Dog Poisons!

Unfortunately, dogs have a habit of eating things they aren't supposed to. Whether it be kitty litter or crickets it is important to look out for your puppy to make sure they don't ingest certain things!

1) Certain plants. There are a surprising number of plants that are actually poisonous to dogs! Most reputable stores (Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart) can tell you if the flower you are purchasing can hurt animals, however it's usually wise to research plants native to your area as well. Some of the plants we have trouble with here in Florida includes Lantana (common garden flower) and Soda Apple (pesky weed).

2) Chocolate! Most people know that chocolate should under NO CIRCUMSTANCES be given to a dog. Just a little bit can do a lot of damage and too much can actually prove to be lethal!

3) Household Cleaners. Make sure you keep all cleaners out of reach of your pets. You may also choose to use "green" or "natural" cleaners when cleaning areas where your dog has easy access. When mopping keep your dog away from the area until it is dry and use a natural cleaner in case she decides to lick the floor!

4) Medicine. As with cleaners make sure you keep any and all medication where they are unable to reach it!

5) Insect/Rodent Poison: Rat poison, cockroach spray, etc. is very dangerous for your dog. Keep these things out of reach or use a humane trap to catch mice whenever possible. "Sticky" traps are good for catching mice, and although your dog may look a little funny when he accidently sticks his tail to it, it generally won't injure him. Keep in mind that the dog doesn't need to necessarily eat the poison in order to experience negative effects! A dog that eats a rat that has eaten poison, may inadvertantly poison himself!

6) Snakes, frogs, lizards, slamanders etc. Certain types of reptiles or insects may also make your dogs sick. Frogs are a particularly bad one here in Florida. Research the poisonous wildlife in your area and see what can be done about prevention or treatment.

7) Coins, small toys, magnets, etc. Make sure you keep any small object off the ground if you are worried your puppy my eat it. Magnents can be especially dangerous so call the vet IMMEDIATELY if you suspect she ate a magnet.

8) Antifreeze! Antifreeze is very dangerous to dogs and should never be in reach of any pet! Call the vet if your dog has swallowed antifreeze. If it was swallowed less than two hours ago he will probably ask you to attempt to induce vomiting. (See below)

Prevention:

Keep poisinous items out of reach of you pets, or put child locks on cabinets containing these things.

Symptoms:

Unsual behavior such as excessive running and jumping. A lethargic or aggresive attitude. Unexplained change in stool quality. Excessive vomiting. Eating grass. Excessive drooling or slober.

Treatment:

ALWAYS call your vet if you are worried your dog may have eaten something that has made him sick. Ask him if he would like you to administer hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. NEVER induce vomiting unless the vet has instructed you to do so, vomiting can in some cases cause more problems. If is generally not useful if the poisonous item was swallowed more than two hours ago, or if your dog swallowed any sort of household cleaner.  If the vet does suggest that she vomit, 3% Hydrogen Peroxide may be used (Not hair-dying strength peroxide!). A syringe is the easiest way to administer the peroxide. Your dog should receive 1 teaspoon per 10lbs. body weight. After administering, wait for 10 minutes and if nothing happens ask your vet if you should give more peroxide. *Syrup of Ipecac is generally not recommended of use in dogs.

My Story:

I used to own a Beagle mix named April. She was a rescue dog that had been starving when she was found. It is common for dogs that were once emaciated or starving to eat everything possible because they will carry with them the fear that they may not get another meal. April would eat everything in sight if you weren't careful, usually without chewing it. One day I walked into the bathroom to discover that she had gotten a tampon from the trash and eaten the entire thing! (I know a little gross, but I promise it's a truly valuable lesson) Anyway I immediately called the vet. He told me NOT to induce vomiting because the tampon may become lodged in her throat on the way back up. Instead he told me to feed her as much vegetable oil as possible to help "lubricate" things. As I mentioned she'd eat anything so she had no problem drinking the oil. As the oil began to work it's magic she definitely looked like she didn't feel good however, everything began to pass through rather quickly. We had to watch her all night to make sure nothing became "clogged" and she remained "lubricated" for a few days but she was ultimately okay! We always made sure our trash cans had dog-proof lids after that!

Basic Training Tips

There are a couple of points you should remember when training your dog in order to have a successful training session. A few of these come simply from experience, and others are the tried and true methods you can find in any dog training book.

1) Make training fun! Use your "happy voice" when training with your dog. (Yes, it really does make a difference) Also make sure to end your training session on a positive note, and with your dog wanting to do more! Even if the dog didn't pick up the trick quite as well as you want, or if you only spent 5 to 10 minutes training it all makes a difference!

2) Don't use "NO!" I'm not saying you shouldn't correct your dog, however try not to use the word "NO!" every single time the dog doesn't perform a trick correctly. Reserve the word for times when they are truly misbehaving or are in danger so they realize they need to stop what they are doing NOW! A light-hearted "Whoops!" goes a long way in keeping both you and your dog from getting frustrated and the dog will still understand the basic concept.

3) Have your treat/reward ready! A huge part of training is making sure you reward at exactly the right time! It is important that you don't spend too much time fumbling in a pocket for a treat, toy, etc. You may consider wearing a fanny pack or pouch on your belt to hold treats. Also, only reward while your dog is performing the skill correctly. (i.e. if you are teaching "sit" reward the dog while he is sitting, not after he stands up)

4) Be consistent! Use the same style/color leash and lead while training or working, and a different one during playtime. The dog will begin to recognize that one of them indicates that it's 'time to work.' It really does make a difference!

5) Bond with your pup. Play, hold, groom, or pet you dog as often as possible! Like with training, only do this while it is fun, don't force your dog to bond! Take your dog out with you whenever possible. Mandy loves to go for walks and she's a huge hit at the flea market and rodoes! This will get your dog accostomed to being in many differnet loud or noisy situations.

Motivating Your Pup!

So motivation is definitely key when it comes to teaching your dog new tricks and skills! Unfortunately, what a dog is most motivated by varies depending on the dog! The Pasco Paws therapy class didn't allow 'cookies' to be given to the dog while in the facility, however we did use treats during the initial training at home. Green beans, cheese cubes, bits of bread, and hotdogs are all great treats! (The green beans are useful if you are watching your dogs weight because they are very low-cal!) Unfortunately, Mandy's interest in these treats would wain after only a few minutes. I soon found that although treats were a good starting point, she seemed to enjoy my praise and attention just as much! Alternating between treats and praise proved to be the most effective form of motivation! I've also heard of people using a favorite toy or game to reward their dog. Mandy loves to fetch the ball, however she loves fetching the ball so much that she would focus more on the toy than on the task I was asking her to complete! I still use the ball as a reward, but only after we have completely finished our training session!

How Mandy and I Got Started...

Mandy and I became interested in Therapy Dog training when a lady I know gave me some information about it! She also graduated form the Pasco Paws program with her Pit Bull, "Cash." I didn't think too much of it until I was in the hospital a few months later. Although I was only in the hospital for about 12 hours I realized how boring it can be! This was what made me realize how kids who suffer terminal illnesses must feel when they must spend weeks or even months in the hospital! I decided that I would train Mandy to be a therapy dog so that we could bring a little joy to some of the children I met while in the hospital! We are registered through Therapy Dogs Incorporated. If you are looking for therapy dog classes in your area you may have to do a little research to find them! You can visit the Therapy Dogs Inc. website and search for a Tester/Observer in your area, or you may have to ask around at different dog shows or nursing homes to see what is offered where you live!

The Family

Just thought I would give everyone a little background on my family (both the four-legged and otherwise). I am 18 and currently living with my parents while I attend a college nearby. We live in a very rural community so we have plenty of land for all of our animal brothers and sisters. My younger sister, "M," is 14 and is the one who takes care of Mandy's brother, Cole.



Cole has such a personality! He is such a goofball and always keeps us smiling! He loves to flirt with everyone by "grinning" at them and he will "talk" to you if he's not getting the amount of scratching he thinks appropriate.



We also have a short-haired, short-legged Jack Russell Terrier named Trish. She is pushing 14 or 15 and is currently living a life of ease consisting of sleeping, eating, followed by more eating. :)
We also own six sheep, Lucy, Ethel, Lula, Snickers, Pansy, and Jeanie. The sheep are used for breeding purposes so I'm sure you will see some future posts of the baby lambs! (Despite the fact that Mandy and Cole are bred to be herding dogs, they are absolutely terrified of the sheep! Mandy will stand behind me to bark at them.)

Mandy and Cole meet the Sheep!


Lula, the first lamb born on the property!

Snickers! The first multi-colored lamb!

We also have three paint horses. Leo's Tuxedo or "Tux" is a Quarter Horse that my sister rides in different rodeos in our area. They participate in barrels, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping.



Colby Saturn or "Colby" is a Tennesse Walker that we mostly use for trail riding. His patience makes him and AWESOME trail horse but his need to snack on EVERY SINGLE WEED can get old! lol.



The horse I mainly use is another Quarter Horse named Whiskey. He is still very young and we are in the process of training him. It takes a village to train a horse! My sister and I are also active members of 4-H so we raise pigs for the county fair. Mom also has nine hens since she LOVES fresh eggs. We also adopted a rooster, Zero, after my aunt had to "rescue" him from her cats!!



Francine is the cat that adopted us when she was just a few weeks old and has been with us ever since!


My sister also has a rabbit Daisy who is 9 or 10 now! I know it sounds like we have tons of animals but each one of them get as much attention as possible are a major part of the family!

Welcome!

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! My name is Becca and my dog is named Mandy. Mandy is a 4-year old Pembroke Corgi. We got her and her half brother from a family in Jacksonville about a year ago. A few months ago I decided to enter her in a Therapy Dog class in my neighborhood. As a member of Pasco Paws you attend classes once a week for a few months and visit different nursing homes and libraries three to four times throughout the course. Mandy is certified through Therapy Dogs Incorporated and is also a Canine Good Citizen. I know how difficult it can be to find good training advice for your therapy dog so I hope my blog helps those of you that have an interest in having your dog certified, or would just like to teach your pup some basic obedience. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions. We would love to hear what you have to say!