Investigation continues after 44 animals removed from property north of Lindsay 

An investigation by the Ontario SPCA is continuing after officials removed 44 animals from an undisclosed property north of Lindsay last Friday. Continued…

gift helicopter holiday guide geek Continued…

NATIONAL dog SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA. Noon tomorrow, Channel 10. JOHN O’HURLEY is all about the dogs these days. The “Dancing with the Stars” rematch champion was in Providence, R.I., last week, signing copies of his new book, “It’s Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump: And Other Life Lessons I Learned from dogs,” when Emmitt Smith became the latest person to win the ABC competition. Continued…

CHANCE is a six-month-old puppy who, up until a week ago, didnt know how to play, run or climb stairs and is so used to being cooped up in a kennel that he cant go to the bathroom anywhere else. Continued…

Do Dachshunds Have Emotions?

Trying to determine if your Dachshund is experiencing anger, love, or any other “human” emotion is difficult. To date, no one has been able to provide convincing scientific evidence that we can distinguish one emotion from another by what our brains or hormones do. We obviously feel differently when we’re in a loving versus an angry mood; however, what our brain does to influence us to feel those very different emotions is less clear.

Nonetheless, we believe that our pets love us, they appear to be embarrassed when we dress them up in silly clothes, and they certainly look like they’re feeling guilty after doing something wrong. But do they know right from wrong, and when they do the wrong thing, do they really feel guilty?

What would it take for us to be convinced that our pet actually experiences a specific emotion? Is it possible that his appearance, the way he looks in his body language and behavior, leads us to confuse guilt with submissive, defensive behavior? Do we think that he’s experiencing guilt from the way he looks or from the situation that seems to call for guilt? Do we think that our dog actually feels emotions such as guilt, love, shame, hope, pride, relief, regret, or revenge? It’s an interesting question, and behaviorists are still working on it. But let’s look at it in terms of revenge.

When we think of getting revenge against someone who has “done us wrong,” we think of doing something to get back at the person. We decide on the appropriate revenge by imagining how it would make the person feel to have such-and-such happen to him. If we think it would really make him feel bad, and it would get back at him in an appropriate way, it makes us feel good, even if we just imagine it. We don’t actually need to get revenge, we just need to imagine his reaction if he were to get what he deserves.

Your Dachshund probably doesn’t have the ability to imagine how you would feel if he were to soil your bed as revenge for leaving him alone all weekend. And he probably wouldn’t chew your favorite shoes as revenge for locking him in the bedroom and keeping him from enjoying that piece of chicken you had last night. The ability to look into another’s psyche to imagine one’s emotional response to a planned endeavor is what behaviorists call revenge. Revenge requires a “theory of mind” that dogs do not have.

dogs see the world from their perspective. That’s why arranging their daily lives from their point of view works so well. Not only would it seem strange to understand why you won’t give him a dog biscuit before dinner because it would spoil his appetite, but it would seem even more strange if he is seen planning something later that evening to make you feel bad in some way for your stinginess. Yet we often find ourselves believing that this is exactly what our pet must have done when we discover that he’s chewed our best shoes. In reality, our pet’s behavior is probably caused by a disruption of his routine, an increased arousal or excitement, or a way to relieve discomfort or frustration.

Now that you understand your Dachshund’s emotions, you can go about changing them to create a mood that is incompatible with the mood that drives his misbehavior. The concept is called the principle of competing motivations: A dog cannot be angry, fearful, or depressed and happy or exited at the same time!

Dachshunds - Distemper Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, & Prevention Tips

Distemper is a viral disease that attacks the cells of the skin, respiratory tract, intestinal tract, and brain. It can cause a change in the dog’s appearance, nervous disorders, and death. Young puppies are at highest risk of catching distemper, although all unvaccinated Dachshunds are vulnerable to it.

Distemper is sometimes called the “canine plague” due to its contagious nature. Infected dogs and many other animals, including wolves, raccoons, foxes, and minks, can spread the virus, mainly in their breath. A Dachshund’s breath contains the virus particles in minute droplets, much as is the case with human measles. If the infection occurs through inhalation of the virus, it is spread throughout the body by the defensive cells that are trying to capture and kill it. However, you can rest assured for your personal safety because humans are not susceptible to contracting distemper.

What are the symptoms of Distemper?

A Dachshund puppy may survive a very light infection showing only listlessness and a slight temperature. In acute cases, however, a wider variety of symptoms may appear. In the early stages of the infection, Dachshunds will suffer from fever, a loss of appetite, lethargy, dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea. A white or green pus-like discharge may run from the eyes and nose, the skin may become spotted with red, pussy abscesses, and the dog’s nose and footpads may become broken and dry. In the advanced stages of infection, brain damage and nervous disorders may develop. Your dog may shake nervously, become restless and moody, and experience blindness and paralysis.

How can Distemper be treated?

If your dog shows any of the symptoms of distemper, don’t delay. Call your veterinarian immediately. Treatment will be based on the stage of infection. Your Dachshund may be administered canine distemper anti-serum, anti-convulsants, antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection, fluids to cure dehydration, medications to stop the diarrhea and vomiting, eye ointment, and vitamins. If your dog survives this lethal disease, she can recover gradually from the symptoms with constant home care under the direction of your veterinarian.

Are there any preventative measures against Distemper?

The key to preventing distemper is vaccination. The first distemper shot should be given shortly after weaning and before a puppy is brought into a new home where she
will be exposed to other dogs. Start vaccinating your Dachshund puppy against this disease at six to eight weeks. This will consist of a series of shots that end when your puppy is about fourteen to
sixteen weeks old.

During this time, keep your puppy out of any situation where she could come in contact with the disease. Afterward, annual booster shots are necessary to adequately shield your dog from infection. Ignore anyone who tries to persuade you that early immunization will last a lifetime - that myth was repudiated long ago.

2 Questions You Will Want To Ask The Shelter Before Adopting A Dachshund Dog

“How do you socialize your Dachshunds?”

shelters don’t just feed and house abandoned Dachshunds; they socialize and rehabilitate them, too. At the best facilities, Dachshunds are better adjusted when they leave than they were when they arrived; at the worst ones, the opposite is true. You don’t want to adopt a pup who’s been stuck in a cage and ignored ever since arriving at the adoption facility, since whatever behavior or attitude problems she may have had previously won’t have improved - and will probably have gotten much worse - during her time at the shelter. And if she hasn’t been getting enough human contact, she may have become depressed or withdrawn. So ask how many hours of human contact each shelter’s dogs receive daily, how often they get to take walks or bat a ball around, how many different people spend time with them and whether they ever have the chance to play and be goofy with other dogs.

Socialization is especially important if you’re looking for a Dachshund puppy. The early weeks of a dog’s life are a crucial formative time, and a puppy who doesn’t learn to interact with humans from the start may have lifelong adjustment problems ahead of her. Ask whether the shelter has any special socialization procedures for young puppies.

“What post-adoption services do you offer?”

Some shelters - especially large, well-funded ones - have the resources to offer obedience classes, behavior consulting, veterinary services, newsletters and question-and-answer sessions to their adopters. That kind of continued support can be a great help to you as you and your new dog adjust to life together. But most shelters don’t have the money, space or people-power to do as much for their adopters and their former canine residents as they’d like. That doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. A good shelter, even if it can’t afford to provide an array of amenities itself, may still offer referral services or special discounted deals with local vets and obedience schools and should always be willing to talk with adopters about whatever problems or successes they may have with their dogs.

A few shelters seem to have a “once you’ve signed the adoption contract, you’re on your own” attitude, and these are the ones you want to steer clear of. Choose a shelter that will take an interest in you and your Dachshund now and later.

2 Questions You Must Ask Before Accepting A Dachshund Dog From A Shelter

“What medical care do you provide for your Dachshunds?”

There are certain baseline medical needs that must be met before you take a Dachshund from a shelter: she needs to have been wormed; her blood needs to have been checked for heartworms (in most areas of the country); and her ears and skin need to have been checked or treated for mites and other parasites. And she needs to have had her first vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza (DHLPP), as well as bordetella, coronavirus and (if she’s old enough) rabies. Be certain that any shelter you contact provides at least these basic services.

Spaying or neutering is another basic medical requirement that a shelter may or may not provide. Many shelters spay or neuter all Dachshunds six months of age or older before they leave the facility, and that’s ideal for you. But lots of shelters, understandably, don’t have the money to provide such services. Nevertheless, they’re acutely aware of the importance of stemming canine overpopulation, so good shelters always require adopters to have their Dachshunds spayed or neutered within a reasonable time period after adoption. Some require a deposit, which is refunded upon submission of proof of spaying or neutering, while others give adopters low-cost spaying/neutering certificates from area veterinarians or provide low-cost services themselves.

In some areas, it’s becoming common practice for shelters to spay or neuter all their dogs - even those under the traditional minimum six-month age. Opinions are mixed on this approach to population control. Cities and counties whose shelters alter 100 percent of their animals report a dramatic decrease in the numbers of stray animals on their streets and of animals euthanized in shelters. But some experts believe that medical complications can arise in Dachshunds who are spayed or neutered too young. If you adopt such a dog, make sure she’s been operated on by a reputable veterinarian and is certified healthy before you take her home.

“Do you evaluate your Dachshunds’ temperaments?”

At some shelters, you’ll find formal temperament evaluations posted on each dog’s cage. At others, you’ll find staff members who can tell you all about each Dachshund’s personality. Either approach is fine. What’s not fine is a shelter whose employees know little or nothing about the natures of its animals. Since you’ll have only a limited time to spend with the dogs you meet, you’ll want to find out about their habits, quirks, assets and drawbacks from the people who have been caring for them.

Ask whether the shelter does any formal temperament testing of its animals (that is, specific exercises designed to assess a dog’s level of dominance, submissiveness, protectiveness, etc.). If the answer is no, ask whether the staff has spent enough time with the Dachshunds to know their dispositions and to know what kinds of adoptive homes will likely be best for them.

Discovery Communications Announces Formation of Animal Planet Media Enterprises and Acquisition of Petfinder.com and  

Petfinder.com and PetsIncredible. Well established among pet lovers, both businesses will expand the portfolio of services and content for the newly formed Animal Planet Media Enterprises. Petfinder.com is the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption and works through animal shelters and rescue groups across North America. PetsIncredible is a major producer and
Source: sys-con.com

2 Items To Insist From Your Breeder When Buying A Dachshund Puppy

1. Written Guarantee: Good breeders provide written guarantees against genetic disease. It is essential to get a guarantee on the hips and eyes of your Dachshund pup, given the epidemics of hip dysplasia and various forms of progressive blindness among the nation’s Dachshunds. The guarantee entitles you to a refund of the price of the puppy or a replacement Dachshund puppy should there be a problem. The guarantee should also allow you to take your new puppy to your own vet within a certain period of time in order to have its good health independently confirmed before the sale is considered final.

Beyond the guarantee of your pup, you want to see copies of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) certificate on the hips of both parents, plus the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (GERF) certificate on the eyes of both parents. Do not take the breeder’s word that the parent animals are so registered. Good Dachshund breeders will not be troubled by your request.

However, you must be prepared to run into the occasional breeder whom will not want to comply with your request. You are almost sure to run into “prominent” breeders who don’t believe in having their dogs‘ hips and eyes checked, even if they are from seriously afflicted breeds.

Both in a personal quest for a dog and in researching this information I had this experience again and again. For instance, there is a dog breed about which Michele Lowell says in Your Purebred Dachshund puppy: A Buyer’s Guide, “He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and serious tumors.” She urges: “Buy only from OFA-registered parents.” A leading breeder of this breed, a person who sits on the national club’s breed standard committee, told me she didn’t have her animals OFA-certified because “I’ve never had any hip problems. If I ever start, I’ll have my dogs checked.” Even in the midst of a plague of canine hereditary disease, this ton-of-cure-is-worth-an-ounce-of-prevention attitude is still common. Be ready to decide for yourself if you find it acceptable.

2. Restricted Transfers: Responsible breeders are answering the distress call of America’s Dachshunds by trying to minimize inappropriate breeding. One way to do this is with “restricted transfers.” These can involve a contract between the new owner and the breeder stipulating that the dog will not be bred until it is old enough to be tested for inherited disease and has been certified disease free. Some restricted transfers require that the animal be spayed or neutered at six months of age, with AKC papers not passing to the purchaser until this is done. You may not be interested in acquiring a pet under such conditions, but you can be sure that breeders imposing them are deeply committed to improving the quality of their Dachshund breed.