canine

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Caring For Your Geriatric Dog

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Growing older is something that happens to all of us, and that includes our dogs.  It may seem like it was just yesterday that you brought home a bouncing ball of fur who was trying to chew your shoes but today that puppy is a senior dog.  It’s important to provide some extra love and care for your older dog to make him comfortable and happy.

Older dogs can start to show signs of age as early as six or seven years old.  When you visit the vet you should ask about having a senior health check-up for your dog.  Your vet can do a blood panel and run some other tests to check your dog’s kidney function and make sure he’s in good health for his age.  You should have an annual senior check-up for your older dog past the age of seven.  Be sure that your vet also checks out any lumps or bumps on your older dog.  As dogs get older they can be more prone to tumors.  These tumors may be benign, but your vet may want to do a small biopsy just to make sure.  It’s always best to catch potential problems early.

As your dog gets older some of his senses will probably start to dull a bit.  His hearing may not be as sharp as it once way.  His eyesight may dim a little.  Even senses of taste and smell won’t be as good as they used to be.  These changes mean that your dog may need a little extra help.

Many older dogs begin having problems negotiating steps and stairs.  This can be due to arthritis but it’s also possible that it’s because your dog doesn’t see as well as he once did.  If your dog is having problems with stairs try walking down with him.  He may be able to do fine if you are there to guide him.  He may also have problems seeing at night which can make him reluctant to go outside to use the bathroom at night.  Try walking outside with him in the evenings and see if this improves things.

If your dog can’t smell and taste things as well as he once did he may not be as interested in his food anymore.  Go ahead and doctor up his food a little to make it smell and taste more appealing to him.  If you feed kibble then you may need to add canned food to make it smell and taste better to your dog.  Add some home cooked food to his meals to get him more interested in eating.

If your dog refuses to eat don’t assume that he has lost his appetite.  Many older dogs have dental problems that keep them from eating no matter how hungry they are.  Check your dog’s breath.  If it’s very bad then he may have some serious tooth decay or a tooth that needs to be removed.  Look at his teeth.  Does he have any brown or green-looking teeth?  Take your dog to the vet and have him or her do a dental check to see if dental problems are keeping your dog from eating.  Your dog may need to have a bad tooth pulled or some other problem fixed.

Many older dogs have some problems with arthritis.  If your dog has severe problems you should check with your vet to see if your dog needs some pain medication.  You can also look for supplements that have helped many dogs, such as glucosamine-chondroitin and MSM.  There are also products that contain shark cartilage and other ingredients said to help arthritis that may benefit your dog.

Older dogs can also benefit from sleeping on good bed.  Orthopedic dog beds can make your dog feel better.  Look for beds that have an egg-crate type mattress or which distribute the dog’s weight evenly across the whole mattress.  This makes it much easier for your dog to get up without any pain.  A heated bed will also help your dog.

There are many things you can do to help your geriatric dog feel better and live a more comfortable life.  If he seems to be having difficulties you should always check with your vet.  Otherwise, do what it takes to make him comfortable and happy.

Caring For Your Geriatric Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Hunting Dogs and Hand Signals

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Training a hunting dog with hand signals is very practical. This can be mixed with verbal commands, when you are initially training your dog, which will reinforce the hand gestures. Though hand signals can be successfully used as the only training method and is a way to train a deaf dog or one that can’t hear well.

You can cue your dog to take a certain action using hand signals. There are several reasons that hand signals are better than using verbal commands with a hunting dog.

When you are hunting, your dog will many times be distanced from you. He might just take off running. Maybe you are in the field with him or on an agility course and he is too far away to hear a verbal command. If he is trained with hand signals, he will watch for your command. It is more probable he will see the hand gesture.

Hand signals are a way to tell the dog what action to take and be quiet. When dogs are worked up, they don’t respond as well to verbal commands, but they do respond  to visual signals. Their listening response is low, but their desire to watch is up. Dogs sometimes just ignore verbal commands but obey visual cues.

Focus is the basis of training your dog. When your dog  is aware that he must look at you to see what you want him to do, then his focus is attuned to you more than if he is listening for the command. Watching for your command makes him less distracted. This makes training him easier to do. When you train your dog with hand signals be consistent. Use the same hand signal for a certain command at all times.

The reason dogs respond so well to hands signals or cues is that it is a type of body language. Dogs already communicate with other dogs through body language; your dog communicates with you through body language like showing his belly to say you are dominant or nudging your hand to get petted.

These are a few of the usual hand training commands.

– Stay: Stretch your hand out at shoulder height. Your palm should face out towards your dog. It looks like the signal given by a crossing guard for traffic to stop.

– Come: There are two ways to perform this hand command. Hold both arms out in front of you and next bring them in and touch your stomach. Or stretch one arm out parallel to the ground and then bring your arm inward and touch your opposite shoulder. Either method should be performed slowly until your dog has caught on to the signal. After that, you can do it quicker.

– Sit: Put your arm to your side with your fingers pointing towards the ground. Move your hand in an arch that goes across your dog’s face and over his head. Hold a treat so that he will naturally follow the movement of your hand. This will cause him to naturally sit down.

– Down: This can be an exaggerated movement, if you like. Point your finger down or raise your hand up some first and point downward.

Remember to reinforce these hand signals with verbal commands at first.

Hunting Dogs and Hand Signals courtesy Dog Articles.

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For Dog Owners

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(From a dog’s point of view) You know you need a new mindset when your dog would say: I am a small breed dog that should weigh about 15 lbs but I weigh 40. My owner jokes about how she is guilty of feeding me table scraps (I am four now, but I may not see seven or eight because of this. I like to eat and it’s my owners’ job to maintain my weight because I don’t know how) I am a medium size breed that should weigh around 60 lbs but I weigh 110 lbs. The vet, told my owner to put me on a diet, so he/my owner cut back to 6 cups per day (that means I was getting way, way too much before because 6 cups is way too much for me now and I will probably not live long because I don’t know how to control my own weight, this makes me sad)

My owner doesn’t want me to see, smell, look at, greet or play with any other dog (since I am by nature a pack animal, he can expect me to have issues including possible aggression and fearfulness. I don’t think he realizes that I am just like a human child that needs to play and have fun and make friends with other dogs just like a human child does) I am a large breed, long haired dog and my owner hasn’t brushed or bathed me in 9 months and she wants my groomer to bathe, brush and get all the mats out without clipping me. (which isn’t possible without a haircut and hurts me and makes me really anxious) I am a small breed dog and I have gotten severely matted because my owner doesn’t brush me.

She has this silly notion that a hairbrush is a stress on me, so she tried “hacking” and “chopping” at the mats herself then decided to take me to the groomer but didn’t want me to be bathed or brushed, just clipped. (It hurts me to cut my hair when it’s this matted and it can’t be done without brushing what can be brushed out first. Lack of regular care causes me way more stress when I am dumped on a groomer for care and have to endure tugging and pulling at mats, than if my coat was maintained to begin with. Hacking and chopping what she can’t see, can cause cuts she can’t see)

My owner lets my toenails get so long that they curl around and dig into the pads of my paws, then takes me to the groomer. (this would be to him, like walking around in shoes that have nails driven into them stabbing into his feet. My toes will become splayed and I will probably develop joint pain, not to mention that I may have hoof rot, which can get very stinky and painful.) When I jump up on counters or people, my owner says “look what I taught my dog” (I’m behaving badly and I should not be encouraged) When I bark and growl at people and other dogs and my owner says “Good boy!, you go get em” (If I am allowed to behave like this, he may end up getting rid of me to another owner who may give me up again and I might get euthanized in a shelter because I wasn’t trained to behave to begin with.)

I bite people and when my owner is told about it, she says “Oh yeah, he gets a wild hair every now and then and decides to turn” (I am being very naughty and I should not be allowed to act like this. I’m afraid if she doesn’t get me trained to behave, I might end up in a shelter or get euthanized for my bad behavior) My owner doesn’t want to have me spayed or neutered because he thinks I will become fat, lazy or that it will take away what I should have. (What he doesn’t realize is that I will want to mark and mount the girls and other dogs and I might become a fighter and a dangerous dog. The girl dogs out there like me will probably have puppies that no one will have a home for and they will end up in shelters or get euthanized. This makes me so sad)

My owner wants my caregiver while she is on vacation to feed me human treats for my snack but they are unhealthy and one is actually poisonous to me. (If you want to feed me human foods, please make sure that they are safe for me because I want to live a long life with you, not die of poisoning that you didn’t know about.

For Dog Owners courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a lovely tote showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

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Helping The Mother Dog Give Birth

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Sometimes you may have to assist the mother while she is giving birth.  Puppies are usually delivered head first in a diving position while some are born tail and hind legs first.  If the mother is having a hard time with the delivery, you can help her by gently pulling out the exposed puppy as she restrains.  However, if only the legs are out, call the vet immediately for advice.  If the mother does not lick the newborn puppy, you will need to remove the membrane from his face and clear the fluid from his nose and mouth.  Rub the newborn puppy vigorously with a towel in order to stimulate his first breath.  Do not handle the newborn puppy more than what is necessary.

Helping a weak puppy after delivery

Once the puppy has been cleaned, check to make sure that he is breathing properly.  If he looks normal but appears weak or lifeless, gently but firmly massage him with a towel, particularly around the head and the chest.  A puppy that stays in the birth canal for a long period of time results in a lack of oxygen to the brain.

If he is still not breathing after you are finished rubbing him with a towel, suspend him by his hind legs for a few seconds to allow the fluids to drain from the air passages.  Gently shake him while keeping a secure grip on his hind legs.  This should stimulate him to start breathing.  Once the puppy is breathing, keep him warm and comfortable by wrapping him in a towel until the mother has finished giving birth.  When the whelping has finished, show the weak puppy to his mother and make sure that he finds a productive nipple.  Observe him for a few days to ensure that he is not bullied by stronger puppies in the litter.

The mother normally chews through the umbilical cord.  If she does not, you can tie off the cord using a thread about 2 inches from the puppy’s belly and then cut it on the opposite side of the knot, away from the puppy.  Be very careful when doing this and do not pull on the umbilical cord.

Sometimes the mother may reject the puppy if it is taken away.  In this case, bring the puppy to her and allow her to lick him and then place him where he can suckle.

Helping The Mother Dog Give Birth courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a cute holiday tote showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

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Protecting Your Dog From Kennel Cough

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Kennel cough is one of those terms that are often heard in association with dogs but few people have a clear understanding of what this infection really is and how to protect their pet. The fact is that kennel cough is common in dogs that are living (temporarily or permanently) in a crowded or stressful situation. The infection is characterized by a deep cough, which sounds almost as if the dog has something caught in its throat.

The medical name for this infection is ‘canine infectious tracheo-bronchitis’. There are many possible causative agents or factors of this infection including stress caused by travel or by crowded conditions, exposure to cold temperatures or exposure to pollutants in the air. Even cigarette smoke can pose a risk.

Kennel cough is the result of a reduction in the animal’s normal protective mechanisms of the respiratory tract. In addition or combination with the factors listed above, the actual bacterium responsible for kennel cough is ‘Bordetella Bronchiseptica’. Because the cough is extremely contagious and is passed from dog to another via respiratory secretions, boarding kennels, animal shelters, and grooming shops are often places that dogs seem to ‘catch’ the cough.

Some cases of kennel cough resolve themselves. If your dog develops a cough but continues to eat and be active there is a good chance that the problem will end on its own, without any medical intervention. However, in other cases, especially in those involving young puppies, the kennel cough can be more serious and can even result in the development of pneumonia. These pets will need the professional care of a veterinarian. In all likelihood they will receive antibiotics as well as anti-tussives for the cough.

Vaccinations are available for this infection, but they are not always recommended for all dogs. Instead, they are given to dogs at risk for Bordetella. Most boarding kennels require that dogs be vaccinated against the infection before they can stay. Although few groomers require that dogs be vaccinated against Bordetella, it is advisable that any dog that regularly visits a groomer have the vaccination. The same is true for dog training classes. In fact, the vaccination is warranted for dogs that regularly visit a dog park or other area where they are likely to socialize with unknown dogs.

It is important to note that even with the vaccination dogs can still develop the clinical signs and symptoms of kennel cough. The good news is that the symptoms will be milder and usually will not last long.

It’s always suggested that you talk with your veterinarian to determine if your dog should be vaccinated against this or any type of disease or infection. In most cases though, if your dog socializes with other dogs, having him vaccinated against Bordetella is a good idea. Other things to consider include the climate you live in and the air quality your dog is exposed to routinely. Protection is almost always easier than dealing with the consequences of ignoring a potential health threat.

Protecting Your Dog From Kennel Cough courtesy Dog Articles.

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Grooming Your Golden Retriever

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Grooming your Golden Retriever is a never ending process.  The entire process should be down once or twice a week, and will take you around a ½ an hour of time.  Brushing your dog while he is shedding will help to control shedding quite a bit.  While outside, if your Golden Retriever manages to get burs or other defects in his hair, you should instantly take a few moments of your time and get the burs or other matter out of his coat.

When you groom your pet, you should always start with a good brushing.  Brush his entire body, then once you have finished brushing you can switch to a comb to get out any loose hair that remains in the coat.  While you are getting out the hair, you can also inspect your pet for ticks, fleas, and other types of skin ailments.  If you wish, you can also check his ears and trim his nails as well.

Bathing your Golden is essential to grooming, and can be somewhat complicated.  Before you attempt to give him a bath, you should always brush him first, to get rid of tangles.  During shampooing, you should always use shampoos that are specifically for dogs, since human shampoo can dry a dog’s skin out.  You don’t need to bathe your dog often, once every other week is good enough.  If you properly maintain your Golden’s coat, you’ll find it’s much easier to clean.

To prevent matting, which is very common with Golden Retrievers, you should always make sure that you brush your pet on a daily basis.  Metal combs and brushes work extremely well, and will help you to get a great deal of the hair out.  Although some people choose to use scissors and cut the mats, you can easily injure your Golden if he happens to move or jerk.  Scissors aren’t recommended, as brushing and proper bathing will help to prevent matting of the hair better than anything else.

When you cut your dogs nails, you should trim them a great deal, all the while avoiding going down into the quick.  You should never let your Golden’s nails get too long, as long nails can easily take the shape of the dog’s foot, resulting in a splay.  Therefore, you should always check your Golden Retriever’s nails and trim them every few weeks.  If you trim them just right, you’ll have at least 2 weeks before they need to be trimmed again.  If you do happen to trim the nails past the quick, bleeding will occur.  To stop the bleeding, always keep some styptic powder on hand to make sure that you are prepared if you do make a mistake.

With other types of grooming, you should also make sure that you clean your Golden’s ears as well.  They can get ear infections quite easily, if you don’t clean their ears on a regular basis.  To get the best results and protect your pet from ear infections, you should clean his ears once a week using a quality cleansing solution.  This way, you can rest assured that your Golden has healthy ears.

Grooming is an essential aspect to the health of every Golden Retriever.  All it takes is a little bit of time from your day to groom your pet and keep him healthy.  If you don’t have the time to groom your Golden, you can always take him to a professional.  Whether you do it yourself or take your Golden to a pro – grooming is something that simply must be done.

Grooming Your Golden Retriever courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a cute tote showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

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Which Dog Food For My Dog?

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There are more dog foods today than ever before.  When you walk into any pet supply store the choices can be almost overwhelming.  How in the world are you supposed to choose which food to buy for your dog?

In order to choose a good food for your dog you should keep in mind that there is no “best” dog food.  Dog foods make many marketing claims but your dog will be able to do well on many of the foods sold in stores today.  All you need to do is learn a few dog food basics.

Choosing a good dog food for your dog depends on two essential skills:  learning which ingredients go into a good dog food and learning to read a dog food label.  As you get more experienced with dog foods you will soon learn which companies generally manufacture the better foods and it will shorten the time you have to spend examining foods.

Do you have a Toy or small breed dog?  You may want to consider canned food.  Canned food typically costs more per ounce than dry food but it usually contains more protein and fat and much less grain than dry food.  It also usually has fewer chemical additives such as artificial colors and flavorings.  Canned food also doesn’t need preservatives because of the canning process.  Finally, canned food has plenty of moisture which makes it easier for dogs to digest than kibble.  Most dogs love canned food.  On the other hand, if you have large dogs or multiple dogs the cost of canned food can be prohibitive.

Whether you are buying kibble or canned food you will need to look at the label to find the information that you’re seeking.  Look for the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officers) statement that says the food meets the minimum nutritional adequacy standards required for pet foods.  This is no guarantee that your dog will thrive on the food but without this statement the food may not even meet minimum standards.

Next look for the ingredient list on the label.  Foods are required to list ingredients in order of their weight.  The first several ingredients should be the most important ingredients in the dog food.  Ideally you will see several sources of named protein among the first five ingredients.  These protein sources can be ingredients such as chicken meal, lamb meal, whole chicken, deboned chicken, and so on.

You should avoid foods that provide protein sources such as “animal digest” and “meat meal.”  According to AAFCO, these animal digests can be described as “animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed.”  Meat meal is described as “an animal feedstuff produced by recycling animal byproducts. These byproducts include meat trimmings, inedible parts and organs, fetuses, and certain condemned carcasses. They are cooked (rendered) to produce a nutritional and economical feed ingredient.”  These are not the kinds of protein you want to feed your dog.  Choose named proteins so you know what your dog is eating.

You also want to choose named sources of fats in your dog’s food for the same reasons.  Choose chicken fat instead of animal fat.

Avoid foods that use corn gluten meal or that has multiple sources of corn.  Corn has been used on such a widespread basis in dog food that many dogs have developed allergies to it.  Not only that, but dogs can only digest about 54 percent of the protein in corn.  That means that nearly half of the corn your dog eats in a food passes through him.  Corn-based foods typically produce large piles of poop for owners to pick up and you have to feed large amounts for your dog to get enough nutrition.  It’s best to simply look for foods that have no corn or minimal corn in them.

Foods that have fewer grains are generally better for your dog.  It’s up to you if you want to feed your dog a grain-free food.  They are generally very expensive.

You can also decide if you want to try feeding your dog a high protein diet.  Some dogs do well on them while others don’t.  If your dog becomes hyperactive and isn’t getting enough exercise to burn off some of the energy on this diet you may need to go back to a normal protein diet.

Avoid products that use BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin as preservatives.  Look instead for natural preservatives.

Avoid foods with artificial colors, sugars and sweeteners.  Your dog doesn’t need them.

Many dog foods claim to contain “human grade” ingredients but that can be misleading.  All poultry in the U.S. is hormone-free and dog food cannot, by law, be labeled human grade.  They may use anti-biotic-free meats and cuts of meat that humans would eat.  You will have to make your own decision.

If you examine dog food labels for these specifications you will begin to narrow down your choices.  After that, you may ask for some sample packs so you can see which foods your dog likes the best.  Remember that there is no single best food.  In fact, it’s best if you have 2-3 foods so you can rotate every few months.  This kind of variety is said to be beneficial for dogs.  If they are not having all of their nutritional needs met with one food they may make up the deficit with another food.

The most expensive foods are not always the best value for the money.  But the cheapest foods do usually cut corners and contain cheap ingredients.  There are a vast number of dog foods in the middle.  It takes some effort to choose good foods with good ingredients without necessarily spending a fortune but it’s certainly possible to do so.  Your dog will thank you.

Which Dog Food For My Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

Looking for a great gift idea? Who wouldn’t love a cute keychain showcasing their favorite breed? Check out all of the great doggie gift ideas on Amazon.com –doggieoftheday@amazon.com

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What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia?

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Hip dysplasia is a complicated disease that affects both cats and dogs.  It is considered to be an inherited disease but it is polygenic — that means that it is not a case of simply breeding parents together who don’t have hip dysplasia and producing puppies that don’t have the disease.  There are many factors that can affect whether or not a dog develops the disease, even if he has parents with or without hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia results when the cartilage around a dog’s hips shows signs of breaking down.  This can happen for several reasons.  There may be bony projections in the hip joints.  There could be shallow hip sockets.  There can be evidence of bone changes called “remodeling.”  All of these indications are bad because they lead to the breakdown of cartilage in the hip area.  Cartilage is necessary to cushion the hips when a dog walks or moves.  Without proper cartilage the dog begins experiencing some degree of pain.

The breakdown of cartilage leads to various stages of arthritis in the dog’s hips.  This arthritis can be diagnosed by a veterinarian as degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis.  These are all painful conditions and can eventually lead to a dog being debilitated and unable to walk.

If your dog is having difficulty with his hips or is showing any signs of pain you should visit your vet to get a professional opinion.  Your vet can make a preliminary diagnosis.  You can also submit the x-ray to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for evaluation.  The x-ray will be viewed by three veterinarians who are extremely experienced in evaluating hip dysplasia.  They can give you a precise rating for your dog’s hips.  Ratings of Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mildly Dysplastic, Poor and Severe may be given.  For cases where dysplasia is indicated the vets report back with a checklist of where the problems are.  Having the opinion of these specialists can provide your vet with more information if your dog is dysplastic.

Many people have their dog’s hips x-rayed when the dog is two years old to find out the dog’s hip status, especially if they are considering breeding the dog at some point.  As a general rule, dogs with ratings below Fair should not be used for breeding unless there are very important extenuating circumstances.

Hip ratings can depend a great deal on the x-rays submitted so it’s important to use a vet who has some experience with taking x-rays for OFA.  Bad x-rays can make even a dog with wonderful hips look like he is dysplastic.

Other people choose to use Penn Hip to evaluate hips for dysplasia.  Penn Hip stands for the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program.  This radiographic technique measure the level of joint laxity in a dog’s hips rather than the absolute position of the joints and bones, as with OFA.  Both systems have their supporters but OFA seems to attract more people.

If your dog does have hip dysplasia a lot will depend on how much he is affected.  This is a degenerative disease meaning that it will get worse with age.  He will most likely become more arthritic as he ages.  Fortunately, there are a lot of things that people can do to help offset the early stages of hip dysplasia.  Many people give their dogs joint supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM.  You can buy the same supplements for dogs that you buy for yourself in drugstores or places like Walmart.  Ask your vet about the proper dosage for your dog’s weight.

There are many other supplements sold in pet stores for doggy arthritis, such as Dog Gone Pain.  Some dog owners swear by them.  You will have to try them for yourself and see if you think your dog improves when he takes them.  Most dysplastic and arthritic dogs also do better when you keep them from gaining excess weight.  Watch their diet so they aren’t too chubby.  Carrying a lot of extra weight is bad for their hips.

As your dysplastic dog ages he may experience some degree of pain in his hips.  Your vet may recommend using one of the NSAID medications for pain relief, such as Deramaxx.  There are drawbacks to these medications and your vet should advise you about possible side effects.  It’s also advisable to do a blood panel before starting to use an NSAID with a dog to make sure your dog is a good candidate for taking the drug.

There are plenty of dogs who may have some minor degree of hip dysplasia who never exhibit any symptoms.  If your dog does have some hip dysplasia it’s not the end of the world.  He may run and play for the rest of his life without experiencing pain.  Even if he does develop some arthritis there are many ways to counter the problem.  A diagnosis of hip dysplasia doesn’t have to mean the end of good times for you and your dog.

What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia courtesy Dog Articles

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My Dog Hates To Travel

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In your mind you and your dog are traveling down the road in a convertible.  The top is down and you and your dog are letting the wind blow through your hair (and fur) as you drive off into the sunset.  It’s a beautiful fantasy.  Unfortunately, in real life, your dog drools, whines and throws up every time you try to put him in the car.  A quick trip to the vet for his shots leaves him shaking and staring at you like you’re going to have him put to sleep.  Taking your dog on an actual vacation would probably mean the end of your relationship.

What have you done to deserve this?  Why does your dog hate to travel?  And, is there anything you can do to make things better?

Contrary to popular belief, carsickness and travel anxiety can occur in any dog.  Even puppies that are introduced to riding in cars at a very young age may develop into bad travelers.  Some dogs simply seem to be more anxious by nature than other dogs.  Certainly socialization in all forms will help to create a more secure, more confident dog, which can decrease anxiety in general.  But if your dog becomes anxious about traveling in the car it’s going to take some work to help him get over his carsickness problems.

If you have a puppy or young dog do try to make the car a fun place for them, especially when you aren’t going anywhere.  Play with your puppy in the car or van.  Spend time there that isn’t associated with traveling.  Let it be a place for games and playtime.  That way, when you put your dog in the car or van to go on a short trip, your dog will associate the vehicle with good things.  That good attitude may help a little.

Whether you have a puppy or a dog that is already experiencing some travel problems, go for very short trips.  Drive around the block.  Go back home before your puppy or dog can develop any bad reaction to the trip.  Praise your puppy or dog and give them treats.  You can do this several times a week, gradually making the trips a little longer.  Most puppies will be fine with this routine and develop into great little travelers.  If you have a dog which is already showing signs of being a bad traveler you should monitor him carefully to see how far you can drive before he starts having problems.  See if you can slowly help him get a little further each time but don’t push things too far or make him uncomfortable.  Carsickness is a very real, physical problem and if your dog is carsick he can’t help it.

Keep in mind that once a dog has been sick in your car that the odor will linger for quite a while.  You may stop noticing it but your dog can still detect it.  The scent of it may contribute to making him sick again so be sure to try to thoroughly clean any carsickness accidents in your vehicle.  This will help your dog do better the next time you make an attempt.

If your dog isn’t improving by trying to gradually lengthen his trips in the car you can try some natural remedies.  One of the old favorites uses ginger cookies or any kind of cookie or treat with ginger.  Ginger is a traditional home remedy for settling an upset stomach and it works well for dogs as well as humans.

Some people recommend pheromones.  Comfort Zone with D.A.P (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) has helped some dogs by reducing anxiety.

Herbal and nutritional remedies are also popular.  Composure Liquid by Vetri-Science has been used with success by some owners.  Nutricalm has also worked to reduce anxiety for some dogs.

Some people prefer the Bach Flower Essences, such as Rescue Remedy.

If the natural remedies don’t work for you and your dog you may wish to try the over-the-counter anti-nausea drug Dramamine.  Dramamine helps many dogs who don’t travel well.  If your dog still has problems with traveling you should consult your veterinarian.  He or she may prescribe something stronger for anxiety, such as Valium or Serax.

You don’t have to give up your dream of traveling with your dog but it may take a little work to get the two of you on the road together.

My Dog Hates To Travel courtesy Dog Articles.

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How To Mate Dogs Successfully

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Mating dogs takes patience and good timing, but can be successful if you plan carefully. Here are the things to consider to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

It is  a good idea to introduce the dogs you plan to mate before the female comes into heat. This gives you the opportunity to see how they get along – whether they act aggressively toward each other, or whether they are quite friendly. A few days together should determine whether they are compatible enough to consider breeding them.

If so, when your girl comes into heat, you can safely move on to the next stage. A female dog (bitch) usually comes into heat twice a year, starting with proestrus, which generally lasts between seven and ten days. When she does, you will notice a small amount of bloody discharge from her vulva, and it will swell and become more pliable. The first heat usually takes place between six and twelve months of age, but it’s not a good idea to breed your female on this first heat. She’s still young, and would benefit from a bit more physical maturity before becoming a mom.

The most fertile time to breed dogs is between ten and fourteen days after the female starts bleeding. If the dogs have not been introduced, you should allow supervised periods of interaction every forty-eight hours until the bitch will not allow the male dog (stud) to mate any more. That way, there are no risks to either dog from personality clashes.

Dogs that haven’t been bred before may not know what they should do, and may require the assistance of an experienced breeder to help them mate successfully.

During mating, the two dogs will “tie” – they will be locked together at the genitals for 20-45 minutes. This is nature’s way of improving the odds for a successful mating. However, even if the dogs don’t tie, pregnancy is still possible.

If you’re new to breeding dogs, this tie might concern you. It is a normal part of dog mating, and is nothing to worry about. It’s very important that you don’t try and separate the two dogs before they are ready. This can lead to damage to the genitals of both male and female dogs.

Dogs that are new to breeding may also be distressed at their inability to separate, and you may need to  reassure them, and calm them down. Having said that, in many cases dogs just get down to business and mate successfully without any human intervention.

Sometimes dogs just don’t get pregnant, in spite of your best efforts. If you still want to breed your dog, there may be a veterinarian who specializes in reproductive medicine in your area. He can help identify why your dog isn’t conceiving, and help you work around it.

These days, there are many reproductive technologies available to dogs, including artificial insemination. They are expensive, but can often result in pregnancy when nature doesn’t take its course.

How To Mate Dogs Successfully courtesy Dog Articles.

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