Here are some general tips which might help your four-legged companions enjoy life even more:

Grapes, raisins and sultanas may be lethal to dogs if they eat them in large quantities. Apparently, they can cause kidney failure. So be careful what you offer your dog as a treat, and particularly how much you give him or her.

Consider the kind of collar you buy for your dog. Don't use one made of leather, which is likely to be stiff and dig into the dog's skin when they are resting. A light collar made from webbing is likely to be more comfortable.

When considering purchasing a companion dog, remember that small dogs live longer (average 16-17 years) than larger dogs (average 8-9 years) on the whole. A small ten year old dog is likely to be a good companion who is also fit enough to keep up with a daily walk and yet won't demand endless amounts of your energy.

To colour your white poodle, gently rub undiluted food dye with a toothbrush onto your dog after bathing.

To dry clean a white dog, mix equal quantities of baby talcum powder and potato flour (available from health food shops). Rub well into coat and brush out.

Is your dog pulling when you walk him/her on the lead? Try using a halti collar (many different types and sizes available from good pet shops) to reduce the pulling and control your dog.

Always carry your pet’s favourite treats on walks to ensure s/he wants to come to you when you call.

Remember to always praise your dog for coming (even if it took a while) otherwise s/he won't want to come the next time you call.

If your poodle has weepy eyes, clean them daily with cooled boiled water remembering to wipe away from the eye.

Want to know why your dog barks/digs/howls/cries/chews when you leave him alone in the back garden? Here is an experiment to try for yourself... Take yourself outside into your back garden. Don't take a book or magazine. Don't take a radio. Don't take a friend. Don't take your craft work or anything to do. Don't take a watch. Don't take anything to eat. Put on the oven timer for 15 minutes and see if you can last this long before you want to get out, call to someone to talk to you, climb the walls or dig a hole (or the prune the garden etc). This is what it is like for your dog. Many people believe that dogs will entertain themselves but they are social animals and require mental stimulation just like people do.

Did you know that it is an offence not to pick up your dog's droppings in public? And that it is also an offence not to carry plastic bags to clean up after your pet during your walks? See our News page for details of a new campaign by ACT Domestic Animal Services to enforce these and other regulations concerning your pets.

Brown

Does your dog seem less energetic or more grumpy than usual? (Feedback from our adopting families)

He may be having trouble with his teeth. We have had a number of people with rescue dogs report that while their dog seemed well and reasonably happy, there was a huge change after having rotten teeth removed - they were happier and more playful. Dogs do not always show pain because this would be disadvantageous evolutionarily speaking - an animal showing a weakness is easy prey. This makes it quite difficult for us humans to tell when our pet may have pain. You can do an initial visual check of his teeth to see if there might be a problem. If you notice any of the following in your dog, we recommend you take him to the vet for a check-up:

Large amounts of tartar build-up (yellow or brown) on teeth (they are not white and shiny like new teeth)
Bad breath
Loose teeth
Receding gums
Reddened gums

Treating these problems may require anaesthetic and can be expensive (perhaps as much as $250 though maybe less) but brings your pet as much relief as it would for you if you had a painful tooth.

Poodle piddle recipe

A tried and true way to remove the smell and stain from those little accidents. If the stain is fresh: first, some sort of blotting--a towel, powder or absorbent applied immediately. Don't use flour or powder, as you will have a mess. Next, a 50:50 mixture of good old white vinegar and water, doused on and blotted, blotted, blotted up. Also, depending on the size of the rug, a simple run under the tap or hose with plenty of water usually works quite well.

If the stain is not fresh, there are several options. Laundry detergent designed for baby nappies e.g. NapiSan, is good to wash out urine if the rug is washable. If not, apply an enzymatic cleaner and keep the dog away for a week or two (can be done with foil). Finally, a last resort may be Carpet Shampoo.

Brown spots on lawn

If your dog's urine is causing brown spots on your lawn, try mixing in 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda for every litre of your dog's drinking water. This should avoid the grass turning brown.

Coprophagia

If you find your dog eating droppings from another dog on your property, try adding one or two tablespoons of grapefruit juice to your dog's dinner each day. This renders the dropping unpalatable and should stop this unpleasant habit.

Toxic foods

Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine that is toxic to dogs. If you want to give your dog a treat try dog treats made from dried liver or other meats, carob (which is not chocolate) or small amounts of white chocolate which only contains 1mg theobromide per ounce of choclate compared with 450mg per ounce for dark chocolate.

Onions make dogs anaemic and should not be fed to dogs.

Other foods that cause problems for dogs include mushrooms, grapes and raisins.

o o o o o o 0 0 0 o o o o o o

Though the following story is about beagles, I am sure we would all realise that our own beloved four-legged family members -- smart as they are -- would probably benefit from the advice in this article as well.

Man's best friend shows it's smart to stay active

SMH January 20, 2005

Exercise and a diet fortified with vitamins, fruits and vegetables helped older dogs learn new tricks and kept them spry, in an experiment scientists said could teach humans a thing or two.

Beagles given the fortified diet, regular exercise or both did much better in learning new tricks than dogs fed regular food and allowed to lie around more, the researchers reported this week.

Dogs are similar to humans in their dietary needs and the way they digest food, so the findings have implications for people, said Molly Wagster of the US National Institute on Ageing, which funded the study. Dogs also can develop memory and learning problems as they age in much the same way people do. "This research brings a note of optimism that there are things that we can do that may significantly improve our cognitive health," Dr Wagster said.

The University of California Irvine's Elizabeth Head, who also worked on the study, said: "The combination of an antioxidant diet and lots of cognitive stimulation - which was almost the equivalent of going to school every day - really did improve brain function in these animals.

"We're excited about these findings because the interventions themselves are relatively simple and might be easily translated into clinical practice for people."

The researchers studied 48 older beagles over two years. Writing in the journal Neurobiology of Ageing, they said they divided the dogs into four groups: standard care; a diet supplemented with tomatoes, carrot granules, citrus pulp and spinach flakes; standard care plus extra exercise and play; the special diet plus the special play and exercise regime. A second set of 17 dogs aged between one and three years got either a standard or fortified diet.

Tests included having to find a hidden treat. The older dogs clearly benefited from the special diet and exercise program, the study found. All 12 of the older beagles that got a special diet and exercise could solve a difficult problem, compared with eight of 10 dogs that got the enriched diet alone and two of eight dogs that got no special treatment.

Reuters

Page Updated 31 July 2006