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Remember just how good a massage feels after a particularly hard day - those first pained responses as your muscles reacted to the beginning of the kneading, pulling and pinching motions - later followed by a more soothing and relaxed response to the rhythm of the massage?

Now, just think about your dog for a moment. Dont you think your pet would definitely enjoy a gift of massage as well? All sizes, from the smallest to the most mammoth dog would, and could, enjoy the effects of a good rubdown.

If you have never given your pet a massage you both have many benefits yet to enjoy. Before you begin,however, it is important to choose a quiet spot in which to work,one free of distractions If your pet is one that is responsive to touch then you should have no problem at all. If your pet is hyper-sensitive to touch then you must gain its trust over a period of time in order for this to be successful.

A good way to begin is with the types of strokes your pet is most used to then moving on to more feathery motions, scratches, tickles and rubs. Begin with one area and continue into the next area until each section has been completed. Mapping out what areas you have, or have not massaged, in your mind is one way to remember exactly where you have worked.Try concentrating on one area, such as the chest, stomach or a single leg, at a time.

Circular motions, light scratches, kneading and tickles are just a few suggestions to apply to your massage repertoire. Follow the grain of the coat then move lightly in just the opposite direction. Remember that your voice can have a positive and calming effect as well. Speak in a soothing voice throughout the massage.

Once you have begun try not to break the mood with sudden movements, such as readjusting yourself, and try to keep one hand on the animal at all times. Now, just observe your dogs reactions throughout the session. If you sense any grumbling it is best to discontinue the session. If your animal is still a limp, smiling pile of doggie flesh, then chances are you are doing everything right - continue. Dont forget the paws, pads or ears either.

Just how long should this continue? Well, that depends on just how long the dog is willing to relax for you and just how long you hold out to continue the massage. A few minutes to a half hour or more is not as important as the quality of time that you spend with your pet.

Once you have finished allow your pet to nap if it is sleeping. If it is awake and ready to play allow it to do that as well. Never end a session with an abrupt movement that may otherwise undue all the hard work you have both just completed. Let the animal enjoy the benefits while relaxing yourself and contemplating on a job well done.

Without a doubt, most animals enjoy and receive as many benefits from a good massage session as humans do. Elderly and active dogs may benefit from the improved circulation or tension release of a good massage. Puppies gain valuable socialization and touch therapy skills in addition to the massage as well. Overall, massage is a gift both you and your dog may benefit from over and over.

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Many pet owners enjoy the challenge of training their dogs. If the dog is the type that seems to enjoy being trained, it can be a very rewarding experience for both owner and pet. Pit Bulls have the reputation for being stubborn, and few will say it’s not true. To say that the stubborn streak makes the dog untrainable however is completely false.

Take a Pit Bull and owner who have a good trusting relationship with one another and you’ll see a dog who is not only willing to learn, but also learns quickly. If a person who has never trained a dog wants to have his Pit Bull trained, he has two choices. The owner can either train their Pit Bull themselves, or hire a dog trainer to do it for them.

If you have no practical experience training dogs, but still want to try it yourself, then you will need to study up on the various training methods used by top trainers. Heading off to the local library is one way to do this at no cost, as well as researching the subject on the internet. If you have a dog that you feel may be a problem to train, skip the do it yourself and go straight for the trainer.

It will do you well to remember that a person does not need a license to be a dog trainer. Anyone who wishes can set up shop when they want and start accepting clients. It’s for this reason you’ll want to check out any individual who provides dog training before you leave your Pit Bull in their care.

Choosing the right trainer may seem like a daunting task, but it is necessary to have a trainer who has enough experience and knowledge so that the trainer doesn’t create more problems than he fixes. Find out how many years the trainer has been in business of trainer other people’s dogs. Get at least three references that you can call to ask what type of experiences they have had with their trainer.

Certain dogs, such as Pit Bulls, may have an independent streak when it comes to training. Ask the trainer how they handle dogs which may be harder to train. This is important even if your dog does well with you, he may do otherwise with a stranger. If your dog exhibits stubborn behavior, you’ll want to know how the trainer will handle it. You certainly don’t want your Pit Bull mistreated by a short tempered trainer.

To learn all about raising an American Pit Bull Terrier and training Pit Bulls, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

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“Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into sticky situations…”

So begins a story in the latest report from the ASPCA on foods that may be toxic to dogs. It turns out that Magoo got into the pantry and snagged himself about a pound of raisins. He ate the whole thing, of course.

The ASPCA never mentions Magoo’s fate. But they do tell us that as little as a handful of raisins can impair a dogs health and has been fatal for some. Ditto for the grape.

Who Knew?

Growing up, I regarded our family dogs as “the first cycle of the dishwasher”. They were good about waiting their turn for whatever we left on our plates, and we weren’t too concerned about offering them “people food”. It never crossed our minds that our dogs health could be affected by a few measly table scraps. What was safe for us, we figured, was safe for our pets.

What’s more, whenever I ate grapes, I liked to give one or two to our German Shepherd “Tiffany”. The grapes always popped out of her mouth when she tried to bite into them and Tiffany, ever the good sport, refused to give up until she’d squashed each one into submission. It guaranteed at least 60 seconds of harmless fun.

Tiffany was also fond of chewing gum (she chewed it — wrapper and all — but didn’t swallow it!) We had the sugarless kind, which is often sweetened these days with xylitol.

Little did I know that I might have been poisoning our family pet! (More on xylitol below).

Why are grapes harmful?

As far as grapes and raisins go, no one is sure why they’re harmful. It’s been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not to every dog, and not every time. It’s also not known whether small amounts eaten over a long time period could have a cumulative effect.

What we do know is that the end result in nearly all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term “acute” means that the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog ultimately can’t produce urine, which means they can’t filter toxins out of their systems — a process essential to life.

During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based their study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dogs health is entirely unaffected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, the Society advises against feeding pets grapes or raisins in any amount.

An ounce of prevention

So, your dog just scored himself a big box of raisins. What’s a pet owner to do?

The first line of defense, if the grapes or raisins were eaten recently, is to induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal (it absorbs toxins in the GI tract). Vomiting is also the first sign that your dog is in trouble, so skip right to the activated charcoal if vomiting has already occurred. (In a pinch you can make your own activated charcoal by charring a piece of toast until it’s blackened and crumbles easily.) Then call your vet right away.

Can’t reach the vet? Call ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435

The vet will keep your dog on intravenous fluids for at least 48 hours and monitor blood chemistry daily. Normal blood work after 3 days usually means your dog is in the clear.

Keeping a watchful eye out, of course, is the best way to keep your pet out of trouble. Like children, dogs (and other pets) have a knack for getting into mischief when we’re not looking.

It’s Not Just the Grapes…

There are other foods your dog should be kept away from, and some of them may surprise you.

Here are some other foods that can put a dogs health in harms way:

Chocolate

Who can resist chocolate? Like it your not, your dog.
Chocolate is made with cocoa beans and cocoa beans contain a chemical called Theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. So on Valentine’s Day, you’re actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself!
Read my special report on chocolate at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/chocolate to learn more, and see how different types of chocolate have varying effects on dogs health.

Cocoa Mulch

Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production (which is how mulch made it into the “foods” category) and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like the attractive color and scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer. However, some dogs like to eat it and it contains Theobromine.

Fatty foods

Fatty foods are hard for a dog to digest and can can overtax the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. This can threaten your dogs health and is potentially fatal.

Nuts

Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact most nuts are not good for a dogs health since their high phosporus content is said to lead to bladder stones.

Mulch

Mulch isn’t food, but there’s one type tempting enough for dogs to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

Onions

Onions, especially raw onions, have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs. (Stephen J Ettinger, D.V.M and Edward C. Fieldman, D.V.M. ’s book: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg 1884.) Stay away from onion powder too.

Potatoes

Potato poisonings among people and dogs are rare but have occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly absorbed and is only found in green sprouts (these occur in tubers exposed to sunlight) and green potato skins. This explains why incidents seldom occur. Note that cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for a dogs health, actually quite nutritious and digestible.

Artificial Sweeteners

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugarless gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical toxicology for the poison control center, “These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product” states Dr. Dunayer, “…therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately.”

Turkey

Turkey skin is currently thought to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it’s high fat content.

Other foods listed by the ASPCA as harmful:

Alcoholic beverages

Avocado (the only “fatty” member of the vegetable family)

Coffee (all forms of coffee)

Moldy or spoiled foods

Salt

Yeast dough

Garlic

The Bottom Line

Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days. But it’s important to keep up with what’s currently known about foods and their effects on dogs health. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were only discovered very recently to have harmful effects.
Check frequently with sources like the ASPCA, or sign up for the “Cold Noses News” and we’ll keep you informed. (You’ll also get a bunch of cool dog stuff along with your free registration).

Of course, being alert and getting your pet to the vet promptly will help assure a happy outcome if something unfortunate should happen.
Here’s to your dogs health and good nutrition!

Carolyn Schweitzer, a former family dentsit, is owner and editor of several websites, including http://www.Great-Dog-Gift.com.

Visit http://www.great-dog-gift.com/foodarticle to view the full illustrated article with links to resource articles from the ASPCA such as “How to Poison Proof your Home”.

Sign up for the “Cold Noses News” at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/noses to have information like this delivered to your mailbox.

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