Dog Dry Skin - Tips and Treatments
Dog Dry Skin - Tips and Treatments
Shiny coat is a sign of healthy pet. Dogs can have all sorts of skin problems and they range in severity from benign to very serious. As Winter approaches and the temperature begins to drop, you notice a new behavior with your dog: he is constantly scratching, biting or licking his fur. As each day grows cooler, his behavior worsens. Winter is also a time when we experience dry hands and feet, and as such we require extra treatment during this time to keep our skin moist and healthy. Any dog can have dry skin; it is not an exclusively human condition. Just like us, dogs need good skin care to prevent itching and flaking.
Is your home dry in the winter? If so, this could be causing dry skin itch. Use a room humidifier to moisten the air. Also, try a moisturizing shampoo from the pet store. Do not bathe your dog too often; keep his coat clean but that is all–this will help with the scratching and, also, keep them from being uncomfortable during winter months. Water and winter do not mix well with your pet. When you must bathe your dog, be sure to use a dog shampoo. A dog’s ph level is different from our own and human shampoos can be harsh on their skin. Instead, buy a dog shampoo that can offer moisturizing effects. Besides providing moisture, many shampoos can also offer flea and parasite protection, which can also help lessen scratching. Some of the more promising cures are herbal extracts such as horsetail, dandelion, spirulina, and fucus, which can help maintain skin and fur health, improve digestive health, and promote general well-being in dogs and cats. Brush your dog often to remove dead hair and dander; if possible, a quick brushing every day will help your pet immensely. Healthy skin, ultimately, reflects a dog’s lifestyle. By using quality foods and adding fatty supplements to their food (oil, etc), you can guarantee your dog to have a flake-free coat.
But when your dog skin is flaky, red and irritated or some noticeable bumps, rashes or other unusual inflammations, this could be a sign of something serious. Others see some open sores in dog body or dog’s hair is falling out excessively, your dog needs to see his vet. He could just be allergic to his fleas or something in your home. It’s important to get some sort of flea control. Your vet can help you determine and eliminate any other allergens that are causing your dog trouble.
Also dog hotspots are very common, they are typically a bacterial infection. They might have started out as just an allergy, but as the dog scratched, he broke open the skin and introduced bacteria into the sore with his dirty paws. The bacteria grows and causes further irritation to the skin. The vet will want to clear up the initial allergy as well as treat the new infection. He may also prescribe a pain reliever. Most of the time, your dog’s skin troubles can be solved using a variety of treatments. Some are topical like creams and shampoos. Others are pills or injections. Be patient though, not all dogs respond similarly to treatment. It may take a while to find what works.
Common tips to prevent and treat dog skin allergies is to give the right and healthy food. Premium dog foods like Wellness, Royal Canin and Science Diet are balanced nutritionally, with less grain and more meat. One way to determine the quality of a dog food is to look at the first few ingredients, which should be a meat, rather than a grain. Fresh foods like meats and vegetables are high in nutrients and vitamins, which will help to improve a dog’s skin and coat by improving overall health. Consider adding fresh meats, and vegetables and fruits like carrots, celery, broccoli, apples (with no seeds), and greens like kale to each meal. Always introduce new foods gradually to avoid stomach upset. A dehydrated dog is going to be prone to dry skin, among other health problems, and some dogs simply don’t drink what they should. Provide extra fluids by serving wet food or by hydrating dry food. Add hot water to kibble, allow the kibble to sit for about ten minutes — this should cause the kibble to swell with water, providing extra fluid with each meal. Fresh vegetables also have high water content, aiding further in providing moisture to the dog’s body. Oils can greatly improve the condition of a dog’s itchy or dry skin. So once daily, soak one or two pieces of bread with olive oil and serve with each meal. Or add the oil directly to the dog’s meal by providing a teaspoon of olive oil for each 15 pounds of body weight.
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Great Tips For Breeding Your Dog
Choosing to breed your dog is a big decision and it?s natural to feel a little uneasy about the process. These dog breeding tips will help things go smoothly and help you enjoy the entire process.
One of the most important steps is choosing the right mate for your dog. The mate you choose should possess the qualities you want to see carried on in the puppies. Both male and female should be healthy and possess no genetic faults that could jeopardize the health of the puppies.
You also want to make sure the female is very healthy so that her pregnancy and birth are easier. You?ll want to support her prior to breeding with excellent nutrition and supplements. Of course she should always have excellent nutrition, but a boost will help her energy and help her stay healthy during her pregnancy.
Good record keeping on both the male and female can help increase your breeding success, but it is especially important with the female. You should keep a history folder on your female which records important dates such as when you first see signs of the bitch going into heat, any changes in behavior, and any medical issues.
You should also have a good working relationship with your veterinarian who can be a very helpful resource throughout the breeding process, during the pregnancy, during labor and of course once the pups are born.
Male dogs have less reproductive problems than female dogs but they can be more difficult to correct. Anatomical defects, low sperm, and infection of the reproductive organs are the most common problems to watch for in a male dog. Hypothyroidism, arthritis of the spine, and Brucellosis should also be checked for in males that show no interest in breeding.
With the female, the main reason for failed breeding is wrong timing. Because of the length of time a female is in heat, without hormone tests it can be difficult to tell when the ?right? time really is. Your vet has a variety of ways to test hormone levels to try to narrow down the best breading time, but at the end of the day it still really is hit and miss.
Female dogs usually go into heat every 6 months starting at around the age of one year. It?s important to allow your female to become full-grown and developed before you decide to breed her as she is more likely to have a pregnancy with fewer complications. In some of the larger breeds this doesn?t occur until the age of 2.
At around 10 to 12 days after going into heat the bitch will be ready to stand and hold. You start to count the days at the first signs of blood discharge. Each dog is different so you?ll need to get to know your dog, how she acts, changes in temperament, and the amount of discharge because day one might actually be day three. You?ll know your timing is right by the willingness of the bitch. When the bitch is ready the discharge will often change from a dark red to more of a tan color so you can watch for this signal as well. Try to place the bitch and stud together several days and several times throughout the heat period up to about the tenth day.
If you want to be safe then put the bitch and the stud together early and try and try again. It?s better than being late because you?ll have to wait another 6 months.
If impregnation occurs your vet will be able to tell around the 22nd day after breeding. Now?s the time to start calling those parents to be, congratulating them, and letting them know their new bundle of joy will arrive in a couple of months.
The act of breeding is rather a natural one that requires little intervention from you other than placing the male and female in a safe and secure environment together. If the time is right you will be the proud owner of a beautiful litter of pups in no time at all. If the timing is wrong you?ll need to wait for the female to go into heat again in about 6 months.
These breeding tips should help you find success in breeding your dog.
Gray Rollins is a writer for CreatingDogs.com. Visit us to learn about <a href="http://www.creatingdogs.com/raredogbreeds/">rare dog breeds</a> and the <a href="http://www.creatingdogs.com/bestdogbreeds/">best dog breeds</a>. Come check us out if you love dogs.
How Can I Stop My Dog's Incessant Barking?
Is your dog’s barking getting out of control? Does the barking get worse when you leave your home? Are your neighbors at their wit’s end? Are you contemplating getting rid of your dog? Bark collars can stop barking dogs quickly, easily, and humanely. When used properly, the electronic bark collar can stop your dog’s barking completely within a matter of few days. If all else fails, however, surgery might be a reasonable alternative. Most electronic bark control collars employ sound as the basic stimulus because it is well established that animals learn more quickly and retain a better memory when the desired behavior is associated with a sound. The more advanced models progressively increase the sonic stimulus as barking persists. Some models employ gradually increasing electric shock stimulus along with the sound to stop even the most stubborn barkers in a humane manner. The more sophisticated electronic bark collars sense the vibrations in a dog’s throat that happen only during barking. By doing so, they prevent false corrections from other loud noises and from other dogs barking. The drawback with some “barking dog collars” is that they may detect barking with a microphone and activate on sound; these can be set off by other noises or by another dog’s bark. Some Barking Dog Collars use only vibration; these can be set off by motion or jostling. Stay away from the following types of bark collars: 1) Bark Dog Collars the project a spray mist which startles and confuses the dog’s olfactory senses, causing him to stop barking. These mists may cause allergic reactions and hypersensitivity in your dog. 2) Independent devices that have a built-in microphone tuned to the sound of your dog’s bark. They emit a loud correction to startle the dog so he stops barking. They automatically stop and reset themselves after each auditory correction. The dog feels no correction with this type of bark stopper and can simply move away to another location further from the receiver and completely avoid the sound all together. Look for a barking dog collar with the following features: 1) One that simultaneously senses both sound and vibration, and only uses a combination of sound and vibration to trigger the electronic correction. By having both of these features, the electronic bark collar will be activated only by the dog wearing the collar, so there won’t be any “false corrections” caused by loud noises or other dogs’ barking. 2) One that automatically adjusts the level of static correction to your dog’s temperament with different levels of self-adjustable corrections in response to the bark intensity of your dog. The more intensity settings will help to accommodate the most sensitive too the most stubborn dogs. 3) One that provides a warning beep with the first bark. 4) One with a rechargeable battery, which features a low battery indicator light. 5) One that features a quickfit buckle that provides a quick release. 6) One that is durable, light weight, waterproof, and adjustable. 7) One that comes with a complete operating guide and a video tape demonstration. In some extreme cases, however, an electronic bark collar may fail to produce results. If your dog happens to exemplify such a case, then a surgical procedure called “De-barking” might provide you with a suitable alternative. The surgery is fairly simple to perform and your dog’s barking will be replaced with “squealing” sounds. The surgery will not affect your dog physically or psychologically as it will not make any difference to your dog whether it squeals or barks. However, there are several drawbacks to surgery. First, the procedure is irreversible; and second, your dog won’t be able to alert you to intruders. If you are at your wit’s end, when you have exhausted all others means, when you can no longer face your angry neighbors, then surgery might be the best alternative to giving your dog away.
Armen T. Ghazarians offers advice, information, and articles regarding many aspects of <a title="professional dog training" href="http://newdogtrainingsecrets.com/">professional dog training</a> for all those who are not professional dog trainers themselves. For more articles like this one, visit his website at <a href="http://www.newdogtrainingsecrets.com">http://www.newdogtrainingsecrets.com </a>.
Dog Training Part V: The Command Voice
When giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delivered so that the dog can more easily learn what the owner means (siiiiiiiiiiiit does not sound the same as sit, for example).
Using the puppy’s name before a command ensures that the dog knows that a command is coming, that it is for him (rather than for other dogs, children, or people), and that he should pay attention. This is important because dogs hear a lot of human speech that has no relevance for them at all, and it is easy for them to disregard commands amongst the babble.
To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy) when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand that he has done a good thing.
Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advanced obedience competitions.
The specific command words are not important, although common words in English include sit, down, come, and stay. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else’s dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.
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Looking After Your Dog, Part Eleven - Older Dogs
The advances in medicine and veterinarian competence have significantly improved the life expectancy of pets. And this entails a rather new aspect in canine care - how to care for older dogs. Since the life expectancy of dogs is typically 15-20 years, the transition from one life stage to another appears rather rapid to humans. You must recognize the signs of your dog getting old so that you can provide it the much needed extra care.
As with humans, aging in pets is a gradual process. It entails a gradual deterioration of organs, waning of sensory perception, and flagging of energy and strength. However, with a few precautionary measures and adjustments, you can keep your dog happy in the last years of its life.
The first signs of aging may appear at different times for different breeds. It also varies from one dog to another. A strong, healthy dog will probably age later than a dog that has constantly suffered from various ailments early in its life. The first sign of aging is a gradual decrease in the activity level, depicting loss of strength and energy. Older dogs have a tendency to sleep longer than usual and depict a loss of excitement for a long stroll or other fun games and activities.
Hearing impairment and a reduced visual acuity are a result of aging. Skin and coat, which once used to be lustrous and shiny, looks pale and rigid in older dogs. Oil producing sebaceous glands are weakened. Non-malignant tumors may appear under the skin, which are noticed when you rub your hand through your dog s skin. The organs in older dogs lose their efficacy and the immune system is unable to ward off bacteria and viruses.
Although aging is an inevitable process, dog owners can delay its deteriorating effects through discreet canine care. Periodic visits to the veterinarian and administration of vaccines can help prevent common diseases. Annual checkups for intestinal parasites need be done. A nutritious diet is essential at all stages of a dog s life. Therefore, you must purchase the best dog food available even if your dog has grown old.
Exercise is a must for dogs. Dogs with a protruding belly are more likely to fall ill and suffer the consequences of aging much earlier than a slim and active dog. Therefore, take your dog for a casual stroll and make it do a few exercises. This would help it stay agile and in shape even in the later years of its life.
There are many products now available that will help your dog, and you, enjoy her senior years.
Niall Kennedy is a lifelong dog lover and has worked in several pet sanctuaries. Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you <a href="http://www.best-pet-health.info">health information for older dogs</a>. http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info. Dog News Center - <a href="http://www.dognewscenter.com">Dog Article Directory</a> - Submit Your Articles Now Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.
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