Petsmu

Dogs are known to be an adventurous and fun seeking animal. With all that running around and sniffing, they sometimes find some passengers to that don’t even expect. Ticks are a blood sucking insect that will bury itself into your skin if you don’t take the measures to remove them.

Since your dog doesn’t have thumbs or hands, for that matter, to remove a tick from its fur. You, the owner, must help your canine buddy out.

First off, don’t try using any remedy or mythical method some untrained person has told you for removing ticks. For example, the ones which say you can remove a tick with a cigarette, cleaning fluid, petroleum jelly, or a burning match.

The idea is to remove the tick entirely, not in bits and pieces. Using those remedies you’ll irritate your dog’s skin and make it more difficult to remove the tick. Ticks have their mouth parts barbed and release a glue like substance to hold them in place while feeding.

In order to remove a tick safely and effectively, Use these 5 tips

1. Using a tweezer or tissue, gently grasp the body of the tick and pull directly away from the point of attachment. Do not twist or jerk it.

2. If the mouth parts break off in the skin, use a sterilized needle to remove as you would a splinter.

3. Wash the bite area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic, likes alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

4. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after removal.

5. Mark the date of the tick bite on your calendar. Watch for symptoms of disease from your pet in the upcoming weeks.

If you followed these steps promptly after you noticed the tick on your dog, you should notice no symptoms from the bite. If for any reason you do start noticing any symptoms, call or visit your local vet as soon as possible for more information. Continue Reading »

Your dog is not purposely pulling to drive you insane, but because they’re getting the wrong message from you. Yeah that’s right. You need to learn the proper dog leash training skills, so you and your dog can start enjoying more pleasurable walks, without the constant pulling and tugging. It comes down to getting the communication right between owner and dog.

You see behavior is reward driven. If your dog is constantly pulling and choking themselves to get where they want and it works….well guess what? They’ll continue with the learned behavior, making your daily walk a living nightmare.

Another reason that your dog pulls at the leash has something to do with “opposition reflex”. You pull back on the leash and your dog proceeds to pull back too. The harder you pull the harder they pull, until you get so frustrated you give them a hard jerk.

It does not have to continue to be this way. Get started with a dog leash training program and break this behavior problem before it breaks you.

Using the right tools and methods are important when dog leash training. There are many different tools out there on the market today to assist you on this endeavor. It’s important to do your research on certain types of collars available on the market today, due to being harmful to your dog if they are used incorrectly. There is also several different methods being used today, by people like you and professional dog trainers with great success. It’s just a matter of choosing the right tools and methods, and sticking with the training regiment until your dog is fully trained. Continue Reading »

I have had pets all my life, I am a dog person. I absolutely love dogs. I understand the phrase; dogs are mans best friend. I believe that. Well, at least I believe they can be, with a little training.

I have had dogs that were housebroken and some that were not. Those that were made much better pets and those that were not soon were. You may be wondering how I did it, so I will explain. There are very basic steps involved in housebreaking a dog.

To begin it is wise to keep in mind that you are dealing with a friend. Treat him that way. Consider how you would treat a friend you were trying to teach something. Sort of makes you think about things differently, huh?

So this friend is from a place that does not use a bathroom like you and I do. He/she has not been taught to wait until the appropriate time to relieve himself, it is not an easy task to make such an adjustment. Some will learn quickly and others very slowly, you will need to be very patient.

You must realize that your furry friend will need relief first thing in the morning, immediately after a nap, after meals, late in the evening, and before retiring. Of course some dogs learn to adapt to a restricted schedule according to the time the owner is home. This can be rather cruel if a dog door is not installed.

Back to housebreaking, keep constant watch over your dog and when you catch him in the act in the wrong place scold him and lead him to the right place. When he relieves himself in the right place praise him. He will soon make the connection and your dog will be housebroken.

You will recognize signs that your dog needs to go out. He may begin walking in circles, or sniffing, he may stare at you, go to the door, or even bark at the door. Each dog is slightly different but you will learn what your dog is trying to tell you. Respond to his message as soon as possible.

Try to put yourself in his position. If you had to ask someone to let you go to the bathroom every time you wanted to go it would be very frustrating, especially if you were ignored. Always keep in mind this is your friend that loves you!

Repetition is the key to your success. You must stick with this so your dog understands where he should relieve himself, that is, where he should always relieve himself. It is a good idea to have treats on hand to reward your dog initially. Continue Reading »