We begin the week’s “RUFF TAILS” featuring a beautiful Shih Tzu named Bijou.
My mom says I am polite. I even “ask” her when I can eat my kibble. She says I am a good boy and never destructive. I love cuddling on the couch with my mom every day.
My favourite “toy” is when my mom takes her socks off, it’s like dog “nip” to me. LOL.
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K9 Corner with Paul Caissie
“DOG SOCIALZATION”
There are many factors to consider when introducing your dog with another. Before any introduction I would certainly recommend for you to observe the other dog and ensure the energy is relatively calm and the other canine is well behaved.
I would recommend speaking to the owner to ensure their dog is social and is open to a dog greeting. If all is good, then I would suggest an ON-LEASH greeting.
This allows you to observe your dog to see if they wish to move forward to greet the other dog. If your dog does not want to greet the other dog, then do not proceed.
If your dog does move forward to greet the other dog and the other dog is also receptive, being both on-leash, this will allow you both to manage the leashes, so if any dominance or aggressive behaviour appears, you can pull the dog out and into a safe position.
If all goes well, I encourage you to walk with the other dog on-leash to encourage positive behaviour. The ultimate goal would be to graduate to an off-leash pack walk and play. However, I would not encourage this unless you have a confident recall of your dog.
Welcome to Doggie Dialogue
Puppy hiccups are very common. Puppies tend to ingest more air, due to higher levels of excitement, or drinking and eating too quickly. Puppies can even get hiccups when they are tired or even feeling chilled.
Most puppy’s hiccups will go away on their own.
Some theories are that puppies’ muscles are weaker and are prone to more muscle contractions.
To assist in relieving your puppy’s hiccups try to calm your pup’s excitement by rubbing their belly, bringing their breathing back to a steady and rhythmic breathing pattern. A slow walk, or a little exercise will also help your puppy’s breathing pattern regulate.
If you find your puppy is eating too quickly, try feeding smaller portions, or try using a slow-feed bowl.
If your puppy’s hiccups continue more than a few hours and change to a wheezing sound or seems to be having difficulty breathing, please see your vet a.s.a.p.
Rare, but serious medical issues could be an underlying reason for the continuous hiccupping. These medical issues could be asthma, pneumonia, heatstroke, heart problems or foreign body ingestion.