Did you know the number one reason dogs are surrendered to shelters in our
country is for behavior problems?! Help can be found!
Faery Tails Corgi Rescue of St. Louis, Inc. is committed to educating people on dog behavior and training -
on this page you'll find resources and great solutions to common problems. Our Director and Assistant Director are members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
How to truly be your dog's best friend:
Is your dog up for some fun and games? Try this link for some ideas: Games Dogs Love
- Always make sure our dogs are wearing a collar and ID tag that includes your name, address, and telephone number. In addition you may wish to add a secondary contact source such as a friend or your veterinary office. Accidents happen and this can be the simplest way for you to find each other again. If you are traveling out of town be sure to put another tag on your dog with the temporary information about how to contact you. Better still back this up with a microchip - ask your vet for more information.
- Keep your dog safe and be a responsible member of the community - Unless your dog has a 99.9% recall command, keep your dog leashed when you are not in a fenced in area.
- Mind your retractable leads - not every dog needs 16-26 feet of leash. How many times have you been mugged by a dog with one of these on while the owner had very little control AND was 16 feet away?
- Always provide your dog with shelter. A fenced yard and a dog house just won't do. Dogs are social creature and want to be with you. They should not be left outside alone unattended. Dog stealing is a common problem in many areas - with family pets ending up in research labs, dog fighting rings and worse! Dogs left alone in a yard are also more prone to behavior problems and escaping.
- Provide regular veterinary care.
- Spay and neuter your pet dog. Click here for more information on the benefits of this surgery.
- Provide for your dog's nutritional needs. See below for more information.
- Train your dog. A well trained dog is a joy to have both in your home and in the community. See below for more information.
- Provide your dog with exercise to keep him/her fit and happy. Their are many risks to both people and canine when we pack on the extra pounds. See below for more information.
St. Louis Area Behavior Help and Clicker Training
We recommend and use "Clicker Training". It is a method that relies on positive training techniques. We find that the dogs catch on FAST, are eager to learn more, and want to please you. It can be applied to almost any learning situation. If your pet has a behavior problem we suggest calling in a professional.
Recommended area trainer who uses clicker training and force free training:
Dorene Olson
TARA Training and Behavior, L.L.C.
314-956-1310
www.doreneolson.com
Dogs give us their devotion and love. In return, it is up to us to provided for their needs (food, water, shelter, veterinary care, exercise and more.
To be a responsible dog owner we need to:
For a list of great books, please see our Recommended Reading page.
Nutrition
The importance of a good diet cannot be stressed enough. The Whole Dog Journal reviews the best food and tells you why it is good. It is important that you do your research to find a food that will work well with your dog, and provide a good foundation for health. The Whole Dog Journal is a monthly magazine that has articles on health and training. We highly recommended it. After research, many of our volunteers feed their own dogs Solid Gold.
more helpful links:
Nutrition - Ingredients and Labeling
Obesity
Obesity is a major concern in dogs and especially in Corgis. Corgis seem to always be on the look out for food. Many owners are overfeeding their dogs, which can lead to a range of health concerns.
Is my pet overweight?
This website and its contents are copyright Faery Tails Corgi Rescue of St. Louis Inc. No part may be copied or saved for personal or professional use. Picture contained on this site are copyright Faery Tails Corgi Rescue of St. Louis Inc.
PET 9-1-1
by Rachel Clark, Advisor, Faery Tails Corgi Rescue of St. Louis Inc.
Copyright Faery Tails Corgi Rescue of St. Louis Inc. - reprinted from Fanfare (newsletter) Fall Winter 2004
Most pet owners have found themselves in a dilemma where you suddenly notice that Spot is walking with a limp and… of course, its 10 pm at night. Should you call a vet or should you wait until tomorrow? Are you just being a worrywart?
Years ago as a first time cat owner, specifically a novice Persian cat owner… I noticed one evening that my poor kitty was rolling around on the floor moaning and wailing at the top of her lungs like she was in severe pain. Panic stricken, I summoned the vet from his home back to the clinic, wrapped the poor animal up in a warm towel and piled her and me into a taxi (I was overseas and did not have a car) and we raced off to the clinic at about 100 mph. The vet was waiting for us when we arrived and gave the cat an immediate and thorough examination. The result..? the cat had come into her first heat, and all that wailing and rolling around was the Persian cats normal method of trying to attract a boyfriend. I wrapped said cat back up and slunk back home, mortally embarrassed at my mistake. The vet was very nice and laughed but told me: If in doubt, youre never wrong to call.
If youre concerned about your pet, you should never feel embarrassed about calling a veterinarian. Veterinarians are used to emergencies and have probably been called out to false emergencies many times. If your vets clinic does not have an on-call doctor they usually have a recorded message giving the number and location of the nearest vet or emergency clinic open 24 hours.
Remember, you know your pet better than anyone else.
If you notice your pet behaving in a way thats unusual for him/her, or if you have a feeling that something just isnt right, you may have picked up on a subtle sign of a real problem. To find out, you can call your own vet clinic or an emergency animal hospital near you if your vet is closed. By asking you a few questions an emergency veterinarian should be able to tell you whether you should bring your pet in immediately, or whether you can wait for an appointment during your vets normal office hours. Even if you find out nothings wrong, youll be glad to have your mind at ease.
Obvious Emergencies
There may be an occasion you wont need to call first as it will be an obvious emergency.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, take your pet in immediately for emergency care.
- Your pet has an accident or some kind of trauma, such as being hit by a car or a blunt object or falling more than a few feet. (Falling, not jumping as cats do)
- Your pet is unconscious and wont wake up.
- Your pet has been vomiting or has had diarrhea for more than 24 hours, or she is vomiting blood.
- You suspect any broken bones.
- Your pet is having trouble breathing or has something stuck in her throat.
- Your pet has had or is having a seizure.
- Your pet is bleeding from the eyes, nose, or mouth, or there is blood in her urine or feces.
- You think your pet might have ingested something toxic, such as antifreeze, rat poison, any kind of medication that wasnt prescribed to her, or household cleaners.
- Your pet, particularly your male cat, is straining to urinate, or is unable to.
- Your pet shows signs of extreme pain, such as whining, shaking, and refusing to socialize.
- Your pet collapses or suddenly has difficulty standing up.
- Your pet begins bumping into things or suddenly becomes disoriented.
- There is injury to your pets eyes, or she suddenly seems to become blind.
- Your pets abdomen is swollen and hard to the touch, and/or shes gagging and trying to vomit.
- You see symptoms of heatstroke.
If you suspect a serious problem, try to get directly in touch with a veterinary professional. Dont leave a voicemail or send an email. Your first step is to call your veterinarian. If you are away from home look for an emergency veterinary hospital in the yellow pages. Call them so that they are expecting you and make sure you have directions or know exactly where you are going and how you should move your ill or injured pet.
BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES
Be ready and prepared for all emergencies. Find out and post your regular vets hours and phone number and that of the nearest emergency veterinary hospital on the fridge or near the phone, along with the poison control hotline. Make the effort to find out the exact location of the nearest emergency vet hospital and keep directions or a map somewhere obvious. You may also want to have a list of pet first aid tips easily accessible, along with guidelines for human first aid.
Most important, remember to trust your instincts. You know and love your pet, and you have the right to be worried if something seems wrong. Emergency veterinary professionals are there for you-so never be afraid to call.
