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.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Holiday Gifts to Pet Lovers on your list
Do you have a pet lover on your holiday list this year? Here are a few ideas for holiday gifts.
Pet Themed Book:
My dog Tulip, by J.R Ackerly. Classic story of universal devotion
Oogy, The dog only a family could love, by Larry Levin. An inspiring story of a dog survivor.
Huck, The remarkable true story of how one lost puppy taught a family- and a whole town- about hope and happy endings, By Janet Elder
Personalized Pet Postage Stamps: Create custom USPS postage with a photo of your friends pet. www.zazzle.com
Animal Charities of America Gift Certificate:
Let the recipient choose from nearly 70 animal organization to donate to.
LED lighted leash and collar set. Available from Hardware Sales
Gift Certificate for dog walking or pet care
Happy HOWLidays
Pet Themed Book:
My dog Tulip, by J.R Ackerly. Classic story of universal devotion
Oogy, The dog only a family could love, by Larry Levin. An inspiring story of a dog survivor.
Huck, The remarkable true story of how one lost puppy taught a family- and a whole town- about hope and happy endings, By Janet Elder
Personalized Pet Postage Stamps: Create custom USPS postage with a photo of your friends pet. www.zazzle.com
Animal Charities of America Gift Certificate:
Let the recipient choose from nearly 70 animal organization to donate to.
LED lighted leash and collar set. Available from Hardware Sales
Gift Certificate for dog walking or pet care
Happy HOWLidays
Friday, December 10, 2010
Dogs coming for a Visit over the holiday
Hey Tails,
Family is coming over to visit this holiday and bringing their new dog. You know Bonkers is great with other dogs, but can get so crazy when they come to the house! What to do to make it go as smooth as possible?
Karen and Bonkers, Ferndale
Hey Karen, Thanks for your question. Here are a few tips to make your holiday a good one! First, make sure the other dog coming a a happy, healthy social dog. If that dog has issues, suggest they talk to a reward based trainer before they visit to set that dog up to succeed too. Assuming they incoming dog is acceptable, we suggest the dogs meet on neutral ground. Ideally somewhere close, a school yard, a tennis court (good fenced option) Have dogs on leash and do a few quick walk by greetings. Starting with at least 15 feet apart. Make sure you have high value treats to reward your dog for relaxed body posture. If he is too agitated, simply turn and walk away. Re approach when he is relaxed. Do this several times. When he is relaxed begin to walk the younger of the two dogs, behind the other dog and slowly decrease the distance as you walk. When the dogs are within 3 feet of each other AND both relaxed body language, take them back to the play area for some off leash romping. Remember to PRAISE them both for good body signals. After a few minutes, leash them back up and walk home together. Having the dogs walk back to the house will ease the entry. Having a new dog walk into the home to greet your dog is a sure fire way to create anxiety for both dogs. Set them up to succeed and you will have a good holiday too! Call us if you have any questions.
Family is coming over to visit this holiday and bringing their new dog. You know Bonkers is great with other dogs, but can get so crazy when they come to the house! What to do to make it go as smooth as possible?
Karen and Bonkers, Ferndale
Hey Karen, Thanks for your question. Here are a few tips to make your holiday a good one! First, make sure the other dog coming a a happy, healthy social dog. If that dog has issues, suggest they talk to a reward based trainer before they visit to set that dog up to succeed too. Assuming they incoming dog is acceptable, we suggest the dogs meet on neutral ground. Ideally somewhere close, a school yard, a tennis court (good fenced option) Have dogs on leash and do a few quick walk by greetings. Starting with at least 15 feet apart. Make sure you have high value treats to reward your dog for relaxed body posture. If he is too agitated, simply turn and walk away. Re approach when he is relaxed. Do this several times. When he is relaxed begin to walk the younger of the two dogs, behind the other dog and slowly decrease the distance as you walk. When the dogs are within 3 feet of each other AND both relaxed body language, take them back to the play area for some off leash romping. Remember to PRAISE them both for good body signals. After a few minutes, leash them back up and walk home together. Having the dogs walk back to the house will ease the entry. Having a new dog walk into the home to greet your dog is a sure fire way to create anxiety for both dogs. Set them up to succeed and you will have a good holiday too! Call us if you have any questions.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
American Disabilities Act Tightening the Leash!
We get the call, about 3 times a month... " where can I get one of those vests so my dog can be my service dog"
Sadly there are local dog trainers that abuse the 1990 ADA by assisting dog owners who abuse the system set for for properly trained service dogs- telling them they can train their own dog to be a service dog in a matter of 2 months or even asking them to simply get a vest and put it on their dog.
A "service dog" is individually trained to perform tasks that mitigate the disability of his owner. Training typically takes 18 to 24 months and is not suited for all dogs. Because of this advanced training, a service dog is considered medical equipment and is permitted to accompany a disabled owner to public places where dogs are not usually permitted.
Animals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits or promote emotional well being are NOT service animals. This refers to the dog owner who simply feels calmer, happier, less stressed and so on with his/her pet dog present and is therefore calling is an emotional support dog. All of us who love dogs would have a "service dog" if this was the standard.
For a dog to be an "emotional support or psychiatric dog" in the service sense, the dog needs to undergo the SAME type of training as above as well as the owner must have a written prescription for a doctor stating that the dog is necessary.
Although one cannot ask a disabled person what their disability is, you can ask them what the dog was trained to do specifically for them (open doors, pick up items on the floor, alert to phone ringing etc). They also need to be able to show that the dog can perform that task on cue.
The U.S.Department of Justice is cracking down and are enforcing the Amendments Act to the ADA. No longer can people throw a vest on their dog and take advantage of the system set up to help individuals with true disabilities
If you are in need of a service dog, contact the ONLY trained individual in Whatcom County to assist you: Denise Costanten of Brigadoon Youth and Service Dogs: 733-5388
Sadly there are local dog trainers that abuse the 1990 ADA by assisting dog owners who abuse the system set for for properly trained service dogs- telling them they can train their own dog to be a service dog in a matter of 2 months or even asking them to simply get a vest and put it on their dog.
A "service dog" is individually trained to perform tasks that mitigate the disability of his owner. Training typically takes 18 to 24 months and is not suited for all dogs. Because of this advanced training, a service dog is considered medical equipment and is permitted to accompany a disabled owner to public places where dogs are not usually permitted.
Animals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits or promote emotional well being are NOT service animals. This refers to the dog owner who simply feels calmer, happier, less stressed and so on with his/her pet dog present and is therefore calling is an emotional support dog. All of us who love dogs would have a "service dog" if this was the standard.
For a dog to be an "emotional support or psychiatric dog" in the service sense, the dog needs to undergo the SAME type of training as above as well as the owner must have a written prescription for a doctor stating that the dog is necessary.
Although one cannot ask a disabled person what their disability is, you can ask them what the dog was trained to do specifically for them (open doors, pick up items on the floor, alert to phone ringing etc). They also need to be able to show that the dog can perform that task on cue.
The U.S.Department of Justice is cracking down and are enforcing the Amendments Act to the ADA. No longer can people throw a vest on their dog and take advantage of the system set up to help individuals with true disabilities
If you are in need of a service dog, contact the ONLY trained individual in Whatcom County to assist you: Denise Costanten of Brigadoon Youth and Service Dogs: 733-5388
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Dogs vs Cats
A TAW client asked me today if we could help her dog get used to cats. Her dog chases all neighborhood felines.
You see, we foster kittens here at TAW and she was hoping by exposing her dog to the kittens it would help her dog not be such a brat to neighborhood cats. Good idea... but not much of a chance.
Yes, we can help dogs get more used to the kittens here and in turn it can help dogs do better with house cats, but when we are taking about cats in the neighborhood we are now talking about prey drive.
Prey drive is the desire for a dog to chase and hunt. It is in all dogs, to some degree, more in some- less in other breeds. Terriers have a high prey drive, as they were bred to hunt and kill small vermin. What we have to understand is the dog does not have to catch the prey in order to be rewarded. The chase its self can be all it takes. Your dog does not need to have ever caught a squirrel to know its fun to chase them...
Dogs with a high prey drive can, in my opinion, never be taught to not WANT to chase... but we can put their focus on something else. Agility, Frisbee, Tracking ECT.
Remember, we cannot pick and choose the traits we love about our breeds. The same tenacity a terrier has to bark and chase is the same thing you love when it comes to theri attitude about loyalty to you.
You see, we foster kittens here at TAW and she was hoping by exposing her dog to the kittens it would help her dog not be such a brat to neighborhood cats. Good idea... but not much of a chance.
Yes, we can help dogs get more used to the kittens here and in turn it can help dogs do better with house cats, but when we are taking about cats in the neighborhood we are now talking about prey drive.
Prey drive is the desire for a dog to chase and hunt. It is in all dogs, to some degree, more in some- less in other breeds. Terriers have a high prey drive, as they were bred to hunt and kill small vermin. What we have to understand is the dog does not have to catch the prey in order to be rewarded. The chase its self can be all it takes. Your dog does not need to have ever caught a squirrel to know its fun to chase them...
Dogs with a high prey drive can, in my opinion, never be taught to not WANT to chase... but we can put their focus on something else. Agility, Frisbee, Tracking ECT.
Remember, we cannot pick and choose the traits we love about our breeds. The same tenacity a terrier has to bark and chase is the same thing you love when it comes to theri attitude about loyalty to you.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Check us out on FACEBOOK
Just a quick note to ask you to friend us on facebook. We post daily photos and videos of the dogs at day care, in classes and all things TAILS!
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