At Tails Untold, we all want to be prepared should our dog have an emergency. This guide was sent to us and we are very pleased to share in hopes it helps you be prepared, should your pet, heaven forbid, ever have an emergency situation.
Dog chewing is a destructive and sometimes costly behavior. You need to stop it before you continue losing your valuables to an animal that you love. But, how do you prevent a dog that has had this habit for long? Of course, getting rid of the pet is not an option. At the same time, you can’t opt to punish the dog too severely. Here are some tricks that you can use to stop your dog chewing:
Before you start focusing on changing the dog, start by changing your home. If the canine is used to chewing items in the house, simply dog-proof it. You don’t need tons of sophisticated items to achieve this task.
The first step is to simply hide things that the dog is likely to chew. Some of these items include remotes, pillows, books, and clothes.
When you do this, not only will your dog be able to roam the house without finding anything meaningful to chew. It will also be unable to destroy the products that you buy for it.
The second step is to get heavy duty gear that your dog can’t destroy. If they destroy their crate, then get something indestructible like the ones seen here bestdogcrates.net/escape-proof-cages.
This is another method that can work well for those problem dogs, especially if you are not always around to monitor your dog’s movements and behavior. All you need is to put them in a dog crate or an empty room.
You should always ensure that the crate is comfortable for the dog. Choose the right size of cage and make sure that it is well-ventilated.
Don’t just sit back and watch your dog embarks on a chewing spree. Be reactive if you see it chewing something other than food. The easiest way is to make some noise that will distract it.
However, you should not be extremely loud to the extent of scaring it. Just let the dog know the message that you are trying to pass across. You can say something like “Stop!” This approach can be considered as a form of dog training, because doing this consistently, will make the dog understand that you are not happy with the chewing habit.
Sometimes dog chewing can be a deep-rooted habit and may be quite difficult for your dog to stop doing it. However, rather than chewing your items, you can give the dog alternatives-chew toys. These are very enticing, and your dog will easily get attracted to them.
You can even make the toy fun by rotating them and stuffing some food items in them, such as peanut butter. Apart from being tasty, the dog will have some fun with the rotating toy and will keep chewing for a long time. In doing so, you will be able to save your other items from any sort of destruction for quite some time.
In most cases, dogs opt to chew items because they are utterly bored to the core. In such a situation, chewing seems the best way of passing the time.
The best remedy for this problem is to take the dog out for exercise. Some of the activities that you can engage in include jogging, running, Frisbee and even long walks. The aim here is to keep the dog productive in a healthy way.
This is another effective way of stopping your furry friend from chewing everything that comes in its way. Buy a commercial deterrent.
With such a product, you need to spray it on different items that the dog is likely to chew. A single bite on the item will be enough to send a strong message to the dog, and it won’t make any further attempts to chew the item.
If the dog chewing habit is due to a compulsive disorder, you should consider getting help from a professional dog behaviorist. Do not surrender to the destructive dog chewing behavior. The little steps that you take can make a difference. The above are the most recommended solutions that can stop the chewing habit.
Guest Blog post courtesy of Annie Moore Photo courtesy of Petfinder
7 Reasons Why Every Family Needs a Dog
There are many pleasures that we may enjoy life but one that most of us would never live without is having a dog by our side. Not only are they a loyal companion, they provide more love to us than we could ever hope to give back to them. These are the most obvious benefits of having a dog but there are many more reasons why you should have a dog as part of your family. Here are 7 reasons why every family needs a dog in their life:
Dogs Are Always Happy to See You – When you or any member of your family walks through the door, the dog is always going to be the most excited individual in the room. There is nothing quite like coming home after a difficult day and being greeted like you are the best person in the world! After all, you are the best person in their world.
They Protect Your Children (from Allergies) – Most people will automatically assume that dog-related allergies will be a problem in their household. In reality, the opposite may actually be true. According to a study by the Department of Pediatrics at the University Of Wisconsin, children who lived in a home with a dog as newborns were less likely to experience wheezing and eczema by the time they were three years old. Early exposure seems to be a factor and it is thought to be associated with how quickly the immune system develops in a child shortly after birth.
Play Time Is Anytime – It doesn’t matter what you might be going through in your life, you can always count on the fact that you can take a moment out of your day and enjoy some playtime with your dog. This is also something that you will come to love about having a dog around your children as well. There is nothing quite like sitting on the floor with your kids and having some fun time with the dog.
You Will Be Healthier – Dogs provide many benefits to our health, including reducing the risk for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, dogs provide many benefits to their owners, including engaging in physical activity. In addition, people who had a heart attack were more likely to survive when they own a dog. You can’t argue with the numbers.
You Will Understand “Dog People” – There is a measurable phenomenon that occurs when people own a dog. Suddenly, they become dog people and it seems as if their entire life is surrounded by that beloved pet. Some people may tend to look at them as if they were a bit unusual but once you are a dog person, you will understand.
You Bond with Your Dog over Everything – It doesn’t matter if you are curled up on the sofa with your dog watching TV or if you are taking them to obedience training classes, the bond between the two of you will just continue to grow stronger. Dogs are naturally eager to please but as the bond grows, you will find that it runs in both directions.
Dogs Keep You Safe – There are certain dog breeds that are well known for providing security to the family but regardless of the dog that you have as a family member, they will add to your safety. In part, it is due to the fact that they will hear and see things that might escape your notice. Additionally, dogs keep you safe by providing you with companionship and when you have a dog around, you will never be alone.
For additional information and tips, please check out this website http://www.lovealldogs.com
Tails Untold is very happy to have this great Guest Blog from Tim Shank. Please consider adopting from a Shelter/Rescue first. We want every dog, cat and all pets to find loving and forever homes.
Lyme Disease is a tick-borne illness and it can be debilitating in humans, but also in dogs..
In humans, often, but not always, one can tell if they have been infected if there appears a “bull’s-eye” rash at the site of the bite. This does not happen with dogs. So what are the common symptoms found in dogs with Lyme Disease?
It can be a difficult disease to recognize. Dogs can have Lyme disease organisms for over a year, without showing any symptoms, and when the symptoms appear, the Lyme disease can have spread throughout the entire dog’s body.
What should you do to help prevent your pet from getting Lyme Disease?
Even though these can be very effective, it is still important to check your dog after being outdoors, especially if you have been in a woody, grassy or sandy area.
If you do find a tick, protect your fingers and remove with a tick remover or a pair of tweezers. You must be sure and get the entire tick out, so pull straight, do not twist.
Treatments for your Dog if infected with Lyme-Disease
There are several antibiotics that are available and they are quite effective, especially if caught in the early stages. The response time to the antibiotic can be within a week.
Educating yourself about ticks and Lyme disease is a great step in keeping your dog healthy so you can both enjoy the great outdoors.
Image via Pixabay
I’ve always been an animal lover, and grew up consistently having at least one family pet as my constant companion. But things change when you become the adult responsible for caring for a family dog, and the extra cleaning that comes with having a pet was not on a list of things I was dying to do!
But my husband and kids were dying to have a pooch in the house so we recently adopted an amazing mutt from a local shelter. It didn’t take long for me to fall absolutely in love, of course, especially after seeing what a positive influence she was on our family. As a matter of fact, I have science to support my claims: Research has shown that dogs provide a number of different emotional and physical health benefits to the humans that love them. Here are a few unique ways man’s best friend has a healthy impact on our lives:
Dogs inspire their owners to get moving. To take the best care of our pups, we have to ensure that they are getting plenty of exercise throughout the day. One of the best ways to do this is to join them in the fun! This article points out how having a family dog can also be an especially effective way to encourage children to play with their pet, and ward off the risk for childhood obesity.
Pooches are an adorable stress-buster. The reason we tend to feel better around our dogs is because interaction with them literally tells our brains to be happy. This article the health benefits of our dogs explains that spending time with our critters releases a hormone called oxytocin, a neurotransmitter known as the “love hormone” because of its role in making us feel connected with others. The higher our oxytocin levels, the more naturally equipped we are to handle stress.
They have potentially-lifesaving olfactory senses. Dogs are known for their acute sense of smell, and now they are using it to help their two-legged companions. Research has shown that dogs are able to detect health issues such as low blood sugar in diabetics and even some infections. Scientists are also now studying the canine ability to detect cancer, and hope to create a form of technology based on dogs’ natural gift of smell.
They provide uniquely compassionate therapy to those coping with cancer. Because of their abilities to boost the mood of those around them, dogs are frequent visitors to cancer patients undergoing treatment, and can be instrumental in managing emotional stress that often leads to serious mental health issues like depression. According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, their presence also provides physical benefits such as a decrease in pain and blood pressure.
Dogs don’t just provide us with unconditional love and incessantly wagging tails. In fact, sharing our homes with them may actually provide many unique and wonderful health advantages. A new dog may even be the health remedy you’ve been seeking!
***
Thank you for this great information from our Guest Blogger, Vee Cecil! Please let us know how your pet whether a cat/dog/bird/hamster/or any pet has improved your life! We love your comments.
Vee Cecil is a wellness coach, personal trainer, and bootcamp instructor. Vee is passionate about studying and sharing her findings in wellness through her recently-launched blog.
Most dogs are very perceptive at reading their owner’s body language. They seem to know when their owners are happy, sad, distressed or anxious. This ability has allowed some dogs to be able to sense changes in their owner’s body or behaviors prior to a seizure. They do this within seconds minutes or hours before the seizure occurs.
Dogs have their own ways of letting their owners know of an impending seizure. They may bark, become restless, paw at or lick their owner’s hand. This alerts the person to seek a safe place to sit or lie down to prevent falls that might occur with the seizure.
No one is sure why or how a dog is able to recognize that a seizure is coming. Theorists believe that it may be a change in the person’s behavior, body language or even an odor that the person emits prior to the seizure. This ability to recognize an impending seizure is not something that is trained and is a common phenomenon in many dogs. It does not seem to be related to a dog’s breed, age or whether the dog is a male or a female. Seizure alert dogs are ones that are very sensitive to a humans behavior or emotions. When a person comes out of a seizure, they tend to be disoriented or confused. Having their dog by their side can help re-orient them to their environment. Their dog’s presence is also a comfort. It is known that dogs can help to eliminate daily stressors in our lives. People with seizure disorders can sometimes increase their number of seizures when under stress. Having a loving canine companion may help to prevent this increase.
So seizure alert dogs are important to helping keep their owners safe. They help eliminate their owners fears of seizures and make their daily lives much easier.
| Name: | Weezie |
| Nickname(s): | The Boss |
| Gender: | female |
| Characteristics: | One eye, white face, very large pointy ears |
| Personality: | stealthy, determined, quiet, funny |
