Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

10 Tips For Dog Owners With Disabilities

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If caring for your dog has become difficult because of weakness, here are some suggestions for strengthening your physical resources:

1. When it comes time for your dog to visit the veterinarian, investigate mobile veterinarians who will come to your house to see your pet. Mobile veterinarians are especially helpful if you have large dogs or several pets. The mobile veterinarian can check on all of the pets at one time and give each one his annual vaccinations in one visit. Check the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under Veterinarians for listings.

2. If you must have your dog groomed, contact a groomer who operates a mobile facility and, like mobile veterinarians, will come to your home to conduct the necessary grooming.

3. If you need help giving your dog medicine, fluids, or shots, ask your veterinarian if he or she knows of anyone who will make home visits. If not, contact local pet-sitters to find ones who will assist you. Many pet-sitters are trained to perform these functions for the sick pet for owners who cannot perform them for themselves or for owners when they are away.

4. When feeding and watering your dog, use large bowls so that you don’t have to refill them as often.

5. Ask a friend or neighbor to divide your dog’s food into smaller containers so that you can lift what you need more easily.

6. To play with your dog, use flashlights or laser pointers. Dogs love chasing the light, and you won’t have to make a move.

7. If you have difficulty performing basic functions for yourself, investigate the use of a service or assistance dog. Assistance dogs are trained to help people with physical limitations perform their everyday functions. Assistance dogs are accepted in public places just as guide dogs and hearing dogs are.

8. If you are planning to get a dog, find one with an activity level that is less than yours. Dogs do a great job forcing their owners to get exercise and fresh air each day, but an overly active dog can be a handful when your energy hits bottom. Before adopting or purchasing a dog, investigate the breed characteristics and think twice about bringing home one of the more active breeds.

9. A dog, even a small one, may be able to pull the leash out of your hand or even pull you to the ground if you suffer from weakness. Walking your dog in ice or snow may be completely out of the question. As an alternative, use a radio collar as a virtual leash when your dog needs to go outside to potty In time and with practice, you may not have to activate the radio collar because your dog will know the spatial boundaries you have set.

Choosing A Reliable Poodle Breeder

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Poodle Breeders

So you have decided that you want to buy a Poodle. You’ve made the big decision and you know you love Poodles. Now you need to ask yourself the inevitable hard questions.

1. Can you afford a Poodle? Not including the purchase price (after all, you may get one for nothing), you can expect to spend up to $1,000 a year on food, supplies, and vet bills. Professional grooming can raise the price even more.

2. Are you willing and able to spend time and energy playing with your Poodle, walking him, and just hanging out together around the house? A dog abandoned in even the most luxurious surroundings is not a happy dog.

If your answers are “yes,” you are still not finished. You still need to decide on the right Poodle for you. What qualities are most important to you – size, playfulness, health, age, temperament, looks? Do you want a dog to show, or just a loyal companion? Will you expect your Poodle to be a watchdog? Do tricks? Entertain the children? Sleep in till noon?

The most important element in choosing the right Poodle is finding a reliable source. This is a matter that requires the utmost care. A Poodle should not be an impulse buy. Do your research; a little extra time and thought now will save you months of heartache down the road. If you are looking for a puppy, seek out a responsible breeder. This is not always a simple task; few of them advertise in the newspaper, and none will be listed in the yellow pages. Since it is almost impossible to make a living by breeding dogs carefully and responsibly, most good breeders are enjoying an expensive hobby. The price of the puppies they sell barely covers their expenses. Yet, because good breeders usually breed from their homes and profit is not their main motive, the price you will pay for a good dog is usually no more than from a commercial establishment, and you’ll almost always get a better quality dog.

To find such a breeder, you need to ask around. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, or knowledgeable friends. Check with your local All-Breed Kennel Club or Poodle Club. If you don’t know how to find a breeder locally, go to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) website for more information. Go to a nearby dog show and check the program to see if anyone showing Poodles lives near you (you can get a schedule online from the AKC). Take a look at their Poodles and see if this is the general type of dog you would like.

If you do see a dog you like, pick a quiet time (usually after the judging) to ask questions of the exhibitors. If they are hurried, ask for a business card and make arrangements to call or visit later on. Although you may get lucky and happen upon a likely litter at just the right time, you will almost certainly have to wait to get your puppy – maybe for as long as several months. If you insist upon a particular sex or color, your wait may be even longer.

Please note that going to a show breeder does not mean that you will be getting a show dog. A person interested in showing dogs will most likely take the time and care to have the necessary genetic testing done to prove that the dogs available are healthy and sound. Therefore, you will get a well-bred, healthy Poodle who has been tested, evaluated, and brought up in a home environment.

Is Carsickness A Problem For Your Dog?

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Some puppies get carsick just the same as many small children do. If you depend on a car for most of your transportation, you will want to help your puppy overcome carsickness as quickly and easily as possible. You can do a number of things to help your puppy avoid or overcome carsickness.

From the start, help your puppy form a positive association with the car. Without starting the engine, sit in the car with your puppy on your lap for a few minutes every day. Praise and pet your pup. After a week of this, start the motor. Place your pup on the seat next to you. Pet and praise him, making the experience agreeable. After a week of repeating this once a day, get a friend or relative to go in the car with you for a daily ride. Be sure that your puppy has an empty stomach and has had the chance to eliminate before getting into the car. Have your helper sit the dog on his or her lap. The helper must not allow the pup to squirm and wiggle around.

Take a short ride around the block. Each week increase slightly the distance that you travel. (One-week intervals for each of these steps are not cast in stone. Shorten or lengthen the time depending on your pup’s reaction.) Be sure that when you ride with your puppy, you have someone in the car to help control him. If that’s not possible, put the puppy in a crate in the car.

Do not let your puppy ride on the driver’s lap or crawl under his or her legs. This can become a bad habit and is very dangerous. Once your puppy begins obedience training and understands to lie down and stay, employ this exercise in the car when traveling. Associate trips in the car with fun. Every car ride should not end up at the veterinarian, groomer, or boarding kennel. Use the car to take your dog to the beach, park, or woods.

Most puppies, like most children, outgrow carsickness. In the interim, doing the right things can minimize messes, limit nervousness, and shorten the time it takes for your dog to learn that car rides can be a lot of fun. If none of the above steps seems to help, contact your veterinarian. He or she can provide medical solutions, such as mild tranquilizers, that will help avert sickness when the dog must travel in the car.

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