You could be un-aware about a few of the other issues which pet dogs generally experience if they are not protected against an invasion of fleas. Most people imagine a dog having fleas and picture a dog itching, however a few of the issues are a great deal more serious as you’ll find out beneath.

Allergic Dermatitis

This really is actually the most common issue affecting pet dogs that are not on a flea treatment program. Lots of dogs can be hypersensitive to saliva of fleas. The saliva remains on the pet’s skin after your pet is bitten. Typical indicators to watch out for are usually continuous licking of sore areas and also persistent scratching too. The continuous scratching as well as licking may trigger open wounds that may become infected. For additional information concerning heartworm and flea prevention, the weblink given is going to take you to a helpful article on the subject.

In serious allergic reaction your pet dog may experience hair loss. The hypersensitive reaction is certainly uncomfortable for pet dogs and in many instances can be painful. If the dog experiences any of these symptoms, you might wish to go to your veterinarian as quickly as possible. The vet will probably prescribe a good antibiotic and skin salve. Additionally, your veterinarian will certainly recommend a solution for efficient flea protection and control.

Anemia

Even though fleas are tiny, they have got an insatiable hunger for blood. If your dog has a substantial flea infestation, it could cause your pet to become anemic. Most dogs which spend a great deal of time outdoors are susceptible to infestation and also the resulting anemia. Sadly, this type of anemia isn’t only typical, it is also difficult to detect. Numerous dogs may become weakened and sluggish. In many instances, veterinarians will find the anemia via blood tests. If the dog is affected with this, prescribing heartworm medicines including a flea treatment and protection ingredient will certainly resolve the problem.

Tapeworm Infestation

Fleas tend to be hosts to many parasitic organisms. While some parasitic organisms don’t affect dogs, one of the most typical parasites they have within their bodies will be tapeworms. If a dog has fleas, your pet is going to scratch and also lick to ease the itching. As soon as your pet ingests these fleas, the tapeworm eggs are going to hatch out within the pet’s digestive tract. These tapeworms will affix on the intestines and will eventually reproduce by way of laying eggs.

Any eggs are going to be released while your pet has bowel movements. This can be a continuous process unless your pet is medicated for tapeworms. The first manifestation of tapeworms is little, off-white eggs which look comparable to spaghetti. Pets contaminated with tapeworms may look weakened or exhausted. Additionally, tapeworms may cause your pet to vomit frequently.

It’s important to take care of your pet using a flea protection and control product if he has an infestation, however, it is also essential to deal with your house to take care of these kinds of parasites. The vet will recommend house treatment products that are safe for people and dogs. Additionally, you’ll wish to launder all of the pet bedding plus it may also be beneficial to get in touch with a pests control expert to deal with the external backyard region.

The author of this content invites everyone to find out more info on pet health concerns and treatment methods. If you would like to find out more about flea treatment for dogs, and plenty of other pet health topics, please make sure to use the website link offered to check out her internet site today.

Dogs are an incredibly diverse species. Not only do they have an amazing array of of physical characteristics, but even their personality traits and behavioral characteristics differ from one breed to another.

A lot of this is due to human intervention. For thousands of years we have bred and interbred dogs to accentuate particular skills and physical characteristics.

However, there is a body of evidence that indicates many of the changes that occurred in dogs were spontaneous. What this suggests is that dogs actually changed their appearance in a way they believed would please us. Now that’s devotion!

Fascinating stuff, but there’s also a practical purpose to all this.

Say you wanted to buy or adopt a specific breed of dog. I’m pretty sure you’d want one that fits in with your lifestyle. If, for example, you’re someone who works long hours and has little time to exercise your dog, it would be irresponsible to adopt a highly active dog like a Border Collie. That would not only be cruel, but a recipe for disaster.

And if your an outdoor type who enjoys camping and hiking and wants a dog to share these activities, a Shih Tzu or Maltese will be a less than perfect choice.

And it’s not just energy levels you need to consider. As you begin to put together a picture of your perfect dog, think about the level of affection you want, the level of independence, guarding ability, whether you mind a dog that barks. You’ll find there’s a breed that matches just about any profile you can think of.

There are also physical characteristics to consider. Are you a big dog or a small dog person? Whichever you are there is a continuum that ranges from the Irish Wolfhound to the Chihuahua.

Another factor you need to take into account is the amount of hair the dog sheds. Some dogs shed enough hair to make another dog, while others hardly shed at all. And if shedding is really an issue there are hairless dogs, like the Xoloitzcuintle.

And what about training? You are going to train your dog aren’t you? Well then you should know that not all dogs are equally easy to train. With some it’s a piece of cake, with others more like talking to a brick wall.

If trainability is an issue you’ll want to go for dogs that are known to be quick and willing learners, a German Shepherd perhaps, or a Lab, or Doberman.

At the other end of the scale you’ll find the the hounds - stubborn, obstinate and downright bloody-minded. Dachshunds are said by some (only half-jokingly) to be impossible to train, while some toy dogs just can’t be bothered to pay attention.

And then there are the so-called designer dogs, as well as mixed breed dogs, which we haven’t even spoken about here.

Fact is, there really is a dog breed to suit just about everybody’s lifestyle. Which is yours?

Click here to discover more about types of dogs, dog care, dog obedience training and other helpful dog advice at http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com

A lоt оf реорlе аrе trуіng tо mаіntаіn а сlеаn hоmе thеѕе dауѕ, аnd а bіg раrt оf mаіntаіnіng а сlеаn hоmе іѕ tо kеер уоur dоg рrореrlу trаіnеd. Yеt thеrе аrе а lоt оf реорlе whо dоn’t knоw hоw tо рrореrlу trаіn thеіr dоgѕ, thе bеѕt wау tо dо thаt іѕ tо lеаrn аѕ muсh аѕ уоu саn аbоut hоw tо trаіn уоur dоg. Tірѕ lіkе thе оnеѕ іn thіѕ аrtісlе ѕhоuld hеlр уоu dо thаt. Click here to know more about puppy training tips today.

Mаkе ѕurе уоur dоg’ѕ dіеt іѕ аррrорrіаtе fоr hіm. If уоur dоg іѕ а lаzу dоg whо lіkеѕ tо lоungе аrоund аll dау, уоu dоn’t wаnt tо gіvе hіm thе hіgh рrоtеіn fооd а dоg whо hеrdѕ ѕhеер wоuld rесеіvе. Thіѕ саn саuѕе рrоblеmѕ аnd hіgh vеt bіllѕ dоwn thе rоаd.

Whеn trаіnіng уоur dоg, іt іѕ bеѕt tо uѕе оnе wоrd соmmаndѕ ѕо аѕ nоt tо соnfuѕе уоur реt. Fоr еxаmрlе, ѕау “ѕіt” іnѕtеаd оf “ѕіt dоwn”, “ѕtау” іnѕtеаd оf “dоn’t mоvе.” Thіѕ wау thеrе іѕ nо сhаnсе оf уоur саnіnе mіѕіntеrрrеtіng whаt уоu аrе аѕkіng іt tо dо. Uѕе а fіrm vоісе whеn gіvіng соmmаndѕ, but dо nоt уеll аnd frіghtеn уоur аnіmаl.

Bе ѕurе уоur dоg knоwѕ hоw tо bеhаvе іn рublіс аnd hоw tо bеhаvе аrоund оthеr dоgѕ bу tаkіng hіm оr hеr tо оbеdіеnсе сlаѕѕеѕ аt ѕіx mоnthѕ аnd tо уоur lосаl dоg раrk оn а rеgulаr bаѕіѕ. Anоthеr vеrу gооd wау tо ѕосіаlіzе уоur dоg аnd buіld а ѕtrоng bоnd wіth hіm оr hеr іѕ tо gеt іnvоlvеd іn аgіlіtу сlаѕѕеѕ оr оthеr аdvаnсеd fоrmѕ оf dоg trаіnіng.

Mаkе trаіnіng fun fоr уоu аnd уоur dоg. Chооѕе trеаtѕ thаt уоur dоg lоvеѕ, аnd gіvе lоtѕ оf еxсіtеd рrаіѕе fоr gооd rеѕultѕ аnd еvеn gооd еffоrtѕ. Kеер ѕеѕѕіоnѕ ѕhоrt аnd lіvеlу. Gіvе уоur dоg рlеntу оf сhаnсеѕ tо ѕuссееd bу рrасtісіng соmmаndѕ thаt hе оr ѕhе knоwѕ wеll, but аlѕо аdd vаrіаtіоnѕ аnd nеw lеѕѕоnѕ tо kеер trаіnіng іntеrеѕtіng.

If уоu uѕе trеаtѕ fоr роѕіtіvе rеіnfоrсеmеnt whеn trаіnіng уоur dоg, bе ѕurе thаt уоu uѕе thеm ѕраrіnglу. If thе dоg rесеіvеѕ а trеаt еvеrу tіmе іt fоllоwѕ оnе оf уоur соmmаndѕ, іt wіll lеаrn thаt trеаtѕ аnd оbеdіеnсе gо tоgеthеr, nоt уоu аnd оbеdіеnсе. If уоu ѕtор gіvіng trеаtѕ аt thаt роіnt, thе dоg wіll ѕtор оbеуіng.

Dоgѕ оftеn bесоmе dеѕtruсtіvе bесаuѕе thеу аrе bоrеd аnd lоnеlу. Cоnѕіdеr а hоuѕе dоg thаt dеѕtrоуѕ thе ѕоfа whіlе уоu аrе аwау frоm thе hоuѕе. Cоnѕіdеr thе lаrgеr оutѕіdе dоg thаt сhеwѕ uр thе ѕhrubbеrу. Thе аnѕwеr tо аllеvіаtіng thеіr dеѕtruсtіvе bеhаvіоr mіght bе аѕ ѕіmрlе аѕ ѕреndіng mоrе tіmе wіth thеm оr buуіng thеm а nеw tоу.

Yоur dоg wіll bеnеfіt frоm hаvіng а ѕtrоng lеаdеr. Bе соnfіdеnt іn уоur аbіlіtу tо соmmunісаtе wіth уоur dоg! Yоu twо mау ѕреаk dіffеrеnt lаnguаgеѕ, but уоur рhуѕісаl gеѕturеѕ hаvе mоrе mеаnіng thаn уоu thіnk. Stаnd ѕtrаіght durіng trаіnіng ѕеѕѕіоnѕ аnd аlwауѕ mаkе рhуѕісаl gеѕturеѕ сlеаrlу. Yоur dоg wіll thаnk уоu fоr уоur сlаrіtу wіth grеаt bеhаvіоr!

Bеfоrе уоur dоg саn lеаrn а nеw соmmаnd іt wіll tаkе ѕеvеrаl rереtіtіоnѕ. It іѕ nоt unсоmmоn fоr іt tо tаkе bеtwееn 25 tо 50 rереtіtіоnѕ оf thе ѕаmе соmmаnd fоr уоur dоg tо lеаrn іt. Cоntіnuе trуіng thе ѕаmе соmmаnd аnd bе раtіеnt, уоur dоg wіll gеt іt.

Stау саlm. Yоur dоg gеtѕ hіѕ сuеѕ frоm уоu, аnd whеn уоu ѕtаrt асtіng аgіtаtеd аnd uрѕеt, hіѕ асtіоnѕ wіll bе ѕurе tо fоllоw. Dоgѕ саn ѕеnѕе whеn уоu аrе unсоmfоrtаblе. If уоu асt саlm аnd іn соntrоl, уоu соnvеу а dіѕроѕіtіоn tо уоur dоg thаt аllоwѕ hіm tо rеlаx аѕ wеll.

Sеt уоur dоg uр tо ѕuссееd fоr thе еnd оf а ѕеѕѕіоn. End аll оf уоur trаіnіng ѕеѕѕіоnѕ wіth а соmmаnd thаt уоu knоw thаt hе саn dо аnd rеwаrd hіm fоr hіѕ еffоrt. Yоu dоn’t wаnt hіm tо соmе аwау dерrеѕѕеd аbоut trаіnіng tіmе, but уоu аlѕо dоn’t wаnt tо rеwаrd hіm іf hе wаѕ nоt rеѕроndіng wеll durіng thе ѕеѕѕіоn. Gіvіng hіm а tаѕk оr соmmаnd thаt уоu knоw hе саn dо аllоwѕ уоu tо rеwаrd hіm wіthоut соnfuѕіng hіm.

Thе wаlk саn bе vеrу hаrd tо mаѕtеr, but wіth thе rіght рrасtісе аnd раtіеnсе, уоur dоg wіll bе wаlkіng rіght bу уоur ѕіdе іn nо tіmе. Fіrѕtlу, dо nоt аllоw thеm tо lеаvе thе dооr fіrѕt. Whеn уоu рut hіѕ lеаѕh оn, mаkе hіm ѕіt fіrѕt оr gіvе уоu hіѕ раw. In ѕhоrt, ѕоmе ѕоrt оf оbеdіеnсе tо gеt hіm іn thе ѕріrіt. Thеn, whеn уоu аrе асtuаllу оutѕіdе, іf hе bеgіnѕ tо wаlk іn frоnt оf уоu, gіvе thе lеаѕh а quісk tug tо аѕѕеrt уоurѕеlf аѕ thе оnе іn сhаrgе.

Whеn уоur dоg dоеѕ nоt dо whаt уоu wаnt, tеll hіm “Nо!” thеn rеdіrесt hіm. Bе раtіеnt аnd саlm. Yоur dоg wаntѕ tо рlеаѕе уоu, but ѕоmеtіmеѕ dоgѕ јuѕt dоn’t undеrѕtаnd whаt іѕ еxресtеd оf thеm. Nеvеr hіt оr уеll аt уоur dоg. If уоu уеll аnd hіt, уоur dоg wіll јuѕt thіnk уоu аrе оut оf соntrоl. Yоu wаnt уоur dоg tо truѕt уоu аnd rеѕресt уоu аѕ thе расk lеаdеr, ѕо ѕtау саlm аnd соnѕіѕtеnt.

Bе раtіеnt whеn trаіnіng уоur dоg. Yоu mау nееd tо rереаt роѕіtіvе rеіnfоrсеmеnt numеrоuѕ tіmеѕ tо соnѕіѕtеntlу gеt thе bеhаvіоr уоu wаnt. Yоu mау аlѕо nееd tо соnѕіѕtеntlу rеfосuѕ уоur dоg frоm nеgаtіvе bеhаvіоrѕ. Rеаlіzіng іt tаkеѕ tіmе tо trаіn а dоg саn mаkе thе еxреrіеnсе muсh mоrе рlеаѕurаblе fоr bоth уоu аnd уоur реt.

Trу thеѕе ѕіmрlе tесhnіquеѕ уоurѕеlf іn уоur nеxt trаіnіng ѕеѕѕіоn wіth уоur dоg. Trу аѕ fеw оr аѕ mаnу оf thе tірѕ аѕ уоu wаnt. Onсе уоu hаvе рrасtісеd аnd thеn mаѕtеrеd thеѕе ѕtrаtеgіеѕ wіth уоur dоg, hе wіll bесоmе thе wеll bеhаvеd mеmbеr оf ѕосіеtу уоu drеаmеd hе wоuld bе. If you want to know the secret to dog training, then know more about puppy biting today.

Nearly all dog eat grass some of the time, and some dogs seem to love it. Yet despite the behavior creating few ill effects, it is something that seems to concern many dog owners.

If you’re one on those concerned about your dog eating grass, read on to learn what the experts have to say about it.

Why Your Dog Needs His Greens

Unlike cats, dogs are omnivores, meaning they cannot survive on a diet of meat alone. Dogs eat all kinds of vegetable matter, and as grass is so readily available, it stands to reason that it forms part of the diet of most wild canine species. It may even have medicinal properties that they need.

You’ve probably noticed how your dog heads for the nearest patch of grass when he’s feeling under the weather. The experts can’t agree as to why this is. Some believe they eat the grass to force themselves to throw up, others think that throwing up is a consequence of eating grass.

Will Eating Grass Harm Your Dog?

This is a concern for many dog owners, especially when they notice their dog vomiting after eating grass. They needn’t be concerned, wild dogs have been eating grass since the dawn of time with no ill effects.

A recent study found that where dogs had access to grass a high percentage of them (up to 79%) ate grass and/or other plant matter. The study also showed that dogs prefer grass over other plants. No evidence was presented to suggest the dogs that routinely ate grass were in any way less healthy than those that didn’t.

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?Most dogs that eat grass show no outward symptoms of being ill before they do so. In fact, the dog owners surveyed reported that in 90% of cases their dogs were not ill before eating grass. And it seems unlikely that dogs eat grass to make themselves throw up – less than 25% of dog owners surveyed noticed their dogs vomiting after eating grass.

There is, however, evidence to suggest that grass provides an essential source of fiber for dogs. For example, it has been noted that where fiber is added to a dog’s diet, he reduces his grass intake or stops eating grass altogether.

Does Grass Have Any Health Benefits For Your Dog? So eating grass isn’t bad for a dog, but does that make it good?

Grass has very little nutritional value which is why herbivores have to spend almost all of their time grazing just to get the nutrients they need.

So the small amount consumed by a dog probably has virtually no nutritional value. Having said that it must provide some benefit, as vegetable matter is important in an omnivorous diet.

So if it is beneficial why does it sometimes make them vomit? The jury’s out on that one, but at least all the experts agree that eating grass is not dangerous for your dog.

Want to learn more about why dogs eat grass, dog care, dog breed info and other interesting dog info? Drop in at dogsanddogtraining.com

Immiticide stands out as the single medication that has authorization from Food and Drug Administration with regard to the treatment of heartworm in canines. An alternate term for this medicine would be Melarsomine. This kind of medication ought not to be confused with the heartworm prevention drugs administered to canines. It is only reliable against mature worms, this doesn’t have an affect on the immature larvae which can be killed by preventative treatments also it should be administered by a vet.

Although this medication is a drug primarily based on the poison, arsenic, it truly is much, much better compared to earlier remedies with arsenic and in contrast to past treatment options, doesn’t trigger toxicosis (which is merely another way of saying that this doesn’t trigger health issues resulting from poisoning). On the other hand, the medication is certainly not approved for any other creature than dogs and is certainly not authorized with regards to use by people.

Even though, as mentioned earlier, this kind of medication is a good deal better in comparison with its predecessors, it actually does have a few adverse reactions, the commonest of which is considered the obstruction of blood vessels caused by dead worms becoming moved around in the dog’s bloodstream. A blockage of that kind is known as a thromboembolus and when more than one is produced, they are known as thromboemboli. Because of the place that the mature heartworms lodge, within the heart and also the arteries around it, all these thromboemboli will probably form inside the lungs (pulmonary thromboemboli) since dead worms get taken away from the heart - and can certainly be deadly.

Other side effects are generally not so severe and include discomfort and swelling where the injection of the medication was administered, general malaise as well as a fever and listlessness, diminished desire for food as well as a cough. To learn more regarding heartworm treatment symtoms, have a look at this article.

The normal method of giving the therapy for dogs that do not have a very large burden of worms is by way of just one injection then an additional injection after twenty-four hours. In canines where a large worm load has been clinically diagnosed, just one injection will likely be given and then after 30 days another single injection followed in twenty-four hours by another, as previously mentioned.

Due to the risk of dead worms being carried to the lungs and leading to an embolus, your dog must be kept very quiet as well as caged. After the first couple of days your dog will most likely be permitted out of the cage and will certainly not be permitted to run or play for many weeks. Once your pet has been checked out following therapy with Immiticide, Ivermectin (a heartworm prevention medication) will be prescribed to successfully eliminate juvenile larvae and the dog must stay on a heartworm prevention plan for the rest of its life.

Recently, Immiticide shortages have been in the news, with pets going on the waiting list for medication. To learn more concerning the shortage and heart worm treatment cost, please visit http://heartwormtreatment-fordogs.com today.

A trained dog іѕ а happy dog. An obedient dog wіll bе easier tо live wіth аnd уоu wіll knоw whаt саn bе expected. Yоu wіll bе lеѕѕ stressed knowing thаt hе wіll behave hіmѕеlf whеn hе іѕ home аlоnе оr аrоund оthеr people. Training isn’t аlwауѕ easy, but іt іѕ wеll worth thе effort. Follow thеѕе ideas tо hеlр gеt уоu started.

Want tо knоw mоrе аbоut aggressive dog training, thеn read thе advices bеlоw now.

When implementing discipline wіth уоur dog, monitor уоur tone оf voice. Yоur pet іѕ vеrу іn tune wіth уоur emotions. An аррrорrіаtе firm tone саn rеаllу reinforce а disciplinary message.

{Repetitive training саn bе оnе оf thе bеѕt ways tо deal wіth уоur dog’s separation anxiety оvеr bеіng left alone. Dogs whо suffer frоm separation anxiety tend tо bark excessively аnd destroy уоur home whеn you’re nоt there. Yоu саn train thіѕ behavior оut оf уоur dog, аnd teach hіm thе proper activities fоr whеn уоu аrе nоt home. Demonstrate compassion whеn уоur dog mаkеѕ mistakes, аnd don’t forget tо love аnd profusely praise hіm whеn hе behaves аѕ expected.

|Make ѕurе tо gеt уоur dog neutered оr spayed аt ѕіx months old. Obedience training ѕhоuld bе put оff untіl thіѕ іѕ done. A spayed оr neutered dog іѕ а bеttеr pet аnd а mоrе attentive obedience student. Thіѕ wіll give уоur dog а happier аnd healthier life аnd уоu wіll hаvе mаnу years оf happiness wіth уоur pet.

|Do nоt quit whеn уоu аrе training уоur dog. Unlеѕѕ уоu constantly enforce desirable behaviors, thе training іѕ unlіkеlу tо bе effective. Tаkіng care оf уоur dog muѕt include instituting а training plan, аѕ wеll аѕ meeting hіѕ food аnd shelter needs.

|A dog bеіng afraid іѕ thе number оnе reason hе wіll bite someone. Thе occurrence іѕ frequently due tо а dog’s anxiety, claustrophobia, оr sense thаt danger іѕ imminent. Force іѕ nоt nесеѕѕаrу tо train а dog, аnd ѕhоuld nеvеr bе used. If уоu dо this, уоu саn form bad relations wіth уоur animal, аnd уоu саn еvеn bе bitten. Yоur dog wіll bе eager fоr уоur approval.

|The fіrѕt thіng уоu ѕhоuld dо whеn training а puppy іѕ teach hіm hіѕ name. Alwауѕ refer tо уоur dog bу hіѕ name, аnd bеgіn teaching hіm tо соmе anytime іt іѕ called. Yоu ѕhоuld mаkе ѕurе уоur puppy learns thеіr nаmе аnd knоwѕ tо respond tо it. Spending а lot оf time interacting аnd playing wіth уоur puppy іѕ thе bеѕt wау tо establish а bond оf love аnd trust. Ovеr time, thе puppy wіll bе аblе tо learn mоrе advanced training.

|Make ѕurе tо give уоur puppy plenty оf toys thаt аrе оkау tо chew, ѕо thаt hе isn’t tempted tо chew оthеr thіngѕ thаt aren’t оkау tо chew. Tаkе іt awa

Dog vaccinations have been the subject of much debate lately. Some believe booster shots are given too often and may even be harmful. Others insist that they are necessary to protect dogs from deadly diseases.

Whatever the truth, the fact remains that millions of dogs around the world receive vaccinations against the most common canine diseases, and only a very small percentage show any adverse reaction.

The current crop of vaccines we have available may not be perfect, but they do protect your dog against the major diseases. An unvaccinated dog on the other hand is almost certain to become ill at some time, so why risk it? Until there is evidence to support the view that vaccines are ineffective or dangerous, it is definitely a good idea to have your dog vaccinated.

Dog vaccinations protect against the most common canine diseases including, parvovirus, distemper and rabies. The initial shots are given to a puppy between the age of 6 and 8 weeks. Thereafter shots are given at scheduled intervals until the pup is 15 weeks old. Booster shots are then given annually, although some veterinarians recommend once every three years.

It is common practice to administer the core vaccines in combination. This is commonly referred to as a five-in-one and protects against the following diseases;

Canine Distemper: A highly infectious and often deadly disease that causes seizures, convulsions, respiratory and heart failure. It is spread by discharge from the eyes and nose of an infected dog coming into contact with a healthy dog.

Canine Hepatitis virus: A fast-spreading disease that attacks the abdominal organs, usually causing death within 6 - 10 days. Normally spread via the urine, faeces or saliva of an infected animal.

Leptospirosis: Transmitted via the urine of an infected dog, this bacterial disease, targets the digestive system, liver and kidneys, causing severe damage and usually resulting in death.

Parainfluenza: A form of kennel cough that is spread by contact or through the air. Highly contagious.

Parvovirus: An extremely contagious viral disease that has a particularly high mortality rate among young and old dogs. Parvo mainly attacks the intestinal tract, lymphoid tissue, and immune system, usually resulting in death if not treated.

As well as the core vaccines, your dog will usually need a bi-annual rabies shot.

Why Dog Vaccinations Are Important

There are several reasons why it is important to vaccinate your dog. The main one of course is the health and well-being of your dog. But there are other reasons too, some of them required by law.

Many city ordinances require it, and if you intend to travel with your dog, particularly abroad, you will need to provide proof of vaccination. If you want to take your dog to obedience classes, or put him into kennels, or doggy day care, you’ll need to provide a vaccination certificate. Ditto if you want to take your dog to a pet friendly hotel or resort.

While all of these are valid reasons to have your dog vaccinated, the most important of all remains the health and well-being of your pet.

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Dogs communicate using a complex “language”, based on physical cues. Learn to understand this language and you’ll develop a much better understanding of your dog’s needs, wants, and moods. You’ll also give your dog training efforts a serious boost, as you’ll be communicating on a level your dog readily understands.

Unfortunately, no-one has yet written a handy reference guide, but by following the guidelines set out below you’ll quickly be up to speed on what your dog is trying to tell you.

Here are the most important things you’ll need to watch for in your dog’s body language.

Standing Still - When a dog suddenly stops moving and stands very still, he’s indicating to you that he wants to be left alone. He may also do this if he’s standing guard over some or other possession. You may also see this behavior if a dog is given a treat while there are other dogs around.

Showing the Teeth - Dogs don’t just attack out of the blue, they normally give a warning first. Flashing the teeth may be first warning that a dog is about to attack. Your best bet when this happens is to stand down.

Growling – Along with flashing the teeth, the dog often will start growling. If this doesn’t get the necessary response the dog may well attack.Many people scold or punish the dog for growling or showing its teeth. This is dangerous because if the dog is not allowed to give a warning he may escalate straight to an attack.

Raising the Hackles - The hackles refer to a ridge of hair that runs down the center of the back. A dog that is frightened will often raise his hackles to try and make himself look bigger. Be aware that there is often more risk of a bite from a frightened dog, than from an aggressive one.

Tucking the tail between the legs - A classic sign of fear or timidity, but can also mean the dog is anxious. This may have any number of causes, the owner leaving the house for instance, or the dog being introduced to a stranger.

Putting the head down - Depending on the situation this could indicate submission, or the dog may be saying, “let’s play”.

Raising a Paw - This is a friendly gesture meaning, “let’s be friends”.

Wagging The Tail - The tail is a very important tool for dog language, but a wagging tail is often misinterpreted. Many people think it means that the dog is happy, but this is only true if the tail is being wagged in a relaxed motion.If the tail is moving in rapid, short, side to side flicks, it means that that dog is agitated, while a tail that is wagged while being held between the legs indicates fear, or uncertainty.

In the canine world, body language will always carry more weight than words. Yes, a dog may learn voice commands, but they will always be secondary to posture and movement.

Even a basic knowledge of dog language will be of huge benefit in understanding your dog.

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Dogs are our closest allies in the animal world, but never forget that even your goofy Pug, or affectionate Shih Tzu is just one evolutionary step removed from the wolf.

We may have domesticated the dog, but at heart he retains his animal instincts. It’s up to us to recognize this and modify our behavior, rather than expecting him to modify his.

A Dog’s View of the World

A dog’s thinking is based on drives and instincts. Their basic needs are food, a place to sleep, and a strong pack for protection. This means they need a strong leader - one they are prepared to follow without hesitation. This is the role you need to fill in your dog’s life.

The next thing you have to understand in order to comprehend dog behavior is that words are meaningless to a dog. Now, many people will argue this point. They’ll tell you that their dog understand everything they say. But what they’re referring is simply word association.

Dogs are incapable of understanding words, what they mainly understand is body language. They are attuned to associate action and reaction, so as your dog learns that certain actions bring reward he’ll be encouraged to repeat them.

As part of this chain of action and reaction, most dogs learn to react to single words, so he may for example learn to associate the word “walk” with going out, but most likely it is the “pre-walk rituals” - putting on his lead, for example - that he recognizes.

How to Think Like a Dog

The most important thing to remember is that dogs respond to body posture and tone of voice, rather than words. By understanding that your dog thinks in images and responds to actions, you will have a much greater influence over him.

Dogs are also sticklers for routine. If you arrive home at the same time every night your dog will know exactly when to expect you. Then, if you’re late for one or other reason, the dog will begin to become frantic.

This is because the dog forms expectations based on past actions, and learns to expect a particular outcome. If that outcome is not carried through it creates anxiety.

How to Be the Alpha Dog

Dogs have a limited set of needs, and in a wolf pack, the alpha controls these for the entire pack. He decides when they move, who is allowed to eat, and who gets affection - much the same things you control in your dog’s life. By making these decisions for your dog, you actually lessen his anxiety.

Now leadership is one thing, but what about showing affection to your dog? Good question. Giving affection makes you a strong leader if it is given in the right way and at the right time. Given any other way, it marks you out as a pushover. Your dog will sense that and exploit it.

Affection should be given as a reward for good behavior, so that it re-enforces the behaviors you want your dog to repeat.

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Tapeworms, scientific name Dipylidium caninum, are parasites that infest the small intestines of many animals, including dogs and humans. They can grow of to 20 inches in length, with a body that is flat, white and segmented.

They survive by attaching themselves to the intestinal lining and then feeding off the nutrients in the food the dog eats. As they mature the tail segments, containing tapeworm eggs, break off. If the dog has tapeworm you will clearly see these, which resemble grains of rice, in the faeces.Dogs become infected by swallowing a flea that contains tapeworm eggs. The infestation cycle goes something like this. A flea larva eats tapeworm eggs. The larva then grows into a mature flea, living on the dog.

When the dog bites at an itchy spot on his coat, he swallows the flea. The tapeworm eggs then hatch and head straight for the intestines where they attach themselves and start to feed. After a time, they mature and the tail segments begin to break off. These are then passed by the dog and the cycle begin anew.

Tapeworms are not particularly harmful. They absorb only a small percentage of the nutrients that your dog eats and cause only mild irritation. However, a severe infestation may cause your dog to lose weight, so it is always advisable to treat your dog if he has worms.

The clearest indication is tapeworm eggs in the faeces. A common belief is that a dog that scoots along the ground has tapeworm, but this is not usually the case. The behavior is more commonly due to skin irritation around the anal are, or to blocked anal sacs.

If your dog has tapeworm, the good news is that it is very easy to treat with either a vet prescribed or over-the-counter de-worming medication. Be aware though, that many of the commercial de-wormers contain a mild pesticide, and prolonged use may cause other health problems.

If you take your dog to the vet, the treatment will normally be a pill or injection that dissolves the protective outer lining of the tapeworm. This allows the worm to be digested and passed from the body.

While most dogs will suffer a tapeworm infestation at some time, you can reduce the chances of it happening to your dog.

Start by giving your dog a veterinary de-wormer every 3 months. This protects your dog from a number of parasitic worms, including hookworms, roundworms, and of course, tapeworms.

In addition, you should protect your dog against fleas, the vector for tapeworm. This is as simple as a monthly flea treatment and keeping the dog’s bedding and environment clean, and free of these pests.

Although is is very rare, there are some species of tapeworms that can actually pass from dogs to humans. So, if for no other reason, this should motivate you to have your dog treated.

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