Recently I received a couple e-mails regarding why a dog needs to be vaccinated to participate in dog obedience classes. I enjoy getting e-mails like this one, it gives me the opportunity to educated the public on issues that are important.
Why Does My Dog Need To Be Up To Date On Vaccinations???
To start off...
Dog vaccinations are an essential step towards a healthy immune system for your pet. Vaccines help prevent the spread of deadly and highly contagious diseases like rabies,parvovius, hepatitis and distemper (AKA Kennel Cough, which is an airborn disease).
Vaccinations are given to protect your pet from the life threatening diseases they come into contact with. When the vet injects your puppy with a vaccine, it "teaches" the puppy's immune system what a disease organism looks like. Your puppy's system will form anti-bodies to that disease making it possible for her to fight off that infection in the future and also to reduce the spread of disease in the dog population.
So why do we ask to see up to date vaccination records?
Easy, we want to make sure, we are responsible for our classes, that your dog and every other dog in the class has an opportunity to be in a safe environment. Also, if your dog does not have their vaccinations it will increase the chances of catching a disease from something that may have been brought into the building/park by foot. Kennel cough for example is an airborne virus. This vaccination is not mandatory, it is suggested. Therefore, another dog may have the virus and be showing no symptoms. Ta-Da, your dog now has Kennel Cough.
If classes are being held in a park the trainer has no guarantee that the soil or grass may or may not contain a virus or disease. We also have to protect our equipment. Some trainers carry their equipment home or to other training facilities, therefor not wanting to spread the viruses or bacteria.
It has been found that even if a dog is vaccinated they still can contract the disease. Why would a professional want to put all the other dogs they come in contact with in jeopardy. It only takes one irresponsible owner to cause a facility to have an outbreak.
All professional dog trainers, groomers, and kennels should be asking to see if your dog is up to date on all their vaccinations. If they are not, ask why? It is your responsibility to take care and protect your dog, part of that is making sure they are from harms way of potential deadly diseases. To put it bluntly, it's being a responsible loving dog owner!
In conclusion, think twice before you pass up vaccinations!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Gardening Tips
It's that time of year again, or getting closer up here in Northern Alberta!
Here is a great article on gardening with your dog! This is taken from the Dogs In Canada web page.
Dogs and gardens; Splendor in the grass
A caller inquiring about Welsh Springers wanted to know if they’re diggers. I expect she’s worried about her garden.
Common sense goes a long way when dogs and gardens co-habit. My own garden has hardy plants that can take some abuse. Many native plants stand up well to the wear and tear of life with active dogs, generally demand less effort than their more exotic cousins, and don’t need doses of pesticide and fertilizer to look good. Containers are great plant-savers; urns or big clay pots are ideal for annuals and work well placed among the perennials, right in the flowerbeds, as well as on decks, steps and patios.
Good gardening practice
Use good gardening practices rather than insect- and weed-killers to control pests: build good soil for strong plants, choose plants that suit the conditions of your garden, opt for pest- and disease-resistant varieties, mow the grass high, hand-pick bugs and pull weeds.
Find out which plants are potentially harmful, then decide if you want them in your garden based on your dog’s inclination to chew things. Toxic plants include daffodils, azaleas and rhododendrons, foxglove, lily of the valley and tomato plants (the green parts).
Be prepared to compromise. A friend discovered that her dogs lost interest in the plants as playthings when she stopped fastidiously picking up every stick and windfall apple. My dogs developed a favorite route around the garden, beating it into a narrow path – behind the peonies, through the yew, around the hostas and under the spirea hedge. The dogs respect my plants and I respect their path. When I turn the beds, I leave the path alone.
Yellow spots
Yellow spots on the lawn are probably the biggest gardening challenge for dog owners. Bitches are the worst offenders since males don’t tend to void in one place. The popular remedy of giving your dog apple-cider vinegar or baking soda to modify the urine’s pH is risky, warns Jeff Grognet, D.V.M. “Adding acid or alkali to your dog’s body could send her blood chemistry out of balance.” Besides, it’s the concentration of nitrogen in the urine that burns the grass – the same effect as too much fertilizer.
Flushing the grass with water whenever your dog urinates isn’t practical, so Grognet suggests building up natural buffers by leaving grass clippings on the lawn, or spreading peat moss. “And once urine is broken down, it acts like a natural fertilizer, promoting grass growth.”
A secure fence and gate
A secure fence system is a must, but give some thought to the gate, too. A heavy-duty, spring-loaded hinge will ensure that the gate closes automatically if someone forgets, and if the gate is mounted to open in, it will close on any dog trying to get out.
Dogs capable of hunting for hours need an outlet for their energy. Regular exercise – routine walks, short training sessions, chances to run and play – will save the garden from unwanted attempts at re-landscaping. Give an incorrigible digger an inconspicuous spot to dig in to his heart’s content. Over the years, several dogs – my own and visitors – cooperated in digging a dog-size hole under one of the bushes in my garden. It’s a favorite retreat during the dog days of summer – cool, damp and ‘secret.’
I encourage you to check out Dogs in Canada's web page and search their articles. They have a wonderful collection that is loaded with a wealth of knowledge!
Here is a great article on gardening with your dog! This is taken from the Dogs In Canada web page.
Dogs and gardens; Splendor in the grass
A caller inquiring about Welsh Springers wanted to know if they’re diggers. I expect she’s worried about her garden.
Common sense goes a long way when dogs and gardens co-habit. My own garden has hardy plants that can take some abuse. Many native plants stand up well to the wear and tear of life with active dogs, generally demand less effort than their more exotic cousins, and don’t need doses of pesticide and fertilizer to look good. Containers are great plant-savers; urns or big clay pots are ideal for annuals and work well placed among the perennials, right in the flowerbeds, as well as on decks, steps and patios.
Good gardening practice
Use good gardening practices rather than insect- and weed-killers to control pests: build good soil for strong plants, choose plants that suit the conditions of your garden, opt for pest- and disease-resistant varieties, mow the grass high, hand-pick bugs and pull weeds.
Find out which plants are potentially harmful, then decide if you want them in your garden based on your dog’s inclination to chew things. Toxic plants include daffodils, azaleas and rhododendrons, foxglove, lily of the valley and tomato plants (the green parts).
Be prepared to compromise. A friend discovered that her dogs lost interest in the plants as playthings when she stopped fastidiously picking up every stick and windfall apple. My dogs developed a favorite route around the garden, beating it into a narrow path – behind the peonies, through the yew, around the hostas and under the spirea hedge. The dogs respect my plants and I respect their path. When I turn the beds, I leave the path alone.
Yellow spots
Yellow spots on the lawn are probably the biggest gardening challenge for dog owners. Bitches are the worst offenders since males don’t tend to void in one place. The popular remedy of giving your dog apple-cider vinegar or baking soda to modify the urine’s pH is risky, warns Jeff Grognet, D.V.M. “Adding acid or alkali to your dog’s body could send her blood chemistry out of balance.” Besides, it’s the concentration of nitrogen in the urine that burns the grass – the same effect as too much fertilizer.
Flushing the grass with water whenever your dog urinates isn’t practical, so Grognet suggests building up natural buffers by leaving grass clippings on the lawn, or spreading peat moss. “And once urine is broken down, it acts like a natural fertilizer, promoting grass growth.”
A secure fence and gate
A secure fence system is a must, but give some thought to the gate, too. A heavy-duty, spring-loaded hinge will ensure that the gate closes automatically if someone forgets, and if the gate is mounted to open in, it will close on any dog trying to get out.
Dogs capable of hunting for hours need an outlet for their energy. Regular exercise – routine walks, short training sessions, chances to run and play – will save the garden from unwanted attempts at re-landscaping. Give an incorrigible digger an inconspicuous spot to dig in to his heart’s content. Over the years, several dogs – my own and visitors – cooperated in digging a dog-size hole under one of the bushes in my garden. It’s a favorite retreat during the dog days of summer – cool, damp and ‘secret.’
I encourage you to check out Dogs in Canada's web page and search their articles. They have a wonderful collection that is loaded with a wealth of knowledge!
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