5 Things Dog Owners Should Know

A tired dog is a good dog. We've all heard this phrase, what does it really mean? Well, it doesn't mean that if you simply tire your dog out he or she will be the perfect canine citizen. What it does mean, however, is that many behavior problems stem from boredom. Is your dog chewing inappropriate items, digging in the garbage or has he found some other unique behavior that doesn't agree with you? You might ask yourself, how much exercise is your dog getting on a daily basis? Often times these behaviors may be related to boredom. Bottom line, dogs need exercise every day. To vaccinate an adult dog annually or not, that is the question. The American Animal Hospital Association ("AAHA") seems to have answered that question when it updated its guidelines regarding canine vaccinations schedules. Rabies vaccinations are governed by state rules which means you are legally required to follow whatever schedule is set forth be it annually or every 3 years. The AAHA guidelines provide for an every three year schedule for the core vaccines against parvovirus, adenovirus and distemper. Even that schedule seems outdated as research tells us that the vaccination for parvovirus and distemper should last 5 years and for adenovirus 7 years. At the 3 year mark you can ask for a test that can be performed determine whether additional vaccinating is necessary, it's called a titer. There are many other non-core vaccines that may or may not be appropriate for your dog, factors that should be examined include age, medical history, environment, travel habits and lifestyle. These should be discussed with your veterinarian. Food, you are in control of what goes in. Pet obesity is a significant issue and even if we can't control what goes in our own mouth, we can certainly control what goes in our dogs' mouth. Being overweight can lead to a number of health issues including osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart and lung disease, high blood pressure and the list goes on. Health issues are not only hard on your dog and led to a reduced life expectancy but are also hard on your wallet with trips to the veterinarian. Training, early and often. Training with your dog strengthens the bond you have with your dog and creates and understanding of appropriate behaviors. Just like a child, you need to set the rules and then be consistent in your application of the rules so your dog does not get confused. Pay attention every day to the interactions you are having with your dog, you may be rewarding inappropriate behaviors inadvertently. Dogs don't do things out of spite. As much as we'd like to believe that our dogs share our views of right and wrong, they don't. Dogs are not guided by morals, they are guided by an outcome or what feels good to him as a dog. That guilty look you get when you return home is not knowledge that they did something wrong, it is appeasement behavior or an attempt to calm you. By Kristen Smoot