How to Enrich Shelter Pets’ Lives

If you ask the staff here at PetSafe® brand what their favorite part of their job is, you’ll find that just about everyone incorporates their passion for dogs and cats. The desire to help the pet population runs deep within the company—even on a global level! PetSafe brand runs several programs where the sole mission is to help those pets that aren’t yet in their forever home.

PetSafe Brand Helps Pets Every Day

PetSafe brand has very successful donations and philanthropy funding efforts taking place every day. Last year we gave away more than 3.5 million dollars in grants and product donations! We’ve funded all kinds of life-saving efforts, including spay and neuter clinics, hoarding case assistance, a puppy NICU, shelter renovations, adoption vans, flood and other disaster assistance and much more.

With a super dedicated staff, we’ve also given countless hours of our own time volunteering to make the lives better for the homeless pets.

Here’s a fun fact about us at PetSafe brand-- some of our offices have been known to schedule a mid-day break for “puppy class”. “Puppy class” means someone is fostering a litter of puppies for a local organization and it’s time to socialize those puppies! We believe in proper training and socialization for dogs of all ages—and we definitely believe in having puppies around on lunch break!

PetSafe Shelter Enrichment Program Keeps Shelter Dogs Busy Playing

The PetSafe Shelter Enrichment Program is another effort designed to help the homeless pet population. This program selects qualifying organizations and supports them by enriching the lives of the animals in their care. In order to accomplish this goal, we provide the shelter with products that will make the shelter a comfortable enriching temporary home while they wait for their forever home.

First, we provide toys to the dogs and cats in the program. Did you know that our Busy Buddy® line of toys are not only fun toys, but they are also enrichment devices and behavior solutions? If a dog is engaged in a toy, they are playing. Playing is therapeutic and fun (Win #1!). All of the Busy Buddy toys require the dog to figure out how to get the food out. This level of thinking keeps the animal busy and is incredibly mentally enriching (Win #2!).  Lastly, if a dog is engaged in chewing on a Busy Buddy toy, they aren’t learning inappropriate behaviors, like jumping on the kennel doors, chewing on inappropriate things or barking (Win #3!).

When shelter dogs are regularly provided with mentally enriching durable toys, we see a transformation in the shelter. These toys contribute to creating a happy, mentally stimulated and relaxed population of dogs that are ready for their home as soon as it becomes available.

The San Diego Humane Society gives their dogs a tasty treat in some of our classic Busy Buddy toys. The Squirrel Dude toys are always a hit among the dogs! Although Sweety is an older boxer mix, her days are filled with fun until she finds her final “retirement home”.

Encouraging Better Behavior to Get Shelter Dogs into Their Forever Homes

We also provide other behavior solutions like Gentle Leader® Headcollars and Easy Walk® Harnesses. There isn’t anything worse than a potential adopter getting dragged down the street by the dog of their dreams. It’s well known that better behaved dogs get adopted faster. By providing behavior solutions like Gentle Leader Headcollars and Easy Walk Harnesses, we contribute to a better behaved population of animals that are more easily adopted.

The Nashville Humane Association develops incredible behavior modification plans for any dog with behavior problems. It’s common for our toys and other training products to be part of that plan. Regardless of their behavior needs, each and every dog has a mentally stimulating environment with our Busy Buddy toys!

We’re thrilled to help our partner organizations make their shelters happy temporary homes for their animal guests while they wait to find forever homes. Even on our hardest days here at PetSafe brand, we’re proud to keep doing the work we’re doing because of the animals it truly benefits.


Source by: http://www.petsafe.net/learn/how-to-enrich-shelter-pets-lives

Caring For the Health of a Dog

1. Make sure you have a good, reliable veterinarian. A good way to choose a vet is to see if he or she answers your questions promptly and knowledgeably and to see how they interact with your pet. You will need to bring your dog for regular check-ups, so if your vet is too booked up you may want to look for a new one. Feel free to change veterinarians even after you take your dog to one.[5]
Remember, you should also know of an emergency vet that's open 24 hours a day and on weekends.

2.Get your dog vaccinated. Your veterinarian will advise you as to which diseases are common in the area and so which diseases it is necessary to vaccinate against. Typically, vaccinations are kept up to date with regular booster injections, which may either be yearly or three-yearly, depending on the disease.
Most states require you to vaccinate the dog against rabies. Even if this isn't a legal requirement, it is a good idea in order to protect your pet (and you) from this deadly disease.

3. Consider fitting the dog with an ID chip. This is a small microchip that is injected under the skin over the shoulder blades. Each chip has a unique number that is registered on a data base with your contact details. In the event of the pet being lost or stolen, the chip is a means of matching you with the dog and proving your ownership.[6]

4. Use regular parasite preventative treatments. It important to treat regularly with basic worming against roundworms. Exactly how often depends on your pet's lifestyle. An indoor dog is at lower risk than a hunting dog of picking up worms, and this will influence your vet's advice about how often to deworm. A low risk dog may only need a round worming treatment two or three times a year, whereas a high risk dog may need monthly treatments.
Also consider other risks such as heartworm.
Also use flea preventative treatments and, if you live in a tick area, use a product that also kills ticks.

5. Desex your dog. This reduces the risk of certain health disorders, such as mammary cancer (if spey performed before the second season) and pyometra (pus in the womb) in females, and aggression and prostatic disease in the male. It is also the responsible thing to do, as it reduces the problem of accidental breeding and pet overpopulation.[7]

6. Get pet health insurance. If you would struggle to meet the cost of veterinary treatment then take out a pet insurance policy. In exchange for a monthly premium, if the pet is sick or injured the insurance company will cover the majority of the costs involved up to a certain limit. The exact nature of policies and the amount they cover varies widely.

Source by: http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-Dog

Side Effects

Some antibiotics have side effects but your vet can outline these to you.  Your vet has to judge the benefits of the antibiotic against any possible side effects.

Most of these are minor, such as an upset tummy, but prolonged use can result in antibiotic resistance.  Tell your vet as well if your pet might be pregnant as some antibiotics can affect a pet’s babies.  Some antibiotics can affect the kidneys, so again always tell your vet if your pet is showing any signs of this, such as excess drinking.

It’s always best to write down all of the symptoms that an ill pet has and take this with you when you take your pet to see your vet.  It’s easy to forget all of the illness signs and as we say ‘pets can’t talk’.  Vets rely a lot on what an owner tells them as well as the clinical signs.

Your vet will prescribe antibiotics at a specific dose and for a specific time.  Some diseases are easy to treat with a short course of one antibiotic but some may need a much longer course.

With longer courses of antibiotics, your vet will again have to balance out the benefits against the possible side effects.  However, some diseases will need longer courses of antibiotics and your vet will discuss with you any possible side-effects.  For example, long-term antibiotics may affect a pet’s helpful bacteria in the intestines but your vet will be able to advise you about this.

Source by: http://www.thebellamossfoundation.com/pet-carers/use-of-antibiotics/side-effects/

                          How Much Is Too Much Barking?

You come home from work and find a note on your door from your next-door neighbor. Your dog has been barking all day and driving him crazy. How do you know if your neighbor is just being too sensitive, or if your dog's barking is excessive? Isn't barking normal for a dog?

Yes, barking is normal. So normal, in fact, it's rare to find a dog that doesn't bark. Certain breeds, like Samoyeds and Basenjis, don't typically bark, but most other breeds and mixes of breeds are very good at vocalizing when the mood strikes. To know if your dog is barking excessively and possibly for the wrong reasons--from a human perspective, that is--it's important to understand why dogs bark.

The Roots of Barking

While most canine communication comes in the form of body language--tail wagging, snarling, lying belly up--dogs use vocalizations to get their point across too. Dogs typically bark to defend their territory, when they are playing, or when they are anxious. They often bark to alert their human pack members to sounds and sights that are unfamiliar. They also bark when other dogs are barking, as part of a social display.

Some breeds bark more than others, mostly because they were originally bred to bark. Beagles, for instance, were developed to hunt in packs and to sound off when they caught the scent of their prey. Their constant baying alerted the hunter to their whereabouts as they pursued game. The Finnish Spitz was bred to bark relentlessly once it cornered prey in a tree, to alert the hunter of the game's whereabouts. Breeds originally developed as guard dogs, like German Shepherds and Doberman Pinchers, were bred to warn of intruders with a deep, persistent bark.

When you take the carefully bred characteristic of alert barking and remove its original purpose, you end up with a dog with a penchant for barking and no constructive outlet for his talent. Most dogs will find a way to put this inborn ability to use, whether it's barking at passing cars or yapping at the crows sitting on a nearby telephone wire.

Why Dogs Bark?

Dogs do most of their barking when they are outside. This is because they are usually alone when they are outdoors, and have a variety of stimuli to trigger a barking attack. If you leave your dog alone all day long, he will get bored and lonely. He may bark in the hopes it will get you to come home, or because it might elicit barking from another dog in the neighborhood, making him feel less alone. Some dogs get so distressed at being alone for long periods of time, they bark out of sheer misery. Your dog may also bark when he sees or hears people or other animals, or if he detects unusual sounds in the distance.

The best way to know why your dog is barking is to think about his circumstances. Chances are, this behavior is taking place when you're not home. This is your first clue that boredom and loneliness are to blame. Ask your neighbors about your dog's barking. It is constant? Does it happen in spurts and then stop for a while? Constant, incessant barking is a sure sign of distress.

Occasional barking is probably a response to stimuli, like the sound of other dogs barking, wildlife or other animals coming in or near the yard, people walking by on the street or sounds in the distance. If you can't depend on a neighbor for help, consider setting up a webcam to spy on your dog when you're not at home. You'll be able to hear your dog barking, and may even be able to see what he's doing. This will help you determine what's going on when you're not home.

Teaching Your Dog Not to Bark

If your dog is barking because he's hearing and seeing things that are setting him off, try keeping him indoors during the day with a TV or radio on to muffle outside noises. If you're gone for long hours, you may need to hire a dog walker to come and take him out during the day or have a friend or neighbor let him outside for a while to potty. Giving your dog plenty of exercise in the morning before you leave can help wear him out and reduce his penchant for barking at every little thing.

If it turns out your dog is barking because of loneliness or boredom, you should find a way to remedy this, for your dog's sake, as well as your neighbor's. Consider taking your dog to doggy day care instead of leaving him alone all day in the yard. If he sleeps outside at night, bring him indoors to sleep. Dogs are pack animals and get very lonely when left alone for long periods of time. Remember that your dog is barking for a reason, not just to drive you crazy. The best way to minimize excessive barking is to find out the cause and work on a remedy.


Source by: http://www.petsafe.net/learn/how-much-is-too-much-barking

Vaccines and Immune issues

For dogs like my dog Naya, any vaccine could most likely lead to death.  My dog suffers from 2 immune mediated issues.  Both most likely triggered by her spay at 9 months of age.  The 1st one, which is very uncommon, is a fatty skin issue that causes lesions throughout her body, which then also triggers a excessive production of calcium which can lead to almost immediate kidney failure if not caught on time.  The 2nd, Immune Mediation Thrombocytopenia, means that her body is fighting and eliminating its own blood platelets.  Once the blood platelets drop below a certain number (around 20 thousand), she has a higher possibility of hemorrhaging.  This condition typically happens in middle aged dogs, it is believed after having been exposed to vaccines over and over again or another type of event (her spay, and the meds used during her spay).  Now anytime she get a shot, her blood platelet numbers drop and she has to be put back on strong, and toxic steroids in order to try and increase her platelets and keep the other life threatening immune issue away as well.  Because of this condition, Naya will most likely relapse whenever she gets her annual vaccines.  In order to continue to be in public, go to dog parks, or her agility classes, Naya is required to show proof of vaccines or a positive titer test.  More and more boarding facilities, grooming salons and training facilities are accepting proof of titers.  In our next post we will also discuss how this works with the rabies vaccine.

Source by: http://www.icare4pets.com/blog/