There are so many diseases you need to protect your dog from. You really have no time to contend with another one. But truth be told, there are dogs out there which have caught leptospirosis. Many have lived after treatment and sadly a few have died. So let's take a look at leptospirosis and see what it does and how to prevent your dog from actually catching the disease.

What Is Leptospirosis?
The Leptospira bacteria is basically what causes the disease Leptospirosis. This disease can be found in  water and in soil. It is transferable from animals to humans.
 The most common carriers of leptospirosis are rats, mice and moles. These animals are the primary host of the disease and can easily transmit it to your dog or cat. 

Dogs are Easily Infected
Dogs are much more susceptible to getting leptospirosis than cats.  Dogs can become infected  if their mucous membranes (or skin with any wound, such as a cut or scrape) come into contact with infected urine, urine-contaminated soil, water, food or bedding; through a bite from an infected animal; by eating infected tissues or carcasses; and rarely, through breeding. It can also be passed through the placenta from the mother dog to the puppies. Dogs are very curious and active animals and will come into contact quicker with other animals and objects.

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Leptospirosis
The signs of your dog being infected with this disease will vary according to a few factors:

• The breed of dog
• Your dogs own immunity system
• Size of Dog
• Current Health of Dog

Some dogs will simply have a much better immunity than others. But that still does not guarantee  the dog cannot be infected. The bad thing is that some dogs may not even show any signs of being infected until the disease is in its late stage and probably too late for any type of treatment. Some dogs will have mild symptoms and recover very quickly while other dogs will develop severe illness which may lead to death. Whenever dogs become infected with leptospirosis, they may exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Unwillingness to move
2. Urinate more
3. Increase Thirst
4. Loss of Appetite
5. Fever
6. Muscle Tenderness
7. Shivering
8. Vomiting
9. Lethargy (Lack of Energy)
10. Jaundice
11. Inflammation in eyes

What Leptospirosis Does To The Dogs Organs
This disease can directly affect the kidney and cause kidney failure in your dog. Leptospirosis in dogs will also affect the the animals lung function making it very difficult to breath. This disease can also cause bleeding problems for your dog. Your dog may exhibit spontaneous nose bleeds or blood seen in the stool or vomit of the animal.  Your dog may also accumulate fluid in its body resulting in swollen limps, legs, abdomen and chest.

Detect Leptospirosis In Your Dog Early
Signs shown by your dog is a early tell tale that he/she is infected. But some of the signs exhibited by a dog infected with the illness is also traits of other illnesses. If you suspect that your dog is infected with Leptospirosis, the best bet is to have the animal take a physical examination by the Vet. The vet will most likely take a blood, urine test and may do some Ultrasound examination and XRays.

Treatment for Leptospirosis
If your Vet confirms that the animal indeed has leptospirosis, the vet will have to recommend antibiotics for the animal. You may also have to look at a short dietary change for your dog to help build its immune system ans work along with the Antibiotics.  Re,ember that early detection is key and suspected dogs must see a vet immediately to avoid irreparable damages to organs such as kidney and lungs.

Currently available vaccines effectively prevent leptospirosis and protect dogs for at least 12 months. Annual vaccination is recommended for at-risk dogs. Reducing your dog’s exposure to possible sources of the Leptospira bacteria can reduce its chances of infection.

Although an infected pet dog presents a low risk of infection for you and your family, there is still some risk. If your dog has been diagnosed with leptospirosis, take the following precautions to protect yourself:

• Administer antibiotics as prescribed by your veterinarian;
• Avoid contact with your dog’s urine;
• If your dog urinates in your home, quickly clean the area with a household disinfectant and wear gloves to avoid skin contact with the urine;
• Encourage your dog to urinate away from standing water or areas where people or other animals will have access;
• Wash your hands after handling your pet.
  

Home Prevention Leptospirosis
Outdoor dogs are more susceptible to catch leptospirosis because they have more contact with the outside environment. You must ensure that your home is rodent free and has proper fencing which will block out other animals such as skunks and raccoons with may carry the disease. You don't want these animals coming into your yard to urinate or poop and then your dog comes into contact with infect bodily excretion and become infected.
 

There are a couple things you need to look out for when choosing a dog day care in Seattle. You have ensure that you visit the day care facility even before bring the animal there. Dog day care in Seattle should have an average to upper standard when looking for dog day care. Let's look at a few things you as a pet owner should look out for when seeking dog day care in Seattle.

1. Cleanliness of the Facility
All dog care facilities should put hygiene at the uttermost top level of things important at the facility. A dog day care will house much more than one dog and dogs will poo, pee, shed and even make a mess while eating. A good dog day care facility will ensure that the facility is kept in golden shape at all times. This is very important to prevent the spreading of any disease from one dog to the next.

2. How Professional Are The People
You would not want to take your dog to a dog care facility in Seattle to persons who are totally unprofessional when dealing with your dog or even you for that matter. Chances are that if the person is unprofessional with you, your dog(s) will not be treated properly.

3. Distance
How far will you be from you loved one. Can you easily get to your dog if an emergency should occur and you need to be there for your canine pal?

4. Medical Training or On Call Vet
A dog day care in Seattle must have a on call vet or onsite person who even has the basic medical training.  Persons at the dog day care must be able to solve very minor health issues without bolting to the vet.

5. Cost
This is going to be a big factor as to what you get. Some dog day care in Seattle can cost from 10 per day to  50 dollars per day.  The cost can depend on a lot of factors. There maybe different cost for large dogs compare to smaller dogs. There could be a different cost as to the room or kennel each dog is kept.

6. Atmosphere
This is a big factor when choosing dog day care in Seattle. You want your dog at a place which is home away from home. The dog day care should have a nice and tranquil atmosphere. The area must allow for the dogs to actually get enough area to move and walk around by the dog day care worker.

7. Activities Offered
You don't just want to drop off your dog and wave goodbye and speed off on your flat Tyre. A good owner will inquire about activities offered at the dog day care center. Some facilities offer play time, walk and other activities.

Once you have all these seven factors in mind, then you can now go look at some of those dog day care facilities in Seattle and make your best judgment as to which facility would be much suitable for your dog.

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What is a Dog Kennel?
A dog kennel is a dog house or any containment unit built specifically to house dogs. Dog kennels come in various size, shapes,  and materials. Many dog owners own kennels and many more are seeking the most suitable kennel for their dog. Not all dog owners fancy the use of a dog kennel, but for others it is something quite essential to them and their dogs.

Choosing a Dog Kennel
When you decide to pick out a dog kennel, ensure that you have the dog in mind when doing so as some dog owners get all excited when buying kennels and pick out kennels they think "they will like" or be comfortable with. Remember that the kennel is for your dog and not you. Don't rush buying a kennel, take your time and check out the kennel. The Kennel must be durable and something that your dog will not have to be forced to use. Let's look at a few things you need to look at when buying your dog a kennel.

Material Used To Make Kennel

• Some materials will have advantages and disadvantages as it relates to use in different environments and by different dog owners.  Kennels are made from metal, plastic, wood or combination of materials.

• Plastic Kennels can be strong and quite durable.  Plastic kennels are of good choice if you have a dog that simply loves to munch on his kennel material such as wood.

• Wooden Kennels are more flexible as it relates to design and look.  Wooden Kennels must be treated to prevent any type of eat down by termites.

Outside Environment
whenever your dog is outdoors, it is prone to environmental conditions such as rain, snow, dust and heat.  The right dog kennel can provide a safe place for your dog to go when facing these conditions.  Any kennel you decide to buy must be comfortable enough for your dog to enter in and snuggle up at the back when facing these outside  climate conditions.

Comfort In Kennel
Why buy a kennel that is just uncomfortable for your dog to live in? If the animal is going to spend long periods inside the Kennel, it must provide a level of comfort for the dog and fosters its natural use by the animal.  Comfort means how the kennel actually feels and how well your dog is able to move in that kennel.  Your dog must be able to sit, lay down and turn freely inside its kennel so looking at all sizes of kennels is important. You should also give your dog something warm to sleep on such as a dog bed or cushions as this will make it even more comfortable.

Cleaning The Kennel
We all know that some dogs can get pretty messy. You probably need to take cleaning into consideration when looking at dog kennels.  You will probably need a Kennel which allows you to easily clean up after your dog.  If cleaning up is a big issue, then metal or plastic kennels would be the perfect fit. Wooden kennels are not easy to clean as the wood becomes easily stained.

The kennel that you choose must be affordable. Clearly you will be looking for quality dog kennels but you must also be interested in the price that you are paying. Thankfully there are plenty of sellers who are able to provide you with excellent kennels for dogs at a price that will suit your pocket.

First, I must say that I am not sorry for those dog owners who I had reported about neglecting their dogs and leaving them chained in the sun for a day or more and go party in Vegas. This is horrible on the side of any dog owner and before you do something to your pet you should first think about doing that very same thing to yourself and see how much you like it!

But leaving your dog chained in the sun is very serious and will directly affect your dog's health. Let's look at what long hours of sun will do to any dog that is left chained in it.

Ewww....may be the first word that springs from your mouth when you see you puppy eating its own poop. Yes, it is disgusting to see any animal eating its own feces and of course, this behavior could not be a healthy one. But there are certain reasons why your dog may eat back its poop and they may be underlining health issues. Dog eating poop is a condition called Coprophagia. Coprophagia is cause from your dog being stressed, anxiety or poor nutrition.

Reasons Why Dogs Eat Poop

1. Hunger
Dogs can smell what we can't. If a dog defecates and is not fed for a period of time, unprocessed food in the poop will attract the animal and he/she may be forced to go back and eat that poop. It is much like what a cow or horse may do when they defecate. They will go back and chew on the poop to digest the remaining undigested grass to get the rest of nutrition left.  Poop eating could be an indication that your dog is not eating enough or on a schedule.

2. Dog Poop Is Everywhere
Dogs cannot take a broom and shovel and clean up their own poop. They rely on you as the pet owner to keep their area clean and healthy. If a dogs area become disgusted with poop such that you see more poop than ground, the pup may just try to do his own house cleaning and the only way how a dog knows how to get rid of stuff is to eat it or bury it.

3. Lacking Nutrients
If your puppy has worm or any other parasites, they will normally extract the nutrient from your pups' system. This will leave a natural sense in the animal that nutrition needs to be replaced and hence the pup will look to eating back its poo to replenish itself.

4. Stress and Anxiety
Dogs do experience stress and anxiety. When they are going through this you may not easily know if the animal doesn't fully show it. Stressed out dogs are normally docile, fearful and lack appetite. But stress can lead the animal to also behave erratic, aggressive, and may even lead the animal to eating its own poop.

5. Protecting Pups
Dogs that have puppies will eat the pup's poop as a form of protection. This is a natural instinct as they think that eating their puppies poop will protect them from predators by disposing of the evidence.

6. Dog is just Nasty
OK, dogs will just eat poop because of curiosity of what their own poop actually taste like. And if they believe that it is a "Pizza Joy" they will indulge in more poop eating.

Animals are curious creatures and dogs will eat just about anything. They will experiment eating strange things by smelling it first a then eating it. Sound familiar?
Whatever the reasons are, instinct or learn behavior, it's important to know that the behavior can be solved easily.

How To Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop
 
1. Top up Nutrition
Provide the animal with the proper nutrition is always the best and first start. Dry foods may lack nutrients which your dog requires. Feed your dog natural meats such as chicken and beef, with a mix of rice. Ensure that the animal is properly hydrated at all times.

2. Eliminate any Health Issues
Check your dog for parasites which may drain him of the nutrients required. Worms, ticks and fleas are literal nutrient suckers. Ensure you visit your vet if you suspect that the dog has any parasites.

3. Clean Up After Poops
Don't let your yard become the poop heaven. Clean up after your dog has finished doing its thing. The more poop in the site of a poop eating dog, the more poop it will be tempted to eat.

4. Make the poop Less Tasty
One trick that I know is to give the dog a little pumpkin puree daily will make the poop less desirable to eat.

5. Eliminate or Treat Stress and Anxiety
Your dog may be lacking in exercise, ill or feeling neglected. You can run, walk or play with the animal to relieve some of that stress and tension build up.  Dogs that are left alone for extensively long periods, especially indoor dogs tend to become stressful. Make sure that the animal health is top bar and you spend quality time with the pooch.

Dog training is a big deal for most dog owners as they scuffle to have their dogs listen and obey the commands they issue. But dog training may not be as complicated as many dog owners think. The best bet to have your dog easily trained is to really start from the puppy stage. But not all dog owners had acquired their dogs from puppy stages. So with that said, we can look at some easy dog training guides which will help you get the best results.

First, you must know exactly what you want your dog to learn. Do you want your dog to sit, stay, fetch, bark, and rollover? Or do you want your dog to walk the tight rope and do back flips? Remember that dogs are pets, not our amusement. They can do so much and no more. You have to be specific about the dog training and stick to a set pattern for a specific time period.

Specific Dog Training Tips

Treats
One of the biggest motivation for dog training is rewards or basically treats. When you feed you dog treats for correct behavior it is effectively communication with the dog letting him or her know that what he did was right.
 
Think
About what you want your dog to do rather than what you don't want him to do. Then prevent him doing what you don’t want and reward him doing what you
do want. Get it? Teach him some words to help communicate what you want such as “leave it”, and “drop it”.

Know Your Dog Type
You have to understand your dog breed and better yet, understand your own dog and know what the animal is really capable of.  Once you know this you should begin to tailor your training schedule and training type.

Be Patient
You can't begin training your dog today and expect the poor pooch to be fully trained the next day. Training is a consistent repetitive process which should always be reinforced by always giving the animal the commands to do.

But let's not babble any longer about dog training. Here is a free dog training guide eBook download which can greatly help you.