Dog Service Network, LLC » Holidays

It’s Your Pet’s First Christmas; Don’t Make it its Last

Dog Service Network — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:36:44 +0000

Five safety cautions for pet owners during the holidays and throughout the winter.

Stony Point, NY (PRWEB) December 16, 2010

Nothing is cuter than a little puppy or kitten under the Christmas tree but the holidays and winter has health consequences for pets of all ages and sizes. Plants, decorations, frigid weather, holiday guests and even holiday treats all could be dangerous to your pet’s well being. Gaia Enterprises, makers of the No. 1 pet safe ice melter Safe Paw, offers these safety cautions for pet owners during the holidays and throughout the winter.

Holiday Plants: Poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and pine trees are among the greens that deck our halls and other rooms during the holidays. While it is debatable whether ingesting these plants can lead to illness and even death in some animals (holly and mistletoe berries are poisonous), it is better to err on the preventative side by keeping these away from furry creatures. Digesting pine needles, especially dried ones, can puncture or irritate a puppy or kitten’s intestine. If you think your four legged friend has eaten a Christmas salad of sorts, monitor their reaction and call your vet or the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.

Decorations: We enjoy looking at beautiful lights and ornaments adorning trees, mantles, doors and stairways and so do our pets; only they see many of them as play toys. Make sure all ornaments are securely fastened and if one falls off a branch quickly pick it up. A lot of Christmas decorations are small and easily swallowed and whether plastic, resin or glass these are dangerous if digested. If your dog or cat plays with electrical cords or lights, you may want to confine your pet to a safe area during the holidays or place lights and cords higher up.

Frigid Weather: If it is cold outdoors for you then it is probably cold for your pet. Limit their outdoor exposure to no more than 10 minutes at a time when temperatures drop below freezing. Avoid using rock salt or salt-based product to melt ice and snow and try something pet friendly such as Safe Paw (safepaw.com), and make sure your antifreeze is securely stored and cleaned up; pets will lap it up, and it is dangerous. Remember if left out too long your pet, especially cats, will find warm spots outdoors, including your dryer vent (put a screen on it) and your car’s engine (make sure you know where your pet is before you warm up your car and drive away).

Holiday Guests: Having family and friends for some holiday cheer is a big part of celebrating the season. The more people you add to the mix the more you put your pet in possible danger. It is best to keep your dog or cat in a safe place when you have guests for a short visit. For longer visits, even if your dog or cats love kids, it is importance to lay out the rules of the house to all guests, this includes what you do and don’t do with the pet. Puppies and kittens are not easy to handle and should not be treated like a new toy. And, don’t get distracted by company chaos and lose track of your pet’s whereabouts. You don’t want to find out that nephew Jimmy let out the puppy three hours ago and its 20 degrees.

Holiday Treats: This goes hand in hand with Holiday Guests, no one should feel they have the liberty to feed your dog or cat anything they want when they visit. By all means buy your pet a doggie or kitty holiday treat but chocolate, candy, cookies and Christmas pie are no treat for them. So when the little ones take down their stocking and pour their riches out on the floor or couch make sure a little chocolate Santa or snowball didn’t roll away.

Enjoy the season with your puppy, kitten, dog and cat and be sure to keep them safe. Far too many of them end up in the animal hospital during this time or don’t make it through the New Year because of simple negligence on the part of their owner. And if a puppy or kitten is on your child’s Christmas list, consider one from your local shelter. This would be a gift that truly captures the spirit of the season.

Source: PRWeb

Adorable Halloween Costumes Available for Your Dog

Dog Service Network — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:37:49 +0000

Dazzle Dog Delight Also Offers Halloween Safety Tips

(PRWEB) September 21, 2010 – With a wide variety of costumes available for dogs, Halloween can be just as much fun for pet owners as the kids. DazzleDogDelight.com offers costumes that are both cute and safe for dogs.

Regardless of whether owners have dogs that are dressing up, Dazzle Dog Delight owner Joy Randel offers these dog-friendly Halloween safety tips.

Dogs can get anxious when trick-or-treaters are constantly ringing the doorbell. Try sitting outside with a bowl of candy.
If the door opens frequently for kids seeking candy, put the dog in another place in the house where they are safe.
Keep the dog away from jack-o-lanterns with candles inside, which can easily be knocked over and start a fire.
Keep dogs away from the candy, especially chocolate, which can be poisonous to dogs.
When buying a Halloween costume, make sure the outfit allows the dog to breathe easily and does not cover their eyes or restrict hearing.

Safe and cuddly dog costumes available onDazzleDogDelight.com include:

Dinosaur Costume: This one piece dinosaur costume is bright dinosaur green with blue dots and tail fins. Velcro fasteners make for easy on and off.

Lobster Costume: This lobster costume is a great catch! It includes lobster paws, antennae, and lobster bug-eyes.

Pumpkin Costume: This super soft costume will have friends howling with laughter this Halloween. The cap has a velcro strap for a secure fit.

Devil Costume: This is a great way to show a dog’s devilish side. The costume includes a red hood with horns.

About DazzleDogDelight.com
DazzleDogDelight.com is devoted to passionate dog owners who are serious about style and substance. With a selection of hundreds of unique luxury items, DazzleDogDelight.com offers gifts for the dog who has everything. Founded by a dog lover who traded in a 25-year technology career, Dazzle Dog Delight donates five percent of its profits to the SCPA.

Source: PR Web

Head Over Tails for Pets Offers Alternatives to Giving Pets as Gifts

Dog Service Network — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:19:02 +0000

Fargo, ND (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 24, 2009 — Giving a live animal as a gift, especially during the holidays, is not in the recipient’s or the animal’s best interest. The holiday season is hectic and puppies, kittens and baby bunnies need a lot of attention and a strict schedule. Head Over Tails for Pets offers are a few creative alternatives to giving the gift of animal companionship.

Give a gift certificate for a local humane society. A pet should be chosen by the potential owner so a personality and lifestyle match can be established. The bond formed at the initial introduction is crucial to the success of the human/animal friendship.

Purchase pet products that are not species or breed specific or a gift certificate with a note sharing the excitement of the future arrival of a new pet.

Give a breed-specific book to assist with planning for the adoption. If no decisions have been made regarding a breed, select a book that will help explore various pet temperaments, grooming requirements, diet restrictions or any special needs.

In the case of a recent loss of a pet, a tasteful memorial such as a stone, marker, urn or a framed photo is a gift that will always be cherished.

Head Over Tails for Pets offers a better way to shop for your dogs and cats. The company specializes in offering the best pet products available, including organic pet food, healthy treats, natural pet supplements and professional grooming tools. At headovertails.com–the premium online pet store–you will find over 500 of the finest products available for your favorite dogs and cats.

Source: PR Web

Access to Dangerous Materials is Biggest Holiday Pet Safety Hazard In and Around Homes, according to Pet Sitters International

Dog Service Network — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:20:17 +0000

King, NC (Vocus) November 13, 2009 — Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters reports that the biggest pet safety hazard consistently witnessed by pet sitters during the holidays is a pet’s access to dangerous materials in the home that can be easily ingested.

PSI recently surveyed its nearly 8,000 member businesses to determine the top three hazards professional pet sitters encounter during the holidays. More than 10 percent of the association’s members participated in the survey. While the majority of respondents, 63 percent, said that access to dangerous materials was most prevalent, 25 percent cited electrical appliances left on in the home and 24 percent referenced a pet’s access to dangerous plants.

Other hazards noted were a pet’s access to holiday food and decorations and issues related to weather.

Most professional pet sitters can quickly identify hazardous and potentially harmful material in the home and are proactive in communicating these hazards to clients. Some of the most frequently recommended cautions are:

Holiday treats, such as rich, fatty scraps, bones from pork and poultry, alcoholic beverages, chocolate and other sweets and candies can be harmful or toxic to pets.
Pine tree water can be poisonous, so be sure to cover open tree stand bases. The tree should be secure to the wall with strong wire or twine because a toppling tree can cause serious injuries to dogs and cats.
Keep these poisonous holiday plants away from pets: the berries of the mistletoe, holly, hibiscus, Christmas roses and the poinsettia.
Many holiday decorations are hazardous to pets. If decorations are not pet-friendly, keep them, as well as lights, out of a pet’s reach. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that house fires increase considerably during holidays.

Remember, the most common pet-related emergency that occurs over the holidays is the consumption of human pharmaceuticals. Make sure all prescription and non-prescription drugs are safely stored.

Nancy Haggerty of Paws and Claws Pet Care in San Rafael, CA, believes that the holidays are one of the most stressful times for pets because human behavior changes so much.

“From a pet’s perspective, homes become filled with loud noises, strange people, tasty treats and odd plants and ornaments,” Haggerty said. “We, as humans, become so busy with the festivities that we can easily forget what our pets’ needs are during this time.”

Dolores Barton of Duby’s House and Pet Sitting in Grand Island, NY, has seen this time and time again.

“One client had more than 30 shopping bags with the cord and string handles all over her home,” Barton said. “One of the cats was stuck in the handle when I arrived. I advised the owner how dangerous this was, but upon my next visit the bags were still lying around.”

November and December are traditionally the busiest months for the pet-sitting industry as pet owners fulfill their shopping, travel and entertainment obligations.

Marsha Wheaton, owner of Dog Mom at Your Service in Traverse City, MI, encourages pet owners to plan ahead and take the necessary steps to keep a pet’s routine.

“Keep life as normal as possible,” Wheaton said. “Make sure pets get regular walks, cut out all the extra treats and don’t let your pets get pushed aside with all the hustle and bustle and added activities.”

Planning is key. The PSI survey indicated that the majority of member businesses begin taking reservations three months in advance and cease taking reservations one week prior to the holiday.

For more information on holiday safety or to locate a professional pet sitter in your area, please visit www.petsit.com.

About Pet Sitters International

Established in 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing nearly 8,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad. PSI provides members with access to affordable bonding and liability insurance and educational resources including a comprehensive Accreditation Program (http://www.petsit.com/content331831.html), The Pet Sitter’s WORLD (http://www.petsit.com/content330924.html) magazine and PSI’s annual Quest convention (http://www.petsit.com/content334830.html). PSI also publishes the The Pet Owner’s WORLD (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/psi/pow2008/) magazine and thepetsitblog.com. For more information, visit www.petsit.com, home of the Official Pet Sitter Locator™ (http://www.petsit.com/locate/) or visit the PSIStoreOnline (http://www.psistoreonline.com/), the largest specialty retailer of products for pet sitters and pet-sitter business owners.

Contact:
Courtney Klein
(336) 983-9222 ext. 318
Terry Chance
(336) 983-9222 ext. 314

Source: PR Web

Head Over Tails for Pets’ Commitment: Keeping Pets Healthy During the Holidays

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:15:58 +0000

Head Over Tails for Pets is committed to keeping pets healthy during the holidays by reminding pet owners that “people food” can be dangerous — even lethal to pets.

Fargo, ND (Vocus) November 4, 2009

The holidays would not be the same without family, friends, extravagant meals and decadent desserts. Head Over Tails for Pets reminds pet owners “people food” can be very dangerous — even lethal, to pets. During this holiday season, take extra precautions to avoid a proverbial pet buffet by eliminating unattended food or food dropped on the floor.

The list below highlights some of the most common foods that can be dangerous for pets. This is not an exhaustive list and any decision to provide pets with food not specifically intended for animals should be discussed with a veterinarian or pet nutritionist.

Xylitol: It is a low-calorie sugar substitute found in gums, mints, toothpaste and sugar-free baked goods. Even a small amount can cause liver failure and death.
Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs.
Onions: Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia.
Chocolate: Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous.
Coffee, Coffee Grounds, Tea and Tea Bags: Drinks/foods containing caffeine cause seizures, coma and death.
Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts: Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. Limit all other nuts as they are not good for dogs in general. The high phosphorous content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. Exception to this rule seems to be PEANUT BUTTER. Use only salt/sugar free ORGANIC peanut butter as regular peanut butter contains toxins and is full of pesticides.
Animal fat and fried foods: Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis.
Bones: Cooked bones can splinter and damage a dog’s internal organs. Raw bone should always be supervised, as a piece can always break off and cause problems.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmia. The tomato plant is the most toxic, but tomatoes themselves are also unsafe.
Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.
Nutmeg: Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.
The Seeds/Pits of Apples, Cherries, Peaches and Similar Fruit: These fruits are great for your dog — HOWEVER, the seeds/pits of these fruits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans. Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating at the core/pit and easily ingest them.
Raw eggs: Raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. Dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans and are not as likely to suffer from food poisoning, but it is still possible. It is best to use organic eggs if served raw, but scrambled lightly is best.
Sugar and Corn Syrups: All, even organic, sugars and corn syrups are dangerous for pets.

It is important to work with a veterinarian or pet nutritionist to establish a healthy, balanced diet for pets. When additional nutrient support is needed, supplements are available to assist with a healthy, well-balanced diet. Below are supplements designed specifically for pets:

Head Over Tails for Pets Multi-Nutrient For Cats & Kittens: Veterinarian-recommended multi-nutrient for cats provides extra nutrition for cats and kittens. Each tablet contains essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients–including essential fatty acids for a healthy, luxurious coat.

Head Over Tails for Pets Time Release Multi-Nutrient For Puppies: Puppies need extra nourishment to help them grow strong and healthy and to develop beautiful coats. This multi-nutrient for puppies delivers a special blend of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids in timed-release tablets that taste like treats.

Head Over Tails for Pets Time Release Multi-Nutrient Adult Dogs: Supplement the diet of an adult dog with a multi-nutrient tablets. Each tablet delivers 25 vital nutrients that are slowly released into their systems and tastes like a treat.

Head Over Tails for Pets Happy Stomach: This concentrated enzyme is blended with live/viable probiotics to support a healthy digestive tract and help ease the effects of dietary change and general stomach upset. The palatable powder mixes easily with any food and is safe for regular use.

Head Over Tails for Pets offers a better way to shop for your dogs and cats. The company specializes in offering the best pet products available, including organic pet food, healthy treats, natural pet supplements and professional grooming tools. At headovertails.com — the premium online pet store — you will find over 500 of the finest products available for your favorite dogs and cats.

Source: PR Web

National Pet Parent’s Day

Dog Service Network — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 03:41:54 +0000

National Pet Parent’s Day officially takes place on the last Sunday of April and this year, it’s April 26th. This holiday is to celebrate pet caregivers – those who consider their pets part of their family.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in 2006, nearly 50% of pet owners considered their pets family members. Also, those who consider themselves to be pet parents are most likely U.S. pet caregivers, young pet owners without children, and older pet owners with children who no longer live at home.

Pet owners demonstrate parental behavior through gift giving, allowing their pets to sit at the dinner table, having their pets participate in special occasions by giving them an active role (i.e. ring bear at a wedding). The Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) found in one of their surveys conducted amongst their policyholders and web visitors that 56% of pet owners sleep in the same bed as their pets and in another survey that 23% bring their pets on family vacations.

Do you consider your pet a family member? If so, what type of family activities do you do with your pet?

Show Your Love for Your Pet at PETCO’s Valentine’s Day Event

Dog Service Network — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:39:03 +0000

Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with other passionate pet parents and show your love for your favorite pet at all PETCO locations nationwide

(Vocus/PRWEB ) January 27, 2009 — Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with other passionate pet parents and show your love for your favorite pet at all PETCO locations nationwide.

Date: Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009

Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m

Where: All PETCO locations nationwide, visit PETCO.com to find the store nearest to you

Why: To celebrate this Valentine’s Day with other passionate pet parents and to show your love for your favorite pet – why not?

This Valentine’s Day, have some fun with our photography – get a picture with your pet or have them take center stage – and take home a Valentine for someone special. It costs only $5.95 plus tax, and every photo purchase comes with a free bandana.

PETCO suggests the following ideas to make Valentine’s Day extra special for the love of your life – your pet:

Get your pet camera-ready with a pampering spa treatment. Show your love and make your appointment today at any PETCO grooming salon – times are filling up fast.
Pet-proof your home from potential hazards. Roses have dangerous thorns. Lilies, chocolate, and candy can be poisonous to your pet. Gift wraps and ribbons with that smell of sweet candy may also entice your pet to ingest them.
Give your pet a special pet-friendly treat, such as cookies from PETCO’s treat bar, available in stores nationwide and on PETCO.com.
Looking for unconditional love? Find a homeless pet to share your heart and your home with by visiting Petfinder.com, PETCO’s online adoption partner.

About PETCO
PETCO is a privately held specialty retailer that provides products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. We operate more than 950 stores in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading pet products and information destination at PETCO.com. Our nonprofit organization, The PETCO Foundation, has raised more than $49 million since its inception in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the foundation, we work with and support more than 5,700 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 200,000 adoptable animals every year.

Source: PRWeb Press Release Newswire

New Year’s Resolutions – A Healthier Dog

Laura — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:19:51 +0000

By Laura Garber, CPDT

With the holidays behind us, we’ve all packed on a few extra pounds, even our beloved canine family members. So, as you determine your own New Year’s resolutions, make sure that you consider making some healthy resolutions for him as well. Fortunately some of our everyday tricks make for a great workout and, given the cold and inclement weather outside, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s plenty you can do inside!

Indoor Activities
“Take a Bow” or “Downward Dog” (a “doga” pose): The bow (front legs on the floor, standing on back legs) is a natural stretch, one that dogs will often do when they first rise from a nap. It’s a great way to start out an exercise session. Some dogs will easily go into a bow position by luring as if for a “down” but doing it from a stand rather than from a sit. Other dogs go directly to the down, whether from sit or stand. If this is the case, then you’ll have to shape the behavior. Starting from a stand, take the lure just a few inches below your dog’s nose level, so that he has to tuck his neck down a bit to follow the lure. Say “Yes!” and treat. When this is repeatable, try moving your hand a few inches lower but still not entirely to the ground. Again your dog will hopefully tuck his head even lower but remain standing. If he flops down to the floor, then go back to your previous stage and inch down the hand signal more gradually. At each stage where he’s tucking his head, maybe even bending the front legs, but remain on his back legs, say “Yes!” and give a treat. Even jackpot him for each new criteria he achieves. Before you know it, your dog will be bowing pretty as can be!

Tug: Tug is no doubt one of your dog’s favorite pastimes! Fortunately, it’s a great strength-building exercise as well as a fun bonding activity that we can do with our dogs. By holding the tug at head level, your dog is working out his rear legs. By tugging at ground level, he’s working out his front legs. Caution: It’s important that you do not jerk the tug toy quickly from side to side or up and down, as this can cause injury.

Variations on “Shake”
“SHAKE”: Shake is more than just a trick. It helps your dog get more comfortable with people touching his paws. It’s also a great strengthening exercise for your dog’s shoulders. With your dog in a sit, hold a treat above his head and off to one side. By rocking him to the side, often he will pick up the opposite front paw to reach for it. Mark it with a happy “yes!”, grab the paw with your other hand, and open the treat hand to reveal the treat. After he is consistently offering a paw, say the verbal command “shake” or “give paw” in front of it. By switching sides, you can train a “left paw” and “right paw” behavior.
Strength training: Once your dog has gained fluency, give the hand cue from higher up so that he has to lift his paw higher. Start with 5 repetitions each side and gradually increase to 20 repetitions, cuing from both the front and the side. Do this exercise every other day, with the day off in between to allow the muscles to mend.
“HIGH 5″: Just change the position of your hand so that it’s ready to receive a “high 5” when your dog does the “shake” behavior.
“WAVE”: Now give the cue for “shake” but instead of keeping your hand stationary to receive your dog’s paw, move it horizontally in front of him. This will cause him to lift his paw a little longer and perhaps even make another swipe to meet your hand. Especially reinforce the extra jabs in the air.

Back Up: Backing up is a great workout for the core and hind leg muscles. The easiest way to shape the back-up behavior is to hold a treat at the level of your dog’s chest with you facing him and then walk towards him. Let him nibble the treat along the way to keep him interested and playing the game. As he becomes more fluent, you can reduce the physical cueing necessary to effect the behavior.

Sit-Stand-Sit: The rear legs are often the first to weaken as your dog ages, so it’s important that you keep them strong. Moving your dog between a sit and stand can accomplish this. By holding a treat above your dog’s nose and moving it back over his head, you effectively push his butt down into the sit position. Now put the treat at nose level and pull it forward just enough to lure your dog to a stand in a single step. You want him to be pushing off with his rear legs for maximum benefit and not pulling himself forward with his front legs. Note: If your dog uses more than a single step to rise to a stand, it’s likely that he’s used his front legs rather than his hind legs.
For a greater workout, do this while facing uphill. Alternatively, face sideways on the hill, first one way, then the other, to target each side individually. Start with 3 to 5 repetitions, then gradually increase to 10 or 20 repetitions. Do this exercise every other day, with the day off in between to allow the muscles to mend.

Stand-Down-Stand: Moving from a stand to a down and back again is a great workout for the whole body. Hold a treat at your dog’s nose and push back and down, causing him to fold into the down position. Now put the treat at nose level and pull it forward just enough to lure your dog to a stand without moving forward.
As with the Sit-Stand-Sit exercise, increase the difficulty of this exercise by doing it while facing uphill, or by facing sideways on the hill, first one way, then the other, to target each side individually. Start with 3 to 5 repetitions, then gradually increase to 10 or 20 repetitions. Again, allow a day in between for recuperation.

Rollover: For the benefit of working your dog’s core muscles, do this exercise in both directions. Once in a “down” position, notice which hip your dog is settled on. Lure his nose around the opposite shoulder and, as he twists his neck, he will roll first flat, then on his back, and then onto the other side. If he has trouble doing the whole movement right away, reinforce approximations. For greater challenge, do several rollovers in one direction, then back in the other direction, or do the rollover up an incline.

Sit Pretty: Sitting pretty is a great workout for the core muscles and aids balance. From a sitting position, lure your dog into a beg position by pulling a treat back and above his nose. As he becomes more fluent with the behavior, start putting the verbal cue in front of the hand signal. Build duration in the time he remains in position. For increased difficulty, cue him to give left paw, right paw, or both paws at once. Also lure him to turn his head and upper body by leading his nose with a treat, first one way, then the other.

Crawl: The crawl is great for working out a dog’s forelimbs, trunk and rear limbs. From a “down” position, drag a treat along the floor just in front of your dog’s paws. Mark and treat for any slight forward movement with a paw. Gradually start to mark for more and more movement forward (as long as your dog never stands up to come forward). When your dog is fluently offering the behavior, put the verbal cue “crawl” in front of the hand signal. To encourage crawling, you can use props such as a low table or poles across chairs. You can increase the distance of the obstacle course or the number of repetitions as your dog gains endurance.

Spin: “Spin” is a propriaceptive exercise, one that challenges body awareness through limb placement and balance. With your dog in front of you, hold a treat at your dog’s nose height. Lead him around in a tight circle, first in one direction, then the other. If you’d like, you can precede the hand prompt with the verbal cue “spin!” once the behavior is coming fairly fluently. To increase its benefit, this is an exercise you can do on a variety of surfaces, such as gravel and grass.

Outdoor Activities
Digging: Some dogs are unabashed diggers. The dachshund, for example, was bred to dig in search of rodents. Digging is actually a good source of exercise – it’s a great workout for the forelimbs. So, rather than trying to inhibit the behavior completely, it’s better to reach a compromise by giving your dog a designated digging area or sandbox in which to exercise this instinctive behavior. In order to attract the behavior to the designated area, dig a shallow hole and lightly bury a ziplock baggy of treats. As he digs to reveal the baggy, open it up and produce a treat for him. As he progresses, plant the baggy slightly deeper in the dirt. You can use a heavier dirt medium or pack it more tightly for added challenge.
You can also bury stuffed puzzle toys in the soil for his search and recovery. Make sure to supervise so that you can discourage your dog’s wandering to other parts of the lawn. For building a canine athlete, do this exercise 3 or 4 times a week.

Retrieve: Playing a hearty game of retrieve has always been great exercise. You can expand on its efficacy by throwing uphill to work your dog’s hind limbs, and retrievals through water are a great full-body endurance workout.

Walkies!: Taking your dog for a walk is not necessarily beneficial if the walk is a slow saunter as he sniffs p-mail and leaves his own. In order to get cardiovascular benefit and build endurance, you want your dog to settle into a trot gait. Start your walk at a clip fast enough so that your dog needs to trot to keep up. After he’s settled into this gate, you can often slow your own speed and he will continue on at a trot.

Canine Sports
Sports such as agility, flyball, and winter skijoring are great sources of exercise for dog and human alike. Consider signing up for a class at a local training facility.

A Word to the Wise
Remember that outdoor activity is still an essential component of any exercise regimen, giving your dog a change of scenery, which is mentally stimulating, as well as burning physical energy. Consider your dog’s athletic program with the same caution and care as you would your own. As with any exercise regimen, start gradually. And consult your vet about whether there are exercises you should avoid because of your dog’s physical limitations.

Have a healthy, happy New Year!

* The DVD “Building the Canine Athlete” by M. Christine Zink DVM, PhD and Laurie McCauley DVM is a great resource for building strength and endurance in your canine athlete.

LAURA GARBER, CPDT, is a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor living in Hoboken, NJ. Her company WoofGang, LLC is committed to deepening the bonds between dogs and their people through positive training and behavior modification techniques, and it is these same topics that inspire her writing.

Keeping Your Dog Safe On Thanksgiving Day

Dog Service Network — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:48:25 +0000

Thanksgiving is a fun time for all with the food and festivities around. Since it’s also a time when people share with one another, you should be careful about what is shared with your dog. Here are a few Thanksgiving safety tips from the ASPCA:

If you feed your dog a nibble of turkey, make sure it’s cooked well and boneless
Sage and other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can lead to gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression if eaten in large quantities
Don’t let your dog have raw bread dough, because your dog’s body heat can cause the dough to rise in his/her stomach, resulting in vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could then become life-threatening and require surgery
Keep your dog away from things that are raw such as raw meat, batter, dough, etc., because it may have salmonella
Don’t let your dog overindulge during Thanksgiving, because it could cause a stomach upset, diarrhea, or pancreatitis. (It’s recommended that dogs stay on their regular diet during the holidays)

Source: “Thanksgiving Safety Tips”, ASPCA.org; Retrieved on November 24, 2008 from http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_thanksgiving

Take Your Dog To Work Day

Dog Service Network — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:58:13 +0000

In 1999, Pet Sitters International established the holiday “Take Your Dog To Work Day”, to help raise awareness of pet related topics such as: pet overpopulation or the benefits of animal companionship.

This year, Take Your Dog To Work Day will begin on June 20th. A few guidelines need to be set in place first:

Check with your company to see if it’s okay to bring your dog to work. You should be courteous to your colleagues, because some may be allergic or even afraid.
Doggie proof your work area. Just like at home, make sure there aren’t any poisonous plants in your workspace.
Make sure your dog has all of its shots.
Carry a doggie bag with you. You will want to be fully equipped with paper towels, pet safe disinfectant, food, treats, toys, etc.
Don’t force your co-workers to interact with your dog. You’re still at work, so you don’t want to be distracting others from their work. You will also want to prevent your dog from having accidents around the office. Don’t worry, people who are dog lovers, will let it be known that they are and as a result initiate the greeting themselves.

Dog Service Network, LLC » Holidays

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