Dogs, like people, can have allergies that flare up in the spring and summer (even fall for some sufferers). What can a pet parent do to help alleviate the scratching, licking and self-chewing which affected dogs do – sometimes non-stop?

First: Have a vet check the dog for allergies. Just scolding him for the behavior will not address the cause. You need to find out what he is allergic to. Then treat it. If the behavior continues after treatment, it may have become a habit you need to address behaviorally.

Second: Identify other stressors in your dog’s life. The chewing, licking behavior can also be caused by other types of stress. List the things you know that stress the dog, even a little bit. Then, one-by-one, eliminate or work to alleviate the stressor. After discarding the items, such as aversive behavior aids (shock collars, etc.), begin to de-sensitize your dog to stimuli that freak him out – Children, skate boards and thunder come to mind. You can teach him that these threatening sights and sounds can become signals for treats.

Third: Exercise him. Walking, running and playing hard help to burn energy and take his mind off his troubles. It also releases “feel-good” hormones that help to lessen stress. Mind exercises help, too. Shaping (training), interactive toys and puzzles can also help.

Fourth: Try stress-reducing products, like calming classical music made especially for dogs; Thundershirt or Anxiety Wrap help some dogs feel safer and calmer; Pheromone therapies come in a plug-in and spray and work to calm the dog by mimicking the smell of a mother dog.

Fifth: If the chewing, licking, scratching behavior has become a habit, consult your vet about anti-anxiety medication – or to recommend a behaviorist/dog trainer. Most dog trainers have not had actual behavior training. You want a behaviorist.

If all these efforts fail, you and your dog just may have to live with it. We all have stress in our lives and some of us are just more sensitive to it than others.

Just like people, fat pets are at higher risk of health problems like diabetes, bad joints and a shortened lifespan. Pets at a healthy weight enjoy their lives more, are more active and live longer.

How to Tell If Your Pet Is Overweight

Here are ways to identify and correct obesity in your dog or cat.

It’s not always easy to tell if your dog or cat is overweight, especially if he or she has a long coat. Consult your vet, if necessary to find out what your pet should weigh. In the meantime, here are some tell-tale signs.

• Look for a tucked tummy. When you view your pet from the side, does its belly tuck up into the area between his ribs and hindquarters? That’s where you want it. You don’t want it to sag below his ribcage, or even hang on a straight line with his ribcage. For furry pets, wrap a thin cloth around their torso in order to see their shape.
• Feel his ribs. Position yourself over your standing pet. Reach down and feel its ribs. You should be able to feel them easily, with only a slight layer of fat. You should be able to feel each individual rib.
• Look for a “waist.” With your pet still standing, look at him from above. You should be able to see a definite waist between his ribcage and his hindquarters.

Be alert to physical signs. Fat pets, especially dogs, might have difficulty jumping onto couches or beds. Or they may show labored breathing after climbing the stairs or walking up a hill. The very obese pet may even have trouble getting its feet.

Help Your Pet Maintain Its Ideal Weight

Again, just like people, pets need a healthy lifestyle to main their ideal weight.

• Change the way you feed him. Cut back on the number of treats you offer your pet, and/or offer smaller pieces. Better yet, treat them with small carrots or pieces of apple (No grapes, raisins or onions as they can be toxic to your pet). Monitor your pet’s weight and adjust until you reach the balance that is right for your pet. Do not free-feed (leave food out for the pet to nibble on all day). Some animals can handle free-feeding without weight problems. Most cannot.
• Gradually increase your pet’s exercise. If you are not exercising your pet, you’re not only letting him down, you are missing out on a great bonding experience. Start now. Play fetch with your dog or take him to the dog park and be sure he runs and plays with the other dogs. Most dogs won’t exercise themselves when put out in a yard alone. Taking your dog out for walks also gets in your exercise. Start slowly – regular exercise is much better than high-energy workouts once in awhile. As he becomes more fit, begin to gradually increase his exercise intensity and duration. Cats need exercise too, though they may act like they couldn’t care less. Sometimes you need to trick them into it. Laser lights and wind-up toys they can chase across the floor, and tall cat trees they can climb are all things you can try with your cat. The main thing is to get her moving. Go slowly; a cat’s interest span is shorter than a dog’s. Use your imagination and before you know it, you and your kitty will be having a great time playing together – in other words, exercising!

All of these stories are from “Healthy Pets and other creatures great and small,” compiled by Ginny Vaughn and Betsy McMahan, Copyright © 2001.

Dog Story from Mary Kaczor

“Duke is our 12 year old, very loved, yellow Lab. In the past nine months, his joints have gotten progressively stiffer. Getting up and down steps is difficult. In the morning, he could hardly get up. We started giving him 8 Alfalfa and 2 Osteokinetics per day. After two months, he was going up and down steps with ease and getting right up in the morning!

Within the last six months we also noticed he was panting from the slightest exertion. I started calling him the Pink Panter! This panting had nothing to do with his being hot or thirsty, he just panted all the time. He only stopped when was asleep. We started giving him 1 Vita-Lea a day. After a few weeks, my husband commented, “Duke isn’t panting anymore. It has to be the Vita-Lea!” It’s amazing! Thanks to Shaklee, I think we may be blessed with Duke for a few more wonderful years.”

Cat Story from Lynn Toney

“Schaltzie’s short black hair, once thick and shiny, was thin and scraggly, with scaly, itchy lesions on the skin of his back, stomach and legs. It looked like mange. Schaltzie, 16, constantly licked, itched and scratched, often breaking the skin open. Advice and medicine from the vet did not help. I began giving Shaltzie Instant Protein 2 x a day. Within several days he seemed happier and friskier than I’d seen him in ages. His hair started growing back in the bald spots and the itching seemed less severe. His skin cleared up quickly.

For years, Schaltzie had fibrous fatty tumors. One day after we’d started Shaklee products, I was petting him and accidentally hit one of those very large, hard lumps and witnessed a strange sight. On top of the bump was a tiny hole. It looked like a worm was trying to come out. The more I  pressed around the lump, stiff material curled up out. It was like paste. I washed the wound with Basic-H and water. I continued this process and in 2 days, that lump was gone. In a week, all the lumps were gone. I was SO amazed. Much time, money and trouble had been spent in vain over the years. Shaklee products took care of the problem with a few weeks. If I had been giving the animals Shaklee products from the beginning, we probably would not have had all the problems in the first place.

As animals age, they tend to lose weight and interest in life. I kept Schaltzie on the Protein and Liqui-Lea and, periodically, Herb-Lax for the rest of his life. He gained weight and had a skip in his step until his death several years later.”

Vet Gives Personal Testimonial from Molly C. Spicuzza, DVM, White Lake, MI

“This is a personal testimonial about the wonderful Basic-G germicidal cleaner. Two employees at my clinic were very sensitive to chemical odors. When we began using Basic-G, there were no more complaints of headaches from chemical fumes. Basic-G is also a great cleaner. The kennel help finds it removes dried blood better than any product we have used. The clinic also uses Basic-G in the mop bucket to disinfect the floors throughout the day.

I personally use Basic-H (now Basic H²) to wash my hands between patients. In the past my hands have been dry, red, and cracked from washing with harsh soaps. Basic-H doesn’t strip the natural protective coating from one’s skin. The dry, cracked skin has healed.

I’ve been using Shaklee’s nutritional products to help animals with allergies and hip dysplasia and been happy with the results. I’ve been using Osteokintetics(now Joint Health Complex) to help dogs with osteoarthritis with good results. It’s the best glucosamine product on the market, and is less expensive than any comparable veterinary product. It’s worked better than I expected in dogs with hip dysplasia. The recommended dose of Osteokinetics(Joint Health Complex) for dogs is as follows: Less than 25 pounds – 1 x day, 25 to 50 pounds -1(capsule) 2 x day, 50 pounds and over – 2 in the AM, 1 in the PM.

Note: The parentheses are mine.

These are just a few of the stories I have. If you have a specific problem, contact me and I will see what others have found as helpful and get back to you.

In answer to this question, let me tell you a story told to me by one of my clients:

“I picked up a co-worker at her home the other day and could not help but hear her dog barking frantically and I could see him running up and looking out the window, then racing back to scratch on the door.”

Having two dogs of my own, I asked her what the fuss was about. “He always acts this way when I leave. And he absolutely destroys the place by the time I get home. I’m about at my wit’s end. I hate to lock him up in the bathroom and I can’t leave him outside.”

I responded, “My dogs were having problems, too. They were so excited to see me when I got home they bounced around like they were on springs. At times, out of pure boredom, I guess, they would pull out shoes and find pieces of clothing to chew on or tear apart. By the time I got the messes cleaned up, I was in no mood to reward them with a walk, even though I knew they needed it after being cooped up all day.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I hired Grandma Dee to walk the dogs every day. She spends time playing with them and the exercise wears them out so they rest most of the day. When I get home, they’re still happy to see me, but not bouncing off the walls and no more messes. You ought to give her a call.”

Do you or someone you know experience this with your dog(s)?

Dogs who are left alone all day experience stress, separation anxiety and behavioral problems like barking and tearing up homes and furnishings.

Exercise is a great reliever of stress and boredom in dogs. And it helps them burn some of that energy they don’t know what to do with. Dog trainers say that a tired dog is a good dog.

In addition, exercise helps prevent obesity and alleviates arthritis and joint pain. Studies show that pets who exercise regularly get the same benefits we humans do, such as living longer, better- quality lives.

Wouldn’t it be great to come home to happy relaxed, well-behaved dogs without feeling guilty for not having the time or energy to walk them?

We can walk your dogs for you. The length of the walk is up to you and based on the dog’s energy level and health. Regular, weekly walks can be billed monthly (upon credit approval), periodic (whenever you need us) walks are collected each time I take them out. Call us at 858-693-4296 or email andeewr@san.rr.com.        .

Go to http://www.grandmadeespetcare.com/3.html for rates.