How Doggy Daycare Can Assist with Pet Therapy Training

Have you every wondered if your dog could cut it as a pet therapy volunteer? Some time at a doggie daycare (like Dingo's Dogsitting: www.dingosdogsitting.com) may help answer this question for you.  To be clear, a pet therapy dog and a service dog serve different needs.  A service dog assists one person who may have a physical disability or mental condition, whereas a pet therapy dog provides many people therapy by means of physical contact and a variety of other interactions. 

A therapy dog and his handler typically visit people in senior centers, hospitals, and schools.  Depending on the level of comfort between the dog and his “patient”, the interaction may be as simple as a quick pet or nuzzle, or as intimate as the dog lying in bed with a person receiving medical care or someone who may be otherwise bed-ridden due to age and poor health.  Medical studies have shown that pet therapy is proven to provide positive results both physiologically and psychologically for hospital patients and children with intellectual or developmental delays (https://www.uclahealth.org/PAC/Pages/about-us/animal-assisted-therapy-research-findings.aspx)

Visits to a facility can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.  Many times, there will be several pet therapy teams working in the same facility at overlapping times, which leads to several dogs working within close proximity with one another.  As such, therapy dogs must have a calm and submissive demeanor and be copacetic with humans and dogs alike.

Is pet therapy something you'd like to explore for your dog? If so it is important to expose your dog to new dogs, people, and environments regularly.   Regular doggy daycare visits can help with this.

To schedule a “meet and greet” at our Beverly facility or for any other questions about the ways in which doggy daycare can benefit your dog, contact us: 617-590-3721! (http://www.dingosdogsitting.com/#!contact-us/c1ush)

There's A New Dog (Pig) In Town

Dingo and I are used to dealing with clientele of the canine variety, but even she admits that sometimes you have to give credit where credit's due and honor some other members of the animal kingdom. I'm talking about this adorable mini pig Amy, who's breaking into the doggie-dominated world of obedience training! Recently the Seattle Times posted this video of her trip to the Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show, where she showed off her agility and obedience skills (http://video.seattletimes.com/4099303648001/)

Amy is still learning, and doesn’t always get it on the first try, but at six months old and fresh out of Puppy Manners class, who can blame her? Plus she’s got the added burden of representing her whole species in uncharted waters. That’s a lot for one little pig! That being said, she heels, retrieves, weaves, and even jumps (or steps) over a mini pig-sized jump.  Little Amy holds her own with her peers, who seem welcoming and perfectly happy to open up the arena to some hoofed competition.

Beyond agility and obedience, Amy blends in well, wagging her tail in an unmistakable show of happiness, and displaying a serious (let’s face it, probably universal) passion for treats. All the dogs among us had better watch out and consider upping their game, because there’s a new face in dog training town, and she’s getting a lot of attention! 

Our trainer, Irene Zimmer of Polite Canines, doesn't have much experience working with pigs (yet) but she can help you train your canine through behavior modifcation tactics and positive reinforcment.  Contact us to get your pup up to snuff!

The whole video’s worthwhile, but skip to the 2:16 mark if you want to see some wonderful dog/pig/human dancing to “Happy” by Pharrell.

It's Not Just What You Say, It's How You Say It

According to a University of Florida study, dogs stayed in place three times longer when owners used petting as a reward compared to when they were only given verbal praise.  Physical contact via nuzzling, cuddling and licking is a language dogs use to communicate with one another, so researchers say, the more "hands-on" you are with your canine companion, the more responsive they will be to your training efforts. So go ahead and show your dog how much you love him with a pet behind the ears, a little belly rub, or Dingo's favorite,  a good scratch above the tail.  He'll love you AND listen to you for it.

Doggy Daycare: What It Is and How It Can Benefit You (and Your Dog)!

By now you have probably heard of doggy daycare; maybe you've even thought about it for your dog but weren't yet completely sold on the idea or concept.  Daycare for dogs?  Yes, my friends, daycare is not just for children (and the elderly) anymore.  But do you (or anyone for that matter) really need daycare for a dog!? My answer is a resounding, YES! Daycare is extremely beneficial for dogs who would otherwise be left alone all day, or whose owners do not have the time, resources or availability to properly exercise and stimulate them throughout the day.  It is especially beneficial for puppies who are learning the "ins and outs" of proper social interactions, and younger dogs who need a lot of exercise. A dog who goes to daycare tends to be more well-behaved and better adjusted to social situations with other people and animals alike.

Certain animals, specifically dogs, have some very human-like tendencies. Dogs can suffer from separation anxiety just like we can. This can present in unwanted behaviors such as urinating or defecating in the house, excessive barking, chewing non-toy items (like the furniture), ingesting non-food items (like toys or any other small objects one might leave out) or even self-mutilation from excessive licking, biting or scratching.  If you have an anxious or overly excitable dog, doggy daycare might be a good option for you.

At doggie daycare your dog will get to run around and play with other dogs. Not only is this great physical exercise, but it is great for their social development as well. Dogs that interact with other dogs tend to be more socially adjusted and get along better with other pets. This really isn't surprising – it’s basic common sense.  The more experiences dogs have interacting with other humans and dogs, the more adept they will become at such interactions. They will learn they are not the only dog in the universe, and not the only one who deserves attention.   A well balanced dog is one who has had enough activity to be calm and submissive when requested to do so.  And a tired (and happy) dog = a happy owner.

Contact us for more information and/or to see if doggy daycare would be a good fit for your pooch!

Things My Dog Fears

Dogs can be scared of a variety of nonsensical (and sensical) things, some of which may defy reason (though others, like the Veterinarian are perfectly understandable).  My dog, a neurotic yet lovable Bichon, has some puzzling albeit humorous anxieties.  Here's a quick compilation of a few of the things that Dingo fears:

• Driving in the car when it's raining.  Or snowing.  Like the true old lady that she is, she does not enjoy driving in inclement weather.  She's also scared of windshield wipers.  The two may be linked but they are definitely two distinct and separate fears. 
• Driving through tunnels (bridges are okay).
• Driving on the highway.  She's fine in the car as long as we maintain a speed below approximately 60MPH.
• The groomer.  She also has an intense dislike of having her paws touched.  This likely exacerbates her fear of the groomer.  The poor groomers definitely think she's the devil.  I can tell  by the looks of disapproval  that they try to mask when I drop her off.  I don't blame them for this at all.  I'm well aware that she's their worst nightmare.  They earn every penny they charge me.
• The Vet (that's a given).  The only dog I've ever known to not fear the Vet was a big, dumb Lab who didn't mind going because they showered him with copious amounts of treats.
• Baths.  Ironically, Dingo loves the water but she hates to be bathed, showered, or sprayed down with the hose.  I can't really blame her, though my fiancé seems to think it odd... But I TOTALLY get it.   All types of water are not created equal.
• Fire.  She's also scared of smoke.  If we are camping  and have a fire going or if the fire pit we use in the summer in our yard is ablaze she won't come closer than 20 feet to the flames.  Self preservation at its finest. 
• The fire alarm/carbon monoxide detector when they go off.   Inconsolable for this.
• Fireworks.  Thunder.  Loud, booming noises with no known cause are usually followed by heavy panting and shaking. 
• Abrupt yelling or clapping, specifically at the TV during a football game.  This is a minor fear.  She'll look up and move away from the offender but will not shake or pant for this one.  She's very brave.
• The sound The Beats Pill (by Dr Dre!) makes when you turn it on.  This may have something to do with my fiancé waving it above her head to get a reaction out of her but I digress... 

None of these fears are so severe that they limit my dog's quality of life so for the most part, we just deal.  However, there are some natural herbal remedies that seem to really help calm her down for long car rides or trips to the Vet.  There's a number on the market so for additional information on what would be best for your dog I would suggest contacting Diane Dewberry of The Healthy Animal: http://www.thehealthyanimal.com/

Now I want to hear from you!  What is your dog scared of?  Anything funny or humorous?  Or maybe it's something that's causing you issues and you'de like some suggestions on how to deal with it.   We are here to help (or laugh along with you).  Finally, if you're dog is a complete "basketcase" (that's the technical term) and you are in need of serious training or guidance, please feel to email me directly for a private and confidential behavioral assessment: nancy@dingosdogsitting.com.

Dog and Cat First Aid

Please join me in Cambridge on Saturday January 10th from 9am to 1pm for the Cat and Dog First Aid Certification Clinic presented by the Red Cross. The goals of the Cat and Dog First Aid presentation are to teach participants how to be prepared for emergencies that involve a cat or a dog and how to protect themselves and the animal from further harm, injury or suffering during emergencies by teaching prompt, effective first aid actions and care.

The class will be held at the ARC Mass Bay, 139 Main Street in Cambridge.  The fee for attendance is $70.  You can sign up here: http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/course-class000000004833014?pageNo=1&flow=course&loggedIn=false

Flea and Tick Prevention Part 3: Sentry Natural

Sentry Natural works under the same principle as Triple Sure which I blogged about in a previous post (www.natural-wonder-pets.com/natural-flea-control.html) in that the active ingredients in its formula block the neurotransmitter octopamine, thereby  killing insects almost instantly. Since octopamine is found only in insects, the product is safe to use around pets and people "when used as directed".  I used Sentry Naturals on my dog, Dingo, a few weeks ago after finding about twenty ticks on  her post-hike.  My first reaction was that the product had an unusual and unpleasant odor that wears on you the longer you are forced to inhale it.  It also left an oily, yellow residue all over the application site of my white dog.  Quite honestly, it looked as if Dingo had been urinated on by another, bigger dog.  I thought (hoped) that the foul smell might wane after a few days.  Unfortunately it did not.  The smell was so pungent that my fiance, who normally revels in snuggle time on the couch with Dingo, did not even want to be near her.  After a few days I gave her a bath, but the residual scent, although milder, remained.    In addition to smelling awful, I also found a couple ticks imbedded in my dog's skin within several days of applying.  Needless to say I will not be purchasing this product again.  I give it a giant fail.  Additional product information (if you are still interested despite my poor review) can be found here:   http://www.sentrynatural.com/faq.html