August 2003, Issue 2
Welcome to the second issue of Tail Waggers. We want to Thank everyone for the positive feedback we got. We do want to introduce a new feature of the newsletter. TA DA......Letters to the Editor. So if you have any comments, things you want to see, or questions you want to ask just email me, Editor aka Diane and I will but them in the newsletter. Make the subject line say: Letter to the Editor, so that I know I can put it into the next newsletter.
Remember its August and very hot, unless maybe you are at the North Pole and there have been days lately I wish I was. When your dogs are outside, even if they are just playing make sure that they have clean, fresh water available to them and don't let them stay outside too long!
Jake is about 1 1/2 years old and very much still a puppy. He loves to play and get attention. He is very much an escape artist though. He can get out of all kinds of things from crates to backyards. Whoever adopts Jake will have to keep an eye on him when he is outside as he does love to go travelin. A stay at home Mom would be best. Jake promises to grow up and be a wonderful companion and friend to whoever would like to give him a chance. He is HW negative, up to date on his shots and house trained. Such a doll! If you have the time and patience to have a young Boxer and want to check out Jake. Please let us know, click here: BoxAR Rescue
Did you know that a number one cause of illness in our dogs is poor dental care? Its true. This is according to studies performed by the AVDS (American Veterinary Dental Society. Does your dog have bad breath? How about yellow teeth? If so, its time to take action.
Its not that difficult to prevent major Periodontal Disease(Tarter build up can cause space between the teeth and the gums. Bacteria gathers and grows in these spaces. At this point it is irreversible and can be very painful for your dog. He/She can even lose their teeth.) If you dog gets to this point, the bacteria can build up so much that it can effect other major organs in his body. YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO GET TO THIS POINT!
How can I prevent Periodontal Disease? Just like us, our dogs need regular dental care. If you get a puppy or an older dog, first you must get them used to brushing of their teeth. To start with first just massage the gums with your fingers. When the dog is used to this, add the toothbrush with some toothpaste and do some of the teeth. At this point your dog may not mind and you can brush all their teeth. If not, each time you brush just brush a few more. Routinely brushing your dog's teeth can remove the plaque that forms from food particles and bacteria along the gum line.
If plaque is not brushed away then tartar forms. Tartar adheres to the teeth. Tartar can cause inflammation of the gum lines. You may notice bad breath and inflamed gums. At this point, it is necessary for a dentist to perform a cleaning with special instruments to remove the tartar.
It is a good idea to have your vet examine your dog's teeth yearly. In that way, if they need to be professionally cleaned you can schedule an appointment for that. This requires your dog to be anesthetized so that the teeth can be cleaned thoroughly.
Remember it is much better to take good care of your dog's teeth throughout his/her life rather than waiting till they have Periodontal disease and it is too late to fix.
Don't forget to visit BoxAR Rescue's website to see who's there and who has new homes. Also very soon we are going to have a new page to visit.....BoxAR Mart where we will sell different dog items to raise money for the rescue and the dogs in our care. We'll keep you posted.
O Lord don't let me once forget,
How I love my trusty pet.
Help me learn to disregard,
Canine crafters in my yard.
Show me how to be a buddy,
Even when my sofa is muddy.
Give me patience without end.
Help me be 'My Dog's Best Friend.
author unknown
It is natural for dogs to eat their poop. One theory is because the ancestors of our dogs 100's of years ago they ate it throughout the winter when food was more sparse. Another theory is that puppies will start to eat their own because its consistency reminds them of that first solid food they got from their mothers when they were regurgitating for them. Another theory is that dogs by nature want multiple meals per day, therefore, they supplement themselves for what their owners are not giving them. There are also some medical problems (see Owner Documentation of Coprphagia in the Canine. This is a study that was done.)that can cause it but generally its a behavior issue. We all agree though, its disgusting & the cuties then want to come up and give lots of kisses after having their snacks!
What can be done to stop this?
If anyone has a sure fire cure, let me know, because my Daisy-Dots goes through cycles where she LOVES to eat her own fresh poop. And yes, she then wants to come in the house, jump on Mom & give kisses!
Some helpful hints though: Feed:Sprinkle Adolph's meat tenderizer on their food. A tablespoon of crushed pineapple, Papaya extract, powdered ginger or tomatoes on their food.
There are also products on the market for this such as Forbid or Deter.
Keep the yard cleaned up but don't rush out every time your dog defecates or they will think that this is some kind of prize that they should get before you do. Put tobasco sauce on their piles that are left in the yard. Nothing worse than trying to eat something that tastes awful & burns.
Don't yell at your dog. Afterall, attention is attention and there are some dogs that love all attention. Hey look, Mom is getting excited and jumping around from the house. This must be cool.
Leave It! You can take your dog out on a leash and have them do their thing. Then IF they try to eat their poop, teach them the Leave It command. My experience is though they won't do it if you are right there.
Why should we try to deter this behavior?
In your own yard with your own dogs, other than being disgusting, its probably not a big problem as long as your dog doesn't have parasites and is re-ingesting them.
Out in public though, you really don't want them eating another dog's feces as you don't know the health of the dog that left the poop. There could be parasites, or if sitting in the right area fungus or bacteria. All of these things could have an ill effect on your dog.
More information on Coprophagia:
Coprophagia (poop eating)
Poop Eaters Anonymous
Hope you have enjoyed this issue of Tail Waggers. We also want to feature a Rescued Boxer a month. Soooo, if you have a rescued Boxer and can write just a few lines about your baby. Send them to me at the email address below & I will save them all and feature one a month! We love to see pictures!!