Hot Cars

Hot cars are deadly for pups. Within a few minutes, a car can become overwhelmingly hot and dangerous, regardless if you leave the windows cracked or not. There are lots of web pages that show graphs of the way that cars heat up. There are YouTube videos of people showing how the temperature raises in the car quickly. I'm not going to go over that information. I'm going to give you some first hand experience on dogs and hot cars.

In 2013, the pet sitter with whom we trusted our dog, left our dog in her car. It was July, and the temperature was 98 degrees. She somehow "forgot" that she had our long-haired, 60 lb. German Shepherd in her black car that she'd parked in her driveway in the blazing sun. While this pet sitter sat inside her air conditioned house, Kismet died alone in her car.

My vet, in an attempt to comfort me, told me that Kismet's death was quick. As you can imagine, it didn't help me feel any better. In fact, this the first time that I've written about Kismet's death. And, as I sit here with tears streaming down my face, I can see her food bowl, which, almost 5 years later, I still can't bring myself to move. 

The repercussions of what happened with Kismet affected our other dog, Karma. Karma couldn't live without his big sister, and died 24 days later of a broken heart. Within less than a month, I lost both of my pups.

Now, whenever I'm in a parking lot and I hear a dog barking in a parked car, I have a visceral reaction. Luckily, in Massachusetts, there are laws against leaving dogs in cars. If you find yourself in a situation where you see a dog trapped in a hot car, do something. Don't let another dog die alone in a hot car.

It's Memorial Day Weekend!

It’s Memorial Day Weekend!

There’s so much to do, now that Summer is kinda sorta officially here. It’s fun to head off to the lake or the beach. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you’re out and about with your pup.

1. Never leave you dog in a car alone. Not only do cars get exponentially hotter as the minutes tick away, but your dog can get into all kinds of trouble. Parking in the shade and leaving the windows cracked do nothing to dissipate the heat and prevent something awful from happening. Leaving a dog with a collar and a leash in a car is also asking for another tragedy. So, just NEVER leave your dog in a car alone.

2. Here in Massachusetts, public beaches do not allow dogs on the beach after Memorial Day. If you’re lucky enough to have a private beach, be aware of things that could be dangerous to your dog. This includes things like seaweed, seawater, nettles and jellyfish.

3. Dogs can have too much water. Dogs that are hyper-hydrated can seem disoriented, sluggish, and dizzy, and are in need of immediate medical attention. While this is a relatively well known occurrence in long distance runners, most people don’t know that it can happen to dogs, too. Too much water in a dog’s system can interfere with their electrolytes and cause serious and fatal problems.

4. Another thing about letting your dog drink a lot of water is that, while no one is 100% sure, this could be a recipe for bloat. Bloat occurs when a dog’s stomach flips, trapping whatever is inside. Having a stomach full of water and then playing has been known to cause bloat. This is a severe life-threatening situation. Within 20 minutes, your dog’s stomach will start dying. You must get to an emergency vet immediately. If you see your dog stretching, drooling, rolling on his back, and generally acting uncomfortable, measure your dog’s stomach. If 60 seconds later the measurement is larger, your dog is in dire need of medical attention. Even if you suspect that it is bloat, you should attend a hospital.

5. Xylitol is deadly for dogs. This sugar substitute is found in so many foods, it’s almost pointless to list them all. The main culprit is sugarless gum, or anything that’s “sugarless.” Even a large dog ingesting a small amount can be fatal. So, watch for your dog rooting under that picnic table.

We don’t mean to be a Nervous Nellie, but it’s important to us that everyone have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Gardening and Your Pup - Part II

This list is the second of a two part blog. This list is from the ASPCA website, where more plants are listed. I've included the more popular plants here on this list. Please refer to the ASPCA website for further information.

• Rhubarb - Can cause vomiting, and salivation. The leaves and roots are toxic to everyone, including you.

• Poison Hemlock - Can cause agitation, tremors, drooling, diarrhea, paralysis and death.

• Poison Parsnip (also known as cowbane) - Can cause diarrhea, seizures, tremors, extreme stomach pain, dilated pupils, fever, bloat, respiratory depression and death.

• Ragwort (or Tansy) - Can cause liver failure, weight loss, weakness, lack of coordination and neurological problems.

• Rhododendron - Can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, cardiovascular collapse and death. Only eating a few leaves can cause serious issues.

• Skunk Cabbage - Can cause oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.

• Sorrel - If eaten in large quantities can cause weakness, muscle fasciculations, and potential seizures.

• Vinca - Vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, depression, tremors, seizures, coma and death.

  When in doubt, you can go to the ASPCA's website and select Animal Poison Control. The ASPCA also has an app that you can download called ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC).

Gardening and Your Pup

Spring is here!

And it's beautiful outside! The flowers, the trees, the bushes, everything is in bloom. It smells wonderful! Especially to your dog. I know you want to be outside with your pup, basking in the warmth and fresh air. We want your outings to be fun and safe, so here are a list of plants that you may have in your yard or local park that are bad for your dog:

This list is the first of a two part blog. This list is from the ASPCA website, where more plants are listed. I've included the more popular plants here on this list. Please refer to the ASPCA website for further information.

• Bittersweet - Causes vomiting, diarrhea weakness and seizures.
• Holly - Causes vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
• May Apples - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, panting and coma. Can also cause redness and skin ulcers.
• Yews - Causes tremors, difficulty breathing, vomiting, seizures and sudden death from acute heart failure.
• Azaleas - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and cardiac failure.
• Begonias - Causes kidney failure, vomiting and salivation.
• Laurel - Causes vomiting, diarrhea, depression, cardiovascular collapse, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, low blood pressure or death. Even a few leaves are dangerous.
• Black Nightshade - Causes hypersalivation, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, confusion, lethargy, weakness, dilated pupils and slow heart rate.
• Black Walnut - Can cause tremors and seizures.
• Ivy - can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea. The foliage is more toxic than the berries.
• Buckeye - Severe vomiting and diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, coma, convulsions and instability.
• Iris - Can caulse salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy and diarrhea.
• Cardinal Flower - Can cause depression, diarrhea, vomiting, hypersalivation, abdominal pain and heart arrhythmia.
• Caster Bean (Caster Oil Plant) - I'm just going to copy from the ASPCA's site here: Beans are very toxic: oral irritation, burning of mouth and throat, increase in thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, convulsions. Access to ornamental plants or pruned foliage most common in poisonings. Ricin is a highly toxic component that inhibits protein synthesis; ingestion of as little as one ounce of seeds can be lethal. Signs typically develop 12 to 48 hours after ingestion, and include loss of appetite, excessive thirst, weakness, colic, trembling, sweating, loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, progressive central nervous system depression, and fever. As syndrome progresses, bloody diarrhea may occur, and convulsions and coma can precede death.
• Choke Cherry - The stems, leave and seeds of this plant contain cyanide. Can cause dilated pupils, brick red mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, panting and shock.
• Daffodils - Can cause vomiting, salivation and diarrhea. Can also cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmia.
• Dock - Can cause kidney failure, tremors and salivation.
• Foxglove - This is the plant that Digitalis is made from. It can cause cardiac arrhythmia, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, death.
• Horse Chestnut - Severe vomiting, diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, coma, or convulsions.
• Hops - Can cause panting, high body temperature, seizures, death.
• Larkspur - Can cause neuromuscular paralysis, constipation, colic, hypersalivation, muscle tremors, stiffness, weakness, recumbency and convulsions, in addition toe cardiac failure or death from respiratory paralysis.
• Lily of the Valley - Can cause vomiting, irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma and seizures.
• Milkweed - Can cause vomiting, profound depression, weakness, anorexia and diarrhea. These may be followed by seizures, difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, dilated pupils, kidney or liver failure, coma, respiratory paralysis and death.
• Morning Glory - Can cause vomiting or, taken in large amounts, hallucinations.
• Moss Rose - Can cause kidney failure, tremors and hypersalivation.
• Oleander - Can cause drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, colic, depression and death.

I will upload Part II of this list next Sunday. In the meantime, have fun, be safe and enjoy your spring!

Finally! Spring is here!

It's been a long winter. It seemed like the snow would never stop. But, finally, it seems to be getting warmer. That means that you and your dog are going to be outside a lot more. So, here are some things to consider.

There are a lot of poisonous plants out there. Things like azaleas and rhododendrons can be harmful if ingested by your dog. English ivy and yews are two other plants that are dangerous. The ASPCA has a great list of toxic plants. If you look around your yard, you'll probably find more than a few.

We want our lawns to look great, so we feed them so that they grow nice and lush. And then we mow them and complain because we have such lush lawns. Fertilizers can be very toxic. Read the ingredients and make sure they're safe for your four legged friend. Mulches can also be dangerous. Especially coco bean mulch. Check with your landscape expert to find the best mulch type for you and your dog.

Since you have such a great looking lawn, you'll be attracting a lot of wildlife. With wildlife, such as deer, rabbits, groundhogs and skunks, come with myriad other issues to worry about. Be aware of what is outside when you take your pup out for his evening constitutional. Thirty seconds of scouting out the yard is better than 3 hours of trying to de-skunk your dog. 

Being aware of the dangers lurking in your yard is important. With a few preemptive steps, you can prevent a trip to the emergency room, or worse.

Holidays can be great...

We all love or hate the holidays. But this time of year can be stressful for both two-legged and four-legged participants. Here are some things to keep in mind while you're travelling.

Make sure that you have a copy of your pet's records with you. Make an ID tag with the address and phone number of the place you're going to. It's a good idea to map out vets along the way, and to find the nearest animal hospital when you arrive.

It's also a good idea to make a list of things to bring, including a canine first aid kit. Ensure that your dog is secure in your car with a harness and seat belt connector, or keep him in his crate while travelling. NEVER let your dog ride in the front seat or - even worse! - on your lap. Not only is it dangerous for you and your dog, it is illegal in many states. That said, it might be a good idea to look up local laws so that you know what to expect. For example, some states require that a dog is kept on a 6 foot leash and not a flexible lead. Other states allow dogs to travel in the bed of pickup trucks, others (thankfully) don't.

If you're going through tolls (and don't have an EZ Pass), it's even more imperative that you keep your dog tethered so there's no jumping out of windows.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, you might want to bring some of your house's water. I've heard the sometimes the water differences can upset a dog's stomach. Or just use bottled water. Don't forget treats and toys, something to occupy them while you and your family are sipping eggnog.

Be wary of the ribbons, tinsel and other hazardous things that we festoon our houses with during the holidays. If your dog ingests something toxic or bad, call the closest vet. If that's not an option, the ASPCA has a poison control hotline at 888-426-4435. Keep the numbers close so that you're not running around looking for them.

It's better to plan for the worst and expect the best, than to be caught off guard.

And with that, all of us from Integral Dog Training wish you a happy and safe holiday!

Why Train Your Dog?

Whenever we work with people, we try and emphasize that training is not about getting your dog to "do tricks." Training your dog allows you to show your expectations to your dog. It also helps you develop a line of communication.

We hate the word "train" because it has so many definitions, and none of them really fit our philosophy. We prefer the word "integrate" because it implies that you're working with your dog in a partnership to help him fit into your life. It may be just semantics, but it's an important distinction. Having a dog is to have a partnership. And the only way you can get that partnership is to learn how to communicate with each other.

We often say that getting a dog is a bit like getting a foreign exchange student (do they still do that?) When a dog comes into your home, chances are they have no idea what to do or what to expect in any situation. Your dog may not know that you don't want him to grab Grandpa's cane and run out the back door. She may not understand that standing on the table is a no-no. It's your job, as the host family, to explain to your new exchange student that we don't celebrate a great dinner by throwing our dishes into a fireplace. It's also your job to explain to your dog that jumping on people when they come in the door is not the best choice they have.

When you welcome a dog into your home, you have to show him the ropes. This is where training comes in. Training isn't about bending a dog's will to your command. It's about teaching you and your dog to communicate. Your exchange student speaks Labrador, but you only speak English. Your dog can learn English, and you can learn Labrador, but you have to work at it together.