Dog Parks - Good Or Bad?

By Darcy Austin

Dog parks are a place where both dogs and their owners can go to socialize. But are they good or bad? Though there popularity has skyrocketed in the past few years, they have both supporters and people who don't feel comfortable bringing their dog there for a variety of reasons.

Dog parks provide an outlet for many dogs to burn off pent up energy that might otherwise result in frustration that leads to destructive behavior at home. People are often advised to give their dog plenty of exercise, and one of the most convenient and popular places people look to for their dog's exercise outlet is at a dog park.

There their dogs can run and play with other dogs. They can have interaction with other dogs that they wouldn't otherwise have on a solo dog walk in the neighborhood. This is an excellent way for a dog to build up his socialization skills as long as the owners of the dogs remain vigilant in monitoring their dog's interactions. There are rules in most dog parks. Dogs are usually separated to some extent by size, with the large dogs having their own area in which to run and play and the small dogs are then free to run in their own area behind fencing without fear of being mauled and attacked. Some parks may only allow spayed and neutered dogs to play which reduces any problems with fighting for reproductive reasons. Another positive aspect of dog parks is that they allow dog owners to meet each other and discuss concerns about their dogs and other things. Quite often people know each other only by their "dog's" name , not their own! Dog parks have many positive benefits to both dogs and owners providing there are rules and everyone abides by them and respects other dog owners and their dogs.

On the negative side of things ,despite efforts to ensure only dogs with good manners come to parks, there can still be fights that break out amongst dogs in dog parks. Under the right (or wrong) conditions, any dog can play rough or get into a fight. Dogs have been known to be injured at dog parks. Some of the rules that were spoken about prior can require owners to show some proof of vaccination before allowing their dogs to enter.

This can be a hassle and dogs can still pass on illnesses to each other. Some dogs such as pitbulls, rotweillers, and other more aggressive breeds are excluded from some parks. This can seem discriminatory to owners of these dogs when their dogs have been known to shown no signs of aggression. Other people feel that it's unfair to deny park privileges to intact dogs, especially when female dogs are not in season.

As with many situations, much of the negative behavior that happens with dogs at dog parks is due to the lack of involvement of their owners. Even though it is a free environment and the dogs are enjoying themselves, owners still need to watch and understand their dog and his body language so that they can head off any altercations that may be brewing. With increased supervision on the part of dog owners, the likelihood of dogs getting hurt, either through rough play or by becoming involved in fights, can definatively be lowered. Some owners do not watch their dogs very carefully or they allow small dogs to pick fights with large dogs, or large dogs to run over small dogs. This then creates tension and bad feelings amongst the owners, which unbeknownst to many, can transfer to the dogs.

It's important to consider all of these different points when you are thinking of taking your own dog to a dog park. Ask yourself some honest questions. Is your dog friendly with other dogs? Is your dog up-to-date on his vaccinations? Does he have any kind of lingering virus that he might pass on to other dogs? Is he very small or very large or likely to be injured during play? Will he come to you when you call if there is any kind of trouble in the dog park? Will you be able to watch your dog carefully if you take him to the dog park?

Whether or not dog parks are good or bad for your dog requires that you give these questions careful consideration before deciding if you want to take your dog to the park. Dog parks can be lots of fun for dogs but it's up to you to look out for your dog and keep him safe wherever you take him.

Darcy Austin is the chief editor of Dog Obedience University, an information-rich site that provides articles and resources on modifying your dog's behavior.
Go there and enroll in the free mini-course and learn more about reinforcing positive dog behavior.

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Why Your Dog Jumps on People and How to Stop It

By William Mac

Well, that's how I feel when dogs jump on me..

When I got my Border Collie mix Sam from the local Humane Society, he had very few problems, which is a godsend for a rescued dog. In fact, when I inquired about Sam through a phone call, the people at the Humane Society said he was basically the perfect dog. They informed me that the only problem he had was jumping up on people. I thought, "that will be easy to solve".

When I brought Sam home he really was well behaved. He didn't chew on things, he didn't pee in the house and he didn't bark very much. However, every chance he got he would jump up on me. When I invited guests over, he would jump up on them.

Since Sam is a fairly big dog weighing in at around 80 pounds, it scared my friends when he jumped on them. Even though I thought it would be an easy problem to fix, I was wrong. The reason why I was wrong is because I had no idea why my dog was jumping up on people in the first place, and that's the primary problem. In order to stop unwanted behavior in your dog, you first have to find out WHY your dog is exhibiting such behavior.

The following are a few reasons why dogs jump on people and the solutions to those problems:

1) DOMINANCE: When a dog wants to be dominant it will attempt to claim things, this means people, furniture, toys, areas of the house and so on. Jumping on people sometimes means your dog wants to "claim" that person as its own, it wants to raise its status in life and wants everyone around to know that it's the pack leader. But, you can never let your dog be the leader - you're the dominant one, not your dog - you are the pack leader.

SOLUTION

A dog that wants to be dominant is much harder to train not to jump up on people and can sometimes become aggressive towards you as the owner when you try to correct that training. In order to stop dog jumping when it comes to a dominant dog is, not so much correct the behavior, but let your dog know that YOU are the alpha dog and to make your dog submissive to you and your commands. Here are a few ways to start exercising your dominance:

- Never allow your dog to walk through a door or narrow passage way before you do

- Never allow your dog to walk in front of you on a leash, only beside you or behind you.

- Teach your dog simple commands like sit and stay by using "positive reinforcement", which means you reward your dog with a treat, affection or praise when it does what you want

- Practice a domination ritual three times a week for four weeks. For example, Jack and Wendy Volhard, authors of several award-winning dog-training books, instruct owners to do the following.

o Sit on the floor beside your dog without saying anything

o Place your dog in the "down" position

o If your dog gets up, put him back without saying anything

o Keep your hands off when your dog is down, and only put your hands on your dog when it tries to get back up again

o Stay still

o Practice for 30 minutes three times a week for four weeks until you can make your dog go in the "down" position from across the room.

This "domination ritual" will solidify you as your dog's pack leader and let your dog know that you're the boss. That way, instead of jumping up on you or other people, your dog will know "No" when it hears the word.

2) GREETING: Dogs will greet each other by smelling scent glands around the face, when it comes to people, the only way for your dog to get to know them is by jumping up! However, this is still unwanted behavior.

SOLUTION

The way I solved this problem with my large dog Sam is by placing a spray bottle filled with water by the front door. Not all dogs have a problem with being sprayed with water, but most of them find it unpleasant like my dog Sam does. So, I instructed guests to immediately pick up the spray bottle when they walked in the house. As soon as my dog began to jump up on them I told them to spray him with water. After a few times Sam stopped jumping up on my guests or me.

If your dog does not respond to being sprayed with water (like Golden Retrievers or other water-loving breeds) then you may try using a shock collar. Just fit your dog with the shock collar and, with the remote in hand, have some friends or neighbors come over and knock on the door and come in. As soon as you see your dog beginning to think about jumping, press the button and shock your dog. This is a quick way for your dog to learn that it's not allowed to jump on people.

3) THE BEHAVIOR IS REWARDED: When you come home from work and your dog jumps up to greet you, you greet your dog back with hugs, kisses and vocal praise. When your dog jumps up on the couch next to you, you cuddle with it. However, when people come over to your house to visit, you wonder why your dog jumps on them.

SOLUTION

Stop rewarding unwanted behavior - it's that simple. If you don't want your dog to jump up on you all the time or on other people or even on your furniture, then you need to be consistent.

Your dog does what benefits him/her. If your dog finds out that jumping up on people gets it attention and praise, then your dog thinks it's OK to jump all of the time.

The only way to correct this behavior is to make your dog do something in order to deserve praise or the privilege to jump on you. For example:

- When you get home from work and your dog jumps up to greet you, turn around and ignore it. Or, do as I did, and spray your dog with water or use a shock.

- Once your dog has calmed down, then you can give your dog affection and invite your dog to jump up on you. However, when you're finished, go back to ignoring your dog. This shows your dog that, only when you give him attention is your dog allowed to pay attention to you. Also, you need to inform neighbors, family members and friends that come over to never give the dog attention when it jumps on them. Tell guests to completely ignore the dog or spray it with water when walking in. Only when the dog has understood its place can you or your guests give affection.

- When you sit on the couch, don't allow your dog to just jump right up. Instead, make your dog sit and stay for a few moments before jumping up on the couch. Only when you say it's OK for the dog to join you can the dog actually jump on the couch.

Again, the only way to solve unwanted behavior in your dog is consistency and discipline. Don't reward unwanted behavior. Establish your dominance. Only when the dog is in a calm, reserved state of mind are you allowed to give it affection.

Your dog is obsessed with self-interest. It only does what it gets rewarded for and what it gets fed for. A dog will understand cause and effect. So, when you discipline your dog for unwanted behavior, you're basically saying that the behavior warrants an unwanted affect and stopping that behavior equals a reward.

Proud Dog Complete Wellness is an all natural line of dog supplements [http://www.prouddoghealth.com/dog-supplements-vitamins] which includes all of the needed vitamins, minerals and nutrients for your dog to stay healthy. This supplement is perfect to use with the BARF diet or along with feeding a commercial dog food. Simply sprinkle Proud Dog Complete Wellness on anything your dog eats, just once a day, and you know your dog has gotten the essential vitamins and minerals he needs to be as healthy as possible. Find out more by visiting [http://www.prouddoghealth.com]

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Compassionate Care For Your Aging Dog

By Louise Gilbert

Dog owners are often taken by surprise when they realize their dog is getting older. Perhaps an owner has noticed their pet taking an unusually long time to get up in the mornings, or maybe the dog becomes disoriented when outside. This realization can be emotionally troubling to the owner, as he sees his pet becoming more feeble as time goes by. Compassionate care of an aging dog is necessary to ensure the well being of both the dog and owner, and prepare them both for this new stage of life.

Dogs, like humans, are living longer than ever. Depending on the breed and environment, a dogs' middle age is around seven. Veterinarians suggest that when a dog reaches seven years of age, prevention and preparation become the key elements of care. A dog should be taken to the vet at this age for a full exam in order to check the general health of the dog. Your dog should always see the vet if a pet owner notices any stiffness, bad breath, disorientation, lumps that are growing, or has a change in eating or drinking. These symptoms could be signs of something more serious that needs medical attention. As dogs age, hearing and sight deteriorate, sleep patterns change, weight may change, and the immune system of a dog can decline. Many of these physical changes bring on emotional changes as well.

For example, a dog may not recognize familiar people because of hearing or sight decline, and instead of being friendly, a dog may react with fear or anger. With a little knowledge a pet owner can make the transition into the senior years for their pet happy and healthy. Many aging dogs suffer from arthritis or stiffness in the morning or after naps. A dog owner can make a few changes in their pets' environment to make this easier on the dog. Provide a warm, soft bed for the dog to sleep in, preferably on the floor so the dog does not have to jump up onto a bed or couch. Massage is an excellent treatment for pets with stiff joints. Massaging your dog will reduce pain and increase blood flow to the body. Massage also provides a level of comfort to a dog that may be disoriented or fearful. Massage can be done at any time, but if done before bed, the dog may have a more restful night of sleep. Massage after exercise can prevent stiffness from setting in. In addition to massage, an owner should remember to groom the dog as well.

Older pets have a more difficult time keeping themselves clean, especially after eating or taking a walk. Bathe and brush when needed; your pet will love the comforting attention! Changing the dogs walking schedule may help a dog with arthritis or other medical conditions. Shorter walks, but perhaps more often, can improve stiffness and keep the dog strong and healthy. An older dog wears out quicker, so be sure not to walk so far your pet can't make it back! Exercise can improve a dogs health and mental alertness, but many older dogs become fatigued easily while exercising. Shorter, but more frequent walks also may be needed for a pet with incontinence. Aging dogs may begin to urinate inside the home. If this begins, the dog should be seen by a vet to rule out any serious medical issues. Pet stores or pharmacies sell padding for incontinence. These should be placed anywhere the pet may have gone before, as well as in the pets' bed.

At this stage in a dogs life, punishment for going indoors should be stopped, your dog doesn't want to be bad, he cannot help it. Dogs with hearing and sight loss actually adjust fairly well to these disabilities. Dogs rely on their sense of smell more than sight to find their way around. A blind dog rarely will run into anything or get into danger because they use their smell to guide them. However, a dog owner should do a few things to ensure the dog can maneuver around safely. Do not move furniture around in the house if the dog already knows where everything is located. Follow the same walking route so the dog can move freely and actively. Always keep the food, water bowls and bed in the same place. For a dog with hearing loss there are many things an owner can do to assist their pet. Speak louder when talking to the dog, but be sure that with volume the owner still maintains a pleasant voice. Use hand signals when giving a command. For example, when it's time to go for a walk, point towards the door while your dog is watching and speak to the dog.

Your pet can use these hand signals to follow the owner more easily instead of listening to voice commands. Dogs can become lethargic or depressed due to aging and illness. Keeping a dog mentally stimulated is just as important as their physical well being. Set aside play time each day for your pet. If the dog is healthy enough, spend some time in the yard throwing a ball to him, or gather other toys and just play on the floor inside. If your dog gets along with other dogs, try a "play date" with other pets. Sometimes, a younger dog can provide motivation for an older pet to play or exercise more often. Companionship for your dog, whether full or part time, can help a pet shake the depression that dogs may have as they age.

If your dogs breath is getting bad, again, have the vet check for teeth that may need to be removed, or for any other major health problems. Changing the dogs diet may be needed. Softer dog food is easier on the teeth. Provide your dog with healthy snacks and plenty of fresh water. Owners can assist their dogs by occasionally brushing their teeth for them, although many dogs wont tolerate it. Providing smaller, more frequent meals will also help your dogs digestion system. Try one of the many senior dog foods; they are lower in calories and provide the proper nutrition for an older dog. Older dogs may gain too much weight, adding to their health problems and lethargy, so the senior dog food is a good choice.

As always, plenty of love and attention will make your pet happy. Dogs are social animals, they love us, and need to express that. Allow your dog to guide you through the senior years as well. Pay attention to any signals or symptoms your pet is sending you. Follow your dogs new pace and activity level and don't over do it. Giving your dog plenty of attention now can help your pet adjust to the aches and pains of aging and provide comfort to both the owner and dog.

Louise Gilbert is passionate about saving endangered species, pets, wildlife, nature and the environment. You can view her site at Baby Wildlife and Pets [http://www.baby-mammals.com/]

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Aggression Triggers in Dogs

By Louise Basson

Aggression in dogs can be caused by many triggers. It's up to us to find out what is triggering our dogs to have behavior that comes out in the form of aggression. There are many motivational triggers to look at in dog aggression...

Leadership is one of the first and most common triggers of aggression in a multi dog house hold. In a pack of dogs or a family with more then one dog one leader will be chosen by the pack of dogs. This usually results in a fight. The one who wins is then the pack leader. This may be challenged again at times. It is important for us as humans to respect this and not treat the weaker dog of the pack with more care and attentiveness. This will only cause aggression in the leader of the pack and make life difficult for your dogs.

Pack hierarchy is the rank order of the rest of your dog pack and with each dog it is different. This can occur multiple times in order for the pack rank to move from one dog to another.

Protection of territory is important to most dogs. Some are protective of where they live, food bowl, preferred toy or his human companions or one of his human family members.

Maternal instinct can occur when the male dog comes to close to her puppies or when humans especially children come to close for comfort. It's important to avoid sudden contact with pups.

Fear/Stress can cause a dog to bite and can be apart of flight or fight decision when a dog is scared. The dog needs personal space. When introducing two dogs to each other, it's important to give them space and not hover over them the whole time. This can also be avoided by not letting a dog meet and greet being attached to a leash as the dog will feel your stress and the tightened leash. It is even better if they can meet on an area that is not familiar to any of the dogs to avoid territorial aggression. At first when adopting a second or third dog it's important to give the dog that you had first, attention and food first until they have figured out their pack dynamics.

Hunting instinct is more prone in some dog breeds then others. Huskies are well known for this as they have a high prey drive and an excited energy and can cause great harm and death to smaller dogs and animals.

Dogs that suffer from pain or is injured should always be handled with a muzzle on. An injured dog wants to protect him by the only way he knows how and that is through aggression this goes hand in hand with fear and stress related aggression. When dogs get into a fight, beating them to stop the fight can even stir up a bigger fight between the dogs.

Dogs can be competitive mostly for attention from his owners and this causes some jealousy that triggers unwanted behavior that can go over into aggression.

Dogs and kids both need boundaries and very often we let kids just play with dogs as they please. This can cause a dog to snap. There are usually many warning signs of a dog feeling frustrated by a child. Things like walking away, growling etc. But we and kids choose to ignore this and push the dog just that little bit extra. This is how kids get bitten by dogs most of the time and this is the only way they know how to say please stop now. Adult dogs do this with puppies too and discipline them this way.

When dogs play they can easily cross the point of being play full and starting to fight. It's important for us to know when they are still playing and when they are starting to fight. This can avoid serious fights. Dogs that play will only bite lightly and leave the certain spot where he is biting after just a few seconds. Dogs that really fight will open flesh. Also take notice when one of the dogs seem to want to leave and not play any more and when they start to growl with irritation this is when they should stop. Dogs wanting to play lays down in the down ward dog position. This is when they put their front paws down on the ground with their hind legs up wards, tails can wag and they can jump around excited and make friendly barking sounds.

Male dogs cause up to 90% of gender fights, but male dogs sort out their problems much more quickly then female dogs. Females that are spayed can be more aggressive because they have more testosterone, but an intact female is like a woman that has pms. An intact female goes through that same hormonal stages, irritability and feeling down.

Some breeds are more prone to fight because of their genetic make-up. How you raise these dogs and socialize them can make a vast difference in their temperament.

Idiopathic aggression they say is caused by a brain dysfunction. This is usually seen in larger breeds. These dogs will suddenly attack and then minutes later be the sweetest dog and seem to have totally forgotten about the attack. These dogs should not be used to breed.

Learned aggression is usually caused by humans. These dogs can use aggression because it works to achieve what they want. It can be that the pups were bullied. Or dogs that use aggression to survive.

Not socializing a dog can cause aggression problems. If a dog is only used to being with an older lady, he might not be able to know how to handle kids and or men or other dogs. This can go two ways; either being scared and pancake or being aggressive to wards the other dog or human. Know that this is not true aggression, but unwanted dog behavior from a dog that is uncertain and scared.

Training dogs to be aggressive can be given on cue when a dog is trained as a police dog or for security purposes.

Ageing dogs can tend to be aggressive. This goes hand in hand with sickness and pain as they are scared that they will be hurt and because their senses of hearing and sight can be less accurate. This can cause a dog to get frightened and react accordingly.

Metabolic disturbances can occur with low blood sugar that could be caused due to hunger. This shifts the testosterone and can cause aggression.

Displaced aggression can be caused by two dogs that run to a gate barking at a stranger or dog passing. Because of the gate constricting them to not be able to reach out to the stranger. They turn to each other out of frustration and miss place the aggression.

Louise Basson is the author and web master of http://www.dog-care-centre.com She also runs a dog day care centre and kennel for dogs. This is a specialized facility for only a few dogs to insure optimum care.

She specializes in Alaskan Huskies and has been to Alaska to learn more about the breed and the dog powered sport called mushing. Louise also is currently busy with Ethology-dog behaviour training course. She also distributes mushing gear and dog care centre dog gear and treats. Louise Basson is a part of Siberian Husky Rescue Gauteng to help foster and re home Huskies in the Western Cape.

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What to Do When Your Dog Won't Eat

By Susi Szeremy

Your dog won't eat. Or your cat is a picky eater. So what on earth do you do?

First, a caveat. No animal will willingly starve itself. But ALWAYS have your pet seen by a vet when there's a change in behavior. You need to rule out illness before embarking on solving a pet's eating problem. Be sure to check for a bad tooth as this is often overlooked as a cause of eating issues. The second caveat: Eating problems can be complex and the tips offered here are simplistic. I offer them with 30 years of experience as a dog owner, breeder, handler and fancier in the world of dogs, but you should discuss them with your vet to see if any are a plausible remedy for your pet's situation.

We'll start with dogs, and assuming that your dog is healthy but not a good eater, here are some potential reasons why and ideas for fixing it.

If you feed your dog treats during the day, stop. You want your dog hungry at meal times.If your dog is a show dog, remember that bait should be offered in TINY pieces, it's not meant to be dinner. When it comes to meals, put the dog's food bowl on the floor, give her 10 minutes to eat it, and if it isn't touched, pick it up and put it away. Don't feed again until the next meal, and resist the temptation to give treats. Do this for a whole week because what you're doing here is behavior modification. Remember, a healthy dog won't starve itself to death, but a stubborn, healthy dog could modify YOUR behavior if you cave in.

If you change pet foods frequently, stop. Frequent diet changes can create a finicky eater. The dog learns to "holdout" to see what will be offered next. When you find a nutritious diet your pet will eat, stay with it. If you MUST change the pet's diet, do it gradually over a two week period. Add a small amount of the new diet to the old food, and each day, increase the amount of the new feed while decreasing the amount of the current food. This gradual change will help prevent diarrhea, vomiting and finicky eating.

With picky eaters, it's important to feed a "super premium" brand of dog food. These foods cost a little more and are made with better ingredients, but they are nutritionally dense. This means that your dog is actually eating less in quantity than the cheaper brands bought at grocery stores (these foods have the nutritional value of bark), but because there are more "calories per cup" in a premium food, they're actually getting more nutrition. Look for brands such as Merrick's "Grammy's Pot Pie" (canned food), California Natural, Prarie, Canidae, Flint River, Nutro, Wellness, Eagle Pack Holistic or Nutrisource.

Mixing kibble with a small amount of canned dog food and water will also make it enticing. This next part is important: The single most natural way to increase a pet's appetite is to warm their food because it increases the smell and makes it more appetizing.

Perhaps your dog has a health issue or is on a medication that makes him not want to eat. She's under a vet's care, but the task of getting nutrition into her falls on you. Now what? First, understand that the less a dog eats, the less he WANTS to eat. Add to that the dog who comes to associate food with nausea and you have a real problem, so the sooner you can get your dog to WANT to eat on his own, the better. So much for the obvious.

We'll start with the simplest remedies and work our way up to a radical solution that worked for one of my dogs. Assuming that your dog is on a high quality feed but still not eating, you may need to go to the next step: making dog food taste even better.

You don't want to make these next foods a daily staple, mostly because the high sodium content of many of them would be contra-indicated for dogs in renal failure or with heart issues (if your dog does have kidney issues, check out a really informative web site here.) The following foods have been tried and tested by people in the dog fancy and are suggested ONLY as a means to jump start the appetite in a sick or compromised dog: Sardines, canned cat food, Gerber's baby food - especially turkey or sweet potato, braunschweiger, Limburger Cheese, broth, pureed liver, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, yogurt, cottage cheese/cream cheese, canned mackerel, scrambled eggs with cream cheese, chicken noodle soup - and even this one: hard-boiled eggs smashed up in French Vanilla yogurt, slightly warmed.

Sometimes, you may need to "jump start" an appetite with something so enticing, it's irresistible. Here is the original recipe for "Satin Balls," one of the most requested recipes on Wellpet, Showdogs-L, VetMed, and other popular e-mail lists for serious dog people:

10 pounds of cheap hamburger meat

1 lg. box of Total cereal

1 lg. box oatmeal

1 jar of wheat germ

1 1/4 cup veg oil

1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses

10 raw eggs AND shells

10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf. Divide the batch into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze.Thaw as needed and feed raw! (This is also a good way to put weight on a skinny dog, increase energy, and to alleviate itchy, flaky skin). This isn't a substitute for meals, it's meant to whet a dog's appetite. If the dog is eating this eagerly, start mixing it with kibble gradually. The idea is to wean them off the Satin Balls and onto kibble.

Next, we move on to "fixes" that come in a tube or pill. Remember that the point of these products is to stimulate an appetite and are not long term solutions; We start with Re-Vita whose products are said to be effective for problem appetites; "Pet-Tinic" is a liquid dietary supplement containing iron, copper and 5 essential vitamins. The palable meat-flavored liquid is readily accepted and one "tester" reported that it brought back her pet's appetite almost immediately, Because of its contents, you'll want to have your vet's approval before using this. "Nutri-Cal" is pure nutrition that squeezes out like toothpaste; dogs like its taste and it's a quick way to get nutrition into a dog. When diluted with water, Dyne High Calorie Dietary Supplement can be used to combat dehydration and provide energy because each ounce provides approximately 150 calories containing vitamins and minerals that maintain constant therapeutic blood levels.

If none of the aforementioned tips work, this is where I get pretty serious because my own philosophy is that a lack of appetite is a lousy reason for a dog to die. What you'll read next isn't pleasant - but if you love your dog, you have to get nutrition into her. As far as I know,there are four ways to do this when the dog can't eat on his own: syringe food into the dog's mouth, stuff food down the dog's throat, hook the dog up to an IV, or insert a stomach tube. I've done all of them at one time or another. And they all stink, but they're preferable to the alternative: a dog who wastes away and dies.

Syringing: You'll need a couple of large syringes from your vet. Using canned food; determine the amount your dog needs to sustain his weight, divide that amount in half and spoon that much into a blender (you and this blender will become inseparable over the coming days). Add enough warm water to blend easily into a very fine puree and for each meal, gently syringe the puree into the side of the dog's lips. Or, you can cut to the chase. Pry the dog's mouth open and squeeze the syringe plunger down so that the food trickles to the side and back of the dog's mouth. It takes a bit of time to get the hang of this since you don't want the dog to aspirate food into his lungs. Speak to the dog soothingly and praise him when you're done. Remember, it's not the dog's fault he's unable to eat and it's only temporary until the appetite comes back.

Stuffing: This was my least favorite means of getting food into a dog. It was messy and degrading. In a nutshell, you make "food bombs" that are narrow enough to slide down the back of the dog's throat. These "bombs" are a mixture of wet & dry food that's been pureed into a texture that allows shaping. There are folks out there who are really good at doing this - and some dogs who just don't eat well become so used to eating this way that they'll stand calmly, lift up their little heads and open their mouths like guppies in anticipation for the next "bomb." Since all we care about is getting nutrition into the dog, if this works for you,that's what counts.

IV: A "no brainer." At this point, a dog is so ill that this is pretty much the last resort. It's no substitute for the calories gotten from real food, but sometimes it serves as a band-aid until the dog is back on its feet and able to eat the real thing.

Stomach tube: Proverbially speaking, this is what separates the men from the boys. When I was faced with a dog whose heart medication caused anorexia but who was otherwise healthy, I had but little choice to pull out all the stops. Syringe feeding, food bombs - these were not long term solutions. Guided by my vet, we made an informed decision to insert a stomach tube. Mind you, at the time we thought it would be a short term fix until my dog ate on his own. Keep reading.

The first tube put in was an ugly, brown rubber tube that was SO long, it had to be wrapped around my dog's mid section and secured with a lady's tube top when not in use. I prepared the food as if I was going to syringe it into my dog's mouth, only it was syringed into a tube that had been inserted into his side over the stomach. In less than a week, the dog knew the sound of the blender, knew what was coming and would lie down on his side in preparation for his meal.

Each day before I approached the blender, I always offered the dog his meal in a bowl since it was my fondest desire that the dog eat like a dog. After many weeks, however, I knew this wasn't going to happen. Ever. At this point, my vet and I had a frank discussion about options and he mentioned a permanent tube, one inserted from the inside out. The "Bard" was a gastronomy device made of silicon that was successfully used to feed disabled children but had never been used in canines. My nearly 14 year old Puli would be the first dog to have the slick silicon "button" inserted. It fit flush against his stomach and a little "lid" flicked open like the flip-top portion of a tube of toothpaste. Compared to what I had been working with, it was a Porsche compared to an Edsel and no one else ever knew it was there.

The tube enabled my dog to live a couple of more years. Feeding him took less than five minutes and afterwards, he would run with the other dogs,bark into the wind, enjoy the sun on his back and know that I adored him. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Because of the seemingly radical step we took to ensure this dog's survival, it wasn't something I discussed openly. Too many people out there feel that if a dog can't eat on his own, he's not meant to live. To them I say, "Phooey." The dog wanted to live, to survive and feel the hand of those who loved him rubbing his ears. But he couldn't eat. His spirit was willing and he would have done anything to please me, but this one thing he couldn't do. How then, was I to deny him the one thing I could do to help him?

Cats: Needless to say, cats are not like dogs. They can get liver damage from not eating even for just a day or two. When a cat stops eating, their body will start to use its fat stores as fuel. The old fat stores are mobilized to the liver, which should begin fat burning. But when the fat arrives at the liver, the liver doesn't burn the fat efficiently and it accumulates in the liver.

The resulting liver disorder is known as "hepatic lipidosis", or "fatty liver disease." This condition may be suggested when blood tests show impaired liver function. Getting fatty liver disease is not isolated only to cats, and fasting cats don't always get this condition, they just seem more prone to it when they don't eat.

But according to the Cornell Online Consultant, there are 454 more possible Diagnoses for Feline Anorexia. Wow. A good web site you can visit here explains the different reasons a cat might not be eating, from acid stomach to ulcers and including fatty liver disease. The bottom line, however,is that you have less "wiggle room" when a cat won't eat. Tries these tips:

-Warm the food because warmed food has a stronger smell which will make a cat want to eat.

-Handfeeding: Sit with your cat and talk to her. Offer a little piece of food to her.

-Offer special treats like canned or pouched food instead of dry kibble.

-Offer tuna and cheese or milk or cream, all in small amounts.

-Tasty liquids, like water from tuna packed in water or, rarely, oil. Avoid tuna packed in vegetable broth as itmay contain onions. Try clam juice or low-salt chicken broth. Avoid onions and anything made with bouillan as it's too salty;

-Sprinkle some catnip on the food.

Pull out all the stops and make some Home Made Cat Food with this recipe:

Switch off the protein sources with each batch or two. Switch between:

- Half Pound of minced boneless chicken breast or thigh

- Six Ounces of dark-mean ground turkey or minced turkey

- Half Pound of lean, minced beef

- Half Pound of minced beef, chicken or turkey heart. About three times a week, include one chopped hard-boiled or scrambled egg. Occasionally substitute a five-ounce can of salmon or tuna for the meat. Avoid canned salmon or tuna for cats that are prone to urinary tract infections.

Mix foods together.

There are some drugs that can help stimulate a cat's appetite including Diazepam (Valium). Other drugs to ask your vet about are Periactin (generic name Cyproheptadine), Serax (generic name Oxazepam) and Dalmane (generic name Flurazepam). All have potential side effects so it's important to talk with your vet.

Syringe feeding and feeding tubes as mentioned in the section for dogs is also an option for cats.

Good luck and know that you're not alone. Feeding issues are among the most frustrating of concerns.

S.E. Szeremy is a writer, breeder/owner/handler of Pulik and creator of [http://www.KnobNots.com], the friendly alternative to "Beware of Dog" Signs that won't make your pet sound vicious: Transform a door into a safety billboard for people and pets.

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