Cool Devices
In the
hottest months of the year, it's important to not forget
our furry friends, especially if we humans are sitting
in a comfortably air conditioned home or office all day.
Your dog might be nice and comfortable inside as well,
but a lot of dogs are outside more than in. Ensuring she
doesn't overheat is important for the active, outdoor
canine.
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More training pages have been added to this section this first page is basic tips so please look at the others as they are of great training use.
Simple Hints & Tips
* Buy your dog a good
collar & lead , it's worth the investment.
*
See that your dog has regular meals and plenty of fresh water.
*
Exercise your dog every day.
*
Get the animal to the Vet if the dog appears ill.
*
Train your dog.
* Vaccinate your dog.
Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvo Virus are killers.
*
Treat your dog for fleas, ticks & worms.
*
Ensure your dog is properly looked after when you are absent or go on holidays.
*
Remember dog faeces are obnoxious, clean up after your dog.
* Supervise the children and dogs playing together.
* Teach your children responsibility and proper care of the dog.
Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer Heat
Malamutes tend not to cope as well in heavy heat as some other dogs and you need to pay attention to this.
From experience a quick cool method if they are too warm indoors in the winter & your heating is higher than usual & they can't get out is to give them a fresh ice cube from the freezer. They love this and it helps to cool them down quickly.
A plastic clam shell sand pit in a shady spot
is a great summer treat for a hot dog. Fill one half of the sand pit
with sand and wet the sand in the morning. This will give your dog a
cool bed to snooze on. Fill the other half with water and your dog can
drink it, sit or paddle in it or play in it, just like a kid at the
beach.
Groom your Mal as much as possible to get all loose undercoat out. An
undercoat rake with reasonably long, fine, double-rowed teeth works
best.
Freeze water bottles full of water and put them where the dog lies to
keep her cool.
Freeze a cup or two of water and place the blocks in your dogs water
bowl in the morning to keep the water cool.
Be realistic about your dogs weight, and put them on a diet if needed.
Overweight dogs are more prone to overheating because their extra layers
of fat act as insulation which traps heat in their bodies and restricts
their breathing capabilities. His ribs should have a light covering but
be easily felt. Rub your fingers over the back of your hand to get an
idea of what his ribs should feel like. Ask your vet if you are unsure.
Don't leave them in the car (obviously). Even cars parked in the shade
with windows down can become too hot for a dog, so check them regularly.
If you haven't already, invest in a large plastic or metal tub or trough
for drinking water, rather than filling ordinary dog bowls for your Mal.
It'll mean less refilling for you to do, and you can rest easy knowing
they've definitely got water, and haven't tipped over the bowl or drank
it all.
Mals with broken pigment causing pink patches of skin on the nose can
get sunburnt just like a person. There are zinc sun blocks for animals
available at pet shops if your dog is spending time in the sun.
Limit exercise if you are going to walk your dog during the hottest
months, ensure that it is done during the early morning or evening.
Remember too that a dog can easily burn it's pads on hot pavement and
sand.
Encourage your Mal to enjoy swimming. A young dog who's nervous about
the water might enjoy playing with a more confident dog in the water, or
wearing a dog lifejacket for a while.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke may not seem like something we need
to worry but it has happened and can happen.
It is worthwhile knowing what signs to look for, and what to do. Even if
you are careful with your own animals, a dog shut in a car on a summer
day may need you to act before it's too late - many dogs have died
unnecessarily in busy car parks as people walked by.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you suspect an animal has
heatstroke, you must act quickly and calmly. Have someone call a vet
immediately. On the way to the vet, lower the animal's body temperature
by applying towels soaked in cool water to the hairless areas of the
body, applying rubbing alcohol to the dogs pads, or allowing the dog to
lick ice chips and drink a small amount of water..
Often an animal will respond after a few minutes of this treatment, only
to falter again with his temperature either soaring back up, or falling
to below what is normal. Because of this, it is imperative to get the
animal to a veterinarian immediately.
Even with emergency treatment, heatstroke can be fatal. The best cure is
prevention.
Early Stages:
? Heavy panting.
? Rapid breathing.
? Excessive drooling.
? Bright red gums and tongue.
? Standing square, or spreading out in an attempt to maintain balance.
Advanced Stages:
? White or blue gums.
? Lethargy, unwillingness to move.
? Uncontrollable urination or defecation.
? Laboured, noisy breathing.
? Shock.
Identification for the Twenty-First Century
Losing
a pet can be heartbreaking, and an unsuccessful search even more so.
Over the past few decades, different methods of keeping track of our
furry friends have been developed. City license tags for local
identification, and some dogs are tattooed for nationwide identifying.
While very handy, by no means are these options permanent. Collars and
tags come off, and tattoos can be altered with ink, or eradicated
completely with deep scarring or even , in the case of ear tattoos, cut
off totally. That's a scary thought.
Affectionately referred to as "immunizing against homelessness", the
fairly new micro chipping procedure is no more painful than a
vaccination, and carried out the same way.
A tiny capsule, about the size of a grain of rice, is injected under the
flap of skin on the back of the dog's neck.
Veterinarians and shelters are provided with a scanner that reads the
digital number on the chip inside the capsule. If your pet is picked up
as a stray and he is micro chipped, a quick phone call to the microchip
company will have your information, and your pet will soon be home safe.
A microchip is completely permanent, it can not be cut off or altered.
If your pet is stolen, or sold to a research facility he will be
returned. Research facilities will NOT take any dog or animal that has
either a tattoo or a microchip implanted.
| Ten Tips for Preventing Pet Behaviour Problems | |
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Copywrite© 2007 Sharon Bartlett