Remember to mark your calendars for the weekend of Oct. 17 and 18. The Caribou Arts & Crafts Show is always a popular fall event to enjoy, and we at the Central Aroostook Humane Society are excited to participate once again.
Last year our bake sale was such a hit that we’ll do it again this year, with lots of tasty treats for humans and your pets. We will also have our fun “lottery board” raffle, along with some other surprises. All of the proceeds will continue to support our shelter animals.
Sometimes we humans have bad eating habits, and our dogs are the same way. It is very hard for us to change our eating habits, and it is just as challenging to change the bad habits our dogs develop, often because of things we do.
Some dogs can’t leave a trash can alone, and that can be very dangerous if the dogs find chicken bones or chocolate (do people actually “throw” chocolate away?) or some other forbidden food.
A number of years ago one of my dogs managed to eat an entire can of cocoa out of the pantry. It took at least eight hours before he got over the shaking, vomiting and diarrhea. It was very scary for me and the dog.
Sprinkling baking soda on top of the trash will deter a dog from getting into it, according to a recent news report. What a wonderful tip, and one we dog owners should try remembering.
Stealing food from a kitchen counter or table can be very exciting for a large dog. If the repeated word “no” doesn’t work, it is best to put the dog outside or ban him from the kitchen. I have used a baby gate before to keep a dog out of the kitchen
Pica is the habit of a dog eating items which are not food, such as clothing, anything wicker (as in my house) or shoes. One type of pica is called coprophagy, the eating of stools. Sometimes a dog will do this, so it is imperative the stools are cleaned up immediately. It has been suggested that sprinkling hot sauce over the area and the stools often helps.
We often think that when a dog begs for food, he is hungry, but most likely he just wants attention. Many folks give in to the dog’s begging by offering food, and once this happens, it is very difficult to break the habit. To stop the begging habit, we should ignore it and not give him any tidbits. Gradually, if the dog is not rewarded, the begging will stop, and then you can praise him and give him lots of attention.
Refusing to eat is an occasional problem for a dog. Sometimes a dog has received too many treats during the day and may not be hungry. If the dog has had a change in dog food, he may not like it. If it is necessary to change the dog food, use the old dog food and gradually add more of the new each day, and hopefully he will be happy and eating again.
Hope you all have had the opportunity to go for walks to enjoy our beautiful fall.
Please stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society or check us out on Facebook.
Please be responsible: spay and neuter your pets.
Carolyn L. Cheney is on the Central Aroostook Humane Society Board of Directors.
