All dogs are known to drool although some breeds are noted to be excessive droolers. Some of the breeds noted to be heavy droolers are Boxers. St. Bernard and Basset Hounds. These breeds are droolers because of the way the mouth is structured. The saliva that is trapped in the loose folds of skin on the mouth would cause saliva to leak. Dogs that do not have pendulous lips would salivate too at the smell of food because these animals love eating. If people that smelled food would smack their lips in anticipation of the taste, dogs would drool.

Owners of excessively drooling pets would need to keep towel in strategic locations around the house to prevent the pet from soiling the upholstery, the walls and furniture with its drool. Tying a bandana around the dog’s neck would be a good remedy to the dog’s drooling concern. A bandana will make the dog fashionable but it would also be very useful in absorbing the drool of the dog.

The dog’s drooling can be due to causes other than the sight of food or the way the mouth of the pet is structured. Motion sickness can make a dog drool. Nausea due to car travel will make the dog drool and vomit. A health concern can be the reason why the dog drools. Owners must not ignore a non-drooling pet that has suddenly become a heavy drooler.

Drooling can be due to a dental concern or to a bone or wood splinter that gets stuck between the gums or on the roof of the mouth. A drooling dog that has a bad breath may have gum problems or decaying tooth. Drooling can be a symptom of rabies. Rabies is another cause of excessive drooling. Due to the inquisitive nature and voracious appetite, dogs often get poisoned. Drooling is one of the symptoms of poisoning. A dog that is drooling excessively due to poisoning has to be rushed to the nearest medical facility.

You now know quite a bit about why dogs drool. But there is still more to know about why dogs drool. Come on over to Sarah’s Dogs and find out more about this and other interesting dog behaviours like why do dogs shake, howl, cry, yawn and chew.

Dog drooling is a fact of life as the saliva produced helps in the digestion of food but some dog breeds salivate excessively because of the loose skin on the lips. There are several reasons why a dog would salivate and one is the sight food. A highly excited or a stressed dog can salivate excessively. Owners need not be too concerned as these reasons for salivating would not really do the dog harm. The owner simply needs to have towels in the different locations inside the house to prevent the dog’s slobber from creating a mess.

Dog owners should be concerned if the “dry” pet has suddenly become an excessively drooling dog. Drooling is normal in dogs but there are cases when the drooling pet would need urgent medical attention as the cause of excessive salivation is life threatening. Drooling associated with a medical concern would also make the dog show other signs such as shaking of the head and pawing at the mouth. Panting, breathing difficulties and bad breath that is shown by an excessively salivating pet should not be ignored as it can be signs of a life threatening concern.

Motion sickness is one of the common reasons why dogs salivate. Excessive drooling can occur if the pet has a foreign object in its mouth. Dogs are very active and curious animals thus a thorn or a sliver of wood can get stuck between the gums, pierce the tongue or get embedded on the roof of the mouth. Ingestion of a poisonous substance will make the dog salivate as well. Excessive drooling can be due to a dental disease. A tumor in the dog’s mouth would make the pet salivate excessively. Rabies is a most serious cause of excessive drooling.

Hypersalivation noticed in non-drooling dogs should not be ignored. Treatment would depend on the underlying cause. Poisoning is one of the life threatening cause of excessive salivation. The dog that is salivating will vomit and have breathing difficulties. This is one case of drooling where urgent medical attention is necessary to save the life of the pet.

Dog drooling can be a problem. But does it really have to be. Sarah’s Dogs discusses this topic further.

A howling dog is simply using one of the means of communication available to them. More commonly a dog might bark, whine or growl as howling has the least use for them if they are no longer wild.

Some owners are concerned that they have never heard their dog howl, but there is nothing wrong with your dog if they don’t as they simply have no need to howl.

Many people find a dogs howling either interesting or amusing and the number of YouTube videos that have been watched by hundreds of thousands of people are testament to that. It only gets annoying when a dog howls constantly within hearing range, but this is normally associated with anxiety problems.

When Dogs Use Howling

The sound of a dogs howl will carry over large distances and for this reason is used to make contact and locate other pack members within the territory. We also see it used to bring the pack together for a hunt, which of course wolves still do to this day.

Each dog has an individual howl making them easily recognisable by other members of the same pack. This also means that rival packs hearing unrecognisable howls are warned off the territory.

How To Stop A Dog From Howling

If your dog howls in response to high pitched sounds (like a siren), it should stop as the other noise dies away. There’s not much you can do to stop it and it shouldn’t last too long. If your dog is outside, you can try calling them to you, or taking them inside, and using a positive reward system for them when they quieten down.

Never shout at the dog as this can be counter productive in a number of different ways, the least being that they might decide that you are howling too and keep it up for a little while more.

Equally, your dog may reply to other dogs howling but again this should not be long lived, (unless you have other dogs around you that howl continuously) or even howl along to music, singing or TV theme tunes. Here they are simply joining in as they would do when a pack gets together.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs Cause of Nuisance Howling

Nuisance dog howling is usually dog howling that continues over a long period of time as it is at a pitch that is difficult to ignore. This is normally associated with other dog behaviour problems.

Separation anxiety howling can start as soon as a dog is separated from their owners and left alone. The howling will be an attempt to locate you and establish contact and they will continue because you are not responding.

Separation anxiety in dogs is not always the easiest problem to deal with, but when it’s sorted out, the need to howl should disappear. A good behaviour modification program should help along with some desensitisation training to the triggers that set off the howling. In very difficult cases, a vet may be able to help by prescribing dog anxiety medication, but always try training first.

To be sure this is the cause, you may need to look for other dog anxiety symptoms which are likely to accompany it, such as chewing and other destructive behaviour or urinating or pooping in the house.

Dog Howling to Grab Your Attention

Some dogs will howl because it gets them your attention. For instance, if you respond every time they howl by asking them “What is it?”, or getting cross, or going up to them and trying to reassure them, they have every reason to carry on because they just got some attention from you when they wanted it.

To tackle this you need a two-pronged approach. Firstly to show your dog that this behaviour doesn’t work and secondly that being quiet will earn him your attention and treats.

Here’s how you do it. Completely ignore them when they howl. Don’t speak to them, stroke or touch them, or even catch their eye. This way they will soon learn that it doesn’t work and dogs rarely carry on doing things that don’t get them what they want. If just ignoring them doesn’t work, try leaving them on their own in another room when they howl. Either take them by the collar, again without speaking or looking directly at them and put them in there until they quieten down, or walk out of the room they are in and close the door. Your dog doesn’t like to be separated from the rest of his pack, so it can be very effective.

Reinforce this by using positive training techniques, (ignore the slip ups, but praise them when they get it right) to encourage calm or quiet behaviour. You could consider trying to teach them to respond to a ‘keep calm’ or ‘quiet’ command to back it up.

If you’d like to know more about Dog Anxiety we’ve created a useful, free report to help you spot the symptoms of anxiety in your dog, because a dog howling could just be the start of anxiety issues, so catch it and stop it fast.

It is not uncommon for people to treat the dog as family members. Considered as the baby of the family, dogs would receive all the love and attention from its human friends. Dogs are not unlike living toys that will provide the family with affection and constant entertainment. Because these pets are pampered and spoiled it is not uncommon for them to manifest unwanted behaviors. This would give rise to the situation where the dog will now own the humans instead of the other way around.

If allowed dogs would develop the habit of filching food, raiding trash cans, destructive chewing, excessive barking and jumping at people. Dogs are not like humans thus they should not be expected to know what is right and what is wrong. Dog owners that would not take the time to discipline the pet is actually being unkind to their canine companions.

One of the responsibilities of a dog owner is to control the behavior of the pet. Discipline will make the dog a good canine citizen but how will you undertake this task? You know that disciplining the pet is necessary but would you inflict physical punishment or would you persuade the dog to accept you as the leader of the pack with toys and treats?

Physical punishment may not be effective as even though dogs are intelligent animals they may not be aware why they are being punished. Something that will be remembered by the dog like a spray of ice cold water or the rattling of coins in a tin can would be a more effective tool to discipline the dog. Every time the pet is at its hobby of raiding the trash can or barking at the passersby or tormenting the cat, use the spray bottle on the dog’s face or rattle the coins in the tin can. These simple methods of discipline would be more effective than physical punishment.

There are many ways to discipline a dog. You have now learned about some of the ways. At Sarah’s Dogs you can find further discussion on the topic.

Generally, dogs are known to be very active animals. These animals would even develop destructive habits if opportunities to expend their excess energies are not provided by the owner. Just as with humans, dogs too would benefit from sleeping. Dogs though have the habit of closing the eyes and sleeping whenever there is an opportunity to do so.

The sleeping pattern of dogs varies with the personality, level of activity and the general condition of the dog’s health. Although dogs generally have high energy levels, some breeds like the Newfoundland and St. Bernard are naturally “slow moving” dogs. These breeds are even called rug or mat dogs because of their inclination to lie down rather than indulge in strenuous activities. These mat dogs would sleep for 16 to 18 hours every day.

This is not so with working breeds as these dogs would be seen performing their work most of the time. Herding and guarding dogs seldom sleep while on duty as they need to be alert to keep the animals from straying as well as protect them from predators. While working, sniffing dogs used by law enforcers to find bombs and narcotics would not be seen sleeping. Farm dogs that perform varied functions would find little time to curl and sleep.

It would not be surprising for dogs that live in apartments to have more time to sleep given the fact that they would have limited opportunities to be active outdoors unlike dogs that are allowed to roam and play outdoors. Owners would ensure that the pet has all the comforts it can have. Aside from having a softly padded bed, these dogs would be living in temperature controlled homes. Who wouldn’t sleep long hours with this kind of ideal conditions. These dogs may appear to be sleeping all day but at the slightest sound, these dogs would wake up easily. A dog that appears to be deeply sleeping will be alert in an instant. As long as a dog is on guarding duty, the dog owner would sleep soundly at night knowing that no intruders will be able to enter the house and cause the family harm.

Obviously dogs like to sleep, but why do dogs sleep so much? Come on over to Sarah’s Dogs and find out more.

Does your dog lick your face too? Some owners would not mind being licked by the dog. Dogs are known to drink from the toilet bowl and has the habit of eating feces thus owners that are licked by the pet on the face will naturally be disgusted. This behavior can be curbed but dog owners have to understand the reason why the pet has this kind of behavior.

Would you believe – the disgusting habit of slathering your face with saliva can be the pet’s show of affection. Puppies have learned the licking behavior from the mother dog. After a puppy is born, the dam would lick the newborn to remove the afterbirth with its tongue and to stimulate circulation. The mother dog’s habit of licking the puppies strengthens the bond between the dam and the puppies. Dogs are considered as family members and the pet consider the owners as its family. Licking the face is therefore done by the pet as a sign of affection and appreciation for the care given by the human family.

A dog’s inclination to lick the master’s face is explained by dog behaviorists as a sign of deference or submission. Dogs are pack animals. Even in the wild, the dominant dog is respected and treated as the head of the pack. This submission is shown by licking the face of the alpha male. Because the human family is considered by the pet as higher in rank, the face will be licked by the dog as well.

Dog owners often treat the dog as the baby of the family and as such the licking of the pet will be ignored. However, this can be an unsanitary habit considering the dog’s inclination to raid trash cans not to mention its habit of eating feces. The dog’s licking habit would be even more dangerous if a child is at the receiving end of the dog’s tongue. Because of the legendary ties between dogs and children, a child would not mind being licked by the pet. However, this habit of the dog has to be stopped as the young ones can be exposed to the bacteria coming from the dog’s mouth..

Why do dogs lick your face and feet. Why do they lick their own feet, genitals and possible wounds? These and other dog behaviour questions are answered at Sarah’s Dogs.

Animal behaviorists theorize that the wagging of the tail is one of the body movement dogs do to communicate with humans and with each other and with other animals. Dogs may not be able to speak and may not have hands but they can certainly communicate with body movements. For a dog, the tail is the most effective communication tool. Dogs would recognize the presence of other dogs at a distance by waving the tail. Similar to human handshake; tail waving is the dogs’ way of greeting each other.

The kind of tail wagging depends on the emotional state of the dog. An aggressive dog would raise the tail high and stiffly wag the tip. This type of tail wagging should make people aware that the dog may attack. Some dogs are considered “yellow” pets not because of the yellow colored fur but because of its nervous personality. Nervous dogs will be noticed easily because the tail that is held low between the legs is wagged slowly.

Dogs wag the tail to communicate but the movements of the tail can be an indication of the dog’s submission. Having descended from wolves; dogs are also pack oriented like their ancestors. Wolves that are lower in rank would have to recognize the leader of the pack and the way the tail is held is believed to be a form of submission to the alpha male. The tail will be held rather low and wagged stiffly by dogs lower in rank. On the other hand, the leader of the pack will hold the tail up proudly and wag it in a very dominant manner.

It pays to know the meaning behind the wagging of the dog’s tail to be able to understand the message the pet is trying to convey.

Having learnt about why dogs wag their tails. Wouldn’t you like to know more. Visit Sarah’s Dogs and read about hundreds of other interesting dog beahaviours.

Licking becomes a natural behavior as it was learned by puppies from their mother dog. Instinctively, a mother dog would lick the newly born puppies to clean and to promote circulation. Licking is done every time the puppy defecates or urinates. Puppies will also lick the mouth of the dam to encourage her to regurgitate food.

Dogs are seen licking themselves clean. Dogs are not like cats that would spend long hours licking and cleaning themselves but man’s best friends are also known to use their raspy tongue to clean themselves. Dogs would also lick their injuries. This is probably the reason why some people believe that wounds and other injuries can be healed by the dog’s saliva.

The dog’s licking behavior can be a way to communicate and to show their affection. People that have kept dogs for pets would be aware of the intelligence of these animals. Dogs would reward the owners for the care by giving sloppy kisses. Puppies would lick the dam to show affection. Licking is the dog’s manifestation of affection for the human family

The inclination to lick the human family can be the dog’s way of communicating. Dog are naturally sweet thus they would need attention from the owners. Dogs that are not given the needed attention would develop destructive habits. Neglected dogs can become excessive lickers so that lesions can form on the dog’s body

Licking is really not a dangerous behavior of the dog as the owner can always wash after being licked by the dog. This behavior though becomes a concern if the dog is already harmed. If your dog has a similar concern, think of the last time you played with the pet. This habit can be the dog’s way of attracting the owner.

You now know a bit about why dogs lick. But there is more to it. Come on over to Sarah’s Dogs where the topic is discussed further.

Dog wise people believe that modern day dogs are about 99% genetically identical to wolves. Wolves are the ancestors of dogs thus it would not be surprising if some of the behaviors of wolves are seen in dogs. The habit of circling before lying down can be the dog’s effort to be more comfortable. Dogs these days are provided with comfortable beds but the way the blankets are arranged may not be to the liking of the pampered pet. To “arrange” the blankets and make the bed comfy, the dog would circle several times before lying down.

Dogs that are not allowed to sleep inside the house would sleep anywhere. Once an ideal spot is found, the dog would dig the ground, circle around and retire to sleep. This behavior is commonly noticed when the day is hot as it is the dog’s way of cooling itself by exposing the cooler layer of the soil. In an effort to be comfortable, the dog would turn around several times to trample grasses and twigs and to remove stones from the spot where it would sleep.

The dog’s habit of turning around before sleeping is done to ensure that the chosen spot is safe. Modern day dogs have inherited their wolf ancestor’s habit of making sure that the bed is free from snakes and other dangerous insects.

Dogs are one of the pets considered to be members of the family. These pets are not only provided with comfortable beds. Dogs are allowed to sleep on the bed of the owners. This situation therefore negates the dog’s need to make the bed more comfortable or to ensure that the sleeping area is free from snakes and insects. The habit of turning around though still persists. Dogs have lived with humans for hundreds of years but they still have habits that are perplexing to humans. In spite of this fact, dogs are considered to be the ultimate pets. Dogs are still man’s best friends.

Dogs do many amusing things. One of them is to circle before lying down. Having learnt about this behaviour and why they do it. Wouldn’t it be fun to learn about other curious behaviours like why do dogs howl, pant or eat dirt? At Sarah’s Dogs you can.

All is not well with the health of a dog that vomits although vomiting is not considered a disease. Recurring vomiting can lead to life threatening dehydration thus owners have to be concerned if the pet is vomiting repeatedly. We know dogs to have voracious appetites and to be indiscriminate eaters. Eating spoiled food would result to stomach upset that will make the pet vomit. Another cause of vomiting is the abrupt introduction of a new diet. A dog may not need medication if the vomiting is due to the pet’s voracious appetite.

Vomiting can result from more dangerous situations. Projectile vomiting can be an indication that the pet has swallowed an object that is creating a blockage. To remove the offending foreign object the pet would repeatedly retch until it vomits. A dog that vomits repeatedly can have an infection or can be infested with intestinal parasites. A dog infested with roundworms would vomit. Throwing up can be a symptom of gastritis or more serious medical problems like stomach cancer, pancreatitis or kidney disease.

If the pet’s vomit is frothy or foamy, it is possible that the dog is throwing up vile. This condition is common in dogs that grow very fast. The food eaten at night is not sufficient for the needs of the growing body thus the dogs would go hungry at night and vomit frothy vile in the morning. On the other hand, a foamy vomit can be due to a more serious condition – poisoning. Dogs would eat anything and it is possible that the pet has ingested a poisonous substance.

To deal with the dog’s vomiting episodes, a pet parent has to know the reasons why the pet is vomiting. Just as pets with diarrhea, food must be withheld for 12 to 24 hour for vomiting dogs to rest the stomach and to allow the pet to normalize its digestive system. Repeated vomiting can cause dehydration thus a pet parent needs to stop the pet from throwing up. It would be best to get the pet fast to a veterinary facility. Vets would usually administer antiemetic medications. The dog will be examined and the reason why the dog is vomiting will be established.

Learn more about why dogs throw up at Sarah’s Dogs. Here you can also learn about dog first aid.