Archive for November, 2007

Play is important and by setting simple playtime rules, your puppy will not only have fun but also learn important life skills.

Structured play can help a puppy understand his position in the home. As an owner you should establish right from the start that you are the leader of the pack and need be listened to.

Here are some simple guidelines to follow – they will make playtime both instructive and fun.

While owners will naturally want to let their puppy win at games, it is important you have your successes as well. If you constantly lose to him, your puppy may see you as a ‘loser’ and wonder whether he should make a bid for leadership.

Never let a game get out hand, control the pace and calm you puppy down if he begins to get over excited. Always demand that your puppy gives up a toy when asked. Dogs that refuse to share can become territorial and aggressive.

Hide and seek is a firm favourite. Most puppies will happily chase a scent, looking for their favourite treat hidden in a toy. To start with, let him see you hiding the treat and give the command ‘find’ so he can learn what you are expecting from him. When he finds the treat lavish him with praise.

Fetching and retrieving are natural activities for dogs. Turning this into a game should be straightforward. Start by throwing a toy nearby and encourage him to bring it back and drop it into your hand. Again use treats and praise when he completes the task. As he grows more confident you can throw objects further away.

Remember, playing is supposed to be fun, so avoid shouting or putting any pressure on your puppy to join in. Positive encouragement will always work better.

Playing with you is always going to be his preferred option, but sometimes you are not going to be around. Teaching his to play by himself will prevent boredom setting in when he’s left on his own. Fortunately there are many interesting pet toys available to keep him busy.
Top toys include:

Balls – these should be soft, durable and appropriate to the size of dog.
Chews – they come in a variety of sizes and textures and are particularly suited to teething puppies.
Rubber ring – great for chasing and chewing
Kong – a firm favourite with dog trainers
Ragger – soft cloths made for tug of war games.

Your puppy is constantly trying to communicate with you. Here is a short guide to what he would like to say.

Rather than using his voice, it’s his body that will tell you how he is feeling. Your puppy’s tail is a key communication tool, with which he signals his feelings to other dogs. He can also express himself through his ears – holding them flat for example is a sign of fear or submission.

Dogs are by nature pack animals. In the dim and distant past, their ancestors would hunt in defined hierarchical groups with a recognised pack leader. A trained and socialised dog will view you as that leader.

Play is an important part of growing up. Dogs are by nature social animals that need constant interaction with their ‘friends’. Even after they mature into adults, a process than can take anything from 12 months to two years depending on the breed, dogs retain this puppy like love of play.

While still a puppy he comes wonderfully equipped. You may notice that even his baby teeth, which emerge when he is about eight weeks old, are needle sharp. By around 25 weeks his full adult set will be in place.

You may pride yourself on having a well-developed sense of taste, but it’s nowhere near as acute as your puppy’s. His is around five times more powerful. This combined with an amazing sense of smell, which is up to a million times stronger than ours, makes him a formidable hunter. His eyesight however is less sophisticated than yours – he sees the world in black and white.

In addition to the more obvious abilities, some experts argue that dogs also retain a ‘sixth sense’ that make them sensitive to changes in weather conditions or dramatic and cataclysmic events like earthquakes. So next time he makes a run for it, be sure to follow.

Aggression in dogs is both unacceptable and avoidable. Owners facing the problem of handling an aggressive pet first need to understand the causes of this type of behaviour. Some breeds are naturally more aggressive than others, so it’s worth doing background research before deciding on a suitable breed.

Dogs are pack animals and like their wild distant ancestors are genetically ‘programmed’ to live within a carefully defined hierarchy. If your pet thinks of himself as the ‘leader of the pack’, then he believes that he has every right to do as he pleases. Use powerful postures and strong facial expressions when communicating with him. Don’t shout, just use a clear commanding voice. He will soon understand that you are the boss.

Help him understand his position in the household. Feed yourself first before attending to his dinner and demand that he sit quietly before being fed. Always make sure you and other members of the family pass through doors and other openings before and in front of him. Be sure to ignore attention seeking behaviour, particularly if he is trying to break up a conversation between you and another person.

Aggression can be the result of fear. If your dog is not properly socialised at an early age, he can easily mistake strangers or new situations as a potential threat. Poor socialisation can also lead to the development of a jealous streak and refusal to share with other members of the household. This can extend to guarding objects such a favourite toy or food bowl. To stamp out this type of behaviour be patient and exchange the object for a dog treat. Alternatively just remove the object from the house.

A bitch’s behaviour may be affected by hormonal changes when coming into season. Displays of aggression can also accompany the arrival of a new litter. This should be addressed through early socialisation and providing new mums with a safe quiet space to bring up her pups.

Male sex-related aggression sometimes affects unneutered dogs – vets generally recommend castration as a possible treatment. If your dog is a fighter, seek professional training advice. Meanwhile, keep him on a lead when out and carry a favourite toy to use as a distraction if he lunges at other dogs. Another useful devise is a child’s water pistol. Squirt him with it when he becomes aggressive. It’s an uncomfortable feeling for him and one he will look to avoid.

Dealing with an aggressive pet can be hard work and seemingly unrewarding. Inexperienced owners in particular should check in with their local vet practice. Not only will they be able to offer practical advice, but also recommend professional dog trainers who can help.

Buddies pet insurance scheme offering savings of 25% now available to vet nurses

Market Harborough, UK: Buddies today announced that its discounted pet insurance scheme, currently only available to Buddies employees, has been extended to include nurses working in veterinary practices that distribute the Buddies Puppy and Kitten Packs®.

Around 8,000 vet nurses will now qualify for inclusion in the Buddies pet insurance discount scheme. They will receive a 25% discount on published Buddies pet insurance rates [Buddies pet insurance|http://www.buddies.co.uk].

“We value our vet nurse network and reward them regularly with promotional gifts,” said Buddies managing director Marianne Metaxas. “Discounted pet insurance is another great offer. We know nurses are enthusiastic respondents, so we are expecting lots of them to take up the scheme.”

Buddies pet insurance offers three levels of cover, up to a maximum of £5,000. There is no upper age limit and cover continues for however long the treatment takes. Buddies gold and silver pet health insurance policy holders also benefit from up to £1,000 towards the cost of boarding kennel fees in the event of the owner being hospitalised and up to £2,000 for holiday cancellation caused by a pet requiring emergency treatment.

Has your puppy settled into bad habits? Well it’s still not too late to tackle them and set up a healthy daily routine!

Diet 

Like most owners, you have probably tried a number of pre-prepared dog foods and settled on your puppy’s preferred brands. Hopefully you have been using a ‘growth’ formula, which is specifically blended for your puppy – providing the extra vitamins and minerals he needs. Check the food packaging and you will see that it not only recommends a daily amount of food, but also provides a guide on when to change from a ‘growth’ to an ‘adult’ formula. This varies slightly depending on the brand of food and the breed of dog. If you are in any doubt, check in with your local vet for advice. The adult formula will be more appropriate for your dog as growth slows and he begins to mature.  

 Changes in diet should always be approached gradually. Mix small amounts of the new food with the old, adding a little more each day until the new food takes up most of the bowl. Try to keep meal times the same each day, it is all part of setting a routine that will help your dog settle into his new home more easily.

Many owners believe a happy puppy is one that is allowed to eat until he feels he’s had enough. Unfortunately, like humans, this is a poor guide to his actual needs and can lead to obesity. Again, check the food packaging for the recommended smallest quantity of food for a puppy of his size. It may be worth calling the manufacturer’s helpline and checking in with their experts if you are at all unsure. If he starts to look thin, you can always increase the amount. There is a simple way to check whether your dog is overweight. If you can’t feel his ribs, or he appears to have no waistline when you are looking at him from above, then chances are he is carrying too much weight.  Avoid treats and definitely keep him away from human foods which are too high in salt, fat and protein.  

There is no standard exercise routine that suits all dogs. Certain breeds need long periods of sustained exercise, while others require a short trot round the block. A look at his build will give you some idea of his athletic prowess. A walk is more than just about exercise, it’s an opportunity to socialise and help him adjust to his environment safely.

Teeth 

Domestic pets like your dog need a dental routine just like other members of the household. Start this while he’s still a puppy and he will be happy to do this willingly when he matures into adulthood.  Use a soft human toothbrush, or a specially designed canine tooth brush. When he is happy with a brush in his mouth (you can encourage a reluctant puppy with a small dog treat) graduate to using a little canine toothpaste. Dry dog food is quite effective at keeping teeth clean, as are some specially designed dental chews.

Your vet should check your dog’s mouth as part of any routine visit and in later life will probably offer scale and polish treatments to keep teeth in good condition.

Grooming 

This activity performs two important functions. The most obvious is the removal of dead hairs and the opportunity to check for parasites such as ticks and flees. These can be dealt with easily – ask you vet about suitable treatments. 

The less obvious function is the role grooming plays in the socialisation of your puppy. Not only does he get used to being handled, but the act of grooming helps establish in your puppy’s mind that you are the boss. Don’t forget your dog is a natural pack animal and it is important that he understands you are in effect the pack leader. Doing this early on will help you avoid lots of potential problems in the future.

The continuing increase in vet bills is being driven in large part by the introduction of more complex and expensive procedures. Surgery costing between £3,000 and £10,000 is becoming relatively common, with pet insurance often picking up the bill.

The ability of vets to carry out procedures such as open heart surgery is dependent on the availability of large supplies of blood for transfusions. To meet the demand of owners willing to pay for this type of work, leading UK veterinary surgeons are calling for dog blood banks.  Schemes such as Dog Blood Donors are already reporting some early success  

A TV show aired on US channel CNBC claims that pet insurance is now the third most requested voluntary benefit after car and home insurance. In a country where 60% of homes have a pet, but only 2% insure them, this comes as a surprise. Perhaps with a national vet bill of around $18 billion*, US pet owners are finally coming round to the idea.

 * Figures published by The American Veterinary Association

Buddies today announced the launch of a discount pet insurance scheme which is open to all members of staff. Qualifying scheme members will receive a 25% discount on published Buddies pet insurance rates. Buddies pet insurance [Buddies pet insurance |http://www.buddies.co.uk/] provides cover of up to GBP5,000 and ongoing lifetime cover. Customers also have the option of paying in monthly instalments.“The rising cost of pet healthcare should encourage responsible owners to budget for vet bills,” said Buddies managing director Marianne Metaxas. “We suggest all our pet owning staff consider taking out a pet insurance policy and the majority of them do. I am sure the introduction of the Buddies pet insurance staff discount scheme will make the case even more compelling.”Buddies pet insurance offers three levels of cover, up to a maximum of GBP5,000. There is no upper age limit and cover continues for however long the treatment takes. Buddies gold and silver pet health insurance policy holders also benefit from up to GBP1,000 towards the cost of boarding kennel fees in the event of the owner being hospitalised and up to GBP2,000 for holiday cancellation caused by a pet requiring emergency treatment.

It is a myth that we dogs do not appreciate music. I have been known to sit quietly in the evening as the Vet plays some of his old records. Apparently he has not heard of the modern gadgets that make music sound even more melodious and feels his old wind-up gramophone is quite sufficient.

He plays a little opera, some classical favourites and quite a lot of the tunes which Mary, the housekeeper, describes as music from the shows – those played on the London stage many years ago and to which the Vet and his mother used to pay regular visits.

All quite fine and easy to listen to, even for me, and those evenings when he put on the records have some of the most pleasant memories for both of us, although I must admit that quite often I would fall asleep – as he was inclined to do, too.

Now, however, he has bought himself a piano. Nothing too modern, one of those models about 70 years old which he managed to pick at an auction sale. The price, he told Mary, was very attractive – £30 including delivery. He also told her that as a young man he had taken piano lessons and he did not think it would take him too long to become proficient again.

How wrong could he be? First, the piano was so badly out of tune even I failed to recognise anything he played. And they were mostly songs from the shows we had been listening to for years.

More expense, I heard him shout after a number of phone calls to the professionals who could help him, piano-tuners I think they are called. Apparently they are in very short supply and would not dream of visiting unless the Vet parted with a sum which he considered downright robbery.

He realised that nothing could be played until he had the repairs carried out and so began a new round of phone calls. His aim was to either bargain the price down to what he considered a reasonable sum which none were prepared to consider - one even asking if the Vet knew what year we were living in – or offer his services on a barter basis.

When he mentioned this idea to Mary she was aghast. She thought it entirely unethical and if reported to the appropriate authorities could lose him his licence to practice. Of course, this frightened him terribly and he dropped the plan immediately.

Then the Vet thought of another wheeze – he would offer a piece of furniture to the value of the bill. Now the house was full of the stuff which has not been used for many years. The whole top floor of his four-story dwelling was covered in dust sheets and had not been seen by him, Mary, or anyone else, since the Vet’s mother died more than 40 years previously.

It was with some excitement that he persuaded Mary to accompany him up those endless flights of stairs, and out of curiosity I padded along behind.

The rooms looked like they were part of a mausoleum, filled with huge dark pieces of furniture for bedrooms, sitting rooms and what was once a music room. Neither the Vet nor Mary had any idea of their value and the Vet was of a mind to let the piano tuner come in and take his pick.

Mary, ever the more practical of the two, said that was not a good idea and he would be in a more advantageous position if he had the lot professionally valued, really not believing he would get more than a few pounds.

So the valuation took place, using one of the well-known auctioneers in the area. The following week a letter arrived and the Vet had to sit down carefully after reading it. A conservative estimate, wrote the valuer, was in the thousands of pounds and they would be happy to handle his business. Apparently old furniture was back in fashion.

So we bought a brand new piano and every evening the Vet thumps away in ecstasy but with so little talent. I hide as soon as I hear the first note.

A new word has entered our vocabulary – retirement.  We dogs have never come across the word because it never happens to us. Now, it appears that the Vet is contemplating giving up work and moving house.

I happened to overhear a conversation between him and our housekeeper Mary during which he casually mentioned that he was thinking of giving up the practice and moving to the coast – which coast was never explained.

But that was of little importance compared to the devastating news that he was thinking of retiring.

My first worry, quite naturally, was: what would happen to me? Although I am not in the first flush of puppyhood and do suffer from the odd ache and pain, I am nowhere near the age where I could follow in the Vet’s footsteps and give up my active life for one of ….what exactly?

As I remarked, we dogs don’t retire. We carry on until ill health takes its grisly grip and the unmentionable happens. I have no need to paint a picture, although some of the gang when I told them the dreadful news were not aware that the end of a dog’s life is painless but none the less final.

No need to get morbid, advised Gus, my number two. The Vet was only contemplating the move and he would almost certainly make sure that I went with him. But I was worrying about the endless days of having the Vet around. He would probably sleep a lot more, as I would too, but in his waking hours what would he do with himself?

No clients to chat to, few friends and a whole new environment to cope with. And what about Mary? Would she be coming? Who would cook and clean? The idea that these duties would be performed by the Vet was quite ludicrous; he has not washed up a plate or cooked even an egg for many years. And I certainly don’t want my food out of a tin, not after Mary’s carefully prepared meals for me.

The gang, of course, was no help in this situation. Not only had they not heard of retirement, but the whole concept was quite alien to them. None, as far they knew, had owners who have reached the age the Vet has achieved – in dog years well over 500 – and most were still working.

As usual in these situations I turned to Gus again. We discussed whether there was any way I could influence the Vet’s thinking and no matter how hard we tried, we came to the conclusion that it was beyond even my ability.
There was one hope, however. The Vet’s loathing of spending money, even in small amounts. A move would be very costly, even if he managed to sell his practice and house, and there were other heavy expenses he discussed with Mr Parkes, the retired butcher and Gus’s boss.

That evening the Vet returned home looking quite pale and helped himself to a drink of whisky, in itself a rare occurrence. One bottle tended to last a number of years. He called in Mary from the kitchen and said he was having second thoughts about retirement and she should forget he mentioned it. Relief all round.