Porky Dog

Last night I was told by a respected co-worker my dog was fat! I knew he was getting porky but still I thought he had a tuck after his ribs. But she is right and it has been a battle with my husband to not feed Scout everything in abundance! I took Scout to the vet today to weigh him....88lbs! He has gained 5 pounds since spring! WHAT? I thought dogs were supposed to drop weight during the summer! So starting today Scout is on his way to dropping 3-5 pounds. Remember: Overweight dogs can damage joints, heart, become more prone to diabetes and if an injury happens they often recover slower. Keep your pets lean!!

Grumpy Growly Dog

So you have experienced it, the moment your dog growls. You will know when your dog is serious and when it is play. When a dog is serious and growling everything will be very still. Your dog will typically freeze, be very stiff and could even be looking at you out of the corner of their eye. There are different reasons a dog may growl as well. Sometimes they growl because they are guarding a toy, food, or they are uncomfortable in a situation. The biggest and most important things about growling is NEVER punish it. What is a growl? A warning. What usually follows a growl if not listened to? A bite. So if we punish the warning then we skip the chance to fix whatever it is that is making our dog uncomfortable and we may end up just getting the bite. We've all heard it, "There was no warning" although there were plenty of subtle warnings the one that gets most peoples attention is growling and without it, most people don't notice the subtleties. When the day comes that your dog growls I want you to ask yourself, "What has changed or is going on that is causing my dog to growl?" and then change it and work on conditioning your dog in the scenario by talking to a professional positive dog trainer.


Courtesy of Green Acres Kennel Shop
In this image the Ember is resource guarding. She has a very bad resource guarding problem especially from other dogs and from people depending on the item. Notice the stiffness in her body, looking at the camera out of the corner of her eye, also called half moon eyes, the snarl on her lip, ears are forward and alert  and I'm sure she is emanating a growl.



Paws on Parade

October 1st will mark the 18th annual Paws on Parade for the Bangor Humane Society. While I won't be able to actually walk with Scout in the parade I am doing my part by raising money for the Humane Society. Small steps to making a difference. Right? I don't know about you guys but I go through phases where I really want to do something big in my life, usually it is animal related. I want to donate a week of my time and go to a poverty stricken area and help catch and treat the stray dogs there or start up some sort of organization that will make a difference in the dog world.

What kind of participating/fundraising/ donation of your time have you guys done for making or educating the dog world?

Before and Afters Photoshop

 What do you think?

Photo Friday and a tip!

Tip of the day: I know I rant about toe nail trims often but I really can't stress how important it is as a part of your dogs routine maintenance. Well clipped toe nails allow your dogs foot to have proper placement. Long toe nails can result in twisting the toes which can cause your dog pain! I really like the orange handled scissor like clippers, they cut through the nail instead of squishing it down. Some people prefer the guillotine style but that only cuts from one side and flattens the nail some while trying to cut it. Whichever your preference I'm just happy you have it done. Routine handling of your dogs feet and lots of yummy treats will help ensure your dog never grows tired of seeing those orange handled clippers!

Good dog!!

Untitled, a photo by ebessey6 on Flickr.

As I am on the road to work today I have one of those Oh No! moments. I realize I have left the house and didn't shut the bathroom door. It isn't so much of the fact that the cat's dish sits on the floor full of food but more because of all the typical medications that are in the bathroom. I get paranoid that Scout may get into something let alone eat the 2 cups of cat food that Pipa's dish holds. Scout is getting a bit mature in his age that I wasn't so worried about the meds but that he was going to have an early dinner.

Anyhow, I get home after work and low and behold.....all the cat food still in the dish!! What a good boy!! He got a tasty pigs ear as a reward and I think he thoroughly enjoyed it!

Flying into the Weekend!

Have a great long weekend and holiday!!

Cut those Toe Nails!

Tip of the Day: Whether you have a young puppy or an older dog it is never to late to begin getting them accustomed to have their toe nails clipped. I can't stress enough how important it is from day one with a puppy to handle their feet. In our puppy class we talk a lot about handling a dog to get them used to grooming and vet visits and often I think people sigh with relief if they have a dog with short hair that won't require grooming visits. Truth be told though, all dogs have toe nails and that is part of grooming maintenance for your pet. Don't expect to do all four feet, start with just one toe. Clip the nail, give your dog a treat and put the clippers away. Do this every day, maybe aim for two toes or a foot but always treat after each clip or have someone feed your puppy while you trim the nails and your dog will offer you his foot for a pedicure! My lab is very patience when I clip his nails because I did this method with him from day 1. I have clipped too close to the quik before where it made him bleed a little bit but he was just as eager to give his foot back because 9 times out of 10 its a good experience. It makes your life a bit less stressful and you don't have to pay someone else to trim the nails. If you just don't like doing the nails yourself and do pay someone, it is still a good habit to reward with treats while the other person does it or work on conditioning at home to get your dog to accept it.