Archive for February, 2010
I’m sure you’re as tired as I am of placing upturned laundry baskets and heaping pillows on the couches at night so the dogs don’t sleep up there. It’s a pain in the neck to clean couches, and even despite my best efforts to keep the dogs clean, they still leave a lot of dirt and grit wherever they sleep. Then I found a website selling a dog couch. I thought it was kind of an outlandish concept, but if I had to shampoo the couches one more time I was going to pull my hair out.
So I bought two dog couches and put them in the living room near mine. After a few more nights of upturned laundry baskets and heaped pillows, the dogs slept on their own couches and didn’t want to sleep on mine anymore!
When bringing home a new dog, it is important to introduce her into the household in a way that makes her and any existing pets feel secure. Have your new dog meet any established pets, particularly other dogs, on neutral territory. Have them meet on the street on leash and walk together with the width of the road between them for a few days until they are quite familiar with each other. Bring them into the home one at a time, preferably with the new dog inside first and then the other. If things look a bit iffy, put your new girl into her own room gated but with the door open so they can see and smell and hear each other. It is also a good idea to get a crate for your new pet so she has her own safe place to retreat to when she wants. The crate door can be left open with a nice cozy crate mat to snuggle up on if things get hairy-no pun intended!
Dogs are innately attracted to areas where their masters have sat down or rested; it’s predominantly a scent attraction. This is the reason that dogs will often frequent your furniture or bed, despite your best efforts to keep their fur and hair off your fabric. There are a few steps you can take to keep your pets from sleeping on the furniture. First, designer dog beds will often attract an animal to sleep at the same location. After your dog has slept in their bed a few times, they will associate it as ‘their space’. There is a variety of small dog beds available, but most of the time pets aren’t too picky (but obviously a Great Dane won’t fare well in a bed half their size!).
If your dog continues to sleep on the furniture or your bed even after you’ve given them their own bed, try disciplining with a whistle if they get up on the furniture, and remain consistent with the practice. After a time your dog will come to understand that they’re not supposed to be on the furniture.
With frigid temperatures to be found throughout much of the country, we all need to bundle up. Extra layers are important and keeping your dog warm on your daily walks is important for him as well. Some dogs are meant for the cold outdoors, breeds like the Husky or Akita love it. Other breeds don’t mind due to their double coat or long hair like some Retrievers or Labs. But if your pooch has short hair or a single coat, make sure you put a jacket or sweater on when going out for a long walk. Also, be careful of their paws and pads, watching for things like frost bite or the salt put down to melt the ice. That salt can get between the pads and cause painful burning on that tender skin. There are boots available for your pet if you think that the extreme temperatures or man made products are a danger. Keep your pup as warm as you like to be!
A somewhat common problem in dogs that have not been properly socialized is fear aggression, which can be directed at other dogs and/or people who are strangers. Dogs that have this problem may give a low growl or get very still for a moment or two before really displaying strong aggressive behavior such as snarling, lunging and perhaps even biting. This doesn’t mean this dog is not trainable, but a strong hand in an environment without many triggers is essential. Breeds that are know to have strong guarding instincts tend to be more prone to developing these behaviors and it is important to get them around other dogs and people from an early age to avoid this issue. If a great dog does have this negative behavior, consult a trainer with a strong background in this issue, and you can still have a great pet with lots of hard walk. Take lots of walks with a strong dog leash that enables you to meet other dogs and people on neutral territory and maintain control. Good luck!
Its no fun getting sick these days. Used to be a good cold or bout with the flu was good for a few days rest at home, lots of television and sleep. Now, with H1N1, regular Influenza and the ever lurking pneumonia, a person can get really, really sick. Symptoms to pay attention to are fevers, vomiting, excessive fatigue and overall pain. A persistent cough could be a sign that things have gotten nasty in your lungs too. Because everything is so contagious it is best to just stay home (not like you’ll feel like doing anything else anyway!). Curl up with your four legged friend who can’t get sick from you and wait for it all to pass. At least even the dog bed will feel comfy. In fact you could probably sleep on a picket fence. Feel better soon!