Stop Dogs Shedding In the House With These Pet Leotards

The Shed Defenders also keep canines warm in winter and protect them from ticks.

Dog owners tired of finding their pet pooch's hair on everything may have had their prayers answered following the creation of leotards for dogs.

Shed Defenders have been created to stop dogs shedding their fur around the house.

Tighter-fitting than your standard dog coat, the outfit comes in a range of sizes and colours, and is reported to be safe and comfortable for dogs.

According to the makers of the versatile leotard it also keeps canines warm in winter, and will also protect them from flying insects, ticks, or plants which might irritate them.

Tyson Walters, founder of US-based Shed Defender, said: "The idea came to me about six or seven years ago.

"I had this huge St. Bernard Harley, and i just couldn't control her shedding. No matter how much I brushed and groomed her, she still left tumbleweeds of hair everywhere.

"I looked around on the internet and dog stores and i couldn't find a solution to my product, so I decided to make one.

"After four years of making prototypes and testing, I finally had a product that we could sell online in eight sizes and seven colours.

"People love the idea, love the look, and it is a head turner. People always take pictures of my own dog Harley when she's wearing it and ask where they can get one. Hot pink is one of our hottest selling colours, its fashionable!

"There's only been one dog I couldn't put it on, and this is after thousands of fittings with other dogs. The dog didn't like its paws touched!

"My next big step is to get licenses for sport teams and make custom ones with logos."

Exercising your Fat Dog and Yourself!

The chubby, inert pet dog has become a familiar household sight in richer countries. And yet there lies a possible boon to the out-of-shape among us. A recent study suggests that being told one’s pet is dangerously overweight might provide the impetus that gets an owner moving.

It might seem that having a pet dog would result in considerable physical activity, and that’s true, broadly speaking. A 2013 review of studies related to dog ownership concluded that as a group, dog owners spend almost an hour more per week walking than people without dogs. Even so, a survey from 2008 conducted in Australia found that nearly a quarter of all dog owners reported never walking their pets. This population of dog owners, studies show, actually engage in less physical activity each week than people without a dog.

A majority of dog owners, of course, are deeply attached to their pets, whether they walk them or not. That bond prompted a group of scientists, veterinarians and physicians at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, in Bethesda, Md., and other institutions to consider whether people might be willing to undertake a health-and-fitness regimen targeted at their dog, even if they had little enthusiasm for such a program for themselves.

The researchers recruited 32 dog owners who visited a veterinary clinic in Maryland. Their dogs varied widely in age, breed and size, but all were overweight or obese and, by and large, sedentary. So, too, were most of their owners (although the only criterion for their participation was that their dogs be rotund). Half the volunteers were told by a veterinarian to watch their dog’s nutrition and monitor its health. The rest were told that their dog was overweight and needed more exercise. These owners were given specific exercise prescriptions, which generally advised walking the dog for at least 30 minutes every day.

Three months later, the volunteers and their dogs were re-evaluated. Both owners and pets in the dog-walking group had lost weight. But more interesting, those who had been told only that their pets were worryingly heavy also began exercising their pets and themselves. They reported walking far more often than they did before they got health warnings for their dogs, and both they and their pets were thinner.

The upshot, says Capt. Mark B. Stephens M.D., a professor of family medicine at Uniformed Services University and a co-author of the study — it was published in September in the journal Anthrozoös — is that “love and concern for a dog can be a powerful motivation for exercise.” Which is not to say, he adds, that people should adopt a dog as a kind of fitness device. Unlike a treadmill, Marley cannot be abandoned in the basement when you tire of working out. On the other hand, no device will ever be so happy to see you lace up your walking shoes.

Dog Playing with Baby on Bouncy Swing

The video clip below has been doing the rounds on the internet lately. It apparently shows a dog bouncing along with a baby as he plays on his bouncy swing but is this what is really happen?

Looking closer at the video, it appears that the dog is simply trying to catch the shadow on the ground that is being cast from the baby.

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Fun Dog Playing Games

Playing games with your dog is beneficial to his physical and mental stimulation, and it's also a great way to connect with your dog and enrich a meaningful relationship even further. It is important, however, to ensure that you don't inadvertently exacerbate potentially hidden kernels of behavior issues, so be sure to follow the tips below and have fun!

Tug of War
Tug of war is a great way to teach your dog to listen to you even when excited and distracted. It encourages bonding through play and is a great workout for you and your dog. Some people believe that tug of war makes a dog more aggressive, and indeed it is not a game for dogs that are easily over aroused or aggressively protective of their resources, but most dogs will not become aggressive while playing the game and tug-of-war actually builds up trust and cooperative skills if certain rules are followed:

• If your dog wins the game and takes the tug toy away from you, feign disinterest and go and do something else. Never chase your dog to try and get the toy from him. You can either ignore him until he comes up to you with the toy or get another toy and put all your attention onto the toy you have. Your dog will most likely drop what he has in his mouth to come and investigate a better option.
• If your dog reengages in the game and drops the toy in front or tries to give it to you, praise him and let the game continue.
• Teach your dog a reliable take it and drop it cue before you play tug so that he understands what you mean when you ask him to drop the toy.
• You do not always have to win the war! Give and take is best.
• Play should stop on your cue and if play gets too rowdy either ask your dog to drop the toy or drop it yourself and walk away. Rowdy play, mouthing or over arousal stops the game.
• Bring your dog's toy a few steps away from where she is sitting, so that she can see it, and ask her to find it. You can use the cue 'go find', or the name of the toy or object that you hide and want her to bring to you.
• Once she goes to the toy, praise her immediately, even if she does not touch it. Repeat this each time she is close to the toy and encourage her to take the toy into her mouth.
• The first time she picks up the toy, praise her and let her play with it for a while.
• When she has learned to take the desired object into her mouth, encourage her to bring it all the way to you. First praise her when she comes running with her toy, and then praise her only when she brings it to your hand. You can trade the toy for a treat.
• When she becomes proficient at the game, start hiding the toy in more difficult places in another room or in the back yard and send her off on the hunt.

'Go Find' or Retrieve
If your dog already enjoys carrying things in her mouth then this game is easier to teach, but you can also try to teach your dog to bring toys to you even if she does not like to retrieve something that you throw.

Hide and Seek
This is a fun game you can play with your dog indoors or outside and best played with two people.

• Have one person hold your dog while you go and hide somewhere in the same room or area where your dog can see you hiding.
• Call your dog’s name as the person releases your dog and praise your dog for finding you.
• At this stage the game is easy but as your dog becomes more proficient start hiding in areas that are harder for him to find.
• Motivate your dog to play the game by rewarding him with his favorite toy, some food or a game of tug if he finds you.
• While your dog is coming to find you have the other person go hide and call the dog to them once he has successfully found you. This back and forth will test your dog’s seeking skills and tire him out.
• Make sure you only repeat the game a few times so your dog does not lose interest.

Can Dogs Tell Time?

Are dogs capable of telling time? This question has long been debated in the scientific world as well as in the dog training world.

Many dog owners have experienced their dog's ability to seemingly recognise when it's dinnertime or time to go for a walk. But are dogs truly able to understand time in the same way that we do? And if so, how do they do it?

Researchers break up the concept of memory into two types: implicit and declarative memory. Implicit memory allows humans and non-human animals to repeat tasks that have been accomplished in the past, such as the muscle memory involved in riding a bike.

But scientists have not determined if dogs are capable of declarative memory, and more specifically episodic memory, or the ability to recall contextual information about past events. This involves understanding what occurred, when it occurred, and where it occurred. Studies have shown that primates are capable of this type of memory, but whether or not dogs have this ability has not yet been determined.

So can your dog tell time?

There are several hypotheses about a dog's apparent time-telling behaviors. The first is that dogs simply follow their circadian rhythm, which tells their bodies when to sleep and when to be awake.

Another explanation involves scent. Scientists believe that a dog may be able to tell how soon you will come home based on how long your scent lingers in your house after you leave.

Dogs are incredibly adept at reading environmental cues. Even a small clue, such as the length of a shadow, can be an indicator of the time of day.

As more research is being done on the cognitive and emotional abilities of dogs, perhaps this age-old question will finally be answered.

Help Your Dog Be Less Fearful of Children

Kid playing with dog

It is very normal for dogs to be scared of children or one particular child, especially if they have not been raised with children or have been teased by them in the past. Even one experience can create an aversion or fear that is hard to erase and this causes all kinds of issues, especially when the dog lives in the same home as the child. It is also the reason why so many children are bitten by dogs. Children have less impulse control and tend to run around more, speaking in high pitched voices, which can be overwhelming.

If you have a dog that is scared of your child or other children that visit your home you must take the situation seriously and instead of punishing your dog for showing negative behavior, find ways to make him more confident around the source of his fear. Be very careful when training your dog with children.

If your dog is scared of other children visiting your home, there is one simple solution: management. Find a safe zone that your dog can go to where children are not allowed. This might be in a room behind a baby gate or closed door. Be aware of where the visiting children are and never trust that they might not open the door or try and touch the dog over the gate. Always be there to supervise.


Help Your Dog Be Less Fearful of Children:

• If your dog is scared of kids outside the home keep him away from playgrounds or parks where children play. No dog should be running around off leash in or near a playground.
  
• Start having calm kids walk past at a safe distance and throw your dog’s favorite treats to her. The dog must always be leashed and a good distance away but if she sees that good things come to her any time a child walks past she might begin to look forward to the presence of children.
  
• Never have kids try to greet your dog or come into her space. Teach any kids that will be visiting your household to pay no attention to your fearful dog. This will take pressure off and give her the space she needs.
• Teach kids to be calm around your dog.
  
• Never put a child in harm’s way in order to ‘train’ your dog. All techniques should be performed slowly with emphasis on safety.
  
• Teach your children and visiting friends to be K-9 Safe and Smart. This will empower them with knowledge and understanding that will keep them safe.
• Always supervise babies and young children around a dog and never leave them alone together, even for a moment.

What To Do If A Dog Attacks You

Even though dog bites are relatively common, full-blown attacks are not. It is important to know, however, what to do in the unlikely event an attack happens.

What type of behavior do dogs normally exhibit before attacking?
There is no one size fits all when it comes to the signals a dog gives before attacking, and while the signs of aggression such as growling, snarling, baring teeth and lunging are easy to read, there can also be signs that are so subtle, such as a moment of tension or a small freeze, they are easily missed.

What do I do if I find myself in a situation with a dog that is aggressive towards me?

• Avoid eye contact
• Turn your body slowly to the side
• Cross your arms
• Completely ignore the dog
• Be still for a short period then move slowly away
• Try to get to a place where there is a barrier between you and the dog.

If that does not work, what do I do?

• Stay completely still.
• Without shouting, calmly ask someone nearby to help.
• If you are in the ground slowly curl into a ball on your knees with your hands clasped behind your neck protecting your head and throat.

Should I try to be friendly with the dog, talking to it in a soft voice?

• Completely ignore the dog. The more boring you are, the less likely he is to attack.
• The more you attempt to communicate the greater the chances are of provocation.

Is spraying pepper spray in a dog’s face a good idea?

• If the dog is not yet attacking you, spraying him with pepper spray might be the trigger for an explosion. As always, treating aggression with aggression only makes things worse.

What do I do if the dog lunges at me and begins to bite?

• Find a barrier that you can put between you and the dog – a purse, rolled-up jacket or a stick and try to redirect the dog’s bites onto that item.
• Find higher ground and try to move to a position of height away from the dog. It is much harder for him to bite effectively from below.
• Try not to scream as this could antagonize the dog further.
• Cover the dog’s head with a shirt or blanket so that he cannot see. If you block his eyesight for a moment, it might provide you a window to escape.
• In the very rare event a dog is viciously mauling you (as opposed to just trying to bite or landing a few scattered bites), curl up into a ball on the ground, protecting your head and neck while waiting for help. If you are all alone, you are unlikely to get the dog off you by yourself until the dog loses interest.
• Try as best you can to not scream or otherwise antagonize the dog further.

If a dog is attacking you, is hitting it with a stick a good idea?

• Hitting the dog will only heighten the dog’s already sky-high level of adrenaline and energy. Try to act as calmly as possible. If you are witnessing a fight you can end it by covering the dog’s head with a blanket, jacket or shirt. Blocking a dog’s vision will normally cause the dog to disengage.