Every dog owner who is concerned about what they are feeding their dog needs to read the book, Dog Food Dangers, by Shandra Baker at http://budurl.com/dogfooddangers.

You may well know the feeling of staring at your Doberman while he or she stares at the food dish, sighs, and looks at you with an expression which clearly says “You expect ME to eat THAT?”

At those moments, you may even be wondering why you simply don’t just get a cat, which would at least be coming to you with the reputation of being a picky eater.

Most of us dog owners have found themselves in the same situation at one time or another. And because you are a kind-hearted sort, your dog knows that if it waits long enough, sure enough, something really tasty shows up.  Mission accomplished. Owner happy, dog happy and dog just won round one. Many owners are fixated on their dog’s eating habits. That only makes things get worse and worse.

Once your Doberman or any other dog knows it can wrangle something else out of you, it will keep on keeping on until it gets right out of hand. And if you think feeding him later will be easier, think again. It only gets worse. This type of behavior needs to be nipped in the bud immediately. Besides, who is the Alpha dog here anyhow – YOU or the dog?

Owners of finicky eaters can get caught up constantly changing their dog’s diet to try to get them to eat. This only makes your dog hold out to see if anything better is being offered. And then you have more problems to sort out.

And if you do make sudden dog diet changes, this can cause digestive upsets for your dog. Any diet change needs to be done slowly. Add a small amount of new food to your pet’s current food and gradually increase that amount while decreasing the amount of the current food over a seven to ten day period.

But right now what we are discussing is NOT catering to a fusspot – so changing foods constantly isn’t going to help matters any.

Have you ever purchased a whole stack of types of dog food (canned and dry) to let your dog figure out what he likes? Not a good idea, because if he doesn’t like anything, three guesses who will be running out and trying to find something better. Right – you!

What can you do?

The basic rule of thumb is if that any dog which gets hungry enough they WILL eat no matter what is in the bowl. Have patience and ye shall be rewarded. Don’t hover, plead, cajole, hand feed, or change the food. Just leave it in the bowl and —- WAIT!

The value of having your dog on a timetable and on a regular dog diet can’t be over emphasized. Dogs thrive on routine, and besides, if you don’t establish a routine and stick to it, your dog will implement one himself. Dogs without routines and a “pack leader” take over the roles themselves and you won’t like the consequences.

If you feed regularly at the same time (or close to it) daily then when the food hits the floor then your dog will be there to eat it – and will in fact learn to anticipate being fed. If you never thought dogs (or other animals) could tell time, try missing your regular feeding time one day.

Here is the most effective thing to do when you feed a finicky dog. Feed at the regular time and if they do not eat the food within 15 minutes, you take the bowl up and put the food back in the fridge. The next time that bowl comes out and goes down on the floor is the second feeding of the day. Period! Watch how fast your dog catches on to the fact if he doesn’t eat when the food is there, it’s GONE.

If your pal is getting adequate amounts of a palatable and nutritious food two times a day, you have fulfilled your responsibilities as far as feeding is concerned. Don’t let your Doberman  involve you in a battle of wills like a spoiled child who won’t go to bed without first having ice cream. That food dish is YOUR domain!

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Shandra Baker, author of Dog Grooming Secrets, brings us this important information on hot spots and what do about it if they show up on your Collie and other dog(s).  Thank you Shandra!

HOT SPOTS

Hot spots are surface skin infections caused when populations of normal skin bacteria grow and overwhelm normal resistance.

They are generally circular patches that lose hair, can be swollen, may exude a smelly pus, and can be painfully itchy, causing the dog to scratch, lick, or bite to the point of self-mutilation.

Untreated hot spots can spread and provoke a normally even-tempered dog to growl or nip when touched.

These troublesome sores can seem to arise in a matter of hours with no warning, but they do tend to follow a pattern that helps in predicting their occurrence.

Collie and other dogs most susceptible to hot spots are those with heavy coats and histories of allergies, ear infections, flea infestations, irritated anal sacs, and grooming problems such as hair tangles and mats, but any dog can develop this infection.

http://www.doggroomingsecrets.org

Dogs in warm, humid climates may develop hot spots when they shed their undercoats if the dead hair is trapped next to the skin, and dogs with behavior problems may mutilate themselves by licking and thus encourage an infection to become established.

The most common locations for hot spots are the legs and feet, flanks, and rump areas that can be reached by licking or biting but these localized infections can also appear on ears, neck, and chest if your Collie  is continually scratching.

CAUSES OF HOT SPOTS

There is usually an inciting factor to initiate the extreme licking and scratching behavior. Look for fleas, mites, or other external parasites, an insect sting or bite, allergies or injury (skin wound, scrape, etc.).

Some animals have been known to “start” a hot spot out of boredom or stress-related psychological problems.

TREATING A HOT SPOT

Two approaches are necessary for dealing with hot spots: treat the sore and remove the underlying cause to prevent recurrences.

* Trim the hair around the sore to prevent further spread of the  infection and expose the edges of the lesion.

* Wash the area in a mild water-based astringent or antiseptic.

* Be prepared to use antibiotics or cortisone if the washing does  not give results.

* Consult your vet

According to some sources using ointments or creams are discouraged because they can seal the hot spot which will hinder the recovery.

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Guest article by Richard Cussons, reprinted with permission.

There are various reasons why dog owners purposely breed their Labrador Retrievers. One reason is that their dog is up to breed standard and they want to produce a litter. Some dog owners want to improve the breed. In some instances unknown to the owner, breeding may also take place despite the fact that dogs may be carefully confined when they are in season. No matter what the reasons are, it is important to know the signs if your Labrador Retrievers is in the family way.

A female dog can only become pregnant if she is bred during her heat cycle. Canine cycle, referred to as the estrous cycle, has four stages. The first stage is proestrus in which the female Labrador Retrievers is attractive to males, but not receptive to them. This stage generally lasts six to eleven days. This stage has already ended when the dog becomes receptive to the male and will stand to be bred.

The next stage is the estrus, the actual fertile stage in which the female dog is now receptive to male. This stage lasts five to nine days. This stage has ended when the female is not receptive to the male anymore. The third stage is the diestrus, a non-receptive time.  The last stage of the estrous cycle is the anestrus in which no ovarian activity took place.

Dog pregnancy generally lasts 60-65 days. Early signs of pregnancy in Labrador Retriever dogs include loss of appetite, sudden decrease in activity, nipple growth and behavioral changes. As the pregnancy progresses, further signs occur.

Three to four weeks into the pregnancy, you will notice an increase in appetite and weight gain by one month. Around five weeks, your Labrador Retrievers dog’s nipples will develop and she will begin to look broader. Increase in abdomen size can be seen and uterine swelling around the placental sites that feels like firm and discrete lumps exist. During the last few weeks of Labrador pregnancy puppy movement can be felt and milk production begins.

Dog pregnancy can also be detected through x-rays, ultrasound or a blood test.  A blood test can be done by a veterinarian 30 days after being bred. In some cases, a female dog will display signs of dog pregnancy without actually being pregnant. That is why it is important to visit your veterinarian to confirm the pregnancy and that proper care will be given. Dog owners should always remember that their pregnant Labrador Retrievers need special care to make sure that they are ready when the time comes.

Richard Cussons writes articles about Labrador Retrievers and other dog breeds. Discover essential Labrador training tips at http://labradorsavvy.com.

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