Behavior Training Opportunities

Having behavior problems with your dog?  Do you ever wonder "Why do they do that?"  or ask, "Is it normal that my dog does this?"  We are here to help!

You can email us your training or behavior questions and one of our members will answer you back with suggestions or refer you to a good (and affordable!) trainer.

We also offer mini training sessions at our playgroup days for Sandy Paws Sled Dog Club members who are interested.

Send your questions to:

contactus@sandypawssleddogclub.com

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Please note that these mini training sessions are only available to Sandy Paws Sled Dog Club of Tampa Bay members.               

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      *The information in this forum is not intended to deal with major behavior issues such as aggression and biting.  If you have serious concerns about your dog, please seek a qualified professional immediately.

PET COST GUIDE

One thing we all have to consider when deciding whether to add a new pet to our family is the cost. How much can we really expect to prepare to pay for taking care of them and being a responsible pet owner? Check out the link below to calculate the costs that can help you make a well informed decision.

http://www.the simpledollar.com/pet-cost-calculator/

       GROOMING TIPS     

FOR YOUR SLED DOG

Why NOT to shave your sled dog....

*Siberian Huskies and other sled dog breeds should NEVER be clipped or shaved except in the case of a medical emergency. There are "professional" groomers out there who will tell you to shave your sled dog and some will even do it without asking for your consent! There are Vets who will tell you to shave your sled dog. These Vets are uninformed about the breed.

*Dogs do not sweat like humans. Their cooling process is done via panting from the mouth, sweating at the paws and cooling the blood in their ears. Shaving does nothing to keep the dog cool. It just makes the human feel better when looking at the coated dog.

*The Siberian Husky has no pigmentation in it's skin. If you shave a Husky, you expose it to the sun without protection. Now you have a dog that can come up with a variety of skin problems, including skin cancer.

*Fur acts as a protection against insects and parasites. If you remove that protection, the dog is exposed to even more insect problems than he would have had if he had been allowed to keep his protective coat.

*If you clip or shave your Sled Dog it will eventually ruin the coat and disturb the proper shedding process.

*Shaving or clipping makes a Husky more susceptible o skin allergies, sunburn and parasite infestation. The treatments for these problems can then lead to more serious conditions.

*The Husky "color-coat," also known as the top coat, works as the reflective barrier. Shaving this coat exposes the undercoat and when the two coats grow they no longer 'blend' properly to allow the maximum protection necessary.

NAIL TRIMMING

Here's a good video on how to trim your own dog's nails

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEwiH8CeUE

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR SLED DOG COOL IN THE HEAT....

*For dogs that like to wade, lie or play in water, a plastic kiddie pool is AWESOME!

*If your Sled Dogs like to play in water, let them run through the sprinkler with the kids!

*A big bowl of ice to play with outside is always a fun treat.

*Make a "sand box" in your yard where your Sled Dogs are allowed to dig ditches and lay in them to keep cool.

*ALWAYS make sure your Sled Dog has plenty of fresh cool water.

*Never leave your Sled Dog out in the heat for long periods of time without checking on them often and giving them the option to come in and cool off.

*A cooling mat- Get it wet in the bathtub, wring it out, then put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Place it in your dog's crate and they can lay on a nice, icy cold mat! 

ASK THE VET

 Sunset Park Animal Hospital is the official Veterinary sponsor of Sandy Paws Sled Dog Club of Tampa Bay. All current members of Sandy Paws are eligible for a 10% off discount card here with Veterinarian Tara Fournier.

If you have any questions for the experienced staff at Sunset Park, you can email them at

sunsetparkah@gmail.com  or email us at events@sandypawssleddogclub.com

 Sunset Park Animal Hospital is located at

4207 West El Prado

Tampa, FL 33629

PHONE: 813-835-7387

FAX: 813-443-4893

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The SCOOP On Retractable Leashes 

A retractable leash is not so much a leash as it is a length of thin cord wound around a spring-loaded device housed inside a plastic handle. The handles of most retractable leashes are designed to fit comfortably in a human hand. A button on the handle controls how much of the cord is extended.

Retractable leashes are popular primarily because they aren't as confining as regular leashes, allowing dogs more freedom to sniff and poke around on walks. But unfortunately, there are many downsides to this type of leash, especially with our sled dogs.

 TEN Reasons Not     to Use a Retractable  Leash

 The length of retractable leashes, some of which can extend up to 26 feet, allows dogs to get far enough away from their humans that a situation can quickly turn dangerous. A dog on a retractable leash is often able to run into the middle of the street, for example, or make uninvited contact with other dogs or people.

Intheabovescenario, or one in which your pet is being approached by an aggressive dog, it is nearly impossible to get control of the situation if the need arises. It's much easier to regain control of – or protect -- a dog at the end of a six-foot standard flat leash than it is if he's 20 or so feet away at the end of what amounts to a thin string.

The thin cord of a retractable leash can break – especially when a powerful  sled dog is on the other end of it. If a strong, good-sized dog takes off at full speed, the cord can snap. Not only can that put the dog and whatever he may be chasing in danger, but also the cord can snap back and injure the human at the other end.

If a dog walker gets tangled up in the cord of a retractable leash, or grabs it in an attempt to reel in their dog, it can result in burns, cuts, and even amputation. In addition, many people have been pulled right off their feet by a dog that reaches the end of the leash and keeps going. This can result in bruises, "road rash," broken bones, and worse.

Dogs have also received terrible injuries as a result of the sudden jerk on their neck that occurs when they run out the leash, including neck wounds, lacerated tracheas, and injuries to the spine.

Retractable leashes allow dogs more freedom to pull at the end of them, which can look like aggression to another dog who may decide to "fight back."

The handles of retractable leashes are bulky and can be easily pulled out of human hands, resulting in a runaway dog.

Many dogs are terrorized by the sound of a dropped retractable leash handle and may take off running, which is dangerous enough. To make matters worse, the object of the poor dog's fear is then "chasing" him, and if the leash is retracting as he runs, the handle is gaining ground on him – he can't escape it. Even if this scenario ultimately ends without physical harm to the dog (or anyone else), it can create lingering fear in the dog not only of leashes, but also of being walked.

Retractable leashes, like most retractable devices, have a tendency to malfunction over time, either refusing to extend, refusing to retract, or unspooling at will.

Retractable leashes are an especially bad idea for dogs that haven't been trained to walk politely on a regular leash. By their very nature, retractables train dogs to pull while on leash, because they learn that pulling extends the lead.

We recommend for our strong sled dogs, a sturdy 6 foot leather or woven leash with stainless steel or brass fixtures, not plastic.