Bad Dog Behaviour

I often refer to Cesar Millan on my blog. I think he is just amazing when it comes to dogs. I am also a Literacy specialist. On my latest Literacy blog, I talk about 'Pattern Interrupt". This is basically when you do something out of the realms of your normal behaviour to interrupt unwanted behaviour. You can apply this same principle to dogs! Cesar Millan uses this technique, but he doesn't refer to it as 'Pattern Interrupt'. For example, if a dog is barking madly at a dog walking by, you can press the dogs' neck and make a "shhhhh" noise. This is to interrupt the way  that the brain is working in the dog. Interesting isn't it?
http://readinghelponline.blogspot.com/

Halloween and Melbourne Cup Day dangers

As Halloween and Melbourne Cup Day  is approaching, it can be a fearful time for our dogs. These times can present with many dangers for them. Things like chocolate, left overs, party decorations etc can all create a potentially hazardous situation. So, what can you do?
Cesar Millan offers some advice for you. Just follow this link:
http://www.cesarsway.com/news/cesarstips/A-Calm-and-Balanced-Yowl-o-ween?utm_source=mobilestorm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Oct10NL_4A

Boy donates pet turtle to zoo, watches it be eaten alive by alligator.

As I was driving home tonight from work, I was listening to our local radio news about a boys pet turtle that was eaten by an alligator. What happened was, the boys' pet turtle got too big for his home, so they donated it to the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. As the turtle was being released, it was snatched by the alligator so quickly, that no one could do anything about it.
This incident made me think, how precious our pets are, no matter what type of animal they are. Imagine the trauma this boy experienced! This is a terrible thing and it should never have happened.

Dog Food

Well as I was getting Snowy and Candy's dinner tonight, I wondered whether the premium dog food you buy from the Vet is really any better than the type you can buy from your supermarket. I actually use a bit of both, but I have always wondered what sort of dog food is best for our dogs. Any thoughts?

Training your Dog with Cesar Millan

I've been watching The Dog Whisperer - Cesar Millan on Foxtel recently. He shows you everything you need to know about dog training, it really is amazing stuff. I decided to buy one of his books for a Father's Day present and I can tell you, it was very well received.  I can't recommend his books enough!

A Blog About my Two Dogs: Update on Snowy my gorgeous dog

A Blog About my Two Dogs: Update on Snowy my gorgeous dog: "Well good news and bad news. Snowy's insulin dose is now stabilised and I can stop taking the daily urine sample ...what a relief. One less ..."

Update on Snowy my gorgeous dog

Well good news and bad news. Snowy's insulin dose is now stabilised and I can stop taking the daily urine sample ...what a relief. One less thing I need to do! However, there is another possible complication. It is suspected that she has Cushings Disease. This is when the body makes too much  corticosteroids due to an abnormality of the adrenals or pituitary gland.
So what next? In a few weeks she goes back into the Vet hospital for the day and they do what they call a  dexamethasone suppression test. This will determine if she has Cushings or not. I'll keep you posted.
Cheers
Christine

My dog has diabetes

About 2 weeks ago, Snowy was diagnosed with diabetes. She was drinking alot of water and had started to have a few little accidents inside. She was put on insulin injections twice a day, 12 hours apart. I always thought I would never be able to give anyone a needle. So, when the Vet said I had to do this, I was thinking, will I be able to? Well I can say that it's amazing what you do when you have to. At the moment, Snowy has been spending a day a week in the hospital so they can do a Glucose Curve. This is so we can get the right dose of insulin for her. We started at .4ml and we are up to .6ml. I also take a urine sample every morning and do a test with this special dip stick. This is to measure how her levels are going. I'm hoping I won't need to do this for too much longer. She is back to the hospital tomorrow. It has been very draining for me, but I'm hoping it will get easier.
What are your thoughts? Most people I talk to about this don't know that dogs can get diabetes. What about you? As always your comments would  be appreciated.
Cheers
Christine

What breeds are Snowy and Candy?

When we bought Snowy and Candy many years ago, we didn't choose them because of their breed. In both instances, the dogs actually chose us. We got Snowy first. I'll never forget that day. We went into the shop and looked at all the pupppies. In one enclosure, there was this really cute little white ball of fluff-it was Snowy. I asked if I could pick her up, and when I did, she snuggled into me and put her little head on my shoulder. I knew at that moment, that Snowy was coming home with us...she was the one! I'll try and find a photo of Snowy when we first bought her home. She is a Maltese x Bichon Frise. Snowy is such a gentle soul, something the Maltese breed is reknown for. The Bichon Frise breed is also reknown for being gentle and lovable. Snowy's personality definitely reflects the characteristics of these 2 dog breeds. She is so gentle and peaceful and is just a beautiful soul.
What breed of dog do you have? Why don't you share your stories here I would love  to hear about your dogs! I have changed the blog settings, so now you can post a comment without joining up.
Cheers
Christine