Kennel
Tips - Health
Change Dogs' Location in the Dog Lot
If at all possible, periodically change the dogs' location in the dog lot to a new area to
decrease reinfestation with worms or disease.
Submitted by Linda Maroun, Michigan [11/2/00]
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Elizabethan Collar Tips
When one of our sled dogs has to wear an Elizabethan Collar or "lamp shade" to
keep the dog from licking an incision, we always use one of the collars that closes with a
plastic fastener to put the Elizabethan Collar on the dog. This way when we walk or feed
the dog we can take the Elizabethan Collar off and put it back on easily. The dog is a lot
easier to walk and is more at ease without the collar. Also we have dog houses with
oversized door to enable the dog to get in the house with the Elizabethan collar on. We
use these houses weather, insects, and season permitting. Otherwise we keep the dog in a
large veterinary kennel in our dog barn.
Submitted by Kyle J. Cherry Knik, Alaska [7/10/02]
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Give your dog a pill with peanut butter bread
When we have to give our dogs a pill we have tried several things. The hot dog
method worked fairly well except that often they ate the hot dog & spit out the pill.
Also I didn't always have hot dogs available.
This is the best method we have found. I take a piece of bread & cut a strip off.
Put the rest of the slice in a plastic bag to keep soft. Then I spread peanut butter on
it. Place the pill on one half & fold over. The dogs love it & believe me the pill
never gets spit out.
Submitted by Dori Hollingsworth, Seward, Alaska [6/3/02]
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Knuckle Bones
Help your dogs clean their teeth and save on dog houses at the same time
by providing fresh knuckle bones to break up summer boredom. Knuckle bones provide
cleaning qualities not found in the long bones, but either type will satisfy the urge to
chew. Knuckle bones are particularly valuable to dogs fed wet year around. Do be alert to
neighbors arguing over bones. I remove the bones from both (or all) dogs choosing to argue
over them. My experience is that dogs raised from puppyhood with bones are much less
possessive of them than dogs introduced to them as adults.
JB
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Growing New Coats
As soon as a dog starts to blow coat, increase his daily ration. It takes a
lot of energy to grow a new coat and if food isn't increased, the dog will drop weight
very quickly. The amount of extra food a dog needs to maintain weight depends on
individual metabolism, but 25% to 50% is typical. It's a good idea to get in the habit of
"feeling" your dogs regularly to check their weight whether they're growing a
new coat or not.
JB
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Unique Mouse Trap
Cleanliness is imperative to good dog and musher health. Rodent infestations lead
to problems like worms, fleas, and haunta virus in some areas.
If pack rats are your problem, good luck, but if its mice, try this awesome trap design
passed on to me by a fire lookout. File or hack saw two small grooves in the sides of a
five gallon bucket just above the handle holes. Pierce a hole in the center of a beer can
on the bottom. Run a piece of fishing line through the can and tightly tie off the fishing
line across the center of the bucket so the can is suspended in the center, using the
grooves to keep it positioned in the center under tension.
Fill the bucket with 3" of water. Bait beer can with peanut butter on three sides.
Place a stick leading from the floor to the edge of the bucket at one of the grooves, in
line with the line and can. Your automatic multi mouse trap is ready.
Empty dead mice as often as necessary. Use a little antifreeze during freezing weather.
The mice jump from the bucket edge to the can and it rolls pitching them into the bucket.
It occasionally fouls but I've had it catch six in a night.
Happy hunting!
Submitted by Kirk Barnum, Seeley Lake, Montana [5/1/2006]
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Vaseline for Pads
When my dog pulls sled, I put vaseline on her paw pads so they don't freeze
when it's really cold. It only lasts for short runs that last about 3 hours. It also works
good if you keep a dog outside all day.
Submitted by Anonymous
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Worming with Meatballs
If you use a paste horse wormer to worm your dogs or puppies, the best thing I
have found is to make meat balls out of chicken block or Champaign race mix and push your
finger into the center of the meat ball then put the amount of wormer into the hole and
squeeze it back together, the dogs eat them right up and don't waste any of the wormer.
Submitted by Jessica Webb, Speedy Racing Kennel /Redington Racing Kennel [10/22/02]
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