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.

The Classic Toilet-Drinking Dog Issue (Part 1)

September 8, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

To people, a dog who drinks from the toilet is just gross. But to a dog, the toilet is a constantly freshened source of good water. This is completely understandable. Just think back before dogs had people laying out their food and water every day – they had to provide their own refreshments. They developed a knack for choosing the cleanest, freshest water from the sources they had available.

Those who didn’t were sure to get parasites or other water-borne diseases. With no veterinarians or medications in sight, these dogs passed away. Those who learned the ropes, on the other hand, lived to reproduce, and their puppies instinctively knew what they should and shouldn’t drink.

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While their judgment certainly isn’t perfect, dogs have good reasons for choosing the toilet bowl over their water dishes. Consider how people like their water: cool, freshly poured, and out of a clean glass. The toilet is probably in the coolest room in the house. The water in the toilet gets changed more often than the water in their bowls. And porcelain make a nice goblet that doesn’t alter the taste of water like metal or plastic bowls may.

Dogs Love Bathrooms With a Toilet

People tend to be squeamish about bathrooms. We worry about germs. We scour and scrub to eliminate every last scent. We shut and lock the doors and demand total privacy. We do everything we can, in short, to keep our bathrooms separate from the rest of our lives.

Dogs, on the other hand, aren’t squeamish at all. Consider their usual habits. These are animals who will eagerly sniff, roll on, and devour month-old roadkill, who view cat boxes as convenient sources of takeout, and who greet each other (and people) by sniffing backsides. From their point of view, the bathroom is just an extension of their naturally earthy tastes. They don’t think about off-putting odors when they drink from the toilet. If anything, they probably like the smell.

There’s no question that toilets environments that do contain germs, but so does most everything else around us. Even an immaculate, freshly scrubbed bowl contains thousands, if not millions, of bacteria. But dogs don’t care. After all, they didn’t evolve in the dining room at the Plaza Hotel. For most of their evolutionary history, they lived in pretty rough surroundings.

As a result, their immune systems are remarkably sturdy. A toilet may not be clean by our standards, but for dogs they’re almost as hygienic as Perrier.

Filed Under: Dog Health Tagged With: Backsides, Cat Boxes, Clean Toilet, Free Dog Training, Germs, Good Water, Knack, Parasites, Plastic Bowls, Porcelain, Puppies, Refreshments, Rest Of Our Lives, Roadkill, Ropes, These Dogs, Toilet Bowl, Veterinarians, Water Borne Diseases, Water Dishes

Nutrition And Dog Health

July 26, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

When dogs were wild, or at least still hunted for their food, hunger may have been an occasional concern, but rarely were deficiencies or imbalances ever a problem when pertaining to dog health.

Dogs killed and ate almost all of their prey’s carcass including the entrails, skin, and even bones.

Domesticated and dependent upon their owners for food, today’s dogs are amply fed, right to the point of obesity, yet they often develop bad overall dog health due to a number of deficiencies from their improperly balanced diets.

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The advent over the past decade of nutritionally “complete” or “balanced” commercial dog foods, and their increasing acceptance by dog owners and veterinarians alike, has drastically reduced the incidence of dietary deficiencies. Today such nutritional problems are seen mostly in dogs who are fed homemade diets or a diet of table scraps and leftovers.

Poor nutrition, whether from dietary deficiencies or excesses, has a significantly negative effect on your dog’s ability to remain in good health. Resistance to infection is lowered, as is the production of antibodies, allowing infectious agents to multiply rapidly and spread.

The resulting fever, diarrhea, or other manifestations of illness, more than likely will make your dog less interested in eating, thus increasing the state of malnutrition and is concerning to dog health.

Filed Under: Senior Dog Information Tagged With: Advent, Antibodies, Balanced Diets, Carcass, Diarrhea, Dietary Deficiencies, Dog Food, Dog Foods, Dog Owners, Excesses, Good Health, Health Secrets, Homemade Diets, Infectious Agents, Leftovers, Malnutrition, Manifestations, Nutritional Deficiencies, Obesity, Poor Nutrition, Prey, Problem Dogs, Table Scraps, Veterinarians, Video Report

Did You Know Your Dog Would Love A Massage?

May 30, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Every culture that allows domestic pets teaches its members ways to relate physically with those pets. In some countries, dogs live a dog’s life, and are rarely held or petted. We’ve noticed that some German dogs that we import do not seem to like our “American” way of petting. After investigation with our German contacts, we have learned that Germans have a slightly different approach to their dogs. They pet and stroke them in a different way and in different places than do many Americans. In our culture, petting a dog is very important. Most people tend to pet dogs around the head and shoulder regions and stop there. Others literally trounce their dogs, pounding their sides and ruffling their fur.

Sometimes there is little method to the physical display. The dog is expected to “take it” whether or not it is the kind of physical affection it enjoys. Few dog owners stop to read their dog’s needs and desires. A dog owner may find that the dog does not enjoy being petted – if by petting we mean rough jostling or pounding. Instead, like many humans, they greatly
enjoy a more extended type of body contact – a kind of massage.

Massage can be a beneficial technique when used as an aid to relaxation. The first principle of dog massage is to stop thinking of your dog solely from the shoulders up. Contact can be made with almost any part of the dog’s body if it is sensitive contact. Skilled veterinarians know this from treating unapproachable patients. They often have to devise creative ways of lifting the animal up onto an examination table, or treating injuries all over a pet’s body.

To begin a dog massage, make a list of all the areas where a given dog likes body contact. If you are the dog’s owner, you know. If you are not, ask the owner. Then list the areas where
the dog is sensitive to touch. Begin your first massage with the areas on your first list, but include one area on the second. Gradually include more “forbidden” areas as you give massages.

It’s best to begin on the head, gently massaging the eyelids, muzzle, and nose. Always keep one hand in contact with the dog during the entire massage. It’s best to have the dog in the sitting position. From the head area, work down the neck to the chest and pectoral muscle. Some dogs will automatically offer a paw. Take hold of it, but gently place it down if the dog seems to be losing balance.

Choose a leg and work up and down on it very gently. If your dog decides to lie down, you will have better access to its rear legs. Try to avoid forcing the dog down. If your dog knows the command for down, you can use it in massage work, but don’t force the issue. Make your
strokes long and firm. Try to distinguish massage from regular petting. The massage should be more extended and pliable in its movement than regular petting. Avoid all slapping, pinching, and pulling motions. These will break the mood of the massage. Many dogs will communicate quite clearly what they like and dislike.

Filed Under: Dog Health Tagged With: Body Contact, Body Massage, Different Places, Dog Massage, Dog Owner, Dog Owners, Domestic Pets, First Principle, Fur, German Dogs, Germans, Head And Shoulder, Jostling, Massage Massage, Massage Technique, Massages, Pet Dogs, Physical Affection, Relaxation, Shoulders, Veterinarians

Puppy Grooming Socialization: Nail Trimming Conditioning Steps For Young Puppies

May 22, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Young puppies are just too curious and active to sit still still and quite while you groom them. But the ones that learn how to sit nicely while being groomed will eventually learn to tolerate and even enjoy being brushed, bathed, trimmed, and clipped. A puppy that experiences all forms of being handled at an early age will be easily trainable and better socialized when around veterinarians, children, groomers, and pet sitters.

The key activity is to simply handle your puppy as often as you can during the day while concentrating on one particular part of the dog’s body for each session. Spend a few minutes handling his feet, then the ears, etc.

Getting Your Pup Used To Nail Trimming

Of all of the grooming activities that we must engage our pets in, nail trimming is probably the hardest for your puppy to get used to. And if you neglect to practice trimming your puppy’s nails at an early age, it may be virtually impossible to do so as he grows older.

Here is how to get your puppy accustomed to having his nails trimmed:

1. Touch your puppy’s paw and then click your clicker while giving him a treat. If he pulls back nervously then go a little slower next time. Your goal is just to be able to touch his paw without him pulling it back from you.

2. Once your dog is comfortable with having his paw touched, push the envelope a bit further by picking up his paw and moving it around. Whenever he lets you do so without flinching, click and offer a treat.

3. The next step is to start fondling the toes by separating them and wiggling them around some more. Press on his paw pads. Go slow and take your time.

4. Now it is time to introduce the nail clipper to your puppy, but do not click just yet! The first stage in the process is to get the dog used to having this shiny piece of metal up and close around its paws. Whenever he sniffs at the nail trimmer and does not appear to be scared, click and offer a treat.

5. Still yet, do not clip! The next baby step in this process is to fit the nail clipper over each of your puppy’s nails, but without clipping. Just add a little pressure. And again, click and treat when he appears to accept this activity.

6. Now it is time to make the cut. Clip the first nail, click your clicker, and offer a treat to your puppy. Be sure to be enthusiastic with lots of affection. When you feel he is ready for the next nail, move forward and clip the rest in a timed fashion. Remember to go slow and make the process fun.

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Clicker, Ears, Few Minutes, Groomers, Nail Clipper, Nails, Paw Pads, Paws, Pet Sitters, Pets, Pup, Puppies, Puppy, Shiny Piece, Socialization, Toes, Veterinarians

Dog Care Tips for Grooming Your Dog

April 30, 2010 by admin 1 Comment

The best way is start grooming your puppy is when he first comes home with you, but if you have an adult dog who balks at grooming here are a few dog care tips.

The first time you bring out the nail clippers hold the clippers in your hand next to the dog’s paw and give him a treat with praise. The next time hold the dog’s paw and place his nail in the nail clipper but don’t cut. Again praise him and reward with treats. When the dog calmly accepts you holding his paw and bringing the clipper to his nail, and placing the nail in the clipper, then cut the nail quickly and confidently. Don’t be nervous because your dog will pick up on that emotion. Praise your dog and give him a treat.

Do this with the other dog grooming tools as well. The dog will associate being groomed with praise and treats. Keep your first grooming sessions short. Right before his dinner is a good time. Your dog will be alert and hungry which means he’ll be more motivated. He’ll start to associate grooming with dinner as well as treats.

Don’t lose your temper. Keep a smile on your face and the sessions as pleasant as possible.

Most dogs don’t mind having their teeth brushed and actually like it. If your dog struggles, use the same method with the toothbrush as you did with the nail clippers. Your first session, hold a treat in one hand and the toothbrush with a bit of dog toothpaste by his mouth. Give him the treat and lots of praise. Then gently lift his lip, again reward with a treat and praise. Finally lift his lip and gently scrub his side teeth. The dog should get a taste of the toothpaste and your struggles will be over. Don’t overdo the toothpaste, a little is enough.

Veterinarians say that the most common pet health care problem is their teeth. If your dog has tarter it could turn into a serious problem resulting in infection, loss of teeth, and at the very least, very bad breath. Tarter is that yellowish soon to turn brownish hard build up next to the gum line. Prevention by brushing is much easier than getting rid of tarter. Most of the time that means a professional cleaning and it’s expensive. Dogs don’t sit still to have their teeth cleaned like people do, so they have to be under a general anesthetic and that’s costly.

One method that seems to work with some dogs to get rid of a mild case of tarter is gently swapping their teeth with a piece of gauze soaked in medicinal strength (not hair bleach strength) hydrogen peroxide every day.

When brushing your dog’s coat, hold the hair with one hand on the skin side of a tangle and use the brush with your other hand to brush out the tangle. That way your dog won’t feel the pull of the brush as much. Use a people hair detangling spray to make the brushing even easier.

Use these dog care tips for grooming your dog and the sessions should be fun for both of you.

Find more about dog grooming tools. Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and the novel “Over Time.” She is the proud companion of Rose, the Irish Setter, and Kate the English Springer Spaniel. Read Rose and Kate’s blog.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Bad Breath, Dog Paw, Dogs, Emotion, Good Time, Grooming Tools, Gum Line, Health Care Problem, Nail Clipper, Pet Health Care, Prevention, Puppy, Sessions, Smile Face, Smile On Your Face, Teeth, Temper, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Veterinarians

The Sad Realization Of Your Dog’s Passing

April 20, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

For most people, losing a dog is like losing a member of the family. It is very difficult to imagine life without the creature that has given us such-joy and love over the years. However, death is the inevitable end for all living beings. As a dog owner, you must be prepared to deal with the practical and emotional realities of losing your beloved pet, whether death is brought on by old age, accident, or sudden illness.

Since you are your dog’s primary caretaker, it may sometimes become your responsibility to answer the following question: Is my dog suffering from extreme and irreversible pain and suffering so much so that his life is devoid of pleasure? Make a rational assessment of your dog’s condition, taking into account the quality of his life over a period of time. Consult your veterinarian, asking her or him to tell you the prognosis for relief or recovery. If, after much informed consideration, you can answer yes to the above question, it may be necessary to euthanize your dog. While your veterinarian may advise you, this difficult decision is ultimately up to you.

Your pet will not suffer during the procedure, which consists of a single, painless injection. Some veterinarians will administer the lethal dose in your own home, where you and your loved ones can surround your dog in its beloved environment.

Think about whether or not you would like to be present when the injection is administered. You may wish to be there for the dog’s final moments, or it may be too difficult a task. If you plan to be present, try to bring someone along who can help you through this trying event. If you can’t bring yourself to be there, do not chide or accuse yourself of letting your dog down; it is very difficult to predict how one will respond to the death of a loved one. Concentrate on the warmth and sense of belonging you have given your dog throughout his life, and the gift of relief you are now bestowing upon your suffering pet.

Once your dog has died, you will have to decide what to do with his remains. Ask your veterinarian about cremation and burial. Most veterinarians can arrange to have dogs cremated. If you wish to retain your dog’s ashes, be sure to warn the crematorium ahead of time.

Burying your dog in a pet cemetery allows you to visit your dog’s final resting spot whenever you wish. Pet cemeteries offer plots, headstones, and monuments just as human cemeteries
do. Aside from your veterinarian, you may also want to consult with your local humane society for respected pet cemeteries in your area.

Filed Under: Senior Dog Information Tagged With: Beloved Pet, Caretaker, Concentrate, Death Of A Loved One, Difficult Decision, Dog Owner, Lethal Dose, Member Of The Family, Painless Injection, Period Of Time, Pleasure, Prognosis, Rational Assessment, Realities, Sad Realization, Sudden Illness, Suffering From, Veterinarian, Veterinarians, Warmth

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