With Halloween just around the corner, and the supermarket full of pumpkins, here are some ideas to make the most of your pumpkins.
I found these neat dog themed stencils online last year. Although it looked easy, it was really tough cutting, and took a lot longer than I thought. Use the stencils, but instead of cutting, use a Sharpie marker to draw on your pumpkin. That way after Halloween, you can recycle and reuse your whole pumpkin.
In addition to being a super-food loaded with potassium, pumpkin is a wonderful natural remedy for your dog’s constipation or diarrhea. Just put a dollop of cooked pumpkin onto their regular food - or put it into a Kong toy as a treat – when there’s an occasional bout, or every day to keep them regular. Make sure it’s “just” pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is loaded with sugar. However, if diarrhea or constipation lasts for more than a day or two, it may be serious and need a trip to your vet.
To process your fresh pumpkin:
cut the top off as though you’re making a jack-o-lantern
scoop out the seeds and “guts”
place it on a cookie sheet, pop it into the oven, and roast it; or pop it in your microwave on a vegetable setting, until it comes out soft so you can easily scoop out the flesh
to freeze it, put the cooked pumpkin into zip lock bags, or for single servings, in greased ice cube trays
You can even roast the seeds and eat them yourself or feed them to Fido.
rinse the seeds and pick out the pulp and strings
spread them out on a baking sheet (greased or lined with a silicone sheet) – if you’re eating them, you may want to add spices or salt. For Fido, that’s not necessary.
bake at 325’ F for about 25 minutes, stirring half way through
Even an expressive, jet black dog like Wilson takes a great photo with the right lighting and camera angle.
I’m pretty excited - I bought a new camera last week – the main reason – to take doggie photos. I love taking pictures of happy dogs – and people tend to like my photos too, so here are a few of my learn-as-I-go tips. I’m a point-and-shoot kind of gal, so this is about what you're shooting, not how to use your camera. Don’t expect anything that’ll help you set your aperture and IS0 – you’re on your own for the technical stuff.
Most photos need three basic ingredients – a happy dog, a pretty location and sunshine – with you being on the right spot to focus the shot. These tips work really well for black dogs, who are sometimes more difficult to photograph.
Start with one happy dog. You are their everything – they watch you, they come to you for treats, hugs and to know that their world is safe. Know what your dog loves – treats, running, balls, toys, belly rubs – and work with it. If they like to play chase, play chase. And on the flip side, watch for hackles up or calming signals that tell you your dog isn’t happy – ears back, lip licking without you luring with a treat, yawning, etc. If you see any of that, first focus on calming your dog to make them happy, then try the photo thing much later. Use every moment – even photo taking – to reinforce training by rewarding good behaviours such as coming and sitting, and by completely ignoring and walking away from any undesirable behaviours such as jumping and barking.
Pick your location and set up your background. Look at your environment and pick a background for your photo. In our kennel yard, I like “framing” the dogs with grass, trees and fields in the background, rather than the building and parking lot. By doing that, the dog is the main topic in the photo. Watch for distractions too. In my yard, if I take the photo from the wrong angle, it looks like a tree is growing out of the dog’s head – like antlers.
It could have been a great photo of Bailey, but there's a horrible tree growing out of her head!
Use sunshine as your helper. For best results, the sun should be to your back or side. Because it creates dark shadows on their face, never face the sun when taking your dog’s photo. I find that early or late in the day creates the nicest facial shadows. Photographs taken at mid-day or just before dusk can have some odd lighting and cast some unflattering shadows. Watch how your own shadow enters the photograph. I’ve got countless images where my own shadow looks like a looming zombie attacking the poor dog! Taking photos on cloudy days is OK, but never as good as on a sunny one. Be on your dog’s level. My best action photos are where I’m with the dog on their level – where I squat, sit or even lay down on the ground. After their initial energy burst, most dogs tend to come looking for you– they want to be with you. When you’re on their level, you catch the best facial expressions. For your own safety, it's best to always pay full attention to your dog when they're enjoying any off-leash freedom. Adolescent dogs in particular can get carried away and plow into you - especially if you're down at their level - so it's best that you always know where they are and keep an agile, ready-to-go-in-any-direction stance (and duck and hide your head).
My two typical photos are running dog and sitting pretty.
For running dog photos, simply photograph them enjoying their run. Another way to get interesting expressions is to walk with your dog, and when they’re not paying attention run in the opposite direction (towards the sun), turn around quickly, then snap another photo of them running towards you.
Lacey is my little darling who always comes running to me.
For sitting pretty photographs, you need treats or something they love - like a ball. Once the dog has had a bunch of fun, reward them for sitting with a couple of treats, then hold a treat by the camera lens. Voila – you’ve got them posing for their picture.
Buddy sits pretty for a tasty duck jerky treat.
Focus the shot. Famous hockey player Wayne Gretzky skated to where the puck was going (rather than to where it was) … photographing dogs is a lot like that. Watch your dog’s movement, then aim and focus your camera where you think they’ll run – rather than to where they are. When your dog runs through that spot, click, you’ve got them. Trying to catch up to your dog to focus while your dog is running usually results in a blur.
Getting a great shot of Ashley is all about anticipating where the dog is going, not where she is.
Finally, don’t get fixated. Have some fun, take a few photos, then put the camera away and have more fun. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t get that perfect shot – after all, it’s about being with and enjoying your dog – and tomorrow is another day.
If you’ve got any other helpful tips, please share – I’d love to hear about them.
Nelson is fully powered by raw. He really loves bison, beef and chicken – all served up pink and bloody. Many “dog people” are really familiar with the raw diet, but for some pet people, this is a totally new concept.
Deciding what to feed your pet is a lot like deciding what to feed yourself - you can live on cheeseburgers and fries, pre-packaged frozen foods, vitamin enriched home-made granola, something in-between or combinations. For all of these options, you are making choices between nutrition, convenience and cost. And - you feel different depending on the diet you choose – so does your dog!
Why people choose raw
Packaged pet food came out in the mid 1900’s to get rid of food processing plant by-products. Since then, pet food manufacturers have done a great job telling you you can’t feed your dog “people food”. Other than a few food items that are toxic to dogs, there’s no difference between healthy people food and healthy dog food, other than some commercial dogs foods are made with sub-standard ingredients and additives of questionable health value put together in non-human grade processing plants.
You may have heard about a BARF diet. That phrase, coined by veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst, stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or Bones And Raw Food. With a raw diet, your dog eats natural, human-grade foods with zero additives, preservatives, and unhealthy fillers. With raw, dogs are typically very enthusiastic about meal-time. You should notice improved overall health and vitality, better stools (less of them, and they’re not stinky), a shiny coat, and healthy white teeth. After switching to raw, many dogs with chronic skin rashes, hot spots and ear infections, see noticeable improvements.
However, not all veterinarians agree that the raw diet is healthy or safe. Some love it, some hate it – so depending on your vet, you’ll get different recommendations. Some people worry about getting sick from handling raw food – the key there is to handle your dog’s food in the same way that you handle raw meat you prepare for yourself.
Choices include ingredients, grain or grain-free, and fresh or processed
Ingredients
A typical raw food diet includes muscle meat or fish (chicken, beef, turkey, bison, etc. - the same stuff you eat), organ meat (liver, kidney, heart, gizzards, and such), bones, eggs, and fruit and vegetables (or green tripe). Their diet may also include supplements such as plain yogurt and/or digestive enzymes, and various oils like fish or canola. The key to a raw diet is that to retain all of its health benefits, meat and bones are not cooked or processed. Vegetables are only slightly cooked.
Grain-free diet
Purist BARFers don’t feed grains – anything made with corn, wheat, rice, etc. Many believe that our cute little biological wolves can’t process grains, believing they're the cause of so many of our dogs' serious modern-day health issues.
Fresh or processed
Regardless of if you choose raw and/or grain-free, you can also either buy pre-mixed foods or make your own. For convenience sake, you can purchase pre-formed raw patties or bulk meat blocks already mixed with fruits and vegetables. Conversely, you can assemble your own ingredients. By buying inexpensive human-grade chicken necks and backs and beef liver from your grocery store, asking for dog bones at your local butcher shop, and serving left-over and over-ripe fruits and vegetables, you can create a raw buffet your dog will love. Remember that your dog is an omnivore, not a carnivore, so it’s important to feed more than meat - fruits and veggies too.
If you want to improve the quality of your dog’s diet and you’re a bit squeamish about the whole raw thing, pop these natural ingredients into a slow cooker (except the bones – never serve cooked bones) and voila – holistic canine stew – freeze it in individual packages and Fido is set for the week.
This yummy doggie supper includes a raw beef patty, an egg including shell, and fruit and vegetable mush of bananas, mixed berries, brussel sprouts and broccoli, with two salmon oil capsules.
Tips to go raw:
The easiest way to start is buy quick-and-easy pre-packaged raw in either patties or bulk. Three very knowledgeable and very reputable local pet food retailers that sell pre-packaged raw pet foods are: Fido and Felix Foods, Metro Pet Market and Pawsitively Purrfect.
Provide a variety of meat sources. Buy chicken necks and backs, and serve them to your dog whole. Check what’s on sale at your supermarket, then buy it in bulk. Know of any friends who hunt? – offer to take their left-over parts.
Serve in-season fruits and vegetables. For example, in the spring provide steamed spinach with over-ripe bananas, and in the fall, zucchini with ripe tomatoes. Make it easy by saving your family’s left-over fruits and veges for Fido.
Serve organ meat such as beef liver or heart at least once per week. (My own dogs hate pork liver. They won't eat it.)
Ask your favourite butcher to cut up a beef knuckle bone into separate servings. Replace a couple of meals each week with bone (it’s not in addition to supper, it’s in place of supper).
Serve Fido your family’s left-overs, just make sure to exclude toxic foods like onions and grapes.
Toss a whole raw egg in every couple of days.
Add a dollop of plain, unsweetened yogurt and splash of canola oil to each meal.
The goal for your dog’s diet is to provide energy and increase their health and vitality. Do what works for your dog, and don’t stick to one approach if it’s obviously not working. If your dog shows any signs of not being well, talk with your vet – some issues can be diet related.
PS Hey Booberdog, hopefully this post helps Nelson not be jealous `,:3
My nine-year old goldens, Daisy and Buddy recently went for their annual veterinarian health check-up. After a thorough going over, Buddy got his rabies booster vaccination, and both dogs had blood drawn for their annual titer tests.
This post is for general information. Please consult with your veterinarian about your dog’s health care and vaccination needs. If you want to start a debate between dog people, bring up the topic of food or vaccinations. Even the vets don’t agree - I don’t point this out as a bad thing –they all have different training and practical experience. There are so many opinions, and everyone is firmly entrenched in their beliefs. You’d think that something that claims to be science-based would be easy, but it’s not.
At our kennel we see many people – especially first time dog guardians – who aren’t sure what to do even after talking with their vet; for example, they get one vaccination and think they’re done, when in fact they need additional boosters and their rabies shot. If you’re new to doggie parenting, here’s vaccination 101 to help you sift through it all.
Puppies and unvaccinated or improperly vaccinated dogs are at the highest risk of infection (if I had a new puppy, I would be extremely careful around areas where dogs congregate. I would carry it into the vet’s office so it wouldn’t be exposed to anything nasty that could be lurking in the parking lot or clinic itself). Dogs who socialize with other dogs at parks, grooming shops, dog training facilities, dog shows, doggie day cares and boarding kennels are at a greater risk of disease exposure. Dogs who interact with wildlife have a greater risk of rabies exposure. Vaccination is proven to minimize risk.
There are several different canine vaccinations your vet can choose from. In our part of Saskatchewan, veterinarians typically recommend a series of three to four shots for some combination of these diseases:
By vaccinating against distemper, parainfluenza, and adenovirus, dogs are protected against the respiratory disease Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Veterinarians may or may not recommend vaccination against Bordetallaor other vaccines depending on their philosophies towards vaccination and your dog’s risk factors. Risk factors are based on your pet’s lifestyle and geographic area where specific diseases may be prevalent. For example, a dog that lives in a city apartment is at much less of risk of contracting Leptospirosisthan a rural dog who is exposed to raccoons.
After the puppy vaccines, your veterinarian will create a schedule of revaccination that includes the core vaccines – distemper, parvovirus (parvo) and rabies boosters, along with other non-core vaccines. If you check your dog’s vaccination certificate you’ll see a expiry dates for either disease names or some combination D, H and P's. (This is not to be confused with the vaccination expiry date – otherwise known as the best before date on the vaccine itself.)
Depending on where you live, there are laws that govern rabies vaccination. If you’re traveling with your pet for pleasure or to move, make sure you understand the vaccination requirements for different countries, provinces and states. Likewise, there are no common standards for boarding kennel vaccination protocols, so based on their experience and judgement, everyone does things a little bit different. If you’re boarding your dog, understand the specific vaccination policies for each of the kennels you plan on using.
Bordetella is the interesting vaccination. Some veterinarians encourage this vaccination – and some discourage it saying that it’s not overly effective. Some kennels insist on it, others don’t. Our perspective is that we admit dogs who are vaccinated according to their veterinarian’s wishes. In the best interest of the dog’s health, we won’t contradict a veterinarian’s recommendation. They’re the professionals in this matter, not us. The Bordatella vaccine is typically given as a nasal spray or injected vaccination with a booster. We like to think about it as being very similar to the flu shot for people. Some people get it, some don’t. Most often if a dog gets kennel cough, it’s like a person getting a common cold – uncomfortable, but for healthy dogs not life-threatening.
Other vaccinations and preventative treatments are more location-based. For example, ten years ago my dog would get the heartworm pill. However, given that there has only been one confirmed Saskatchewan originating case of Heartworm (and that dog was imported from the southern states), today my veterinarian doesn’t recommend heartworm treatment for my dogs.
The Controversy
Now here’s where it gets really interesting. Vaccination manufacturers needed to prove that the vaccines are effective for one year, which they did. What no one has proven though is how long those vaccinations are effective for – one, three, five years – or possibly a lifetime. As well, what also hasn’t been proven is the negative impact of over-vaccination. There is growing evidence that chronic illness increases with vaccination repetition and, although rare, reactions and complications occur. Changing Protocols
Most veterinarians used to revaccinate annually. Because of new information, many, but not all clinics, are changing to a more customized approach based on each individual dog. Many dogs are now on a three-year protocol, get vaccinations postponed if ill, and stop vaccinating after the dog is geriatric – typically around ten years of age. Some veterinarians give all three vaccines at once, and others give parvo one year, distemper the next, and rabies during the third year. That way the dog still gets their very important annual health check-up, but doesn’t get vaccinated for things they don’t need. Not all clinics have adopted these new approaches.
Some veterinarians now offer alternatives to “regular” vaccinations. By drawing blood to do a titer test otherwise known as a serologic titer, they measure antibody response to a specific disease. Some diseases have been studied enough to know what level of antibody protects against that disease. This level is called a "protective titer." In Saskatchewan, they typically titer test for distemper and parvo. To get a rabies titer, your dog’s blood sample needs to be shipped all the way to Kansas, so it’s rarely done here.
To save money, some people choose to vaccinate their own dogs. I’m not at all keen on that. Vaccines must be handled in very specific ways (refrigerated), and be administered correctly to healthy animals. By self-administering, there is a greater risk to your dog because of product deterioration due to poor handling by the shipper, wholesaler, retailer or you, and ineffectiveness due to improper injection. As well, veterinarians are trained to ask the right questions about your dog’s health – and keep abreast of changing standards and protocols.
Some people choose not to vaccinate. That is a choice you can make. However, before making that decision, talk with a shelter worker who has experienced a distemper outbreak, or who has watched a “parvo puppy” suffer and die. As well, by making the choice to not vaccinate without your veterinarian’s blessing, you’re also making the choice to not board, groom or train your dog at a professional facility.
Daisy’s titer counts came back within range, and Buddy’s parvo is ok and distemper is lower than last year. We’ve got an appointment with our veterinarian to talk about whether he needs a distemper booster this year, or if it can wait another year. Because the kennel we take them to while we go away on vacation insists on Bordatella, both dogs will get the nasal vaccination in October. My veterinarian doesn’t recommend Bordatella for my two, so if that kennel didn’t insist, they wouldn’t get it.
My recommendation is that you know your dog, their environment and their lifestyle and travel risk factors – consult with your veterinarian to create a vaccination system that reduces risk and improves your dog’s quality of life, then, watch for and let your vet know of any post-vaccination symptoms.
If you’re interested in this topic, here are some additional useful resources:
Dog food manufacturers and retailers are very good at making you think you have to buy packaged food and treats for your dog. However, another inexpensive alternative is to make your own – they're healthy, and additive and preservative free.
Instructions:
Slice beef heart into very thin slices
Lay strips across an oven racks
Place a cookie sheet on the oven rack below to catch the drippings – you can line the cookie sheet with tin foil to make clean-up easier
Roast at 170’ until the meat is dried – typically three to five hours
Cooking Alternatives:
You can also do this on the BBQ – turn all burners to high, burn off any old drippings, clean your grill, turn one burner to low and the rest off, then lay strips across.
If you’ve got a dehydrator, just place the strips into the dehydrator until done.
As always, when handling these or any store-bought dog treats, wash your hands after handling.
Jessie knows exactly what she needs on a hot day – a shady spot and a cool, refreshing drink of water
Some dogs will literally play until they drop – especially ball-fixated dogs like labs. They don’t have many ways of telling you that they’re overheating or suffering from heat stroke, so it’s up to you to watch for signs: check their gums – they should be pink, not bright brick red or blue, and watch for excessive panting, increased heart rate and temperature, and confusion. In extreme cases breathing stops, there’s bruising, vomiting or diarrheoea, seizures or ultimately coma.
A recipe for a healthy, happy dog in the summer is water, shade and careful supervision. Monitoring and limiting their amount of play-time during the hottest time of day is essential. Never, ever leave your dog in a vehicle in the summer – they get too hot. And, for extra doggie comfort give your dog their own pool for easy self-cooling.
If you suspect that your dog is overheating, get their temperature down immediately. Place them in a shaded area and submerge them in cool water – especially the head and paws – keeping their face above water. Spraying them with a hose works too. Encourage them to drink water and check their temperature regularly, making sure you don’t lower it too low so they go into hypothermia.
Learn more about how to prevent health problems by taking a pet first aid course nearest you.
Shortly after young lab Jerry arrived, he threw up a little bit. Not pleasant, but not something to worry about. All it took was a quick clean-up and a little snuggle. About an hour later, he threw up two two-inch lag bolts, a piece of metal, fragments of kids’ toys, and a ball of wool. Yikes – Jerry was quickly off to the vet for an x-ray. Dr. Sheppard said his guts looked like a Marshall-Wells Hardware store. Lucky for Jerry, he passed two desk keys and some other gunk without needing surgery.
Sadly, we hear this story all too often. Skittles had surgery to remove a half ball that the neighbours’ children accidentally threw over the fence. Luckily he had eaten a small rock, which showed up on the x-ray. Maggie ate a bath towel. Carly usually passes socks, but needed $3500 in surgery to get the last one out. Shadow the vizsla has had two surgeries, the first to remove a Power Ranger, and the second, a small stuffed money. Sadly, Spike the dalmatian died after a baby pacifier gummed up his intestines.
Although anything small enough to swallow could be a problem, according to VIP Pet Insurance, the most common items dogs eat are socks, underwear, pantyhose, rocks, balls, chew toys, corn cobs, bones, hair ties/ribbons and sticks.
If your dog vomits a little bit, don’t worry about it, but if the vomiting is frequent or projectile, or if there is associated diarrhoea, blood, a fever, lethargy, or distended abdomen contact your veterinarian. If your dog ever throws up metal or other nasty objects, go to the vet. If you’re unsure, check their circulation, and if their gums are white, take them to the vet right away.
To prevent gastrointestinal obstruction, remove small objects from any place your dog has access to, and check their toys regularly to remove small or damaged items.
The conversation usually goes like this: I want a beagle.What makes you want a beagle? I don’t know. They’re so cute.
Boober is a gentle blue heeler husky cross. She likes long walks with occasional bursts of energy, sheds a bit, doesn’t drool much, and is pretty low-maintenance.
Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, colours and dispositions – along with a variety of lifestyle needs, yet so many people pick their puppy solely based on size or looks. While size and looks are great criteria when buying a new pair of shoes, they’re not the most important factors when picking a dog who lives with you for the next 10 to 15 years. I catch myself doing it too. I see a cute little puppy on the humane society web site and momentarily think, “awe – I want that dog,” and easily rationalize it. But I quickly snap out of it. It would be selfish for me to get another dog right now – especially when that dog would be better off living with someone else.
The best time to think about what you want in a dog is long before you’re spontaneously reacting to one. Here are some things to think about long before taking the puppy plunge.
YOUR READINESS A most important factor to think about is what makes you want a new puppy or dog. Are you looking for a companion, an exercise partner, a gift for your child, a guard dog or something else? I always worry when people say they want a guard dog and have no experience with them. What that usually means is they know nothing about dogs, they naïvely believe that throwing a dog in the back-yard means they have a guard dog, and what they end up with is an under-socialized, aggressive animal.
Who lives with you or visits often?
Different dogs are better for different family types. You should end up with a different dog if you live alone, with others, with young children, or are planning a family in the near future. If you already live with animals, determine how you’ll introduce the new one to your pack. Also think about what you’ll do if all of your pets don’t get along.
How much time and effort will you realistically spend with this animal? Puppies are a LOT of work – they need to be socialized, house-trained, obedience trained and exercised. Think about your lifestyle. Do you spend several hours a day at work, belong to different sports teams, and socialize a lot? Are you prepared to give some of that up to spend time with your dog? How much exercise do you want to do with your dog? Are you a walk around the neighbourhood kind of person, marathon runner, or are you into elite dog sports like agility? Be realistic about this – if you’re a couch potato today, you’re not likely to spend two hours a day vigorously exercising your future dog and spending time at the dog park.
Have you been successful with pets before? A commitment to a pet is for life. By being successful, I mean as an adult have you already cared for a pet for its entire life? If you’ve had one or more false starts where you’ve had a pet, then for some reason gave it up – especially more than once - think long and hard about whether you deserve a dog in your life. What’s best for the dog over the long-term?
YOUR MATCH
What size of dog fits your lifestyle and home?
The type of home you live in, or are likely to live in soon is important. Do you live in an apartment, condo with neighbours, or house with a small or large yard in a city, town or out in the country? Are you moving into a seniors’ complex soon? Are you likely to move back in with your parents? Are they likely to move in with you? We see a lot of empty nester parents who end up looking after their 20ish year-old kids’ dogs, so it’s really important to think this through – possibly even involving other family members in your decision. (If you’re uncertain about your future living arrangements, think about fostering animals with your local shelter or rescue group instead of taking one on for life, or think about adopting a senior dog. That way you’ll get short-term companionship without long-term commitment.)
What kind of attitude and energy are you looking for?
You may think you want a lab puppy, but are you really ready for that? Here’s your guarantee – all puppies are cute, and all puppies are a LOT of work. High-energy adolescent dogs between two and four years old need a lot of exercise to burn off pent-up energy. Adult and senior dogs may be slightly set in some ways, but often have life figured out and are simply more laid back. And when it comes to breed-specific temperaments, some dogs are better when handled by experienced dog people. (Please don’t take on more dog than you can handle.) Before committing to a specific breed, talk with experienced dog people about the pros and cons of each breed.
What’s your gross-out factor?
Dogs shed, drool, and bark. They pee and poop daily, vomit occasionally and have eye boogers. Some dogs do more or less of all of these things. I have a high tolerance to hair, but excessive drool grosses me out. A lot of really small dogs never completely figure out the house-training thing. Know your limits and select a dog that has characteristics you can live with.
How much time and money will you spend on grooming?
All dogs need some amount of grooming including brushing, bathing and clipping, along with nail trimming, dental care, and expressing anal glands (ew!). Those with quick-growing coats likely need professional care, others with long hair need regular brushing and often need supplementary sanitary trims and butt baths too.
Where will your dog hang out while you’re away?
If you and your partner have jobs that keep you away from your dog for large parts of the day or night, where will your dog spend his time? A yard? A crate? In the house? What will you do so he’s not bored? Especially if you get a puppy, will someone be able to let the little guy out to relieve himself?
When you’re away for extended periods of time, will you leave Fido with friends, family members, pet sitters, or at a kennel?
Think about your back-up plan too. We get so many calls in the summer explaining that a neighbour was going to look after the dog, but is now going away on vacation too. Or, while the pet owner is away, the neighbour calls looking for last-minute boarding after realizing that a one-year old lab is a lot of work, pees on their sofa, and digs up their prized roses. Ninety-nine percent of the time, those last minute calls occur when we’re full during busy holiday seasons and can’t help out. Likewise, what will you do if your dog gets a communicable disease and can't stay at the kennel - what are your back-up plans?
Can you afford this animal?
All dogs have base costs to adopt/buy, vaccinate, sterilize, provide regular and emergency veterinary care, and train. However, it takes a lot more money to feed a great dane than it does to feed a chihuahua. Think it through so there are no surprises.
Once you’ve narrowed things down, do talk with people at your local shelter, reputable breeders, veterinarians, and others who work with dogs. They’ll help you narrow things down even more. Don’t go to a pet store that sells puppies because they’ll encourage you to buy from their inventory rather than what fits your dog’s needs and your life - remember puppies aren’t shoes. They do chew shoes though :)
If you or anyone you know is thinking about getting a dog in the future, I hope this post helps you find your perfect match - your new friend for life.
In my opinion, this is an exceptional how-to book for dog people.
The author Victoria Stilwell is a dog-trainer who stars in the TV series It’s me or the dog. She uses positive techniques to train and build relationships with dogs, and helps dogs think on their own without having to physically manipulate, yell or scold, or otherwise be a brute to them. I love that she has a kind, calm approach that clearly demonstrates that you don’t need to “dominate” to train. As a bonus, the format is easy-to-read and is visually interesting, making this book accessible for even non-readers.
Highlights of the book are that it:
provides a very good overview about how dogs communicate
explains calm assertive, rather than aggressive manipulative approaches
gives very specific step-by-step instructions to train people in basic obedience skills such as sit, stay, come and impulse control
gives instructions that motivate dogs to think and want to do things because of the pleasurable consequences, rather than forcing them
offers solutions to unwanted behaviours like barking, leash pulling, biting, marking (peeing), and separation anxiety
without being preachy, explains basic animal welfare issues like avoiding pet store puppy-mill puppies, spay/neutering, choke chains/collars, shock collars and sheltering
Where this book is light is in its coverage of food and nutrition. I agree with Ms Stilwell’s overall recommendation to improve the nutritional quality of your dog’s diet. However, given that different dogs have different nutritional requirements based on their age, breed, activity level and health issues, and given that scientists, including veterinarians and small animal nutritionists can’t agree, I don’t trust her specific recommendations. (For example, my veterinarian recommends raw and Ms Stilwell says no to raw ... I trust my vet's recommendation.)
In summary, read this book, use her training techniques, ignore her specific advice about food, and talk with your veterinarian about how to improve the quality of your dog’s diet.
This big bad boy is Gryphon. Our first, enormous golden topped out at 120 pounds, and when he was a puppy, he was a holy terror. Just into our new home, we decided to get our adorable puppy. We had enough sense to think about some landscaping basics - a high fence and doghouse, but that was about it. This cutie-pie tore chunks of sod up, chewed our little trees down like a beaver, and dug up my beautiful new rose bushes. Our yard was a total disaster.
Dogs need fencing, shelter, shade, water and a bathroom space. Some dogs are climbers and can even leap over six foot fences, and some dig recreationally or to escape. Many create patrolling paths. And of course in Saskatchewan, you need to think about how one snow blizzard can easily turn a six foot fence into a three foot suggestion.
Petscaping is the term to describe landscaping with your pet’s needs in mind. My second passion next to dogs is horticulture – planning, planting and enjoying landscapes, gardens and yards. If you love dogs and gardens, here are some things to think about when planning your yard.
Fences and Gates If you’ve got or may get a big dog, install tall fences. Some dogs can get over six foot fences with a single leap. Think about how you’d handle it if your dog ends up being like that. Think about the smallest dog that you might have too and make sure they can’t slip through any holes in the fence.
Some dogs dig. Either install your fencing down into the earth so your dog can’t get under it or create a cement barrier just under the fence and/or gate area.
If your property backs onto an alley, street or park, decide how you can reduce the risk of children taunting your dog, which can cause difficult behavioural issues for your dog (obviously kids taunting dogs already have behavioural issues …).
What kind of gate closure will ensure that no one can enter and leave the door open for your dog to escape, and that your dog can’t accidentally knock it open?
Decking
Dogs' feet are made for walking, and they’ll wear the finish off any wooden surface. If you want paw-friendly decking, choose something that doesn’t need refinishing. Concrete, bricks or some of the newer synthetic woods are great solutions.
Walkways
Dogs like walking the perimeter and patrol paths. If you’ve got the luxury of being able to watch your dog before installing paths, use their natural movements to help you choose where to put them.
Waste
Dog urine kills grass. If you want them to pee and poo in your yard, are they trained to go in one spot or will anywhere in the yard work? Are children also using the space? Perhaps a separate dog run away from the children's play area would be appropriate. What do you want to do with the poo – a close garbage or perhaps a dog poo compost space?
Dog run
Dogs most likely to bite are un-neutered dogs that are chained. Untethering your dog is one of the kindest things you can do. If you want your dog to have a separate dog run, make it large enough for them to enjoy, and think about how your dog will easily move from your house to the run. It’s pretty simple in the summer, but think through the winter months too when there’s three feet of snow in your back yard and you want fido to move from your back deck into his run to go potty.
Dog houses
Some dogs love to jump up onto their dog houses. When you’re thinking about where to place the dog house, be sure that it’s not right up against a fence – otherwise it could be a step ladder to the other side of your fence.
Design your dog house so it’s raised off the ground, has a door flap, is insulated and, if used in the winter, is heated. Really good houses have a “wind wall” – basically, the house is set up with two rooms – they enter into a porch that opens into their actual sleeping quarters. Lots of neat designs are available online.
Water
Drinking water: Where will your dog’s water bowl be located so it’s away from their potty area and easy for you to access and remember to fill? If used in the winter, you can buy heated dog bowls to make sure the water doesn’t freeze - that bowl needs to be near an electrical outlet so it can be plugged in.
Grooming: Will you want to wash your dog or at least their muddy paws outside? If so, think about water tap location relative to your dog’s space and your back yard.
Play pond: If your dog loves water, do you want a spray pond or kiddie pool to be part of their back-yard life? If so, think about how to restrict unsupervised access so they can’t drown.
Garbage
If your yard also houses your garbage cans, think about how you’ll limit Fido’s access too it. Nothing smells quite as good as a fresh bag of garbage to a dog. Can you section off the maintenance area of your yard from Fido’s area?
Digging Dogs love digging. Work with that tendency by creating a digging garden and off-limits areas. For your digging garden, create a pit with sand or gravel. Within the pit, bury favourite treats like peanut butter stuffed Kongs, then watch your dog enjoy the thrill of discovering great treats. For the off-limits garden areas, lay down chicken wire on the ground, then affix it to the soil with landscape ties. Your dog won’t be able to dig in those areas.
Plantings
Especially if you have young dogs, it may be easier for you to keep a good yard if you use raised flower and garden beds and pots instead of ground-level plantings. If you do go for ground-level plantings, you can purchase decorative fences to put around the plants to keep them safe.
If you want a fruit or vegetable garden avoid planting or restrict your dog’s access to grapes, rhubarb, onions, garlic, green tomatoes or potatoes, all of which are toxic to dogs. Dogs love fruits and vegetables - our Gryphon would eat the raspberries off the bottom branches!
To make it easy to select your plants and trees, do it in two steps. First, pick items that work for your planting zone and design needs, then, before buying, check if those plants are toxic to dogs by using the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) online plant tool.
When doing lawn and plant care, be sure to select fertilizers that are pet-friendly. Lots of fertilizers can burn their foot pads if applied incorrectly. Store these items in an area that is safely away from your dog.
Mulch as a toy
Some dogs chew or eat mulch, so be really careful about what you use. Cocoa mulch is toxic to dogs, so avoid that completely. Some dogs chew on and swallow rocks, which can break teeth and lodge in their intestines, which is deadly for them and expensive for you. Determine a safe mulch or ground cover and watch to make sure that your dog is being safe around it. To limit chewing, give your dog lots of alternate items to chew on – raw bones, raw hides and peanut butter or frozen chicken stuffed Kongs are great.
Enrichment
Will your yard be a puppy paradise? You can purchase dog equipment for agility and other sports. If you plan to spend time in that area, it’s worth investigating before your design is finished.
Once you’ve thought it all through, take a quick survey to make sure your dog is comfortable through all seasons. Do they have shade during the hot summer months? Do they have warmth through the winter months? Are you both comfortable with what you’ve got? If you answered yes to all of those questions, have fun with your summer project and enjoy your yard!
To process your fresh pumpkin: 
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