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Animal lovers magazine in Houston, Texas
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d gsTexas &catsHOUSTON January 2014
Cypress VCA Telge RoAd AnimAl HospiTAl11430 Telge RoadCypress, TX 77429281-671-0776VCAtelgeroad.com
Houston VCA AsHfoRd
AnimAl HospiTAl12633 WhittingtonHouston, TX 77077281-749-1174VCAashford.com
Houston VCA CounTRysideAnimAl HospiTAl2211 FM 1960 EastHouston, TX 77073281-301-0619
VCAcountryside.com
Houston VCA spRing BRAnCH
AnimAl HospiTAl10109 Long Point Road
Houston, TX 77043713-428-2200
VCAspringbranch.com
Katy VCA Kelliwood
AnimAl HospiTAl960 S. Fry RoadKaty, TX 77450
281-944-7901VCAkelliwood.com
Kingwood VCA Kingwood
AnimAl HospiTAl2526 Green Oak DriveKingwood, TX 77339
281-973-2852VCAkingwood.com
Lake Jackson VCA lAKe JACKson AnimAl HospiTAl
210 That WayLake Jackson, TX 77566
979-316-2796VCAlakejackson.com
Pasadena VCA AnimAl mediCAlCenTeR of pAsAdenA
5018A Fairmont ParkwayPasadena, TX 77505
281-560-3268VCApasadena.com
Sugar LandVCA souTHwesT fReewAy
AnimAl HospiTAl15575 SW Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478832-500-8443
VCAswfreeway.com
Spring VCA spRing
AnimAl HospiTAl1811 Spring Cypress
Spring, TX 77388832-510-6196VCAspring.com
Spring/WoodlandsVCA woodlAnds AnimAl HospiTAl428 Rayford RoadSpring, TX 77386832-510-6197
VCAwoodlands.com
Texas City, VCA mAinlAnd
AnimAl HospiTAl3015 Palmer HighwayTexas City, TX 77590
409-359-4784VCAmainland.com
Tomball VCA TomBAll
VeTeRinARy HospiTAl28800 Tomball PkwyTomball, TX 77375281-305-9518 VCAtomball.com
Management Services Provided by VCA Animal Hospitals. • Animal Healthcare of Texas, PC. - Rocky McKelvey, DVM - owner.
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ART ID #: 36800000427811DIRECTORY NO: 005555CLOSE DATE: 08/12/2011PUB DATE: 12-11CLIENT NAME: VCA ANIMAL HOSPITALSCMR/CLIENT NO: 368-5031HEADING: VETERINARIANSSTATE/DIRECTORY: CA DOWNEY-NORWALK PUB CODE: SPR 0682SIZE: HPWP 51x29.6NO: P667331
*P667331*
Your Pet’s Health – Our PriorityCount on us to care for your pet. We provide a people friendly environmentwith dedicated, caring professionals.
Wellness and early disease detection & prevention
State of the art medical, dentistry and surgical equipment
Extended evening and weekend hours
Vaccinations Walk-ins welcome
Convenient hours Ultrasound & Radiology
Boarding & Grooming Doggie day care & Training (VCA La Mirada)
All backed by the nation’s largest and most trusted animal healthcare network, giving you access to over 275 board certified specialists for complex cases.* For new clients only. Offer good only for general veterinary services. Excludes emergency and specialized services.
VCA Supports Animal Shelters
Nationwide
FREE First Exam!*
Santa Fe SpringsVCA LA MIRADA13914 E. Rosecrans Ave.(Between Valley View & Marquardt)
562-239-4414www.vcalamirada.comMON-FRI: 7-7 SAT: 8-4
CerritosVCA LAKEWOOD10701 South St.(Corner of South St. & Palo Verde Ave.)
562-239-4433www.vcalakewoodca.com24 Hour Emergency (Open 7 Days a Week)• Doctor on Premises
AAHA ACCREDITATION
www.VCAhospitals.com www.twitter.com/vcapethealth
www.Facebook.com/VCAAnimalHospitals
* For new clients only. Not to be combined with any other offer. Not good for emergency examinations. Up to 2 pets per household. Expires 09-30-2013.
We Love to Pamper Your Pets
FREEFirst
Exam*
Call us to schedule your FREE first exam*
n Complete Wellness Caren Diagnostic & Medical Caren Dentistry & Surgeryn Highly Skilled & Caring Professionalsn Evening & Weekend Hours
RCF
4 d gsTexas &cats
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Puppy 101
Centerstage
People Food
Lovable Lizzie
What to Feed Your New Fur Kid
4
Dog Training: The Next Hot Profession
Delivering Houston
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Signs of Hypothermia
Pet Puzzlers
Spotted by the Pupperazzi
PUBLISHERShannan Parker
Tel: 281.781.4727
EDITORTiffany Robinson
DESIGNERFran Sherman
314.275.2208
CONTRIBUTING WRITERSTricia Fagan
Monica Schmidt
Texas A&M
Nadine Joli- Coeur
Connie Geodecke
Gabby Salinas
PHOTOGRAPHERShannan Parker
ADVERTISE WITH US!281.781.4727 • [email protected]
Next Issue: February 2014Advertiser’s Deadline: January 15th 2014
Marketplace
Caring for Your Christmas Puppy
What to Feed Your New Fur Kid
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6 d gsTexas &cats6 d gsTexas &cats
BY GABBY SALINAS
If the recent class size at Starmark Academy for Professional Dog Trainers— located outside of Austin, Texas in Hutto—is any indication, people are straying from the typical career path and following their passion in life. In this instance, the passion is pursuing a career as a dog trainer.
the next hot professionStarmark Academy Sees Rapid Growth in Class Size
dogtraining:
dogtraining:
8 d gsTexas &cats
The Academy is a state-ap-proved trade school that offers certification in the science of dog training. Whether stu-dents have prior experience in dog training or want to learn an entirely new set of skills, Starmark’s certified instructors teach a variety of proven and innovative dog training techniques. The curriculum at Starmark Academy involves basic and advanced obe-dience, as well as specialized areas including therapy dog training, search and rescue, protection and more.
Students in the recent class range from 18-68 years old with a variety of backgrounds ranging from pet sitters and kennel technicians to psychologists, au-thors and bankers. They come from around the state, country and world to study and live on the 360-acre campus. Starmark Academy offers four-, eight- and twelve-week programs during which students receive supervised, hands-on training with immediate feed-back from expert instructors. Understanding that not all dogs are alike, Starmark teaches multiple methods to equip students to handle a variety of behavior modification issues. Additionally, rescue dogs from local shelters are used in classes, which expose stu-
dents to various temperaments. It also makes these dogs much more desirable for adoption—in fact, the adoption rate of rescue dogs used in the trainer pro-gram is 90 percent. Upon completion of the program, roughly 85 percent of Starmark graduates will go into business for themselves. To help prepare them, Academy curriculum includes a 10-hour business class taught by a Harvard Business School graduate (and Starmark alum).
Starmark’s well-rounded approach to teaching dog training thoroughly prepares students for a future career in professional dog training. To help students following graduation, job placement assistance, coun-seling and continued education programs are offered. For more information about Starmark Academy for Professional Dog Trainers, visit http://www.school-fordogtrainers.com/.
Students in the recent class range from 18-68 years old with a variety of backgrounds ranging from pet sitters and kennel technicians to psychologists, authors and bankers.
DOG DAYCARE & BAKERY
www.houstondogdaycare.com • Don’t forget to visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jacksons.place
• Cage-Free Boarding• Open 7 Days Per Week
6434 Washington AvenueHouston, TX 77007
Doggie Daycare, Boarding, Grooming and
Obedience Training
10 d gsTexas &cats
deliveringhouston
10 d gsTexas &cats
BY M
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ETY
A Hot Shot Delivery truck pulled up to the Houston Humane Society carrying some precious cargo: nearly 500 pounds of goods from the organization’s wish list, including dog food, cat food, kitty litter, leashes, towels and treats. Hot Shot Delivery also presented the Houston Humane Society with a check for $500. The delivery was the culmination of “Delivering Houston,” a month-long campaign to raise awareness about local charities.
G I V I N G B A C K
Certified Professional TrainingCertified Professional TrainingCertified Professional Training
dogS gone gooddogS gone gooddogS gone good dogSgonegood.com713.557.1949
Private In-Home TrainingDog Boarding School
Dog Obedience ClassesPuppy Training Classes
“The Best Your Dog Can Be”
advertisehere281.781.4727 • [email protected]
12 d gsTexas &cats12 d gsTexas &cats
LEFT: NATURAL PAWZ DONATED 625 POUNDS OF DOG AND CAT FOOD TO HOUSTON HUMANE SOCIETY IN DECEMBER. NATURAL PAWZ IS A COMPANY DEDICATED TO GIVING BACK TO LOCAL SHELTERS AND ANIMAL RESCUES.
ABOVE: GIRL SCOUT TROOP 21300 AND THEIR DONATIONS
RIGTH: VET TECH INSTITUTE
HOUSTON
14 d gsTexas &cats
I set out to determine what things were “people” food, and what things were “dog” food. For the holidays, my family gathered to eat a large meal. (It would not be a holiday without overeating!) We had turkey, gravy, stuffing, pota-toes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, corn bread, peas, nuts and fruits. Those things must be “people” food. To
discover what dog food was, I read the ingredient list from my dogs’ food, [ A popular, high end “dog” food ]. The in-gredients: Duck, duck meal, chicken, egg, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), po-tatoes, roasted quail, roasted duck, smoked turkey. Uh oh! Many of those items were in my holiday meal! If I am not
going to give my dog “people” food, does that mean no more high end dog food? Al-ternatively, does that mean no more turkey, chicken, sweet potatoes and peas for people? Also, what about beef? Beef should be people food, right? Nope. Among the ingredi-ents from another popular high end dog food are: beef and wild boar. That one bag
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People often tell me, usually with great pride, “I never give my dog people food!”. These people appear to be thinking that if the dog eats “people” food, the dog will misbehave in the future—try to get and eat more “people” food. There are two questions to consider: First, what exactly is “people” food? And second, does giving
your dog “people:” food adversely affect your dog’s behavior?
peoplefood
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behavior better than store bought dog treats.
Perhaps our ideas about “people” food and “dog” food don’t matter after all. I often feed my Belgian Malinois “people” food, yet I can eat a steak in front of her and she will not bother me. I can even leave the room, and return to find my steak just as I left it. Feeding her “people” food has not made her misbehave—she was trained to have good manners around “people” food. Training your dog
seems to be the secret to good behavior. Heav-ily processed food does not seem to be the key to anything good.
Happy Training,
of dog food took beef and pork. I am fast running out of people food.
What is left? Lettuce! Wait a minute, don’t rabbits eat lettuce? Lettuce must be rabbit food. Ok. Cheese! Er, um, cheese is made from milk, and milk is actually cow food. Honey! I like sweet things, honey must be people food. Foiled again, honey is bee food. Popcorn! Corn bread! Surely there is no corn in dog food? Sigh. Corn is very inexpensive, and is the first ingredient in cheap, poor quality dog foods. I’m running out of people food fast.
Ok, I’ll get off my soap-box here, and dial down the sarcasm. Obviously, there is some considerable overlap between what dogs can eat and what people can eat. What you should definitely avoid feeding your dog is “people only” food. Lets take a quick look at stuff you can eat, but you should *never* give to your dog. Raisins and grapes! This is a “people only” food. Raisins and grapes cause kidney damage in dogs. Raisins and grapes are definitely “people only” food. Onions! Onions can cause hemolytic anemia in dogs. Chocolate! Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Quick recap, because this is so im-portant. Do NOT ever feed your dog: raisins, grapes, onions, or chocolate.
As I said before, all of the things listed on the dog food bags cannot be exclusively for dogs. So what makes some chicken people food, and some chicken dog food? Back to the drawing
board. At the grocery store, where the “people” food is sold, chicken is sold raw and cooked, with and without bones, fresh and frozen. At the pet store, where the “dog” food is sold, the “chicken” is hidden inside highly processed chunks of kibble. That’s it! Dog food is highly processed! Much of the food sold to people in the grocery stores is fresh, unaltered. Most dog food looks more like a clump of dirt and not at all reminis-cent of anything edible.
So, when people tell me, “I have never fed my dog people food”, I hear “I only feed my dog highly pro-cessed foods”. Hmmm . . . fresh foods are better for people than processed foods. How can it be that dogs, now a domesticated animal but originally from a wild animal, are best suited for highly processed food? In fact, commercially available “dog food” was difficult to find as late as the 1940s.
I often use cubes of real, fresh turkey to train dogs. The dogs love real meat, and turkey is low in fat and calo-ries. When a dog is trained with less-motivating treats, the dog learns to respond in a lack luster manner. When a dog is trained with highly motivating treats, the dog learns to respond quickly and eagerly. Real meat, turkey, chicken, beef or lamb, can reward your dog’s good
Tricia FaganCertified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge AssessedDogS Gone [email protected](713) 557-1949
Quick recap, because this is so important. Do NOT ever feed your dog: raisins, grapes, onions, or chocolate.
peoplefood
16 d gsTexas &cats16 d gsTexas &cats
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Elizabeth didn’t have a name when she came to us, or if she did it wasn’t something she would want to keep. She was found wander-ing around our parking lot alone with a pronounced limp and in need of help.
lizzielovable
17171717{January 2014}
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for a
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We found out her “owner” left her in the back of a pick-up while she went inside. This woman told our staff she wouldn’t pick up the dog because it was too nasty and she didn’t know what the injury to the leg was but she had been pouring peroxide on it from time to time, surely adding severe pain to the poor dog. She also told us the dog was not worth spending her money on to try to save.
We knew this pup wouldn’t survive much longer with-out our help. The top notch veterinary team at HHS quickly went to work. She was extremely dirty and matted and could be smelled from several feet away. The injury to her back leg was so severe it made seasoned staff cry to see what she had been
forced to endure. A swollen, bloody, infected paw with an open wound exposing her leg bones was the source of the fetid, putrid smell. Gangrene and infection had set in to an injury that had clearly been inflicted weeks, ago. The veterinary team listened to her heart and lungs and were happy to report both sound-ed clear. Her heartworm test was negative (much to our surprise!), and she was started on a heavy dose of antibiotics and given flea meds. She was given a new name to symbolize her fresh start. Elizabeth, a name as regal and beautiful as she is, although she’s affectionately known by Lizzie to the staff.
Due to the severity of her injuries and bones being exposed for so long, the leg had to be amputated. It was
a long, gruesome surgery, but Dr. Harkness, Dr. Padidem and Dr. Kim were able to amputate before the infec-tion spread further. It took too many staples and sutures to count, but finally, after an exhausting surgery, she was on the road to recovery. It was important to get her cleaned up after surgery. The veterinary technicians shaved away all of the matted, filthy hair and gave her a quick mani/pedi. Afterwards, a quick bath helped wash away any lingering dirt and grime to reveal clean, pink skin. After her bath, Doctors sealed the wound and affixed an e-collar.
In the weeks following her life changing surgery, Lizzie was first put on complete cage rest, but progressively worked her way up to short
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walks and potty breaks. It wasn’t long before the precious pup was running, jumping and playing. It took time for her back leg muscles to adjust, but she was up to the challenge. You can’t wipe the smile off her face these days. It’s been amazing to
see her transformation from that first frightful day. She’s grown into a confident dog that enjoys lounging on plush beds, making new friends and playing with squeaky toys. She’s also a complete treat hound. She didn’t know what toys and treats were
when she first arrived, but she learned pretty quickly.
Wondering what hap-pened to Lizzie’s previous owner? The HHS Animal Cruelty Investigators stepped in and worked with the District Attorney’s office to press charges based on the owner’s failure to provide medical care. If Lizzie’s previous owner had sought immediate medical care at HHS, our Chief Veterinarian would have been able to save her leg. Houston Humane Society takes animal cruelty very seriously. It is our goal that no animal suffer need-lessly like Lizzie. With your help, we can continue to fight animal cruelty and neglect in our community. You can report animal cruelty online at www.houstonhumane.org.
19{January 2014}
We knew this pup wouldn’t survive much longer without our help. The top notch veterinary team at HHS quickly went to work. She was extremely dirty and matted and could be smelled from several feet away. The injury to her back leg was so severe it made seasoned staff cry to see what she had been forced to endure.
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It used to be Christmas was for new puppies and kittens, that is no longer the cas. Many of us adopt a new family member from one of the local rescues or pet organizations. The new pet can be young, old, small, large and may also have some special needs.
whattofeedyour new fur kid
BY N
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It is a time of great joy but it is challenging to determine the best food for your new family member. There are so many choices out there.
Whether you get a pet from a breeder or adopt from a rescue or a shelter it is important to ask a couple of questions.
1) What have they been eating ? How much and how often are they feed?
2) How old is the pet?3) Does the pet have any allergies or skin issues?4) Are there any medical conditions that you should
know (past or present)
21{January 2014}
A little information can help guide you on what to do next. If your pet has been on a poor diet or you have a multi pet household you might want to change their food.
The first thing to do is to find a food that meets the best needs of your pet. Should you buy canned food, dry food or something else? The answer really is that there is no one right answer
PUPPIES – WHAT TO FEEDFeeding your pet a healthy food is essential if they
are to grow into a healthy adult. A puppy diet will provide them the extra nutrients and fat needed. In addition other ingredients such as dha for brain devel-opment, omega’s for a shiny coat and enough but not too much calories for energy. For small and medium sized breeds you should feed pet food for at least the first 9 months. For Large to giant breeds or breeds that tend to have hip and joint issues you can feed a breed specific puppy food for upwards to 18months (timing is determined on when they stop growing).
RESCUE PETS – WHAT TO FEEDOften newly adopted pets are stressed and may have
not been on a proper diet prior to their arrival in your household. Select a diet based on needs; overweight, dry coat, poor digestion….
POOR COATA better food will improve the coat. You should
start with a food that provides additional omegas or ingredients for the coat (such as coconut oil, fish protein, fish oil, canola oil, flax). If their ears and between the pads are irritated they probably have al-lergies and you should look to feed a diet formulated with limited ingredients and a protein source that they have not before such as Duck, Rabbit, Lamb.
POOR DIGESTION / LOOSE STOOL If your pet has loose stool or diarrhea, it may be
due to stress, a poor diet, too fast a transition to a new diet or feeding too much. If you are feeding a good diet,you may be feeding too much during a meal, either cut back or feed more often. I consider that a good dietstarts with high quality ingredients as opposed to that is made from lower quality or highly processed ingredients –like glutens, starchy grains and by-products. A pet cannot be healthy without a healthy intestinal tract. To improve intestinal health
you can add the following to their diet; pre &/or pro biotics (a supplement specifically designed will work better than plain yogurt), Enzymes -which you can get from a supplement or raw food or bones), Pumpkin – full of fiber, minerals.
OVERWEIGHTOverweight pet is susceptible to many health issues
(joint pain, heart stress). Feeding a low fat diet often will not result in reduced weight. Your pet needs high quality protein for optimal health. Here are some ways to lose those extra pounds; replace 1/3 of the diet with canned pumpkin, feed a good senior or weight management diet (the extra glucosamine in a senior diet helps the joints), cut back their current diet and lastly slowly increase exercise.
SENIOR PETSif you adopted a pet over 7 years old I want to thank
you. Increasingly old pets suddenly find themselves in a shelter or rescue group because their owners cannot take care of them. Senior pets are some of the most loving animals and with a little focus on nutrition and adding supplements there is no reason that they live a long happy life. As our pet’s age, their bodies do not process foods as efficiently so you want to look to feed a less processed diet, make sure to manage their weight and increase water /moisture in their diet.
As parents of a new furkid, you are responsible for what your pet eats. Not all pets are the same and not all pet’s like the same things. With some research and a little trial and error, you can make a dif-ference in what your pet eats.
your new fur kid
21
FOOD TRANSITION GUIDE
• Day 1 & 2 75% old food mixed with 25% new food
• Day 3 & 4 Equal amounts of both food
• Day 5 If poop looks good feed 75% NEW :25% old, otherwise repeat 50:50 split
Note : many less processed foods you likely will not have to feed as much as the feeding directions say. Start 3/4 the amount and add more or less depend-ing if you pet starts to gain or lose weight. For more details you can pick up a Pet food Transition guide at Natural Pawz.
22 d gsTexas &cats
The holidays are over, the decorations are put away, the last Auld Lang Syne has been sung, and the kids are heading back to school for the spring semester. As you look at that little 4-legged bundle of joy that was so cute on Christmas morning with the big red bow around his neck, but who is now sitting in the middle of a pile of shredded paper chewing on your shoe after having left you a ‘present’ in the middle
christmaspuppy
caring for your
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Never fear. For many, the decision to buy a Christmas puppy is an impulsive one, fueled by the fervent pleas of children and fed by promises of “I’ll take care of him, really, puhleeeeeze!” All too often, the reality of actually now having a small whining, peeing, pooping, sock-eating ankle biter is a bit of a let-down in the weeks
after the holidays.Still, a successful integration of a wonderful, loving
addition to your family can be accomplished. Atten-tion to a few basic realities can help you transform this adorable, if mischievous, little pup into a healthy, happy, well-behaved family member.
23{January 2014}
The most important step is to get your new puppy checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian will be able to perform a thorough examina-tion of your puppy to confirm his health and well-being, and assist you with making decisions about care, feeding, vaccination schedules, heartworm prevention and parasite control, as well as advising you on the appropriate time to spay/neuter your new puppy. A few basics:• Puppies eat puppy food, which is nutritionally balanced
to meet the needs of a growing youngster. Avoid adult dog food, and most of all, “table scraps” and “people food,” which are not only nutritionally inadequate for your puppy, and can cause pancreatitis and metabolic bone disease, but also sets him up for later bad behav-iors. Puppies eat more frequently than adult dogs do, and it is advisable to feed them in meals, rather than free-feeding, up to 3 times daily in the early weeks. Feed as much as the puppy will eat in 20-30 minutes, then pick up the bowl. A regular feeding schedule will help with housetraining and set the pup up to avoid obesity as he grows into an adult.
• Puppies are given between 3 and 4 rounds of vaccines (protocols differ among different veterinarians) begin-ning at 6-8 weeks of age and then boostered every 3-4 weeks until the series is complete. A puppy should not be taken on walks through the neighborhood or to the dog park until he has completed your vet’s puppy vac-cine protocol.
• In our area, heartworms are a major threat to dogs and cats, and heartworm prevention should be started early. Your veterinarian can advise you on the best type of prevention for your puppy and when you should begin giving it.
• Sadly, fleas and/or ticks are a fact of life, and our mild winters do little to impact their life cycles. Consult your veterinarian about year-round parasite control.
• Most puppies are born with intestinal parasites, and need to be dewormed regularly as they grow. Your first vet visit will likely include a test for intestinal parasites.
Probably the biggest dread of most new puppy own-ers is housetraining. Housetraining is all about creating habits, and the most important part of the process is giv-ing your puppy every opportunity to succeed. Feed your puppy on a schedule and take him out every 2-3 hours so he goes to the bathroom outside as often as possible. Puppies that are on a feeding schedule are much easier to housetrain. Many families are on a flexible schedule during the holidays, and so accomplishing this kind of routine can be a challenge, but the earlier you’re able to implement it, the easier the process will be and the more successful the outcome will be. When a puppy has an accident in the house, pick the mess up and take puppy
and mess outside, place it on the ground and make a big deal and reward the puppy as if he/she had done it. Carry treats to reward the puppy when they go out-side correctly. Positive reinforcement is the best way to housetrain a new puppy. A crate in a valuable resource in training your puppy and a safe secure place for your dog as he grows up. Research crate training to integrate it into your housetraining routine.
Socializing your puppy properly will help him grow into a wonderful companion who can be included in all your activities when he grows into an adult, one who will accept guests, both 2- and 4-legged, readily, and one who will be confident in new situations,. The window of time to properly socialize your puppy is actually a small one, and hopefully your breeder will have started the process early. If adequate socialization opportunities have not been provided before you acquired your puppy, try to be-gin exposing your puppy to new situations as quickly as you can. Among some breeders, this type of socialization process is known as the “Rule of Seven.” By the time a puppy is seven weeks old he/she should have:• Been on 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, concrete,
wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, wood chips• Played with 7 different types of objects: big balls, small
balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy toys, squeaky toys, paper of cardboard items, metal items, sticks or hose pieces
• Been in 7 different locations: front yard, back yard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom
• Met and played with 7 new people: include children and older adults, someone walking with a cane or stick, someone in a wheelchair or walker
• Been exposed to 7 challenges: climb on a box, climb off a box, go through a tunnel, climb steps, go down steps, climb over obstacles, play hide and seek, in and out of a doorway with a step up or down, run around a fence
• Eaten from 7 different containers; metal, plastic, card-board, paper,china, pie plate, frying pan
• Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, kitchen, base-ment, laundry room, living room, bathroom
As he grows, let your puppy meet lots of new people, but try to make sure each encounter is fun for the dog. Have visitors sit on the floor and let the puppy approach at his own pace. Provide visitors with treats or toys to engage the pup in enjoyable ways.
Consider puppy classes at a local training facility for your new puppy. Not only are they great socialization opportunities for your pup, the attention and focus on each other provide a great bonding experience for the two of you.
A dog isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life. Be sure to get your Christmas puppy started off on the right paw!
24 d gsTexas &cats24 d gsTexas &cats
T he weather in Texas is extremely unpredictable. One day it’s 60 degrees and raining, the next it’s 80 degrees with sunshine. Winters can be even worse with unexpected cold fronts. With extremely cold temperatures, hypothermia is a possibility for dogs.
signsof hypothermiadashing through
the snow:
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM TEXAS A&M
Hypothermia, occurring in both humans and pets, is a condition characterized by abnormally low body temperatures. There are three phases of hypothermia: mild, classified as a body temperature of 90-99 degrees Fahrenheit; moderate, classified as a body temperature of 82-90 degrees Fahrenheit; and severe, classified as a body temperature of less than 82 degrees Fahrenheit. With hypothermia, the dog is no longer able to control a normal body temperature resulting in an abnormal heartbeat and difficulties breathing.
Generally, hypothermia results from spending too
much time outside in the cold. Although there is not a specific time limit for a given temperature a dog should be left outside, Dr. Stacy Eckman, lecturer at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, said time spent outside in the cold should be restricted.
“The amount of time a pet should spend outside var-ies based on how acclimated the pet is to cooler temper-atures,” Eckman said. “Typically, we do not recommend indoor pets to spend considerable amounts of time outdoors in cold temperatures without supervision.”
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Hypothermia should be considered when taking any pet into the cold for long periods of time, but some are more susceptible to the illness than others. Smaller, younger dogs, for example, are likely to lose their body heat faster resulting in hypothermia, Eckman said.
“Geriatric patients may take medications that alter their ability to regulate their temperature and blood flow making them also more susceptible,” she said.
She added that Arctic breeds such as Huskies or Malamutes can be less prone to hypothermia than other breeds because of their thicker coats.
If a dog is left in the cold for an extended period of times, signs of hypothermia to look for are shivering, lethargy, weakness, and shallow breathing. The more severe the case of hypothermia, the worse the signs will appear.
“After a period of time, the shivering stops and they become more neurologically affected,” Eckman said. “Their heart rates may drop to dangerous levels, and it can be fatal.”
It is important to take the pet to the veterinarian or seek a veterinarian’s advice if hypothermia is suspected. Once there, the veterinarian can monitor the pet’s heart-beat, breathing, and temperature. If the temperature falls below 98 degrees Fahrenheit, Eckman said the veterinar-ian will start “active warming” on the pet. Active warm-
ing includes placing warm blankets or heating pads on the animal and feeding it warmed oats or rice. Eckman cautioned that owners should not perform these methods of treatment before consulting a veterinarian.
“Items such as heating pads should never be applied directly to pets as this can cause thermal burns,” she said.
For severe cases, the veterinarian may give warmed IV fluids or warm water enemas to the pet.
Another result from leaving a dog in the cold for long periods of time is frostbite. Frostbite occurs on areas least covered by fur such as ears and tails. Signs of frost-bite include red, swollen areas or pale, white areas. As with hypothermia, it is important to consult a veterinar-ian if frostbite is suspected.
To prevent hypothermia and frostbite, it is recom-mended that pets, particularly smaller, younger or older pets, are not in the cold for extended periods of time. Eckman also recommended putting sweaters or booties on the pet to keep them warm.
“Dogs with coats and booties may look cute, but this ‘fashion statement’ may protect from hypothermia,” she said.
This winter, whether staying in Texas or traveling to Colorado, remember to monitor the temperature if your pet is spending extended periods of time in the cold.
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