Alternatives to Canine Surgeries - Whole Dog Journal Article

Alternatives to Canine Surgeries - Whole Dog Journal Article

I stumbled upon some interesting info today (see the link above)!  I've known and heard of many dogs tearing their ACL and "needing" surgery for a fix.  Sometimes that just may be the case...the only and best option... but I'm sure what many people (including me) didn't realize (and are not told) is that many dog owners are having great success with much more conservative ACL treatment approaches.  Physical therapy, leg braces, medications, acupuncture, chiropractors, and massage are a few of the options to help your injured pup.  Might be worth a look if this is something you ever have to face.

A great blog post about alternative treatments used HERE

Always In The Car

Having your car "dog ready" at all times will not only help in times of need, but is super convenient anytime you hop in the car together.  Here are a few things we keep in our car.

*An extra leash for both dogs
*An extra collar/harness for both dogs
*A ball or toy
*Poop bags
*Dog mat or small bed
*Treats
*Food/water dish
*Water jug
*Dog ramp (we have an SUV and two big dogs)
*Health records

Wordless Wednesday: Is He Looking At Me?!?!

Dogs Read Us

Our dogs read sign language.  Have you ever thought about that?  Just like we humans do, even if we're not classically trained in actual sign language, dogs pick up on our bodily cues.  We read body language, hand and arm motions, facial expressions etc. all the time, all day.  Dogs too look to us for important signals.  A glance from you toward their leash hook immediately tells them it's time for a walk.  Moving toward the back door signals to them they're headed out to the yard.  Sure, you might purposefully tag a word for your dog to associate with when you head to the door (such as "outside"), which then simply teaches a new signal, the word, but the motion alone is being read even without the word attachment.  It's actually far easier to train and teach a dog with cues than language. 

Possible Cues Your Dog Already Picks Up On

Your eye movement toward the door, leashes food etc

Using finger to point in a direction to go

Crying vs laughing or smiling

Energetic vs tired body language

Head nods for direction

Pain body language

Stress body language

Breathing (For some odd reason Murray is VERY in tune to breathing.  Deep sudden breaths stress him.)

They're favorite cue is my "walk" cue :)

Our Top 10 Bark Triggers

We're barkers in our house.  We bark at all sorts of things!  Sometimes I'm not sure exactly what it is Piper and Murray are barking at, and I'm not sure they do either.  Here are a few items on our "barking frenzy" list.

*Doorbells...both real and on TV
*Voices in the neiborhood
*Dogs walking anywhere within sight of our house
*UPS, FedEx, Postman etc
*Neighbors coming and going next door from their own house
*Knocking anywhere...doesn't have to be at the door
*Strange cars stopping in front of our house
*People walking down our street
*The wind
*Thunder
And on and on and on....

WOOF WOOF

Goldendoodles

Goldendoodles are a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle.

F1 doodle- Half golden retriever and half poodle.  Pups can appear more like goldens, poodles or a mix of both.  May or may not shed.

F1b doodle- A goldendoodle bred to a poodle.  Looks more poodle like and better chance of little to no shedding.

F2 doodle- An F1 goldendoodle bred to another F1 goldendoodle.

F2b doodle- An F1 doodle bred to an F1b doodle.

Coats
Goldendoodle coats can be very unpredictable.  They can be shaggy, have loose curls or look much more like pure golden retrievers.  Apricot and cream colored doodles are most usual, with black and brown close behind.  More unusual colors are gray and multi-colored.  All coats types require regular grooming.

Size
Doodles range in size from standard (60ish lbs), medium (40ish lbs) and small (20ish lbs).

Personality
Goldendoodles are known to be smart, happy, loyal and very friendly dogs.  Most of them LOVE people and become very attached to their owners.

Murray is an F1 standard size doodle.

Wordless Wednesday: Bros

Ebola And Dogs

Goin For A SAFE Ride!

* Never allow your dog to sit on your lap while you drive.  He could fall out the window, be crushed by an airbag (or you), get twisted in the steering wheel etc.

* Any dog sitting or standing in the front passenger seat while riding is at risk of the airbag deploying as well.

* Restraints or crates are a safe option to keep your pet secure.

* Lock windows so your pup cannot step on the button and roll it down and get out. 

* Don't allow your dog to hold his head out the window (at high speeds especially).  Bugs, dirt and debris can enter and injure their eyes.

* I believe in unhooking loose leashes during car rides so they don't get hung up and become a choking hazard, but make sure leashes are on before opening your doors so your dog doesn't bolt. 

* Make sure you always have the keys.  If you close the door with your dog inside, those bouncy paws just might step on the lock and lock you out!

* Don't forget a bowl, fresh water and snacks!  Potty breaks are needed on longer rides too!

* Car pet beds/mats are a nice, comfortable option.

* ID tag your dog...or better yet, microchip!

* DON'T LEAVE DOGS IN HOT CARS!  Even in cool weather dogs are stolen and injure themselves when left alone inside cars.  Be aware!

* NEVER allow you dog to ride in an open truck bed.  It's not safe.  They could get loose. They're out in the cold, heat, wind, rain, snow and whatever else is in the air.  Not good!

We haven't left the driveway yet here.  He only sits in front if we're parked!  LOL

Wordless Wednesday: Outside!

A Murray Tip

For dogs sensitive to or afraid of thunderstorms, try rubbing a NATURAL, NON TOXIC dryer sheet on your dog's fur.  It's crucial that the sheet be all natural and non toxic so it does not sicken your dog through licking or as an irritant on their skin...you can even make your own! HERE is a great recipe! For some dogs it cuts down on the "electrical" feeling they get through their bodies.  If your dog is sound sensitive, this is not likely to work.

I don't like the rain either!

Emergency Preparedness Tips

*If you evacuate, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND!
*Have your pet microchipped
*Have pet carriers (if size is appropriate) and/or leashes for each of your pets
*Be aware of shelters that do and do not welcome pets and plan accordingly
*If sheltering in place, bring pets inside and stay in a room with few to no windows and remove any toxic substances
*Place emergency stickers in your home front doors and windows indicating what types of pets are inside and how many there are.

Items to have on hand:

Canned food

Water

Bowls

Medications

Newspapers

Paper Towels

Leashes

Poop Bags

Pet Health Records

First Aid Kit

Pet Toy

Vet Contact Info

Current Pet Photo

Flashlights

Blankets

 

 

 

Thor

TBT