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| asked a question | Should I reduce my rate? I have a client that I sit for overnights only. They have 2 dogs and 2 cats, but only the dogs are listed on their profile. They book me frequently over holiday weekends and then request that I reduce the rate because they have a dog walker come during the day. My question is, should I reduce the rate? They are technically already getting a discount because they don't list their cats (and the cats have their own needs that I have to see to). |
| answered a question | How can I tell how far along my dog is? The best thing to do would be to have your dog evaluated by a vet, as they can do an examination and give you an idea of when she might deliver. Dog's are pregnant between 58-68 days on average, but won't show many symptoms for the first couple weeks. After about 3 weeks they might start to show and can also have morning sickness. If your dog's belly has grown significantly larger and her nipples are much larger/leaking milk then you might only be a few weeks away from having puppies. Get to a vet ASAP no matter where in her pregnancy she is. |
| answered a question | Can my dog be allergic to my cat? It's extremely rare, but a dog can be allergic to cat dander. The only way to know for sure is for your vet to run an allergy test. They typically won't unless your dog is experiencing serious allergy symptoms. If you find out your dog is allergic to cats, but you already have one you will need to be diligent about keeping the cat dander at bay. Vacuum daily and give your cats weekly baths. |
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| answered a question | My dog is eating poop? First, it is gross but not necessarily dangerous. Puppies will eat their own or other dogs poop but the behavior tends to fade away at about 9 months old. However, I would discourage your dog from eating a strange dog's poop because you don't know the health of the other dog, but it doesn't mean your dog is in immediate danger. In addition, your dog should not under any circumstance eat the poop of another animal. More info on why an adult dog would eat poop (as found on http://akc.org): If your adult dog starts to dine on dung, you should consult with your vet to rule out such health problems as: parasites diets deficient in nutrients and calories malabsorption syndromes diabetes, Cushing's, thyroid disease, and other conditions that might cause an increase in appetite drugs, such as steroids In many cases, dogs start to eat their own poop because of some kind of environmental stress or behavioral triggers, including: Isolation: Studies have shown that dogs who are kept alone in kennels or basements are more likely to eat poop than those dogs who live close to their people. Restrictive confinement: Spending too much time confined in a small spaces can cause the problem. It's not unusual to see coprophagia in dogs rescued from crowded shelters. Anxiety: often a result of a person using punishment or harsh methods during housetraining. According to this theory, dogs may eliminate and then eat their own poop to get rid of the evidence, but then they are punished more. It becomes a vicious cycle. Attention-seeking: Dogs eat their own poop to get a reaction from their humans, which they inevitably will. So if you see your dog doing this, don't overreact. Inappropriate association with real food: Dogs who are fed in close proximity to their feces may make a connection between the odors of food and those of poop and will be unable to tell the difference. Scenting it on their mothers: Lindsay writes that in some cases, puppies will get confused by sniffing fecal odors on their mother's breath after she has cleaned them. Also, sometimes mothers may regurgitate food that is mixed with puppy fecal matter. He calls this an "appetitive inoculation," which may set a puppy up to develop this bad habit. Living with a sick or elderly dog: Sometimes a healthy dog will consume stools from a weaker canine member of the household, especially in cases of fecal incontinence. Scientists hypothesize that this may be related to the instinct to protect the pack from predators. How to stop this behavior: Veterinarians and dog owners have seen improvements with a handful of strategies, including: Vitamin supplementation: There's been a long-standing theory that dogs eat feces because they are missing something in their diets. Vitamin-B deficiency, in particular, has been a prime suspect, and studies have backed this up. In 1981, scientists showed fecal microbial activity synthesized thiamine, a B-vitamin. Other research ... |
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| answered a question | Why does my dog chew on wood? I've had clients whose dogs chew on their wood furniture legs and would like to change that behavior. Dogs will chew on wood for a few reasons.
If the dog is home alone all day without entertainment or toys, they can turn to chewing on your furniture to entertain themselves. There are chew deterrents, but I would start with providing your dog with more toys to play with and chew on.
A dog who experiences distress from being alone might start chewing to soothe their anxiety. You could try leaving out chew toys and leaving the TV or radio on so they feel like they aren't alone. If these don't work, you could try having someone come by everyday to walk and play with your dog or taking the dog to a doggie day care.
Puppies go through teething just like people do and they want to chew to alleviate the discomfort. Again, providing appropriate things for your puppy to chew is essential. It will require some training for your pup to understand what is and isn't appropriate to chew.
Chewing is one way dogs explore the world around them so it is essential that you teach your dog appropriate chewing behavior. Correct them when they chew furniture and reward them when they chew a toy or treat. It might take some time to identify the cause of your dog's inappropriate chewing, but with a little patience you should be able to get it under control. |