Why Is Your Dog Making So Much Noise

Why Is Your Dog Making So Much Noise

Dogs can make some noise and just when you got the barking under control the howling starts.  While the sound may drive you nuts there is a reason that your dog is howling and no it is not because they think they are a wolf.  Howling is one of the ways that they communicate, along with barking and body language.  Here are some of the reasons why your dog is making so much noise.

It’s an Instinct

Howling comes naturally to dogs, it is behavior that they have been doing since they have evolved.  It is how they communicate across long distances.  When dogs used to travel in packs they would howl to let their pack mates know where they were or to call family members to come home.

They Were Startled

Dogs have better hearing than people so while you think it might be silent they are getting startled by noises that you just can’t hear.  Sirens, traffic and everyday noises can also cause them to howl and try and let pack members know where they are, even if that pack is just you.

Separation Anxiety

Dogs are very social creatures and before they were domesticated they traveled in packs and now they look at you and your family as a pack.  They don’t like being left of their own.  If they are left at home all day while you are at work be prepared for your neighbors to complain about the noise.  Separation anxiety is a very real issue and not only will they howl they can tear your house apart.

They Want Your Attention

Dogs need lots and lots of attention, that is one of the reasons that dogs are such a big commitment.  If they aren’t getting the attention that they want they are going to start making noise and that can include barking, howling and even whining.  You will have to train your dog to behave properly and don’t tolerate this kind of behavior.

Your Dog has been Hurt

Dogs can’t scream when they are in pain instead they howl.  They can also start making noise if they feel scared or feel they are in danger.  If your dog won’t stop howling and you can’t find the problem then you might want to call the vet.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

No matter the cause of the howling, barking or other noisy behaviour you need to pay attention to your dog and deal with the issue or train them not to make so much noise.

Protecting Your Pup in Winter

Protecting Your Pup in Winter

If you live in the northern part of the world then you have to deal with winter.  Winter can be hard on people and animals alike if the temperatures plummet.  As a pet owner you have a responsibility to look after your pet and make sure that they stay warm.  Here are some tips for protecting your pup in winter.

The Cold

The temperatures in winter can vary from just above freezing to well below it over the course of the winter.  Smaller pups like Chihuahuas or Yorkies really can’t handle the cold and you may only have to let them out to do their business but save the walks until the weather gets warmer.  You can also get them coats and booties to keep them warm.  Other breeds like Huskies or Retrievers handle the cold very well and you can take them out for walks.

Icy Sidewalks

Icy sidewalks are more a danger to you than your dog but don’t let your dog off the leash while you walk them.  You aren’t sure footed enough to catch your dog if something goes wrong.  At the same time if your sidewalks are salted then the rock salt can hurt the pads on your dog’s paws.  You can get your pup some little booties that will protect them from the salt.

Dry Skin

Winter leaves your pup with dry skin caused by the cold and staying in the house with the heat on.  There are a couple of things that you can do about it.  First make sure that your dog is getting good food with lots of healthy fats.  Next you want to make sure that you are brushing your dog regularly to take away the dander.  Don’t bathe them too often and never shave the dog in the winter, aside from being cold it will make the skin even drier.

Be Wary of Antifreeze

Antifreeze is used in heaters in your car and sometimes even in the home.  It is extremely toxic to your pets. If you take them for walks or you have it on your driveway you need to wipe their paws and belly off after the walk.  Look for cracked or dry skin and always be aware of where they walk. Keep them away from heaters so they don’t get burned.

Winter can be just as hard on your dog as it is on you so take extra care so that they are warm and healthy throughout the winter.

Flea and Tick Treatment for Dogs

Flea and Tick Treatment for Dogs

Pet owners want to keep their pets healthy and happy, they feed them good food and make sure they see the vet regularly.  Your pup only gets the best toys and treats because you want to make sure they don’t come in contact with anything that could harm them.   In addition to all of that your pet needs to make sure they don’t get fleas or ticks.  There is a wide variety of preventatives one the market but you definitely want to find a flea and tick care treatment that is going to keep your dog healthy.

Talk to Your Vet

The first step in your search for a good treatment is with your vet.  They have insight and into some of the most effective treatments, and can recommend Nexgard or one of the other more popular treatments.  You want a product that does two things, kill any parasites that your dog may currently have and prevents future infestations.  Here are some things to look for in a product if you aren’t getting a recommendation from your vet.

  • You want a product that has been approved by the FDA as safe for your pooch
  • It can be given to dogs of any breed to keep them safe
  • It is fast acting and protection lasts for several weeks
  • Because cautious about giving it to puppies, check with the manufacturer to make sure it is safe
  • Your dog should be at least 8 weeks old before you give them treatment

How do they Work

These products work in two ways.  To get rid of fleas or ticks that are already on your dog the ingredients attack the nervous systems of fleas and ticks eventually causing death.  They die and fall off of your dog.  The second thing that they do is act as “birth control” and stop the production of flea eggs, that way no new colonies of fleas develop on your dog’s fur.  Most applications will start working within a day, some of them within hours.  You should give your dog a good brushing or a bath after treatment to get rid of any dead parasites.

Dosages

Dosages of any medications are based on body weight so you are going to need to know how much your dog weighs.  A Chihuahua can’t handle the same dose as a Rottweiler.  Most of these medications will indicate what size dog they are for and you there will be a couple of different packages for you to choose from.  Don’t use the same product on your cat and dog or one of them is going to end up sick.  Each needs different treatments.  Don’t give this to any pregnant or nursing dogs.

There are plenty of effective treatments you just need to find one that works for your dog.  Talk to your vet, they can help.

Should You Choose Grain Free Dog Food

Should You Choose Grain Free Dog Food

Dogs can develop allergies just like people do and one of the most common allergens is to gluten.  Yes, dogs can get Celiac Disease just like humans.  Wheat contains proteins and gluten is about 80% of these proteins and it is common for dogs to react badly to gluten.  Most dog owners aren’t even aware that the gluten found in wheat can cause health problems in their pets.  So the question is, should you choose grain free dog food for your dog?

What’s in Your Dog’s Food

Commercial dog food can contain lots of things that aren’t good for your dog.  There is lots of fillers in there and they can include grain, barley, rye, corn, oats and even ash.  You need to read the list of ingredients just like you would for your own food so you know exactly what is in the package.  In addition to fillers there are also a whole bunch of artificial preservatives and additives, most have names you can’t even pronounce.  Dog food manufacturers will try and hide the ingredients so you don’t know what they are.  You should take the time to learn the names of preservatives so you can avoid them.

Healthy Ingredients

When you read the labels on dog food cans and bags look for things that you recognize like chicken, lamb, beef or fish.  Your dog will have preferences just like you do.  Your dog may prefer salmon over beef, don’t worry that is perfectly normal.  Don’t spend your money on bad food with lots of bad ingredients.  You should also try your dog on more free range meats like venison, bison or turkey.  You can also buy organic dog food.  Your dog also like vegetables and needs them for nutrients you will find most dog food will contain ingredients like sweet potatoes, pumpkin or carrots.  All of them are great for your dog.

Going Grain Free

The question was whether you should feed your dog grain free food or not?  The answer is yes.  Your dog may not even have a reaction to gluten but it doesn’t do them any good either.  Now that you have chosen grain free food you need to wean your dog off of the old food and onto the new food.  You can do that by mixing the two together and gradually reducing the amount of old dog food that you are feeding your dog.  Dogs can be just as picky as humans so you may have to try different flavors of food until you find one that they like.

Characteristics of the Jindo Dogs

Characteristics of the Jindo Dogs

Jindo dogs are a unique dog breed that are very easy to house train. This dog doesn’t need the owner to housetrain it, has the capacity to housetrain itself. Most homeowners have the opinion that Jindo dog is the best dog in the globe while others believe that it’s the hardest dog to have. To appreciate the traits of these dogs new owners needs to be fully prepared for how to deal with them.  Here is some help with training them.

Below are the characteristics of Jindo dogs:

Highly intelligent

Jindos are highly intelligent and have the ability to think for themselves. They have the trait of uncrating themselves in a matter of time they find themselves in problems.

Extremely Courageous

Jindos are very brave dogs and also fearless and also seem courageous. They have the capacity of getting rid of wild boar. Jindos becomes aggressive when they are put into temptations and also react by moving forward when they are threatened. Jindos do not like to be handled, restrained or feeling susceptible that’s why it’s important to muzzle them before the vet makes a visit.

Loyal to Their Owner

Jindos have a good relationship with their owners though time is required for an adult Jindo to strengthen its relationship with a new owner. Jindos are not the most affectionate breeds and that’s why they don’t admire to be inside with the pack. Jindos stay in the same house with the other family members and will always assume a guarding post.

Difficult to Have in a Pack

Jindos usually have the dominant traits which make it hard to own a pack of Jindos. Jindos of the opposite sex, when paired together, can perform better when compared to those of the same sex. Jindo will be the dominant dog if it’s paired with another dog breed. Others dogs find it hard to cope with the Jindo dog as a playmate. Every owner must take time and be patient in order to assimilate the Jindo with the other household pets. Occasional dogs are obvious in scenarios where there are two or more Jindo dogs.

High Prey Drive

Jindos are extremely prey driven this is because they are exceptional hunters. Jindos were used by hunters as the attacking weapon to kill the prey. Jindos are very effective when it comes to killing large animals like deers and also the boars. They are also extremely effective in killing small animals like rats and mice. Jindos shouldn’t be allowed access to places where there are preys unless the place is secured. This is because they may disobey the owner’s instruction when chasing the prey despite them being well trained. The other issue with Jindos is that they tend to view small animals such as cats and birds as prey. Jindos require to accept other household pets such as cat as the members of the pack.

Caring for Your Jindo Dog

Caring for Your Jindo Dog

A Jindo dog is a breed native to South Korea. It is considered one of the most loyal dog bread you can own. This lively, active dog needs a family that can keep up with him. They are intelligent and loyal and need a family to treat them right.

Not a Family Dog

This breed of dog is easy to care for except the love being with their humans. So you will need to keep this dog close to keep them happy. This can be challenging when they are younger as they can be difficult to train. They like to be part of packs so if you become part of their pack and prove your dominance to they will follow your lead anywhere. This is a dog that needs only one or two masters. It does not do well with families.

Keeping Your Dog Occupied

This dog is intelligent and curious. If you want to own this breed of dog make sure you have the year for it and put up a serious fence. One that goes well below the ground and high above it, this dog will dig his way out of his yard to see what is on the other side of the fence and will jump high fences easily. Keep your picnic table away from the wall of the fence as this dog is smart enough to climb up and over it all on his own.

Socializing Your Jindo

This dog is not sociable to anyone outside of its own person or people. It will not enjoy dog parks as they do not like other dogs or other people. You will need to find ways to entertain this dog in the confines of your own yard and home. They do like games and will be amused for hours with anything you want to play. They also have a lot of energy to burn so expect to play with this dog a lot.

Grooming

This dog sheds and regular brushing will help keep your Jindo Dog clean and reduce the fur they lose. They will need to be checked for fleas and ticks daily during the summer because their fir makes it easy for them to move into their coats. They don’t need regular baths but make sure all mats are combed out first.

These dogs are good to spoil. They don’t like drafts and like having their own space so purchasing a dog bed for your dog is advisable, but don’t skip the dog training. Make sure they know at least basic commands as they’re strong-willed.

Common Health Problems with Jindo Dogs

Common Health Problems with Jindo Dogs

The Jindo is considered to be one of the dogs with most impressive personal hygiene. It is a fastidious dog and believed to be one of the cross breads between Korean indigenous dogs and Mongol dogs. During the 13th century Mongol invasion of Korea, part of the Korean army withdrew to Jindo Island. The soldier dogs would end up getting isolated in the island, where they developed into a very unique strain. The dog’s fastidious nature made the Koreans to adopt them as hunting and guard dogs. Jindos’ popularity rose when the Government of Korea designated Jindo dogs as national treasure. In fact, during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Jindo dogs marched in the opening ceremony.

Although the Jindo dog is considered as one of the healthiest and hygienic dogs in the world, a variety of infections and health concerns among Jindo dogs have been raised. Note that the Jindo has an excellent life expectancy rate of 10-15 years. The following are the health issues that have been discovered.

Hypothyroidism

A jindo dog with hypothyroidism will have poor skin color and manifest in itself abnormal aggression. Poor skin quality appears as a thinning coat and a darkened skin even where the dog is white.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE)

This disease makes the dog to be allergic to its own tissues and internal cells. The disease is categorized as an autoimmune disease that causes the following problems to a dog; depigmentation, crusting, ulceration of the nose and redness you might also note the appearance of lesions around the ears, limbs, eyes and other areas. DLE might occur at any stage of growth of your dog, and is witnessed more often in breeds such as German Shepherds, Collies, Shelties, and Siberian huskies. The infection tends to become more severe during summers and sunny days, due to increased exposure to ultra violet rays.

The following list below contains a list of some of the major issues that have been reported with some Jindo dogs, however, these cases have not been reported in a large number of dogs. Researchers have claimed that the following infections will be given priority in research and resource provision, once several cases have been reported. Till then , can they be announced as major health concerns.

  • cystinuria (diagnosed at 2 years of age)
  • Environmental allergies (Imported from Korea)
  • spondylosis
  • Corneal dystrophy or epithelial/stromal dystrophy ( six years age)
  • Pemphigus erythematous
  • Cataracts

Jindo dogs are typically a healthy breed with very few health problems overall.