Subscribe

The best in health, wellness, and positive training from America’s leading dog experts

Home Blog Page 32

The Eyes Have It

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Reading Your Dog’s Body Language eBook from Whole Dog Journal

There’s sometimes an occasional moment during shelter dog behavior assessments when the dog being assessed makes deliberate, direct, soft eye contact with the person performing the assessment. When this happens to me, my heart warms and I get a little teary-eyed. “This,” I think to myself, “is a dog who has had meaningful relationships with humans.”

What this undoubtedly means is that the dog has learned that there is a value in making eye contact with humans. It’s a behavior that most humans strongly value; it makes most of us feel as if the dog is communicating something to us.

If your dog doesn’t already know the value of eye contact with humans, you can easily teach him. This is an operant conditioning/positive reinforcement exercise, whereby your dog learns his behavior can make good stuff happen:

  1. Holding a tasty treat in your hand, have your dog sit in front of you.
  2. Show him the treat and move it to the corner of your eye. When his eyes meet yours, click a clicker (or use another “reward marker,” such as the word “Yes!”) and give him the treat. Then repeat.
  3. Say the cue “Watch!” just before you move the treat to your eye. When he makes eye contact, click and treat. Repeat.
  4. After several repetitions (the number of repetitions needed will depend on the dog), pause after you give the “Watch!” cue and see if he looks into your eyes. If he does, click and treat. If he doesn’t, move the treat to your eye, and click and treat when he makes eye contact.
  5. Say “Watch!” Move the treat halfway to your eye, and wait. Just wait. His eyes may lock onto the treat and follow it at first, but eventually he will glance at your eyes in order to gain information about what you are doing. When he does, click and treat. (If he never looks at your eyes, do several more repetitions of Step 4.)
  6. Say “Watch” and hold the treat at arm’s length out to the side. Wait. When he makes eye contact, click and treat.
  7. When your dog has come to realize the value of eye contact, he will sometimes offer the behavior without being cued for it. Be sure to reinforce eye contact that he spontaneously offers throughout the day, in addition to the eye contact that you cue him for.
  8. To help him be comfortable with eye contact from other humans, ask your friends and family members to play the “Watch” game with him as well. Monitor the game to make sure it’s always rewarding, not uncomfortable.

For more tips to communicate effectively with your dog, check Reading Your Dog’s Body Language from Whole Dog Journal.

Oblivious to Stress?

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Reading Your Dog’s Body Language eBook from Whole Dog Journal

Dogs tell us when they feel stressed. The more aware you are of your dog’s stress-related body language, the better you can help him out of situations that could otherwise escalate to inappropriate and dangerous behaviors. Many bites occur because owners fail to recognize and respond appropriately to their dogs’ stress signals. Even aside from aggression, there are multiple reasons why it’s important to pay attention to stress indicators:

  • Stress is a universal underlying cause of aggression.
  • Stress can have a negative impact on a dog’s health.
  • Dogs learn poorly when stressed.
  • Dogs respond poorly to cues when stressed.
  • Negative classical conditioning can occur as a result of stress.

The smart, aware owner is always on the alert for signs that her dog is stressed, so she can alleviate tension when it occurs. Owners whose dogs are easily stressed often become hyper-vigilant, watching for tiny signs that presage more obvious stress-related behaviors, in order to forestall unpleasant reactions. If more owners were aware of these subtle signs of stress, fewer dogs would bite. That would be a very good thing.

With each behavior the appropriate immediate course of action is to identify the stressor(s) and determine how to decrease the intensity of that stressful stimulus. In many cases you can accomplish this by increasing the distance between your dog and the stressor, be it a child, another dog, uniforms, men with beards, etc.

If possible, remove the stressor from your dog’s environment entirely. If he’s stressed by harsh verbal corrections, shock collars, and warthogs, those are all things you can simply remove from his existence (unless you live in Africa, in which case warthog removal might prove challenging).

For those stressors that can’t be eliminated, a long-term program of counter-conditioning and desensitization can change your dog’s association with a stressor from negative to positive, removing one more trigger for stress signals and possible aggression. Another strategy is to teach the dog a new operant (deliberate) response to the stressor – for example, teaching your dog that the sound of the doorbell means “Run to your crate to get a high value treat.”

For more tips to communicate effectively with your dog, check Reading Your Dog’s Body Language from Whole Dog Journal.

Out With the Old, In With the New

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Positive Training Basics eBook from Whole Dog Journal

Old-fashioned training methods can work. Decades of well-behaved dogs and the owners who loved them can attest to that. So why should they bother to cross over to the positive side? The short answer is that positive training works, it’s fun, and it does not have the potential to cause stress and physical injury to our dogs through the application of force, pain, and intimidation. It takes the blame away from the dog and puts the responsibility for success where it belongs on human shoulders.

In the old days, if a dog didn’t respond well to coercion we claimed there was something wrong with the dog, and continued to increase the level of force until he finally submitted. If he didn’t submit he was often labeled defective and discarded for a more compliant model. With the positive paradigm, it’s our role as the supposedly more intelligent species to understand our dogs and find a way that works for them rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all mold.

The longer answer is that it encourages an entire cultural mindset to move away from aggression and force as a way to achieve goals. The majority of dog owners and trainers who have fun (and success) using positive methods with their dogs come to realize that it works with all creatures, including the human species. They feel better about training and find themselves less likely to get angry with their dogs, understanding that behavior is simply behavior, not some maliciously deliberate attempt on the dog’s part to challenge their authority.

For more details and advice on positive training, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Positive Training Basics.

Meals Versus Free Feeding

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Positive Perspectives 2: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Positive Perspectives 2 by Pat Miller

I cringe internally when a client tells me she free-feeds her dog¬—that is, keeps the bowl on the floor filled with kibble all the time. I’m a strong believer in feeding meals for a number of reasons, in addition to the medical fact that a dog’s digestive system is designed more to gorge than to graze. There are numerous advantages to feeding your dog specific amounts of food at specific times:

  • You can monitor intake. If you feed meals, you’ll know the instant Buster goes off his feed – sometimes the first sign that he’s not feeling well.
  • You minimize your dog’s opportunities to guard his food.
  • You can utilize feeding time as training time.
  • You can take advantage of feeding time to reinforce your role as the higher-ranking member of your social group. You can’t be the “alpha dog” – your dog knows you’re not a dog – but you are a member of his social group.
  • You know when he’s full, and when he’s empty. Your training sessions are more likely to be successful if you train when Buster’s stomach is empty rather than full.
  • You can use his meals as training treats.
  • You can control your dog’s weight.
  • You may spark his appetite. People with fussy eaters often make the mistake of leaving food out constantly. The dog grazes all day never gets hungry, thus never gets eager for food.

For more feeding and training tips, read Pat Miller’s Positive Perspectives 2. Click here to purchase from Whole Dog Journal.

Without Provocation

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Positive Perspectives 2: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Positive Perspectives 2 by Pat Miller

Almost every “Dog Mauls Toddler” headline is followed by an article that includes, among other things, these two phrases:

  1. “The dog was always good with children,” and,
  2. “The bite was unprovoked.”

Both statements make me cringe. Most people who think their dogs are “good with children” don’t realize that many dogs only tolerate children – the dogs are actually stressed in the presence of children, at least to some degree. These dogs usually show low level signs of stress that would warn an observant owner that they really don’t think little humans are all that great after all. Dogs who are truly “good with children” adore them; they don’t just tolerate them. They are delighted to see children, and, with wriggling body, wagging tail and squinty eyes, can’t wait to go see them. Anything less than this joyful response is mere tolerance.

With the very rare exception of idiopathic aggression – aggression for which there is no discernible cause – every bite is provoked from the dog’s perspective. We, as humans, may feel the bite wasn’t justified or appropriate, but rest assured the dog felt justified in biting. In many cases the provocation is pretty apparent from the news article: the dog was kept on a chain; the dog had a litter of puppies; the toddler was left outside in the back yard with a dog who had just been fed. In each case, the dog was stressed beyond his or her ability to control his bite.

Raise your stress awareness. Examine news reports about dog attacks to see if you can identify the possible stressors and provocation in each incident. Then be sure to protect your own dog from those potential bite-causing circumstances.

For more on identifying stress signals in dogs and ways to handle this stress, read Pat Miller’s Positive Perspectives 2. Click here to purchase from Whole Dog Journal.

How To Build Strong Bonds

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Play with Your Dog Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Play With Your Dog by Pat Miller

Everyone in the family, including children, should play with their dogs. Even young children can be suitable playmates for many dogs, with some important caveats. Assuming your dog likes to play, the more humans she gets to play with, the more humans she’ll think are wonderful because they make good stuff happen, and the better socialized she’ll be. Dogs who are will-socialized are far less likely to bite or otherwise engage in behaviors that are likely to get them into serious trouble.

In addition, the more that each family member has fun interacting with the dog, the more likely it is that the dog will stay in that home for her entire life. Play helps build strong bonds, and relationships that support lifelong loving homes for canine family members.

For ideas and advice on the best ways to play with your dog and the benefits to both you and your dog, purchase Pat Miller’s book, Play With Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

Canine Play Styles

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Play with Your Dog Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Play With Your Dog by Pat Miller

Your best option for finding compatible playmates for your dog is to identify your dog’s play style and select dogs of similar size, energy level, and play style preference.

Size matters. No doubt there are dogs of significant size disparity who can play well together, but as a general rule, it’s wise to keep the difference in the realm of 25 pounds or less. A playful dog can easily injure a little dog, even without intent to do harm, simply by running over or jumping on the smaller dog. Of even greater concern is a phenomenon known as predatory drift in which something from a dog’s evolutionary past triggers the larger dog’s brain to perceive the smaller dog as a prey object – a bunny or squirrel – instead of the canine pal he’s played happily with for months or years. Often the trigger is the smaller dog running, yelping, or squealing. The bigger dog gives chase, and tragedy ensues.

To avoid this, good dog parks offer—and enforce—separate play areas for smaller dogs, and wise owners of small dogs don’t allow them to romp with canines who are considerably larger. Owners of big dogs sometimes mock owners of toy breeds for their “overprotectiveness,” but the risk is very real. There are plenty of examples of small dogs, especially tough small dogs (Jack Russells come to mind) who routinely hold their own with larger playmates, and lots of tiny dogs live long and happy lives with much larger dogs.

My own 8-pound Pomeranian shared his life unscathed with dogs in our family as much as ten times his size—although Dusty didn’t really play with his large siblings; it was more like a peaceful coexistence. If you’re actively lookingfor playmates for your dog, however, it’s safest to keep size cautions in mind, as well as play styles.

For more ideas and advice on the best ways to play with your dog and the benefits to both you and your dog, download Pat Miller’s ebook, Play With Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

Tug Games

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Play with Your Dog Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Play With your Dog by Pat Miller

The game of Tug has an undeserved bad rap in some training circles, while others, most notably the Agility world, have fully embraced it as an excellent activity to create focus and high arousal. Those two extremes aside, it’s a great game just because it’s fun, many dogs adore it, it’s the perfect play activity for human family members who might otherwise want to get in appropriately physical with the dog and it’s a terrific energy-burner.

One of the most commonly-heard myths about playing Tug is that it makes the dog “dominant.” There’s so much misinformation passed around about hierarchy in dogs – this is just another log on the fire. If you are concerned about what Tug might do to your relationship with your dog, just remember that the definition of leader is “the one who controls the good stuff,” and orchestrate your Tug-play accordingly.

I’m solidly in the pro-Tug camp. I strongly recommend setting rules for canine and human players of the game to protect against the possibility of reinforcing unwanted behaviors, but with those in place, you and your dog can Tug to your hearts’ content. The rules are general guidelines for making Tug a positive training/relationship experience. The calmer and better-behaved your dog is, the less necessary it is to follow them strictly. The more rowdy and out of control your dog, the more closely you will want to adhere to them. By the way, don’t be alarmed by your dog’s growls during tug – it’s all part of the game. As long as his other behaviors are appropriate, let him growl his heart out!

For more ideas and advice on the best ways to play with your dog and the benefits to both you and your dog, purchase Pat Miller’s book, Play With Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

The Best Dog Toys for Serious Chewers

By
Kate Basedow, LVT
-
2
An adorable brown dog gnaws on a hard plastic toy.
: Finding toys that will stand up to serious chewing can be a difficult task. Credit: davidf | Getty Images

Are you in need of some indestructible dog toys to keep your furry monster entertained? I’m right there with you. While no toy is truly indestructible, there are products out there that can provide your dog with a safe and durable challenge.

When to Take a Toy Away

Even the best “indestructible” dog toys will one day succumb to the efforts of our fluffy destroyers. Here are some guidelines for how to ensure your dog’s playtime is safe, plus when to throw a toy away:

  1. Supervise play with all toys to be sure your dog doesn’t accidentally chew off and swallow part of a toy.
  2. Pick up any small toy bits, stuffing, and squeakers immediately so that your dog doesn’t accidentally swallow them.

Throw toys away when their structure has been compromised

Things to Look For

Here are some qualities to keep in mind when choosing nearly indestructible dog toys for your pup:

  • No small parts
  • Has some give—not brittle
  • Has some heft
  • Minimal seams
  • Appropriate size for your dog

No Small Parts

Small parts and pieces are just begging to be chewed off. If a toy has legs, horns, tentacles, or any other small projection, your dog will be able to easily fit it in the back of his mouth and saw it off with his carnassials and molars.

Also skip plastic eyes and noses. These parts are easy for any experienced canine surgeon to remove, which both creates a swallowing risk and exposes a weak point for the dog to dismantle the entire toy.

If your dog likes rope toys, keep an eye out for fraying threads. Chewed-off fibers are a choking hazard and could potentially cause an intestinal obstruction.

Resilient Dog Toy Material

The ideal toy for your master chewer should yield a little to chomps. Brittle toys are problematic for two reasons: first, they can shatter and create sharp edges that could harm your dog, and second, an unyielding chewing surface can break teeth.

Test toys with your fingernail. If you can mark the surface, it will likely yield to dog teeth. If you can’t, it is probably too hard.

For balls, you want the ball to collapse a little when squeezed, but then bounce back into shape. A round ball will last much longer than a collapsed one that creates folds for your dog to gain purchase on.

Heft

Flimsy toys don’t last long with chewers. Skip the dollar bin toys—thin rubber and gauzy fabric aren’t going to cut it.

Dense rubbery toys that feel a little heavy for their size are my favorites for chewers, as well as squeaky toys with a thick outer fabric.

Minimal Seams

Seams are weak points. One of my dogs systematically checks the seams on a new toy to identify the weakest spot and then proceeds to gut the toy. Fewer seams mean fewer opportunities for disembowelment.

Appropriate Size

The ideal toy for our heavy chewers is small enough for the dog to get in their mouth, but too big to get to the back of the mouth easily.

A toy that is too small can be lodged between your dog’s saw-like carnassial teeth and molars—game over. Tiny toys can also pose a choking hazard or swallowing risk.

A toy that is too big is impossible to grab or chew at all, and may frustrate or annoy your dog, causing him to ignore it.

The Best Indestructible Dog Toys

Here are some of the most long-lasting toys:

West Paw Rumpus

This toy has it all: compact, dense, resilient, tooth-friendly, not a seam to be seen, and comes in multiple sizes. It also floats and bounces and is made in the U.S. from non-toxic materials.

My Rumpus has served two years with a pack of three avid chewers.

West Paw Toppl and Rumbl

The Toppl and Rumbl are both treat-dispensing toys that can be filled with treats or dog food to keep your dog entertained. Freeze food inside for an added challenge for your pup.

I have Toppls of every size both to accommodate different snack sizes and to fit them together for an added challenge.

The Rumbl has been popular as a ball substitute even after my dogs get all of the goodies out.

The best part? They’re top-rack dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

Planet Dog Balls by Outward Hound

If your dog is ball-crazy, these are the toys for you! Planet Dog balls are the only balls I trust my dogs to play with without direct supervision. They have enough give that they are fun to chomp and won’t damage teeth, but instantly bounce back into shape so your dog can’t rip off chunks.

These balls come in many variations. Smooth-surfaced options are the hardiest overall. The continents can be removed on the Earth balls, but are soft and nontoxic. The Orbee-Tuff material also smells minty fresh.

GoughNuts Rings

GoughNuts makes rubber toys in a variety of shapes and toughness levels. The colored rings are pretty darn sturdy and the black ones are the sturdiest of all. These toys are also made in the U.S.

One really cool thing about this company is that their chew toys have a red inner layer to indicate when the toy has been damaged—if the red layer is exposed, it is time to retire that toy.

Mighty Dog Toys

The Mighty Dog stuffed toys—such as Mighty Dog Toys Penny the Penguin or Mighty Dog Toys Herb the Hippo—are some of the toughest stuffed squeaky toys. These toys put up a decent fight for our canine toy destroyers.

In my experience, if one of these stuffed toys survives the first 5-10 minutes of play, it will be around for a while. If my dogs breach a seam, I remove the stuffing and squeaker and the “skin” still provides plenty of play and fun for weeks longer.

GoDog Dinos and Dragons Plush Dog Toys

These adorable squeaky toy collections don’t look as hefty as some stuffed toys, but the GoDog dinos and dragons hold up to some serious abuse thanks to their special reinforced lining. Several of them grace my dogs’ toy box!

Can Dogs Get Herpes?

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
-
0
Dogs can get herpes, and have their own form of canine herpes that is often fatal for puppies.
Young puppies are the most susceptible to canine herpes, which is often fatal to them. Credit: Mumemories | Getty Images

Dogs can get herpes, and have their own form of the herpes virus. Canine herpesvirus—also known as canine herpes—is a disease that is nearly 100% fatal in young puppies. It does not typically cause serious illness in older puppies and adult dogs. This virus is found worldwide. Canine herpesvirus only infects dogs and cannot infect humans.

 

How Do Dogs Get Canine Herpesvirus?

Canine herpesvirus is transmitted between dogs and puppies through direct contact with ocular, nasal, oral, or vaginal secretions. Nose-to-nose contact and sexual transmission are the usual routes of infection. This virus does not survive long in the environment and is easily killed by disinfectants.

After the initial infection, dogs become carriers of canine herpesvirus for life. They may experience periods of recrudescence (shedding of the virus). These dogs can transmit the virus to other dogs and puppies when they are actively shedding the virus in their tears or other secretions.

Puppies Are Extremely Susceptible

A pregnant dog that is exposed to canine herpesvirus in the last three weeks of her pregnancy may transmit the virus to her unborn puppies. These puppies may be delivered stillborn. Puppies that are born alive will often die within the first few days of life.

Puppies that are exposed to canine herpesvirus in the first three weeks of life are the most likely to die from this disease. Canine herpesvirus is able to replicate rapidly in a puppy whose body temperature is cool (about 95 degrees Fahrenheit).

Puppies younger than three weeks of age are unable to maintain their own body temperature. They rely on their mother, the additive warmth of their litter mates, and a warm cozy environment to maintain a normal body temperature between 96 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Puppies less than three weeks old that are not kept sufficiently warm are at the highest risk of dying from canine herpesvirus.

Symptoms of Canine Herpesvirus

Puppies younger than three weeks of age may develop a bloated belly, difficulty breathing, weakness, and be cool to the touch. This illness is painful and they will cry inconsolably. Death comes quickly, usually within 24-48 hours of becoming ill.

Adult dogs and puppies older than three weeks of age may develop signs of an upper respiratory infection, including coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge. Signs of conjunctivitis—such as teary eyes, green or yellow ocular discharge, squinting, or corneal ulcers—may also develop. Blisters on the vulva of female dogs or the prepuce of male dogs may be observed.

Symptoms in adult dogs are typically mild and resolve without complications. Puppies older than three weeks of age may see their upper respiratory symptoms progress into a potentially life-threatening bronchopneumonia. Adult dogs that have been exposed to other viral or bacterial infections at the same time may also develop bronchopneumonia that can become serious or fatal.

Some adult dogs may become infected with canine herpesvirus but are asymptomatic. This means that they have no symptoms of illness when they become infected.

Survivors of canine herpesvirus will become carriers of the virus for life. The virus hides and lies dormant in the trigeminal nerve of the face and in lymph nodes and salivary glands. Viral replication and shedding will begin during periods of stress or illness—this is called recrudescence. Dogs that are receiving immunosuppressive doses of prednisone may also begin shedding the virus.

Carrier dogs that are experiencing recrudescence may squint one or both eyes and have increased tear production. They may sneeze and have nasal discharge. Some may develop corneal ulcers. And then there are dogs that are actively shedding the virus but have no symptoms at all!

Any dog that is actively shedding the virus can transmit canine herpesvirus to puppies and other dogs. This includes dogs that are showing symptoms of canine herpesvirus, dogs that are acutely infected but asymptomatic, and carrier dogs that are actively shedding the virus in their oral, nasal, and ocular secretions.

Diagnosis

Canine herpesvirus can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. A blood sample from your dog can be submitted to an outside laboratory for a PCR test. It can take several days to run this test, so your veterinarian may begin treatment for canine herpesvirus before knowing the results of the test.

A puppy that dies acutely for an unknown reason can undergo a necropsy to help determine the cause of death. A necropsy is like an autopsy, but for animals instead of people. Samples from the puppy’s organs can be tested for canine herpesvirus and other infectious diseases.

Treatment for Young Puppies

Treatment for puppies less than three weeks of age that become ill with canine herpesvirus is typically unsuccessful with a nearly 100% fatality rate. The following interventions may be able to save the remaining puppies in a litter that have not yet become ill:

  • Keep all of the puppies warm with a body temperature between 96 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can achieve this by making sure their environment stays a toasty 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the first 4 days of life. The ambient temperature can be gradually lowered to 80 degrees Fahrenheit by 7 to 10 days of age and then gradually to 72 degrees by the start of the fifth week of life. Keeping them warm will lower the replication rate of the virus inside their bodies. Use warming devices made for puppies, such as incubators or heat lamps. Do not use heating pads made for people as this may cause thermal burns.
  • Serum from an adult dog that has antibodies against canine herpesvirus can be administered to each puppy. This provides them with antibodies that can fight a canine herpesvirus infection.
  • There is limited evidence that antiviral medications—such as famciclovir and acyclovir—are effective against canine herpesvirus. Not much is known about effective dosages and potential adverse effects of these medications. Use them with caution and only under the direction of a veterinarian.

Treatment for Dogs and Older Puppies

Treatment for dogs and puppies older than three weeks of age is largely supportive. Symptoms and complications are treated as necessary. Dogs and puppies with corneal ulcers caused by canine herpesvirus may benefit from ophthalmic antiviral medications, such as idoxuridine, trifluridine, or cidofovir.

Prevention

Canine herpesvirus is easily transmitted between dogs and rarely causes serious illness in adult dogs and mature puppies. The only way to truly prevent your dog from getting canine herpesvirus is for your dog to never have contact with other dogs. This is just not possible nor advisable.

Prevention tactics are aimed at the most vulnerable of our population—young puppies and puppies not yet born. Pregnant dogs should be isolated from other dogs in the last three weeks of their pregnancy. Puppies and their mothers should be isolated from other dogs in the first three weeks following whelping.

There is no vaccine for canine herpesvirus currently available in the United States. A vaccine has been available in Europe since 2001.

Complementary Therapies To Help Your Dog’s Arthritis

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Pain Relief for Canine Arthritis eBook from Whole Dog Journal
The black dog lies quietly during the laser beam treatment. A physiotherapist performs laser therapy on a dog.

There are many wonderful complementary treatments for dogs with OA. None will cure or heal the arthritic joint, but a combination of treatments can very well restore vitality and decrease discomfort, making a happy walk in the park a reality once again.

Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine and chondroitin, and avocado and soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) can all work to slow joint degeneration. The combination of these over several months can improve function and decrease pain. Can also be used as preventive.

Turmeric and curcumin together are a potent anti-inflammatory.

Adequan is a synthetic, injectable medication, available by veterinary prescription only. It’s thought to help increase the viscosity of the synovial fluid, which acts as the lubricant in a joint. It may be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. One school of thought is that the earlier Adequan is administered, the better it will modulate the arthritic progression.

Hydrotherapy is ideal for arthritic dogs. The buoyancy of the water takes weight off the joints, allowing movement without pain and building strength in muscles that otherwise may become atrophied.

Acupuncture is widely accepted by conventional veterinary practitioners, as it is highly effective at reducing pain and the heat that goes along with inflammation. Many dogs relax and fall asleep during treatment and there can be a noticeable improvement in function.

Laser therapy can penetrate deeply, down to a cellular level, depending on the type of laser used. At its most powerful, it exponentially increases circulation and works to repair damaged tissue. It is a highly effective pain and inflammation reducer.

Practiced under the supervision of a veterinarian and/or physical therapist at canine rehabilitation facilities, strength-building, balance, and conditioning exercises are the ultimate in helping your arthritic friend.

Conventional veterinary treatments include NSAIDS and steroids. These can be highly effective, but given in high doses or for long periods of time, they can cause serious side effects. Consider these as “heavy artillery” and reserve their use for severe cases and when none of the gentler therapies can relieve your dog’s pain. Also, make sure you and your veterinarian follow through with regular blood tests, to monitor whether the drugs are compromising your dog’s liver function.

Don’t forget massage therapy! It can provide relief and improves the healing of soft tissues that are irritated or inflamed, breaks up scar tissue that may form around arthritic joints, relieves stiffness, and promotes better flexibility and range of motion.

To learn more about the many ways to help your dog live better with arthritis, buy Pain Relief for Canine Arthritis from Whole Dog Journal.

Location Guarding

By
Editorial Staff
-
0
Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs Book from Whole Dog Journal
Excerpt from Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson

Dogs may guard food and/or food bowl, coveted toys or objects, their owners, or choice sleeping locations. Dogs often present with more than one kind of guarding and may also have body-handling problems. Of course, resource guarders may happen to also have any of a number of other behavior problems, but the most common constellation will involve guarding more than one kind of resource and being uncomfortable about certain kinds of body handling.

Location Guarding

The most common location guarding scenarios are:

  • A dog who won’t let the owner or a spouse into the bed or bedroom once the dog is lying on the bed
  • A who is grumpy and aggressive when jostled on
  • A dog who threatens passersby and/or dogs when he is in his crate or car

An interesting feature of all resource guarding is that its severity may not only be tied to the value of the resource, but also to who is approaching. Location guarding, such as a dog who seems to let the wife but not the husband in the bed, is a prime example.

For more types of resource guarding, ways to recognize them and modify this behavior purchase the book Mine! from Whole Dog Journal.

1...313233...390Page 32 of 390

Latest Blog

Gear that lasts and does its job is one of the best investments a dog owner can make.
Blog

A Thing for Gear

Nancy Kerns 5
It is wonderfully gratifying to have the exact piece of dog gear needed that fits a dog and does the job.
© Belvoir Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved.