by Kim Boatman
Does your dog’s snoring keep you up at night? “We seem to put up with dog snoring more than spouse snoring,” says Dr. Bernadine Cruz, a Laguna Hills, Calif., veterinarian and nationally recognized expert in companion animal health.

Your dog’s snoring, however, is more than an annoyance; it may be an indication of a wide range of health problems. “Any time a dog develops a new sign, such as snoring, it is a good idea to at least check in with your veterinarian,” notes Dr. Lauren Boyd, a veterinarian and an internal medicine specialist with Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Auburn Hills, Mich. “Any change could indicate a new problem. If it’s not a new problem but is progressing, your dog should also see a veterinarian.”

Why Dogs Snore
Any level of snoring indicates something is at last partially obstructing your dog’s airways. Veterinarians say common causes include:

• Rhinitis – Your dog might have a temporary inflammation in its nose. Dogs can catch upper respiratory infections or even suffer from allergies.
• Fungal disease – Aspergillosis is a type of fungal disease caused by a mold found in hay, grass clippings and similar environments. Left untreated, this fungal disease can cause discomfort, loss of appetite and serious health problems.
• Foreign bodies or tumors Your dog could have inhaled something that is blocking its breathing. Snoring could also indicate a tumor, says Boyd.
• Dental problems Bad teeth can cause your dog to snore, says Cruz. A bad tooth can lead to an abscess that penetrates the nasal sinus passages. Left untreated, dental problems can become a source of infection for the whole body, advises Cruz, which could lead to kidney failure down the road.
• Obesity Like humans, our dogs are getting plumper. And just as obesity can lead to snoring in humans, it may cause breathing difficulties in dogs. “As your dog breathes in and out, obesity makes the trachea rings slam shut,” explains Cruz.
• Breed-related anatomy Brachycephalic breeds — the breeds with very short noses, such as English/French bulldogs, Boston terriers and pugs — have a natural tendency to snore. But it’s a good idea to check with your veterinarian to make sure the snoring is normal and not an indication of a health issue, says Cruz. For instance, a pug or Boston terrier might be born with nostrils that are squeezed almost shut. After surgical correction, “The dogs have so much energy. They’re running around and finally breathing,” says Cruz.

How to Help Your Dog
Because snoring can be related to so many different causes, Boyd and Cruz emphasize the importance of having your snoring dog evaluated. You can help your veterinarian by being an observant dog owner. Keep a pet diary to note changes in your dog’s behavior and health so a veterinarian can look for patterns. For example, if your dog was snoring and sneezing last May and again this May, it might have an allergy tied to spring blooms.

Use your smartphone to videotape your snoring dog instead of trying to describe the snores. The volume or pattern of snoring isn’t the only information that will help your veterinarian, says Boyd. “It is often helpful to know if the snoring is accompanied by sneezing, nasal discharge or nasal bleeding,” she says. “It is also helpful to know if the discharge or bleeding affects both sides of the nose or just one.” If the nasal discharge is watery, your dog is likely suffering from an allergy or something similar, says Cruz. A mucous-laden or bloody discharge is an indication that your dog needs to see a veterinarian immediately.

Don’t simply tolerate your dog’s snoring. :It can really decrease your dog’s quantity of life and your dog’s quality of life,” says Cruz. “If you’ve ever had that really bad cold and can’t breathe and can’t eat, then you know how hard it is to live with a breathing problem.”

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/tshortell

Kim Boatman is a journalist based in Northern California. She is also the managing editor of ExceptionalCanine.com. Boatman’s work has appeared in The Miami Herald, the Detroit Free Press and the San Jose Mercury News. She is a lifelong lover of animals, and a frequent contributor to The Dog Daily.

When my newly married husband and I brought home our not yet three-month-old puppy, Penny, people kept saying the same phrase: having a puppy will prepare you for one day having a child. I looked at my furry bundle of joy with love, thinking, this is going to be a piece of cake compared to children. It wasn’t long, though, until I learned my first lesson applicable to both puppy and child rearing: puppies need the house “puppy proofed.”

My same trashcan that looked chic and feminine in my newly decorated kitchen turned out to be a trough of leftover food for Penny, and it wasn’t long until Penny snuck coffee grounds from the trashcan, poisoning herself. Luckily, because I knew the steps and signs of dog poisoning I was able to treat the situation accordingly, and by the next day she was her playful and spunky self.

If your dog is exhibiting any of these signs call the Pet Poison Helpline* or your local vet immediately:

An abnormal texture, smell, or substance on their fur or near their mouth: With Penny, I was able to tell she had eaten coffee grounds because of the little black bits around her snout and mouth. Similarly, if your dog has been in a chemical substance, like a household cleaner or gasoline, the smell will strike you immediately.

A trail leading to their poisoning: Is the candy bowl that was full minutes ago not only depleted, but the little tin foil chocolate wrappers are scattered around your living room? Is your can of bleach tipped over, or is your Aspirin container opened with a few various parts of pills on the bathroom floor? Dogs often leave evidence of their crime.

Acting disoriented and abnormal compared to their usual disposition: While smells and a trail of evidence are often apparent, sometimes, like when a dog eats a poisonous plant, the evidence can be less obvious. To ensure your dog’s optimal care always pay attention to signs of unusual temperament, such as staggering, irritation, convulsions, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and tremors are serious indicators to get your dog help: If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms they are suffering from some kind of health issue, and there is a high likelihood it could be poisoning. Like humans, a dog’s body reacts in obvious ways to poison in an effort to rid them of the harmful substance.

While your dog may not be poisoned, or may have had a small enough amount of the substance to pass it without medical assistance, never take that risk without first calling the vet or the Pet Poison Helpline. If you have a good health care provider they will give you a treatment applicable to your situation, which usually means bringing your dog to the vet. In some situations, however, they will tell you to feed your dog hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting, or neutral foods like rice to calm your dog’s stomach. However, never assume these practices without first consulting the vet, as your attempted method could make the problem worse.

Within hours after Penny’s visit to the vet she was home, soaking up the extra love and the plain rice and chicken the vet prescribed. And my husband and I, who not only immediately “puppy proofed” the house, also realized another lesson that will one day become applicable to children: as much as you love your dog, sometimes outside help can better ensure the best care for the situation. When in doubt – get help.

*Pet Poison Helpline 800-213-6680 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center

There are several reasons why owning a dog can improve the overall disposition and attitude of a child.

Compassion and Love:

Your child’s dog will sit lovingly at their side with their head on the child’s lap and listen intently to their every word. Human companionship and a loving touch mean the world to your family pet. A dog is truly man’s best friend they never reveal your secrets nor do they lose their temper with you. Your child’s pet will be there to comfort them when they are ill and to play with them when they are happy.

Playful Exercise:

In today’s world most children are exposed to TV, cell phones and internet and rarely go outdoors and you can forget exercise. When a child has a dog the dog will enjoy playing ball, throwing Frisbee or jogging and running alongside the child’s bike. Not only will the dog and child get the exercise they need daily, they will also enjoy the fresh air while laughing, romping and playing together.

Best Friend:

When everyone else is too busy to play with a child, their best friend is always there, if the weather does not allow them to play outdoors, your dog is always ready to entertain them. This playmate will never get angry and yell, hit them or take their toys and go home. A dog will be there to help dry and child’s tears and bring on laughter in any situation.

Teaching Responsibility:

Owning a dog is a great responsibility, when a child is taught that a pet is their responsibility, it will improve other areas of their life as well. The dog has to be fed, watered, exercised and groomed daily as well as cleaning up after their pet when they do their job in the yard. These chores are to be done before anything else, such as playing. These daily chores will make children more responsible and help them throughout their life

Personal Protector:

When your child is playing in a fenced area along with their dog, you will have a more secure feeling of your child’s safety. When someone comes to your door or onto your property, a dog will let you know immediately. If a child gets injured a dog will usually let you know by barking immediately, through natural instincts a dog will usually try to prevent a child from doing anything that may be dangerous. Dogs are not only protectors of the family; they are absolutely the family’s best friend.

This post is brought to you by the Dog Blog Post Party Campaign hosted by the dog containment systems people.

Here is a great opportunity for the younger generation to tell their story to MTV Networks True Life. They are currently looking for young people to share, in their own words, true stories of being a pet owner. The award-winning documentary series is exploring how lives are in chaos due to uncontrollable pets and how it adversely affects relationships.

Hopefully they will receive more than enough feedback to produce and eye-opening, amazing learning experience for all pet owners and lovers. The outcome of telling your story could be finding a more peaceful place for you and your pet.

MTV’s award-winning documentary series True Life is looking to tell the stories of young pet owners whose lives are being disrupted due to a certain pet that they love. Is the problem with the animal… or the human? Who is being affected? What needs to happen moving forward? If you appear to be 15-28 years old and have an issue with the pet in your home, MTV wants to hear your story!!! Please email us and include your name, phone number, location, a recent photo and a brief explanation about how your pet is affecting your life and those around you in a negative manner.

We would appreciate you letting them know you are participating after seeing the invitation on PetsBlogs!

“Being kept by a hoarder is a slow kind of death for an animal.” D. Randall Lockwood, ASPCA Senior Vice President

Animal hoarding is a devastating plight not only for the animal but also the hoarder. Gary Patronek, director of the Center for Animals and Public Policy at Tufts University, defines hoarding as the “pathological human behavior that involves a compulsive need to obtain and control animals, coupled with a failure to recognize their suffering”.

The hoarder is not an abuser, but they do not realize that they are harming the animals. They don’t view their behavior as doing anything wrong. A person afflicted with this syndrome believes that they are helping the animals by providing them with a home and a environment filled with love. They are totally unaware that they have too many animals and are allowing the animals to live in poor or dangerous conditions. It’s more common than you think. In fact, nearly a quarter-million animals fall victim to animal hoarding each year.

Animal Planet’s Confessions: Animal Hoarding is quite eye opening. You can watch previous episodes and perhaps get a better understand of the syndrome and how it affects the lives of those who suffer with this condition. We have sympathy for those suffering but have more sympathy for the animals that are unable to protect themselves.

Hoarding is very difficult to prevent, but it can be stopped. There is a need for public education and for everyone to know how to recognize the basic signs of hoarding. If you suspect someone of hoarding animal, do your part and report the abuse.

The ASPCA’s criteria to define animal hoarding is:

• More than the typical number of companion animals
• Inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in starvation, illness and death
• Denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household and human occupants of the dwelling

Animal Legal Defense Fund’s First Strike and You’re Out: A Model Law is a proposal for mandatory bans on contact with animals following a conviction for animal neglect or cruelty. You can help by signing the petition and find out how you can help to keep offenders away from potential new animal victims. North Carolina is the only state we found that has a unique law that allows any person or organization to sue an animal abuser.

Psychiatric Times has an in depth article People Who Hoard Animals that will help you to understand and recognize the syndrome. You will need to set up an account (free) to sign in but the information is well worth your time to read. Simply enter the article title in search.

We all need to do our part to educated and help to ensure the safety of animals. United we can make a difference!

If you are serious about training your dog or earning the Associate Dog Trainer (ADT) Diploma or the Dog Behaviorist Diploma, you can now do it online at E-Training for Dogs.

Professionals, owners and enthusiasts have praised the new online courses. The company was established in 2005 by Dr. Cheryl Aguiar to provide educational programs to canine professionals as well as a vast array of Online Dog Training courses for dog owners.

What we found intriguing about the site is the endless resources available for the dog owner. The Individual Courses A to Z for the dog enthusiast include the simple to the complicated. Learn first aid and cpr, curing canine anxiety, herbal remedies, house training your puppy, personal assistance dog training and much more. The training techniques and approaches will assist in providing the best possible care for your canine companion.

The Associate Dog Trainer course will assist you in developing the necessary skills to become an effective dog trainer in the canine industry. You will learn canine body language and how they interpret your body language, find out how dogs learn, how to put an end to common canine behavior problems and everything else in between to earn your diploma.

The Dog Behaviorist course will teach you dog behavior from theory to application, from puppy training to advanced dog training. You will learn exactly the way dogs learn. This course is excellent for anyone working in any capacity with dogs.

If you are thinking about starting a career in either dog training or becoming a dog behaviorist this is a convenient way to start. Both diplomas are awarded through the International College of Canine Studies.

The list of professionals and guest lecturers who are associated with E-Training is quite impressive to say the least. There are fees associated with the courses but they seem to be reasonable. After considering you can do it from the comfort of your home, the time you will save and saving gas money the cost is well worth the education.

Read the Press Release for all the details.

Follow eTrainingForDogs on Twitter and ‘like’ on Facebook to learn all you can about training your dog.

Your dogs diet is one of the most important factors when it comes to his or her health. You’ll probably already know that a puppy is better off eating puppy food, an adult – adult food and a senior dog, well you guessed it – senior food. But is there more we can do? Of course, there are slight differences in requirements for separate breeds but it’s the size of the breed, the size of the dog bowl and what goes into it that really matters.

For example, as puppies – larger breeds are prone to diseases that can be a result of energy, calcium and phosphorous dense diets. Hip Dysplasia is a common example of this. With this in mind, tailoring their diet to include less energy, calcium and phosphorous is a good idea. A simple way of thinking of this is that larger dogs are a lot slower and more cumbersome then their smaller counterparts and thus require less of certain nutrients per pound.

On the flip side, smaller breed puppies have a very high metabolic rate which means they can burn through a meal extremely quickly. A lack of certain nutrients can result in weakness, lethargy and sometimes seizures. Because of this, smaller breed puppies should be fed smaller amounts of calorie-dense food at least 3 times a day.

The difference in dietary needs continue into adulthood. Once again, the main difference between breeds here is their metabolic rate. Large dogs tend to need to take in less calories per pound than their smaller friends. This may sound contradictory but remember they’ll still require more food overall, just less pound for pound. Again, the reason for this is that smaller dogs are a lot nimbler – their joints move a lot quicker – requiring more energy and nutrition for those muscles.

It’s commonly accepted that on average a large breed dog needs around 20 calories per pound, whereas a smaller breed needs a lot more – around 35 calories per pound. If we do a few sums we can see that a dog that weighs 15 pounds would need around 525 calories, but a dog that weights 80 pounds would need around 1600 calories.

As your dog ages into his or her senior years their nutritional needs become a lot more particular. Tailoring the diet to match the breed and condition is even more important at this age and at this point it can be an especially good idea to consult your vet. Small dogs generally live longer than their larger friends and introducing a diet with high levels of antioxidants can help keep them healthy when they’re most susceptible to certain illnesses.

Larger dogs on the other hand, seem to almost always suffer from some form of arthritis when approaching their golden years. Because of this, large breed senior foods tend to contain certain ingredients (look out for Glucosamine and Chondroitin on the label) that promote joint health.

As I mentioned before, as your dog gets older it’s usually a good idea to consult your vet about dietary needs. In fact, over the last couple of years the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has made nutritional checks a standard assessment for every patient, along with temperature pulse, respiration rates and pain. This is great news for those of us who want nutritional advice when we visit the vet – even the AHAA admits that only 7% of dogs that could benefit from specialized diets are actually on them.

So, baring all of this mind you may find yourself faced with the task of switching and altering your dogs diet from time to time. For some dogs this will never be problem (we probably all know a dog that will eat anything!) but for some, changes in diet can lead to diarrhea, a loss of appetite and other small complaints.

When this is the case (or even if you just want to be careful) adapting the diet gradually is the best course of action. Start off on day one by mixing 20% of the new food with 80% of the old. On day two mix 40% of the new with 60% of the old and so on. If at any point during this process vomiting, a loss of appetite or diarrhea develops stop feeding your dog the new food and visit your vet as soon as possible.

In fact, when it comes to nutrition the main thing to remember is that a visit to your vet is never too over the top, especially as your dog approaches his or her senior years.

Lewis Wallerd is the co-founder of Dog Walkers City – the webs directory of Dog walkers covering the US and the UK. Fancy the idea of being a Dog sitter? Check out this guide.

We recently received an email from Kevin Tarzanin sharing a video. Once we watched it we knew we wanted to share with our readers. It is a tribute to Otis and dogs everywhere. It is absolutely enjoyable to listen to and the lyrics tout the great attributes of our furry friends. Their music is a blending of early Ska, Reggae, Soul, Rock, New Orleans brass arrangements and hip-hop.

The song was written by Kevin Tarzania in memory of his dog Otis who he was lucky to have as a friend for 15 years. Kevin is a member of the band Bullbuckers who recorded the song simply titled “Otis”.

The video was filmed at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, DE and edited by James Collins. Fans contributed the media of their dogs.

Member of the band: Kevin Tarzanin (Bass & Vocals) Steve Politowski (Drums & Vocals) Aaron Poole (Guitars & Vocals) Jim Miller (Trumpet) Dave Faga (Alto Sax) Kevin Hutter (Bari Sax) Zack Scudlark (Saxes) Steve Sharp (Trombone)

If you enjoy the band, feel free to check out more of the bands music and videos at Bullbuckers then hop on over to Facebook to ‘like’ them.