|
1.
Dogs shouldn't be shampooed unless
absolutely necessary. Dogs can keep themselves
reasonably clean – besides, shampooing will only dry out
a dog’s skin and coat!
Unlike people, dogs
do not have sweat glands on their skin, aside from a few
on their paw pads and noses, so they don’t need frequent
bathing. However, bathing a dog once or twice a month is
a good idea, since it will remove dead skin and hair,
debris and bacteria. Dogs pick up plenty of the latter,
considering the guck they roll around in, and the fact
that the bottom of their stomach is usually only about a
foot or less off the ground.
Moderate bathing
will not dry out a dog’s skin. This is especially true
if a quality pet shampoo with moisturizers is used. Dry
skin is more likely to be the result of a dietary than a
bathing issue. As such, it is best addressed by feeding
the pet a premium food.
Consider show dogs;
they’re bathed very often, yet have beautiful skin and
coats.
2.
Stains around a dog’s eyes come from too
much protein in the diet.
Some dogs,
particularly small breeds with white or light coats are
prone to developing brown or reddish tearstains around
their eyes. This is not the result of diet; it comes
from a blockage of the tear ducts, which is typically
the result of physical characteristics that were present
at birth.
Sometimes this
condition can be corrected by surgery. However, since it
poses no health threat to the dog, most owners opt to
control the problem by using tear stain removers. In
reality, reducing the protein content of the dog’s diet
will not control the stains, but may harm the pet.
3.
Choke collars are cruel to dogs.
Slip collars, which
are also called “choke collars,” are useful training
tools. Like hammers, wrenches or any tool, however, they
can cause harm if not operated properly and responsibly.
If a slip collar is fitted correctly, it can be very
helpful in training a large “pulling dog” to walk as a
well-behaved pet.
Doubtlessly, many
dogs with behavioral issues were saved from a trip to
the pound, and went on to enjoy loving and rewarding
lives with their human families, thanks to training
sessions that involved slip collars.
No dog should ever
wear a slip collar outside of supervised training
sessions. People who are reluctant to use a slip collar
can train their pets with halter-head collars.
4.
Anti-bark collars are cruel to dogs.
Once again, these
are tools that are safe and effective when used
properly. The “shock” that anti-bark collars administer
to a dog is very mild. It has often been compared to the
static shock you might get walking with stocking feet on
a carpet – enough to distract and annoy, but nothing
that could hurt the pet.
Good anti-bark
collars have built-in safeguards to protect pets, such
as adjustable correction levels, “warning” corrections,
and automatic shut off features. The best testament to
the safety of these collars is the fact that they are
used by countless pet lovers around the world.
5.
All dog food is the same, there’s no
special benefit to premium dog brands.
According to figures
from the San Francisco-based Senior Dog Project quoted
in the New York Times, the average dog lifespan
is now 12 years, compared to 7 years in the 1930s. It is
no accident that this increase in longevity has
coincided with the growth of premium pet foods.
Premium foods, along
with advances in veterinary care, have played a key role
in helping our pets live longer and healthier lives.
Since premium foods contain more consistent and higher
quality sources of protein and carbohydrates, dogs are
able to use them more efficiently.
For example, the
protein in premium foods comes primarily from meat,
while the protein sources in lower quality foods tend to
come from vegetables like soy and corn, as well as meat
byproducts such as bone meal.
Plant and by-product
protein sources are not as nutritious or as digestible
as meat protein. Studies have shown that the
digestibility level of premium foods is 70-80%, compared
to 60% or less for lower-quality varieties. Great
digestibility not only ensures that a dog will utilize
more of the nutrients in the food, it also results in
smaller and neater stools.
The vitamins, anti
oxidants and other supplements found in premium food
play an added role in enhancing canine health. Aside
from including all these good things, premium food
benefits dogs because of what it doesn’t have, such as
fillers and artificial dyes.
In dogs as in
people, good health is directly linked to a good diet.
6.
All dog food is made by the same factories.
This was proven by the pet food recall involving Menu
Foods, in which premium brands were being made in the
same plant as discount store foods.
This is not true.
The Menu Foods recall involved a limited number of wet
and canned foods made under contract for different
suppliers. In most cases, these foods represented only a
very small fraction of those manufacturers’ lines, which
were devoted primarily to dry foods.
When a contractor
like Menu Foods is making foods for different companies,
it is following proprietary formulas owned by those
companies. So the premium foods and discount foods are
substantially different from an ingredient standpoint,
even though they are coming out of the same factory.
7. An
older dog doesn’t really need to be switched to a senior
diet.
Some dog owners are
reluctant to switch their pets to a senior diet. This is
understandable, since older dogs may be resistant to
change, and in most cases they’ve probably been doing
well on their current diets for years.
However, these
owners will be improving the odds of their pets living
longer and more rewarding lives if they gradually switch
over to a senior diet.
Premium senior
formulas have been developed to meet the nutritional and
physiological needs of the older canine. These foods
have lower protein content to reduce stress on aging
kidneys, higher fiber content to facilitate the
digestion process, and a variety of anti oxidants and
vitamins to combat the effects of aging.
Unfortunately, there
is no fountain of youth for dogs or people, but a good
senior food can give you added years to enjoy with your
pet.
8.
Dogs can choke on dental treats like
Greenies®.
Any chewable treat,
whether it’s a Greenies dental bone or a good
old-fashioned rawhide chew, can pose a hazard to a dog.
However the risk is extremely low. Literally millions of
Greenies and other chews are consumed a year, yet only a
handful of problems are ever reported. In fact,
veterinary hospitals are much more likely to see dogs
whose intestines or air passages have become blocked
after chewing bones from human foods that were pilfered
from a garbage can, than they are to encounter dogs that
ran into trouble after chewing on a rawhide bone or
dental treat.
Common sense should
prevail when giving chew treats to pets. Owners should
observe dogs that are given Greenies, or any other chew
treat. Dogs should chew a treat thoroughly, rather than
swallowing chunks whole. If a dog swallows big chunks of
a treat, it should be taken away from him, and not given
to him again.
Dogs that are very
small (under 5 lbs) or very young (under 6 months)
should not be given Greenies.
Rawhide treats that
become chewed down to small stubs should be taken away
from a dog, since there is an increased risk of them
being swallowed whole.
Dogs that are given
chew treats should have ready access to fresh water.
Owners should also
be familiar with the signs of intestinal blockage, which
usually occurs with 24 hours of ingesting a problematic
treat or food item. Dogs suffering from an intestinal
blockage will stop eating, becoming lethargic, and in
some cases will vomit. Veterinary care should be sought
immediately in these cases.
9.
If you give dogs dental treats and bones,
you don’t have to brush their teeth.
Although dental
treats and bones play a key role in controlling the
build up of plaque in a dog’s mouth, they aren’t enough
by themselves. Brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste
formulated specifically for canines is essential to
removing plaque from the critical area around the gum
line.
Dental treats and
bones are excellent tools that help maintain a clean
mouth and remove plaque from the surface of the teeth.
However, these treats and bones are not as effective at
reaching plaque in the critical area at and below the
gum line.
Plaque begins
building up just under the gum line; and hardens into
tartar within 36 hours if it isn’t removed. Eventually,
this leads to red swollen gums, a condition known at
gingivitis, which can develop into a full-fledged gum
disease if it is left untreated.
As the gums recede,
the infection reaches the root of the tooth and
jawbones, resulting in the loss of teeth and bone mass.
Bacteria can enter the blood stream from infected,
bleeding gums, threatening the heart, liver, lungs and
other vital organs. This is why an at-home brushing, and
regular dental checkups by a veterinarian should be part
of every dog owner’s pet care routine.
10.
Larger dogs don’t need to wear coats in the winter.
Coats are only for “pampered” toy breeds.
Most young, healthy
dogs with full thick coats do not need a coat to protect
them from winter’s wrath. Nature has provided them with
a beautiful furry coat to keep them warm during the cold
weather months.
However, there are
many dogs beside small breeds and toys that should
receive the added thermal protection that a coat
provides during the winter. This group includes all
puppies, even those from large, thickly coated breeds.
The body surface of a puppy is very large relative to
its weight, which provides a greater opportunity for
heat to escape. Puppies also do not yet have a fully
developed coat, and when they’re very young, they cannot
yet shiver to preserve warmth, so the protection offered
by a coat is critical.
Older dogs of all
sizes also need winter clothing, because they typically
have a diminished body mass, and thinner coats. The same
applies to sick, injured and recovering dogs, that
otherwise might not need the added insulation provided
by outerwear.
Short-haired dogs
like Boxers and Great Danes also need to wear coats in
the winter, as do breeds with coarse coats. The added
air circulation that the coarse coats allow is a benefit
in the summer, but when the snow starts falling, it
makes staying warm more difficult.
No
one should feel “silly” putting a winter coat on a big
dog. After all, people have been putting coats on horses
for a long time, and no one thinks that’s unusual.
 |
