How to Protect a Dog’s Skin in Winter

With the cold weather and cranked-up heat — comes the dry and itchy skin — and with the dry and itchy skin — comes the moisturizers. But while you’re protecting your own skin, you might want to think about Fido’s too. Dogs experience the same winter skin woes as us humans, but unfortunately, you can’t use Nivea or Jergens on them. Here are some other ways to protect your pooch from that pesky winter skin.

Instructions

1. • Brush your dog frequently to get rid of dead skin cells. Brushing stimulates circulation and the production of oil, which in turn provides moisture. This applies to both long and shorthaired dogs.

   • Use a moisturizing shampoo with an ingredient such as lanolin, that is specifically formulated for dogs. People shampoos can upset a dog’s pH balance (which is different from ours), and thus be harsh on their skin.

   • Shampoo your dog less frequently during the cold months. Too much bathing can strip the coat of its natural oils. Every few months is normally a good schedule, unless you have a dog that spends more time outdoors.

   • Feed your dog a quality brand of food (or homemade diet) with Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols are a source of Vitamin E) for a healthy skin and coat.

   • Add fish oil (Omega-3) to your dog’s diet. Fish oil is used to treat canine skin allergies and relieve itching, and may also treat a variety of conditions including high cholesterol, arthritis and kidney disease. You can purchase liquid fish oil or break open a fish oil capsule and add it to your dog’s food. Flaxseed oil is also a good source of Omega-3 for the coat and immune system, but make sure it’s organic for full benefits.

   • Use a room humidifier to moisten the air if your home is too dry from running the heat.

Why Should I Feed My Dog Twice a Day?

The opinions of both experts and dog owners rarely concur when it comes to how often you should feed your dog. Many dog lovers insist once a day will suffice, others that twice a day is the most sensible option and some that the dog should be left to decide for itself depending on its particular needs. However, feeding your dog twice a day does potentially hold benefits that these other methods lack.

How frequently you feed your dog is strongly dependent on the dog’s size and age. Puppies should have more feeding times per day than an adult dog as they are still developing and therefore require a steady supply of nutrients and fiber to keep their bodies developing swiftly and healthily. Adult dogs do not have the same requirements as they are already well developed. Feeding requirements may also differ depending on your dog’s breed. Dobermans,boxers, mastiffs,great danes, for instance, have deep chests and are more likely to require smaller, regular intakes of food than other breeds.

Feeding your dog twice a day can help to keep your dog’s temperament in a calm and subdued state. Just as humans can get agitated and restless if they haven’t eaten for some time, the same is often true of dogs. Keeping your dog on a twice-daily feeding pattern may also benefit its health in the long term as regular feeding will provide insulin to your dog, helping its blood sugar levels stay balanced and its mind and body healthy.

If you feed your dog twice a day, you should try to feed it once in the morning and again in the evening. This will ensure it has a consistent level of fuel to sustain it throughout the day. Dogs thrive on routine and this will help promote regular digestion and in turn help you keep aware of when your dog will need to take a visit outside. You can also try feeding your dog to synchronize with family meal times, which can help the dog bond with your family.

Because the needs of each dog can differ substantially, you may opt to apply a “free-feeding” method rather than feeding your dog twice daily. Free-feeding involves leaving ample food in the dog’s bowl and allowing it to take its fill when desired, ensuring the bowl is topped up when necessary. Free-feeding can help ensure your dog is never lacking in energy and sustenance, but can also be dangerous if the dog cannot find a healthy level of intake and instead indulges in over-eating.

If you choose to feed your dog twice daily, you should also ensure you keep it supplied with clean, healthy water. Drinking plenty of water will help with the dog’s digestion and ensure it stays sufficiently hydrated to deal with the day’s exertions. Avoid feeding your dog any scraps in between its two set meal times, as this will interrupt the regularity of a dog’s eating pattern and leave it foraging for food when it should already have enough fuel to function.

How to Break Up a Dog Fight

I was asked recently from a client this question,

I have read several articles in our local paper about people witnessing a dog fight and wanting to stop the dog fight but did not know how to stop a dog fight. I am impulsive when it comes to these things and it caused me to ask what is the best thing to do when witnessing a dog fight? Is there a way to break up a dog fight? Should I try to stop a dog fight? I love animals and react without thinking about my safety and have stepped in before when I have seen a dog fight – fortunately I did not get hurt. What is your suggestion for what to do when confronted by dog fighting?

This was my response,

First, do not get rid of your instincts. There is no knowledge behind instinctual intelligence so “not thinking” is actually a good thing. In my profession, I only use “thinking” when I have to explain something to the human. With dogs, it’s all about instinct and energy.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind. You can stop a dog fight by observing body language. This is what I do with aggressive cases – stop the bad dog behavior at the very instance you see it about to escalate. But if that’s not possible, during a dog fight, once there is one occurring, stay calm and observe who or which of the two dogs is at a higher level of intensity. That’s the dog I’m going to focus on. Then you need to step in to give that dog the right touch – this means the rib cage area. The reason is that this forces the dog to open his mouth and let go of his hold on the other dog during the dog fight. It’s about timing too, so look for the right moment and then act quickly.

You can use a loud, strong voice or grunt directly at him and pull back from the back of his neck and collar – not from the top, but from the back and pull up, otherwise he can interpret this as you getting into the fight as well, and this is when the dog can turn on the human and bite him because his level of intensity is so high, he doesn’t think “oh, that’s the human.” You’re just another dog in the fight and before you know it, the dog you’re trying to defend is coming after you.

Whether it’s a big dog or little dog, the technique and method is the same. Do not scream repeatedly unless you are calling for help. Sometimes people are not going to help, so don’t expect that everyone will have your ability or good will. Most importantly, be quick, stay mindfully aware, emotionally in tune, and remain calm and assertive.

Ask Me How I Feel About “Flexi” Leashes

Ahhhhhhhhhh, retractable leashes… a hot topic  that inspired me to write down some brief thoughts…As most people who know me know, I HATE flexi-leashes.  This might be the one dog training tool that I absolutely cannot find ANY value in; (even silly ones usually at least have some kind of foundation in a reasonably good idea… for the most part); NOT this one (if you ask me…).

Everything you can do with a retractable leash can be done on a long, fixed line (albeit maybe not as conveniently).  The benefits of convenience, in my opinion, are far outweighed by the potential negative consequences of using of one these bad leashes.  Exhibit A…  (Fear tactic?  Possibly.)The injury in the photo to the right is a pretty typical example of what retractable leashes (cords, maybe more accurate?) can and do cause on a regular basis.  (I will accede to the fact that the argument could be made that the leash didn’t cause the injury; the poor – or complete lack of – training of the dog at the end of it did).  However, when was the last time you saw a well-trained dog walking down the street attached to one of these?  I’m going to venture a guess here & say never.  Been wrong before, but…

Exhibit A:

The reasons I can’t stand these things are as follows:1)     Simple mechanical malfunctions.  I worked at a major corporate-owned PETSTORE for 4 years and I can tell you from experience that these things malfunction.  Often, the mechanism inside breaks (never EVER at a convenient time… speaking of convenience) resulting in the line being continuously let out when you don’t want it to be OR jammed.  When and if the line jams and the contraption is ripped out of your hand, guess what happens?  Your dog was already taking off after something (or it wouldn’t have been yanked out of your hand) and now he has a plastic monster chasing after him.  It is scary to dogs when this happens, and many a canine has ended up on a “Missing” poster over it.

2)     Manners.  I can’t tell you how many times on how many different occasions (at how many different events, to the disillusion of how many people) I have seen someone’s dog 16 feet away from its owner wrapped around a display in a store, peeing on a table at an event, tying up another dog, “THIS CLOSE” to becoming dinner for another dog, in a completely different aisle or on a completely different STREET than the person holding the other end of the leash, jumping up, scratching, lifting their legs, wrapping up an exhibit, pulling down shelving… You see where I’m going with this.  “Manners” is also a nice way of saying this is yet another reason I can’t stand these things.  Safety may be more accurate, which brings me to:

Exhibit B:

Reason #3)    They are dangerous.  Notice the pictures that I have included thus far depict injuries to HUMANS.  Never mind the injuries to unfortunate dogs, including the BYSTANDERS.  I will again accede to the fact that it is probably POSSIBLE to use these things appropriately(?), responsibly, but I am gritting my teach while even typing out that sentence because I have such a bad taste in my mouth for these due to what I have consistently seen over the years.  I cannot recall ever once seeing somebody use one of these things responsibly… and I have seen a LOT of dog/human interactions (ya think? ;).Retractable (extendable… flexi… choose your word) leashes frequently cause injuries up to & including those in Exhibit B, adapted from Flexi’s own website.  (See picture on left.) I can already hear somebody arguing with me in favor of “Flexi” leashes by saying something like, “Well, I could say pit bulls frequently cause injuries up to and including the propaganda photos to my right” which is bullsh*t for many reasons and I will debunk that potential argument in another article. 4)     … and one of the more important reasons in my profession: retractable leashes send mixed (poor) communication signals to the dog.  There is ALWAYS tension on a retractable leash… ALWAYS.  The dog is aware of this, and this can have a SLEW of negative consequences, too innumerable to include all of them in this article, but teaching your dog to walk with tension on the leash  being the least of it.

And Reason #5:    The total lack of control any given owner has on one of these things leads to injuries to other dogs with unusual frequency. Even more so when there are multiple dogs on retractables.All three dogs were on leashes, but both of the attacking dogs were (1) larger  (2) on extendable leashes that were fully extended, leaving their owner with little control over them; (3) too large and strong for their owner to control both of them at the same time to begin with, [reliably on extendable leashes]. The other dogs’ owner should know better.  My friend had taken their dog outside for a poo, and suddenly around the corner  came the neighbor dogs at the ends of their leashes, their owner obviously not paying a great deal of attention to what her dogs might encounter out of her sight, running ahead of her as they were.  Even though she knew her dogs had attacked her dog just a few months’ previous, to the tune of over $300 in veterinary care.  This time was worse (& the vet’s bill reflects it).”

Exhibit C:

I did not actually include in these pictorial’s the injuries inflicted on dogs BY their own “Flexi” leashes.. I have knowledge of these through friends who work at vets’ offices and those injuries include: tail injuries resulting in amputation, lacerations down to the bone, injuries to tendons, torn skin (think inner thighs from leashes going under dogs), eye injuries, burns to the skin, etc.

In conclusion, I’d like to go on record as saying I can’t stand extendable/retractable/Flexi leashes.  I do not believe that they can be used 100% safely for the simple malfunction argument alone.  They do nothing to help in a typical dog’s training because of the constant tension on the collar.  They give the owner extremely limited control… to the potential physical detriment to both human & canine, as evidenced above.  They basically represent a gigantic percentage of what I feel is wrong with dog ownership these days; lack of: control, responsibility, understanding, and training.  Rant concluded.  Love it or hate it, thank you for reading.If you or someone you know have had your mind at all opened to my arguments here and would like assistance with your own dog, please contact us anytime at rrruffhouse.com we are always happy to educate and teach everyone who wants help.

Why Do Dogs Chew Their Nails?

Nail chewing and biting is not standard dog behavior and could be a cause for concern, according to Dr. Page Wages at the Oberlin Animal Hospital. Boredom, anxiety, poor grooming, allergies and infections are common causes for the chewing habit, and should be addressed quickly to ease the dog’s distress. Some causes can easily be resolved by a trip to the pet store for allergy sensitive food and toys, while other conditions will require a prescription by a veterinarian.

Allergies

• Food and outdoor allergies can lead to nail biting in dogs. Allergies to grass, pollen and other outdoor items may be irritating the dogs paws and nails. Additives to the dog’s diet may also be causing discomfort, including corn. Chewing the nails is a way dogs relieve their itchy sensation. Allergy sensitive foods, including those without corn, are available at large pet retailers. Veterinarians can provide a prescription to ease the symptoms of outdoor allergies.

Infection

• If a nail is injured, and the wound is exposed, infection may result. If the area around the dog’s nails appears red, swollen, tender to the touch or is seeping, it may be infected. Dogs will chew the area to relieve the pressure and itchy feeling. An antibiotic is required to cure the infection, so a trip to the vet is necessary

Anxiety

• Leaving dogs alone can cause anxiety behaviors for some. Chewing nails, defecating in the house and destructive behavior are common signs of anxiety. Crate or kennel the dog when he will be left alone in the home. Dogs are den animals by nature, and need to feel secure. Consider leaving a radio or TV on so the dog can hear human interaction, and supply him with a few chew toys to ease his need to gnaw.

Boredom

• Stimulating a dog’s senses is essential. Exercise, playtime, talking and training are all essential. A bored dog will become destructive to himself and his surroundings. Nail biting is a common sign of boredom. Supply the pet with interactive play toys when dog or human interaction isn’t possible.

Poor Grooming

• Some dogs chew on their nails simply because they need to be trimmed. Visit the vet’s office, a grooming salon or invest in a dog nail clippers. The nails should be kept trimmed to just above the quick. Have a vet or grooming salon show you how to do this task if you wish to maintain the dog’s nails at home. Overgrown nails lead to cracks, chips and more nail chewing from your dog.

Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid

Dogs will eat just about anything. Despite a popular misconception, dogs cannot instinctively tell what foods are healthy for them and what foods can make them sick. Pet food companies are required to list food ingredients on a side label, but some ingredients can be difficult to interpret. According to the Whole Dog Journal, which does not accept advertising, the worst pet foods will contain these unclear ingredients.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_5806085_ingredients-avoid-dog-food.html#ixzz2cdVY2o00

Meat Byproducts

• Dog food may meat byproducts or poultry byproducts. These are much cheaper than meat. Byproducts are considered any part of livestock except for meat. It can include any tissue, tendons, skin, internal organs, heads, feet, beaks and rectum. Although meat byproducts may give the food flavor, they may not be the safest or most nutritious sources of nutrients for a dog. By using byproducts in pet food, the best cuts of meat can go to feed people.

Animal Digest

• What animal digest is remains a point of debate. The Whole Dog Journal defines animal digest as the food resting in the digestive tract of livestock at the time they were slaughtered. The Association of Canadian Feed Control Officials (CFCO) defines it as “material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean or undecomposed animal tissue.” It’s not clear at what point animal digest differs from manure. Manure may contain salmonella. However, many livestock animals are not given food for a couple of days before slaughter to clear out the digestive tract and reduce the risk for salmonella.

Meal

• Meal may be listed in pet food ingredients as meat meal, bone meal, meat and bone meal or animal byproduct meal. Meal is used as an inexpensive way to keep the protein content of dog food to a certain level without using expensive cuts of meat. Meal is a finely ground porridge like substance that can be made from the entire animal used for dog food. It can be made into various thicknesses and used for wet food or baked for dry food. It does not have to include meat. It can include hide, hair, hooves, horns, feet, internal organs and the undeveloped eggs of poultry. CFCO mentions that no feathers, stomach contents or manure should be in the meal, but adds that meal is not entirely free of them because it is impossible to entirely remove all of those materials in modern slaughterhouses.

How to Feed a Dog That Has Food Allergies

Symptoms that indicate food allergies also occur with flea and other allergies. Dogs with food allergies often show symptoms such as ear drainage, skin rashes and skin, ear infections and itchy feet, according to Purdue University of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinarians typically advise the owner to either bring the dog in for allergy testing or put the dog on an elimination diet to determine the cause. Once you find the foods your dog needs to avoid, controlling its diet helps your dog decrease allergic responses.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_5233243_feed-dog-food-allergies.html#ixzz2cdUe7HQv

Instructions

1. • Ask your veterinarian for recommendations regarding commercial food for dogs with allergies. Check with pet supply stores and online for further recommendations. Make a list of available prescription and nonprescription foods to evaluate for cost and availability.

   • Read the ingredients and eliminate any foods, including treats, containing substances that cause reactions with your dog. Select food and treats or contact a board certified veterinary nutritionist for recipes to prepare homemade food. Contact your veterinarian or local veterinary teaching hospital for nutritionist contact information or a referral.

   • Explain to household members and guest the need to avoid giving the dog any treats or table scraps without your approval. Provide a container with small pieces of raw vegetables, fruits, approved treats or kibble for others to give the dog. Avoid sharing restaurant and prepared foods that often contain flavorings from meat sources.

   • Continue to monitor your dog for indications of new allergies, as a new allergy may develop in months or years, warns veterinarian Wendy C. Brooks, VeterinaryPartner.com’s Educational Director.

   • Perform a new food trial if symptoms return, as some dogs develop additional allergies. Limit the dog to a single protein source, such as rabbit, fish or kangaroo, and carbohydrate, such potato or sweet potato and avoid flavored medications during the trial period.

How to Treat Hives on a Dog

Hives in an of themselves are usually not a serious condition and you may not even know that your dog has them unless you feel its skin. However, they can be indicative of a serious allergic reaction. You may feel welts or raised spots which means that it may have hives. Hives may make your dog itch and damage the skin by constantly scratching. Following the steps below will help you alleviate the discomfort of your dog’s hives.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_4473943_treat-hives-dog.html#ixzz2cdSVXeJK

Things You’ll Need

• Benadryl

• Cold water

• Oatmeal

Show (1) More

Instructions

1. How to Treat Hives on a Dog

   • Give your dog an antihistamine like Benadryl. An antihistamine will relieve your dog’s allergic reaction and reduce its need to scratch. An Antihistamine may also induce sleep in your pet, which will also calm it down and make it less aware of the itchiness.

   • Soak the dog in cold water. Cold water is great for stopping itchy skin. Fill your bathtub or baby pool to submerge your dog in. If you can’t do either, grab the hose and wash the dog down for at least 15 minutes.

   • Oatmeal is a wonderful remedy for itchy skin. Pour about a 1/2 cup of oatmeal flakes into the tub or pool to alleviate your dog’s hives.

   • If your dog’s hives are confined to one spot and it refuses to get into the bath, you can apply cold compresses. Wet a rag and put it on the skin over the hives and then apply an ice pack. You can use either a medical ice pack or a frozen bag of vegetables. Either one will help alleviate the hives.

   • Consult the vet. If your dog’s hives don’t go away after a few days or seem to get worse, contact your vet for further treatment.

How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?

I found this awesome link check it out! http://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-exercise-does-my-dog-need.htm

Although all dogs need some exercise, not all dogs require the same amount. It’s also important to remember that dog exercise comes in a variety of forms not regularly practiced by people.

 Exercise needs have very little to do with size. Instead, breed tends to count the most. For example, Jack Russell Terriers and Shelties often begin to misbehave when given too few exercise opportunities. On the other hand, a mastiff and many other large dogs may be happy with a couple of daily walks in the park or a 15 minute game of catch.

Little dogs quite frequently require more exercise than larger dogs. Many of these needs can be satisfied in an apartment or back yard. If the small dog has adequate toys, or a dog or cat companion, it can generally meet all its own activity needs. However, don’t miss walking thedog on a daily basis too; a walk proves healthy exercise for both the dog and its owner.

Mid-size breeds also vary in their need for exercise. Expect dogs that are natural hunters or herders to require more activity. Beagles, hounds, border collies, Alaskan sled dogs, and Australian shepherds are naturally going to be restless if cooped up. They need time to run around, catch things, chase things, and to walk or jog.

Many of the working dogs benefit from having another dog companion. They also will benefit from visits to dog parks. A 30 minute to one hour visit to a dog park each day frequently gives the dog as much exercise as he needs because playing with other dogs requires exertion. Also expect to walk or jog with these dogs daily.

Some dogs also require mental exercise. Dogs, like people, can get bored. Certain dogs get bored enough to engage in undesirable behaviors like destroying potted plants or eating your shoes and furniture. New toys that require some work to get reward are fantastic for dogs that need a mental challenge. Also, daily interaction with your dog will help satisfy some mental needs.

Since many dogs are mixed breeds, it may be hard to know what type of exercise requirements they have. Once you get a mixed breed dog, observe its behavior. If the dog enjoys basking in the sun most of the day, it probably does not need as much exercise. Conversely, if the dog appears restless and wanders around the house or yard relentlessly, its needs may be better met by more activity. Also, older dogs tend to have fewer daily exercise needs than do younger dogs.

As with people, be wary of providing too much exercise in hot temperatures. During hot months, allow your dog to take breaks and bring along water. Also, schedule activities during the coolest parts of the day, like right before sunrise or right after sunset.

RRRUFFHOUSE IS EXPANDING AGAIN!

 

Meet Sherry, our newest staff member!! Welcome aboard

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new staff member to the rrruffhouse family! I have been working with this lady and her family for about a year now and she has become a valuable asset to our team. She was once one of my hardest students and once upon a time thought she was going to be the ” one ” case that was going to end my career as a dog trainer. I actually nick named her my ” BUT ” girl. Every time I would ask her to do something or asked why she had done what she had done there was always an excuse that started with the word BUT! After many, many months of me telling her that if she didn’t have a reality check the one thing she feared the most was going to happen, six months later it did! Her and I sat down and had a very honest heart tot heart where I explained that how she was treating her dog was going to bite her in the ass and now that it had we needed to try something different, MY WAY!  No longer was I going to allow her to give the BUT excuse, she was no longer going to treat her dog like a human being, and she was to put down and enforce some rules, boundaries and limitations, and she did! Not only did she finally understand what I had been telling her for almost a year, but now she understood why it was so important to do things my way. I am proud to say she has stuck to the rules and she has been firm with all the visitors entering the house and ensuring that they also were to follow the ” NEW TRAINING ” and she has been incredibly successful and I have seen such improvement with her, and how she handles a pack of dogs that I have now hired her for my Monday daycare days! So welcome aboard Sherry, hope you can handle it here ( I know you can ) and be careful what you ask for!! LOL