| received badge | ● Nice Answer (source) |
| received badge | ● Necromancer (source) |
| answered a question | How do I get my previous client to leave me a review? The problem is that many clients won't open (or block) email from Rover once the visit is over. Or they lose that email from Rover. We need a link we can send to a client that makes it easy for them to review the stay, along with our happy little messages. I have had clients ask me before how to find it, get in there, figure it out and I think many just give up. I should be able to look at little Babadook's stay, 1. see I have already reviewed, 2. see the owner has not reviewed, and then click a button that allows me to ask for a review with a personal message, and it will include a link for the owner to just click and review, then and there. PROBLEM SOLVED. Rover can perhaps limit how many times we can do this, so we do not become pests. I'd like them to have to write something, not just stars, on a first review. The telling people how to get to a place that makes the review easy is important. Especially if they have multiple visits with many people. |
| received badge | ● Nice Answer (source) |
| answered a question | How do I stop my dog from jumping ? Teaching an alternative behavior is one of the best ways to deal with this. Many dogs got a lot of "face time" when they were puppies, and they were carried. This gave them the idea that the "sweet spot" is up there by your face. That they have grown larger never registers with them. Avoid face kissing and forms of affection that reinforce this idea. I work with and like to own giant dogs. Teaching a dog to LEAN on you to get petted is a real lifesaver down the road. Move the dog into place and sort of press her into you, and then do pretty talk and petting while she is touching both of your legs. The minute she moves off, get quiet and ignore her. Then put her back, and give her lots of praise and petting again. When you are seated, get her to come stand NEXT to you, facing AWAY from you, and pet and stroke her, with the pretty talk. When she turns toward you, look away and get quiet....nothing negative....you just can't "see" her like that. These exercises are subtle and should go on all the time. Tell other people what you are doing and why, and have them practice it, too. Soon, she will start coming up to you gently, beside you. It's nice to be able to rest an arm on a dog and pet her while you sit in a chair and read...without being mugged. When she gets excited, she will revert. You can use negative reinforcement (water bottle, pie plate, knees, whatever...knocking the dog off her feet sometimes works becasue they hate that and may decide you are just so clumsy they should be careful) and then try to guide her into the correct position, and she will get there quicker. When she is excited, avoid eye contact, and look at her body, or away. Eye contact can be a signal to close the gap. Looking where you want her to go, like beside you, can help her remember. Dogs are very aware of where a human's focus is, and they watch our eyes. I also use a verbal noise not unlike a game show buzzer instead of the word "no" in situations like jumping. It's a non-word, and I don't have to think about it, and to dogs, it sounds closer to a bark/growl. It is jarring and unpleasant, and they respond instinctively. (It also works on almost everything, even horses.) When the four feet are on the floor, I can quickly change to a praise tone, and when she is in the right place, I can reward with petting. Dogs by instinct don't really like hugging and kissing. We can acclimate them to it. But while primates like it, to other animals, being restricted is scary. Having someone huge right up in your face is scary. They cannot do grab and hug each other. Leaning and ... |
| received badge | ● Teacher (source) |
| answered a question | What can I wash my puppy with? The thing I use for pretty much all pets, including horses and cats is liquid dish washing soap. Reasons: It is very mild and won't irritate their skin It lathers very well It rinses clean Tip: Put in a container and add water ahead of time, so it is diluted, and that makes it easier to apply and work into a pet's coat. Important: Do not get in eyes and ears; Rinse all of it out; Make the soaping time like a long massage for your pet so they enjoy that part....pays off in the long run. Popular rumor: Dawn kills fleas Truth: most of them do including Palmolive If a pet is very tiny, sick, immuno-compromised, etc, do not bathe but use a cleaning fiber cloth made for that purpose. Be sure pets get fully dry. |
| answered a question | Can I give my dog aspirin for pain? While it is safe to give dogs aspirin, and they even make aspirin that is easier for dogs' tummies, it is important that you take your dog to the vet. Here's why: Dogs usually mask their pain from us. It is their instinct. Pack and herd animals, even cats, hide pain, even extreme pain and illness, so that they do not appear vulnerable to predators and endanger their family groups. That's something that is built in deep....hard-wired, so to speak. If a dog has a recent injury and is visibly favoring it for more than 10 minutes, something may be seriously wrong. Your vet may very well tell you to use aspirin, or have the dog do crate rest for 24 hours, and come in if that does not work...but if a tiny bone is broken, or a tendon ruptured, you need to know. So call the vet, and tell him or her what is going on. My beloved dog Jake had just had his annual physical...and been declared in great shape for an old man...when one week later, I saw a limp on his right foreleg. My vet, having just seen him, called in Rimadyl thinking it was a touch of arthritis. After 3 days with no response to the anti-inflammatory, I took him (on a Saturday) to a 24 hour place and found out my Jake had bone cancer. His annual did not catch it because he was hiding it, and it did not show on the bloodwork. But the pain from bone cancer is excruciating. [ He was too old for amputation. After a 2-week hospice (during which Jake was pain-free on Tramadol and got visits by all his friends bearing bacon), I put him down. My only regret is not taking him back in instead of calling when it first happened...but we could not have known.] The point is: pets can and will hide great pain. We have to watch them closely. When we see symptoms, things are often further advanced than they would be with human beings. Many of my Vacay clients have come home to be told things I noticed that they needed to check with their vets about....I have caught a few malignant tumors. Good luck! |
| answered a question | What can I give my dog for constipation? Fiber is like oxygen....too much OR too little will mess you up. Pumpkin is usually the easiest fix. Pumpkin baby food has worked for people who could not get them to eat the cooked canned pumpkin. Steamed green beans, sweet potatoes, or a spoonful of cooked oats all work, too! You can even give a small amount of metamucil. Running around also stimulates the bowels ...what we call the "zoomies" in cats often means they are getting ready to visit the litter box later. In EXTREME situations, a vet can give a warm water (NEVER HOT) enema. I once had a neonatal orphaned kitten who had to get an itty bitty kitty warm water enema...vet used a wee little insulin syringe and a tiny tube and it saved the kitten's life. You could give your dog a bath and massage the rump area with the warm, soapy water. You may also want to try to figure out what caused this. Dogs are lactose intolerant, so if the dog got hold of cheese, or any milk products, they can cause either loose stool or hard stool. A diet rich in protein without enough carbs and fiber will cause this. Adding things mentioned above in very small amounts daily can help prevent a problem..but so can changing food gradually to a more balanced food for your dog's needs. If your dog wants to eat grass, this sometimes means your dog needs more fiber and plants in his diet. In summer, the air conditioning dries out air more than in winter, so indoor pets need more water, more often, even if they're not getting hot outside. |
| answered a question | Does my dog have ringworm? Since you say "still", I assume you know for sure that it was ringworm. If your dog had ringworm and was treated, you can go back for a re-check, usually at no cost. A black light will cause ringworm, a fungus, to glow in the dark. If you do that and see it is not completely gone, get with your vet so you can continue anti-fungal treatment. Be aware that it can get on you and any other living creature. Before you touch any other animals, scrub your hands until you know the dog is 100% free of the fungus. It can take time for hair to grow back in affected areas. It cannot hurt to continue with the topical cream in those areas for a while. |
| answered a question | Why does my dog have a runny nose and sneezing? Jabrae is correct. What humans call a "cold" is more serious in pets, because their noses play an important role in their bodies. It sounds like an upper respiratory infection, and can get worse and lead to other problems that can get more and more complicated to cure. Even if it is seasonal allergies, you need to see a vet in case an infection has started...can effect the eyes, ears, lungs, other organs, and even the brain. Most cities have at least one low-cost clinic for wellness is money is a concern, run by the SPCA, Humane Society, or even the city shelter. Ask around if you are worried about the cost. It will onkly get more serious and expensive if you wait. |
| answered a question | Why does my dog poop in the house at night? Most dogs have bowel movements 15-30 minutes after they eat. However, if they are eating things that are hard to digest, or used to being fed portions that are too large, the body ceases functioning this way. Not able to ask a bunch of questions, I'd say try a few things, assuming a vet visit has ruled out anything medical: 1. Be sure you are feeding twice a day, and the evening meal is well in advance of bedtime.2 Be sure your portion is reasonable for the dog. Should be enough to fill a stomach and no more, bearing in mind that dry food expands when wet (inside the dog) and that a dog's stomach is around the size of his cranium for small dogs or maybe a little larger for larger dogs. This also helps prevent gas and bloat.3 Be sure the food is not extremely heavy in protein, and the dog is not getting foods that will cause constipation like cheese (dogs are lactose intolerant).4. Movement helps stimulate the bowels, so if you have to walk your dog, make it a long walk or a FAST walk, about 20-30 minutes after the meal. If you have a yard, the dog may not want to go out alone in the dark, and may be rushing back in. Try going out there for a bit with him and seeing if the dog will play fetch or run around a bit to stimulate things.5. Try walking your dog after the morning meal and praising the "potty" when you see it, and praising it when you see him doing it outdoors, even from a distance.6. When you clean it up in the house, put it out in the yard, not in the trash. This tells the dog where you want it.7. Your dog may be afraid to wake you up and tell you when he needs to go out in the middle of the night.8. If all of the above does not work, back to basics with crate training.Moderator: I have no idea how to make this text the right size. If you can tell me, that would be great. I tried deleting out previous keystrokes. |
| answered a question | Why does my dog flea bite everything? This is just a way some dogs have of expressing affection. Dogs do this when grooming each other. It's cute, and better than having a dog who licks or chews things. Your dog is a happy dog who shows love for things by doing that instead of rubbing against them or rolling on them. |
| answered a question | Why does my dog lick my arm? Licking is appeasement behavior in dogs. You may notice that when dogs meet, some may put their ears down and lick the mouth or chin of other dogs? This is a signal that says things like, "I am a puppy, don't hurt me" "You are the boss" "I worship you" It's like groveling. Dogs often do it if they feel we are mad. It's not like human smooching. If you have a dog who licks a LOT, all the time, then it may be your dog is lacking confidence. Laughing and shooing the dog away is the best way to deal with it. You want your dog to feel more comfortable with you, like she or he does not have to constantly worship you. That is a more healthy relationship. You can work on building your dog's confidence, and re-direct with chew toys or playing a game or going for walks...after the dog backs off, sits, or ceases the licking...you have to be careful that you don't reward licking. |
| answered a question | Why does my dog have crystals in her urine? I invested in a dog fountain in my home. I got a huge indoor/outdoor one because I have huge dogs and a lot of dogs coming and going since I board. But even a smaller one can help your dog drink more often. The fountains filter the water, and keep it moving, which cats and dogs both like. Which is why dogs like toilet water...it moves and is "fresher". It may take some getting used to for some dogs, but you can put the old water bowl nearby at first. Seeing more confident dogs (or the cat) drink helps, and you can go splash around with your hand, too. Bio-film (that gross scum you find of food and water bowls from dog saliva and bacteria) won't build up in a fountain easily, and monthly or bi-monthly cleaning is good for people who don't have a ton of dogs. Fountains usually hold more water than the average bowl, and are easy to refill, and make a noise when they are getting low, so it's not possible to forget, like it is with water bowls. Also, it is very trendy now to feed very high-protein diets...but domestic dogs can only metabolize so much protein at once, and the rest goes out the other end. It can be hard on their systems if there is too much protein. So consider feeding a more balanced food if your dog has been on one of those. Domestic dogs were fed what people could afford to feed them for hundreds and thousands of years...people ate the relatively scarce and valuable proteins, dogs got offal, leftovers, and rice, bread, etc. Dogs' bodies changed: that is what domestication means. Even wolves eat stomach contents and grass. And no wolves are eating alligators or deep sea fish. =) |
| answered a question | Why does my dog bark at me? I think Fannie is spot-on. I will add some conditioning tips. I find with dogs who are very set in their ways, using a water bottle like they use in salons to spritz the barking with can help let the dog know that barking is not cool. When the dogs barks at you, also look at the ceiling. Let the dog know that barking is going to have the opposite effect...he will be shunned. If he gently sets his chin on your lap or foot. that gets petting. Some exercises that can help: (I wrote this in a note on building confidence in dogs, but it can also apply to leadership)
We spend a lot of time teaching dogs to “come”. But teaching them to “go” is really important, too. This is a thing that seems like the exact opposite of what a needy, insecure dog requires, but the payoff is big. (I’m going to use the needy girlfriend analogy again, and don’t get mad, because I was once one of these myself.) It goes kind of like this: “OMG, since this morning I have called him like 10 times, and texted, and I left him messages, and I left some muffins at his desk where he works, and I have not heard from him!!! He must not love me! Maybe I should have left coffee. In a thermos. Or the muffins in a warmer. I mean, it’s 9 am already!” If your dog is always following you around, rolling around on the floor in front of you, pawing at you, climbing on you, rubbing against you like a cat, bringing you toys, licking your skin off, etc, then that’s the dog version. Your dog feels that if she does not work to get your attention, you will never see her. Step one in ending this cycle is not to reward the texts and phone calls with texts and phone calls. At least, not with a dog. Step one is to get her to give you some space. Ask her to “back off” and “go lie down” or “go be a dog”. This must be said with a flat affect. You must look at the ceiling or into the far distance - anywhere but the dog. You must wave your hand in her general direction, like a wagging tail as you walk off. You must be very calm and committed to it. If this sounds like a disdainful monarch on a throne dismissing a peasant, yeah, it’s kind of like that. But it’s okay. She is a dog. She will try to get into your line of vision, rub against your hand or legs. Be firm in denying her existence. It can take as long as 4 minutes, but usually won’t. This is actually how dogs communicate with each other: “Not now” You can raise your upper lip a little if you want (again with the disdainful monarch, but same thing ... |
| received badge | ● Supporter (source) |