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Monthly Hints and TipsAs you can imagine, we DFW Dachshund Rescue volunteers have "seen it all"! When dealing with many different dogs, we encounter many different personalities. Since none of the dogs come with an instruction manual, it's trial and error to see how each dog behaves, and what they react and respond to. Along the way, we've learned lots of handy hints, tips and tricks and we thought we'd pass a new one on to you each month. Here are our tips from previous months.July 2008 - Better Dog Food, Delivered to your DoorFor July, we have a suggestion that might make your life a little easier, and your dog a little healthier.Are you tired of hauling pet food home from the store and into the house? Why not have it delivered straight to your door, for free? Metro Pet Services carries a large selection of high quality foods and has free delivery in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. Sorry to say, but Purina, Pedigree, and the other foods available at the grocery store contain unhealthy by-products, grain fragments, fillers and chemicals. In addition to providing poor nutrition, these foods are often responsible for allergies, including chronic ear infections. Even pet specialty store foods such as Science Diet and Iams contain these ingredients and are marginal, at best. Most of the high quality foods on the market are brands you've probably never heard of. That's because these companies spend their money on the food, and not on marketing. Metro Pet Services carries only high quality foods made with high quality ingredients. Their representatives would be happy to help you select a healthy food for your pet. We highly recommend the article What's Really in Pet Food for a good understanding of the pet food industry, including descriptions of the ingredients in commercial pet food, the manufacturing process, and the problems caused by inadequate nutrition. The article Selecting a Commercial Pet Food will guide you on what to look for when selecting your pet's food. So pick up the phone, not the car keys, the next time you need pet food. You'll save time and gas, and your pet will eat healthier food. June 2008 - Summer Safety TipsWe have several summer safety tips for June. While summer can be fun for the whole family, it can also be a dangerous time for your pet. Use common sense - be conscious of your pet's needs and limitations - and have an enjoyable summer together.May 2008 - Eliminating Fleas Without Using PoisonsMay's tip is a few suggestions on ways to eliminate fleas without using poisons. Since it's flea season once again, it's a good time to think about how to control and eliminate fleas in ways that pose the least risk to your pet's health (and yours). "Spot On" flea killers, while popular, are controversial - after all, you ARE applying poision to your dog's skin when you use them. Here are some other ways that, when used in combination, can be just as effective at reducing and eliminating fleas.Start by ensuring that your dog is in excellent health. Healthy dogs suffer less from fleas. Make sure you feed your dog healthy foods and treats. Use supplements and dietary additives to boost your dog's immune system and naturally repel fleas. Natural topical preparations, such as spraying your dog's coat with certain essential oils, helps repel adult fleas. Comb your dog daily, bathe it weekly, and minimize its time spent outside in flea-prone areas. Be sure to keep your grass cut short and your yard clear of piles of debris. Apply food grade (not pool grade) diatomaceous earth - a calcium dust ground from single-cell ocean organisms - to your yard and walkways. It's available at many garden supply stores and feed stores. Diatomaceous earth works as an abrasive and dessicant, physically drying out and destroying the adult fleas' breathing organs. It also dries out and kills flea larvae. Indoors, be sure to wash your floors and vacuum carpets, area rugs, and couch cushions frequently. Wash your dog's bedding regularly. Commercial light traps may be purchased to lure and capture adult fleas. For more detailed information, we recommend reading this article on Eliminating Fleas Without Poisons . April 2008 - Keeping Your Longhair Dachshund BeautifulApril's tip is an easy way to keep your longhair dachshund's coat looking beautiful. Many times in dachshund rescue we encounter longhair dachshunds whose beautiful coats were shaved by an uninformed owner or groomer. This results in the undercoat growing up and through the dog's natural coat and the dog ends up looking "fuzzy". Even if they have not been shaved, some longhair dachshunds grow thicker undercoats than others, which can eventually make them look quite ragged. Fortunately there's an easy way to remove this fuzzy undercoat.We recommend purchasing a small sized FURminator deShedding Tool. 
This device quickly and easily strips out the fuzzy undercoat and leaves the natural long hair undisturbed.
Use the FURminator to "comb" your dog's coat every month and it will keep your dachshund's undercoat under control.
To maintain your longhair dachshund's soft and shiny coat, be sure to use a high quality shampoo and conditioner. We use Happy Tails Spa Comfy Dog Oatmeal Conditioning Shampoo
and
Fur Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment.
We also recommend giving your longhair dachshund a fish oil capsule each day. This will really improve their coat quality. And be sure to feed your dachshund high quality dog foods and treats!
March 2008 - Sardines - A Great Source of Fatty AcidsMarch's tip is an easy way to add necessary Fatty Acids to your dog's diet - feed them sardines!The benefits of including long chain omega-3 fatty acids in the diets of humans, dogs and cats are well documented. Fatty acids play a major role in the functioning of the immune system and the maintenance of all hormonal systems in the body, and protection against cancer, heart disease and progressive retinal atrophy. They can be helpful for dogs with cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis or allergies. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for a shiny, glossy coat and they can contribute towards maintaining healthy skin. Pet food regulators are in the process of establishing minimum requirements for omega-3 fatty acids, but most dry and wet foods don't contain these nutrients. Fish oil is an excellent way to supply omega-3's (both DHA and EPA). Fish oils can be excellent, but they spoil easily, and quality varies considerably. Distilled oils have no contaminants, but they are highly processed foods and we prefer to obtain nutrients in their natural state whenever possible. Sardines are an efficient and economical way to eat omega-3's. Sardines are the best choice in canned fish because of the omega-3's they supply, and because they don't have the heavy load of contaminants carried by larger fish. They are small fish or immature members of a larger species: Sardines have not had time to pick up heavy metals in their short lives. Sardines in water are the best choice for your dog. For small dogs, one small sardine per day is enough. For big dogs, feed two small sardines or one large sardine per day. Give your dog the whole sardine - the bones provide essential minerals. Use them as a garnish with their meal. Or feed them to your dog as a special treat. Our dachshunds LOVE getting their daily sardine - so will yours! February 2008 - Tripe for Picky EatersFebruary's tip is "Tripe"! Occasonally, we take in a rescued dachshund who does NOT have a voracious appetite. Dachshunds are usually very good eaters, but when we encounter one who is picky, it's sometimes a challenge to get them to eat. One of our volunteers discovered the miracle of canned green tripe and starting mixing a couple spoonfuls in with her dog's regular food. That's all it took - now her dachshund enthusiastically eats every bite and he even licks the bowl clean!Tripe is rich in digestive enzymes, gastric juices, taurine, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Meant to be used as a supplement and not as a complete meal, tripe works wonders on picky eaters. It can rejuvinate the appetites of ill, injured, underweight or older dogs, and it's also great for dogs with sensitive stomachs. It promotes cleaner teeth and improves a dog's skin and coat. You can get canned tripe at upscale pet supply stores, or order it online from Metro Pet Services and get free delivery in the DFW area. January 2008 - Frozen Kongs for Separation AnxietyJanuary's tip is a suggestion on how to handle "separation anxiety". Separation anxiety, the fear of isolation, can produce undesirable behavior for some dogs. Common problem behaviors associated with separation anxiety are excessive barking or whining, destructive behavior such as clawing or chewing, depression and hyperactivity. Because the stress response occurs shortly after the owner's departure, it's effective to redirect your dog's attention with an activity.One of our favorite tricks is to stuff a KONG toy with something tasty, freeze it, then give it to the dog immediately before departing. The dog will be preoccupied with getting the tasty frozen stuffing out of the Kong and will begin to associate your absence with something GOOD! You can stuff the KONG with peanut butter, applesauce, cream cheese, canned pumpkin, or another healthy food. Stuff some kibble in first for a crunchy surprise. Or add some cut up string cheese or turkey hot dogs for a special treat. We like to keep several stuffed KONGS in the freezer so there's always one handy when we need to leave. Frozen Kongs can also be helpful for dogs who must be crated while recovering from an illness or injury. Remember to be conscious of any dietary or medical restrictions. Working for food will relax your dog and will keep him occupied and stress-free. |