Gradually
introduce the new and resident dogs, letting them
explore. If you have cats, do the same. Don't be alarmed
if there is a bit of scurrying and testing of the
boundaries in the first few days, but do not leave
the pets unsupervised for the first two weeks. Though
many dogs and cats welcome the new addition, keep
in mind that there may be a period of adjustment for
the first few days up to 2 - 3 weeks depending on
the rescued pet' s history and personality. During
this time, the adopted dog may appear shy or submissive.
Take it slow and easy; let the dog learn to regain
trust; give him hugs and kisses as he can tolerate
them; he may be surprised at first, but will eventually
relish the attention and return it. As he becomes
more confident, he may change his behavior towards
resident pets, beginning to play and explore the pecking
order.
Always
feed your pets and your adopted dog separately; consider
feeding the adopted dog in a crate if you notice any
food aggression between dogs. Be careful when dispensing
treats or other high-value items like rawhides or
favorite toys. Sometimes what is thought to be food
aggression is actually just a territorial imperative
that will take care of itself as the pecking order
is established and the dogs relax.
Keeping
this in mind, always supervise the interactions of
your adopted dog with other pets. When leaving the
adopted dog home alone (even if you have other pets
at home), the use of a crate or gate is recommended
at least the first few days up to two weeks.
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Even the best-trained dogs may have accidents
Even
the best-trained dogs may have accidents
in a new home for the first few days. Make
sure your new addition knows where the
door to go outside is. Always use the same
door to go outside. Watch your new dog for
signs of needing to "go." He may
not know how to tell you. Many dogs just
stand at the door, while others do nothing.
Continue to work on housetraining him for
the first 10 days. Only gradually allow
him more and more freedom as you become
convinced he will behave in the house. If
your dog has an accident, do not ever rub
his nose in it: this is degrading to him
and never recommended by responsible trainers.
Always
use the same word when going potty. This
way the dog will learn what you are saying.
Use phrases like, "Do you have to go
potty?" By learning this phrase you
will teach your dog to potty on demand.
Never play with the dog when it is time
to potty. They need to learn first and foremost
that outside is for business. If you are
having some resistance to training, then
crate the dog, letting him out only for
potty time (the same place each time), then
back to the crate. After two weeks of crate/housetraining
the problem should be solved, but don't
expect a puppy under 6 months or even a
little older to fully '"get" it
that young.
-
All
dogs are naturally clean concerning
waste elimination. In early life,
they seek a spot to eliminate that
is remote from where they eat and
sleep. We (pet owners) are the culprits
who force them to violate this hygiene
by placing doors and other barriers
between them and the proper toilet
area. Use this instinct to housetrain
your new dog.
- Feeding
& Training Tips: Give the dog 15 minutes
to eat. Take him outside after each meal -
rain, snow, or sunshine to the same spot in
the yard. Puppies always go potty after eating;
most adults also need to eliminate after morning
and evening meals. Determine how soon after
eating the bowel action occurs. Usually this
will be about the same time every time. Some
pups may take up to one hour for this to occur.
Now you have learned how long to wait after
feeding, before going outside. Take him to
his spot; give the command you use to go potty;
reward and praise lavishly after he does.
If he doesn't go, bring him back in; try again
in an hour. Don't let him out of your sight
during training. While training, keep treats
in your pocket or a fanny pack.
Our experience is that the best way to house
train a puppy or new adult is crating. Keep
your eye on the dog when you are home and
get him or her outside regularly; but when
you are away, slip your dog into the crate
with a comfy towel or sheet, a rawhide chew,
favorite toy, and a pleasant "see you
later" and praise. The crate is not punishment
but his den while you are away. Some Shelties
will prefer to sleep in the crate even when
you are home because it is a safe haven. Another
trick is to keep the dog on leash in the house:
loop on your ankle when you're relaxing, to
your belt loop when you're working in the
house or yard. Keep him close so you can watch
him; take him to his spot every couple of
hours.
- Quality
and type of food is the biggest problem we
face. Cheap, bargain food will cause all sorts
of digestive problems and make housetraining
much harder. Please feed a good, high quality
food, which is better for the dog's health
and, with fewer by-products, produces less
"output" from the dog.
- For
cleaning accidents, use an odor neutralizer
recommended by your veterinarian. Most household
cleaners contain ammonia, which is also found
in urine -- and therefore only confuses the
puppy. Vinegar diluted 1 Tablespoon per cup,
can remove the scent of urine; there are also
many fine products available in pet stores.
You can try Simple Solution from your Pet
Store or OdoBan from Sam's. Another good product
is Joe Campanelli's
"Miracle Stain Remover," which is
excellent. We have found it available at vacuum
repair shops and at the website: www.joecampanelli.com/stain.html
Seven
Ways To
Prevent Chewing
(common in ages puppy through 3 years)
-
Move
valued furniture, loose pillows,
house plants and books out of any
area the puppy has access to. Check
carefully for any dangerous objects,
such as lamp cords, pins and needles,
pens and pencils.
-
Put
him in his crate when you can't
watch him. He'll go to sleep, most
likely; the house will stay safe,
and you won't have to punish him.
-
Give
your pet his own special chew toys.
We recommend rawhide bones. If you
see the puppy even start to move
toward something he shouldn't chew,
say "No!" and give him
a toy. Be consistent. He will catch
on.
-
Some
dogs like to chew. It's part of
exploring. And she may chew when
bored. Exercise and plenty of attention
can help control chewing.
-
Commercial
sprays from
your pet store can make items such
a furniture legs unattractive to
your pet. Or try spraying with Listerine.
-
Your
dog loves chewing your old sneaker
or sock, because the odor reminds
him so strongly of you. But she'll
love the new sneakers you've worn
only once or twice just as devotedly.
So keep him away from all sneakers
(and socks), old or new.
-
Check
with your veterinarian if your puppy
shows symptoms of really bad teething
pain. He may paw the side of his
face, rub his face on the floor,
or have difficulty eating. It could
be his baby teeth require extraction.
Ease his
pain by letting him chew ice cubes
or a damp cold washcloth.
Some
important Odds & Ends For Your Dog
-
A
dog's normal temp is around 101-102.
Always use only a rectal thermometer
to check for a fever.
-
Benadryl
may be given for allergies. Ask your
vet for dosage.
-
An
injured dog is always a risk for a
bite. Wrap an injured dog in a blanket
or thick towel and transport to vet.
-
Excessive
panting or lethargy with inability
to cool down after a walk or run and
bright red gums may indicate heat
stroke; get the dog in a cold bath
immediately; then directly to the
vet.
-
If
your dog has surgery, check the sutures
every day for inflammation; smell
the incision for odor of infection;
if either are noted, take the dog
to the Vet.
-
Keep
dogs from playing with panty hose
and plastic toys. These are the biggest
problem toys.
-
Never
give a dog Tylenol. Only plain aspirin/baby
aspirin/ascription for pain.
-
Keep
your Vet's phone number next to the
phone.
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Don't
forget your Heartworm Pills
Dogs
get Heartworm from an infected mosquito. If
a mosquito ever bites your dog, it is at risk
for heartworm. Heartworms are worms that live
in the heart. Left untreated, they will kill
your dog. Treating the dog is both dangerous
and very expensive (hundreds of dollars).
That is why we require you to keep your dog
on heartworm prevention pills every month.
One heartworm prevention pill/topical per
month will prevent heartworm. Heartworm prevention
pills/topical only kill baby heartworms; they
do NOT kill the adults. So, if you miss a
few months of the prevention pills, you must
retest the dog before continuing. You should
NEVER give an infected dog the prevention
pills.
What
about any phobia my pet might develop?
In
our experience, treating a dog with separation
anxiety in a matter-of-fact, cheerful manner
when humans must leave the home for work
and other activities reassures the dog who
is worried about being left behind.
Give
the dog a rawhide chew and favorite toy
and say good-bye, but do not make an issue
of this, or the dog's concern may increase.
Dogs with severe separation anxiety who
are destructive should be crated with the
chew and toy, and a professional trainer
consulted for more tips
It
is important to remember that dogs have
very sensitive hearing and other responses
to their environment, including air pressure,
that may cause trembling, barking, and racing
about in some dogs who are moderately to
severely affected by storm anxiety. Some
trainers recommend putting on a nature CD
with storm sounds while playing a favorite
game with the dog to acclimate him to the
sounds. Some veterinarians will prescribe
a mild sedative for dogs severely affected.
In our own experience, holding a dog who
is anxious, or distracting her with a favorite
game may help her get through the storm.
If none of these approaches work, then the
dog should be crated nearby while her humans
talk comfortingly to her until the storm
passes. Dogs who are very affected by storms
and possibly destructive to the home should
be crated when their human companions must
be away and know a storm is predicted. Click
here to learn more about storm phobia and
dog behavior.
Chocolate
is Deadly to Dogs!
Keep
chocolate away from your dog. 1 oz. of chocolate
can kill your dog. Even small amounts of
theobromine, a naturally occurring alkaloid
found in the cocoa bean, can cause vomiting
and restlessness in pets. Larger doses can
be fatal.
Plants
That Are Toxic To Animals
A
- Alfalfa, Almond (Pits of), Alocasia, Amaryllis,
Apple Seeds, Apricot (Pits of), Arrowgrass,
Avacodo, Azalea.
B
- Baneberry, Bayonet, Bear grass, Beech,
Belladonna, Bird of Paradise, Bittersweet,
Black-Eyed Susan,
Black
Locust, Bleeding Heart, Bloodroot, Bluebonnet,
Box, Boxwood, Buckeyes, Burning bush, Buttercup.
C
- Cactus Candelabra, Caladium, Castor Bean,
Cherry (Pits of), Cherry (Most wild varieties),
Cherry (ground),
Cherry
(Laurel), Chinaberry,
Christmas Rose, Chrysanthemum,
Clematis, Coriaria, Cornflower, Corydalis,
Crocus Autumn, Crown of Thorns, Cyclamen.
D - Daffodil Daphne, Daphne, Datura,
Deadly Nightshade, Death Camas, Delphinium,
Dicentrea, Diffenbachia, Dumb Cane.
E - Eggplant, Elderberry, Elephant
Ear, English Ivy, Euonymus, Evergreen.
F -
Ferns, Flax, Four O'Clock, Foxglove.
G -
Golden Chain, Golden Glow, Gopher Purge.
H
- Hellebore, Poison Hemlock, Water Hemlock,
Henbane, Holly, Honeysuckle (only the berries
are toxic), Horsebeans,
Horsebrush, Horse Chestnuts, Hyacinth, Hydrangea.
I - Indian Tobacco, Iris, Iris Ivy.
J
- Jack in the Pulpit, Java Beans, Jessamine,
Jerusalem Cherry, Jimson Weed, Jonquil, Jungle
Trumpets.
L
- Lantana, Larkspur, Laurel,
Lily, Lily
Spider, Lily of the Valley, Locoweed, Lupine.
M - Marigold, Marijuana, Mescal
Bean, Mistletoe, Mock Orange, Monkshood, Moonseed,
Morning Glory, Mountain Laurel, Mushrooms.
N - Narcissus, Nightshade.
O - Oleander.
P
- Peach
(Pits of), Peony, Periwinkle, Philodendron, Pimpernel,
Poinciana, Poison Hemlock, Poison Ivy,
Poison
Oak, Pokeweed, Poppy, Potato, Precatory Bean,
Common Privet.
R -
Rhododendron, Rhubarb, Rosary Pea, Rubber
Plant.
S
- Scotch Broom, Skunk Cabbage, Snowdrops,
Snow on the Mountain, Staggerweed, Star of
Bethlehem,
T
- Tansy Mustard, Tobacco, Tomato, Tulip, Tung
Tree.
W
- Water Hemlock, Weeping Fig, Wild Call,
Wisteria.
Y
- Yews (Japanese Yew, English Yew, Western
Yew, American Yew)
Danger!
Hot Cars!
When
the temperature is in the high 70's and
80's outside, a parked car quickly becomes
unbearably hot inside within minutes, even
in the shade and even with the windows left
open a few inches. If the car is parked
in the sun, the inside temperature can quickly
reach 160 degrees. Leaving the air conditioner
on in an idling car isn't much help as it
begins to labor and can shut down the engine.
The dog could also knock the car into gear
as he struggles to get out. As humane societies,
law enforcement agencies, and local media
constantly warn pet owners, in just 5 minutes,
the temperature inside a car even with the
windows cracked can reach 100 degrees or
more. In just 10 minutes, the temperature
inside a car can reach 120 degrees or more.
The dog has a fur coat designed to retain
heat, and he cannot sweat when he is overheated.
As the inside temperature rises, the dog's
body temperature has also risen, and he
may have just minutes to live. If not rescued,
he will suffer heatstroke, leading to collapse,
brain damage, and an agonizing death.
Danger
signals of overheating, whether from being
in a parked car or excessive exercise in
heat are the following: Obvious distress,
staggering, heavy panting to eventually
struggling to breathe, excessive drooling,vomiting,
glassy eyes, dark red to blue or purple
gums and tongue, collapse, seizures, and
coma. If you see a dog alone in a parked
car on a hot day, go into the store and
ask the manager to page the owner. If this
is unsuccessful, call the SPCA or the police
to free the dog; if the dog is obviously
in trouble and in danger of dying before
they can arrive, then get the dog out. People
are generally not cited for taking that
action; instead,
the owner will likely be cited for animal
cruelty. Once freed, if the dog is suffering,
apply the following first aid: Get him into
the shade, pour cool (not cold) water on
him or use cool towels to gradually lower
body temperature. Give him cool water or
ice cubes to lick. Take him to a veterinarian
immediately for a thorough examination.
Another
reason not to leave dogs unattended in locked
cars, even with the windows rolled down,
is that they can jump out to look for the
owner and be lost or worse. Also, dogs have
been stolen even from locked cars.
Generally,
except for taking your dog on trips where
he is welcome inside, do him a favor and leave
him home. Never leave a dog alone in a parked
car.
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