Archive for December, 2009
Reflective Dog Collars Vs. Flashers
Reflective dog collars and the flashers that you clip to your dog’s collar serve the same purpose. They both increase the visibility of your dog at night, but which one is better for your dog? If you are considering a flasher for your dog, here are some questions to ask yourself.
- Are you going to leave it clipped to your dog’s collar all the time?
- If you do, will your dog break it or loose it when he is playing?
- If you take it off every time you come in from an evening walk, will you remember to put it on for the next walk, or for that matter, will you remember where you put it?
- Will you have a spare flasher on you so that if the battery dies in it while you are on a walk, you can replace it?
- If your dog decides to scoot out the door unexpectedly at night, will he remember to turn the flasher on so you can find him? (My dog is pretty smart, but not that smart.)
Some reflective dog collars are now made to glow in the dark after minimal exposure to light. You can leave a reflective dog collar on your dog all the time without worries of breaking it or loosing it and if Fido scoots out the door unexpectedly at night you will still be able to see him.
Will reflective dog collars or flashers be better for you and your dog? The choice is yours.
A Dog Life Jacket For Your Dog In the Winter?
Many pet owners live near large bodies of water. It could be a lake or a pond and when winter rolls around they freeze up. What happens when you are out walking your dog and he sees a rabbit or something else that excites him? Maybe you have him on a leash and he bolts and breaks away from the leash or maybe you live on a lake or pond and just let your dog out the back door and he takes off over the ice.
I like to watch animal rescue shows and I am surprised at how often you see a dog who has run out on the ice of a lake or pond and fallen through to the icy water. Hypothermia sets in quickly in these situations and it is imperative that the dog be pulled out as quickly as possible. A dog life jacket would help your dog stay afloat until help arrives and can also help in the rescue. Many life jackets come equipped with handles on the back that will give rescue workers something to hang on to when pulling your dog to safety.
How To Choose Safe Dog Toys For Your Dog
I am sure that it is apparent to anyone who has ever shopped for dog toys that the options a limitless. The big question is, how do you know what the best dog toys are for your dog? Here are a few guidelines for determining which toys will be safe for your dog and which ones will not.
- Toy Size-The toy size should be determined by the size of your dog. Never give a dog a toy that is small enough to be swallowed whole. It is better to have a toy that is too big as opposed to one too small.
- Durability of the toy. Plush dog toys, fabric dog toys, and stringy rope toys should not be given to dogs that like to tear things apart. If swallowed, these materials can cause choking or intestinal blockage.
- Dog toys for aggressive chewers. If your dog is an aggressive chewer, avoid toys made of rawhide or real bones. Both of these have the potential to cause serious intestinal problems or choking if swallowed. Hard nylon or rubber would be the safest choices. Almost all dogs love the rubber toys that can be stuffed with treats. They are usually made of a tough rubber that few dogs can rip apart and they are safe for almost all dogs. Be sure that the hole in this toy is small enough that your dog cannot get it’s nose or lower jaw stuck in it though. With nylon dog toys, you will want the hardest nylon available. Softer nylon can cause the same problems as rawhide.
- Does your dog love to chase toys? If so, choose dog toys that are safe to catch at high speeds. You will want something large enough that it can’t be swallowed or jammed in your dogs mouth or throat when catching it. You will also want to make sure the toys won’t cause injury, with rough or sharp edges, to your dog’s mouth or are so hard that they can break his teeth.
4 Things You Should Do When Taking Your Dog For A Ride In The Car
Until I had seen an accident on the expressway with a dog in the car, I hadn’t really thought a whole lot about my safety or the dog’s. Of course I always wore a seat belt but I did nothing to restrain my dog. When the accident occurred, one of the doors popped opened. The dog was scared and took off running right down the middle of the road. Luckily, the drivers behind the accident saw what had happened and did catch the dog before it was hit by a car. This accident really opened my eyes to the dangers of leaving a dog unrestrained in your car. Here are four tips to make your car rides safer for you and your dog.
- Always make sure your dog has up to date identification on his collar or harness. Whether your dog is in the car, on a leash, or you are just letting him out the back door to do his thing, this one simple precaution could mean the difference between getting your dog back or not ever seeing him again.
- Always restrain your dog in the car. A dog seat belt serves several purposes while in the car. It will prevent the dog from interfering with your driving and possibly causing an accident. It will obviously prevent the dog from getting thrown around in the car causing unnecessary injuries to you and your dog if there is an accident. And lastly, it will keep your frightened dog restrained until someone can safely remove him from the car after an accident.
- Secure leashes to a place you can easily reach in case of an emergency. If you are in an accident, anything that is loose in the car will fly around. Either leave a leash clipped to your dog’s collar or secure it in a place you can reach if you have to.
- Carry detailed emergency instructions for your dogs. Should you become incapacitated due to an accident, will rescue workers know what to do with your dogs? Attach this information to each dog’s crate, car seat or dog seat belt.
Information to include:
- Does your dog require any medication
- Does your dog have any known allergies to medication
- A release and payment assurance for emergency veterinary treatment
- A phone number of someone to contact to get the dog if he is not injured.
Merry Christmas
We would like to take this time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the most you hope for in the coming year be the least you get.
We also hope your dog and cat were blessed with all the dog toys and cat toys they have been dreaming about this past year.
Wishing you and your pets good health and happiness from http://mypetspecialties.com
What Is A Martingale Collar?
A martingale collar is considered to be the safe alternative to choke collars. Because it was originally designed to prevent greyhounds from backing out of the collar, it is also known as a greyhound collar. Don’t let that name fool you though. Martingale collars are often recommended by dog trainers for all breeds. They are suitable for all breeds of dogs, from the largest to the smallest.
The martingale dog collar consists of a two loop system. Unlike the snug fit of a traditional flat collar, the larger loop of a martingale collar is fitted at the largest part of the dogs neck. For most breeds, that would be right behind the ears. You can then attach a leash to the smaller loop or grasp it in your hand.
When tension is applied to the small loop it tightens the large loop around the dogs neck to give you firm control with limited closure so you don’t cut off your dog’s air.
Martingale collars can be worn all the time. It has a loose fit when not on a leash or when you are not grasping the smaller loop with your hand. This looser fit has a couple of advantages. It allows for seasonal coat changes and it reduces bald spots and matting caused by traditional collars while still providing firm control.
How To Reduce Fur From Matting Around The Collar
There are so many options for dog collars on the market today that sometimes it is difficult to decide which one is best for your dog. Today I want to focus your attention on the use of rolled leather dog collars.
The classic leather dog collar looks great on any dog, large or small, short haired or long haired. The difference comes when you have a long haired dog. If the edges have a smooth finish on a traditional flat leather dog collar, you will notice a minimal reduction in the fur matting around the collar area. The best collar to use if your dog has a problem with the fur matting around the collar area is a rolled leather dog collar. You will notice a big difference.
My vet recommended this to me for my Australian Shepherd and it worked very well.
A Dog Life Vest Aids In Physical Therapy For Your Arthritic Dog
Just like people, dogs are susceptible to arthritis and as you can imagine, it is just as painful for dogs as it would be for you. Arthritis has a negative impact on your dog’s mobility, making it difficult and painful just to get up and move around. It is heartbreaking to watch, knowing that there is no cure. Medication and some nutritional supplements do help to relieve the pain, but there is something more that you can do to help your pet.
Swimming has been proven to be a very effective form of physical therapy for both humans and dogs and will help to ease some of the symptoms of arthritis. Not only is swimming good exercise, it adds resistance without putting weight on painful stiff joints. Exercising the arthritic joints helps relieve pain by lubricating the joints and strengthening the muscles and ligaments.
A dog life vest or dog life jacket is an essential part of this kind of physical therapy for several reasons. The obvious one, of course, is your dog’s safety. The second reason is that if your dog has arthritis he is probably older and does not have the stamina to swim for very long. Wearing a dog life vest will allow him to “work out ” for longer periods of time without being overcome with exhaustion. A dog life vest will keep your dogs head above water which will help reduce stress.
7 Reasons Why A Gentle Leader HeadCollar Is Better Than A Halti
Many people have asked what the difference is between the Halti and the Gentle Leader HeadCollar. Is one really better than the other? The answer is definitely yes. Here is a list of differences you should be aware of before you make a decision on which one will meet your needs and is better for you and your dog.
- Although both products have an adjustable nose strap, only the Gentle Leader Headcollar has an adjustable neck strap to insure that you get the proper fit for your dog.
- The quality construction of the Gentle Leader insures that it is made to last. Quality is lacking in the construction of the Halti.
- A dog can wear a Gentle Leader Headcollar up to 16 hours a day. It is advisable not to do that with a Halti.
- The Gentle Leader can be used without a leash but the Halti cannot.
- You are advised to use two leashes with the Halti to prevent escape. When properly fitted, your dog cannot escape from the Gentle Leader Head Collar, so only one leash is necessary.
- Your dog can remove the Halti but cannot remove the Gentle Leader by himself. That is the reason you should not use the Halti without a leash.
- Although both products come with and instruction guide, only the Gentle Leader HeadCollar comes with a training DVD so you can see exactly how it works.
Citronella Dog Collar Vs. The Shock Collar
There seems to be a lot of controversy over what kind of bark collar works best. Some people think the shock collar works best even though studies have proven that the citronella bark collar is more than twice as effective.
The citronella dog collar delivers a burst of citronella spray from under the jaw when the dog barks. This action simultaneously engages a variety of the dog’s senses and interrupts the bad behavior. It is a painless yet effective means to modifying the dog’s behavior.
The shock collar does just what the name implies. When the dog barks, it shocks the dog causing pain. This causes anxiety and stress in the dog, which in a lot of cases, is why the dog is barking to begin with.
I have a suggestion for people who are tempted to use a shock collar on their dog under the misguided assumption that it is humane. Put a shock collar on for a day and have someone zap you every time you do something that annoys them. Does the pain make you want to comply or does it just tick you off?