The Importance of Training Your Dog

Happy Monday, fans! This week's blog post is all about why it is important to make sure your dog receives adequate training. Dog training is the foundation to having a happy, obedient dog and it is important to start teaching your dog good behavior as soon as they are old enough and mature enough to be able to understand and retain the information you are giving them.

It is important to make sure you find a training center that is reputable and ethical. If you're in Western Washington (this is most of you), our favorites are Jan at Sunstar American Bulldogs and Weimaraners and the crew at Family Dog Training Center. Once you choose a path that applies to your lifestyle and your dogs, the first step is basic manners and obedience.

When you take the time to give your dog the basic obedience training he needs, you develop a healthy, nurturing relationship with him which is the foundation for an easier-to-train dog in the future. Once you've gone through basic obedience with your dog, you can choose to continue to more advanced commands or even agility training if you have the time!

Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. Agility training is for both dog and handler as the voice commands required can take some time to master. Talk to your dog trainer about if agility training would be right for you and your dog.

Cat Adoption Specials in the Northwest

It's cat and kitten season, and if you're looking to add a new family member to your home, visit the following shelters for deals on cats and kittens!

To start, at the Seattle Animal Shelter, adoption fees for adult cats are being waived and adoption fees for kittens are reduced. It is kitten season, and the shelter is becoming extremely full with adorable cats and kittens that would love a safe home! All adoptions from the Seattle Animal Shelter include initial vaccinations, deworming, feline leukemia testing, a two-year license (if you have a Seattle address) and a certificate for a free health examination at a local vet.

At the King County Animal Shelter, cat adoption fees have been reduced to $30. This package includes all initial vaccinations, deworming, feline leukemia testing, spay/neuter surgery, starter bag of pet food, collar, and cat carrier. 

Pet First Aid - Basic Procedures

Emergency treatment and first aid for pets should never be used as a substitute for veterinary care. But it may save your pet's life before you can get your pet to a veterinarian.

Poisoning and Exposure to Toxins
Poisoning is a pet emergency that causes a great deal of confusion for pet owners. In general, any products that are harmful for people are also harmful for pets. Examples include cleaning products, rodent poisons and antifreeze. But you also need to be aware of common food items that may be harmful to your pet. 

If your pet's skin or eyes are exposed to a toxic product (such as many cleaning products), check the product label for the instructions for people exposed to the product; if the label instructs you to wash your hands with soap and water if you're exposed, then wash your pet's skin with soap and water (don't get any into its eyes, mouth or nose). If the label tells you to flush the skin or eyes with water, do this for your pet as soon as possible (if you can do it safely), and call a veterinarian immediately.

If you know your pet has consumed something that may be harmful, or if the animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone your veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic or the Animal Poison Control Center hotline (888.426.4435 – available 365 days/year, 24 hours/day) immediately. There is a fee for the consultation.

If possible, have the following information available:

• Species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved
• Symptoms
• Name/description of the substance that is in question; the amount the animal was exposed to; and the length of time of the exposure (how long it's been since your pet ate it or was exposed to it).
• Have the product container/packaging available for reference.

Collect any material your pet may have vomited or chewed, and place it in a plastic sealable bag to take with you when you bring your animal in for veterinary treatment.

Seizures

• Keep your pet away from any objects (including furniture) that might hurt it. Do not try to restrain the pet.
• Time the seizure (they usually last 2-3 minutes).
• After the seizure has stopped, keep your pet as warm and quiet as possible and contact your veterinarian.

Fractures

• Muzzle your pet.
• Gently lay your pet on a flat surface for support.
• While transporting your injured pet to a veterinarian, use a stretcher (you can use a board or other firm surface as a stretcher, or use a throw rug or blanket as a sling). If possible, secure the pet to the stretcher (make sure you don't put pressure on the injured area or the animal's chest) for transport—this may be as simple as wrapping a blanket around them.
• You can attempt to set the fracture with a homemade splint, but remember that a badly-placed splint may cause more harm than good. If in doubt, it is always best to leave the bandaging and splinting to a veterinarian.

Bleeding (external)

• Muzzle your pet.
• Press a clean, thick gauze pad over the wound, and keep pressure over the wound with your hand until the blood starts clotting. This will often take several minutes for the clot to be strong enough to stop the bleeding. Instead of checking it every few seconds to see if it has clotted, hold pressure on it for a minimum of 3 minutes and then check it.
• If bleeding is severe and on the legs, apply a tourniquet (using an elastic band or gauze) between the wound and the body, and apply a bandage and pressure over the wound. Loosen the tourniquet for 20 seconds every 15-20 minutes. Severe bleeding can quickly be life-threatening—get your animal to a veterinarian immediately if this occurs.

Bleeding (internal)

• Symptoms: bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, blood in urine, pale gums, collapse, weak and rapid pulse.
• Keep animal as warm and quiet as possible and transport immediately to a veterinarian.

Burns

• Chemical
  • Muzzle the animal.
  • Flush burn immediately with large quantities of water.
• Severe
  • Muzzle the animal.
  • Quickly apply ice water compress to burned area.

Choking

• Symptoms: difficulty breathing, excessive pawing at the mouth, choking sounds when breathing or coughing, blue-tinged lips/tongue.
• Use caution – a choking pet is more likely to bite in its panic.
• If the pet can still breathe, keep it calm and get it to a veterinarian.
• Look into the pet's mouth to see if a foreign object is visible. If you see an object, gently try to remove it with pliers or tweezers, but be careful not to push the object further down the throat. Don't spend a lot of time trying to remove it if it's not easy to reach—don't delay, and get your pet to a veterinarian immediately.
• If you can't remove the object or your pet collapses, place both hands on the side of your pet's rib cage and apply firm quick pressure, or lay your pet on its side and strike the rib cage firmly with the palm of your hand 3-4 times. The idea behind this is to sharply push air out of their lungs and push the object out from behind. Keep repeating this until the object is dislodged or until you arrive at the veterinarian's office.

Heatstroke

• Never leave your pet in the car on warm days. The temperature inside a car can rise very quickly to dangerous levels, even on milder days. Pets can succumb to heatstroke very easily and must be treated very quickly to give them the best chance of survival.
• If you cannot immediately get your pet to a veterinarian, move it to a shaded area and out of direct sunlight.
• Place a cool or cold, wet towel around its neck and head (do not cover your pet's eyes, nose or mouth).
• Remove the towel, wring it out, and rewet it and rewrap it every few minutes as you cool the animal.
• Pour or use a hose to keep water running over the animal's body (especially the abdomen and between the hind legs), and use your hands to massage its legs and sweep the water away as it absorbs the body heat.
• Transport the pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Shock

• Symptoms: weak pulse, shallow breathing, nervousness, dazed eyes.
• Usually follows severe injury or extreme fright.
• Keep animal restrained, warm and quiet.
• If animal is unconscious, keep head level with rest of body.
• Transport the pet immediately to a veterinarian.

What to do if your pet is not breathing

• Stay calm
• If possible, have another person call the veterinarian while you help your pet.
• Check to see if your pet is unconscious.
• Open your pet's airway by gently grasping its tongue and pulling it forward (out of the mouth) until it is flat. Check the animal's throat to see if there are any foreign objects blocking the airway.
• Perform rescue breathing by closing your pet's mouth (hold it closed with your hand) and breathing with your mouth directly into its nose until you see the animal's chest expand. Once the chest expands, continue the rescue breathing once every 4 or 5 seconds.

What to do if your pet has no heartbeat
Do not begin chest compressions until you've secured an airway and started rescue breathing.

• Gently lay your pet on its right side on a firm surface. The heart is located in the lower half of the chest on the left side, just behind the elbow of the front left leg. Place one hand underneath the pet's chest for support and place the other hand over the heart.
• For dogs, press down gently on your pet's heart about one inch for medium-sized dogs; press harder for larger animals and with less force for smaller animals.
• To massage the hearts of cats and other tiny pets, cradle your hand around the animal's chest so your thumb is on the left side of the chest and your fingers are on the right side of the chest, and compress the chest by squeezing it between your thumb and fingers.
• Press down 80-120 times per minute for larger animals and 100-150 times per minute for smaller ones.
• Don't perform rescue breathing and chest compressions at the same exact time; alternate the chest compressions with the rescue breaths, or work as a team with another person so one person performs chest compressions for 4-5 seconds and stops long enough to allow the other person to give one rescue breath.
• Continue until you can hear a heartbeat and your pet is breathing regularly, or you have arrived at the veterinary clinic and they can take over the resuscitation attempts.

Please remember that your pet's likelihood of surviving with resuscitation is very low. However, in an emergency it may give your pet its only chance.

This Week's Special

This week's special is: 10% off doggy daycare when you mention Facebook!

Tips for Swimming with your Dog

Swimming with Dogs:
Some breeds are natural water dogs, but most dogs can learn to enjoy a swim now and then.
* Introduce a dog to water as early as possible, and make sure the experience is a positive one. Look for a pleasant, quiet place with shallow water. Keep the dog on leash; you can use a long leash, such as one made of nylon that will dry easily. Start the dog at the water's edge, then him let him trot there awhile. Wade in with the dog. If he inches in a little on his own, praise him.
* Never force a dog into the water, and do not let the dog enter deep water. You can toss a ball a couple of feet to encourage him to venture in a little deeper, but you don't want him to get in literally or figuratively over his head. Belly-deep is deep enough.
* Bring fresh water for your dog. Even freshwater streams and lakes can contain parasites and unhealthy bacteria.
* Do not let your dog swim into currents.
* It may be easy for a dog to jump into deep water, but not easy to get out. A dog can panic and possibly drown. Without an easily accessible ramp, a dog may not be able to get out of a swimming pool or jump back onto a dock. So avoid deep water.
* If you are swimming in lakes or boating, get your dog a well-fitted canine life vest. You can use a long nylon lead to prevent escapes. Keep watch to make sure he does not get tangled in the lead. As always, take fresh water for you and your dog.
* Warning: There are alligators in water bodies in Florida and coastal towns in other southern states.
* Owners who fish should take steps to make sure their pets cannot access their fishing lines, lures, hooks and bait.
* Also keep them away from feces and fish and shellfish washed up on the shore, which can contain toxins.
* In addition to using sunblock (see above), make sure your dog has access to shade. Too much sun can lead to a medical emergency.
* At the beach, sand and salt water can irritate paw pads. Rinse paws immediately after visiting the beach.
* Dry out ears immediately after playing in the water to prevent ear infections.
* If you use a flea collar, remove the flea collar before letting a dog enter water, since wet flea collars can irritate the skin, and the active ingredients will wash off.
* Pools. If you have a pool, keep it securely fenced off and, when not in use, covered with a sturdy pool cover. To enable dogs and children a way to climb out of the water, the pool needs to have graded steps out of the pool. Dogs and toddlers cannot climb ladders. If a dog cannot get out of the water, he will soon tire of paddling and drown. Also, do not assume a dog will automatically know where the steps are and how to exit the pool. You need to teach him.
* For pools secured into the cement around the pool with heavy duty springs and fasteners, the pool cover should be made of nylon mesh to allow drainage. Water cannot drain off solid fabric, so a dog or small child could slip and drown in the water on the pool cover.

The Importance of Adopting a Pet

It is estimated that 5 to 7 million companion animals are surrendered to animal shelters each year. Of this number, 3 to 4 million pets are euthanized each year. A large number of these are pets that have been surrendered by their owners with the remaining being animals that have been deemed as "stray" and brought in by animal control.


Aside from spaying and neutering your pets, the best thing you can do for animals as a whole is adopt from a shelter. Shelter animals are animals that once belonged to a home that chose to give them up. You can make a big difference in the life of a pet by showing them that there is still someone out there who loves them.


In Western Washington, you have a few options for pet adoptions: The Kent Animal Shelter - Website, The Seattle Humane Society - Website, Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue - Website, Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League - Website, and many other volunteer-based shelters and rescue organizations.


For more information on homeless pets, see the ASPCA here.

Keeping Your Pet Safe in the Heat

Since we have been experiencing some warm days, this week's blog is about keeping your pet safe in warmer temperatures. Here are some tips you should always follow:

• Never leave your pet in a car when you travel or do errands. During warm weather, the inside of your car can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even if you're parked in the shade. Dogs and cats can't perspire and can only dispel heat by panting and through the pads of their feet. Pets left in hot cars even briefly can suffer from heat exhaustion, heat stroke, brain damage, and can even die. To avoid any chance that your pet will succumb to the heat of a car this summer, leave your pets cool at home while you're on the road. And if you do happen to see a pet in a car alone during the hot summer months, alert the management of the store where the car is parked. If the owner does not return promptly, call local animal control or the police department immediately.
• Pets need exercise even when it is hot, but extra care needs to be taken with older dogs, short-nosed dogs, and those with thick coats. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours. Keep in mind that asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws.
• Another summertime threat is fleas and ticks. Use only flea and tick treatments recommended by your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter flea and tick products can be toxic, even when used according to instructions.
• Pets can get sunburned too, and your pet may require sunscreen on his or her nose and ear tips. Pets with light-colored noses or light-colored fur on their ears are particularly vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer.
• Don't take your pets to crowded summer events such as concerts or fairs. The loud noises and crowds, combined with the heat, can be stressful and dangerous for pets. For your pet's well being, leave her at home.


If your pet is exposed to high temperatures:

• Be alert for signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue.
• If your pet becomes overheated, you must lower her body temperature immediately.
• Move your pet into the shade and apply cool (not cold) water all over her body to gradually lower her temperature.
• Apply ice packs or cool towels to your pet's head, neck, and chest only.
• Let your pet drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes.
• Finally, take your pet directly to a veterinarian-it could save her life