The Nuisance Know As The Flea

What do dogs hate more than being told to get away from the dinner table? Fleas crawling and biting all over them.

Fleas are tiny insects that live off the blood of their host. They have no wings but posses tremendous jumping ability, able to jump two hundred times there body length. There bodies have also adapted over time to withstand great pressure as you can see demonstrated when you try to squeeze a flea between your fingers only to see them jump away. The female flea will lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime, so the numbers of fleas on your pets and around your home can quickly get out of hand.

Dogs will bite and scratch themselves in an attempt to remove these feasting parasites. However, the appetite of a flea is not restricted to just dogs. Other mammals, birds, and even humans can become a host. Yet the problems with fleas goes beyond the skin irritation. Fleas can transmit a variety of viral and bacterial diseases, and have even been associated with epidemics such as the bubonic plague by spreading it from rodents to humans.

Anti-itch creams, such as calamine lotion, can be used to treat flea bites in humans. Dogs, however, require a flea medication such as Advantage, Advantix, and Frontline. Treatment, however, goes beyond just treating the host. The environment also needs to be taken care of. Frequent vacuuming will help, but you must dispose of the bag immediately afterwards. For real bad infestations you may have to consider using a fogger in the home.

Clean The Dog Waste. It's Important

Cleaning dog waste is never pleasant, and most people have other things they need to do in their daily lives. However, it is a very important part of being a responsible dog owner not only for your pet but also your family.

Dog waste contains bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can be harmful to pets and humans. In addition, accumulated dog waste can contaminate ground water, creeks, streams, rivers, and lakes.

Those that think dog waste is a good fertilizer like cow waste are wrong. As cows eat plants, dogs have a much more varied diet. Their waste is rich in nitrogen which is good for weeds, but not your grass. Left alone in your yard the nitrogen will be slowly released causing damage to your yard.

Aside from the health hazards and damage to your yard, dog waste is just unpleasant to leave sitting in the yard. It prevents you, your family, and your dog from enjoying your yard.

By having dog waste removed on a regular basis you can greatly improve the health of your yard, and the quality of life for you, your family, and dog.

Protecting Your Home

Home protection is big business for companies from gun manufacturers to home security systems. We have all seen the commercials on television advertising a home security system by showing an intruder kicking in the door of someone’s home before being runoff by the sound of the alarm.

Having worked a few years in law enforcement I would say that in my experience the majority of home invasions occur when nobody is home. Perpetrators that just want personal items like televisions, game systems, and computers would rather not have to deal with victims inside the home. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking you are more likely to return from work to your home having been broken into during the day than waking up to one in progress at night.

There has been a big push, particularly by the gun industry, for people to arm themselves for home protection. I have always thought this was a bad idea for a couple of reasons. To begin with, unlike when you want to operate a vehicle, you can purchase a gun without ever having to take a safety class. More goes into being a responsible gun owner than just knowing what direction to point the barrel and shoot. There is a proper way to handle, load, fire, clean, and most importantly store the gun.

Bullets can go through the walls of your home and into those of your neighbor. Not to mention it does take a certain mind-set to knowingly pull the trigger with the intent to kill another human being. There are also countless stories of family members sneaking back into the house late at night only to be mistaken for a perpetrator and being shot. Even the best trained, such as law enforcement officers, are not immune to tragedy.

I remember the story one police officer told regarding an incident in his own home. He was very aware of the dangers of guns in the hands of children, and having children himself he had built a special safe with a lock to prevent his children from having unsupervised access to his guns. One day his teenage son had gotten a hold of the key to the safe and retrieved one of the handguns. He ended up shooting himself with the gun.

Every year there are news stories of children getting a hold of a gun in their home and shooting themselves or a friend while playing. The only way to prevent that from happening in your home is to not have any guns in your home.

So how do you protect your family in your own home? The best method I am aware of is the one I use to protect my family. We have dogs. Dogs are a good way to prevent someone from entering your home. Unlike with a gun, a perpetrator will usually know that there is a dog inside. Dogs can hear four times better than humans and will usually sound off long before someone knocks on your door, so they are more of a preventative measure in keeping someone from even trying to break into your home.

I remember doing some research back in the mid-90’s that showed a subject was less likely to break into a home with a dog than one that had a gun because most people will tend to hesitate when pointing a gun at a person while a dog is unlikely to hesitate at all. They are also great companions and treating them right will also make them very loyal. You can go to your local animal shelter and adopt a dog for a relatively inexpensive fee. As with any new household member, take the time to get the dog and your family familiar with one another (you can always contact the SPCA or local humane society for some tips).

Alarms work well, but as with a gun a person will not know you really have one until they have already attempted to break into your home.

As with any major investment (such as in protecting your property and loved ones) do some research and make the best decision for you and your family.

Do Not Get Between Fighting Dogs

I had adopted two dogs five years ago. One was a pit bull and the other a sheppard/lab mix. When I first introduced them to each other (the pit bull was adopted a month earlier) there was a little of that tension as they sized each other up, but it was not too long before they were both running around the back yard.

A couple of weeks went and they both seemed to get along well with each other. One day I was sitting in the living room watching television with both dogs resting on the floor. All of a sudden they began barking, jumping, and biting at each other. I stood up and yelled both of their name to no affect. Then I did a dumb thing. I threw my arms and hands in the middle of that heap of teeth in an attempt to push them away from each other when the inevitable happened. I got bit.

I was afraid to look at my hand certain that the damage was bad. Fortunately for me there was just a little piercing of the skin. No blood. My afterthought was telling myself how dumb that was, and being grateful it was not worse.

There are a number of reasons dogs will fight each other, and for the most part when they do no matter how well trained they are they are unlikely to cede to your command. The best thing is to keep you distance, and if you have to break them up use something long like a stick to push them away from each other. Never get between fighting dogs.

Dogs and Warm Weather

Now that Spring is here and the temperatures begin to rise dogs owners need to be even more responsible in the care of their friend. It almost never fails, every time you walk through the parking lot of the mall there is a dog inside a car, sometimes with the windows cracked and sometimes not. This is a dangerous situation for the dog, particularly during the warmer weather months.

Temperatures inside a vehicle can easily exceed 100 degrees even with the windows cracked and the outside temperature well below. These temperature would be unbearable for a person, imagine how a dog must feel.

Dogs cool themselves primarily through panting. Trying to cool off by breathing in hot air in a car is not going to be easy, and ultimately can lead to heat stroke and even death for you dog. If you are going somewhere dogs are not allowed it is best to leave your dog at home where they will be more comfortable.

A lot of dogs love the outdoors. We have a dog that almost never wants to be inside. Be sure to leave your dog plenty of water should your dog be outside, especially when it is hot or warm. If you know that the temperature is going to be exceedingly hot and you are leaving for an extended period of time try to get your dog to come indoors while you are gone.

If you like to take your dog for a walk try to wait for later in the evening when the temperatures are cooler than in the middle of the day.

These are just a few tips that we follow with our dogs. You should always use your best judgement and if you have any questions always contact your local SPCA or humane society.

Did You Know

We thought we would share some interesting information we found out about dogs:

While there is still controversy over how domesticated dogs came to be (either due to evolution of the species or efforts of man) they are descendants of the wolf.

It is generally believed that dogs were domesticated around 15,000 years ago.

Dogs are color blind, the equivalent to red-green color blindness in humans (where reds and greens appear to be beige).

Dog can hear sounds at four times the distance of humans.

While the sense of sight is dominant in humans, smell is the dominant scent in dogs.

Dogs are highly susceptible to theobromine poisoning (chocolate poisoning) because the digestive process in dogs breaking down theobromine is so slow that even a small amount of chocolate can be fatal.

The median life expectancy for dogs is 10 to 13 years, though some breeds may live longer or shorter than this range.

It is estimated that between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are put down each year, which is why the SPCA and humane societies recommend your pet be neutered and people adopt from shelters rather than purchase a pet.

Young Children and Dogs

Searching online for an article that addressed the issues of dogs and children I came across the Sacramento SPCA (www.sspca.org) which had some good tips and information in selecting the right dog to be around your child.

Puppies are cute and there is no better picture moment than that of a child holding one. However, puppies are babies too. They are very energetic and take a lot of patience, time, and supervision (just like a young child). A child may want to play with the puppy and inadvertently hurt it by being too rough. Puppies also have sharp teeth, and in their playful mood may knock a child down. Should you decide to get a puppy for your child be sure to properly supervise both of them to minimize the chances of either getting hurt.

Adult dogs do require less attention. However, the key with bringing a new adult dog into your home is to help the dog make the adjustment to your family. The family will need to spend time with any new dog, gauging its responses and reactions particularly towards your child. Adopting a dog that has a good history with children is important, and your local shelter should be able to assist you in this regard.

The SSPCA suggests that if you have a child under the age of six you adopt a dog over the age of two. Small dogs with young children may not be the best fit as they may be more easily injured and tend to become frightened by loud noises. Larger dogs may be able to tolerate the rough play, noise, and activities associated with young children.

The breed of dog can be an important decision as well. Labradors and golden retrievers usually make for good family pets, while those breeds that have a more protective behavior (chows and rottweilers) may not be the best choice.

Remember that while you may be getting a dog for your child it is unrealistic to think that they will be the one taking care of it. The choirs of feeding, walking, grooming, and cleaning up after a dog will ultimately fall upon your shoulders.

All dogs have their own temperament and personality. You can always seek advice prior to getting a dog for your family by contacting your local animal shelter or SPCA.

Thunder Struck and Bailey Ducked

As the warmth of Spring pushes the remaining cold of last winter behind us thunderstorms become a common occurrence. Maybe it is just me but the storms over the last few years seem to be more fierce than in years past. Either way, the loud booms of thunder strikes fear in the heart of one of our dogs, Bailey.

Someone once told use that Bailey was a Blue-Tick Hound Dog, though we are sure he is a mix of something. Great dog, very loyal and obedient Bailey loves the outdoors. Out backyard is his playground, and he is not afraid to let everyone know he is in the neighborhood.

The other night was one of our first thunderstorms of the new season, and Bailey was terrified. Normally he would spend the night laying quietly on the floor, but not this night. As soon as the first crack of thunder struck Bailey was pacing around the room and trying to jump over the gate we had put up to keep him from eating our daughters snack.

He howled and wept until my wife went into the room. Bailey jumped up with his two paws grasping at her shirt as if he wanted to be picked up. However, Bailey is not a small dog. My wife sat on the floor and let Bailey lay in her lap. After a few minutes it was time to get our daughter ready for bed, and Bailey once again began pacing the room and trying to jump the gate.

Once our daughter was in bed and asleep Bailey was given a bath and we made a little bed for him on the floor next to ours. He quickly made himself comfortable and settled in for the night without making another sound.

A Reason To Clean-Up Your Dogs Waste

Your yard and ground water can become contaminated by dog waste, as dog feces can be a carrier of pathogens that could be harmful to your pet, you, and your family. In addition, dog waste can be offensive to you and your neighbors and make for a messy yard. Having dog feces removed from your yard can greatly improve the health of your yard, and the quality of life for you and your dog.

Be sure to clean your yard of dog waste at least once a week if you own one dog, or more for two or three dogs. This is an unpleasant job to do, and many people would rather spend their precious free time enjoying other activities. You can always find a local business that will be more than happy to take this choir off your hands for a reasonable fee.