Pets

Constipation usually occurs when the dog does not get enough bulk in his diet or when he does not get enough proper exercise. When a dog does not get the chance to eliminate when he needs to, he may develop the habit of holding it in. A dog that is not let out enough will also likely to develop this habit. In these simple cases of constipation, you may use the following treatment to ease your dog’s discomfort:

1. Feed your dog a natural diet that includes fresh vegetables with sufficient amounts of bulk. Raw meat is also considered a natural laxative for dogs. If your dog’s stool looks dry, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of bran (depending on his weight) to each serving of meal. Adding bran helps the stools hold extra moisture. You may also apply a similar treatment using ¼ to 2 teaspoons of powdered psyllium seed. This is available online and in most health food stores.

2. You may also use mineral oil temporarily in cases where there is a large build-up of hard stools. Depending on the size of your dog, add ½ to 2 teaspoons to his meals twice a day, for no longer than a week. Continued use of this method is not ideal because the oil will draw reserves of vitamin A from the dog’s body. In addition, continued use of this process may create a dependency on its use for normal elimination.

3. Make sure that the dog is getting plenty of opportunity to go outside to relieve himself. Another treatment that is very effective is to make sure that your dog is getting enough sufficient exercise. Exercise is vital for massaging his internal organs and increasing the blood flow all over his body, which also stimulates a slow metabolism. Running, long walks, or playing fetch are great forms of exercise that both you and your dog can benefit from.

Chronic case of constipation

If your dog is suffering from chronic and prolonged constipation, you may also try homeopathic treatment, which is a natural form of remedy. Consult a vet who specializes in this form of treatment to determine if this is the best route to take.

Aluminum poisoning is also possible with a dog that has a weak rectum. Signs of aluminum poisoning include chronic constipation with straining and sticky and messy stools rather than hard ones. Even if the stool is soft, weak rectal muscles make passage difficult. If you feel that aluminum poisoning is the cause of your dog’s chronic constipation, stop using aluminum cooking pots and dishes when preparing your dog’s food. Avoid pet food that is sold in aluminum cans. In addition, do not feed your dog processed cheeses, table salt, white flour, and tap water. To remove the aluminum from his body, use high doses of vitamin C - about 500 milligrams to 3 grams per day along with zinc supplement-5 milligrams for small dogs up to 20 milligrams for large dogs.

Has your dog been displaying signs of aggression? Aggression in dogs needs to be dealt with right away because even low levels of aggression can escalate with time if they are not dealt with properly.

If your dog is not neutered, make an appointment with your vet right away. Although training is still necessary, neutering a dog can help with hormonal aggression. Not all aggression is hormonal, but it will be much easier to deal with behavioral aggression once hormonal aggression is taken care of.

Second, evaluate your dog’s behavior. What triggers his aggressiveness? Different types of aggression include food aggression, toy aggression, aggression towards other dogs, and aggression towards people. If your dog has one of the latter two, take special care of your dog during walks to make sure he cannot harm people or other dogs.

Next, recognize what warnings you get when your dog is feeling aggressive. These can include growling, pushing or leaning into people, jumping on people, aggressive stances, or ignoring commands. These are signs of low level aggression, which is typically used as a warning by your dog when she feels threatened. They are a dog’s way of asserting control over the situation. Left unchecked, the dog’s low level aggressive behavior can escalate to the more dangerous higher level of aggression. Signs of high level aggression include biting, snarling, snapping, jumping up and barking aggressively, staring, and displaying of teeth.

When a dog is exhibiting any of these behaviors, it is vital to start behavior modification immediately. Although most low level of aggression can be dealt with by the owner using dog training techniques such as Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF), it is often best to seek professional help when your dog starts to display signs of high aggression.

As a cat owner, you have a responsibility to protect the cat. One of the things you’ll need to do is to have the cat vaccinated.

6-8 weeks old

The first vaccination will need to happen when he is about six to eight weeks old. Before now, his mother’s antibodies are helping to protect him. But, once he is weaned from the mother, he needs his own antibodies to protect him.

The vet will give your kitten a physical exam which will likely include a fecal exam to insure that the cat doesn’t have worms. Before vaccinating them, they will do a blood test to insure that the does not already have Feline Leukemia or Feline Infectius Peritonitis. These tests don’t take long to be done, likely only minutes. The first vaccine to be received will likely be Feline Leukemia and FIP vaccines. Cats that never leave their home may not need these vaccines.

But, all cats are likely to receive FVRCPC vaccine even if he never leaves home. This vaccine is actually a combination of several vaccines. FVRCPC protects kittens from rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleudopenia and chlamydia.

10-12 weeks old

Two to four weeks later, you cat will need to visit the vet again. This time he will get his second FVRCPC vaccine and his second FIP and feline Leukemia vaccines as well. He may get a second worming too if he had one at his first visit. When they reach twelve weeks old, those cats that spend time outdoors will also need their first rabies vaccine.

The next visit will happen at ten to sixteen weeks old. The third FVRCPC vaccine will be given. And some cats will get their rabies shot now too.

1 year old

At one year old, the cat will need Rabies and FVRCPC vaccines again. If the rabies shot is given within one year of the first one, it will be good for up to three years. The cat will return though for FVRCPC vaccines each year. He’ll also receive boosters of FIP and Feline Leukemia as well.

Your pet needs these vaccines to stay healthy. Although they are meant to help your pet stay healthy, the cat may develop a reaction to the injection itself. Although rare, the cat can develop a cancer from the Leukemia vaccines and that is why they are not recommended for cats that do not need them. Also, cats can develop lumps or tumors as well. It is important that you make sure to let the vet know if there are any signs of these things with your pet.

When you follow these simple steps you kitten should be assured a happy and healthy future.

Who hasn’t, at some time, had a problem with your cat going outside the litterbox? The root of this frustrating problem could be any number of reasons. Finding the solution can be a little bit of, pardon the pun, hit or miss. First, make sure your kitty doesn’t have a medical condition such as a bladder or urinary tract infection (UTI) causing them to have irregular habits. After ruling out physical illnesses, try some of these tactics:

- Frequently clean the litterbox. Who wants to use a stinky, dirty toilet? Remove all the soiled litter and wash the box with mild soap and water about once a week. Then put in fresh litter and sprinkle in an odor-eliminating ingredient such as baking soda.

-Put their litterbox in a safe, quiet spot where they can have some privacy.

-Keep their food and water away from their litterbox. Who wants their meals in the bathroom?!?

-Some cats prefer a certain litter. Changing a brand or type of litter can cause them to avoid or attract them to the box. There are many scents and textures available to try. Besides clay and scoopable litters with varying scents, there are also paper/wood-based litters.

-Provide one litterbox per cat then add one extra (e.g. if you have 2 cats, you’ll need 3 litterboxes). Why all the boxes? Cats have a keen sense of smell and can be territorial. One cat can claim his stake over the box preventing the other from using it.

-Try moving the litterbox to the spot where they’re currently urinating or defecating.

-Some may not like the enclosed litterboxes. They may make them feel trapped without an extra exit. Others, however, may get in the litterbox and have a little “overspray” which could be helped by the enclosed litterboxes. Try changing the type and size of your litterbox.

Other factors prohibiting litterbox use can be changes in the cat’s household environment. Is there a new pet or new human sibling? Have you currently moved or made some radical changes to your home? Is there a new mate? Abnormal cat behaviors could be your cat’s way of saying: “Hey, I used to your baby! I need more attention, please!”

Remember to treat the areas the cat has been using outside the litterbox. If they smell the area, they may be inclined to a “repeat performance” which could lead to a bad little habit. There are products available to eliminate the odors and also to repel the cat from going to this spot.

Keep working with your kitty! It is natural instinct for cats to use the litterbox so there is a reason why he or she isn’t doing it. Be patient and try all available avenues. They are worth it all!

Weight pull is a wonderful sport for Pit Bulls to display their physical and mental strength. Before you get involved you should make sure you know where to go, what equipment you will need and the training involved.

Let’s start with Weight Pull Organizations

Two established organizations that hold weight pull events are the United Kennel Club and the International Weight Pull Association.

Both organizations offer quality events and have the experience to set up nice pulls with good turn outs. The IWPA is a weight pull specific organization and is widely popular among dog owners who are involved in weight pull.

The types of pulls you will encounter are:

1. Track pulls. These pulls use a track and wheel system. This is where you will see massive amounts of weight being pulled.

2. Cart pull. These pulls use a wheeled cart and while the weights are lower than track pulls they are still quite impressive.

3. Sled pulls. The most difficult of the pulls are sled pulls.

These pulls are held on dirt or snow and use a sled to hold the weights.

The UKC and IWPA mostly use cart and sled pulls during their pull events. This requires your dog to have Superior strength and drive in order to successfully pull the weight.

How Weight Pulls Work

Your dog will be required to pull the weight 16 feet and you are not allowed to bait (encourage with food or a toy) or touch the dog while the dog is pulling.

You can encourage the dog from the finish line or drive the dog by walking to the side and behind them while encouraging them to pull the weight.

Your dog has one minute to complete the pull. If they do not pull the weight helpers will come out and assist the dog so they succeed. You do not score any points if the dog needs help.

The dog that pulls the most weight according to their size wins the pull.

Using this system you will see big dogs lose to little dogs because the little dog pulled more weight compared to their size in open pulls. Both organizations offer pulls for specific breeds.

The most popular breeds used are:

1. American Pit Bull Terriers

2. American Bulldogs

3. Malamutes

4. Rottweilers

But other breeds like Cocker Spaniels and Poodles also get involved in weight pull.

Important Equipment You Will Need

Having a good weight pull harness is the key here. Weight pull harnesses are designed for weight pull and come with a “brace” bar that will help stretch out the harness to pull the weight.

You can get these harnesses online by doing a search for them using your favorite search engine.

Training Your Pit Bull for Weight Pull

Experts advise against getting young dogs started in weight pull and recommend you start when the dog is 18-24 months old.

Starting at this age gives your dog time to fully grow so they won’t injure their joints, muscles or ligaments.

You will find two camps in the training department. One camp suggests that you start out by having your dog pull light weights while working and the other camp suggests that you start training with light weights using the rules, distance and set up that you would encounter at a pull.

Having your dog pull the light weight 16 feet exactly as they would if they were compete ting.

Whatever camp you want to start in you should get some professional help or find a person who has been doing weight pull with the UKC or the IWPA for a while and ask them questions.

Weight pull offers a great way to get outdoors and get some exercise with your dog while giving your dog a job to do.

In the end, it’s a unique sport for unique canines and owners that enjoy the competition and excitement of a successful pull.

When raising a puppy, there is a fine line between a dog bite and puppy love. Adult dogs will bite for a numbers of reasons, including fear, defensiveness, and aggression. But puppies have yet to develop many of the behaviors (such as possessiveness, territoriality, or simply aggression in general) that can contribute to biting tendencies.

So while puppies don’t really bite, they nip. They nip as a form of play, but also as manifestation of their “prey instincts” in development. Either way, those little teeth sure can hurt, and can puncture just as easily as an accidental staple in your finger (not that I would know of course).

Puppies need to chew even more when they are teething - there are even special chew toys that can be dampened and frozen to provide relief for painful gums during this process. Broadly speaking, they are using their mouths to express themselves, to explore and engage with all of the things that surround them. Of course, that includes you, the owner.

Nipping behavior CAN be present in adult dogs. For example, some dogs tend to nip at the hands and feet of people whenever they move quickly. Unfortunately, this is commonly a sign of earlier abuse at the hand (and indeed foot) of a nasty owner. The adult dog comes to mistrust these appendages, and for good reason. Such a dog can require a good dose of re-training, precaution, and patience.

But for puppy owners, there are super simple but super important steps you can take to deal with nipping pups:

* Use an “OUCH” command.

Whenever your puppy gets you too hard and inflicts any amount of pain, whether you are playing or not, cry out sharply with “Ouch” or something similar. The important thing is NOT to say “No” or anything that makes the puppy think it has done something wrong. They haven’t. They simply need to figure out some boundaries. An “Ouch” command lets them know where to draw the line while not punishing them for bad behavior. After all, you are your puppy’s favorite thing in the world. The last thing they want to do is poke multiple holes in your hand.

* Use physical correction.

Another sure-fire technique to interrupt a nipping and biting puppy is to physically wrap your thumb and forefinger around its lower jaw, further back the better but not down its throat. It’s a bit slimy, but I assure you, your dog doesn’t like it either, as it renders them unable to close their jaw. They may try to squirm away. If they do, you can either let them go, but if they go right back to chomping on you, you should hold firm (don’t squeeze), and perhaps give a “No biting” command gently as you do.

In both cases, you can follow the correction by placing one of the dog’s toys in its mouth to redirect the behavior. Also, be sure to give praise - but best to do it verbally, as it’s best not to put your hand back in front of its face. This will help them get the point of why your hand was removed as target for its teeth.

These easy steps will prevent the habit of dog biting when playing, and may go some way in discouraging genuine biting tendencies as the dog matures.

A Shih Tzu show dog kennel should practice preventive medicine as the means of maintaining optimum health. The Shih Tzu show dog must be available for showing for extended periods of time. Preventive medicine is much more practical and is kinder to the Shih Tzu.

The Shih Tzu show dog must have routine checks for parasites and a strict maintenance of inoculations. Being in the show ring presents more chances of being exposed to disease germs. It is imperative that the Shih Tzu show dog that has been traveling from show to show be kept separate from the home crew once returning home. This can be compared to the older sister or brother who goes to school and brings home the chicken pox to all younger brothers and sisters. Extra precautions should be taken by the Shih Tzu show dog kennel to prevent possible spread of disease germs to the entire kennel and/or any Shih Tzu puppies for sale present among them.

Three very serious diseases to which all dogs are susceptible are:

1. Distemper

2. Hepatitis

3. Leptospirosis

These diseases are serious because they are frequently fatal. Fortunately, there are effective inoculations against all three.

Fleas and ticks are present in almost all parts of the country during warm weather. They are easy to pick up and sometimes quite difficult to get rid of, especially in the case of a long-coated Shih Tzu. Fleas and ticks also are capable of causing a dog to become infested with worms and sometimes diseases.

The simple rule to follow is to consult the veterinarian whenever there is the least question concerning the health of a Shih Tzu show dog. This is especially true in the case of the various diseases of the skin or conditions that result in seasonal irritants. These problems need to be treated promptly in order to prevent a chronic condition leading to the ruin of a Shih Tzu show dog coat, but is also detrimental to the over-all health of the Shih Tzu.

Toy Dogs, which include the Shih Tzu, have physical problems that are peculiar to them. The Toy dogs also have a few advantages over other certain classes of dogs. Many of the special problems affecting Toy dogs are the direct result of having been bred down to their present size. Toy dogs are actually a creation of man mainly for an amusing house pet.

Going for a hike with your dog in the desert has its special challenges, but is quicksand one of them? The image is in all our heads from so many old Westerns. The bad guy takes a misstep in the desert and falls into a puddle of quivering quicksand. Just out of the reach of the nearby tree, the struggling outlaw is sucked slowly but surely to his doom in the merciless quagmire.

Could it happen to you - or your dog?

Quicksand is not really any special kind of sand, it is actually a condition that is happening to a patch of sand. Beneath the surface is a constant flow of water, typically an underground spring, that agitates the grains of sand, weakening them and lifting the grains apart. Each grain of sand is surrounded by a thin film of water and as the grains lose friction with each other, the solid mass breaks asunder. The water is not strong enough, however, to completely disperse the sand and the resultant soupy pool therefore can look like solid ground. Although the condition is most familiar in sand, any soil can become “quick.”

Quicksand is found most anywhere water and sand mix every day. Good places to find quicksand are on ocean coasts, near sandy creek beds and area of sand over an impervious clay substructure. Another good place to find quicksand is in hilly country with abundant caves and underground springs lurking beneath. The desert country of the southwest is such a place and, since there is often no apparent source of water nearby, the unexpected quicksand was a natural to catch the devious fancy of a Hollywood screenwriter.

OK, that’s what it is and where I’ll find it but can it make my dog disappear?

No. Unlike the bottomless pits of doom depicted in the movies, most patches of quicksand are only a few inches to several feet deep. And quicksand does not pull its victim down to lethal depths like a deranged Hoover. It is, however, possible to perish in quicksand but, just like drowning in vegetable soup, you really have to work at it.

Should you stumble into quicksand you will sink just as you sink in water. If the quicksand is shallow, you can retrace your steps and extricate yourself from the sandy tentacles. But if the quicksand is deeper there is still little to worry about. Since the water is slightly more dense than than the human body it is possible to float in quicksand just as you would in a swimming pool. Your dog will no doubt adjust immediately to auto-swim in a pool of quicksand.

In fact, since quicksand is saturated with liquid it is far heavier than water and will allow you to float even higher, provided you move slowly and allow the sandy potion to flow under your body. As it is, do not thrash about as you position yourself into a floating posture. If you are traveling with a hiking stick, and it doesn’t reach the bottom of the quicksand, you should lay the pole on the quicksand and pull your body over it until it rests beneath your back. Use the pole for leverage to eventually raise your leg out of the quicksand as you reach friendly turf. You may even be able to swim to firmer ground by dog-paddling as if you fell into a mountain lake. Just don’t let your dog see you.

The Pit Bull terrier is an amazing dog and is extremely energetic and can certainly prove to be a handful if not properly trained. American Pit Bulls are extremely loyal and when a relationship is formed, it lasts forever. If you’re a new Pit Bull owner, you really need to understand how demanding these dogs can be and realize that they need a lot of attention and training in order to recognize their full potential as pets. Pits are very intelligent dogs and this will work to your advantage as you’re going through the training process.

Because of their high intelligence, Pit Bulls can have stubborn streak in them but don’t let this scare you when it comes to obedience training time. You as the owner must remember that there will be times when you ask him to do something and he’s not going to obey, even though he knows what you are expecting him to do. Remember to remain patient in these times and don’t get frustrated. The earlier you being training your Pit, the better. At 8 weeks of age, you can begin basic training and socializing your Pit Bull puppy. Remember, make sure to keep the training activities fun and use positive reinforcements to encourage desired behavior.

Socialization is one of the key areas of focus for Pit Bull training. Pits can be extremely friendly and affectionate animals but they can be dog aggressive if not properly socialized. The best way to socialize your pup is to enroll in training classes. Training classes allow your Pit to be trained side by side with other dogs.

When your Pit Bull puppy reaches the age of 13-16 weeks, you can begin a more serious training routine. During this age, your Pit will likely test his boundries with you and explore the area of dominance. He may nip and try to assume the alpha dog role. It is important to be strong during this time and maintain the dominant role in the relationship.

Pit Bulls are genuinely lovable family dogs that if properly trained, make a great pet for anyone. They are excellent dogs that love being around their “people”. Be sure to train your Pit Bull as early as possible and remember to stay consistent.

The growing puppy should be weighed once a week for the first six months of his life. The weekly growth rate, which starts from weaning to six months, should be very constant that it forms a straight line when plotted on a graph. The amount of dog food consumed by a fast growing puppy should be increased at almost the same rate as the puppy’s growth. The only way to make sure this increase in dog food consumption happens at the proper rate is to feed a puppy from a self-feeder. Whenever a puppy eats everything he is fed, add a little more, so that you are always offering the puppy just a little more than he will eat.Puppies obtained after weaning should already have an established feeding program from the previous owner. You should make every effort to find out everything you can about the type of feeding program from the old owner. The old owner should provide you with information that includes the type of dog food that the puppy is currently eating as well as the feeding times. In addition, the previous owner should tell you the amount of dog food given, so that you can duplicate them for at least a few days until the puppy has become used to his new surroundings.Do not be afraid to change the old routine, however. Such a change is one of those that are considered acceptable when it comes to dog feeding. Do not be misled into feeding your new puppy exactly the same way his previous owner was feeding him, just because you feel that the breeder is an experienced dog feeder. Just because that person is a breeder does not necessary make him/her an expert in dog feeding. In many cases, most breeders, in their innocent ignorance, felt they were doing one of their puppies and his new owner a favor by passing their misinformation along.If you feel that there is a need to change your new puppy’s diet to improve dog nutrition or feeding method, feel free to do so. Once the puppy is familiar to his new home and the people that go with it, you can begin introducing him to a new dog food and feeding routine. Just remember to do it slowly, one step at a time.