How to Use Dog Behavior Modification Techniques for Separation Anxiety in Dogs
If your canine friend is showing signs of separation anxiety in dogs, there are several dog behavior modification techniques you can use to change his behavior.
How To Handle Mild Cases Of Dogs With Separation Anxiety
The most important thing to do is to keep your comings and goings low-key. If your dog is overly excited when you come home, and jumps around in happiness at your return for more than a minute, this isn’t a good thing.
Many dog owners make the mistake of encouraging their dogs to get worked up when they come home. It seems harmless, but what you’re really doing is reinforcing his belief that your coming home is the highest point of the day. The problem is that when you need to leave again, it makes it even harder for him to see you go.
Try leaving your dog with a piece of clothing that has your scent on it. Dogs with separation anxiety often find it reassuring to sleep on an old sweatshirt or t-shirt that you’ve worn recently.
Without knowing it, you’ve already established “safety cues” for your dog. A safety cue is an action you take upon leaving that tells your dog you’ll be back soon. For example, when your dog sees you going out with the trash, he knows you’ll be right back, and he doesn’t get upset.
A good technique is to use safety cues with your dog. If you know you’re going to be gone for a short time, you can leave the radio or tv on, or give him a certain toy to play with. Use these safety cues when you’re practicing with your dog so he gets to know what they are.
Be careful though. If you try using a safety cue like leaving the radio on for longer than your dog is used too, it won’t work any more. These cues are useful for shorter absences.
Dog Behavior Modification For More Severe Cases
If your buddy has a severe case of separation anxiety in dogs, you may want to try these dog behavior modification techniques. Keep these sessions short, but do them several times a day.
Start by putting on your coat and grabbing your car keys like you usually do when you leave, but then sit down. Repeat this until your dog isn’t bothered by it. Next, you’ll do these things and go to the door and open it, and then sit back down. Again, keep doing it until your dog shows no interest.
Next, go out through the door, leaving it open, and then come back in. The next step is to go though the door, and close it behind you. Immediately come back in. Progress to staying outside for a few minutes and coming back.
Remember to keep your exits and returns very low-key. You don’t want your dog to get excited that you’re back. His attitude should be, “ho-hum, it’s you again.” If your dog gets upset at any point, you’re going too fast. Go back to any earlier step, and start again.
You can see how you’re desensitizing your dog by teaching him that you can go away for longer and longer periods of time and still return safely.
Avoid Teaching Your Dog The Wrong Things
In conclusion, now you understand how easy it is to unknowingly train your dog to do what you don’t want him to do. Avoid these mistakes by finding a dog training course that shows you how your dog’s mind works. You’ll be amazed at how quickly and easily you can deal with separation anxiety in dogs once you understand how your canine friend thinks.
Darlene Norris
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-use-dog-behavior-modification-techniques-for-separation-anxiety-in-dogs-736292.html
Pet Insurance recommendations?
Posted by admin in Pet Insurance Reviews on February 22, 2010
My vet recommended the ASPCA or VPI pet insurance, but when I went online and looked at reviews, neither of those did very well. The best reviewed ones were Embrace and PetPlan US. Does anyone have any feedback on any of these?
True, I have heard lots of bad things about aspca and vpi… most vets know about vpi because it has been around the longest but of course age doesn’t necessarily equal quality by any means.
I know that Petplan does some limitations on the policy depending on the breed. I am also pretty sure they do benefits schedules (though they make it very difficult to find their policy on the website).
Anyway, I did a lot of research before choosing Trupanion for my dog. They seemed to be the most straight forward and honest, they openly disclose everything they cover and don’t cover.
What I like about them is they have no claim limits or annual limits, which both Petplan and Embrace do (and its more expensive for a higher annual limit with these companies). Plus Trupanion doesn’t increase your premium as your pet ages which it seems like almost every company does. And you can enroll your pet up to age 14 and then it is covered for life!
Just be sure to read the policies (if you can find them) before signing up for anything. Good luck and don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions during the process!
Pet/veterinary credit card. Do you have one?
Posted by admin in Veterinary Pet Insurance on February 22, 2010
Well, it turns out that our main source of income was "let go" today. I want to have my pets covered in case the worst happens, but I don’t want to pay for insurance, because I don’t feel that the dogs need it. But I would like a safety net.
Have you used a pet credit card? Which one would you suggest?
I use Care Credit and if you pay in full on time you do not pay interest.It has been a life saver for me several times 
Has anyone used the Banfield Wellness Program or other pet insurance plan?
I am calling around to vets and the price they charge for a neuter is absolutely ridiculous! Up to $240 quoted, which I’m sure means a lot more once all is said and done. Banfield seems to be the cheapest so far, and they’ve been nice and caring for the old kitty.
Anyhow, my question is do you know how long you have to be on the plan to get the benefits? Is it worth the monthly cost? Are you satisfied with the program?
I would not use banfield.
http://www.spay.org/
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/where_to_have_your_pet_spayed_or_neutered.html
Call your shelter and local rescue too.
That is outrageous!!!
Ok to take new dog to parks?
Posted by admin in Dog Vacinations on February 22, 2010
I’m getting an 8 1/2 week old puppy on Friday and am supposed to be going to a BBQ picnic on Sunday at a park. He will have only have had one lots of vacinations. Will it be ok to take him to the park for an hour or so? Also, will he be ok if he comes into contact with other dogs there?
I just don’t want him to get sick or anything and don’t know what is ok and what’s not. Thanks!
I would keep contact down to a minimum. Remember this will be a stress at first for your dog, since it is so much for it to take in, so expect strange behavior. Keep the animal away from excreta since this could carry par-vol virus which needs time for vaccination’s to take since this is a deadly virus, ask you vet for further advice, since they would know the strength of the first injection, enjoy the day, you will enjoy the fuss you both will have and as time goes by so will the dog, then you will have a social animal who likes going with you to all of your picnics for the contact and the food, just monitor what other people will give your dog, since it will not know yet when to stop. This is where you will learn what you do now controls how your dog will behave in the future, whether you want it to beg at tables for food, or have it’s own way with your food. This is the hard part when they are loving puppies. you make it’s future and behavior now:
How do you get your dogs to go through the dog door?
We just put in a Dog Door. One of my dogs will go through if you hold the flap open. The other one is scared to death and freaks out if I get him near it or try to help him through.
When we got the doggie door put in our back door, the vet told me the best thing to do was leave the dog on the inside and then go outside and open the flap and stick your head thru and try to coax the dog thru…..I did it a few times and held the door open for him and he did well, but when i left the flap down and called him he wouldn’t go near it. I then lifted the flap a little and called him thru and he got used to the feeling of the "flap" on his body as he went thru….it took awhile, but don’t give up! And i also agree with other users, treats help!…..
Dog Insurance?
Posted by admin in Dog Insurance on February 22, 2010
If you get Dog Insurance for your dog are the vaccinations and check ups cheaper? Is it a good idea to get dog insurance for a small fragile dog?
with some plans, vaccinations are partially covered, although it’s not much (i think we got about $30 back on vaccinations of about $90). on our policy, checkups are not covered unless they’re followup visits for something you’ve already seen the vet for.
but if your dog is, as you say, "fragile," i would highly recommend insurance. we have 2 labradors (5 years and 2 years old) who would have cost us a fortune if we hadn’t had policies on them. the most recent visit was $1400. they had enjoyed a bowl of grapes (grapes can cause renal failure in dogs and it’s a very serious thing — don’t ever feed your dog grapes or raisins!) and we didn’t know which dog had eaten them, so both dogs had to get treated. the insurance cost annually is about $350 each, so in just the one visit — and believe me, there have been others since, although not as expensive — the policies have paid for themselves many times over.
How You Can Find the Right Pet Health Insurance Company
Posted by admin in Veterinary Pet Insurance on February 21, 2010
Shopping may be a breeze for most people. But it really depends on what you are buying. For pet owners who want to find the suitable pet health insurance company, there are a lot of factors to consider. You will be surprised at how the policies for pets are similar to what humans have. Such policies have annual premiums. The deductibles depend on age and condition of the animals. And there are coverage plans that you can choose for the benefit of your pet.
With so many factors that you must zero into, this kind of shopping will prove harder as it seems to be. Your goal is to give your pet the best plan. Here are some suggestions on how you must go about your policy hunting venture.
1. Ask the vets. You can solicit advices and recommendations from your trusted veterinarians. They can explain to you complicated things better so that you may feel enlightened. And you will also feel more secure when you know that your choice is being used by many people and that there is someone who is professional who can guarantee for the policy’s effectiveness.
2. Choose a stable company. The business of pet insurance has been around in the United States for over 25 years. The strength of the company will also depend on their length of stay in the industry they belong to. As you ask about the available policies, you can also do a simple background check about the company’s stability. You need to make sure that your money will be handed onto the right hands.
3. Look deep into the coverage of the plan. The broader it is, the better. Choose the one that offers coverage for some chronic conditions like diabetes and other forms of allergies, dental situations and prescription drugs.
4. The company must know what they are talking about. If they are to insure your pets, they must have veterinary professionals on board their staff. This way, they will understand your concerns and needs regarding your pet. You wouldn’t want to entrust them to people who don’t know what they’ll be going through as they grow old.
5. The insurance provider must give you leeway in terms of your choice for veterinary professionals. The policy must not limit your choices of hospitals or veterinarians where you can turn your pets into when certain situation happens.
6. You must be sure that the insurance will be ready for use upon the effective date from its approval and issuance. Do not choose insurance providers that will make you wait a certain time before you can start using the policy that you have already paid for.
7. All transactions must be transparent. Make sure that the company provides you with the important information about every transaction that you have to deal with them. Ask them about everything that you want to know, the coverage, the benefits, the payment schedules and other things that you want to be clear about.
8. Choose the company that will reimburse your payments in cases when you have to cancel the policy. All your unearned premium must be given back to you in any instances wherein you have to cancel the insurance.
And these are only some of the concerns that you must take into consideration when you are in search for the pet health insurance company. Do not be shy to raise other issues as you go about the process.
Jadon Sluck
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-you-can-find-the-right-pet-health-insurance-company-737737.html
The Questions You Should Ask Before Getting Pet Health Insurance
People are becoming more curious about the best pet health insurance. This is more true for those who treat their pets as family. And as you go about pet ownership, you will realize how expensive it can be to have you furry companions go through a periodic medical check up to ensure that they are at the top of their health all the time.
Once you start searching for the insurance companies, you will notice that you have so many to choose from. But do not take anything just because it seems to offer the best plans. You must do further research to be sure that you are getting into the real deal. Think about your pets. What do you think will be best for them?
And do not forget the most important rule when you are on the process of finding the right policy for your pet, ask questions. The process is similar to the steps you take when you avail insurance policies for yourself. You must choose the one that will be all worth it in the end. You must feel secure that your policy will take care of you if anything happens all of a sudden like an accident or certain illnesses.
Your role in determining what insurance will work best for your pets is to ask the right questions. If you have no idea on how to go about it, you can start with these selections.
1. Can I avail the service of my chosen vet? Different companies will have different answers to this one depending on their rules and the policy that you will be getting. It is important to know at first hand that when an accident happen, you can bring your pet to the nearest vet and not worry about if they are affiliated with the insurance company or not. But if it is okay with you that the company has a list of service providers, then you must get a copy of that list. This way, you will know where to run once an unexpected incident happen to you pet.
2. Do I need to get a comprehensive plan or a discount insurance plan? This will very much depend on your budget. The comprehensive insurance plan works more like the health insurance of humans. Whereas a discount plan will require you to pay annual fees and you will only avail of discount services with regards to pets and other related examinations.
3. Is there any exclusion to the plan? The answer to this will depend on the insurance company. But the most common exclusions include pre-existing health conditions as well as hereditary defects of your pets. So you have to tell them the exact situation of your furry friend. This way, they will be able to present to you what they deem will suit your pet the best way possible.
4. Are there any deductibles that I have to pay? This will depend on the plan that you will be getting. The deductible is the first payment that you have to give before you can utilize the policy. The smaller this is, the higher your premium will be. But this must be decided according to what you can afford. So look at your budget closely and allocate for such fund wisely. By asking around the right questions, in time, you will be able to find the best pet health insurance that will perfectly fit on your pet’s needs and on your budget.
Jadon Sluck
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-questions-you-should-ask-before-getting-pet-health-insurance-737729.html
Do I Really Need Pet Insurance?
Posted by admin in Dog Insurance on February 21, 2010
Pet owners are at serious risk of underestimating the time and expense that having a sick or injured pet can have on their lives as fees for vets are expected to continue to rise by 20 per cent over the next three years.
It has been estimated that 40 per cent of the cost of owning a dog goes towards unexpected vet’s visits and that only 12 per cent of the UK’s 13 million dog owners insure their pets.
According to financial research company Defaqto, pet insurance can be a minefield for owners and its complexity is deterring consumers from taking out cover.
It says, that because different insurers pay claims per year or per condition and place some limits on particular claims, consumers are confused as to which policies are best to take out.
A cat typically lives for 14 to 15 years and its care can cost as much as £9,500 in its lifetime. A dog lives for around 13 years and costs between £500 to £1,000 a year on average.
But, owners who are already paying a small fortune to look after their cat may be reluctant to purchase insurance, especially when annual premiums can be as high as £200 for those living in London.
And while pet insurance can save you a fortune should your cat or dog become seriously ill, it can also be massively restrictive.
Pet insurance should cover vets fees, treatment for long-term conditions, death by illness benefits, death by accident benefits, rewards and expenses for stolen or lost pets, and dental treatment.
But many policies are not as good as they can be. For example, some will allow you to claim for the same condition repeatedly, but there will be a limit on the total amount you can claim for each year.
Others will only allow you to claim once for each condition. Make sure the limit per claim is more than £5,000.
Buying pet insurance is much the same as buying home or motor insurance. You need to check what the excess is – that is the amount you will have to fork out for each claim.
Remember that the cheapest may not necessarily be the best since it may not cover claims likely to arise for your pet’s particular circumstances. The study warns that choosing the cheapest insurance may require the buyer to pay as much as 35 per cent of expensive treatments.
The best policy is one that covers your pet for its lifetime. Contracts renewed annually can exclude any condition experienced the year before and could also exclude your pet when it gets older. Also, some firms will not begin cover until the animal is six or eight weeks old.
In addition to ensuring that vets’ bills don’t send an owner into financial difficulty, pet insurance can provide other useful cover. For example, if a motorist crashes his car into a wall to avoid running over your cat, you could be covered for the expensive repair bill for the car – and the wall.
Also, if your dog attacks the postman and you find yourself in court, many policies offer useful legal advice and cover for legal fees. Legal liability for damage to anyone or their property caused by your pet is actually required by law if your dog is covered by the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Some policies offer to pay for kennels or boarding if you have to go into hospital, which could be a good idea for an elderly person living on their own. A few top-of-the-range schemes will also pay for holiday cancellation if your pet is sick or injured.
Most will pay for costs for advertising and a reward if your animal is lost, to varying degrees. Some will pay the purchase price of your pet if it dies or is stolen.
Pet insurance is to cover you for the unexpected. That means vaccinations, boosters, wormers, nail clipping, spraying and neutering will not be covered.
There is a wide range of pet insurance providers and polices will differ widely. Decide what level of cover you need and what you can afford due to your and your pets circumstances. The excess on your policy can range from £25 to £65.
Keep in mind dogs cost more than cats to insure, and you sometimes pay extra for pedigree pets and bigger dogs. More delicate breeds may cost more to insure with some companies. Premiums may vary according to where you live because vets’ bills tend to be higher in cities especially London.
Some insurers will have a maximum figure they are prepared to pay out in a year, others will pay out a maximum per claim for illness or accident. Think about your cover carefully, it could make a big difference.
Michael Challiner
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/do-i-really-need-pet-insurance-51598.html
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