Ancient dogs survived on whatever they could find or catch. If they managed to get more than they could eat in a sitting, they had to make sure it would be there when they came back to it later. “They stored spare food by burying it,” says Benjamin Hart, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of physiology and behavior at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine at Davis. “It was a pretty resourceful way of keeping leftovers.” Dirt may be gritty and hard on the teeth, but it is also protective.
The temperature in the ground is cooler than it is in the air, so burying food helped it stay fresh longer. Buried food did not roast in the sun. It did not immediately get covered with flies and insect. All in all, burying food and juicy bones was a very good solution.
Dogs do not need to bury their food anymore. But when they have an excess of rations, they feel that old urge coming on. So they look for a secluded spot, dig a quick hole, and put some goodies away for a rainy day.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 31st 2006 in Dog Behaviour
In some dogs it is not unusual to notice a mild diarrhea following a change in food. This is particularly true in younger animals. In most instances it persists only until the dog’s intestinal tract adjusts to the new food. In rare instances the diarrhea resulting from a change in diet lasts longer and may precipitate more serious forms of diarrhea.
To prevent diarrhea from developing during a dietary change, make the change gradually. A gradual change allows the intestinal tract to make a slow transition from the ingredients and physical characteristics of one food to those of the other.
Should diarrhea develop despite the precautions taken, reduce the amount of food being fed by one-half for a day or two. If this fails to correct the upset stomach then return to feeding the old food until the stool is normal again. Should the addition of the new food a second time also precipitate diarrhea, it is probable that the new food does not agree with your dog. If a third food is available it may be best to try an alternative method rather than to continue to subject your dog to a food that fails to agree with it.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 29th 2006 in Dog Nutrition, Dog Health
Punishment is the use of an adverse stimulus on your dog in order to reduce the probability of a problematic behavior in the future. Punishment is generally considered to be only marginally effective in dog training due to the time gap between behavior and reinforcement. An example of punishment might be: An owner comes home to find some shredded paper on the floor. He angrily proceeds to drag the dog to the mess and both verbally and physically reprimand the dog for the mess.
This dog will almost certainly be afraid of his owner’s actions. This dog may show subordinate behavior or even aggression as a result of the forceful nature of the punishment. The dog may not make the association between the act and the punishment. The timing between events makes it extremely difficult for the dog to make a connection.
Punishment should be avoided whenever possible. Those who have used punishment as a training tool often say it rarely works out, admitting that the technique may not teach the dog anything and may very well cause conflict in the relationship between the dog and its owner.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 26th 2006 in Dog Training
There are many different causes of fits in puppies. The usual ones are irritation of the gums due to teething, and irritation of the intestines by worms. Both of these conditions are not serious and can be cured. The more serious cause of fits is distemper, when an encephalitis or chorea ensues. Only expert veterinary advice can help you in this case.
Some puppies have hysteria, which produces fits, but the cause of this is unknown. A puppy that has constant fits is not a good proposition, and your vet may suggest that you have it put to sleep. Vitamin B complex in large doses is always worth trying, as experiments on rats lacking in this vitamin have proved that they have fits. But as all puppies should have vitamins given to them from the moment they come to your home, fits from this cause should not occur.
Worm the puppy three times from birth to six months old, and thereafter if any signs of parasites are seen in the stool. If fits continue, it may be worth having a laboratory examination of his stool to determine whether a tapeworm is present.
DogandMaster.com
dogandmaster on December 19th 2006 in Dog Behaviour
