Archive for the ‘dog ownership’ Category
What to do when dogs fight
I got a question recently about fighting breaking out in a pack of three male dogs who up to this point were getting on fairly well. Here is my response:
Given that one of the dogs is 10 months old, the increased fighting may be due to increasing testosterone levels in the youngest dog. (The older two are neutered, the youngest was just neutered) Even after he is neutered, these levels will remain high for some time. High testosterone levels not only cause a dog to be more prone to assert himself, they also cause other dogs to assert themselves more frequently toward him.
Don’t be so quick to let the only dog who “isn’t starting the fights” off the hook. Unless you are watching very closely, you may be missing the ways he is starting them. Some dogs have an uncanny way of winding up other dogs with just a look. He may also be using the placement of his body in a way that signals a direct challenge. Just because one dog is quiet doesn’t mean he isn’t causing trouble!
All the dogs in the pack are doing what any group of dogs do…working out their status relative to one another. This will happen and it isn’t necessarily a problem as long as you are clear to the dogs that the humans are ultimately in charge. I wouldn’t suggest doing things to challenge the status that is already in place, such as feeding the highest ranking dog last – you run the risk of them fighting even harder when you aren’t around. But neither would I support the status, like allowing a higher ranking dog to take the bone or bed of a lower status dog who is using it. I have a rule in my house: “If your nose is in it or your butt is on it it is yours unless I want it and then it is MINE.” No other dogs have the power to displace (more…)
Bauer Report – 4 months
Here is a report on one of Annie‘s litter, Bauer from his forever family. We love getting and sharing these updates!
Bauer at 4 months old
Bauer has turned into a very well behaved large puppy. I first noticed this when I was walking with him. I now can give him slack on the leash (which makes the walk so much more enjoyable for me!), and he doesn’t lunge or pull or even try to take the lead (90% of the time on this last one). When he does start to forget he needs to walk by my side, I say “with me” and tap my leg and he waits for me. This has progressed into us (when we’re sure no one else is around) dropping his leash during the walk. He has yet to stray more than 2 feet from my side — occasionally he’ll smell something and stop to sniff, but I say with me or catch up and he’s back at my side.
The other HUGE step he has made is with his stay. He always had a good stay, but we wanted him to have the best possible. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting there! Our new “trick” is to have him outside with us and a large basketball the neighbor boy donated (partially because Bauer found it when we first brought him home as a puppy — he managed to dig it out of a snow pile when some poor child lost it…..), and partially because (and I’m using the (more…)
Heartgard best for heartworm protection
Hopefully you read my post on the merits of Frontline Plus and how to save a few dollars in the process. Ok, now a word on heartworm preventative…
If you live anywhere where there aren’t hard, killing frosts, you have no business stopping your heartworm preventative! Let me repeat: Treat your pet every singe month with a heartworm preventative if you live anywhere where some plants can survive all winter. Here in Illinois everything dies back or goes dormant for at least three months of the year: December, January, and February and these are the months that I stop heartworm treating my dogs. But this is the first time every that I did not treat for the full 12 months. Again, the reason I stopped was to try to save some money and it felt safe to me. But heartworm is a NASTY parasite and it will kill your dog. Don’t mess around. Prevention is easy but not all products are created equal.
I have been treating my pets (Cleo the cat and all my dogs) for the past 20 some years with Heartgard. The dogs LOVE the meaty chew and even our nearly 15 year old gobbles it up. It is never difficult to get the medication into the dogs. But you have to have your vet’s prescription to purchase the medication so I always just bought it from my vet. However, last year I tried two things. First I shopped online and found that the same products were slightly cheaper on PetMeds.com than at my vet. Second, I tried Interceptor. Shopping at PetMeds was a GOOD idea, switching products was not. See, I like Heartgard because it is easy to get the correct dose into my dogs and that dose covers other parasites as well; parasites like round worm and others. Interceptor says it covers other parasites too but the product comes in a hard tablet form and my dogs either swallowed it whole (the package said they were supposed to chew it for it to be effective) or refused to eat it. So I was forced to either jam it down their throats (which I did one month) or grind it up and mix it with some wet food – which was WAY more hassle than I wanted.
Frontline Plus is best for fleas and ticks
If you are like me, and live in a part of the world with four seasons you get to take a break from your flea and tick preventative. I stop treating my dogs after the first few hard frosts, usually sometime in late November or early December. But then, as spring approaches, I have to check my supplies. I try to keep enough on hand for at least one treatment in the spring before ordering my next years supply.
I used to purchase my favorite preventative, Frontline Plus, from my veterinarian when I got my heartworm preventative. But with four dogs and the tightening of our belts this past year, I started doing some research to see where I could find the best deals. And I was shocked to find Frontline Plus online through Amazon for nearly half the cost of what my veterinarian was charging. I have heard rumors that the products on Amazon aren’t as high quality as the ones you get through the vet’s office but I find that hard to believe. It says Frontline Plus on the package, looks exactly like the packaging I get through the vet’s office, and works perfectly. I think the people who don’t trust it when bought online are just new to our online, global market place.
Here’s why I like Frontline Plus so much:
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Annie settles in
Here is an update from our beloved Annie’s new forever family…
We can’t believe it has been nearly a month and a half since we made Annie a part of our pack. She is settling down well in her new home and learning the routine very quickly. Annie is also fitting in so well with our other two dogs. Lebowski loves to run after her as she flies across the yard fetching her Kong or freshly made snowballs that the girls make and throw for her. Even our fifteen year old, Tama has extra spring in her step ever since Annie came. She has brought so much joy to us with her enthusiastic spirit and playfulness.
The only habit of Annie’s that we are still getting use to is what we call her happy, slappy tail. Whenever we come home or let her out of her kennel her tail whips anyone and everyone in the room. Little bruises on our legs are a small price to pay for such a great dog. We thank H.E.L.P. and her wonderful foster family for all the care and hard work they provided to bring Annie and her puppies into their much deserved forever homes.
-Murray, Marsha, Hannah, and Mairin
[flashvideo file=http://caninefostering.com/images/annieupdate.flv /]
Ebbie gets a home plus an Annie update
My sister has a new member in her family!! Ebbie came home on March 1st. I am so excited for her.
Annie and her Kong
As she told me about Ebbie’s foster owner, I was reminded of my goodbyes with Annie this January. It is the hardest part of fostering, the trusting another to do the work of taking care of an animal you’ve grown to love, and the saying goodbye. I saw myself as my sister described how the woman who had cared for Ebbie gave her all her favorite things – her crate, her bed, her collar, her leash. We who foster love these dogs and want to give them a part of us when they leave. We forget that we’ve given them the greatest gift of all by simply being willing to open our homes to them when they are at their worse. I think of all the fosters I’ve gotten and how dirty they all are when they arrive. How badly then need a bath, and how much they smell. How they are full of fleas, worms, ticks. How scared they are, and distrustful, and angry or shy. How long it takes some of them to warm up. The significance of that first time they come to you for just a pet, a little comfort brings tears to your eyes. When they start trusting you and reaching out for you, then you know they are ready to go. And that is what is so hard – saying good bye right when they are ready to love again. You tell yourself that they (more…)
