potty training

Think back to those first few weeks with your puppy and what those days of potty training were like. Aren't you glad they are over with? I know I am! I was told when we first got Annie that the puppy training pads were the best way to go to train a new puppy where to go potty. Well, my friends, let me explain something. It doesn't work!!! All it taught her to do was to potty in the house and that if she got one of the corners up off the floor she could then rip the pad to shreds. The only thing they did for us was give Annie something to destroy! It took almost two years for us to get her potty trained to go outside. Now Zeus was the complete opposite. From day one we took him outside and within one week of being home, he was trained. Not a single accident after that. Now, I realize that every dog is different, but if you have the time to make sure the dog goes potty on the pad in the house, why wouldn't you just take them outside and teach them the right way from the start? My opinion...just take it outside.

why animals attack!

Next time on Why Animals Attack....

Have you ever wondered why some breeds are well known for their short tempers and others have a sparkling reputation? "Beware of pitbulls, their mean!" "Labs are so good with kids!" and many more that we could discuss all night, but let's face it. The majority of the reputations come from people who train these breeds for something they were not intended for. Example...Michael Vick and his dog ring of fighting. Those dogs were trained to be mean and because they have a "mean look" to them and historically we hear of these dogs attacking people who did not provoke them (that we are aware of) they automatically get a bad rap! Same goes for rottweilers...mean look must equal bad attitude, right? Wrong! I am going to use my dogs as another example. They are miniature dachshunds, as you are aware, and they might seem small and cute and cuddly, and don't get me wrong because mine are, but do you know what they were bread originally to do? They were originally hunting dogs for badgers, folks! My cute little adorable dogs were bread to hunt badgers! The mean, snarly, jagged toothed, jack you up badger! Now some breeds genetically have a predisposition of bad temperment, but as a whole, I believe that all breeds are gentle...it is the owner that makes them to be something else.

rawhides and bad breath

When you go down the isle with rawhides and dentabones, you probably can't help but think if they really do the job. Can a biscuit that is much like a treat really help with Buster's bad breath? And does "brushing" their teeth really work? For some dogs the answer is yes. The action of actually chewing on the rawhide or bone helps with gum disease and tartar build up. For the rest of the dogs, like my Zeus, the answer is no. What my guy does is basically knaws on them enough to make them soft enough to swallow...whole! Then about 10 minutes later will puke them up just to re-eat them. So for him, these remedies do absolutely nothing and we need to have his teeth cleaned at least once a year. For Annie, on the other hand, this works beautifully and she is only in need of a teeth cleaning every two to three years. Hopefully your animal will actually enjoy destroying the bone!

To dress or not to dress...that is the question!

If you were asked the question, "Do you dress your dog?" would you be like me and answer "Yes!" Some would say that dressing a dog is rediculous, I say if you can dress them up and embarrass them, why not take the opportunity to get a really great picture for next year's christmas card? This not only works with dogs, but with cats, children and spouses!

Should be vaccinate our animals?

We hear the question asked all the time, "Should we vaccinate our children?" Now I raise the question, "Should we vaccinate our animals?" Some would argue yes while others argue no, but my thoughts are why not? If it is something that can protect them against disease and harmful things, why would we not take that extra precaution? I realize that dogs are different than children, but for those of you like me who have no "real" children, my dogs are my kids. I spoil them and pamper them and take them to the doctor for boo-boo's. So let's help protect our pets...vaccinate!

Unexplainable sores?

So a recent experience has taught me that even when you think you know a lot about your animal, you don't know everything. Here's the situation...my husband notices a sore on my little girl and sends me a message while I am in class that he thinks my little boy bit her. She can be annoying sometimes so I thought to myself, "She probably deserved it." When I got home I examined the sore (cause I think I am a veterinarian) and realized it was not a bit, it was an abcess. We took her the next morning to the real veterinarian and he told us that dogs have glands in their rear ends that secret really gross stuff and one of hers had gotten plugged and ruptured. The process to fix this is to clean it out, give antibiotics and possibly "express" these glands every so often. When that day comes, I will definitely be paying someone to do that for me.

Exercise, who needs it?

We have all heard that exercise is good for us, but do we understand how important exercise is for our animals, also? Experts suggest that depending on the energy level of our pooches, we should be exercising them somewhere between 30 minutes and 1 hour every day. This helps them to burn off energy and not get themselves into trouble...like chewing on our favorite pair of shoes or our furniture. Animals will do things like this because they are bored and need something to use their energy on. So next time you go out for your afternoon stroll, take along Fido!