Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays, pampering your dog is just as important as pampering yourself. Dog boutiques offer everything from tempting organic treats to studded diamond collars. Some boutiques even offer overnight pampering packages for your favorite pet!

Dog Clothing from the Boutique

Every celebrity seems to have a well-dressed dog on his or her arms or by their side! One of the most popular choices of dog accessories from these boutiques is a collar, from diamond studded to bright red leather; every dog can find something that takes their (or their owners’) fancy. Whilst there are many off the shelf options, increasingly these doggie outlets are offering made to measure individual options for the discerning pet owner.

Dog coats are also becoming a must have for every dog’s wardrobe. A particularly popular choice is to have a coat that has your canine friend’s name embroidered on the side in a color that complements your choice of collar.

Dog Edibles from the Boutique

Not only is it important that your dog looks great but he also wants to feel great! Take a look in your local dog boutique for the latest tempting treats. A great range that is increasing in popularity is the organic biscuits and other treats. What better way to reward your dog and also to keep him fit?

Pet Pampering Days

As well as the many items that you can take away, a specialist dog shop may offer you a ‘spa’ day for your canine friend or even a health break! These breaks will offer your dog a series of holistic treatments such as massage as well as organic foods and detox.

Never before has your dog been offered so much luxury and choice. Go on; visit your local dog boutique!

Yoav Cohen is an author for designer dog boutiques site.

More articles at articles on database

Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays, pampering your dog is just as important as pampering yourself. Dog boutiques offer everything from tempting organic treats to studded diamond collars. Some boutiques even offer overnight pampering packages for your favorite pet!

Dog Clothing from the Boutique

Every celebrity seems to have a well-dressed dog on his or her arms or by their side! One of the most popular choices of dog accessories from these boutiques is a collar, from diamond studded to bright red leather; every dog can find something that takes their (or their owners’) fancy. Whilst there are many off the shelf options, increasingly these doggie outlets are offering made to measure individual options for the discerning pet owner.

Dog coats are also becoming a must have for every dog’s wardrobe. A particularly popular choice is to have a coat that has your canine friend’s name embroidered on the side in a color that complements your choice of collar.

Dog Edibles from the Boutique

Not only is it important that your dog looks great but he also wants to feel great! Take a look in your local dog boutique for the latest tempting treats. A great range that is increasing in popularity is the organic biscuits and other treats. What better way to reward your dog and also to keep him fit?

Pet Pampering Days

As well as the many items that you can take away, a specialist dog shop may offer you a ‘spa’ day for your canine friend or even a health break! These breaks will offer your dog a series of holistic treatments such as massage as well as organic foods and detox.

Never before has your dog been offered so much luxury and choice. Go on; visit your local dog boutique!

Yoav Cohen is an author for designer dog boutiques site.

More articles at articles on database

Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays, pampering your dog is just as important as pampering yourself. Dog boutiques offer everything from tempting organic treats to studded diamond collars. Some boutiques even offer overnight pampering packages for your favorite pet!

Dog Clothing from the Boutique

Every celebrity seems to have a well-dressed dog on his or her arms or by their side! One of the most popular choices of dog accessories from these boutiques is a collar, from diamond studded to bright red leather; every dog can find something that takes their (or their owners’) fancy. Whilst there are many off the shelf options, increasingly these doggie outlets are offering made to measure individual options for the discerning pet owner.

Dog coats are also becoming a must have for every dog’s wardrobe. A particularly popular choice is to have a coat that has your canine friend’s name embroidered on the side in a color that complements your choice of collar.

Dog Edibles from the Boutique

Not only is it important that your dog looks great but he also wants to feel great! Take a look in your local dog boutique for the latest tempting treats. A great range that is increasing in popularity is the organic biscuits and other treats. What better way to reward your dog and also to keep him fit?

Pet Pampering Days

As well as the many items that you can take away, a specialist dog shop may offer you a ‘spa’ day for your canine friend or even a health break! These breaks will offer your dog a series of holistic treatments such as massage as well as organic foods and detox.

Never before has your dog been offered so much luxury and choice. Go on; visit your local dog boutique!

Yoav Cohen is an author for designer dog boutiques site.

More articles at articles on database

Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays, pampering your dog is just as important as pampering yourself. Dog boutiques offer everything from tempting organic treats to studded diamond collars. Some boutiques even offer overnight pampering packages for your favorite pet!

Dog Clothing from the Boutique

Every celebrity seems to have a well-dressed dog on his or her arms or by their side! One of the most popular choices of dog accessories from these boutiques is a collar, from diamond studded to bright red leather; every dog can find something that takes their (or their owners’) fancy. Whilst there are many off the shelf options, increasingly these doggie outlets are offering made to measure individual options for the discerning pet owner.

Dog coats are also becoming a must have for every dog’s wardrobe. A particularly popular choice is to have a coat that has your canine friend’s name embroidered on the side in a color that complements your choice of collar.

Dog Edibles from the Boutique

Not only is it important that your dog looks great but he also wants to feel great! Take a look in your local dog boutique for the latest tempting treats. A great range that is increasing in popularity is the organic biscuits and other treats. What better way to reward your dog and also to keep him fit?

Pet Pampering Days

As well as the many items that you can take away, a specialist dog shop may offer you a ‘spa’ day for your canine friend or even a health break! These breaks will offer your dog a series of holistic treatments such as massage as well as organic foods and detox.

Never before has your dog been offered so much luxury and choice. Go on; visit your local dog boutique!

Yoav Cohen is an author for designer dog boutiques site.

More articles at articles on database

Canine Possession Aggression

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name. Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that its normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldnt take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

1.When you give a command, he does not always need to

obey.

2.If he shows aggression, you back off. And by our

actions, we have successfully taught him to resource

guard.

Advice?
Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early
Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isnt seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.

It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like Take it. When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to Drop or Dead Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, better item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to drop and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue
Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward
Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be dead drop leave or trade immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding. Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo
Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dogs behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment. Stan Rawlinson

24 July 2005

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. PAACT
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He is also a behavioural spokesman for Disney and has appeared on Television, Radio and in National Newspapers on many occassions

Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
http://www.doglistener.co.uk
Founder Member
PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Membership Number 101
http://www.paact.co.uk

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Zoonoses is the term applied to a grouping of diseases that are transferable from canine/feline to human. Basically, these diseases fall into three groupings based on their means of transmission. This also groups these, ideally, in the means of treatment and control. The three groupings of diseases are as follows -diseases spread through :1) urine or feces, 2) hair and skin contact, or 3) bites and scratches.

Zoonoses – Spread through Urine or Feces

Hookworms

Hookworms enter the German Shepherd’s body in the area that directly comes in contact with the feces-contanimated soil. Seen more commonly in the South, these parasites are unsuited to ideally live in human beings. Traditionally they die after crawling several inches underneath the surface layer of the skin. Inflammation usually occurs as a result of these parasites in humans and causes a condition called creeping eruption which may last several weeks or months depending on its severity.

Leptospirosis

German Shepherd’s may come in contact with this disease through swimming, drinking, licking their fur, or by eating food contaminated with animal urine. Many animals may carry this, though rats are most often the culprit.

This zoonoses symptom in humans include flu-like including chills, body aches, vomiting, fever and headache. Sometimes kidney damage may occur or the membranes covering the spinal cord or brain may become inflamed. This disease is not usually fatal though it does make its host miserable for weeks at a time.

Roundworms

If these parasites are swallowed by humans they migrate into the body tissues and may cause damage, including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length.

These parasites are most commonly found in small children (2-4 yrs. of age) who mistakenly swallow the eggs and become infected. Children playing in an area in which an animal has defecated in the past, who do not wash their hands after coming in contact with the eggs and inadvertently sticks their hands into their mouth are the most common receptors of roundworm. Only rarely fatal, the disease is traditionally mild though it may be long lasting.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms can easily be ingested by any German Shepherd who swallows a flea carrying the infected form when biting at or chewing their coat. Children may get it virtually the same way- minus the coat chewing.

Tapeworm infestation in humans this way is actually quite rare when compared to infestation from eating undercooked pork or beef.

Toxoplasmosis

Rarely this may cause death in humans since most people develop a resistance to it during normal exposure. It can cause many types of birth deformities in children born to mothers who have been infected for the first time without having developed an immunity before becoming pregnant. Most commonly this is picked up through contact with infected cat feces or in contact with contaminated soil.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Waste Transmitted Diseases

There are a few basic precautions everyone should take to prevent transmission of any of the above mentioned diseases – zoonoses. First, clean up all pet droppings and wash your hands each time you any come in contact with contaminated soil. It is extremely important to teach children these steps. Also, if your German Shepherd has gone wading or swimming in any water which may have become contaminated with animal urine, bathe it at once when you return home.

Zoonoses – Spread through Skin/Hair Contact

Fleas

Fleas prefer feeding on your German Shepherd though they will not turn up the chance of of making an occasional meal on humans as well.

Ringworm

Most commonly found in children (though anyone may be infected), this disease is caused by a skin/hair eating fungus which first appears on people as a round, red, scaly area. It grows outward in a circular formation and is the most common fungal disease currently reported.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Tick borne, this disease or Zoonose can cause symptoms such as fever, chills and headache though it is not usually fatal. Symptoms may last many weeks and it can be treated with antibiotics.

Most commonly this disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Also, you may become infected while pulling a tick off your German Shepherd. It is best to wear gloves when removing ticks.

Scabies

The less commonly found version of mange (as opposed to the demodetic version), this may still cause intense itching, irritation and thickening of the skin. Animal mange may live in human skin though it cannot reproduce there. Humans have their own version of the scabies mite.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Skin/Hair Contact Diseases

Overall, proper nutritional care and health of your German Shepherd is the best defense against the chance of your dog harboring any of these diseases.

Frequent grooming and herbal repellents are good choices in combating most of these diseases or Zoonoses before they become major. Stress, roaming and contact with other dogs are the three most common points of transmission among the previous diseases.

Wash your hands after dog contact and minimize contact with any infected pet until the problem is cured.

Zoonoses – Diseases Caused by Bites and Scratches

Cat Scratch Fever

Some people will develop a fever, enlarged lymph nodes and malaise near the area of a bite or scratch from a cat a few weeks after the occurrence. Though not fatal it can be very uncomfortable and can be followed by complications. Infected cat bites may become infected with an entirely different bacteria though the symptoms are similar.

Probably best, is to thoroughly wash an area bitten or scratched by a cat and to clean it liberally on a frequent basis to prevent, hopefully, infection.

Rabies

Virtually 100% fatal once the clinical symptoms appear, this disease is carried by a virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected biting animal. Symptoms include frothing at the mouth, extreme behavioral/personality changes and convulsions which usually ends in the aggressive, staggering and bleary- eyed condition.

If you happen upon an animal showing any of these disease symptoms, get away from it as quickly as possible and call your nearest animal control unit. If by chance you are bitten, try to follow it to where it lives (if it is a stray) so that the proper officials may capture it for testing. If you do kill it, do not injure the head as this will be needed for verification. Also, if you are bitten by an animal exhibiting any of the symptoms above, thoroughly wash out the wound as quickly as possible and contact your personal physician immediately. Overall, your chances of getting rabies are rare though you can never be over cautious.

Zoonoses – Prevention of Bite and Scratch Transmitted Diseases

Best advice, keep your German Shepherd in tip-top physical condition through exercise and proper nutrition to reduce its chances of picking up any diseases or parasites from less healthy animals. Also, try to minimize your pets contact with wild animals or sick pets.

The author, a lifelong dog lover and German Shepherd owner, has been a German Shepherd breeder for over to 15 years. For more information and articles covering other German Shepherd related topics, feel free to visit: total-german-shepherd.com

Interested in other purebred dog breeds? Visit: pedigreedpups.com

More articles at Article Database