Dog Guidance Blog

It is very important to look after your dog’s teeth. It has been known for older dogs to suffer heart problems due to severe gum and plaque disease. Also clean gums and teeth on your dog will prevent the yucky dog’s breath from wafting in front of your nose.

Dogs do not like the toothpaste that humans use, so you need to get a special type of toothpaste for them. Diluted salt water can be used as an alternative. You can get special canine toothbrushes, although normal adult toothbrushes can be used too.

Giving your dog a bone can be useful too to the health of its teeth and gums. A bone will help clean a dog’s teeth and also massage its gums. Raw carrots or chew toys can also be of benefit.

Puppies look cute, but they should not be bought without doing some basic health checks first. Below is a list of things you should check upon before buying a puppy.
You should be able to pick up the puppy without it whimpering or showing signs of distress. Check the ears for lice. The nose of a puppy should be not have any discharge and it should be cool and moist. The eyes should be open and alert. The stomach should be supple and fairly flat. Check the tail for fleas. The coat should be clean and shiny. Also check whether the bowel movements of the puppy are reasonably formed (if that is possible).

I always knew that commercial dog food was not the best food for dogs, but after watching a dog food video that a friend of mine referred me to, I was shocked to learn that it was much worse than what I had imagined.  I am sure that you will be shocked too. I thoroughly suggest that you have a view of this video too. It could make you dog live a much longer life. You can find it here

Labrador Retrievers have short and smooth shedding coats that sre water resistant and  relatively easy to care for.  This breed needs to be bathed every three or four months.  The coat should be brushed regularly to help keep it clean and shiny.  The ears should be cleaned weekly and the nails should be checked monthly to see if they need clipping.

The equipment needed for grooming Labrador Retrievers is the shedding blade, stiff bristle brush, steel comb, nail clipper, ear powder, scissors, and Lanolin coat conditioner.

1. Brush the coat thoroughly with a stiff bristle brush and then comb through to remove any dead hair.  A shedding blade may also be used in removing large amounts of shedding hair.
2. Clean the ears by dusting the inside with medicated ear powder.
3. Trim the nails with a heavy-duty, pliers-type nail clipper, to prevent the nails from splitting.  Make sure to only remove the tips of the nails to prevent cutting the quick.
4. Bathe and cage dry.
5. Scissor the whiskers on the muzzle as well as any long hair over the eyes and on the face.
6. Apply a lanolin coat conditioner by first putting a small amount on your hands and then rubbing it onto the coat.

Ticks are creepy little insects that cause irritation and disease to both humans and animals.  To prevent ticks from becoming a problem, tick repellents are widely available and very effective.  In locations where ticks are abundant, see your vet and ask for recommendations on a good insecticidal bathing or dipping.

The chances of acquiring Lyme disease depends on the length of time the tick is attached to your flesh.  The best way of minimizing the risk of infection is to take it immediately.  

This type of tick looks very similar to a mole or a blood blister.  Ticks are black and some female ticks are dark red, and all ticks turn gray and blow up when filled with blood.

To remove a tick, grab the exposed part of its body near the dog’s skin with tweezers or forceps.  Very gently, pull it with a smooth, steady pressure.  Try not to pull the tick with your fingers because it could be carrying a disease that is toxic to you.  

Do not be concerned if the tick’s mouth parts or head get stuck in the dog’s skin.  Leftover parts will not poison your dog, although it may cause a temporary and minor irritation.  Rubbing antiseptic on the bitten area after removing the tick will help prevent the inflammation.  Avoid contact with the tick. 

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It is a good idea to give your dog a bone about twice a week as a special treat.  Dogs love large beef bones, raw chicken necks, and the tips off chicken wings.  If you are not sure how long they have been in the supermarket case, douse them with boiling water to kill any bacteria before feeding.

The benefit of feeding bones is that they give your dog beautiful, pearly white teeth that do not need to be cleaned.  However, feeding too many bones will give your dog constipation and hard, chalky stools.  Also, be careful to give your dog only large bones that cannot splinter.

Leave your dog alone after giving it a bone.  Dogs get possessive about their bones.  They are one of the few items that may cause dogs to growl at you if you try to take one away from them.  Bones are a very special treat, and dogs want to be in a place to relax and enjoy them.  Let your dog go to its crate, which is the perfect place for it to enjoy its bone in peace.  Give your dog a few hours to indulge itself.  After a few days of chewing a fresh bone, it loses its magic, and most dogs will allow you to pick them up or handle them.

See nutrition for dog for more information.

When grooming your dog, it is important for you to be firm but gentle at the same time. Being firm with your dog does not mean being harsh, but to let the dog know who the leader of the pack is. Most dogs respond to simple commands such as sit and stay. 

In addition, dogs respond to firm commands that are given in a gentle voice. In this way the dog knows that you are in control and that he will be treated kindly, which is the important part in grooming.  Once the dog has been frightened by shouting and harsh treatment, it is very difficult to reassure him that he is not going to be frightened again.

If a dog becomes a real problem and does not respond to the handling of a groomer or his owner, he should be taken to an obedience trainer for further instruction. There will always be some dogs that you will be difficult to groom for disciplinary reasons.  If a dog is a ”biter,” he should be groomed by a vet who can administer a sedative.  Dogs should be started on a regular grooming routine from puppy hood so that he can become accustomed to the process.

DOGS at the Animal Welfare League are running out of toys.

The League is appealing to the public to donate hard rubber dog toys and durable ropes to entertain the dogs.Spokeswoman Donna Sullivan said toys were vital for dogs’ mental well-being.

“Every dog needs an adequate backyard and long daily walks to keep their minds stimulated,” she said.

But as the League cares for hundreds of dogs every day, it can not take them all for long walks.

“Toys are what we can provide for the dogs to entertain them and keep their minds happy and healthy,” she said.

The League gets close to 10,000 lost and abandoned dogs a year.

“Each year around Christmas time we receive large donations of toys but it is around this time of year that the dogs have managed to tear them apart,” Ms Sullivan said.

Anything with stuffing is not considered suitable as it presents a choking hazard. Dog toys can be donated at either of the League’s shelters at Wingfield and Elizabeth West.

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Although tiny dogs have been around for hundreds of years, only comparatively recently have breeders developed a “true-to type” Toy Poodle, one who will faithfully pass on his desirable characteristics from generation to generation. In America, Toy Poodles were treated as a separate breed until 1943. At that time, the AKC gave in and agreed they were just like the other Poodles, only smaller.

Toy Poodles are excellent pets for apartments and for elderly people, since they require little exercise. A mature Toy Poodle will weigh between 6 and 12 pounds, and will get along perfectly well with half an hour of outdoor exercise a day. Of course, they may race around the apartment like mad.

Toy Poodles are easy to pick up and carry from one place to another, and as long as they are trained properly, they are as compliant as the other sizes. Small children, however, must be constantly supervised around a Toy, as they might inadvertently hurt him. In such cases, a more substantial Poodle variety is a better choice.

The following is a list of 6 hand signals that are commonly used in dog obedience training.

1. “Come”: A movement across the body from the side toward the opposite shoulder.

2. “Down”: Can be done in two ways. The first way is with the arm raised to shoulder height in a striking motion if the owner is facing the dog. The second way to carry out the “Down” signal is to with the left arm down with elbow straight, wrist bent, and palm and fingers parallel to the floor if the dog is at heel position.

3. “Heel”: A forward motion of the left hand parallel to the floor to make the dog start walking at heel. It is also a swinging motion of the left hand from in front of the owner to his side to make the dog go to heel.

4. “Sit”: While facing the dog with either hand extended and palm faced upward, flip up the fingers with a quick wrist motion.

5. “Stay”: Can be done by having the arm extended downward, palm back, and held momentarily in front of the dog’s muzzle.

6. “Stand – Stay”: This is done by using the signal similar to “Stay.”