Maggie-Yorkshire Terrier and Papillon Mix!

When I was a kid of twelve, there was a big blizzard in the small town I grew up in. My father had walked home for lunch that particular day, and told us that someone had dropped off or 'dumped' a litter of four puppies in the center of town. He told us they looked like Collie puppies.

My younger sister and I, being total animal lovers, immediately put on our winter outerwear and ran into town to see for ourselves. Sure enough, the poor, wet and cold puppies were trying desperately to get into the local banks' front door whenever customers would enter or exit!

We lured the five puppies away from the town center into a neighboring lot. They appeared to be no more than 6 or 7 weeks old! We played with them for a bit, then started walking the two blocks back home. We were just hoping that some adults in town would gather them and take them home so they would be safe. As we started walking away, all of the puppies ran after us for a few yards or so, then turned back and started wandering as a group back toward town. One female puppy however, looked back at us, then looked at her litter mates, then back and us again, and came running to us and followed us home. We knew that very instant, that she was going to become a member of our family!

When our mother saw the wet, muddy and very cold puppy, she took her upstairs and gave her a warm bath and towel dried her. What a beautiful puppy she was!

When our father came home from work later that afternoon, he had heard that all of the puppies were adopted by sympathetic people that were in town that day.

We took the female pup to our veterinarian that week and upon examining her, the vet told us that he was quite convinced that she was a full-bred Collie! She was the sweetest, prettiest dog I have ever known! Lizzie lived a very happy life with our family until she died at the age of fourteen. She was loved by all and is still missed.

How on earth could a human being gather up a whole litter of young, innocent puppies, put them in his or her car, drive to the nearest town, and just release them in the middle of a snowstorm? We never found out unfortunately, who had abandoned those puppies that cold winter day. Dog abandonment is a crime which is punishable by law most everywhere and is an inexcusable act.

Written by Cin Rupp. Come and visit my blog and see some really cute photos of Maggie!

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Becoming a senior happens to all of us, from the days we attend school, to the day we become a senior citizen and it happens to our dogs, too. Dogs also grow into that "golden age," which requires some understanding by their owners.

In this article I will try to alert you to what is happening to your dog, as it grows older. With dogs and I guess people too, the process of aging is more physiological than chronological when it comes to determining when one is mature. People age in different stages and dogs follow suit.

Aging occurs when the body begins to slow down and the body's cells start falling apart faster than the body can repair them. In dogs, aging can begin as early as five years for larger breed dogs and seven years for small and middle sized dogs.

How well your dog responds to the aging process depends a great deal on its genetics and environment. Nutrition also plays an important part, the quality of the food you feed your dog nourishes its cells and helps to prolong a long and healthy life.

The aging process still demands quality food and while your dog is growing older the need for nutritious food becomes more important, actually it is as important as it was when your dog was a puppy. The difference is the quantity and the way the nutrients are provided.

So, the first thing in understanding your senior dog is to become aware of its nutritious needs and what your dog's food should provide. A senior dog needs high quality protein, which comes from meat such as chicken and lamb. Some sources say older dogs do not need protein because it will cause kidney problems, but that way of thinking is actually unfounded. Protein is necessary for building muscle and cell reserves.

Older dogs need less food (quantity wise) and food that is lower in fat, as they burn fewer calories (just as humans do as they grow older). They need food that has a good supply of digestible fiber to help with elimination. To help maintain a balance within the body, they also need antioxidants to fight off the free radicals, plus vitamins and minerals, which can come from a nutritionally balanced dog food and not necessarily from supplements.

What can you expect to see in the aging process?

When humans age, we see certain changes in hair color and body development; dogs also have significant signs of aging. Obesity is one of the main problems in the process of aging in dogs. We humans, tend to feed our dogs the same amount of food every day, not realizing that they do not need it and that they are not metabolizing the food as they did in their younger days. The result is weight gain, which puts extra weight on limbs that may be suffering from arthritis or other problems. If your dog is not eating be certain to call your vet, as there may be medical problems you are not aware of.

A dog's skin and hair coat begins to show changes as a dog ages. Gray hair around the eyes and muzzle begin to appear and the skin coat may become thinner and duller. This can also be a sign of a nutrient deficiency, so be aware of it. It is possible that benign tumors can begin to develop in various places throughout the body. These usually do not need to be removed unless they are in an area that is constantly annoying the dog. Have all tumors checked by your vet to be certain none are cancerous.

Older large breed dogs have a tendency to develop calluses on their elbows due to the fact that they are lying down more. Provide bedding for your dog in its favorite resting-places instead of having them lay on hard surfaces.

You may also notice your dog's pads thickening and its nails becoming brittle and needing to be clipped more often due to inactivity.

Older dogs tend to move less and many suffer from arthritis. It is important that you walk your dog or see that it has some type of mild activity no matter how old it is. It is necessary for you to move your muscles in order to keep mobile and that goes for dogs, too. You either move it or lose it, as the saying goes and that is very true.

A ramp, elevated feeding dishes and/or a set of steps maybe necessary to help your dog get up and downstairs, to eat comfortably and/or on to furniture. Chondroitin, and glucosamine can be beneficial to help support healthy joints.

Dental disease, decreased heart function, kidney problems, decreased liver function, urinary and bowel problems, sensitivity to temperature changes, hearing and sight loss and many more things can all be signs of increasing old age. Developing a good relationship with your vet is important at this time of your dog's life. It is important to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who understands what is going on.

Cognitive dysfunction is a possibility, according to Pfizer Pharmaceutical, 62 percent of dogs ten years and older will experience some sort of dysfunction. They will become confused or disoriented in their own back yards or even inside the house. They will pace at night and change their sleep patterns. Some may not even recognize household members and many will sit and stare into space. There is a drug called Selegiline /L-Deprenyl it is not a cure, but will help with some of the symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. Should your dog appear to be suffering from this condition contact your vet at once for help.

What behavior changes can I expect to see?

Older dogs have a much harder time coping with changes in the daily routine. Vision or hearing loss may make them anxious and sometimes a dog that never had separation anxiety becomes very anxious when it knows you are about to leave the house.

The secret here is to make leaving and coming home, a simple act with not much fuss or attention. Giving the dog a Kong toy filled with treats will keep him/her busy for awhile and its mind off your leaving. Make certain the dog will be comfortable while you are gone, sometimes soft music or the TV being on helps comfort the dog when it is alone.

If you are gone for long periods of time and if it is possible, have someone come in and take the dog out for a short walk. Senior dogs need to go to the bathroom more frequently than younger dogs.

Some dogs feel safer when crated; this depends on whether or not your dog is used to being inside a crate. There is also medication that can help make your dog less anxious, but as a rule it should not be used continually.

Older dogs may become aggressive. Pain, loss of vision or hearing, and some diseases can cause an otherwise friendly dog to become a bit aggressive. If aggressiveness is a sudden behavior, have your pet checked by your vet, as there may be an underlying cause you do not see. Work with your vet to try and find the cause of the aggression.

House soiling can become a problem as your dog suddenly starts having "accidents." Again have your vet examine the dog for underlying medical problems. If you cannot have someone take the dog our frequently when you are gone, think about penning the dog up in an area that is fairly easy to clean up after an accident.

Do not leave a senior dog outside all day if that is not the norm for the dog, it will only create more problems and anxiety.

Older dogs can become frightened of loud noises due to the fact they cannot move away from it as quickly as they could in younger days. Stress, also will cause some senior dogs to bark and whine more. However, some of it may be a call for attention especially if the dog has a problem getting up or down, it is calling you to come to him/her as it cannot get to you.

Older dogs that are not in good physical condition have trouble coping with a new and younger pet. So do not expect your senior dog to be overjoyed when you bring home a new puppy. Consider the fact that the puppy is a pest and your older dog does not have the patience and the ability to move away from the puppy fast enough.

Monitoring your senior dog for disease and other conditions.

There are many common diseases and conditions that your senior dog can suffer from and some of them are silent killers unless your are an observant owner.

I know you lead a busy life, but your dog has been a good companion and needs just a little of your attention in regard to keeping an eye on its health.

Your dog's eating habits need a watchful eye. How much is he/she eating, what kind of food (kibble or canned,) if you are feeding both kinds, which is the one being eaten the most? This can lead you to finding dental problems.

What about water consumption? Drinking more or less is also a sign of some common diseases. Weight gain or loss of weight, behavior patterns and changes in them, sleep patterns, obeying commands, anxious when left alone or around people, activity levels, coughing or other respiratory problems, bad breath or drooling, all these can be signs that your pet may have a problem, the vet needs to check out. A call to your vet or a quick visit may in the long run save you money and prolong the life of your dog.

I hope that this information has been of some help and that you and your canine companion have a long and healthy life together.

Every pet owner wants to keep his or her beloved cat or dog as safe as possible. You do everything you can do make sure your pet is well cared for and healthy. If you have an indoor pet, you may not think that keeping identification tags is important, but it is. What if your fuzzy feline accidentally slips out of the door at night and you search to no avail? What do you do, especially if your dog or cat has no identification? Placing a collar with an identification tag is important, but collars sometimes become lost. When you consider the fact that many animal shelters only keep dogs and cats for seven days, you want to make sure that your pet is properly identified. That is where the microchip comes in handy. The microchip is the newest way to identify lost pets and helps ensure that your lost pooch or feline finds his or her way back home.

The technology of the microchip has become so popular that most animal clinics and animal shelters have the ability to scan a cat or dog for microchip identification. If you opt for the microchip, you should know that it is a painless procedure for your pet. Your vet will insert a tiny microchip about the size of a grain of rice directly under your pet's skin using a hypodermic needle. The microchip is usually placed behind the neck. The microchip contains special digital number that has been entered on a national microchip database. That information will give the person your contact information. When you pet is lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can use a special scanner to retrieve the microchip information. It is that easy.

Pet owners love the idea of the microchip because it is permanent. You cannot remove the microchip and unlike a collar or tags, it cannot be lost or destroyed. This is one of the best features of pet microchip, especially for cats. If you place a collar on a cat, more than likely it will be a breakaway collar. If your cat climbs a tree, or is caught on something, the collar falls off. If your cat does not have a microchip, it will be very difficult for anyone identify you as the owner of the cat if it is found.

There are a few important things to remember about pet microchips. First, if your pet gets lost, you should never just sit back and wait for a call, even if your pet has a microchip. Not all veterinarians and shelters are equipped with this technology. You need to take the time to call around and place "lost pet" flyers around your neighborhood. In addition, you need to make sure you take the time to update your contact information should you move. It does little to no good to have your pet implanted with the microchip if the information on the national database is incorrect. Your veterinarian can give you information on how to update this information.

It is important to get your pet implanted with the microchip at a young age. Puppies can have the microchip at age six weeks. Even small breeds of dogs can handle this procedure. Kittens can also undergo this procedure at six weeks. The insertion of the microchip is not painful and feels like a regular vaccination shot. You can have your pet implanted with the microchip at your veterinarian office and can expect to pay between $30 and $50 for this service.

When you were a child you had to have vaccinations at certain points in your life against measles and tetanus. Vaccinations are important for your pets as well. We will specifically look at dog vaccinations here. Keep in mind that some of these shots are required for cats as well.

Dogs need to have vaccinations to guard against disease. When your dog is a puppy they will need a distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and a corona combination between six to eight, nine to eleven, twelve to fourteen, and sixteen to seventeen weeks of age.They will also need these shots again every twelve months. The next vaccination is a bordetella administered at fourteen weeks and every six months. Rabies must be given at sixteen weeks and again every twelve to thirty- six months.

Vaccinations protect your dog from human diseases as well as other problems that could arise. Make sure you visit your vet on a regular schedule. A few more vaccinations are the giardia at fourteen and seventeen weeks, with a yearly dose. Lyme is another type administered at fourteen and seventeen weeks as well as yearly.

Occasionally state regulations will require a different administering chart. It is best to speak with your vet to gain the proper knowledge for your breed of dog as well as the correct vaccinations. Dogs are "man's best friend" and thus it is important to give proper care that includes these treatments. They will ensure that your dog will be with you for many years.

Other basic care besides vaccinations are proper baths, toenail clipping, and feeding your dog properly. Most health problems arise in a dog that is either genetically susceptible or environmentally exposed to human food. Human food because of its greasy qualities can block a dog's arteries. So proper nutrition is often found in quality dog food. Your vet can recommended the proper dog food for your pal.
Dogs also require a lot of attention and exercise. Large breeds require special care. They need to have a lot of exercise as well as play time with their owners. Dogs are are social animals and will feel lonely and rejected if left alone for too long.
Part of owning a pet, especially a dog is to provide it with love and attention. Proper care is very important on a day-to-day basis like having a routine feeding time or visiting the vet for the proper vaccinations. Vaccinations can determine the longevity of your dog just as proper diet and exercise.
Vaccinations when not administered properly can harm the animal. I would stay away from ordering medications and vaccinations online if you are not familiar with the products and how to give them to your dog as this may cause some medical problems. All pets deserve the care we would give ourselves and in today's world, new great products and information is being developed to ensure your dog will live a long and healthy life.