How many times has it puzzled us as to why dogs spin around before going to the bathroom. Well a study published in the “Journal Frontiers in Zoology” found that dogs poop in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field. When observing 70 dogs made up of 37 breeds-over two years, a clear preference for an alignment with the north-south axis was documented, with the east-west axis avoided. Just why they instinctively like this positioning for defecation and how exactly they perceive the magnetic field is still unclear, but now you know what all the spinning is about.
By watching how your dog sleeps will help you determine the right kind of bed to get. If the dog likes to curl-up a bumper bed would be good, but if the dog sleeps with the legs sticking straight out, a flat bed without sides or bolsters would be in order. Also many dogs do like to have a blanket to cover themselves up with. Some types of beds to consider are: pillows, bolster, orthopedic, cooling, and others.
A dog wagging it’s tail isn’t always a good thing. They also wag their tails when agitated, annoyed or angry. Pay attention to the position of the tail. A loose, hip-swaying, wiggly, side-to-side wag usually means it’s happy to see you, whereas a tail held high and stiff that’s rigidly wagging means the dog could be in a state of high excitement or agitation. Also look for tense muscles, particularly in the face, dilated pupils and and pinned ears which are not signs of a relaxed dog.
Dogs can get bored and like to be challenged with games that make them think. You can place treats around the house for them to find or use smart toys to play with, and take them to new places with new environments to explore.
Don’t over-feed your dog because it has been found in the U.S. that 53% of dogs are overweight or obese. That extra weight increased the risk of arthritis, heart disease, cancer, among other ailments. Give them an appropriately sized high quality breakfast and dinner. When choosing dog food always look for whole meats in the ingredients list like lamb, beef, turkey, and chicken instead of for instance turkey meal. Whole grains are better than by-products and foods preserved with vitamin E and vitamin C, sometimes labeled as mixed tocopherols, which are much preferred to those with chemical preservatives. And dogs certainly don’t need artificial colors or flavors that stuff is for us humans.
Senior dogs may not be as active as when they were young but they still should go for walks or learn new tricks. The old saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” has been emphatically proved wrong.
Dogs are pack animals and like to be their family. If left outside, they probably will just sit and wait for you to return to be let back inside and be part of the action.
Studies have shown the most dogs possess the intellect of a human two-year-old, so when left alone imagine the horrors you could find when you get home. So if they constantly barking, jumping or wrecking things it means they need a lot more exercise and attention.
If you want to interact with the dog, then let the dog approach you instead of you moving to the dog. If you crouch down a short distance from the dog and glance off to the side, it will relax the dog and he can approach you on his own terms. Where if you reached your hand down into his face, that action could make him nervous or make you appear threatening.