Category Archives: Dog Medical

Is A Dog’s Mouth Cleaner Than A Person’s? Dog Trainers in Northern Virginia

Dog Medical, Dog Training General

Dog Training Northern Virginia

We all have heard the saying that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth. While it’s a common saying, it is simply untrue. There are a few reasons that this myth has floated around for so long.

At one time, studies were showing that human bites became infected at a faster rate than dog bites. Modern researchers have proven that this is not true. All bites, human and animals, have the same infection rates.

Dogs lick their wounds; some people believed that this meant their mouth had some sort of healing property. This is untrue as well. There are no antiseptic or healing properties in their saliva. The reason a dog licks their wound is to remove any dead tissue; this makes the healing process faster.

If you own a dog, you understand that dogs lick everything. They use their tongues as toilet paper as well as a bath. It’s pointless for scientists to compare the bacteria in a dog’s mouth to a human’s mouth. The strains of bacteria each mouth will have is totally different. There would be no way to accurately compare the two.
The Good News

There is bacteria in dogs’ mouths; they can have dental problems. There are tons of products in stores today to reduce dental problems for dogs such as dog toothbrushes. This is a good practice for preventative maintenance.

The chances of getting sick from dog saliva is very slim. Dogs and humans have different bacteria; chances are slim that one will transmitted that can make a human ill. There is a larger chance of getting sick from kissing another human than a dog.

If you want more information about your dog, behavior, or training: contact Off Leash K9 Training!

-Nick White
Owner/Founder
Off Leash K9 Training

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Diabetic Alert Dog Trainers in Northern Virginia

Dog Medical, Dog Training General, Service Dog Training

 

 

Diabetic Dog Northern VirginiaWe do diabetic alert dog training in Northern Virginia.

Diabetic Alert Dogs are lifesavers for type 1 diabetes patients, specifically when they are hypoglycemic unaware, meaning that they don’t experience the usual symptoms associated with low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, etc.).  Research has shown that dogs can detect low blood sugar using the smell of sweat alone.  Dogs are typically very reliable and accurate when detecting this, with rates of up to 90% accurate. For people living with diabetes, this is a life-saver and takes away some of the stress and worry in caring for this illness.

How diabetic service dogs work Diabetes alert dogs are trained to notice when their owner is experiencing low blood sugar. They then alert their owner by placing their paw on their owner.  If sleeping, the dog may be trained to awake the owner, and in the event that they do not awake, the dog may awake another family member.  The cost of the training for diabetic alert dogs is quite high.  Many organizations now exist to help diabetics afford a dog.

Dr. Wolf A family physician and diabetic himself, Steve Wolf is a proponent of diabetic alert dogs.  After he experienced a hypoglycemic event while driving, the doctor looked into getting a guide dog and bought Kermit.  Kermit has assisted Dr. Wolf since then, keeping him aware of his glucose levels and cheering up his patients.  One day, Kermit displayed intelligent disobedience by refusing to get in the car to go home from work.  Dr. Wolf took the hint and checked his glucose.  He found it was low and was able to take measures to compensate it before driving.    Diabetic alert dogs work constantly and do whatever they can to help their owners.

Mark Reufenacht The first person to train a diabetic alert dog was Mark Reufenacht.  Reufenacht is a forensic scientist who also has type 1 diabetes.  He had the idea that if dogs could detect bombs and drugs, they might be able to detect blood sugar levels.  He researched extensively before training the first diabetic alert dog, Armstrong.  He founded an organization called Dogs 4 Diabetics and now works in his free time to run it.  His goal is to give diabetics a tool to help control their diabetes.  The organization gives dogs away for free to qualified applicants.  Reufenacht’s organization has a long waitlist of patients hoping to get a guide dog.

For families of diabetics, a diabetic alert dog relieves the worry and sleeplessness of living with a diabetic.  Sugar levels may drop suddenly while a diabetic is sleeping, meaning that they may simply slip into a coma without waking up.  Although glucose monitors that can be worn constantly may have the ability to alert in the case of dangerous glucose levels, their accuracy is not great.  They may also have delayed results, meaning that a diabetic could have a complication by the time the monitor shows dangerous glucose levels.  Furthermore, a monitor can beep, but it can’t get help, a glucose kit and food or paw the person’s chest until he/she wakes up.  Diabetic alert dogs are super pets and life savers for those living with type 1 diabetes.

Are you interested in making your dog a service dog/diabetic alert dog?

Contact us at http://www.offleashk9training.com or 888-413-0896

Nick White
Owner/Founder
Off Leash K9 Training

Study On Electronic (Shock) Collars

Dog Behavioral Issues, Dog Medical, Dog Training General

Virginia Shock Collar Trainers

Since we are the best electronic (shock) collar trainers in Northern Virginia, we often get asked about the affects of electronic collar training. It is not actually a “shock” at all (as some people call it), it is actually a very low level stimulation, much like stim pads that physical therapists use.

Due to the ever increasing numbers of animals, especially dogs, that are being dropped off at shelters or abandoned in the streets, scientists have taken task to determine what and why so many of man’s best friend continue to wander the streets. Of course, all signs point to behavioral issues to many other scientists have begun to study causes and effects of bad animal behavior and also have created studies to investigate techniques to rehabilitate such less than pleasing behaviors. One such study was that of Dr. Steiss and her team, which focused on the effects of the usage of electronic collars to control barking.

Dr. Steiss and her team wanted to find out whether or not electronic collars had a lasting physiological effect on the dogs who wore them. The team also wanted to find out if the use of electronic collars would improve the behavioral tendencies of dogs, perhaps creating a sort of “cure” that would turn more people to try to train their dogs unruly behavior instead of just turning them over to the nearest shelter or letting them out onto the street.

What Dr. Streiss and her team concluded is that electronic collars, when PROPERLY USED, are an extremely effective tool in reducing and altogether eliminating excessive loud barking in dogs with unruly behavior. In addition to this, Dr. Streiss found no lingering or permanent effects on the physiological nature of the dogs they tested. They found that the amount of barking was reduced even by the first day that the test dogs wore the electronic collar. By the second day, the team had concluded that the learning effect of the test dogs was immense, that the dogs quickly learned to link the electronic correction with the barking, therefore correcting the behavior. The team did note that on day one of the two day study, the dogs registered increases in blood and salivary cortisol levels but the results were not conclusive enough to state that this rise in levels was only due to the wearing of the electronic collars.

Therefore, Dr. Streiss and her team were able to confirm that the use of electronic bark collars in attempting to train dogs is an effective and safe method. Other similar studies including a study from German researched Dieter Klien came to conclude upon similar results. His study states that given the low dosage of electronic current, just barely enough to correct the dog and given that the electronic correction only occurs for such a short period of time, that the effects of the electronic collars could not possibility include any organic damage to the animal. These findings only exist to prove the correctness of the findings of Dr. Streiss and her team. So despite the overwhelming and sometimes falsified data that exists that advises against the use of what some call “inhumane” forms of training, it can be seen through numerous tests, including the one of Dr. Streiss, that the use of electronic training devices such as electronic collars actually have a positive effect on the dogs in that they achieve a faster learning rate in overcoming bad behavior like excessive barking (among other things).

Additionally, by being able to humanely and effectively correct these issues, these dogs are able to have happy lives with their family.  This is a much better alternative than getting rid of the dog, dropping it off at a shelter, or causing the dog to be put down.  Those are the “truly” inhumane things.

Please note that electronic collars should only be used by trained professionals.  If you do not have experience with using electronic collars, you should never attempt to you train your dog on your own.

Interested in world renowned electronic collar trainers?  Contact us at Off Leash K9 Training!

http://www.offleashk9training.com or 888-413-0896 or info@offleashk9training.com

Nick White
Owner/Founder
Off Leash K9 Training

What Are The Requirements To Have A Service Dog In Virginia?

Dog Medical, Service Dog Training,

Service Dogs in Virginia

We get asked service dog questions a lot at our facility in Northern Virginia.

ADA (American Disabilities Act) is the governing body for these regulations.

The American Disabilities Act has certain regulations in place regarding the definition and purpose of service dogs. This has been revised several times, with the latest revision being on March 15, 2011. There were several additional provisions added to the latest revisions regarding service dogs.

Service dogs are specially trained to assist people with special needs in certain activities of daily living, such as helping them to walk with stability, helping retrieve items (if they are in a wheelchair), helping them know if someone is coming from behind (if there is hearing loss), preventing a child from wandering away from safety (if autistic), etc.

According to the American Disabilities Act, both local and state government agencies, non-profit organizations, retail merchants, restaurants, and other businesses, have to make “reasonable modifications” in order to accommodate the needs of disabled people. Even places that have a policy of “no pets” have to make room for service dogs in their premises.

It is to be noted that the ADA defines only dogs as service animals. According to the ADA, the dog must be trained to perform tasks that are specifically related to the disability faced by the person. This involves training the dog to take certain actions that are very specific to the disability, such as alerting a diabetic person that his blood sugar levels are low. Other tasks could include reminding the person to take medications on time, detect the onset of a seizure in an epileptic person and keep him/her safe during the seizure until medical aid arrives. Therapy dogs, or dogs that provide only emotional support and comfort, are not covered in the ambit of service dogs, under the ADA regulations. However, dogs that are trained to offer specific psychiatric support, such as sensing the onset of an anxiety attack and taking action to warn, avoid, or prevent the attack, are covered as service dogs, under ADA regulations.

The ADA also does not “require” professional training for service dogs; however, it is highly preferred. People with disabilities can train the dogs themselves. ADA regulations state that a dog can only be considered a service dog after it is fully trained. A service dog can only be taken to public places after it is fully trained. This means that dogs that are undergoing training should not be taken to public places under ADA regulations. They are not required to wear any special vest, harness, or ID tag. The care of the dog is the responsibility of the handler, and this includes feeding, grooming, exercising, as well as veterinary care.

ADA regulations also state that hotels must not reserve “pet friendly” rooms to people with service animals who want to book an accommodation in the hotel. They must be given rooms that are accessible to other general guests. Hotels must also not charge a separate cleaning fee for these rooms to remove pet hair, etc.  Essentially, a service dog must be given access to any place that a person is.

If you are looking at getting your dog trained and certified to be a service dog, contact Off Leash K9 Training today!

www.offleashk9training.com or 888-413-0896  or http://www.servicedogtrainingvirginia.com/

Nick White
Founder
Off Leash K9 Training

Diabetic Alert Dog Training in Northern Virginia

Detection and Nose Work, Dog Medical, Service Dog Training

 

Diabetic Alert Dog Virginia

We offer diabetic alert dog training in Northern Virginia.

For people suffering from diabetes, early detection of low or high blood sugar is crucial to living a safe and healthy life. There are many different ways to detect changes in blood sugar, including insulin monitors, but diabetic alert dogs are a way for those suffering from diabetes to not only feel safe, but also to have companionship. Although service animals are more often associated with other medical conditions such as blindness, they also have important benefits for those with diabetes as well.

Diabetic alert dogs go through intense amounts of training, so that they can detect changes in blood sugar levels. Because dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans do, they can actually smell it when the chemicals in our bodies change, and diabetic alert dogs are trained to react and help when a diabetic patient reaches dangerously low or high levels of the chemicals in our bodies related to sugar. These service dogs are matched to you specifically based on needs, lifestyle, and personality, and they complete their training by learning their new companion’s smells and behaviors. In an emergency, they will know exactly what to do and can save your life. For example, if your blood sugar is getting dangerously low, they will smell it and alert you so that you can eat. And if you ever were to lose consciousness, the dog will try to alert someone else to it by running or barking.

Not only will these dogs potentially save your life, but they can also provide a huge sense of security for your loved ones. If you are a diabetic patient that lives or works alone, it can be quite nerve-wracking for those you love, because if something happens to you while you are alone, there isn’t much that they can do about it. Having a dog there will make them feel more comfortable, knowing that you will be taken care of if something happens. Diabetic alert dogs are especially good for children or elderly patients, who may not have the ability to take care of themselves completely on their own.

Diabetic alert dogs also provide companionship for those with diabetes. It can be difficult dealing with such a serious illness, but having a dog can help you feel less lonely. Service animals often will develop an extremely deep bond with their owner, and this has plenty of health benefits beyond just caring for your diabetes. Interaction with pets is good for stress relief, which in turn reduces the risk for things like heart and stomach problems. They also can just improve mood overall and have a positive impact on your social life.

Diabetic alert dogs are a wonderful, and often underutilized resource for those with diabetes. The safety, peace of mind, and companionship that they provide is unmatched by anything else. The intense training that diabetic alert dogs undergo prepares them to deal with many emergency situations in ways that other resources could not. If you are diabetic and have not considered an alert dog yet, it might be exactly what you need. We offer training at our facility in Northern Virginia for Diabetic Alert Dogs.

www.offleashk9training.com or info@offleashk9training.com

-Nick White
Owner/Founder
Off Leash K9 Training

The Difference Between a Service Dog and Therapy Dog in Northern Virginia

Dog Medical, Dog Training General

At our dog training in Northern Virginia, we always get asked about Service Dog Training or Therapy Dog Training. Many do not realize the difference between these two types of training.

Canines might be prepared to perform numerous activities to help handlers or other individuals to handle a few troubles. There are no less than two sorts of prepared dogs which are deliberately trained to serve certain capacities relying upon the needs of the handlers; the main ones are therapy dogs and service dogs.

They are comparable in a few viewpoints, additionally distinctive in numerous things. A few associations (TDI, Delta, etc) give expert trainers to prepare both types of dogs for the individuals who need them. Since each one serves diverse capacities, the preparation strategies are coherently distinctive, as well.

Underneath you will discover the breakdown of both types of dogs along with the contrasts between them.

Therapy Dog:

Therapy dogs are prepared to visit open offices, for example, doctor’s facilities and schools or wherever dog comfort and aid is wanted. They are ready to support or empower individuals, for example, patients or kids with handicaps. With a therapy dog, the dogs are not trained to perform certain exercises or tasks “just” for the handler.

In the broadest sense, the dogs urge individuals to manage challenges, illnesses, anxiety, and other mental/mental conditions.

It is widely accepted that when patients pet dogs, their condition could be fundamentally improved. They have also been used to diminish uneasiness before specialists perform surgical operations.

Other than nursing homes and hospitals, therapy dogs regularly visit nursing homes and pediatric offices. They are typically obedient and significantly calm when they are in new environments.

Therapy dogs are always happy and open to having strangers pet them. Now and again, therapy dogs need to experience odd sights, smells, and noises. That is why proper training such as our Therapy Dog Development Course is necessary to prepare them for these things. On the other hand, you (the handler) also needs to know how to handle your dog in these situations.

Service Dogs

Service dogs are prepared just to help the handler to perform a few daily exercises and tasks. These dogs frequently go hand in hand with veterans, injured warriors, elderly, or individuals with fractional incapacities. Much of the time, each dog is specifically trained dependent upon the necessities of the handler.

Service dogs generally go anyplace the handler goes. Most people (and some businesses) do not realize that these dogs are permitted to go just about anywhere: restaurants, houses of worship, libraries, transportation (airport, bus, taxi), and that’s just the beginning. According to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Service Dogs are permitted to go “anywhere” that humans are allowed to go. This is one major difference between Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs.

A service dog is trained to perform activities to help just the handler. For example, a service dog who is owned by an individual enduring leg damage should be prepared to perform principal tasks, for example, standing next to the handler to provide stability (own can lean on the dog, etc). Another example of a service dog is a diabetic detection dog. It is specifically trained to let the handler know when he/she have hit a dangerous blood sugar level. Again, “trained to perform a specific task.”

Contrasts

The biggest distinction is that service dog is deliberately prepared to help JUST the handler. The dog can do different tasks to help the handler perform every day exercises, while a therapy dog is intended to be everyone’s pet.

An alternate significant distinction is that therapy dogs could be from any breed, while service dogs are generally Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds.

Therapy dogs are just permitted to visit offices where they are invited, while service dogs can go anyplace the handler goes.

I would also recommend reading my blog on, “Fake Service Dogs of America.”

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Therapy Dog Training and Certification in Northern Virginia

Dog Medical, Dog Owners Blog, Dog Training General,

We work with therapy dogs at our facility in Northern Virginia on a daily basis. Certain dogs have nice characteristics and certain behaviors that creates the perfect well-balanced friendly dog for individuals. In fact, because of this specific disposition, trainers can easily measure or choose the most appropriate coaching system/method. We can decide which profession the dog would be best suited for, such as medical care dogs, search and rescue (SAR) dogs, detection dogs, or therapy dogs.

Just like with people, there is almost a certification procedure for every profession.

How to Certify a Therapy Dog.

There are many different organizations across the country that do testing, however they remarkably have the similar common practice procedures including:

1. Before anyone will register the pet into a therapy dog program, the primary factor to try and do is to get the registration paperwork which is generally found on the specific organization’s web site. Some of the most well known organizations are: Angel on a Leash, Pet Partners, American Kennel Club (AKC), Delta Society, and Therapy Dog International.

2. If the dog meets the prerequisites, the organization can put the pet in special training or coaching programs; some organizations even provide on-line coaching for this. Alternative certification organizations don’t provide therapy dog training in the least, however they’re going to take your dog to the AKC Canine Good Citizen level, which is the first step to becoming a Therapy Dog in Northern Virginia.

3. The dog owner should take the dog for his/her normal medical examination. The dog should be fully healthy to continue the certification procedure. In most cases, these major corporations force the dog to show regular proof of DHLPP, rabies, and bortatella vaccinations.

4. Subsequent vital step in virtually any therapy dog registration procedure is dog analysis. The dog’s behaviors are evaluated by a representative of the organization. The analysis is fairly straightforward, the dog should have the basic manners, for examples sit, come, stay, down, and so on. A therapy dog should stay calm among strangers and alternative dogs; any indication of aggression isn’t allowed.

5. Fill out the registration paperwork; before submitting it to the organization, enclose the health and analysis certifications. It’s vital to incorporate an image of the dog for identification purpose. Please keep in mind that certification for Therapy dogs is not free; the owner should pay the registration fee once submitting the work (generally around $45.00/year).

6. Finally, you just have to wait for approval; once the certificate is issued, the pet is formally a therapy dog. An authorized therapy dog is a well-trained animal which will offer comfort to aged people, kids with learning disabilities, hospitalized individuals, and more. The animal are allowed to go to varied public facilities like libraries, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and essentially each establishment wherever the help from a therapy dog is wanted.

If you are wanting a dog to do therapy work, I would recommend our Therapy Dog Development Course which gives you and your dog all of the tools and skills needed to pass the TDI Certification!

Additionally, I would highly recommend reading my blog on “Picking the Perfect Dog” to ensure you get the “right” type of dog for this work.

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Why does my dog seem depressed?

Dog Medical

Because you can’t ask your pet if he or she is depressed, it can be a case of affixing human emotions onto an animal. It can also be a series of symptoms that have no other logical explanations. It appears that pets can become depressed by changes in their living arrangements, the loss of a close animal companion, or by an owner who must be away for an extended period of time. Generally, all of these your pet will rather quickly get over. Like people, it can have a temporary effect due to a major lifestyle change.

The common symptoms exhibited by dogs who are considered depressed include a tendency to become withdrawn. Like depressed people, they are less active. The pet’s sleeping and eating patterns change, sometimes significantly. The dog may refuse to do activities that they once enjoyed. It is also true that these same symptoms can indicate that there is a medical problem. Symptoms of this sort should be checked with the veterinarian to rule out medical issues.

Major changes in the life of your pet could cause them to fall into periods of depression. A move to a new location, a new baby in the home or a new pet added to the mix can cause the animal to become depressed. A significant schedule change in the dog’s life style can cause issues. If the owner goes on a different shift, or goes to work when they were at home previously is upsetting to the animal.

The death or loss of an owner or the loss of another companion animal is the most common sources for depression. It must be noted though that the dog may simply be picking up on the emotions of the humans surrounding him. The dog may be grieving for the loss of the owner or may be upset because the others around him are grieving. During stressful periods, the dog may be getting less attention, which can result in depression.

Treatment for dog depression can be implemented by extra care and attention. It will usually show results in a few days. Try to find activities which spark some sign of a lifting of the pet’s spirits and reward him when those occur. Don’t reward him when he is down, reward signs of improvement.

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Trimming Your Dog’s Nails!

Dog Medical

Techniques for Trimming Dog Toenails

It is important that trimming your dog’s toenails become part of a regular grooming routine. When the nails become too long they can break, which is painful to the animal. It can cause infections as well as a gait that is irregular. Consistent awkward gaits can cause a permanent damage to the dog’s skeleton. Trimming the nails is something that is not enjoyable for owners or the dogs.

In my book, “Raising the Perfect Dog,” I discuss how as puppies, you should start playing with your dog’s paws in order to get them used to you manipulating their paws/nails.

There is a danger of cutting the nails too short and getting into the quick. This is painful for the animal. The dog is also likely to pick up on the worried emotion of the owner. Since this is a task that should be done regularly, there are two ways to deal with the task. You can either hire someone to do the job, or you can learn to do it yourself.

Two principles apply to making nail trimming a pleasant task. Teach your pet that nail trimming is associated with something pleasant. Take the process slow and easy. These two elements will work on any dog, regardless of size, temperament or age.

Associating the trimming with positive rewards is the first principle. Most pets do not like having their feet handles. If there is discomfort, the negative association is stronger. If the animal fights or moves while the clipping is being done, it can hurt because the nail is twisted.

Slow and easy is the rule. Use the proper tools and introduce them to your pet gradually. Clip a nail and give her a treat. Clip another nail or two and provide another treat. The first time you attempt the grooming task you may only want to trim one or two nails. Once the job is completed, take him for a walk or some other activity that is especially enjoyable for the pet. He will gradually realize that trimming the nails carefully can be an enjoyable experience.

Trimming the nails is not a difficult process and should be approached with a calm and soothing attitude. If you want your canine companion to be relaxed, it’s important that you be relaxed as well.

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Dealing with Dog Dental Care

Dog Medical

brushingdogteeth
According to the ASPCA, many dogs in the U.S. show signs of periodontal disease by the time they are four years of age. There are some obvious signs that there are dental problems. These include bad breath, staining, tartar buildup and excessive drooling. Today, there are products that are intended to fight the onset of dental issues as well as to reverse those that have already taken hold. Here are some tips about improving the oral health of your dog.

Once each week, you should do an oral dental examination. Smell his breath. If it is particularly offensive, it could be a sign of problems with the gums, teeth, tongue or even the gastro-intestinal tract. It is true that dog breath is rarely pleasant even in good health, but learns to recognize danger signs, especially if they are combined with other symptoms.

Check the condition of the gums. They should be pink rather than red or white. There should be no sign of swelling and no brownish tartar. His tongue should also be a healthy color. Any breaks in the skin can be an indication of the presence of bacteria. For serious issues, the dog should be taken to the vet for a consultation.

Regular tooth brushing using a tooth brush structured for canine teeth is a must if you want to avoid gingivitis, periodontal disease or tartar buildup. You can use dog toothpaste, or a home mix of baking soda and water. You should not use human toothpaste on your pet. It may require some effort to get the dog used to having dental cleaning procedures done, but it is worth the effort in better health.

You can explore the options in chew toys that help to fight tartar buildup. There is also dog mouthwash. If you don’t want to do the work of cleaning canine teeth regularly, it is possible to hire the work done with a vet or other service professional who offers the procedures.

The procedures are easy to do. Inspection of the dog’s mouth by yourself or your veterinarian is a starting point. Regular cleaning of the teeth and gums will remove bacteria which would otherwise become plaque. Chew toys designed to remove tartar and leave the teeth clean are extra added protection.

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