CONTENTS Winter 2022
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Columns 14 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT The top 3 ways dogs and cats change our lives Anyone who shares their home with a dog or cat knows that animal companionship enriches our lives on so many levels. Here are the top ways they do that.
20 FELINE BEHAVIOR How to introduce your cat to a new kitty companion
Cats can be territorial and may not take kindly to a new kitty coming into the household. These six steps will help maintain harmony when making introductions.
Features care for every stage 10 Dofental your dog or cat’s life Whether your dog or cat is a youngster, a senior, or in between, regular dental care is vital for maintaining strong teeth and gums, and preventing painful problems.
5 training tips 16 Tforopnew dogs
It’s important to start training your new dog soon after you bring him home. Here are the top five behaviors and cues every dog should be taught.
28 LEARNING CURVE One Health
Understanding the One Health approach, how it connects humans, animals, and the environment, and what it means for your dog or cat.
32 HEALING
WITH HERBS
Milk thistle – a natural detox herb for dogs and cats
Sometimes called the "house cleaner" of herbs, milk thistle is a powerful detoxifier that can help strengthen your dog or cat's liver.
treats that support 22 Pheret health
From soothing her stomach to cleaning her teeth, these healthy homemade treats help support your dog or cat’s wellness.
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ow to keep your dog H fit and active during the winter
Depending on where you live, winters can be harsh, which means you and your dog spend a lot more time indoors. Here are some tips for keeping him fit, active and safe.
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34 MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS
How your dog can benefit from medicinal mushrooms An introduction to the amazing world of medicinal mushrooms, and the health benefits they can offer your canine companion.
38 ANIMAL
CHIROPRACTIC
How do you know if your dog needs chiropractic care?
Chiropractic does much more than ease pain. It can help your dog by enhancing her body’s ability to heal itself, which means it’s beneficial for just about any condition.
44 TREATING CANCER
What’s immunotherapy and can it help dogs with cancer?
Immunotherapy is a buzzword in human medicine. Although there’s still more research to be done, this form of cancer treatment can also benefit dogs suffering from malignancies.
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48 HEALING
64 REWIND
INSIDE & OUT
Urinary tract disease and your cat One of the most common health problems to afflict cats is lower urinary tract disease. Understanding the various causes and symptoms are key to ensuring prompt treatment.
50 HEALTH WATCH
How to know if your dog is in pain
74 EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
Common ear problems in dogs and cats
From infections to agerelated hearing loss, our canine and feline companions are prone to several common ear problems.
66 FELINE HEALTH What can your cat’s poop tell you about her health?
Your dog can’t tell you when he hurts, so it’s important to know the signs that indicate pain and discomfort.
Paying attention to your cat’s poop gets you acquainted with her normal elimination patterns — and alerts you when something might be going wrong.
52 NEED TO
68 EYE CARE
KNOW
Your guide to navigating the veterinary shortage
Here’s how to find your way through the current veterinary shortage, and ensure your dog or cat is getting the care he needs.
Keeping your dog or cat’s eyes healthy and safe Eye care should be a regular part of your dog or cat’s wellness regimen. Know the red flags to watch out for, and what you can do to help preserve eye health and vision.
5 signs your dog needs a friend
Dogs are pack animals and often enjoy the company of other canines. Here are five indications your dog might benefit from having a friend to play and hang out with.
76 AT THE SHELTER
How shelters are dealing with returned “pandemic pets”
Dog and cat adoptions sky-rocketed during the pandemic, but now a lot of these animals are being returned to shelters and rescues. How are organizations dealing with the problem?
79 FUN FACTS
Most popular dog and cat breeds for 2022
80 DOGS
AT WORK
Dogs sniff out pepper weevils in commercial greenhouses
74 Departments 7 From the Editor 26 Newsworthy 42 Product picks 58 Holiday gift guide 72 In the news
Social Media
73 Gear up for winter! 81 Marketplace 81 Classifieds 82 Find 10 differences
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Crafts, laughs, and more! AnimalWellness
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PREVENT COMMON BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS Number one may surprise you, but in all honesty it’s the most important aspect of training. Dogs are not surrendered to animal shelters because they don’t know how to sit. They are typically surrendered because they have some kind of anxiety or behavioral issue. Anxiety also leads to reactive behaviors such as lunging at the end of the leash, growling at strangers, or even biting. Instead of waiting for a problem to develop, you have the opportunity to be proactive in your dog’s training and greatly reduce the risk of a behavior problem sneaking in.
by Tonya Wilhelm
Whether you’ve just adopted a puppy or an adult dog, it’s important to start training him soon after you bring him home. Here are the top five behaviors and cues every dog should be taught. Have you recently brought a new dog or puppy home, but don’t know where to start with his training? You are already providing him with the healthiest food, treats and toys. You know that positive training is essential for your journey to a well-behaved dog. But where do you begin? This article covers the most important cues and behaviors to teach your dog right out of the gate.
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The concept is simple. You want to start conditioning your dog that “X” equals something of value. Let’s take bikes for an example. When you are out walking your dog, reward him with a treat every time you see a bicyclist. Do this often. What you are teaching your dog is that bikes lead to rewards, which leads to feeling good and looking to you for the reward. This training will help prevent your dog from barking or lunging at cyclists. Instead, he will be calm and collected and even look to you for his reward or guidance.
HINT:
This training can and should be utilized for a variety of situations, such as thunder and other loud noises, vacuum cleaners, other dogs, kids, squirrels, etc.
Dogs go through a variety of fear periods during their first two years of life. By actively working at preventing anxiety, you are providing your canine with an important buffer should something big and scary really happen during that time. Prevention is always easier than a cure.
TEACH YOUR DOG THE VALUE OF HIS NAME I’m not talking about the causal attention your dog may give you when you say his name. I’m talking about when you say his name around a distraction and he swiftly turns his head away from it to look up at you. How awesome is that? •
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TRAIN HIM TO SIT Training a dog how to put his butt on the floor when asked can be a huge benefit to his overall manners. If he’s sitting, he’s not jumping on you, diving for the food you dropped, or dashing out the door. •
First, you need to start in a non-distracting environment when your dog is eager to interact with you. Place high value treats inside your pocket along with a small toy. Say your dog’s name once, in a singsong tone. The moment he looks in your direction, say “yes!”, then give him treats in succession and tell him what a smart dog he is. Wow — your dog just hit the mother lode for a very easy task! Your next job is to do this often throughout the day over the next week. No distractions, nice and easy, big payoff. If you find yourself in a situation where your dog doesn’t turn to you, do not repeat his name. Instead, take the toy out of your pocket and play with it by yourself. Let your dog see how much of a party he missed out on. Wait a minute or two, then say his name again in that singsong tone. I bet he’ll turn to you now! When he does, give him a big payoff of treats and the toy. Now that he’s getting the hang of it, slowly start to increase the distractions. Continue with high payout. Soon, you will have a dog who loves it when you say his name.
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Start with a treat in your hand. Place the treat next to your dog’s nose and slowly rock your hand up and over his head. You want to do this action slowly so the he follows the treat with his head and places his butt on the floor. The moment he does, say “yes!” and give him the treat. Repeat this process.
"YES!"
"SIT"
Once he’s understanding the behavior, you can add a verbal cue. Say “sit”, present him with the the lure, say “yes!” and treat. Continue this training throughout the day in various situations. Eventually, you will begin to slowly eliminate your hand gestures and just use your verbal cue.
HINT:
If you find your dog is jumping up for the treat, your hand might be too high. Make sure your hand lure is very close to his nose. This will help prevent him from jumping up.
HINT:
If you reach a stage where your dog is no longer getting it, decrease the distractions again.
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TEACH HIM TO STAY If your dog knows how to stay in place, your life will be so much easier. Think about it. If you want to wipe the mud off his feet and he doesn’t wiggle around while you’re doing it, the job will become a breeze. •
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Start with your dog in a sit. Since everything is pretty new to him, go ahead and reward that behavior. While he’s sitting, give him a treat every second for a total of five treats. Then say “okay” and encourage him to get up. Do not give him a treat for getting up; you are teaching him that not moving gets the reward, and getting up is boring. Congratulations — you now have a one-second sit-stay!
dog is getting into things he shouldn’t, double check your dog-proofing. The best way to teach him not to chew on valuable items is to not keep them within his reach. Management truly is a dog parent's best line of defense.
Repeat this step, but now give him a treat every two seconds. Sit (one second, two seconds), treat (one second, two seconds), treat — again for a total of five treats. Say “okay” for him to get up. Your dog has now just done a two-second sit-stay. Continue this process until your dog has a five second sit-stay for five treats.
"STAY"
HINT:
The goal in teaching new behaviors is to teach your dog that he can win, and learn what is correct. It’s now time to name this behavior “stay”. Ask him for a sit, then say “stay,” count to five and treat. Repeat this for five treats, then say “okay.” Way to go! He’s doing a five-second sit-stay, five times. If your dog is getting up before he should, cut down your time intervals again.
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Fetch isn’t much fun for us humans when the dog won’t drop the toy. That’s not to say it isn’t fun for him! However, teaching a dog to give up a toy or other object not only improves play, but also has the potential to prevent him from eating something he shouldn’t.
HINT: If you find your
"OKAY"
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GET HIM TO DROP IT
We are going to teach your dog that dropping an object is a good thing. What you don’t want to teach him is that the fun is over if he drops something. That can easily lead to a dog who steals something, runs off to hide, and may turn into Cujo when you try to get it back.
"DROP IT"
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Start with two identical toys. This reduces the likelihood of your dog valuing one over another. Toss the first toy down the hall. As your dog races to collect the toy, wiggle the second toy around, showing him how interesting it is. When he drops the toy that’s in his mouth, toss the toy you have in your hand. As he runs to get that one, you pick up the first toy. Again, wiggle the toy in excitement. Once he drops his, toss yours. Repeat.
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Now it’s time to have a little game of fetch and drop. When your dog is reliably dropping the first toy, say your “drop it” cue right before he does the behavior. You can play this game with food too. He has the toy; you show him the food treat; he drops the toy; you give him the treat and then toss the toy. Win-win for the dog!
These five important behaviors and cues form the foundation for further training, helping to ensure success while keeping the process fun.