Brought home a new puppy? Do you need to know what supplements are required? Then you are at just the right place. Read the full blog post to understand what your puppy really needs.

Adults are not the only ones who need dietary supplements or vitamins. Your dogs or puppies are in very much need of the same. Most common dietary supplements which are used by dog guardians are multivitamins to support the arthritic joints dogs, fatty acids to cause reduction in shedding and improvement in the coat shine, probiotics to reduce or alleviate gastrointestinal problems and finally antioxidants to counteract the effects of old age like cognitive dysfunction. 

As per the latest research, there is a growing population of overweight as well as aging dogs that has led to an increase in the requirement of supplements by around 37% by the year 2012. 

Let's find the answers to a few burning question that generally hovers on every dog guardians mind:

1. Is vitamin supplementation necessary for my dog?

In case you provide your dog the commercially processed dog food, then your dog most likely receives a complete and balanced diet which includes all the necessary minerals and vitamins from his diet itself. However, in case you are administering your dog the homemade diet, it is absolutely critical that you provide all necessary vitamins and mineral supplements separately to your dog. The amount of the vitamin and mineral supplement provided to your dog must match your dogs diet. To understand how much supplement your dog needs you must contact your veterinarian. 

2. Is there any danger if I am administering vitamins to my dog?

If your dog is already eating a balanced diet and you are separately administering vitamins to him or her, then the excess portions of certain minerals and vitamins can be harmful as per the FDA and the veterinarians

If you provide your dog too much calcium, it can lead to skeletal problems specially if your dog belongs to the large breeds. If you provide too much vitamin A to your dog, it can harm the blood vessels and cause joint pain and dehydration. Excess levels of vitamin in the blood can cause a dog to stop eating, may cause the muscles to undergo atrophy and harm the bones.

3. Should I consult my before I start to supplement my dog's diet?

The answer to this is a huge YES! You must always consult with your vet before starting your dog on any new type of vitamin mineral supplement. It has been observed that sometimes symptoms which may look like your dog is suffering from arthritis like dog with a weak hip could instead turn out to actually be a neurological problem. If your dog is suffering from a poor skin condition, it could also be indicative of a skin, hormonal or metabolic problem. This it is imperative that you consult your vet before starting your dog on any kind of supplement. 

Ingredients which are present in your dog’s supplement, specially the herbal kind can actually interfere with any other medication that your dog is on. Most of the veterinarians say that if your dog is on a balanced and complete diet and is otherwise healthy with no visible problems, they do not actually need any kind of supplementation. For those dog guardians who want to provide the dogs with some extra nutrients, they can always add fruits and vegetables to their dogs diet.                  

4. Do dog supplements actually work?

The working of a Docs supplement primarily depends on how the supplement was manufactured, whether the rights also produced or not and whether the quality of manufacture was good. Since clinical trials are rare in case of pet supplements, it is hard to find perfect supplement for any condition.

glucosamine-chondroitin-based supplements are most commonly given to dogs who suffer from osteoarthritis. This is one supplement which has been tested in case of humans as well as animals. It has been observed that because I am in confidence Alfred reduces the pain and increases the mobility after 70 days of treatment. However in case of other clinical trials the same effects could not be replicated.

Fish oil supplements are probably the ones which can be used without your vet approval since they make the coat shinier and are generally good for the skin. Fish oil supplements have also been observed to reduce the inflammation as per a study which was published in the American Journal of veterinary research.

Antioxidants like vitamin C and E have also been observed to reduce inflammation and can help senior dogs with memory recall. However, these have not been tested for long-term safety in case of dogs.

5. Do nutritional supplements for dogs contain the nutrients promised in the label?

Unfortunately when glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate supplements were tested for both pets and humans, 60% of the products for dogs failed the test compare to 25% of the products which were manufactured for people.

The national animal supplement Council has also checked nutritional products for dogs and have observed that 25% do not meet the claims made on the label.

6. Which is the governing body which regulates dog vitamins and supplements?

The dog vitamins and supplements are regulated by the FDA. However, the National Animal Supplement Council is addresses the concerns regarding labelling guidelines and reporting supplements which do not meet the amount of ingredients promised on the label.

7. As a dog guardian how should I choose a supplement for my dog?

Here are a few tips from veterinarians and those who work in the field of supplement testing. Remember these tips when you choose a supplement for your dog:

• Go for a brand which is specialised in only one area or who have clinical studies to back up their claims
• Always read labels carefully. Focus carefully on the ingredient which you are looking for, so that you don’t get fooled by their similar looking products.
• Always check for the lot number, presence of a lot number indicates that the company has quality control checks in place.
• Check for the contact number of the company on the label. You can go one step further and call the company to find out who formulated the product, how long has the manufacturer been in business and how much expertise do they have in the field.
• Be extra careful of the claims that sound too good to be true. Some companies claim that their products can alleviate diseases like hip dysplasia, parvovirus and cancer. Do not fall for such false promises.
• Look for certification from a governing body which checks supplements.
• Never give your dog any human supplements.
• Either try to know the seller or buy the supplement from your veterinarian’s office. Surveys have shown that such supplements cause less problems in the long run.

8.What about the supplements which are present in the commercial dog food?

The general dog food which is  available in the market contain vitamins and supplements but these are not up to the level of therapeutic dose in case your dog is suffering from any type nutritional deficiency.

However, in case your dog is on a prescription dog food, these are supposed to have therapeutic levels of supplements. If you still feel that your dog is in need of more supplements, have a discussion with your vet first before starting your dog on any new supplement.

Do you administer any vitamin or mineral supplements to your dog? If yes, then write your experiences in the comment section below. If you want to share your stories with my readers, please contact me on any of my social media channels.

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 It's time to know the herbal remedies which can cure your dog suffering from kennel cough

 In my previous poor I discussed kennel cough, the causes, and symptoms of the same. In this post, I will discuss the herbal remedies which can prevent Kennel cough in your dog.

 Kennel cough is just like the common cold in dogs. It can infect your dog if he/she comes is contact with any other dog. Kennel cough can infect your dog if your dog cones ins direct contact with an infected dog-like touching noses, using contaminated surfaces like water, food or food bowl or even by touching noses or droplet. Kennel cough sounds like a dreadful disease. However, it is fairly treatable. Have a discussion with your veterinarian regarding the herbal remedies and your dog's current condition before administering any of them to your dogs. If the condition persists, call your veterinarian immediately..

1.     Add probiotics to your dog's diet: 

Probiotics are not only good for your dog's digestive and oral health, they can also help to prevent Kennel cough in your beloved pooch. kennel cough has a tendency to progress to pneumonia. The good bacteria present in the probiotics compete with the bad bacteria for nutrients preventing the growth of the bad bacteria. Make sure that you only administer the probiotic supplements which are specifically made for dogs. In case your dog has been prescribed an antibiotic by the veterinarian, make sure that you wait for 2 hours before you administer the probiotic to your dog. In case the antibiotics and probiotics are given at the same time, they will cancel out one another.

2.     Treat Kennel cough with coconut oil:- 

I have written a previous blog post about the wonders of coconut oil for dogs. You can access it by clicking here. The antiviral properties of coconut oil help in protecting against the Bordetella virus. Give your dog 2 teaspoons of coconut oil everyday unless the cough is cured. You can either add coconut oil to your dog's diet or you can have your dog directly lick off from the spoons. Congestion causes a loss of appetite. A whiff of coconut oil will have your dog's mouth watering again. .You can also use coconut oil as a part of long term maintenance of your dog's health.

3.     Cinnamon can help: 

Cinnamon is a great dietary supplement. It is safe to be sprinkled on your dog's food any time, but it is especially amazing as a home remedy for kennel cough. Just like coconut oil, cinnamon also possesses antiviral properties. Just sprinkle a half teaspoon of cinnamon on your dog's diet.

4.     Raw honey: 

Raw honey is an amazing remedy for sore throat. Raw honey also possesses antiviral, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties. Provide 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey at least 3 times a day for a 30-50 lbs dog. You can adjust this amount as per your dog's body weight. Or simply administer half teaspoon if your dog is small and one teaspoon if your dog belongs to a large breed.

5.     Garlic: 

Peel some garlic cloves and put them in a glass jar. Cover the garlic cloves with olive oil and allow it to infuse for 24 hours. Once the infusion is done ( after 24 hours), add a few drops of this concoction to your dog's diet.

6.      Homeopathic remedies: 

Dosera:  Can be used in case your dog shows symptoms of dry hacking cough along with violent coughing spells.

 Aconite: Aconite is useful during we early stages of kennel cough like hacking, coughing, etc as if your dog has something stuck in the throat.

Spongia Tosta: This is useful for barking, croupy coughs which mostly improves with drinking or eating warm food but tends to worsen on consumptions of cold food or beverage. spongia is implicative of a cough starting in sleep.

Rumex Crispus: This is helpful if your dog is suffering from a dry and persistent throat tickling.

Belladonna: Belladonna bs used when there is a sudden onset of symptoms, fever, chills as well as sweating from the pads of their feet.

Other remedies which you can do in case your dog is suffering from Kennel cough:

 7. Use a humidifier: 

Place a humidifier near your dog's resting area. The humidifier will moisten the air which your dog breathes, thus, reducing the irritation to your dog's throat.

 8. Use the shower and administer steam therapy to your pooch: 

When you take a warm shower, keep your pup in the bathroom with you. The warm air will provide steam therapy to your dog, clearing up the nostrils and throat.

 9. Grapefruit seed extract: 

Grapefruit seed extract mixed with water in a spray bottle can act a disinfectant to prevent the spread of the virus to the other animal in the house.

10. Provide plenty of rest to your dog: 

Rest is very crucial for your dog to recover from Kennel cough. Reduce your -dog's daily exercise duration. This helps with the recovery process and reduces the coughing episodes.

 11. Avoid the following:- 

When your dog is recovering from Kennel cough, make sure to avoid any kind of irritants like cigarette smoke, dust or household cleaners. These items can cause irritation to your dog's throat and delay the recovery process.

  12. During walks: 

Make sure to use a harness instead of a collar for your dog. The harness will let you apply pressure on your dog's chest which on the other side, a collar will put pressure on your dog's throat which might worsen your dog's condition.

 Conclusion:

Have you ever used herbal remedies for your pup? If you have, please share your experiences with everyone in the comment section below. If you have any stories you wish to share with the world, you can contact me on any of my social media channels.

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If your dog is puking, you are probably very concerned and want to know what to do next. Read the full blog post to understand the causes and preventive measures of the same.

Vomiting is not uncommon in dogs. Some of the reasons behind dog’s vomiting is nothing to worry about. However, if the vomiting is a sign of a serious health problem, you may need immediate veterinary care. Some dogs may vomit from time to time depending on the situation, however, if your dog is big repeatedly vomiting, it deserves your attention.

Your dog’s vomiting can have a look of a clear liquid or it maybe of white, yellow, or brown color. It may or may not be frothy. Read on to find out the potential reasons behind vomiting in dogs and how to prevent the same

In this guide, you will be acquainted with the different kinds of dog vomiting, what are the causes behind them and when should you call your vet.

First, you need to understand, whether your dog is vomiting or regurgitating

The primary thing to keep in mind here is that dogs vomiting and regurgitation art to different things. Vomiting is more of an active process while regurgitation can be considered as a passive process. Vomiting is more concerning than regurgitation. The causes and treatments of both these symptoms are different. Thus, it is very important to understand the difference between the two

Dog vomiting

Dogs vomit when they throw up all the content from the upper intestine and their stomach. These contents are forcefully ejected out of the system. They can either be accompanied with yellow bile or undigested dog food. The smell is almost always sour.

Vomiting might occur after or before eating. It is usually preceded by symptoms like licking their lips, drooling, and swallowing excessively (signs of nausea).

Some dogs may also tend to eat grass to induce vomiting. Grass can protect the esophagus by covering up sharp objects like bone shards when the vomiting occurs. It’s always a good idea to prevent your dog from eating a ton of grass as grass eaten in a large amount can make the matters worse.

Your dog might also try to eat his or her vomit. This is a dog instinct that is very unappealing to humans but is not a problem for dogs

Try to limit your dog’s water consumption after an instance of vomiting. As vomiting causes dehydration, your dog might ingest a lot of water immediately after vomiting which may induce further vomiting.

Regurgitation

Regurgitation is food is thrown out from the esophagus and not from the intestine. In regurgitation, the food is thrown out before it reaches the stomach. The primary difference between regurgitation and vomiting is that regurgitation never involves abdominal heaving. Regurgitation also tends to happen shortly after eating and is induced by either eating too much or eating too fast.

If your dog is under stress or overly excited, this can also lead to regurgitation.

What does your dog’s vomiting look like?

Once you have made sure that your dog is vomiting and not just regurgitating, it is time to identify the vomit by its appearance. The color and looks of the vomit can determine the cause of vomiting in your dog.

White foamy vomit

If your dog vomited a clear liquid that is white and foamy, it can be due to the buildup of stomach acids. The foamy appearance may be due to the vomit coming into contact with air or being sloshed around in the stomach before it is thrown out.

Clear liquid vomit

If the vomit looks like it is a clear liquid, it may have been caused by water pooling in the stomach or stomach secretions. This most often happens when the dog drinks while he or she is feeling nauseous and is unable to keep the water down.

Slimy mucus-like vomit

If your dog vomit looks slimy with mucus and your dog has been drooling, the drool tends to pool in your dog’s stomach in response to some major irritation. Your dog should feel relieved once they vomit up the mucus.

Yellow vomit

Yellow vomit mostly occurs when your dog has not eaten anything the whole day. The color is yellow because of the bile secretions. This kind of vomit occurs either in the middle of the night or during the early morning hours. The reason behind this vomit can either be acid reflux, acid buildup, or other conditions that cause nausea in an empty stomach.

Bloody (pink or red) vomit:

If there is blood in your dog’s vomit, the situation must be taken very seriously and you should consult your vet immediately. Bleeding can occur due to the presence of a tumor, an ulcer, lack of clotting factor, or eating rat poison. The presence of blood always causes nausea in dogs. If the vomit has a pink tinge and the color does not progress to becoming red, if the vomiting is not profuse or prolonged, then it might not be an urgent situation.

On the other hand, if the vomit has fresh blood or blood clots in it, this might be an indication of bleeding in the upper small intestine or the stomach. Bleeding must never be ignored. Always take this seriously and immediately contact your veterinarian

Brown vomit

Brown vomit is most often regurgitated food that never made it to the stomach and just got thrown out of the esophagus. It can also be an indication that the dog ate too quickly, swallow a lot of air, or didn’t you the food.

In the case of brown vomit, it is best to inspect it to determine the nature of the contents. Blood may also appear brown at times if there is no profuse bleeding. Puppies or dogs who engage in coprophagia also tend to do brown vomit.

Green vomit

Green vomit is most often caused due to eating grass. This can also be due to a contraction in the gallbladder before vomiting if your dog is on an empty stomach resulting in the release of the bile in the stomach.

Grass in vomit

The grass is a very common ingredient in dogs vomit. Dogs tend to eat grass when they have digestive issues. Eating grass causes vomit and the grass also gets released in the vomit. If your dog is eating grass regularly, it can be indicative of a bigger problem. The grass may also contain pesticides and parasites which might not be great for your dog’s health. Check out this blog post to know more about why dogs eat grass.

Reasons behind dogs throwing up

There are many reasons as to why dogs vomit. A few breeds and specific ages make dogs more prone to vomiting behavior. There might also be internal or external causes including the severity, color, or duration of the vomit which can influence how to respond to the vomiting. All these things must be kept in mind when you go to your veterinarian.

Here is a list of possible causes that might cause your dog to suffer through acute (one time) or chronic (recurrent tendency, happens repeatedly over time):

• brain tumor
• diabetes mellitus
• an abrupt change in diet
• Addison’s disease
• cancer
• drinking contaminated water
• eating poop (coprophagia)
• bloat
• constipation
• eating too fast
• food allergies or intolerance
• eating grass
• exercising after eating
• gastritis or an upset stomach from eating spoiled food or garbage
• gastrointestinal ulcers
• gastroenteritis i.e. inflammation of the intestinal tract and stomach
• drug side effects or head trauma
• gastroenteritis
• inflammatory bowel disease
• heatstroke
• bacterial or fungal or viral infections
• intestinal obstruction by ingestion of a foreign body
• Parasitic infestation in the intestine
• kidney disease
• Megaesophagus
• middle ear problem
• pancreatitis
• liver disease
• meningitis
• motion sickness
• side effects of the medication
• parvovirus

Remedies to stop your dog from vomiting at home

if your dog is having a mild episode of vomiting, there are a few home remedies that you can try to stop the vomiting. However, before using any of these treatment methods, be sure to discuss them with your veterinarian.

Pepto-Bismol

This is not a proper treatment in the case of dogs. The primary concern in the case of Pepto-Bismol is that it possesses salicylic acid which is a primary ingredient of aspirin. This drug must be used with caution especially if your dog takes anti-inflammatory medicine or steroids as the combination of these two medicines can cause gastrointestinal tract bleeding.

Famotidine or Pepcid AC:

These two are safer options compared to Pepto-Bismol. These can be used to reduce acid reflux and acid production. These can often help to settle your dog’s stomach.

Treatment of dog vomiting at the vet’s office

In the vet’s office, to reduce or stop vomiting, the primary treatment used is injection. This is the safest and most reliable way to get the medicine quickly into the dog's system and to prevent him or her from vomiting again. In case a pill is used to stop the vomit, there is a high chance that the pill will be thrown out when your dog vomits again.

Medications used to stop nausea and vomiting

Cerenia (maropitant citrate) is the drug of choice to reduce and stop vomiting in dogs at a vet clinic. It generally acts on the trigger zone in the dog brain disrupting nausea and acts on receptors in the stomach to help settle the stomach. Your vet will most likely start with Cerenia and follow up with anti-vomiting pills every 24 hours for a few days to ensure that the vomiting has been resolved.

Metoclopramide (Reglan) is less widely used compared to megaesophagus but is still used for motility issues in dogs.

Ondansetron (Zofran) is also used as an anti-vomiting pill in hospitals.

Your vet might also recommend a bland diet for your dog for a few days to aid in digestion.

How to prevent vomiting in dogs?

By observing a few precautionary measures, you can keep your dog safe and prevent an unnecessary visit to the vet’s office due to vomiting.

Always avoid changing your dog’s diet suddenly. If there is a need to change your dog’s diet, do it gradually. Sudden dietary changes have always been observed to cause intestinal upset in dogs.

NEVER give your dog toys that can be chewed up and swallowed. The pieces of such toys can get accumulated in the intestinal tract and lead to obstruction. You are the best judge of your dog’s tendencies and temperament. So if your dog is a heavy chewer or plays very aggressively with his or her toys, then you should opt for homemade dog toys for your dog.

Never give your dog bones to chew on. Bones have been routinely implicated in case of vomiting episodes.

Avoid giving your dogs scraps from the table. Some common human foods have been observed to be downright dangerous to your dogs like garlic, onions, xylitol, chocolate, reasons, grapes, chives etc. Depending on the breed and the background, some dogs may show more sensitivity to these human foods than others. So it is best to avoid giving your dog any scrap from the table.

Do not let your dog access garbage cans. If you’re on a walk, make sure your dog is on a leash and is unable to access road cited trash cans. The gastroenteritis which is caused by consuming cabbage items from the garbage cans is referred to as a garbage gut by veterinarians. The scavenging behavior of dogs also increases the risk of toxin exposure and foreign body digestion.

If your dog is over-inquisitive, you need to carefully watch his or her behavior on the walks. You might even want to try out a muzzle if your dog tends to put everything foreign in his or her mouth.

Conclusion:

Did you have to ever go through a vomiting episode? If yes, what did you do in such a condition? What was the treatment plan offered by your vet? Please share your stories with us in the comment section. If you want me to feature one of the stories on my blog posts, contact me on one of my social media channels.

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If you are reading this post, you have a dog who likes to eat poop. Try out the following amazing tips to correct and get rid of such behavior:

Most commonly, your dog eats poop due to malnourishment. You can do the following to improve your dog’s nourishment and reduce the poop eating behavior:

Enzyme supplementation

The current canine diet which is commercially available has a high level of carbohydrates and low levels of need-based proteins and fats which were a part of the canine ancestor's diet, thus supplement your dog's food with liver enzymes and other biological enzymes that might be needed.

Vitamin supplementation

The most common reason why dogs eat their feces is due to a lack of vitamins in their diet. A dog multivitamin can be very helpful in such a case. Vitamin B deficiency specifically has been observed to be a prime suspect and there have been studies to even back this observation. A study done in 1981 showed that physical microbial activity causes the synthesis of thymine which is a B vitamin. Thus, adding a multivitamin to your dog’s diet can be highly beneficial.

Use of poop aversion products

The theory behind this is that if the poop smells and tastes as disgusting as the part of the same as humans, the less likely that your dog will not eat his or her poop. For this, commercial eating dividends are available which can be added to dog food or treats. Adding this deterrent will cause the production of poop which would be very less appealing to your dog. A lot of these products contain chamomile, your car, parsley, garlic, and monosodium glutamate. One word of caution, use the taste diversion products on all the dogs if it is a multi-dog household with a competing problem.

However, if poop eating is due to behavioral issues, the following environmental management methods might help:

Keep clean:

Keep your dog’s living area clean including the backyard and remove all the poop immediately before your dog has a chance to ingest it.

Supervisor your dog on walks and pick up the poop immediately.

Training

Work hard on the commands like come and leave it. One very simple exercise to prevent your dog from eating his or her poop can be offering treats. The moment your dog has popped, offer him or her a treat immediately.  This will focus your dog’s attention away from the pope and on to the treat. Eventually, your dog will develop a habit to run to you for a tasty morsel of food instead of reaching for the one which is on the ground.

Use playtime as your weapon:

The aim is to give your dog screen active and healthy. Delegate a regular training schedule that provides mental stimulation and exercise to your dog. This is particularly important if your dog belongs to a working breed. You can also sign up for a flyball class or agility class for additional learning. Most important is that you choose safe toys that can provide entertainment to your dog when you are not around or when your dog is alone.

Feed your dog the best diet possible

Make sure that your dog is eating a whole and healthy diet containing quality proteins. Raw food can be particularly important for your dog as it can provide the digestive enzymes your dog needs to process his or her means. If you only feed your dog cooked food, you must add digestive enzymes. Raw green tripe is particularly high in probiotics as well as digestive enzymes which will keep your dog’s digestive tract healthy.

Provide supplements to your dog

If your dog has HCl efficiency, you can add some Apple cider vinegar into his or her food which can help compensate for the deficiency.

Screen your dog for parasites:

If you feel that your dog is struggling to absorb nutrients from his/her food, it is time to visit your vet. A quick and easy test to let you know if your dog needs deworming medication.

Act as if eating poop is not a big deal

Dogs are like kids. Punishing them might reduce their behavior right then and there, but eventually, it may interest lead to an increase in the behavior to avoid confrontation. Thus, behave as if eating poop is no big deal. Your aim must be to diverge your dog’s attention from the pop on the ground to something else.

Use of food additives to make poop aversive does not work:

It has been observed, that food additives which are aimed at making poop aversive, work in only 2% of the cases. So don’t waste your time on this. Rather, work on your dog’s training. If your dog is food motivated, use food as a means to diverge your dog’s attention from the poop on the ground.

For dogs who eat cat poop:

If your dog consistently eats cat poop, make sure that you have a doggie gate installed to keep your dog away from the litter box. You can also keep the litter box in a place that is out of reach of your dog, for example, on a high table or bridge your dog will be able to jump at your cat can easily access the litter box. Always remember, dogs will repeat to eat things that appeal to the taste buds. Poop might be one of them.

How to prevent puppies from eating poop

Puppies that come from puppy mills usually tend to eat feces. If your puppy exhibits such behavior, you need to control its access to poop itself. During your house-training sessions, take your puppy out at consistent time schedules so that your puppy learns to not poop in the house. You’re your puppy finishes defecating, immediately offer him or her praise and a treat. Make sure that it takes a while for your puppy to eat the treat so that you have the time to pick up the poop before the puppy’s attention goes on to the poop.

Such actions on your behalf, print your puppy from accessing the poop. You are also reinforcing a positive behavior during the potty-training sessions with your puppy instead of using punishment as a means of training. Remember, punishments never work. They may instead cause your pup to become aggressive and repeat the behavior which is causing him or her to get punished.

How to prevent adult dogs from eating their feces

As I mentioned above if you punished your dog for a behavioral issue, it will just reinforce that behavior over time and it will also cause your dog to become aggressive. Thus, if your dog has learned to eat their feces because he or she is scared to be punished for having defecated in the house (this can happen if your dog had previous guardians who believed in the power of punishment rather than training), you must reduce your dog’s access to the feces itself.

Try to re-housetrained your dog. Set up a schedule and take your dog out at those specific times so that your dog learns that that particular time is the time to defecate. The moment your dog passes stools, call him or her over to you offer praise, and give a treat. This would reduce your dog’s association with the poop and increase your dog’s association with the treat and reward. He or she will learn that if I move away from the poop immediately I get praised and I received a reward thus reinforcing the positive behavior over and over again.

This behavior won’t get corrected in one day or a few sessions. You need to be consistent in managing your dog and restricting his or her access to the feces to make sure relapse does not happen. If you have been successful in teaching your dog the leave it command, use the command with a treat to keep reinforcing the positive behavior in your dog.

The primary aim is to offer higher value treats and consistent praise to your dog for good behavior. It would be beneficial if you have a high-value sheet specifically for this occasion.

Use tools for dog training

I do not advocate using a muzzle or a head caller on your dog. However, if your dog is a very aggressive poop eater, these might just be the things of choice.  You can use the head color to guide your dog’s head away from the poop. Turn your dog away and immediately remove the poop from the scene.

Alternatively, you can use a basket muzzle on your dog to prevent him or her from eating the feces. However, if your dog is particularly germane to eat the poop, he or she might smush the muzzle on the poop to gain access.

One other tool that you can use to prevent your dog from eating feces is to use a foxtail field mask. The fabric measure of this has tiny holes that prevent the feces to be pushed from the opening into your dog’s face.

You can also use canned pumpkin or meat tenderizer as an ingredient of your dog food. These items with this book if your dog when eating but they will cause the poop to taste terrible.

Always avoid punishment

This is the key point to keep in mind when training your dog or correcting the behavior of your dog. Punishments only work short-term; they are not the solution from a long-term behavior correction in your dog. So, never punish your dog. Always try to understand their behavior from their perspective and then provide the correctional measures. This will make sure that your relationship with your dog is loving and healthy.

 Does your dog have this problem? What do you do to divert your dog’s attention from the feces on the ground? If you have any other solution other than the ones listed above, please mention it in the comment section below. If you have any queries or topics you wish for me to write on, mention them in the comment section below. If you have any stories you wish to publish on my blog and share with readers, please contact me on one of my social media channels.

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 Does your dog eat his own poop? Fear not, you will find all your answers to how to discourage this behavior here. Keep reading all the way to the end.

Does your dog show symptoms of hacking away or is constantly making noises which sounds like he/she is choking on something?? If yes, then your pup maybe suffering from canine infectious trachealbronchitis or kennel cough.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Dogs normally contract kennel cough via places where there are large amounts of dog congregates like daycare or boarding facilities, training groups, dog shows, and dog parks. Kennel cough can be spread to other dogs by either a direct contact like touching noses, droplets, or by use of contaminated surfaces like food, water, or water bowl. Even though kennel cough sounds like a dreadful disease, it is fairly treatable. However, if the disease affects immunocompromised dogs or young puppies (younger than six months) it can present in a severe manner and is difficult to treat.

What causes kennel cough in dogs?

Kennel cough can be caused by many types of viruses and bacteria. Sometimes, this can be caused by a combination of bacteria and viruses. The most common bacterial strain which causes Kennel cough is the Bordetella bronchiseptica. This is the reason, Kennel cough is sometimes referred to as Bordetella. Most of the time, it has been observed that dogs are more susceptible to a Bordetella infection if their immune system has been detained by a previous infection. A few viruses which have been known to make dogs susceptible to kennel cough are canine distemper virus, canine herpes virus, canine adenovirus, canine reovirus, and parainfluenza virus.

How can your dog get infected by Kennel cough?

The name of kennel cough is mainly derived from the word Kendall or shelter which is the primary region from where dogs acquire the infection. Not many get infected by being around other dogs who are suffering from kennel cough. There are a few factors that have been known to exacerbate the likelihood that your dog might get infected.

These factors are:

• ·       Staying with dogs who are suffering from kennel cough
• ·       Dogs were living in crowded conditions
• ·       Poor ventilation availability
• ·       Exposure to cigarette or dust smoke
• ·       Stress-induced due to traveling
• ·       Living in cold conditions

What are the primary symptoms of kennel cough?

If your dog is suffering from kennel cough, your dog might display a few or multiple of the following symptoms:

• A strong coughing sound often accompanying the dry sound of honking, this is the most obvious Kennel cough symptom.
• Sneezing
• Lethargy
• Appetite loss
• Low-grade fever
• Runny nose or eye discharge

The sound of kennel cough can be as if your dog has something stuck in his or her throat. The noises your dog makes does not sound like a reverse sneeze or sneeze. However, the noises can be dry and hoarse or there can be mucus production associated with it, which your dog may try to swallow. Besides the above-mentioned symptoms, your dog should not fall ill and have a normal appetite.

How does kennel cough spread from one dog to the other?

As previously mentioned, kennel cough is a highly contagious disease and can easily spread from one dog to another. The most likely transmission method is when dogs cough, the viruses, and bacteria become airborne and can quickly enter into the respiratory tract of other animals. Kennel cough can also be transmitted via dog toys, shared dog food bowls for other shared items.

If you are speculating that your dog might be suffering from kennel cough, keep your dog isolated from all the other animals in the house to limit the spread of infection.

What is the incubation period of kennel cough?

Usually, the incubation period of this disease ranges from 2 to 14 days. During this time your dog is likely to spread the infection, thus, it is advised to keep your dog away from other dogs. However, it has been observed that in some cases, dogs can stay as carriers for several months without exhibiting the symptoms of kennel cough.

How long does the disease last?

It has been observed that kennel cough usually clears up within a span of two to three weeks. At times, it can take up to six weeks to clear up. This is mostly observed in the case of older dogs or dogs who are suffering from pre-existing medical conditions.

In extremely rare and severe cases, the illness can progress to become pneumonia. Thus, keep an eye on your dog and immediately contact your veterinarian if your dog’s condition is not improving.

What is the treatment of kennel cough?

Kennel cough has been observed to usually go away on its own. In most cases, it clears up within a span of three weeks and does not require any treatment. While suffering from kennel cough, if your dog is otherwise eating well and displays his or her normal behavior, then you have nothing to worry about. You can use home remedies to keep your dog more comfortable and reduce the discomfort of kennel cough. This includes keeping your dog in a humid area and avoid using the collar on your dog

If you want to pay your vet a visit, it is advised to call your vet beforehand so that when you take your dog in, the contact of your dog with other animals at the vet clinic can be strictly avoided. The vet might prescribe antibiotics to target the Bordetella. They can also prescribe an anti-inflammatory or an anti-cough medicine to soothe your dog’s sore throat.

Is there a vaccine available for kennel cough?

Generally, puppy and booster vaccinations include antibodies against some of the viruses which can cause kennel cough. These viruses mostly include canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, and canine influenza virus. There are vaccines available which are specific against Bordetella. These vaccines are generally administered as either as an injection or a nasal spray. However, since Kennel cough includes a wide range of bacterial strains, one vaccine against kennel cough cannot guarantee complete protection for your dog.

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Can kennel cough be transmitted to humans?

Even though most of the canine viruses do not get transmitted to humans, Bordetella bronchiseptica has the ability to infect humans. However, this is rarely observed and mainly infects people who have a weakened immune system. Such cases have been observed to be very few and should not be a concern for most of the dog guardians.

Has your or your acquaintance's dog ever suffered from kennel cough? Is there any advice you have for other dog guardians about the same? Please share your experiences in the comment section below. If you wish to share your stories as part of my blog post, make sure to contact me on one of my social media channels and subscribe to this blog

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Shruti