Dog Lovers

Dogs age faster than we do unfortunately, and as dog lovers we may outlive several of “man’s best friends.” I know I certainly I have had several wonderful canine companions in my life that I’ve outlived so far. As your dog ages there are several things you can do to make their lives more pleasant, just as you change your life somewhat as you age, hopefully making it more pleasant. For example, at almost 50, I don’t stay out late partying and chasing the opposite sex as often as when I was 20 (and when I do my wife gets mad!). I recover more slowly and gain weight more easily too. My habits have changed and your dogs do too.

You owe it too your dog to make their life as pleasant, easy, as well as healthy as they age. Here are a few ways to do exactly that.

You may want to change your dog’s diet to a food for older dogs. They have different nutritional requirements and usually are less active just like older humans, needing fewer calories. Otherwise they will tend to put on extra weight which is unhealthy, just like for humans. There are plenty of dog foods designed for older and less active dogs.

They also need activity as they age, but may become more lethargic just as humans do. I take Tyler for a walk a couple times a day to get him some needed exercise. When he was young we let him run around, but now unless we make a point of it, he’d rather just sleep or lounge. He is very happy to engage with activity though as long as we come along too.

You dog may also need supplements and pills when they age, just as humans do. I take two pills a day, unlike when I was younger, and so does my dog Tyler. His vet has suggested something for his arthritis and we add two tablets to his breakfast every day. I strongly suggest going with their vets recommendations here.

Older dogs are also less nimble and less sure footed. Tyler has trouble sometimes getting into the car. Eventually we may get him a ramp although he is doing OK here right now with some coaxing and sometimes just a little help.

Stairs are also hard for older dogs for several reasons including arthritis and other degenerative diseases. You can make stairs far less difficult by making them non slip with rugs.

Shiba Inus are playful balls of energy that generally weigh in at less than 25 pounds. Extremely intelligent and loving these dogs make wonderful companions for every age group.The Shiba Inu temperament has often been described as “catlike”. Known for it’s grace and agility, as well as it’s curiosity, this pooch finds more creative ways of getting into trouble than you can even image. You can avoid many of these difficult mishaps with your new pup with proper training, using positive reinforcement.

Proper Way To Train

Correcting a learned behavior is always more difficult than preventing it. Training a Shiba Inu puppy, with love, attention and positive reinforcement will help you to bond, as well as establish your dominance early on in the relationship which will alleviate many potential problems. However, if your dog is older, or you have adopted your friend at a later stage in life, any issue can be corrected with positive reinforcement and patience.

Stop the Barking – The Shiba Scream

A distinguishing characteristic of the breed is the so-called “shiba scream”. When sufficiently provoked or unhappy, the dog will produce a loud, high pitched scream. Though this sound is also made sometimes when the dog is extremely happy, it can be quite unpleasant to you, and to your neighbors. Stopping your Shiba Inu from barkingcan be quite frustrating for both you, and your dog. Luckily, with the right guide and training (for you and your dog):) this can be corrected.

House Training Your Shiba Inu

Like any other dog, your dog needs to be house trained. Again, positive reinforcement will always make you both feel better, and will help you to bond together. Some people eel that a rolled up newspaper or stern “Bad Dog” will help their dog learn not to go in the house. However, just like helping a child potty train, this will just frustrate you, and your dog. Proper training will work a lot better than scare tactics, and help you save your floors.

A Better Way to Train Your Shiba Inu

These are just a few of the training issues associated with owning any dog. Fortunately, you are not alone. There are literally hundreds of ways to train your dog. Many people willing to sell you a product that they claim work. Unfortunately, many of those products or tips don’t work, or require you to be harsh, or raise your voice. Doggy Danis an acclaimed dog trainer who really cares about how you train your dog and how to strengthen your relationship through showing your dominance. Watch his videos for yourself clicking on the link in my bio.

If you want to start building that relationship you have always wanted with your dog start today by clicking on the link in my bio section.

Undomesticated dogs lived together in dog packs. These dog packs have one dog that is the leader. Your dog sees your family as his pack. It is natural for a dog to want to be the pack leader. Your dog will attempt to take on the position as the pack leader, or alpha dog, if you have not assumed that role.

The leader, within the pack, makes all the major decisions. The attention of the dogs in the pack is entirely on their leader. He is constantly defending his position. Usually the alpha leader will never give up his position voluntarily.

Is it clear who the alpha dog is in your family? If it is not you, your dog will take on the leadership role. In a pack gender is not the determining factor for the alpha leader, although, since females tend to be smaller in size male dogs are more often the leader. If the position of alpha leader is left vacant a female dog will assume the role. If your dog takes on the role of the alpha dog leader life within your family can become extremely difficult.

When your dog feels that he is the alpha leader, within your family, he will exhibit bad or destructive behavior. Pulling on a leash, chasing, and aggression are all examples of a dog feeling he is the alpha dog in his sphere of influence.

If your dog begins to think of himself as your equal it is because he is confused as to who is the alpha dog. Leadership qualities must be demonstrated by you at all times. You demonstrate leadership by your tone of voice, body language and an air of confidence. If you want to be accepted as the alpha leader you must feel comfortable in that role.

The alpha leader maintains his dominance through small deliberate acts. For instance, he is always the first one in the pack to eat. There may be little to eat when it is finally the packs turn. Also, the alpha dog will nudge his way through the pack instead of going around. The alpha leader controls the things that are within the pack’s sphere of influence.

Why is it important to understand what the role of an alpha dog does in a pack? Why should you be concerned with the pack’s hierarchy? The answer to that question is obvious. As you emulate the practices of an alpha dog you will become the alpha leader. As a result, your dog will look to you for guidance. Keep in mind that this does not require force or physical or verbal abuse of any kind.

The best time to establish yourself as the alpha leader is with a puppy. Although it is easy to establish alpha leadership with a puppy that does not mean that you must continually work at keeping your position. Being an alpha dog requires a twenty-four hour commitment.

Your dog wants to look to you as his leader. Establishing your position as the alpha dog leader is essential to training your dog effectively.

Dog food aggression is a behavior that is unacceptable and a matter of serious concern especially if it is not rectified. It may cause a problem if the dog exhibits this kind of aggressive behavior as he interacts with people and dogs. A good dog behavior training is very helpful and it will give you information on the reasons behind this type of behavior.

The behavior of being “the leader of the pack” which your dog learned as a puppy may have been brought into your home. Other odd and unacceptable behaviors such as barking too loud and excessive chewing are signs of a confused perception by the dog of his perceived relationship with you. Establish early in the relationship who is the boss – it is you, and not your dog who runs things in the household.

Dogs who have been in animal shelters rescued from conditions may exhibit dog food aggression. They may have learned this behavior while in the shelter, because food was scarce and they may have started developing a fear that the food served today may not be there tomorrow. Take note of the possibility that your dog may be showing this kind of behavior out of fear that the food being served to him will be his last meal.

Observe your dogs’ behavior towards other people or dogs as this problem maybe symptomatic of other problems or issues. You can help your dog overcome dog food aggression with short walks to help him relate with both dogs and people outside of your home. A walk is also a good form of exercise which maybe what he needs so as not to feel too much excited or nervous.

Here’s a list on how you would be able to deal with dog food aggression:

1. Establish eating rules for your dog. It can help to train your dog to wait for you to finish eating before he gets his meal. This is a method you can teach the dog to honor you as his leader. Make this rule known to everybody in your home and make them understand that doing so will train your dog and will teach him to obey household rules.

2. If you believe that his dog food aggression is prominent when he is in the company of other dogs, put him aside and let the other dogs enjoy their meal.

3. It is actually easier to make puppies understand that having you or other dogs around during meals is nothing to be afraid of. This method will make them believe that they do not need to protect their meals even with strangers or dogs around.

4. Do not be aggressive towards your dogs or become violent every time the dog show this behavior.

Observe your dog as you implement the steps outlined above and it should stop another incidence of dog food aggression.

There is no definitive answer to why dogs eat grass. However, a survey of 1,600 pet parents conducted by the University of California-Davis may give some insight.

It has been suggested that dogs may eat grass because they don’t feel well. As many dogs throw up after ingesting plant material, some believe this may be a way for the dog to rid their system of what is causing them to feel ill.

But, of the 1,600 pet parents in the study, 68% of them said their dogs eat plants daily or weekly. Only 8% said their dogs had exhibited signs of illness prior to eating the plant material. So, it seems there is probably no basis for the hypothesis that dogs eat plants because they don’t feel well. Yet, others still suggest that dogs may eat plant or grass material because they have inherited the instinct to do so from their wild ancestors who did so to clean their intestines of potential parasites.

This behavior might be due in part to the fact that dogs investigate with their mouths (and noses, of course) and grass and plants smell and taste good to them. But, things don’t need to necessarily taste ‘good’ for a dog to eat it (after all they’ll scavenge in the kitty litter box and pick up cigarette butts from the street!).

It could be that dogs get the occasional craving for greens since they are omnivores (they eat meat and plants). Some vets suggest that eating grass may indicate the dog needs a higher fiber diet. So, you might want to chat with them about that and potentially offer your dog a different food and/or some veggies.

There is usually no reason to worry about the occasional ingestion of grass as long as it isn’t coated with potentially toxic chemicals (like fertilizer). But, if you feel your dog is heading straight to the grass to eat each time you take him out you might want to chat with your veterinarian to rule out any medical issues.

Andrea is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers and a Certified Pet Partners Team evaluator for the Delta Society and the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. She is the Director of Andrea Arden Dog Training in New York, and was named the best dog trainer in New York by New York, W, Time Out, Quest and the Daily News. Her website is located at http://www.andreaarden.com and she can be reached at 212-414-9597. You can follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/andreaardendogtraining.

It snuck up on me. One day I looked at my dog and thought to myself, “when did you get old?” Wasn’t it just last week you were pulling me all over the neighborhood on our walks, with me pleading with you to slow down? When exactly did you stop jumping up onto our bed for your morning hugs and cuddles? When was it that you decided not to jump into the back of the SUV to go for a treasured ride? I remember researching dog ramps and ordering one online, but that was because I thought you might need one “someday,” and now you cannot get into the car without it.

That’s the way it is when our beloved dogs gain senior status. It is wise to prepare for that inevitability emotionally and to educate yourself so that you will be ready and able to help them when they need you. Of course, you cannot predict when your dog is going to officially become a senior. It is certainly not at a specific age. In fact, generally the smaller the dog, the longer the expected life span. For example, if you look at two dogs who are both 10 years old, the one who weighs under 20 pounds is roughly 56 years old in human years, and the dog who is over 90 pounds is about 78 years in human years. That’s a 22 year difference! A lot will have to do with your dog’s overall health to begin with. But if you are able to make yourself aware of the subtle changes that come with aging, you will be in a better position to get help for your dog’s health problems when they might be easier to treat.

Common signs of aging:

• Tiring more quickly;
• Reluctance to jump into the car, or falling when attempting to jump onto something that used to be easy for the dog;
• Graying hair, especially on the face;
• Difficulty getting up from or lying down on the floor;
• Sleeping for more hours of the day than before;
• Increased dream activity, shown by the dog moving his legs as if running while sleeping;
• Problems with vision or hearing;
• Excessive sneezing, where the dog’s nose sometimes hits the floor with the explosion of the sneeze;
• Dragging hind legs over the knuckles during a walk;
• Tumors, especially fatty tumors that form under the skin;
• Growths like warts that form on the dog’s skin, often on the face;
• Incontinence, resulting in accidents in the house.

What can you do?

• Be vigilant to the changes your dog is going through and educate yourself about the therapies that are available for aging dogs;
• Adjust exercise so your dog remains confident and does not get stressed by overdoing it;
• Keep excess weight off if at all possible. I found that this is easily accomplished by feeding an all raw, natural diet. Obesity is probably the most common reason for stress on the overall health of your dog;
• Have a geriatric work up done by your veterinarian about every 6 months to screen for common ailments in senior dogs such as a thyroid imbalance, kidney, heart or liver diseases, arthritis and diabetes;
• Keep your dog’s teeth clean, (periodontal disease is one of the most common problems seen by vets in their senior patients).

What Therapies and other Aids are available for aging dogs?

In addition to traditional medicines, such as the commonly prescribed Rimadyl for arthritis pain in dogs, there are a host of “alternative” therapies that are becoming popular to the great relief of owners of senior canine citizens. They include holistic therapy and homeopathic remedies. Here are some examples:

• Arnica Montana, is a homeopathic remedy that you can buy in any health food store. It works wonders for dogs with aches and pains, and there is absolutely no danger of any unpleasant side effects. It especially provides relief from sore muscles after exercise. (This remedy is actually made for humans, so you won’t find it at the pet store);
• The following must be done by licensed professionals, but the benefits can be well worth the cost:

Hydrotherapy;

Acupuncture;

Massage, (often combined with the hydrotherapy in the same session);

Chiropractic treatments.

Other Aids:

Life Jackets, if your dog is a swimmer;

A harness may help if the dog’s rear end is weak and he needs assistance walking or using the stairs;

Portable Steps to allow the dog to get up on the furniture; (did somebody say “to help dogs get up on the furniture”?)

A sturdy telescoping ramp to allow the dog to easily get into and out of the car or RV;

Carts (See K-9 Cart Company. They make custom carts for dogs, tailored to their specific needs).

I realize that there is much more that can be said about health considerations for the older dog, but it is not my intent to write a book on the subject. I hope that the things I mentioned to watch for and the suggestions for what you can do will help you with a place to start. It is a sacred journey we share with our canine companions and a special honor to have them live long enough so that we can care for them in their golden years.

Sandra DeMers is the author of “Cory’s Story,” the story of a yellow Labrador retriever suffering from dog seizures that will absolutely AMAZE you. Cory is alive, happy and healthy at the age of 13 and hasn’t had a seizure in over 5 years. Visit www.corysstory.com to learn Sandra’s secret to good canine health–you’ll be surprised when you learn the truth.

Grooming your Lhasa Apso need not be a challenging task when you start grooming them from a young age. This way they become accustomed to it as a part of their life. Although puppies don’t need a lot of grooming but it is useful to incorporate it after their general training as they become tired and quiet.

Dog grooming is essential for this breed as their coat can become matted and tangled. You’ll need to brush their coat in layers and start from the stomach and work towards the inner front legs then back legs. Then moving to the outside of the legs and brushing the undercoat and working towards the top coat and back. Don’t forget the chest, neck and ears, then finishing with the head and face.

There is a wide variety of tools you can use to groom your Lhasa Apso but the basics are scissors, toe clippers, latex elastic bands similar to ones use on braces, hair dryer, anti static solution, a detangler or diluted crème, pin brush and gentle slick brush, and a double sided comb with narrow and wide teeth. It is best to brush out any matting or tangles before bathing them as they may become difficult to remove.

Most Lhasa Apsos have a thick eyefall that generally needs to be pulled away from their eyes. Latex bands can be used to pull eyefall into a topknot hairstyle which is popular with some males or the other option is to use barrettes. Coat oil, detangler or conditioner helps remove matting and tangles, making it easier to style or braid.

Every so often their ears become thick with hair and require it to be removed. This helps to keep their ears healthy and infection free.

Bathing your Lhasa Apso requires a simple technique of applying and squeezing shampoo through the coat in a downwards motion. Massaging in a circular motion as most of us do with our own hair can cause tangles. Use a towel to dry them off squeezing or blotting out the excess water, avoid rubbing the coat with the towel as this can also cause tangles. Once you have the majority of the moisture removed use a hair dryer at a comfortable temp and speed to dry the rest of the coat.

Grooming your Lhasa Apso is important to keep your pet looking healthy, clean and avoid unsightly matting and knots. It is also a great way to bond with them. So for a happy and healthy pet groom them regularly.