Help for your dogs itchy winter skin

Although you and your veterinarian may see more hot spots on your dog in the summer, we often see generalized itchy skin in the fall, just as the weather cools. Sometimes we see this as a result of allergies, but often it can just be the dry indoor air.

Here is a good remedy I have been using for a long time. Its works well for hot spots in a beginning stage, as well as inflamed, itchy skin. I often use this remedy 2 or 3 times a day to stop itching with my pet, and have seen if halt a hot spot in its tracks!

One of my dogs Morocco Mole is highly allergic to cats! Sorry Morocco, we live with 6 cats and they were here first... for him, the best method is to reduce his exposure to the cats (vacuum daily, move the cat beds so he can't get in them etc), but when I find him snuggled up to one of his feline buddies, he breaks out in hives. This remedy works every time to give him relief.

1 oz Aloe Vera Juice (not gel)

20 drops St Johns Wort (liquid herbal extract)

20 drops Calendula (liquid herbal extract)

Put all into a small spray bottle and shake before applying. Spray 2 to 3 times a day, as needed. Stays fresh for 2 weeks

Its safe if licked off the skin, but has a slight bitter taste so pets are good about leaving it alone.

Remember, be sure to have your pet evaluated by your veterinarian if the condition persists

Give it a try!

Puppy Owners, don't pass on the oppurtunity

Halloween is just around the corner. Time for parties, candy and a good scare... quality dog trainers know its also a special time too...

If you have a puppy less than 8 months of age, look at Halloween as a excellent opportunity to work on getting your puppy used to certain things that can cause an adult dog fear.

Costumes, scary noises, kids running about... all can be very scary stuff for an under socialized dog.

Look at this time as an opportunity to show your puppy that these things are good and trustworthy. Do you have a busy trick-o-treating neighborhood? Sit in a chair on your porch with a bowl of candy for the kids and a pocket full of tasty treats for pup. Reward your pup every time they see someone in costume or make a funny noise. They will make the association that the "scary" things are good. Not your scene? Head over to one of the many THRILLER-zombie performances this weekend. In one afternoon you can scratch loud music, costumes, scary noises and crowds off your puppies to-do socialization list.

Just remember to bring food treats that puppy will not say no to (think cheese or canned chicken)

Also, if pup is very young and not yet finished with their vaccine history, plan on carrying them rather than them walking on leash as they do not get have adequate immunity to protect them.

Look at all of this as an opportunity to expose pup. Remember, what puppy has a pleasurable experience with now- they will not fear later. Happy HOW-O-WEEN!

Puppy Pre School

Paws down... this is my favorite class.

Not only do I get to play with baby puppies for an hour, I get to impact the lives of many people in our community with our mission and goals that we all share at Tails.

We are here to make dogs' lives better. Plain and simple. One of the ways we do that is by teaching their guardians the importance of socialization and bite inhibition- the two core principals of Puppy Pre School.

Dogs are social creatures, they need to be with their own species and have dependable-predictable relationships with other dogs. They learn those social behaviors very early in life, and what better way than to meet other socials, well mannered pups in their same developmental stage.

We often shock people, usually other trainers, who cannot believe we offer Puppy Pre School at no charge. Yes, its true... any healthy, vaccinated pup ages 9 week to 14 week can attend our Puppy Pre School for free. Why? Socialization saves lives. And you can't make a dogs life better, if they are not here to help.

There certainly are puppies we see at Puppy Pre School, for 6 free session and never see again in our classes, and that's OK. I run into those pups all the time- at the dog park, at dog festivals etc. and everyone tells me how grateful they are for us giving them the opportunity to create a social dog. These dogs, even though we only saw them for a short time, learned proper social behavior, they learned bite inhibition and their guardians learned about body language and dog friendly training methods.

We did our job. We helped make their life better.

When are Children Ready for a Puppy?

Dear Tails,

Kids are bugging us to get a puppy… when is the best age of our children to get a dog?

Thanks,

Foster Family

Hi Foster Family,

In general, I think parents should hold off on getting a puppy until the youngest child is about 7 yrs old… I have several reasons.

· Kids younger than 7, tend to have shaky eye-hand coordination and poor reflexes. This can make it difficult for them to interact with the pup without stumbling, loosing balance and being constantly knocked down.

· Kids under 7 tend to have poor impulse control, when they get angry then tend to act it out and frequently their frustration is aimed at the weakest link in the family- the pet.

· Young kids often have nightmares involving animals which can make them timid or fearful around real animals.

· Kids under 7 rarely have the ability for abstract thought, and cannot overcome the natural tendency toward ego-centrism. Basically everything revolves around the child. This prevents them from understanding empathy in caring for a pet, as well as not knowing the difference between a stuffed toy and a real dog. Young kids tend to play too rough with puppies, wanting to pick them up, carry them around and twist their bodies.

A mis-treated pup quickly learns a fear of children and other similarly-moving, squeaky, smelly children (no offense)

Best to wait until the kids are a bit older or consider an adult rescue dog, one who has already been proven good with kids.

Dog Parks

Dog Parks
We are lucky enough to have 8 off leash areas here in Bellingham. They all have their good and bad points, here are just a few things worth mentioning.

Blodel Donavan: Nice group of dogs who go regularly. The group is maintained well by some regulars (two legged) that will keep dogs and people in line. Good for well behaved dogs, but expect to be “called out” if your dog is not a good pup! Note the off leash times: During daylight hours from October 1 to April 30 and until 10:00 am from May 1 to September 30.

Lake Padden: Only fully fenced area in Bellingham. Because of that you are going to get dogs that can’t be trusted in an open area without a fence. If they have poor boundary manners there is a good chance they have other issues as well. Dogs tend to be over ruley there and people tend to “check out” while chatting on their cell phones or socializing with people more than their dogs. Area does have a fenced small dog area, which is rare. This park has 4 entrances. If you are new use the entrance in the back near the horse trails. Never enter near the bathrooms if there is a big crowd of people and dogs.

Fairhaven: Two main areas, the large field and area near the water. This is inside the sewage treatment plant. Wonderful area, but a bit too close to the railroad track for me (if near the water) Due to its proximity to the college, it tends to get a lot of young people. Not a bad thing, but be aware of young college kids and out of control dogs.

Arroyo Park: All Trails are off leash, for dogs and horses… we aware of lots of horse poop and lots of hills. A favorite for mountain biking too.

Sunset Pond: All trails plus the water are designated for water exercise and training area. This too is a bit too close to the road for my liking, but great water area for doggie swimmers.
Sehome Hill Arboretum: All secondary trails are off leash, Dogs must be on leashes on all paved trails plus the Jersey Street and Arboretum Walkway which are the two trails at the bottom of the Arboretum abutting the University campus. Nice area, some trails can get pretty narrow so make sure your dog is good at passing other dogs off leash. Sometimes there is no room to move off to the side of the trail.

Little Squalicum Park: All Trails are off leash (Note - Little Squalicum Creek may contain hazardous chemical which may be harmful to animals- so I never recommend this area.
Whatcom Falls: A great area. The Waterline Trail (south of Whatcom Creek) west of the Water Treatment Plant to Bayview Cemetery and the trail from the Waterline Trail south to Lakeway- is all off leash. Nice secondary trail to the right after the Bayview Cemetery junction. Careful of the drop off to the right, near the Falls.

Although we are advocates for good dogs at dog parks, we never recommend a pup attend a dog park until after 7 months of age. Dogs are far too impressionable and its too risky who they may run into at the dog park, so it’s important to make sure your dog is behaviorally sound before attending. Think of it this way: if your puppy hangs out with other good puppies and dogs then they will be a good dog, but if they hang out with a bunch of juvenile delinquents ( just who you might run into at the dog park) they too will become little stinkers too.
Only you are your dogs advocate, its up to you to set them up to succeed.

Tug with your dog

Is it ok to tug with our dogs or not! Ah, the game of tug. In a nutshell, yes… playing tug with your dog is not only ok, but it can be a very rewarding game for the both of you. No, it won’t make for a dominant dog, no it won’t make a dog aggressive…but like any game there are rules, and both you and your dog should follow them.

Rule #1 Use only appropriate tug toys. Long, non-stuffed plushies, cotton rope toys or rubber tug toys are all good choices. Don’t get in the habit of using just anything, designate toys for tug and use them for those reasons. If your dog tends to “cinch up” on the end of the tug toward you, get a tug toy with a spacer between your hand and the dogs mouth, often the spacer is a ball or knot

Rule #2 Humans start the game and humans stop the game. This is to prevent demand behaviors. If you have a dog that drops toys in your lap to initiate play, this is a dog that has you wrapped around his paws! Remember to ignore demand behaviors, simply get up and walk away.

Rule #3 If the dog does not give up the item when asked, work on teaching give and take before you engage in tug and fetch games.

Rule #4 It’s ok to pull the tug side to side, but not up and down. Up and down is too stressful on the dogs’ neck.

Rule#5 Have fun!

Four on the Floor

Ahh, look at the cute baby puppy jumping up…ya its cute now, but its going to get old real fast. Especially when that puppy becomes a 65 lbs adult dog.
Jumping up can make an otherwise great dog an obnoxious nuisance- A dog that some visitors and family member begin to avoid.

First, look at the situation from your dog’s point of view. He is simply excited to see you. Dogs enjoy greeting face to face and its not his fault we are 6 feet tall! Dogs are opportunistic and they simply want your attention. He quickly has figured out that jumping up is a great way to get it. You tell him to stop and push him off, saying his name a few times with a big “No”. Your dog thinks: Ya for me! This works great! I jump up and you stop everything you are doing and put the focus on me! Dogs don’t care if the only attention they get is negative one, if that is all they are going to get, they’ll take it just fine.

Dogs only do what works (hmmm, sounds familiar doesn’t it) As long as he continues to get attention (yes, even bad attention) for the behavior he will continue to do it.

Dogs need to learn that a calm and relaxed dog gets far more attention than one who is jumping up (or barking or whining or generally being pushy)

Next time your dog jumps up on you, say nothing, fold your arms across your chest and turn your back to your dog. Don’t look at him, don’t talk to him, and don’t acknowledge him in any way. He may move and come to your front, simply turn again- your back to the dog. At first he may think he needs to jump MORE to get you attention (remember it has work VERY well for him up till now) Just be diligent, stay quiet and keep turning your back to him. As soon as he shows any sings of calm, such as keeping all four feet on the ground, quickly give him a treat and praise him. If your dog is trained to sit, have him do this before giving the treat and praising. You are simply teaching your dog what you NOW want him to do to get the reward HE wants.

Remember the Doggie Golden Rule: Dogs would rather be praised than punished but they would rather be punished than ignored!

Breaking bad habits takes time to overcome. Expect to repeat this exercise for some time… and expect it to possible get worse before it gets better. Be patient, be consistent and make sure everyone in the family is on the same page- doing the exact same thing.

Crate Training

Crate Training

Utilizing a crate for your dog can be very positive for both you and the dog. Dogs are den animals and if the crate is properly introduced and use appropriately, dogs see it as a safe, secure relaxing space of their very own. Do you not like the idea of a crate? Not surprising… YOU are not a den animal.

The key to crate training, for any age of dog, is to make the crate a happy place to be. Never use the crate for punishment and never force a dog into a crate.

Crates are a part of life… staying at the vet for any length of time? Your dog is in a crate. Going to the groomer? Your dog is in a crate. Thinking of sending your dog to day care? Your dog needs to rest in a crate for naptime. Being transported in the car? (Hopefully) Your dog is in a crate. You can see, even if YOU do not want to utilize a crate for sleeping at home, crate training your dog essential to keeping them safe and happy. Knowing crates are a part of life, why cause your dog any unnecessary stress by not being crate trained?

For a puppy, crate training should start at 4 weeks of age. Your breeder or rescue group should place multiple small crates in the whelping area. Pups will naturally gravitate to the crates for comfort. As they do, and grow it will be naturally more comfortable for the pups to seek a crate out individually. This allows one to crate train with minimal effort. As the pups age, one will position crates farther and farther apart (eventually in separate rooms by 9 weeks of age), so by the time the pup is going to your new home they are already accustomed to sleeping alone in a crate at night.

If you are crate training your pup or dog for the first time begin with a crate that fits them comfortably. Your dog should be able to walk into the crate with out ducking his head. He should be able to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably in the crate. For puppies, we suggest a Life Stages Crate (available at PetStop). These crates have barriers you can use to make a larger crate smaller for your puppy. (We don’t want the crate too big for puppy or they may eliminate in the crate and sleep at the other end)

Set the crate up in a quiet but not far from family activity. Open the crate door and secure it to prevent it from closing suddenly on your dog. Now go a bout your day… let pup explore the crate on his own. Toss treats in every so often; once pup is happy to go in begin to feed your pup in the crate. Play games with the crate by tossing a new toy in the crate. Never force your pup into the crate and don’t use the crate for punishment.

Once puppy is eating in the crate (door is still open all the time) at one feeding, put a few kibbles in the crate and when he walks in gently close the door. Immediately praise him and give him more kibble (thru the door/grate), do this for 5 minutes. The rewards all happen INSIDE the crate with door closed. Begin to extend the time he is in the crate, and begin to walk out of site of the crate. Go slow, never pushing puppy to far too fast. Be sure the rewards happen in the crate not when the puppy leaves the crate. Puppy is learning its much more fun to be in that outside the crate.

Graduate to a high value chew like a pizzle or peanut butter stuffed Kong or other interactive food stuffed toy.

As puppy feels more confident and secure you can begin to extend his time in the crate.

Other Tips:
Your pup can sleep all night in the crate but only up to 4 hrs during waking hours before needing an active break of at least 60 minutes.

Make sure pup is well exercised and has fully eliminated before going into crate.

Don’t get excited and praise your pup as the exit or after they come out of the crate.

Never allow a pup to leave a crate if they are fussing, whining or barking. If they are, realize YOU went too far too fast and you need to take more time. But you’ll have to wait for pup to be quiet before letting them out.

Be sure to practice crate time when you are home and doing normal activity, not just when you leave.

A comfortable bed inside the crate is essential.

Good Luck. A crate trained dog is a happy dog

Furbaby Rescue

As many of you know, I volunteer with Furbaby Rescue. They rescue, foster and place small breed dogs. We donate day care, training classes, temperament evaluations and foster dogs (usually Chihuahuas) for them. We love FBR and are so thankful Eleni; the executive director is there!

Like most small rescues the adoption fees for a dog are considerably higher than they would be at a shelter. Last night, after getting an email requesting information about one of the puppies we have at Furbaby, I got a nasty email from someone accusing FBR of only caring about money, since the adoption fee is so high (in this case it was $400.00)

Shelters often have a veterinarian on staff, that plus city funding, grants, donations etc allows them to be able to reduce the price of their adoption fees. Both local shelters and FBR spay and neuter, vaccinate for DHPP, Bordetella and Rabies, do full medical exams, worming and microchip. FBR also does dental cleaning if its warranted as well as any other medical care (x-rays, blood work etc) FBR pay for a dogs medical care, just like you or I would going to a local veterinarian. Yes, many vets give a discount (Thank you Kulshan Vet, Maplewood Vet and Northshore Vet) but its usually between 10 and 15%, very much appreciated YES! But the total bill is still very high. Adoption fees NEVER cover all the cost of a rescue dog. At Furbaby Rescue we have had dogs whose medical care end up in the thousands… and we simply have to try to fund raise or cover the costs ourselves. FBR receives no city funding or grants. 100% of our monies comes form adoptions and donations. I have never known a year volunteering for FBR in which their out of pocket costs have ever been less than $15,000.00.

When thinking of adopting we hope you look at all shelters and rescue groups when choosing your next family member. Understanding adoption fees helps all two and four legged participants!

Check out Miss Sissy. A beautiful, 10yr old Long Haired Chihuahua looking for her forever home. Her medical care (spay, vaccines, microchip, dental tooth extractions, blood work, knee x-rays) have far exceeded $600.00 but her adoption fee is $200.00 due to her age. If you want to help with a donation to Furbaby Rescue, please contact Tails-A-Wagging.

How to Take Your Dog Along on a Vacation

How to Take Your Dog Along on a Vacation

They’re beloved members of your family, so it’s only natural that you feel bereft when you’re forced to leave your pet behind when you go on a vacation. However, it’s not impossible to take your dog along on a holiday, if you plan ahead and make adequate preparations. Pets that are well-behaved, well-trained and which obey you without acting up are ideal for taking along on a vacation, so before you start planning a trip with your dog in tow, ensure that he/she will not be a nuisance to you or others around you.

· Choose your location carefully; there are many vacation spots that are dog-friendly where people don’t mind if you bring your pet along.

· Choose your mode of travel with your dog’s attitude and temperament in mind; some dogs are amenable to travelling in the hold of an airplane in a pet crate while others

· Trips that involve nature are best suited for dogs – camping, swimming and woodland holidays bring out the best in them and allow them to enjoy the outdoors with you and your family.

· There are many places that don’t allow dogs inside; so even if your hotel allows you to keep your dog in your room, the museum, theme park and other similar places you visit will not let you take your dog inside. So if your holiday involves many such activities, it’s best to leave your dog behind at home.

· In general, vacations taken in places that are not filled with people and which are relatively less crowded are more suitable to take your dog along.

· Beaches may seem like fun places for dogs, but if they’re crowded, your pet could be stepping on too many toes, literally and figuratively.

· Be prepared to clean up after your dog when you’re outdoors and nature calls; don’t forget to pack doggy bags along with their dish, food and toys so you leave the place clean for other tourists.

· And most important of all, don’t drag along a dog that’s unwilling to change its routine or which would be miserable cooped up in a car or crate for long periods of time. If your dog is older, it would be better to leave them in the care of a friend or a kennel. Younger dogs that are well trained are best suited to go on vacation with you and your family.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Tina Marconi, she writes on the topic of online vet tech . She welcomes your comments at her email id: tinamarconi85[@]gmail[.]com.

Nature vs Nurture

I just finished a phone conversation with a woman whose dog has bit others (children and other dogs) numerous times. All bites have all caused injury needed medical attention. The dog is 3 years of age and she never did any kind of professional training- the dog simply lived in the family. No conscience decision to make a wonderfully social dog, no work on bite inhibition... She was seeking advise on dealing with the biting issue... oh and by the way the dog is used for breeding and the dog is pregnant yet again.

Lets talk about breeding a dog. The ONLY purpose to breed a dog is to better the breed. Its not to make money, its not so the kids can experience life and its not because your dog is so cute you can't imagine her not having puppies.

When breeding a dog one should prove not only that the dog is up to the breed standard but the dog must have an excellent temperament, as up to 60% of her offspring will share her temperament. We know we have the ability to alter a dogs behavior based on counter conditioning process, but the dogs personality is cannot be ignored.

If you have chosen to purchase a dog, what can you do?
First: why do you want to purchase a dog? Make sure the reasons are worth it. Most peoples reason is because they want more of a guarantee as to the type of dog they are getting. Yet these are the same people who never met the parents of the puppy in the first place!

MEET THE PARENTS: do not fall for some excuse that the male was shipped in for breeding or the female is just not around.... we have heard it all. No parents to meet? do not bother meeting the pups. You are looking for a family member here... not a show dog. Tempermant is everything

Understand Purposefully Bred does not mean PURE bred. It saddens me when someone purchases a mixed breed dog, while thousands of mix breed and pure bred dogs are euthanized everyday in our shelters. Designer dogs are mixed breed dogs. Some people think that because the designer dog is actually mixed from two other breeds, the dog will be healthier. NOT TRUE, its still a forced breeding and with a forced breeding comes a higher risk for health issues.

Quality Breeders DO NOT Advertise. See an ad in the paper or craigslist? Its usually a front for a back yard breeder to a puppy mill. Even if that is not the case, and the person you are getting the dog from only breeds her dogs once in a while, why are you contributing to the over population of dogs but purchasing a puppy from someone who is trying to make money off the lives of animals. There are rescue groups dedicated to pure bred dogs and 26% of all the dogs in a shelter right now, are pure bred.

Do NOT buy a dog from a pet store. These dogs are always supplied by a puppy mill. A quality breeder knows where her puppy is going. She is not leaving it up to a store clerk to make sure the home is a good choice.

Never allow a puppy to be shipped. Is your breeder half way across the county? And they are happy to ship the pup to you? RUN! A quality breeder will want to meet you and your family. If they are willing to ship a pup off to who knows where, what else did they not care about.

If you are paying money for a dog, you better gets your money's worth. If by the time you take you pup home, they are not 100% crate trained, potty trianed, know sit, down and come... then you are setting yourself up for trouble. A breeder- if they are there to better the dog, will of done all that work before you even take the pup home.

I love pure bred dogs, I love mixed breed dogs. I love dogs. I just want your dog to be the best for you and your family. Great dogs do not happen by accident... its starts before they are even born.