Before You Use Medication to Treat Anxiety in Dogs . . .

I hate to medicate a dog for anything, although I do realize some medical conditions require medication. I have an issue with owners who use medication as the first line of attack when other solutions may work just as well.

Take the example of anxiety in dogs. Yes, your pup Rocky may quiver uncontrollably when there's a thunderstorm or suffer from separation anxiety.

But a pill is not always the answer. We are conditioned to think "pills" first. Hence the expression "Take a chill pill." Consider the long-term effects of medication. What will happen 5 years from now to the dog who's been medicated for anxiety during this time frame?

What should come BEFORE medication?
Other therapy. For example, a newer treatment is named the Thundershirt, a wrap-around-the-dog garment with mild compression. It simulates a womb-type environment and calms down many dogs. A similar garment has worked on autistic children so someone developed one for dogs.

I just bought a Thundershirt for Alvin. He actually likes wearing it and it calms him immediately.

See this article for reviews and Thundershirt details: http://www.squidoo.com/top-ten-best-gifts-for-dog-lovers

The Best Small Dog Chew Toy - Goughnuts Green .75

Alvin Ain't Letting Anyone near His Goughnuts Green .75

Looking for the perfect small dog chew toy to prevent your pet from chewing your cell phone, furniture, the electric chords, and anything else of yours they can find?

Definitely one of the most annoying dog habits, destructive chewing can be stopped and even prevented.

Here's a recent article about the features of the superior dog chew toy called goughnuts:

Direct Link:

http://www.squidoo.com/top-ten-reasons-why-goughnuts-is-the-best-small-dog-chew-toy

Article Title Link:

Top Ten Reasons Why Goughnuts Green .75 is the Best Small Dog Chew Toy
In general, goughnuts are manufactured and advertised as dog chew toys. Dogs cannot make a dent in these doughnut shaped hard rubbery feeling toys. The green...

Why Raising Cockapoo Dogs Requires A Different Approach Than Raising Other Dog Breeds

Simon, a 1st generation Cockapoo

Hey, every Cockapoo dog's unique - that's why these dogs are so popular.

And, because Cockapoos are a combination of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, they require special handling. For example, they may have medical conditions common to the original dog breeds.

For example, at a year of age, Simon started limping and needed surgery to correct a condition called luxating patella. Similarly, bro Alvin started scooting (dragging his butt) and eventually had his anal glands removed. Both conditions are common surgeries for smaller dogs. A check of the Cockapoo forum revealed that this mixed breed suffers from both conditions.

Bottom line is that because Cockapoos are mixed breed dogs, their owners need to be aware of the specific characteristics of both Cocker Spaniels and Poodles. That information is spelled out in detail in this ebook:

Raising Cockapoo Dogs the Right Way.