Water dogs are inherently strong swimmers. They have waterproof coats and some have webbed feet. Originally, water dogs such as water retrievers, decoys and the all-purpose Newfoundland, were bred to assist fishermen. Some of these dogs still carry out the tasks they were bred for, while others, with their intelligence and desire to please their handlers, have become popular pets for active families who don’t mind living with dogs that simply love to swim.

Water Retrievers

Today’s flat-coated retrievers and Labrador retrievers used to work as fishery dogs, retrieving fish and other objects from the water. Labradors helped to pull small fishing boats. With improvements in firearms, however, hunters shot birds in flight and needed dogs to find and retrieve fallen birds. As the fishery dogs were efficient swimmers and natural retrievers, they were crossed with pointers, setters and other retrievers to hone their bird skills. Other water retrievers include the tough and curly coated Chesapeake Bay retrievers, that navigated the chilly waters of the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve birds. American water spaniels and Irish water spaniels continued to be bred mainly for hunting, and are now rare compared to other water dog breeds. A surprising member of this group is the standard poodle. Poodles were bred in Germany as water retrievers, and their salon style hairdos, originally helped them in the water. The close clip made swimming easier, but the poodles’ coats were left longer on their chests for warmth and around their joints and tail tips for protection.

Pied Pipers of the Shoreline

Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers have webbed feet and are powerful swimmers. They were developed in Canada in the 19th century as decoys. The dogs would chase sticks and play along the shore, sometimes disappearing from view and then reappearing — an activity called tolling. Their antics lured the curious waterfowl closer to the shore and into waiting nets or within shooting range. The dogs also retrieved fallen birds from the sea. These high-energy, playful dogs make great pets, but they need long walks and a daily play session.

The Fisherman’s Friend

Portuguese water dogs have long, curly waterproof coats, webbed feet and can work all day. They were once found all along Portugal’s coastline, herding fish into nets, retrieving lost equipment from the sea and taking messages between ships and back to shore. In the early 20th century the dogs started to disappear, along with traditional fishing methods. A wealthy Portuguese shipping magnate saved the breed and these robust water dogs arrived in the United States in the 1950s. The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America has created water trials — modern day water work activities — to help develop and promote the breed’s historical water abilities.

Heroes and All-Purpose Dogs

The massive Newfoundlands, with their heavy black or brown coats, large webbed feet, powerful hindquarters and well-developed lungs cope easily with long distance swimming, even in the coldest conditions. They were developed in Newfoundland as all-purpose dogs. They rescued people from drowning, carried lifelines to ships in trouble and helped fishermen, by hauling their heavy fishing nets through the cold sea. Back on land, Newfoundlands pulled carts and acted as pack horses and still serve as draft dogs today. Newfoundlands can also be found patrolling beaches in Britain, France and Italy, where they continue to save lives. The Newfoundland Club of America in 1973 started a program of water tests comprised of exercises designed to develop and demonstrate the Newfoundlands’ instinctive lifesaving abilities in the water.

 

People put their pets up for adoption for any number of reasons. It’s easy to assume these reasons are selfish, but sadly some are forced to re-home their four-legged friends because they’ve lost their jobs and homes, or because disability renders them unable to care for their animals. It’s never an easy decision to surrender a pet, but sometimes it’s the right thing to do. Have a question? Get an answer from a Vet now!

A Tough Call

Having a dog is a great responsibility. Dogs rely on their owners for more than just playing fetch and affection. They need shelter, food and veterinary care. When owners are scrambling to provide their dogs with the basics and find themselves slipping on annual vaccinations, it’s time for them to consider making a difficult choice. Re-homing your best friend may be the most difficult thing you have to do, but you will ultimately be fulfilling your promise to ensure his safety and well-being.

Time Is of the Essence

Regardless of the reason, those looking to put their dogs up for adoption must leave themselves plenty of time to take the necessary steps to ensure their pets end up in safe, loving homes. Re-homing a pet requires more than just a few days, a couple of weeks and even a month. Time is needed not only to find someone willing to take in a new dog, but also to check that person’s background and references. Give yourself at least two months.

Rescue Organizations

The first thing to do is check out local rescue organizations. Even if they are overwhelmed and cannot immediately take your pooch and put him in a foster home, they might be able to help spread the word about your situation. Of course you can advertise your dog online without any help, but rescues can save you time in dealing with respondents. They have experience weeding out puppy mill owners and others whose intentions for adoptable dogs may be less than stellar.

No-Kill Shelters

People who are trying to re-home their dog should also check out no-kill shelters, even if they aren’t nearby. Shelters are usually overwhelmed, but may still be able to help. If a no-kill shelter is far away, there are transportation services available. Rescue organizations or sites like the Shelter Exchange, a nonprofit organization that provides a free Web service that helps connect dogs with adopters, should be able to suggest safe and reputable transportation companies or volunteers.

Unlike a doctor’s office that may be filled with whatever cold or flu is going around, a vet’s office may lack the sense of camaraderie that a room full of sniffling humans can provide. While there are a multitude of reasons that can bring your dog to the vet, your pet’s fellow patients might have more common than you think.

Just like little kids, pets experience a variety of health conditions, but can’t exactly explain to you what they are feeling. While most often the conditions are minor, signs of illness or change in behavior are best treated with a trip to the vet.

Veterinary Pet Insurance analyzed data from 500,000 insured cats and dogs over the previous year to find the top 10 medical conditions leading to a visit with a veterinarian.

The most common conditions in dogs:

Skin Allergies

Ear Infection

Chronic Kidney Disease

Skin Infection

Arthritis

Upset Stomach/Vomiting

Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea

Periodontitis/Dental Disease

Bladder or Urinary Tract Disease

Soft Tissue Trauma (Bruise or Contusion)

Is your dog plagued by itchy skin? VPI had more than 77,000 claims for dog skin allergies, with an average cost of $187 per dog and topped the chart as the most common reason for vet visits.

“To prevent some of the discomfort that so many pets experience from common diseases, the place to start would be by checking them regularly for developing problems,” says Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Many of the conditions on our Top 10 list each year can be stopped early or successfully managed in partnership with a veterinarian.”

VPI urges pet owners to familiarize themselves with their pets’ routine and behavior and schedule regular semiannual veterinary examinations to help prevent and identify medical conditions before they become serious or costly.

Before learning the meaning of any word or verbal command, dogs respond to the sound and tone of their person’s voice. Dog trainer Cesar Milan explains that communication people have with their dogs through exercise and affection conditions and prepares dogs for training. Like people, dogs learn at their own pace. Practice patience and compassion when training your dog.

Sit, Stay, Come, Down

Before attempting to teach your dog a new verbal command, get his full and undivided attention. Distractions in the area can make it too tempting to pay attention to something else. Start with simple, basic commands such as sit and stay. Use positive rewards such as a small treat — and of course, praise. Tell your dog what a good boy he is and use your tone of voice to exclaim it. Express praise and reward your dog with a treat at the very moment she sits.

The following is an excerpt from Petfinder’s FurKeeps Kickoff Live Facebook Q&A.

Q: My 2 1/2-year-old Greyhound tries to eat things like napkins, Kleenex, etc. She also chews on baskets and some of the kids’ toys.

Is this still puppy behavior? How can I stop it?

A: Your Greyhound is too old to be teething, so chewing is just something she finds rewarding. Some dogs are “hard chewers” all their lives — think Pit Bulls and Labs. You don’t see it as much in Greyhounds, but that just goes to show that each dog is an individual.

ThinkstockWhat can you do about it? Remove access to what she wants to chew, or shred in the case of the paper products (a very common behavior), and provide her with plenty of appropriate dog chew toys, and maybe even put her kibble in food-dispensing toys (such as a frozen Kong toy) so she has to work for her breakfast.

You can also try taste-aversives on things like the baskets. Use bitter apple furniture cream on wood or wicker and the pump spray on fabric. There are other brands on the market as well if you find she likes the taste of rubbing alcohol and crabapple juice.

You hear that familiar slurp-slurp-slurp of your dog drinking water … except it’s not coming from the direction of your dog’s water bowl. Instinctively, you head toward the bathroom, peek inside and yes, that’s right: there is your dog happily lapping up water from the toilet like you purposely left it open for him as a treat.

Sigh. Life with dogs.

Sure, drinking from the toilet is kind of amusing. (I mean, come on! He’s drinking from the toilet!) And yes, it’s really disgusting. (I mean, come on. He’s drinking from the toilet.) So why do dogs do this peculiar behavior?

Why Do Dogs Drink from the Toilet?

Two words: fresh water. Ignore, for a moment, the pesky detail that this supposedly “fresh” water is coming from a place where humans — well, you know. To your dog, a toilet is a convenient place where fresh, cool water is abundant and readily available. That bowl of water you just put out for your dog? Stagnant and old, according to your dog. When you think about it, it’s actually kind of smart to choose the seemingly fresher choice in the large porcelain bowl over the one in the small bowl that’s been sitting there who knows how long.

Another reason a dog might drink from the toilet: He finished the water in his water bowl, he’s still thirsty, and he’s in search of another source of water. Thirsty dog, meet toilet bowl.

Just How Bad is Toilet-drinking, Anyway?

According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center website, “bacterial-related gastrointestinal problems could occur from drinking stagnant toilet water, so it is a good idea to discourage your dog from imbibing from the commode.” Toilet water could also be filled with household-cleaner chemicals and other junk you don’t want your dog drinking, especially if you just cleaned the toilet, or if you use drop-in toilet bowl cleaning tablets.

Craig Murphy/Flickr

Thankfully, if your dog drinks from a toilet that contains drop-in cleaners, it’s not likely to be a problem beyond stomach upset, assuming that you followed the cleaner label’s directions, according to the APCC. If your dog is showing signs of serious illness, contact your local veterinarian or call the APCC hotline at 888-426-4435.

How Can I Stop This Gross Behavior?

You don’t have to put up with potty drinking for long — you just have to modify your behavior first.

1. Leave the toilet lid down. This is one of those duh things that some people don’t do because it’s just so easy to forget. If the toilet water is inaccessible, then your dog can’t drink it. Of course, there are always those crafty canines that somehow manage to lift up the toilet lid anyway, which brings us to No. 2 on the list.

2. Close the bathroom door. If leaving the toilet lid down doesn’t deter your dog from drinking from the toilet, then close the bathroom door. This gives you the added bonus of keeping your dog out of the bathroom altogether and away from potentially poisonous or harmful chemicals, medicines and toiletries.

3. Keep your dog’s water bowl filled. Make sure your dog always has easy access to fresh, clean water. A dog who turns up his nose at water that has been sitting stagnant for days (or even hours) will probably go in search of a fresher alternative (read: the toilet). Also, a dog who is a big drinker might finish his water before his thirst is quenched, so be on the lookout for an empty water bowl, and fill it accordingly.

4. Try a gadget or gizmo. If all else fails and your dog still craves a taste of the toilet, there are products available that might help, including automatic water bowls and fountains that keep the water circulating and fresh. You could also try installing a toilet-seat lid locks, which will let you easily use the toilet but fasten shut when not in use.

Even though we give them lots of good scratches, when it comes to grooming, the ears of dogs are frequently the most neglected parts of their bodies. But their ears are also one of the most important areas to attend to. Ear infections can be serious, and can begin easily if an animal’s ears are not kept clean. After all, how will Biffer know when to start salivating if his ears don’t pick up the sound of kibble hitting his bowl? Make sure your furry guests keep their ears perked up by following these simple steps.

Thinkstock1. To Clean or Not to Clean, That is the Question

Be careful! If the dog’s ears have an offensive odor, or if he has been scratching them repeatedly, you should not remove the icky stuff that might have accumulated; whatever’s there can help your vet determine the cause of the “ear-itation” and figure out how to treat it. So if he’s scratching, or if you’re tempted to plug your nose while cleaning his ears, you should turn the task over to your veterinarian or veterinary technician first; she can take swabs of the substance for examination.

2. Ear We Are

Before you start your scrubbing, make sure you’ve set the table. You should have your supplies set out and ready to go. Put out your cotton balls and cleanera commercially prepared ear cleaner with a low alcohol content is best. Wash your hands thoroughly so you don’t introduce any infectious particles to the dog’s ears. You may want to work with a buddy; your friend can provide distracting pats while the ear cleaning takes place.

3. Wipe Out!

Once you’ve determined that your dog’s ears are merely dirty and not full of mites or infection, you can remove the dirt. Using a cotton ball moistened with mineral oil, gently wipe out the inner surface of the animal’s earflap. Discard the first cotton ball and moisten another; with this one, clean out the part of the ear canal that you can see. Stop when you feel resistance-don’t try to stick the cotton ball any farther into the ear than it should go. Repeat this process on the other ear. Make sure you remove any foreign matter, whether it’s dirt, bugs, or just waxy buildup.

4. Ears to You!

Give your furry friend a pat, give your helper a high-five, and send your little buddy on his way. Now he’ll be well-prepared to hear those wonderful words:

“Look, honey, he’s beautiful! He’d be a wonderful new member of our family.”

“Oh, you’re right. And his ears are so clean!”