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DIY Comfy Alternative To The Cone Of Shame

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Homemade Dog Cone Alternative

Dog Cone Alternative
Sobek, my Rottweiler. 🙂

Sooner or later, it’s going to happen. One day, your dog will need to wear the dreaded cone of shame. Honestly, I think an Elizabethan collar (plastic dog cone, cone of shame, e-collar, etc.) has earned a bad reputation. It’s all about perspective, right? In our home, we call dog cones “party hats” because we make them fun to wear. If your dog absolutely hates wearing a plastic dog cone, give this homemade dog cone alternative a try.

Disclaimer: Hands down, a plastic Elizabethan collar works best. There’s no comparison. Always follow your veterinarian’s advice. If you decide to try a towel dog cone alternative, partner with your vet first.

Meet the Towel Dog Collar

Last year, my Rottweiler chewed a couple of hot spots between both front paw pads. As part of our vet’s recommended treatment plan, we were told to focus on preventing my dog from licking the area. He’s pretty happy wearing a plastic dog cone, but I wanted to try a dog cone alternative—something that would be more comfortable while sleeping. I call this DIY dog cone alternative a towel collar and it works really well.

When designing this homemade dog cone alternative, I used the Bite Not Collar as inspiration. This dog collar resembles a human neck brace. It prevents dogs from turning their necks from side to side or downward, but this collar wasn’t perfect. The bottom edges would dig into my dog’s shoulders—ouch! Hmm, I thought maybe I could make something a bit better.

Using the Bite Not Collar design, I rolled up a thick towel and taped it into place. It took several days of trial and error, but I finally figured out how to keep the towel securely in place without putting too much pressure around Sobek’s neck, head and shoulders. Also, since the dog cone is a soft towel, no edges dug into my dog’s shoulders!

How to Create a Towel Dog Collar

You’ll need a thick towel, duct tape, smeared plate of peanut butter, friend to hold the peanut butter in front of your dog’s face and, of course, your dog. When picking peanut butter, make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol. If your dog is unable to stand still while you wrap the dog cone towel around his neck, check out these easy tips that will keep your dog happily standing still.

Step One: Choose a Towel Size

Depending on the size of your dog, choose a thick towel that can easily be folded into thirds and covers your dog’s neck area only. For my large Rottie, I used a super thick full-sized towel (a beach towel was too long). Several friends tried this method successfully using a kitchen towel for smaller dogs and a washcloth for very tiny dogs (under 10 pounds).

Step Two: Fold Towel

Fold the towel into thirds lengthwise. This way you can wrap the towel around your dog’s neck slowly.

Step Three: Don’t Wrap Too Tightly

Have your friend hold a smeared plate of peanut butter in front of your dog’s mouth, as you start wrapping the towel around your dog’s neck. When wrapping, make sure the towel isn’t too tight. Otherwise, your dog may choke or experience neck pain or breathing issues. Once wrapped, make sure your arm can easily fit between the wrapped towel cone and your dog’s neck.

For smaller dogs, make sure your hand or at least two fingers can easily slide all the way down between your dog’s neck and towel. If it’s too tight, rewrap until it’s just right.

Don’t worry. It will take a few tries to make sure the towel fits correctly, and hence the benefits of a smeared plate of peanut butter to keep your dog busy while you experiment.

Step Four: Tape in Place

Mimicking the Bite Not Collar straps, cut three pieces of duct tape to wrap 2/3 around the towel. Place one tape strip at the top edge of the towel, place the second strip at the bottom edge and, lastly, wrap the third strip around the middle of the towel collar. Stick your hand between your dog’s neck and the towel to ensure the towel dog cone wasn’t pulled too tightly while taping.

Was My Dog OK Wearing This Dog Cone Alternative?

Thankfully, my Rottie, did well with his homemade dog cone alternative; and it stopped him from chewing on his front feet. He was able to sleep, eat, drink and potty comfortably, and he looked adorable wearing it too. 🙂

Every day, I would remove the towel dog cone and rewrap it. If you don’t rewrap it each day, the towel will lose its fluffy thickness and your dog will be able to turn his neck around. Throughout the day, make sure the towel doesn’t twist and tighten. If the towel gets dirty, take it off and wrap a new towel in its place; it’s super easy.

If you decide to give this DIY dog cone alternative a try, supervise your dog for the first few days of him wearing it and always partner with your veterinarian first. If your dog has neck pain during or after wearing his towel collar, remove it and contact your vet immediately.

WATCH: How to DIY Dog Cone Alternative

https://youtu.be/M4LzVp3vLMI

Dog Urine Sample: How To Collect Your Dog’s Urine For Testing

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Collect a Urine Sample From Your Dog With These Tips

Dog Urine Sample
MartinCParker/iStock

Sooner or later, you’ll need to collect a urine sample from your dog to rule out illness or to bring to your dog’s annual exam. Of course, your vet’s office can collect your dog’s urine sample, but sometimes it’s a bit more difficult if your dog is easily excited or fearful—that’s where the pet owner enters the situation. Believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to collect a urine sample from your dog and you won’t even have to touch his urine! I promise.

Check out these simple tips on collecting a urine sample from your male or female dog!

First, Be Prepared

To make this procedure as simple as possible, you’ll need to plan ahead and use the right tools. You’ll need a container to collect your dog’s urine while he or she is urinating, and then transfer the collected urine into a sterile urine sample cup. As a veterinary technician, this is how I was taught to collect urine and I still use this method today. 🙂

What You’ll Need to Collect a Urine Sample

Sterile Urine Sample Cup

Ask your veterinarian for a sterile urine sample cup first. The urine sample cup is used for pouring your dog’s collected urine into it. You label it with your dog’s name and time his urine sample was collected, and transfer it safely to your vet’s office. Trying to collect a urine sample with this cup is next to impossible. If you’ve tried using it before, you know the struggle. 🙂

Urine Samples Have a Short Life

If you’re wondering how long you can keep a dog’s urine sample before testing, it’s best to collect your dog’s urine right before a vet visit because urine has a short life once collected. For best results, urine samples should be tested within 30 minutes of collection.

Urine samples that sit at room or warm temperature for longer than 30 minutes may produce unreliable test results. However, I’ve also found old urine samples that have been sitting in the refrigerator for more than 30 minutes may still provide unreliable results, so time is definitely a factor.

Usually, I bring my dog potty in our backyard, collect the urine sample, place the sample in an insulated bag containing plastic bags of ice and head straight to our vet’s office. Sometimes, I’ll arrive at our vet’s office early and collect a urine sample in their parking lot, but I’ve noticed most dogs get really excited in a new place, which can make collecting a urine sample challenging.

Dog Leash

Always leash your dog when trying to collect a urine sample, and shorten your dog’s leash to 3 feet. That way, when your dog starts to pee, you’re right there to collect his or her urine. Keep movements slow and calm. Any fast moments will cause your dog to stop urinating.

RELATED: What to Do When Your Puppy Won’t Walk on Leash

How to Collect a Urine Sample From Your Dog

Collecting a Urine Sample From a Female Dog

Collecting a female dog’s urine is pretty straightforward and simple. Since female dogs squat to urinate, you’ll need a narrow and flat collection surface with sides to prevent urine from spilling out and grass or dirt from getting into the urine sample.

For large to medium female dogs, I use a saucer plate with sides. If your dog is small, try using a plastic container lid; make sure it has edges to prevent urine from spilling.

Bring your female dog out to her favorite potty area on leash, and walk behind her while holding the saucer. Once she squats to urinate, slide the saucer under her vulva to catch her urine. Remove the saucer as she stands up, being careful to move slowly as not to startle her. Moving the saucer as your dog is standing prevents her from stepping into the urine sample. Now, take the urine sample and pour into the sterile urine sample cup provided by your vet, label it with your dog’s name and time of collection, and head to your vet’s office.

Soon, you’ll be a pro at collecting your dog’s urine!

WATCH: How to Collect a Urine Sample From a Female Dog

https://youtu.be/zlflG8sNaCQ

Collecting a Urine Sample From a Male Dog

It’s a bit tougher collecting a male dog’s urine. You would think it would be easier, but that’s not always the case. A soup ladle is the best and easiest way to collect a urine sample from a male dog. Just make sure to clean the ladle cup with alcohol before using.

Leash your male dog and bring him out into your backyard to potty. Shorten your leash and walk behind your dog while holding the soup ladle in your hand. Now, think of the soup ladle handle like an arm extension; you need to keep the handle flush with your wrist and move it slowly or else it will distract your dog. The moment your dog starts urinating, place the soup ladle cup in your male dog’s urine stream and remove once he stops urinating. Once urine has been collected, pour it in a sterile urine sample cup, label it with your dog’s name and information, and bring it to your vet’s office immediately.

A Word About Soup Ladles

Personally, I find plastic soup ladles are easier to use as a urine collection device than stainless steel versions. When a male dog urinates into a stainless steel ladle, it makes a loud sound, which can startle the dog. A startled dog will stop urinating and possibly refuse to urinate while you’re holding the ladle. I’ve had it happen to me many times. 🙂

WATCH: How to Collect a Urine Sample From a Male Dog

https://youtu.be/f3IC5FUTyjg

2 Must-Read Books on Dog Health

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Two Dog Health Books That Go Above and Beyond

Dog Health Books
Click_and_Photo/iStock

If you’re looking for meaningful and helpful dog health books for pet owners, then I highly suggest these two options. One book is a bit “new age,” but it completely changed my way of thinking pertaining to veterinary care. I think most pet owners would greatly benefit from reading it. The other book taught me how to become my dog’s health advocate. I can’t recommend these dog health books enough. Both of them should be in every dog owner’s library. 

Speaking For Spot: The Best Health Care Book For You And Your Dog

Many years ago, as a budding pet owner and dog trainer, I had a veterinary reference handbook that I used for just about everything. We didn’t have Google back then, so I had to research symptoms, veterinary diagnoses and general health information the old-fashioned way. This meant thumbing through a thick book. Dr. Google is a good source, but it can scare you to death too. “Speaking For Spot” is packed with extremely valuable information every dog owner should know.

This dog book sets itself apart from other dog health books because it actually teaches the pet owner how to act as an advocate for her dog. If I had this book 20 years ago, I would have learned how to ask educated questions before surrendering my dog to many unnecessary procedures. Also, I would have understood exactly what my vet was saying and been able to have a more in-depth discussion with additional questions and concerns.

What Did This Book Teach Me?

One valuable lesson I learned from “Speaking For Spot” is that if your dog’s medical needs are too complex, you should ask your general practice vet for a veterinary referral to a specialist.

While we assume veterinary specialists are outrageously expensive, it’s a fraction of the cost compared to complications that can arise from the inexperience of a general practice vet. Would you allow your primary care doctor to perform open-heart surgery, repair a torn ACL, address complex skin issues or amputate your leg? I think not. Primary care doctors just don’t perform these types of surgeries enough, so always ask for a specialist.

I’m not bashing general practice veterinarians. These vets must deal with anything and everything that walks through their doors. However, if they diagnose a highly specialized problem, they should refer out when things are out of their skill level.

Why is This Book Important?

Dogs need an advocate because they’re voiceless, innocent creatures. They need someone to speak up and ask questions on their behalf. This dog health book does an amazing job teaching you how to navigate through a regular veterinary visit, how to save money and, most importantly, how to ensure your dog is completely safe in the process.

4 Paws, 5 Directions: A Guide To Chinese Medicine For Cats and Dogs

Please bear with me for a moment. “4 Paws, 5 Directions” is about alternative medicine for dogs and cats. I can honestly tell you that this book on dog health changed my dogs’ lives as well as my life forever. Before you assume I eat granola and wear hemp sandals—I’m not saying this is a bad thing—I think it’s important for you to know I question everything.

I don’t believe anything unless I’ve personally witnessed it working several times. I need to understand how it works completely and make sure it does no harm. Also, I have a very limited patience level; so if something doesn’t work quickly (within a few days or a couple of weeks), I move on. I despise wasting valuable time if either my dogs or I am sick.

What Did This Book Teach Me?

This dog health book explains how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) works and breaks it down from our pet’s perspective. It’s very easy to read and understand. You’ll have a ton of “ah ha” moments, and it’s packed full of real veterinary cases that might sound like your dog’s medical and behavioral issues. You’ll learn how making adjustments in your dog’s diet really makes a difference, how acupuncture and massages benefit your dog’s chronic disease and how to prevent diseases from emerging.

You may also like: Homemade Diets For Dogs

Why TCM?

The difference between TCM and traditional medicine is pretty simple. TCM treats those symptoms that vets can’t seem to do anything about. Symptoms are there for a reason, and it’s usually a precursor before a disease takes over. We all know that if nothing is found during veterinary diagnostics and the symptoms are still recurring, nothing is done except to wait.

I knew something wasn’t right with my dogs about 3-6 months before my vet finally diagnosed cancer or chronic disease. Unfortunately, by then, it was too late. Chemotherapy is always an option for cancer, but interestingly many veterinary oncologists are getting certified in acupuncture. This is to help their clients maintain an appetite and reduce nausea during treatment.

See Also: Holistic Veterinary Care: Is It Really Worth It? 

Does TCM Work?

TCM works, but I’m still learning exactly how. I’ve personally witnessed essential oil cream stop a bacterial skin infection within 12 hours, hemp oil stop anxiety and seizures, herbs reduce chronic tummy pain (IBS or IBD) and diet changes stop chronic skin allergies. I could go on and on, but I think reading this dog health book will change how you think. It’s important to note that TCM should be used in conjunction with traditional medicine. I don’t believe eating dandelions will work better than antibiotics for an infection. However, there are some powerful TCM methods that really work.

The more pet owners learn, the better we can help our dogs!

Pica In Dogs May Be More Than Just A Behavior Problem

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Serious Causes of Pica in Dogs

Pica in Dogs
Tamilisa Miner/iStock

Sometimes, dogs eat strange things and many of us wonder why this happens. Pica is the craving to consume substances other than food. For example, pica in dogs can manifest into a desire to eat rocks, puffs of hair on the ground, dirt or even clothes. The majority of issues pertaining to pica in dogs are behavioral issues, such as a puppy chewing and accidentally swallowing socks. However, this isn’t necessarily always the case. Let’s chat about the other causes of pica in dogs—those that involve medical issues.

Focal Seizures

When dogs have recurring problems of ingesting odd objects and behavioral solutions haven’t solved the issue, it’s time to dig deeper for the exact cause of pica in dogs. Several years ago, a client’s dog had multiple surgeries to remove ingested objects. Despite this, her dog continued to eat strange items. When behavioral solutions didn’t work, I asked the client several questions:

  • Does this dog behavior only happen outdoors or indoors?
  • Does this behavior happen all the time, some days, at night or during the day?
  • Is there a change in dog behavior before your dog ingests objects?
  • What happens after your dog eats these objects?
  • When was your last veterinary exam, including blood work?

It seemed this dog would suddenly become startled (jump up and walk around), lick her lips continuously, gulp air, and then swallow anything and everything around her. After a few minutes, the behavior stopped and she would either sleep for hours or cling to her owner. This cluster of strange dog behaviors happened at different times of the day and night. The dog would also be conscious, yet non-responsive when she heard her name.

Together, my client and I spoke with her veterinarian about these odd and unpredictable behaviors. The vet referred them to a veterinary neurologist who confirmed that these behaviors were indeed a type of focal seizure. The dog responded well to anti-seizure medications and the odd pica-type behaviors quickly stopped.

Digestive Issues

Dogs are unable to verbally tell us they have a tummy ache, but their behavior is a giveaway that there is an issue. Some dogs will eat grass, consume dirt, lick themselves or ingest odd objects (pica) when their stomach hurts. This is because they’re trying to stop the pain.

Usually, this dog behavior is accompanied by:

  • Gurgling stomach sounds
  • Licking of lips
  • Moving into or staying in a praying stance
  • Whining
  • Drinking excess amounts of water

Most of us notice when a dog is acting oddly. However, we typically don’t notice a dog’s tummy hurts until he or she vomits or has diarrhea.

Personal Story

About 15 years ago, one of my dogs displayed these behaviors repeatedly and I assumed it was a behavioral problem. We worked on our “trade” cue whenever Armond would pick up and try to consume small rocks. I would also redirect him when he stretched into a praying position for several minutes.

After a week or so, Armond threw up vomit that resembled black coffee grounds. I immediately knew that it was an ulcer. I rushed him to our vet’s office where Armond had to be hospitalized for several days. His ulcer had been caused by taking non-steroidal pain medication (NSAID) for several months to reduce chronic pain from an ACL repair.

Fast forward to the present when my little Bull Terrier started licking her lips and randomly eating odd things. I immediately feared that she might be having a seizure. Our vet placed her on Pepcid (over-the-counter antacid) and these clutters of behavior went away immediately. Whew!

You may also be interested in: Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome in Dogs 

Summary of Pica in Dogs

Don’t panic. It’s very common for puppies and young dogs to chew and swallow odd objects. If this behavior doesn’t resolve itself when certain behavior protocols have already been used, then I would certainly speak with your veterinarian. I would recommend the same course of action if your dog is exhibiting a series of odd behaviors and is taking medications that can cause stomach distress.

The Ultimate Dog Training Reward For Your Dog

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Dog Training Rewards Don’t Always Have to Be Food

Dog Training Reward
Josh Solar/iStock

Rewards are a vital part of dog training; they’re basically your dog’s paycheck for a job well done. Dogs must be rewarded whenever they choose to perform a desired behavior. Giving your dog a reward tells your dog he’s on the right track and to keep doing the rewarded behavior.

Dogs must choose their own rewards. Since each dog is different, he will find certain foods, toys and games more rewarding than others. Finding a dog’s ultimate reward isn’t always easy, but once discovered it makes learning new dog behaviors quick and fun. Finding a dog’s ultimate reward is so important that I ask pet owners this question during our first dog training session. So here it goes: what does your dog love more than anything?

Dog Training Rewards

Food Rewards

All dogs love food—even picky ones. It’s our job to experiment and find food rewards that will cause our dogs to drool, dance, offer a sit behavior or climb countertops to get to their favorite food rewards.

Dogs like fresh food. The more moisture a dog training treat contains, the better. High percentages of moisture make the treat smell stronger, and you can never go wrong with meat foods. When looking for your dog’s ultimate reward, don’t limit yourself to certain types of food. Try a variety of moist foods, such as:

  • Baked chicken (if you’re in a hurry, try store-bought rotisserie chicken)
  • Canned sausages (Vienna sausages)
  • Roast beef lunch meat
  • Cheese chunks
  • Tuna fish (tuna fish pouches work best)
  • Hot dogs

RELATED: Raw Dog Food: Not All Dogs Can Eat It

Toy Rewards

Many years ago, I remember watching a dog working for food treats during a dog training session, but he was missing that “Oh my gosh, I got it right!” excitement. Hmm, I asked the pet owner what his dog loved most in the world and he said, “Catching a tennis ball.”

I asked him to bring a tennis ball to class next week and keep it in his bait bag. The following week, whenever his dog chose to sit, down, heel, leave it or whatever, he would take out the tennis ball and play a game of “toss and catch the tennis ball” for a few seconds. Wow! A tennis ball was this dog’s ultimate reward and, from that moment on, this darling dog learned quickly.

If your dog enjoys toys more so than food rewards, try using a toy as a reward. Some dogs love to chase a ball, bite a squeaky toy or pull on a tug toy, so experiment with different toys and games. When my Rottweiler was introduced to an underwater treadmill for physical rehabilitation after having his ACL repaired, he worked for food, but still disliked the treadmill.

One day, our physical therapist brought out a yellow tennis ball and Sobek smiled with glee. He totally enjoyed mouthing and holding a tennis ball in his mouth while walking in a tank filled with water. I was left scratching my head, but it didn’t matter. We finally found Sobek’s ultimate reward for this situation. Oh, and it helped tremendously that tennis balls float in water. 🙂

A Bit About Praise

Back in the dark ages (or the ’80s), dogs were only rewarded with praise. It was thought that food was bribery back then. Now that we know better, food rewards are an important part of a dog’s learning process. Eventually, praise fizzled out as a reward.

Honestly, I cringe when someone still says his dog only works for praise. I don’t completely buy it. I’ve worked with dog training clients who swear their dogs work for praise as a reward and it seemed effective in the beginning, but fizzled out when making the decision to perform the desired behavior became harder. If you believe your dog works for only praise, you should try other dog training rewards. You might be shocked at your dog’s decision.

Praise is good as a reward, but it shouldn’t be the only reward. Think of praise as the icing on a cake—it works best when paired with food or toy rewards. We all love praise. It’s nice being verbally recognized by your boss, but you still need your paycheck, right? It’s the same for your dog.

Use praise as a maximizer for food or toy rewards, and use praise during breakthrough or difficult decision-making moments. Oh, and praise shouldn’t be limited to pats and “atta boy.” You need to have a party! Clap, jump, sing, make smoochie sounds, say “puppy, puppy, puppy,” pat your dog quickly and smile! Dogs love high-pitched, rapidly repeating sounds. Make praise count.

RELATED: What Is Your Dog Saying: Interpreting Dog Sounds

Ultimate Rewards Can Change

This is totally true! Your dog may love spoonfuls of peanut butter, but suddenly a floating tennis ball becomes an object of desire during a certain moment. It happens. Don’t assume you’ve chosen the wrong dog training reward. Embrace your dog’s newfound love and use it as a reward.

Reward your dog often, and reward yourself too!

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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