PetKnows

About a couple months ago I wrote a blog about foods that Dr. Marty Becker had listed as unsafe for your pets. Recently Dr. Marty Becker reappeared on ABC News to talk about solutions for common pet problems. Dr. Becker emphasized that the socialization period is critical in a dog’s development. The typical socialization period for a puppy is between 8 weeks and 13 weeks of age. Veterinarians recommend that during this socialization period, you introduce your dog to at least 100 people, and especially to strangers and young boys. Getting the dog used to this environment will prevent social problems later in its life. Dr. Becker also recommends not taking young and older dogs to dog parks because of potential socialization problems. One way to help mold your dog’s social behavior is to use positive reinforcement. Dr. Becker recommends using toys that allow food to be inserted into the toy, which will keep dogs busy and will serve as a reward for his behavior. Head collars are also recommended to keep dogs calm and behaved. Since the collar wraps around the dog’s muzzle, it naturally keeps him calm.

Dr. Becker also talked about common problems with house cats. Many people have had problems with their cats being overweight, and this is primarily from leaving food in the cat’s bowl. It is recommended that you measure out the food to keep the cat’s weight down. This is also especially important for older, overweight cats which have arthritis, because it helps to keep the weight off their joints.

Cat litter has also been a problem among cat owners. Choosing a litter the cat will use is important, and Dr. Becker has outlined a program for doing just that. He recommends purchasing 3 different litters and letting the cat naturally choose the one it prefers. After it has made its choice, the next step is to determine how much litter it likes. Dr. Becker recommends filling 3 different levels - 1/4″, 1/2″, and 3/4″ - of litter into 3 containers, and letting the cat choose the level of litter it prefers. This will help to keep both the cat and the owner happy, and prevent the cat from not using the litter box.

Lastly, and this one is especially important for me since I have this problem with Santana, is shedding problems. Dr. Becker has recommended to use a wet paper towel to wipe down dogs; this will remove loose fur that may fall off the dog. He also mentions to use a lint roller on cats and dogs to remove excess fur.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6027036