Diary for Seymour Lott


Why does my dog eat poop

2011-10-06

We don't know why there are dogs hellbent on eating poop. We do know some are a lot more discriminating than other folks. There are the kinds that choose only their individual. There are these that desire the tasty tidbits of other species namely cats! Then there are people that are much more than prepared to attempt anything at all!

There are as numerous theories as there are Bestial Behaviorists on why some puppies and dogs are so drawn to what we take into account a repugnant habits. There are the kinds who imagine it is a primal instinct of survival. Other individuals theorize it is a learned conduct. Then there are people who examine situations of coprophagy (eating feces) and pica (craving non-meals products) as a deliberate, habitual habits problem.

What we do know is, numerous of the behaviors our pets show are ancient memories embedded in their genes. They do them unconsciously. People behaviors are purely instinctive. Getting enfant of wolves, puppies and dogs nevertheless depend on different all-natural feelings that have permitted them to evolve and endure for 1000's of many years.

Even even though we regard wolves as hunters and predators, when meals is scarce they also have to turn out to be scavengers. That implies eating what ever they can find, like eating the scats of other animals, or recycling their very own.

We also know, it is a indicates of fending off other predators. Females eat the feces of their pups to avert the odor from attracting other hunters and to preserve their dens thoroughly clean. She will also lick her pups to preserve them odor cost-free and clear.

Gross as it seems, it is a source of nutrition for her. Considering that guarding her pups until they can fend for themselves even though she hunts, is her priority. Food may possibly be scarce, but she knows she has to remain alive to treatment for her pups, so she will do what she has to do. The pups observe and emulate their mother's behaviors. Dogs discover by association.

Right now, several female dogs intuitively believe it is their accountability to keep their "den" clean. This may be why they appear to be a bit a lot more predisposed to this unpleasant conduct especially once health-related, bodily and psychological choices have been eradicated as a lead to for it.

More powerful members in a pack of wolves have been noticed consuming the feces of unwell or weaker pack members as a way to protect their pack from predators that are monitoring them. Dogs might nonetheless carry this pack preservation impulse.

Submissive animals exhibit this behavior. Who gets to eat, how much you get to eat and when you get to eat depended on your position in the pack. Being at the bottom of the pack, it is not unheard of to eat the feces of higher position pack members as a indicates to fend off hunger to survive.

Numerous puppies, especially individuals from pet shops and puppy mills have to resort to that historical kind of survival. Becoming hungry and left in filthy cages and kennels, they have learned it is the only way to maintain their belly total and surroundings thoroughly clean.

There are these who theorize some puppies and dogs learn the habits from us. They view us decide on up their waste. They don't comprehend what we do with it. To them, if it's so useful to us, it must be important! There are dog trainers who advocate not allowing your dog see you thoroughly clean up following them.

Then there is hiding the proof. We could be supplying our pets much more credit score than they should have. If they affiliate their owner flipping out of control or becoming punished when the pile is identified, there are people that will, well, "destroy the evidence."

We all know dogs really like attention. It doesn't make a difference how you give it, as prolonged as you focus on them. Some have figured out the only way they get attention from their man or woman, is an inappropriate conduct. To stay away from that occurring with your pet, continually praise them for all their proper behaviors. Disregard inappropriate behaviors so as not to inspire it.

There are health-related and emotional factors why some puppies and dogs discover their poop so appealing. It could be signs of underlying medical concerns these as: malnutrition, diabetes, parasites, pancreatic difficulties, neurological issues, thyroid issues, vitamin deficiency and anemia to name a couple of.

Add to that, stress, boredom, hunger, reduced top quality foods, lack of exercising, separation nervousness, loneliness perception of abandonment and just the truth some like to carry points in their mouths...anything! Don't forget, puppies and dogs explore with their mouths. It may possibly not flavor all that unpleasant to them as we believe.

Habits modification is not as easy as they show on Tv. It requires a critical commitment of time, vitality and persistence. Ideas to aid your dog overcome this behavior are:

Obedience instruction - Use optimistic reinforcement, punishment free of charge methods. Reward them with praise and/or treats, whenever their conduct is proper. If they sniff and walk absent, praise them quickly! If they seem to be also interested, give a "leave it!" command and reward them with praise or a treat right away, when they leave it.

Preserve your dog on a leash during walks. That way you can control their access to items they should not be sniffing or eating. A quick pop of the leash with a company "leave it," adopted instantly by praise or a treat may possibly help those that like to "eat on the run" just before it gets to be habitual.

Distractions. Dogs can only do 1 point at a time. This suggestion might also assist with anxiety, separation/abandonment concerns and boredom. Give them a couple of time-consuming distractions to preserve them occupied while you are gone.

Mix peanut butter with a different favored treats, things the combination into Kongs or other safe and sound toys and freeze them. Casually toss them around the home a number of minutes prior to you stroll out the door. Initial, they have to "hunt" for them. Getting frozen, they have to function a bit more challenging to get their reward. Getting diverse treats in them, retains them fascinated in viewing what the up coming toy is stuffed with.

Try mixing small pea dimensions items of chicken or turkey very hot dogs that have been microwaved until they are difficult, into your peanut butter doggie dip. Most dogs adore them!

If your dog is not notably fond of peanut butter, make a frozen treat employing basic yogurt, blended with a little of their own canned or dry food. Stick a handful of treats in it to make it intriguing.

Administration. Preserve their surroundings thoroughly clean. Choose up piles left around the property. It could be practically nothing much more than provide and desire. You have not only taken out the provide, it will also assist to prevent parasites this kind of as roundworms and whipworms. Eating feces is a source for giardia and coccida.

It has been claimed adding a tiny pineapple, refreshing or canned, pineapple juice, pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), or spinach to their foods aids. Concept is, it doesn't flavor undesirable heading in, but there are dogs do not like the style of what arrives out. It could be value a try.

Feed them much less, but far more often. Give them the maximum high quality meals you can manage. Try out meals with greater protein, a lot less carbohydrates and far more vitamin B.

Talk to your veterinarian about nutritional supplements. It may be as simple as that.

Acidophilus may include the enzymes your dog wants to far better digest their food. The attraction to poop in some cases is that the food, specially decrease grade dry foods, exits your dog only partially digested. Attempt a minor plain yogurt combined in their meals.

There are industrial merchandise for this dilemma you can get online or in pet merchants. Some operate, other individuals do not. It is dependent on the dog.

Workout, exercise, exercising! Maintain them occupied and tire them out. A dog that is much too worn out to shift stays out of trouble.

Supervision is very important. If you know your puppy or dog is creating or has this problem, really don't depart them unsupervised. When you cannot look at them, crate them in a crate that is not much too big. The vast majority of dogs will not soil wherever they snooze or eat. If the crate is also large, they will come across a area to reduce by themselves.

Ultimately, cat litter bins are like an all-you-can-eat buffet to some. There is one thing about individuals litter covered, kitty tootsie rolls they can not resist! Retain the cat box out get to! The problem can be solved with something as straightforward as placing the litter box someplace with a kitty door the dog can't squeeze by means of. Your cat will value the privacy.

Bottom line: Eating feces is one particular of the toughest behavioral problems to right. If your pet is nonetheless a puppy, it will be significantly less complicated than functioning with an older dog that has been performing it for a long time. The 1st stage is controlling their surroundings. Subsequent, have them tested by your veterinarian for medical issues. Then, work on their home breaking and obedience expertise, transforming their diet program, offering them far more exercising, spending positive time with them and crating them when you cannot supervise them. The change won't transpire overnight. Punishment doesn't perform. With due diligence, and positive reinforcement, you can find methods to assist them in modifying their yucky behavior.

An Undesirable Behavior

Have you caught any of your dogs eating poop? I have. As considerably as I love my dogs, I pursed my lips in disgust every time I had caught possibly 1 of them in the act. Even when I did not catch them at it, I understood they had been eating poop when I could scent it on their breath! My dogs no longer eat their poop, but I know a lot of owners still share this frustration.

Why Dogs Eat Poop

There are several reasons why our canine buddies engage in this behavior (in any other case known as coprophagia). The 3 most frequent good reasons, and what can be completed about every single of them, are explained below:

1. Hiding The Proof

Dilemma: Dogs do virtually nearly anything to steer clear of angering the pack leader (you), so if you have at any time punished your dog for pooping it may possibly eat its individual excrement to cease the operator from getting angry. The owner may possibly have punished the dog for pooping within the residence, even so the dog could eat the poop even if it relieved alone outdoors. This is simply because it has linked the punishment with the poop, not the act of pooping inside the home.

Answer: In no way punish a dog for pooping in the mistaken area. Practice your dog to relieve by itself outdoors and praise your dog when it does the appropriate issue. Steady positive reinforcement will at some point rid your dog of its concern of displeasing you.

2. Enhance Frequency of Meals

Dilemma: Feeding your dog when a day can end result in your dog supplementing its diet plan with what ever it can come across, typically this will be poop. Imagine only currently being able to eat when a day - as you can see 24 hours among meals is quite a wait!

Remedy: If the dog is fed only the moment a day, it is probably your dog wants a lot more meals. Try feeding your dog 2 times a day, in the morning and evening.

3. Your Dog Is A Copycat!

Problem: Dogs are pack animals and are difficult wired to interact in allelomimetic behaviour, that is, stick to the example of other pack members. Your dog watches you scoop its poop, and by doing so learns to do its own 'cleaning'.

Remedy: Do not enable your dog to observe you cleaning its excrement.

These are three of a lot of tactics that can be utilized to quit a dog from eating its poop approaching this behaviour from numerous angles at the moment can clear up this dilemma for very good.

Coprophagia (Poop Eating)

Does your dog have the disgusting behavior of eating both their very own or one more dogs feces? This issue is astonishingly widespread in dogs and can be quite challenging to defeat. Several people will give you properly intentioned guidance that is Extremely not likely to present any results. The 1st issue that I consult a client who is encountering this situation is what do they feed the dog. If the diet program isn't balanced or is of incredibly low high quality there is a likelihood that the dog is gorging on feces in order to get minerals or vitamins that he needs. In my encounter this is almost never the cause but really should at minimum be examined as a likelihood. When poor diet has been ruled out, numerous people will recommend including issues to both the foods or poop in buy to discourage the habit. These "fixes" can assortment from placing pumpkin and meat tenderizer in their food to pouring sizzling sauce on the poop in the yard. I have observed some situations exactly where these additives have labored, but it is quite unusual. Most dogs that eat poop do it because they like it. If you have examined your dogs diet and tried the various additives to stop the behavior and haven't witnessed benefits it is time to encounter the real truth. 99% of family dogs with this issue do it out of boredom or simple enjoyment and need to have to be taught that you won't allow the behavior. Fixing this issue takes a great deal of work and isn't extremely entertaining but will make all those licks that your dog gives you considerably a lot more pleasant.

1. Give your dog a lot more exercising or stimulation to see if boredom might be the lead to (fairly scarce)
2. Decide on up the lawn frequently
3. Leave the dog on either a leash or lengthy rope in the lawn at all moments
4. Know where the poop is in the property so that when the dog tries to eat it you can speedily appropriate with the leash as you notify him "NO"
5. Don't forget stage 3! If the leash is not on, the dog will eat a lot more poop and more the habit. I feel in by no means giving individuals untrue hope that something will be simple when that isn't the case. This situation has no swift resolve but can be removed with consistency and patience on your portion.

If you feel boredom may well be the trigger make sure you see my post on boredom and stress and anxiety
http://suburban-k9.com/Dog_habits_articles or blog posts.html



why does my dog eat poop


Maltese Dogs

2011-10-09

A wise old physician as soon as stated, "Never put something inside your ear smaller than your elbow." This doctor could have been a veterinarian instructing you about ear care within the dog. With out a doubt, probably the most typical issues that crosses the veterinarian's exam table is otitis externa (infection orinflammation of the external ear canal). Surprisingly, most ear infections can be forestalled by correct preventative care by the pet's owner. Frequently pet owners unknowingly make the issue worse by inappropriately treating the ear with improper medication or by traumatizing the ear throughout cleaning. The best way of preventing this really is to take your dog to your veterinarian once you notice any ear problems and understand proper ear cleaning methods.

Now HEAR This!

I as soon as had a pet owner complain that she had been treating her dog for what she thought were ear mites (a parasite found within the ear) for weeks and had not been effective at resolving the problem. Upon examination of her dog's ear canal, I found a number of pieces of spear grass embedded near the ear drum and gently extracted them. All of the ear mite medication within the globe wouldn't have re-solved the issue.

To understand the dog's ear issues better, we must initially comprehend that the dog's ear canal is anatomically various than that of the human ear. Unlike the human ear, the dog's ear has two compartments. Beginning in the opening of the ear canal, the vertical canal travels downwardtowards the dog's jaw. Then it makes a 45 degree turn and travels horizontally towards the ear drum. This makes visualization and treatment of the whole canal much more challenging. Also, as a rule, most breeds have a much longer ear canal than humans. These differences predispose the dog's ear to infection as well as make treatment more difficult.

Dogs with long, pendulous ears, like Cocker Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Basset Hounds and Irish Setters, definitely are more predisposed to ear problems than those breeds with short, erect ears. As the ear folds, it covers the ear canal and prohibits air from entering and drying the canal.
The result is a moist, warm ear canal that's a perfect environment for organisms to grow.

Parasitic Problems

Inflammation of the ear canal, or otitis externa, can be brought on by numerous elements, such as parasites, microorganisms, foreign bodies, tumors, and underlying dermatological (skin) disease.
Ear mites are parasites that frequently can cause otitis externa. However, the incidence is much lower than often thought. In my expertise, less than 10 percent of all ear issues in dogs that I have treated are the result of ear mites. Ticks and fleas are other examples of parasites generally discovered in canine ear canals.

Ear mites can be problematic, however. An elderly gentleman once explained that he thought his dog was "going crazy." He stated his old setter would sleep by the fireplace. Suddenly it would jump up yelping and start to run about the room in circles. Following a number of minutes of hystericalcommotion, the dog would lie down again and go back to sleep.

After pondering the scenario, I examined the dog's ears and found a heavy infestation of ear mites. It appeared that as the heat from the fire warmed the dog's ear canals, the mites would became agitated and began to move around. As the old setter would run around the room, the ears wouldcool down and also the mites would quit their activity. Then the dog would return to the fireside.

An essential point to keep in mind is the fact that ear mites are parasites. Therefore, for your dog to have ear mites, it must have had direct get in touch with with an additional pet infested with ear mites. So if your veterinarian diagnoses one animal inside your house with ear mites, it is greatest to have all of your animalsexamined for feasible infestations.

Dastardly Yeast Infections

Probably the most common trigger of canine ear problems that I see is caused by microorganisms,
especially yeasts. Malassezia pachydermatitis generally is the culprit, and it loves to proliferate in warm, moist environments like the dog's ear canal.

Owners will notice the dog shaking its head or scratching at its ears. A great sniff near the ears generally verifies a problem, as most infectious otitis ears are fairly pungent. Certain bacteria such as Staphylococci, Streptococci, E coli, and Pseudomonas spp also can trigger infections within the dog'sear, and in many instances both bacteria and yeast are present. If the infection persists, the ear canal will become inflamed and often discharge a purulent exudate, a pussy substance.

Your veterinarian usually will take an ear swab and examine it under a microscope to determine the precise trigger of the infection. This will enable a specific treatment strategy to resolve the issue.
Often, treatment will include flushing the ear canal with an antimicrobial solution and drying agent.
An anti-inflammatory injection is then administered to decrease swelling and relieve the discomfort. The suitable topical medication also will be dispensed for further treatment by the pet owner.
Remember, all ear infections are not brought on by the same microorganism; therefore, treatment without proper examination is strictly guessing.

As a pet owner, it is essential to know that persistent or recurring ear infections in a dog
generally are manifestations of other concurring illness processes. Allergies and hypothyroidism are great examples. Systemic allergies often trigger dermatitis and itching within the ear canal, which predispose self-trauma and subsequent ear infection. Hypothyroidism may manifest itself asincreased thickness of the skin and continual release of exudate within the ear canal, which favors an environment for otitis externa.

Practicing Proper Ear Care

Proper ear care for the dog can often prevent recurring infection. Dogs having a history of ear disease require routine cleaning of the canals. I recommend plucking all hair that grows in the canal. Hair impedes air flow into the canal that tends to maintain the canal dry. Typical household tweezers orforceps function nicely and generally are well tolerated by the dog. Be careful not to grasp the skin of the canal. Following hair removal, flush the ear canals with a commercial ear cleaner. These goods can be discovered at most veterinarian clinics or pet shops. After flushing, gently massage the base of theears to distribute the solution around the regular ear folds.

Most ear cleaners have several functions. They not just clean the ear canal but additionally have an agent for liquefying exudate, drying the ear canal, and changing the pH (acidity) within the canals. Most microorganisms prefer an environment that is alkaline; therefore, most ear preparations have an acid base. Frequency of treatment will differ among individuals, but as soon as per week throughout the warm months is really a great rule of thumb for those dogs which have had problems with infected ears. Also, any time your dog is bathed or enters the water, an ear cleaning solution should be administeredimmediately afterward. This preventative is similar to what humans do to ward off "swimmer's ear."
Dogs without a history of ear issues may be treated with an ear cleanser following bathing.

It isn't wise to use cotton tip applicators in the ear canal. This can be fairly painful to the dog.
Also, I don't recommend utilizing alcohol in a dog's ear. Alcohol will dry the ear, but if there's inflammation or small scratches within the canal, the alcohol will burn and cause tremendous discomfort and further inflammation. If you must use a product from the shelf at home, use white vinegar diluted50:50 with water.

Great preventative ear care can eliminate needless trips to your veterinarian and save a great deal of discomfort for your dog. Watch your dog cautiously for scratching at its ears or shaking its head.
Have your groomer check for an ear issue each time you take your dog in, and at house take the time to check your dog's ears for redness, odor or the presence of exudate. In the event you determine there is an issue together with your pet's ears, don't wait. Let your veterinarian do a thorough examinationand direct specific treatment prior to the issue worsens.

Tags: dogs with allergies, miniature maltese dogs, maltese rescue dogs


All That You Desired to Know About Maltese Dogs

2011-10-23

A wise old physician as soon as stated, "Never put something inside your ear smaller than your elbow." This doctor could have been a veterinarian instructing you about ear care within the dog. With out a doubt, probably the most typical issues that crosses the veterinarian's exam table is otitis externa (infection orinflammation of the external ear canal). Surprisingly, most ear infections can be forestalled by correct preventative care by the pet's owner. Frequently pet owners unknowingly make the issue worse by inappropriately treating the ear with improper medication or by traumatizing the ear throughout cleaning. The best way of preventing this really is to take your dog to your veterinarian once you notice any ear problems and understand proper ear cleaning methods.

Now HEAR This!

I as soon as had a pet owner complain that she had been treating her dog for what she thought were ear mites (a parasite found within the ear) for weeks and had not been effective at resolving the problem. Upon examination of her dog's ear canal, I found a number of pieces of spear grass embedded near the ear drum and gently extracted them. All of the ear mite medication within the globe wouldn't have re-solved the issue.

To understand the dog's ear issues better, we must initially comprehend that the dog's ear canal is anatomically various than that of the human ear. Unlike the human ear, the dog's ear has two compartments. Beginning in the opening of the ear canal, the vertical canal travels downwardtowards the dog's jaw. Then it makes a 45 degree turn and travels horizontally towards the ear drum. This makes visualization and treatment of the whole canal much more challenging. Also, as a rule, most breeds have a much longer ear canal than humans. These differences predispose the dog's ear to infection as well as make treatment more difficult.

Dogs with long, pendulous ears, like Cocker Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Basset Hounds and Irish Setters, definitely are more predisposed to ear problems than those breeds with short, erect ears. As the ear folds, it covers the ear canal and prohibits air from entering and drying the canal.
The result is a moist, warm ear canal that's a perfect environment for organisms to grow.

Parasitic Problems

Inflammation of the ear canal, or otitis externa, can be brought on by numerous elements, such as parasites, microorganisms, foreign bodies, tumors, and underlying dermatological (skin) disease.
Ear mites are parasites that frequently can cause otitis externa. However, the incidence is much lower than often thought. In my expertise, less than 10 percent of all ear issues in dogs that I have treated are the result of ear mites. Ticks and fleas are other examples of parasites generally discovered in canine ear canals.

Ear mites can be problematic, however. An elderly gentleman once explained that he thought his dog was "going crazy." He stated his old setter would sleep by the fireplace. Suddenly it would jump up yelping and start to run about the room in circles. Following a number of minutes of hystericalcommotion, the dog would lie down again and go back to sleep.

After pondering the scenario, I examined the dog's ears and found a heavy infestation of ear mites. It appeared that as the heat from the fire warmed the dog's ear canals, the mites would became agitated and began to move around. As the old setter would run around the room, the ears wouldcool down and also the mites would quit their activity. Then the dog would return to the fireside.

An essential point to keep in mind is the fact that ear mites are parasites. Therefore, for your dog to have ear mites, it must have had direct get in touch with with an additional pet infested with ear mites. So if your veterinarian diagnoses one animal inside your house with ear mites, it is greatest to have all of your animalsexamined for feasible infestations.

Dastardly Yeast Infections

Probably the most common trigger of canine ear problems that I see is caused by microorganisms,
especially yeasts. Malassezia pachydermatitis generally is the culprit, and it loves to proliferate in warm, moist environments like the dog's ear canal.

Owners will notice the dog shaking its head or scratching at its ears. A great sniff near the ears generally verifies a problem, as most infectious otitis ears are fairly pungent. Certain bacteria such as Staphylococci, Streptococci, E coli, and Pseudomonas spp also can trigger infections within the dog'sear, and in many instances both bacteria and yeast are present. If the infection persists, the ear canal will become inflamed and often discharge a purulent exudate, a pussy substance.

Your veterinarian usually will take an ear swab and examine it under a microscope to determine the precise trigger of the infection. This will enable a specific treatment strategy to resolve the issue.
Often, treatment will include flushing the ear canal with an antimicrobial solution and drying agent.
An anti-inflammatory injection is then administered to decrease swelling and relieve the discomfort. The suitable topical medication also will be dispensed for further treatment by the pet owner.
Remember, all ear infections are not brought on by the same microorganism; therefore, treatment without proper examination is strictly guessing.

As a pet owner, it is essential to know that persistent or recurring ear infections in a dog
generally are manifestations of other concurring illness processes. Allergies and hypothyroidism are great examples. Systemic allergies often trigger dermatitis and itching within the ear canal, which predispose self-trauma and subsequent ear infection. Hypothyroidism may manifest itself asincreased thickness of the skin and continual release of exudate within the ear canal, which favors an environment for otitis externa.

Practicing Proper Ear Care

Proper ear care for the dog can often prevent recurring infection. Dogs having a history of ear disease require routine cleaning of the canals. I recommend plucking all hair that grows in the canal. Hair impedes air flow into the canal that tends to maintain the canal dry. Typical household tweezers orforceps function nicely and generally are well tolerated by the dog. Be careful not to grasp the skin of the canal. Following hair removal, flush the ear canals with a commercial ear cleaner. These goods can be discovered at most veterinarian clinics or pet shops. After flushing, gently massage the base of theears to distribute the solution around the regular ear folds.

Most ear cleaners have several functions. They not just clean the ear canal but additionally have an agent for liquefying exudate, drying the ear canal, and changing the pH (acidity) within the canals. Most microorganisms prefer an environment that is alkaline; therefore, most ear preparations have an acid base. Frequency of treatment will differ among individuals, but as soon as per week throughout the warm months is really a great rule of thumb for those dogs which have had problems with infected ears. Also, any time your dog is bathed or enters the water, an ear cleaning solution should be administeredimmediately afterward. This preventative is similar to what humans do to ward off "swimmer's ear."
Dogs without a history of ear issues may be treated with an ear cleanser following bathing.

It isn't wise to use cotton tip applicators in the ear canal. This can be fairly painful to the dog.
Also, I don't recommend utilizing alcohol in a dog's ear. Alcohol will dry the ear, but if there's inflammation or small scratches within the canal, the alcohol will burn and cause tremendous discomfort and further inflammation. If you must use a product from the shelf at home, use white vinegar diluted50:50 with water.

Great preventative ear care can eliminate needless trips to your veterinarian and save a great deal of discomfort for your dog. Watch your dog cautiously for scratching at its ears or shaking its head.
Have your groomer check for an ear issue each time you take your dog in, and at house take the time to check your dog's ears for redness, odor or the presence of exudate. In the event you determine there is an issue together with your pet's ears, don't wait. Let your veterinarian do a thorough examinationand direct specific treatment prior to the issue worsens.

Tags: Maltese Breeder, Maltese For Sale, Maltese Puppy Breeders