Potty Training Older Dogs

Potty training is not just for puppies. Some older dogs that may have been outside dogs or were never housetrained will need some special considerations. Older dogs that have been outside or were allowed to use the indoors for relieving themselves will need a little more time. 

You can use a crate for potty training or use command training. Keep in mind that older dogs have already developed a personality and they can be strong willed when it comes to change. Take your time and spend time with the dog so they know you are in control. 

Since older dogs can go for longer periods without relieving themselves, you can use the command method for housebreaking. After the dog eats, you can expect that within an hour the dog will have to go potty. This is not always true for drinking water. Most dogs will be able to drink water and not have to use the potty for a while. You will have to get to know that dog's routine. 

This means that you will spend some time outdoors until you figure out when the dog needs to go. 

You can figure that the dog should go outside every hour for the first few days. If you tell the dog to go potty, they should catch on relatively fast. Give this command as they are going and then praise them and give them a treat. They will learn quickly that praise and a treat come when they go potty. If the dog goes potty in the house, you do not want to yell or punish the dog. 

You will need to tell the dog no and take them outside and tell them to go potty. 

What you must do until the older dog or even a puppy learns that they should go potty outside is to not play with them outdoors. The dog must learn that the reason that they are outside is to relieve themselves. After they learn, then you can offer play when they are done going to the potty. The older dog can be the same way. In some instances, you might want to put the dog on a leash in the yard and leave them for about fifteen to thirty minutes. 

This can help for dogs that were treated badly for going to the bathroom in front of people. 

Even though the older dog is not housetrained, you can change this around with a little work. The best way to do this is on a weekend when you can be home all the time to work with the dog. You will need to reinforce good behavior, which should be done in the first few days of bringing the dog into the house. 

You will find that whether you crate train or command train the older dog, they will be quick to learn and eager to please you if you treat them with love and give praise and treats for doing well.

Even the worst dog can be transformed with love and training.

For more helpful dog training help, please visit our Potty Dog Training Website.

Dog Potty Training - Paper Training

Housebreaking a puppy using paper is a consideration, but can cause some other problems in the future. When you decide to paper train a puppy, you have to use a specific method in order to eventually get the puppy to use the outdoors to relieve him or herself. 

This can be a little frustrating if not done correctly. You need to start paper training the puppy as soon as you bring him or her home. Place the paper somewhere close to a door that the puppy will eventually go out when they learn to relieve themselves outside. 

You will need to place the puppy on the paper when you think it is time to potty. This should be done quite often so that the puppy realizes that this where they should go to the bathroom. 

It is best to use about three pieces of paper to start. As the puppy becomes accustomed to going on the paper, you will eventually start taking away a piece of paper while moving it closer to the outside door. 

Keep in mind that taking the dog outside is also recommended when paper training. The paper is for times when you cannot get to the puppy and take him or her outside. As you move the paper closer to the door and take a piece away until you are down to just one piece, you should move the paper outdoors. 

The puppy should have learned where to go and will ask to go out the door to reach the paper. When the puppy has accomplished asking to go outside for the paper, you can then take the paper away and allow the puppy to use the yard to relieve him or herself. 

There are some downsides to paper training that you must be aware of before starting. If you lay a piece of paper down anywhere in the house, chances are that the puppy is going to use this to relieve him or herself. 

Potty training puppies to use a newspaper has its upsides, but you do have to be careful not to leave paper on the floor anywhere else in the house. If the puppy is a fast learner, this process should only take a month or so. Some dogs however will need longer. 

You have to have patience when potty training a puppy with paper. 

Potty training puppies with paper can be easier on people who have busy schedules, but you will have to change the soiled paper many times a day. This is important when potty training a puppy. 

If you have a puppy that pees a lot, you may want to use plastic under the newspaper so it does not soak through to the floor. You can also place the newspaper on a vinyl floor so that it is easier to clean after every paper change. 

You should take the shortest amount of time to paper train a puppy, but do not rush the puppy when you are moving the paper closer to the door. 

For more helpful dog training help, please visit our Potty Dog Training Website.

Dog Potty Training - Litter Training

Cat litter in box (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyone has heard of litter training the cat, but you should know that it is possible to start puppy litter training on your little one so that they learn where to go when they need to relieve themselves. 

This will more than likely not work on an older dog, but it can be done with a puppy. Smaller breed dogs will do very well with this method of potty training, but if the dog breed is going to be large, you may not want to use this method. 

Larger dogs could fill the litter box up at one time and may miss the entire box. 

Remember a few things if you choose to puppy liter train your little one, you have to have contact with the dog at all times and you should take the puppy to the litter box every time he wakes, eats, drinks or exercises. 

The litter box will replace a need to take the puppy outside. Therefore, you must follow the standard puppy training tips. 

It does not have to be hard to litter train the puppy, but you do need to set the box up correctly.

Puppy training a puppy using a litter box will require a large sized litter box that the puppy can easily get in and out of. You should put plastic down on the floor about two inches wider than the litter box in case of an accidental miss.

You may have to keep one spot of urine in the litter box so that the puppy smells it and knows that this is where he or she belongs. You do have to keep the box clean, but for a puppy, you should keep a little urine spot in the box until they are accustomed to using the litter box. 

You can use cat litter in the litter box, which will help with the smell more so than shredded paper will. Scoopable cat litter will work very well, but you do have to scoop it two or three times a day. You will also use more cat litter than you would with a one cat. Housetraining puppies can be very easy if you choose this method.

If you live in an apartment or have no yard for the puppy to go, this will be ideal. 

Training an older smaller dog to use the litter box will take more time. You will have to be persistent about placing them in the litter box whenever you think that they should go outside.

If the dog asks to go outside, you could then place the dog in the litter box. Again using the litter box for a well-trained housedog should be the last resort and only if you live in a place with no yard. 

Older dogs are harder to change once they have been allowed to potty in the house, but with time and dedication, you can break them of bad behavior and get them to use the litter box. 

You will need to place the litter box in a place that is easy for the puppy to get to at all times. Make sure it is out of the way from foot traffic and company. 

For more helpful dog training help, please visit our Potty Dog Training Website.

Dog Potty Training - Command Training

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may not believe it, but you can train puppies and older dogs to go to the bathroom on command. Many puppies can hear words that are repeated and associate them with what you want them to do. For instance, when your puppy is outside relieving him or herself, say go potty.

If you do this enough, the puppy will soon associate the phrase 'go potty' with relieving him or herself. This will train the puppy to go potty on command. Word association is the best way to train your puppy.

If your puppy goes to the bathroom in the house, you can say, "No, go outside," then take the puppy outdoors. After a while, the puppy will use this word association with something they should not do indoors but outdoors.

There is never a need to spank a dog when you are using command training. The puppy will associate the word 'no' with bad behavior and will learn to go outside rather than indoors.

The first thing that you must do is take the puppy outside and tell it to go potty. The puppy must stay outside until he or she goes. You will continue to instruct the puppy to 'go potty' until they finally do. Then you should praise the puppy for a good job. After a while, the puppy is going to learn that going potty outside makes you happy.

You should choose one specific spot for command training to relieve themselves. They will associate this spot with going potty.

The way you praise your puppy and treat them will have a positive affect on command potty training. If you use the phrase 'go potty', be precise and clear. Some puppies may hear the word as 'no' if you are not clear.

You could also choose a different phrase such as 'potty' or 'do your job' and make it sound less like 'no potty'. You can command train your puppy for any word command and they will eventually learn it.

The one thing you must do is be consistent. Do not use different phrases or words that should mean the same thing, the puppy does not understand this and will become confused.

When using any type of command training, you should use praise as well as little puppy treats. This just helps reinforce a good job and the puppy will associate the command with what you want them to do so they can have a treat.

A puppy as well as an older dog wants to please their owners. You just need a little patience and understanding to accomplish this.

Command housebreaking a puppy can be done indoors or outdoors. If you prefer the puppy to urinate outdoors, this will work well. If you prefer the dog to urinate on paper or puppy pads indoors, you will place the puppy on the pad and instruct him or her to potty. This has to be done all the time.

Many times, after a puppy is completely potty trained, you can stop the commands.

For more helpful dog training help, please visit our Potty Dog Training Website.

Adopting a Cat vs Buying a Cat

Animal Rescue (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When choosing to bring a cat into your household, there are a lot of potential questions to consider. Are you financially able to care for your cat? Will a cat interact well with your other pets? Is anyone in your household allergic to cats? However, before you address these issues, you have to make the choice of where you will begin looking for your future feline companion. In general, you will have two choices: adopting a cat from an animal shelter, and purchasing one of the cats for sale at a pet store or breeder. There are both positive and negative factors associated with each of these choices, which should influence your decision. 


Buying a Cat
Positive Aspects: When you purchase a cat, you will most likely be buying it from a pet store. If you are looking for a specific breed of cat, you may begin your search at a breeder that specializes in the breed you are searching for. When buying from a breeder, you will often get certification stating that your cat is purebred, which may make your cat eligible to participate in cat shows. Many cat shows require proof that a cat is purebred.
Negative Aspects: When purchasing a cat, you are supporting the “pet mills” that produce the animals that you see at many pet stores. In addition to this, thousands of cats are abandoned each year, and are in need of a loving home. Many of the animals in shelters will be euthanized, and by purchasing a cat, you are instead supporting the further breeding of more commercial cats. In addition to this, purchased cats may have genetic defects resulting from inbreeding or poor nutrition, which is common at many pet stores.


Adopting a Cat
Positive Aspects: When you choose to adopt a cat from an animal shelter, you are providing a loving, caring home for an animal that truly needs your love. Many cats in animal shelters are already litter-box trained, and are desperate for human attention. In addition to this, many animal shelters provide spaying/neutering, vaccinations and basic medical care for cats in their care for no extra charge. By adopting a cat from a shelter, you are saving it from being one of the thousands of cats that are euthanized at animal shelters each year.
Negative Aspects: If you do not adopt a cat from a reputable shelter, you may have to deal with improper medical care that occurred during a cat’s shelter care. Some cats from shelters may have been extensively abused, and may require extra care before they are able to interact with humans on a normal level.


Conclusion
In general, there are more benefits associated with adopting a cat from an animal shelter than from purchasing a cat from a breeder or pet store. Due to overcrowding in animal shelters, thousands of cats are killed each year simply because shelters do not have enough room. Adopting a cat from an animal shelter is less expensive as well, since many common medical care procedures are included in the small adoption fee from most shelters.

The Lowdown on Gut Health and Probiotics

Probiotics, often sold as supplements, are living microorganisms very similar to these resident bacteria. When your cat or dog is troubled with gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea or constipation, can these tiny organisms accomplish the improvements often attributed to them?

Your pet's digestive system, just like yours, is home to billions of bacteria that keep their gut running smoothly.

Common Digestive Problems in Dogs and Cats

The digestive systems of cats and dogs are more similar than different. Although cats generally have smaller stomachs and shorter digestive tracts than dogs, both process their food in the stomach, with nutrients and water later absorbed as it moves along through the intestines.

"The gut is the largest immune organ in the body," says Susan G. Wynn, DVM, a veterinary nutritionist in Atlanta. Its job is to allow absorption of food, while excluding elements like bacteria and toxins, yet "sometimes these defenses break down."

That breakdown can lead cats and dogs to experience similar digestive upsets, including vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. The cause of gastrointestinal problems for dogs is often related to their tendency to eat things they shouldn't, while cats may suffer digestive system upset as a result of parasites in their prey.

For cats and dogs, studies show that a healthy population of gut bacteria is vital to a fit gastrointestinal tract. "Gut flora and mucosa act as barriers against gut pathogens," says Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians. They also play a vital role in removing toxins, enhancing digestion, and out-competing disease-causing microorganisms. 

Can Probiotics Help Your Pet?

Although studies are ongoing, some research shows that when your cat or dog experiences digestive problems, probiotics can be beneficial, says Ann Wortinger, BIS, LVT, program chair of veterinary technology at Sanford-Brown College in Dearborn, Mich. Probiotic "good" bacteria can lower intestinal pH, helping to not only boost their own numbers, but to lower the numbers of disease-causing bacteria in your pet's gut, while making it harder for potentially disease-causing pathogens to set up shop in the small intestine, Wortinger explains.

Probiotics might potentially help in many ways, Wynn tells WebMD, such as boosting poor immune function, addressing bacterial imbalance, or by enhancing the health of the cells in the tissue of your pet's gastrointestinal tract that produce digestive enzymes. "They may also help with digestion by providing their own digestive enzymes," she adds.

Marla J. McGeorge, DVM, a Portland veterinarian specializing in cat care, uses probiotics in the management of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, as well as in patients she feels could benefit from general immune system support, such a cat fighting an infection.

Pet Probiotics: Why You Should Talk to Your Vet

Although pet probiotics may be beneficial in certain situations, there can be issues with them.

"Commercially sold probiotics are not regulated," says Craig Datz, DVM, associate teaching professor at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and most haven't been researched in dogs and cats. As a matter of fact, tests of 13 probiotic products showed that only two contained the number of probiotic organisms advertised. Some "contained as little as 7% to 58% of the label claim," Datz tells WebMD.

What's part of the reason for the discrepancy? It's hard for beneficial bacteria to survive weeks or months on a store shelf. Even if they do, the bacteria then have to survive their trip through your pet's stomach acids and bile salts in order to successfully make it to the gastrointestinal tract.

To deal with these problems, some pet probiotic producers now microencapsulate their bacteria to help protect them, says Wortinger, while others deliver a wider array of bacteria within a single product to improve effectiveness.

Talk to your veterinarian if you think probiotics might help your dog or cat. Your vet can probably recommend products they are familiar with that have had good results.

Cataracts in Dogs

Cataract in dog eye (Photo credit: Wikipedia

What are Cataracts?

A cataract is an opacity in the lens of a dog’s eye, causing him to have blurry vision. If the cataract is small, it won’t likely disturb the dog’s vision too much, but cataracts must be monitored because the thicker and denser they become, the more likely it is they will lead to blindness.

What Causes Cataracts?

Cataracts can develop from disease, old age and trauma to the eye, but inherited conditions are the most common cause. Cataracts may be present at birth or develop when a dog is very young-between one and three years of age. A high-incidence of cataracts is also often attributed to diabetes.

How Can I Tell if My Dog Is Developing Cataracts?

If your dog’s eyes look cloudy or bluish-gray, you should take him to the vet for an exam. Be aware, though, that it’s natural for a dog’s lens to become cloudy, or gray, with age. This condition, called nuclear sclerosis, doesn’t put a dog’s vision in as much danger as cataracts might, and treatment isn’t usually recommended. However, any cloudiness at all in your pet’s eye is a sign for you to take him to the vet.

What Happens When a Cataract Goes Untreated?

An untreated cataract may “luxate” or slip from the tissue that holds it in place, freeing it to float around in the eye where it may settle and block natural fluid drainage. This can lead to glaucoma, which can cause permanent blindness. Cataracts may also begin to dissolve after some time, causing deep, painful inflammation in the eye.

Which Dogs Are Prone to Cataracts?

Though dogs of all ages and breeds can develop cataracts, they are more commonly found in cocker spaniels, poodles, miniature schnauzers, terriers and golden retrievers. Dogs with diabetes are also especially prone.

How Are Cataracts Diagnosed?

A preliminary eye exam by your veterinarian will tell you whether you are dealing with a cataract or another condition that causes cloudiness in the eye. You should then consult with a veterinary ophthalmologist to determine the extent of the cataract and what steps to take to manage the problem.

How Can I Help Preserve My Dog’s Vision?

In most cases, cataracts cannot be prevented, but there are steps to take to ensure that your dog’s vision can be preserved, especially if they are caused by a medical condition like diabetes.

• Examine your dog’s eyes regularly.
• Take your dog to the vet if his eyes look cloudy or bluish-gray.
• Take your dog to the vet if you suspect she’s having trouble seeing.
• If possible, find out the medical history of your dog’s parents, since cataracts are often inherited.
• Be aware of any conditions your dog has that may cause cataracts, such as diabetes or eye trauma.

How Can Cataracts Be Treated?

Vision loss due to cataracts can often be restored through surgery. A veterinary ophthalmologist will surgically remove the lens, replacing it with a plastic or acrylic lens. Cataract surgery generally has a good success rate, but your veterinarian will need to determine whether your dog is a good surgical candidate. The procedure also requires extensive postoperative care.

Note: If your pet has an underlying condition such as diabetes, treating the underlying condition may lessen the chances that cataracts will develop.

How Can I Care for My Pet After Cataract Surgery?

After surgery, your pet will have to wear a protective (Elizabethan) collar until his eye heals. You’ll need to keep him relaxed in a calm environment, and he’ll also require eye drops several times a day for a few weeks.

Treatment for Cat Wounds

Multiple healed injuries from catfights. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Steps for Treating a Wound

Cats are just as susceptible to everyday minor injuries as any other animal. Many cuts (lacerations), bruises (contusions), and scrapes (abrasions) are not life threatening and will heal with little treatment. Other wounds can be severe enough to require sutures and more intense emergency care.

What to Watch For

Fresh wounds will usually show some or all of the following:

Bleeding
Swelling
Missing hair
Cut, scraped or torn skin
Limping
Tenderness or pain

If a wound is not seen when it is fresh, it can become infected. In addition to swelling and tenderness, you may observe the following:

Discharge (pus) from the wound
Abscesses (i.e., an accumulation of pus under the skin) and the resulting hole in the skin when the abscess break open and drain
Signs of a fever (e.g., lethargy and ears that feel hot to the touch)

Primary Cause

Wounds can come from bumping or hitting hard or sharp objects, avoiding cars, attacks from animals, and other dangers.

Immediate Care

What you can do at home is ultimately up to your cat. Sometimes the only thing you can do is wrap your cat in a towel or put him in a carrier and take him straight to your veterinarian. There are, however, a few things you can do if your cat will let you, especially if it may be a while before you can get to your veterinarian.

If there is bleeding, apply direct pressure to the wound. The wound should be covered with sterile gauze or a clean cloth, and then pressure applied. It may take 5 to 10 minutes for bleeding to stop. Once it does, tape the gauze in place; removing it may remove the clot and bleeding will restart.
Check for other wounds.
If there is no bleeding and the cut (laceration) or scrape (abrasion) appears minor, try cleaning the wound. Use an antiseptic solution or plain water and gauze or a cloth (not cotton) to gently clean around the wound, and a syringe or similar device to flush the solution over the surface of the wound. Antiseptic solutions are made by diluting concentrated solutions bought at the store that contain either povidone iodine or chlorhexidine diacetate as the active ingredient. Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the wounds, as these will actually damage the tissue. Povidone should be diluted to the color of weak tea; chlorhexidine should be diluted to pale blue.
If the laceration is long or deep, or if it is a puncture wound, you can clean around the edges as already described, but do not flush the wound itself. Let the veterinarian do that.
Once you have done all that you can, take your cat to your veterinarian.

Veterinary Care

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will carefully examine your cat and evaluate all wounds that are found. Your cat will also be evaluated for indications of other problems. The cat's hair will need to be shaved off for proper evaluation. Some wounds may require X-rays. Sedation may also be necessary to accomplish the examination.

Treatment

The basic goals of treatment are to prevent infection and speed healing. Different types of wounds require different methods of accomplishing these goals. Most of the time your cat will require sedation or anesthesia to treat the wounds safely and without causing more pain.

Small scrapes and cuts often require nothing more than a thorough cleaning and maybe a little skin glue to hold the edges of the cut together.
Long and/or deep cuts require careful cleaning to be sure there is no debris in the wound and careful examination to determine the extent of the damage. If the wound is less than 12 hours old and not heavily contaminated, it will probably be sutured closed.
Puncture wounds, especially from animal bites, often have extensive damage under the skin that is not visible on initial exam. After removing any possible foreign materials, these wounds have to be thoroughly probed and then carefully cleaned with large volumes of antiseptic solution. Sometimes these wounds must be opened surgically to treat damage deep in the tissues.
Meanwhile, puncture wounds and/or wounds that are over 12 hours old, contaminated or showing signs infection, abscessed, or missing large amounts of skin are usually not sutured. Instead they are covered with bandages until such time as the wound is healed or the wound is healthy enough that sutures will actually help the wound rather than trap infection inside.
Large or deep wounds, contaminated wounds, or multiple puncture wounds often require the placement of a Penrose drain, which is soft rubber tubing that allows excess, contaminated tissue fluid to drain out, and keeps a small opening available for flushing antiseptic solution through the wound.
Your veterinarian will give your cat medication for infection and possibly for pain, which you will need to continue giving at home.
Most cats are released within 24 hours of being admitted.

Living and Management

The most important thing you can do once your cat is home is to provide good nursing care. Fortunately this is usually for only 1 to 2 weeks. Good nursing care includes:

Keeping your cat from licking, chewing or scratching at the wounds, sutures, bandages, or drains. This may require the use of an Elizabethan collar.
Keeping bandages clean and dry and changing the the bandages as directed by your veterinarian. This may be as often as 2 or 3 times a day initially. You may need to take your cat back to the vet for the changes, especially if he is not cooperative. If the bandages get wet, or you notice an odor, chafing, or an increase in drainage (or the drainage doesn’t subside), take your cat to the vet for evaluation.
Placing a thin film of an antibiotic ointment around the edges of the wound once or twice a day, but only if the cat can’t lick it off.
Making sure your cat gets all the medication that has been prescribed. If you are having trouble administering it, contact your veterinarian.

Unless the wounds are severe or complications develop, here is a typical schedule of events after the veterinary visit:

Penrose drains are removed 3 to 5 days after being placed.
Sutures are removed 10 to 14 days after being placed.
Antibiotics are generally given for 7 to 10 days.
Pain medication, if used, is usually given for 5 to 7 days.
Bandages may be left on for as little as 24 hours or up to several weeks, depending on the nature of the wound. Bandage changes are at least once a day to start; longer intervals between changes may be possible later in the healing process.

If a wound, especially a puncture wound, was not seen, and if your cat did not take antibiotics, an abscess can form, resulting in symptoms described at the beginning of this article. Abscesses take about 10 to 14 days to develop, and often are not noticed until they rupture. An abscess will require another trip to your veterinarian.

Prevention

Since cats are most likely to be injured when roaming outside unattended, the best way to prevent injury is to either keep the cat inside or only let him out in a protected, confined area.