Muskegonhumanesociety

Does Your Dog Pull On Its Leash?

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

1. Feed Them a Yummy Treats! Just having the treats in your hand may keep them closer to you and not pulling.

2. Keep your lessons short and sweet. Training a dog can be frustrating, for both your and your pooch. Keep your walks short so it’s still fun for both of you.

3. Tire Your Dog Out First– A tired dog is a compliant dog so before you begin training have some fun with your dog. We like to play fetch, and I do it until he stops bringing me his ball (and is doing some good panting.)

4. Let Her Do Some Sniffing- Dogs are simply excited for new smells and environments (it’s kind of like someone holding us back from the sales racks!). Reward him with occasional stopping and smelling. Then returning to a more structured walk.

5. If Your Dog Pulls, Stop– If they start to pull, stand still. Wait for him to loosen up, give him a treat and then resume walking. This takes patience, but eventually he will learn that not pulling might bring treats. And later you can ease up on the constant reward and just offer a treat at the end for a job well done!

Walking your dog helps build a powerful relationship between you and your dog. Make it enjoyable for both of you!

Tips For Clipping Your Pets Nails

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

1. Learn how to properly clip nails.

It’s important to learn how to properly trim your dog’s nails before diving in. If you clip too short, they will bleed. Which brings me to my second tip:

And make sure you have good clippers! Crappy clippers can mean un-clean cuts and pain for your dog. We use the Miller’s Forge brand and they have been awesome (and I think we only paid about $10 for them)

2. Always keep Kwik Stop nearby.

This is where Murphy’s Law comes into play – if you don’t have it next to you when trimming your dog’s nails, you’ll accidently cut too short.

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3. Trim often.

This should be a weekly routine. The more often you clip, the faster the quick will pull back.

4. Trim near a light or in daylight.

5. Bend their front paw back.

6. Bring on the treats!

Treats are essential.  One nail = one treat. A tiny treat, but a treat nonetheless.

I started small, by desensitizing her to the nail clippers. I would touch her feet with the nail clippers and in return she would get a treat. I did this for several days. In between I would also get her used to me touching her paws, something she isn’t particularly fond of either.

Next I would do a few nails at a time and be done for the evening. You can work up to this as well. Start small, if you are making great progress, don’t push  it. Oh yeah, did I mention it’s 10 times easier to do this when they are absolutely pooped out!

I started asking her for a sit, giving her a treat and then grabbing her front paw, folding it under so that her paw was facing the ceiling and then I clip one front nail at a time. Treats are given in between. Here’s a visual below:

Tips For Your Pets Separation Anxiety

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

Many pets can suffer from animal anxiety if they are left alone for too long, but most of us are forced to leave our dog alone all day while we work. Here are some tips to follow while adapting Fido to your busy lifestyle:

Rise and Shine

You want to get moving with pets in the morning before you go to work so they are tired for most of the day. Animals tend to sleep throughout much of the afternoon, but taking your dog for a walk or run before going to work will let it work off some energy so it doesn’t take it out on your furniture.

Toys

If there aren’t any toys for your dog to play with while you’re at work, it could chew up your brand new pair of boots or scratch a hole in the curtain. Make sure to keep several toys for it to play with that don’t require a human to be around for it to enjoy to avoid animal anxiety.

Dog Walker

Sure, a dog walker seems like an expensive option to keep your pooch happy, but consider asking a close neighbor or friend that is around during the day to take it for an afternoon walk. Not only will this decrease animal anxiety and the risk of your pup having an accident in your apartment, but it will help to zap some energy that has probably built up since the morning walk. You can begin to decrease visits from a walker once your dog gets used to being alone for the majority of the afternoon.

Create a Routine

Now that you are in a strict schedule for work, why not take this time to get your pooch accustomed to this daily routine as well? Right after you get home, you should take your dog for a walk to go to the bathroom and get a bit of exercise. After maintaining this routine, puppy will likely get used to the regimented schedule and be able to relax during the afternoon.

Tips for Bathing Your Furry Friend!

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

Pets do not usually need frequent bathing – the natural oils in their skin, shedding, a good diet, and their instinctual grooming habits keep them clean and their skin and hair healthy. However, our furry family members sometimes need a bit of extra help. There are times when an excess of hair and unpleasant smells can be a bit overwhelming and a good scrub is the only thing that will make snuggling on the couch tolerable again! Follow these tips when giving your dogs, cats, and other furry friends a good bath.

1. Try to make a bath a calm experience, if not a pleasant one.
Some pets love the water. Some pets don’t. For those who don’t appreciate the whole soggy business, take extra steps to make bath time a bit more soothing. Make sure all of your bathing supplies and a dry towel are within reach. Water temperatures should be comfortably warm or cooler on a hot day. Consider having a few treats ready to give your pet throughout the bath. Talk quietly and use your pet’s name frequently for reassurance. Consider placing a rubber mat in your tub to keep your pet from slipping. Ask for help from a friend if you think you might have a hard time keeping your pet safely in the tub.

2. Follow a routine like the one you have when you bathe yourself.
Do what you already know how to do. Use warm water to get your pet wet down to the skin so that they are ready for shampooing. If they can tolerate a “sprayer” like a detachable shower head or garden hose, this may be the easiest way to go. Put the sprayer on a gentle setting. Alternatively, you may use a bucket to dip fresh water and gently dump it over your pet’s back. Use an appropriate amount of shampoo based on your pet’s size and length of hair, then softly scrub it into the hair and skin. Avoid sensitive areas around the face (nose, ears, eyes, and mouth) and be gentle when scrubbing other sensitive body parts. If needed, use a damp rag (no soap) to clean your pet’s face. Rinse thoroughly using warm water so that leftover soap doesn’t irritate the skin.

3. Keep your pet in a warm environment until they can dry fully.
Once she has been rinsed, wrap your pet up in a towel and begin drying. Remember that it is natural for many pets to shake when wet, and unless you plan on preventing this, you may want to keep them in a warm, open area that can stand a bit of a shower! Some pets can tolerate a blow dryer. If you do use one, keep it on a warm (not hot) setting and hold the dryer about ten inches away from your pet. This may also be a good time for gentle brushing, especially for long-haired pets. Never let a wet pet out in cold temperatures, as wet skin and hair make it hard to keep warm.

More tips for how, when, and where to wash your pets:
Always allow your pet to remain upright in the bath – don’t force an animal, onto its back, as this is a very vulnerable position and can trigger defensive stress.
Healthy pets can be washed as frequently as once a month. Bathing your pet more often than this tends to dry out their hair and skin. If your pet needs special skin care, consult a veterinarian or professional groomer.
A very smelly pet may require more than one shampooing. You may also try a vinegar rinse: use one cup of vinegar in one gallon of water and pour it over your pet from the neck down. Rub it into your pet’s hair and skin and dry your pet as you normally would without rinsing the vinegar mixture out of his hair.

Its HOT out there! Here are some tips to keep your furry friend cool!

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

1. Frozen Treats & Food

Check your local petstore for logs of pet food. Most have these available and the logs can be cut into large chunks and frozen. Even better, put treats or toys in a bowl and freeze it, turn it upside down and let your dog enjoy! it will be entertained and cooled by licking the ice block for its favorite goodies!

2. Use a Kid Pool

Not all dogs love water, but it’s worth a try to see if yours does! Kiddie pools are cheap and can be filled up and kept in the shade for your dog to stand or lay in when he gets overheated. Kiddie pool too much of a hassle? Throw down a wet towel in the shade that your pup can rest on to cool off.

3. Keep Your Dog Inside

If at all possible, try to keep your dog inside on hot days. This is especially recommended during the hottest part of the day. Worried your dog will tear up the place while you’re gone? Most dogs can be kept in crates for a few hours while your gone keeping your future and your furry friend safe.

4. Time Your Walks & Exercise Right

Even though you might not feel like it, your dog still need exercise in the heat of the summer. Try to walk or run your pooch in the early morning or late afternoon when it’s cooled down a bit and overheating is less of a threat.

5. Grooming Can Make a Huge Difference

If you have a dog with long hair or a dense undercoat, a trip to the groomer can work wonders! Thick undercoats can be brushed out and long hair can be cut to increase air circulation and allow your dog to feel breezes to cool down.

6. Keep Your Dog Hydrated

Never underestimate the importance of having water available for your pet at all times!

Homemade Dog Treats? WOOF!

Posted on by Muskegon Humane Society

Making dog treats at home can be fun for you and your children.  One of the benefits of making your own treats is that you can control the quality of what goes in the treats.  We suggest using the same quality products as you would if you were making food for yourself.  For example use natural peanut butter rather than products with a lot of added sugar.  Use organic flours and meals if they are available to you.

Dog Treat Recipes

 Recipe  Ingredients
Whole wheat flour, creamy peanut butter, vanilla, rolled oats, white lour, eggs, vegetable oil.
This recipe is flavored using beef (or other flavored) baby food. Also uses whole wheat flour dry powdered milk, vegetable oil and garlic powder.
Whole wheat flour, milk, eggs, onion or garlic powder, bacon fat or vegetable oil
Recipe for Banana Dog Treats includes oats, honey, milk, flour and bananas
A basic dog treat recipe that contains whole grain and all-purpose flour as well as cornmeal. The flavoring comes from chicken or beef broth.
These Beefy Dog Biscuit treats get a nice beefy flavor from the yeast extract and the bouillon powder.
This treat recipe uses oats, cornmeal, bouillon, paprika, brewers yeast, flour, parsley, egg and butter.
Recipe for Carob Molasses dog treats which are naturally low in purine.
Nice healthy dog treat recipe uses rice and oat flour,fresh cheese, and dried herbs.
Milk, margarine, cornmeal, sugar, cheddar cheese, whole wheat flour, egg
Recipe for Cluck-A-Doodle Dog Treats with whole wheat flour, chicken livers, egg, corn meal and parsley.
Recipe includes whole wheat flour, powdered milk, meat drippings and eggs.
Whole wheat flour, dry milk, brown sugar, meat drippings, egg, brown sugar, garlic powder. *See Note About Garlic on recipe
Uses graham crumbs, flour, milk, baking powder and corn oil. Recipe copyright Bone Appetit by Suzan Anson
Whole wheat flour, dry milk, cornmeal, shortening, bouillon granules, quick-cooking oats, egg
All-purpose flour, whole wheat four, rye four, cornmeal, cracked wheat (bulgur), dry milk, yeast, chicken stock, milk and egg.
Oatmeal, meat juices or broth, grated cheese, margarine, powdered milk, cornmeal, whole wheat flour.
 For step by step instructions and even more cookies, head to:                                                VIEW ALL DOG TREAT RECIPES