This is the month that pet owners are urged to get their pets spayed and neutered. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that six to eight million cats and dogs end up in animal shelters every year. Please spay or neuter your pet and discover what you can do to take part in Responsible Pet Owner Month.
Make an appointment with your veterinarian or low-cost clinic to have your dog or cat spayed or neutered, if you haven't already. Spaying and neutering not only helps control animal population, but it can also protect dogs and cats from various diseases, including cancer.
Encourage friends and family members to get their dogs and cats spayed and neutered. Check your local phone book or the Internet for low-cost spay/neuter clinics in your area. Make a list of the low-cost clinics and give them to any friends or family members that are struggling financially.
Train your dog; this is extremely important. The Number One reason for dogs ending up in shelters is behavior problems. By training and socializing your dog you can greatly reduce the chances of your dog ever getting lost or ending up in a shelter.
Feed your pet a well-balanced and nutritious diet. There are many quality dog food choices on the market today. With a little research you can find a lot of information on food, and the food that would be best for your pet.
Clean up after your dog. Whenever you take your dog for a walk or to play at the park or beach, make sure you bring some bags to pick up after your dog. Needless to say, it's very irresponsible and unhealthy to not clean up dog waste (aside from being against the law).
Groom your dog on a regular basis (although some dogs don't require as much grooming as others). A Boxer, for instance, has a short coat that does not require any clipping. A Bichon Frise requires grooming on a weekly basis. Keep your pet's coat clean with regular trimmings if he requires it, nails trimmed, ears clean and teeth free from plaque and tartar.
Give your pet plenty of exercise and feed a proper diet to protect against various diseases. By feeding a nutritious diet you can boost the immune system, which will help keep your pet healthy and vibrant.
Let your dog live in the house with you. You need to provide shelter for your dog; dogs are extremely social animals and need contact with their human "pack." Isolating your dog from the household is detrimental to your dog's mental well-being. It is unfair to get a dog and then banish her to a backyard kennel.
Make sure your pet has up-to-date identification tags on his collar. Check them every once in a while, as pets (dogs especially) do have a tendency to lose their tags. It's also important to make sure the information on the tag is up-to-date. Talk to your veterinarian about getting your dog microchipped.
February TRAINING CLASSES are scheduled!! Puppy 2 and Adult Dog
(For details, click on Classes on menu bar)
We offer gentle, effective training for your canine companion.
Positive Reinforcement is scientifically proven as the best way to train a dog. We supplement our training using clickers - proven to help dogs learn one-third faster. We also use several tools and techniques to present you as your dog's leader.
Our lessons include games to make training time fun and rewarding! Homework (with handouts) provides reinforcement of class activities. Our goal is to create a strong team bond between you and your dog, based on mutual respect and understanding.
Happy dogs respect their owners, are well-adjusted, more relaxed and attentive.
FACT: 97% of dogs in shelters are there because of behavior problems that could have been solved with training.
Wanda & Powder, CGC
*Veterinarian recommended *
Some of the challenges we help solve:
* Behavior modification * Jumping
* Inattention/not listening * Crate training
* Lunging/growling on leash * Potty training
* Chewing/destruction * Excessive barking
* Doorbell reactivity * Separation anxiety
* General house manners * Clingy dogs
* Shyness * Fear aggression
Call 972-841-3550 for more information, or to book an appointment.
Using shock collars (aka remote training collars) on dogs is controversial. Some claim it is an effective training tool, while others say it is inhumane. Dr. Bonnie Beaver, veterinarian at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, says that the collars, in theory, are meant to provide an instant punishment, but that in reality, "the potential for over use and abuse of these devices far outweighs the benefit."
These devices [shock collars and fences] can provide an excessive punishment to the point that the dog is terrorized. They can be ineffective because the amount of shock is too little (poor contact, too much hair, weak battery).
They can be used out of context (remote control) because the owner is mad at the dog and “zaps” at an inappropriate time out of anger.
It can also do significant psychological damage to a dog that does not connect the shock with the reason for the shock. The shock is generally considered to be inhumane.
--Dr. Bonnie Beaver, veterinarian at Texas A&M
CLICK on the button below and help feed sheltered and abused animals. It doesn't cost you anything but helps them greatly!
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