Health & Safety Tips for your Downtown Dog

Marla Saltzman , D.V.M. is a regular expert contributor to DowntownDogLover.com. Dr. Saltzman specializes in small animal internal medicine, endocrinology, and dermatology. To contact her directly and learn more about her practice, Market Street Veterinary Clinic, please call 619-230-1220 or visit marketstreetvet.com.

Good Training Prevents Injury

Written by Kathleen Gioia

They say every dog has his day, and “Downtown Dogs” in particular spend their days a little differently than their suburban counterparts. Have you ever wondered if your downtown dog has unique health needs or requirements? Well, so have we at downtowndoglover.com. We contacted downtown veterinarian, Dr. Marla Saltzman, an expert in downtown pet care to discuss specific health issues and concerns we should be aware of. The focus of our inaugural issue is safety when out on the town.

All dog owners want to keep their pets safe and enjoy a positive experience every time they leave home to walk their dog. The best way to ensure everyone is safe and happy each and every time you take Fido out is to properly teach him how to follow a few simple commands like “sit” and “stay.” Before you even get started training, you need the proper dog collar or harness and leash. Owners should be aware that not all collars and leashes are safe or appropriate. Some breeds and temperaments do better with harnesses rather than collars. Dr. Saltzman suggests speaking with your vet about which equipment is best for your dog. Why is this important? The proper collar and leash will allow for maximum owner control and pet comfort when walking or training your dog.

Unfortunately, many owners feel their dogs are properly trained or well controlled but in actuality they are not. Some of us forget that at any moment another animal or a more aggressive dog may appear in the same space. For instance, how many of us have allowed our dog to run down a hallway or rush into an elevator with us? Though fun for us and our dog we are actually reinforcing a very dangerous behavior.

The proper approach is to keep our dog on a very short leash while walking in a hallway and train him to stay in sit command outside an elevator until we have determined it is safe for our dog to enter. Dr. Saltzman tells us she sees dogs that have sustained serious bite injuries while in this very scenario many times each year. Serious and sometimes permanent injury can easily be avoided if the owner is aware of the danger and maintains proper behavioral control of their animal every time they are in a shared public space.

Training your dog to walk and stay while on a leash is the obligation of every good dog owner. There are numerous trainers and training approaches to choose from, and many are listed right here on DowntownDogLover.com so you can choose the one who best fits your pet’s needs. Your vet can also help you decide what type of trainer is best for you and your dog. Once you understand the basic psychology of leash training your downtown dog, you will be amazed at how easy it is to train your dog in other obedience skills. Training can be a fun bonding experience, but most importantly it will help you keep your dog safe so he can accompany you on many more walks.