Pet Care Tips, Advice and Information

Regular attention to the dog’s coat, ears, eyes, teeth and feet is very important. You will be troubled with many disorders relating to these parts of the dog’s body if regular care is taken.
Brushing:
Brushing a dog’s hair everyday is one of the most important parts of grooming. Normally, a dog should get used to being brushed from an early age; else, he may resist it later. However, even in the latter case, it is not an insurmountable problem. Grooming improves the appearance of the short-coated varieties of dogs and is, of course, absolutely essential for those with long coats. Dogs do not normally object to daily brushing if it is done with sensitivity and with a firm brush, the bristles of which do not scratch. At the same time it should be remembered that over-soft bristles will not serve a useful purpose. One should spend about ten to twenty minutes a day on this task, depending on the length of the dog’s coat. Brushing not only removes the dead hair and dirt from the coat- it is also the best way to help prevent tangles and mats from forming, and keeps the skin clear and healthy by its stimulation. A rich glossy coat usually means that all is well with the dog, whereas a dry, coarse coat with constantly shedding of hair means that something is wrong. Normally, dogs shed hair twice a year although some shedding goes on all the time. Sometimes heavy shedding is noticed following an illness. Worms too may cause brittleness and shedding of hair. Long-haired dogs may have to be combed first before brushing, with preferably, a steel comb. Combing out matted fur hurts because it pulls the skin. Sometimes you may have to use a pair of scissors to remove the matted part of the hair. In long-haired dogs like Pomeranians, the hair should first be brushed from the top of the head to the tail, and then towards the head to make the coat fluffy again. This makes the coat look beautiful. Some of the long hair on either side of the anus should be clipped away.

While grooming, eyes should be cleaned gently every day with a little cotton soaked in clean water. Sometimes there is dried secretion in the corners of the eyes, which can be removed by a wet cotton swab. In many dogs, especially breeds such as basset-hounds, St Bernards and bulldogs, some kind of eye secretion is found every day which must be cleaned; otherwise it mat attract flies or even cause eye infection. If the secretion builds up, it might solidify and become difficult to remove, sometimes causing a wound under the accumulated matter. If, however, the eyes are red or swollen, or the dog seems troubled on account of this, a visit to the veterinarian is desirable.

The teeth of the dog should be examined off and on. This will ensure that if any foreign element like a piece of bone is lodged between the teeth, it can be removed. Deposits of tartar on the teeth will also be visible. In the long run, this is a very serious problem, as the tartar gets lodged under the gums, resulting in the receding of gums and destruction of tooth support. On the other hand, food particles get lodged in gum cavities and decompose, causing abscesses and bad smell from the dog’s mouth. To avoid such conditions, regular weekly brushing with a child-sized toothbrush is very helpful. Even simple rubbing of the tooth surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in baking soda with water will serve the purpose. Occasionally slightly diluted hydrogen peroxide could be gently applied on the teeth and gums with a little cotton wool and then rinsed well with clean water. Rinsing should also be done after the use of baking soda.

You must be consistent in the way you give orders to your dog since dogs do not understand language, but respond only to particular sounds and hand signs. Since the hearing power of dogs is very good, do not yell; it is the tone of the voice that matters. Words trigger a process of reactions that can be called obedience.
As far as possible, single-syllable command words like NO and SIT should be used. The voice for commands should be clearly different from the voice used for praising. Words of punishment or rebuke, like NO should be said in a sharp tone. It is desirable to avoid talking too much during training lessons. The word NO should be used only as a reprimand and nowhere else in the training vocabulary. To emphasize a rebuke, you may hit the ground or something else near the dog, but the dog should never be hit by anything as this will only confuse the animal. Sometimes, initially, you may rebuke the dog by saying NO and give his leash a jerk, but this method is not so advisable as it can create a conditional response. The process has to be repeated several times and the dog will soon learn that NO means to stop what he is doing. This is one of the basic commands and a very important one.

It is desirable to decide well in time where the pregnant bitch will deliver her pups. Choose a quite place so that she is not disturbed, and get her used to sleeping there only during the last one or two weeks of pregnancy. Induce and accustom the female to go to her regular bedding there, which can be replaced by newspapers afterwards.
A wooden box of an appropriate size, with sides about 25 cm high, should be prepared in which the mother can conveniently stretch out at full length on her side, with room for whelping and feeding her pups. The sides will protect the pups from rolling out. A shelf or railing, projecting sufficiently from the insides of all three walls, will prevent the mother from rolling over on to the pups and crushing them between her body and sides of the box, especially during the first few weeks. The shelf is nothing but a strip of wood projecting out about 8 cm above the floor of the box and 8 cm out from the sides. This may be modified according to the expected size of the pups. The fourth side of the box should have hinges which open, providing an entrance for the mother and a convenient opening for cleaning the box.
A thick layer of newspapers is the ideal bedding material in the box during whelping. One or two layers of the newspaper could be removed when soiled, with the least disturbance to the mother. The room where the whelping box is kept should be neither too cold nor too warm. There should be no direct draught, as changes in temperature can be disastrous for the pups. Significant puppy losses are attributable to chilling. For long-haired breeds, it will be helpful if the mother’s hair is trimmed from under the tail and around the milk glands to avoid soiling.

The ears of dogs should be examined daily as an essential part of grooming. Long droopy-eared breeds like spaniels and poodles are much more susceptible to ear problems than erect-eared breeds. This may be because the droopy ear flap interferes with ventilation. The ears of such dogs need special attention. Their ears may be cleaned to remove accumulation of wax, by using a little cotton swab dipped in liquid paraffin. It is not free from risk for an inexperienced person to use just anything to clean the inside canal of the ear; this may cause serious damage, especially if the dog jumps suddenly. If there is any sign of redness in the ear, or the ear is painful- this state being usually expressed by bending the head to one side or shaking the head- immediate veterinary aid should be sought.

Heeling refers to a correct walking style by the dog, that is, under leash control with his right shoulder in line with the owner’s left knee. This should be taught to the pup at 3 to 4 months of age on completion of his vaccination schedule.
Get a lightweight, narrow flat collar for short-haired breeds and, if easily available, a round one for long-haired breeds. The collar should be neither too tight nor too loose and should slip over the head of the pup easily. You should be able to slip two fingers between the neck and the collar. Never pull off the collar without unfastening it. The dog should be on your left side. The leash should be held in your right hand and the leash shortened by coiling with the right hand, so that the dog must follow. At the same time the left hand should hold the part of the leash close to the dog’s neck to execute firm correction and control. Walk with a reasonably brisk pace. This should be done at a quite place like a park or pavement where there are minimum of vehicles and other dogs present, so that the dog under training can walk freely. He may try to dash ahead or pull back. As soon as he does this, jerk the leash with your left hand, call his name and give the command, HEEL somewhat emphatically, but in a calm and pleasant tone. Your dog’s right shoulder should be in line with your left knee. If required, snap the leash sideways or downwards. Pulling upwards can cause coughing or an injury to the dog. After some practice the dog will become proficient and will adjust his steps with your movement. When the dog walks correctly, praise him liberally. One or two lessons daily, for about 10-15 minutes, will suffice to make the dog walk as desired in a few days.

Before training a dog, we must win the trust by handling him gently, talking to him softly, and giving him lots of affection. Except for toilet-training, however, put off training until your dog has had a week or two to adjust to the family and his surroundings. Be extra patient, especially with a pup. Dogs learn by repetition, by associating a deed with your pleasure or displeasure. The modern concept in obedience-training is that only kindness, patience and understanding can succeed in training a dog. Punishment, whether with a rolled-up newspaper or with the hand, can only frighten and alienate the dog.
Training a dog means basically conditioning him, and this is best accomplished by rewards which can be verbal (praise), physical (petting or play), or material (treats). John S. Rarey, 19th century horse-trainer rightly said: ‘Kindness is Power.’ This applies to dogs too. The method should be simple: immediately reward appropriate behavior; give no reward for an inappropriate response. If a dog comes when called, and receives praise and a treat, he is more likely to reassure your nervous, barking dog by petting him, he might perceive petting as a reward for barking and may, therefore, bark all the more. Similarly some owners inadvertently teach rudeness and aggression by playing with their dogs in a rough, aggressive manner.
Consistent, patient and friendly lessons can teach almost any dog the commands such as HEEL, NO, SIT, DOWN, STAY and COME. This fundamental training is a necessity for every dog’s own safety and for his acceptability as a normal good member of the family.
Only one family member should take up the training responsibility. However after the dog has learnt a command, it can be issued by other household members as well.
For training a dog, you will need a chain-choke collar, especially for dogs of large breeds, and a reasonably strong leather leash. However for most young puppies, buckle collars will do instead of a choke collar. The absolutely essential requirements for the family-trainer are patience, persistence, practice and praise in addition to time, consistency and no loss of temper. The real requirement is friendly strictness. Initially dogs are best trained in short sessions of ten to fifteen minutes each, with no more than one or two of these per day. Training is better held before feeding time or after the dog has relieved itself. For the dog to learn a single command, repeated instructions and practice are necessary.

In the first instance, you must be aware that everything that tastes good is not always good for human beings as well as dogs. Thus you cannot rely merely on a dog’s likes or dislikes. You are responsible for the proper feeding of your dog, as he lives under your care. Dogs are exposed to the same food-related health risks as you are. Overweight in many dogs may be due to consumption of unsuitable foods.
Anatomically a dog appears to be a meat-eater, as his teeth and digestive tract are akin to those of his forefathers. Today, however, dogs have adjusted to human food. There are three main schools of thought regarding diet for dogs.
1. Western countries generally depend upon well-balanced commercial dog foods, which comprise a very big industry. These foods are available in dry, canned and semi-moist forms, and are the result of years of scientific research. It is difficult for an average dog owner to provide a diet as balanced and nourishing as that sold by manufacturers who employ nutrition specialists and the latest technology for research on dogs. Thus the users of these commercial foods take advantage of scientific research and convenience.
2. Some people regard dogs as pure meat eaters and feed the latter only meat. In fact, some feed only raw meat which is neither a balanced food, nor free from the great risk of infections like certain bacteria of the salmonella group and parasitic infections.
3. Due to various factors like cost and non-availability of well-balanced commercial foods, most dog owners in India purchase the ingredients for their dog’s food and cook for their pet. They also feed the dog food cooked in the house for family members. Giving only leftovers from meals, thinking that table scraps are enough for dogs, is a completely incorrect notion, and this is the least healthy method of feeding dogs.
Thus, from a practical point of view, in certain countries like India, we have to depend upon cooked meals for dogs, in spite of the undoubted superiority of scientifically well-balanced commercial foods as are available in Western countries. In general we should be aware that dog food should contain approximately 30 percent proteins and 50 percent carbohydrates, in addition to 5 percent fat. Besides this, an adequate quantity of vitamins and minerals like calcium and phosphorus should also be present in the diet to make it balanced. The actual requirement of proteins for dogs is still a matter of great debate, as it is affected by many environmental, dietary, physiological and genetic factors.
Preparing cooked meals is not difficult and most educated people know which foods are rich in proteins and which in carbohydrates, and so on. To find out articles, and then to calculate the quantities required, is not an easy task. There are as many feeding schedules advised as there are breeders, and puppies generally do fine on most of them. It is best, however, for the new owner to follow the feeding schedule suggested by his veterinarian, who will keep in mind the availability of what he recommends, palatability and nutritional quality.

The important point is to balance the proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the dog’s diet as we do for ourselves. The various foodstuffs recommended for puppies are milk, cottage cheese, yoghurt, wheat porridge, cream of wheat (suji), various seasonal vegetables, rice and/or wheat chapattis, or sometimes bread. Products like Farex, available with chemists, could be substituted for porridge or suji for puppies who need additional minerals like calcium, multivitamins and yeast during their growth period.
Young dogs need more nutritious food for physical growth and weight gain. Meat, eggs and fish (all properly cooked) are an excellent source of protein for dogs. It is important that the eggs are cooked, preferably half boiled or poached- so that their intake does not interfere with the absorption of vitamins, particularly of the B complex group. Some seasonal green vegetables and finely grated carrots cooked and mashed with a little rice or wheat chapattis, should be included as one meal. If you introduce vegetables into the diet much later, dogs do not develop a taste for all. From about three months of age, if the owners are in a position to feed the dog cooked meat; this could be included in the diet. Care should be taken to see that there are no bones in the meat or fish.