Aggressive dogs can be scary and dangerous.  In their natural habitat, wolves and coyotes use aggression to establish their ranking in the pack, mating, and basic survival. In the family environment, those aspects of canine behavior are really not necessary.

Dogs can show their aggression in behaviors such as growling, snapping, showing their teeth, and biting.  The underlying intent on the part of the dog expressing the aggressive behavior is intimidation.
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A broken leg is the most common fracture in animals, and commands immediate attention. The dog’s leg must be straightened and immobilized. Anxiety over doing this must be put aside. Just do it—for the sake of the pet. A splint is required, and one can be fashioned from a trellis slat, a yardstick, or a tine from a rake. The leg must be tied both above and below the break to the splint and secured with anything that will hold it in place securely until the dog can be transported to the vet.

A splint should be applied immediately upon suspicion of a broken bone. If the bone is allowed to move, it could sever an artery and complicate the treatment of the injury further. Splinting a greenstick fracture is just as important as splinting a clean break, as leg movement with a greenstick fracture could break it further.

In the case of broken ribs, it is important to keep the dog quiet. Broken ribs can easily puncture a lung. Lay the dog down on the side opposite the broken ribs and keep him as calm and still as possible until the vet arrives. Do not try to transport a dog with broken ribs yourself.

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A dog can bring a lot of pleasure to a family’s home life.  These creatures are extremely intelligent, and can be trained to do many things, but they need us humans to take care of their health.

Dogs are prone to sicknesses from parasites, fungi, viruses and protozoa. Dog owner should be on the lookout for any problems,  since these animals are very sensitive, and if left untreated, could affect the dog’s health long term, or even become fatal.

The best defense against any disease is vaccination. This may not totally eliminate the threat, but it will decrease the chances of infection significantly.

There are many diseases, and the dog might not be the only one affected if proper care is not given. A person can die if bitten by a dog that has rabies. This is the reason that state laws require all dogs to be vaccinated to prevent incidents like this from happening.

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After getting a new puppy, probably the most important thing to learn is how to break his habit of answering nature’s call just about anywhere or any time he feels like it - your kitchen floor, the dining room carpet, the sofa in the rec room. To a puppy, one place seems as good as the next.

So if you’ve just brought a puppy home, here’s the info you need to save your upholstery and carpets by means of a simple training method called Housebreaking.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what housebreaking is all about. We want Fido to relieve himself in a place of OUR choosing, and we want him to wait until we take him there before he “lets loose”. But remember, this isn’t an instinctual thing. Animals don’t need to do things on a schedule in the wild. Nor do they really care where they do their business, for the most part.

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It never ceases to amaze me how many people I see being pulled along by their dog while out “walking”. What amazes me more is that most of these people blame their dog for this behavior. If they only realized that the problem is on the other end of the leash.

If your dog pulls on the leash, you’re kidding yourself if you think you’re the “master”. Dogs are smart, and they will take advantage of a situation if you allow them to.
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Learning to train a dog is usually very straightforward. Most dog training techniques are time-proven, so if someone claims they have a “new” technique, chances are that it’s an existing technique that has been slightly modified or adapted for a particular case.  And although it is straightforward, that doesn’t mean it’s easy for a beginner.  A novice dog trainer is likely to experience frustration when his pooch doesn’t respond as quickly as he likes. But rest assured that if you persevere, you will see results.  Without a doubt, most important aspects of training your dog are consistency, repetition, and positive reinforcement. Your dog will be more eager to do what you request if he’s doing it to please you, rather than to avoid an unpleasant correction.
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Is your dog a little less enthusiastic about his daily walks? Is he reluctant to get up or lie down? Do his joints click as he walks? If so, there’s a chance your buddy is suffering from canine arthritis.

Just as with humans, arthritis in dogs can be one of a variety of types, but the most common is osteoarthritis. Continue reading »