Newsletter

Without proper oral care, more than 80% of dogs and cats will show signs of gingivitis or even periodontal disease by the time they are three years old. Watch this video to see the new advances in pet dentistry and what you can do to keep your pet’s mouth healthy!

Training provides benefits to dogs of every age and breed, and to their owners. While getting your dog to recognize and react to your verbal commands requires time, patience, and more than a few treats, the result will be a responsible, responsive, well-adjusted dog.

A good place to begin is with an obedience class. Start at a young age to accustom your dog to learning. Obedience classes also help form a bond between owner and dog and gets the dog used to socializing with other dogs and other people. For these reasons, they are strongly recommended for any new dog owner.

The first thing to remember is to keep a positive attitude. Your dog should associate training with fun and enthusiasm, and should be rewarded whenever he does something right. Reprimands will be needed when he ignores you or does something wrong, but these should be limited to an intense stare and a gruff, low-pitched "No!" Never hit your dog; this will just make him mistrust you and will make training and control even harder. Try to follow a reprimand with some affection to make your dog know he is still a welcome part of your family.

But while reprimands may be necessary as the exception, rewards should be the rule. Treats can play an important part in training. These can be specially made snacks, or they can just be individual pieces of your dog's regular food. In the early stages, they should be offered with every correct action, in addition to verbal and physical praise. As your dog gets better at obeying commands, you should use the treats less and less often and rely more on encouragement and petting.

Never give a treat without a trick. There should be no free rides for dogs when it comes to treats. Always make your dog obey some kind of command before rewarding him with a treat.

There are five basic obedience commands you should start teaching your dog as soon as possible: heel, sit, down, stay and come. In order to be a good dog citizen, he should learn these commands.

Heel:

It's the dog's job to listen for commands. Once your puppy is used to his or her leash, you can introduce the command, "Heel." Start by standing still with your dog on a leash. Reel the dog in until his right shoulder is even with your left leg. When he is in the "sit" position, give him lots of praise. Start walking by stepping forward with your left foot saying "heel." If your dog lunges, give a quick snap on the leash and reel him back to you. Praise him when he is once again in the correct position. Repeat this practice, gradually allowing the dog to move further away each time. Once the dog has learned to respond to heel, start moving into turns.

Another technique for teaching your dog to heel begins the same way as the first. However, if you dog lunges ahead, call his name and say, "Heel," and make an abrupt U-turn to the right. He will find himself behind you and hurry back to your side.

Sit:

Teaching your puppy to sit can keep him out of a world of trouble and do wonderful things for your relationship. By about eight weeks of age, he's ready to learn this basic command. Start by getting your puppy's attention, then using his name and the command, "Max, sit." Help him into position by pulling up on the leash while pressing down on his rump. Alternatively, you can move a piece of food from in front of his face to directly over his head while pressing on his rear, then rewarding him with the food and praise. Once sitting, praise him verbally or give him a little treat. Repeat the exercise often to reinforce the training.

"Sit" is an excellent command to teach a puppy for praise. Once it's established in his mind that sitting is the sure way to receive praise, you will never have to worry about your puppy jumping on you or other people for attention.

Down:

This command logically follows "sit." It's best to teach this from the heel position with the dog seated. From the "sit" position, say the "down" command and guide your dog's nose down with your hand or a toy or, better yet, some food. Bring the food from the nose straight down to the floor, then away from the dog. Your dog will naturally follow it. Praise and reward him when he is in the correct position. When your dog stays down and you can walk around him, you are ready for the "long down."

Stay:

This is a slightly more difficult skill for a dog to master. While on his leash, have your dog sit. Then, holding the leash up over his head, say "stay" and begin circling. Correct any attempt to follow you by pulling up on the leash and returning him to the sitting position. Reward him when he has stayed in place for a short period of time. Gradually increase the distance you move away and the amount of time required to receive a reward. You will also want to associate the verbal command with holding out your hand palm outwards, the traditional "stop" command.

This command may take your dog some time to master. Don't get frustrated, just keep practicing.

Come:

This basic training command should be started from the first day you bring your puppy home. As with all the basic commands, you should announce your intention by calling his name first, followed by the one word command, i.e., "Max, come!" Offer encouragement by making the invitation as inviting as possible. As your dog walks toward you, say "Good boy! You want the dog coming into you happy and quickly. Avoid using excited tones or praise until your dog reaches you so that he understands that he must reach you to get rewarded. If he doesn't come immediately, give a tug on his leash, then guide him to you. When he approaches, raise your body, guiding him gently into a sit position in front of you. Make eye contact. Praise a bit but not too much (no playing here).

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but according to the results of a new study, pets may be the incentive some smokers need to kick the habit. A study conducted by the Henry Ford Health System's Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention found that smokers who own pets reported they would be more likely to quit if provided with information about the dangers of secondhand smoke for pets.

The study was based on a web-based survey of 3,293 pet owners. Among the survey respondents, 50% were either current smokers or lived with at least one smoker. While taking the survey, many of the smokers and non-smokers indicated they would be interested in receiving information about quitting smoking.

The results are good news, both for pets and pet owners trying to quit smoking. While the effects of secondhand smoke on humans are well known, studies have also found that secondhand smoke can cause health problems in pets. Lymphoma in cats and nasal and lung cancer in dogs have been linked to secondhand smoke. Additionally, secondhand smoke has been identified as a possible cause of allergic reactions in dogs, eye disease and respiratory problems in birds and oral carcinoma in cats, according to the Henry Ford Health System.

Most of all, the study provides further proof of how devoted pet owners are to their best friends. While pet owners who smoke may not think twice about their own health when lighting up, it's clear that many are thinking about their pet's health and taking that into consideration when they smoke.

Currently, about 63 percent of U.S. households (about 71.1 million homes) include a pet as a member of the family. About a fifth of all pet owners are current cigarette smokers.

In today's world, divisive opinions seem to be the norm, even when it comes to our pets’ health. Take pet insurance for example. Some consumer groups think it’s not worth the premiums but pet health experts believe it’s necessary to save animals from economic euthanasia. What should a thrifty pet owner believe? Watch this video to learn how several pet insurance companies fared when put to the test with a real world case.

Puppy Proofing Your Home

Once you have decided to bring a puppy home, there are jobs that must be done to ensure his safety upon arrival. Just like children, puppies are curious, adventurous, and very often mischievous. Regardless of his personality, your puppy will inevitably find something that you hadn't realized was accessible. Focusing on the safety of your puppy, and the care of your possessions, is an extremely important way to avoid any unnecessary trips to the veterinarian.

Look at the house from your puppy's point of view - get on all fours if necessary! Are there any dangling electric cords, loose nails, plastic bags, or other tempting objects that will be in puppy's reach? If there are, you must put them away immediately. As your new puppy grows, he will be able to explore higher places and be tempted to jump up on shelves. Consider how big your pup is supposed to be. If you bring home a Chihuahua, for example, then something on the kitchen counter may not be a hazard. If you bring home a Golden retriever, however, you may have to reconsider where you keep your dirty knives or household cleaners.

Once you have done the canine version of proofing your home, consider this list of potential problems that may need to be removed or placed somewhere puppy can't reach!

House Plants - While not all plants are toxic to your puppy (though many can be) it is not always the safety of the puppy you have to be concerned with. Pups love to dig, even if it is a small pot with only enough room for a paw and a curious nose! The health of your plants could be at risk. Reduce the possibility of your puppy destroying your plants or becoming sick and place the plants in an area off limits to your pup, or in a high enough place where he is unable to reach.

Trash Cans - Dogs, and puppies in particular, are always attracted to garbage. The kitchen garbage seems to contain a smorgasbord of exciting smells and tasty treats. Make life easier and put your garbage under the sink in a cupboard or in a container with a puppy proof lid.

Foreign Objects - Puppies, like most children, LOVE to put things in their mouths. Unfortunately, that includes things like paper clips, socks, shoes, hair elastics, ornaments, etc. Inevitably, your puppy is bound to find something that you didn't put away (or thought you put away) and made easy for your puppy to get. Provide your puppy with appropriate chew toys or interactive toys to help him avoid heading to your laundry basket or desk to find something entertaining.

Additional Tips:

• Never leave your puppy unsupervised, inside or outside.
• Patch up any openings your puppy may be able to slip through
• Keep your toilet lid down - there are too many reasons to list why this is important!
• Unplug, remove or cover any electrical cords.

One of the best ways to strengthen the bond between you and your cat is to play games together. When you play with your cat, you become the most interesting object in his or her life. Not only is playtime fun for your cat, it's also a great way to get your cat to exercise, both mentally and physically.

Following are six games you can play with your cat. Not every feline will want to play every game on this list, but certainly there are at least a few games here that you and your cat will enjoy. While most of them require objects you may have around the house, there are also a number of toys available that provide the same fun. The key is to actually play with your cat in order to create a fun and lasting relationship with your cat while also keeping them trim and healthy.

Paw Hockey - Play this game in a room with hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors that has at least 10 square feet of free floor space. Break off an eight-inch square of aluminum foil and scrunch it up into a hockey puck shape. (Please remember that foil balls should always be thrown away at the end of the game. They are fine for games, but are not safe for unsupervised play.) Show your cat the puck and then flick it with your fingers so that it goes skittering across the floor. Your cat will then chase after the puck, batting it with his paws and making it scoot from one end of the room to the other. If your cat starts to lose interest in the game, pick up the puck and give it another flick.

Staircase Dash - With your cat at the top of the stairs and you at the bottom, fling a ping pong ball to the top of the staircase, against the side wall, one or two steps in front of where your cat is sitting. The ball bounces down the stairs and your cat should race down the stairs chasing after it. When the ball reaches the bottom of the stairs, probably with your cat just a step behind, fling the ball back up to the top of the staircase. Keep tossing the ball up the steps until your cat gets tired.

Bathtub Scurry - Put a ping pong ball in a clean, dry bathtub. Remove the bottles of shampoo and bars of soap and plug the drain so the ping pong ball doesn't get lodged there. Put your cat in the bathtub, show him the ping pong ball, and bounce the ball off the side of the bathtub. As the ball bounces around, your cat should chase after it. If the ball starts to slow down, give it a good roll off the side to get it moving again and to keep up your cat's interest.

Chase the Thing on the String - Get an aluminum foil ball, hollow plastic Whiffle ball, or catnip mouse and tie it to a three-foot piece of twine or heavy string. Pull the string along the floor in front of you, over the cat furniture, or up and down your staircase and let your cat chase after the object. Be sure to allow your cat to capture the object every once in awhile so he/she can feel like a successful predator.

Shadows on the Wall - Turn off the lights in the evening and shine a flashlight on a nearby wall. Dangle bouncy cat toys or other small objects in the light and move them back and forth so their shadows race up and down the wall. Your cat should leap up at the wall trying to catch the elusive prey.

Every year about 5 million people are bitten by dogs and almost 1 million of those people require medical attention. Medical bills are estimated in excess of $250 million annually and the emotional damage, especially to children, is incalculable. How can "man's best friend" be responsible for so much damage? Can we learn to avoid dog bites? Watch this video to learn more.

U.S. Presidents and their families have typically liked animals.

The following list of presidential pets is not complete; however, without doubt, many a presidential cat or cow passed through without much public notice.

President	Animals
George Washington	Polly the parrot; 36 hounds; horses
John Adams	horses
Thomas Jefferson	a mockingbird; two bear cubs, a gift from Lewis and Clark
James Madison	Macaw the parrot; sheep
James Monroe	a spaniel
John Quincy Adams	an alligator; silkworms
Andrew Jackson	horses named Truxton, Sam Patches, Emily, Lady Nashville, and Bolivia; Pol the parrot; ponies
Martin Van Buren	two tiger cubs
William Henry Harrison	a goat; a cow
John Tyler	Le Beau, a greyhound; a horse named The General
James Knox Polk	a horse
Zachary Taylor	Old Whitey the horse
Millard Fillmore	no pets
Franklin Pierce	no pets
James Buchanan	Lara, a Newfoundland; an eagle; an elephant
Abraham Lincoln	Jack the turkey; goats named Nanny and Nanko; ponies; cats; dogs; pigs; a white rabbit
Andrew Johnson	white mice
Ulysses S. Grant	Faithful, a Newfoundland; horses named Jeff Davis, Julia, Jennie, Mary, Butcher Boy, Cincinnatus, Egypt, and St. Louis; ponies named Reb and Billy Button; pigs; dogs; a parrot; roosters
Rutherford B. Hayes	Siam, a Siamese cat; Grim, a greyhound; Duke, an English mastiff; Hector, a Newfoundland; Dot, a terrier; canaries; cows; horses; goats; other dogs
James Garfield	Kit the horse; Veto the dog; fish
Chester Alan Arthur	no pets
Grover Cleveland	a poodle; canaries and mockingbirds
Benjamin Harrison	Dash the dog; Whiskers the goat; dogs; an opossum
William McKinley	a parrot; an Angora cat and her kittens
Theodore Roosevelt	Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Bay retriever; Manchu, a Pekingese; Skip, a mutt; terriers named Jack and Pete; cats named Tom Quartz and Slippers; Josiah the badger; Algonquin the pony; Eli the macaw; Jonathan the piebald rat; Emily Spinach, a garter snake; twelve horses; five bears; five guinea pigs; other snakes; two kangaroo rats; lizards; roosters; an owl; a flying squirrel; a raccoon; a coyote; a lion; a hyena; a zebra
William Taft	Pauline Wayne the cow
Woodrow Wilson	Old Ike the ram; sheep; chickens; cats
Warren Harding	Laddie Boy, an Airedale; Old Boy, a bulldog; canaries
Calvin Coolidge	Peter Pan, a terrier; Paul Pry (Laddie Buck), an Airedale; Calamity Jane, a sheepdog; Boston Beans, a bulldog; King Cole, a shepherd; Palo Alto, a birder; collies named Rob Roy (Oshkosh), Prudence Prim, Ruby Rough, and Bessie; chows named Blackberry and Tiny Tim; canaries named Nip, Tuck, and Snowflake; cats named Bounder, Tiger, and Blacky; raccoons named Rebecca and Horace; Ebeneezer, a donkey; Smokey, a bobcat; Old Bill, a thrush; Enoch, a goose; a mockingbird; a bear; an antelope; a wallaby; a pygmy hippo; some lion cubs
Herbert Hoover	Glen, a collie; Yukon, a malamute; Patrick, an Irish wolfhound; Eaglehurst Gillette, a setter; Weejie, an elkhound; fox terriers named Big Ben and Sonnie; shepherds named King Tut and Pat; an opossum
Franklin Delano Roosevelt	Fala, a Scottish terrier; Meggie, a Scottish terrier; Major, a German shepherd; Winks, a Llewellyn setter; Tiny, an English sheepdog; President, a Great Dane; Blaze, a mastiff
Harry S Truman	Feller "the unwanted dog" (adopted by Truman's personal physician); Mike, an Irish setter (belonged to Margaret Truman)
Dwight D. Eisenhower	Heidi, a Weimaraner
John F. Kennedy	Tom Kitten the cat; Robin the canary; Zsa Zsa the rabbit; Sardar the horse; ponies named Macaroni, Tex, and Leprechaun; parakeets named Bluebell and Marybelle; hamsters named Debbie and Billie; Charlie, a Welsh terrier, plus dogs named Pushinka, Shannon, Wolf, and Clipper, plus Pushinka and Charlie's pups: Blackie, Butterfly, Streaker, and White Tips
Lyndon Johnson	Him and Her, beagles; Freckles, a beagle (Him's pup); Blanco, a collie; Edgar, a mutt (née J. Edgar); Yuki, a mutt; hamsters and lovebirds
Richard Nixon	Checkers, a cocker spaniel; Vicky, a poodle; Pasha, a terrier; King Timahoe, an Irish setter; fish
Gerald Ford	Liberty, a Golden retriever; Chan, a Siamese Cat
Jimmy Carter	Grits the dog; Misty Malarky Ying Yang, a Siamese cat
Ronald Reagan	Rex, a King Charles spaniel; Lucky, a Bouvier des Flandres sheepdog
George Bush	Millie, a Springer spaniel; Ranger, one of Millie's pups
Bill Clinton	Socks the cat; Buddy, a chocolate Labrador retriever
George W. Bush	Barney and Miss Beazley, Scottish Terriers
Barack Obama	Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog