Table of Contents
Tips to Improve the Quality of Life in our Pets
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DISCLAIMER
* Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional veterinary prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your Veterinarian can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your pet's unique needs or diagnose your pet's particular medical history.
SUMMERTIME TIPS FROM CESAR MILAN
http://pets.yahoo.com/blog/cesarmillan/1185/4th-of-july-tips-for-keeping-hot-dogs-cool
Posted Fri, Jun 29, 2007, 12:26 pm PDT
Want your dog to enjoy the 4th of July festivities as much as you will? Here are some tips on keeping your dog safe in hot summer temperatures.
1. Keep him hydrated. Make sure your dog has access to water. If you're on the move, carry a portable bowl and bottle of water.
2. Different dogs have different needs. Darker coats absorb more heat than lighter coats, and overweight dogs dehydrate faster. Keep this in mind when taking your pack on a walk.
3. Never leave your dog in a parked car. A car retains heat, even in the shade. Add an overexcited dog to the equation, and dehydration can result. On long trips, keep the AC on or roll down the window, and make sure water is available.
4. Be innovative. A wet towel, a water spritzer, a kiddie pool, a fan in front of a pan of ice: these are all great ways to help keep your dog cool.
5. Dogs cool from the bottom up. Lay a wet towel under your dog instead of on top of her coat. Don't forget your dog's paws and stomach when spraying water.
6. Be vigilant! Watch for signs of dehydration. These include excessive drooling, lethargy, bloodshot eyes, and loss of skin elasticity. If you're concerned, get your dog into the shade or go inside, provide water, and contact your veterinarian.
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THE DECLAWING CAT ISSUE
We applaud West Hollywood (the first city) and then California (the first state) for banning the declawing of cats, both big and small. Read more about the amazing veterinarians who started this successful and inspiring movement at http://www.pawproject.com.
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4TH OF JULY and NEW YEAR'S EVE FIREWORKS ISSUE
[WARNING!] 04/13/2009: Karen from Minneapolis, Minnesota writes: "Please Please spread the word : Dogs and Fireworks. Please don't bring your dogs around fireworks, dogs love to retrieve. A Friend of mine lost his dog this way, he will never forgive himself. Leave pets home and safe. Tell your friends please. Karen"
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[WARNING!] Earth Clinic writes: "In the USA, the 4th of July and New Year's Eve are without a doubt the 2 blackest days in a dog's life each year. Emergency Services like 911 and animal shelters dread these two nights (as well as Halloween, when black cats are stolen & sacrificed by cults). We have heard many horror stories of dogs getting terrified by the sound of exploding fireworks, clawing their way out of the yard, only to escape onto a busy street and get hit by a car. Thousands of dogs die needlessly every 4th of July and New Year's Eve. What a tragedy.
If your dog has sound sensitivities (i.e., terrified of thunder), please consider keeping him or her inside once it gets dark on any holiday where there will be exploding fireworks. Do not trust your dog to be okay out in the yard!
Simple Solution for Sensitive Pets: We suggest you close the windows and drown out noises to the outside with loud fans or another kind of white noise. Speaking of white noise, you can buy an excellent cd for $10 on ebay.com called, yep, "White Noise" that will give you over an hour of waterfall-ish sound. Put the CD on "repeat" and you're good to go. While the CD might give you a headache, it is an excellent solution for pets who are terrified of loud and sudden noises. It's a must in our household!"
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1 YEA
[YEA] 07/19/2009: Tickertin from Richmond, VA writes: "How to Easily Dose your Cat: I tried the ACV and read with smiles the struggles to get the cats to drink. I have had cats for over thirty years and here is an easy method. I THOROUGHLY washed a small clear tube in which water soluable hair product had come in. (you can use conditioner or shampoo, clear is best and nothing oily to be SURE you can clean it out). Mine is a small one ounce squeeze tube that a sample of hair gel came in. Squeeze the sides in and draw into the tube the dose of ACV (mine was 1/2 tsp. fill rest with water. Lay cat on back in your lap and place tube to side and back of mouth and squeeze gently. They swallow by reflex if you don't put too much it all goes down. Squeeze too hard and they can cough it back out (but some still goes in). Clear tube is important so you can measure how much you are giving them so as not to over/under dose. My vet told me this years ago, cats have to swallow when you hold them this way and put the liquid in this way, and I have done it for years."
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08/30/2009: Janielam from Blackfoot, Id, USA writes: "I used one of those battery operated toothbrushes to brush my dog's teeth. It worked amazingingly well! You can really get to those hard to reach back places in the dog's mouth."
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1 WARNING!
[WARNING!] 01/11/2009: Katie Aymin from San Diego, USA writes: "When you ever go to the pet store to get shampoo or something else for your pet, make sure it does not have any chemicals. If you do not know what things are bad that are on the ingredient list most of them are hard to pronounce so if you see something be sure to look in up on the internet or in some books. These chemicals usually do not work or work for only a short time or increase the discomfort of your pet. Also to new pet owners, before you use a remedy always make sure your pet is not allergic to any of the ingredients."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 01/11/2008: Jonna from Los Angeles writes: "I recently rescued a young border collie/chow mix and have been taking him to the dog parks every other day along with my other 2 dogs. He was most likely kept in a crate most of his life because he doesn't know how to walk on a leash nor socialize with other dogs. At first he just barked at the other dogs entering the park, but a few weeks ago he started to wait at the gate and literally pounced on dogs entering the park and nip at their ears, causing a complete ruckus! I stopped this aggressive behavior by carrying a spray bottle filled with water set to a thin but powerful stream (like a water gun)... every time I see that obsessed look as a dog is approaching the gate from the parking lot I say "NO, back off" and then spray him water on his face (doesn't hurt, just shocks him). It has also been very helpful when other dogs get into a fight. A few squirts and the dogs break apart. I highly suggest people carry a spray bottle or a water gun with them at the dog park. Just be careful you don't spray other dogs with it unless it's a bad fight you are breaking up -- the owners might get pissed off!"
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HARDWOOD FLOORS AND STEEP STAIRS
[WARNING!] Earth Clinic writes: "Stairs without carpeting can be especially dangerous too. Canines with hip weakness can and do slip down stairs, causing moderate to severe injury. You might consider buying a strip of thin carpeting, cutting the carpet into pieces, applying a do-it-yourself edging kit, and simply stapling each piece of carpet onto your hardwood stairs. We suggest you also have a stable piece of carpeting at the bottom of a staircase since dogs can just as easily slip at the bottom as the top.
You might also keep this in mind when you are about to move into a new apartment or home. Does the building have steep stairs that the dog will enter and exit from? If so, think of your strategy before you move in. It might not be an issue when your canine friend is young, but it certainly will be as they age."
Heather from Visalia, CA replies: "I have a pug that is now 13 years old, and has been having trouble with our hardwood floors. We went and purchased baby socks and put rubber cement on the bottom of them. We then placed a strip of velcro around the top of them to make sure they wouldn't fall off. They bothered him at first but has gradually gotten used to them, and doesn't have any trouble anymore. So hopefully this can help others :)"
Lynn from Chicago, IL replies: "re: Hardwood Floors for older dogs. You can also use SoftClaws - they are rubber tips that work great. They attach using surgical glue and stay on until the dog's nails grow out. they help grip the floor. An even better product (but does not have sizes for really small dogs) are grip tex by ruffwear. These boots are amazing - they have a breathable fabric and the best rubber soul i have ever encountered. I know 3 senior dogs that wear them for gripping the floor at home."
Rob from Dothan, Alabama replies: "Our 3 year old Rott mix was scared of going down the stairs in our townhouse. We purchased a $10 baby gate and placed the gate on the bottom three stairs, so that he would not be able to go further up the stairs, but would need to go back down. We hid in the upper stairs calling him to come up the stairs, once he came up the stairs and reached the baby gate, he was forced back down. We then placed the gate up a few more stairs and continued repeating the process until he came to the top of the stairs and made it back all the way down. After removing the gate completly he would walk up and down the stairs with us. Not shortly after long, he was doing this on his own."
DG from Portland, OR replies: "re: Stairs without Carpeting and Dogs (pet section)-- When my german shephard turned 12, he started to have a tough time going up and down stairs. Unfortunately I moved into a second floor apartment without an elevator, not thinking about how difficult this would be for him. He ended up slipping and falling down the stairs a few times. I tried to solve the problem by putting a towel under his belly to steady him as we both went down the stairs, but he was too heavy and I sometimes lost my grasp. It was a terrible situation and I feel guilty to this day."
Darlene from Niagara Falls, Canada replies: "I have a large german shorthair who is 13 and has arthritic hips. He took a couple of spills down our stairs before I came up with this idea. We already had a doggy seatbelt harness for him. He now wears it 24/7. With this on I am able to walk down with him holding the harness in one hand and railing in the other to steady him to ensure his safety. I'm thrilled and he's learned quickly to wait for me."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 01/15/2008: Michael from Concord, Ohio writes: "I have a five yr. old Jack Russell. He has had surgery on one of his rear legs years ago due to defect in his knee joint. Over the years the best thing other than drugs for the vet to stop the pain and o comfort him was Heat. We moved from Cold Ohio to Naples, Fl. for a few years and he was like a pup again. Laying in the sun and that really helped him a lot. Now due to work we have had to move back to Ohio and the winter is really starting to take it tole on him. Instead of keeping him on meds from the vet we place a heating pad in his bed during the day and really helps him. Believe me, three or four hour of that and he is good to go. Other home made cures other than a good diet just are not going to made much difference. You got a just try the heating pad. It's cheap and it works."
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HOMEOPATHY FOR SADNESS AND GRIEF
[YEA] 03/25/2008: Kathleen from NY, NY writes: "re: pets and sadness/fear. I've been studying and using homeopathy for 15 years now with great success. I have also been studying and using it on my pets for about 4 years now. Many homeopathic cures for people work well at smaller doses for pets. For example: in grieving/depressed pets use ignatia for grief. It can be dissolved in their drinking water or put into their food. I used in for my 2 dogs and cat when my twin sons left for college and the pets all exhibited signs of depression and loss. There are also now many books on the subject as well out there. And more and more alternative sites for pets are popping up to purchase homeopathic remedies on the internet all the time.
We need to take care of them the way they take care of us with their unconditional love."
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HOW TO HOLD DOWN A CAT FOR MEDS
[YEA] 08/24/2008: Margaret from Upper Darby, PA writes: "RE: Holding down a cat:
An easy, friendly way to hold a cat so that you don't get shredded during care is to toss a quillt over their back, as they are unsuspecting, then wrap them up in your arms and hold them like a baby. you can hold them with one hand and give care with the other. Have all your supplies on a table beforehand, so you can easily grab them with your one hand. Eventually your cat will know that when you do this he/she does not need to be scared. My cat no longer needs to be wrapped up when I cut her nails. She growls quietly, but is never violent."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 09/06/2007: Archie from West Covina, Cal writes: "Dogs Sad after Owner Passes are CURED!!! Well for 8 solid months Ive been taking care of 2 older dogs who are deaply saddend by the passing of there owner and very good friend of mine. These 2 did nothing but mope around depressed! They needed something soon before they would die of depression. I found out the Healing power that mollasses has given me and thought ..maybe it could help these 2 dogs.???So, I poured some on there dog food ,and,was amazed they ate it. In less than 1 day these dogs turned had turned completely around!!!They started playing & barking and to this day (2 months later)they are high spirited and ALIVE !!! Im only a Maytag Repairman & I came up with there cure of dog sadness."
03/31/2009: Maria from San Francisco, CA replies: "I liked your suggestion. It makes sense to me. Could you tell me how often and how much Molasses had you fed your dogs? Thank you."
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07/27/2009: Mistie Harris from Augusta, GA writes: "vasectomy for male dogs!!! If your only goal is to prevent your male dog from fathering puppies, please consider this as an alternative to castration.
Yes, castration reduces "issues" related to having testosterone (roaming, having a sex drive, possible prostate cancer, etc).
But at least he would be intact and still able to have sex. Sex is very healthy (and enjoyable!!:-) )for humans - so why not for dogs?
Shop around for vets who are willing to do it. I'm not sure if I can put this website address - but for more info go to
http://www.dolittler.com/2008/2/25/pet.vet.dog.cat.neuter.castration.vasectomy.veterinary.html
The vet from this website states:
"Sure, neutering will typically rid you of the roaming, the pee-peeing over any available surface, freaky behavior around bitches in heat, and the triple terror of testicular tumors, perineal hernias and prostatic enlargement. Yet sometimes owners want just the reproductive issue addressed, thank you very much.
But the jury has spoken-for now, anyway. The veterinary establishment is loath to relinquish its recommendation that full castration (neutering) is the end all and be all when it comes to canine sterilization.
Indeed, vasectomies are so rare that I recall being laughed at by my professor in my Principles of Surgery lecture when I asked whether anyone was performing this technique in lieu of castration. That was fourteen years ago when I was still stupid enough to slink back into my seat and make myself invisible after such an oratory "fiasco."
Now that I've wisely shed such inhibitions, I can proudly proclaim: Vasectomies are surgical procedures, too! They have a place in vet medicine along with the unrecommended (but still sometimes necessary) anal gland-ectomy and feline thyroidectomy. Yes, sometimes they are indicated.
Given the new wave of discussions on the potentially dubious medical benefits of castration, it seems reasonable to look to vasectomies as a sound solution for those in doubt as to whether a normal neuter is best for their dog.
Today's patient was a perfect example: A young, fit Frisbee dog, this Border mix was all muscle. His owner wanted to ensure his "safety" around her friends' breeding bitches for a couple more years of competition on full testosterone overdrive. She'd read about vasectomies online and immediately knew "Rolf" needed one.
It just made sense. "No problem-I'll do it." (Though I've never had cause to do one before.)Afterwards, I had to wonder: Why haven't I ever been asked about this before now?
Though it's an easy surgery (far less painful than a routine castration, with fewer complications, to boot), it's clear that we vets have serious power over what procedures become accepted as the norm. Yet as science advances, as it inexorably does, what was laughed at by a gray-haired professor over a decade ago may just be the most responsible thing I might advocate ten years from now. "
Think about it.....would you want your man castrated just so that he would not roam??? Not me."
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2 YEA
[YEA] 08/22/2007: GS from Reston, VA writes: "A tip for your aging pet section. My 13 year old g. shephard mutt started to lose his eyesight and hearing recently. This in turn caused him to be disoriented at night -- with a hint of dementia! As soon as I got into bed and turned off the light, my dog would get up from his bed (at the base of my bed) and wander around the house looking for me. Well, one night he tripped down the stairs because it was so dark. Enough was enough. The next day I went to Home Depot and purchased 2 nightlights, one for the hallway and one for the bottom of the stairs. Now there is enough light peaking into the bedroom that he no longer gets up disoriented. Hope this helps someone! GS.
P.S. I really liked your comment about the hard wood floors and aging dogs. I totally agree."
[YEA] 04/08/2009: Christel from cambria, WI, USA replies: "My dog is nearing 14, and at times he likes to get up, stretch and turn around, but he started wandering if he did that during the night. When I'd turn a light on, he'd come right back and lie down next to the bed or crawl in with me again depending on his mood. I wondered if it was the dark so left a night light on, and yep, that did it for us, too. As our dogs live longer, they will have more cognitive issues just like old humans."
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03/10/2009: Carla from Belmont, NC writes: "I took my dog to the vet and they ended up keeping him overnight so they could keep an eye on him well the vet bill was $500.00 dollars so when I picked him up I asked them does somebody stay here all night long at the vets office they told me NO, not knowing why I was asking they said "why do you ask' so I told them "I don't understand WHY you would keep him overnight and charge me an enormously amount of hard earned money when I know he would of been more comfortable in his own environment.AND it would NOT of cost me ANYTHING."
03/10/2009: Jane from Seattle, WA replies: "Thank you for sharing. So often we don't ask those important questions. I wonder - would they have let you take the dog home if you insisted? I think vets are out to make money, no doubt about it. I love the vets that I have gone to over the years in different cities, but they always ALWAYS tried to get me to agree to more procedures or supplements or treatments than what my dogs were there to be treated for. I think they are under pressure to make money from the owners. That's my impression."
03/18/2009: Kevin from Jim Thorpe, pa replies: "Carla, Jane, I HEAR YA!
Carla I hate to say it, but $500? You got hosed. I love the part, We want to keep an eye on him, but there were no eyes there!
Carla, been there. At least you're pet walked out alive, mine didn't.
I can tell you a few horror stories. Here's the bottom line. Do research on all the vets in your area and beyond!
Call, ask simple things, like what a regular check-up will cost, what it entails, etc. There are very, very GOOD VETS! There are also very, very, bad vets!
If you go to a dog run or any place where pet folk gather (there's a rail/trail by my house), talk it up. Where do you take you're pet? How is that vet?
It's amazing and scary what you might hear.
Local dog shows are also a great place, this is where I found my Pet's vet. I have to travel apx. 35 miles to get to him, but believe me, it's worth it. He does'nt over charge, does his best to keep you're bill low and really, really goes the extra mile. In fact he knew of a drug store that made liquid compounds for my cat that flat out refused to take pills (Yeah, I went to a dog show to find my cat's vet.).
The vet that was 5 miles away from that drug store didn't know that. That vet was also a mere 3 miles from my house, and THAT vet told I had to find a drug store that did that on my own. He didn't know? Maybe he was getting a good profit from selling pills? But a vet that was 35 miles away knew where I could get liquid compounds made. Catch my drift?
This is 'Just a thought' but if you know of any 'no-kill' shelters in you're area, talk to them. See if there are any vets doing work there, they most likely are giving a big discount to the shelter for their work. Thought being, these guys are not in it just for the money, they are in their profession for the love of it. But again, it's just my thought on that.
They are out there folks, but YOU have to do the research!"
03/18/2009: Sheila from Los Angeles, CA replies: "Uggh, reading this reminds me how many terrible vets that I've been to over the years. I had a bad experience at one of the top recommended vets in LA a few years ago and it's made me much more cautious. I brought my dog in for an annual checkup and to get booster shots. The technician took him in the back and didn't come back for 15 minutes. I thought it was really weird and started to get angry. When he returned my dog he made up some excuse why he was back there so long. But later at home I saw my dog licking his right leg. When I looked more closely it looked like a puncture mark from a needle! I called the vet and they denied they had done anything to his leg and it must be my imagination. I told one of my friends about it who worked for a rescue organization. She disclosed that this same vet was very unethical... A few years back, her organization brought this same vet their cats and dogs to be immunized and cared for. Turns out he was drawing blood from them to use for transfusions for his surgeries on other cats and dogs! The rescue organization, enraged, called him on it and never brought their rescues back. But the terrible thing is that that I don't think they ever filed anything against this vet. At least now you can report this sort of thing anonymously online at various websites that rate doctors and vets.I agree, we should all research vets and groomers and dog walkers online before walking in the door."
07/11/2009: Margie from Manchester, CT replies: "Hey I completely agree had the same thing happen but worse they needed to send him "out" because he needed more urgent care and 24' monitoring.???what was he getting and I had to pay before I had to pick him up and bring him to another vet and hospital which was sooooo wonderful. 24/7 open can go visit any time day/night don't have to call we usually did to talk to doc and because he was having alot of tests. It's really important and I didn't know this place was in the next town just 10min away. The end wasn't good but they all new him by name and treated him like he alway went there. I knew he was in good hands. I now have my new baby going there and am completely satisfied w/ the care and cost. I loved my old vet but was ignorant to what really goes on there."
08/06/2009: Sarah from Melbourne, Australia replies: "Recently I took my dog to the vet with a dislocated shoulder (don't ask) and they wanted to keep her overnight, in a cage, no one there, lights blaring, cats in the same room - without even fixing the shoulder till the next day! (surgery hours). I stood my ground. I took her home on painkillers and mild sedative, made a cubby enclosure, slept on the floor with her so she wouldn't move, and took her back in the morning. I absolutely stand by this decision, even if I had to argue with the vet to achieve it. She would have done herself physical and psychological damage in that cage.
If you have transport and are willing to take care and responsibility, take them home!"
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1 QUESTION
[QUESTION] 07/02/2009: Christa from Ft. Campbell, Ky writes: "does anybody know of a natural remedy to get rid of odor in carpet? I have cleaned and cleaned the carpet where my Lab urinated, but the smell remains....uhg."
08/31/2009: Fxbelle from Bellevue, Washington replies: "I have always used enzyme cleaner to get the odor of dog out of my carpet. Usually, you can find it at janitorial supply stores in your area."
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09/25/2009: Kelly from Cincy, Oh writes: "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE when you share a remedy for pets INCLUDE MEASUREMENTS. It is vital as they cannot speak and rely on us not to unintentionally use incorrect doseages. even natural remedies can be harsh if not administered properly. THANKS."
EC: Great advice, thanks!
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1 YEA
[YEA] 06/29/2009: Sue from Marion, IL writes: "A friend of mine told me of an easy method to get my dog to swallow pills and capsules. Her method is to wrap the pill or capsule in cream cheese. I tried this by first giving my pets a small wad of cream cheese with no pill inside it. They loved it and stood there waiting for more. When I wrapped a pill inside, they took it the same way - EVERY TIME!!! And it never gets stuck in their mouth like the peanut butter. I have three dogs - a tiny toy poodle, a pug/chihuahua mix, and a border collie/lab mix - and it works for all three of them."
10/28/2009: Sandy from Woodbine, Ga replies: "IF your doggie doesn't like cream cheese; Take a slice of bread. Spread some peanut butter on it. Put the pill on top and fold the bread in half. This will leave the pill encompassed in peanut butter and bread.
Tear off pieces of this "pill sandwich" and feed your eager poochie. He (she) won't even realize that he has taken a pill! I've used this technique for 35 years on several dogs and it has never failed."
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1 QUESTION
[QUESTION] 03/07/2009: Will from Albany, NY writes: "Long Hair Shedding dogs that knows no boundary: Thanks for your time I am eager for your response! I have two labs retrievers which never fail to share their shedding hair leaving gobs of deposits all over the house. I learned to brush them and manage their shedding hair several times a week but was never able to manage my anxiety of shedding hair on the carpet. I have one rug in the house that they insist on using at will, after always leaving a healthy deposit of hair behind them. So i bought them their own rugs in addition to their own beds to no avail. Is there a harmless substance or remedy that I can apply to my carpet that will discourage them from using it. Thanks again!
W-"
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SMELLY VACUUM CLEANER SOLUTION
[YEA] 11/07/2008: Bee from Va Beach, VA writes: "We have 2 dogs who shed a lot all throughout the year. Anyone who has dogs that shed know how smelly the vacuum cleaner can get from their fur! Well I finally figured out the perfect remedy. Before I start to vacuum I suck about a few cloves into the vacuum cleaner after crushing them into pieces with my shoe. The air smells like cloves, not smelly dog, for hours afterwards! You don't have add new cloves every time you vacuum, just after you clean out the bag/filter. I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Sigh."
11/09/2008: Jamie from Lake Worth, Florida replies: "I put baking soda in a container and punch holes in the lid, so I can shake onto the carpet. I add drops of essential oils in then mix with a fork. You can use what oil you prefer, I use Eucalyptis becasue it repels dust mites. I am highly allergic to dust mites, lucky me. I also like lavender, those two are standard in my carpet mix. The container is reusable, I also sprinkle pet bedding with it. I love em but they can be stinkers."
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02/16/2009: Linda from St. Paul, MN writes: "Fix for lawn spots from dog urine:
We were going to be hosting an event at our home in about a month and wanted the yard to look good. Since we adopted a female Boxer (we had a male already) I noticed many yellow patches in the lawn.
My ex-husband told me that he gave his dogs one hotdog (the cheap kind) each day and had no problems with his yard. I am an organic, natural foods type person, so I dismissed this. However, I was getting desperate because no matter how fast I patched the lawn, new spots would appear.
I bought the cheapest hotdogs at the store and the dogs loved them! After one week, there were no more spots!! I kept it up until the event was over and then quit giving them hotdogs. The dogs were disappointed, but I don't think hotdogs are good for them (I would never eat them). But it did work!"
EC: Hmmm... could it be the nitrites?
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_dog
"The basic ingredients in hot dogs are:* Meat and fat
* Flavorings, such as salt, garlic, and paprika
* Preservatives and colorants - typically sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrite
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THE EARS TIPS GAUGE INTERNAL BODY TEMPERATURE
[YEA] 04/02/2008: Carrie from Riverside, CT writes: "I noticed as my dog has aged (he's now 14) that he gets cold quite easily. That said, I never bath him in the winter months because he has a hard time warming up afterwards and shivers for hours. This winter I realized that a good way to guage his body temperature was by feeling the tips of his ears. When he's internally cold, his ear tips are cold. He will start to shiver if I don't warm them (the ears) up. I can also warm him considerably simply by massaging along his spine, up and down. I also give him a good scratch over his entire body since that too warms him up. His ears get nice and toasty by the time I am finished and he has a satisfied glow!"
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TREADMILL FOR HIGH ENERGY DOGS
[YEA] 05/11/2008: Jonna from Los Angeles writes: "I wrote back in January about taking my new rescue, a bordie collie/chow mix to the dog park. I was inspired to update my post after going to the dog park this afternoon and talking to a woman there who had put her 10 year chow mix to sleep not long ago because she had gotten too aggressive at the dog park (i.e., attacking other dogs). I think it is such a shame that people put their troubled dogs to sleep without exhausting all options first. Well, I too had to stop taking my rescue to the dog park because he too started attacking other dogs - I guess it's the chow in him? In case you were wondering, spraying him with a water bottle stopped working -- he just ran away from me whenever he saw it coming and continued to pounce on other dogs coming through the gate. I tried to put a muzzle on him but he started hyperventilating after about 5 minutes from not being able to hang his mouth open and pant. So I exhausted all my options for dog park, short of electric collar shock, which I refuse to do.
I decided to get him on the treadmill, after watching it on the Dog Whisperer time and time again. For those of you who are thinking about exercising your dogs this way, it's a great idea! I got a used treadmill on Craig's list for $125. Be careful that you do your research about name brands before you buy a used one... a guy on Craig's list tried to sell me a cheapo treadmill for $450 (bought new for the same price) but backed off when I asked him to send me the exact model #.
Anyway, this is how I trained my dog on the treadmill:
I first got him up on the treadmill and rewarded him with a super yummy cookie. I let him do this a few times before actually turning on the machine, that way he associates the treadmill with delicious food. Then I stood above him, with a short leash hooked into his collar and put the machine on the lowest setting. He slid backwards after first, but I pulled him forward by grabbing behind his front legs. I basically guarded him carefully but I didn't want to pull on his neck too much -- I think that's a bad idea overall (to yank on his neck, that is). Slowly I notched up the speed. I gave him a little piece of jerk turkey treat every 2-3 minutes. He got up to a fast trot within the first 3 sessions.
After 3 weeks of me standing over him, guarding him so that he wouldn't slip backwards, I decided that off leash was the way to go. So then I stood in front of the machine with my hand on the dial in case he started going off the back end. He jumped off at first, but got back on at my urging. It took approx 10 minutes to get him trained to trot off leash, much to my amazement. I now do about 10-20 minutes with him every day or two, but I have to watch because if he's on it too long, one of his pads gets raw. If that happens, I give him a day of rest and cut back on the time the next session. I still give him pieces of cookie every few minutes. That's a must!
It's been remarkable because even though he goes on walks every day (2-3 miles), it still wasn't enough exercise. Now he is soooooo much calmer. Had I decided not to keep him and sent him to city shelter, I do think they would have put him to sleep, considering him to be too much of a high maintenance dog for most people. He has turned into the most amazing dog and I am very blessed to have him.
As a final note of warning. I do NOT think it is a good idea to tie your dog up by his neck on the treadmill and leave the room. I also think the strain on their necks from the collar/leash when they get tired and start lagging on the treadmill is a very bad thing. I wish the Dog Whisperer show would really drive this home. We should monitor our dogs on the treadmill every second that they are on it.
My two cents. Hope it's helpful!"
11/22/2008: Jonna from LA, CA, USA replies: "Hi! Update to my post about putting my dog on the treadmill. The treadmill works phenomenally well when I need to burn off his excessive energy, however, one caveat that I need to mention again. I have noticed that if he stays on the treadmill longer than say, 10 minutes, he starts chewing the bottom of his front paws incessantly. Not the pads, but the spaces in between the pads (sorry, don't know dog anatomy) and usually one side more than another. I figured out after a month of this that the grooves in the material on the treadmill must be irritating the skin. Too bad they don't design electric treadmills with carpeting for dogs (anyone an entrepreneur out there???!!!)! At one point he was chewing so much on his paws that they were bloody. So for all those who are using the treadmill to exercise their dogs, watch for irritation! I also noticed that if I take him on a super long walk (more than an hour).. he gets home and starts chewing on the paws. Half hour walks are okay though.I see some posts on this site about dogs chewing their paws and wonder now if irritation from grass or twigs may be one of the causes. It certainly is for my woofie. Hope this helps someone. Thanks for reading."
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UNDERSTANDING THE SOUNDS OF DOGS
[YEA] 07/31/2007: Bee from Philadelphia, PA writes: "I have a tip to go on your quality of life pet page. Years ago I read an interview with Siegfried and Roy and how the tigers communicate by exhaling sharply through their noses. I wondered at the time of the interview whether it was the same with dogs and then promptly forgot about it. Then recently when I was asking my dog if he wanted to go for a walk, I heard him do a quick and almost inaudible exhale through his nose. It was very subtle but there it was. My ears perked up and I started to listen to his sounds more carefully. Ha hah. Well, now I hear him doing it all the time! -- when he walks into a room and sees me there he'll do it, when I ask him if he's hungry he does it. I take him to the dog park in my area and sure enough the other dogs are communicating through their noses to one another and their owners. Dogs really do have a unique system of communicating... subtle and wondrous! Just wanted to share it with all of your dog lovers on the website and Cesar Milan too if he's reading."
[YEA] 03/31/2009: Maria from San Francisco, CA replies: "You are completely right! My dogs also do it and, if the idea I'm proposing to them is TOO exciting, then they stamp their paws on the same place, along with the waging tail of course. After 2 years trying to feed them with dry food, which they hate, I also realize that raw food make them happier and healthier. It's been 2 months now since I changed their diet and I can see changes on their energy level and coat as well."
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