Rewarding Good Behavior

Reward Good Behavior

If your beloved, four-legged baby goes potty in the right spot, a reward is in order. This can be your praise and affection or it could be a special treat just for potty time. A mixture of treats, praise, and playtime works very well for puppies. Because puppy wants only to please and play with you, this small rewards mean everything to them.  They will do whatever they can to make you happy – including go potty in the right place.  Eventually, you will wean them off the treats, but always praise them for doing a good thing.

Housebreaking Your New Puppy

Housebreaking Your New Puppy

 

The springtime generally brings a feeling of new beginnings and oftentimes, new puppies to a family.   Over the next few weeks, we will be going over potty training puppies.

 

Successful Puppy Potty Training Depends On You

New puppies are just great fun. They're cute and cuddly, they're playful and friendly. Who can resist the charms of an itty bitty puppy. This new family member is so lovable, in fact, that you can almost forget one of the biggest challenges you'll face when that cute little puppy comes home - potty training.

 

Puppy potty training, also known as housebreaking your puppy, is rarely easy. In fact, it can be downright frustrating and upsetting at times. There are ways to make sure you get through the process positively. Let's start with these tips to get you, and puppy, off on the right foot, or paw: 

 

Know Your Puppy's Potty Dance

You'll want to catch your puppy in the act when possible, so you can teach puppy the right way to go potty. Start watching your puppy for a 'potty dance.' These signs often come right after eating or drinking,  and after a good bit of playful activity. In other words, after feeding or playing with your puppy, watch for signs of sniffing, circling, and squatting. 

 

Next Week:  Selecting a Potty Spot



Spring and Summer Break for Pets

You’re on vacation, but what about your dogs and cats? Remember to line your pet sitters and dog walkers up now while there is still room and you are able to the sitters you want and need and not just kennel your dog at the local dog run.  In the Dallas area, there are many great pet sitting companies out there.

Dogs and cats do much better when they are taken care of in their home as opposed to going to kennels. To make sure you get the best out of your pet sitting experience, you need to understand that pet sitters do so much more than water and feed your dogs.

Pet sitters spend time with your baby, gives them exercise, and can evaluate if there are any medical issues which may arise. Many will bring in mail, papers, water the plans, provide crime deterrents with making it appear as someone is home.

So for your spring and summer vacation time, choose a pet sitter and give your fur babies a break as well.

AntiFreeze Poisoning in Dogs

Antifreeze poisoning in dogs

Pet sitters, dog walkers, and pet owners, need to be aware of what can happen and the symptoms of antifreeze poisoning. Especially in areas like Dallas, where snow and dogs are not so common and people splash antifreeze around their car while getting it into the necessary receptacles. It takes only a teaspoon to kill a small dog.

When dog walking, please be aware of your surroundings and take immediate action if your dog begins drinking something in a driveway or roadway.

In 2007, my oldest daughter gave me her American Staffordshire Terrier, Charlie, to watch when she joined the Navy. He was six months old and just a doll. Unfortunately for us, someone did not like his breed and poisoned him with antifreeze. It was two days before he showed symptoms.
Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning
- walking drunkenly – it is alcohol
- vomit and drinking excessively
- excessive urination
- diarrhea
- mouth ulcers
- hair loss
- rapid heart beat
- depression
- weakness
- seizures
- coma

The quicker you act, the safer your pet will be. Once the urine begins to crystallize, it may be too late. If you do see it, give a simple hydrogen peroxide mixture to induce vomiting. Contact your vet first as he may want to do it, but if you know it will take a while to get to the vets, call them for step-by-step instructions.

Once at the vets, if the dog has not already vomited, your vet will begin that. They will also administer an antidote to the poison at the office such as activated charcoal or 4-methylpyrazole, which is very effective if administered early. Most deaths from antifreeze poisoning come from renal (kidney) failure. After ingesting antifreeze, your pet may seem better and then suddenly gets worse because it has gone from ingestion into the kidneys and livers.

We were lucky. Even though Charlie had crystals in his urine, he was at an emergency clinic where they started him on fluids until we could get him to the vets the next day. We then began a week-long outpatient fluid treatment to flush it out of his system. Against all odds, he did it.

If you do use antifreeze, please consider going over to propylene glycol instead of ethylene. It is still poisonous but will not have the kidney effects. Clean up your driveway messes, keep the antifreeze locked up and in a tight container, and most of all, keep aware of your pets.

Libby Mitchell
Fetch Pet Care of NE Dallas
http://www.fetchpetcare.com
214-969-3639