Dogs and Seperation Anxiety

You just a new dog or puppy, and they tend to bark the moment you head out the door. It is possible they have separation anxiety. Some dogs, will develop separation anxiety especially if they are use to having their human with them the majority of the time.

My dog had separation anxiety. I wanted to try a doggy day care, there was one 1/2 mile from my house, ideally located across the street from where I do most of my shopping. I brought her in, she seemed to love the fact of other dogs running around in the play area, so I thought it would work out. They wanted to see how she would react if I was out of sight. I walked into the next room, and sure enough, she paced frantically, and whined. Doggy day care was out of the question.

How I broke her of her separation anxiety took time. Before I would leave the house, I would turn on the radio to a soft music station. Each day I left, the time frame I was gone increased by 5 to 10 minutes. It went well, soon I was able to leave the house for an hour or so without her panicking.

If your dog seems to bark constantly the minute you walk out your door, try a few different techniques. The radio works great, keep it tuned into a soft music station, as heavy metal music most likely won’t clam your friend. The television, is another tool to use. Keep an eye on your pet, and watch what programs they respond to. This could any television show with animals, or cartoons. My dog seems to like cartoons, which have talking, allowing her not to feel alone, that someone is near.
A crate is a good idea, but not for locking a pet up for hours at a time. The crate I use for my pet is the sturdy plastic, with windows at each side near the top. The door is left off, and she is able to go in and out as she wants. You will need a bed, or blankets inside as it has raised plastic nubs inside. The crate gives her a sense of security. As the dog is a descendant of the wild wolf, they live in dens. So she feels secure when she goes in her crate. I do not suggest locking your pet in the crate for punishment.

Barking is not so much a problem if you own your home, as the dog is inside. But if you live in an apartment, it will be disruptive to the neighbors around you. All cities have ordinances about excessive barking. These ordinances also apply to apartment buildings. Give the ideas I used a try and in time your dog will not panic when you leave your home.

Allergies and Dogs

There is a lot of talk about what kind of dog the Obamas should get for their children Sasha and Malia. President Elect Obamas daughter Malia, is said to have allergies, narrowing the range of puppies. I have to praise President Elect Obama for wanting to adopt a shelter dog. It is possible with long searching to find such an dog that will be good for his family and his daughters allergies. Being she is so young, I can not imagine this child taking shots, as my brother does, due to his allergies, and having a long hair dog.

There are many different dogs that are good for people with allergies. At the dog park, where I go with my dog, many people there have allergies, and have dogs. One dog, which is the most playful, energetic, goofy, friendly one is named Riley. He is a Labradoodle. His mom, picked him out due to her allergies. She said she has had no problems with her allergies, with Riley. A Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador, and a Poodle. They have a semi short coat, long luscious eye lashes, for a comical touch.

Doing a search on dogs for people with allergies, there is a long list according to one veterinarian that is suitable for people with allergies. These dogs are the Terrier, Bichon, Chinese Crested, Water Spaniel, Maltese, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, Schnauzer, Mexican Hairless. In my experience, my sister is very allergic to pet dander. She never had any allergy problems, with either of my dogs, one which was a Doberman, and the other a mix of Husky, Sheppard. My brother, who takes shots for his allergies, has Irish setters, again, I really would not put a child in that in situation of having to take shots.

There are allot of products, and things you can do, to help keep your allergies in check. Washing your pet bedding often, here you should use baby hypo allergenic laundry soap such as Dreft, which contains no perfumes, you do not want to use soap with perfumes it may harm your dog. There are many shampoos you can buy for your pet, if you suffer from allergies, as well. Myself, our dog gets a bath every three months or so depending if she gets into the mud or not. Too much frequent bathing is not good, as their skin can dry, causing them to scratch and become miserable. Also the tablet of Garlic and Brewers Yeast, is helpful. This keeps shedding down and is said to help deter fleas and ticks. I give it to my pet, and never once has she had any flea or tick problems, I could just be lucky in the area.

Keeping your dog well groomed, and using hepa filters in your house, along with furnace filters that rate high 1000 and up, and that states dust, mold, pollen, and animal dander can help all year round with keeping these allergy irritants lower. Which ever breed, or mixed breed the Obamas choose, I hope the girls and their new best friend, have a long happy life together.