In the last article, we identified different types of dog biters, how to approach them, and how to behave around them to avoid being bitten. But what if we tried everything and we still find ourselves being attacked by a strange dog? If All Else Fails, Defend Yourself If you have followed all the general precautions and still find yourself face to face with a dog that’s determined to attack, shield your face and neck with your arms, and expose only the side of your body to the dog.

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Act only with the purpose of defending yourself. Yell with the loudest, strangest, most alarming sound your voice can muster. Remember that the dog might not understand what is happening and doesn’t trust what he doesn’t understand. Strange, loud, noises might confuse and stall him while you are calling for help. Try to Keep the Dog Off Balance Raising your knee can protect you by keeping the dog off balance.

I saw an example of this method of protection myself one day when a large German Shepherd pushed through an unlocked screen door and leapt at a new mailman that was approaching his mailbox. The mailman cut loose by making loud, ghastly sounds as he shielded his face and neck. The German Shepherd stopped in his tracks at the very same sounds that drew the attention of all the neighbors, and the postman emerged completely unharmed. The mailman later explained that he had so much confidence in his technique that he never had to use dog repellent as so many other mailmen carry around.

Some occupations, such as mailmen, garbage men, meter readers, newspaper deliverers, and pizza deliverers, have a high incidence of dog bites. Especially high-risk are door-to-door salesmen. Children, too, are high risk. Due to their lack of understanding, they tend to force themselves on the dog, or panic and run. Dog bites could be greatly reduced, if not completely eliminated, if people had a better understanding of dogs and what makes them bite.

The important thing to remember when a dog confronts you, whether it is the fear biter or protective biter, is to allow the dog to come to you in his own time. Don’t make the mistake of assuming the dog will immediately know you’re not a threat. Kneel down to his level. Extend your arm and offer him the palm of your hand so he can sniff you.

Remember to be patient and let him take all the time he needs to decide whether or not you’re a threat. The time you give the dog to get to know you could be the very thing that keeps you safe. Information written by Sarah Cooper of ohmydogsupplies.com, search for current discounts on dog seat covers online.

Besides aggressively looking through your dogs hair for fleas there are many other signs you can look for to determine if your dog has fleas. If you have a dog you know what it’s like to get him or her to sit still as you comb through their hair. Looking for fleas just is not on the top of the priority list. Luckily there are signs you can watch for to see if your dog has fleas and if they do have fleas then you can easily treat and prevent more fleas from attaching themselves to your dog.

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Here are the few signs to look for to determine if your dog has fleas or some other issue:

1. Does your dog scratch or itch excessively? If so this does not necessarily mean your dog has fleas as it could be a sign of a skin rash or some other type of skin allergy.
2. Does your dog bite or chew around their rear, tail or inside of the thighs? Fleas tend to congregate in those areas making your dog itch more in those areas.
3. Does your dog lose hair? This could be a sign from too much scratching because of fleas.
4. Does your dog have red and raised bumps? These could be the bites from multiple fleas.
5. Does your dog look dirty? We call it flea dirt, but it’s the left over’s or poop of fleas. Usually this flea dirt is red.

If you notice any of those signs, your dog might have a flea problem. An easy test for fleas is to look for flea dirt on the skin, usually on the rear, tail or inner thigh. If you notice these dirt looking spots, drop a little water on the area and let it soak. After a few moments take a white paper towel and rub the dirt. If the dirt smears red then you know your dog has fleas. Look a little closer and you will start to see them running around.

After you realize your dog has fleas it’s important to treat the pet. You can find flea killing soap at your local pet store which will help kill most of the fleas. Then you will need to buy a flea killing gel which will keep fleas from jumping back on your dog, thus stopping the process of fleas reproducing. Be sure you clean your entire house, floors and dog bed. You might want to also bug bomb your entire house to be sure to rid it of any leftover fleas.

About the Author Adam loves dogs and knows that treating a dog’s flea problem is important. He saves money with petmeds coupon codes and finds answers to all his pet care questions from leading pet sites.

Osteoarthritis in canines is exactly the same kind of disease as found in humans. Oftentimes the canine arthritis symptoms become noticeable in the later years of a dog’s life. In rare cases, the arthritis can set in sooner. However, in most cases, when young dogs develop arthritis, it is usually rheumatoid dog arthritis.

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The symptoms seen most often in an older dog with arthritic symptoms is seen when the dog comes up limping for no apparent reason. At first the pet owner may think the limping is simply a strain or sprain the animal suffered. But it will often happen over and over again after strenuous exercise. When these symptoms occur, a vet should be consulted and a complete examination should be done in order to determine if the symptoms are in fact dog osteoarthritis.

If that joint disease is confirmed, there are several options the pet owner can choose from. Besides drug therapy, there are several things that can be done for dogs with osteo-arthritis joint disease. The first and most important consideration for arthritic dogs is their weight. It is vital that their owners understand the importance of maintaining a low body weight. Carrying more weight than required simply adds more stress and strain to the joints which already are suffering from the disease. It is always advisable to keep an older dog slightly on the thin side versus having extra pounds on the canine.

Another very important factor for canines with osteoarthritis is exercise. Although one has to be very careful with older dogs with joint disease and not allow them to overdo it, it is very important that they do get sufficient exercise in their senior years. If the animals are allowed to become sedentary, the muscles supporting the joints become weak and these results in more stress on the joints themselves. All dogs are different, so their masters must be aware that their four legged friends can seriously overdo it if left unchecked. Many times they believe they are still puppies at heart and can aggravate the existing symptoms significantly.

The veterinarian may suggest one of several prescriptions drugs to treat the disease. Always ask him or her about first trying a glucosamine supplement treatment for the dog arthritis. Many people have reported tremendous positive results in their animals who take the liquid glucosamine on a regular basis. They report it can take up to several months before improvements are observed. Because this treatment has no side effects, it is advisable to first try this for the canine’s osteoarthritis symptoms before trying the prescribed options.

About the Author
Learn more about how to help your older dogs with canine osteoarthritis at Steve’s site, Cactus Canyon

When dogs grow older, it is normal for them to begin to lose their hearing and vision. Some young pups may have hereditary or viral infections that contribute to their loss. Dogs, more so than humans, can adjust well to the loss, even when it is the loss of both senses.

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As a dog owner, you can help your dog to become acclimated to its new life without hearing or vision. As soon as you discover that your dog has lost its hearing and vision, begin teaching them new ways to respond to everyday commands. Remember that a dog’s sense of smell is still functional even though it may lose other senses and they can still recognize family members, pets and their surroundings inside and outside of the home.

Tips for caring for blind dogs include:

Maintain familiarity in the dog’s home. Do not to move furniture of other items that serve as landmarks.

• Use baby gates at the top and bottom of staircases so that the dog will not navigate unsupervised.
• Keep the dog’s food and water in the same place, so that they can find it easily.
• Use a leash for your dog when it is in an unfamiliar environment, because blind dogs still chase after animals that they smell. This will also keep your dog from running out into the street and getting hit by a vehicle.
• Alert a blind dog to your presence by talking to them before you approach them. Also, let the dog smell you before you pet them, so that they will not be startled when you touch them.
• Do not punish your blind dog if they accidentally relieve themselves in the wrong location, because the dog may have become disoriented and not be able to locate the doggy door. In addition, the dog may be losing bladder control. To circumvent this, use doggy diapers or give the dog extra time outside.

Tips for caring for deaf dogs include:

• Keep your dog on a leash if it is not in a fenced area, because it cannot hear noises, such as traffic that will alert them to hazardous conditions.
• Use hand signs along with voice commands when you first discover that your dog has lost its hearing. Teaching your dog the basic hand signs can improve communication between you and your dog. Use a stop motion of the palm of your hand at the chest to convey the “sit” command. For the “down” command, use a downward motion of the hand from the chest to the waist. Moreover, use a sideways arching motion from straight out in towards the chest for the “come” command.
• Make certain that a non hearing dog is able to see and smell you prior to petting it to prevent it from snapping, biting or barking at you.

Adhering to the above tips will help to make your blind or deaf dog more comfortable. As a loving, caring dog owner, you owe it to your dog to keep them safe and happy even when they lose their vision and hearing. Content provided by Gary Jones of Oh My Dog Supplies, the top ranked store to find orthopedic dog beds online.