Day: August 13, 2017

A few months ago, my partner and I sold our Co-Op apartment in New York and bought a house to give our dogs a better life. Some of our friends thought we were a little crazy, but it turns out we weren’t alone! A new study shows that dogs are more important than marriage and kids to millennial home buyers. Let’s look at the stats when it comes to buying a home for your dog and how to help your dog adjust to your new home.

A New Study Shows That One-Third of Millennials Buy Homes with Their Dogs in Mind

The new study from SunTrust Mortgage explored what factors contributed to millennials aged 18-36 purchasing homes. One-third (33%) of millennial homeowners said that wanting to provide their dogs with more space — such as yards for dogs — was the driving reason behind purchasing a home. In this study, dogs ranked among the top three motivators for millennial home buyers, and were cited more frequently than current or impending marriage and children.

Only 25 percent of those surveyed were looking to purchase a home because of marriage, and just 19 percent said they were buying because of the birth of a child. The SunTrust Mortgage study also found that among millennials who had not yet purchased a first home, 42 percent say that their dog, or the desire add a dog to their family, was the key factor in planning to purchase a house in the future!

3 Pro Tips for Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home

Austin-based veterinarian Dr. Hunter Bowen has expert advice for dog parents who are purchasing a home:

1. Establish Familiar Places in Your House

Anything that keeps the new house similar to the old house will help your dog transition. Dogs like routine, so even small things like putting the water and food bowls in the same place in relation to the crate will help your dog feel secure. Keep the dog bed/crate in the same space, too. If your dog’s bed was in your old home’s kitchen, place it in your new home’s kitchen.

2. Don’t Change Your Routinely Too Drastically 

Factors like different commute times may throw off feeding and walking times but try to keep things as close to your old schedule as possible. Also, it’s tempting to buy all new stuff for a new house, but let your dog get used to the new home before replacing toys, beds, bowls and leashes. Remember: never be too rigid with routines or it could create even more anxiety for your dog!

3. Hire a Dog Sitter for Moving Day

The most stressful part of the move is the hustle and bustle of the packing boxes and loading the truck. This is a great time to board your dog or send him to grandma/a friend. Bring your dog to the new house once all is calm!

More Tips on Getting Your Dog to Love Your New Home

• Take your dog to the new home several times before you move in. Bring familiar toys and bedding to help your dog instantly feel at home.
• Get new ID tags that include the new address. Update your dog’s contact information with the microchip company as well!
• Purchasing a new house or renovating a fixer-upper? Talk with the builder and your real estate agent about avoiding materials that are toxic to your dog.
• Moving is stressful and might cause some behavioral backslides. Dogs who are fully housebroken may have accidents, or display other behaviors like marking in the new home. Moving to a new home is a great time to brush up on your foundation training. Go back to basics, reward your dog for going potty outside like you would a young puppy or sign up for a refresher course with a local trainer.

What Dog Owners Should Keep in Mind When House Hunting:

• Look for a dog park or open spaces, beaches or walking paths near the house.
• Check out dog-friendly Home Owner’s Association (HOA) restrictions and other laws (there are places that don’t allow certain breeds or sizes of dogs — be aware these laws can change even after you buy).
• A fenced-in yard is a must. If you are purchasing a townhouse or condo, find a fenced-in porch where dog can’t get out between bars or easily jump over. If your new home doesn’t have a solid fence, factor the cost of adding one into your overall home-buying expenses.
• Seek out dog-friendly floors — wood, tile and laminate are best. Try to avoid carpet.
• Mud rooms are a bonus! It’s helpful to have a place to wipe your dog’s paws before he enters the home — especially on rainy days.
• Ensure there’s enough room and storage space for all your dog’s stuff: crates, beds, dishes and more.
• Find a bathtub that’s sized properly for your dog, or better yet a dedicated dog wash station!

Thumbnail: Photography by Wavebreakmedia/Thinkstock.

Read more about dogs and your home on Dogster.com:

• Tips for Dog Safety During Home Renovations
• Moving with Dogs: How to Introduce Your Pup to Your New Home
• 11 Stylish Ways to Dogify Your Home Décor

Sassafras Lowrey is an award-winning author. Her novels have been honored by organizations ranging from the Lambda Literary Foundation to the American Library Association. Sassafras is a Certified Trick Dog Trainer, and assists with dog agility classes. Sassafras lives and writes in Brooklyn with her partner, a senior Chihuahua mix, a rescued Shepherd mix and a Newfoundland puppy, along with two bossy cats and a semi-feral kitten. Learn more at sassafraslowrey.com.

The post Buying a Home for Your Dog? You’re Not Alone (Plus, How to Introduce Your Dog to Your New Home!) appeared first on Dogster.

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Is your dog vomiting then trying to gobble it up? This behavior may seem bizarre to us but in the dog world it is par for the course and is considered a delightful course indeed. Dogs probably strive too hard to eat their vomit because 1. their mothers regurgitated food for them when they were puppies and 2. their heightened sense of smell reveals the actual food particles in it.

Some vomiting is normal for dogs. Dogs vomit for many reasons including an irritated stomach, eating too fast or too much, or sometimes because of nervousness. A large amount of the time, vomiting is not something to worry about but sometimes it can indicate a serious condition. If your dog vomits once or more a week and it is accompanied by diarrhea, lethargy, or loss of appetite, check with your vet. The trick is know a bit about canine vomiting, what to do, and when to haul your butt to the emergency vet.

How to Know Your Dog is Going to Vomit

This may seem silly but it helps to know the signs of a dog getting ready to vomit so you can have necessary equipment on hand before the expulsion. A well-prepared dog owner can recognize the signs of dog vomiting, grab her cleaning carrier and paper towels and beat the vomit to the floor. It can also help you prepare in case it is a situation where you’ll need to get help immediately.

Signs your dog is about to vomit:

• Wretching – that noise that comes from your dog that sounds like he has something stuck in his throat. You will also see his throat straining back and forth.
• Stiff Stance – your dog may become rigid as he attempts to keep from vomiting.
• Wandering – a dog will often wander aimlessly right before he vomits.

How to Deduce if Your Dog Has Eaten Something Poisonous or an Object

The first thing to do is to check your dog’s vomit. It may make you a bit queasy but, by doing this, you can look for any bits of foreign objects. Keeping an eye on your dog, look for food or products he might have eaten in the immediate area and the area he has just come from. Signs of things eaten include wrappers, crumbs, pieces of an object (such as a plastic bag) and things that used to be there that aren’t now.

List of Some Common Dangerous Things Swallowed That Can Make Your Dog Vomit

Food

• Chocolate
• Avocado
• Any fruit pits
• Raisins or grapes
• Mushrooms
• Potato peelings

Household Products

• Cleaning products – any cleaning product is dangerous to dogs, though the natural ones are far less toxic.
• Anti-freeze
• Auto oil
• Cocoa mulch
• Gardening chemicals
• Some household plants.

Things We Forget About

• Bones that splinter
• Toys with removable parts
• String, rubber bands and even dental floss
• Sugarless chewing gum

How to Make Your Dog Vomit in an Emergency

Always try to call your vet or emergency clinic before considering inducing vomiting. Induce vomiting ONLY when it’s absolutely necessary and you’ve talked to a professional unless you suspect he’s eaten something dangerous (especially anti-freeze). But do not attempt to induce vomiting if your dog has lost consciousness or swallowed something that can harm his throat on the way back up, such as a sharp piece of bone.

To induce vomiting, open your dog’s mouth gently and squirt a small amount of an emetic like hydrogen peroxide or ipecac syrup down his throat. It takes around a teaspoon of ipecac syrup per 10 lbs. of body weight to induce vomiting. An overdose can cause heart problems so try to be accurate when measuring. Wait ten minutes and retry. If he doesn’t vomit after the second try, get him to a vet immediately.

What to Do After Your Dog has Vomited

• Make Certain There is No Obstruction – gently place your hand in his mouth and at the top of his throat. If he is wheezing or has trouble breathing, there could be an obstruction further down so get him to the vet immediately.
• Give Him Fluids – including electrolytes.
• Keep Him Warm – a blanket and hugs work well.
• Reassure Him – make sure he doesn’t think he’s done something wrong.
• Feed Bland Food – feed your dog a diet of cooked chicken and white rice for a few days.

How to Know When to Go to the Emergency Vet

Safe is always best so if you have any reason to be worried, call your vet or the emergency clinic immediately and go there. Also, look for signs of poisoning or obstruction. These include chills, shaking, breathing difficulty, seizure, drooling or staggering. And when you check your dog’s vomit, if you see any more than a few drops of blood or any amount of yellow bile, take him to the emergency vet ASAP.

Different Ends of the Spectrum — Puppies and Senior Dogs and Vomiting

Puppies and senior dogs vomit more than those in between. Follow these guidelines to look for danger signs but, if after your vet checks him over, don’t worry too much if they throw up almost daily, unless it is accompanied by other signs of illness. They both have less ability to keep food down than adult dogs.

With a bit of preparation you can be a Super-Vomitocious Dog Owner and be certain that your dog will be healthy and safe. Carrying a cloth and some Nature’s Miracle around doesn’t hurt either.

Read more about dog vomiting on Dogster.com:

• All About Dog Gastrointestinal Issues — Diarrhea, Vomiting, Constipation and More
• Why is My Dog Throwing Up White Foam?
• Does Your Dog Throw Up Bile?

The post Dog Vomiting: What Canine Parents Need to Know appeared first on Dogster.

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Relatively recent advances have determined that dogs may be safely sterilized as early as six to eight weeks old. Whether you have a female dog who is not spayed, or you’re just curious about canine gestation, we’re here to address the basics of dog pregnancy. One of the most common questions is, “How long are dogs pregnant?” Let’s talk about dog pregnancy and what to expect when a dog is expecting!

How long are dogs pregnant?

Female dogs who are not spayed tend to go into heat, or estrus, twice each year. Every six to eight months throughout their lives, female dogs prime themselves for the rigors of child rearing. While their reproductive cycles might become erratic or less regular as they reach advanced age, unlike humans, dogs do not experience menopause, remaining fertile well into seniority.

They spend about three weeks in heat, and are primed for egg fertilization for about the last two of those weeks. Though there can be minor variations, depending on breeds and sizes of dog, on the whole the gestation period for dogs is right around two months, or roughly 60 to 65 days from conception to birth. Based on our research, the average dog pregnancy seems to be right around nine weeks, or 63 days.

Signs of dog pregnancy

Since dog pregnancy is such a relatively rapid phenomenon, it can certainly sneak up on an unsuspecting dog owner. Tracking dog pregnancy symptoms requires a keen and observant eye, since a dog at the onset of fertility looks very much like she would at several weeks pregnant. The most frequently cited sign of pregnancy in dogs is nipples that are reddened, enlarged, or swelling, which also happens when a dog is in heat. Over the course of the gestation period for dogs, the teats will grow even larger as she begins to produce milk for forthcoming puppies.

In answering “how long are dogs pregnant,” it’s important to remember that, for larger dogs especially, the swollen abdomen that we notice in humans might not present until the last three weeks of pregnancy. For the first couple of weeks of a dog’s pregnancy, she may lose her appetite and become lethargic. Vomiting, which we associate with morning sickness in humans, may occur, but is one of the less common dog pregnancy symptoms. Along with the changes in the size of her teats, markedly lower energy and appetite levels may be the best early indicators for dog owners unacquainted with the process.

Dog pregnancy calendar

For the first two to three weeks of a dog’s pregnancy, she may experience changes in mood, attitude, and appetite. Her energy will decrease and she will be less keen for food. She may become more affectionate when you are with her, or more withdrawn and isolated. The range of changes in a dog may shift depending on her overall circumstances, health, and diet. The research shows that by the end of the fourth week, right around day 28, a veterinarian can confirm dog pregnancy with an ultrasound. An estimated due date can allow you to prepare the dog and your home for the arrival of puppies.

In weeks four through six, with a renewed appetite, a pregnant dog should begin to put on weight as her puppies develop. You may think about feeding her smaller but more frequent meals. Her abdomen will start to firm up and her teats will grow even larger as milk production continues. From weeks seven to nine, pregnant dogs should be noticeably larger, and in the last two, you should be able to feel the puppies when you touch her abdomen. Prepare a comfortable whelping box or closet, lined with newspapers, old quilts, blankets, or towels for the pregnant dog to nest in as she gears up for delivery. When whelping is imminent, she will lose her appetite again and prepare for labor.

Spay and neuter your dogs!

Spaying and neutering dogs is vital to preventing unexpected litters of puppies. With so many dogs waiting in shelters for adoption, it is better in the long run to sterilize your pet. Not only does a spayed or neutered dog avoid untimely pregnancies, but also diseases of the reproductive system that are associated with advanced age. In the 1940s and ’50s, it became traditional wisdom that dogs shouldn’t be sterilized until they were at least six months old. With current technology and veterinary medicine, spaying and neutering can be safely done at six to eight weeks of age.

If your dog is not spayed, it is even more important that you make sure she is vaccinated. Vaccination boosts not only the dog’s immunity to common diseases, but can improve the immunity of her puppies. It can also limit the virulence of any germs, viruses, or bacteria that newborn puppies may be exposed to during or after birth. The better care you take of your dog, the more likely it is that her pregnancy will be successful, and six to eight weeks after whelping, her puppies will be ready for adoption!

Thumbnail: Photography by Shutterstock.

And now… let’s read about puppies on Dogster.com: 

• Letting Your Puppy Sleep in Your Bed? Here’s How to Do It Safely
• How to Take Care of Your Dog’s Hair — From Puppyhood Through Their Senior Years
• Ready, Set, Debate! Which Breeds Have the Cutest Puppies?

The post How Long Are Dogs Pregnant? Everything to Know About Dog Pregnancy appeared first on Dogster.

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