Are Your Worried about a Lost Dog?

What You Need to do for His Safety

Author: Amber Contant

You just brought in a load of groceries and left the door ajar or opened the car door without fully fastening the leash and off he goes. Your dog bolts in pursuit of a squirrel and there is no way to catch him. Most of the time we can use the promise of treats or the power of our most persuasive voice to get him to come back, but sometimes he just gets away.

The resulting fear and dread we feel is overwhelming. What if he gets hit by a car or looses his collar and no one calls? We immediately spring into action recruiting friends to flyer the neighborhood, calling local shelters to see if he has been picked up and crossing our fingers hoping for the best. Unfortunately some dogs become statistics, but most of the time proper identification will help to bring him home.

While the standard ID tag is a popular method of identification there are several others to consider that increase the probability of Fluffy’s safe return. The standard method of placing metal tags on your dog’s collar work well, but there are a few things you can do to increase their effectiveness.

First, make sure that you get new ones from time to time as the words can wear down and become difficult to read. Next, you should always use a real key ring like you use for your keys to attach the tags. You can purchase these in various sizes at your local home improvement superstore. These are sturdier than the flimsy rings that come with most dog tags. Next you should always engrave "needs meds" on the tag. This will increase the urgency to return your dog in the person who finds him and will decrease the chances of someone keeping him for themselves.

Similar identification methods include embroidered collars and identification tubes. Embroidered collars are standard web collars with the name of your dog and your telephone number embroidered on them in bright white thread. These collars are wonderful options for dogs who frequently lose their tags or manage to pull them off themselves. In larger dogs the embroidery can be seen from a few feet away. This can be helpful to catch timid dogs.

If people can read their names then they can use their names to call them and hopefully catch them and call you. There are also metal tubes on the market designed to hold a list of information rolled up inside on a mini-scroll. This is helpful because you have the ability to convey more information than simply your name and number. Information such as your Veterinarian’s name, any health problems or medications your dog needs and back up phone numbers in case you do not pick up.

If those methods are not enough to give you peace of mind then you could try other more permanent methods such as tattooing or microchipping. Tattooing is just what it sounds like, an identification tattoo for your dog. This practice involves a tattoo artist tattooing a specific number on the inside of your dog’s groin and then registering that number with a national registry. Animal control, Veterinarians and other animal care service workers have access to these registries and can get the owner’s information from the registry.

If tattoos aren’t your thing then you might consider microchipping as a means of permanent identification. The microchip is a computer chip wrapped in a tube of glass and is about the size of a grain of uncooked rice. Your Veterinarian places the chip into a special needle and injects it under your dog’s skin between his shoulder blades. Shelters are equipped with handheld scanners, similar to those used to take inventory by store clerks, to scan animals when they are found by animal control workers. The scanner will inform the worker if the pet is chipped and will allow him to access your contact information.

The key to tattooing and microchipping is remembering to update your information. If you move or change your telephone number then the methods are useless because your contact information is outdated. Millions of dogs are lost every year so regardless of the method you use, always use at least one. If your dog ends up in a shelter with no identification then there are no guarantees that you will find him. On one hand he might be adopted out to a new family and on the other he could run out of time and be euthanized.

Don’t let your dog become a statistic; always make sure he is protected with proper identification.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/are-your-worried-about-a-lost-dog-what-you-need-to-do-for-his-safety-830300.html

About the Author:
Collin Walker writes for Pet Super Store - find underground dog fences , dog kennels and pet doors.



DOG RECOMMENDS:

Dealing with FLEAS!

Dog Fleas

Author: John Williams Dog Training

Ok so you want to know about dog fleas, what they do, how they do it, and what dangers you should look out for if you’re suspecting fleas on your dog or in your home.



Well let me start of by saying there is over 2000 different varieties of flea in the world today, the female version of these small little pests can reproduce at the alarming rate of 50 eggs a day max and an average egg count is normally around 20- 30 a day. Fleas can start to lay eggs as soon as 48 hours after having their first blood meal which makes getting rid of these fleas early on essential.



Around half of the flea population are eggs, 30% larvae, 15% pupae and only around 5% of the population are biting adults. These larvae take anywhere from a week to a month to become biting fleas and as you can see by the stats, the key to stopping your flea problem and letting your dog get a good night sleep again is through getting rid of the eggs.



Fleas can’t reproduce without a blood meal from your dog or another animal but can survive for long periods of time (2 months to a year) in hibernation without a meal but usually they will die off within one week without hibernation.



They key places to look out for fleas are near your dog’s bed or under bushes outside that your pet sleeps or rests. Anywhere your dog lies for long periods of time are key areas for fleas to live.



To check for fleas on your dog you will first have probably noticed your dog being very restless and uncomfortable, so the next step is to search for flea faeces, this will look like small bits of dirt to the human eye and rubbing it between your fingers with some water will bring out the red colour of blood if it is flea faeces.



Once you have found evidence of flea faeces you are now ready to move on to the next big step and get rid of the pests that are making your dog feel so uncomfortable.

About the Author:

For more information visit our dog training website at this link... Dog Training

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-fleas-256077.html

DOG MASON RECOMMENDS:

Alternative Pet Health Care

Conventional veterinary medicine may be harming your pet - and I can show you step-by-step what you must do to prevent it. "Regular" veterinary care has lost its effectiveness over the years, and in some cases is actually causing illness in our pets.

Alternative pet health care has grown over the past few years, but the truth is that Veterinarians have STRONGLY discouraged pet owners from treating their pets outside of the Vet Clinic.

The entire Pet Health Industry has a vested interest in discrediting alternative medicines which can safely, naturally and effectively allow pet owners to care for their pets at home.

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Free information, newsletter, and books, too!

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See you soon!

GENERAL HISTORY OF DOGS

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man's habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern dog, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from wilder animals, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a corner in his dwelling, and grew to trust it and care for it. Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions from the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. One can well conceive the possibility of the partnership beginning in the circumstance of some helpless whelps being brought home by the early hunters to be tended and reared by the women and children. Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family

 

In nearly all parts of the world traces of an indigenous dog family are found, the only exceptions being the West Indian Islands, Madagascar, the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago, New Zealand, and the Polynesian Islands, where there is no sign that any dog, wolf, or fox has existed as a true aboriginal animal. In the ancient Oriental lands, and generally among the early Mongolians, the dog remained savage and neglected for centuries, prowling in packs, gaunt and wolf-like, as it prowls today through the streets and under the walls of every Eastern city. No attempt was made to allure it into human companionship or to improve it into docility. It is not until we come to examine the records of the higher civilisations of Assyria and Egypt that we discover any distinct varieties of canine form.

 

The dog was not greatly appreciated in Palestine, and in both the Old and New Testaments it is commonly spoken of with scorn and contempt as an "unclean beast." Even the familiar reference to the Sheepdog in the Book of Job "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock" is not without a suggestion of contempt, and it is significant that the only biblical allusion to the dog as a recognised companion of man occurs in the apocryphal Book of Tobit (v. 16), "So they went forth both, and the young man's dog with them."

 

The great multitude of different breeds of the dog and the vast differences in their size, points, and general appearance are facts which make it difficult to believe that they could have had a common ancestry. One thinks of the difference between the Mastiff and the Japanese Spaniel, the Deerhound and the fashionable Pomeranian, the St. Bernard and the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier, and is perplexed in contemplating the possibility of their having descended from a common progenitor. Yet the disparity is no greater than that between the Shire horse and the Shetland pony, the Shorthorn and the Kerry cattle, or the Patagonian and the Pygmy; and all dog breeders know how easy it is to produce a variety in type and size by studied selection.

 

In order properly to understand this question it is necessary first to consider the identity of structure in the wolf and the dog. This identity of structure may best be studied in a comparison of the osseous system, or skeletons, of the two animals, which so closely resemble each other that their transposition would not easily be detected.

 

The spine of the dog consists of seven vertebrae in the neck, thirteen in the back, seven in the loins, three sacral vertebrae, and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each has forty-two teeth. They both have five front and four hind toes, while outwardly the common wolf has so much the appearance of a large, bare-boned dog, that a popular description of the one would serve for the other.

 

Nor are their habits different. The wolf's natural voice is a loud howl, but when confined with dogs he will learn to bark. Although he is carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and when sickly he will nibble grass. In the chase, a pack of wolves will divide into parties, one following the trail of the quarry, the other endeavouring to intercept its retreat, exercising a considerable amount of strategy, a trait which is exhibited by many of our sporting dogs and terriers when hunting in teams.

 

A further important point of resemblance between the Canis lupus and the Canis familiaris lies in the fact that the period of gestation in both species is sixty-three days. There are from three to nine cubs in a wolf's litter, and these are blind for twenty-one days. They are suckled for two months, but at the end of that time they are able to eat half-digested flesh disgorged for them by their dam or even their sire.

 

The native dogs of all regions approximate closely in size, coloration, form, and habit to the native wolf of those regions. Of this most important circumstance there are far too many instances to allow of its being looked upon as a mere coincidence. Sir John Richardson, writing in 1829, observed that "the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference.

 

It has been suggested that the one incontrovertible argument against the lupine relationship of the dog is the fact that all domestic dogs bark, while all wild Canidae express their feelings only by howls. But the difficulty here is not so great as it seems, since we know that jackals, wild dogs, and wolf pups reared by bitches readily acquire the habit. On the other hand, domestic dogs allowed to run wild forget how to bark, while there are some which have not yet learned so to express themselves.

 

The presence or absence of the habit of barking cannot, then, be regarded as an argument in deciding the question concerning the origin of the dog. This stumbling block consequently disappears, leaving us in the position of agreeing with Darwin, whose final hypothesis was that "it is highly probable that the domestic dogs of the world have descended from two good species of wolf (C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms; from at least one or two South American canine species; from several races or species of jackal; and perhaps from one or more extinct species"; and that the blood of these, in some cases mingled together, flows in the veins of our domestic breeds.

 

 

I thought you might enjoy this.

 

    DOG MASON

Signs of Ill health

    Signs of ill health are the most important signs of the health status in your dogs. For example, if the dog has continuous nasal discharge, it indicates the presence of nasal congestion and if the discharge is thick, most of the times, the dog may have pneumonia.

 

    If the dog vomits one or two times occasionally, this may not be taken as a serious sign of ill health but if the dog continues this vomiting, then this is something significant to be looked into.

 

    If the dog has continuous itching, then one needs to check up the dog first by closer observation and examination of skin by separating the hair material especially in case of long haired breeds. You may also come across a lot of ticks or lice on skin, which may look apparently normal at a distance.

 

    If the dog passes loose stool for one or two times, this need not be given more emphasis but if there is continuous passing of loose stool, then the dog is understood to suffer from bowel disorders. If the dog does not pass stool for two to three days, the digestive upsets needs to be ruled out carefully.

 

    Just patiently observe the dog's walking movements and rule out any abnormal movements in the dog. If the dog is limping, the animal may have foot lesions. Similarly, if the aged dog has reluctant walking and less feed intake along with repeated vomiting, then acute renal disorders like nephritis needs to be ruled out.

 

    If there is whiteness in eyes, suspect the corneal opacity that may occur in diseases like trypanasomosis. When the dog becomes anemic, the mucous membrane of the eyes becomes paler and in severe cases, this may have wall white color. If the dog bites chain and owners or others, look for behavior disorders and rabies needs to be ruled out.

 

 

Yours Truly,

        DOG MASON

Why are regular check-ups important?

    Why are regular check-ups important? Every dog owner asks this type of question, often. If you failed to do the regular check-ups, then the dog may end up having some major diseases that you don't know about. Hence, you need to pay lot of money both to the veterinarians for consultancy and for the required drugs useful for the therapy of the clinical condition.

 

    One may not be able to find out the very commonly occurring clinical conditions in case of their dogs because of less experience with dog diseases or dog rearing. This is why check ups are important. For example, if the dog has potbelly, the condition may not look abnormal many times. But if the dog is subjected to the regular check-up, then the veterinarian immediately finds it out and gives the appropriate therapy. If not, the animal may experience diarrhea and the dehydration.

 

    If the dog has any signs of illness, then don't wait for the regular check-up. Instead, you need to approach the veterinarian immediately. Check ups if done in a regular manner will help to give vaccinations against canine distemper, parvovirus, corona virus, rabies virus, hepatitis virus, and more.

 

    Booster vaccinations will be carried out in such cases without any delay in the injections and this helps to improve the immunity level of the dog against such diseases in a remarkable degree. Regular check up is the essential one with proper stools examination. Hence, the deworming may be carried out with drugs like fenbendazole, albendazole, etc.

 

    Abnormalities like signs of pain may be ruled out during such examinations. If not, helminthiasis may affect the animal and diarrhea may occur in addition to the other types of digestive upsets and anemia. Regular examinations help to rule out the external parasitic conditions like lice or tick infestations. Dental problems are also found out during the regular check ups in reputed veterinary hospitals.

 

 

Best Wishes,

 

    DOG MASON

 

Welcome to my blog. As you might guess from the name, I love my dogs and am very concerned with their health and behavior.

In fact, I love my furry friends so much, I'm known as "Dog" by many, many folks, especially loyal readers on the Internet.

Please browse, read, share, and comment. Your feedback helps me target specific topics.

Enjoy!

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Health Benefits Of Owning A Pet

Health Benefits Of Owning A Pet

Author: Karen Corey

The Health Benefits of Owning a Pet Many families today have some sort of pet in their household and they are often considered one of the family. They are a source of enjoyment, amusement, companionship and love. Most animals thrive in a family and household environment. It is said that almost half of all UK homes have a pet and research has shown that pets are good for our health. One obvious health benefit is that of exercise. Whether it be walking a dog or playing (energetically!) with a cat it is a great way to have fun and burn a few calories at the same time. Scientific research has shown that contact with animals can have physiological and psychological benefits which include reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and aiding in recovery after a life-threatening illness. This includes other pets besides cats and dogs, such as gerbils, rabbits, birds and fish. Pets can improve your mood and allieviate some of the symptoms of depression. For anyone who loves animals it is hard to stay in a bad mood when you look into a dog's loving eyes or if your cat is rubbing against you. Dogs and cats seem to sense when you are sad or down and will do things to brighten your mood. Just watching a pet clown around and play will lighten your mood. Studies have shown that pet ownership can be a better stabiliser of blood pressure than many drugs. ACE inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure but they aren't as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. It was found that people who had cats or dogs were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates as those who didn't have pets. A pet will stave off loneliness and provide unconditional love. They can offer you companionship and give you something to hold and cuddle. You can tell them anything and your secrets will be safe. They are good listeners and won't judge you; just love you. Studies have shown that when elderly people are visited by pets they feel less lonely and isolated. Some people felt less stress and loneliness when being visited by pets than when spending time with other people. This is due to the fact that a dog or cat won't put any social pressure on you, they will just sit and be a comfort to you. Yet more research has indicated that looking after a pet can help a child develop better social skills. Studies have shown that children between birth and six who had a pet in their home have better social skills, better speech, co-ordination, confidence and are less likely to suffer allergies. Pets can be a benefit in the workplace also. Research has shown that they can enhance work productivity. The research also showed that businesses that had a pet created a more productive environment and improved physical and emotional health. A pet can give you unconditional love and support. Pets don't talk back or argue. They won't talk behind your back or leave you for someone else. Pets often form strong bonds with their owners and will be loyal to the end. They can help calm a person down naturally without the use of medication. Just by petting an animal or playing you can relieve tension and calm your nerves. There are numerous health benefits of having a dog or cat as a pet . Pets may also help to build healthy immune systems. Studies have shown that kids have a lower risk of acquiring asthma and pet allergies if there is already a pet in their family. A dog or cat can actually help the human body build a healthier immune system. You might want to consider buying pet insurance on your family pet in case their will be unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. You have health insurance on the rest of your family and for peace of mind you might want to get pet insurance on your four-legged family members.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/health-benefits-of-owning-a-pet-824036.html

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