Category — Dog Care

It is important for every pet owner to take care of their pups, especially when it comes to harmful insects like ticks, mosquitoes and fleas. Using insect repellents is ideal for keeping these pests at bay, but some of them are a bit too harsh. Just think, these pesticides contain dangerous chemicals and we’re placing them on our pet’s fur. It is known that these bug repellents seep into the blood of our pets and can spread through their bodies. And even worse, there are side effects - plainly stated on the labels of these repellents - that include:

• Fur loss
• Infections
• Organ failure
• Death

There is an alternative with organic bug repellents. These are made with natural herbs and substances that are completely safe for your dog - not pests, which is the way it’s supposed to be. Some even have vitamins and minerals that can help your dog’s immune system and give them a nice shiny coat.

If you don’t already have one for your dog, you may have thought of getting one. The temptation to do whatever it takes to keep your dog in your yard could become overwhelming, especially when regular fences can’t be used due to regulations on a deed. But the realities of using such a product could end up doing more harm than good. Here are some reasons you may want to keep in mind before strapping that leash around your pooches neck.

Invisible fencing sends a shock through the collar, which can be a bit painful for your dog. Yeah, it’s true that there is a warning high-pitched noise that sounds off when getting too close to the invisible fence perimeter, but dogs can be stubborn.

Some dogs become tolerable of the shock the collar sends through, which could allow them to stray away from the property. Also, if the dog accidentally goes out, he may be too afraid to come back in the yard where they will be greeted with another shock.

There have been some reports of behavioral issues with using invisible fences for dogs. It can be a bit confusing for them, especially when they associate punishment with the last thing they were trying to do; for instance, if your dog was trying to greet a familiar family member and gets shocked by the invisible fence, they may think they did something wrong. Eventually, the misconceptions can lead to rebellion.

The idea of getting an invisible fence is to keep your dog in, but what about keeping out dangers? An invisible fence doesn’t keep rabid and dangerous animals out of your yard and from attacking your dog. Also, if your dog is very protective, unsuspecting pedestrians may accidentally walk along the perimeters of the invisible fence and get bitten.

Most invisible fence collar’s come with different levels of shock. I think this an item that should be used sparingly and only if there are no other alternatives. Try getting your dog professionally trained or talk with the city to see if you can have a fence placed on your property.

So what do you think? Is using invisible dog fencing inhumane?

I had to laugh when I was instructed by my vet to use an “Elizabethan dog collar” if my dog started scratching his stitches post surgery. I’ve seen Cate Blanchett’s stunning performance in Elizabeth. The term sounded extremely dignified. Here’s what I pictured.

And here’s what an Elizabethan dog collar is.

It’s a plastic cone collar. I guess I get the Elizabethan reference, but it’s hardly as dignified. Although if need be, I was prepared to tell my beloved pet that he would be wearing the attire of Kings and Queens.

Luckily, my pooch left his stitches alone, but I did find a different style Elizabethan online that looked like a better option than the cone. It’s the ProCollar Inflatable. At least with this one the dog’s vision isn’t impaired nor is their ability to eat and drink. To shop for Elizabethan dog collars check out bizrate.com.