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Dental Care For Your Dog

Posted on February 22, 2011 by admin

Our furry little friends are likely to develop dental disease if their dental needs are ignored. Periodontal disease is not uncommon among dogs, particularly small dog breeds. And just like with humans, these problems can result in bad breath, yellowed teeth, and in the worst of cases, even progress to loss of teeth.

The development of such problems usually begins with such signs as swollen, red, and painful gums. Your pet may have less of an appetite as well. These signs indicate a need for immediate professional care.

Tooth decay and/or the loss of teeth usually indicate the presence of bacteria in the mouth. If left untreated the damage can progress from only involving the mouth to further damage that can include serious complications related to the kidneys, lungs, and heart, all of which can lead to a shortened lifespan. Periodontal problems usually start with the formation of plaque.

Plaque builds on the teeth and in thirty-six hours or less, plaque can harden and tartar can form. This problem usually develops first and the worst in the upper back teeth. Unfortunately, once tartar has formed, it cannot be brushed away.

The good news is that these problems can be avoided. Although healthy routines can be started with any dog at any age, it is always best to start healthy routines with a young puppy. If the dog is older you should insure that he has a professional dental cleaning and then begin the healthy dental routine at home.

If you have a regular routine of brushing your dog’s teeth on a daily basis you can avoid most of these problems. The routine should be established while the dog is young if at all possible. He will then accept the brushing as part of his regular care.

At first the dog will wonder what you are doing so it is best to allow him to taste the doggie toothpaste. These special pastes are formulated to be appealing to dogs. You can use your finger or a special dog toothbrush. Don’t forget to clean both the teeth and the gums. Begin in the back and work in small circular motions. The entire brushing process will take less than a minute.

Providing such things as chew treats, hard dog biscuits and bones, and even soft toys for your pet can help to prevent dental problems. Besides keeping the teeth strong and healthy many of the items are specially formulated to freshen the breath. Feeding crunchy food items on a regular basis is another way to keep your pet’s teeth healthier. Another tip is that while warming your dog’s food will often make it more appealing it is important to insure that the food is only slightly warm and never hot. On the flip side, dogs should not be served cold food.

Dental Care For Your Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Dog Assisted Therapy

Posted on February 7, 2011 by admin

Many people are familiar with the idea of pet therapy, or “animal assisted activities.” Less familiar is the practice of “Animal Assisted Therapy.” Animal assisted activities generally refer to pet visits in hospitals and residential care facilities, while Animal Assisted Therapy is a much more focused use of a pet to help in the treatment program of a particular patient.

Animal Assisted Therapy usually has specific and measurable objectives. It’s part of a carefully designed treatment program that matches one animal to one patient. A “therapy dog” and his trained handler work with a medical professional to help a patient who may have a severe mental and/or physical disability. The patient is encouraged to interact with the therapy dog. This interaction is increased gradually. In the beginning the patient may only observe the dog or be encouraged to touch him. Later the patient may be confident enough to brush the dog or put the dog’s collar on, or even to walk the dog. The medical professionals will maintain progress records during treatment.

Dogs are ideal participants in this Animal Assisted Therapy. They are nonjudgmental, they do not pressure the patient, and they are very patient. They are also very empathetic. The patient can also feel useful by grooming and walking the dog, which can be an important part of patient recovery. Therapeutic interactions between dogs and patients have been shown to exist in studies.

Animal assisted activities, or pet visits with therapy dogs, are less formal in nature. Their benefits may vary depending on the needs and conditions of the patients participating. There is no formal treatment plan or schedule involved and they generally are not set up for one-to-one visits between patient and pet. These visits usually take place in hospital settings or assisted living homes or in nursing homes. They change the routine of the residents and cheer people up. These visits can be very beneficial, however, appealing to people who may have shut themselves off from others. Pets can stir emotions that people may not have acknowledged. There are examples of patients who have not spoken in over a year who have begun speaking to visiting dogs.

Many institutions are continuing the idea of pet therapy with a “resident pet.” A resident pet is a cat or dog that becomes a permanent resident of a facility and has free run of the place. Each resident has an owner’s interest in the animal and can look forward to assisting in the animal’s care. In some places a full course of therapy has been built around the care and feeding of the resident pet, giving residents something to look forward to. Residents meet to discuss the animal’s care and other matters relating to the animal. They may develop their own charts and schedules to take care of him or her. Of course the staff must watch out to avoid problems of jealousy over the pet and caring for him.

Characteristics that make for a good therapy dog are more about temperament than training. Of course such dogs do require basic obedience training, but personality plays a crucial role in determining which dogs will succeed as animal assistance dogs. Patients, residents and even staff will react to the dogs in these programs in varying ways. Some people will be outgoing and show emotion; others will be quite shy. The dogs must be able to respond to a variety of emotions and remain calm. They must have stable temperaments, even if patients lunge to grab them or make loud noises. Dogs may also need to accept various medical equipment and hospital noises in some cases. When considering a dog for these circumstances you would discount dogs that are nervous or high strung or one that doesn’t like to socialize.

Many studies have shown the benefits and importance of pet therapy. Pets have been helpful with AIDS patients, cancer patients, the elderly and the mentally ill. One study has even determined that petting a dog can lower blood pressure. Another study found that pets can help reduce stress-related illnesses. According to a study at City Hospital in New York, heart patients who owned pets lived longer than those who had no pets. In fact, owning a pet was even more significant to long term survival than whether a person had a spouse or friends. That’s rather amazing. Pets can make a remarkable difference in our lives.

Dog Assisted Therapy courtesy Dog Articles.

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Do I Need a Professional Handler To Show My Dog?

Posted on January 24, 2011 by admin

The American Kennel Club offers about 15,000 dog events each year in the United States. Approximately half of those events are conformation events, or the kind of dog shows that you see televised, such as the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. All “intact” AKC-registered purebred dogs are eligible to be shown at these AKC-sanctioned dog shows. (Intact means that the dog is not spayed or neutered). Dog shows evaluate dogs for potential breeding purposes so it would defeat the purposes of the dog show to have the dogs spayed or neutered.) There are AKC member kennel clubs throughout the country which put together dog shows. Chances are that there is a show near you once or twice a year.

If you have an AKC-registered purebred dog and you are interested in showing your dog at dog shows, do you need a professional handler to show it for you? That all depends. There are some good reasons to use a professional handler but it is by no means a requirement. Many owners do show their own dogs and win, but it takes a lot of hard work and practice.

Reasons to use a professional handler:

1. You would like to have your dog evaluated by an objective observer. AKC registration guarantees you that your dog is a purebred but it does not guarantee you that your dog is “show quality.” Not every dog born is capable of being a Best in Show winner or even of becoming a show champion. A professional handler who is familiar with your breed can look at your dog and evaluate his conformation. He or she can tell you if you would be wasting your money by trying to show this particular dog. Most handlers are honest enough to tell you the truth. They are not lacking for clients and they don’t want to handle dogs that will make them look bad in the show ring. If you do have a dog that they think they can win with, they will tell you that, too. If they don’t see show ring potential in your dog they may have connections with other breeders who have litters with show potential puppies.

2. If you do have a good dog you may not have the grooming skills necessary to make him look his best. This can be particularly true if you have a longhaired breed or a breed that requires specialized grooming, such as a Poodle. A good handler can take a good dog and make him look great.

3. You may be new to showing and still learning. A good handler can be very instructive and you can learn from him or her as they show your dog. Or, you can ask for some private lessons from a handler, either with handling or with grooming.

4. You may be a good enough handler to show your dog in small shows or to put points on them to finish their championship but your dog is better than you are. If you have a great dog you may want to use a handler to help your dog go as far as he can go. You can use a handler to show your dog at big shows, where the competition is especially tough. You can earn the small wins but with a handler your dog could have a shot at Group wins or even Best in Show.

Of course, there are plenty of owners who develop their skills and compete against professional handlers. You can attend handling classes offered by local kennel clubs or, as mentioned, you can pay for lessons from a professional handler or ask for handling tips from other exhibitors. There are also some good books and videos available about handling, as well as some good seminars offered by former handlers.

The key to success is to pay attention to even the smallest detail of your dog’s appearance and to practice everything you will do in the ring until you can do everything smoothly. It’s an adage that good handlers do not draw attention to themselves. Everything they do puts the focus on the dog and accentuates his good qualities.

Remember that whether your dog wins or loses, whether a handler thinks he’s show material or not, he is still the same wonderful dog he always was. Shows are only a small part of your life or your dog’s life. If you decide that shows aren’t for you there are many other fun things that you and your dog can do together.

Do I Need a Professional Handler To Show My Dog courtesy of Dog Articles.

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