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Summer is when dogs are most at risk of being affected by heatstroke. A dog’s normal body temperature is 100°F to 102.5°F but, unlike humans, dogs do not have sweat glands throughout their skin.  Their only methods for cooling include limited sweat glands on the pads of their feet and nose, and panting. Both of which are inefficient at cooling their body temperature in extreme situations. If a dog cannot effectively dissipate heat, their internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature exceeds 104° damage to their body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. With heatstroke the cells literally cook.

Have you ever said to yourself “I’m just going to run into the store for a minute, my dog will be fine in the car?”  Well, including the time to walk to the store from your car, shopping, and checkout, a minute is never just a minute. A study by the Animal Protection Institute showed that even moderately warm outside temperatures can quickly lead to deadly temperatures inside a closed car. In just a few minutes the internal temperature of a car can easily reach 40° higher than the outside temperature even if parked in the shade with the windows cracked open. Being left in a car is the number one cause of heatstroke in dogs.

Although exercise is essential for a happy and healthy dog, be sure to choose a time of day, during hot months, that is safe for heavy activity and pay close attention to how your dog is responding. Owners with breeds such as Pugs, English Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers need to be especially attentive to their pet’s needs, as they are less tolerant of heat. When you are playing and exercising outside, always make sure your dog has plenty of fresh cool water and access to a shaded area at all times.  Be sure to take frequent breaks and allow your dog to cool down before resuming activity. If you take walks, try to go in the early morning or in the evening and remember to take water with you.

How do you know if your dog may have heatstroke? Some of the symptoms include:

–          A rectal temperature over 104 ° F (needs immediate veterinary attention)

–          A rectal temperature of 106 °F or greater (dire emergency)

–          Excessive panting

–          Bright red gums and tongue

–          Gums feel dry to the touch

–          Thick saliva

–          Excessive shaking

–          Staggering

–          Lying down and refusing or unable to get back up

What to do if you suspect your dog may be affected by heatstroke:

–          Remove your dog from the hot environment

–          Immediately get a rectal temperature if possible

–          DO NOT Submerge or saturate your dog with cold water or ice!! (This may make internal damage more severe).

–          Place cool, wet rags or washcloths on major blood vessels such as the jugular vein (along the neck) and the femoral artery (inside the rear leg). Replace often.

Slightly dampen your dog with lukewarm water and place directly in front of a fan to safely wick away heat- Do not soak!

–          Offer your dog cool water to drink but do not force water into the mouth

–          Most effective treatment is with IV fluids and medications administered by your veterinarian!

–          Call or visit your vet right away – even if your dog seems better. Internal damage might not be obvious to the naked eye, so an exam is necessary (and further testing may be recommended).

Some dogs can fully recover from heatstroke if it is caught and treated early by a veterinarian. Prognosis of treatment for heatstroke is significantly affected by how high the body temperature reaches, and the length of time the dog was exposed to dangerous levels. A delay in treatment for two hours may result in a 70% chance of death. Sadly, many dogs affected by heatstroke do not survive. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog safe during the warm weather.

If you want to know how to train your alano espanol puppy, this article can help you get in the right mindset. This breed can be very dominant and serious but also very controllable and often acts submissive towards its master.

Before you can even begin to train your dog you need to first gain their respect and their trust. It is especially true when training a dog. Since dogs are known pack animals they have an instinct to follow one strong leader. You must put yourself in the position of “pack leader” in order to successful train your dog.

If your alano espanol does not have respect or a trust of you there is no way possible that you will be able to train it. Trust and respect are earned by dogs just as it is earned with people. Once the dog learns to trust its owner the training sessions will work much quicker.

One mistake that happens with many new dog owners is they are trying to give love and affection and wanting the dog to feel respect and trust. Show the love but you also must show you are in charge and confident in that. If your dog steps out of line and does something wrong, such as chewing furniture or shoes don’t let even little things go unpunished. Once a dog feels like they have the lead role in the family they will take over and do as they please, listening and obeying no one. Setting the rules of the house and being firm in these rules and firm in your telling the dog no.

You may believe that dogs don’t know how to listen but this is far from the truth. Dogs are smart and they like to have boundaries and rules as it is a natural instinct. As a part of the pack a dog will look to the leader and follow their actions or commands. So, even though it may seem cruel it really isn’t because a dog actually functions better when able to follow a leader otherwise they simply get confused or try and rule your roost. Use a firm hand but also give lots of love. Praise the dog when he does good things and you will have a best friend for life.

Good luck training your new alano espanol puppy!

The dog is one of the most beloved house pets around the world and have been bringing joy and laughter to families for years and years.  They have also brought a little known issue called shedding into the lives of many families around the world.  This is not something that anyone is fond of and often can be a nuisance.  If you want a simple solution to your dog’s shedding problem, then the FURminator might just be the answer you’re looking for.

The problem stems from the dog’s undercoat, which is where you are most likely to find loose dead hair that is trapped underneath your dogs upper coat.  This hair slowly comes free and falls to the ground, which is where the shedding issue comes from.  The result is usually balls of hair in the corners of your home, or underneath your table, and in little hard to reach places.

The FURminator is designed to get under the top layer of fur to pull out the dead undercoat fur instead of letting it fall onto the floor, or your sofa, or under your table.  This great product is quite inexpensive, and can be found in many different retail stores, both offline and online.

The other great thing about the FURminator is that there is nothing about it that would hurt your pet, so you can be sure that your dog will come out with a healthier looking coat, and no scars to show for it!  The FURminator is the ultimate tool for removing your dog’s loose dead undercoat.

The FURminator is available in three convenient sizes, small, medium, and large, which typically are made for different size dogs.  Small being the most appropriate for small dogs, and so on.  If you would like to save yourself the trouble of having to constantly pick up after your shedding dog, then you may want to consider purchasing the FURminator to help eliminate the problem.

Chewing is normal for all puppies. It is their hereditary way of communicating within the litter. You should have some chew toys for the puppy to use in order to replace undesirable chewing tendencies. If your Dalmatian puppy goes for the TV knobs, give him a 1/4in diameter composite chewing log.

All Dalmatians are incredibly efficient at destroying chew toys. The only one that is apparently indestructible is the beehive-shaped rubber toy, which lasts for years around both pups and adults, and they enjoy chewing them. An inexpensive thing that puppies will play with for days before they start to wear it out is a plastic pop bottle. If you keep the cap on, the container is too large to get a good grip on and the puppies will use it as a giant hockey puck whenever they see it.

Another caution with regard to chewing has to do with house, yard, and garden plants. Identify the vegetation you have and call your vet, a plant expert, or maybe even do your own research and find out whether your plants are toxic to dogs. They will chew on rocks, too, especially ones about as big as your thumb that are fun to toss around in their mouths. If you catch them doing this, take the rock from them and get rid of it, telling them “No!” Some Dalmatians will get carried away with sloshing them around in their mouths and before they know it, they swallow them.

There are also foods that are toxic to dogs. Teaching a Dalmatian what is and is not permissible to chew is generally a process that lasts the lifetime of the dog. They are constantly discovering new things to chew. As a final note on chewing, though it is cute to have the puppy untie your shoelaces or clamp surprisingly sharp puppy teeth on your fingers, it is not cute for a sixty-pound adult to do the same things.

If you want a well-behaved adult Dalmatian, do not allow your puppy to continue his “chewing communication” with you. When he comes up and puts his mouth on anything that you would not allow an adult to bite or chew, catch him in the act of starting to bite the object and snap him on the end of the nose with your index finger, and tell him clearly out yelling “No!”

This kind of correction will startle the puppy more than anything else, and you will find that he will direct his attention somewhere else almost immediately. Be generous with your praise
when he changes his focus of activity. If you are consistent with this form of correction at an early age, you will wind up with a very well-mannered Dalmatian.

Calling all dog-lovers! Dogs have made some of the most unforgettable characters in literature. It’s not uncommon for children to become as attached to a dog in print as the real thing. Puppy love comes in all forms. In fact, I believe I can trace my canine-cravings to my earliest days of reading, when I fell in love with Old Dan and Little Ann (from Where the Red Fern Grows). Below, I’ve compiled a list of five famous dogs you must bring home for your littlest children! (Good news…you won’t have to clean up after these champions!)

Carl is the star of seven picture books by Alexandra Day. The gist of these stories is that Carl, a responsible and caring rottweiler, is given the responsibility of caring for baby Madeleine while her parents are out. Once the adults are out of the way the fun begins! Carl includes Madeleine on some wild adventures. Sometimes they just trail the parents (keeping out of sight, of course), and sometimes they get into trouble—but Carl always manages to cover his tracks! With realistic watercolor illustrations and few words (only those necessary to suggest the storyline), Day’s books are designed for very young readers, 2-5 year olds, and will make rottweiler fans out of readers everywhere.

In 1976 Eric Hill’s son Christopher was born. Eric created a story about a small puppy to read to his son at bed-time. In 1980 Where’s Spot? was published. Now over forty Spot titles fill the library bookshelves, and the list is still growing. Cuddly and creamy-colored, with big brown spots on his back and the tip of his tail, this dog is destined to be your child’s best friend. With simple storylines and sturdy flaps, Spot books appeal to 2-5 year olds.

This is the Fiftieth Anniversary for our next dog protagonist. (Now how old would that be in dog years?) Harry, a small white dog with black spots, was created in 1956 by Gene Zion. Five installments complete the Harry collection. He is a wholesome, amusing addition to any children’s library. Whether he’s trying to quiet down his neighbor, hiding a hideous sweater, or visiting the seaside, Harry’s always into mischief! Even reluctant readers, ages 2-8 years old, can’t resist Harry!

Norman Bridwell gave birth to the next character, basing him on the kind of dog he dreamed of having as a little boy. But there’s nothing little about Clifford! Even though he’s fire-engine red and as big as a house, Clifford doesn’t do anything a real dog couldn’t do (with a little imagination.) The Clifford stories are based on ordinary events that turn extraordinary when Clifford makes innocent mistakes. His side-kick is his sweet little blonde owner, Emily Elizabeth. Designed for readers aged 6-10 years old, Clifford has been a children’s favorite since 1963. Now a PBS cartoon, Clifford continues to delight dog-lovers the world over.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog introduces us to Hank, and it isn’t long before you get the impression that author John R. Erickson is a keen observer of dogs. Indeed, as a former cowboy and ranch manager, Erickson started spinning yarns about Hank and Drover, two dogs he worked with on the range. These “true” stories became the Hank series, which now numbers at 48 installments. Designed for middle readers, ages 6-12, these make perfect read-aloud books that will even entertain adults. There are even recordings of the author reading the books available now!

Without a dog-gone doubt, dogs in print can substitute as man’s best friend. It’s a fine reward to see your little one light up at the sight of a book. A good dog and a good book, a match made in heaven!