While pets don’t actually develop Alzheimer’s disease, both dogs and cats develop a condition called cognitive disorder. While the condition appears new, it is not and has been recognized by veterinarians for many years. There are a number of clinical signs in pets with cognitive disorder. These signs are often accepted by owners as normal signs of aging, when in fact they are signs of a (usually) treatable condition. Owners must be taught that any of these signs warrants a full evaluation. Education must begin before the first geriatric visit. Regular geriatric examination, ideally every 6-12 months, will facilitate communication and allow for early diagnosis of cognitive disorder and other conditions often seen in geriatric dogs.

Common signs in dogs and cats with cognitive disorder include wandering aimlessly, vocalizing for no reason, getting stuck in a corner, increased daytime sleeping, seeking less attention, loss of housetraining, and seeking less attention. Because these signs can mimic other conditions (cancer, hypothyroidism), these pets should receive a full workup prior to the diagnosis of cognitive disorder.

The drug AniprylR is approved for treating cognitive disorder in dogs. It must be given daily for the life of the dog once the diagnosis is made. Side effects are rare in dogs and included restlessness, disorientation, vomiting, anorexia, weakness, anemia, stiffness, and polydipsia. The major concern among owners is the cost: a one month supply for a 30 pound dog costs about $125.

There are other more natural alternatives, including herbal preparations (gingko, lycopodium, salvia,) thyroid supplement (when hypothyroidism is the cause), nutritional supplementation using whole food preparations of vitamins such as inositol and lecithin, and a specific product called Cholodin which combines choline and several other nutrients (choline, phosphatidylcholine, methionine, inositol, and various B vitamins and antioxidants.) Nutritional supplementation is used to increase acetylcholine levels in the body (acetylcholine is a widely distributed nerve transmitter in the body.) Aging people and pets begin to lose choline nerve receptors. Since oral choline administration increases plasma choline levels, and since brain levels of acetylcholine increase as plasma choline levels increase, using choline supplementation has the ability to improve neurological disorders that result from decreased acetylcholine.

Natural therapies have proven extremely effective in most pets in my practice, without the expense or side effects of drug therapy. Therapy is given for 2 months to assess efficacy (as is true with any nutritional therapy,) although results may occur more quickly. For more information on the protocol I recommend, please email me at naturalvet@juno.com and ask for the cognitive disorder protocol.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM

Author, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Dr. Shawn is the medical consultant for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company.

pettogethers.net/healthypet pettogethers.net/healthypet

petcarenaturally.com petcarenaturally.com

You consider yourself a responsible dog owner and understand that every dog needs some form of training in their life. Nevertheless for whatever reasons, you actually do not know how to go about training your dog. While searching for dog training tools online, you came across this highly recommended tool known as electronic dog collar. What is it exactly and how can it help you train your dog more efficiently and effectively.

There are several types of electronic dog collars available in the market, and they are primary used for two purposes. Firstly, it is to help keep your dog within a boundaries set by you outside of the house. The second purpose is to help house train your dog to understand the house rules and the desired behaviors expected of him in the family.

For an electronic dog collar that is use to keep a dog within a confine area to work, you will first need to have an electronic fence installed in your own yard. Currently there are DIY systems in the market that allows you to do it yourself, nevertheless the installation process can be complicated, and unless you have the technical skills or have some form of experience and help, it is advisable to get the professionals to install the system for you.

These electronic fences are invisible fences and are usually bury underground. They have the benefit of being invisible for those people that don’t like the look of fences around the house. It works by having your dog to wear an electronic dog collar, and when your dog goes near the outside perimeters of the electronic fence, he is met by an electric shock that will remind him to keep away.

For the electronic dog training collars use to train dog behaviors. They operate by sending shock waves to the dog telling him that a certain behavior is unacceptable. They either send the shock on their own, or by a remote that is control by the owner. Electronic collars are useful in aiding dog behavior training, on the other hand, users must also think of the humane aspects while using and not abuse it. Although the electric shock they receive is not immense, there are still alternative ways to teach a dog not to misbehave. Squirting vinegar water mixture solution with a spray bottle at your dog while he is misbehaving is also a good way.

Those collars that send the shock waves by itself are usually electronic barking collars design to help stop dog barking problems. The primary purpose of this collar is to stop a dog from barking when it is not suppose to. The collar works by having sensors incorporated into the dog collar. These sensors can tell when the dog is barking. Whenever the dog starts to bark, the electronic dog collar either emits a high pitched noise, or releases a squirt of citronella fragrance under the animal’s nose, both actions are very irritating to the dog and will make it stop barking.

These electronic dog collars are surely useful when use in the right way. It is perfectly alright to use them to aid your dog behavioral training. You can also stop using them as long as the dog has been house trained. If you would like to purchase an electronic dog collar, make sure you learn how to use it properly first.

Moses Wright is the webmaster of dogsobediencetraining.com/collar/ Dog Collar. You can find more useful information on dogsobediencetraining.com/collar/fancy/index.htm Fancy Dog Collar and dogsobediencetraining.com/collar/electronic/index.htm Electronic Dog Collar on his site. You can reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Cancer in dogs is more common that many people would trend to believe. Studies indicate that that approximately 25% of dogs will contract cancer at some time in their life and that almost 50% of all dogs older than the age of ten years will die of cancer

If your dog contracts cancer, the affected areas can include but are not limited to the skin, organs, bone and organs. Cancer in your dog may progress gradually or with rapidity.

The good news is that treatments exist for cancer in dogs . While canine cancer can be fatal it is not necessarily a death sentence. The first thing you must do is determine if in fact your dog does have cancer.

There are ten common symptoms of cancer in dogs, taken primarily from the American Veterinary Medical Association, these are:

• Unusual swelling that either remains or grows

• Sores which will not heal

• A loss of weight in your dog

• Discharge or bleeding from an opening on your dog’s body

• Bad breath or offensive odor that emits from your dog

• Trouble eating food or swallowing

• A loss of interest in exercise or a loss of stamina

• Lameness in your dog or evidence of stiffness

• Trouble with urination, defecating or breathing

If you detect any of these symptoms in your dog. Don’t panic. Taken individually, theses canine symptoms may be indicative of something that is not cancer and may not be serious at all. Make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam for your dog. If cancer is the problem, he will help you develop a treatment plan. If canine cancer is not the cause, your vet may prescribe a remedy to alleviate and heal the condition.

Cause of Cancer in Dogs

There are various causes of cancer in dogs. The National Canine Cancer Foundation says that cancer can be attributed to factors such as excessive exposure to carcinogenic agents which include chemicals.

We believe that this should be a cause of concern for any dog parent who regularly feeds commercial dog food to their dog as carcinogens have been discovered to exist in some popular dog food brands. You can find out what is in the dog food you use at dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html” target=”_blank dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html
Other causes of canine cancer include viral infections and UV or X irradiation.

What is the Best Cancer Treatment for My Dog?

Because there are different types of cancers, there are different treatments prescribed be veterinary oncologists. The success of treating cancer in your dog hinges on a number of factors. Some of those factors are early detection and diagnoses of the cancer by your veterinarian, and the specific treatment recommended and used in your dog’s battle against canine cancer.

Early detection may include your vet doing a biopsy, some X-rays and consulting with an expert in canine radiology to review the results. If cancer is diagnosed, your vet may recommend surgery or refer you to a canine oncologist.

Your best chances for success often depend upon early diagnosis of canine cancer. This is true because in early stages of cancer in dogs there is less likelihood of the cancer having spread to a point where treatment becomes unproductive.

Once an early diagnosis of canine cancer has been confirmed, your veterinary oncologist may suggest a variety of treatment options such as drugs, surgery and/or radiation.

If your dog has been generally healthy, she deserves a chance to live the balance of her life feeling as well as possible for as long a time as possible. If you can extend the life of your 13 year old terrier by a few years, and provide a good quality of life to your dog as a result of canine cancer treatment, your persistence in helping your dog will have been rewarded.

My small 8 year old dog suddenly became ill and no vet could determine the cause. She died after enduring 2 weeks of pain and misery on Mother’s Day morning. Learn how to keep your dog healthy, extend her life and save on veterinary bills at dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html

This article may be reprinted with the author’s link displayed.

The article “Introduction to Dog Dominance Behavior” and Part A of this article emphasize the critical importance of using dog pack psychology and the dog whisper behavior communication system of “silence, submission, and leadership” to communicate effectively with your dog, command his attention, and establish your authority as the Leader and Master. Now we will give you a secret tip with a concrete example of how to implement this approach to solve aggression dog dominance or patterns of willfulness and stubborn disobedience in your dog.

Yelling will not work. It only turns a difficult dog off and escalates the problem. How often has each of us made that spontaneous mistake! It is soooo important to keep your cool!

Check your attitude before you dive in. You should only start work with your dog when you are cool, calm, and collected. Then throughout your dog behavior modification exercises, you need to conduct yourself in a steady, firm, focused, and consistent manner. If the dog is stubborn and persistent, You must be more so . . . and You win! He submits!

Iron sharpens iron. You should have the iron control of an iron fist in a soft glove.

I also cannot reemphasize enough the importance of your establishing and maintaining steady, firm eye contact with your Dominant Dog . . . so that in “dog language,” you convey the silent, unmistakably clear message that YOU are the one with the authority and control. YOU are the “Pack Leader” to whom all others in the pack must submit.

I warned that you must give dominance no place, but give it an inch, and it will take a mile! No, you have to deal with it. So here’s a detailed example of HOW:

Challenge Example #1:

Many people are presented with “impossible” situations such as a dog we’ll call “Pete.” Pete snarls when you try to get him off the bed. You try yelling at him . . . bribing him with treats . . . begging: “Please, baby,” . . . and have lapsed into tears of extreme frustration! You fear Pete, and rightly so, because he snaps. So what can you do?

The next time Pete is off the bed and out of the bedroom, shut the door. Then think of something that makes you feel “on top of the world” . . . and DO NOT LOSE THAT THOUGHT! If you lose your focus with an untrained animal, you will not be able to accomplish what you want.

Next, loop Pete’s leash around his neck and make him walk into the room beside you. [Be sure the leash is a long “training leash.”] Walk in. Then make Pete sit or lie down. This is a higher level of control.

If Pete starts to get up of his own accord, go “SHHHHH…” or give a quiet but firm “Hey!” and hold a focused, firm (but NOT angry) stare. Your level, unblinking eye contact speaks volumes to Pete in potent, silent, pack language.

Then snap your fingers and point at Pete. All the while, stay focused on the thought that made you feel on top of the world, which gives you a feeling of authority and control. Dogs smell the authority scent that we let off when focused.

Expect Pete to need some repeated correction. So practice this whole procedure at least 5 times. If he jumps on the bed, remove him immediately, with your “SHHHHH” or quiet, firm “Hey!” and a focused, firm stare. Yelling will not help in this situation.

Then walk Pete out of the room beside you. For 10-14 days keep Pete out of the room. Do not let him anywhere near that bed!

Dogs follow a step-by-step process in life, so every training exercise should mirror that. You will rehabilitate dogs like Pete only step by step, with consistency, persistence, patience, and focus.

Also, while dogs respond to words in “training,” speaking will not work well in “rehabilitation,” as here with Pete. Words will not establish your dominance. No amount of yelling will establish your dominance. . . . only the body language of focused “silence.”

Challenge #2 – The Second Step:

Keep Pete outside the bedroom at the open doorway, wearing his leash. Be sure he is lying down obediently, then lay his leash down. Give him the signals through body language — your staring, snapping, and pointing — not with words.

With Pete lying at the threshold to the bedroom, you enter and sit on the bed – still very focused, exuding authoritative control. You concentrate on your “top-of-the-world” thought while making Pete wait 3 to 5 minutes. Then you invite him into the room.

If Pete does not walk in calmly, then correct him. . . Point, snap, stare . . . and place him back where he started — at the doorway, wearing his leash, lying down. Make him wait again before inviting him back into the room.

If Pete races in and jumps on the bed, firmly pull the leash and remove him from the bed matter-of-factly. Make him walk out of the room with you and lie down in front of the door. Instruct him to stay, while you keep a focused stare at his eyes.

Then sit on the bed again and think of how YOU are the dominant one . . . and how YOU are NOT sharing the bed right now!

10 minutes later, bring Pete in. Choose a corner and make him stay there. Again, correct him if he moves. If at any time he jumps on the bed, remove him from it and start over. Do this 5 to 7 times, but no more right then.

Pete will eventually have no issues with the bed. This process should take no more than 30 days. If it does, though, remember that professional dog trainers and dog behaviorists are available to help, so take advantage of our experience.

Never be ashamed to ask for help from a professional dog trainer who understands pack psychology, any more than you would be ashamed to ask a lawyer, accountant, banker, or broker for help with a situation involving their specialties. Dog behavior modification and solving dog dominance behavior problems are not easy, and no one will laugh. This is “do-able,” though, and YOU have the power to do it!

You have the power to regain your life, your home, and your right relationship with your pet. As Nike says: “Just DO it!”

Remember the old cowboy saying:

“Ain’t no horse that can’t be rode . . .
Ain’t no rider that can’t be throwed.”

Rena Murray is a professional Dog Obedience Trainer and Dog Behaviorist with extensive Dog Behavior Modification experience. Committed to helping Dog Owners as well as Pets, Rena seeks to educate as many people as possible through her self-help articles on Dog Behavior, Training a Dog, Aggression Dog Dominance, Dog Breeds, Shelter Dogs, Puppy Training, Dog House Training, Dog Training Equipment, and related matters posed by clients and bloggers. Rena also publishes a free e-mail newsletter: PAW PERSUASION POINTERS to help people better understand communication and control of their dogs, debunk dog training myths, explore right and wrong dog training techniques for specific situations, address destructive dog behavior, excessive and obsessive dog behavior, and other canine issues and concerns, from new puppy to old dog. Subscribe to this free newsletter and obtain other free articles at PawPersuasion.com PawPersuasion.com.