Had to post this he looks so close to my lab its scary!
Dec 01
10 dog Commandments
Dec 01
The hard decision to put a dog to sleep
Determining the End of Life for Your Animal
Americans love their pets, and many treat their animals like their own children. We pay to have them groomed and boarded when we are on vacation (sometimes on par with the costs of our vacation accommodation). Some people take their dogs to doggie day care when they are gone to work so the dog won’t get lonely. Yes trust me its a growing industry as is dog sitting!
We buy dogs coats and accessories and let them sleep in our beds at night. They are our companions, and when they age and grow sick, we are faced with difficult decisions. If your dog has developed a chronic, life altering illness, you like my family may be facing the decision of when to end your animal’s life and put a dog to sleep. This decision is an important life and death call for all family’s to make and a financial one as well.
Before you make the call to put a dog to sleep
However, before you decide to put a dog to sleep or make any decisions, keep in mind that there are often treatments that you can afford that will prolong your animal’s life and make him more comfortable and even able to enjoy life.
- Some problems can be treated with a special diet such as Hills prescription diet dog food. While this food may be a bit more expensive than dog food that you can pick up the at the grocery store, if it helps alleviate your dog’s health condition, it may be worthwhile. (keep an eye out for discounts, coupons and buy 10 get 1 free deals)
- Many pet food stores or even online shopping can recommend a natural or pharmaceutical arthritis treatment for your dog. This can help give back some of the movement to their old elbows, hips and joints that have deteriorated with time.
- Keep your dog lean as they get older. Having a chubby dog isn’t going to help their joints at all. My vet is constantly on me about my Labs weight and I recently found an amusing post over here about exercising your chubby dog.
- Cold weather isn’t going to help any with keeping your pet mobile. Try creating a warmer place for them to
sleep. A Laundry, tiled area or perhaps the garage if there is room. Some cold climate dog breeders use a an old school light bulb (not the new energy efficient ones) in their kennel / breeding boxes to keep the puppies warm. Add extra blankets to the bottom layer of their mattress.
Trust your vet to help
Please don’t forget to ask your vet for an opinion before you put a dog to sleep. Your vet will likely have other alternatives beyond food and other pharmaceuticals to help your dog through this transitional period and after all that’s why your vet is there. Deciding when to put a dog down is not an easy decision, but your vet, who has handled many cases like yours, will help guide you.
Think Quality of life before you put a dog to sleep
Being an owner of a dog who has had problems I am keenly aware of the need to balance quality of life VS my desire to keep him in my life. All dog owners need to keep this in their mind and be able to make the right call for their pet. I found a great article detailing older dog care and things to keep in mindThe difficulty here is many dogs are so stolid about pain tolerance that it takes a lot for you to be able to tell their not happy. They don’t show pain as easily as humans we have no way of telling when their mildly sore until its a real big problem. Keep an eye on your pet an watch for changes of behavior your not used too is all I can advise here.
***Photo thanks to Justj0000lie & BPtakoma***
Nov 28
Thoughts about Getting Another Dog
My reasons I should get Two dogs.
Odog Central here is a one dog / one adult household but I have been contemplating recently either adopting a second dog from the Animal Welfare center (a noble gesture I have mentioned before) or about allowing one of 
my friends to move into the spare room. Allowing not only another adult into the mix let alone adding another dog can have serious repercussions for yo and your dogs relationship.
Understand your dog is a pack animal and acknowledge that in order for your dog to be happy he needs and wants to know his place. You should (in theory) be the pack leader and any one else in your family / close friends should also have their place in your pooches mind so that he understands he may not be first but has his place in the pack. I have mentioned before the role walking your dog plays in establishing a pack leader relationship and nearly all dog training programs cover this.
5 Reasons for Getting Another Dog
- Dogs enjoy being pack animals and are nearly always social and enjoy the company of other dogs. They will normally sort out their pack position through body language, play (sometimes rough and tumble) and occasionally some extreme behavior that may require modification. This isn’t always the case but they can normally sort out their place and be quite happy but keep in mind your changing their environment.
- When your not around having a friend in the yard for you pooch means he will have company to keep him amused. This means a reduction in bad behavior like digging, chewing, barking and other undesirable traits.
- If you enjoy one dog your already a pet lover and you simply increase the love and unconditional attention they give you by two!
- If your considering a house mate like I am they can actually save you money. Having someone to share bills and cost of a home means not only do you have an extra pair of hands come dog wash time (if your dog doesn’t cooperate)
- If you need to leave the house for any extended time or need to go away overnight occasionally you have an in house dog sitter. (Also can save money in kennels)
3 Reasons you need to be careful with two dogs
- All dogs can come with their own baggage (just like humans). I have a neighbor down the road whose dog hates mine simply because he is black. No other reason as they’ve never met. Occasionally some dogs simply wont be other dog friendly and all you will achieve with getting another dog is creating a hostile angry environment where they fight and possibly injure each other.
- The economic cost of two dogs may be more than you realize. Every dog may have different needs in care and maintenance and so your cost efficient one dog solution may change when getting another dog.
- Some laws and regulations in your state/county may prevent you having two dogs and in fact as a responsible dog owner you need to appreciate that dogs like you sometimes need their own space and a small yard may prevent this. You will need some common sense here folks..if your in a small place with two dogs getting another dog isn’t going to work.
The final word on Getting Another Dog
I think the video below is the best answer I can possibly offer you for having two dogs. Listen to the owners and watch the fun the two dogs are having. Taking into account all the factors I mentioned above and make a responsible decision for your home and your favorite pooch.
***Photo thanks to Rhys Aspludh & slideshowbruce***
Nov 07
Help my Dog has Seasonal Allergies!
When your dog has seasonal allergies it can crush you with how miserable they can get. All the scratching and 
mucus that covers their eyes along with the licking of the paws, itching and their general unhappiness. Naturally for our pampered pooches we want to find any kind of solution for our pets we can. Finding a cure for these Seasonal Allergies (or in fact any allergies) isn’t impossible although I can tell you my dog and I have learnt to live with the symptoms rather than subject him to some of the more extreme options.
I just plan ahead and know come spring all his allergies get worse and I get some secondary signs like ear infections and rashes.
Can the vet help when my Dog Has Seasonal Allergies?
When my dog first started showing the symptoms of both seasonal and non seasonal allergies of course I rushed him down the the vet to be diagnosed. They offered me a several options all with positives and negatives.
- An extensive allergy testing program to identify what is causing it. This involved him being taken away to a testing Lab somewhere and having a patch of skin shaved and then having a number of common allergens injected into him until they see what causes a reaction. As a pet owner I was horrified at this and needless to say didn’t go this way
- Books. Yes you heard me books. There are a number of books out there which deal with Dog Allergies and Plants which can affect them. I spent a busy few days pottering around the garden looking for plants which I thought might bother my Labrador and removing them. There are plenty of online sources for similar books here are a couple I have found.Dog Allergy Cure Ebook
Dogscaping: Creating the Perfect Backyard and Garden for You and Your Dog - What we finally settled on was his Diet. Yes for those of you who didn’t know many dogs can be allergic to certain types of proteins in their diets. This means the common every day food or even human leftovers are a no no. In the end we went with a HyperAllegenic Food from Royal Canin which once again has up’s and downs to it.
The positive – His food is highly regulated which means he gets the same food and the same amounts. Anyone in the family or visitors can feed him easily. I even found a rewards program I could use which made every 10 bags I got one free.
The Negative – I cant give him any real doggy treats meaning I miss out on the joy of seeing him smash his way through a bone or a treat. I am sure most dog owners are going to agree with me that the odd sneaky treat for our pet is a naughty pleasure we all enjoy.
My Dog Has Seasonal Allergies – What can I feed him?
As I mentioned above there a number of vet prescribed foods which may or may not hurt the bank. They come in a of allergen free types for young old dogs alike and simply remove some of those random proteins dog foods can have and give him a much smoother refined mix.
There are a number of other ideas circulating around the web right now (if I can find a link will edit this post down the road to steer you towards some information) that suggests a whole range of options from feeding our dogs more green plant matter all the way to the other end with feeding our dogs only meat.
The best resource I can possible offer you to finding your way to a good food for your Dog has seasonal allergies
Medicated Dog Wash?
I might tease you with a small bit of information here but suggest you talk to your friendly family vet. I use a 
medicated wash and it helps with the licking on the paws and some of his itchiness and scratching. I hesitate to offer too much information on this one as I am not a vet but have had plenty of experience with them!.
Till next time Happy Walking!
Odog Guy
***Photos Thanks to Butler.Corey & Tai McQueen***
Oct 23
Trip to the Vet its not always fun and games
Enjoy your Trip to the Vet with your pooch
As any dog owner can testify a visit to the vet isn’t always fun and games. Your best friend can either enjoy the trip of it can be a nightmare which you as the owner are not going to enjoy. If in the past your dog has had a traumatic experience being injured or neutered they may remember that the vet isn’t a fun place to visit. I have often felt my Labrador remembers the smell of a place and perhaps associates with that smell with what experience he enjoyed their last time.
Some dogs require a fair bit of Veterinarian attention and that trip to the vet could almost become a monthly visit. Keeping your pooch happy to head for a visit could in the long run save you a whole bunch of headaches.
Getting your dog in the car before the Trip to the Vet
If your pet doesn’t normally enjoy a car ride preparing for the drive can be something you need to plan in advance. A good seat cover for your trip to the vet can take some time to install but be truly worth it when it comes to keeping the backseat clean and tidy for human passengers. Not only that a good cover will give your dog some grip with his paws when cornering and allow for harness attachment to hold your favorite pet steady. I hesitate to say it but some breeds dont travel well and a nice waterproof backseat cover may save you from cleaning up a bit of doggy puke after you get back from the trip to the vet!!
6 Good Tips on making Your Trip to the vet a good experience
- Familiarize your dog with getting in and out of the car so they are used to traveling. Try short trips to the local park instead of walking there so your pet is more comfortable traveling. Also for getting your pooch in the car try a word to symbolize your command. I use “backseat” with my Labrador and with the back car door open it clearly tells him we are off somewhere and what I require of him.
- The good old bag of treats can never be taken for granted. Many dogs are food orientated and a small treat every now and then will most like guarantee their good behavior. It can help with getting and keeping their attention and a small bribe might even help with getting them to stand still long enough on the scales so they can be weighed.
- My dog attended puppy school at the same vet we continue to visit. So for him a trip to the vet is going to see some familiar and new faces. All the nurses and vets know us by name and give him a pat. Dont ever discount becoming part of the vet family with your pet. That little bit of TLC can make that visit a fun excursion for your dog.
- As per the bag of treats scheduling a Trip to the vet just before a feeding time can work in your favor. I am yet to meet a vet who doesn’t have a small treat for a visiting pooch and if your dog is hungry this provides incentive for good behavior and another fond memory of the visit.
- Last but not least we all recognize vet fees are not cheap but at the same time we all want the best for our dog. I found by asking for it my vet offered a VIP discount card and in fact now they offer a proper program for people to join. Members gain access to a certain number of free visits, discounts on food and a monthly newsletter keeping my updated on seasonal changes and with some luck helping me keep an eye out so a Trip to the vet isn’t needed.
- Talking to your pooch can often make the drive easier. I swear my Lab knows when I am going to corner and break simply by me using my voice more. I tell him to “hang on” when we corner and take off and talk to him almost constantly so he feels part of the team for the journey. You may not always have your dog in the car with you but this is a great idea for those of us who do.
Have fun in the car with you and your best mate and dont forget to warn them when your about to take off
Odog Guy
*** Photos thanks to Steve Snodgrass & fallsvetclinic ***
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