Tagged with 'dogs'

How well do you really understand what your pooch is trying to tell you? Many of us are still struggling to interpret our animal friends’ barks, growls, and whines, as well as wags, shakes, and licks. It can be tricky to read the signs correctly.

There are a lot of misunderstandings about behaviors in animals and how they express them. See if you can recognize the meaning of these common mutt moves.

1. Your Doggie is Licking her Lips.

    A. She’s hungry.
    B. She’s stressed out.
    C. She just ate some peanut butter.

Answer: B. No, dogs don’t worry about their e-mail inboxes or to-do lists, but they can still experience both short-term and chronic stress. When the dog is not happy, it increases the probability of our getting bitten, so avoid any sudden moves (like approaching from behind or petting immediately) that could cause your pup to snap.

2. You can see the Whites of your Pup’s Eyes.

     A. He’s surprised.
     B. He’s curious.
     C. He’s afraid.

Answer: C. The whites of the eyes appear whenever the head turns one way and the eyes go the other. In lay, this can happen when the dog is faking you out by appearing to look away but coyly looking at you. But if you’re out in public and see the whites of a dog’s eyes, that’s usually a sign he’s trying to look away out of fear, or to signal his desire for this interaction to be done.

3. Your Hound Freezes Up.

     A. She needs space.
     B. She’s getting ready to pounce.
     C. She’s feeling nervous.

Answer: A. Dogs will freeze and have a lack of behavior when they want a person or another animal to back off right away. You may see this happen in a crowd or even at the vet’s office.

4. Your Dog’s Tail is Wagging Like Crazy.

     A. He’s happy.
     B. He’s upset.
     C. It depends.

Answer: C. You may think a wagging rear means a happy dog, but that’s not always true. It’s important to look at the rest of the body for context. If his muscles, face, and ears are relaxed, he’s probably in a good mood, but tense body language can be a sign that your pup is actually unhappy. In fact, in both dogs and cats, a neutral tail is the best sign they’re content. It shows their body is at ease and there’s no tension in their muscles.

Your pup may have a better understanding of language than you think. Researchers used fMRI to monitor 13 dogs while they listened to human speech. The scientists discovered the animals processed both the meaning of words and the tone in which the words were spoken, using similar areas of the brain that humans do. 

Article and quiz courtesy of Health.com

Sitting around all day can really start to get to your pet. It's important to provide healthy ways for our pets to burn off energy because otherwise dogs and cats can become anxious or depressed or exhibit negative behaviors, such as chewing and clawing.

When boredom strikes, these easy tips will entertain dogs and cats while sharpening their brains. 

Follow Their Instincts

Does your dog like to dig or scavenge? Tap into your dog's natural tendencies by filling a stuffable toy with treats. For your cat, they need to climb, and they feel most confident when perched up high. Place a shelf or ledge by the window so they can see what’s interesting outside.

Get Fresh Air

When walking your dog, allow time for leisurely exploration of neighborhood scents. Dogs see the world through their noses. Sniffing around promotes brain health, like when you do a crossword puzzle. Cats enjoy the outdoors too. Let outgoing and social felines become accustomed to a harness and leash while indoors by rewarding them with treats, then take them out for a supervised prowl.

Keep Your Pets Busy

Experiment until you find a game that piques their interest. If your dog likes to tear up toys, look for items designed for extreme chewers. Cats enjoy ping-pong balls, empty boxes and paper bags, and playthings that crinkle or chirp. They also need scratching posts for sharpening nails and stretching. If you don’t provide posts, they’ll scratch whatever’s around.

Join the Fun

Pets thrive on interaction. Walk you dog on different routes to keep them stimulated. Play fetch, blow pet-friendly bubbles or join an obedience class. Kitty cats love to "hunt." Use a pole with a feather on the end, drag it erratically, then make it “die” when your cat pounces. Provide a treat as a reward so they think they’ve captured the prey.

Make Mealtime Engaging

As your pet would have to do in the wild, make them work for their food! Hide kibble under paper cups and tell your dog to “find it,” which encourages them to use their nose. Place pieces of your cat’s food on each stair or inside an empty paper towel tube. Food puzzles, which require animals to figure out how to release a snack, are another creative option. 

Article courtesy of Family Circle, Nov. 2016

Sitting around all day can really get to your pet. When we don’t provide healthy ways for our pets to burn off energy, dogs and cats can become anxious or depressed or exhibit negative behaviors, such as chewing and clawing.

When boredom strikes, these easy tips will entertain dogs and cats while sharpening their brains. 

Follow Their Instincts

Instead of punishing your dog’s desire to dig or scavenge, tap into these natural tendencies by filling a stuffable toy with treats. Cats need to climb, and they feel most confident when perched up high. Place a shelf or ledge by the window so they can see what’s interesting outside.

Get Fresh Air

When walking your dog, allow time for leisurely exploration of neighborhood scents. Dogs see the world through their noses. Sniffing around promotes brain health, like when you do a crossword puzzle. Cats enjoy the outdoors too. Let outgoing and social felines become accustomed to a harness and leash while indoors by rewarding them with treats, then take them out for a supervised prowl.

Keep Your Pets Busy

Experiment until you find a game that piques their interest. If your dog likes to tear up toys, look for items designed for extreme chewers. Cats enjoy ping-pong balls, empty boxes and paper bags, and playthings that crinkle or chirp. They also need scratching posts for sharpening nails and stretching. If you don’t provide posts, they’ll scratch whatever’s around.

Join the Fun

Pets thrive on interaction. Walk you dog on different routes to keep them stimulated. Play fetch, blow pet-friendly bubbles or join an obedience class. Hunt with your cat by using a pole with a feather on the end. Drag I erratically, then make it “die” when your cat pounces. Provide a treat as a reward so they think they’ve captured the prey.

Make Mealtime Engaging

As your pet would have to do in the wild, make them work for their food! Hide kibble under paper cups and tell your dog to “find it,” which encourages them to use their nose. Place pieces of your cat’s food on each stair or inside an empty paper towel tube. Food puzzles, which require animals to figure out how to release a snack, are another creative option. 

Article courtesy of Family Circle, Nov. 2016

Has Fido or Bootsie been looking a little pudgy lately? It’s definitely a possibility considering a new study reveals 54% of dogs and 58% of cats are overweight or obese. Surprisingly though, up to 90% of owners don’t realize their pet has gained too much weight, which is a problem because extra weight on your pet can cause diabetes, cancer, and heart and joint diseases, among other conditions.

Why More Pets Are Plus-Size

For one, dogs are less active than ever, in part due to increasingly sedentary owners who take them on fewer walks.

But perhaps the biggest reason both dogs and cats are too heavy, is simple: we overfeed them.

Most owners eyeball and overestimate portion sizes, and many equate food with love and dole out too many treats. What’s more, many people no longer have a clear idea of what overweight actually look likes because so many animals are heavy these days. 

How To Tell Whether Your Pet Is Overweight

You should be able to easily feel (though not see) your pet’s ribs. Try the knuckle test: hold your right hand out flat, palm down, then run your left fingers over the knuckles at the base of your right fingers. That’s what your pet’s ribs should feel like—easy to count without having to push into your pet’s body.

Or look at your pet from above. The body should have an hourglass shape—broader at the chest, with a tuck before the hip bones. For the most accurate assessment, ask your vet to check your pet’s body condition score. This score, based on a 5- or 9-point scale, determines a healthy weight and allows your vet to offer personalized feeding and exercise advice.

3 Tips For Safe Weight Loss

If your pet is too heavy and you’ve ruled out a separate underlying cause, follow these tips.

#1: Nix treats

Store-bought treats and chews have little nutritional value compared with commercial foods and some contain 100+ calories each. Healthier rewards: For dogs, carrot and apple slices, green beans, or plain popcorn, and for cats, offer tiny bits of zucchini or cooked chicken or fish.

#2: Assess portions

Check pet-food labels to make sure you’re feeding your dog or cat based on his or her ideal weight, not current weight. Use a measuring cup to be sure you’re not over- or underestimating. 

#3: Get up and move

For your heavy but otherwise healthy dog, work up to at least two brisk 30-minute walks a day. Most large breeds can handle two 1-hour walks. Exercise your cat with a feather teaser several times a day, have her chase the red dot of a laser pointer, or put some of her food in a food-dispensing toy that releases kibble when she bats it around.

Article courtesy of Prevention.com

You’ve noticed pets and owners start to look alike over time, but did you know Fluffy’s physical condition can mirror yours too?

A pet’s illness can be a reflection of our own health, especially when a disease process is heavily influenced by lifestyle choices. In most cases, recognizing what is going on is enough to help both pet and owner.

Here’s what you can learn from three common animal symptoms.

If he’s anxious…

Check your stress-o-meter

People’s level of anxiety can dictate to some degree the anxiety level of their pets. Domestic dogs actually have the ability to combine facial and vocal cues to perceive human emotions—which can make them attuned to your moods. Likewise, specific phobias can carry over to your dog. For example, if you’re constantly wincing during storms, it could cause Fido to develop a fear of thunder. Try easing tension in both yourself and your pet by doing something calming, such as listening to soothing music.

If her grooming habits have changed…

See whether you’ve been sneezing

If your cat or dog has been excessively scratching or licking it could be a sign of allergies. And if you find yourself sneezing and coughing, you may be allergic to the same thing, like pollen, mold or dust mites. Your vet can help nail down the culprit and, if necessary, prescribe meds for your pet.

Minimize the amount of pollen that gets into your home by wiping down your pet with a wet cloth after time outside, paying special attention to paws and face. Changing your clothes and showering when you come inside also helps. Vacuuming, cleaning your pet’s bedding and bathing her regularly can help with both indoor and outdoor allergies.

If he’s putting on pounds…

Take an honest look at your diet and exercise habits

It’s probably not a coincidence that just as obesity rates in humans have been rising, the proportion of dogs in the United States that are overweight or obese has grown, too—by nearly 10% between 2009 and 2015. People who follow a healthy lifestyle are more likely to promote a healthy lifestyle in their pets.

Show your pup, and yourself, some TLC with daily physical activity, and ask the vet for diet pointers for your furry friend.

If he’s sneezing, coughing, or wheezing…

What’s in your air?

If you spot respiratory symptoms in your pet, such as coughing, sneezing, or wheezing, it might mean you’re both being exposed to potential airborne irritants in your home, like smoke or other environmental pollutants. Animals are lower to the ground, where toxins tend to settle, so they’ll experience the effects sooner. 

Check out our new Animal Nutrition line by Uckele Canine!

Article courtesy of Live Healthy

Communication is key in any relationship, including the ones we have with our pets. Dogs make great efforts to communicate, and the tool they use most with the people they know is body language. Understanding the basic components of those nonverbal cues—facial expressions, ear set, tail carriage, hair, and posture—is the first step toward interpreting a dog’s message.

Also keep in mind many expressions have more than one meaning, like trembling, and you’ll need to consider the extenuating circumstances. The secret is to put all these elements together to reach the best conclusion.

Here’s How to Interpret a Canine Conversation:

TAIL WAGGING

A content dog will move his tail slowly in a kind-of sloppy way. The dog’s tail will be fast if he’s really happy to see you. But if the tail is stiff, that can signal aggression, whether it’s barely quivering or quickly whipping back and forth.

RAISED HACKLES

If the hair that runs along her spine stands up and she’s also crouching, your dog may be afraid. But if she appears otherwise relaxed, that raised fur could just be a sign that she’s itching to have fun, particularly if her eyes are focused and alert.

EYE CONTACT

Dogs usually avert their eyes when approaching other dogs to let them know they aren’t a threat. A hard stare, however, often indicates they’re ready to rumble, as do eyes that appear larger than normal. Some dogs, though, stare at other dogs when they want to play; in these cases, the dog is typically down on all fours in a pounce-ready position, or standing with a jaunty tail wag.

A dog with squinty eyes may be anxious, especially when also hunched over. If you can see the whites of his eyes (sometimes called “whale eye”), that can mean he’s guarding a favorite toy or resting spot, especially if his body is rigid, in which case it’s best to let him be.

LIPS TOGETHER (OR APART)

A dog that’s in a good mood will usually have his mouth slightly open in a relaxed manner. If he’s baring his teeth with the sides of the mouth pulled back tightly, stay away: this is the most recognizable sign of canine aggression.

A dog that’s anxious may lick his lips or yawn excessively, even when he’s not feeling sleepy.

STIFF AND STILL

The classic “play bow” position, where the dog’s front end is on the ground and his back end is up in the air, is the clearest invitation to play in a dog’s vernacular.

Beware of a dog whose body is coiled like a spring, however, with his weight shifted forward in a confident manner and his tail straight up over his back or quivering; he’s most likely angry.

A dog that’s crouched over (often with his tail tucked under) and frozen still, as if trying to be invisible, may be feeling fearful or defensive.

EARS UP OR BACK

If the ears are erect and pointing forward, it’s one of two things: he’s being frisky or combative, and you’ll need to look to the tail (happy wag or stiff flagging?), eyes (staring or not?), and stance (play bow or not?) for other clues. If the ears are pulled back or flattened, this may be a sign of fear—especially when the dog’s entire body seems to be tucked.

TREMBLING

This can signal anxiety (ie: thunder storm!), but can also mean he’s excited (I see a squirrel outside!) and ready to play. Of course, sometimes the answer is the easiest and most obvious one –he’s chilly and needs to warm up!

Dogs have a complex vocalization system that goes paw-in-paw with their body language. In general, high-pitched barks accompany excitement or need, while a lower pitch suggests aggression. When a dog “chuffs,” with quick, breathy barks, he may be feeling anxious.

Article courtesy of Martha Stewart

Communication is key in any relationship, including the ones we have with our pets. Dogs make great efforts to communicate, and the tool they use most with the people they know is body language. Understanding the basic components of those nonverbal cues—facial expressions, ear set, tail carriage, hair, and posture—is the first step toward interpreting a dog’s message.

Also keep in mind many expressions have more than one meaning, like trembling, and you’ll need to consider the extenuating circumstances. The secret is to put all these elements together to reach the best conclusion.

Here’s How to Interpret a Canine Conversation:

TAIL WAGGING

A content dog will move his tail slowly in a kind-of sloppy way. The dog’s tail will be fast if he’s really happy to see you. But if the tail is stiff, that can signal aggression, whether it’s barely quivering or quickly whipping back and forth.

RAISED HACKLES

If the hair that runs along her spine stands up and she’s also crouching, your dog may be afraid. But if she appears otherwise relaxed, that raised fur could just be a sign that she’s itching to have fun, particularly if her eyes are focused and alert.

EYE CONTACT

Dogs usually avert their eyes when approaching other dogs to let them know they aren’t a threat. A hard stare, however, often indicates they’re ready to rumble, as do eyes that appear larger than normal. Some dogs, though, stare at other dogs when they want to play; in these cases, the dog is typically down on all fours in a pounce-ready position, or standing with a jaunty tail wag.

A dog with squinty eyes may be anxious, especially when also hunched over. If you can see the whites of his eyes (sometimes called “whale eye”), that can mean he’s guarding a favorite toy or resting spot, especially if his body is rigid, in which case it’s best to let him be.

LIPS TOGETHER (OR APART)

A dog that’s in a good mood will usually have his mouth slightly open in a relaxed manner. If he’s baring his teeth with the sides of the mouth pulled back tightly, stay away: this is the most recognizable sign of canine aggression.

A dog that’s anxious may lick his lips or yawn excessively, even when he’s not feeling sleepy.

STIFF AND STILL

The classic “play bow” position, where the dog’s front end is on the ground and his back end is up in the air, is the clearest invitation to play in a dog’s vernacular.

Beware of a dog whose body is coiled like a spring, however, with his weight shifted forward in a confident manner and his tail straight up over his back or quivering; he’s most likely angry.

A dog that’s crouched over (often with his tail tucked under) and frozen still, as if trying to be invisible, may be feeling fearful or defensive.

EARS UP OR BACK

If the ears are erect and pointing forward, it’s one of two things: he’s being frisky or combative, and you’ll need to look to the tail (happy wag or stiff flagging?), eyes (staring or not?), and stance (play bow or not?) for other clues. If the ears are pulled back or flattened, this may be a sign of fear—especially when the dog’s entire body seems to be tucked.

TREMBLING

This can signal anxiety (ie: thunder storm!), but can also mean he’s excited (I see a squirrel outside!) and ready to play. Of course, sometimes the answer is the easiest and most obvious one –he’s chilly and needs to warm up!

Dogs have a complex vocalization system that goes paw-in-paw with their body language. In general, high-pitched barks accompany excitement or need, while a lower pitch suggests aggression. When a dog “chuffs,” with quick, breathy barks, he may be feeling anxious.

Article courtesy of Martha Stewart