Omega 3′s and Vitamin E are extremely beneficial supplements for your dog which is why they’re added in to all Philosophy of Dog treats! As well as being great for the coat Omega 3′s and Vitamin E have the following benefits!

Antioxidant Properties
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Extremely good for dogs with joint troubles
Creates healthier skin
Supplies essential fatty acids
Good for overall heart and brain health
Lowers Bad (LDL) cholesterol
100% natural

Many varieties of Omega 3 and Vitamin E supplements are sold in pet stores or online in pet specialty stores that will provide your dog with healthy doses of Omega 3 and Vitamin E in order to maintain their healthy coats and provide the added benefits listed above! It is possible to supplement your dog yourself with human grade vitamin supplements; however, you must not do so without consulting your vet first because as with all supplements and medications dogs need varied doses from humans! (please also remember NEVER to feed your dog a supplement containing iron!) I find it easier to purchase oils that are created for canine consumption as they taste better on the palate and can simply be squirted on to food at mealtimes, these oils also provide an extra kick to the taste of food so consider that an added bonus!

Keep in mind that if your dog has allergies you are going to want to check with your vet prior to using any supplements because often times Omega 3′s contain seafood elements which may interact with your dog’s allergies!

Anxiety can manifest itself in all breeds, sizes and types of dog but one thing is for sure, an anxious dog is not a happy dog. Anxious dogs are more likely to be depressed, snappy and maladjusted. This is not to say that anxious dogs can’t be wonderful pets because they truly can; however, in order to make their life a full one it is your responsibility to make life as easy as possible for your anxiety ridden dog.

Anxiety comes in all forms, from the dog who is petrified of anything and everything following a life of abuse to the dog who is afraid of thunderstorms, all anxious dogs have one thing in common – certain triggers cause them to suffer what we would call “panic attacks.” The most common form of anxiety for our dogs is separation anxiety. Dog’s rely on their pack as a family and a support system; however, on occasion our dog’s become too attached and get extremely anxious when they are apart from us often causing harm to themselves or destruction to our property. The one thing to keep in mind when you observe your dog’s anxious behaviour or the destructive behaviour that has resulted from an anxiety attack is that your dog is not doing these things to upset you, your dog is upset because he felt abandoned, he did not understand that you were only “going to get groceries,” he just knew you were gone and this resulted in panic. There are, however, many things you can do to help your dog work through his anxiety which should reduce both the panic that your dog feels and the worry that you feel being away from your dog because of his panic.

Crate your dog – Crating your dog is not only a great way to potty train younger dogs and give your dog somewhere to sleep but it also creates a small safe confined space that your dog can call his own. Having a safe place to go is important for your dog, just as we have our places where we feel isolated, your dog needs this space as well. Crating your anxious dog will not only give him a safe quiet place but it also keeps him safe from himself by eliminating anxious behaviour’s such as pacing and destructive chewing. A good way to pick a crate is to pick one that is just large enough for your dog to turn around in, any larger than this and you have not chosen a confined safe place for your dog, you have chosen a place big enough for panic.

Anxiety Wraps – Numerous stores sell anxiety wraps that are made with dogs in mind. These wraps were created specifically for dogs with a fear of thunderstorms; however, they have been shown to work effectively for other types of anxiety as well. The anxiety wraps fit snugly around your dog’s body creating a calm, warm feeling of maintained pressure on your dog’s body. If you are not able to afford the $60+ dollars that anxiety wraps cost you can somewhat duplicate the effect by placing a snugly fitting t-shirt on your dog which will give him the same feeling of maintained pressure. You should; however, always be careful when leaving your dog with any “clothing” on that can be removed and clothing should never be so constrictive that it limits blood flow or movement!

Sensory Appeal - Just as babies know their mother’s smell dogs know their owner’s smell. When you leave your dog home alone in his crate you may find that providing your dog with a blanket with your scent on it helps to calm your dog. Scent should not be confused with lotions or perfumes that can cause allergic reactions. Your scent is simply the way your skin smells without perfume, while it is often hard to detect on ourselves our dog’s know us by it.

Pheromone Diffusers - Many companies are now selling pheromone diffusers which act much the same way as Glade Plugins. These Pheromone Diffusers plug in to the wall and distribute calming pheromones in to the air to create a calming atmosphere for your dog during stressful times. There is varied research on the effectiveness of these diffusers as a remedy for canine anxiety, but they have been proven to work for some dogs.

Don’t Fuss – One huge mistake that owners of dogs with separation anxiety make is making a fuss of their dog, this concept carries over to any type of fear related behaviour in dogs. When dog parents make a fuss over leaving the house by repeatedly petting their dog and saying “you’ll be okay,” they actually provide their dog with more reason to worry. As pet parents repeatedly reassure their dog’s that they’re going to be fine their dogs are left wondering what the heck is going on and consequently begin to worry. When leaving the house parents of anxious dogs should simply say nothing, or if the need to say something is there make it short, sweet and avoid the long goodbye’s. Beginning with short periods of leaving without a fuss will build a trust that you are going to return and pretty soon as these departures grow longer your dog will become more used to them. If your dog’s fear is not separation based and a fear of something such as thunderstorms the principle still stands, don’t pander to negative behaviours. Dog’s learn from positive reinforcement, giving excess attention to fear is a positive reinforcement of that fear, instead try to ignore your pet’s worry as much as you can. Ignoring panic is not the same as ignoring your pet, remember you are attempting to calm your dog by not pandering to worry, you are not trying to panic your dog with a cold shoulder. Just act normally and your pet will take his cue from you!

Some dogs are just “velcro dogs”, they stick to you no matter what and some dogs are simply afraid of certain things just as we are and while it may feel like you are failing your “fur-kid” by not fussing over their fears, you are, in reality, helping them realize that the things they fear aren’t such a big deal after all.

We’ve all heard the expression “puppy dog eyes” and we all know that look of longing when we sit down to the dinner table to a nice dinner and our dog’s aren’t invited…which incidentally they should never be. The idea of begging for food is a learned behaviour, it is not one that is innate to dog’s it is one that we teach them by acquiescing to their pushing of boundaries. The simple fact of the matter is that in the wild, in a pack that has rigid hierarchy rules dogs dare not approach their alpha dog while they are eating a meal, such behaviour would result in a snarling snapping frenzy that more often than not would leave your dog limping away to lick his wounds. That is not to say you should snarl and snap at your dog when they approach you for table scraps but you should set your dog in his place in the hierarchy. There are many ways to correct the learned behaviour of begging, obviously the best way is never to teach it by giving in; however, don’t worry if you have already conveyed this as an acceptable behaviour, it is never too late to correct you dog.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with your dog in any situation is to establish your and his position in the pack hierarchy. Your family is your dog’s pack and he depends on your behaviour and your cues to set his position in the hierarchy. By allowing your dog to beg for table scraps you are telling him that this is, indeed, an acceptable behaviour for his position in the pack and that you will eventually throw him a proverbial bone. The problem with allowing this behaviour (aside from the awful habit of drooling, making dinner guests feel intimidated, and being terribly unhealthy for your dog) is that is reinforces to your dog that he has a more prioritized position in the pack than he should have. The concept of treating a family as a pack is a difficult one for dog lovers to understand at times especially those who see their dogs are their children. It is perfectly fine to spoil your dog with toys and extra playtime and pats on the head as often as you like; however, rewards that confuse your dog’s position in the familial pyramid often cause future problems that are much more difficult to fix – one such problem that comes with a feeling of raised status in the family comes when your dog decides to challenge other family members for their position.

Hierarchies, as unpleasant as they sound to us as dog lovers, are necessary to your dog. Dog’s thrive on structure including a social structure. Dog’s don’t care if they’re first or last on the pyramid as long as they know where they stand and receive food, care and attention. As mentioned above, it’s fine to spoil your dog with healthy affections and “dog” products, but be consistent with your requests of them and make sure you enforce their position in the family. Enforcing positions in the family doesn’t mean your dog can’t get on the furniture if you choose, can’t play with you etc, it simply means that you must be consistent in your requests of him, make sure he knows you are the alpha of the household and for the sake of your dog choose healthy alternatives to sharing your food with him!

Other than hierarchy issues why shouldn’t I share my food with my dog?

There are plenty of great reasons not to share people food with your pet! One reason which should be reason enough is your dog’s health, besides being unbalanced for canine diets human foods are extremely likely to cause obesity, tooth decay, gastric upset and toxic side effects as noted in “Human Foods Your Canine Pal Should Avoid“. Due to the high calorie content of many of the foods we eat as well as the fact that many of them are not natural foods (ask yourself if this food is available to your dog in the wilderness) most of the foods we consume are not fit for canine diets and leave our dog’s succeptible to high incidences of obesity. Tooth decay is another huge problem caused by feeding our dog’s “people food.” Human food is extremely high in refined sugars that are, again, not available to them in the wild. Dog’s have not established a routine of brushing their teeth after sugary snacks and most owners are lax when it comes to tooth decay in pets! With a combination of these two factors human snacks leave our canine pals with painful cavities that are rarely caught in time to fill. Gastric Upset is a frequently noticed side effect of feeding dog’s table scraps. Human foods are flavored to taste, many of these spices, while they taste great to us, upset the delicate balance in a dog’s gastric system which is designed to handle bland foods as found in nature. Think of it this way, if your dog can’t catch a fully seasoned chicken or italian sausage there is no way his intestinal tract is going to be able to handle digesting it without some serious consequences. Finally there are many human foods which result in toxic side effects for our dogs because of their sensitivities to certain food products. People often feed their dog a few grapes or raisins as they are snacking without thinking about the horrific side effects these foods have on their dog’s nervous systems! To avoid toxic side effects from human foods it is better to familiarize yourself with the human foods that are toxic to dogs and avoid feeding human foods all together. Like it or not your dog’s gastric system is designed to take bland food, food that is found naturally without being refined and things we would not necessarily consider appetizing, if you feel the need to “mix it up” for your dog, choose a different flavored kibble of the brand you currently feed (avoid this if your dog has allergies), pick up a new treat for him to try, or add a raw component to your dog’s food by researching the BARF diet but just avoid those table scraps!

My dog already begs, how do I stop him?

Stopping a dog from begging is going to be tiring but it is worth it for your own comfort and for the comfort of any potential dinner guests you may have in the future. Breaking begging behaviour is very similar to getting a child to stay in bed at night time. Your dog knows that there is a potential he’s going to miss out on those good scraps if he isn’t waiting at the table, he expects that food because you have previously rewarded his behaviour with it. When you sit down to eat your dog may follow you to the table, you need to have your dog’s bed or toy or some other marker parked across the room, when your dog sits by you at the table you are to direct him (or physically move him, gently mind you) to his place across the room and tell him to sit and stay in place. Many trainers use the word “place” to mark a particular place that they wish their dog to return to. No doubt that your dog will do as you say for a brief moment but follow up with a repetition of dinner table begging…this is where the getting a child to stay in bed analogy comes in. You are to again, get up and take your dog to his “place” and tell him to stay. If your dog already has a grasp of the command “stay” this should not take too long for him to comprehend; however, if your dog is not familier with the concept of “stay” this could be a very long meal for you. Rewarding stay’s with small dog treats is often helpful as well as the repetition of the desired behaviour. If your dog does not have a grasp on the concept of “stay” this is a great opportunity for you to work on it together, it will be frustrating to you both; however it is a concept quickly learned with the correct amount of repetition and reward. Just remember that your dog is more likely to repeat a behaviour he is rewarded for as opposed to stear away from a behaviour he is punished for so keep up with positive reinforcement and you will soon see a change in behaviour. If you feel that this is something you cannot work on with your dog alone, I highly recommend going through a training class or two with your dog, it is not only a great way to teach your dog commands but it is also an amazing way to stimulate your dog and prevent him from becoming bored and destructive. A tired stimulated dog is always happier than a hyperactive bored dog!

Aloe is just one of the many plants that can have dangerous effects on our dogs when they consume it. It is not just a variety of foods that we have to watch out for for our dog’s there is a wide variety of plant life that can prove to be extremely dangerous and even fatal when ingested by our dogs. Below you will find a comprehensive list of plants which are dangerous to our dog’s. If your pet has (or if you think your pet has) ingested any of the following plants please make sure to contact your vet, emergency vet or local animal poison control number ASAP! Most symptoms of ingestion include vomiting, foaming at the mouth and rapid heart rate as well as visual evidence of ingestion, even if you only think your dog has ingested one of these plant’s it is always better to contact your vet and make sure as many of these plants can lead to death upon ingestion.

Alfalfa
Aloe
Amaryllis
American Bittersweet
Andromeda Japonica
Apple Leaf Croton
Apricot
Asian Lily
Asparagus Fern
Australian Nut
Autumn Crocus
Avocado
Azalea
Baby’s Breath
Bird of Paradise
Boston Ivy
Branching Ivy
Buckeye
Buddhist Pine
Caladium
Calla Lily
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Charming Diffenbachia
Chinaberry Tree
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Rose
Choke Cherry
Cineraria
Clematis
Cordatum
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Creeping Charlie
Croton
Cuban Laurel
Cutleaf Philodendron
Cycads
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Daphne
Day Lily
Devil’s Ivy
Dumb Cane
Deadly Nightshade
Dragon Tree
Easter Lily
Elaine
Elephant Ears
Emerald Feather
Emerald Fern
English Ivy
English Yew
European Bittersweet
Fiddle-Leaf Philodendron
Flamingo Plant
Florida Beauty
Foxglove
Fruit Salad Plant
Geranium
German Ivy
Giant Dumb Cane
Glacier Ivy
Gladiolas
Glory Lily
Gold Dieffenbachia
Gold Dust Dracaena
Golden Pothos
Green Hold Nephthysis
Hahn’s Self Branching English Ivy
Heartland Philodendron
Heartleaf Philodendron
Heavenly Bamboo
Hemlock
Holly
Hops
Horsehead Philodendron
Hurricane Plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian Rubber Plant
Inkberry
Iris
Janet Craig Dracaena
Japanese Show Lily
Japanese Yew
Jerusalem Cherry
Jerusalem Show Lily
Jimson Weed
Johnsongrass
Jonquil
Kalanchoe
Lace Fern
Lacy Tree
Latana
Lily of the Valley
Macadamia Nut
Madagascar Dragon Tree
Mandrake
Marble Queen
Marijuana
Mauna Loa Peace Lily
Mexican Breadfruit
Miniature Croton
Mistletoe
Morning Glory
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Narcissus
Needlepoint Ivy
Nephthytis
Nightshade
Oleander
Onion
Orange Day Lily
Oriental Lily
Panda
Parlor Ivy
Peace Lily
Pencil Cactus
Philodendron Pertusum
Pigweed
Plumosa Fern
Poinsettia
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pokeweed
Pothos
Potato Plant
Precatory Bean
Primrose
Queensland Nut
Red Emerald
Red Lily
Red-Margined Dracaena
Red Princess
Red Root
Red Sage
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon Plant
Rubrum Lily
Saddle Leaf Philodendron
Sago Palm
Satin Pothos
Schefflera
Silver Pothos
Spotted Dumb Cane
Stargazer Lily
String of Pearls
Striped Dracaena
Sweetheart Ivy
Swiss Cheese Plant
Taro Vine
Tiger Lily
Tomato Plant
Tree Philodendron
Tropic Snow Dumbcane
Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia
Tulip
Umbrella Plant
Variable Dieffenbachia
Variegated Philodendron
Warneckei Dracaena
Weeping Fig
Wood Lily
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Yew
Yucca

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 24-hour emergency hotline

1-888-426-4435