Is the Anti-Vaccination Movement Spreading to Pets?
There has been a lot of talk about vaccinations lately. People are arguing whether or not they are necessary, questioning if they harm children and adults and what happens after you are vaccinated. It’s difficult because the facts are often treated as if they're up for debate. They are not. Vaccinations are overwhelmingly positive and extremely beneficial for our society. But how important is it to vaccinate your pet? Statistics are showing that not only are people refraining vaccinating themselves and their kids, they are choosing to keep their pets from being vaccinated as well. While it may be up to an individual whether or not they want to be vaccinated themselves, it is irresponsible when people don’t vaccinate their children and pets who cannot choose to make that decision for themselves. The Decline of Pet Vaccinations The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has labeled the anti-vaccination movement the top threat to global health. This may seem like an over-exaggeration, but it it’s really not. Modern medicine and the health of our society has depended upon vaccinations to mitigate diseases like measles and polio, and this is at risk when people avoid vaccinations. The decline of vaccinations doesn’t just concern humans — now some pet owners are choosing not to vaccinate their animals either. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance has reported that the number of pet vaccinations have gone down, and they worry that this threat will continue to affect animals. Even the American Veterinary Medical Association has made a statement saying that vaccines prevent millions of animal diseases and deaths every year. The annual report from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals surveyed over 4,600 pet owners. The study found that about a quarter of dogs, or 2.2 million, were not vaccinated as puppies. The people said that the most common reason they did not vaccinate their dog was that it "isn’t necessary." This couldn’t be further from the truth. Vaccinations have already prevented the spread of disease and now that is being put at risk. It may be difficult to convince people to get vaccinations, but we can start by encouraging people to vaccinate their pets. Vaccines & Pet Insurance Many people avoid vaccinations because of the cost. If your pet is not insured, it can become very expensive according to MoneyPug, a site used to compare pet insurance. If you have pet insurance, you may be more inclined to visit the vet which
How to Choose a Service Dog Candidate
It’s time to look for your next Service Dog. What traits should you look for? What's important? What doesn't matter? There is a sea of misinformation that a Service Dog handler must sort through while picking a Service Dog puppy or candidate. Cut through the chaos and learn what what to look for while selecting a potential partner.
Homeless Dogs get a Second Chance as Service Dogs
Properly-trained Service Dogs can provide an incredible breadth benefits to disabled individuals. From mobility assistance and independence, assisting with everyday tasks, summoning help when needed, alerting to night terrors and more. There's a lot of focus on Golden Retrievers, Bichon Frisés and German Shepherds, but purebreds aren't the only types of dogs that can be trained to become excellent Service Dogs. Some organizations are helping homeless dogs get a second chance as Service Dogs.
100 Unique Service Dog Names
Naming a Service Dog can be highly personal. Many people choose names that carry meaning for them. Others choose names from a TV show or book that they particularly enjoy. Still others research names extensively and choose names from another language or culture that convey something they want to always keep in mind. Here's a list of 100 unique name ideas for Service Dogs! Attribute Service Dog Names Aart, Dutch - "powerful as an eagle" Abelino, Germanic / Old English - "bird" - good for a light, lithe Service Dog Adelmar, Germanic - "of noble strength" - good for a Brace Dog Adelrik, Germanic - "powerful and strong" Adira, Hebrew - "strong" Aegius, Greek - "protector" Alba - "white" Aikin, Old English - "like an oak tree" - good for a strong, powerful Service Dog Blaze - good for a dog with a white stripe on their face Cyan - good for a dog with blue eyes Dakota, unknown - "friendly companion" Drojo, Old Saxon - "ghost, phantom" - good for a white or silver Service Dog Hagan, Old English - "strong warrior" Hazel - good for a dog with brown/green eyes Jade - good for a dog with green eyes Jedrek - "strong, manly" Jett - good for a very darkly colored dog Kieran, Gaelic - "little dark one" Lenna, Old German - "lion's strength" Mazaran, French - "dark blue" - good for a dog with richly blue eyes Remo - "the strong one" Roux, French - "red, russet" - pronounced "Roo" Saffron - golden-brown color Sienna - rich brown color Takeo, Japanese - "strong as bamboo" Xanthe - yellow - good for a yellow Labrador Meaningful Service Dog Names Aapeli, Finnish - "breathing" - good for someone who needs a constant reminder to just breathe Ace, Latin - "the best one" Agni, Sanskrit - "from the fire" - good for someone seeking growth or a new way of life Aurora, Latin - "dawn" - good for signifying new beginnings Beacon, Old English - "signal light" - good for an alert dog Eos - Greek goddess of dawn Genesis - beginnings Huchon, Gaelic - "heart, mind, spirit" Imanu, unknown African origin - "spiritual guide" Jodo, Indonesian - "buddy, friend, mate" Jomei, Japanese - "spread light" Kaibigan, Filipino - "friend" Katlego, unknown African origin - "achieving" Kiran, Sanskrit - "beam of light" Maika'i, Hawaiian, "calm" Nura, Arabic - "blazing light" Oralee, Hebrew - "my light" Paena, Hawaiian - "partner" Tadeo, Aramaic - "gift" - good for a Service Dog who will give the gift of independence Valerian - herb known for its calming effects Zen, Japanese Service Dog Names From Books, Movies, TV Akasha / Akki - Vampire Chronicles Albus - Harry
Choosing The Best Pet Insurance For Your Working Dog
If you have a working dog, such as a Service Dog, choosing the best pet insurance may help you avoid financial issues down the road. There's a saying: hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Everyone, you, your family, friends and even your pets will need medical care at some point. The same is true for your animal. Hope is Not a Strategy Pet insurance is designed to cover a range of issues depending on the level of coverage you take out. Working dogs, since they often lead a more active life, come in contact with more hazards both environmental and bacterial, some of which can prove serious. If this type of problem occurs, you could face a heartbreaking decision if you are unprepared and do not have pet insurance. Choosing the Right Coverage for Your Animal and Your Pocket The good news is that you can get pet insurance for a very reasonable cost these days and this could end up saving you a fortune in the long run as well as potentially enabling you to save your animal's life. If you want to find the best pet insurance for your needs, you need to take a range of factors into consideration, as this will make it far easier for you to make an informed choice. One of the things that most pet owners and dog handlers will look at is the cost of the coverage. Of course, you do need to take other factors into consideration as well when making your choice, but when it comes to cost, you can compare different prices and deals with ease online in order to save money. Some policies will only cover up to a certain amount for treatment, surgery, and various other issues. It is important to ensure you read the small print and that you are familiar with exactly what your animal is covered for before you make your decision. Finally, check on the reputation of the provider before you make your mind up, as you need to find one that offers a good level of service and a speedy, convenient claims process. You can find out more about this from the insurance website, but it is best to check out reviews from other pet owners who have used the same insurance company to get a better idea of what you can expect. By choosing the best pet insurance policy, you can ensure your animal is
Learn About the Different Types of Service Dogs
Many people are surprised to learn there are over a dozen different specializations for Service Dogs. There are Diabetic Alert Dogs, Severe Allergy Alert dogs, Visual Assistance Dogs, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Wheelchair Assistance Dogs, Psychiatric Service Dogs, Brace/Mobility Support Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, Seizure Assistance Dogs and more. What are all of these types of Service Dogs — and what do they do?
5 Questions to Ask Before Partnering With a Service Dog
Before partnering with a Service Dog, there are several important points to consider. While thousands of individuals with a disability benefit greatly from partnering with a Service Dog, it’s not the solution for everyone. If you or a loved one is considering full-time Service Dog partnership, please ask yourself the following 5 questions before making a final decision.
Why Natural Behaviors Aren’t Trained Service Dog Tasks
When it comes to Service Dog tasks, there is a lot of confusion over what constitutes a real, specifically trained task and which are only perceived tasks, fueled by emotion and wishful thinking. From Service Dog handlers to trainers to medical doctors to veterinarians alike, there is historically a lot of confusion surrounding this topic.
Is Your SDiT Ready For Public Access? Here’s How to Tell.
At some point, Service Dogs in Training progress to public access training. How do you know, though, if your Service Dog in Training is ready for public access? Fortunately, that question has an easy answer. Learn about the types of behaviors and skills your SDiT needs before starting work in public. Important: Answer questions honestly in order to avoid stress. You gain nothing by beginning public access work with a puppy or dog who isn't ready. Furthermore, you can actually do more harm than good to your dog by starting too soon. Foundation, foundation, foundation. Can your SDiT focus around distractions? Fighting for your Service Dog in Training's attention while working in public is not at all enjoyable. Before beginning public access training, your SDiT should already have some foundation focus work. You should know what kinds of reinforcement work well for your SDiT and be able to manage their attention well. While no SDiT is perfect, in order to begin public access training, your partner should easily redirect attention back to you with a bit of prompting, increased distance from the distraction, and high value treats. Additionally, your Service Dog in Training needs to be more interested in you than what's going on around them. Public access training is not the time to introduce distractions -- that should be done in a controlled environment. Until your partner is able to focus on you, or, at the least, redirect attention back to you reliably on request, then stick with working foundation skills in pet-friendly places. It's ok for your dog to be interested in what's going on around them, but you should be easily able to re-secure their focus. As time goes on, you want your SDiT to be relaxed and focused on you no matter what's going on around you. Does your SDiT have reliable obedience and manners? Your Service Dog in Training needs reliable obedience and basic manners. Public access training involves learning public access skills. While that does include practicing foundational behaviors like sit or stays in new places and with increasing amounts of distraction, your SDiT needs to learn the basics at home or in class before trying them in public. Your time in public is not the time to teach beginner obedience. Furthermore, you shouldn't be working on manners in public. You should reinforce good manners, but if your puppy or dog is struggling with something like jumping or inappropriate sniffing, then work
Steps toward getting a successor dog and retiring your current service dog
No one method will be right for everyone, but here's my story regarding the steps to take towards getting a successor dog and retiring a current service dog. First, begin the process before you need to. The last thing anyone wants is to have an older dog that won't get a chance to retire. I start the process when my current dog is around 8 years old. It often takes 2 years to comfortably switch over to my successor dog and also because one can not replace a soul. There are dogs after your first, second, third, and so on. and they are called "Successor Dogs". When you are partnered with dogs as long as I've been, you gain a unique perspective. I am an owner trainer that has benefited from the knowledge of many amazing mentors, several of them over the years. A few of my mentors stand out over others, and some are good friends that I have met along the way. Some people prefer program dogs, that professional trainers teach, and then match them to their people. This is a great route to go. I recommend, because of the time and expense, you start early and learn about fund raising. Also apply to a lot of reputable organizations, especially if you're not military affiliated (like a Combat Veteran). Most people that aren't military affiliated don't get dogs donated, so fundraising is a big deal, since dogs can cost a lot, with price varying due to the complexity of the trained tasks the dog must know and what the dog will be doing. My personal choice was to be an owner trainer, because I grew up with dogs and have been training dogs for almost 40 years. This is the information I know best. My first step is to come to terms with the fact that my best partner ever (they each are) is getting older. The big "joke" is that about the time they're perfect, you need to start the process of training the next of a hopefully long line of dogs, and begin to retire the partner that you've worked with for years. Make a Plan The next step is to plan. You need to plan and ask and learn. For example, I refresh my memory of how to teach the basic foundation behaviors, as well as their more complicated finished behaviors. It sounds silly, but after having a solid partner to the