Free Dog Calorie Calculator for all Dog Websites

TrainPetDog.com’s Dog Calorie Calculator gives the calorie needs for Dogs based on their age and lifestyle.

West Hollywood, CA (PRWEB) January 4, 2010 — TrainPetDog.com, a long-known resource for free dog training courses and videos, is now offering a free online calculator for website visitors to calculate a dog’s daily calorie count. This Dog Calorie Calculator gives the calorie needs for dogs based on their age and lifestyle. It also suggests the amount of food to feed your dog based on the quality of the dog food. Read more

CVMF Advises on How to Save Money on Veterinary Bills

The most common causes for vet visits and how to avoid them.

(Vocus/PRWEB ) May 27, 2009 — Avoiding common diseases in pets is not only possible but by being proactive, you can save a great deal of money in medical expenses, says leading veterinarian Dr. Arnold Goldman, president of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Foundation (www.petsafetyct.org) and director of the Connecticut State Animal Response Team. Read more

When It’s Time To Say Good Bye

In this article, “When It’s Time To Say Good Bye”, written two weeks after the loss of the author’s beloved pet to cancer, is a reflection on what dog owners must consider when choosing to put their dog to sleep. Read more

More Than 1,500 Service Dogs Receive Free Sight Saving Eye Exams

ACVO®/Merial® National Service Dog Eye Exam event is highly successful in pairing veterinary ophthalmologists with service dogs throughout the U.S. and Canada

Meridian, ID (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 20, 2009 — She has been blind for 13 years. So, when Lisa Davidson, of Warminster, PA found out about the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam event, she was elated. She completely relies on her guide dog, Eagle for assistance. “I think it’s great these animals are being represented because they have a very special job to do,” says Ms. Davidson. “Eagle has opened many doors for me, to allow me to become independent. It’s so important that his eyes are working.” Read more

For Today’s Pet Owners, Health Insurance Has Become Critical

The current economy may be driving even more pet owners to seek pet health care coverage. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) represents leading pet insurance providers in North America and in this difficult economy the association finds opportunity for the pet insurance industry to protect and insure more pets. Pet insurance has been available in North America for over twenty five years, still only 2-3% of insurable pets are covered. Read more

Pet Food Disease Link: Millions Of Pets May Be At Risk

A link between certain ingredients in commercial pet foods and numerous major, life-threatening diseases could be leaving millions of pets, including cats and dogs, exposed to a potentially shorter lifespan, according to industry watchdog PetFoodDanger.com

Columbia, MD (PRWEB) February 4, 2009 — A link between ingredients found in most commercial pet foods and a number of major, life-threatening disease could be leaving millions of beloved dogs and cats worldwide exposed to pain, suffering and a potentially shorter lifespan, according to pet food industry watchdog PetFoodDanger.com (www.PetFoodDanger.com). Read more

The Reasons Behind a Panting Dog

By Alex De La Cruz

Have you ever ask your self the question, “why do dogs pant?” Or did you ever wonder the reason behind it? Well, humans don’t pant so why should you bother yourself regarding a panting dog? Actually if you have that curiosity you have already ask that question but you just did not bother to find nature’s explanation. If you are stricken by intense heat what do you do? Maybe you will fan yourself, enjoy a cool smoothie, plunge into the pool or any sort of refreshments. As for the dogs they can’t do those things. They just pant and that is the reason behind a panting dog. Read more

Different Types of Aggression

Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on any program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog’s temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycemia and Diabetes. The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference. I have covered fully in previous articles in DM “Food Guarding “and “Object and Possession Aggression” Read more

Spaying and Neutering

What Your Vet and the Rescue Centres May Not Tell You

Spaying and neutering can make for a better and more affectionate family pet. It is a medical fact that spaying and neutering can prolong the life of our pets and may reduce the number of health problems in later life. Females can benefit from spaying by reducing the incidence of uterine, mammary, and ovarian cancers. It can also reduce the incidence uterine infections such as Pyometria.

Neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate and testicular cancer. They are less likely to develop unwanted behaviour’s such as marking, sexual aggression, and mounting, they are also less likely to escape, roam, or fight with other dogs.

Some vets recommend that our dogs are spayed or neutered anywhere between 5 to 16 months. In America some are being done as early as 8 weeks and they routinely spay or neuter at between four and six months. Many of the Vets, Trainers and Behaviourists in both America and the UK are recommending this course of action, without understanding the numerous problems this advice will create.

Many rescue centre’s such as Battersea Dogs Home and the RSPCA/ASPCA often spay and neuter as a matter of course, whatever the age. I have some very serious reservations about this advice and practice.

There have been many scientific studies on the beneficial outcome of spaying and neutering especially on a physiological level, but none I can find on a psychological and behavioural level.

Whenever I book a behavioural appointment, I always ask a series of relevant questions. One of these questions is, “have you had your dog spayed or neutered” and make notes that if they have, then at what age?

I noted some six years ago, that the incidence of frustration, lack of attention, and puppy like behaviour, appeared to be far more prevalent in dogs that were neutered and spayed at a younger age, rather than those that were allowed to mature naturally before attempting this operation.

As behavioural consultants and obedience trainers, I find that we are treating many more cases where dogs are displaying (paedomorphic) tendencies. That is puppy like behaviour’s in adult dogs, which I believe is related to the incidence of early spaying and neutering.

I have also observed that bitches spayed too early may be far more interesting to intact males; unwanted male attention may cause the female to become aggressive and protective of this attention in adulthood.

I asked the members of PAACT “The Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers” to start to monitor the dogs they were treating and to record the time they were spayed and neutered. Their feedback appeared to bear out my initial findings.

When should we spay and neuter?

With regard to neutering, I believe that males should not be castrated until they have been cocking their leg for at least one month, and should be at least 10 to 17 months of age (depending on size and breed). The larger the breed then the later they mature,. therefore something like a German Shepherd would be much later than the 10 months stated. Unless of course there are medical or serious behavioural issues to take into consideration.
In females, I believe that they should have at least one season; but preferably two, then wait approximately 3 months after the season before considering spaying.

It has also been observed that young female dogs that show aggressive tendencies towards owners, especially before the age of six months;
may demonstrate increased aggression after spaying. Spaying removes the production of progesterone, which is a natural calming hormone and a Serotonin uplifter. I would therefore take seriously into consideration, that spaying may escalate the aggressive behaviour.

Despite popular belief Spaying does not calm a female dog down. It may help to calm certain behaviour’s in males, but not in the female dogs. How can it, when you are removing calming hormones?

Many vets and rescue centres will neuter a male dog before they have cocked their leg. It is at this point dogs start to seriously mark territory. Not the half-hearted attempts we see in immature dogs. The immature castrated dog may squat for the remainder of its life, and may be more interesting to intact males.

There appears to be a testosterone surge at between 10 and 17 months, once again depending on breed and size, which clearly turns on a dormant hard-wired program that establishes this cocking behaviour.

Many of these hard-wired behaviour’s are not isolated to just one action, therefore other functions that are not so obvious may be switched on at this time. These may have social implications and behavioural effects that aid in the development of dogs psychological and physical growth. If we switch these off by neutering or spaying too early, we may be denying the opportunity achieve both mentally and physically the dog’s full adult potential.

Progesterone receptors are found in brain cells, in nerve sheaths and in bone cells, indicating that progesterone is involved in their function. It also appears to be involved in a range of other biological activities. Therefore spaying before both physical and psychological maturity may have numerous other long-term detrimental effects.

Many dogs that have been neutered early, appear to retain far more juvenile characteristics than those neutered when mature. In other words, they retain perpetual puppy like characteristics, whilst this may appear to be initially endearing, who would really want a dog that shows low concentration levels and frustrated puppy like behaviour for the remainder of its adult life?

Can it also cause physiological problems?

Because early neutering removes sex hormones, this delays maturation of “osteoclasts” resulting in the delayed closing of the growth plates of the long leg bones creating leggy taller than average dogs, thereby increasing the risk of some orthopaedic disorders such as cruciate ligament disease, and possibly bone cancer.

It was long believed that eunuchs (castrated humans) were castrated to stop them being interested is the ladies of the Harem. However they were also used as palace guards and therefore because of the castration and the affect on the “osteoclasts” these eunuch’s were appreciably taller making them more imposing as guards and soldiers.

It has been observed that Spaying can significantly increase the risk of urinary incontinence in bitches. Early neutering also increases risk of urethral sphincter incontinence in males (A. Aaron et al., Vet Rec. 139:542-6, 1996.)

In conclusion, I am all for spaying and neutering, but at the right time, thereby allowing your dogs to reach full maturity in both body and mind. I believe that a full psychological and physiological set of tests and experiments should be scientifically undertaken, to study the effect of early castration and spaying on all our animals, not just dogs and cats.

These findings though purely observational, have also been borne out by observation and experiences of behaviourists and trainers who are members of PAACT “The Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers” An organisation dedicated to enhancing and bringing together the two main canine disciplines of obedience training and behavioural therapy. It is PAACT’s belief that to be able to work with dogs on a professional level, you need to be versed in both of these disciplines.

Article written by:

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. MPAACT
Chairman and Founder Member
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers.

Contact details for PAACT
www.paact.co.uk
administrator@paact.co.uk
0208 979 2019

This article was written by Stan Rawlinson, a full time Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer.  You can visit his website at www.doglistener.co.uk for more articles and training information..

© Copyright: Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) one of the leading Dog Behaviourists and Obedience Trainers in the UK. Who has owned and worked dogs for over 30 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Pet Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex. Visit his Web Site for more information and details of his work. www.doglistener.co.uk

Why Dog Health and Grooming Go Hand in Hand

By Katherine Durr

Dog health and grooming are closely related because this is a perfect opportunity to investigate past the big eyes and the fluffy body. When you groom your dog you get to see down to the skin.

While grooming your dog you are engaged in a hands on everything project. Even some areas you would just as soon not have your hands on. During this time you can check for lumps, warts, and any other irregularities on their bodies. Read more

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