Urban Dog Living - Wild Animals and Your Dog

Even in the big cities wildlife finds a way to sneak in.   Last week in Washington D.C. alone there was a Bear and a Red Panda running wild.  Foxes, Raccoons, Possums, and Squirrels are some of the wildlife that are more common in the city.  These are also the creatures that can carry rabies.   Be on the lookout for nocturnal animals that are still out and about when the sun is out. 

Tip for the Day:
Always make sure your dog is current on his vaccines.  Also teach your dog the leave it command.  A crazy wild animal running toward your dog is not the time you want to start teaching your dog that he needs to get away.  The shots for a Human who has been exposed to rabies are not cheap and they are very painful.

Urban Dog Living - Police/Military/Working Dogs and your pet dog

"Common Sense is not so Common" - Voltaire

This is a topic that is a no brainer.  NEVER, EVER allow your dog to approach, interfere, socialize or even 'say hi' to any form of K9 working dog.   Unfortunately like Voltaire said not everyone exercises or even appears to have common sense.  I watched a woman allow her american bulldog to walk/wander (on leash) right up to a Secret Service K9 and it's handler.  If it wasn't for the fast handling and reaction of the K9 handler the bulldog would have had a chunk of it's side removed.  Luckily there was a whole inch and a half between the K9's teeth and the bulldog.   To make the interloper seem that much more intolerable she was on the phone during this entire encounter. 

Now this doesn't mean you cross the street or avoid every German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever or Giant Schnauzer.   The large police car or vehicle with "CAUTION K9" emblazoned on it should be enough of a clue.  The person accompanying the dog will usually be dressed like an officer (that's another clue).   These K9s are highly trained working animals.  They don't have to get along with anyone other than their handler.  Yes, there are some K9s that are social, but they are few and far between. 

Tip for the Day:
Always give a working dog a wide berth when out with your dog.  If you can't cross the street turn around and go the other way.  You can get a ticket for interfering with a working dog.  You can get a ticket if an officer doesn't like the way you are behaving around a K9.  They are considered law enforcement officers.

Urban Dog Living - Hot Weather and Your Dog

Hot weather and cities go hand in hand.  The sheer amount of concrete in cities can make them 10-15 degrees hotter than surrounding suburbs.  When you take your dog out for a walk or exercise in any heat over 85 degrees you need to be on the lookout for heatstroke.  Symptoms include:

• Rapid, sometimes frantic, excessive panting
• Tongue and mucus membranes are bright pink or red and the saliva is thick and tenacious (drooling does not mean that your dog is hydrated! Check the consistency of the drool!)
• Vomiting and sometimes diarrhea that can be bloody
• Unsteady, staggering gait
• Nose and ears dry and hot to the touch
• Body (rectal) temperature is 104 degrees or higher (normal dog temp is 100-103)

What to do when you see these symptoms:

• Move your dog to the shade
• Drinking cool water alone will not fix the problem! Do not let your dog guzzle large amounts of water at a time.
• Immerse your dog in cool NOT icy cold water. Use a garden hose or bucket to cool the undersides including the groin and arm pits. Use a wet towel or bandana to cool underside if a hose is unavailable
• Pack ice in wet towels and use on underside and head to help cool dog
• Get the dog to a vet! Even after he seems to be cooled down!

Tip for the Day:
 Carry an extra bottle of water for your dog on your walks.  Watch out for exposed areas of concrete that can burn your dog's paws.  Manhole covers will get very hot in direct sun.

Urban Dog Living - Housebreaking in a Highrise

Teaching a new puppy to go to the bathroom outdoors is almost a right of passage for new puppy parents.   In the city urban puppies have to be trained to hold their pees and poos a little longer than their suburban cousins. 

As a general rule of thumb your puppy can hold their bladders about 1 hour for each month of their age.   An 8 week old puppy shouldn't go more than 2 hours without a potty break.   If you have a job that allows you to work from home this makes the training a little easier.  If you work for 9 hours a day you will have to hire someone or ask a neighbor to take your dog out for you.

If your puppy is small enough you can carry them quickly outside to get to the designated bathroom location.   Once they go to the bathroom praise them and give them a treat.   If they have an accident in the house calmly ignore them and clean it up quickly.   Do not yell or hit the dog.  This only confuses the dog and makes training more difficult.

Tip for the Day:
Make sure you keep your puppy on a schedule.   Take your puppy out at the same time (or as close to the same time as you can) every day.  This will allow the puppy to know how long he needs to hold it in.

Additional Tip:
Adult dogs (dogs over 18 months of age) should never be left for more than 9 hours without a break.