They say that dogs are man’s best friend, and there are increasing reasons to believe so. Dogs are not only your greatest company, your comfort, your entertainment, your family and your faithful companion, they also save lives and help disabled people!

These animals serve to help people in many ways. There are police dogs that help control drugs, rescue dogs that manage to save many lives, guide dogs that make life easier for the blind… and many more! All of them manage to do these extraordinary feats thanks to painstaking training and the great skills they possess, which make them incredible animals. Dogs are there for everyone in need, and new ways are found every day in which they can offer their help to people.

Pets and emotional assistance dogs

Dogs are not the only animals that can help people. Monkeys and horses are trained to offer assistance of different kinds to people in need. They have been trained to help people with different disabilities and make life easier for those who cannot fend for themselves. Although there are other animals, the most common animal is the dog, since they are easy to tame, familiar, and very faithful.

There are therapies with assistance dogs that seek to improve the physical, social, emotional or cognitive functioning of people using the bond that is created between the person and the animal. Dogs are living beings that provide people with company, support and peace of mind. Thanks to the help of these animals, people with some type of psychological problem can lead a more comfortable life and reduce their anxiety.

In addition to emotional assistance dogs, which are the ones used in these therapies, there are also emotional support dogs. These provide the owner with very important support for their mental health. They are people who need the constant presence of their dog , so they do not separate from them as much as possible, and they rely on their company. These dogs make it easier for the mood of these people to be calm and prevent them from getting upset.

Emotional Support Animals are expanding in the United States. They are dogs that, due to the dependence that their owners have towards them, allow them to travel in the cabin of airplanes. Thus, people with health or psychological problems will be able to travel with their faithful companion, so that they are calmer and feel more secure.

There is no need for the dog to be trained. It is only necessary that they know how to behave in public, so that they are not annoying or a danger to other people.

Assistance dogs for disabled and children with autism

Assistance dogs, unlike emotional support dogs, are previously trained so that they can help people with disabilities as much as possible. They are trained for 9 months so that they can perfectly help their future owner.

The golden and the labrador retriever are two of the most used dog breeds for this task, since they are characterized by being docile and calm. Once trained, they are able to guide people with visual disabilities, help people with physical disabilities to pick up objects from the ground, open doors, and many other things .

These dogs are currently being used to help in some cases of children with autism , for example. These animals become authentic co-therapists, helping to clearly improve their quality of life, improving communication and the relationship with their parents and calming anxiety levels .

Tick ​​diseases in dogs

Ticks and dogs are not a good combination, although it is common. Dogs love to run through the woods, lift their paw under a tree, or sprint through the meadow. These are exactly the places where ticks live and dogs regularly have a tick bite.

Ticks are present for a large part of the year, as long as it is above 7 degrees. According to the RIVM , most bites occur from March to October, so you can hardly escape them.

In general, a tick bite does not cause much harm, but it is important to remove the tick as soon as possible. In the worst case, the tick transmits a disease to your dog and you want to prevent this. For a tick to transfer a disease to a dog, the bite often needs to be ‘nested’ for about a day, so a check after every walk is sufficient.

The diseases that a tick can transmit to your dog are Lyme and Anaplasma in the Netherlands. Most dogs don’t get that sick from this, but you still want to prevent it. Tick ​​prevention is the best way to prevent your dog from getting sick.

Engorged tick

Ticks are generally not that big, a few millimeters. However, you sometimes see a fairly large animal sitting on your dog, this can also be an engorged tick on your dog. It’s amazing how big some ticks can get.

An engorged tick on your dog sometimes releases itself. It just means that it has been there for a while and there is therefore a greater chance that a disease has been transmitted. Try not to let a tick grow so big, but remove it immediately.

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Tick ​​remove dog

The best thing you can do is check your dog for ticks every day. Here you have to keep your attention, because they are often no bigger than a few millimeters. It is best to do this check after you have returned from your walk through the woods or when your dog has had a great time in tall grass. Some places that you should definitely check for ticks are:

• On the head and neck
• On the legs
• Around the toes
• Round or in the ears
• Under the tail

Fortunately, removing a tick is not that complicated. With a simple drawing pliers you can go a long way. However, it is wise to read the tips below before you get started with the pliers. That way you can be sure that you are doing it right.

Tips for removing ticks from your dog

• Use a tick remover to remove ticks, preferably not your hands because diseases can also be transmitted in this way
• Grab the tick as close to the head as possible and do not press on the body
• Gently pull the tick straight out of your dog’s body
• Disinfect the wound only afterremoving the tick and not while the tick is still there. This allows the tick to infect your dog
• Don’t forget to wash your hands and the tick removerafter removing the tick from your dog. You never know what might have stuck to your hands or the pliers
• Note the date you removed ticks. If your dog still gets sick, you can help the vet with as much information as possible about the infection

Dog tick removal failed

Sometimes it happens that removing a tick from your dog fails. For example, does the head of the tick stay in your dog? Then you run the risk of infection. This is not a certainty, the tick may already be dead, but in this case it is better to be on the safe side and call the vet.

A tick often empties its contents into the host when it dies or is pulled incorrectly.

Symptoms of a tick bite

It sometimes happens that you overlook a tick, they are very small. As a result, your dog may start to get a little sick. Do you notice one or more of the points below? Then it is possible that your dog has a tick somewhere and has become ill. Consult your vet immediately:

• Your dog loses his energy, is lazy and does not want to move anymore
• Appetite disappears (completely)
• Your dog has a fever
• Your dog is in pain, this can be expressed by scratching a lot or wanting to lick the place where the tick has been
• For example, was the tick in the paw? Then it can become stiff and cause a strange walk

Preventing tick bites in dogs

The best thing you can do is prevent your dog from getting a tick. Going through the hair with a comb every day is already a very good way to do this, at least check the places indicated earlier in this article. In addition, there are more good measures that you can take preventively to prevent ticks in your dog.

Serato dog

The Sereto tick and flea collar is a hugely popular preventive collar against ticks. One of the reasons why the tire is so popular is because of its long service life, namely a whole season (about 8 months). The belt has a repellent effect on fleas and ticks and is also odorless in contrast to other (smelly) belts.

A question that many dog ​​owners ask themselves when purchasing a dog is whether they are going to use a collar or a dog harness. Most people use a dog collar, but the dog harness is increasingly coming to the fore in connection with the health of the dog. But what is actually better? And when do you use a collar and when do you use a dog harness?

tips

• The dog collar
• The dog harness
• Finally

The dog collar has been used for years to leash and walk your dog. Many people don’t know any better and neither do the dogs. It’s also a great way if handled properly.

A dog’s neck and neck is similar to that of a human. The dog’s esophagus, trachea, and spine are also located here. With this in mind, you may be able to imagine what it feels like to wear a collar. If it is just loosely around your neck and it is not pulled hard, you will not be bothered by this. However, there are some dogs that pull hard because of enthusiasm, for example, or because they simply haven’t had a good upbringing yet or are still at the beginning of their upbringing. Correcting a collar should therefore be approached with caution.

This immediately indicates that a good upbringing is of great importance so that they learn to listen well and hardly need correction as they get older. We, therefore, recommend that you take a puppy course from the start, for example, so that you, as a boss, also learn how to correct your dog in a good and neat way.

The advantage of a collar is a bit of convenience for the owner, but also certainly the freedom of movement of the dog and less chance of getting stuck somewhere, for example. There are also dogs that find a harness too warm or where a harness can irritate.

The dog harness

The dog harness is becoming more and more popular because it better fits your dog’s physique. When pulling, it puts pressure on the body parts and the dog can take the pressure better. The neck and throat remain free, reducing the risk of injury when pulling hard on the line.

The dog harness is also widely used in dog breeds that already have a predisposition to, for example, hernias. We also definitely recommend a dog harness for families with young children. You often see a puppy and enthusiastic children that a puppy is pulled along on a leash. This can cause injuries at a young age.

However, it is important to teach a dog to walk on a harness just like with a collar. In the beginning, the dog will find this strange, but eventually, experience it as pleasant.

There are many different harnesses with different fits. Every dog ​​has to look at its construction to see which harness fits best. Compare this with jeans in humans. You can have two people with the same size, but give them the same pants and one will fit perfectly and the other won’t. So a good fit is a must. An example of a good strong dog harness is the Julius K9 IDS Power Harness.