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Discolored Dog Teeth: What Should You Do?

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Treating Discolored Teeth in Dogs

Discolored Dog Teeth
Janet Wall/Adobe Stock

Dogs can develop periodontal disease and injure their teeth just like humans. Damaged dog teeth hurts! Despite being stoic creatures that can easily hide their tooth pain, dogs are definitely hurting.

One dog dental problem you may encounter is discolored teeth in dogs. Discolored dog teeth could be a sign of a more serious health problem and should not be ignored. If your dog’s teeth are discolored, it’s time to take a peek inside her mouth and jump into action.

Monthly Mouth Exam

The first step to preventing painful tooth issues is taking a good look into a dog’s mouth. Once a month, look into your dog’s mouth and examine each tooth carefully. While dog teeth are stronger than human teeth, they are still susceptible to injury, which is why it’s so important to take a look into your dog’s mouth often.

When looking at your dog’s teeth, keep an eye for:

  • Tooth discoloration
  • Brown or black streaks running horizontally or vertically along a tooth
  • Bleeding or receding gums
  • Lacerated gums
  • Misaligned teeth
  • Lesions
  • Foul odor

If your dog is uncomfortable having her mouth open for a dental exam, teach your dog to say “ah.”

Ask An Expert

If any issues are noted, take a picture of the tooth and show your veterinarian. Usually, a vet will complete a thorough examination and recommend a dental cleaning or refer you to a veterinary dentist.

Sometimes, veterinarians recommend a “wait and see” protocol. Remember, damaged dog teeth are painful for your dog, so ask for a referral to a veterinary dentist for a second opinion. Be persistent because damaged teeth won’t improve without medical treatment.

Veterinary Dentist

Veterinary dentists are veterinarians that are board certified in animal dentistry. These experts are trained to successfully repair dog teeth using the latest dentistry practices available. Plus, they’re able to identify a damaged tooth quickly and offer options, such as root canals, crowns and removal, if needed. Many pet owners notice an increase in friskiness in their dogs after damaged teeth are addressed because their source of throbbing pain has been removed. It never hurts to ask for a second opinion from an expert. Be your dog’s advocate.

Never ignore discolored dog teeth and always consult an expert.

Is Your Dog’s Black Coat Turning Red?

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5 Reasons Why Your Dog’s Black Coat Turns Red

Dog Coat Turns Red
bwolski/Adobe Stock

There’s nothing more beautiful than a healthy dog’s deep black coat—it glows from within. Depending on a dog’s breed, a black coat should have a blue-black hue when viewed in bright light. Of course, soft undercoat is usually a bit lighter than a dog’s regular coat, but overall a black coat should be glossy with minimal odor. Sometimes, a dog’s black coat (and dark gray coats too) can develop a red tinge over time, which can happen for numerous reasons.

1. Sun Exposure

By far, sun exposure is the most common reason why a black coat turns red. Sun exposure bleaches hair, including human hair. As a licensed cosmetologist, I’m very familiar with hair color. When dark-colored hair is exposed to sun (or chemical bleach), it turns red before turning yellow. Dark hair is packed with pigment, so it takes a long time for dark hair to turn yellow (unless lots of chemical bleach is used :)).

Since the sun shines downward, most dark-colored dogs develop red tinges on their backs, ears and tail. Longer hair is more porous because it’s older, turning red quicker even when it’s not in the sun. During winter months, most dogs’ coats will darken again due to limited sun exposure.

Many professional dog grooming products offer detanglers that also contain sunscreen for fur, which will protect fur from damaging sunrays. Follow the product’s instructions carefully and apply often.

2. Saliva

When dogs continually lick a specific spot, pet owners will notice a dark rusty color develop. Saliva is especially noticeable on white dog coats, but it happens to dark dog coats too. If your dog is licking a specific spot often, schedule an examination with your veterinarian. Licking is not always allergy related; some dogs lick due to pain caused by tummy or back issues.

3. Blowing Coat

Twice a year, dogs will blow out their coats. All dogs shed, regardless of their coat length, and will lose their soft undercoat. Medium- and long-coated dogs’ undercoats are usually lighter in color and can appear red-tinged during dog shedding season. As soon as you start brushing your dog daily, your dog’s dark coat will usually darken up nicely because all of the red-colored undercoat will have been removed.

4. Diet

Sometimes, a dog’s diet can play a part in turning his black coat red. All dogs should eat a high quality diet, but certain diets don’t work for all dogs. If your dog is not shedding, is not ill or has limited sun exposure, then consider changing your dog’s diet to cooked or raw food. Also, try different high quality kibble to find what works best for your dog.

5. Illness

When older dogs develop a red-tinged coat, it’s time for a thorough veterinary visit. Senior dogs should have blood work and a physical exam completed every six months to catch potential issues before they become a major issue. Ask your veterinarian about adding fish or hemp oil to your dog’s diet to help his coat if no health issues are identified. It’s possible your dog may be in need of additional supplements to boost his immune system. I recommend Standard Process, as it offers the best nutritional supplements out there.

Why You Should Never Buy A Puppy Online

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Don’t Buy Dogs Online

Don't Buy Dogs Online
WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock

Shopping online is so easy now; the world is literally at everyone’s fingertips. Online shopping offers varieties that were previously limited before. A perfect example of this is the variety of dog breeds available to consumers, giving rise to buying dogs online.

When searching for a puppy online, people usually select their preferred dog breed by reading descriptions and looking at the photos. Then, they click on links to breeders selling the puppies. This may seem convenient, but this is the worst way to bring a puppy into your life. Before buying a puppy or dog online, please understand these very common risks.

Are You Sure That Dog Breed is Right for You?

As a professional dog trainer, I’m shocked when potential pet owners choose a specific breed of dog based on Internet descriptions. Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed senior citizens (in their mid-80s) purchasing robust Rottweilers, Bouviers and Belgian Malinois, all of which are large and highly energetic dogs that can easily knock someone over. Some people purchase Mastiffs because they wanted a large dog, but were unaware that this breed drools buckets of slobber every hour.

Most online breeders are trying to sell puppies quickly, so they will tell you anything you want to hear. These irresponsible breeders will tell potential pet owners a certain breed is perfect with children, other dogs, cats or whatever. There are pros and cons to everything, including different dog breeds.

How to Choose a Breed of Dog

Before choosing a puppy to bring into your home, take the time to meet several of these breeds in person. Local dog shows are a perfect place to meet and pet dogs, talk to knowledgeable dog breeders, and have all your questions answered. Another way to meet dogs is to contact reputable breeders from a specific breed’s AKC parent club (not the breeders listed on AKC’s website).

To find reputable AKC parent clubs, visit a search engine and type in your chosen breed’s name and “club of America” afterwards. Examples include: “Rottweiler Club of America,” “Bouvier Club of America” or “Belgian Malinois Club of America.” Reputable dog breeders will spend hours explaining the good, bad and ugly of a specific breed, and will always take their puppies back.

Online Puppies are From Puppy Mills

Puppy mills continue to breed dogs in horrible conditions to maximize profits. Online puppies’ parents are kept in rabbit cages, are rarely fed, and have never seen grass or sun. These poor dogs have no veterinary care and are treated as livestock. In the past, puppy millers would sell puppies on roadsides and to pet retailers that sell puppies. Due to the upsurge of protests from animal lovers, puppy mills now hide and sell their puppies online. Don’t let their prices fool you either. Many puppy mills sell their puppies at high prices, so potential pet owners assume they’re reputable breeders.

It’s a Gamble

Puppy mills select, and even steal, photos of cute puppies to post on their website or social media page. Irresponsible dog breeders will promise a perfect puppy and tell unsuspecting people whatever they want to hear until a money transfer has been completed.

Terrible breeders will convince them that their puppies were born and live indoors, which is never true. Plus, it’s impossible to verify because potential pet owners aren’t able to visit the puppy’s home.

Once people receive their precious puppy, most are shocked that their puppy doesn’t resemble the one in the picture. And it doesn’t stop there. They’ll soon realize their puppy has health issues after a well puppy vet visit, and feel like they’ve been bamboozled.

Fortunately, most pet owners won’t return their puppy because they feel sorry for him or her. It wasn’t the puppy’s fault the breeder didn’t care. However, for puppy millers, they’re beyond thrilled with your decision because they get to keep your money and will continue to pull the heart strings of other potential pet owners. It’s a lucrative business.

Only purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder or, even better, recuse a dog in need.

5 Safety Tips For Dogs And Children

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How to Keep Children Safe Around Dogs

Dogs and Children
blessings/Adobe Stock

Many pet owners assume dogs and children get along like peanut butter and jelly—that they just blend seemingly well together. Well, that’s not always true, unfortunately. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) statistics show that children are bitten more often by dogs with young boys topping the charts.

Interestingly, it’s not random dogs that do the biting. It’s family dogs that bite children the most. Even though your dog has never bitten anyone, he has teeth and will defend himself if hurt or teased. With that, it’s important to understand a few safety tips to keep children safe around dogs.

1. Leave Sleeping Dogs Alone

Children should never disturb dogs that are sleeping. Many dogs will become startled and nip children as a result. Explain to your children that dogs should have plenty of space while taking naps, and that they should never wake up a sleeping dog.

2. Don’t Allow Children to Sit on Dogs

My skin crawls when viewing photos of children standing, sitting or lying across their dog’s back. While the child looks happy in the picture, the dog is not happy at all. Dogs are not little children and should be respected, so teach children to stand on the ground and not on your dog. Plus, having a 10- to 50-lb child sitting or standing on your dog is painful for him.

3. Stay Out of a Dog’s Food Bowl

When dogs are eating meals, chews or treats, children should provide their dog plenty of space. Children should stay away from their dog’s food bowl while their dog is eating, and never try to take away a chew or treat from the dog.

RELATED: 7 Tips on Being a Responsible Dog Owner

4. Keep Faces Apart

Humans love to give hugs, but dogs are not fans of them. Now, most dogs enjoy putting their face near a person’s face, but they don’t enjoy someone walking over and placing their human face near their face. There’s a big difference between the two because, with the latter, dogs feel like they can’t get away when held in a human embrace and may bite. Many dog bites happen to a child’s face, which is a telltale sign that the child’s face was too close to a dog’s face.

5. Make Like a Tree

When dogs get excited, they can topple over children quickly. Teach your child to make like a tree when your dog gets excited. Children should stand still like a tree, fold their arms around their bodies like branches and look at the ground (avoid eye contact). Most dogs will ignore a still child and find something else to do.

How To Save Your Back When Training Small Dogs

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Training Small Dogs: Reward Without Back Pain

Training Small Dogs
Christian Müller/Adobe Stock

All dogs deserve lots of super yummy treats during dog training practice sessions. However, when training small dogs, a pet owner can certainly strain his back from repeatedly bending down to give his dog a treat. If you share your home with a small dog, give these treat tossing tips a try and give your back a rest.

Feed the Floor

When rewarding your small dog for a good job, try tossing treats on the floor instead of bending over and popping treats into your tiny dog’s mouth. Tossing treats on the floor is an extremely effective reward system, and you’re able to move your small dog around to reset for the next behavior.

If tossing treats on the floor is bothersome, place a plastic container on the floor and toss treats into that. Your small dog can perform a behavior, then walk over to her “treat bucket” to eat her earned treat.

Lightly toss treats about 2-3 feet away from your dog. Tiny bits of cheese work extremely well because there’s minimal bounce factor plus low fat cheese won’t leave a greasy residue behind.

RELATED: How to Clean Food Stuffed Toys

Use a Wooden Spoon

When training your small dog to walk on a loose leash, it’s vital to reward her often. Bending over and popping a treat into a dog’s mouth every few seconds can certainly put unneeded strain on your lower back. Instead of bending over, place a large dollop of peanut butter on a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Hold the spoon behind your back to prevent your small dog from jumping up and trying to mug you for treats.

When rewarding the right behavior, lower the spoon down, so your dog can take a lick or two of peanut butter, then pick it back up. Some dogs will grab the entire dollop of food off the spoon (smart dog), so smear peanut butter across the spoon or spatula surface to prevent this from happening.

Between both tips, see which one works best for you. Using a peanut butter spoon works best when teaching small dogs polite leash manners, and the feeding the floor method is ideal for everything else.

Dog Training Nation is a dog training blog for pet owners and dog lovers. We cover a range of topics from puppy socialization tips to dog aggression to dog health. It is our hope you share our content to make the world a better place for dogs.

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