Is your dog keeping you awake at night?

If you're a dog owner, chances are you've been there or are going through it: Seemingly endless, sleepless nights because your pup refuses to settle at night. It not only barks you right into insomnia, but some very grouchy mornings, too.

What can you do if your pet keeps you up all night? And why do dogs behave this way anyway?

Missing you

Michael's dog, Willy, was a barker. In fact, he would bark and whine all night long. "It got to the point that everyone in the house was sleep deprived -- the kids, the wife," Michael said. "We’d only had him for two years, when we moved to an actual house. Once we moved in, we decided to put him in the laundry room at night. It wasn't an awful place; it was comfy and even had a bed. But he kept barking from bedtime until morning."

The Best Dog Breed for Your Health and Personality

Love Connections and Socializing

If you’re a party giver, a busy volunteer, an inveterate socializer, or looking for a love connection, you probably crave a canine confederate who likes to go places and loves to meet new people -- and it would help if your pup doesn’t tend to bite! People-lovers to consider include clumber spaniels; English and Irish setters; golden, flat-coated, and Labrador retrievers; as well as beagles, Siberian huskies, and bichon frises.

Need Motivation? Walking Breeds

If you need a little incentive to get out for a bit of exercise -- perhaps you’re coping with hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease -- think about a pooch that delights in walking, such as Akitas, clumber spaniels, airedales, or American Eskimo dogs. Small pups like Pomeranians and toy poodles also enjoy walks, but they need much shorter strolls than larger breeds.

Go, Go, Globe-Trotters

Do you travel a lot for work or play? You may want a pet who’ll enjoy the journey with you. This probably means a small, easily-transportable dog, one that enjoys travel, can fit in a suitable carry-on, and remains calm and generally quiet as you two jet from coast to coast. That’s a lot to ask of a little one, but a Yorkshire terrier or a Maltese pup may be just the ticket.

Beachcomber Breeds

Whether you love the sea’s salty tang, or romping at river’s edge, a golden retriever loves to be right there beside you. Another aquatic pooch is the Portuguese water dog, which has a waterproof coat and loves fun with family. Make sure your water-loving dog doesn’t get dehydrated, sunburned, or drink salt water, and never leave your pup alone near water.

Dogs for Special Needs

Dogs big and small have been helping those with special needs for a long time. Specially-trained dogs can help reduce the anxiety of a person with Alzheimer’s, aid those who are blind or deaf, alert people with epilepsy of a pending seizure, or help those with issues such as autism or agoraphobia to focus and connect with others. Called assistance, companion, service, or therapy dogs, you can find out more about having such a noble companion in your life -- or training your own dog -- from many nonprofit groups, such as Assistance Dogs International, Canine Companions for Independence, International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, or Service Dog Central.

Soothing Stress and Depression

Whether it’s the playfulness of a pug, the self-confidence of a Shiba Inu, or the warmth of a Great Pyrenees, having the right dog (or dogs) in your life can help banish stress, ease depression, and simply make you happier. Add the grace note of your pup’s “smile” when they see you, their unabashed joy in life, and their devotion, and it’s no wonder that people and their pooches have loved each other’s company for so many years!

Dog Shopping: Pure or Mixed Breed?

Now that you know which breeds may fit your lifestyle, the next question to ask yourelf: pure or mixed breed? Whether a dog is a pure breed known for certain characteristics, or a mixed-breed mongrel, dogs are as individual as people, and can vary greatly. Visit your prospective puppy, and its parents if you can, before deciding which one is for you.

Tips for Dog Adoption

Whether you want a mixed or pure-breed dog, you can often find the right pup at an animal shelter or breed rescue group. Shelters accept thousands of dogs of every type and temperament, while rescue groups focus on aiding dogs of one particular breed, for example, greyhounds or Pekingese, Great Pyrenees or collies.

The Puppy-Mill Problem

Puppy mills, high-volume breeding facilities with substandard breeding practices and conditions, can have a huge effect on a dog’s health and personality. A particular breed of dog may be known for docility and quiet, yet that same dog, when bought from a puppy mill, may turn out to be aggressive and destructive. Always deal with reputable breeders if you decide on a pure-breed dog.

Caution Urged in Use of Flea, Tick Products for Pets

Environmental Protection Agency Reacts to Reports of Health Problems in Pets

March 18, 2010 -- In the wake of mounting reports of adverse pet health effects, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new restrictions on spot-on flea and tick products -- and urges extra care in their use.

The products are concentrated pesticides applied from a small tube to the skin beneath the fur on a cat or dog's back. They can keep a treated pet free of fleas and ticks for weeks. Popular brands include Advantage, Bio-Spot, Frontline, Hartz, and Zodiac.

The EPA, which is responsible for pesticide safety, noted an increase in the number of safety reports on these products. In 2009, the agency asked eight manufacturers for detailed information from adverse-event reports on their products.

Those details linked the products to health issues ranging from mild skin irritation to seizures and, in rare cases, to the death of the pet. Because the reports did not account for product popularity -- and because the reports were not verified -- the EPA was not able to identify if any specific products were particularly dangerous.

EPA Actions

Nevertheless, the EPA has announced it is taking several actions:

• Product misuse, such as using doses intended for large dogs on small dogs, led to many of the negative health incidents. New product labels must carry clearer, more precise instructions.


• A number of incidents were caused by consumers using dog products on cats. New product labeling requirements will prevent the use of similar names for cat and dog products and require a clear indication of which products are formulated for dogs or cats.


• New products will receive only conditional approval to allow for post-marketing surveillance.


• Some of the products' safety issues may be related to inert ingredients. The EPA will investigate these ingredients and restrict their use if necessary.


• Pre- and post-marketing tests will be required to bring these products into line with regulations required by the FDA for similar products.


• The EPA is launching a consumer information campaign to educate pet owners about the appropriate use of these products.

The EPA lists eight firms making the products:

• Bayer (Advantage brands)


• Fort Dodge (owned by Pfizer, brands include ProMeris for Cats)


• Hartz Mountain (brands include Control One-Spot)


• Merial (Frontline brands)


• Pet Logic


• Sergeants (brands include Sergeant's and Sentry)


• Summit Vetpharm (Vectra brands)


• Wellmark/Farnam (now Central Life Sciences, brands include Bio-Spot and Zodiac)

All of the products were linked to some reports of deaths and other serious events, but the most of the incidents were not serious.

In dogs, the EPA found that:

• Most of the adverse events involved the dog's skin, gastrointestinal system, or nervous system.


• Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea, salivating, itching, hair loss, skin ulcers, lethargy, nervousness, loss of muscle coordination, tremors, and seizure.


• Small-breed dogs were more likely to be affected. Most incidents were in dogs weighing 10 to 20 pounds.


• Most incidents were in dogs less than 3 years old.

In cats, the EPA found that:

• Most of the adverse events involved the cat's skin, gastrointestinal system, or nervous system.


• Clinical symptoms were similar to those seen in dogs.


• Many incidents arose from the treatment of cats with products intended for dogs.

Manufacturers' Reaction

WebMD asked each manufacturer to comment on the EPA action. All of those who responded expressed a willingness to work with the EPA to continue to make these products safer.

Mark Newberg, director of corporate affairs for Central Life Sciences, noted that the vast majority of people who use his firm's and other firms' products have no problem at all.

"If you look at the fact that 270 million doses of product [from all companies] were sold, and a rate of 16 incidents per 10,000, it means you have millions of dogs and cats protected from flea allergy dermatitis, tapeworm, and other diseases," Newberg tells WebMD. "These are satisfied customers. But on occasion there are adverse incidents we can't predict."

Bob Walker, director of communications and public policy for Bayer Animal Health, noted that of the 16 incidents per 10,000 doses, few were serious.

"We have done a thorough analysis of our own incident reporting, and Bayer did not see an increase for Advantage over the period cited by the EPA," Walker tells WebMD. "And our rate of adverse incidents is lower than the aggregate rate reported by the EPA."

In a statement provided to WebMD, Hartz Mountain expressed a willingness to work with the EPA on making labeling clearer.

"While Hartz is the leader in flea and tick retail sales, Hartz flea and tick drops account for less than five percent of all adverse effects reported to the EPA in 2008 for topical dog and cat flea and tick treatment," the statement says.

Merial also provided a statement to WebMD.

"Although EPA has said that its initiative was prompted by a 'sharp increase' it had noted in 2007-2008 in the number of reported adverse events related to the use of spot-on flea and tick control products in general, Merial's data does not indicate that this is the case for Frontline. The number of adverse events reported for Frontline has remained consistently low since the product's introduction in 1996," the statement says.

Source WebMD

Spaying or Neutering Your Dog FAQ

An estimated 5 million to 8 million animals are euthanized in shelters across this country every year. Many organizations are trying to decrease that number by opening low-cost spay/neuter clinics to prevent more litters of puppies needing homes. One such organization is LifeLine Animal Project, an Atlanta-based nonprofit shelter and clinic that has performed more than 25,000 spay/neuters since 2005. WebMD talked to executive director Rebecca Guinn to learn about the myths and facts surrounding spaying and neutering.

Q: Why should I have my dog spayed or neutered?

A: Shelter euthanasia is the number one killer of companion animals. Spaying and neutering is the only way to reduce or eliminate that.

It’s also better for your pet’s health. And it’s better for you because it will make your life easier if your pet is spayed or neutered. Animals can be miserable -- and make you miserable -- when they are in heat. And then there’s always the problem of what to do with the puppies.

There’s also the financial side. Just in the Atlanta area alone, more than $15 million is spent annually dealing with stray and unwanted pets. That’s your tax dollars.

Q: Shouldn’t I let my dog have a litter before I spay her?

A: No. Absolutely not. All the medical evidence suggests a dog should be spayed before her first heat. It’s much easier for her then because it’s a much easier surgery at that time.

And the problem with letting your dog have a litter is you’ve just instantly contributed to the pet overpopulation problem. Now you have to find homes for all those puppies. And for each home you find, there’s one less home for a dog that was already born. Plus, you can’t be responsible for what the new owners do. So unless you spay or neuter all the puppies before placing them, the new owners may let their dog breed as well. Now you’ve added even more dogs to the pet overpopulation problem.

The only responsible thing to do, given the problem in this country, is to not allow your pets to reproduce.

Some people say they want their children to witness birth. OK, you can still do that. There are plenty of rescue groups out there trying to help animals that have been abandoned by irresponsible pet owners. Many have pregnant animals. Volunteer to foster a pregnant dog. You’ll be helping the group as well as the dog, and you’ll give your children a chance to see a litter being born and raised.

Q: Should I let my dog have a heat before I spay her?

A: Medically, it’s better to spay your dog before her first heat. It greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors. People who wait to spay their dogs until after their second heat greatly increase the risk of mammary tumors in their pets. Once they’ve had several heats, intact female dogs have a one out of four chance of developing mammary tumors.

Q: Is it OK to spay my dog when she’s a puppy?

A: We spay or neuter dogs at our clinic at 8 weeks as long as they weigh at least two pounds. Of course, it varies by breed. Some of the tiny breeds have to be done later. But larger breeds are usually ready by two months of age.

There are still some people who say pediatric spay/neuter is dangerous, but that’s not true. It has become much more widely accepted. Those ideas about needing to wait until after a dog is six months or a year old are really antiquated and the evidence is to the contrary. Even the American Veterinary Medical Association supports early spay/neuter.

The puppies recover a lot faster than adults. It’s an easier surgery for them, and it reduces the rate of disease later on. It’s just a much easier procedure on younger animals.

Q: It can cost hundreds of dollars to get a dog spayed or neutered. I can’t afford that. What can I do?

A: There are a lot of low-cost options all over the country. We have a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in the Atlanta area and we spay dogs for as little as $70. The ASPCA keeps a database of low-cost options on its web site. You can put in your zip code, and it will give you all your options within a certain radius. Click on the “pet care” tab and look for the low-cost and free spay/neuter database.

Q: Don’t dogs get fat once you spay or neuter them?

A: Dogs, just like people, get fat when they eat too much and don’t get enough exercise. And that’s something you can control. You can use portion control and take your dog for a walk.

Q: My dog is a guard dog. If I spay or neuter him, will that stop him from protecting my house?

A: Spaying or neutering is not going to affect your dog’s desire or ability to protect your home or protect you. Guard dogs are trained to be guard dogs. Their behavior is a function of genetics or instinct, environment, and training.

Many, many police canine units spay or neuter their dogs. There’s no correlation between spaying or neutering an animal and its ability to protect you.

But people also need to understand that unless their dog has been trained to be a guard dog, it isn’t a guard dog. Most dogs are naturally protective, but if you truly need a dog for protection, and your dog isn’t trained, you’re at risk.

Q: Will my dog stop running away from home if I neuter him?

A: Well, you really should keep your dog confined. But neutering certainly does decrease the instinct to roam. That’s because unneutered dogs are constantly seeking to match up with unspayed females. It also will decrease your dog’s urge to escape your home or escape your fence. But in this day and age, there’s no reason to allow a dog to freely roam the streets. It’s dangerous.

Q: My dog leaves marks all over my house. If I neuter him, will that stop?

A: Neutering a dog will decrease and could eliminate that kind of marking, which is a territorial behavior. That’s what they’re doing; they’re marking their territory to ward off other male dogs that could come into it and get their female. So neutering may eliminate the problem. But there also could be other health issues or behavioral issues involved at this point. So it’s a really good argument for neutering early, before the animal reaches sexual maturity and the marking behavior has become habit.

Q: Will spaying or neutering my dog prevent future illnesses?

A: Yes, absolutely. In females, it greatly decreases mammarian cancer and completely eliminates uterine cancers and diseases. In males, it eliminates testicular cancers or diseases and can lower the risk of prostate cancer. Generally, spayed and neutered pets live longer, happier lives.