely hope that this tragedy will wake up consumers and the huge conglomerates that own pet food companies, such as Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Nestle who have the lions share of dog food brands on the shelf at every store, and the pet food industry as a whole will do a complete change and quit feeding cast off garbage to our pets and thinking of the bottom line money, to remembering that our pets are family to us and we only want to give them decent food to nourish their bodies and keep them healthy and happy.
Until then stay updated on the recalls and please read your pet food labels, and treats, and anything you feed your pets. I personally know dogs and cats who have been affected by this recall. One has died that I know of. Many more either died or got sick before the recall actually happened. How many pets were buried that we thought just got sick, or died of natural causes before anyone knew about this? There are alternatives to pet foods such as feeding a raw diet or cooking for your pet but this isn’t practical for me at this point in my life. I rely on pet foods as most of you do to feed my pets, besides I’m not that impressed with our own food supply with the peanut butter recalls, salmonella scares and e-coli outbreaks. I don’t know all the answers, I wish I did. I hope this article helps you make a more educated decision about what to feed your pet so you aren't swayed by the cute commercials, the "veterinarian recommended" tag lines or food that your pet really gobbles up because it's so tasty to him. Price isn't the only consideration. Many foods in the recall have a premium price. Be aware, be informed and be safe.
April 4, 2007 Time to Inspect Your Dog
April 4, 2007
Time to inspect your dog.
Ideally, you should be doing this monthly or more often.
Eyes...Some dogs have tear stains. The first thing you MUST do is figure out why the dogs eyes are tearing. Is there a lot of hair around the eyes? If so, it could be hair irritating the eye and causing it to tear. A little trim around the eye area is usually all that is needed. Sometimes dogs have eyelashes that are on the inside of the eyelids. These must be removed by a vet. It’s a common occurrence in many breeds especially breeds with wrinkles such as shar-peis and bulldogs. If there are no eyelashes rubbing the eye there are products to bleach out the tear stains, but it has to be done several times a day. I’ve recently discovered a product that you sprinkle on your pets food that works wonders on tear stains called “Angels Eyes” and it’s available online or at my shop.
Ears... Are the ears clean? Is there an odor or discharge? Does it look like coffee grounds? Is the ear puffy, itchy, raw? Ear infections are fairly common in dogs but when I see a dog that has had ear infections that are routinely treated but keep occurring the first thing I suspect is a food allergy. When I adopted my dog Jasmine, she had black discharge in her ears and itchy skin. I immediately switched her food to one with no wheat, no corn and cleaned her ears...I’ve never had a problem since. Ear mites usually cause a black coffee ground like discharge. Your vet can treat ear mites. Your vet or groomer can show you how to properly clean out your pets ears.
Mouth... If your dog has bad breath, red gums or tartar, all the teeth cleaning snacks in the world won’t fix it. He needs to see the vet and see if he has a gum infection, gingivitis or a bad tooth. This area is easily overlooked on pets. Many times the dogs teeth look fine, but look deeper. Lift up the lips and pull back and look at the molars, are the gums red? Is there tartar on the teeth? Sometimes a dog could have a bad tooth and it needs to see a vet for a dental cleaning and possibly a tooth extraction. Bad teeth or infections can cause excess drooling, difficulty eating that can be perceived as being “picky”. Check those teeth!
Nails. If you have hard floors in your house and you can hear your dogs nails tapping as he walks that’s a good indication of needing a nail trim. Some dogs wear their nails down naturally when they walk on concrete or dig outside but most dogs don’t and they need a “pawdicure” from time to time. Don’t forget the dew -claws, those are the “thumbs” on a dog and some dogs have dew- claws on the rear legs as well. If you have a hairy breed be sure to feel around and if your dog has dew claws those need clipped more often than the regular nails because they don’t touch the ground and never get wore down. Some dew claws can be a problem to some dogs due to having long hair and being hidden they are often missed when clipping nails and sometimes get snagged by clippers when being groomed. Ask your vet to remove any dew-claws that are a problem. I’ve seen dogs jump around in crates and break the dew-claws, it’s painful and easily re-injured by excitable dogs. It’s best to have them removed and eliminate the problem.
Belly...Who doesn’t rub their dogs belly? If you feel any lumps be sure and mention them to your vet as soon as possible. Hernia’s usually occur where the spay surgery stitches were and sometimes in the groin or the navel on puppies. Dogs get breast cancer too! Spaying before a dogs first heat cycle generally prevents it.
Rear...Yes I know, nobody likes to think about this area but it’s important. Lift up your dogs tail, there shouldn’t be anything stuck to the hair back there. If there is, gently clean it off or cut the hair around the rectum. I’ve seen dogs get “diaper rash” from having feces that has been stuck to the dog for days! Keep the area under your dogs tail CLEAN! Now that you have the tail up, do you notice anything that resembles grains of rice stuck in the hair? That could be tapeworm. Tapeworm is caused by fleas. Fleas are ingested and the tapeworm eggs grow inside your dog and parts of it come out the rectum. Groomers find tapeworms often in dogs. Once again a visit to your vet will take care of tapeworms, fleas or other parasites that are living on or in your dog.
Does your dog scoot on its’ rear? Lick under its’ tail? That could be an anal sac problem. Small dogs seem to have anal sac issues regularly. Your vet and some groomers will express the anal sacs for you and that should take care of the problem for a while. Many times a high fiber diet helps to prevent this problem.
Hair...Feel hair for matts. Matted hair pulls on the skin and hurts! If you can’t comb out the matts or remove them yourself, call your groomer or vet and make an appointment. Matted hair doesn’t dry well and traps bacteria under the hair and air can’t get to it. Hot spots, sores and ...gulp...even maggots have been found on matted dogs. Comb your dog out regularly to prevent matts. Your groomer will happily show you how to do it and what tools work best on your dog.
Grooming your dog keeps down shedding hair, keeps the skin and coat in good shape and makes for a cleaner, happier more pet-able pet!
Time to inspect your dog.
Ideally, you should be doing this monthly or more often.
Eyes...Some dogs have tear stains. The first thing you MUST do is figure out why the dogs eyes are tearing. Is there a lot of hair around the eyes? If so, it could be hair irritating the eye and causing it to tear. A little trim around the eye area is usually all that is needed. Sometimes dogs have eyelashes that are on the inside of the eyelids. These must be removed by a vet. It’s a common occurrence in many breeds especially breeds with wrinkles such as shar-peis and bulldogs. If there are no eyelashes rubbing the eye there are products to bleach out the tear stains, but it has to be done several times a day. I’ve recently discovered a product that you sprinkle on your pets food that works wonders on tear stains called “Angels Eyes” and it’s available online or at my shop.
Ears... Are the ears clean? Is there an odor or discharge? Does it look like coffee grounds? Is the ear puffy, itchy, raw? Ear infections are fairly common in dogs but when I see a dog that has had ear infections that are routinely treated but keep occurring the first thing I suspect is a food allergy. When I adopted my dog Jasmine, she had black discharge in her ears and itchy skin. I immediately switched her food to one with no wheat, no corn and cleaned her ears...I’ve never had a problem since. Ear mites usually cause a black coffee ground like discharge. Your vet can treat ear mites. Your vet or groomer can show you how to properly clean out your pets ears.
Mouth... If your dog has bad breath, red gums or tartar, all the teeth cleaning snacks in the world won’t fix it. He needs to see the vet and see if he has a gum infection, gingivitis or a bad tooth. This area is easily overlooked on pets. Many times the dogs teeth look fine, but look deeper. Lift up the lips and pull back and look at the molars, are the gums red? Is there tartar on the teeth? Sometimes a dog could have a bad tooth and it needs to see a vet for a dental cleaning and possibly a tooth extraction. Bad teeth or infections can cause excess drooling, difficulty eating that can be perceived as being “picky”. Check those teeth!
Nails. If you have hard floors in your house and you can hear your dogs nails tapping as he walks that’s a good indication of needing a nail trim. Some dogs wear their nails down naturally when they walk on concrete or dig outside but most dogs don’t and they need a “pawdicure” from time to time. Don’t forget the dew -claws, those are the “thumbs” on a dog and some dogs have dew- claws on the rear legs as well. If you have a hairy breed be sure to feel around and if your dog has dew claws those need clipped more often than the regular nails because they don’t touch the ground and never get wore down. Some dew claws can be a problem to some dogs due to having long hair and being hidden they are often missed when clipping nails and sometimes get snagged by clippers when being groomed. Ask your vet to remove any dew-claws that are a problem. I’ve seen dogs jump around in crates and break the dew-claws, it’s painful and easily re-injured by excitable dogs. It’s best to have them removed and eliminate the problem.
Belly...Who doesn’t rub their dogs belly? If you feel any lumps be sure and mention them to your vet as soon as possible. Hernia’s usually occur where the spay surgery stitches were and sometimes in the groin or the navel on puppies. Dogs get breast cancer too! Spaying before a dogs first heat cycle generally prevents it.
Rear...Yes I know, nobody likes to think about this area but it’s important. Lift up your dogs tail, there shouldn’t be anything stuck to the hair back there. If there is, gently clean it off or cut the hair around the rectum. I’ve seen dogs get “diaper rash” from having feces that has been stuck to the dog for days! Keep the area under your dogs tail CLEAN! Now that you have the tail up, do you notice anything that resembles grains of rice stuck in the hair? That could be tapeworm. Tapeworm is caused by fleas. Fleas are ingested and the tapeworm eggs grow inside your dog and parts of it come out the rectum. Groomers find tapeworms often in dogs. Once again a visit to your vet will take care of tapeworms, fleas or other parasites that are living on or in your dog.
Does your dog scoot on its’ rear? Lick under its’ tail? That could be an anal sac problem. Small dogs seem to have anal sac issues regularly. Your vet and some groomers will express the anal sacs for you and that should take care of the problem for a while. Many times a high fiber diet helps to prevent this problem.
Hair...Feel hair for matts. Matted hair pulls on the skin and hurts! If you can’t comb out the matts or remove them yourself, call your groomer or vet and make an appointment. Matted hair doesn’t dry well and traps bacteria under the hair and air can’t get to it. Hot spots, sores and ...gulp...even maggots have been found on matted dogs. Comb your dog out regularly to prevent matts. Your groomer will happily show you how to do it and what tools work best on your dog.
Grooming your dog keeps down shedding hair, keeps the skin and coat in good shape and makes for a cleaner, happier more pet-able pet!
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