In addition to solid and functional obedience, crate training has to be one of the most valuable skills our dogs can have. Before we go any farther, let’s get one thing out of the way right now – crate training your dog is not cruel, inhumane, or mean. Often times we as humans relate a crate to jail or feel sorry for a dog that is in a crate, but it’s important to remember that we’re training through the dog’s mentality, not our own.
There are several beneficial reasons to crate training your puppy or dog, and yes, by crate training we are expecting the crate door to be closed.
In my opinion, here is the most important reason to crate train your dog: At some point in your dog’s life, they are going to be in a crate. Whether it be at the groomer, at the vets’s clinic, boarding, at a friend’s home, in a car, or anywhere else, it is going to happen. Preparing them for these situations is important and, in my opinion, not crate training your dog is doing a disservice to them as it causes a lot of stress, anxiety, and is extremely difficult on some dogs when they finally need to be put in that situation.
1. Provide a Safe Space
I had always thought that crates were cruel. One of the things I learned with the new pup is that crates are not cruel when used properly, and in fact can be a great tool for the average pet owner. Proper, positive crate training can provide benefits for both you and your dog.
Dogs have a natural instinct and crates can provide a haven for your dog when he is feeling stressed or tired and needs some downtime.
2. Help With Potty Training
Crates are great for house training. Dogs and puppies don’t like a soiled bed, so a properly sized crate is very useful to assist you in teaching him bladder and bowel control.
3. Household Safety
Having your dog resting comfortably in his crate while you are not able to supervise him is a bonus. Maybe you are cooking dinner or working on renovations where your pup could cause safety issues just by being underfoot. Having him tucked safely away will give you peace of mind.
Car travel in a crate is far safer for both of you than having him loose in the car.
5. Positive Vet Visits
If your dog ever needs to stay overnight at the vet’s, he will be far less stressed when he is confined in the cage or run if he has already been crate trained.
You wouldn’t want to come home to find your furniture bitten or skirting destroyed to pieces. Unwanted disasters like these can be avoided by providing them stimulating dog toys or chews inside their crate, instead of them finding other interesting household items to destroy when left un-supervised and un-crated.
7. Evacuation
Finally, if you ever have to evacuate from your home in case of any kind of emergency, having a crate trained dog is so much easier for all concerned (Better Discipline). Whether you keep your dog with you, or he has to be handed over to others, your pup will be better off in his own crate. He’ll be more relaxed with his own blankets and toys with your scent on them, than one who is unfamiliar with a crate and therefore experiences undue stress.
To sum it up why crate training is so important.
It’s a tremendous aid in potty training your puppy or dog.
It makes traveling with your dog much easier as they have a familiar reference point wherever they go.
It’s important aid to creating structure in your dog’s life
It helps your dog to mentally relax
It gives your dog a place of their own to go and get some peace and quiet, especially in big gatherings etc.
Proper crate training can help reduce the anxiety when leaving your dog home alone.
It help prevent unwanted behaviours, such as chewing household objects, and more when you cannot be with your dog.
Although it may be emotionally hard for some of us, my advice is to put your dog’s crate in the proper location and immediately being crate training your dog from the second he or she sets foot in your home. When your dog is properly crate trained as an adult, you may not utilise the crate as much but continuing to implement the crate into your dog’s daily routine so the benefits of crate training carry over for the dog’s life.
Misuse of Crates
Crates can also be misused and have a negative influence on your dog. Here are some uses to avoid:
It is very important to remember not to use a crate as punishment for your dog. His crate should be his haven. I have often found Kobe resting in his crate of his own accord with the door wide open.
While crates can be used for teaching your dog the house rules, it is NOT okay to use the crate as a crutch because of lack of training. Your dog wants to be with YOU, not spending his life in a crate, so be diligent about your training regime early on.
Never leave your dog in his crate for too long, especially puppies who have limited bladder control. If you must crate your dog while you are at work, it is important that he gets a potty break. If you are leaving him crated at home, it is absolutely essential that you make sure he gets plenty of exercise and playtime when you are around.
Have you ever randomly Google things like “Can cats eat ____?” or “Are ____ poisonous to cats?”
Well, I always do. As a first-time cat owner, there are many things that I learned along the way (most of which were from my dear friend Google).
One day as I was sipping my morning coffee, Simba came to sit next to me and started sniffing my cup. That was when I wondered, “Can cats drink coffee?” Of course, my first instinct was NO. My concern was more of like, what if I left my cup of coffee on the table unattended, and Simba decided to be a naughty boy and drank from it?
I’m sure most of us would know the common items that are dangerous to cats, such as human medicine, chemicals/insecticides, etc. So I will not go into too much detail for those things. My purpose of writing this post is to alert cat owners of some unexpected household items that may post danger to our furbabies.
Human Food
Coffee – or rather all caffeinated drinks. Cats are curious creatures and they may be attracted to the strong smell of coffee. Do note that caffeine is a very dangerous and toxic chemical to cats, and ingestion can be life-threatening.
Grapes and raisins Consumption of grapes or raisins may cause rapid kidney failure for cats, and even just a small amount can make them ill. Repeated vomiting and hyperactivity are some of the early signs to take note of. The good news is – your feline babies are unlikely to show interest in grapes or raisin. But just to be on the safe side, keep them out of reach!
Onions and garlic Beneficial to human, but dangerous for cats. These commonly used food items can cause damage to cat’s red blood cells and lead to anemia. Although it is unlikely that your fur baby will eat onions or garlic in large quantity, take note that exposure to concentrated forms such as garlic powder or onion soup mix, can also be toxic.
Chocolate Some of us may have heard that chocolate is dangerous to dogs, but is it just as dangerous to cats as well. Questions is why? Why does the all time favourite human snack pose such a danger to our furbabies? Turns out it’s because chocolate contains a substance that will result in vomiting and diarrhea, high body temperature, muscle tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst, and even seizures. So, if you are having a chocolate cake for your birthday, be sure to keep it away from your cat(s) at home!
Raw/unbaked yeast dough Bakers out there take note! One of the most important ingredient for your bakes is in fact dangerous for your furbaby! When ingested, the dough may expand in the warm and moist environment of the cat’s stomach, and this will cause their stomach to be bloated or distended. Not only so, the yeast could also start to ferment in the stomach, and the process of fermentation may release alcohol and carbon dioxide – which when enters the bloodstream, could cause dangerous toxicity for cats.
Dairy products Remember the cartoons we used to watch when we were younger, like Tom and Jerry, and Tom always seems to be drinking milk? Well, this is a misconception, and most cats out there are actually lactose intolerant. The reason I said most is because, there seem to be controversial options out there in terms of if cats can be given dairy products. So here’s just what I think after gathering some research, it is probably not the model answer, but I hope it gives you some perspective.
Being lactose intolerant means that cats’ stomachs are unable to digest these products, and ingesting them may upset their stomachs, resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea. Even though some cats appear to be able to take some diary like milk or cheese (in fact, Simba love to have some cheese once in a while), their bodies are just not made to digest the bi-products. At the end of the day, the potential problems actually outweighs the potential benefits. Cats don’t need dairy in their nutrition, so it is definitely okay to leave it out from their diet.
However, there are lactose free milk for cat out there in the market, so if you do want your furbaby to have some tasty milk once in a while, get those ones that are lactose free and save their tummy from being upset. The best alternative if you ask me? Just supply them with lots of fresh water everyday!
Plants
Have a green thumb or love how the plants make your house look homey and nice? Think twice or do some research before getting them and placing them in the house! Some cats like to nibble on plants for fibre, or they may eat them out of boredom. However, do take note of certain types of plants that could be dangerous for your cats!
Lilies*** This is a shocker for me. I remembering seeing a poster of this in my vet’s office in Australia. Lilies are beautiful flowers to look at, however they are deadly to our feline furbabies. The whole plant – including the leave, flower or even the pollen – is lethal to cats. Even if it is just brushing past the plant, and then grooming the pollen off the fur, can be very dangerous. My advise – do not bring any lilies home, because lily consumption is considered an EMERGENCY! (Don’t worry, the lilies behind Simba are fake flowers ><)
Aloe vera Commonly used as a medical plant, the substance produced by aloe vera can actually result in diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, tremors and a change in urine color if you cat ingested it.
Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum is a popular plant used in drinks in Singapore. Although only mildly toxic, it contains substance that is poisonous to cats and will upset your furbaby’s stomach.
This substance is also found in fleas & ticks treatment for dogs, which is why it is important not to mix them up. If you have not dogs and cats at home, be sure of store those medications in separate places. As they have very similar packaging and small print, it’s easy to grab the wrong product by mistake.
Why does my cat chew on my plants? This was question I wondered when I first noticed Simba sneaking on my plants and biting on them. Turns out cats chew on plants to obtain folic acid – a type of vitamin that support’s their growth. Hence it’ll be good to have a pot of cat grass at home for your furbabies to graze on them. Eating grass helps to regular their bowel movement as well. You may notice that your cat throws up after eating grass, and this is usually not a cause for concern as he/she is probably doing it on purpose. The process of vomiting helps to clear their digestive tract that may be clogged wit fur (from when they groom themselves). However, do not just let your cats chew on any patch of grass outdoors as some of them may be covered in pesticides/chemicals!
If your cat has been poisoned
You know your cat best, and it is important to look out for signs and symptoms that are out of the ordinary. Remember, every moment matters. Bring them to see a vet if you notice anything unusual, or if they had come into contact with any of the above items mentioned. Bring a sample of their vomit or stools (if any) to the vet as well, so that they can run some tests if necessary.
Keep your furbabies safe!
Hope this article is helpful for cat owners out there! It may not cover everything, but i hope that it brings attention to some common hazards at home that we may not be aware of. As a general rule of thumb, if you’re unsure if something is safe, always check with your vet / Google / other cat owners! Let’s keep our furbabies safe everyone!
When my husband and I were moving into our new home, we both knew that our home will not be complete without a dog; He had grown up with one while I have always wanted one. We were dreaming of all the moments we would share with our furry companion, and while we never regretted our decision to adopt Talia, I wish I knew these things (to prep myself mentally) before adopting a dog:
You’re Gonna Spend A Lot of Money I thought I would be a chill pawrent, and she’s just gonna get the basics. She’s gonna sleep on the IKEA bath mat (recommended to us by the shelter), eat her kibbles, and probably have just a leash, collar and a couple of toys under her name. Well, I thought wrong. Talia currently has two beds (she even had a Sealy dog bed at one point which I sold at a loss because she decided that she doesn’t want to sleep on it), one crate, a boxful of toys, more leashes and collars than she needed, and enjoys a home-cooked diet and pet treats. But that’s not all.
There are vet visits, both scheduled and unscheduled ones that will happen. If you think a visit to the doctor is expensive, a trip to the vet is even more so. While I know roughly how much the yearly check-up visits would cost, it’s the unpredictable trips to the vet that really burn a hole in my pockets. After one acute pancreatitis episode, I now set aside a rainy day fund for Talia for such unpredictable situations!
What’s more, if you don’t own a car, the cost of bringing your dog out for fun activities is even higher. Before we had a car, I had to get a GrabPet ride everywhere to take Talia out to fun experiences. A trip to the beach to and fro could easily come up to $30, and if excursions are a frequent thing, things would quickly add up.
Do Not Expect Your Dog To Be Like Other Dogs When we first got Talia, we wondered why she was so different from what we expected of a dog. She didn’t care much for other dogs when we are out on walks, and she doesn’t engage in play with dogs even if we bring her to the dog park. It took me a while to come to terms that she has her own personality, and that she takes a while to warm up to other dogs. Even then, she only has a small group of doggy friends that she would initiate play with.
Extended Travel or Weeknight Plans Will Be A Thing Of The Past
Before we had Talia, going away for extended periods of time was no issue. Now, we don’t go away longer than 2 weeks, firstly because our family members are taking turns to dog-sit her, and secondly, I would miss her far too much. We also used to have dates on weeknights, but we no longer do so because she needs to be taken out for her potty breaks as she’s grass-trained, and she would be starving since she only had her meal more than 12 hours ago. Unless a family member can come in to take care of her on our behalf on weeknights, weeknight plans are now history.
Training Doesn’t Stop, Ever
I thought passing the obedience test required for dogs under Project ADORE would be the end of all the training that’s required. Most people usually stop there (and so would I), but after Talia developed separation anxiety and also ran out of my workplace once, so I decided to engage a trainer to help her with that, and to work on her recall. We are done with the second round of training, but we still go for classes and talks to learn more about dog handling and understanding Talia better. We train because I want to be able to take her out everywhere with me. Everyday, we still practise what we have learnt and occasionally teach her new things to keep it interesting for her!
If You Choose To Feed A Home-Cooked Diet, Make Sure It’s Nutritionally Balanced
We didn’t manage to transition Talia to a kibble diet because she was a picky eater, and partly because she was fed a diet of rice and pork when she was at the factory. She is used to fresh food, and we decided to keep it that way.
What we learnt from our first trainer was that the food intake should be about 2-3% of her body weight so we kept that in mind when we prepared her meals. In terms of her diet, she got eggs, brown rice, carrots, minced pork/beef. However when she started to itch and scratch more, we decided to do an elimination food trial to determine the source of her itch.
The vet recommended us to start with a protein that she hasn’t tried before, and duck was our option at that point. We started giving her minced duck, she was just enjoying it, and I only realised my folly when she started having black tarry stools and vomiting. She was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, and after the vet gave us the all-clear, I decided to engage a nutritionist to design her diet and conduct the elimination food trial at the same time in a safe way. That’s when I realised that while we want to feed our dogs fresh food, it is important that it’s nutritionally balanced to avoid unnecessary health problems.
You Will Learn A Lot Of Things
If you wish to give your dog the best life possible, you would probably be on a lifelong journey to acquire knowledge and to understand your dog better. I’ve learnt things I never knew before like how to trim a dog’s nails, to prepare kefir and even animal communication. I enjoy learning so, yay for us!
Mid-Autumn Festival will be upon us soon. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to enjoy some mooncakes and tea (non-caffeinated) together with our furry pals?
Here’s an easy DIY doggie mooncake recipe that I’d like to share today. In this recipe, I featured two flavours – salmon pumpkin and cheesy chicken. Feel free to customise the mooncakes with your furkid’s favourite fillings. Think other proteins, different seasonings, chopped up meat jerkies, fruit puree or even durian if you’re feeling indulgent.
You’ll need:
350g Sweet potatoes
50g Pumpkin
80g Salmon
80g Chicken fillet
Mozzerella cheese
Mooncake mould
Weighing scale
Makes approximately 10 mini mooncakes. To be consumed as a treat or as part of a balanced diet.
Step by step instructions
Peel and wash the sweet potatoes. Cut into cubes.
Wash and de-skin the pumpkin. Cut into cubes.
Steam the sweet potatoes and pumpkin on high heat for around 15 minutes, till soft. Alternatively you may choose to boil them.
Remove from heat and mash them separately. Set aside for use later. The sweet potato would be your mooncake ‘skin’.
Pan fry the salmon and chicken fillet till fully cooked. Add a drizzle of coconut oil for added fragrance (optional). You may also choose to boil or bake the proteins.
Chop the salmon and chicken into smaller pieces. These will be your mooncake filling.
Weigh out the ingredients according to the volume of your mooncake mould. The skin to filling ratio is approximately 3:1. For a 40g mooncake, I used 30g of sweet potatoes for the ‘skin’ and 10g of salmon and pumpkin combined. Likewise for the other flavour, I used 10g of chicken and cheese combined.
Flatten the sweet potato into a disc shape with your palm. Place the filling in the middle of the ‘skin’ and carefully wrap it up. Shape into a compact ball. If there are cracks or the filling is spilling out, reduce the amount of filling slightly.
Shape the mooncake using your preferred mooncake mould and you’re done!
Notes:
You may use other types of sweet potatoes for the ‘skin’ – the orange or yellow ones. Regular potatoes work as well. For more colour variants, you may also colour the potatoes with natural food colourings eg. beets for red, turmeric for mustard, spinach juice for green etc.
Pumpkin tend to be more moist and sticky when mashed, hence it’s not suitable to be used as the ‘skin’. You can try mixing in some flour if you prefer to use pumpkin for the ‘skin’.
I used the old-school wooden mooncake mould which takes a little more effort to get the mooncakes out. You may brush the mould with a little bit of oil or dust with some flour to make the removal easier. The plunger style type of mould would be more convenient.
Less is more when it comes to the fillings. The sweet potato ‘skin’ is drier, more crumbly and less stretchy compared to a real dough. You may find it challenging to form a compact ball if you put too much fillings in.
Ending off with a quick visual summary of the recipe.
If you have tried and enjoyed our recipe, tag us on IG @duojipoodle. We would love to see your creations!
We hear the phrase all too often; ‘Adopt, don’t shop.’ Out of all the posts for adoption I encountered, one of them deeply caught my attention. An owner looking in desperation to re-home her cats or they will be handed over to the shelters. Behind that cute fluffy faces and mighty paws, a touching story began to unfold as we got to know the cats better. Because of the circumstances, we weren’t given ample time to let the cats get used to our “scents”. There were not much time to fully prepare for their arrivals but hey, I remembered how excited and nervous we were!
Separation anxiety commonly occurs when a cat is too attached to its owner or a pet buddy during the course of separation. As first time cat owners, my husband and I read some articles to gain knowledge so we can be responsible pawrents to our adopted furbabies. What we didn’t read on was, if separation anxiety is real for such an independently known animal.
Our Experience
On the first night with our furbabies, they were shivering and barely touch the food served. One of them got scared till he peed on the cat carrier and refused to move away from it. Both of our furbabies began to lay on top of one another, as if hugging each other tightly. Occasionally one of them would lick the other’s head, as a form of comforting. We learnt of their close bonding with their former owners, through updates via text messages. With a wishful of happy thoughts and all the information we had on hand, we saw progress. Miraculously, both of them started to show positive behaviours as the third day gone by.
We strongly encourage all keen adopters to do a little research before adopting. Understanding the cats you’re bringing home plays an important factor in their emotional stability later on. The more you understand your furbabies, the higher chances of bridging the gap of bonding they once had with their former owner.
The common signs in cats with separation anxiety include excessive Meow-ing, rejecting food, urinate and even poop outside their designated litter. One of the ways we tried to ensure smooth transition for our furbabies was to use some of their former belongings and place it into our home. We ensured both cats receive plenty of quality time. It seemed to work well for them. Take time to get to know their characteristics, their likes and dislikes. We promise, it just gets better each day! Getting vertical scratching posts and tall cat condo also help to provide a sense of security for cats.
We are no experts in handling separation anxiety but hope that sharing our experiences will help cat owners, especially a greenhorn like us! If you have tried all means to treat your furbabies and the signs persist, it is always recommended to see a vet when in doubt. After all, putting yourself at ease allows you to make the right choices for both you and your new furbabies. Good luck!
“Rescuing one cat won’t change the world, but it will change the world for one cat.” – Unknown
In early July 2020, our family was met with some unexpected news. Our dog Hana was not only diagnosed with patellar luxation in her hind legs, but also hip dysplasia, at the tender age of 9 months. It was a double whammy for us. Between January to June, we had already made multiple trips to the vet to treat a variety of ongoing issues. But what made the situation even worse was the fact that Hana had already been displaying early symptoms of both conditions—right under our noses.
X-rays displaying Hip dysplasia(left) and Patellar luxation(right) respectively.
She had been quietly enduring the pain in her hips and joints, while we unknowingly brushed it off as a simple sprain that will naturally disappear and heal in no time. During the car ride home from the vet that day, many thoughts and unanswered questions went racing through my head. How did things come to this? Are we at fault for causing her to suffer so greatly? Will invasive surgery be a better or worse option?
Photo of Hana taken the day before her diagnosis. We went for a walk at Bukit Batok Nature Park.
The next few days went by in a blur. Each time I woke up in the morning, the only thought nagging inside my mind was Hana’s diagnosis. I read up many articles regarding HD and PL, sought for advice from people on Instagram, and also joined a specialized chat group hoping to gain more knowledge from other experienced owners. Fast-forward to present day, I’ve decided to compile my first-hand experience+what I’ve learnt, into this blog post, in the hopes of sharing what preventive measures you can start taking, as well as how to care for your dog—the natural way, if he or she has any hip or joint issues.
Now that I’ve shared with you some background information, I’ll be splitting the rest of this article into 2 main sections: Pre-diagnosis and Post-diagnosis.
The Pre-diagnosis aims to share what are some red flags to keep an eye out for to prevent yourself from getting a dog who is likely to suffer hip or joint conditions AND if you suspect that your dog is suffering from these conditions. This section is especially important for potential first-time owners who are planning to welcome a new puppy into their household/already own a puppy.
The Post-diagnosis aims to share our experience at RehabVet, some lifestyle changes we have made for Hana to address her needs, as well as several natural remedies that can prevent/ maintain hip and joint conditions in dogs.
Pre-diagnosis
Where you get your puppy from matters. I cannot stress this further enough. Did you know that majority of the adorable puppies sold in local pet shops are sourced from unethical puppy mills and unregistered breeders—whose sole purpose is to produce puppies for profit? Temperament, health and breed standards are rarely taken into consideration. One of the main woes of owners today is the fact that many puppies are very sickly and can suffer from several health issues, even before the age of 1.
If you are reading this post as a potential new owner, I highly recommend and suggest getting your puppy from a trusted and registered breeder overseas. These breeders show love and care to their dogs as they sincerely want to ensure that the dogs are being bred to be best in temperament, health and standard. Sure, the price you pay+amount of paperwork done for an imported breed will definitely be much higher than a local one, but then again, Affordable and Cheap ≠ Healthy dog. More than oftentimes, you’ll end up paying the price of unethical breeding through mountains of medical bills—just like we did.
This article: tinyurl.com/ImportJS written by @i.am.fuji_haku (IG) gives a very detailed and in-depth insight on importing a puppy into Singapore. A must read for anyone who plans to get a puppy, be it imported or local.
Red flag #1: We purchased Hana from a disreputable pet shop. Lets call it TC. When we asked them to show us images of her parents, the staff declined our request. They were also unable to produce health certificates to justify that her parents were hip-scored and tested to be free from hip dysplasia. This goes to show the poor level of transparency most pet shops have here.
Red flag #2: Hana’s health certificate as provided by TC after a vet check-up, did not display her knee grade for both knees e.g. Grade 1,2,3 etc. Strangely, it was left blank but we proceeded with making the purchase thinking that was just a harmless mistake.
Red Flag #3: When we met Hana for the first time, the staff did not allow her to walk on the floor. We were only allowed to carry her on our laps. Why not walk on the floor? They said that the puppies will then be easily susceptible to bacteria and germs. Looking back now, I believe that they did so in order to prevent unsuspecting owners from noticing any hobbling/limping in any puppies’ legs.
Never turn a blind eye on possible symptoms. We learnt it the hard way when Hana started limping and “bunny-hopping” in her left hind leg at the start of May. When that ceased to subside over a few days, we decided to call up the vet and book an appointment. However, since this was during the circuit breaker period and priority for vet visits was given to severe cases, the vet told us to send in videos first, and assess whether the limping was severe enough to require a physical diagnosis. Based on the videos sent, the vet told us not to worry as it was just a minor sprain that will eventually heal on its own. Our initial worries faded away…but even that was just temporary.
Red flag #4: Hana started limping occasionally in her left hind leg during her daily walks and at home. She also developed the habit of shifting both hind legs to the left side when sitting down.
Limping is visibly seen in her left hind leg when walking. This was taken after her first session of rehabilitation + consultation.
This particular sitting style may seem endearing to some, but in fact signals that there is pain in one hind leg(in this case, the left side). This caused Hana to shift all her weight onto her other right hind leg instead.
Red flag #5: At the end of June, we brought Hana for her first full grooming session at a groomers’ place near our home. The entire duration of the session? 5 hours. The groomer told us that Hana constantly kicked her legs up, and refused to stand for long periods of time. Instead, she chose to lie down on the groomer’s table and so the grooming process took way longer than it should. We suspect that she had low pain tolerance in her joints and thus was unable to stand up for long periods of time during the grooming session.
Red flag #6: Since young, Hana has a bad habit of tugging at the leash in an attempt to walk/run ahead of us during walks. This often results in her pulling against the leash and leaning sideways when we make her walk beside us, thus straining her hind legs immensely.
After seeking advice, we were told that harnesses encourage dogs to pull more frequently, and so we switched to using both collars and harnesses. If you are concerned over collar tension, you can use a martingale collar instead. They are known to be effective training collars that can reduce pulling and tugging, whilst remaining loosely fitted unless pulled.
Example of a martingale collar, sold by local brand The Sleek Hound.
Post-diagnosis
Over the next few days, I sought for help and advice from fellow owners via Instagram. These owners also had dogs diagnosed with either hip dysplasia or patellar luxation. I had a relatively long and informative conversation with one of them. Coincidentally, her dog also came from the same pet shop as Hana did, and was suffering from severe hip dysplasia. Eventually, she sent her dog for a surgical procedure as its hips were already dislocated. Another owner whose dog suffered from grade 3 patellar luxation in both hind legs also sought for surgery. On the contrary, we currently send Hana for weekly rehabilitation at RehabVet to maintain both hip and joint conditions from further deterioration.
With many owners opting for surgical procedures, you may be wondering—why didn’t we choose surgery as well? At first glance, surgery seems like a viable solution. For patellar luxation, surgical correction is often recommended for dogs with grades 2, 3 and 4. It aims to keep the patellar in place at all times. In severe cases of canine hip dysplasia, surgery is also recommended as the best possible treatment. Surgery costs for both joint and hip procedures differs according to the type of surgical procedure you think is best for your dog.
Shortly after speaking to our Mt Pleasant vet regarding surgery options, we sought for a second opinion at RehabVet (https://rehabvet.com/), which specialises in rehabilitation, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. Our consultation session lasted one full hour and cost us SGD$180. During the session, a series of tests were conducted to deduce the severity of Hana’s hip and joint conditions. The rehabilitation therapist Janny Chen concluded that Hana had overworked her tricep muscles, shifted majority of her weight onto 3 limbs and had more muscular front legs as compared to other growing puppies. It was also evident that Hana was in a lot of pain, as she screamed and whined loudly throughout the session.
Towards the end, our therapist laid out 2 different options: we could either send Hana in for surgery to treat both hips and joints (that makes 2 surgical procedures), or seek rehabilitation treatment to naturally manage and maintain the pain. The reasons why we decided on rehabilitation treatment are listed below:
My family and I felt uncomfortable over the thought of Hana undergoing an invasive surgery, let alone two different procedures.
Post-surgery complications may arise and can lead to even more detrimental effects on Hana.
Even after a successful surgery, rehabilitation is still required for her to regain strength and balance in her affected hips and joints.
The people at RehabVet were very understanding towards our concerns and told us that many of their patients (especially puppies) opted for rehabilitation instead, and are thriving well with a change in lifestyle.
We were told that puppies diagnosed with hip/joint conditions are better able to “bounce back” to their regular selves by simply undergoing rehabilitation.
We wanted Hana to live a more comfortable life, in the most natural, non-invasive way possible. Prior to this, she was constantly on medications and antibiotics to treat a multitude of issues that cropped up over the first few months of her life.
After confirming our decision for Hana to start rehabilitation, we then signed up for a package of 10 sessions (rehabilitation+physiotherapy), costing SGD$1300 (for small breed). Package prices differs depending on the breed’s size. If keen, you may wish to visit https://rehabvet.com/ for more information on their various services.
It is also important to note that every dog’s rehabilitation/physiotherapy journey differs on a case-by-case basis. While some dogs are able to start hydrotherapy (swimming) almost immediately, the team at RehabVet advised us to start slow and work on strengthening her weak joints before starting hydrotherapy. Thus, our first few sessions were mainly focused on building up muscle strength in her joints+alleviating pain in the hips and back.
Pyramid chart from RehabVet’s website explains how they carry out their services for each individual pet.
Our rehab sessions took place once per week on Wednesday afternoons. From Week 1-5, Hana underwent laser therapy and stretching exercises (rehabilitation) to soothe her sore muscles and ease the pain felt in her joints, hips and back.
Happy Hana in the midst of her weekly laser therapy.
From Week 6-9, Hana underwent both laser therapy and physiotherapy in the form of hydrotherapy (swimming). The hydrotherapy sessions were conducted in a mildly heated pool, under the supervision of a hydrotherapist. Owners are welcome to step into the pool as well.
Hana’s first hydrotherapy session on Week 6! She was trembling slightly at first but managed to swim across from one end of the pool to the other under the watchful eye of her hydrotherapist.
Since starting on her rehab journey 10 weeks ago, it is evident that improvements have been made in Hana’s hip and joints! The limping/bunny-hopping has slowly but gradually ceased in her left hind leg, and her back+tricep muscles are less sore than before.
As I’m writing this article, Hana has yet to attend her 10th and final session of the package, but will be visiting again next week. From what I know, the last session will still see her undergoing rehab and hydrotherapy. Additionally, the same series of tests conducted during the first consultation will be done again, to record and compare any significant areas of improvement being made after time spent on rehabilitation. After that, it is up to the owners to decide on whether to continue on a next package of 10 sessions or take a break from rehab etc. (For us, we will likely continue with another set of 10 sessions.)
After sharing my experience with RehabVet, I’ll now be moving on to several changes we’ve implemented into Hana’s daily lifestyle:
#1Stretch, stretch, stretch!: Shortly after starting rehab, we were advised to carry out stretching exercises for Hana’s joints, twice a day on a daily basis. This was done so right after she woke up in the morning and before she goes to sleep at night. Heat packs also had to be placed on the joints area.
#2:No climbing of stairs: As per professionals’ advice, we have stopped letting Hana climb up or down staircases, and carry her instead. Other forms of movement deemed strenuous on the hind legs such as jumping has also been kept to a minimum.
#3 Transition to raw: Somewhat of a controversial topic amongst owners and experts alike, raw diets for pets are nonetheless gaining much traction and popularity within the pet community. The moment I stumbled upon this “new” feeding method last year, it made complete sense to me that raw feeding was the most natural, nutritional and wholesome feeding method for both dogs and cats. My family on the other hand, were initially skeptical over this diet. After much persuasion, Hana is now on a DIY raw+home-cooked food diet. Because I’m feeding her on a DIY raw diet, nutritional imbalances are more likely to occur. Thus, I recently sought for help and advice from an expert @twomanylegs (IG) to create a balanced meal recipe that will be especially beneficial for Hana’s hip and joints. She took both issues into consideration and so made a recipe that has higher levels of manganese, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are unable to consult an expert or prefer to craft your own recipe, you can head over to https://rawfedandnerdy.com/, or join raw feeding communities on social media platforms to gain advice and knowledge on raw feeding.
#4 We bought a pram: Nope, not the one for babies—but the one made just for pets. We bought our pram (used condition but relatively new) off Carousell for a reasonable price of SGD$50, and often bring it out during “excursions” to outdoor locations such as cafes, parks and neighbourhoods. Before getting a dog, whenever my family and I saw a dog in a stroller, we’d ogle at it and wonder why its owners didn’t allow it to walk on the floor instead. How the tables have turned! Nowadays we often see children and adults pointing at Hana in her pram, openly asking why there was a dog in the pram. Sometimes, I even felt like just pasting a piece of cardboard in front of the pram explaining the reason (lols!) All in all, the pram was a great transportation mode for Hana. Gone are the days when we had to carry her halfway through walks till our arms went slightly sore. You can try your luck by finding a pet pram on Carousell like we did, or get one off Shopee which also sells affordable prams.
#5 Supplements: Before the diagnosis, Hana was taking Augustine Approved powder on a daily basis. Now, we’ve also added in Canine Rose-hip Vital powder as well as Connectin Hip & Joint powder in a bid to improve her overall conditions. Rose-hip powder is one of the most popular and well known kinds of supplements that owners feed their dogs for better joint health. You can read more about the benefits of rosehip powder via https://rosehipvitalcanine.com.sg/. Besides powdered supplements, we also provide her with tablets—mainly M&C Kalsium and Antinol. If your pet is fussy with powdered/tablet supplements, or you prefer liquid ones, feel free to visit https://perromart.com.sgcollections/nhv for a variety of liquid-based supplements that supports joint health. For other powdered supplements, I’ve also heard great reviews about Happy Again joint supplement. You can find it here: https://shop.vanillapup.com/products/happy-again-collagen-joint-supplement.
#6 Yummy bone broth: Bone broth is a delicious, prized stock liquid made using any type of bones and simmered over a period of 24 hours. It is also common to throw in additional vegetables/herbs/fungi for a boost of flavour and nourishment. The many benefits of bone broth includes protecting the joints and improving gut health. Strangely, Hana seems to dislike bone broth (she is a very picky eater). I made several batches using chicken feet, pork bones, celery, carrots, turmeric and ACV, on different occassions using a pressure cooker, but Hana never finished her meals when I added the broth in. Over here https://thepetlifestyleguru.com/benefits-of-bone-broth/ includes some useful recipes for you to get started on making bone broth for your pet. If you value convenience, there are also ready-made options available on the market. One local brand I highly recommend is The Awoo’s Kitchen (@the_awookitchen on IG), as their rich, jelly-like golden broths are popular choices among the owners and pets alike! If their slots aren’t fully booked for the month yet, you can make a purchase on their website https://theawookitchen.com/.
#7 Correcting the “Ah Pek” sitting style: As mentioned earlier, one red flag that Hana displayed pre-diagnosis was shifting all her body weight onto one side of her hind legs. This is not a recommended sitting position as it can add further strain onto the “good” hind leg that the dog is leaning on. She still does it sometimes, but less frequently than before. When we see her sitting “Ah Pek” style, we’ll encourage her to get up on all fours and sit down normally instead. We’ll also coax her to stand back up before carrying her to the bed, which provides a softer cushioning on her joints.
And…That’s all folks!
You’ve finally come to the end of my long article (laughs). I’ve had lots of fun writing this as it gave me the chance to reflect back on Hana’s rehabilitation journey from start till now, albeit the fact that we still have a long way to go. So far, we’ve met so many helpful and experienced owners who’ve stepped forward to share their own personal experiences on having a dog with hip/joint conditions, or simply to share useful nuggets of advice with me. Some things that I’ve written here would not have been possible without the help of these people! So thank you very much:)
The reason why I decided to compile my experience here on Pawjourr is because many other owners have approached me on social media seeking for words of advice, or simply to share Hana’s journey so far. Thus, I jumped upon the chance to pour out all that I had wanted to say to other fellow owners on social media, but couldn’t due to limited word count+limited time to process my thoughts properly.
I hope that you found this article useful! You can follow us @hanathecloud on Instagram to see more regular updates of Hana, or to ask any further questions:D
Congestive Heart Failure can occur if your cat’s heart isn’t pumping enough blood to other parts of their body, causing fluid to back up in the lungs. In later stages, your cat will show obvious difficulty with breathing due to this excess fluid.
Some cats with heart disease can develop a painful, paralyzing condition called saddle thrombus if a blood clot develops in the heart and moves out of the aorta. The clot blocks blood flow to a cat’s hind legs, making them cold to the touch or even bluish under the fur.
Most cats with congestive heart failure have a life expectancy of a few weeks to 18 months, tops.
THE HEARTBREAKING NEWS
On the afternoon of 28th September 2018, I felt a crazy pang of weirdness looking at the awkward way Zeus was breathing. His shortness of breath was so apparent and you could almost see that he was using his stomach to breathe hard because it was inflating and deflating so rapidly.
Others thought he was just hot or tired, but I knew something was up. There was a look of desperation in his eyes.
It was lunch time and many vets were closed. I remember vividly how I was panic-calling every vet around the area. And I had to wait for another 45mins before lunch was over. While waiting, I posted a video of Zeus and I was eternally grateful for the many prayers received. Many cited that he could be just be having an asthma attack.
Mind you, I wish. I wish it was only asthma. I wish that was all it was.
Zeus was immediately transferred from the vet to the hospital. In the midst of the transfer, right out of the oxygen chamber, Zeus started vomiting watery blood.
They suspected Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) right then. Zeus’ heart was not pumping hard enough, which led to fluids rising up in his lungs and blocking it from functioning regularly.
The vet called us many times to update on Zeus’ situation and deemed it extremely critical. And just like that, they gave Zeus 2 weeks to live.
First image: X-Ray of a healthier ZeusSecond image: X-Ray of Zeus’ lungs being clogged with fluids
The first X-ray shows a healthier Zeus after being hospitalised for 2 days, his lungs are darkened and black in the photo meaning it was all good.
The second X-ray is of his lungs filled with fluids. The supposedly darkened/black lungs are filled with white, cotton wools in the photo – indicating fluids in the lungs which caused his breathing difficulties.
There are many causes for congestive heart failure in cats. Most commonly it results from a condition that causes the walls of the heart to thicken – which is exactly what Zeusy had after the results of the heart scan was out (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), but it can also be brought on by thyroid disease, high blood pressure, or birth defects, among other possibilities. The doctor believed that Zeus’ case might’ve been a birth defect, yes, because being only 2 years old, Zeus was just too young.
A cat with congestive heart failure may have trouble breathing, may be weak or tired, might refuse to eat, get paralysed on their hind legs and could die suddenly. Depending on the underlying problem, treatment may help reverse congestive heart failure, and there are medications to reduce symptoms. However, a cure is inevitable.
The doctor shared that Zeus being in an oxygen chamber would help him with his breathing and, accompanied with Diuretics (a drug to assist him with peeing off the built-up fluid), it could lower the need of rushing Zeus to the hospital every time there was an emergency.
I remember by that time; funds were getting majorly depleted.
My husband and I agreed to get a Credit Card just for the sole purpose of Zeus’ medical bills. We had to, we must.
We went on renting an oxygen tank from a nearby Nursing Home facility and creating a makeshift oxygen chamber for Zeus at home, in an aircon room coupled with snuggly blankets and his favourite toy.
AN ALTERNATIVE
Despite it all, his next attack frightened me. I could not bring myself to believe in the makeshift oxygen chamber.
Through my husband’s extensive researches via Google, we realised that we desperately needed an alternative, a 2nd opinion for Zeus’ illness. With that, we took a leap of faith & called Animal Ark (Tampines). Doctor Oh does animal acupuncture and while we were extremely sceptical of it, we went ahead.
I remembered bursting into uncontrollable tears when I saw Zeus going through his first acupuncture session. I was assured that it was not painful for him but I could not bare to watch my son having to go through all those needles.
Acupuncture is done to improve on Zeus’ blood flow, thus expanding his lungs & the intake of his oxygen. Over time – it lessens his discomfort in breathing.
Acupuncture did not miraculously cure Zeus but right at that instant, his shortness of breath stopped and you could vividly see his whole body stopped thumping and he was not grasping for air anymore.
Zeus was then given powdered medication & it’s equivalent to 8 tablets (we actually ordered organic empty capsules so that we could pop it in his throat easily during medicine time!), and that was only for the Chinese medications, excluding his supplements and Western meds!
Through it all, the expenses were crazy hefty.
Almost 2 years on, we’re just going to settle the last few bills. It has taken a toll on our monthly expenses but we wouldn’t have done it any other way.
Owning a cat, or a pet in general, is cute. The idea is cute. Their antics are cute.
However, after this whole ordeal, I plead for everyone to understand that a sick pet’s bills are not cute.
MEDICAL COST
A year ago, I’d be so embarrassed and hurt to share how much all these costed because it makes me sound like I am complaining. But no, I realised that by sharing our ordeal and the costs involved, I am actually creating awareness for everyone out there who might be in my predicament.
On an average: $1,000 per night spent in the hospital (equipped with being in an oxygen chamber) $3,000 plus for tests/follow-up tests $500-$700 for medications and supplements $198 deposit for an oxygen tank, $99 monthly fees $600 for the first visit to the acupuncture doctor $120 for subsequent visits And finally, $460 for resuscitation
We defeated the initial 2 weeks’ timeline, but lost Zeus 3 months on. In a matter of 3 months of war, we choked up to $13,000 of medical bills just to combat against this heart failure.
FOREVER OUR PRIDE & JOY
We did everything we could together to ensure his greatest quality of life, from the best medicinal alternatives to ensuring the yummiest and easiest medications for him, we charged on – side by side. If it was a war, we would be a family walking hand in hand from an explosion in the background, just like in the movies that we’d have watched together.
We did so much for Zeus. I have said it before and I will say it again – I can hold on to so boldly knowing that we did everything within our powers for Zeus. We have no regrets. There was no “what ifs” left within our sadness. We loved hard. And we fought even harder.
We lost our dear boy on 20th December 2018, picked up our new girl, Rhea, 4 months on and I birthed to a healthy baby boy a year later on Christmas 2019. Many believed that it is Zeus reincarnated, but I shall leave that to each’s opinions and wander 🙂
As a pet owner, in our pet’s moment of darkness, be their light. Have a heart, and please, never ever abandon them.
Of everything that we went through, the hardest was looking directly into Zeus’ eyes and trying my best to assure him that everything was going to be okay.
How could anyone, abandon their pet at such dire moments, I’d never understand.
My 2 cents, some form of financial assurance to care for your pets at a time which they need it the most because it could happen to just about anyone.
Remember, these pets are family. And families stick together.
Image by @selinartdraw
To my boy – You’ve seen the tears I’ve cried and embraced me to be selfless. You’ve touched your dad’s heart and taught him love, patience and acceptance. You’ve been the best companion to your Nenek [grandma] in sickness and in health.
You’re a hero baby. You fought ever so bravely. I thank you Zeusy. I thank you, my angel. You came into our lives, teaching your dad and I to be the best parents to you, and now to Rhea and baby Aryyan. You taught me to love so fiercely. I love you with no questions, no boundaries, no expectations.
You’re forever my pride & joy. You’re forever my son.
x Ernie Zeus’ meowmy @zeusthesiberiancat @rheathesiberiancat
I am often asked how to make my new puppy (Kobe) get along with my family cats (Pawsanova 7x)
Today I will reveal some of my own opinions and the homework we have done to get my Tripod Puppy be part of my cat family!
The First Step
Kobe cleaning his best friend,
The first step in the process of integrating a dog to your cat(s) is to provide controlled safe exposure. The dog must either be in a dog crate or on a leash in the house 100% for a long long time. This period will be weeks but many times it can be months. (We took 2-3months)
There is really no hurry. A gentle introduction is far safer than a rushed one, and will hopefully result in both pets becoming good friends.
I recommend the use of a dog crates if you have space at home. (We use the common toilet as a ‘crate’ instead). The use of a crate is the safest way to make sure you can control the environment. It allows you to focus on the cats while the dog is in the crate.
In the beginning, our cats are put in a separate room before the dog is brought into the house. Always leash your dog while entering a house(Any house, whether is it meet and greet, going to a friend house, or adopting a new pet). This shows them that coming into the house is a controlled experience and not someplace where they can charge around and act crazy.
In other words; you must always be in control of your dog, and the environment you’re in; That’s how accidents are avoided. We don’t leave things to chance. By having the dog on leash, I have control of him if the cat runs and he tries to chase.
People often ask us “When we decided to get dog be off leash and have fun with the cats?” The answer is simple; when you can control the dog under distraction. (Kobe is under obedience training) If you can’t call your dog to you when it is highly distracted by your cat – then the dog is not under your control and it should either be on leash; or in a crate.
Once in the crate the dog is expected to be calm and quiet. If the dog barks at the cats; he got verbally scolded. If they will not stop barking we either close the toilet door (because our crate is the common toilet) The dog was never allowed to be in the house and out of the crate unless it’s on leash. It’s never taken out of the crate (on leash) when the cat is in the room until it has gone ONE WEEK without barking at the cats.
This does not mean the dogs are locked in dog crates for weeks at a time. They can have free (on leash) time in the house but in the beginning the cats are always put in a different room when the dog is out.
If you’re adopting an adult dog and trying to introduce them to the cats, he can be acclimated to a muzzle. We like the rubber mashed basket muzzles because they are less restrictive to the dog. Getting the dog used to the muzzle during these first weeks gives the dog something else to think about other than the cats in the house. After weeks of wearing it in the crate it becomes second nature for the dog to have it on.
When the day comes to allow the dog to be loose in the rooms with the cats it is important to do this while the dog is on leash. If that goes well then have the dog in a muzzle.
Should the adult dog shows the slightest sign of aggression towards the cats it needs to get a correction. The severity of the correction will vary by the temperament of the dog. Some dogs simply need to be told NO !! – while other dogs require a stronger correction.
The correction needs to be strong enough that the dog will remember it the next time it thinks about being aggressive to the cats. If you have been doing your training correctly your dog will be looking at you as it’s pack leader. Pack leaders determine when to use aggression – not lower ranking members of the pack.
If a dog repeated ignores your warnings you have not done a good enough job of establishing yourself as this dogs leader. Should this be the case you need to go back to training and work on that. You might want to work on the dogs obedience training as well.
He will instinctively accept you as pack leader and your position that cats are not prey items to chase and kill.
At some point in time the muzzle must come off.
This should only happen when you are comfortable with your dog’s actions when the dog is on leash and the cats are around. You must have patience. For adult dogs and cats this could take months. With time they will settle into a life style where both sides accept the fact that they now share the same territory.
Dogs and Cats being friends
Kobe with the cats
The best of all worlds is when our dogs and cats become friends.
I need to say that there is a fine line between allowing the dog and cat to get to know one another play together and creating a safe environment. Running in the house should never be allowed, even if it seems to be in play. When cats run this can easily trigger prey drive in the dog.
Cats and Dogs
Some cats accept dogs better than others.
Kobe and Kovacs sharing bed together.
One of our cats (Kovacs the American Curl) become Kobe’s bestfriend immediately when they first lay eyes on each other. They play together, eat and sleep together.
This is Archie. Another best friend.
Whereas our another cat Ramsay would jump up and walk away in disgust for months. Over time Enzo became more tolerant towards Kobe and will eventually allow Kobe to be close to him. Kobe has no aggression towards our cats to begin with, we are very lucky. But because he is a big dog, our priority is still our cats’ safety. Prevention is better than Cure.
On the other hand Lokie the Munchkin has never warmed to dogs. He learns to tolerate them on an individual basis, but he will always “hiss” if Kobe come too close.
With a little bit of luck and dedication, you will be able to get your dog and cat to live together in peace. It’s very important to remember to go slowly. No matter how quickly or badly you want it to happen, you have to allow these things to process at their own speed, which can be a snail’s pace over months. The best advice I can give is to error on the side of caution and don’t take chances with your pets lives.
A couple of months ago, we had a day off work and made plans to bring Taro to Sentosa for our very first beach outing. Being inexperienced pawrents in this area, we simply headed off to the beach anticipating a day of fun in the sand and sea without reading up much on the ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s on a doggo beach outing.
Taro’s reaction to sand
Most dogs love sand. We commonly see videos and pictures of dogs enjoying themselves at the beach, running along the coastline, jumping into the seawater, playing fetch and digging into the sand, getting their noses all sandy and wet. So much fun! But yikes, Taro’s reaction to sand was entirely different from what we expected. Perhaps it was because he is a Shiba Inu with a lot of ‘cleanliness’ tendencies (PS. he side-walks puddles and refuses to step onto grass when it is muddy) – Taro seemed to hate sand getting onto his nose and we found him licking furiously away at the sandy bits that accidentally got onto his face.
Sand on Taro’s nose
Something doesn’t seem right…
We spent a good one hour playing with Taro on the beach, but after a while, we got a bit uncomfortable as we noticed Taro swallowing sand quite frequently. It didn’t seem normal to us but we couldn’t stop Taro from swallowing the sand. Hence, we decided to play on the safe side and return home.
Back at home, Taro seemed perfectly normal until dinner time (approximately 4 hours after the beach outing). Taro loves his food and would usually gobble up his entire bowl within 3 minutes. This time, he took two bites and hid under the sofa, refusing all sorts of food, even treats. We knew something wasn’t quite right. Taro also seemed a little lethargic and wasn’t interested in playing with his toys.
Sand Impaction and what it is
We started to get very worried as a few hours passed and Taro started to look increasingly unwell, and naturally thought of whether it was caused by Taro eating too much sand. We did a google search which led us to the topic of “Sand Impaction”. To our horror, the symptoms were similar to what Taro was having – lethargy, vomitting (Taro started to vomit later in the night), and lack of appetite. Taro seemed to be having abdominal pain as well as he refused to let us touch him and whimpered loudly when we tried to carry him into his crate.
In layman’s terms, sand impaction refers to how sand obstructs the intestinal passage of your furkid and it is a potentially serious condition requiring urgent veterinary treatment. We read a few cases online of dogs needing surgery to remove the sand in their stomachs. After a few sleepless hours of reading about this condition, we rushed Taro to the vet. Thankfully, Taro pooped out some sand just outside the vet’s clinic and seemed better in the morning. The vet advised that Taro was alright as he managed to clear out the sand in his poop, which meant that there was no serious blockage in his intestinal tract, and he was off with a few diarrhoea pills to clear out the remaining sand bits in his tummy.
As relatively new pawrents, this was a valuable lesson for us and since then, we have been extra careful of Taro licking up sand – not just at beaches, but also at parks or sandy places. It was horrifying to learn that it could have been a potentially life-threatening situation if we had stayed at the beach a little longer.
Tips for pawrents
While dogs can still enjoy the beach and sand, here are some tips we would like to share with the doggo community:
Always keep an eye on your furkid when you bring them to the beach or sandy places. Make sure they are not ingesting excessive sand when you are not looking!
Avoid playing fetch with your doggo at sandy places as they might inadvertently swallow sand as they pick up the ball/stick in the sea or sand.
Watch out for symptoms like lethargy, abdominal pain, vomiting, loss of appetite and strained bowel movements if you suspect that your dog might have swallowed some sand.
Finally, a tiny bit of sand ingestion during each beach outing might accumulate and potentially cause problems over time! Don’t let your guard down, play on the safe side and always keep a close watch while enjoying the sand and sea with your furkid 🙂
Why you need to see yourself beyond the role of a pawrent
In today’s dogmanship world, too many of us focus so much on being pawrents that we neglect the highly critical portion of raising a balanced dog. A balanced dog is a dog who is aware of its surroundings and is able to have maturity and life skills to navigate whatever situations it faces with its handler. And this includes anyone other than its family members.
In every home of multiple handlers, there’s always ONE primary handler and the rest being secondary. Meaning, dogs tend to follow ONE member of the family a lot more than others. In a home of multiple dogs and members, dogs naturally gear towards to members of the family that they have confidence in. If you have multiple dogs and people at home, be sure to have clarity who is the primary and who are the secondary handlers.
As the primary handler, when you and your dog are together, you are ONE team. Every day, in your walks, play, feeding etc, you’re engaging in a team sport. Like any sport, there are clear rules on how to score points and strategies on how to win.
The success of your team is dependent on:
(A) Your dogmanship abilities – this is your natural ability to handle, guide, teach a dog. Some of us are naturally more talented than others. So it’s important to know yourself and the areas in which you need help with. Don’t measure yourself with another person. Everyone is wired differently and in order for you to find another you is 1:33million chances. Be content with who you are and lead your dog with who you are. Skills and techniques in dog handling are acquired over time, so be patient.
(B) How much dog there is in our dogs – this is where some “positive only” people might disagree with me. So hear me out before you jump the gun. Every dog has different ‘dogness’ levels. For example, police dogs that are selected to do guarding and protection work are bred for their aggression. These dogs do not respond to pressure easily. From a young age, they are encouraged to bite and this is why often times you see their trainers even beating them and that makes them hold on to the bite even more. This is why these dogs can chase after the bad guys and hold on even if they are attacked. Likewise a dog that’s bred to be a service dog will have less ‘dogness’ in them because they are bred to work with their handlers in assisting them. Pet dogs are bred to have the least ‘dogness’ in them. This however, differs from breed to breed. E.g. a German Shepherd from a pet line could still potentially have a log more dog in it than say a King Charles Cavalier. Simply because they were bred for different jobs.
If you have a Singapore Special or a mongrel/ mutt like I do, then it’s much harder to gauge the dogness level simply because we do not know that dog’s ancestry.
Being able to have clarity on these two points will help you decide on what training approach you need to take. Unfortunately, this is not how many of us decide. We tend to decide based on trends and the advise that’s given to us by the circle of so-called experts.
As an experienced dog owner, I’ve often come across people who have a dog that’s a lot more dog than they can actually manage on a day to day basis. If you’re a softie at heart, and if you have a dog that doesn’t back down to pressure, then you have to be prepared for your dog to test you a lot more than someone whose less of a softie.
Benefits of adopting a team sport perspective
By being able to go beyond the pawrent perspective helps us to be able to 1. Improve our relationship – when we are able to have a more objective perspective, we are able to gain clarity on the areas where we are strong in and areas where we need improvement. When we gain clarity, we are then able to break down our goals and manage our expectations of ourselves and those of our dogs.
2. Create healthy boundaries – Because our dogs mature very intensively within the first year of its life, going beyond the pawrent role helps us to cultivate healthier way in which we can relate and engage our dogs. Just like how our parents don’t treat us like babies when we’re in our teens, we should seek to do the same for our dogs.
3. Encourages ongoing growth and development that is for the entire lifetime of the dog instead of just for a period. Professional athletes have a life after retiring from their sport. Likewise, our dogs should also be engaged in appropriate ways that will take them into their golden years.
4. It helps to build engagement. In a team sport, every member on that team has a specific role. Hence, everyone is clear about what is expected of them and they know WHAT, WHEN, HOW to participate meaningfully. When we adopt this perspective of being in a team, we are then able to translate clear expectations to our dogs. When our dogs know what it is expected of them, they are more motivated to do more for us.
5. It gives our dogs a sense of purpose, self-confidence and awareness. Have you ever played with a team and won a competition? Didn’t that make you feel good? Life is like a competition. We have fears to overcome. Hurdles to cross. What will our dogs say about us as their coach if they could speak? Will they say, ‘I’m on the winning team because I conquer something every day?’
Our dogs’ lives are short. Why would we want to use a lifetime to train the dog to overcome its fears when we can use that same lifetime to enjoy life together?
