New system might make dogs lifesavers for seniors

Pet information

Beautiful lying chocolate Havanese dogDogs are sensitive to human emotions, and scientists at the Newcastle University in the UK are working on a system where elderly dog owners could benefit from dogs’ responses to our moods and behavior.

To start with, the team needs to know the dog’s normal behavior, so there’s something to compare to. They have developed a remote-sensing water proof collar that can measure what the dog does and how it acts during a normal day.

Step two is comparing changes in behavior with the baseline. Sudden changes can indicate that something has gone wrong. For example, if the dog no longer walks outdoors like it used to, the owner might have run into to issues with mobility. A sudden increase in anxiety in the dog might mean that there’s something seriously wrong with the owner.

The dogs wouldn’t need any extra training. They only have to wear the collar, and behave like dogs do. The idea is to be able to reassure family and caregivers about an older person’s health without intruding on the person’s privacy. Monitoring the pet is less intrusive than monitoring the person.

America’s pets are overweight

Pet information

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention recently presented their latest survey with sobering numbers. 54 percent of US pets are overweight. 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of cats have been classified as overweight or obese, and that equals 88.4 million pets.

To make the news even more disturbing, 15 percent of cat owners and 22 percent of dog owners think their overweight pets are within normal range.

The additional weight comes from a lack of exercise, and overfeeding. It is easy to forget how small a pet is compared to a human. A typical dog biscuit fed to a 20 lbs dog is the equivalent of a person eating two double-stuffed fudge cookies. Giving a pig ear to a  40 lbs dog is the same as a person drinking six cans of soda.

Excess weight in pets often shorten the life span. It can lead to joint disease, diabetes, heart conditions, and skin disease.

Get the right size food bowlGood ideas to keep the pet’s weight under control include:

* Exercise

* Use a smaller food bowl – it’s easier to overfeed a pet when the bowl looks empty

* Use a measuring cup

* Follow feeding instructions, and check every time you change foods, because the calorie  contents might be different

* Limit the treats

Mix-and-match dogfoods give emotional reward to pet parents

Pet information

contestTraditional dog food come as kibble in a bag, or stew in a can. As more and more pet parents get into cooking for their pets or feeding raw, the marketplace for dog food is also changing. According to research made by PetCo, a majority of pet owners customize their pet’s food in some way. It can be through adding vegetables or bacon to the regular meal, or through preparing it all from scratch.

Naturally, the pet industry is on top of the trend. Several  brands design food that require us to freeze, dice, heat, mix, and refrigerate the food. The food can, for example, come in a roll and be mixed with kibble and canned pumpkin. There are even customized dog foods, perfect for the individual’s breed, age, and activity level.

US sales of dog food totaled $21 billion in 2013, and is still on the rise. Some stores respond through redesigning their pet food aisles to look more like human food aisles. Several pet food makers are also rebranding their foods with recipes and names more appealing to humans.

What type of food do you give your pets? How do you make the decision?

Prepare for serious weather

Pet information

Prepare for tornado seasonLarge parts of the USA anticipate summer with a mix of dread and joy. Summer is great, but would be better without tornadoes and hurricanes. Every year pets are separated from their humans during difficult weather. Some come back, other families keep searching for years with no luck.

One example is the Bring Hanah Home movement who has searched for a a dog ripped from her human’s arms in the Joplin tornado three years ago. Hanah has been spotted after the tornado, but despite offering large rewards she still hasn’t been found.

Tornadoes are scary because they arrive so quickly. Hurricanes usually give warning and time to prepare or leave the area. When it comes to weather, there are never any guarantees, but there are things to do that will improve the chances of getting out of severe weather unscathed.

Prepare for the pets

Make a pet-friendly emergency plan. Know not just where the nearest storm shelter is, but where the nearest pet-friendly storm shelter is. Also, put together a disaster kit with basic pet supplies and medications. It should contain enough to get by for three days.

If you have to go to the storm shelter, bringing the pet’s favorite treats, toys, and bedding can help ease some of the stress.

Know where you have your carrier

Smaller animals – particularly cats – have an eerie ability to disappear when you need to find them. Keep your carrier available and easy to reach. Put the pets in the carrier when the weather starts to look bad. It’s better to have them in the carrier and not have to go than to rush around the house looking for them.

Practice

It’s a good idea to take dogs to the storm shelter on a regular basis. If they’re used to the area and environment they won’t be so stressed when you have to be there.

Wear identification

Despite our best intentions, pets often get separated from their owners in emergency situations. Make sure they wear a collar or harness with their rabies tag and identifying information. Also, make sure that your pets are microchipped. It is a quick and easy procedure that can make the difference between going home or ending up in a county shelter where you might not find them.

Finnish dog breed yodels and wins barking competitions

Pet information

Finnish Spitz stampThe Finnish Spitz – or Suomenpystykorva – is the national dog of Finland, hailed in many patriotic songs. These small and hardy dogs are perhaps most known for their barking abilities. They can bark up to 160 times a minute!

The Finnish Spitz was originally bred for hunting, with a focus on birds and small game, but they are also used for moose and bear. The breed stems back some 6,000 years, with the first representatives arriving to Europe around 2,000 years ago.

A typical Finnish Spitz loves children, wants to spend time with the family, and gets along well with other dogs. They are intelligent, independent, lively, quick, and friendly.

So, what’s with the barking? It has several functions; it tells the hunter the dog has found something, it distracts the prey, and to some point it masks the noise of the hunter approaching.

In their home land of Finland, there are barking competitions for the Finnish Spitz. They are also one of the few dogs who can yodel.

 

Tiniest working dogs in the world

Pet information

The phrase “working dog” is normally associated with something big and robust. Like a German Shepherd working as a police dog, or a Labrador helping someone hard of seeing. Sometimes good things come in small packages; Lucy is a Yorkshire Terrier who recently set a Guinness World Record as the world’s smallest working dog.

Lucy weighs a mere 2.5 pounds and works as a therapy dog. She visits hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers, and works with children with disabilities.

The previous record holder was named Momo, and that is an eight-year-old Chihuahua who works as a police search-and-rescue dog in Japan.

World’s rarest breed sings

Pet information

The New Guinea Singing Dog has been called a living, breathing, furry, and four-legged fossil. This breed is believed to be the rarest in the world and was local to New Guinea until 1957 when the first dogs left the island.

Besides being rare, the dogs are also primitive in the sense that they were separated from all other dog breeds thousands – maybe even tens of thousands – years ago, and have developed virtually undisturbed.

The dogs have adapted well to living as pets. They are agile, active, graceful, and alert. They are known to be affectionate with people they know, and they are both curious and clever. Being so close to the wild, they also have a strong hunting instinct, and they require a lot of exercise. They can climb trees, jump, and dig, so any yard must be very well secured.

So, what’s with the singing?

The name comes from their melodious and distinctive howl. These dogs have a dramatic ability to vary the pitch. If they howl in a group, all the dogs will strike a different pitch. It sounds like a choir! They don’t bark a lot, but are still quite vocal.

Doggie oopsie forces plane to land

Pet information

Sometimes nature calls and you can’t do anything about it; if you gotta go, you gotta go. This was the dilemma faced by a service dog accompanying its handler on a plane from Los Angeles to Philadelphia last week.

On a plane, humans can use the restroom, even if its small. Dogs don’t have that luxury, and there’s no outside to be had, so the dog did what it had to do in the middle of the aisle. The crew did the best they could to clean up the mess, but there is a limited amount of fresh air on planes. Passengers were soon turning to social media to complain about the stench.

Then, just as everything seemed to settle down, the dog had to go again. By now the smell was so bad that sensitive passengers were throwing up, and the crew ran out of paper towels for cleaning up. The pilot made an executive decision and decided to land at the Kansas City International Airport.

A cleaning crew went through the cabin, and the dog was finally able to take care of its needs outside.

Summer plants to watch out for

Pet information

Rhododendron is poisonous to cats, dogs, and horses.Most dogs are super-curious, and summer invites to investigation. That’s usually not a problem, unless you have one of those dogs that try to eat everything, or play catch with wasps and bees.

While many dogs wouldn’t dream of tasting a plant, others munch down on everything they see. Knowing your dog’s normal behavior goes a long way towards ensuring safety.

Some of the most common problem backyard plants for dogs are Oleander, Lilies, Daffodils, Tulips, and Rhododendron. Bulb plants cause problems for dogs who like to dig, because the bulbs are often toxic – and inviting to chew on.

Common signs of a pet ingesting something poisonous include slobbering, drooling, and pawing at the mouth. Also watch out for vomiting and weakness. A poisoning left untreated can have serious consequences and even lead to the pet’s death, so it’s better to be safe than sorry with calling a vet.

If you wonder about plants, the ASPCA has a great list that includes both toxic and non-toxic plants.

Pet treat makers create fund to compensate dog owners

Pet information

With over 10,000 pet deaths related to jerky treats and a further near 5,000 complaints about illness, two of the nation’s largest makers of the treats now agree to establish a $6.5 million fund to compensate dog owners who believe their animals were harmed.

The fund is a result of a class action lawsuit between pet owners in several states, Nestle Purina PetCare Co and Waggin’ Train LLC. If the settlement is approved, it will also require manufacturers to take on “enhanced quality measures” when it comes to treats made in China, and to modify the text on packages.

Neither of the manufacturers admit the treats might be tainted. According to NBC News, the settlement is just to “bring the litigation to a prompt and certain resolution.”

Pet supply firms such as PetSmart and PetCo have already announced that they will no longer sell pet treats made in China. The FDA has warned consumers about the treats since 2007. Despite extensive testing, no direct cause for the problems has been found.

You can see the settlement and press release here.

 

Prevent dog bites

Pet information

A large number of dog bites are caused by misunderstandings between humans and dogs. Here are some easy tips to help prevent dog bites.

1. Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it is your own.

Dogs generally give many warning signals before they nip – but children and even many parents aren’t able to interpret the dog’s body language. Is the dog looking away? Turning away its head?

It seems self evident not to let a child stand on the dog, sit on the dog, pull the dog’s tail or lips, but parents still allow it, and a number of dogs are put down each year for biting children in situations that could easily have been prevented.

2. Don’t run past a dog.

Dogs love to chase and catch stuff. If you run, hunting dogs and herding dogs will want to give chase. This is another reason why children often get nipped; they behave as prey or as something that should be herded.

3. When you meet a dog, don’t bend over it or pet it on top of the head.

Crouch down next to the dog and turn away just a little. If the dog wants to approach you, he or she will come. Bending over them and petting them from above can be interpreted as a threat.

4. Treat dogs with respect

This naturally goes for both your own dog and strange dogs. Pay attention to body language. If you meet a strange dog, ask the owner if it’s okay to pet or approach, and respect a no.

 

The dreaded nail trim

Pet information

Some dogs are fine with owners or groomers touching their feet and working on their nails. Others, not so much. Here are some simple everyday exercises that can make nail trimming and paw care easier.

1. Touch your pet often.

Sure, you pet your dog and that’s great, but make sure to touch areas you don’t usually pet as well, like the paws. If the pet seems disturbed by the touch or pulls away – assuming there isn’t an underlying medical condition – try giving a treat as you touch the area briefly and gently.  Repeat this every day until he or she “gets” it. Once the brief touch has been associated with something positive, that is, getting a treat, you can increase the time of touching before the treat.

2. Add grooming tools

Whatever the dreaded grooming tool might be – maybe nail clippers or a brush – this can also be introduced with a treat. Show the tool with the treat without trying to use it. After a while, the dog will associate the tool with treats and think it’s the best thing ever. When that happens, you can try touching the pet’s body with the tool while it’s getting a treat, and step by step, the strange and scary will be less frightening.

3.  Clip a nail

Once the pet accepts you touching its paws and the clippers, it’s time to start practicing for actually clipping a nail. Pinch a toe the way you would do if you were to actually trim the nail, release it, and give a treat. You might have to repeat this many times during a period of days or weeks. The next step is to touch the nail with the nail trimmer and give a treat. Once that is accepted, clip a nail and give a treat.

Before you know it, your pet will think that trimming nails is a great event.

Upcoming study will measure the usefulness of dogs for veterans with PTSD

Pet information

The Veteran’s Affairs Department is about to conduct a study of the effectiveness of service dogs for treating post-traumatic stress disorder. The study, “Can Service Dogs Improve Activity and Quality of Life in Veterans with PTSD” will measure the impact of a service dog compared to a pet.

220 veterans will participate in the study, and are currently undergoing dog care training. They will be divided into two groups. Half will be teamed with a service dog trained to address the disability, and the other half will be teamed with an emotional support dog. The latter are pets with obedience training, but without PTSD service training.

Is there a difference?

Yes. First of all, a well trained service dog costs at least $10,000, and often up to $25,000. Service dogs are covered under the American with Disabilities Act and are allowed to accompany their human in all public spaces.

Emotional support dogs are well-trained pets that provide support and comfort. They are not covered under the ADA, but they do have some protection on commercial airlines and under the Fair Housing Act.

If there is a measurable difference between the groups, service dogs might become an accepted PTSD treatment covered by VA.

Reunited after two years

Pet information

Two years ago, a little Shih Tzu called Nani wandered out of her yard. Her owner searched everywhere, but Nani had vanished without a trace, even though she was microchipped. As days turned into weeks, months, and years, Paula Wilcher gave up on ever seeing Nani again.

A couple of weeks ago, Frenzy Animal Rescue who once microchipped Nani received a call; someone had spotted the dog wandering along the road and picked it up, and Nani eventually ended up with a veterinarian who read the chip.

No one what Nani knows what she has been up to for the past two years. She appeared with a matted coat and had lost weight, but was in good shape overall.

Without the microchip, Nani would never have found her way home. Having a chip implanted doesn’t hurt the pet any more than giving a regular vaccination. The chips are injected under the loose skin between the shoulder blades and the process only takes a few seconds.

Pet microchips aren’t tracking devices; they’re read with a scanner and carry a unique identification number. Both cats and dogs can and should be microchipped. Cats often do not wear a collar, and less than 2 percent of lost cats without microchips are returned home. If they have a chip, that rate is 20 times higher.

Cats might be even smarter than we think

Pet information

CatThere’s no doubt that cats are smart. They are quick to learn and have evolved for thousands of years to observe the world and make intelligent decisions. A cat’s brain structure is actually about 90 percent similar to a human’s.

According to Psychology Today, cats have around 300 million neurons while a dog has around 160 million. Cats also have more nerve cells in visual areas of the brain than humans and most other mammals. In plain English that means that they have a well developed center for rational decision making and complex problem solving. This area of the brain is involved in planning, interpretation of communication, and memory.

If cats are so smart, why don’t we have service cats leading people with impaired vision, or police cats finding hidden drugs?

Cats find motivation in discovering personal benefit. “What’s in it for me?” They base decisions on what to do and when depending on what it can get them. They are more impulsive than dogs, and less patient. If something doesn’t reward them, they’ll move on and do something else.

Dogs are more socially adapted and will work for a treat or to make their human happy. Cats can solve more difficult problems, but only if they feel like it.