Dog Care 101

Halloween is the perfect opportunity to dress up in a costume - but it's not a holiday just for humans. Many pets love to join in on the spooky Halloween festivities. Dressing your pet up for Halloween always makes for fun memories. When it comes to making a Halloween costume for your pet, consider the following tips to keep them safe and happy.

2.  The neckline shouldn't be too tight. Signs that the costume is too tight will include chewing, pawing or other signs of discomfort.

Halloween is just a spook around the corner and can be scary & stressful for any pet. Our wonderful friends at the ASPCA has made a  top 10 list of some precautionary pet safety tips for all pet parents to heed so that there are no scaredy cats this Halloween. We hope everyone has a  safe & Happy Halloween.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy.

• Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Symptoms of significant chocolate ingestion may include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased thirst, urination and heart rate—and even seizures.
• Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures. In cases of significantly low blood sugar, liver failure has been known to occur.
• Ingesting tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can pose a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are swallowed.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don’t put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn’t dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you

If you do suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

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Examining and cleaning your dogs ears in between regular vet checkups is the first step in the prevention of canine ear infections and high vet bills.  Here is how to clean a dogs ears properly right at home.

1. Use an ear wash formulated for ear cleaning. It's important to never use undiluted peroxide on your pet's ears as it may cause burning.

2. Soak a cotton ball thoroughly in the ear wash. Squeeze out excess ear wash.

3. Place the cotton ball in your dog's ear and gently rub up and down.

4. Allow your dog to shake off excess moisture. This is important for preventing ear infections.

5. Soak the tip of a cotton swab in the ear wash and run it along the nooks and crannies of your dog's ears.

6. Avoid putting the swab down your dog's ear canal; leave this type of cleaning to the veterinary medical staff. If your dog has chronic ear infections, consult a veterinarian. Chronic ear infections could be a sign of allergies or other problems. If the ear canal looks abnormal, clean only the outside and consult a vet.

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Are you expecting a baby soon? How, exciting! Well its time to get your house and dog ready for the new arrival. Here are a few tips on introducing your dog to your new bundle of joy, so your dog gets use to sharing the spotlight.

1. If you need to change house rules, change them before the baby arrives. Otherwise, your dog may associate the baby's arrival with her sudden banishment from the couch.

2. Consider a series of obedience classes before the baby arrives, especially if your dog doesn't know the basic commands: sit, come, stay.

3. Have your dog thoroughly checked out by a veterinarian before your baby comes home. This will give you time to deal with parasites or other problems that could pose a family health risk.

4. Let your dog get used to the sights, smells and sounds of a baby in advance. Let her sniff baby blankets and lotions, and get her used to the sounds of rattles and other baby toys.

5. Before bringing your baby home from the hospital, send home a blanket or gown that the baby has been wrapped in. This will get your dog used to the baby's scent.

6. Let Dad or someone else carry the baby inside at the first homecoming, so that Mom is free to greet the dog with open arms. That way the dog will be less jealous of her attentions to the baby.

7. Praise your dog when you're near the baby so she will think of the child as a positive influence on her life'she gets praised more when the baby is around.

8. Reassure your dog, each time your baby cries, that this is a normal sound, and train her not to bark when she hears it. Use positive reinforcement as much as possible'a treat or a hug for doing the right thing.

9. Spend one-on-one time with your dog while the baby is napping, or during walk time (your baby can ride along in a sling or front-pack).

10. Be patient, it may take some time before your dog is really comfortable around your baby.

Dogs bark by nature, but incessant barking can be a nuisance to pet owners and irritate the neighbors. The key to curbing excessive barking is to understand why your dog is barking. Is your dog barking for attention? Does your dog have separation anxiety? Is your dog protecting his territory? Here are reasons why dogs barks and how to remedy the situation.

1. Attention bark. You must show your dog that barking for attention doesn't work. If your dog whines or barks for attention, completely ignore him. Don't acknowledge him, make eye contact, or speak to him until he calms down. Once he calms down, you can tell him he is a good dog.

2. Territorial bark. The key to this type of bark is to acknowledge it. Your dog is trying to tell you that someone is close to your property. On the first bark, tell your dog "good job." On the second bark tell your dog "that's enough." If your dog continues to bark, send him to a designated place, "that's enough Rover, get in your bed."

3. Separation anxiety bark. With this type of bark, you have to teach your dog it's not a big deal to be alone. When you leave the house, don't make a big production. Don't say good-bye, give him treats or anything that signals that you leaving an "event." When you come home, don't make a big deal. When you dog gets excited, don't look at him or acknowledge him until he calms down. When he does this, you can tell him "good dog."

Tip. Teach your dog a no bark command. Train your dog to go to a place upon command. For example, "go to your bed." So when your dog barks, you can send him to the designated place to distract him from barking.

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