August 2003
Letters: 08/03
Subscribers Only
Training Advice
Subscribers Only What to do when spouses disagree about the dog, big dogs get more and more aggressive on walks, and two dogs can’t live together peacefully.
Post-Surgical Procedure Protective Collars or "Coneheads"
Subscribers Only The lampshade, satellite dish, or cone – no matter what you call it, it is hard not to alternately laugh and feel sorry for any dog wearing one. Often used after surgical procedures, these cone-shaped collars are designed to keep dogs from licking sutures or wounds, potentially opening the wounds or tearing the stitches. They are also used to keep a dog with an injury or surgical site on his head from scratching it with his paws.
Beware of Foxtail Seeds This Summer
“Foxtail” is a generic term that’s often applied to several species of wild grasses, but is specifically associated with a type of wild barley (Hordeum jubatum) that is indigenous to the western United States. Foxtail is common all up and down the West Coast but has also spread across the country, according to the U.S. Forest Service, populating all but seven states: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. It’s also found throughout most of Canada, as well as in some areas of Mexico.
Taking Your Dog to The Beach
Oh the joy of romping on a sandy beach! Splashing in the surf! Wind blowing in your hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand and the cry of gulls! You and your best friend together regardless of weather. Sounds romantic and it can be. Most dogs love the beach. If your pup is one of them, you certainly want to give him the opportunity. Besides, you can have a lot of fun, too.
Commercially Produced Recreational Chew Bones
Subscribers Only Every pet supply store and catalog sells commercially produced recreational chew bones. But there are some things you should know before your dog gnaws one. All the manufacturers whose representatives were willing to be interviewed told us that their companies obtain raw products from American slaughterhouses, and some (such as Abbyland Foods) get bones from their own slaughtering plants.
Why Force-Based Training Methods Are Not Advocated
Subscribers Only Dominance has become something of a dirty word in many dog-training circles, and for good cause. Behaviorists once used the word to appropriately define a relationship between two individuals in a social group. However, over recent decades, the word has been warped and twisted to inappropriately describe an assertive dog’s personality.
Hot Topics
Subscribers Only Training, recreation, and warnings for the summer.
