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Quarterly Newsletter
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Volume III
Happy 2005! OUT WITH YOUR DOG hopes you had a happy and healthy holiday
season. Thanks to you 2004 was a fantastic year for us and we are excited
about what the New Year may have in store for us.
Don’t forget about our Rewards for Referrals program. If you refer a
customer to us that result in a booking you will receive a credit for one
free visit. Don’t forget to tell your friends and relatives about us.
Dogs and Separation Anxiety
You've probably heard that your dog is a pack animal-and you, as his
owner, are the leader of the pack. Some dogs, especially those who have
had several homes or been through animal shelters-lack the self-confidence
to feel safe when their leader isn't around. This can result in
destructive behavior. Dogs suffering from separation anxiety may bark
hysterically and pace back and forth whenever they're left alone. Their
panic may send them scratching at the door and chewing up the rug or other
household objects. It can even result in frequent bouts of urination or
diarrhea.
If your pet exhibits these behaviors, ASPCA experts recommend gentle,
gradual training to rebuild confidence so he no longer fears being left
alone. But first, make sure your dog's physical and mental needs are being
met.
A satisfied, stimulated canine is less likely to be anxious. Does he get
in some good playtime with you and a minimum 1/2-hour walk several times a
day? Are appropriate toys available to satisfy his natural urges to chew?
Does your pet have other canine friends? A dog who is emotionally
dependent on his owner and leader may benefit from spending time with
another pack member. Keep in mind that feline friends can help reduce
anxiety, too.
Separation anxiety exists because the dog has overbonded to the owner.
Solutions include ignoring the dog 15 to 20 minutes before leaving home
and upon return. Having someone else care for the dog while the primary
caregiver ignores the dog will help loosen the bond. To desensitize a dog
to the signs of leaving, trainers suggest that the owner put on his coat,
pick up his bag or briefcase and, instead of leaving, go into the living
room to sit down. This exercise can be repeated. For more information on
separation anxiety see
http://www.ani-med.com/dogs_separation.htm
Dogs now used in battle against mold
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) -- In the battle to find unhealthy mold in
houses, a low-tech option is gaining favor among some homeowners: dogs
with sensitive sniffers trained for hunting down the illness-causing
spores.
Bootz, a Labrador-Great Dane mix, is one of about 40 mold-sniffing dogs in
the United States and works in northeastern Pennsylvania.
"He's found mold behind Sheetrock ... up in the ceiling," said his handler
and owner, Michelle Gerhard, of Shavertown, Luzerne County.
Bootz is a graduate of a school in Clearwater, Fla., that rescues dogs
from shelters and puts them through 1,000 hours of training to use their
sharp sense of smell to find mold. Dogs have been used to find mold for
more than two decades in Europe, though they have been used more commonly
in the United States to locate explosives and drugs.
So-called mold dogs offer a faster and cheaper alternative to other forms
of mold detection, which can involve specialized technology and equipment
to sample air for microscopic mold spores or particles. Mold can aggravate
asthma and cause breathing and respiratory problems.
Other ways to locate mold include use of a hand-held device to measure
moisture, as well as taking air samples to measure the spore count.
Stay Healthy – Own a Pet
Here in the United States, one out of every two households includes a
companion animal. As a pet owner, you know there's nothing like the
feeling you get from being with your pet. But not only can she bring a
smile to your face? Recent studies show that your pet can positively
affect your physical and mental health.
We know that too much stress can make us sick by weakening our immune
systems and exacerbating existing health problems. But pets can function
as buffers against much of the daily stress we face. A study conducted at
the University of California at Los Angeles determined that stress impacts
people who do not have pets to a greater extent than people with pets.
The results of a 1984 study found that simply by petting an animal, you
can reduce the many behavioral, psychological and cardiovascular
indicators of stress, including blood pressure. And of course there are
the added health benefits of exercise in the daily walks with your dog.
Did you know that, as a pet owner, you have a reduced risk of heart
attack? One 1992 study by the Baker Medical Research Institute in
Melbourne, Australia, found that pet owners had significantly lower blood
pressure levels than non-pet owners.
Everybody knows that walking your dog is a great way to meet people.
Upcoming events
Barbara’s Canine Café hosts the first Mardi Paws Pawty on Sunday Feb 5th,
2-4pm.
Feb 22nd is National Spay Day – sponsored by the Doris Day Animal
Foundation
http://www.ddaf.org/spayday/
Let’s hear from you…
OUT WITH YOUR DOG wants to hear what you have to say. Does your pet have a
particular behavior issue that you’d like some ideas on addressing? Is
there a certain breed that you’d like more information on? Is there a
rescue operation that you feel does an outstanding job? Please submit your
ideas for articles in our upcoming newsletter. If we don’t have the answer
we will research it and report our findings.
If you’d like to receive our newsletter in email form let us know. Our
address is
jacoby@outwithyourdog.com. Stayed tuned for the release of our
website in the next few months!
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