General tips:

Set reasonable goals when you bring a new dog into your pack. Knowing the dogs’ backgrounds as to how well they were socialized will help you manage what might happen. Remember and respect that your resident dog and/or cat may perceive the new dog to be encroaching on their established territory, which can be very stressful.
Proceed slowly and calmly. Slow-paced introductions may help prevent any fear-based or aggressive reactions from developing. If bad behaviors are not reined in from the start, they can become habit and be very hard to change in the future.
Never leave new pets unattended, even if a pet is caged. When two pets meet, it is imperative you watch them at all times. The situation can change suddenly.
If you have more than one resident dog, introduce each dog one at a time to the new dog to prevent them from overwhelming the newcomer.
Stay in control of the introduction. If you are not sure how your pet will react, take the necessary precautions to keep him (and you) safe.Be patient and adaptable. You will need to teach your new dog to trust you while communicating to your resident pets that you will continue to keep them safe. Building good relationships takes time.
Dog to Dog
Before you bring the new dog (or puppy) home, bring home his scent so your resident pets can be introduced to his smell first. Rub the new dog with a cloth or use a blanket he has slept on and bring it into your home and place it where he will be sleeping.

In addition, be sure both your resident dog and the new dog are up to date on their vaccinations to avoid any risk of infection.

Introduce in a Neutral Location
Introduce the dogs in a neutral location that is unfamiliar to both dogs, such as a park. This prevents your resident dog from feeling his territory is being threatened.

Each dog should be on a loosely held six-foot leash and handled by a separate person. Try to stay relaxed so the dogs don’t pick up on any tension you might be feeling.

Don’t force an interaction between the dogs. Just walk near each other for a few minutes. One or both of the dogs may ignore each other, which is fine. Just stay upbeat and give the dogs time to get comfortable with the situation.

Now, allow the dogs to sniff each other for just a few seconds, with the handlers offering high-pitched, happy praise if there are positive signs from the dogs. Then lead the dogs away from each other. Do several more sets of brief introductions, which prevent the dogs from focusing too hard and escalating to an aggressive response. Refocus each dog’s attention with obedience commands or short walks.

There are two goals with this exercise:

To allow the dogs to meet and be tolerant of one another without exhibiting any bad behavior.
To keep the meetings pleasant and friendly so the dogs learn to associate good, relaxed things with being together
Watch the dogs’ body language. Things are going well and you can proceed to the next step if you see:

Loose body movements and muscles
Relaxed open mouths
Play bows or other playful posturing
However, take caution if you see:

Stiff, slow body movements
Hair standing up on the back
Tensed mouth or teeth-baring
Growls
Prolonged staring
If you see any of these types of reactions, quickly lead the dogs away from each other and try to get them to focus on you. Then you can try a very brief introduction again, at a further distance. Only proceed to the next step when you see the dogs are tolerating each other.

Managing the New Dog in Your Home
Pick up all pet toys, food bowls, beds and the like before you bring the new dog into the house to prevent any tiffs over prized possessions. You can return the resident dog’s toys to him in a few weeks, and give the new dogs some new toys of his own. In the meantime, give the dogs toys only when they are in separate areas or their crates.

When you bring the new dog home, put your current pets in a separate area of your home; then, walk the new dog around your home on a leash to show him where he will sleep and eat, where the other pets sleep and eat, etc.

Establish boundaries in your home by using baby gates and closing off rooms and areas while all the pets acclimate to the new situation. This way they can see and get used to one another. Allow the resident dog to roam the house, while confining the new dog behind a barrier at first.

Keep the resident dog’s areas for sleeping and eating separate so he doesn’t feel his territory is being threatened. Feed the dogs in separate areas, and pick up their food bowls after feeding time is done. Keep the dogs confined in separate areas of your home any time you are away or can’t watch them.

While your dogs may enjoy each other as playmates, supervise their play to prevent them from getting over excited, which can lead to injury of one or both dogs. Interrupt their play if one dog begins to bully or growl at the other, and separate them for a few minutes. Praise them when they are playing well together.

Remember to devote plenty of time to each dog individually for both training and play. If one dog is much older or less energetic than the other, be sure you give him time and space to himself so he can rest and feel secure.

Dog to Cat
The prey drive in some dogs is exceptionally strong. In order to ensure your cat or other small pets stay safe, you must get your dog to look to you as his leader so that his desire to please you overcomes his desire to chase another pet.

As with a dog-to-dog introduction, take things slowly, calmly and cautiously. If you can, bring home an item with the new dog’s scent on it so the cat can learn about the dog through his smell first. Plan to place the cat’s things somewhere the dog can’t reach (such as up high) and be sure there is always an escape route so the cat can get away from the dog and feel safe.

While holding the dog on a loose leash, at first allow the dog and cat to see each other. If you fear the dog may get away from you quickly and hurt the cat, use a muzzle if necessary.

With the dog in a down-stay, let the cat wander and come to the dog, if she chooses, for a sniff. Then call the dog away to get him to redirect his attention from the cat, and then allow them to greet again.

Remember, you also need to keep the cat from getting afraid and then running away, which will only trigger the dog’s desire to chase. If the dog begins to fixate on the cat or lunges to get at it, quickly give him a command or just lead him away from the area for a few minutes.

Your goal is to help the animals learn to trust each other, as you yourself work on building a relationship of trust and leadership with the new dog.

In the meantime, don’t allow your dog to chase any type of small animal, but do let him chase a ball or other appropriate toys.

If your dog begins to chase the cat, do not run after the dog. Instead, try to get his attention with a loud hand clap or command (“Leave it!”), or even a shake of his dog food bin. Redirect his behavior so you can leash him and allow the cat to get to a safe place.

Dog to Other Small Pets
If you are not sure of your dog’s background with regard to being around small pets, plan the introductions carefully to avoid risk of the pet being harmed. Introduce the animals as you would dog to cat. If you must hold the animal in your arms, take care not to let the dog to get too close. Just let them sniff each other’s scent and learn to tolerate one another’s presence.

Some dogs get jealous if they see a small pet such as a hamster or bird perched on your shoulder. The dog may see this as an unfair advantage and therefore feel challenged and want to harm the pet. Other dogs, however, may be totally accepting of the pet and its perceived higher status.

Always keep small pets in a secure, sturdy cage out of the dog’s reach, and always supervise your dog even when the pet is caged. When you’re away from home, do not allow your dog to be loose in the same area as the caged pet.

Puppies to Adult Dogs
Not all resident dogs will welcome a new puppy into the home. Puppies are notorious for looking for attention from adult dogs (and everyone else), and so must be supervised when they are with other animals. Very young pups may not pick up on an adult dog’s body language that says he’s had enough playing. A well-socialized adult dog may growl to tell the pup to back off, which is appropriate behavior that helps the puppy learn boundaries.

However, an adult dog with poor social skills may present a danger to the puppy, as he may only know to bite rather than growl. Thus, do not leave the dog and puppy alone together.

Respect the adult dog’s need for puppy-free quiet time, and be sure to spend one-on-one time with him as well.

Handle the puppy-to-dog introduction as you would between dogs. Keep both animals leashed, carefully watch their body language, allow brief sniffs, and offer praise when they behave well.

Know When to Get Help
People keep household pets because they enjoy their antics and companionship. However, if your dog doesn’t get along with other pets, this only creates tension and disharmony in your home.

A qualified dog trainer such as a Bark Busters Dog Behavioral Therapist can help resolve conflicts your dog may be having with other pets, and can provide ways to help you live in a peaceful, happy household of pets and people.

via Dog Gives Birth to 17 Puppies in Germany – Paw Nation.

This isn’t really news to me, but Fido needs to be supervised around young children, according to a new study.
The study, done by Vikram Durairaj of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, found that dogs usually target a child’s face and eyes and most often it’s a breed considered “good” with children, like a Labrador Retriever.
“People tend to think the family dog is harmless, but it’s not,” said Durairaj, associate professor of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. “We have seen facial fractures around the eye, eye lids torn off, injury to the tear drainage system and the eyeball itself.”
The study says the likelihood of a child getting bitten in their lifetime is around 50 % with 80 % of those bites involving the head and neck. If a dog bites once, it’s likely to bite again with the second attack often more brutal than the first.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year and 885,000 require medical attention. The total cost is estimated at up to $250 million.
The study looked at 537 children treated for facial dog bites at The Children’s Hospital on the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus between 2003 and 2008. Durairaj found that 68 % of bites occurred in children 5-years-old or younger with the highest incidence in 3-year-olds.
The dogs were not breeds usually associated with attacks. Mixed breeds were responsible for 23 % of bites followed by Labrador retrievers (13.7 %), Rottweilers (4.9 % ), German shepherds (4.4 %) and Golden Retrievers (3 %). The study was done in the Denver area where Pit bulls are banned.
He says the first time a dog bites it should be removed from the home: “The onus is on parents to recognize aggressive breeds as well as behaviors and never allow their young children to be left unsupervised around any dog.”
READERS: Do you leave your young children alone with dogs? In my opinion, any little soul shouldn’t be left alone in the world unsupervised. They could hurt themselves or something else, right?

JACKSONVILLE, FL (CNN) – The family of a newborn boy is grieving after he was attacked by the family dog.

Investigators said the newborn was alive for just four days before it was mauled by a pit bull Sunday night in his Jacksonville, Florida home.

The Department of Children and Families is now investigating the parents for possible neglect.

The baby’s mother said she only left the child alone for a few seconds when the attack happened.

“It’s sad,” said neighbor Michael Shannon.�”It’s really sad.”

Shannon is a father too, and said he can’t imagine what the parents are going through.

But he’s also a pit bull owner and worries this attack will continue to give the breed a bad name.��

“I have a pit bull,” he said. “He’s the sweetest dog in the world. I have a two-year-old. He plays with it. It really depends on who raises the dog.”

Now as investigators are trying to figure out what happened, Shannon said parents just need to be more cautious with young children and pets.��

“It’s sad. I mean, people need to raise their dogs better.”

The child’s father said animal control put down the dog Monday morning.

via Pit bull murders newborn baby – WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |.

via Pit bull murders newborn baby – WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |.

A mutilated dog was found behind a Northeast Philadelphia home Monday and it has raised questions if the dead Husky was put there to send a message.

Sherri Verdon discovered the remains of a full-grown Husky mix that had been sawed in half on the back porch of her Somerton-section home Monday afternoon.

“It’s just frightening, it’s creepy,” she said.

It also devastated the owners of three-year-old Chico.

“Why my dog, why,” said an emotional Gabriella Ovadia.

Chico disappeared from the Ovadia’s family home — which isn’t close to Verdon’s home — on Sunday. On Monday the family identified their beloved pet dog at the SPCA.

“It was horrible — the mutilation,”�Ovadia said.

“The dog was literally cut in half,” Pennsylvania SPCA spokesman George Bengal said.

The horrific image of a dog cut in half�was also�something Verdon couldn’t get out of her mind.

“I just became hysterical crying,” she said about the gruesome discovery. “It was just very disturbing.”

Verdon says that the same man who vandalized her home nearly a half-dozen times recently could also be responsible for this gruesome act of animal cruelty.

The SPCA confirmed Tuesday that they questioned a person of interest but it wasn’t clear if it’s the same man. They were also hunting for a second person who could possibly be responsible for killing and dumping Chico, according to the SPCA.

The reward fund for information leading to Chico’s killing was growing as of Tuesday afternoon. Anyone with information should contact the PSPCA.

via Family Devastated After Their Husky Is Sawed-in-Half | NBC Philadelphia.

Doji the doggie is about to escape the clutches of death — TMZ has learned a friend of Evi and Randy Quaid has contacted the City of Vancouver in an effort to recover the innocent pooch from a shelter in Canada.

As we first reported, Doji was placed in an animal shelter after Evi and Randy were arrested in Canada last week on an outstanding warrant in Santa Barbara … and under Vancouver law, dogs that go unclaimed after several days for more than a week could be put to sleep.

But a rep for the city of Vancouver tells us they received a call today from someone on behalf of the Quaids who informed them that someone will be “coming to the shelter in the next couple of days to pick up the dog.”

Doji seems to be holding up well — we’re told, “The dog is in very good health.”

via Quaid’s Dog — Help Is On the Way! | TMZ.com.

A new study has indicated that specially trained pet dogs can be beneficial to the emotional and mental health of children with autism syndrome disorders (ASDs).

Work undertaken at the University of Montreal measured the incidence of cortisol awakening response (CAR) present in the saliva of 42 youngsters with ASDs. This is a hormone produced by the body in relation to stress and was monitored regularly, while the children were each introduced to a canine taught to respond to them.

The parents of the little ones were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding their offspring’s emotional behaviour before, during and after the study, and, together with the other results, scientists collated a paper that states the pooches helped minimise emotional distress in their new masters.

“Until now, no study has measured the physiological impact. Our results lend support to the potential behavioural benefits of service dogs for autistic children,” Sonia Lupien, senior researcher and a professor at the university’s Department of Psychiatry and director of the Centre for Studies on Human Stress at Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, said.

People with autism are often thought to be affected positively by the presence of animals and many different creatures – including horses – are used in therapy.

As one of the biggest independent dog insurance providers in the UK, Animal Friends Insurance products are available to buy online or the phone ( 0844 70 50 300 ). We offer a wide range of affordable dog insurance options to suit all budgets from accident only policies to full lifetime cover

via Pet dogs may help children with autism.

Morgan County officials say 22 dogs were seized from a rural property where 11 other dogs were found dead – apparently from gunshot wounds.

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that the animals were found at a home off of Highway 135 South in Morgan County.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture says the owners were not affiliated with any state or federal licensing programs. The owners also were not involved in the commercial sale of dogs.

The Sedalia Democrat reports that the owners, whose names were not released, were taken into custody.

Why do you smell funny?

Once you have established leadership in your pack, your dog typically will not get stressed about changes that occur in your household. If the leader is calm, the dog will be calm. However, inconsistencies that may happen when the baby arrives will be viewed by your dog as a sign of weakness. Bad behavior may resurface (barking, rushing the door, chewing, digging) or new problems may arise. This is because the dog is stressed and sees the need for someone to take charge of the pack, so the dog takes on the job of “top dog.”

The following are some guidelines to help you start off on the right foot. Remember, babies and small children should never be left with a dog or puppy without adult supervision.

1. Set new rules before baby arrives. For instance, if you decide to keep your dog out of the baby’s room, implement this several weeks or months before the baby arrives. Thus, your dog will not associate the baby’s arrival with exclusion from the room. Also, try to introduce an erratic schedule so the dog does not know when he will get walked, fed or played with.
2. Prepare your dog for baby’s arrival. You can get your dog used to the new sights and smells he will soon encounter by doing things such as buying an inexpensive doll, wrapping it in baby clothes or a blanket and holding it in your arms as you walk throughout the house. Use the same baby products (powder, shampoo, lotion) that you will use on the baby.

Try to bring home the baby’s blanket or skull cap prior to your baby’s arrival to allow your dog to become accustomed to his scent.

1. Make introductions on the first day the baby arrives home. Your dog will need to “touch scent” the baby to find out what it is. Hold your newborn up high and let your dog sniff the baby’s bottom or feet while another adult controls the dog on a loosely held leash. If the dog misbehaves or is too exuberant, correct the dog’s behavior. Allow frequent, supervised visits by your dog.
2. The more the dog and baby are together, the better and less stressed your dog will be. However, neither newborn nor toddler should ever be left unattended in the same room with your dog.
3. Possessions. Your dog will not know the difference between his toys and your child’s toys until you teach him.
   1. If and only if you catch your dog chewing on something unsuitable, interrupt the behavior with a growled “BAH.” Then give your dog an acceptable chew toy and praise him lavishly when he takes the toy in his mouth.
   2. Dogs can be possessive about their food, toys and space. Although it is normal for a dog to be possessive, it is not acceptable for him to growl or snap at you or your child. At the same time, children need to learn to respect their dog as a living creature that is not to be teased or purposefully hurt and that needs time to himself. If your dog is growling or snapping at your child for any reason, the situation needs IMMEDIATE attention.