Dog Information

When you come home from work and your dog Ellie barks at you incessantly as you fumble with the key, she is telling you something. When she yips at the dogs walking by your house, she is saying something. When she whines and cries because she can’t get at that darned squirrel, she is communicating. Ellie barks for a reason. Barking is one very important method by which dogs speak. Not, in the way we speak, of course, but communication is communication. If you want to have a better relationship with Ellie, learn to understand what she has to say.

“I’m raising an alarm.”
If Ellie is distressed, perhaps because she believes there is an intruder in or near the house, she will bark repeatedly. If the barks are of medium pitch and strings of four or five barks separated by a pause, she is not too alarmed yet. She is curious though, and thinks you should check it out. If those barks lose the pauses, she is more alarmed. If the barks become lower in pitch and slower, she is quite worried about the situation and you had better see what she is barking at.

“Hey there!”
When Ellie wants to great you or another dog in a friendly, lazy sort of way, she will let loose a couple of sharp, short barks. They will be medium to high in pitch.

“Get lost!”
When Ellie is annoyed, she will let you know. One short, sharp bark in a middle to low pitch range means she wants you to back off. This may happen when an inconsiderate child pulls her ear or tail. A more serious way of telling you to get lost is when she gives off a lower-pitch, deep, soft bark. This often happens when another dog is annoying her. Beware of a deep growl combined with a bark. She is really getting annoyed now.

“Let’s play!”
To get you or maybe her best dog buddy to play with her, Ellie will give a sort of stuttering bark. A multi-syllabic bark, if you will. This is combined with the play stance: front legs flat on the ground, but up in the air. When play time is getting very exciting and she couldn’t possibly have more fun, Ellie’s barking will rise in pitch to a high frequency bark.

“I’m lonely.”
You may not here this one too often, as Ellie will send this message when you leave her alone. A yipping followed by a howl or a series of sharp barks with a pause between each one means she is alone and suffering for it.

“Come on, let’s go!”
A whiny bark of anticipation signals that Ellie is excited and wants something. The situation will dictate what she wants. It could a potty break, attention, to go on your usual evening hike, or to play with the dogs that she sees through the window.

“I’m scared.”
Hopefully you never hear this one out of Ellie, but if she makes a whimpering sort of bark, she is scared, uncertain, anxious, or in pain. If you hear this, you need to assess the situation and find out what is upsetting her so you can fix it.

As you listen to Ellie’s barking to interpret her messages, remember that she is an individual. The above bark types are generalized and Ellie may sound a little bit different. The best way to understand her is to take into account the general barks, but to also consider the situation at hand. If she hasn’t been out for a while, for instance, and is barking at the door, that is probably her “I need to go out” bark. Observe her to learn Ellie’s own, specialized language.

Jay J Anderson

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Dogs are pack animals. We have heard that many times from many experts. Have we ever stopped to think about what that means? If dogs are pack animals then what does that mean about them and how they are hard wired? As pack animals, how do they think and operate? What is normal, healthy behavior? What is the best way to set them up to win with us and in our homes? Perhaps if more people knew they would understand how to take better care of their canine companions emotionally as well as physically.

When an animal is a pack animal it means it is used to cooperating within a group in order to survive. Pack animals learn to work together for the greater good of all its members. That isn’t to say that there aren’t competitions and rivals and members jockeying for a higher status within the pack. It simply means pack animals live by “the strength in numbers” approach to survival, as most animals in the wild do.

Pack animals, such as dogs, need to know where they rank in their pack or family unit. Believe it or not, all the dogs in a pack don’t want to be the alpha dog. The most stressed out dog in the pack is the alpha dog because that dog is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of its pack. They are constantly on guard for danger and looking for food. They are never able to let down their guard completely because not only do they have to provide for and protect their pack, they also have to keep all its members in line and deal with the young hot shots who dare to challenge their position of dominance. It’s not easy being the top dog. It is a lot of work and responsibility. The rest of the pack members can relax and respond when called. They don’t have to be on constant alert. When we provide strong assertive leadership to our dogs at home, it enables them to relax and enjoy their lives as pack members more. When we assure them that we are protecting and providing for them, they can relax and enjoy life more. It relieves them of stress.

As pack animals, dogs are very social. They are used to living with other dogs and being part of a community. They instinctively know they have to conform and live by the rules of their pack in order to survive. They must know their place in their pack. That is very important to dogs. They don’t all have to be top dog. They just need to know where they stand in the hierarchy of the pack.

When dogs are sick and weak they are banished from a pack. Seems harsh and brutal and sometimes it is if you observe nature. Nature’s law is survival of the fittest. Otherwise, one weak or sick dog could jeopardize the health and safety of the rest of the pack as a whole. That is why dogs will try to hide when they are sick or hurt. They can’t talk to us to tell us they don’t feel good and they probably wouldn’t if they could anyway because it is against their survival instincts. Act like you are strong and healthy so you don’t get challenged, attacked or banished to solitude. That is a dog’s motto. Solitude is death for a dog!

That’s why two dogs are happier and healthier than one. Dogs get lonely when they are left alone all day. It isn’t natural for them. It is very sad to see a lonely dog that lives all by itself in the back yard all day and night. That is a very sad, lonely dog that isn’t even being included as part of his own pack. He is excluded and left out of the shelter, meals, love, companionship and pack activities. He has been banished and is probably very needy for love and attention. His status in his pack is very low. If you can’t include your dog as a family member in your home, then don’t get one. Dogs need companionship. If you believe dogs are meant to be outside then at least get our one lonely dog a companion pack mate to keep it company in your yard.

People often think that having more than one dog is more work and wear and tear on their home. Yes, there is twice as much food to buy and feed them, twice as much pet waste to clean up and vet bills too. But, they keep each other company, happy and socialized. So, there is less guilt and concern about leaving one dog alone all day in the yard. Two dogs are always happier than one, unless there are special circumstances and behavioral problems, like aggressive dogs. For the most part, since dogs are social, pack animals please either include then in your family as a member or at the very least get them a litter mate to keep them company, happy and socialized. Two dogs are better than one for each other and for you too because they provide twice as much unconditional love and fun than only one dog would! Be a strong, assertive, loving pack leader and you could provide a home for your own small pack of pups, at least two, instead of one.

Deborah Brightstar-The Doggie Diva, owns and operates Doggie Diva Pet Care, LLC, a licensed, bonded and insured, pet sitting company in Tucson, AZ. She customizes her service with a, “We take care of your pets and home as if they were our own!” approach; providing the highest quality of care and service to all of her clients. Deborah’s intention is to exceed her clients’ expectations with proactive communication and tending to thoughtful extra details that show she cares.

She shares her active, creative and fun-filled life and heart full of love with her two rescued greyhounds Kali and Dora and the love-of-her-life, Pepper, her English Springer Spaniel and Pet Therapy partner. In her spare time, she enjoys, yoga, meditating, reading, writing, hiking, wine tasting and traveling. For more information, visit her website at http://www.doggiedivapetcare.com or follow her at http://www.twitter.com/doggiedivaDeb.

Dogs being as curious as they are chew anything and everything. And sometimes just like children, something goes down the wrong pipe. If your dogs choking the first thing you will notice is your dog becoming very panicky and trying to remove the obstruction with their paws. You will know immediately this not a dog sneezing, or kennel cough in dogs. Bluish or cyanotic gums or tongue is an indicator that something is blocking the airway, much different from other dog health problems.

A dog choking is considered an emergency situation and should be treated as quickly as possible. First thing you should do is look inside your dog’s mouth to see if there is something you will be able to remove manually. Keeping in mind bones, rawhide and many other natural treats can splinter and if they are allowing air to pass have a vet remove it. A splintered bone can have sharp edges that can tear the soft tissue so do not try to remove them yourself.

For a blockage not visible, you will treat it almost the same as if a person is choking. Using the Heimlich maneuver clasp your hands around your dog’s waist, squeeze, and at the same time push the abdomen upward in a rapid sharp motion. Repeat as often as necessary to dislodge the object. If you are unable to dislodge the object and your dog becomes unresponsive, AR artificial respiration is needed. Hold the snout keeping the jaws shut and begin respiration through the nose. Make sure the chest is rising so you know air is getting into the lungs.

Always keep in mind even though this may be your best friend, a dog in distress can attack out of fear so always be careful. Knowing first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, and CPR can possibly save your pets life one day. Have everyone in the house should review these important life saving techniques from time to time. When seconds save lives, you really don’t want to have to Google something this important when your pet is in distress.

Seann Sackett

This article was written by Seann Sackett, he a dog expert and co founder of DoggyHigh.com a Dog community site.