Education

+ Boarding Your Lab

Many pet parents prefer pet sitters or trusted friends and family to watch their extended family member during holiday travel vs. boarding them. But in some instances, pet owners just don’t have a choice. The holidays can be a chaotic time of the year where people are over committed, and pet sitters may fill up quickly. If you find yourself in a position where boarding is your only option, or if boarding is your preferred option, it’s still good to make sure your pet is ready for this experience.

1. Find a Reputable Boarding Option – Word of mouth is one of your best bets on finding a great match for boarding for your dog. It’s always best to get first-hand accounts of how someone else’s dog did at a particular boarding facility. Not only friends and family, but your Veterinarian, groomer, or dog walker may have great recommendations as well. These are people you already trust with your dog, so it stands to reason they may be able to give you reliable recommendations for boarding.

2. Check it Out! - Once you have a boarding recommendation, check online for other pet owner experiences, and book an on-site visit. It’s good to talk with the facility. Find out what their daily routine is with your dog. Is it going to be a lot of play time during the day? What are their surroundings like? What kind of day can your dog expect? Boarding facilities can have anything from crates and kennel runs, to doggy day care like surroundings, some boarding facilities even have private rooms with beds and TVs! Make sure to find the one that will most put your dog at ease while you are away.

3. Make Sure All Vaccines are Up to Date – Before you drop your beloved family member off at a boarding facility, doggy day care, or anywhere your dog may come in contact with multiple dogs, make sure their vaccines are up to date. Also make sure they have had their flea and tick treatment and any other recommended vaccines for the protection of your canine friend. Recommendations include DHPP, Rabies, and Bordetella. Some facilities require Canine Influenza vaccines and Lepto. Make sure to find out the requirements from the facility you choose, and also the recommendations from your Vet.

4. Book Early – Whether it’s a long weekend or a holiday like Christmas or New Years, reputable facilities fill up quickly! You may need to book many weeks to months in advance. Depending on the size of the operation and its popularity. Make sure you are thinking ahead during the holidays.

5. Pack Accordingly – Make sure you have your dog’s food, medicine and supplements, identification, and anything special. You know your dog better than anyone else, if there is a special item that will put him or her at ease while in boarding ask the facility if they can accommodate. Is it a favorite dog bed, a special toy, perhaps a blanky? It’s a fine balance between losing this special item and making sure your dog is happy while you are away. Weigh the pros and cons, check in with the boarding place and see if you can send those special things along with your dog.

It’s not always easy to leave your pets for the holidays, but sometimes vacationing with your pet just isn’t an option. It’s always good as a pet owner to have several options and contingencies in the event you go on travel.

+ Combating Counter Surfing

Counter surfing, this all too frequent dog behavior is actually quite natural. In order to curb counter surfing it’s important to understand the potential reasons for the behavior as well as some ways to combat this unwanted circumstance or to reshape their behavior.

Why Does My Dog Counter Surf?

Counter surfing is a dog’s drive to cruise counters and tables for food items – not just objects. Objects would fall under the category of attention seeking, while food is a much more primal drive. *

• Seeking food is a primary instinct for dogs as well as other animals on the planet, so it’s no surprise that when a dog smells something yummy on top of the counter, it may be something that requires investigation. *
• Your dog has been successful before in finding food on a counter top or a table either because food was left on a counter and they found it, or you fed them scraps as you were cooking. This has now been established as a hunting ground. *
• It’s a high value reward, and thus something your dog is seeking. Let’s face it, your most food motivated dogs are the ones who become counter surfers.

How Can I Deal with This?

The main wait to combat counter surfing is simply to remove the temptation. This works 99.9% of the time, however it means we need to make a change in our own behavior. Even if a dog is taught to leave food on a table or during training on the floor, when left unsupervised, that training may only go so far. Why set your dog up for failure?

Remove – Control the environment. Why set your dog up for failure? It is up to us as dog owners to change our behavior. If you have a habit of keeping bread, pastries, etc. on the counter tops move them to inaccessible locations. (This does not mean the back of the counter.) Ideal locations are away in pantries, refrigerators – on top or inside – inside the microwave, the oven. Anywhere that will best remove the temptation. Do not feed scraps to your dog from the table or the counter top.

Redirect – The truth is, if you are cooking and a dog smells those amazing smells we have all likely experienced dogs under foot. Redirecting their actions and activity to another diversion is key in safely cooking without a dog in your cooking space, or worse…on a counter. Teaching a dog to go to their bed, their place, or to play in another room can be done through effort and household cooperation.

Reward – As you are teaching your dog to utilize a different behavior such as going to their place, make sure you reward them with high value treats (not from your counter tops) for complying with your training. Reinforce this with clicker training, and soon you will be able to redirect your dog out of the kitchen while you are preparing food.

Can I Train the Dog Not to Counter Surf?

Well, again, short of removing the temptations training is a difficult thing. There are 4 phases when a dog counter surfs. When the spot the food, when they put their paws up on the counter to investigate the food, when the dog grabs the food, and when they eat the food.

If you are not catching the dog in the early phases and using positive ways to redirect them, your corrections will be frustrating and ineffective. Yelling at a dog once they have jumped on the counter, pulled the food down, or eaten it, won’t compute to your pup.

You need to find ways to positively redirect the dog when it discovers there is food on the counter. If you see the dog move to the counter, or jump on the counter, plug a dog treat into his nose and lure him off or away from the counter. When his feet hit the ground say yes or click and give him the treat. After much practice incorporate the command off.

But let’s face it, we don’t want to entice our dog to jump on the counter in order to train the off command. In reality we don’t often see when our dogs jump on the counter because it is a crime of opportunity. Rather than driving yourself insane with this behavior. Remove the temptation, redirect them to their place when you are cooking, and reward their good behavior.

On a side note, sometimes rescue dogs are persistent counter surfers because they had to scavenge for food. Who knows how long they may have been strays. Or under fed because they were not well treated in their previous circumstances. But over time, as they realize they have a consistent food source, with a loving family, and no longer have to forage – you may see their behavior dissipate. But it can take months and months or even years.

+ Introducing Cats and Dogs

The first introductions between the resident cat(s) and the new dog are a very important part of the process. One of the best methods is to separate the animals for the first few days to weeks. Others do it differently, but for the sake of it making or breaking an adoption, this is the best option.

Before bringing the dog home, the adopter should put the cat(s) in a room (e.g., a bedroom, a bath room, or a spare room). The room should be one the dog cannot access and doesn’t need to access. For example, if the dog sleeps in the bedroom with you at night, don’t pick that room for the cat. In the “cat room”, give the cat all needed supplies: litterbox, toys, food, and water. The idea is to separate them and only allow them to view each other during specific times. The best way to do this is by the use of a baby gate across the door. The gate needs to be a barrier that allows the cat and dog to see one another but does not allow them to access each other.

To begin desensitization, while keeping the new dog on a leash, let the dog view the cat briefly through the gate, and then get the dog to focus on something else such as playing with a toy or practicing cues. Praise and reward the dog for being able to focus elsewhere. Continue to give the dog short viewings of the cat throughout the day.

Sometimes even seeing the cat at first is too exciting for the dog. If this is the case, close the door and begin feeding each animal on his or her side of the door. The cat eats his food in his room, right next to the door, and the dog eats her meal on the other side of the door. This allows each animal to associate the smells of the other with something good: food. You can also swap out the blankets and bedding of each animal, giving it to the other that way, the dog can get used to the cat’s smell and the cat can get used to the dog’s smell, without overstimulating either.

Hopefully through this process of slowly letting the dog see the cat and get accustomed to the cat’s presence, the dog will eventually become desensitized and lose interest in the cat. In some cases, the dog will lose interest in the cat within a couple hours, but it can take days, weeks or even months. Each dog (and each cat) is an individual and will learn at his or her own pace.

Once you have given the cat and dog a chance to “smell” one another, the next step is to make leashed introductions. One person should hold the loose lead and watch the dog’s body language. If the cat is not raising his back or hissing around the dog he can be allowed to move around freely. A cat is rarely a threat to a dog, but some cats will be on the offensive when meeting dogs. Allow both animals to be in the same room at the same time, but keep the dog securely leashed. Continue with this type of introduction until the dog is calm and ignores the cat, and the cat is calm, eating and using the litter box normally. Continue indefinitely until both the dog and the cat seem happy and relaxed around each other.

If the dog is calm around the cat, you can ask the dog to sit, or lie down and stay, if she has been taught those cues, while the cat moves freely, sniffing the dog if he wishes. The dog should be praised and rewarded if she ignores the cat. If the dog is too fixated on the cat (e.g., staring at the cat, has stiff body language, will not listen to you when you call her name) or if she lunges and tries to chase the cat, you should try a different strategy for getting them to share space, such as putting the dog in the crate and allowing the cat to walk freely around the crate.

***When no one is home, the dog or cat should be securely confined to separate areas so unsupervised interaction are not possible. Unsupervised time together can occur after the cat and dog have been supervised around each other for a significant period of time (A month or so) and you are positive they will not hurt each other.

Animals with good past experience often adjust well and quickly to a new pet in the house. But if introductions don’t go well, the adopters may need to seek help from a professional dog trainer. Punishment is never the answer, it will not help a d it could make matters much worse.

In an upcoming blog post we will go into more detail on how we decide a dog is okay to go to a home that has a cat. If you are interested in how we make these decisions please look for this upcoming blog post.

Sources:

https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-dogs-to-cats/

https://bestfriends.org/resources/how-introduce-dog-cat

https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/introducing-dogs-and-cats

https://indoorpet.osu.edu/dogs/new_additions_dogs/intro-dog-cat

+ Cold Weather, Ice, and Snow Safety

We concede that extreme is different in different locations and Lu’s Labs rescues dogs all over the south and brings them up to the north, so some dogs may not like the cold. How can we protect our dogs against extreme weather no matter where we live?

1. Deciding What’s Too Cold for Your Dog – First off, think about what is too cold for you, and it’s probably too cold for your dog. Weather and wind-chill below 32 Fahrenheit can cause hypothermia and frostbite for your dog. (And of course for you too!)

2. Stay Indoors - If anyone knows our rescue, dogs are indoor family members, not outside pets. At least not to us. That means that in extreme whether you shouldn’t be leaving your dogs outdoors and dog houses are not sufficient shelter for a dog. Maybe their ancestors were pack animals that lived outside, but our domestic dogs are not. And when they ran in packs they had other warm bodies to curl up with. Dogs, especially Lu’s Labs, belong inside, by the fireplace, snuggled in your blankets, and, for most of us, on the couch.

3. Check Your Dog’s Paws – Walking in ice and snow can damage your dog’s paws. Check for cracking and bleeding, and make sure ice is not accumulating between toes. Some people go to extremes and get dog socks or boots, and while this may be helpful in some cases, also examine your dog’s level of comfort. The best course of action is to limit walks in cold weather.

4. Wipe Down Feet, legs, and Bellies – While walking around your dog can pick up de-icing chemicals, salt, and antifreeze along with other chemicals unsafe for your pets. If you keep dog safe wipes by the door you can wipe down their paws and under carriage and legs to reduce the possibility of poisoning and illness from these harmful chemicals.

5. Use Pet Safe Chemicals – While you can’t help what your neighbors do, you can help what is in and around your sidewalk and driveway. There are pet safe de-icers out there that will reduce your dog’s exposure to harmful contaminants. Again, try when you can to avoid walking across chemicals. It can cause burns and abrasions to your dog’s paws. Refer back to tip number 4 whenever in doubt.

6. Avoid Anti-Freeze Spills – It is common practice during winter months to change or top off car coolant and anti-freeze. Chemicals within the anti-freeze have a sweet smell and taste that can seem attractive to your dog yet are extremely toxic when ingested. The ethylene glycol in these substances can cause severe illness and death to pets. Minutes can make a different when it comes to getting your dog help.

7. Rock Salt Poisoning – Rock salt is a mixture of salt (Sodium Chloride) and grit and is commonly used to de-ice winter roads. It can be harmful to dogs though it’s hard to say how much needs to be ingested in order to cause damage. Ingesting rock salt (And even common table salt) can lead to high blood sodium which can cause thirst, vomiting and lethargic behavior. In severe cases there is a risk of convulsion and kidney damage. If suspected dogs should be taken to a vet for evaluation.

Bottom line, when in doubt, when it’s cold out, keep your dogs’ exposure to a minimum to severe temperatures. Make sure you have plenty of indoor games and things to keep them occupied. Brain games, toys, and supervised play…otherwise you may just lose a shoe or two while waiting for the winter weather to subside.

+ Spring Safety

Chemical Care in Gardening – Many soils, fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides contain harmful chemicals that aren’t good for your four-footed friends. Make sure to find as many toxic free options as possible, if you do have to use dangerous chemicals, make sure to read pet recommendations and store away from your animals. Also supervise your pets when around them in the garden.

Be Aware of Toxic Plants – While colorful blooms are a pretty addition to any spring garden, make sure to be aware of which plants can be toxic to your dogs. Spring staples like azaleas and rhododendron can be fatal if eaten. The list of toxic plants can be long, it’s best to do your research before planting your garden, or make sure your fur babies are supervised and staying out of the flower beds.

Riding in the Car – Nothing is more fun for doggies than going for a car ride to parks, hikes, and outdoor adventures! While your pal may like the wind in his face, make sure to buckle up with doggy seat belts and harnesses for safety. Likewise allowing your dog to ride in the bed of a pickup truck, or with heads stuck out windows of moving cars can be dangerous due to flying debris, bugs, and other vehicles. Buckle up for safety.

Hazards of Home Improvement – Spring is the time we break out the paint, the cleaners, and other materials to spruce up the house. Just make sure to be aware of storage and use of such products and keep Fido out of the fray. Whenever possible look for green cleaners that are not toxic to your pets.

Buggy Beware – With spring showers, mosquitoes and other menacing pests are more prevalent. Make sure you are staying current on all of your heart-worm and flea and tick prevention. It only takes one mosquito bite from the wrong bugger to transmit heart-worm to your pet. The same goes for tick-borne diseases, and no one wants a flea infested home.

Allergy Alerts – When the seasons change it’s not just us humans that find ourselves allergic to the elements, sometimes our dogs are too. This may manifest in itchy skin, and even anaphylactic reactions to stingy bugs. If you are concerned your pet may be sneezing, sniffling, or exhibiting other possible allergy issues, make sure to make a trip to your vet. Relief can be simpler than you may think.

+ Dangerous Toys

How do you choose the best dog toys for your dogs and how do you avoid the pitfalls and hazards that come along with dogs…toys…and chewing?

This is a never-ending question that doesn’t always have a straight forward answer because some dogs treat their toys differently than others. Some dogs are prolific chewers. Some like to disassemble toys but don’t swallow the parts. Other dogs, will ingest anything they can get their paws on… so how do you know what is safe for your pets?

This could be a really long post if we tried to tell you all the toys you can buy that are tough, and all of those that you should stay away from. Instead we will talk about 4 of the most common toys and chews on the market.

As we discuss toy dangers it is important to know that 95% of the time, when your dog swallows foreign objects, they will pass through their system without incident. It’s that other 5% of the time that can be life threatening and result in expensive vet bills or worse.

Rope Toys – From a tug of war stand point and if you play with your dog or supervise your dog this can be a fairly safe toy. BUT if you leave a dog to their own devices and their goal is to pull the rope apart and ingest it, then it should be a toy kept out of reach.

The Dangers: Strands of rope can be very dangerous when swallowed. Vets categorize this as a “linear foreign body.” The danger occurs when one part of the rope is stuck in the stomach and the other part of the rope makes it into the intestines. The digestive system attempts to pass this through its system, and it begins to cinch on itself like the drawstring in a pair of sweatpants. This slowly tightens the digestive track and can become life threatening and painful. Even small pieces of rope overtime can accumulate like hairs in a shower drain causing a blockage.

If your dog is continually trying to strip off the pieces of rope, even if this is a favorite toy, it’s best to find a different toy for your dog friend.

Nylabones – In the constant quest for something for prolific chewers some pet owners are divided about Nylabones. There are pros and cons to these synthetic pet chews and you will get varying opinions on the use of these chew toys. While the pros are that these help promote healthy chewing (And saves your couch from time to time) and provide mental stimulation, there are some cons as well.

The Dangers: When unsupervised some dogs can chew these into small pieces that are not digestible. They can cause intestinal blockage, and when chewed into sharp shards can also pose a threat by puncturing the intestines.

Sometimes ring chews give a dog less purchase to break off small pieces and Nylabone does have some rings that may work well for your needs. Again supervising is the key. Know what your dog is doing to the toys you provide.

Rawhides – Again, the debate is real. So many vets, rescues, and dog experts steer away from the use of rawhide bones. While once a staple in dog families when they first became popular in the 1950s, our knowledge has evolved and the sources for rawhide varies. While dogs need to chew, and some people still gravitate toward rawhides because they are cheap and easy, the risks are worth keeping in mind. Especially with questionable sources from China containing such toxins as formaldehyde, arsenic, and other contaminants.

The Dangers: Some rawhide bones have been found to have trace contaminants and toxic chemicals not good for your dog’s consumption. Choking and blockages can occur when your chewer ingests pieces of the rawhide bones. Your dog may be sensitive to rawhide and it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other signs of poor health.

Balls and Tennis Balls – This is an all-time favorite for most dogs who have any kind of fetching skills or ball drive. Who doesn’t think tennis ball when they think of retrievers? But most people aren’t aware that tennis balls and balls in general can actually be dangerous for larger breed dogs. (Or any size ball that is the wrong size for the dog in question.) The most important thing is to be aware, be smart in choosing your ball toys, and know what to do in case of an emergency.

The Dangers: Balls are a major choking hazard for dogs. Especially if the ball is wrong sized. Typical tennis balls can be too small for larger breeds like golden retrievers and, you guessed it, Labs. The ball can get stuck in your dog’s throat when he or she catches it and cause a blockage.

When this type of accident happens, you will not have time to get the dog to the vet before he could choke. It’s important to get to your dog immediately, straddle the dog, open the mouth and grab it out of the throat, it may mean sliding 2 fingers down to try to get it un-wedged. If it’s lodged too deeply you may need to work on the outside of the dog’s throat first and try to roll the ball up. The faster you can get the ball out the better your dog’s chances of survival. At the end of the day it’s important to consider oversized balls that won’t go down their throats when engaging in play.

The bottom line is, that when our dogs are left to their own devices it’s important we don’t leave them with toys that can be harmful. It’s also important to supervise their play and know the right toys for the right sized dogs.

+ Helpful Links

The Dog Food Advisor - Candid advice and unbiased dog food reviews searchable by brand or average rating

iSpeakDog - Learn to read your dog’s body language and emotional state through helpful example scenarios and videos

Psychology Today’s Canine Corner - Explore the latest scientific findings about dog behavior and how humans relate to dogs

The Other End of the Leash - An extensive site of resources by Dr. Patricia McConnell, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist

StopThe77 - An educational site highlighting the importance of 77% of bites come from a dog your kids know and love

The Sleep Help Institute - A resource guide for pet owners devoted to promoting sleep and wellness in animals

Whole Dog Journal - Informative articles on natural dog health remedies and positive dog training techniques

+ Recommended Books

Love Has No Age Limit - On welcoming an adopted dog into your home

For The Love of A Dog - On understanding your dog’s emotional life and wellbeing

The Other End of The Leash - On translating “human” to “dog”