Midge bite misery

Longer days and warmer nights mean that summer is getting nearer. For many horses and ponies, it brings with it the misery of sweet itch. The condition, which is found throughout the temperate regions of the world, is also known as kasen, Queensland itch, summer itch or summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis.

Affected animals are very itchy and will rub on anything they can find. They often have bald patches in their mane and at the base of the tail. In severe cases the skin may be sore and weeping. The signs tend to get worse over the grazing season.

Up to 5% of horse and ponies in Britain suffer from sweet itch. Many breeds are affected. Although it is often thought of as a disease of ponies, horses of any size can be affected. Even Shires are not immune.

Sweet itch is an allergic disease in which the horse or pony over-reacts to bites from certain species of midge. Normally, when exposed to foreign proteins, an animal produces antibodies that help to inactivate the foreign material. Horses affected with sweet itch have an abnormal immune response. Instead of producing the normal antibodies, they produce allergic antibodies which cause the allergic reaction in the skin. It is not that the midges only bite certain horses. They probably bite all horses, but only affected horses react.

Only the female midges feed on blood. They cut the skin with their mouthparts and secrete saliva, which contains active substances to dilate the blood vessels, and stop the blood clotting. The midges then drink the resulting pool of fluid. The midges tend to feed along the top of the horse, from the ears to the tail and under the belly. So those are the areas most commonly affected. When you consider that several hundred midges can be found on a single pony in an hour, it is not surprising that some ponies will have such a marked reaction.

At present there is no cure for the disease. Once an animal is affected the signs are likely to recur annually, usually getting worse each year. But there are several things you can do to reduce the irritation and make the horses more comfortable.

Ideally, the aim should be to prevent the midges biting in the first place. This may require several different lines of attack.

As the midges are active between dawn and dusk, bringing ponies into a stable overnight can reduce their exposure to the midges. You can put fine mesh netting over the windows to try to keep the midges out, and hang sticky fly strips in the stable to catch those that do get inside.

Try to avoid pasture in damp boggy areas, shaded by hedges and tress, which is an ideal breeding ground for the midges.

Insecticidal fly repellents may help, but need to be applied frequently. Various oil-based preparations are available, which may act as a barrier and help repel the midges. Again they need to be applied frequently.

Protective blankets such as the Boett blanket that cover the horse's body and prevent the midges reaching their favorite feeding sites are usually very effective.

There are various things that can be done to reduce the horse's reaction to the midge bites.

Short-acting corticosteroids such as prednisolone tablets are usually safe and effective. Longer acting corticosteroid injections may increase the risk of the pony developing laminitis. As a result, many vets are reluctant to treat sweet itch with corticosteroids.

Anti-histamines generally have little effect once the allergic reaction has started. They are more likely to cause sedation than reduce the itching.

A vaccine can be prepared to try to stimulate the pony to produce good antibodies rather that the allergic ones that cause the problem. Regular doses are injected (initially every other day) in the hope of inducing a normal immune response to replace the allergic one. Opinions among veterinarians and dermatologists are divided on whether this treatment is effective. So it is obviously something you would need to discuss with your veterinarian first.

But there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Research at University College London suggests that regular treatment with a preparation containing certain killed bacteria may modify the immune response in affected horses. A trial is currently underway and the initial results look promising.

Enjoyable activities with your dog

A dog is more than just a pet. It is a friend one can always count on when things go wrong and no one seems to care. Having a dog for a pet is not just about feeding it and giving it a good home. It also takes maintenance to keep that dog strong and fit.

Spending time with man’s best friend further deepens the relationship one has with a pet. It tells the dog that the owner loves being with it and by either playing or working together; it strengthens the communication, understanding and respect between man and animal.

There are many ways to teach a dog discipline and learn new tricks and by teaching it through games instead of the normal routine added with a little imagination, it can both be fun for the dog and the owner.

One game is called follow the leader. This activity consists of a group of owners and the dogs. By placing objects such as cones or cans on the ground and making the group go around these objects, the dog will learn to follow when it is called. Further strengthening that could be by switching who the leader is and doing the entire process all over again.

Another game is hide and seek. Children play this game with other children but by teaching the dog to stay in one place then have the dog search for the person when the dog’s name is called, it teaches the dog discipline and will make the dog learn to wait until being called.

One can modify this game by a hiding a treat in a certain area and have the dog look for it. The animal will learn to use its keen sense of smell to search for things and be rewarded for it.

Waking up in the morning and taking the dog out for a jog is another good chance to spend time with the dog. This gives both the owner and pet a good exercise keeping both physically active and in shape. Dogs like to play often and by sometimes changing the game with a little twist like catching the Frisbee or fetching the stick; it not only strengthens the limbs but also involves some thinking on the part of the dog to successfully catch the object.

Spending quality time with ones dog through a variety of activities is fun. It gives the animal an opportunity to learn good manners making it easier to live with and make the owner enjoy how wonderful the experience can be.

American pit bull terrier is it the right dog breed for you

If you’re thinking about owning a Pit Bull terrier, it is important to understand the characteristics of the breed as well as your current lifestyle. Caring for a Pit Bull is a long-term commitment that needs to be taken seriously, not just a simple hobby that you participate in when time permits.

Unfortunately it is very difficult for many dogs to find a second home in the event that their owners “change their minds” and decide they don’t want a dog after all. The situation is even worse for Pit Bulls due to their reputation in today’s society.

Do you have the time and the energy to commit to a high energy breed such as a Pit Bull? Pit Bull terriers have very high exercise requirements and are happiest when they get plenty of play time.

If you are interested in owning a Pit Bull, you should possess a similar sense of adventure. A day at the beach, a park, or just playing frisbee in the backyard are all excellent things to do with your four-legged friend. These activities will also strengthen the bond between you and your dog and make ownership even more rewarding.

If you’re more of an inside person however and don’t enjoy exercising daily, you should seriously rethink your idea of Pit Bull ownership. There are many other excellent dog breeds that will probably be more suitable to your lifestyle and it isn't fair to penalize your dog simply because you are too selfish to get an alternative breed.

If you still are set on owning a Pit Bull, it is important that you begin training your dog as soon as you bring him home. Pit Bulls who aren’t properly trained can become more than a handful. On the other hand, a well-trained Pit can regularly impress others with good behavior.

Obedience training for your dog

There are dogs that do not have bad behaviors, and even if their owners are trying hard to tech them to obey some simple commands, these dogs are hardheaded. Chances are, many owners would just dump them to dog pounds because they are already fed up, and could no longer understand the behavior anymore.

These things should have been avoided if obedience training was used and implemented. Mostly obedience training in dogs is used to create a groundwork from which the dog and his master will learn how to effectively correspond to each other.

Moreover, obedience training is also employed by dog owners whose dogs are behaving badly. It is one way of incorporating discipline in the dog’s behavior. This kind of training makes him realize that certain behaviors are not allowed and that he should not act that way.

When obedience training is incorporated to a dog’s behavior, the dog, in turn, will be able to respond properly with the right behavior that is expected of him to manifest.

Consequently, many dog owners are wondering whether it would be better if professional should handle their dog’s obedience training. In most cases, it needs a professional trainer or an obedience school to teach the proper way to follow a command. However, if the dog owner feels he can do just the same, then, there is no special condition for that matter.

However, whether the obedience training is done at home, by a professional trainer, or in an obedience school, there are things that must be considered when incorporating this kind of training. Here is a list of the things that should be taken into account.

1. Fun

Obedience training does not necessarily mean that strict rules should be imposed. This is because the dog is not aware of the reasons why he should be trained. Therefore, for him to respond to the commands, the training must be done in such a way that the dog sees the activity as something that is fun.

The dog would be able to respond positively if he sees that whenever he follows what he is asked to do, he gets rewards or praises, and that is having fun for them.

2. Consistency

During the course of obedience training, it is really important to have consistency in the training. For example, if a dog was allowed to sit on the rug the other day and when the dog tried to sit on the rug today, he was scolded. Things like these should not be taken for granted. It is extremely important to teach the dogs what he should and should not do and stick to it. Confusion will only make the matters worst.

3. Obedience training instructor/trainer

When people choose to enroll their dogs in an obedience class, it is important to analyze the trainer before the owner leaves his dog. The character and personality of the trainer is extremely important. They should be professional enough to know how to handle the dog’s behavior and how to train them properly.

4. Referrals

It is best not to try new and unfamiliar obedience training schools. This could be really risky both for you and for your dog. It would be better if dog owners will ask for some referrals from their veterinarians, dog breeders, or other people who can give their honest opinions.

5. Charges

Not all obedience training schools are created equal. They vary depending on the kind of services that they offer. Therefore, it is best to consider the amount of charges that they provide and the dog owners should know how to analyze if the prices are worth it.

6. Methods used in the training

It is highly recommended that dog owners should contemplate first on the kind of methods being used in the training. This is because some obedience training schools do not use the appropriate method in training the dog. In this manner, dog owners do not get the results that they had paid for in the end.

Indeed, obedience training can be very useful in fulfilling most of the dog’s essential needs. It gives them something to direct their skills and actions thereby making them reliable and happy pets.

Most people just don’t know this but one of the reasons why dogs behave inappropriately is because they don’t have the right direction to guide their actions and that they are confused on how to respond appropriately with the environmental and social variables that they encounter.

With obedience training, dogs will surely be on their way to happier and more enjoyable stay with their masters and the people around them.

The invisible command how you may be sabotaging your dog training efforts

I was sitting in the waiting room of my local HMO with a sinus infection and happened to pick up the recent issue of Outdoor Life magazine. Actually, it was the only thing to read, but that didn't bother me as most hunting publications usually include at least one article on dog training.

I was lucky, as this month's dog training article was interesting enough for me to tie into this week's e-zine issue.

On page 36, sandwiched between the 'Professional Bass Tournament'article and the "His camo-painted truck and 'Kiss My Bass' bumper sticker are the only endorsements you'll ever need" advertisement, I found a story by veteran dog man, Larry Mueller.

Mueller recants meeting 82 year-old James Evans, of Naruna, Va. who owned an 11 year-old Lab-weimaraner cross that could allegedly multiply numbers!!!

Mueller states that, "Evans decided to teach [his] dog to count to 10... 'What's the first number?' One bark. 'What comes after one?' Two barks. And so on. [His] dog counted backward, too, in addition to correctly answering what comes before or after any number not exceeding 10."

As a professional dog trainer, I hear amazing stories like this all the time. The only problems is that upon further investigation... they NEVER turn out to be true.

Mueller writes, "Evans began to suspect that [the] dog was reading his mind."

However, anyone who has studied the dog's mind (and canine behavior in general) knows that:

1.) Dogs can't read our mind. They read our body language.

2.) Dogs can't do math. Especially multiplication.

Mueller must have come to the same conclusion as I did, because he decided to review several video tapes of Evans and his dog performing their multiplication trick. But it wasn't until he actually met with Evans that he was able to ascertain how the dog was figuring out the math problems.

"All I knew for sure was that James Evans was no trickster trying to deceive the public for gain," and that the old man had wanted to know how the dog did it, as much as anyone.

Mueller continues, "I studied the video tape and recognized that the word, ' What's ' could be the cue to start barking. I thought the signal to stop might be Evans withdrawing his hand from his pocket with a kibble reward. But it didn't correlate, so I asked Evans if I could rig something to tell us the approximate location of the cue, if there was one."

To make a long story longer, Mueller found that when the dog could not see Evans, he stopped getting the answers right! After further study, Mueller noted, "I noticed an almost imperceptible twitch-- a reflex action like a blink occurring without conscious thought... I asked Evans to stand motionless. He found it difficult, and [his] dog's barks in answer to his questions [became] random." When Evans wasn't allowed to subconsciously cue the dog, the dog was no longer able to come up with the correct answers.

In sum, the dog was relying on his owner for the answers. Which, in and of itself is a pretty impressive feat, even if it isn't comparable to knowing your multiplication tables!

Here's two examples that probably apply to your daily training:

1.) Many owners tend to start bending over before telling their dog the, "Down" command. Because of this, the dog starts to cue off the owner's body language (just as Evan's dog did) and lays down anytime the owner bends over... but not if the owner stands up straight and issues the command!

Solution: Always give the command FIRST, before bending over and making the dog do it. This way, the dog will link the behavior with the command, rather than with your body language.

2.) Amateur handlers tend to tell their dog "Heel," and then walk with their shoulders angled back towards their dog, so that they can look at their dog while they're walking.

The problem with this is that the dog reads your body language and attempts to align himself with your shoulders, thus lagging behind the owner, rather than walking in the heel position (aligned with your left heal.)

Solution: Keep both shoulders straight forward as you walk. If you need to look at your dog (you should)... cock your head, without angling your shoulders. This will keep your dog lined up right alongside you.

That's all for now, folks!

Adam