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Pet Adoption
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Beau
Upper Credit
Humane Society
5383 Wellington Rd #24
Erin, Ontario
N0B 1T0
Main Phone:
519-833-2287
Fax Line:
519-833-2247
Email:
adoptions@uppercredit.com
Shelter Hours:
Monday 9 am - 1 pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm
and 5 pm - 8:30
Thursday 5pm - 8:30
Friday 9am - 1pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm
Sunday - Closed
Dog Rescues:
For more help with wildlife
please visit:
www.aspenvalleywildlifesanctuary.com
www.wildlifeproblems.ncf.ca/
OSPCA:
www.ospca.on.ca
Guelph Humane Society:
www.guelph-humane.on.ca
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Animal Care Tips
This
page contains many animal care tips from previous issues of the
Newsletter, and from other sources. These articles include: There
are many hazards that can affect our pets during the Christmas
holidays. For an excellent article on these hazards, and advice
on how to avoid them,
click here. There
are many winter conditions that can be dangerous to your pet.
For an excellent article on these hazards, and advice on how to
avoid them,
click here. Heat Stroke Can Kill! NEVER LEAVE A PET ALONE IN A VEHICLES, EVEN IN THE SHADE. Pets tied in the sun or left in poorly ventilated areas are in danger too. Dogs have no sweat glands, so a hot environment can rapidly become life threatening. Keep your pet in a shady, well-ventilated place with water in an unspillable container. If traveling, bring a supply of fresh cold water. Heatstroke: If an animal is suffering from heatstroke, wet their fur immediately. Tepid water is preferable, but as brain damage can occur rapidly, time is a premium concern. If a hose is handy, use it. Bring the pet into the shade, offer drinking water, take him to a vet as soon as possible. Pets in Pick-up Trucks: Dogs can easily be thrown from the back of a pick-up into oncoming traffic. Flying particles can injure eyes and ears and the metal flatbed can burn the paws. If you must have your dog travel this way, provide appropriate restraint, and check that he will not choke if you are forced to stop suddenly. Anchor a heat-proof covering in the animal’s area, and drive as slowly and smoothly as possible. Dangers in the Garden: Insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers are common causes of pet poisoning. Avoid walking your pet in treated areas. Pet may die after licking some substances from their paws. As a precaution, rinse his paws with water after your walk. For your garden maintenance, find non-toxic alternatives. If poisons are used, store them in a locked cupboard. If you suspect poisoning, call your vet immediately. Numerous plants are harmful too. The OSPCA has a pamphlet: “Pets and Poisons”. Antifreeze Leaks: People commonly flush their cooling systems onto driveways and roads. Coolants are sweet tasting and attract dogs particularly. Even small amounts can be lethal when ingested, resulting in kidney failure. If you spill these substances, clean the area thoroughly. Consider using propylene glycol products, which are animal friendly, rather than ethylene glycol products which are not. If your pet has ingested coolant or antifreeze, rush him to your vet.Fireworks: FIREWORKS ARE TERRIFYING FOR MANY PETS; they often run, get lost, or end up in animal shelters. When firework displays are scheduled, keep your pet inside. Pet Walking: Pets are much closer to the pavement than we are, and their bodies can heat up quickly. On hot days, paws can get burned, don’t leave her standing on the street. When it is hot and humid, don’t walk her immediately after her meal, go in the morning or evening when it is cooler. Coat Care: A clean,
well-groomed coat helps prevent summer skin problems. Brush
your cat’s fur to keep in tangle-free. If your dog’s coat is
heavy, cut it one inch long, any shorter leaves him unprotected
from the sun. Children with animal-bite injuries make up 1 per cent of all emergency-room visitors, reports Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention. AGGRESSION PROBLEMS There is always a reason for aggressive behavior; a reason that is obvious to the dog, but not always obvious to us. It is important to understand exactly why your dog shows aggression. Once it develops, aggressive behavior never disappears on its own: we have to contain it reduce it, then eliminate it. Do not hesitate to get professional help. Dominance aggression Dominance aggression between two dogs is more likely to occur when both are relatively equal – same sex, age, and size. Your instinct to comfort the underdog only increases the problem. Remember that the higher ranking dog eats first, is petted by you first, and goes out the door first. If aggression from the underdog is severe and this does not work, get your veterinarian's help. Neutering a dog lowers its rank and this often cures the problem. It may seem heartless to neuter the underdog, but this is usually enough to stop dominance fighting. Sex-related aggression More common is male-to-male aggression, which may occur all year round. This is more likely to occur in dogs that as puppies were allowed to play rough games without correction. Do not let your puppy bite other dogs hard, put its paws on the other dog's back, or mount and thrust on any part of another dog. Tolerant, older family dogs often let a puppy get away with these activities, and it will try the same with unknown dogs. Fearful aggression Predatory aggression Territorial aggression There is nothing wrong with your dog's alerting you when someone comes to your house, but it should not be compulsively, protective of your shared territory. Use the same principle in your car. A car is a delightfully small territory, easy to protect. Food and toy aggression Health-related aggression Learned aggression VET'S ADVICE Does your dog:
If you answer "Yes" to any one of these questions, your dog has the potential to become aggressive. It might be a good idea to talk with your vet. Excerpted from Caring For Your
Dog by Bruce Fogle, DVM (DK Publishing, 2002) The thought of children and dogs together conjures up warm thoughts in most people, and brings a smile to the face. The reality can be just as wonderful....or it can be disastrous. In order for it to become a joyous thing, knowledge and preparation must be put into the endeavor. If you already have children and now want a dog or other companion animal, your first question is usually if the dog will be gentle with the kids, but thought must be given to whether the kids will be gentle and respectful to the animal. Children must be taught to respect the puppy's rights. Some children are naturally gentle, but others are not. However, most can be taught. Never leave young children and puppies together unattended. A puppy has only its teeth to protect it from rough handling and squeezing. Many small breeds are easily hurt by well-intentioned but clumsy youngsters, and tiny bones can be broken if the puppy is dropped or stepped on. Large breeds can inadvertently knock young children sprawling. Even giant breeds can be injured by children whose parents allow them to ride the dog. NO DOG'S BACK IS STABLE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF EVEN THE SMALLEST CHILD. If the dog was in the home before
the arrival of the new baby, there may be different issues to
deal with. Some dogs are naturally nurturing and protective of
all children, especially those in their own family. Others might
be suspicious or frightened of the new baby at first. These dogs
need to be watched, encouraged and included in the events.
Occasionally, there may be an element of "sibling rivalry" that
comes with the new addition to the family. With the help of your
vet or other dog professional, this can usually be overcome.
Do you have a dog that hides,
barks or acts out during thunderstorms? This is one of the most
common phobias in dogs. A fear of thunderstorms can cause
petrified pets to tremble, whine, drool, hide - even destroy
their surroundings or hurt themselves. While behaviourists have
not yet been able to determine what it is about a storm that
strikes fear in the canine heart, some veterinarians now think
there may be inherited reasons for the phobia. Results of a
recent survey discovered some interesting trends among
"thunder-phobia dogs". Herding dogs and hounds were most likely
to develop a fear of storms, followed by Sporting and Working
breeds. This may suggest that the tendency may be influenced by
characteristics for which the dogs are selectively bred. Herding
dogs are bred for quick reaction to stimuli without aggression -
by repressing their reaction to strong stimuli, they may cause
themselves higher anxiety. Rescued and shelter dogs also scored
high on the list, suggesting that traumatic experiences or under
socialization can also contribute to the fear.
Some Gardens are Toxic to Animals Spring is just around the corner and our thoughts turn to planting our gardens. If you are a pet owner you need to know that many plants have the potential to harm dogs. Most of these plants are unpleasant to taste, and dogs do not usually eat enough to cause illness. Puppies are at the highest risk because of their small size and boundless curiosity! Planting the following species requires special care and careful placement. The following common garden plants have the potential to harm dogs:
If you dog has ingested a poison,
have the package or the plant in hand when you phone your
veterinarian or the poison-control centre
Do dogs grieve? It seems the answer is "absolutely". Some dogs go off their food, other may start wandering the house aimlessly, looking for the lost friend (canine or human). Some have been known to lie on their owner's beds for weeks following his death, waiting patiently for his return. To assist dogs during a time of loss, keep their routines the same. Don't change feeding or exercise periods. Because dogs are so sensitive, even small differences can have a strong impact. If your home a multi-dog household, there will likely be a shift in how the animals interact. They may start growling at each other, or even fight. These behaviours settle down once a new hierarchy is established. You may want to get your friend out exercising and see other dogs. A friend's dog may come to visit on a temporary basis. Companionship may be all that your dog in mourning need to end his grieving. Some owners believe that seeing
the dead body of a playmate will help a dog adjust to the death.
If your dog is stuck in mourning, consult your Veterinarian as
in some cases a mood-elevating drug such as Prozac can be
administered. Above all, be patient, give your animal as much
extra attention as possible and gradually your companion will
come to accept the situation and look forward to making new
friends.
The next time you assume your dog doesn't understand what you want, you might want to consider your own communication skills as the problem. Your dog's ability to get along with the members of your household is the result of 15,000 years of careful observation and an acute understanding of human behaviour, according to studies published recently in "Science" magazine. Three studies show that the grey wolf was domesticated by early humans before they crossed the Bering Strait to settle in what is now the Americas. In fact, one study demonstrated that North and South American dogs descended from the same Eurasian animal. What's significant about the time
we've spent together is the dog's ability to understand social
information from its human family, states Brian Hare of Harvard
University. "It looks like dogs really do understand what we are
trying to tell them, they are thinking about what we want, and
they understand that we are trying to communicate". Hare found
that dogs were better skilled at understanding human
communication attempts than other species tested, including
chimpanzees. The tests, in which subjects had to identify which
of several containers the testers wanted them to open, involved
dogs, puppies, wolves and chimpanzees. Researchers expected to
find the chimps better at understanding the human testers
because they are genetically similar to human beings, and wolves
better than dogs because they have larger brains. But the dogs,
even the puppies, far outperformed the others!
Adding Another Dog to your Household A lot of people think that getting their dog a puppy or another adult dog for companionship is a terrific idea, and it IS! But then it seems like fights break out, or the two dogs together seem to feed off each other's misbehavior. Or even worse, the initial meeting goes awry and you end up with one very angry and territorial established pet. In an effort to help smooth things out for you, here are a list of Do's and Don'ts for that first meeting. The very first thing you should do, is make sure that the established dog is at least somewhat agreeable to other dogs. If however, he tries to annihilate every dog he meets, maybe getting him a canine playmate is not such a good idea. It is also recommended that you get a dog of similar energy and in some cases, temperament. Two easy-going, hyper dogs will co-exist better than a somewhat sour, couch-potato dog and a hyper dog combination. Always take both the established
dog and the new dog to a neutral setting. A parking lot, a park,
down the street, a friend's house. This will circumvent the
first territorial instincts. Keep both dogs on leashes and
approach slowly. You'll need a friend, or keep one dog confined
in a car or crate. If all is going well, bring the dogs home,
but leave them outside for a while and keep an eye on their
interaction. This will help reduce the chance of any territorial
marking that may happen indoors. Allow the dogs to establish
their pack order, do not attempt to intervene if male posturing
occurs. One dog will most likely back down, and it will be up to
you to reinforce that order. Do NOT try to force sharing of
toys, beds, or dishes. Each dog should have his own, and the
dominant dog should be fed first. Hopefully all goes well during
these critical first few days and dog number two becomes a
permanent and welcome fixture in the family. Just remember
patience, patience - Rome was not built in a day!
Cats have built their reputation on dignity. But one thing can unravel their noble bearing in minutes...Nepeta cataria. Catnip (aka catmint) is a perennial herb and member of the mint family. Growing freely in Europe and Asia, it has been naturalized in North America, where it flourishes as a weed from coast to coast in the northern United States and southern Canada. "Catnip adds zest to a cat's life" is by no means just talk. Catnip is stimulating and yet completely natural. Moments after sniffing the herb, playful batting gives way to full-blown rolling, often accompanied by drooling and a general silliness not normally otherwise witnessed in feline behaviour. Ten to 15 minutes later, cats usually straighten up and feign innocence. It's best to remove the catnip toy at that time and put it aside for a later session -"every other day is best", lest a cat lose interest altogether. Catnip doesn't intoxicate every cat. Although estimates vary widely most cats go for it: Some 50 to 80 percent of adult cats carry the gene that allows enjoyment of the aromatic oils released when the leaves and stems of catnip are crushed. However, only cats that have reached sexual maturity are attracted to it. Kittens three months and younger appear to be unaffected. In addition to catnip's ability
to let most cats kick up their heels, it can benefit your cat in
other ways, too. In loose form, it can be sprinkled over a
scratching post to initiate interest, and over food, it can
stimulate your cat to eat when it may be recovering from an
emotional upset or illness and needs some encouragement.
Breeders even use catnip as an aphrodisiac. Ingested, catnip can
soothe the stomach and calm frayed nerves, which is just what
humans used the leaves of this herb for centuries ago, and still
do. Settlers in America very quickly learned to plant catnip on
the borders of their gardens to keep away pests, including cats,
who would venture no farther than the favoured weed. These
settlers dried the plant and used it for tea to ease colicky
babies and, in adults, to promote relaxation and to lower blood
pressure. Catnip tea also could induce sleep - when imported
teas ran out, it provided a handy substitute. So when "kitty"
wants her catnip, let her and enjoy the antics that ensue while
sipping on your catnip tea!
TOP 5 REASONS PEOPLE ADOPT ADULT DOGS: 1. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. Do you require a sedate companion that will happily spend hours snoozing at your feet while you work at a computer - or a non-stop bundle of energy that will be a tireless hiking buddy? When you adopt an adult dog its final size, appearance, activity level and basic temperament are evident. 2. PRE-OWNED IS PRE-TRAINED (HOPEFULLY!). The majority of adult dogs are house-trained and some have even had formal obedience training. Most have spent their lives in loving homes and are ready-made companions just waiting for new owners. 3. DAMAGE CONTROL. All puppies go through teething stages where you can expect a shoe to be demolished, a baseboard to be nibbled or a couch cushion to be destroyed. Older dogs have "been there, done that" and are usually far more trustworthy with your worldly possessions. 4. LESS FREQUENT VET VISITS. Puppies require a series of initial vaccinations, fecal exams, worming, and spaying or neutering. Barring illness or injury, a healthy older dog only requires an annual vet visit. 5. IT'S A GOOD THING TO DO!
Providing a home to an animal in need is one of the kindest
things you may ever do. A dog that has been through losing
beloved owners (or one that has had a rough life) can teach you
so much about the ability to heal and love again. Adoptive
owners of rescued dogs describe time and time again the
incredible bonds formed with their adult canine companions. So
why are you waiting? GIVE IT A TRY!
Read more articles in the Humane Society of the United States library.
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