GOOD REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT PAT A DOG ON TOP OF THE HEAD.

Do you like to be patted on the head by a stranger? I'll bet you would cower or cringe. Having someone reach out and pat you on the head, no matter how lovingly, is not something most of us enjoy. It’s annoying at best and sometimes painful. And we really don’t want the hands of strangers reaching towards our face. If someone were to stretch their hand toward your face, I sense your reaction would be to pull your head back and lean away, and get a little tense about the invasion of personal space. Yet most humans think that dogs like being patted on the head. The reality is that while many dogs will put up with this if it’s someone they know and trust, most dogs don’t enjoy it. You may notice that even the loving family dog might lean away slightly when you reach for their face to pet them. Most dogs will let you because you’re the boss, but they don't really like it. It’s a personal space issue for dogs just as much as it is for us. That's why responsible parents should teach their children to gently pet a dog’s back or rear, but don’t pat, and definitely don’t go for the dog's face. If you really want to reward your dog for being wonderful, don’t bang on their head, but give them a rub on their rear end right by the tail. They will be pleased by that.

So many times I see dog looking anxious because a well meaning stranger has lunged at them to give them a pat on the head. To a dog this movement makes them think you are going to harm then so they will either cringe, pull away, snarl or even snap at you.

The best way to approach a dog is to first hold out your hand with an open palm towards the dog's face. This gives them the opportunity to sniff you and decide if you are friend or foe. The dog will respond by wagging and if it likes you, it will give you a little lick.  Then you can tickle it under its chin - they love being touched on the chest - or you can give it a pat -pat on the head or a tickle on the rump. Dogs love it when a human gets down to their level and makes a fuss of them.

I always tell children to let the dog smell their hand first before touching them.  A child who has not been educated in dog handling will rush up to a dog, all guns blazing to try and give it a pat and this action results in a snarl and a nip and parents who screech "Your dog bit my child. Look what it's done. It should be wearing a muzzle! It's a dangerous dog!"

Many times, in crowded places, a child will pull a dog's tail or try and pat it from the back thus startling the dog into a defensive action. Result - kid screams in fright, dog barks, idiot parents start yelling at the dog owner and pandemonium ensues.

So, don't stand over a dog and try and pat them on the head. Stand besides the dog to appear less threatening. If I were a dog (oh! alright bitch then), I would think you were a giant about to step on my head and possibly hurt me.

This 'n that .....................just some little known facts.
Animal names are confusing things. In fact, to foreigners, the English language is confusing. Dragonflies don't breathe fire, I don't know of any Bulldogs, who, hate the colour red, and Ladybirds aren't birds. Some aren't even ladies.  In this age of gender neutral, some are lady men.  Even more confusing is computer-speak. My husband has put me right on the acronym HTML. I always thought it meant "Horse's Tails Make Lemonade." It translates into something very boring. So now you know!

                                    Yaay! cat gets its revenge on two dogs who are hassling it.

                                  That's it for this month's blog. Next one will be in November.

                                                                    Dawn ("")

WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO CARE FOR YOUR DOG'S GNASHERS.

Is your dog known as Phwoar-Stinko in the doggy playground because of his chronic halitosis? Do other dogs shun him at playtime?  Do humans flap their hands in front of their faces when they bend down to stroke your dog? These are all classic signs that your dog is suffering from poor dental hygiene and urgently needs attention by your vet.

The good news for dogs is that they don't get cavities as human beings do. But despite the old conventional wisdom that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a humans, dogs can still develop problems like tartar, plaque build up, and gingivitis. But it’s not just chronic stinky breath and yellow teeth that you have to worry about, its the life-threatening infections and issues including heart, liver, and kidney disease that happen if you don't care for your dog's smile.

Most dogs hate having their teeth forcibly brushed with toothpaste so the best solution is to squeeze a blob of doggie liver flavoured toothpaste in their food. The saliva spreads the toothpaste onto their gums and teeth and that helps to keep the plaque off the teeth. Many pet shops sell tasty dog toothpastes.

Another good product for long term treatment is Plaque Off. Sprinkled in their food twice a day, it does really keep their teeth clean and their breath smelling fresh. You can get this from Fetch, pet shops or other internet sites for all things doggy.

If you think that Plaque Off is expensive, then do what I do. I buy sheets of dried sea weed called Wakame or Nori from the Japanese section of the supermarket, crumble it and mix into your dog's food. Because it tastes salty, dogs love eating it.

There is a wonderful homeopathic remedy, Fragari 6c, available from Ainsworth's or Nelson's Pharmacies, either in person or by mail order.  Two pillules twice a day in food makes the plaque fall off.

Be good to your little fur baby and look after their teeth.
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This 'n that .....................................
scuffing through the leaves
We're thirteen days into September, more commonly known as Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve. Here are a few handy tips to help ease yourself into the festive spirit a few months early:
Suggest a warm-up game of Scrabble. If you start now it should be finished by Pancake Day.
Eat chocolate every time you open a door. Mull everything. Buy a tub of nuts which is physically impossible to finish because the moment you get to Christmas week, you are sick of them and couldn't face another nut.
Try on some paper hats.  Decide on the one that looks great.
Curl up next to a roaring fire. Or a roaring microwave depending on your situation.
Play "Coming home for Christmas" but by the time it gets to Christmas, you will be sick of it because all the radio stations will have it on ad nauseum.

                                                    Enjoy this clip of skateboarding animals.


                                                        That's it until the next blog. Dawn ("")

                                          




WHY DOES MY DOG SNARL AND ATTACK OTHER DOGS WHEN ITS ON THE LEAD
   
If you hang around with other dog owners, you've no doubt heard the same comment I have, over and over again: "My dog is fine with other dogs when he's off-leash; he's only dog-aggressive when his leash is on." You may have even said it yourself.

The reason it's an often-heard comment is that it's a common behavior: A lot of dogs who are fine with other dogs when left to their own devices become aggressive if they are leashed when they meet other dogs.

We know that aggression is caused by stress. Clearly, there is something about being on a leash that a lot of dogs find stressful enough that it prompts aggressive behavior. There are several reasons for this. Let's take a look at one of them.

Leash Interference with Normal Social Interaction
Picture in your mind two dogs meeting and greeting, off-leash. They engage in a social dance - advancing, retreating, moving around each other, sniffing various body parts, giving body language signals intended to keep the interaction civil. Sometimes the movements are slow; sometimes they are quick. If one dog is cautious or fearful of the other, he can retreat as he wishes, using social distance to keep himself safe.

Now picture those same two dogs meeting on-leash. The dance is stilted, inhibited by the restraint of the leash. One dog tries to circle the other, and the leash tangles around his legs. The cautious dog would like to retreat to safety, but knows the leash restricts his movement, and elects to act out his second option to increase distance - a growl and a snap to signal to the other dog to move away - who cannot, because he is leashed. The fight is on.

In the future, the cautious dog will offer a growl and snap before he's close enough for the other dog to make contact. The best defense is a good offense. Alarmed, owners move away from each other, and the fearful dog's aggression is reinforced by the increased distance. Behaviors that are reinforced repeat and increase, and the cautious dog's aggression escalates as he realizes that it's a successful behavior strategy for him - it keeps other scary dogs away. You now have a leash-aggressive dog. Absent the leash, he still chooses to move away from the other dog - his first behavior choice.

Trivia.................................
the orange side of the moon
Ah, the moon. The big white golf ball in the sky. Sometimes it's a perfect circle, other times it looks like a left-over pizza crust. Other times it looks like guyere cheese full of holes. On the moon you weigh six times less, your small steps are turned into giant leaps and the ground tastes great in a pickle sandwich. The moon is pretty magical on a normal night, but it'll be pulling out all the stops this evening by turning from bright white to a deep orange (think Dracula with a spray tan). 

Here are some clever things you can say during tonight's lunar eclipse:
ooh look......
aah......
woah that's quite something .....
Jupiter has 79 moons, which seems excessive.....
wow.....

                                              Who said donkeys were stupid?


Until the next blog, keep safe and enjoy the cooler weather that is on its way. Ha!

                                                            Dawn ("")

WHY DOES MY DOG LOVE SOME OF MY FRIENDS AND SEEMS TO DISLIKE OTHERS?

Your Dog Can Hold A Grudge Against Those Who Have Done You Wrong or have been nasty behind your back.

While we’d all like to believe that our dogs would stand up for us if we were physically attacked by somebody, new research shows that our dogs will at least remember anybody who has been mean to us  or they think is not a nice character. Maybe they sense – so much so that they will refuse to take treats from the “mean” person!

I have noticed that my chirpy, friendly little dog will suddenly take against someone for no reason. Dogs remember those who ill treated them as puppies or those who bellowed at them when no one else was around.  How often have you said "I don't know why my dog doesn't like that person." Dogs are intuitive and they can sense it when someone is a hypocrite.

There are people who are unfriendly to me when I am with the dog and others who will greet me like an old mate. My dog watches and when the nice person hands them a treat they will happily take it but when the mean person hands them a treat they will ignore them and back away.

 This would seem to indicate that dogs remember who is isn’t nice and they hold it against them.
So the next time your dog decides they don’t like somebody, it might be worth listening to them! Your best friend is just looking out for you.

Trivia.........................................................
My goodness! How tempus does fugit? Suddenly its April,  and the house  has begun to look dusty and crammed with junk. I decided it was time for a good spring clean. Shaking off the winter inertia, I rolled up my sleeves, and Operation Declutter got underway. I turfed out all sorts of things I'd forgotten about - two rusty fencing epees, a fencing suit that would have fitted a stick insect (I can't believe I was ever that size), two navy captain hats (from those days when we had a gleaming, white gin palace of a boat), a Fred Astaire pop up top hat and cane, and so many wooden vegetable steamers that I must have gone mad buying them in different sizes in chinese supermarkets. Better still,  the linen cupboard had a bunch of abandoned towels that Dog's Trust and Mayhew Homes were only too happy to use. Second hand is great. Second paw is even better! So if you have any threadbare towels hanging around, donate them to a dog charity. They will thank you for them.

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How tender and caring is this man in making sure his dog stays dry in the rain?An elderly man in the Philippines truly loves and cares for his dog as he takes extra time to make sure the dog is prepared for a bicycle ride in the rain. I love how simple an act of kindness this is for the dog and how much the dog seems to appreciate having his human care for him. Filmed at the Agdao Market in Davao City by Alilee Shalom Galilee.

                                           https://biggeekdad.com/2018/02/dog-in-the-rain/

That's it for this month. See you in May when I send out the next blog relating to dogs.

                                                        Dawn ("")

GOODBYE TO CANDY, OUR DIVA DOG WHO WENT TO RAINBOW BRIDGE ON TUESDAY AGED 17 YEARS and 7 MONTHS.

She was a much loved rescue Cocker spaniel who entered our lives 9 years ago in not very good shape. We thought she would last 1 year but she proved us all wrong.  She completely ruled the household. She had baskets on every floor of the house, was fussy about what she wanted to eat, loved pottering around her garden, could hear the rustle of a toffee paper even when fast asleep and would take your hand off when offered a treat. She loved going for rides in the car. As for giving back affection? "Meh! I don't go in for that sort of sentimental rubbish" was her mantra.

See you in Rainbow Bridge little doggie!

Making that heart breaking decision to let your dog go to Rainbow Bridge is the hardest one to make, but there comes a time when you have to let them go and not prolong the suffering by constantly trying to save them with medication and more medication. You can cure one problem but then a week later something else will show up and so it goes on. A dog will tell you that it wants to leave this earth but many owners would rather throw thousands of pounds in vet's bills just to keep the dog hanging on by a thread. In truth you are keeping the dog alive for your own benefit. Reading the signs means letting go. Believe me you will know when the time is right.

Trivia ............

March 1st heralds the first day of Spring but in reality is is on the 21oth of March that Spring officially begins. You don't care! Don't blame you especially when you are knee deep in snow and slush! The cheering thing is that the daffs are poking their yellow heads though it all.

Until the next blog, this clip will have you smiling from ear to ear. It is the cutest little dachshund ever!

                                                           Dawn ("")
 

HOW DO YOU SHOW YOUR DOG THAT YOU ARE THE TOP DOG AND NOT HIM?

All that screeching of "Come here".... "stop doing that ".... "what are you eating"......"stop pulling" ....."stop barking" - and- the phrase that sets my teeth on edge "be nice" are habits that shows that an owner has no control whatsoever on their animal.  They misbehave because in their mind you are a push over and he/she is top dog in your relationship.

You get to be top dog by acting exactly as a dog does, challenging your dog and making sure that you win. You know those moments when they won't come back when you call;  races off to join a group or chase birds and you are screaming at the top of your voice to get them back. Your methods of challenging them is a bit different though. Where as two dogs will challenge each other by stiff-legged standoffs or fighting, you use a series of very effective situations that are set up so that you know for sure that you will win.  I know, I know, you are stacking the decks against your dog. By making sure that you will win, because you won't accept anything else less than your dog's complete acceptance that you are boss. Your job is to progress through an entire series of challenges and win every one of them. The process is called obedience training. It teaches your dog that in every situation they must do what you say, even though they may not have done things that way if left to his/her own choices.

What happens when a dog fully accepts you as top dog? A huge burden is removed from their mind. They have trusted you in all sorts of ways, and in each one you made sure that they did what you said, whether they agreed with you or not. They know that you are trustworthy, smarter and stronger and will make good decisions. they will then relax and simply do what you tell them or what you allow. They don't have to be constantly vigilant for danger outside the pack; you, as pack leader will do that. All they has to do is obey your commands. It is reassuring to them and makes them a calmer animal.

Trivia................................

By the way,
Happy Valencakes Day
For the first time in 73 years, Pancake Day and Valentine's Day happen to fall consecutively on the 13th and 14th February. I think this calls for a big cakey love blowout, along with a brand new holiday - Valencakes Day.

......and the times they are a-changing.   Only 42 days to putting your clocks forward. Sunday March 25 is the day to fiddle with all the clocks and watches in your house so if you want to be on time for work/gardening/sitting around in your pyjamas watching re-runs of Midsomer Murder, then you might want to consider changing them. Just thought I would remind you! Oh! You're more than welcome!

       Now here's a well trained dog who brings home the cat after a night out on the tiles!


                                                                 Dawn ("") xx

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Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs with Arthritis

May 13, 2016/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by kdgbalmer

Many pet owners prefer not to treat a dog’s arthritis pain with prescription drugs for fear of common side effects or worsening symptoms.  Instead, there are a number of natural or holistic treatments available, with one being coconut oil.  In recent years, coconut oil has had a surge in popularity for multiple reasons.  Not only are there numerous health benefits when added to food, but coconut oil has hundreds of uses around the house, as well.  In particular, coconut oil has been found to help relieve joint pain among canine arthritis sufferers, which is welcome news for many pet owners.
What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is produced from fresh coconut meat that has been dried and expeller pressed.  Unlike other dietary oils, such as olive or canola, coconut oil is approximately 90% saturated fat.  Although saturated fat typically is considered “bad,” the saturated fat in coconut oil has a different makeup than most other bad fats.  Coconut oil consists mostly of medium-chain triglycerides, which have been touted recently for their important health benefits.  In comparison to long chain fatty acids, medium chain triglycerides have been suggested to improve metabolism, support the immune system, and boost collagen production.
What are the benefits of coconut oil for dogs with arthritis?
Feeding your arthritic dog coconut oil daily can improve his or her mobility and lessen pain.  The medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil include caprylic, decanoic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, and oleic acids.  Some of these acids have been suggested to help reverse the ligament damage that aggravates arthritis symptoms.
What are the additional benefits to my dog?
Besides providing relief to bones and joints, coconut oil can also help your pet lose weight and regulate thyroid function.  If your pet has skin allergies, the acids in coconut oil can help soothe red, itchy skin, and can also aid digestion.  Dogs will dull coats will get a boost from the medium chain triglycerides found in the oil, leading to a stronger, shinier fur.
How much coconut oil should I give my dog?
When first administering coconut oil to your dog, you should start with a small amount until he or she adapts.  Initially, provide ¼ teaspoon to small dogs, and up to one teaspoon for large dogs daily.  Gradually increase the amount to one tablespoon coconut oil per 30 lbs of weight.  Also beware that there are a number of types of coconut oil on the market.  Extra virigin coconut oil (i.e. unrefined) provides maximal health benefits.
Are there any side effects of coconut oil?
In general, few side effects exist when giving your dog coconut oil.  For dogs with sensitive stomachs, they may experience loose or greasy stools if too much oil is given at once.  In this case, decrease the amount given.  Otherwise, dogs may gain weight from the addition of the oil to their diet.  If this happens, decrease the amount of food or treats that are provided, or add an extra 5 – 10 minutes to your dog’s daily walk.