Dog doors are fairly easy to install, provide access to a yard, and provide your dog with some extra freedom while you are gone.  Of course, not all dogs can be trusted to stay where they are supposed to be, and for them, a dog door isn’t a good option.  That is why you hire a neighborhood kid to walk them after school.  But most dogs do very well.

The freedom provided by a dog door extends well beyond working hours.  If you ever had to get up to open the door for your pet several times a night you know what I mean.  With a dog door, you can concentrate on whatever you are doing, comfortable in the knowledge that your pet can get out and in on their own schedule, without interrupting yours.

You can find a dog door to meet just about every need.  If you have no proper door leading to your yard, you can install a pet door in the wall.  There are models that can be fit in a glass door or a screen too.  Sliding doors are no problem either; they can be fitted with a special unit as well.

Perhaps the best invention to be added to dog doors is the electronic locking feature.  This kind of door locks automatically unless your dog is near.  They wear a special transmitter on their collar and it signals the door to open, otherwise the door remains locked.  No unexpected visitors in your home!

Dog doors are great tools for both you and your pet.  You can find an extensive selection online.

There are a number of medical conditions that are associated with eating at so low a height, and the mess is greater as well.

Stomach Bloat
While rare, stomach bloat occurs most commonly when dogs gobble their food from low bowls.  If you have ever watched a dog eat from a food dish on the floor, you will be amazed at how fast they can make the meal disappear.

Yes, dogs are fast eaters by design, you never know when the next dog will try to steal your meal, but the posture they must assume to eat from a bowl on the floor adds to the problem.

By gulping their food at such an angle, most dogs ingest a great deal of air.  That air can distend the stomach and even cause it to twist.  A dog with stomach torsion is an emergency.

Few dogs survive this painful condition and most will repeat the torsion within a short period of time.  On a less serious note, there is also the gas to deal with, and that is uncomfortable for you as well as your dog.  Raising the dish eliminates the risk.

Joints and Muscles
For many older dogs the act of bending down to feed off of the floor is very painful.  The resulting pressure on elbows and wrists as they bend over causes them to eat quickly or poorly. Buying elevated bowls help relieve and pressure just like a dog ramp would.

Imagine trying to eat while bent at the waist from a surface at arms length.  That is what dogs do every time they eat from a dish on the floor.  The position is bad for their posture and makes eating difficult.  Raising the dish helps reduce pressure on those tender joints.

Less Mess
A dog that is eating or drinking at the right height makes less of a mess. There is no longer a reason to quickly throw the food back to the throat, and they don’t have to eat so frantically.

With less pressure on their joints, dogs relax a bit and enjoy their food more.  If you have a dog that really bolts their food no matter what, consider adding a bolt preventing bowl to an elevated feeder.  It will force your pet to slow down.

Elevated dog bowls are easily found either at your local pet store or online.  To match the height to your dog, measure your dog at the withers.  The withers are the front shoulder joint.   Subtract six inches and you have the ideal height for your dog’s bowl.

Find a bowl that can accommodate that height and give it a try.  Both you and your dog will be happier about feeding time and as a bonus, you won’t have to bend quite as far to put the food in the bowl.

Three basic types of indoor pet gates could be used.  The most common gate, and the one most easily installed is the tension-mounted gate.  This gate uses spring-loaded posts that keep the gate connected to the walls.  This gate is easily moved from place to place and usually has a number of adjustments that allow you to use it for multiple openings without needing different units.  The additional benefit of this type of gate is that it leaves few marks or changes on the wall.  This makes the tension gate ideal for a rental property.

The second type of popular gate is the hardware-mounted gate.  By drilling into the wall studs, you can install a sturdier fence that can stretch a longer distance than the tension-mounted gate.  This gate can be used in different locations, but you need to purchase and mount multiple sets of hardware.  For larger dogs, this is an ideal option.  Once again, you can keep dogs out of specific areas of your home and do it in a manner that allows you free access.

The third type of gate is freestanding.  This gate is easily moved from place to place and can be expanded or shrunk as needed.  Usually made from attractive woods, these gates blend well with your décor, but on the other side they are easy to move since they are not attached.  If you have a clever dog, they will figure out this type of gate and their compliance in staying on the other side is truly voluntary.

No matter what type of indoor dog gate you get, you will need to do some training with your pet.  If you have a pet that likes to be with you all the time, it will take a while before they are accustomed to staying on the other side of a gate, while you are doing something that doesn’t involve them.  Still, the luxury of being able to cook a meal without worrying about tripping over your dog is well worth the effort.

Start with short times away from your pet and slowly increase them.  If the goal is to have a pet free area of your home, be consistent and never allow your animal beyond the gate.  They will adjust.

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Dog doors are installed in one of your home doors and allow your pet the freedom of coming and going into your yard at will.  To properly use this door you need to have a fenced yard.   You dog can access the yard when they need it, and return to the home without having to interrupt your schedule constantly.

Installing a dog door isn’t difficult with the right tools if you are somewhat handy.  If you don’t feel up to the task, have a handyman come out and take care of the job.  Once the door is in place you will need to teach your dog how to use it.  Introduce your dog to the door by approaching it together and show your pet how the door moves and what kind of noises it makes.  For dogs that have never seen a pet door before, it can be a bit intimidating.  Let your dog sniff and paw the door if they want to.  Open the door so that your pet can see the yard.  If you have a helper, let them stand outside and call your dog.

If your dog goes out willingly make sure they get back in just as easily and your job is done.  For a reluctant pup you may need to gently push your dog through a few times letting them see that nothing serious will happen and that they get to go outside.  You can also bring over a friends dog that knows how to get through a dog door and let them demonstrate.  Once your pet has learned how to use the dog door, freedom of movement is achieved.

Dog doors come in a variety of models.  The most typical is a simple mechanical door that is sized properly for your pet.  Doors can be locked from the inside to prevent intruders from entering, be they human or animal.  Another type is electronic.  Your dog wears a transmitter on his collar.  When your dog approaches the door, the transmitter is recognized by the sensor in the door and the door opens.  This keeps all other animals from using the door, a nice feature if you have animals that roam your neighborhood unsupervised.

When combined with proper fencing a dog door can provide both you and your pet with freedom.  Knowing that you can leave your dog at home while you work, and not having to worry about accidents if you get caught there late, is quite a relief.  Not having to jump up every time your pet wants to go out or come in frees you to do other things around the house.  Once you have installed your door, you won’t recall how you got along without it.

These situations are difficult because the law has not caught up with American’s love affair with their dogs. There is no accepted “best interest for the dog” standard in the law today so agreements must be met without a specific law to outline responsibilities. It is very important for couples to put aside their emotions and resentments to determine what is best for the dog. There is very little in the way of information out there to show people how to get through this process properly, but the first step must be a calm and rational discussion.

There are several options when splitting up a dog custody situation. One person could keep the dog(s) on a full-time basis. This often works best with a dog who is not adaptable to change, has behavioral problems or special medical needs. These dogs need a constant routine and do not do well with major life changes. This is also the best situation when one person came into the relationship owning the dog for some time before the relationship began and bore the lion’s share of the physical and financial care responsibilities of the dog in question.

Then there are joint custody situations. These situations can work quite well with dogs who are properly socialized and easy going in demeanor. They will be able to handle the changes in routine and lifestyle that come with a joint custody situation. This also works well when the people who are separating can get along amicably and stay positive about the situation. This situation can have added benefits including a built in dog sitter when one half of the arrangement needs to travel. It can also be a financial benefit to both parties as the financial responsibilities can be divided along with the custody.

If there are two dogs in the household there can be an even split where one person keeps one dog and the other takes the remaining dog. This situation can be tricky for dogs who are strongly bonded to one another and is not always best for the dog. If the dogs are aloof and independent then they could do just fine under these circumstances. This is a situation that truly depends on the dog as some are more sensitive than others.

Regardless of the option chosen people should be honest with themselves about their financial and time constraints when making a custody agreement. While the thought of losing a mate and a dog all in one fell swoop can be crushing, it is best not to be selfish and relinquish some control if you are unable to provide proper care for the animal. You should also be conscious of your motives. Do you really like having a dog and all of the responsibilities that come along with it or are you simply trying to win something from your ex?

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Dog fighting causes harm to the fighting dogs, bait dogs and other innocent animals and family pets. Fighting dogs are often starved or tortured with the intent to make them game or aggressive towards other dogs. Dogs are not naturally aggressive towards each other and are often taught to fight over time for survival. They are often starved and think that they are fighting for their very survival. During the training process fighting dogs are often baited with small animals such as cats, rabbits or other smaller and non-aggressive dogs. These animals are used as bait to encourage blood-lust and provide easy kills early in a fighting dog’s career. These innocent animals are often obtained from “free to a good home” advertisements or are simply stolen from the back yards of unsuspecting pet owners.

Fighting dogs often endure severe wounds from fights without the benefit of Veterinary care afterwards. They suffer severe puncture wounds, bruising, broken bones and infections. Fighting dogs are often severely malnourished, dehydrated and exhausted. They live lonely lives tied outside with heavy logging chains and suffer neglect and abuse at the hands of their owners. If a fighting dog fails to fight he will often be set on fire, shot, drowned or left injured in an alley or ditch. These dogs live a life of torture and cruelty all in the name of this “sport”.

Dog fighting can also cause harm to people, especially children. These dogs are made to be aggressive towards other dogs; however, during the process they can turn on humans and lash out with bite attacks. While some fighting dogs are completely rehabilitated and turn into loving and devoted pets, others can turn human-aggressive. This often leads to the dog attacks on children so prevalent on news broadcasts across the country. This is unfortunate considering that the dog had no control over the situation in the first place and only ended up this way because of the abused they endured at the hands of humans.

Dog fighting can actually cause deep seeded problems in the community as a whole. When children grow up in this culture they are often desensitized towards violence and often engage in physical abuse to dogs themselves. Numerous studies have linked human on dog violence with human on human violence. This type of violence can become embedded into a child’s psyche making it difficult for them to be sensitive towards animals and eventually other people. Dog fighting rings are also synonymous with crimes including, illegal gambling, possession of illegal firearms, assault, drug offenses and even homicides caused by disputes in the ring or over bets. These elements cause harm and fear within an entire community or town.

Given the physical harm caused to animals and the myriad of illegal activities that accompany dog fighting the activity has been upgraded to a felony offense in most states. To further combat dog fighting some states have even passed legislation making attending dog fights a felony offense. While more needs to be done to stop this sadistic sport tremendous strides taken place in punishing these offenders.

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When dealing with the loss of a pet owners often go through similar stages in the grieving process as if they had lost a family member. The first emotion is typically sadness. People feel a sense of intense loss followed by a powerful sadness. It is important to let yourself feel this sadness, but if it becomes too overwhelming try distracting yourself with other activities. Spending time with friends and family can be a good diversion in this stage. Do not go it alone in these instances. Reach out to others even if all they do is come over and sit with you. You will likely feel a sense of acute loneliness with the loss of your dog and companionship will be helpful.

The next stage is typically guilt. People often feel as if they could have done something differently to prolong or save their dog’s life. This is often not the case. Try reminding yourself that you gave him the best live that you could and that he was happy and well cared for. In the grieving process anger often follows. People sometimes want to blame others for a situation and can develop resentments at this time. People may blame their Vet for not doing more or blame others for not understanding their grief. Try to let go of this anger, as it will not bring your beloved pet back. Try remembering happier times with your pet to achieve peace with his loss.

As the process continues anxiety typically creeps in. People often feel a sense of uneasiness or panic thinking that they will never get through a grieving situation. Try talking to others who have been through the same thing, friends and family or pet loss hotlines can help. Another surprise twist along the road of grief comes large waves of grief that set in when we least expect it. They usually happen when people are just starting to put the grief behind them and can be just as powerful as the first day. They can occur when you see something that reminds you of your pet or encounter another dog that looks like your beloved. These feelings too will pass with time.

As you begin to feel better try planning for a memorial for your pet. Consider spreading his ashes or writing a poem in his honor. Try making a scrapbook of memories of your dog or holding a small ceremony with friends and family. Your network will understand your love of your pet and will be supportive to your need for closure. If you are not ready to get a new dog consider volunteering at a local shelter or spending time with a friend’s dog. Animals have healing powers; in fact just stroking a dog will lower your anxiety and heart rate. Try to take things at your own pace and give yourself time to grieve. Everyone is different so do not beat yourself up if you can’t simply get over your loss or snap back like nothing happened. Be patient and kind to yourself and remember that your dog would want you to be happy!

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