“What do I have to do to get Austin to feed the dog?â€
“I’m so sick of having to walk the dog. Sophie begged us to get a dog. She said she’d do all the work. Now I end up doing everything. I’m tired of it.â€
“We’ve tried bribes, a sticker chart, taking away privileges … nothing works. I’m at my wit’s end with Tyler. Max is HIS dog! Why can’t he understand that?â€
“Hailey runs off to play with her friends and just leaves everything for me to do. I’m tempted to stop going behind her to make sure it gets done. If she doesn’t feed the dog, he doesn’t get fed. Period.â€
“If the girls aren’t going to take care of the dog, we’re just going to take it back.â€
I’ve heard this type of comment from frustrated moms repeatedly over the years. There’s one thing that eliminates all this stress and drama. It’s the one solution you probably don’t want to hear, but here it is.
Mom, no matter whose dog it is, it’s your dog. If you don’t want to take care of a dog, then don’t get a dog.
Ouch.
But think about it. Dads and kids love their dogs, but no matter whose dog it is, mom is the one who makes sure it’s fed, takes it to the vet, remembers vaccinations, remembers to refill the water even when everyone else forgets, housebreaks it, notices every limp and bump … even fixes a comforting place for the dog to stay during fireworks and trick-or-treating.
We can either resent this responsibility and create all sorts of drama for everyone, or we can embrace it and be not only better dog owners, but better wives and parents, too.
What if we looked at pet ownership as a great opportunity to train and teach our children, and walk alongside our kids as they learn? When children are raised with dogs, they learn about treating animals with compassion. They learn about the circle of life. And yes, they learn about responsibility. But putting an eight-year-old in charge of another living thing is not the way to teach these things. It’s unfair to both the child and the dog.
Here’s how to raise your kids with dogs and let them take part in their care.
YOUNGER KIDS
If your children are under 10, give them jobs to do that you can do with them. If your son’s job is to feed the dog, be sure you do it with him so you can see how much food he’s giving the dog, and verify that the dog has been fed. There’s no opportunity for him to forget. He gets into the healthy habit of doing something faithfully every day. It’s enjoyable, and he has the security of knowing that you’ll ensure that the two of you get it done. Feeding time turns into one-on-one time with mom, which totally rocks. Your son will look forward to this special time when you and he do something together, and you’ll find that he guards that time fiercely. As you do, there will be dozens of conversations about dog health, how the digestive system process food, why we all need food, how a dog’s diet differs from our diet … and so much more. This is good talk time. And when he’s older, you’ll be glad you got him in the habit of working and talking together.
OLDER KIDS
If your children are old enough to do some of the dog’s care duties by themselves, that does’t mean you abdicate responsibility for them. Check behind them. Verify that the job has been done. Every time. Every day. Not in a nagging way, but with a heart that says, “The kids help, but this is my responsibility.â€Â Accountability will help your children to avoid the all-too-common slide into the habit of not doing something if they don’t feel like it.
When it’s time to feed the dog, a child can focus on the job, or she can focus on whether she feels like doing the job. If she focuses on her feelings, she’ll almost always talk herself out of it. Teaching children to act on their values rather than their feelings is very difficult in today’s culture. If she doesn’t learn to do the right thing in spite of how she feels, how will she ever do anything long enough to get good at it? How will she do her history homework on time? When she’s an adult, how will she get up every morning and go to work? How will she stay faithful to her husband? How will she restrain herself to a healthy diet, or get to the gym?
Show your child she must follow through on her responsibility to feed the dog. Don’t give her a way out. Help her develop the habit of rain-or-shine dependability. It’s better to verify that it’s done every day than to disengage from the process and then punish when it doesn’t get done. When you help her to remember every day, you’re on her side. You’re helping her. You’re teaching her. When you leave it up to her, and then take away privileges when the inevitable neglect occurs, you’re teaching her to resent the dog, the work, and you. Instead of seeing the dog as a beloved family member and taking pride in her role in caring for it, she’ll start resenting responsibility, which will set her up to be a child all her life.
“GIVING UP†TEACHES THE WRONG THINGS
Some parents at the end of their rope desperately cast about for big-impact ways to show their kids how important it is to care for their pets. They threaten to stop feeding the dog if the child forgets, or they threaten to give the dog away. These solutions are not fair to the dog and they’re damaging to kids.
Giving up on a pet weakens a child’s sense of security. Your kids need to know that you’ll be there for him no matter what. When you demonstrate a lack of concern for the health, comfort and security of a pet, the child will internalize it. He’ll start to wonder, “If I’m too much trouble or expense, what will happen to me?†Is it rational? No. But children aren’t rational. The younger they are, the more feelings-driven they are. And they need security more than almost anything else.
Isn’t it better to teach them how to be faithful to another living thing? Isn’t it easier on the parents, too? There’s so much less drama, fewer arguments, lower stress, less anger and less resentment if mom just takes responsibility for the family dog.
Parenting is tough. I think we get into a habit of looking for solutions that will give us less to do. This one takes more time, and we don’t like solutions that take more time. But it does make our lives easier, our relationships closer, our kids better, our self respect higher, and our dogs happier.
Let’s all stop worrying about what’s fair and do what’s best.
And you know what? At the end of the day, the dog knows. She know who loves her, who watches out for her, who knows her best, who’s always there. The hidden blessing peeks out when your dog curls up on your lap and looks up at you as if to say, “Thanks, mom.â€
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Kyjen is a major manufacturer in the pet industry, with cool, innovative products. I’ve been impressed with their products for the past nine years. We all love to love the little guy, but this operation is one “big guy†that I have always liked. It seems they’re always trying to come up with fresh new ideas, and ways to make the old toys better. It’s sometimes frustrating for a retailer to “lose†a popular toy, but I always tell my customers to wait until it’s re-release, and that they’ll love it. That’s exactly what’s happened with the Invincibles® toys.
How tough can a plush toy get? Some dogs can’t have plush toys. Ever. I’ve had those dogs. Others need a tough one, and those are the dogs that these toys are made for.
The newest versions of Invincibles® contain reinforced, double-layered seams and Dura Tuff lining material. On the inside, the toys are stuffing-less, filled only with their patented squeakers that continue to squeak even after being punctured. Sure, no toy is tough enough to endure the most aggressive chewer. Some dogs just can’t have plush toys. But some dogs can have Invincibles®, even if they can’t have regular plush toys. And that’s good news for enthusiastic or big dogs.
Even when dogs manage to tear through the double-layered seams and Dura-Tuff™ liner, the mess is minimal thanks to their stuffing-free design. Invincibles® squeakers are specially designed to continue to squeak even after being punctured—a feature that prolongs the fun for furry friends. They are available in a variety of snake and gecko characters, and range in size from two to six squeakers.
We tested the six squeaker snake on our adolescent Shiloh Shepherd pup. She’s hard on socks, shoes, and the kids’ stuffed animals, so I wasn’t sure. My sewing basket runneth over with beloved stuffed animals in need of a few stitches, thanks to Benelli. So it was with some skepticism that I gave her the Invincibles® snake. That was two months ago. She’s still playing with it — sometimes playing tug-of-war with our 75-pound Irish Setter — and it has not a single tear, rip or puncture. I have to say, I’m impressed. She likes the floppiness of it. When it smacks her face as she shakes it, she’s positively gleeful. She carries it around the house and even sleeps with it. All in all, a major hit.
Kyjen’s line of Invincibles® retails between $ 10 and $ 20. Not cheap for a dog toy. But not expensive, either, especially when you consider how long they last. Would I rather spend $ 6.99 for a series of toys that my dog shreds within a day or a week or spend $ 20 for a toy she’ll have for years? I’ll take door # 2, Monty.
I don’t sell the Invincibles because I specialize in funny dog toys, but you can order directly from Kyjen. Or you can check out one of their retailers. My favorite is Yipeeee!, a webstore that specializes in strong dog toys.
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Since the mid-20th century, pet overpopulation concerns have given rise to a message prevalent in public service announcements, veterinary education and rescue/shelter philosophies. That message is “Spay and neuter, the earlier the better.†However, in recent years, a controversy surrounding health risks of spaying and neutering at an early age has been increasing. New studies show uneven bone growth (certain bones growing longer than their counterparts), infectious diseases, adverse reaction to vaccines, cancer, and other problems being documented at statistically significant rates, even when adjusting for genetic, lifestyle and other factors.
Like most body systems, the endocrine system – which produces hormones – affects more than just the reproductive system. Sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, stimulate the closure of growth plates at puberty. And they do a lot more, too.
EARLIER, MORE FREQUENT CANCER IN EARLY SPAY/NEUTER DOGS
A Veterinary Medical Database search of the years 1982 to 1995 revealed that in dogs with tumors of the heart, the relative risk for spayed females was over four times that of intact females.
In addition to cardiac tumors, this and other studies have found that early spay/neuter practices contribute to a higher incidence of bone cancer, prostate cancer, and other types of cancer.
KNEE AND HIP PROBLEMS IN EARLY SPAY/NEUTER DOGSÂ
A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 found that animals spayed and neutered at less then a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more then a year. Â Because of the absence of sex hormones that signal a slowdown in growth rates after puberty, early spayed/neutered dogs have longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrower chests and narrower skulls.
A study by Dr. Kathy Linn and Dr. Felix Duerr showed that females spayed prior to seven month of age have a significantly greater tibial plateau angle. This is because the tibial growth plate stays open longer then it is supposed to and the tibia continues to grow longer relative to the femur in “fixed†animals as opposed to those animals who are intact. It is widely known and accepted that animals with a greater tibial plateau angle are at a much higher risk for ACL rupture.
Rob Foley, of South Bellmore Veterinary Group, examined ten years of patient data from his practice. “A summary of the data shows that while 2.1% of our spayed and neutered patients had to undergo knee surgery for an ACL rupture, only 0.3% of the intact animals had to have the surgery,†he says. This represents a seven fold increase for animals that have been spayed and neutered before the age of 6 months.
Other orthopedic abnormalities like osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia have also been correlated with early spay and neuter. In addition, spayed and neutered animals tend to gain weight, are more likely to develop obesity, and have decreased lean muscle mass. Obesity itself is a major risk factor for orthopedic abnormalities and injury.
WHY DO WE SPAY/NEUTER SO EARLY?
More and more veterinarians are recommending waiting until 18-24 months before spaying, or until the dog reaches full maturity (which can vary from breed to breed and individual to individual).
For most of us, spaying and neutering early is just something everyone knows. We hear it so often, from so many sources, that it becomes tradition to spay/neuter early. But few of us examine the reasons or evidence given.  It is commonly believed that neutering male dogs early can prevent prostate cancer. But a recent study conducted by the University of Michigan found that it has no affect on the rate of prostate cancer incidence. It is also believed, but not proven, that “fixing†a dog will solve behavioral problems. However, new research shows that this is unproven.
Many of the early spay/neuter messages aimed at the public come from activist groups. However, remember that their objective is ONLY to prevent litters while there are dogs needing homes. The thinking is that the only way to be sure to prevent a dog from reproducing is to spay/neuter before it can. This message serves their agenda, but I don’t see any discussion on their blogs, message boards or public service campaigns about the health hazards of pediatric spaying and neutering.
Many spay/rescue organizations spay and neuter as early as six weeks. However, they may be hampered by state laws that require shelter dogs to be spayed or neutered prior to being adopted. When someone adopts a puppy from a shelter, it’s not realistic to leave the pup at the shelter until it’s finished growing. One shelter solves the early spay/neuter problem with a higher adoption fee for intact puppies, a contractual obligation to spay/neuter and a portion of the adoption fee refunded with proof of spay/neuter when the puppy is older. And they do follow up.
Why do so many vets recommend early spay/neuter? Partly because of social messaging from spay/neuter activists, and partly because of two studies done in the ’60s and ’70s that concluded that spay/neuter solves behavioral problems. Those studies gained momentum and have been quoted so often that they’ve become part of the zeitgeist without anyone ever actually examining the data. The studies were not scientifically rigorous, because there were no control groups (groups of dogs that were intact to compare to the groups of dogs who were spayed/neutered). And the behavioral findings were not evaluated by canine behaviorists.
SHOULD I WAIT?
The recent research suggests it’s best and healthiest for your dog to wait until he or she achieves maturity before you spay or neuter. Does this mean you should? It depends on how much you’re willing to take on in order to give your dog the implied health benefits of waiting. You can’t leave your dog in the back yard while no one is home. You can’t let your male dog off leash unless you’re in an enclosed area (or get distracted by conversation when you are). You have to be ready to intervene if he begins to exhibit sexual behavior with a female.
I’ve seen intact males at our dog park plenty of times, and they’ve all been relaxed, playful, well-mannered dogs. This attests to their training and supervision. It can be done, until it’s time to neuter.
For a female dog, waiting means providing the extra care needed if she goes through her first heat cycle before you spay. She’ll go into her first heat cycle at 6-12 months old (although if she’s not around intact males, she may not go into heat for two years or more). Once she’s had her first heat cycle, she’ll go into heat about every six months. Outdoor pens and back-yard fences don’t keep male dogs out when a female is in heat, so you’ll have to keep her primarily indoors, except for walks. Here’s a good article on how to care for a dog in heat.
Waiting is extra work, there’s no doubt. But it is possible. You have already taken on the responsibility for the health and safety of your dog. You already buy food, take your dog to the vet, provide fresh water, exercise him or her … these are thing you go out of your way to do for the health of your dog. If you’re not breeding your dog to keep exceptional genes and traits in the gene pool to improve the breed, it is best to spay. But choose for yourself the best age and time to do it. Remember, your dog relies on you — no one else — to make decisions that are best for him or her.
Thanks to AngryVet.com, CanineSports.com, HealthyPets.com, National Institutes of Health, Laura J. Sanborn
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It’s late in the evening. Your dog has vomited twice. You’re starting to wonder if you should go to bed or get dressed and get him to a vet.
It’s sometimes a tough call because emergency vet bills are high. Between office visit fees, x-rays, tests and medications, most of us can’t easily absorb an unexpected hit of $ 1,000 or more.
Yet even more than that, we don’t want to endanger our dogs’ life or prolong their suffering. We want to help them when they’re in pain or distress.
So how do you make the right decision?
Here are 10 signs that you should get your dog to the vet, especially if your dog is exhibiting other signs of distress or discomfort.
Restlessness. Dogs who get enough exercise during the day usually lie down or nap in the evening. If your dog is pacing, or lying down and then getting up within a few minutes, it could be a sign of anxiety and pain. You know your dog’s routine. If she is restless and there’s no other cause that it could be attributed to (i.e., houseguests, fireworks, a new neighborhood dog barking outside), get to the vet.
High temperature. It can be tricky to take a dog’s temperature, especially if he’s not feeling well. So when he’s feeling fine, take his temperature a couple of times to get him used to the procedure and to establish a baseline normal temp for him. For most dogs, it’s 101 to 102.5. When he’s exhibiting some of the other signs mentioned here, an accompanying high temperature — which can indicate a viral or bacterial infection — might clinch your decision to seek veterinary attention.
Hesitation to jump or climb. If your dog, who normally jumps into the car or onto the bed readily, or climbs stairs with no problem, suddenly looks unsure or waits for help, he could have an internal or structural problem you can’t see.
Changes in body posture. Bloat is a serious illness that can take the life of a dog within hours. Dogs experiencing bloat will have a distended stomach due to gas buildup (hence the name). They will also exhibit other signs of illness, such as restlessness and panting. Your dog might be reluctant to sit down, yet looks as if he wants to, or he’s lying or sleeping in an unusual posture. Maybe his mouth is open but he’s not panting, or he’s holding one or both ears at an awkward position. These are things that may indicate he needs a vet.
Hiding. Dogs who are in pain often don’t want to be bothered. If your dog hides in an uncharacteristic way, see if a treat or toy that she would normally respond to can coax her out. If not, she may be in trouble.
Unusual ways of getting your attention. Dog’s can’t tell us they’re in pain, so they just usually deal with it by withdrawing or trying to make themselves more comfortable. However, sometimes, they do seek us out, because they know we’re their source of safety and comfort. If your dog uncharacteristically pesters you for attention, and your attention doesn’t seem to satisfy her need, there may be something more serious she’s seeking help for.
Disruption in elimination patterns. Frequency, volume and condition of urine and feces is a good indicator of health. Get to know your dog’s normal patterns so that if they change, you’ll see it early on. When changing your dog’s food, watch for new elimination patterns and don’t be surprised if there’s a little diarrhea the first day or two as his system adjusts to the new food. But after that, things should get back to normal. It’s harder for homeowners who let their dogs eliminate in the back yard, because we often don’t see the result of the dog’s visit to the yard. But daily cleanups will give you an indicator, and it’s important to know what’s normal for your dog.
Vomiting or retching with other symptoms. It’s not unusual for dogs to vomit. Some individuals hardly ever vomit while others vomit more regularly. Sometimes it’s because they didn’t chew properly, but it can be his body rejecting a toxic substance or bacterial infection. If your dog vomits once or twice, but otherwise acts and eats normally, it’s probably not an emergency. But if she can’t seem to stop vomiting, becomes listless, has diarrhea, or refuses food, she needs a vet. Also, if she’s retching but not bringing up anything, she could be bloating or have an obstruction, which also require quick veterinary intervention.
Unusual vocalizing. Dogs usually don’t cry when they’re in pain. They tend to isolate. But if your dog is whimpering, crying, or wheezing in a way that’s not normal, definitely get to a vet.
Unusual panting. Dogs pant when they’re hot, but if your dog is panting when he’s inside and would normally be resting (i.e., evening), there may be a problem. Our collie seemed to pant all the time, even in the air conditioning. The groomer took his beautiful coat off for the summer to help him stay cool, but he still panted. After some tests by the vet, we learned he had leukemia. If your dog shows unusual panting, especially when combined with weakness or unusual thirst, get him to the vet.
Remember, any of these signs could mean your dog needs to see the vet, but if your dog shows more than one sign, it’s even more likely that veterinary attention is needed. When in doubt, see the vet. It’s better to spend some money needlessly than to endanger your dog’s life because you’re unsure.
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Guest post by Pamela Schaub, Cape Cod (MA) Animal Disaster Response Team
When a disaster strikes we are usually unprepared. The good news is that it only takes a little forethought and preparation to preserve the safety or life of our beloved pets. In the past 10 years, an estimated 20 million Americans have been affected by natural disasters such as flooding, tornados, hurricanes, and severe lightning storms.
Order your free Rescue Alert Sticker from the ASPCA
Here are a few of the most basic ways to prepare, now, before a disaster strikes:
1) Take a clear photo of your dog so that he may be identified in the event he becomes separated from you.
2) Get a secure collar with appropriate I.D. tag containing at least one phone number. Better yet, microchip your dog. Most vets and shelters scan incoming lost pets for a chip.
3) Prepare an emergency “Go Kit†for you and your pet.  It’s an inexpensive way to have a piece of mind. Always know where it is. RedRover.org recommends the following items be packed for each animal in your home:
One-week supply of food. Store it in a water-tight container and rotate it every three months to keep it fresh. If you use canned food, include a spare can opener.
One-week supply of fresh water. If officials declare your household water unfit to drink, it’s also unsafe for your pets. Follow American Red Cross guidelines for storing emergency water for your family and your pets.
Medication. If your animal takes medication, a replacement supply may not be easily available following a disaster.
- Copies of vaccination records
Photographs of you with your pets to prove ownership
Photographs of your pets in case you need to make “lost pet†fliers
- Pet first aid kit
Temporary ID tags. If you’ve evacuated, use this to record your temporary contact informationand/or the phone number of an unaffected friend or relative.
Carrier or leash for each animal. Caregivers of multiple cats or other small animals can use an EvacSak, which is easy to store and use for transport.
4) Have a plan and share it with family. If a disaster should force you from your home, determine a safe place to stay, and do it ahead of time. Find out where a local emergency pet sheltering facility is located. During times of disaster, temporary shelters are often facilitated by the ASPCA, IFAW, HSUS, etc.
5) Be sure your smartphone directory has phone numbers for emergency contacts and 24 hour veterinarians.
Remember, your own safety comes first. Be wary before, during, and after a disaster strikes, and never leave your household pet alone, tied up, or encumbered to fend for themselves.
Resources
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