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When sitting down to enjoy a nice meal, your experience may be thwarted by a begging, whining, pawing pup at your feet. We love our dogs like family and we treat them well. Sometimes that means slipping them treats from our plate while at the dinner table when we know we shouldn’t. These moments of temporary over indulgence can lead to begging for table scraps. Not only does this disturb your meal, but it also leads to extra calories for your canine.

Luckily, even though you may have unintentionally started a bad habit, begging can be easy to curb if you stick to your guns. The first and most obvious step is to stop giving your dog table food. It can be hard to resist those puppy eyes but by giving your dog food when he begs, you are reinforcing the begging behavior. If you stop the reward for unwanted behavior, your dog will learn that begging does not equal treats.

Make sure your dog understands that begging will not result in attention or affection from you. It may be difficult as first for you to ignore their behavior but it is necessary while teaching them that it is not an acceptable behavior.

Be consistent. If you only follow through some of the time, your dog will not get a clear message that the begging is unwanted. Make sure everyone in your household understands how to handle your begging pup and that everyone enforces the same rules consistently.

Millions of dog bites occur each year and more than half of the victims are children under the age of 14. Teaching your kids about dog attacks can prevent serious injury at the hand of the neighborhood pooch.

No matter how friendly and harmless you assume a dog is, they can bite a well-meaning child if feeling threatened, agitated, hungry, or if they’re protecting their turf.

Guidelines to teach your children:

- Always ask the owner’s permission before greeting or petting a dog.

- Let the dog sniff them while keeping their arms close to their body.

- Don’t pet the top of the dog’s head as this may be misinterpreted as a play for dominance. Instead, pet their neck or chest gently.

- If the dog becomes angry or begins to bark or snarl, teach your child to stay put. It may seem counterintuitive as the instinct is to run away; however, running may prompt the dog to chase and become more aggressive.

- Teach your child to create a blockade between you and the dog if they are actively being attacked. Any object like a bike, ball, scooter can act as an extra line of defense protecting your child from being bitten. They should also hit the ground, roll into a ball, and be as still as possible.

Although dog attacks are statistically rare, they do happen, especially to very young children who may approach a strange dog without caution. Prepare your children by arming them with the knowledge they’ll need to avoid an attack in the first place.

Be sure to contact your veterinarian if your own dog shows any signs of aggression.

You’re playing with your furry friend when you suddenly feel a suspicious lump under his skin. Don’t panic. First things first, make an appointment with your veterinarian to have the mass checked out. You will have answers and peace of mind after having a medical professional assess the situation.

A lump or bump is defined as a mass under the skin and can have several causes.

Non-cancerous Bumps:

These are known as benign masses and can be cuts, wounds, skin tags, cysts, swollen abscesses or histiocytomas. A mass of this kind is generally not harmful to your pet and may or may not need to be removed.

Cancerous Bumps:

These lumps are cancerous and will need to be removed. You and your veterinarian will have to discuss and agree on a treatment plan for your pet.

Diagnosis:

Your vet may want to take a biopsy of the lump or a small sample with a needle (known as “aspirate”). Both are very routine procedures. Other options may include removing the lump entirely (or as much as possible). The sample will be sent to a pathology lab for a precise diagnosis. Once the results come back from the lab, your vet will give you all of the information and options you’ll need to make a decision on treatment.

Fostering a pet can be a highly rewarding experience for you, your family, and the animal whose life you save. Many organizations have fostering opportunities such as local pet shelters, or dog and cat rescues. If you are interested in opening your home to an animal in need of a temporary place to live while they wait for their forever family, contact your local organizations for more information on fostering requirements.

Once you’ve located an organization that you’d like to work with, consider visiting their facility and taking a tour to learn more about how they operate. In turn, they will want to know more about you and your lifestyle before placing you with a temporary pet. This is to ensure that the animal gets the time and attention it needs while recuperating and socializing. They will want to know some of the following:

- What type of animal you are interested in (a puppy weaning from mom, an animal recovering from illness, a mature pet) ensuring that they place you with the right animal.

- Details about your work hours, how many other family members (including small children and pets) reside in the house, size of your living area and backyard.

It is important to check with your local and state government to confirm whether they have individual licensure requirements for fostering animals. If you are renting your property, obtain written permission from your landlord regarding the occupancy of temporary pets. You may be asked for it later. Additionally, check with your Homeowners Association for limitations on pets in your home.

Once the shelter or rescue has your information, they may contact you for an interview and home inspection. The interview is usually an informal meeting to learn more about you and it gives you an opportunity to ask questions. You will receive information about the shelter/rescue’s fostering process including what expenses are covered by them. A quick walk-through of your home ensures that it is a safe environment for potential foster animals.

Once an animal has been placed in your care, you should be given information from the shelter regarding the reason for their stay, the expected duration of their stay, and any special instructions. Now, you just give them love and attention while they wait for a permanent adoption! It may be difficult to say goodbye once that day comes as you will probably become attached to any animal in your care; but know that by opening your home to an animal in need, you have done a great service to everyone involved.

Springtime brings warmer weather and flourishing flowers; it also means that pollens, grass, mold and other allergens are plentiful. Many people suffer from itchy eyes, runny nose, and coughing this time of year but what about our pets? Turns out that pets can suffer from allergies just like humans, and the symptoms can also be similar.

In addition to sneezing, watery eyes, and irritated ears, secondary bacterial or yeast infections can occur on the skin causing your pet to scratch and lick his skin. This can cause extreme discomfort. Any sudden change in behavior or onset of symptoms should be checked out by your veterinarian. Your vet can perform a skin test to diagnose allergies accurately.

To reduce symptoms in your pet, you can bathe them with a mild pet shampoo and wipe their coats and paws after being outside. Your veterinarian may prescribe an antihistamine to be used sparingly to relieve your pet’s discomfort. Other treatments may be available through your vet, including steroids or anti-inflammatory medications.

Dogs’ noses should be cold and wet

A dog's’ normal temperature is 100 to 102.5 degrees fahrenheit. The temperature and moistness of his nose is no indication of health as the myth would suggest. Taking your dog’s temperature with a thermometer is the only accurate way to tell if your dog has a fever.

A wagging tail means a happy dog

This depends on the dog’s stance and the placement and speed of the dog’s tail. If the dog is relaxed and his tail is wagging fast, he is likely a playful pup. If his tail is wagging slowly or is twitching back and forth, he may be feeling threatened and on guard.

An old dog can’t learn new tricks

An older dog can absolutely learn new commands when trained properly. You should be realistic about their physical limitations but learning basic housetraining and simple commands are entirely attainable.

My dog tears up my things while I’m away because he’s angry that I left him alone

While your dog may be experiencing some separation anxiety, he’s not gnawing your shoes out of vengeance. Dogs just aren’t capable of those kinds of human emotions. Chewing just feels good on their teeth and it relieves boredom. Some older dogs may chew your belongings because they were never properly taught what not to chew. Speak to your veterinarian for help with your dog’s chewing behavior - especially if you suspect it is caused by separation anxiety.

When your dog has a potty accident, you should rub their nose in it

Unfortunately, this action doesn’t help your dog make the connection that they did something they shouldn’t. It will only make your dog begin to cower and hide from you when they have their next accident.

Dog mouths are cleaner than human mouths

Just like human mouths, dogs’ mouths contain countless amounts of bacteria. Unlike humans, dogs don’t normally get their teeth brushed daily which adds tarter and decay to the mix. The good news is that a dog’s bacteria is unlikely to be harmful to a human.

Some couples can’t imagine walking down the aisle without their beloved Bulldog. Luckily, there are some easy ways to include your pooch into your nuptials.

If your pet is well-behaved and easily trained, you may be successful getting your pooch to escort you or sit quietly with your friends and family.

Regarding more active pets who can’t sit still for long periods, have a friend or family member carry your pet or lead them on the leash and then hand them off to a handler away from the ceremony when their part is through. Outdoor receptions can be a great place for your pet to make an appearance as long as they are not bothered by loud music. Make sure your pet gets plenty to eat and drink during the days’ excitement.

If you know it won’t be possible to have your pet present on your big day, you can include them in other ways. If you and your significant other share your pet, you can mention your joy about becoming a family in your wedding vows. For couples who have photos displayed for their guests to enjoy, having pictures of your pet will remind your loved ones how special your pet is to you and your spouse.

Before you book your ceremony and reception venues, check with them regarding whether they are pet-friendly. Make sure there is a safe place for your pet to hang out while they are waiting for the festivities to begin. If you bring your cat or a dog that is crate trained, it would be wise to bring a carrier along where your pet can feel comfortable away from any commotion.

Be sure to notify your guests that there will be a pet present at the wedding in case anyone has allergies or there are children present who are frightened of animals.

Ask your veterinarian if they see any reason why your pet shouldn’t participate in your big day and make sure they are current on all vaccinations.

Congratulations - and enjoy your special day!