During summer holidays our pets often become accustomed to more activity around the house and more contact with family members.  As we prepare our families to go back to school  we need to remember that the change in activity can be a little stressful for our pets.  Suddenly the house is quieter during the day and those after school activities may have us out of the house for longer periods.

There are many ways we can reduce stress for our pets and keep them happily occupied in our absence.  The two most important, and easiest, methods are to provide them with a high quality, nutritionally complete diet and ensure they have lots of enrichment in their environment to keep them happy and healthy while you and the family are away during the day. This month we focus on how to help your pets prepare for the new school year and cope with extended time alone.

Product Review

This month we look at the busy buddy “Tug-a-Jug” in their new “extra small” size designed for Chihuahuas, Yorkies or Pomeranians.  Busy Buddy toys are designed to keep your pet physically and mentally challenged as they try to figure out how to get their treats out of the jug.  Each busy buddy toy takes advantage of a particular chewing behavior to suit any dog and helps redirect potentially destructive behavior.  You fill the jug with his favorite treats or kibble or you can even feed him his meals in the Tug-a-Jug. Your pooch is rewarded by tugging, tipping, or rolling the jug around until treats are dispensed. The Tug-a-Jug appeals to all of your dog’s senses to keep him motivated.  He can see his treats in the jug, he can smell his treats through the controlled opening in the jug and as he tugs on his toy he can hear the treats rattling around inside.  The Tug-a-Jug is very rugged and comes in extra small, small and medium/large.  Ask your local DogSmith about this entertaining training aid.

Visit www.888DogSmith  enter your zip code and contact your local DogSmith for prices and product information

Keep Your Dog Challenged!

Although most dog breeds were originally bred for a particular job, few now live lives that directly use their genetic abilities.

If dogs do not receive adequate enrichment in their life it can lead to an array of behavioral problems such as barking, digging, howling, destructive chewing, attention seeking behaviors and certain forms of aggression.

As pet dog owners there are many things we can do to ensure our pet dogs have an interesting life. Daily walks are a must, even for small dogs. Different smells, visual stimulus and noises are daily essentials for the mental health of our pets. There are many simple, easily implemented techniques you can use to help keep your dog’s environment stimulating.

When feeding your dog, place their meal ration of kibble into an interactive toy (see our product review) so the dog has to work for their food. You can also put these toys around the dog’s yard so they have to search for their kibble. Burying treats in an allocated digging area in your yard is also an effective method of keeping your dog busy, especially if you have a “digger”.   If you spend a few minutes each day teaching  your dog a few tricks it will keep their minds sharp and their brains functioning and it will also help strengthen your relationship.

For additional mental stimulation enroll your pooch in a group dog training class to learn tricks, fun obedience commands and make new friends. Never let your dog feel isolated and bored.  Visit the local dog park, take them for drives in the car and spend quality time with them each day.

Enroll in a fun dog training class, visit our website, enter your zip code and look for classes open for enrollment.

Many studies have shown the direct correlation between diet and academic performance in children to the point that no one questions that a good diet equates to improved grades.  Though less scientific research has been done on the relationship between nutrition and dog training, there is ample anecdotal evidence that the relationship between eating and performance is no less true and what research that has been done is convincing enough that pet owners should not ignore the connection. 

If animals have a poor quality or inadequate diet, the body becomes stressed. A dog can actually become undernourished even if it receives ample quantities of food if they are fed a low quality diet.  Poor quality foods use Ingredients like corn which can decrease the level of serotonin in the brain because of low tryptophan and high tyrosine.  The body needs tryptophan to help manufacture serotonin and dopamine while tyrosine inhibits the manufacture of serotonin. Dopamine and serotonin are essential for a properly functioning brain and nervous system.  It is also important that an animal is fed a high quality and nutritionally complete diet to ensure all essential amino acids are available to the body. 

If the neurotransmitters are transferring too much dopamine then an animal can become agitated, impulsive and over reactive.  On the other hand, if dopamine levels are too low an animal can become under reactive.   Likewise, too little serotonin can result in anxious behavior, obsessions and difficulty in learning and can also reduce an animal’s impulse control.  Low impulse control can lead to frustration. When animals are frustrated they are less able to inhibit aggression. Studies show that reduced levels of serotonin can actually increase aggressive behavior. So always consider the possibility that your pet's diet may be influencing his behavior.