It can be embarrassing when your dog acts a certain way in public, but you should recognize that it won't help if you're equally reactive. For instance, if your dog is barking and lunging at another dog across the street, pull it back and say nothing. Just remove it from the stimulus that triggered the reaction. Yelling at your dog for reacting simply adds stress.
It's important to remember that you need to set an example, because dogs watch us and learn from our body language. If you are stressed, they might not understand why, but they might see a reason for themselves to be on high alert. So be aware of yourself and note whether you are cuing your dog's reactions with your own stress.




by Tammy Reinarz, Owner, Tammy's Dog Training Service

Between three and six months old, puppies can develop fear aggression around other dogs, cats, strangers, grandma...oh, there are so many triggers. And we are inclined to excuse it so readily. The nip is so small; isn't it cute to see how they run and hide behind their favorite human? No, it is not! This willful adolescent behavior is unacceptable in any environment and indulging it can lead toward adult problems that land that formerly cute puppy in the shelter. A stern "NO" and removal of the puppy from the group to a quiet spot where he will be ignored for a while are the kindest reactions.

Helen Fazio and her dog Raja are world travelers. Click here to visit their blog

Snacks fuel much of our relationships with our dogs, especially dogs in training, since a snack is the reward of choice for most training programs. Nothing really wrong with that, but if poochie is getting pudgy, you might try breaking up those rice crackers into small bites as rewards. Same as it is for humans, the crunch is all there, but the calories are not.





by Helen Fazio, Travel Dog Blogger, www.traveldogbooks.com

Seasonal pet health hazards should be considered during the extreme temperatures of both winter and summer. Keeping pets safe during the summer is easiest if you know what the risks are and how to manage them for your dog's safety.

The dog days of summer provide lots of opportunities for fun with your dog (camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking and backpacking, to name a few) but also bring a unique set of health hazards and risks pet owners should be aware of; including, but not limited to: dehydration, burned pads, parasite infestation, heat stroke, leptospirosis, and seasonal allergies.

Six Common Summer Hazards for Dogs 1. Dehydration
One of the best ways to keep your dog safe in the summer time is by providing lots of cool, clean, fresh water. Consider preparing low sodium chicken broth or yogurt ice cubes, and introducing canned dog foods (best when frozen in a Kong!) to increase the moisture content in your dog's diet.

2. Burned Pads
Under the summer sun, asphalt on sidewalks and streets can heat to a temperature that can burn a dog's paws. To avoid scorched paws, walk your dog very early in the morning or in the late evening when the streets have cooled off. If you must walk your dog during the day, dog booties can protect his feet. Always put your hand down on the asphalt for about thirty seconds - if you must pull your hand away because the street is too hot, it is too hot for your dog to walk on without hurting his paws. If you don't want your hand on the street for thirty seconds, your dog probably does not want his paws on it for thirty or more minutes of walking.

3. Parasites
Summer is the season for fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes; pests which can present a minor discomfort to your dog at best and at worst may be life threatening or cause self-mutilating behaviors. Feeding your dog a high quality diet, without preservatives or chemicals will build his immune system, making him generally more resistant to parasite infestation. There are a wide variety of preventatives on the market, including chemical spot-on treatments, repellent shampoos, essential oils, and flea/tick collars; talk to your vet to see what she recommends for your dog. Cleaning your house frequently and keeping your dog well groomed will also reduce the risk of parasite infestation.

4. Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a serious risk to dog's health - in worst case scenarios, it can be fatal. You can prevent heat stroke by restricting your pet's exercise during the hottest hours of the day (early morning or late evening are the best times for exercise during the summer), by making sure he is well hydrated, providing cool places for him to relax, providing opportunities to swim, cooling mats, and by never leaving your dog unattended in the car during summer heat.

Many dogs die annually in hot cars. Even if your windows are cracked or you park in the shade, heat can build quickly in a car in the summer, turning it into an oven. If it's 95 degrees at noon and you leave your windows cracked, the temperature in your car may still rise as high as 113 degrees. This is a recipe for disaster for your dog. If you must leave your dog in the car for any period of time, the air conditioning should stay on. Leaving a dog to die in a hot car is not just a health risk for your dog, but may be cause for animal cruelty charges in some area. The solution? Don't leave your dog in a hot car.

5. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is contracted through bodily fluids or tissue and can be transmitted through direct (as in the case of a bite or ingestion of flesh) or indirect contact (through water sources, food, etc.) with an infected animal. Stagnant waters are a common source of leptospirosis bacteria. Lepto can cause permanent health problems or death if not treated quickly. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, trembling/shaking, lethargy, anorexia, tenderness of joints and muscles, and increased water intake. If you suspect your dog has lepto, get him to a vet right away, an emergency vet if need be.

There are vaccines for lepto but they do not prevent all strains and can cause significant adverse reactions. Talk to your vet about weighing the risk of infection with the risks associated with the lepto vaccine.

6. Seasonal Allergies
Your dog may be allergic to one or more seasonal items, which include fleas, grass and various plants, and mold. If you suspect your dog may have seasonal allergies, is scratching and perhaps losing fur, a visit to your vet is recommended. Here is a great website where you can learn more about the various kinds of allergies affecting dogs and treatments for canine allergies in any season.

About the Author: Casey Lomonaco graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior. She owns Rewarding Behaviors Dog Training in Binghamton, NY. Keep up with Casey by visiting Dogster's Dog Training Guide.

The official state dog of Pennsylvania is the Great Dane. Virginia has the American Foxhound. And Massachusetts has the Boston Terrier (big surprise).

About a dozen states have official state dogs to go along with their state birds. flowers, flags, and even bugs. New York is about to join them, and in doing so, it will be promoting a very special breed of dog: The shelter rescue dog.

An assemblyman and a state senator will be introducing legislation today that calls for the “rescue dog” to be the state dog. A spokesman for assemblyman Micah Kellner, a major animal advocate, told the New York Times that Kellner wants rescue dogs to be the state dog to make people more aware of the importance of adopting from shelters and rescue groups.

as seen on dogster.com

No matter how it seems or feels right now... your dog's blindness is much harder on you than it is for him/her! Eye sight ranks #3 in importance compared to smell and hearing to your dog.

 Our dogs pick up easily on our own feelings. Even though you are feeling sad for your dog, try to talk to him often in a "cheery voice" as if nothing has changed... and try not to "baby" your baby!

 If you are bringing a new blind puppy or dog into your home and you have time, provide the dog with something with your scent on it for a few days before bring your dog home.

 If you have other pets at home you can get "jingle bells" at any craft store (small pets - a cat collar w/bell) that can be added to the collar of other pets so your blind dogs can easily tell where they are.

 Sew 1 or 2 "jingle bells" onto an elastic pony tail band (used for hair) to slip onto your own ankle, or attach bell to shoe laces, so your blind dog can hear where you are walking.

 Having a "home base" is helpful as they learn to "map" of the house and yard. Bed, crate, or food bowl makes a good "home base" and if he/she becomes confused can start out again at home base.

 Leave a TV or radio playing softly near the pet's bed (or wherever they spend the most time when you are gone) the sound is soothing, and may help prevent excess barking.

 If your dog uses a crate - turn it on its side, so that the door opens "up" and you can bungee the door in place. This way your dog doesn't need to worry that the door may only be partially open.

 If you have a smaller dog, avoid picking him/her up to "help" them get to food or other areas. They need to learn on their own, and actually become very confused when picked up and set down.

 Your dog will learn to "map" home and yard in his mind when ready, but you can also put dog on a short lead and encourage to walk around room to room, and around yard.. using treats if needed.

 If your dog hesitates learning to "map" the house, get down on all 4's with him, as this is TREMENDOUS fun for pup and you can slap door, floor, furniture with your key word: Ouch! or whatever words you choose. 

 Get down on the floor and crawl around at the dog's eye level to find anything that might be dangerous. Do the same in your yard... look for low growing branches etc. that could poke the eyes & trim.

More tips at blinddogs.net

Blind dogs do fine as long as you manage their environment. If you have a blind dog, the best way to ensure her quality of life is to keep the furniture in the same place so she can memorize where it is. Take care not to not move her food and water bowls as well. Also, keep any clutter off the floor that might confuse her if she stumbles on it.




Radio show host and pet expert Tracie Hotchner is the author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible. Click here to follow her on Twitter and be sure to check out her website.

What's the craziest thing your dog has ingested, and would it make the list of 2010's most unusual objects ingested by pets from VPI Pet Insurance? Let's hope not. VPI received nearly 2,000 foreign body ingestion claims. Among the common items pets consumed were socks, sticks and rocks. The odder items include a jellyfish, glue, a bikini, a baseball, a glass Christmas ornament, a bed sheet, a box of pencils, 16 steel wool pads and a barbecue brush. Let this incredible list serve as a reminder that many dogs will eat just about anything so be aware and keep your dog safe.

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