How to you stop your dogs leash pulling? If your dog is pulling on his leash, the experts say that both you and your dog have developed a very bad habit. To get him to walk on his dog leash without pulling, you must change your behavior.  Put him on his leash, ask him to “heal,” then move forward when the leash is not tight.  If he pulls on the leash, stop right away and don’t move. When your dog turns to look back, call him back heal position and start again.  If he pulls on the leash, stop and repeat the process.  Move forward only when the leash is loose. It will be slow and frustrating at first because leash pulling is a hard habit to break.  If you are persistant about not allowing your dog to pull you anywhere, he will eventually stop pulling on his leash.

When cats and dogs are ill, they often stop eating and drinking. A reduced fluid intake, especially when it’s accompanied by a fever, vomiting or diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration. If your pet has a fast heart rate, sunken eyes and dry gums, he could be dehydrated. Another sign could be skin that has lost its elasticity. That’s why some veterinarians will pinch the skin on a cats back to check for dehydration. If the skin stays up in a ridge, your pet may need treatment.  Long periods of dehydration can lead to kidney failure. If you suspect a problem with your pet, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian.  He or she can make an accurate diagnosis and administer fluids if needed. Make sure that there is always water in the cat or dog water bowl. Watch carefully to make sure that your pet is drinking. Remember, they cannot tell you how they feel. Be observant and don’t waste any time getting them to a vet if necessary.

As we get into December, the temperature in the north east dips. In fact our daytime highs these past few days have only been in the thirties. Enough of the weather report. As you bundle up to go out to walk your dog, don’t forget your dog coat or sweater. Your dog deserves to be kept warm while on his walk. A nice warm dog sweater will also do the trick.  If the temperature really drops your may need both for your dog. A sweater and a jacket. There are many styles and fabrics to choose. Concentrate on the warmth of the jacket or coat rather than the style. Fleece is great. It is soft and will keep your dog warm on those cold nights.  Knits and standard cotton blends also work very well. So when the temperature dips, don’t forget about your dog.

Did you know that December is one of the busiest months for kennels? Many people travel and cannot take their dogs. If you are boarding your dog for the first time, here are some tips for you.

See if you could have your dog stay overnight before your leave so he could get used to the place. Especially if you are leaving for a few weeks.

Don’t take expensive blankets,  toys, dog coats or dog sweaters as these items have the tendency to get lost in a busy kennel. If you take something for your dog, make sure that you could do without it later.

You don’t have to feel guilty about leaving him.

Don’t overcompensate for your impending absence by being overly affectionate and showing unusual behavior. Your dog will sense your emotions and you don’t want him getting stressed out just before you leave. Right before you leave for the kennel, show a little less attention than you normally do. This will make it easier for your dog in the long run.

When you return from your wonderful holiday vacation, let your dog relax. He’s probably been up at night barking and has been playing with the other dogs during the day while you were gone so he may sleep a lot for a few days.

I’m sure that everything will go well. Enjoy your vacation and have a good holiday!

This morning while having my coffee, I looked over to my Christmas tree and noticed it start to shimmer. The ornaments began to move on their own and it seemed like the branches were beginning to sway in a breeze. Immediately I recognized this familiar site. Sure enough I was correct in my assumption. Millie my cat decided that it was play time and was in the back of the tree picking out some fine ornaments to hunt down. Last year, she decided to climb the tree and almost made it to the top. When I called her name, she gently came down and not a single ornament fell off. It was as if she knew that it wouldn’t be a good thing if she broke anything. Let me say this. Usually my cats are very good around the tree. My older cat Mollie, only occasionally takes a nap under it and never touches anything.

So how do we keep our cats away from the Christmas tree?  Here are a few tips that may help if you’re having a hard time with your cat.

1. Make sure that your tree has a firm base that cannot be easily knocked over. Keep the tree away from furniture so that  your cat won’t have a place to jump onto the tree.

2. I keep all of the breakable ornaments in the center and toward the top of the tree. The cheap, plastic ones are on the bottom. My cats usually go for the bottom ones first. I always find them under things after the tree is long gone.

3. Secure the breakable ornaments. I close the hook so they can’t be knocked off.

4. You may try to place an orange or lemon peel at the base of the tree. Cats do not like the smell of citrus.

5. Try spraying some peppermint oil around the tree. Cats dislike the scent of peppermint.

6. If your cat nibbles on the branches, spray some bitter apple on them.

7. Place some plastic carpet runner at the base of the tree. Turn it upside down. Cats don’t like how this feels on their feet.

8. Place cat toys in convenient places to help to divert your cats attention from the tree.

One more important tip. If you have cats, do not put tinsel on your tree. Many years ago, I almost lost my cat because he ate the tinsel. It got wrapped around his intestines and he almost died. Actually, it was miracle that he survived. Our vet told us to put him down.

Good luck, have patience and you’ll survive this holiday season!

It’s that time of year again and to your dog, the holidays are one big confusion extravaganza. It usually starts with a big dead tree being dragged into the living room. You dog is thinking, “great now I don’t have to do outside to pee.” Then there’s the ornaments all over the tree. Now, your dog is really excited! He’s thinking that all of those shiny ornaments are his to knock off the tree and break! If you have two or more dogs, they are probably huddling together discussing ways in which to take full advantage of this wonderful time of year.  One idea may be to take a string of those pretty lights and string then across the floor instead of on the tree.

It doesn’t end with just that big, dead tree. Soon tons of food will fill the house, cookies, ham, turkey, and a whole array of pastas. What a treat. Your dog is right this moment plotting ways to outsmart you and steal all of those goodies from right under your nose. (be ready to order a pizza!)

There’s more. All of those decorations that are scattered around your house will slowly disappear and will be found at a later time stuffed under the bed or in one of your dogs “special” hiding places!

Then there’s all of his new presents. A big, bulky bright red dog coat to show to all of his friends. I bet he’s “thrilled.”

Have fun with fido this holiday season! Don’t forget to get your little furry friend a christmas stocking to hang on the fireplace. It’s just  something else that he could steal and stash away for another time!

There are a variety of ways to become involved in training a service dog. One unique way that benefits the dog and the training is through inmates. When given the opportunity to train future service dogs, inmates gain confidence, learn how to handle responsibility and develop a valuable emotional bond with the animal. They also gain training and grooming expertise. Abilities that may help them find jobs when they leave prison. It’s an idea that seems to be working. Released inmates that have trained dogs have high employment and low rates of returning to a life of crime. The dog’s benefit to. Most are rescue dogs that need attention and obediance training. Many go on to become valuable service or therapy dogs.  So if your ever visiting anyone in prison, don’t be surprised if you see some prisoners with dog leashes and dogs training.

This is a topic that I purposely chose to avoid for quite some time because I believe that it is one of the most difficult decisions a pet lover has to make. Emotionally speaking, all the preparation in the world is not going to make it any easier when you are faced with a dying pet and you are trying to determine if it’s time to let go.

Here’s a true story. About four years ago, I lost my pet rabbit Max. I had Max for six years. He was a very cute dwarf rabbit with an incredible personality. He got along very well with my cat, Mollie. During her life, Max always had one medical problem or another. She was always going to the vet for stones, and digestive problems. One day, I noticed that her eye was bulging out a bit. This got worse and eventually she started to lose her balance. After several visits to the vet, he determined that Max had a tumor behind her eye and really would not last more than a few days. He wanted me to put her down right then and there. I just could not do it. She still was alert, and still liked to come out of her cage and play.I took her home. As expected, her conditioned worsened. When she stopped eating, I blended all of her food and fed her through an eye dropper. I just couldn’t let her go.  She lasted another four months with my nurturing but things were really getting worse for Max. I made three appointments to have her put down and kept canceling them. I know that it was her time but I became sort of selfish! Finally when she was almost totally out of steam, I made the appointment and kept it. Even though it was more than her time to go, the decision and process was very difficult. I was not myself for awhile after.

So if you are struggling with the question of whether or not it’s time, ask yourself these questions.

1. Is my pet getting any enjoyment at all from his day to day life or is his existence a painful one without any real quality of life?

2. Do his “good days”  outnumber his “bad days” or are is “good days” rare or nonexistent?

3. Is my pet in pain?

4. Has my pet stopped eating and drinking?

5 What’s my vets opinion? I would be very careful on this one. Some vets are very quick to tell you to euthanize your pet? I have another story on this for another time but keep this in mind. Trust your vet to give you an honest opinion and offer all of the pet medication and treatments available. If not, find another vet right away!!

This is one of the hardest things that a pet owner and lover has to endure. Make sure that you don’t make any hasty decisions!

So called seizure response dogs provide support for people with epilepsy by helping prevent unintentional injuries during and after a seizure. Some of these seizure dogs are able to predict when their owner is going to have a seizure.  The dog will alert the person by whining, pawing or circling. There are many stories of this happening but scientists are not sure as to how and why some dogs seem to have this ability. Many people suspect that the dogs respond to very suttle visual or hearing changes that occur during the early stages of a seizure. Some research suggest that the dogs are responding to psychological not epileptic seizures. Regardless, it shows how strong the bond can be between people and pets. These dogs deserve special gifts of treats, a new fleece dog coat or even a big hug!!