With our expansion in full force, rrruffhouse.com is proud to announce that we will be expanding our services as well to make life with your dog a happy and safe one. Our new place has a 1500 sq ft play area for all our furry friends as well as a huge area outside to play completely fenced in and escape proof, the outdoor play area has lots of grass for lounging, a wooded area for shade and getting up to “no good” lol. This new and improved rrruffhouse will blow your socks off, so come on by and check us out, for all your dog needs. We still do training as usual both obedience and behavioural, we have not taken services away we have just expanded so we can offer you more!
Starting November 1st we will be offering long and short-term boarding, doggy day care 5 days a week from 7am-7pm, as well as puppy behavioral and socialization classes. All boarding and day care services are subject to an assessment before acceptance to ensure the safety of myself and my pack.
Long/Short term boarding – Going away? We can help! Rrruffhouse.com has always offered boarding services, but now with a bigger and better space we are happy to say that we can accept more of your furry friends for a little vacation of their own.
Doggy Day Care – Don’t like leaving your dog alone/locked in a kennel all day? We can help with that too! Again, we currently offer doggy day care 2 days a week, but we are now able to offer doggy day care 5 days a week for your convenience and peace of mind.
Puppy Socialization and Behavioral classes – Most of us reading know that getting a new puppy can be taxing to say the least, rrruffhouse.com would like to help you with that too! ….
You name it we probably offer it! If you need something that we may have forgotten please ask, we are always here looking to help. For more information please contact us by phone, email, Facebook. LinkedIn. or by text.
Dog owners have a way – sometimes within DAYS of first becoming dog owners – of becoming EXPERTS on animal behavior. It blows my mind. These are people who observe their animals displaying interesting or curious behaviors and make up things like “dogs like being put in tiny cages, actually, because of when their ancestors were pack animals and lived in caves.”
That said, a reader sent me an email inquiring about a particular behavior that she has observed in her lab. This reader is not one of the above-described self-proclaimed experts. This reader is generally awesome.
She writes:
My dog is pushing around her food, her food dish, or anything in the area. She noses it around every time before she eats, sometimes for a significant period of time. This video is of her pushing the towel under the dish around (which I put there to stop her from pushing the dish entirely across the tile floor and spilling food everyone). Sometimes she noses the food around and doesn’t even bother to eat any. What is this all about?
One day she decided to set up a spycam so she could catch her dog in the act. She sent me the video and permitted me to upload it for the world to see:
It turns out that this behavior appears fairly common, and inquiries abound online in various forums and whatnot. Enter the self-proclaimed experts. One offers;
Many dogs push their food bowls around; it might be vestigial to the dog’s foraging instinct. Many dogs also pick food out of the bowl and carry it to another location to eat it.
Another suggests;
Depending on the breed of your dog, and dominance level, it’s food looks rather bleak. Meaning that it’s looking for something more alive; this would be the hunter in them call out. Ever wonder why dogs love a good squeaker? It’s because it resembles a dying animal.
Here’s a selection of other gems,
Maybe try switching food brands
Maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t like the shape of the bowl it may be not the most convenient shape for her to eat out of. Having just a dog brain she doesn’t know it is a permanent shape. But more than likely it is just an inherited behavior left over from before dogs trained humans to be pet owners. Back then the dog (or dawg, or even dogg, spelling having not been domesticated yet) ate things it killed or found already dead. Sometimes the prey might not be dead yet and might try to bite back so Dog would need to check and one way to check was just give it a push and see if it moved.
I think they want you to pay some attention to them….They can’t speak so we have to listen to them without hearing words…If I were a dog pushing my bowls around I would be saying..I am bored..I am lonely eating alone every night, no one validating me…I am tired of this same ole’ crap all the time…
He’s trying to get on your nerves, or he wants attention. Both ways are the same. Your dog and my dog know that once he does something bad, he’ll get your attention and you might scream at him or maybe slap his nose for him to stop, but he/she thinks it’s fun.
I think perhaps they feel they are “hunting” the food and then eat it.
If I was going to make up a hypothesis, I might conjecture that pushing food around with the nose will indicate if the food is beginning to rot, as bugs and other critters that munch on dead flesh tend to be found underneath the food item.
Time for some actual research.
How about first we knock down all those lay explanations:
In wild animals, food selection begins with foraging (or hunting, for carnivores) behavior, and ends with food consumption. Through domestication, however, hunting behavior in dogs seems to have been genetically modified if not entirely eradicated. Some evidence that this is so comes from studies of “village” or feral dogs. These are dogs that generally survive by scavenging, raising the possibility that domesticated dogs have not maintained a fully functional repertoire of hunting behaviors. It should be noted, however, that not much is known about how wolves decide what is palatable (e.g. appearance, odor, texture, flavor), so it is hard to determine if dogs’ preferences in that respect have changed in domestication. So it is unlikely that any food-related behavior you observe in a domesticated dog is “leftover” from their wolf ancestors. Possible, but unlikely.
Then, I asked this reader a few questions: are there other dogs in the house? Yes, a male dog. Does she generally feed the dog the same food every day? Yes.
I could not find anything in the literature directly addressing this issue. Here are some things we do know about food selection in domesticated dogs, and my best guess as to the explanation of this particular dog’s behavior:
(1) It is certain that odor plays a strong role in food selection, because anosmic dogs (who can’t smell) show reduced discrimination between types of meat that are otherwise highly discriminable.
(2) Dogs combine olfactory information (smell) with social information to select what type of food they want. In one study, dogs preferred eating something that smelled like the breath of another dog who had recently been fed.
I wonder if perhaps Shug (white poodle) smelled something on the other dog’s breath, and was looking for it. This reader insisted that the two dogs are fed the same foods. It is possible that there is some odor produced by the interaction of the other dog’s saliva and the food that Shug was trying to find in her food bowl.
One other bit of info that I stumbled across concerns liberality in dogs. Laterality is an observable measure of functional asymmetry in the brain. The human brain, for example, is strongly left-lateralized for language. This means that much of language processing occurs on the left side of the brain. Human handedness (whether you favor your right or left hand) has to do with laterality as well. Human handedness may be a topic for another day – this day, we shall focus on dog paw-edness. Do dogs favor one paw over the other?
So the answer is yes, and is actually related to their sex. Females tend to prefer the right paw, and males tend to prefer the left paw. What is most interesting to me is that task #3 was a food retrieval task.
I am well aware that I might be reaching here and over-interpreting – but I wonder if perhaps Shug, if she is right-pawed like most other female dogs, is simply trying to move the food away from the wall. Kind of like, if you’re at a restaurant, and you’re right handed, it totally sucks to be the guy at the end of the booth with your right hand against the wall.
So, there you have it. Both may be stretching it a little, but you’ve got two workable hypotheses that are totally testable.
Dogs get cold in the cold weather just like people do and it is important to make sure your dog is as comfortable as you can make the dog. Some dogs have heavy coats to protect them from the elements but most dogs even if they have a fine coat of fur can really feel the bite of cold weather. There natural coats may not keep him warm outdoors depending on how cold it is outside. Of course some dogs like Huskies like it cold outside but you still have to watch the weather to make sure they don’t get too cold.
If a dog is use to being indoors cold weather can really set in on the dogs since the dog is used to warm temperatures of the indoors. If a dog is an outside dog extremely cold temperatures are not good for the dog either. If you have…
A single 6-year-old female dog can produce 67,000 puppies!
A single 7-year-old female cat can produce 420,000 kittens!
Every day, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born, while only 10,000 people are born** -– simple math will tell us that there simply aren’t enough homes for all of these animals.
Gestation periods for cats & dogs are very short, approximately 63 days and another pregnancy can result almost immediately.
Did You Know?
Every year, millions of animals are euthanized* in shelters due to a lack of available homes.
Purebreds account for 30% of all the animals in shelters. “Papers” don’t automatically mean that an animal should be bred.
Breeding your pet so that your children can see the miracle birth is simply irresponsible – visit any shelter to see the tragic results.
For every home you find for your kitten or puppy bred at home, a shelter animal may lose its life.
Animal overpopulation is at a crisis level in our country.
WHAT IS SPAYING AND NEUTERING:
Spaying and neutering are safe surgical operations that prevent animals from reproducing. Spaying is the removal of a female animal’s ovaries and uterus; neutering is the removal of a male’s testicles. There are so many reasons to have your pet spayed or neutered.
EXCUSES FOR NOT SPAYING OR NEUTERING PETS:
I can’t afford it. If you are unable to provide proper medical care for your pet, which includes the responsiblity of spaying or neutering, you might want to reconsider your role as a pet owner.
My pet will become fat and lazy. Pets that become fat after spaying and neutering are a direct result of lack of exercise and over-feeding.
It is not right to take away my dog’s “manhood”. Come on now fellas, are we really talking about your dog? It has been proven that neutered dogs live longer, happier, and healthier lives. It has also been proven to decrease or eliminate the chances of developing a number of different cancers! We’re sure you are confident and informed enough to realize that a neutered dog is no reflection on your own manhood.
What if it changes my pet’s personality? Any change to your pet’s personality is for the better. Spayed and neutered pets are less aggressive toward other animals, less likely to mark their territory with urination, and focus their attention on their human families instead of searching out a mate for breeding.
I want my children to witness the miracle of birth. Pets want and need privacy when giving birth, so having an audience present for the birthing can seriously upset the mother, and the intrusion can result in the mother rejecting the newborns. If this occurs, the chance of the babies surviving are close to zero. If you truly want your children to witness the miracle of birth, you could always give them a baby brother or sister, or rent a video.
Isn’t the anesthetic given during the procedure risky? Anesthetics these days are very safe for pets, even older ones, and the risk to your animal, as with humans, is very small.
REASONS TO HAVE YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED:
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life – spaying helps prevent uterine and mammary cancers, which is fatal in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats! Spaying BEFORE THE FIRST HEAT offers the best protection. Chances of developing these cancers increases with every heat.
Your male pet will live a longer healthier life – Neutering your pet eliminates the chance of developing testicular cancer. The risk of anal and perineal cancers are also reduced by neutering.
Your spayed female won’t go into heat – Female cats can go into heat for 4-5 days every three weeks during breeding season. To advertise that they are looking for mates, they will yowl incessantly and will often urinate inappropriately, and sometimes also have a bloody discharge. Heats are also uncomfortable and unpleasant for your female.
Early spaying and neutering of your cat will eliminate spraying – Getting your cat spayed or neutered before their first heat will eliminate them spraying.
Eliminates the chances of developing a uterine infection called pyometra – Female dogs and cats can develop an infection called a pyometra, which is life threatening and can often require emergency surgery to remove the infected uterus. Spaying eliminates this risk.
Your pet will be better behaved – Spaying and neutering only improves your pet’s personality. They will be happier and better companions because they are not preoccupied with the urge to find a mate. Early neutering can also counteract many aggression issues, as well as marking territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house.
It is highly cost effective – The cost of the surgery to have your pet spayed or neutered is much less than having to care for a litter. There can be significant costs incurred as well if your un-neutered tom escapes and gets into fights with neighborhood strays, and then comes home with injuries that need to be vet treated.
Your pet does not need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth – Allowing your pet to become pregnant and have babies that you have no intention of keeping is NOT a good lesson for your children, especially when our shelters are full of unwanted animals. There are more responsible ways to teach your children about the miracle of birth – buy a book or rent a video.
Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation – Every year, millions of cats, dogs, and bunnies are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying and neutering.
Shelters and rescue groups are full – For every home born dog or cat you have to find homes for, a shelter or rescue animal loses their chance at a home. Shelter animals could face euthanasia as a result.
Wow, that is a pretty persuasive argument don’t you think? Please get your pet spayed or neutered. Your spayed or neutered pet shows that you are putting your pet’s welfare first and foremost, and you are doing your part to help fight pet overpopulation.
Once parvo manifests itself in the stomach lining the dog cannot properly absorb liquids and nutrients, leading to weakness and lethargy.
Features
Some of the first symptoms of parvo are vomiting, diarrhea and a general malaise that overtakes the animal. Loss of appetite and a terrible-smelling, bloody stool will follow, with severe cases causing dehydration and possible death.
Vaccinations are available for parvo, with the shots beginning at 6 weeks of age and continuing until the dog is 5 months old for them to be the most effective. The majority of veterinarians recommend an annual booster for parvo, according to Working Dogs.com.
Time Frame
Parvo exists in the feces of infected dogs and can remain infectious for as long as five months. An exposed dog usually takes from a week to 10 days to show any signs of the parvo virus and to test positive.
Considerations
A puppy that lives through its battle with parvo often is weak and sickly for the rest of its life. Some will suffer a form of congestive heart failure brought about by the ailment, sometimes years after the dog has apparently recovered from the illness.
Parvovirus, or parvo, is an incredibly contagious virus that can cause severe illness and eventually death in puppies, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Parvo cannot be cured, so any animal that displays the symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinary hospital. Diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, not eating and fever are all symptoms of the parvovirus.
Instructions, how to spot parvo
Watch your dog for signs of depression or lethargy. These early symptoms occur between three and 10 days after your dog is exposed to the virus. He may not be his usual playful self and he may sleep more than normal. (Reference 2)
Observe the dog’s feces. Parvo often attacks the cells in the intestine, causing watery diarrhea. As a result, a dog with parvo may quickly become dehydrated. (Reference 2)
Look for vomiting episodes with or without signs of abdominal pain. In some dogs, the stomach contracts, causing them to tuck their abdomen in and upward. (Reference 1)
Check very young puppies for the cardio version of parvo. This less-common form of the virus spreads from the mother dog to her unborn pups and they frequently die soon after birth. The virus attacks the young heart muscle, causing cardiac arrest. (Reference 1, page 78)
Take your dog to your veterinarian as soon as you suspect parvo. Some dogs survive the virus if they receive prompt emergency treatment that involves the intravenous fluid replacement. Your veterinarian may order a blood serum test to make a quick diagnosis. (Reference 1)
Instructions, how to treat parvo
Take your puppy to see a veterinarian soon after it is born. Between birth and the puppy’s first visit to the vet, keep the dog away from other animals that may be carriers of the disease. A veterinary visit will ensure that your puppy’s vaccinations are up to date, and the doctor will inform you of specific preventative methods to keep your dog safe. The article “Canine Parvovirus” on the Claws and Paws Veterinary Hospital website states that if your puppy does contract parvovirus you must take him or her to the vet for hospitalization. Hospitalization ensures that experienced veterinary professionals can monitor your pet’s health while giving the pet the antibiotics and hydration necessary to effectively treat the symptoms of the virus.
Keep your animal’s habitat clean. The Claws and Paws Veterinary Hospital article “Canine Parvovirus” suggests you use a solution of 4 oz. liquid bleach and 1 gallon water to clean any solid surfaces that come into contact with your pet or their stool. Thoroughly clean bedding, collars, crates and kennels, floors and favorite napping or playing areas.
Limit your pet’s exposure to other animals. Puppies are especially susceptible to parvo virus, so be sure that during walks your pet does not come into contact with other dogs’ solid waste or vomit. Keep your puppy away from other sick animals, and try to keep it at home for grooming or training. Places where dogs frequently gather can be breeding grounds for the virus, so investing in a grooming kit and a few training tools will go a long way in preventing development of the sickness. Use a kennel crate or large carrier to keep your puppy away from other sick animals if they reside in the same home. Also change your puppy’s bedding daily to prevent the accumulation of waste.
There are various factors that will cause vomiting in dogs. Sometimes it may be a result of a medical condition such as colitis or kidney disease–other times it may be the pet has a food allergy–or simply put her mouth where it didn’t belong. Here are some ways to control vomiting
Instructions
1
Feed at least two meals a day. Most dogs, especially smaller dogs, do better with more than one meal. Just like humans, once a day isn’t enough and can cause nausea, which in turn can cause vomiting.
2
Don’t allow your dog to drink a lot of water at once, especially before a meal or after coming in from the heat. Pick the bowl up before he drinks too much.
3
Don’t let your dog run or engage in vigorous play for at least an hour after a meal.
4
Try to walk your dog during cooler weather, and if it’s summertime, in the early morning or evening hours is best. Hot weather can sometimes cause a dog to vomit, especially on an empty stomach.
5
If your dog vomits more than once or twice in a day and it continues, feed a bland diet. Start off with white rice and mix in a couple of tbsp. of cottage cheese for the first day or two. You can also add a tsp. or two of canned pumpkin, which helps control vomiting. If your dog won’t eat this meal, you can throw in some ground beef (but make sure to rinse it after cooking to get rid of the fat). You can also use low-fat chicken or turkey, but ground beef is actually softer on digestion. Continue with the rice, cottage cheese and beef (or chicken/turkey) for a few days to keep the vomiting under control. After a few days gradually wean your dog off of this food by mixing it in with her regular food.
6
If your dog is prone to vomiting it could be from food allergies. Feed a sensitive stomach formula dog food or one with no grain, which can often cause food allergies, and thus vomiting. Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance limited ingredient, allergy-formula line consists of only one protein source (meat) and one carb source (potato or brown rice), which decreases the chances of an allergic reaction.
Tips & Warnings
Don’t allow your dog to have water for at least 4 hours prior to anesthesia and within 3 hours after. If your dog seems parched after the anesthesia you can let him have an ice cube. Withhold food for at least 12 hours before surgery and wait at least four hours after.
Reglan (Metoclopramide) is a common drug for controlling vomiting in dogs. If your dog is prone to vomiting due to a recurring condition such as colitis, it may be a good idea to keep some on hand. It’s by prescription only, so you would need to consult with your vet first. If the vet prescribes it, you would normally give one tablet every 12 hours. Another medication that isn’t as strong and can be given on an ongoing basis to dogs with sensitive stomachs is Famotidine. It can be purchased over the counter as an acid reducer or prescribed by your vet. But in either case, consult with your vet first.
Never give a dog aspirin after surgery; it can cause vomiting. There are a variety of other medications to give for pain, but consult with your vet first.
Don’t feed treats to a dog that is vomiting.
Many dogs are allergic to chicken, which can cause vomiting. Another type of dog food such as fish or vegetarian formula (or homemade diet consisting of only vegetables or fish and vegetables) may work better.
If your dog vomits three or more times in 24 hours or for more than a day you should seek veterinary care, because your dog is likely dehydrated and could have a more serious condition that needs to be treated. The vet may choose to replenish your dog with fluids, which is a simple office procedure and not costly.
In cold climates and during winter months, people sprinkle driveways and roads with rock salt to de-ice the area and make it safe for walking or driving. While rock salt increases safety for drivers and pedestrians, it can be poisonous to your dog.
Function
Rock salt melts ice to prevent car accidents and falls. Rock salt is not intended for canine or human consumption.
Misconceptions
While dogs may consume salty foods in moderation, it is a misconception that rock salt is as safe for them as table salt. Rock salt does contain some of the same ingredients as table salt (sodium chloride); however, it also contains chemicals, such as magnesium, that are harmful to your dog.
Effects
Since people sprinkle rock salt on sidewalks, it can damage the pads on the bottom of a dog’s paws. As a result, the dog may lick the harmful salt from its paws resulting in burns to its mouth and throat. Repeated ingestion of rock salt can also lead to kidney problems or pancreatitis.
Types
Large dogs are more apt to develop complications after they consume rock salt because they tend to drink excessive amounts of water. This can result in a condition called bloat which requires immediate emergency attention.
Prevention/Solution
To prevent your dog from ingesting rock salt, keep the fur on its paws clipped short and wipe them with a warm, damp rag after walking in salted areas. If your dog consumes rock salt, immediately give your pet a small meal and a little bit of water.
New Year’s Resolutions-We all make them. This year let’s try to keep them. Let’s make attainable goals and have the mindset to follow through. Probably the biggest resolution is to get fit. Well if you have a dog this can be easier than you think. Take your dog for a walk. Great cardio for both of you! Instead of complaining about the cold get out and enjoy it. Layer up and hit the trails. A cold crisp day is just the thing to clear the cobwebs from your mind and your dog will love it. New smells, new p-mail to check, the list goes on and on. Not ready for a walk? Get out and play in the yard. Throw the ball, play tug of war, build a snowman for your dog to knock down. Who cares as long as you and your dog spend time together. Too nasty to go outside? Get off the couch and play a game of hide and seek with your dog. Hide some treats or toys or even yourself and let your dog find you. He will love it because he is spending the time with you. That’s what it is all about. Spend the time with your dog and you will reap the benefits tenfold. So there is the big resolution that you really can keep!
I would personally like to thank each and every person that made 2013 so amazing unfortunately I can’t as the list would be endless, so I am going to do it here. 2013 for rrruffhouse was an amazing year, we had tons of dogs come in for boot camp, the most in a year so far we did over 30 boot camps. We had a few adoptions which I think is amazing and would like to thank the new adoptive parent for giving those guys a loving forever home. We got a few new daycare dogs enrolled and did so many in-home training’s that I got to see many new people and places, and made some new dog friends. I would like to take a moment to thank all past clients and friends whom I see on a regular basis and I still get to spend time with their dogs when they bring them in for boarding. Thank you to all who participated in our crazy fund-raisers and contests, thank you for wearing your shirts both then and still now while shopping, you know who you are!! lol I would like to thank my amazing husband who puts up with all my silly shenanigans, also my son who helps out and is the one who makes the amazing dog feeding stations that you see on the website. I would like to thank my friend and graphic designer MJ and also her hubby for allowing us so many late nights where we just ignored you, thank you Bryan and I love you! 2013 has had so many positives that I can’t mention them all or I would be here all day, I am always amazed at the journey this job takes me on and love each and every moment of it, I can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring? I wish every one a HAPPY NEW YEAR stay safe, be happy, kiss your dogs for me! I will see you next year!!
1. This can be hard to tell because there are so many situations that cause excessive panting in dogs. But if you notice your dog suddenly panting out of place, it’s likely due to stress in the environment.
2. Dogs yawn, but if you notice your dog is yawning a lot the last few minutes or so, it might be due to stress. He might yawn at night when he’s going to bed, but if he’s sitting patiently while the neighborhood children are petting him and starts frequent yawns, it’s time to relieve him of his duty.
3. This is the term used to describe the ability to see the whites of a dog’s eyes. This generally happens when the dog faces away in avoidance and fear, but wants to keep his focus on the source of that fear.
4. Excessive drooling is extremely common in dogs that are stressed. If you notice more drooling than usual – you probably want to remove your dog from the situation as soon as possible.
5. Crouching, hiding, body stiffness, and running away are all signs of stress in dogs.
rrruffhouse 