The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [63]
TREATING SNAKEBITE IN DOGS
If your dog does get bitten by a snake, don’t panic. The vast majority of venomous snake bites are not fatal to dogs, but you should seek medical care.
Walk slowly back to your car, or carry your dog if possible. Excessive movement spreads the venom more quickly.
A snakebite is often very painful and may cause the gentlest of dogs to bite, so do not handle the wound directly.
Do not apply ice to the wound or apply a tourniquet or attempt to suck out the venom.
CANINE JOCKS RULE!
Do you share your home with a four-legged jock? Once you’ve laid down a foundation of basic obedience training, there are lots of organized sports activities for you and your dog to enjoy together. Here are a few to think about.
AGILITY. This sport appeals to dogs who love to conquer obstacle courses. Whether for fun or for competition, agility challenges dogs to wiggle through weave poles, jump through tires, climb up and down ramps and dash through tunnels. This sport is all about posting clean runs and quick times. Learn more about the various groups sponsoring agility events by visiting the Dog Patch Web site at www.dogpatch.org. Or visit the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA), open to dogs of all sizes and breeds, at www.usdaa.com. Another resource is the North American Dog Agility Council at www.nadac.org. Purebreds registered with the American Kennel Club can compete in AKC agility; find out more at www.akc.org.
FLYING DISCS. This sport caters to dogs who love to leap, chase, and snag plastic discs hurled into the air by their owners. Points are based on the distance and difficulty of the catch. Open to dogs of all breeds and mixes. For more details, contact the International Disc Dog Handlers’ Association at www.iddha.com or the Skyhoundz Hyperflite Canine Disc World Championship at www.skyhoundz.com.
FLYBALL. Does your dog love to play tag and catch balls? Flyball may be his sport. Flyball is a relay race involving four-dog teams. Each dog zips down a lane, leaping over hurdles, to catch a launched tennis ball and race back to his starting point. The fastest team wins. To learn more, contact the North American Flyball Association at www.flyballdogs.com.
HERDING. Some dogs have built-in abilities to shepherd sheep, cattle, and other animals from Point A to Point B without bullying or harming the livestock. Learn more by visiting the American Herding Breed Association’s Web site at www.ahba-herding.org.
LURE COURSING. For dogs with a strong chase drive, this sport uses an artificial lure connected to a long line strung around a series of pulleys. The lure zigzags around a course with points awarded based on a dog’s speed and ability to follow it. More information is available at the American Sighthound Field Association Web site: www.asfa.org.
CANINE MUSICAL FREESTYLE. Love to dance with your dog? This sport spotlights human and dog partners performing choreographed moves to music. To learn more about this unusual activity, contact the Canine Freestyle Federation at www.canine-freestyle.org or the World Canine Freestyle Organization at www.worldcaninefreestyle.org.
PART V
Achieving Harmony at Home and Away
Your home should be your castle, not a palace of canine chaos. Who wants to enter the front door and be tackled by a blur of fur? Or cancel a date because your dog growls at your boyfriend? Or lose a good night’s sleep because your poodle hogs the pillow? Yet when it comes to who actually spends the most time in our homes, dogs win paws down. No longer delegated to the backyard, most pet dogs are regarded as valued members of the family. Adding dogs to the mix of spouses, children, housemates, and other pets can make it a challenge to achieve harmony in your home.
Each person and each species needs to understand and honor the house rules to prevent snarling and snapping. Fortunately, dogs crave consistency and value hierarchy. They depend on us to teach them proper canine etiquette around babies, children, and houseguests. They look to us to learn if