Yesterday we went on our second visit to a client who had a 2 legged dog, no front legs. A device was made for the dog but, according to the client it was poorly constructed and the firs time it was used it toppled over which terrified the dog. Now when she sees the new and improved device she hops away and hides. Last week I got her used to me, letting her get close, sniffing her and then ignoring her so she would not be afraid of me. The second visit after suggesting Rescue remedy by Dr. Bach, we gave it to her and after some preliminary work, we put her gently in the device. She was a little nervous but, not that bad. The only problem was she was trying to climb up on my lap. Which could be likened to trying to roller skate up hill. The device was left on for 5 minutes so she would not be too stressed. If my directions are followed she will be leading a happy life, motoring around as if she had 4 legs. All it takes is some patients, not hurrying things.
Month: September 2020
What food is good for your dog?
|
|
|
Your dog and the smoke
The Diamond Touch dog rehabilitation centre does not endorse the training methods used by the school mentioned. However, the advice given in this article is still prudent.
Recently, GDB has been contacted by a number of constituents requesting our advice about working or exercising dogs in areas with poor air quality related to the wildfires occurring all along the West Coast. We are reaching out today to provide feedback on this important question.
In situations where air quality is considered unhealthy, meaning the air quality index (AQI) is above 150, or in the “red zone”, on reputable internet sites such as AirNow (click the following link to access this site: www.airnow.gov ), GDB’s Director of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kate Kuzminski recommends the following:
- Keep dogs indoors as much as possible and keep the windows shut. Use an air conditioner, or air purifier, to filter the air if possible.
- Shorten the time your dog is outdoors. Dogs should go out for regular relieving opportunities but walks should be kept to a minimum. Puppies and senior dogs may be more sensitive to poor air quality. These dogs may be adversely impacted by AQI’s that are in the 100-150 range (‘orange zone’) as well.
- Avoid intense outdoor exercise during periods of poor air quality. Regular walks and strenuous outdoor activities can resume once the air quality improves.
- Monitor your dog for signs of respiratory distress and eye inflammation. If your dog is having difficulty breathing, is coughing/sneezing excessively, is weak/lethargic or has swelling or inflammation of the mouth, eyes, or upper airway, please see a veterinarian.
For those living in close proximity to fire activity, including your animals in your disaster preparedness planning and having an animal evacuation kit ready is advisable.
These flea and tick products could be harmful to your dog
It’s not just spot-on products taking the lives of cats and dogs. These government-approved tablet and topical products have been added to the list for serious neurologic adverse effects on muscle control that include tremors and seizures.
|
Dog Philosophy
Dog Philosophy
There is more truth than poetry in some of the sayings
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous
Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
-Ann Landers
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings
The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and
love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all.
It’s the best deal man has ever made.
-M.. Acklam
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and
hate
-Sigmund Freud
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
-Rita Rudner
A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three
times before lying down.
-Robert Benchley
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones
If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise
-Unknown
My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $4.00 a can.
That’s almost $28.00 in dog money!
-Joe Weinstein
Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come from
a grocery with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They
must think
we’re the greatest hunters on earth!
-Anne Tyler
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and
get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite
you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain
You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look
that says,
‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!’
– Dave Barry
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras
If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your
pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret
My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.
Good nutrition from B-natural
|
|
|
|
|
Inflammatory bowel disease
|
When is a good time for spaying or neutering your dog?
|
|
|
|
|
Raising a puppy for a guide dog school
I do not endorse any of the schools mentioned below, however, the information is good regardless of my opinion of their acceptance of applicants.
Raise a puppy to be a guide dog. By LAUREN KATIMS.
Imagine blindfolding yourself and letting your dog lead you down the stairs, out of your house or apartment, around the block and back home. Sounds risky, right? My Chiweenie and I would never make it past my front door without an injury.
Guide dogs get extensive training for five to nine months, depending on the organization, to succeed with these tasks. Their guidance helps visually impaired or blind people go to work, navigate busy airports, avoid traffic and many other unexpected obstacles. How do these dogs get accustomed to so many different scenarios?
Most of this work is done before the official guide dog training even starts.
At 7 to 8 weeks old, the puppy lives with a foster family, just like yours or mine, called a puppy raiser, which has the job of raising the dog to be socially adaptable, well-mannered and calm in various situations.
“We rely pretty heavily on our puppy raisers to get the dogs off to a strong start,” says Kerry Lemerise, program manager of puppy raising at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, based in New York, which has 39 regional centers along the East Coast.
Once the puppy turns 14 to 16 months, he graduates and goes into the guide dog training program before being paired with his new life partner. No experience is required to be a puppy raiser-the guide dog organizations provide all the guidance and training necessary. All you need is the time, patience and understanding that you’ll eventually say goodbye when your dog graduates.
Here, two organizations that train guide dogs for people with vision loss, talk about the puppy raisers’ responsibilities and how they help change lives for hundreds of visually impaired people each year.
Socializing the puppy.
Each organization wants a wide range of puppy raisers, from singles to large families to homes with other pets, because that represents the diversity of the clients who will be matched with the service dogs after graduation. “We want every type of home imaginable,” says Eric Gardell, supervisor of the puppy raiser department at Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Fidelco breeds their own German Shepherd Dogs, which are known for loyalty and intelligence.
Families are encouraged to expose the dog to as many situations as possible -the very same experiences the dog will be required to handle as a guide dog. This includes taking them through airport security, up and down stairs, to busy restaurants, work and through grocery stores. The goal is to raise a dog who is unfazed by cats, children, traffic or tempting buffet tables. “The puppy raisers are invaluable,” Eric says. “They are making a dog that someone else can live with.
Training weekly.
As dog owners, we want our dogs to have good manners: no excited jumping on neighbors or barking at passing dogs, no digging holes in the backyard and no chewing on shoes. But for service dogs, obedience skills are necessary for a successful partnership. “Our clients have higher needs for good house manners,” says Kerry, from Guiding Eyes. “You might think it’s OK if your dog picks up a shoe and moves it, but for our clients, that could mean being late to work.
Each family is required to bring their puppies to a weekly training class, and eventually every other week, where obedience skills like nice leash manners, proper vet and groomer etiquette, walking under different leveled underpasses, distraction avoidance and basic commands are taught.
Guiding Eyes breeds Labrador Retrievers because of their trainability, flexibility in different situations, and comfortability around people, Kerry says.
Graduating.
Ken Bernhard, a lawyer in Connecticut, is currently fostering his seventh German Shepherd Dog puppy, Gypsy, through Fidelco. He became so inspired by his experience raising his first puppy in 1989, he succeeded in getting a law passed to allow dogs in training to go into public places, and also now serves as the organization’s chairman of the board.
The hardest part is saying goodbye, he admits, but even so, “there isn’t a person who would say it wasn’t the most rewarding and interesting experience. For this reason, many puppy raisers come back time and time again. Both organizations have families on their 20th puppy.
“Initially (people) come to us because they love dogs,” says Kerry, who estimates about 70 percent of puppy raisers return at least a second time. “Then they meet our graduates, and it becomes this really powerful experience.