Information of Laser Therapy For Dogs

My office just purchased a therapy laser for use in our practice. I saw the demonstration of two different laser companies and I watched all of the testimony on the videos and such, but I still wasn’t sold on the idea. Both companies that came to our office claimed that their laser was “the best laser out there,” of course they can’t both be the best. We settled on one of the lasers and as an office we waited excitedly for our laser to arrive.During this time, I went through the accreditation process to “certify me” to use the laser per our office rules. While doing the online course I learned a lot about the laser and how it does what it does. I got a better understanding of how using laser therapy for dogs is helpful in treating many different things from chronic pain and inflammation to hot spots to faster healing of surgical sites. It can also help with the treatment of chronic ear infections and cystitis

Let’s get a little background on the laser real quick. The word laser actually stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated  Emission of Radiation. A laser is any device which can be made to produce or amplify electromagnetic radiation in wavelengths ranging from 180nm to 1mm by the process of controlled stimulated emission. Lasers have been used in the medical field in Russia, Europe, etc. for over 40 years, but have only been approved in the US since 2003. Therapeutic lasers received clearance in December of 2003, but have been used in Europe for over 10 years.There are two types of lasers:Surgical Lasers:A surgical laser cuts and destroys tissue by excess heating so it in a sense, replaces the scalpel during surgical procedures. The laser takes less time to make the incision and there is less blood loss because it seals the blood vessels as it goes. There are risks involved with the surgical laser such as hemorrhage, infection and perforation of organs.

Therapeutic Laser:The therapeutic laser does not pierce the skin, its energy is absorbed into the skin and stimulates normal cell function which leads to pain relief and quicker healing time. Damaged and compromised cells actually respond better to the laser therapy than normal cells. There are few risks associated with the laser therapy for dogs and none of these are life threatening. Sometimes there is a temporary increase in pain at the therapy site during application, and sometimes there is mild pain the day after treatment. Dogs with dark coats and dark skin pigments have an increased risk of being burned and it is possible to singe the hair if the treatment wand is not moved quickly enough over the treatment area.Therapy lasers can be used to treat many different things for your dog, but there are some instances where it should not be used.Never have laser therapy done over the abdomen or spine of a pregnant female.Never use around the eyes. (Direct contact to the eye can cause temporary or permanent blindness)Never laser over the thyroid , ovaries or testes.Never over tumors unless you are positive they are not cancerous or unless in late stages for pain relief.Since we have had the laser I have seen first hand how it speeds up healing time on surgical incisions, treats hot spots, helps with swelling and inflammation and helps with pain associated with arthritis. 

We have only had our laser for about a month, but I am very optimistic about using it to help a lot of our canine patients and felines as well, get better faster!Therapy lasers have been used in the locker room on athletes for years to help with strains sprains, muscle pulls and other sports related injuries. We are just now starting to get into using the  laser therapy for dogs and cats. If your veterinarian doesn’t have a therapy laser and you think it would benefit your dog, ask if they know of a practice that does or go online. I have seen it work and I would recommend a course of therapy to treat your dog. It can’t hurt, it can only make them better and that’s all that matters.

House Training Your Puppy or Dog

Probably your first training that you undertake with your newly acquired puppy or dog is to ensure that it is properly house trained (also known as house broken). Regard this as the equivalent of potty training a human baby except that thankfully house training a dog will be much quicker and far less trouble. However, some of the criteria that apply to a human baby also apply with regards to house training or potty training your puppy or dog. Like a human baby your puppy:-Will not be completely in control of his bowel or bladder movements until it is more mature.Will not be sure of acceptable toilet manners in your house.

Puppies need to eliminate their bowels often, at least 2 to 3 times as often as adult dogs. Only at about 6 months is he able to control himself, but then seldom up to 8 hours. So, when your puppy has the inevitable accidents and messes where it shouldn't, please don't rub your puppy's nose in it, or hit it, or smack it with a rolled up newspaper which many people advise. You wouldn't treat a human baby like that would you? All these actions will only serve to confuse your puppy or dog and in fact will be counter productive to your house training efforts.A dog will not link the punishment, often administered well after the event, to the act of his messing in the house. He will however associate a mess and the presence of a human, as something which results in punishment. He will then when he has made a mess avert his gaze and "look away or appear to look guilty". This is often mistaken by the owner, who feels that the dog has this "guilty look" because he knows he has done wrong. 

This may encourage the owner to continue with this treatment, resulting in further confusion to the dog leading to anxiety build up which is likely to exacerbate the problem, through loss of bowel control, which can also result in submissive urinating whenever the owner approaches.So, how should you house train your dog?Under natural environmental conditions a dog or wolf will lick her puppies to stimulate elimination. The mother will then eat any deposits to keep the den clean. Instinctively the puppy has an aversion to soiling its sleeping area and normally from an age of 3 to 4 weeks will attempt to leave its sleeping area in order to wee or pooh. Dogs learn quickly through a reward based system. Use the above two facts to quickly house train your dog:-Immediately upon arriving home with your newly acquired puppy or dog, before even entering your home, take him to the area where you want him to wee and pooh. Let him explore, hopefully he will walk and sniff around a bit. If things go well he may oblige by eliminating. If he does, immediately reward him with a tasty treat.Take your dog inside. After an hour, and every hour after that, take your dog outside to the selected spot. Reward him immediately with a treat if he does anything. It's probably more likely however, that he will not oblige. Be prepared to spend at least 5 minutes with your dog while he sniffs around the area. If after 5 minutes he still hasn't done anything take him back inside, but this time take him back to the outside area after 10 minutes. 

Of course if you did have success with him eliminating previously then you only need to return to the outside area every hour.Always take him outside to the selected spot immediately after his mealtimes, on waking, after play or after excitement.Take your dog to the selected area should he show signs of restlessness which includes whining, sniffing, running with nose to floor, circling around or scratching at the door, getting ready to squat. All these signs could indicate that your dog needs to wee or pooh.In all the above cases it is preferable when taking the puppy or dog outside to allow him to walk or run from inside to outside himself. This will ensure that he quickly learns to whine at the outside door when he needs to go outside.During sleeping hours it will be impractical to let your puppy go outside every hour. However it will help immensely if you are prepared to get up once during the night say after about 4 hours to allow your puppy to relieve himself. This will certainly cut down on accidents.You should ensure that you confine your dog to an area which is easy to clean in case of accidents.Should you see your puppy attempting to squat indoors, scoop him up as quickly as possibly and take him outside, alternatively a loud shout "No" to startle him often stops him in time allowing you then to lead him outside.In case of accidents don't scold your dog it will just confuse him. Simply clean up as soon as possible, use a deodorant to ensure no urine smells are left else your pup will be attracted to go to that area again. Do not use ammonia based cleaning agents as this may smell similar to urine to the puppy. 

 When cleaning up it is best to do it without the dog being present. With the correct training outlined here you will not need to do this too often as your puppy should soon become housetrained.While your puppy or dog eliminates itself use a word to signify the event. You only say the word while your puppy is actually in the act. You might use "do it" or any other word/s, but keep it simple and uncomplicated. I say "go now" to my dogs. What will eventually happen is that your puppy or dog will associate this word/s with the act of relieving itself and your dog will actually learn to relieve himself on command, provided of course that he has the need to do so.During the training process you should reward a successful outcome with praise and perhaps a tasty treat. If you feel that you will need more help to house train (house break) your dog or puppy, there is a book that I wholeheartedly recommend. What I like about this book is that it also gives you access to a very good forum. If you are having any problems that the book does not solve you can always ask for free expert advice at the forum. For more information on my recommended house training book. Please Click Here!Using a crate can assist immensely with creating a comfortable environment for your puppy as well as assisting with the house training process.

Dog Training for Beginner : Basic Commands

It is imperative that your pet knows and reacts to basic commands. This will keep him under your control and out of harm’s way. There are many ways to achieve this, but the best is through the reward system. The reward can be a treat or a play object such as a ball or stuffed toy.Start with the “Stay” command. Actually this is after your pet has learned to sit. Have him sit in a spot and speak the word ‘stay’ and move away slowly, just a few feet. Continue to tell him to stay, and after he has remained for a short period, reward him and tell him “Good Stay”. Continue to do this and gradually increase the time he waits for the reward. Soon he will understand the command.The same command should be given when you are feeding your dog. 

 This reinforces the “Stay” command and also tells him that you are in charge of the food. It is YOUR food until you release him to eat it. Do this at every meal and very gradually increase the time interval of the ‘stay’ command. Keep eye contact so he knows you are serious about this. As he progresses, occasionally take your eyes off him for a brief period to gauge what he will do. After awhile you will be able to leave the room and he will not touch the food until you give him the OK. I use the release command of “Good Boy” or “Good Girl”.When out for a walk, every time you need to stop, speak the command “Stay” just before you stop. To reinforce the command on a walk, you may also use a short but firm tug on the leash, with a quick release after the tug. Reward him for quick obedience. When you encounter distractions, use the command “Stay” and the leash tug to get his attention away from the distraction and onto you. This may take a little time, especially with distractions, but it will be well worth it. This is something you can do everyday. The more you do it the more it will reinforce the training. Be sure to reward appropriately for good response.After your pet has mastered the “Stay” command, you can move onto the “Come” command. The importance of these basic commands is to help you establish your leadership in the pack. You have to be the Alpha, and actually your dog will enjoy being the follower, and will do whatever he can to please you. Remember there are only 2 positions in the world of dogs that of Leader and Follower. By using these basic commands on a consistent basis you will establish yourself as the leader. Please be patient, especially if you have young rambunctious dogs; it does take some time with some animals to “get it”.I have always considered my dogs as perennial 2 year old. 

 As mature adults, dogs remind me of two year old children. They focus on the moment, love to play, constantly want to explore, move quickly to new activities, get into everything, and exhibit unselfish affection. Children grow out of this wonderful phase, but dogs do not, and that may be one of their most endearing qualities. Treat them well and earn their respect and they will be a constant source of joy.

How to prevent your dog jumping up at people

Many people don't mind a dog jumping up at them, others do. In fact it can be frightening for those who are not comfortable with dogs, maybe due to a frightening experience with a dog at a younger age. It is also often quite scary for young children.You should train your dog from when he is a puppy not to jump up at people. It may be acceptable to you when your puppy jumps up at you when he is small and cute, but it becomes a more serious problem as he gets bigger.A puppy jumps up as a greeting or if he wants something from you such as food or a toy. It's quite a harmless action at this stage, but becomes associated with dominance as he gets older.The best way to prevent your dog from jumping up at people is by teaching him to sit. Once he has mastered this command it is best to get him to sit when people come up to him. This will ensure that he gets the message not to jump.If you teach these basics as a puppy, jumping up should never become a problem in your dog.However, suppose you have an older dog and as a puppy he was greeted very enthusiastically and allowed to jump up with abandon. In this case it is quite probable that your dog may have a jumping-up problem that you may find difficult to remedy. 

 Fortunately the problem is not as difficult as it seems.The method that I will describe next will be more effective if you have first conditioned your dog as per the discussion on sound aversion therapy. Click here to read more. You should also have taught your dog how to sit. First, get an old can, a cool-drink can, will do. Place a few small stones or other objects in the can. The idea is to make the can as noisy as possible when rattled. Don't overfill, sometimes fewer stones are better.Now, enlist the help of a few friends. Explain the procedure to them. Let them come round to your house individually and at spaced intervals.Your dog will attempt to greet the first visitor in his normal way. You must be positioned quite close behind him. As he attempts to jump, throw the can down at his back legs. This should startle him enough to stop him in the act, immediately command him to sit. When he does, reward him.Repeat this procedure with each of the next visitors. With each procedure, your dog will become less inclined to jump up and will greet people in the acceptable manner.If your dog becomes extremely excited when visitors arrive it can cause the problem to be more difficult to cure. In these cases, it may be necessary, when the doorbell rings, to lead your dog into another room. This will give you a chance to calm your dog down before allowing him to greet your visitor, enabling you to carry out the rattling can procedure described above more effectively.

The success of the above procedure does depend on your dog being able to carry out the sit command effectively.You will find that, in general, the more basic commands your dog learns, the easier it is to solve behavioural problems, as you will be able to use these basic commands to assist in your solving of other problems.I favour the above method for teaching your dog not to jump up at your guests. Another method you can try if you wish is to use a spray atomizer filled with water and to ask visitors to spray your dog in the face when he attempts to jump up. Once the dog goes down then the dog should be praised. I have been told that this is effective in curing your dog of the jumping-up habit, but I don't use it myself.Some people recommend kneeing your dog in the chest when he attempts to jump up. Personally I deplore this method, I've never used it, but I do not believe that it will be effective in curing your dog from jumping up on people. In fact it is probably more likely to injure him.I recommend a great ebook dealing with dog behavioural problems which also provides a very effective dog training method.

Dog Pack Bonding, Establishing Rank or Hierarchy amongst Dogs

The dog's ancestors, wolves, out of necessity operate in packs. The reasons are probably pretty obvious for the reader. Wolves are more efficient hunting in packs and are better able to protect themselves with the help of a pack. A wolf pack is a fairly complex social structure and rules need to be put in place to eliminate or at least reduce stress and disagreements. These rules result in a hierarchal structure within the wolf pack. This structure is inherent within dogs as well. There exists a definite pecking order within packs. Any pack member that seeks to disturb this order will normally be challenged. The peace will be disturbed, but will soon be restored once pecking order is re-established. A pack member's rank however carries with it certain responsibilities. The member is expected to carry out these duties by the rest of the pack. 

A dog will see you and your family together with any other dogs and cats that you may have together with himself as members of the same pack. It is in carrying out his duties in accordance with his perceived rank that often causes behavioral problems. When the dog is unable to carry out the duties of his rank problems arise, as well as sometimes when he is indeed carrying out his duties, but those actions are not sociably acceptable to humans. In certain cases an experienced dog handler may actually establish a high rank for a dog. This would normally be due to the duties that the handler expects the dog to perform. This however is rare and is best left to the experts. It is true that any dog should rank below all humans including children in the family. This will ensure the least possible friction between dogs and family members. If a dog sees himself as leader or in fact high within the pack hierarchy then duties such as protecting the pack from danger and providing food for the pack become his responsibility. In a world run by people it is clear that this will simply lead to friction. Here are some facts which will help you ensure that your dog is ranked correctly within the family group. An alpha dog i.e. the pack leader will go through narrow openings first. 

 By going through doorways and gates first you are giving your dog the message that you are the leader. Alpha dogs have the complete run of the den, whilst lower ranks are confined to certain areas of the den. Use this fact to show your dog that you are the leader. Certain areas in the house should be out of bounds for your dog. Alpha dogs will occupy high traffic areas in the den or house. An example of this would be occupying entrances, doorways or possibly the top of stairs. If you feel that your dog needs to be brought down in rank, not allowing him to occupy these areas can help. Alpha dogs will eat first, then the rest of the pack is allowed to eat. I would recommend that your family sit down to their meal before feeding the dog. There are times when you will need to feed your dog when it is not convenient for the family to eat. In this case it is a good idea to prepare the dogs meal on the table and then for the family to eat a biscuit or even pretend to do so in front of the dog, before giving him his food. Allow your dog a set time in which to eat his food, this will differ from dog to dog, but 10 to 15 minutes should be enough time. After that take up his food, whether he is finished or not. If you are experiencing problems with a dog that you feel is too highly ranked, then don't allow him to demand attention. Often a dog will nudge your arm or hand for a bit of affection. 

This is cute, but he needs to earn it. Give him a simple command like sit and when he responds positively then reward him with affection. Stroke your dog around the head, neck and shoulders. These are vulnerable areas and stroking here shows your higher rank. Be careful about stroking your dog on his chest as this is placing him in a dominating position and can undermine your rank. A further way that you can show your higher rank is to exercise control over your dog's possessions. Remove all his toys and possessions, after commanding your dog to sit (or some other basic command) select a toy and reward him with it on successful implementation of the command. Take the item away from him after he has played with it. Lower ranked members of a pack greet higher ranked members first. Allow your dog to greet you first. Ignore him until he has. Training and obedience sessions further establish your dominant position. Increase your control with regular obedience training sessions. I may mention at this stage that sometimes your dog may attempt to lick your lips or face area, often in an excited manner, particularly if he feels threatened by you. This is a submissive response on your dog's part. Do not shout at him or threaten him further as this will worsen the situation. It is better to show him affection and some kind words as you gently divert his mouth from your face. There are many specific behavioral problems which may manifest in your dog at various times. Many of these behavioral problems are specifically related to your dog attempting to carry out his duties according to a rank he is not suited for. I will discuss some of the more prevalent behavioral problems, offering some solutions. 

Use the links below to go directly to specific behavioral problems. It would be a good idea however to always read the notes on the behavioral problem in conjunction with the notes on ranking above. Often behavioral problems are easily solved, but sometimes a problem may appear to stem from a certain cause when in effect it may be another. I offer no guarantee that the solutions will cure your dog's specific problem. If after reading the notes you feel you are unable to solve the problem, I suggest that you consult with a local dog behavioral expert. Steps in house training (potty training) your dog. Dog crates and their uses.

Dog behavioral problems Introducing your dog to your baby Sound aversion therapy applied to behavioral problems or training in dogs. The factors affecting rank amongst dogs - Dog pack bonding. How to stop your dog from barking and annoying the neighbors. My dog urinates when greeted - stopping submissive urinating. How to stop your dog jumping up at visitors. What to do when your dog steals your socks and underwear and growls when you approach. Teaching your dog not to bite. Does your dog bite your ankles and heels? How to stop him. Need help, preventing your dog sticking his nose between people's legs? 

Become A Dog Trainer In California at Dog Training Guide

If you have a dog which barks constantly you owe it to yourself to get an electronic collar to stop excessive barking. The peace of mind you will have by stopping your dog from barking into all hours of the night at anything that moves. Sure it is great to have a good watch dog to let you know if someone is intruding on your property. But when your dog barks at every single sound and sometime at nothing at all. It seems that the dog likes to hear itself bark. Get yourself an electronic dog collar for such a purpose.The collar is not meant to be a punishing tool but a training device instead. Most are designed not to send a shock when other dogs barking or send a signal when he barks once or twice, just for the annoying excessive barking. 

When using the basic training manual that comes with the collar, you will have your dog trained safely in no time at all.Your neighbor's will love their once again peace and quiet they once enjoyed before you found your new pet. They will probably learn to like you once again. Lets face it, a dog who loves to bark can quickly get on your nerves. Well I am here to tell you it gets on other people nerves many times worst. It is annoying and the owner should do their best to train their dog to stop. If you have tried conventional methods and they have not worked, an electronic dog training collar for this purpose can certainly be your answer.Some dog owners can sleep through a war zone and have no idea that the constant barking of their dog is bothering other people in their neighborhood. In my opinion these people are brain dead. There is nothing more irritating than the constant barking of a dog. It will even send the calmest of people to the loony bin after a while.

The people who make these stop barking electronic dog training collars are not fly by night companies. These companies have been in this business for a long time and they know what works. If you purchase one of these dog collars you will soon see what I am talking about. Modifications have been made over the years through testing and customer support to bring the models they have on the market today.You should never keep the collar on the dog at all times. Especially when it is unsupervised. After all, it is a training device and needs a trainer to make sure that it is working the way it was meant to. Your dog will learn to stop its excessive barking and the collar will no longer be needed. This will please everyone concerned.I would always try conventional methods first, but when you are at the end of your rope and the only thing your dog does when you tell it to stop barking is answer you with a flurry of barks, it is time to try the stop barking electronic dog training collar. Conventional methods can work well if you have proper training or are instructed how to make it work.They are preferred by most people because of the idea of giving a dog an electric shock to get it to stop doing a bad habit. I myself prefer conventional methods but they sometimes will not work. Do not be afraid to use the stop barking electronic dog training collar. 

The shock is tested by experts and is found to be quite safe.About the author: Ken Bishop Whether you wish to try conventional methods to get your dog to stop excessive barking or you wish to try the electronic collar, you will find both at this link. Stop Dog BarkingElectronic Dog Training CollarSecrets To Dog Training.Learn how to obedience train your dog effectively to stop your dogs behavior problems. To find out more about this amazing guide: Read Our Review >>Become A Dog Trainer In California NewsAsk the Dog Trainer- K9 noseworks, a new dogsport - TCPalmRead more...Reality TV: Brilliant mirror on society, or sign of end times? Four reality ... - California ChronicleRead more...History of Green Cars: Who bought the first Nissan LEAF electric car in the ... - Green Celebrity NetworkRead more...Green Christmas Ideas: Tips on how to buy a new green car as the big family gift - Green Celebrity NetworkRead more...Reality TV: Brilliant mirror on society, or sign of end times? Four reality ... - Kansas City StarRead more...