ANIMAL WELLNESS
For a long, healthy life!
WELLNESS
9
4
NUTRIENTS FOR OPTIMAL
STEPS
DENTAL HEALTH
TO A HAPPY, HEALTHY, LOW MAINTENANCE DOG
CANINE
FLU What you need to know!
HEALTHY NUT & SEED BUTTERS TO SHARE WITH YOUR DOG
HOW TO START AN
nstagram
ACCOUNT FOR YOUR
FURRY FRIEND!
7 TIPS FOR SUCCESS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 Display until March 11, 2019
$6.95 USA/Canada
VOLUME 21 ISSUE 1
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
BONUS INSIDE!
Contents Features
February/March 2019
44
18 9 NUTRIENTS FOR CANINE DENTAL DISEASE
From antioxidants to zinc, a whole range of nutrients can help keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy and strong.
22 IS YOUR DOG SCARED OF STRANGERS?
Gentle behavior modification can help calm your dog’s fear of strangers, boost his confidence, and transform him into a “people pooch”.
24 DOG FLU – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Though quite rare, canine flu can be a significant issue. Learning more about it can help you protect your dog from this highly contagious disease.
28 NUT AND SEED BUTTERS TO SHARE WITH YOUR DOG
Tasty and nutritious butters can be made with a variety of nuts and seeds, from almonds and cashews to hemp hearts and chia. Your dog will love them as much as you do!
32 WINTER GETAWAYS
FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG
Do you have the winter blues? Maybe your dog does as well! A change of scene along with some fun and pampering might be just the ticket for both of you.
The Tellington TTouch® Method offers a novel way of shifting your dog’s behavior. Three case studies show just how effective it is.
48 HOW PET INSURANCE
80 HEALING AND BALANCING YOUR DOG’S CHAKRAS
IS IMPROVING THE LIVES OF DOGS AND CATS
Pet insurance gives animals access to a wider variety of diagnostic and treatment options. The results are better health and longevity in thousands of dogs and cats.
52 4 STEPS TO A HAPPY, HEALTHY “LOW MAINTENANCE” DOG
36 DENTAL CARE TOOLS
Keeping your dog’s teeth and gums clean and healthy is vital to his overall wellness. Here’s a handful of dental care tools and products that will ease the task for both of you.
62 ARE SMALL DOGS MORE PRONE TO DENTAL PROBLEMS?
40 WHEN INTEGRATIVE
VETERINARY MEDICINE IS THE OPTIMAL CHOICE
There are times when a combination of holistic and conventional therapies is the best way to treat a dog or cat’s health problems.
Animal Wellness
76 HOW TELLINGTON TTOUCH RESOLVES CANINE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
Many of the most popular Instagram accounts belong to dogs and cats! Here’s how to make your pet #instafamous.
Sharing your life with a dog is a gift. These four simple tips will help ensure your lives together are as joyful, rewarding and “low maintenance” as possible.
FOR DOGS
4
44 HOW TO START AND MAINTAIN AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT FOR YOUR PET
Small breed dogs are more susceptible to dental disease than larger dogs, due to the anatomy of their mouths, heads and faces, along with other genetic features.
Enhance your dog’s well-being with this subtle but effective healing modality.
89 THE DECLAW BAN – ITS TIME HAS COME!
From whole countries to individual cities, a growing number of regions around the world are banning declawing.
92 BRUSH-FREE DENTAL CARE FOR CATS
If the thought of brushing your cat’s teeth makes you cringe, it’s time to turn to an easier method. Check out these brush-free dental care options!
96 TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF BATHING YOUR CAT
Giving your cat a bath doesn’t have to be a headache. Following these simple steps will help thing go smoothly and calmly.
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Columns
12 Yakkity yak 43 Business profile – Blanket ID
58 Rewind 66 Warm & fuzzy 70 Business profile
– Kindred Biosciences
71 To the rescue 83 Book reviews 87 Tail end 94 Cat chat
92
98 FW Book reviews
Departments 8
Editorial
55
Product picks
65
The scoop
74
Animal Wellness resource guide
84
Marketplace
Tips, pet photos, and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine
85
Classifieds
Crafts, laughs, and more! AnimalWellness
86
Events
Social media Tips, contests and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ AW_magazine
Animal Wellness
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Is your dog scared of
STRANGERS? By Tonya Wilhelm
M
any dogs react fearfully when they see or are approached by someone they don’t know. Gentle behavior modification can help calm those fears, boost your dog’s confidence, and transform him into a “people pooch”.
If your dog is loving and gentle with you and your family, but
Once you are a pro at detecting tension, choose one body part and
cowers, growls or even snaps when he sees someone he doesn’t
observe it throughout the day. Find your dog’s neutral position.
know, he's not alone. Many dogs are anxious or fearful around
Where does his carry his ears, tail and back line, and how does he
strangers. Although it can make things difficult, especially if you’re
walk? What does his face look like during the day? Are his eyes
hosting a party at your home, there are lots of things you can do
loose and soft? Does he have a soft expression around his mouth
to soothe your dog’s emotions and help build his confidence.
and cheeks? Being an expert in your dog's neutral and contented
Recognizing signs of fear in your dog
body posture will help you see when he is becoming anxious.
Understanding how a dog communicates is essential when trying
When dogs show signs of fear, their body posture tends to go
to address behavioral concerns, such as fear of strangers. The first
back and down, and become stiff. You may notice your dog’s
step is to know what your dog's normal is. Start by focusing on
ears flatten and start to move back during stress. He may hold
his overall body and the way he displays tension. If you touch
his tail tight to his body, his eyes may become glazed or almond-
your dog when he’s happy and content, he’ll likely feel soft and
shaped, and his lips might pull back with tension around his
loose. When he begins to get stressed or agitated, his body will
face. He may move his entire body by walking or turning away,
start to feel and look tense and stiff.
or ignoring your requests.
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Animal Wellness
On the other end of the spectrum, some dogs have learned to be more defensive, and their bodies will move forward instead of back. Their ears may also move forward, or they may pucker their lips. A lot of dogs display a combination of defensive and retreating behaviors. The bottom line is that the dog is uncomfortable and needs help dealing with the situation.
4 steps to build your dog's confidence Behavior modification and counter-conditioning can be very successful in helping a fearful dog build confidence around people he doesn’t know. In order to have the best and quickest success possible, follow these four steps. List your dog's specific triggers. Be as specific as possible. For example, instead of listing “strangers” as a trigger, break it down. Maybe it’s men with beards ten feet away, or children under ten.
2
Put good management protocols into place. In order to change your dog's response from a negative to a positive, it's important to ensure he does not have exposure to his triggers outside a planned training session.
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What does your dog love? The rewards used during this process need to be something he truly thinks is the bomb. A variety of cooked, dehydrated or freeze-dried meats tend to be good motivators for most dogs.
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Training a fearful dog is not about teaching him what to do, but
FEAR STRANGERS Many people assume that when a dog is fearful or shy, he has suffered some kind of abuse or trauma. This is certainly the case for some dogs, but not all. In reality, a dog may be fearful of strangers for a variety of reasons. 1. He may not have been well socialized as a puppy. Puppies begin their socialization period around five weeks of age, and continue through adolescence, until they reach adulthood at around two years. During a dog's first two years of life, it is critical to introduce him in a positive way to people, places and situations. If a puppy was not introduced to hundreds of new people in a positive way, he will likely develop a fear of strangers and the unknown. 2. Harsh training methods such as shock collars, choke chains, pinch collars and yelling is another reason some dogs are afraid of people they don’t know well. Instead of learning that people offer safety, support and comfort, a dog that has been trained using punitive methods learns that people can lead to fear, anxiety or pain.
how to feel. Fear is not a behavior but something the dog feels internally and without reason. He doesn't “know better”, so he's reacting out of fear and panic. Desensitization and counter-conditioning is one of the best ways to change your dog's emotional response from fear to safety. Introduce a trigger in such a way that your dog does not have a fearful response, then reward him with something he loves.
“
“
1
Possible reasons why a dog may
Instead of listing “strangers” as a trigger, break it down. Maybe it’s men with beards ten feet away, or children under ten.
This type of training teaches him that when “X” is present, good
things. When you see this shift in your dog's behavior, it's time
things happen.
to increase the difficulty level, usually by decreasing the distance between your dog and the trigger.
If your dog isn't fearful when a man walks on the sidewalk across the street, reward him each time he looks at the man.
Living with a dog who is afraid of strangers can be challenging.
This is the basic premise of all your desensitization and counter-
But with good training and management, you can help modify
conditioning sessions.
his behavior and reactions. The suggestions presented in this article, along with lots of patience and persistence – and the
With multiple training sessions and experiences, your dog will
help of a good trainer if need be – can turn your fearful dog into
start to predict that the man across the street leads to good
someone who loves people. Animal Wellness
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