Do Dogs Really Only See Black And White?

Veterinary research indicates that dogs do see colors, but that they can distinguish fewer colors than humans can. The mechanisms used for color recognition in both human and dog eyes are called cones. Dogs have cones, but fewer cones than humans. Thus, it is believed that while dogs can recognize and distinguish between certain colors, they do not see the full "rainbow" of the color spectrum that humans do. Don't feel bad, though, because some aspects of dogs' visions far surpasses our own. For example, dogs can see much better in dim light than we can. In addition, dogs are much better at detecting motion than are humans.

Spaying Before Or After First Season?

Absolutely not true. There are important health benefits to spaying your dog prior to her first heat. For example, if you spay your dog prior to her first heat, she has a minimal chance of developing a mammary gland (breast) tumor later in life. To wait for her to go through one heat cycle before spaying significantly increases her chances of developing this type of cancer. Spaying your dog prior to her first heat also immediately eliminates the risk for pyometra, ovarian cysts, unwanted pregnancies and false pregnancies.

Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

Grass is in fact both a stomach irritant and a binding agent. Grass binds to certain toxins that may be present in your dog’s stomach. While not an optimum method for ridding your dog’s system of a particular toxin, ingesting grass can help your dog expel toxins from his system. However, it is generally believed that your dog is not making the connection that consuming grass leads to vomiting any more than he makes the connection that scavenging through the garbage will make him sick later on. Instead, your dog most likely eats grass – like garbage – because he likes the taste. Your dog’s wolf ancestors also ate grass when they consumed the intestines and stomach contents of their grass-eating prey, so the craving for a bit of a grass is likely still hard-wired in many dogs. One note of caution: eating even small quantities of grass can be dangerous if the grass your dog is nibbling on has been treated with pesticides or fertilizers.

Should I Use Garlic For Flea Control?

There is no scientific evidence definitively linking the use of garlic with flea prevention. And garlic can be toxic to dogs so you definitely do not want to start giving your dog garlic. There are many topical products available that can help to prevent fleas. Before starting on any flea prevention regime, however, you need to talk with your vet regarding which product will be appropriate for your dog.

Warm, dry nose - Is my dog sick?

Your dog’s nose may be warm and dry or cold and wet for a variety of reasons completely unrelated to how he is feeling or whether he has a fever. Dog noses often become warm and dry during a nap, or when they are in a warm or dry environment. For example, a perfectly healthy dog relaxing in the morning sun or even in a heated room during winter will often have a warm and dry nose. Legitimate signs that may indicate your dog is not feeling well include changes in activity level, changes in appetite, and of course, symptoms such as limping, coughing, vomiting or changes in urinary or fecal output. As an informed dog owner you should also be aware of your dog’s vital signs – normal breathing rate, heart rate and temperature.

Do You Let Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed? (cont.)

Regarding dominance, training and behavior "experts" often cite dominance as a cause of everything from aggression to pulling on leash. To be blunt, this is nonsense. Don't take just our word for it, though. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) is so concerned about the misapplication of "dominance" that it has issued a "Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals." The paper points out that most dog behaviors that cause problems have nothing to do with dominance – rather, they're unruly behaviors that have been unintentionally rewarded, while the "right" behaviors haven't been taught. As for aggression, the position paper states flatly: "The most common cause of aggression in dogs is fear."

Do You Let Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed?

Having your dog sleep in your bed will not make him "dominant," nor will it cause other behavior problems. It is just not true. There are dogs who guard the spots where they rest and sleep, or who respond aggressively to handling or to being wakened suddenly. This is not a dominance issue nor is it a behavior “learned” as a consequence of sleeping on your bed. However, for the sake of both safety and behavior modification, these dogs should sleep elsewhere. There are also adolescent dogs who haven't learned any manners but have learned in-your-face attention-seeking behavior. They often make pests of themselves when sharing their humans' bed, so they too should sleep separately. And, of course, if there is not room in the bed for everyone to get a comfortable night’s sleep or if you or your furry friend is either a light or restless sleeper, get your dog a cozy bed of his own. This might sound intuitive but a 2002 study conducted by Dr. John Shepard found that more than 50% of the 300 patients he studied at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorder Center said that their sleep was disturbed by their dogs or cats in the bedroom or on the bed.

Hypoallergenic Dogs

To dog-loving allergy sufferers, a hypoallergenic dogs sounds like a dream come true. Unfortunately, there is just no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. While sometimes allergies may be caused by a dog’s fur, often the real source of allergies is a protein that is found in a dog’s saliva. This protein sticks to the dried flakes of skin called dander which all dogs shed regardless of their type of coat or the amount of fur or hair they shed. So please don’t be fooled by the promise of a hypoallergenic dog.

Dominance (cont.)

In conclusion; I don’t really think the use of  the word dominance in describing some aspects of a dog is over used.  It’s use is definitely misunderstood; especially when you forget that words have more than one definition.  Plus we all tend to make the mistake of using human traits when we refer to our beloved furry friends.  I think we too often think of bad behaviors as dominance; in reality it is a lack of training our dogs.  Dominance meaning strong genetic traits is still appropriate to use when describing those characteristics in a dog.

Dominance (cont.)

Once aggression is established in a dog it will always be there.  Many people end up in training classes with their aggressive dog.  You will receive most of the training in that class not your dog.  The knowledgeable trainer will teach you how to manage your aggressive dog with various situations that routinely arise.  If a trainer tells you that they can get rid of the aggression in your dog, they are not being honest with you; find another trainer.  You need to learn how to manage the aggressive behavior because you are never going to be able to get rid of it.  Some people find they are not up to this challenge and thus are forced in to getting rid of their dog.  An aggressive dog is often very loving and loyal to their family; the challenge you are faced with is keeping others safe from them.  If your dog demonstrates aggression towards you or your family; they should be put down.