First-Aid-Kit

1. Adhesive Bandage (Elastoplast etc) 2.5 cm wide
2. Antibiotic Powder
3. Antiseptic Spray (blue, purple or pink). e.g: Chloromide or cetrigen spray.
4. Antiseptic Wash
5. Aspirin e.g.: 1/4 of a tablet per 10kg twice daily as required, but for no more than 3 days.(for pain relief).
6. Bucket or Elizabethan Collar
7. Cotton Wool (1 roll not balls)
8. Gauze bandage (cotton) 2.5 cm wide
9. Hydrogen peroxide 3% Solution
10. Iodine Solution (Betadine)
11. Liquid Tears
12. Paraffin Oil
13. Salt- To induce vomiting 3 teaspoons in half a cup of warm water or a teaspoonful on the back of the tongue.
14. Scissors
15. Syrup Of Ipecac- To induce vomiting 2mls per kg of body weight.
16. Thermometer. Normal temperature is 38.5′c

Keep the kit in a cool clean place, in a portable case. Take it away with
you. Wherever the dog goes, it goes.

First-Aid-Treatment

Fractures

Try to have someone help hold the dog and a muzzle may be necessary.

Use a large piece of cotton wool and wrap it around and around the leg suspected of being fractured. Then use a plain cotton bandage or Elastoplast to wrap over the cotton wool. Be firm but not constricting.

This will splint the leg satisfactorily for transporting to the vet.

Wounds

Any fresh wound must be treated with first aid, either by you first and then your vet or just by your vet. Depending on how deep and sore it is will determine the need for an anesthetic or sedation. Minor wounds, which do not require stitching, can be attended to by yourself providing you have the basic first-aid kit.

You may need someone’s assistance so that your hands are free, but do not attempt it if the dog is in too much pain. It is not worth saving money and putting your dog through the pain or you getting bitten.

It is quicker and easier to sedate the dog and repair the wound without the dog suffering.

Why clean the wound? -

Prevent infection - which reduces pain and inflammation. Increase healing time.

Dogs enjoy lying in sandy and garden areas, swimming and chewing on old bones that are full of bacteria. These provide an ideal way for an infection to enter a wound.

When you find a wound, cut or abrasion the first thing to do is:

- Trim away the hair as short as possible.

- Prepare a solution of an antiseptic wash (a solution means to dilute the concentrate. Dilute iodine with warm water until it is a weak tea color)

- Bathe the wound to remove debris like sand, grass, and hair.

- Always begin in the center of the wound and work outwards. Dispose of swab (cotton wool piece) after each time you reach the outer edge of the wound.

- Allow to dry or pat dry the wound with a dry swab.

- If a dressing for drawing out infection is needed apply now with a poultice and an elastoplastä bandage (take care not to apply too much pressure).

- An Elizabethan collar may also be needed.

- If the wound is OK. to leave open, apply the wound sealer. This also helps keep flies away and deters the dog from licking.

- Licking the wound at this stage will not help. It would only introduce more bacteria into a clean wound and keep it moist which slows healing and aids bacteria growth. When a dog licks a fresh wound that has a lot of debris in it there is some benefit in having the wound cleaned, but not as much as in using an antiseptic solution.

- If, when you find the wound the infection has already become an abscess (puss) then you must trim the hair as explained earlier and then apply diluted hydrogen peroxide at a 3% solution. This will bubble up and clean up the abscess, then continue as a normal wound.

- Most abscesses will require veterinary attention as antibiotics are essential for healing and often surgery is required to repair the damaged area.

Get free advice on the following:

Know which toys your dog wants!, How to win your pup’s love! , Introduce your puppy to his/her crate! , Welcome a new puppy to your home, Fixing Aggression Problems In Your Dog!

Flatulence in dogs can be a discomfort for them and uncomfortable for the owner if the dog is living inside. The following can aid your dog in keeping it to a minimum.

Causes - Diet, eating habits, digestive disorders, parasites, vegetables and grass.

The diet of the dog can cause gas, different brands of dog food affect different dogs so slowly introduce a change of brand for a possible improvement. More often tinned foods cause more gas than home prepared, semi-moist or dry foods.
It might have to do with the time it takes the dog to chew its food. Tinned food takes very little chewing and can be swallowed in large gulps which also would cause large amounts of air to be swallowed. Harder-to-chew-up meals seems to ensure that only the food is swallowed not air.

The eating habits of your dog, like gulping down its food should be discouraged. Training and smaller meals more often will help. It is natural for puppies in large litters to scoff down whatever they can as quickly as they can. Once weaned and away from brothers and sisters this habit should resolve. This can be another reason for flatulence.

The use of vegetables in the diet is good but excessive amounts. (especially cabbage and cauliflower) cause a lot of gas. Grass eating in excess can also cause flatulence. Always make sure that the meat you feed your dog is fresh, as any suspect meat can introduce bacteria, which will cause a foul gas and a possible gastric infection. This can develop into diarrhea.

Digestive disorders like viral and bacterial infections, gut abnormalities and diseases can also cause flatulence. If you are unable to improve the flatulence and your dog appears to be uncomfortable get the dog to the vet to examine it and apply treatment.

Worms are also culprits in causing flatulence. You may see the dog scooting and very uncomfortable around its back end. You may even see the worms on top of freshly done faeces. You have to check straight away as the worms do not like the light and move away from it.

Treatment:

-Reduce meal sizes and feed three to four times a day. (Rather than one big gulping meal).

- Change brands of dog food.

- Try fewer vegetables.

- Add yogurt or other live enzymes to the diet.

- De-worm the dog.

- Give charcoal tablets or biscuits to the dog -available from vets, pharmacies or stock-feeds.

- Check the quality of the meat.

If you are unable to improve the flatulence and your dog appears to be uncomfortable get a vet to examine the animal, to ease your dog’s discomfort.

On a more serious note, there could come a time when you have to make the gut wrenching decision to put your dog down. For a detailed procedure of putting your dog down and to help prepare you for the day, there is a tutorial here

The Drop command is one of the most powerful tools used in dog training to control your dog. What I mean by this is that the ‘DROP’ can be used as a dominant command, like a ‘Drop Stay’ command and an ‘EMERGENCY STOP’ command.

To learn how to make your dog drop may be more difficult for some dogs than others. The bigger dogs like the Mastiff and the Rottweiler will drop more easily than the smaller dogs, because this is a more comfortable position than the sit or the stand for long periods. The smaller breeds like the Jack Russell may wish to stand rather than drop, because little dogs can stand for longer periods.

When you start teaching your dog to drop, you will be able to start at any age, the younger the dog the better. Like any sort of training for dogs you need to remember the following.

* Be fair on the dog, not hard.
* Do not over practice the same command so the dog gets board, keep repetitions in sets of 5 – 7.
* Praise the Dog immediately when it has accomplished something good.
* Never loose your Temper or Hit your Dog.
* Always finish on a good note.
* Make training fun for both of you.
* Use food at the early stages and then wean off to a pat \ verbal praise.
* Correct the Dog’s mistakes immediately.

How to make your Dog’s first Drop happen.

If you have a young pup or a mature dog you can use the same technique.

Follow these basic steps:

* Play with your Dog and get it out of the “I’m Bored Look”. This is done by walking the dog, playing with a ball, a stick or just rolls on the floor with the dog and let the dog play fight with you.

* It is important not to let your dog get over excited. If it is, then calm the dog down by you not being too excited with your actions or voice. Otherwise gently pat the dog until it calms, but don’t reward the dog for being excited. When you pat the dog, pat from the top of the head to half way down its back slowly.

* Now you should have the dog’s complete attention.

* If you have food, (small chunks or cat biscuits, something with lots of smell and taste) then you can hold a tiny piece in-between your thumb and forefinger. Swiftly pass the food right past the dog’s nose, so the dog gets the smell.

* Now you should really have your dog’s attention.

* Have the dog sitting (Read the Sit Section) in front of you.

* Place the food in your hand about 1cm. from the dog’s nose, but do not let the dog eat or taste the food yet.

* Move your hand slowly in a ‘C’ shape movement. This is done from the dog’s nose, your hand is moving away from you and towards the dog’s stomach. Then back towards you with your hand just skimming the floor.
(See the picture on the right, use the scroll bar)

* It is important to do this at a speed that is not too fast for the dog and also not too slow or the dog may stand up out of its sit position.

* Your dog’s nose should be following the food now, as the dogs head gets lower place your other hand on the dogs back where the shoulder blades are. Only use your hand as a guide. You do not need to add pressure.

* As the dog follows the food to the ground it will lie down. If the dog does not drop look at the troubleshooting section at the bottom of this page.

* As soon as the dog lies down give the ‘DROP’ command, (see command section) if this has all gone according to plan ‘PRAISE’ the dog immediately.

The praise can be verbal as well as food.
If no success then try again, you must remember these important points.

Troubleshooting Section.

* Have your dog sitting first.

* If the Dog gets up from the sit, start again.

* If the Dog continues to stand before you even perform the ‘C’ movement then this is because you may have hesitated for too long with the food under the dog’s nose.

* Start again if it is not right, but don’t be hard on the dog and don’t lose your temper. If you feel frustrated or angry (maybe at something else), then put training off to another time. But, you need to finish on a good note by praising the dog for the sit or just playing with the dog.

* Praise the dog immediately on the correct movement.

* Keep the dog’s attention. Don’t let it get bored.

* If the dog growls or snaps at you during this exercise it could mean that your dog is in pain or has a dominant behavioral problem. (Any of these need to be seen by a Veterinarian.)

* Any other problems you could try the next method or go and see you local dog trainer for advice and practical instruction.

Once you have taught your dog to ‘Drop’ and you have practiced this indoors and outdoors, it is time to practice on a lead.

If you still have trouble getting your dog to drop then try coaching the dog under something with food. This can be an arch made by your leg or get him to crawl under a chair. Food should be your answer to motivate your dog, if your dog is not food orientated then use a ball or a stick.

On a more serious note, there could come a time when you have to make the gut wrenching decision to put your dog down. For a detailed procedure of dog euthanasia and to help prepare you for the day, there is a tutorial here

What are the medical advantages of spaying? The medical advantages of neutering? How about the disadvantages?

Medical Advantages

Your bitch is no longer subject to reproductive cancers, such as mammary cancer (the most common tumor of the sexually intact bitch).

Bitches spayed prior to their first estrus have about 0.5 percent risk of developing mammary cancer. If spaying is delayed after the second heat period, the chance of developing a tumor jumps 8-26 percent.
Bitches spayed later than this remain at the same level of risk, 8-26 percent.
The incidence of pyometra is eliminated in spayed bitches.
Pyometra is a common disease of intact bitches, particularly in bitches over 6 years of age, although it can occur at any age.
It is a potentially fatal disease.

Your dog is less at risk from prostate disease and testicular cancer, both of which can be life threatening. Even non-malignant growths are a threat because the growth can cause infection that can eventually kill your dog.

Medical Disadvantages

General anesthesia is a risk to any dog. A small percentage of spayed bitches may develop estrogen imbalances in later life that causes incontinence (or rather, “leaking”), which is easily controlled with dosages of oestrogen. There are no medical disadvantages (other than anesthetic risk) to male dogs.

What are the psychological effects on your dog?

There is wide disagreement over this, but there are various relevant facts to note.
First, neutered dogs are no longer concerned with reproduction.
This is a psychological effect, but the extent of it is confined to its behaviour with respect to heat.

The argument is often over whether or not neutered dogs remain “aggressive”. In particular, guard dogs and working dogs are often thought to lose something by neutering.

This is accountable with specific examples.

E.g. Seeing Eye dogs are always neutered and they are fine, working dogs.
There are many neutered animals that are dominant over intact animals.
For each claim made about the effect of neutering an animal, a counter-example can be cited. This means that the effect of neutering is largely dependent on the individual dog. And, most likely, because dogs are so attuned to their owners, dependent on the owner.

Dogs are very good at picking up expectations: if you expect your dog to mellow after neutering, it probably will, whether or not the neutering was actually responsible for it.

The question also arises over whether dogs “miss” sex or not.
Neutered animals never display interest in sex afterwards; the argument is fairly strong that dogs do NOT miss their sexual capability.
“Mounting” or “humping” is a dominance related behaviour that any alpha dog, of either sex, intact or neutered, will engage in.

On a more serious note, there could come a time when you have to make the gut wrenching decision to put your dog down. For a detailed procedure of dog euthanasia and to help prepare you for the day, there is a tutorial here

After a lot of planning and decision making you finally decide to buy a puppy.

Once you’ve found the breed you are looking for, and a litter, you then have pick one – not an easy task. We assume by now you already have your pup and you are a bit bewildered about what to do .

Your new puppy is now one of your pack (family) and it needs to feel like it is. You need to reassure the pup with affection, food and shelter (warmth).

The most reassuring spot for the pup at all times of the day is next to YOU.

Even if the pup will be an outside dog allowing time inside with you initially will help bond your new addition to the rest of the family. Gradually extend the time outside with the pup and give it a warm comfortable bed where you would like it to sleep. This may take a couple of weeks and spending time inside the house with you is still reassuring to the pup.

Toilet training

To toilet train, you must learn when to expect the pup to go to the toilet.
You must learn what to look for when a pup is uncomfortable and looking for something.

Generally these times are as follows:

As soon as the pup wakes up (AM or PM).
As soon as the pup has a meal.
As soon as the pup drinks.
After/during play (exercise).

This makes up most of the pups first few weeks with you.

What you must anticipate is the pups actions and take it outside before any accidents occur. You must wait until the pup does something before it comes back inside (within reason). Sometimes you make a mistake observing behaviour.

If an accident occurs its too late.

Rubbing its nose in it and growing does nothing. Bladder control gets better as the pup gets older and the dog will usually tell you it needs to go out by standing at the door.

Puppies need to be taken to your vet, vaccinated, wormed and checked for fleas and other parasites. Don’t over exert your pup as this puts strain on its growing bones and joints (especially large breeds). Socialising and training with other people and other dogs is very important to a well balanced relaxed dog.
Enjoy your dog!

On a more serious note, there could come a time when you have to make the gut wrenching decision to put your dog down. For a detailed procedure of dog euthanasia and to help prepare you for the day, there is a tutorial here