Dog behaviour

This is where this is coming from...

On Sunday I was watering my garden and my neighbors 2 fox terriers came to the fence and started licking the leaves frantically... I got a little suspicious and decided to see if they had water, so I jumped the fence and noticed their water bowl was completely dry, I filled up their bowl and they drank like there was no tomorrow!

I was completely horrified and have come to realise that people think that having dogs is the easiest thing under the sun... WAKE UP!!!! its not!!!

Dogs have BASIC needs which include: 

• nutrition
• water
• exercise
• socialisation
• shelter/den

Lets start on the first one, Nutrition: People think that giving dogs left overs, sweets etc is ok... I mean it is all about how we "Love" our animals unconditionally, how we feed them junk and make them obese... this is not healthy, we are only shortening their life span! If a dog is 5 kilos over its breeds average weight, then it is considered obese. So please next time you decide to give your dog all the leftover food and sweets, please think again and consider that you are speeding up the days to their death... Have a look at this list of foods you should not feed your dog http://www.dogchatforum.com/foods-not-for-dogs.htm

Ok next one: Water: dogs need water ad lib (unlimited). Dogs can consume 40-60ml of water per kilo per day. And did you know that dogs do not like to drink their own saliva? They prefer fresh cool water (well who doesn't) So for those of you who only fill up their bowls without rinsing the slime from the bottom..."shame on you!" Dogs need fresh water every single day and please don't put the bowl in the sun.

Exercise: well well, this topic is always a touchy one, I have come across many people who do no exercise their dogs. Dogs need exercise outside of their gardens too, they need to smell pheromones from other dogs to communicate and feel safe in their surroundings. Most unacceptable behaviour is directly linked to the lack of exercise. For instance I chatted to a boy in Matric who has the sweetest chihuahua, he told me that his dog eats his own faeces.  Because they live in an apartment, the dog needs exercise outside every single day! and I guarantee that this behaviour will stop. There is another dog in my complex who is a chow, I feel so sorry for this dog because it is a large breed and is cooped in a small garden the whole day and never gets to go for a walk. The one day it was out and I approached it trying to let it back into its yard and it snapped at me. This aggression is from frustration due to lack of exercise!!! I don't know how much more I can emphasize on how important exercise is...  I think I should start a walking business for the lazy owners...mmmmmmm

moving on to Socialisation: All dogs should be socialised from a young age with other humans and other dogs as this teaches them to be social. Dogs which are bred in puppy mills for instance with little or no human interaction can in the long run be afraid of humans and visa versa, dogs which are only subjected only to humans can be afraid and vicious towards other dogs. So next time you have a puppy take it with you everywhere, expose it to colourful clothing (dogs have poor vision), different props (hats, glasses), take it in the car, take for walks on a leash, and meet other dogs (in the park, at friends etc). This will ensure that your puppy will be a happy and properly socialised.

Lastly shelter: Dogs need a place they feel safe, like a den or bed, and many people fail to provide this simple need. Because dogs have bad vision, they are very sensitive to sharp bright colours (includes white), so make sure their beds, kennels are natural colours (brown, blue, green). Place their kennels, beds in a cool sheltered area where they can get away from the heat and rain.

I know a lot of you know how to look after dogs, but the few of you out there, there are triple the amount who do not have a clue how to look after a dog, they think they are an accessory or security or even a waste of space. (And most of these people have children of their own or eventually will)

So please do me this favour, next time you visit your friends or family, check the arrangements they have with their dogs and share this little bit of information and their dogs will be much happier.

This was a long one I know :)

Peace and Love

In human relations, compassion contributes to promoting peace and harmony - Dalai Lama