What is National Pet Dental Health Month about?

Celebrated every February, National Pet Dental Health Month was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to highlight how important oral health is to overall health, happiness and wellbeing of your pet.

If you don’t brush your pet’s teeth every day, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that only 2% of dog owners brush their dog’s teeth on the daily despite recommendations from veterinarians across the US to do so. As a result, supplemental dog dental chews that are proven effective in fighting plaque and controlling tartar become an important part of a dog’s daily routine along with routine dental cleanings.

When Do Dental Problems Start?

According to US Veterinarians, periodontal disease, a gum disease caused by plaque and tartar buildup, is the most common dental condition for dogs, with 80% exhibiting evidence of the disease by age 3.

Related article: Periodontal Disease and Treatment

How to Prevent Dental Health Issues in Dogs

When it comes to dental health care in dogs, offense is the best defense. Brushing your dog’s teeth and providing a daily dog dental chew are great ways to reduce plaque and tartar accumulation.

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Common Ear Problems in Dogs

The discomfort that comes when you have an earache hardly needs explanation, but imagine for a minute that your ear — inflamed and filled with water or wax — can’t be cleaned or improved by your own hand. You can't voice your pain or your need for help, either. All you can do is shake your head back and forth over and over until someone notices, diagnoses the problem and administers what is necessary to nurse you back to health. So is the life of your beloved dog when they come down with an ear problem of some kind, and ear problems are extraordinarily common in dogs.

Learn more about the most common types of ear problems in dogs, and how pet parents can help bring relief to their dogs.

Airborne Allergies

Most canine ear problems stem from an allergy of some type. The two most prevalent are airborne and food allergies.

As with humans, airborne allergies often occur seasonally, which means that a dog with allergies may be more prone to ear infections anytime from April to September, depending on the allergen (like pollen or grass) that’s causing the reaction.

There are many products available to combat these allergies, but the simplest things owners can do are to bathe their dogs regularly (avoid getting soap or water in their ears) and, if possible, remove the allergen from their environment. This also means it may be important to walk your dog on concrete/the sidewalk if they are allergic to grass or keeping your dog indoors as much as possible during allergy season if it is a pollen allergy.

You may also discuss giving your dog antihistamines with your veterinarian (who can prescribe the appropriate medication and dose). Do not try to give your pet an antihistamine without consulting your pet's veterinarian.

Food Allergies

Food allergies will affect dogs as long as the offending ingredient is a part of their diet and can continue to be bothersome for weeks after consumption. The most common types of food allergies include beef, chicken, eggs, and dairy. For treatment, a vet or veterinary nutritionist will likely recommend dietary treatment in conjunction with corticosteroids (steroids to help decrease inflammation and itching) or other pharmaceutical treatments to keep the dog comfortable.

Dietary treatments for food allergies include a novel protein diet (feeding your dog a protein they haven’t eaten before, like kangaroo, deer or some types of fish) or a hydrolyzed diet, which neutralizes allergens by shrinking down the protein source in a specific food so that a dog’s body can no longer recognize them. These diets should be discussed with a veterinarian prior to starting, as most are prescription-based and there are specific protocols pet owners will need to follow in order to rule out a food allergy in their dogs.

Bacterial Infections

Most of the bacterial infections that affect a dog’s skin and their ear canals are strains of staph, but they are not the same type that infects humans, so owners shouldn’t worry about them being contagious. There are antibiotic and non-antibiotic treatments for bacterial infections, with the latter being used in chronic cases to prevent resistance.

Non-antibiotic treatments include shampoos with chlorhexidine as well as common bleach, both of which kill the bacteria on the skin, but it’s recommended you try these remedies in consultation with your vet (and avoid using any shampoos inside of your dog’s ear canal). Once treated properly, the infection should clear up within two to three weeks.

Yeast Infections

Almost all cases of yeast infections in dogs stem from an allergy, as allergies produce an excess of oil on a dog’s skin, including in their ears, creating an environment in which yeast can thrive and multiply. Yeast infections can be treated by a combination of systemic and topical anti-fungal medications. Like their bacterial counterparts, yeast infections will clear up in about two to three weeks once properly treated.

Mites

These microscopic insects can drive small animals crazy. Although they’re not the largest source of ear problems in dogs, they can be particularly troublesome for cats, and dogs who live with cats are much more susceptible to ear mites.

Ear mites can be treated by anti-parasitic medications applied either systemically or to the ear canal directly. Secondary infections of the ear canals with bacteria or yeast are common in patients with ear mites, so these may need to be addressed with topical medications and ear cleansers as well.

Foreign Objects

Fortunately, cases of foreign objects getting lodged in a dog’s ear canal are pretty rare. A very small number of canine ear problems are related to foreign objects, and when they are, the objects are fairly small, including plant debris, a fly or dried ear medication.

If you suspect your dog has an ear problem or has something stuck in their ear, bring your pup to your veterinarian for a thorough otic exam. Your veterinarian will use specific tools, like an otoscope, to look at your dog’s entire ear canal and ear drum and properly diagnose the issue. Never use cotton swabs in your dog’s ear, as these can worsen the problem by breaking inside the ear canal, rupturing your dog’s eardrum or pushing the foreign object (or wax) further into the ear canal and against the eardrum.

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Potty Train Your Puppy

When deciding how to potty train a puppy, or a newly adopted dog, you have two options— train them to relieve themselves outdoors, or inside your home on a pee pad and then transition them to the outdoors. We’ll take you through both options and give you tips to incorporate crate potty training into your plan.

How to Train a Puppy to Pee Outside

Your puppy can tell you they have to relieve themselves if you teach them a “potty cue.” Potty cues begin by showing your pet how to signal they want to go outdoors. From there, your puppy will associate the feeling of peeing with being outside of your home. Here’s how to get started!

Step 1: Teach your puppy the potty cue

Have your puppy sit by the door you want them to signal at or exit from. When your pet barks, open the door and let them out. Rather not teach your pup to bark? Try a bell. When your pet rings the bell, open the door and take them outside. Remember, the potty cue is just for going potty, don’t let your puppy play too much outside after doing their business - otherwise, they will associate the cue with getting to play outside, not just going potty.

What to do if you need to change the potty cue

So you taught your puppy to bark when they need to go to the bathroom, but now they bark nonstop. You can try teaching them a new cue like sitting at the door. You could even place a rug by the door, and train your puppy to know that when they sit on the rug, you open the door. From here, repeat steps two and three to complete your pet’s retraining.

Step 2: Determine a set potty area

Put your puppy on a leash and walk them out to the part of the yard you want your dog to relieve themselves at. Don’t continue walking. Instead, wait for your pet to relieve themselves. When your puppy does, reward them with treats and verbal praise. This will make peeing outside a positive experience. If they don’t go, take your puppy back in the house and repeat. They will catch on fast.

Step 3: Use a crate when you’re not home

When you aren’t home with your pet, confine them to an area, such as a crate. This helps limit accidents in your bedroom, living room, or any other areas when you aren’t there to hear or see the cue.

The Indoors-to-Outdoors Method

If you don’t have a yard, or your puppy is in the process of completing their shots, it may be best to begin potty training indoors and then transition your pet to the outdoors. To begin training your dog to relieve themselves in the correct place indoors, you’ll need to learn how to potty train a puppy on pads, or how to get started with crate potty training.

How to potty train a puppy on pads

Determine a confined area to begin house training—like the bathroom or the laundry room (ideally somewhere with easy to clean floors in case of accidents!). Whichever area you decide, make sure it’s puppy-proofed and remove any harmful products. Next, set up the space by covering the floor with pee pads and placing your pet’s bed in a corner of the room.

To help you get started with a routine, here are some steps you can follow:

STEP 1: Change pee pads often but place a small piece of the soiled pad on top of the clean pad in the area you want your puppy to pee. The scent reminds your puppy that this area is the bathroom.

STEP 2: Remove the pee pads closest to your pet’s bed once your puppy is peeing in the same area.

STEP 3: Continue removing the pee pads until you have removed all but one or two sheets.

When you have consistent success with your puppy only using one or two pee pads, you can gradually expand the area they have access to. If accidents begin to occur, reduce the area. For pet parents who plan to transition their puppy to an indoor or patio grass “potty,” migrate the papers near this spot. Now, you’re ready to teach your puppy a potty cue so they can relieve themselves outdoors.

Crate potty training

Before you begin crate potty training, you need the right size containment. Keep in mind your pet only needs enough space to stand up, turn around, and lie down. Any more room will encourage them to relieve themselves in one corner and sleep in another. Some crates come with dividers so you can adjust the size as they grow.

To get your puppy used to their crate, toss a treat in and allow them to go inside and come back out. Praise your puppy each time they enter. Work your way up to your pet spending 10 minutes in their crate and then longer once they’re comfortable. When your puppy associates their crate as their living space, crate potty training begins.

Instead of soiling the area where they sleep and eat, they’ll let you know they need to go. Like other potty training methods, developing a routine is key. Within fifteen minutes of eating, drinking or playing, your puppy should have the opportunity to relieve themselves. For more tips on crate potty training, check out our crate training guide.

How Long Does it Take to Potty Train a Puppy?

There is no defined timeframe when it comes to how to potty train a puppy. There are many factors that come into play, with consistency being the most important. Be sure to reward your puppy when they follow their training plan.

Dealing with accidents

Accidents will happen no matter how much you try to prevent them. It’s a matter of determining the cause and reinforcing positive behavior. Recognizing when your pet is stressed or what continually triggers accidents will help you come up with corrective measures. For cleaning up messes, be sure to give the soiled area a good cleaning. Pet-safe stain removers and odor removers are good cleaning products to have on hand.

Keep in mind that even a house-trained puppy will have accidents when out and about. To limit this behavior, keep your puppy’s schedule as consistent as possible. If you’re going on a trip or visiting friends, take your puppy on a long walk with lots of opportunities to empty their bladder beforehand. Bringing toys is another useful technique, as they can help keep your pet focused on an activity.

Potty training a puppy takes time and commitment, so don’t lose your patience. When you feel your pet is straying off course, return to the basics. Whichever method you choose, stick to it and develop a routine. With positive reinforcement, your pet will begin to recognize when they are showing good behavior. Stay prepared by shopping all the potty training supplies you’ll need!

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How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Leash

You’ve just adopted a new puppy or an older dog, and want to learn how to leash train them—one of the first, and most important dog training basics to cover.

What you will need:

• A collar or harness: buckle collar, Martingale, head halter (like the Gentle Leader or Halti), or front-clip harness (Easy-Walk or Freedom No-pull)

• A leash: 4-foot or 6-foot length (not a retractable leash)

• Treats

To start training:

1. Fill your pocket or treat pouch with treats.

2. Decide what side you’d like the dog to walk on, and hold a few treats on that side of your body. For example, if you’d like your dog to walk on the left side, hold treats in your left hand.

3. Hold your leash in the hand opposite the dog. For example, if your dog is on your left, hold the end of the leash in your right hand.  Let the rest of it hang loosely in a “J”.

4. Take a step, then stop.  It’s okay if the dog doesn’t stay in “heel” position. Feed the dog some treats from your hand, in line with the seam of your pants.  This will help you position the dog.

5. Repeat. Take step, stop, feed a treat at your side, along the seam of your pants. 

6. When the dog is looking eagerly up at you for more treats, take two steps instead of one before stopping and feeding the dog.

7. If the dog pulls ahead, stop walking immediately.  Call your dog back to you, or use the treats in your hand to lure the dog back to your side, but don't treat them yet: take two to three steps forward before feeding.  This is to prevent teaching a sequence like: “I pull ahead, I come back, I eat.” We want them to learn that walking alongside you on a loose leash makes treats happen, not pulling.

8. Gradually take more steps between each treat. You can talk to your dog to help keep their attention on you.

9. When the dog walks well on a loose leash, give this kind of walk a name. It could be “heel,” “with me,” “let’s walk,” or another word/phrase of your choice.

10. Release your dog (“all done,” “okay,” “that’ll do,” etc.) when they no longer need to walk in “heel” position.

To teach an “off-duty” walk:

This will be used in relaxed moments when the dog doesn’t need to be in “heel” position. The only rule will be, “You can’t pull forward.”

1. Pick a word to signal this new kind of walk. You might use, “free time,” or “hike,” or “at ease,” or another word of your choice, as long as it is different from your formal walk cue.

2. Decide how much leash to give your dog. If you walk your dog on a 6-foot leash, you might simply hold the loop end and let the rest hang loose. If you hold some of the leash in your hand, plan on doing so throughout the walk, rather than releasing and gathering it several times. This is to teach the dog how much leash will be available to them.

3. Give your dog the cue (“free time”) and start walking. They can sniff, change sides, look around, lie down occasionally; anything but pulling. 

4. If your dog pulls forward, stop moving and call them back toward you before starting again.

5. If your dog fixates on a person, dog or another animal, call your dog’s name and if possible, move in the opposite direction. Getting closer to the distraction will be harder, and will most likely set your dog up to pull.

6. If you’d like your dog to walk in “heel” position (due to an approaching walker, bike, etc.), bring them back to your side and cue them (“heel”). 

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The Benefits of Walking Your Dog

When you say, “It’s time to walk the dog,” many people assume that your pup needs to potty. Yes, walking the dog is essential to keeping the household carpet unblemished, but taking a stroll with your pup provides many other benefits. Walking your dog is a simple task that has a positive impact on many aspects of overall health such as—

Weight and body condition

Obesity is a major health issue, but barring medical complications, it has a reasonable solution: burn more calories than consumed. Regular exercise, like walking, is a good way to burn those excess calories and keep the pounds off both you and your dog.

Joint health

Immobility is another common health problem. Joints, even old ones, need to work. People and pets get stiff when sedentary for too long, and keeping joints in motion improves their function.

Digestive and urinary health

Regular walking helps regulate the digestive tract. Some dogs, like some people, prefer to “go” on a schedule, and providing your dog with routine trips outdoors prevents constipation. Also, when urine sits in the bladder for long periods of time, bladder infections are more likely to occur, so regular emptying keeps this part of the anatomy happy and healthy as well.

Of course, it’s important to consult your doctor and your veterinarian before embarking on an exercise program.

Can’t my dog get all of those benefits with a good run around the yard?

There are plenty of benefits to walking that goes beyond physical health. For example—

Mental health

Dogs don’t like to be bored and if you give them something constructive to do, like take a walk, they may be less likely to do something destructive, like chew the couch. Walking exercises the mind as well as the body. Watching wildlife, exploring new paths, seeing other people with their pets, and so on, is great mental stimulation for your dog that they just can’t get in the same fenced area all the time. Walking also releases excess energy and helps dogs sleep better at night.

Emotional health

You are the center of your dog’s universe and they crave your attention. What better way to spend quality time with your dog than taking a walk? Spending one-on-one time with your dog will deepen your bond and help deter annoying, attention-seeking behaviors such as excessive barking or whining.

Personal health

Many people need outside motivation to work out and may depend on an exercise buddy to get them off the couch. What happens when your exercise partner gets stuck at work or stuck in traffic or has another commitment? Your dog is only committed to one thing… you! That makes them the perfect exercise partner. They are always available and willing to accompany you on a walk.

As you can see, regular walking has health benefits for both you and your dog and will help prevent obesity, which is a significant problem in both species.

It’s estimated that 1 in 3 Americans is overweight and childhood obesity is on the rise. In a study based in Seattle and Baltimore, adults who regularly walked their dogs were approximately 25% less likely to be obese than their non dog-owning neighbors. And in children, dog ownership reduced the risk of obesity by half. Walking the dog may be more fun than screen-time. In addition, walking for 30 minutes a day will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

Canine obesity is a problem, too. It’s estimated that over 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight. The fact is that obese dogs don’t live as long as lean dogs. Plus they suffer more heart problems and joint ailments that affect their quality of life. It’s true that dogs may exercise themselves if left in a fenced-in yard, but, like us, they have a tendency to plop down in the shade instead of romping, especially if there’s no one to play with. However, if given the chance, they will gladly go for a walk with their owners!

How much should we walk?

According to the World Health Organization, children 5-17 years old should receive 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day. Adults 18-65 years old should engage in moderate exercise for 30 minutes 5 days a week and engage in strengthening exercises twice weekly. Seniors over 65 should also participate in moderate exercise 5 days a week and add flexibility and balance routines.

Walking your dog is a great start to fulfilling these recommendations. In fact, research at the University of Western Australia illustrated that while only 4 out of 10 people achieve 150 minutes of weekly exercise, 7 out of 10 dog owners reached that goal.

How do we get started?

Many people make a New Year’s resolution to exercise. What can you do to stick to your resolution? Make a reasonable exercise plan that doesn’t overwhelm you by including your best exercise buddy. Formulating a reasonable walking schedule that doesn’t overtax your body or crowd your busy schedule will help you stay on target, and including your dog will motivate you to get going.

Start out slowly by taking a few 10-minute practice walks around the neighborhood. When you and your dog are ready, increase the time and distance. Try to walk for a total of 30 minutes each day – and it doesn’t have to be all in one outing. You can take a 10-minute walk in the morning before work and add a 20-minute stroll when you get home. On weekends, you can vary the routine, perhaps doing three 10 minute sessions. Regardless of the schedule, strive for 30 minutes of daily exercise.

Keep the routine interesting by walking in different areas that provide visual interest for both you and your dog. Or substitute a game of fetch or a romp in the park if you feel up to it. The goal is to make exercise a priority that holds a scheduled spot in each day so that you feel less likely to weasel out of the plan. It won’t take long for your dog to get used to the routine and may remind you when it’s time to exercise. That’s why canines are great exercise companions!

Dog owners who like to mark their progress can download a walking calendar or exercise app or utilize one of the popular electronic tracking devices that record daily steps and caloric history (calories consumed vs. burned). Sometimes seeing the numbers provides additional motivation to walk a little further or validates your efforts when you reach your goal.

Rewarding your efforts

Some humans like to be rewarded for their workout efforts, so they grab a cookie or have a beer after exercise. After walking your dog, you may find their grateful, calorie-free affection is all the reward you need. And your dog will feel the same way! A simple stroll is a great way to say, “I love you!”

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