What Do You Do When Your Dog Misbehaves?

The previous post about snoring dogs sure did bring back some good childhood memories about our pet dogs.  I do remember seeing them ‘running’ in their sleep and we always wondered what they were dreaming about.

We loved our dogs a lot and usually they were well-behaved - but not always!   Sometimes their behavior was downright naughty and confusing!

I’m thinking of one dog, in particular; he’s name was Benji and he was normally one of our brightest and well-behaved dogs.  Except, when one of my brother’s best friends would come over.  Then, it seemed as if he turned into a ‘Mr. Hyde’.  He would chase my brother’s friend until he had him cornered, then he would bark and bark, until we would have to come and take Benji out of the room.

Hmmm, I wonder what got into Benji?  We could never figure that out!

But, I'm glad to see that other people have figured out why dogs misbehave sometimes and what their owners can do about it.

If your interested, you can go to Stop Your Dog’s Behavior Problems now and find out what you can do about your dog’s ‘naughty’ behaviors.

Did you know that dogs can snore?

Dogs have a sleep pattern that is much like ours. Dogs often resign with complete trust on their masters, which make them a bit more relaxed during the night. This explains why most dogs fall to sleep more easily and later on, enter into deep sleeps where REM sleep activities can occur.

In fact, once dogs enter this stage, the owner needs to shake them heavily before they are actually roused from sleep.

For sure, many of us have already witnessed a dog paddling during sleep or at times, barks with eyes close. These dogs are said to be dreaming.

Breathing patterns can also be observed among dogs. There are breeds which deliver heavier breathing while there are those who breathes very lightly. The heavy breathers are much prone with snoring than those who do not snore as heavily.

Find out more at this new site Easy Way to Stop Snoring and help your dog and yourself!

Love your Dog

Easy Dog Care is a step-by-step site that helps you to love,understand, and take care of the needs of your best friend, your dog. It was a big help to me when I "inherited" a "grand-dog" from my son- up until that point, I had only had cats. If you would like to learn how to take care of your dog, Click on this link to be instantly transported there!

Flea and Tick Prevention

I hate FrontLine. FrontLine is a great Product. I mean it both of them. It is just that I really wish it wasn't necessary. I hate the thought of the chemicals. I once bought a cheapie knock off one- before I knew better- and it made my dog so sick! The poor guy was shaking and going to the bathroom he was miserable. It was a weired nervous system attack, he was really sick. I have to say that with FL there is no visible side effects, month after month he tolerates well. I have a phobia about chemicals like that. I imagine he can feel it being absorbed. I worry about everyone petting him and getting it on them. I

Even the Humane society isn't too thrilled with alot of the topical and dermal applications. They caution about the chemicals:

What You Should Know about Flea and Tick Products The Humane Society of the United States

The Chemicals

The ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate. According to the NRDC, the potential dangers posed by these products are greatest for children and pets. There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates.

The Products

The NRDC's report lists flea- and tick-control products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema. To protect their pets and children, consumers should consult with a veterinarian before purchasing over-the-counter (OTC) products.

The Effects

According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs by licking their fur.

Reducing the Risks

The HSUS recommends the following precautions be taken to reduce the risks to pets and humans during the flea season:

Use alternatives to pesticides to control fleas and ticks: Comb your pet regularly with a flea comb, vacuum frequently and dispose of the bags immediately after use, mow areas of the lawn where your dog spends time, wash pet bedding weekly, and wash your pet with a pesticide-free pet shampoo. In addition, to protect cats from fleas and ticks, as well as a host of other outdoor hazards, cats should be kept indoors at all times.

Always consult a veterinarian before buying or using any flea or tick control product on your pet.

Never use flea and tick products designed for dogs on your cat, or vice versa.

Remember never to apply pesticides to very young, elderly, pregnant, or sick animals unless directed to do so by a veterinarian.

Always read the ingredients, instructions, and warnings on the package thoroughly.

Avoid OP-based products by looking for any of these active ingredients: chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon and malathion. Avoid products with carbamates by looking for the chemical names carbaryl and propoxur on the label.

Consider using a product with insect-growth regulators (IGRs), which are not pesticides. These will prevent the next generation of fleas but will not kill insects already on your pet. Common and effective IGR products include those made with lufenuron (found in Program® and Sentinel® and available by prescription), methoprene (in Precor®), and pyriproxyfen (in Nylar® and EcoKyl®).

[This is what makes me feel better]
You might want to consider several relatively new topical products, available through veterinarians, that are insecticides designed to have fewer toxic effects on the nervous systems of mammals: imidacloprid (found in Advantage®), fipronil (in Frontline® or Top Spot®), and selamectin (in Revolution™).

The humane society askes that if your pet has a bad reaction you let them know for the records:

Please send your contact information, the product name, a brief description of the health problem, and a brief summary of your veterinarian's findings to The HSUS at the following address:

The Humane Society of the United States
Companion Animals Department: Flea Products
2100 L St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037

*The HSUS will not be able to respond to you personally, but will keep this information on file.

Not so Cuddley

My dog might be my best friend, my Turtle is a really cool guy I know. It is a weird thing, a relationship with a reptile. Most animals keep FOOD as their top priority, turtles too. So your real way into their heart is food. Establishing a routine and making edible offerings will win any creature over. When I first got Clyde he would dive under the rocks as soon as I approached his tank. As time went on he wouldn't hide but he would only watch to see what I was doing. Only after I left the vicinity would he start to collect the food I left floating in the water. Then he got a little bolder, He would get excited and come over to the area where I put the food. He would start eating as soon as the first crumb hit the water. That is a rewarding feeling, knowing he is comfortable with me. I thought that this was it- we had reached the height of closeness- Clyde knew me and wanted my food. However, I apparently live with the Turtle Whisperer. I had Clyde for about 2 years when I had to go away for a month. I promised my boyfriend that if he fed the turtle every other day I would come back before a water change was necessary. Even though we live together he never showed any interest in Clyde. (I'm sure a lot of this had to do with the work involved in changing the water). So I go away and come back and find everything in good order. Its hard to tell if a turtle has missed you, but I was confident that we would find each other again. Right away I realized something was up. I reached into his tank to adjust a heater when he swam right up and nipped me. Not hard- it was his proximity that was alarming. Every time I went near the tank He was practically jumping out of the water, begging for food. I couldn't put my fingers near the water or he would make a grab. After a week of this I mentioned it to my boyfriend. He smirked but didn't say anything and he hadn't seen anything odd all week. Two days later I walked into "the turtle room" and saw what was going on. My boyfriend had trained Clyde to eat out of his hand! He was leaning over the pool with a shrimp offered up and here came Clyde for quick grab. In two years it had never occurred to me to try for such familiarity. Frankly I don't think the turtle wanted to go here with me either. I still stink at the game, try as I might, I always flinch when he goes to take the food. Even though he rarely misses and even though his bites don't hurt. I cannot hand feed him without pulling back or dropping the food. I have to hand it to my boyfriend though, that was really the taming of Clyde. After that he lost all fear of humans. I can put him on the floor and he will hang out and walk around even while humans are passing bye. Granted he has no interest in sitting on my lap and he would not like to go for a walk, but there is a real connection in knowing he would eat out of my hand.