Good To Know #13

Good To Know #13 - It's a myth that a dog's dry nose means a fever.  For starters, most of the time a dog will lick continually lick his nose, and, as a result, his nose is almost always wet.  But, when dogs aren't feeling 100% (this could mean exhaustion, thirst, hunger, etc) they tend not to lick their noses, and therefore the noses become dry.  If your dog's nose is constantly dry, talk to your vet, but otherwise don't worry too much.

Changing Your New Dog's Name

You just brought your new dog home! Yay!! You love him - his personality, looks - but not his name. But don't worry - this is a very common situation, especially when adopting older dogs.  A dog of any age can learn a completely different name within days.  If you want to change you new dog's name, follow these easy steps and before you know it, Fluffy will respond to Rover.

• Decide on a new name for your pet.  It can be totally dissimilar, anything will work. But, once you start training your dog with that name, there's no going back.  Changing a dog's name once is easy, but twice is another story.
• While you are spending time with your new pooch, carry a few training treats with you - Not those crazy unhealthy jumbo-peanut-chicken-pork-chunky-chewy-yummy-bones!  Use small ones, that can fit easily in your pocket.  Chances are, you'll be feeding your pup many of them in the next few days, and you don't want to have to give him one of those big beauties every time he does something good.
• Call out the new name to your dog, and then smile and give him lots of praise, along with a training treat. Do this even if he barely blinks at the new name.

Once you do this enough, he will begin to learn that hearing this word means a treat and praise, and will respond to it.  Soon, he will recognize the name as his own!

Good To Know #12

Good To Know #12  - Dogs chase their tail for a variety of reasons: exercise, anxiety, curiosity, and predatory instinct.  Sometimes, watching your dog chase his tail is hilarious!  However, if your dog is chasing his tail excessively, he might have fleas.  If you notice your pooch acting strange and always chasing his tail, talk to your vet.  Fleas are NOT fun - for you or your pet.

Fleas cause a LOT of itching!

Birthdays

It's your pooch's birthday!  You give him a bone, maybe buy a new toy... but now you can bake him a cake!  Here are some  drool-worthy birthday cake recipe for hounds on their special day:

For a peanut flavored cake with a darker, richer taste:

Carob Chip Bundt Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey (optional)
• 1 egg
• *1/2 cup carob chips

Directions:

Mix the flour and the baking soda together.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix quickly.  Bake in a greased ring mold a 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Melt the carob chips and drizzle over the cake when cooled.  *Carob is a chocolate substitute.  If you cannot find carob chips, do NOT use chocolate chips! See Good To Know #7.  You do NOT have to put carob chips in this recipe, as it is included mostly for decoration purposes.  This recipe serves 16-20 dogs, so I would recommend dividing up the recipe if you aren't expecting a party of more than 10 hungry hounds.

Favorite Pics

Got a great photo of your pooch?  Send it to Lily@shorelinedog.com!

Good To Know #11

Good To Know #11 - Salmon is great for dogs!  It's a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which keep your pup's coat healthy and shiny, as well as supporting your dog's immune system.  To add these great vitamins into your pooch's diet, put a little salmon oil in his food bowl, give him your leftovers or unwanted fish skins, or even simply feed him salmon.

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Ginger

Ginger

Age: 5 1/2
Breed: Dachshund / Beagle mix
Home Town: Old Lyme, CT
Favorite Dog Food: IAMS Healthy Naturals
Favorite People Food: Steak & Chicken
Favorite Toy: Stuffed turtle
Favorite Activities: Chasing geese, taking walks
Nicknames: Roo Roo, Scooby
Favorite Place: Home
Most Annoying Habit: None