Animals Unfolded

Flickr photo by EraPhernalia Village “I can’t believe that as someone who knows as much as you do about the pet food industry, that you don’t feed a homemade diet,” an acquaintance of mine asserted a few months ago. “Doing otherwise is so risky…” I think it’s safe to say that the topic of the diet of companion animals evokes a lot of emotion in pet owners. It’s no surprise, really. Although the pet food industry was branching and embracing a holistic, natural approach a few years ago, the largest pet food recall in history surely propelled the movement to consider what pets are eating everyday a bit more closely. Then, a far-reaching recall involving Diamond Pet Foods seemed to be the tipping point for a lot of people. It’s one thing for quality control tests to occasionally find salmonella contamination in a batch of food, but as many of you have noted in your emails and phone calls to me, for one company to overlook such huge lapses in the safety and quality during p...

Gretchen, around 8-10 weeks of age. Training had by that time already started. Ideas in dog training and understanding canine behavior have certainly come a long way in the past 15 years or so. My Gretchen is almost as old, and I have to say that I wasn't comfortable with every aspect of some of the popular methods that were around back then when she was a puppy. No, let me rephrase that: I wasn't comfortable with most of them. Those were the days before puppy classes and hiring the expertise of a professional dog trainer were the norm, I should note. But being totally engaged with the prospect of unfolding what would become an adult dog who was able to think independently and control herself with a fair amount of finesse in our very-human world was paramount. "Doing the hard work now will pay off for a lifetime," was my mantra. But the lack of what I felt were good resources in dog training back then did get me thinking about what I knew in my gut: forging good ...

Flickr photo by greencolander What was once thought to be strictly a compulsive disorder in dogs could very well be easily explained, and the problem quickly resolved. Excessive licking of surfaces , or ELS, is something that I hear families mention when I'm meeting their pet for the first time, as I inquire if there are any health issues or behaviors that I ought to be aware of.  Dogs who engage in ELS will lick the bare floor, carpeting, furniture, walls -- just about anything. Often thought of as a behavioral problem, a lot of times, the behavior doesn't meet any resolution and can potentially result in a life-threatening intestinal blockage that requires surgery in a small number of cases as hair and fibers may be ingested. Researchers now believe that ELS could simply be a clue that something else is up. A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior details the outcome of two groups of dogs — 19 presenting with ELS and 10 healthy canines as the co...

Flickr photo by pictographic  The vast majority of animals that I care for are fairly easygoing about my giving medication to them, and if they're not, they tend to not fuss too much and have attitudes toward me that are pretty forgiving. Medications aren't limited to pills — liquids, injections and even transdermal preparations are all used in veterinary applications, so depending on the type of prescription, technique and speed are often the truck in making the task easy and comfortable. One species of companion animal can be a little tricky when it comes to administering meds to rabbits and that is true for a few reasons. First, bunnies are skittish. As prey animals, by instinct they have a strong flight response when frightened or unsettled, so because of that, they do try to fight and get away. This reaction can present a problem when they are picked up — an action that can cause them to be frightened. The fact that bunnies have delicate bones in their back...

Flickr photo by artgoeshere Most of us who share life with dogs can attest to the all-to-familiar noise coming from the bathroom: the "slurp slurp slurp" from our pooch getting a refreshing drink from the toilet bowl. Many people are aghast at the mere thought, and others, like some clients that I chat with on a meet and greet, sheepishly admit that their four-legged friends enjoy a few laps of cold water from the commode if they aren't careful about ensuring that the lid is closed. Most of those in the latter group seem somewhat relieved when I tell that that not only do my pets do it if given the chance, but most of my charges — both canine and feline — do too. In fact, a couple of them have stated, "I purposely leave the lid open, just as a backup." I'm nonplussed when they say that. In fact, for some clients, it's probably not a bad idea. Are you cringing, gagging, wrinkling up your nose at the notion that I don't have a problem wi...

Walking your dog is one of the most fun and important things that you can do with them. It's a great activity that dogs of all ages can do and best of all - you're both outdoors! It's physical, mentally stimulating and a great way to bond any time of year. The number of people who share life with dogs has grown substantially -  more than  72 million dogs in the United States alone. With all of these pets and people in close proximity, there are a few rules of engagement to keep in mind. Good manners on leash is essential, of course as is one other very important thing: picking up after your pooch. No one likes to see waste on the local trails , on streets or worse yet - on sidewalks. It's just unsightly, not to mention unsanitary.  With all of the walking that I do, I can attest to the scowls from some people when they see a pooch that I'm accompanying might possibly stop on their lawn. It's understandable, certainly. I see dog waste left behind in very...

I'll admit it. As a pet care professional, I am not a fan of "The Dog Whisperer". I cringe when I see the commercials for the show, and the poor dogs being subjected to methods of interaction that are cruel, and even dangerous. Cesar Millan, star of the show and self-professed dog behavior guru offers his methods and advice to millions of people across the country on the National Geographic Channel. I will say that I do appreciate Millan's emphasis on dog's getting enough exercise and humans being more involved with their pets. flickr photo courtesy of pmarkham Alas, Millan relies heavily on the " dominance theory ", which is for so many reasons, just backward thinking. In fact, the trainers who get the best results from their client rely on positive reinforcement techniques. The Alpha roll , stringing up/hanging - all things that Millan is in favor of - are counterproductive, detrimental to actually teaching a canine anything besides, well, agg...