EVERYONE KNOWS YOU LOVE DOGS BECAUSE ............

  

Your dog sleeps with you.

 

You like people who like your dog. You despise people who don't.

You have a kiddie's paddling pool in the garden in the summertime, but no small children.

You have dog beds in every room in the house because you tell them that

its their house too. 

The rubbish bin is more or less permanently standing in the kitchen sink,
to stop the dog from pulling out everything in it while you're at work.

You can't see out the passenger side of the back passenger windows
because there are nose-prints all over the inside.

Poo has become a source of conversation for you and your
significant other.

You refer to yourselves as Mummy and Daddy.

You have 12 different names for your dog. Most make no sense, but the dog
understands the sounds. Of course they do!

Your dog eats cat poop, but you still let her kiss you
(but not immediately afterward, of course).

You carry dog biscuits in your handbag or pocket at all times.

You talk about your dog the way other people talk about their children.

You sign and send birthday/anniversary/Christmas cards
 from you and your dog.

You put an extra blanket on the bed so your dog can be comfortable.

You'd rather stay home on Saturday night and cuddle your dog than go out.

You go to the pet shop every Saturday because it's one of the very few places that lets you bring your dog inside, and your dog loves to go with you. Its like taking a child into a toy shop.

You open your handbag at the check out in a busy shop,
and that big bunch of poo bags spills out everywhere.

You get an extra-long hose on your shower-massage just so you can
use it to wash your dog in the tub, without making the dog sit hip-deep in water.

You don't think it's the least bit strange to stand in the back garden late at night, yelling, "Millie, go pee!" over and over again, while Milly tends to sniff around and forget what she's out there for. (What your neighbours tell each other about your behavior is yet another story).

You and the dog come down with something like flu on the same day. Your dog sees the vet while you settle for an over-the-counter remedy from the chemist.

Your dog is getting old and arthritic, so you go buy wood and

build her a small staircase so she can climb onto the bed or settee by herself.

Your car number plate frame mentions your dog or has a cartoon drawing on it.




Your husband gets "stab-and-ping" meals each night while the dog gets freshly cooked chicken or steak and fresh vegetables.

You let your dog lick the plates clean.

You do not consider any of your outfits complete without some dog hair on it.

You snap your fingers and pat the sofa absent mindedly for guests to sit down.

You sleep on the edge of the bed because the dog is lying on its back
 and has taken up the middle of the bed looking sooooooo cute!!

You spend more money on dog toys and accessories than you do
on your own family.

You carry more pictures in your purse of your dog than you do of your family.

You refer to your dog as your 'hairy' son or daughter.

Your dog is your bestest friend.

At boring dinner parties, you make an early escape using
the dog has an excuse to get home.
                                                

* * *

Wouldn't you just like to have a dog like this?

                                         http://www.youtube.com/embed/PztO-OvzRyg

                                      Until the next blog, have a good week.  DAWN (")

IS YOUR PET A COUCH POTATO?

You feel sure you are getting pudgy in all the wrong places. And the dog ...well? is he/she beginning to look quite porky too? If you happen to see your dog getting into a rut, laying around, nervous or edgy - DO SOMETHING WITH ’EM.  If you have the dog you want - don't take it for granted- keep it vibrant and happy with plenty of worthwhile physical and mental exercise. Your dog’s exercise needs  no seasons.

Forget joining the gym. Save yourself a fortune.  Its cheaper to have a brisk walk twice a day and  within a few weeks you will shed the muffin tops, thunder thighs, tummy bloat and breathlessness, simply by getting up early and going for a walk with the dog. Whisking them for just a quick walk around the block for a sniff and a pee does not constitute exercise for both of you. Nor is it kind to simply lock it out in the garden for half an hour a day.

Many people say "Oh! but he won't go for a walk so I don't force him. He is happiest sniffing the lamp post outside the door!"  Hmm! that reeks of laziness on your part and this attitude can be picked up by your dog.  All dogs will walk - even if they dig in their heels for the first few times - if you start off with 10 minutes a day letting them read pee-mails, leave their own blogs and generally take their time, this stimulates their senses and soon the need to go out becomes exciting.

However, when the weather is wet and cold, then no one feels like braving the elements. Here are some in- door ways to excite and make them get exercise at the same time.

The Tug of War

The Tug is a terrific invention because all that yanking and pulling is akin to making your dog do pull ups on a bar. However, you need to be aware of the risk. It's a game that brings out the predator in your dog and can be unhealthy for your relationship if you don't have trust and respect to begin with. You need to have control over your dog's power and instincts before you can engage in a healthy game of tug of war with them.  After 10 minutes of pretend growling, vigorously shaking the tug, toy or towel, and pulling as hard as it can,  your dog gives itself a nice work out.

Throwing a ball with a chucker

Another simple but great idea, thought up by someone who obviously had a lightbulb moment after getting arm ache from throwing the ball for the dog to catch.  The vets dislike this gizmo as it can cause injuries to ligaments and joints when dogs throw themselves about, but the chucker  does make the ball go a long way and this makes the dog run faster to retrieve it.  After 20 minutes, the dog should be panting heavily.  That's the signs of a good aerobic work out.

Make your your dog run up and down the stairs

Using the stairs is a great way to tire out your dog. The steps add an additional challenge to a dog’s workout, as they engage different muscles than those used on a regular walk or run and add an extra level of difficulty with the change in elevation. Stand at the top of the stairs and throw a toy down to your dog. When your dog grabs the toy, call his name and have him bring the toy to you. After several rounds of this, he’ll be panting.

Frisbee throwing

This flat disc was first used in the 60s by american college kids,  and has since been universally high jacked by dog owners as the perfect way to exercise the dogs.

Light, durable and almost chew-proof, this is a wonderful way to get your dog flying through the air with the greatest of ease, and gives your dog a chance to show off its athlethic abilities when it  has to run fast, jump high and catch the frisbee.

Indoor Hide-and-Seek

Regular games of indoor hide-and-seek can be one of the most enjoyable activities you can do with your dog.
Hide somewhere, call the dog's name and wait for him/her to start looking for you. Leaping out and shouting "Boo" startles and excites them and they want to play tag with you.  This is one of my favourite indoor games that can be played at anytime of the day or night, in any season.

If none of these methods of exercise for your pooch appeal to you, then I would suggest you cajole a mechanically minded, creative friend to devise a ball throwing machine such as the one shown in this video.  Problem solved and you need never step out of the house.

Doggy joke!

Little Harold was practicing the 
violin in the living room while his 
father was trying to read in the den.

The family dog was lying in the den, and as
 the screeching sounds of little Harold's violin
 reached his ears, he began to howl loudly.

The father listened to the dog and the 
violin as long as he could. Then he jumped up,
 slammed his paper to the floor and yelled above the noise, 
"For pity's sake, can't you play something the dog doesn't know?"

Did you know ...... contrary to popular belief, one dog year is not equal to seven human years. A one- year- old- puppy has reached approximately the same stage of development as a 15-year old human. A 2-year-old-puppy is roughly equivalent in development to a 24 four-year-old human. After that, each dog year equals four human years. These numbers differ between breeds.  (One of those interesting but stupid  and utterly confusing facts!)

Until the next blog, enjoy whatever you plan on doing.
Dawn (.".")

                                                     CANINE DEPRESSION

Do dogs suffer from depression? You bet they do! This is one of those- morning- walk topics of discussions that arise every so often. People will say "Oh! Ditzy is a bit depressed today and I don't know why?"

 I can hear you saying “Don’t be ridiculous! That’s not possible! How can a dog get depressed when it has a five -star life style with  every wish taken care of by an adoring and indulgent owner?”

 

It is not uncommon for pets to get the blues once in a while. Just as humans get depressed, dogs can be affected  by winter blues, same old kibble, illness, change of atmosphere in the home, moving furniture around, loss of someone they love. All these things can make a dog feel insecure and depressed. Don’t worry! Its usually short term. The pouty, mopey, lethargic behaviour doesn’t go on for very long, so no need to start re-naming your pet Gloomy.

The classic  symptoms to look out for are tail between its legs, following you around, off food, not interested treats or in a walk, ( even if you rattle its lead in front of it), doleful looks to make you worry and feel guilty, sleeping more than usual and no bounce. Nothing is of interest and they behave like they have given up on living.

*Tip

Talk to your dog in a gentle  cheerful voice while stroking it. Then give it a cuddle but don’t reward the moping.  Take five minutes and have a little game by tickling your dog and lots of laughing. Once you are up beat, the dog will find this infectious and will think “Oh! OK then, life isn’t so bad after all.” Put the fun back into its life. Leave the radio on when you go out then the dog doesn’t feel alone all day. Dogs are pack animals and being left on its own is like punishment for some dogs. I always organise a 'play date' at my house for any depressed or sad dogs. Just being with other dogs perks them up no end.

Change the routine a little by going on different walks so that they can get stimulus from new blog sites and pee mails. Change its food for a few days – introduce yummy things like chicken or tinned sardines - we all get bored of eating the same thing day in and day out. (I know I get bored of eating the same thing every day!)

One drop of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy twice a day  for a couple of days, given in the side of its mouth, or in the food, is a miracle worker  because this perks up the dog, brings back its confidence and  immediately changes its attitude. (By the way dont listen to people who say its not good because it has alcohol in it. You would have to pour 1000 little phials of the stuff into the dog's mouth to cause drunkenness.)

The other good depression-lifter is a product called Zyklene. This is dried mother's milk that is often prescribed by vets because it is a good calming agent for nervous, depressed, aggressive and frightened dogs. You can get it from the vet or on the internet from MedicAnimal.com.

Enjoy your week, here's a  cute little video clip to make you chuckle.

 

Thought for the week
"Anyone who has never tasted shampoo, has obviously never given a dog a bath"

Dawn (")

Its flea time in the city ....

IT'S FLEA TIME IN THE CITY .........

Sign in a Chinese Pet Store: "Buy one dog, get one flea."

The first signs of fleas on your dog is constant scratching behind the ears, biting the base of the spine and furiously playing the banjo under the armpits. Other signs are little bits of black grit on the body which feel like coal dust. In extreme cases, red patches and coat loss. Flea bites are painless and by themselves aren’t always itchy but these days cats and dogs are sometimes allergic to flea saliva. One bite can trigger a scratching frenzy that makes their skin raw and infectious. Fleas live in nice, warm places, especially carpeted centrally-heated homes. When a dog walks by their vibrations activate the fleas who probably yell “Dinner” in flea-speak as they hitch a ride. 

Everyone says the same thing "But I put Program and Advantage on them regularly so how can he get fleas?"  During warm sunny days, the fleas lurk in grass or carpets and the moment they sense a warm body going past, upsa-a-daisy and on they jump. They then lurk along the skirting boards and corners of every room that the dog visits.  

*Tip

Vacuum the house from top to bottom; wash the pet’s bedding and run oil of lavender or anything with citronella along the skirting boards and in the pet bed.  I find that putting anti flea powder dribbled along the skirting boards and gently brushing it in helps to keep the eggs from hatching.  Oil of Olbas also works brilliantly as it is eucalyptus based and quite strong smelling. It’s always good to run some oil of lavender along the dog’s back. It’s quite soothing and the smell calms the dog down enough to stop the scratching.

Then buy a special flea repellent shampoo from the pet shop and give your dog a thorough dousing. That usually kills off the flea eggs and flushes them down the plug hole but you haven’t won the battle yet. This can go on for 3 weeks or more.

Drive off the fleas by feeding your pet garlic tablets and Brewer’s yeast in their food. This makes their skin repellent to a high flying flea.

Spotting a flea?

Fleas are parasitic insects. They are very small but can be observed with the naked eye; once they reach adulthood they are usually 1.5 to 3.3mm (1/16 – 1/8”) long. They are brownish black color, with no wings. They serve no purpose in the food chain except to cause their hosts — your cat or dog — as much discomfort, illness, and worms as possible.

Fleas cannot fly, but they can leap incredible distances for such a small insect. In fact they are the world’s best leapers according to their size. They can make vertical leaps of seven inches (18 cm) and thirteen inches (33 cm) horizontally. A flea can sense a warm body as soon as it comes into jumping distance and if there isn’t a dog around, a juicy human ankle will do just as well.

Inspection time. 

Part the fur with your fingers and you may spot  a little black creature scurrying fast through the fur, that's the enemy.  And if your fingers feel a sand -like texture on the dog's skin, that's the eggs  resembling black grit.  Stand the dog on a white cloth or piece of paper and then run the comb through the fur.  The cloth or paper will have bits of black grit on it. (See pic above). These are flea eggs. Crush one and it goes red. That's blood!  Put them into a bowl of clean water and they turn red. That's blood!  These are signals for  the speedy eviction of fleas and its unborn offspring. (Bet you're feeling quite squeamish and itchy now about the whole idea of fleas on your dog!)

Shampooing the dog is a must, followed by washing all the dog’s blankets, cloths, bean bags and dusting out the basket outside the house. Then give the home a thorough vacuuming. I’m afraid getting rid of fleas takes a few days and needs a strict and disciplined hygiene regime of Hoovering the rooms every single day for at least 10 days.

I keep up a maintenance programme in my house by running flea powder along the skirting boards, edges of carpeted steps and along furniture legs. So far, touch wood,I have been a no-flea zone. Fingers crossed!

Nothing to do with fleas ........but here is the saddest video ever. Get a box of tissues ready because you wont be able to stop the tears at the end. It's heart warming when strangers take the time to show kindness to an animal.

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest.
It's about those who came and never left your side ........."

Ta ta until the next blog!
Dawn (")