By Phyllis DeGioia

A rescued adult dog needs patience while adjusting to his new home. In the beginning, he will be on his best behavior, but at some point -- a few weeks or months, sometimes a year -- you will see that he has become comfortable and knows he's home.

Dogs who have lived only outdoors or were neglected or abused will typically take longer to adjust than rescues who have already lived the good life in a home. And some dogs may take six months or even a year before they begin to bark or engage in other common canine behaviors.

"It takes some time for a dog to understand that this is not a halfway house, this is not a stopping point, and it's a real deal," said Betsy Banks Saul, founder of PetFinder. "It's a miraculous moment if you catch it."

Saul fostered a "polite" dog who had screaming nightmares once a week. After the dog went to her new home, the owner called two weeks later to say that there hadn't been any nightmares. But she also said that for the first week the dog was perfect. Then all of a sudden, the behavior of a 6-month-old puppy came out, and the dog ate all of the kids' toys, all of the woman's shoes, and chewed the leg of the dining room table.

"She was behaving well because she didn't know her place," Saul said, and then "she got into a good place and realized she was here for good, and she was going to come out."

Another dog Saul had for six months just whined once in a while but was otherwise silent.

"Then, suddenly, I heard a funny noise. The dog was on the landing looking at a squirrel. I said, 'Oh, good boy! Good boy!' and he suddenly let loose with this ear-deafening roar and kept barking. Somewhere he'd gotten the idea that he shouldn't make a peep. I disavowed him of that."

If a rescued dog has baggage, usually it's from anxiety issues or because he has spent years living in the backyard. It's confusing to a dog to start living inside, where people use the toilet while he must go outside.

"Now he's in the house, and he's not going to know the rules. He may be tentative and apprehensive. He'll watch for rules, but he'll figure it out quickly," Saul said. "Or he will think rugs are porous like grass and are good to pee on, but that's a smart dog who has never had exposure. There's great hope for that dog."

To decrease the number of pets surrendered for behavioral issues and to help new adoptees in their new home, PetFinder launched its Train FurKeeps program. It involves using positive rewards to train a dog so that a bond is created.

"Our belief is that a bond will determine whether you go back or not," Saul said. "Even if the dog came with some baggage, if there's a bond, people will work through it. You learn to converse with each other and teach life skills. You'll adjust more quickly."

All dogs need mental stimulation, and they need to have fun during training. It shouldn't be only basic obedience. If you're spending time learning fun tricks, the rest of the relationship will fall into place.

"If you've trained a dog to turn and look at his butt when you go, 'Phhht,' that's a bond. People won't return that dog."

Phyllis DeGioia is a member of the PetConnection team and the editor of VeterinaryPartner.com.

Q&A

Short-nosed pets at risk

for travel by air cargo

Q: I'm moving cross-country, and I need to figure out the best way to transport my two Persian cats there. Is it safe to ship them by air cargo? -- via email

A: Because Persian cats have short noses and can be prone to breathing difficulties, they should not fly in the belly of an airliner. Travel in the cargo bay is not only extremely stressful for any pet, it also exposes your pets to extremes of heat and cold, both of which can affect their ability to breathe comfortably. Animals with flat faces, like your Persians, as well as Pugs, Boston Terriers and Bulldogs, to name just a few, are less tolerant of temperature extremes than other breeds.

And no matter what type of animal you are shipping, there is always going to be some risk involved. Pets get lost or escape from their cages and become injured or even killed if their kennel overturns or falls off the conveyor belt as they are loaded or unloaded from the plane. Some pets become frantic and hurt themselves trying to get out of their shipping crates.

The best solution is to take a flight in which you can carry your cats on board. If that's just not feasible, look into shipping them with a company that transports pets in the cabin of the plane, with attendants on hand to care for them, or a company that specializes in shipping pets and can ensure that your cats are properly cared for.

If there is no alternative to flying your cats in cargo, choose a direct flight, an overnight flight or one at off-peak times. Take your cats to the veterinarian for a complete checkup beforehand to ensure that they don't have any underlying health problems that could be affected by the flight. Do not tranquilize your cats beforehand. Tranquilizers can blunt an animal's ability to pant or to deal with temperature extremes he may encounter in the cargo area. Make friends with the cargo personnel and ask for a phone number that you can call to follow your cats' progress. Make sure they have your cell phone number so you can be reached immediately if they have any questions or problems. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

THE BUZZ

Dogs put a bite

on insurance costs

-- Medical expenses from dog attacks on mail carriers cost the U.S. Postal Service $1.2 million annually, said the Insurance Information Institute, which noted that in 2010, dog attacks accounted for more than one-third of homeowners' liability insurance claims, totaling about $413 million.

About 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, with the majority being kids. Last year, 5,669 postal employees were attacked in more than 1,400 cities. Houston tops the nation in dog-bite incidents involving postal carriers, with 62 attacks last year alone.

-- All cats are born with blue eyes, with the transition to their adult eye color beginning at around 5 weeks of age.

-- Does a bear eat in the woods? Yes, if you're there and he's hungry. Researchers say the most dangerous bear to run into isn't a mother with cubs -- it's a hungry one. A study by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and Brigham Young University shows the greatest risk to humans are solitary male black bears hunting for food. From 1900 to 2009, statistics showed 63 people were killed in 59 incidents in Canada, Alaska and the lower 48 states. In all, 88 percent of fatal attacks involved a bear exhibiting predatory behavior, and 92 percent of the predatory bears were males.

Other findings: Bears involved in attacks were not usually familiar with humans; bears who have killed humans were likely to attack again; people in groups of two or more were less likely to be attacked; and human food and garbage does attract bears and increases the chance of an attack. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Mikkel Becker and Ed Murietta

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

By Arden Moore

Who says that exercise must be limited to sweating at the gym, fighting for an elliptical machine or failing to keep pace in a spinning class? Can't seem to muster the motivation to remove the clothes draped on the stationary bike in your bedroom to pedal a few miles?

The solution to staying in shape -- and having fun -- may be just a tail wag away. Check out the latest fitness trend: people-dog workout classes that focus on strength, flexibility and aerobics while unleashing plenty of fun for you and your dog.

By teaming up with your best workout buddy -- your dog -- both of you can shed pounds, tone muscles and strengthen your connection.

"Regular exercise provides people and pets with physical and mental benefits," says Dr. Christine Zink, a veterinarian and professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "Exercise releases endorphins -- feel-good chemicals that provide a sense of well-being. Exercise helps maintain proper weight, improves coordination and balance, and stabilizes joints to prevent arthritis and acute injuries."

These special workout programs also reinforce good doggy manners. They bring out play with a purpose, offering dogs the chance to master basic commands such as sit, stay, down and come in positive settings. For the past two years, I've regularly attended Leash Your Fitness classes in San Diego with my two dogs: Chipper, a 60-pound golden retriever/husky mix, and Cleo, a 12-pound terrier-poodle mix.

Our "gym" is a huge fenced grassy field. Certified personal-fitness trainer Dawn Celapino credits Jack, her energetic cairn terrier, for inspiring her to create Leash Your Fitness.

"I hated having to leave Jack at home while I went to a gym to teach or work out," says Celapino. "He loves running, hiking and swimming with me. I discovered a lot of other dog people looking for new ways to work out with their dogs."

During each hour-long class, people sprint, skip and even hop while their leashed dogs match their strides. Together, they leap over hurdles or weave through agility poles. At any time, Celapino will call out for people to drop into squats and get their dogs to maintain a down stance. Or we'll heed the command to do pushups, and then get our canine pals to perform doggy pushups -- a series of quick sit-downs.

Since enrolling, I've shed 20 excess pounds and canceled my gym membership. My veterinarian has deemed my 8-year-old dogs to be at ideal weights.

Before you enroll, get a physical examination from your physician and book a head-to-tail checkup for your dog with your veterinarian. Go at your own pace and set your goals to gradually get better.

Exercise fortifies your body against a host of medical woes, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. It can also save money on doctor and veterinary bills. Regular workouts can provide your dog with a perfect setting to unleash pent-up energy and reduce the amount of doggy destructiveness in the home that's often due to sheer boredom.

Try one of these classes -- or work out with your dog on your own -- and together you will give a welcomed, new meaning to the expression "dog tired."

To learn more about people-pet workouts, check out Leash Your Fitness at leashyourfitness.com.

Sidebar

Heed These Cautionary Signs

Be careful not to overexert your dog during workouts. Stop the activity and allow your dog to rest if he displays any of these signs:

-- Drooping tongue

-- Rapid panting -- an early sign of overheating

-- Hesitation -- taking a few extra seconds before retrieving a tossed ball

-- Weight shifting -- using different muscle groups to offset soreness

-- Staggered walking

-- Muscle tremors

-- Limping -- check footpads for cuts and bruises and legs for sprains or muscle pulls

Arden Moore is the founder of Four Legged Life (fourleggedlife.com), the author of 20 pet books and host of the "Oh Behave Show" on Pet Life Radio (petliferadio.com).

Q&A

Automotive coolant

a deadly pet poison

Q: My two dogs lapped up some antifreeze that had spilled in the garage. I saw on the container that it was toxic, so I took them to the veterinarian right away. They needed dialysis, and I was told my dogs could have died. Why is antifreeze so poisonous to pets?

A: You are very lucky that you saw your dogs drinking the antifreeze and were able to get them to the veterinarian so quickly for treatment. Too often, people don't realize their pets have drunk the stuff, and by the time they realize something is wrong, it's too late for treatment to be effective.

Antifreeze, or ethylene glycol, has a sweet flavor that is attractive to pets and children. It is not toxic on its own, but as the body breaks down the antifreeze, it creates metabolites that are toxic to kidney cells. Those metabolites form oxalate crystals that damage and block the kidney tubules. The animals act drunk and become dehydrated. Then kidney damage sets in.

That's dangerous because the job of the kidneys is to remove waste products from the body by way of the urine. When the kidneys are damaged, toxins build up in the bloodstream and aren't eliminated from the body. Dialysis does the work of the kidneys until they regain normal function. Unless pets are treated quickly, they usually don't recover from the damage done to the kidneys.

In the future, choose a brand of antifreeze that contains bittering agents. It may cost a little more and it is just as toxic, but because it is unpleasant to drink, your dogs are more likely to leave it alone. It's also a good idea to store antifreeze in a closed cabinet that is out of the reach of your pets and to wipe up spills or leaks immediately.

THE BUZZ

Dogs ease MRI worries

-- A study has found that patients who interacted with therapy dogs prior to MRI procedures suffered fewer anxiety symptoms than those patients in the study who did not. Researchers said therapy dogs could be a viable substitute for anti-anxiety medication normally given to patients before their MRI and would have fewer side effects.

Science Daily reports that the project was conceived by a 15-year-old high school student, Allison Ruchman. During the course of her MRI, she experienced anxiety and claustrophobia. She relieved her tension by creating a mental picture of her dog, Wally, and believed that her experience could be applicable to other patients who often need anti-anxiety drugs in order to complete the examination.

Allison became a certified dog therapist, and conducted the research on this project, assisting physicians who compiled and analyzed data, and prepared an abstract of the study at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, N.J.

-- Money bet on greyhound racing nationally has declined from $3.5 billion in 1991 to $1.1 billion in 2007, according to numbers released by Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas. Ten years ago, there were 50 tracks in 15 states, but today there are only 25 tracks in seven states.

-- An 8-year-old Clydesdale-thoroughbred cross named Maggie recently put her best nose forward in her bid to become the Guinness Book Of World Records' smartest horse.

Maggie learned to identify numerals as they were spoken aloud. She identified numerals 21 times in one minute without making a mistake.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

By Dr. Nancy Kay

Today, the human-animal bond is stronger than ever. The more tumultuous the world is around us, the tighter we cling to our beloved pets. They soothe us with their predictability and unconditional love, and they consistently give in excess of what they receive. Imagine then, the heartache someone feels when it's necessary to cut back on a pet's health care because of financial hardship.

If you are in a financial pinch -- who isn't these days? -- here are some things you can do to economize while still doing a great job of caring for your pet's health.

-- Lay your financial cards on the table when talking to your vet. Talking about your bank account may be difficult, but such a discussion can lead to options that make better financial sense. Rarely is there only one way to diagnose or treat a disease, and you are entitled to an explanation of every single option for your pet.

-- Request a written cost estimate for veterinary services before they are provided. How else can you know if your bill will be $200 or $2,000? Requesting an estimate does not reflect how much you love your pet; you are simply being fiscally responsible.

-- Kick the once-a-year vaccine habit. We used to think that standard vaccinations such as distemper needed to be given annually. We now know that these vaccinations provide a minimum of three years' worth of protection, once the puppy or kitten series has been completed. If your vaccine reminder card suggests otherwise, talk to your veterinarian.

-- Don't neglect your pet's preventive health care, as it could cost you money in the long run. For example, administering a heartworm preventive is less expensive for you (and safer for your dog or cat) than treating heartworm infection.

-- Feed your pet less food! Just as with humans, many dogs and cats are overweight. Ask your vet for her honest opinion about your pet's waistline. If she agrees that your precious family member could lose a few pounds, put less food in the bowl. This new habit will translate into cost savings and result in a healthier animal, which means fewer veterinary bills.

-- Be a savvy consumer of supplements for your pet. Some supplement suppliers would like you to believe that your pet's good health is dependent on their products. Avoid being seduced by such ads, and talk to your vet about exactly which supplements are worthy expenditures for your dog or cat.

-- Investigate options for paying your veterinary bills. Perhaps the clinic administrator is willing to barter for products or services. Look into CareCredit, for example, a reputable line of credit that can be used to pay for veterinary expenses. The company provides interest-free payment plans that may be advantageous compared to standard credit card payments.

-- Consider investing in pet health insurance, especially if you are inclined to take the "do everything possible" approach for your pet. Do the math and determine if insurance makes financial sense in the long run. And before you sign on the dotted line, do some research to find a provider that is a good fit for you and your pet.

What should you do if your pet is ailing and you are forced to contemplate euthanasia because of financial constraints? Before succumbing to such a drastic decision, I strongly encourage a thorough investigation of every other conceivable option. Consider researching rescue associations, borrowing money from friends or relatives, applying for a donation from a pet health assistance organization, or finding a financially capable guardian for your pet. Exploring these options might just save a life and will do wonders for your peace of mind.

Dr. Nancy Kay is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and the author of the book "Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life."

Q&A

Dogs with droopy ears

can be infection-prone

Q: My cocker spaniel is always getting ear infections. How can I keep her ears healthy? -- via email

A: Dogs with heavy, droopy ears sometimes seem to be more prone to infection than dogs with prick ears. There's no science to prove that, but it is true that dogs with floppy ears are more likely to trap moisture and warmth inside their ears, limiting air flow inside the ear and creating a perfect laboratory for the growth of bacteria and yeast. Here are some tricks to keeping those pretty cocker ears clean, dry and infection-free.

Look inside the ears every week. If the skin is a nice pinky-gray with a light coating of ear wax and the ears don't smell bad, leave them alone. Paradoxically, cleaning the ears when they don't need it can cause problems.

Some dogs produce too much ear wax. When that happens, the wax can block airflow and contribute to an infection of the outer ear canal. If your dog has a lot of wax that looks more gray than golden, clean the ears with a mild product such as Oti-Clens, available from veterinarians and pet supply stores. Don't use alcohol. It can irritate and dry out the sensitive ear tissue, and it stings like billy-o if your dog has any raw spots in his ear.

To clean the ears, hold your dog's head so his nose is pointing downward. Squirt in enough of the cleanser to fill the ear, then gently massage the outside of the ear. You'll hear a loud squishing sound as the cleanser makes its way into the ear canal. Let the dog shake, then wrap a tissue around your finger and wipe any excess cleanser out of the ear canal.

Keep cotton swabs out of the ear. All they do is pack gunk deeper into it.

When you bathe your dog, block the inside of the ear with a cotton ball to keep water and shampoo from entering. If your dog enjoys swimming, dry the ears thoroughly after he gets out of the lake or pool. Keeping the ears clean and dry will help prevent infections from brewing. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

THE BUZZ

New cat allergy vaccine under way

If you are among the 1 in 10 people who suffer allergic reactions to cats, here is some news that could have you breathing more easily and living more comfortably with kitties: A new approach to vaccines.

The new strategy, detailed in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, works by identifying key areas of the protein that cause allergic reactions rather than the whole protein, as existing vaccines do.

The vaccine takes synthetic versions of the key regions of the protein, which are then injected in the person, rather than inhaled, which turns off the T-cells and helps build up a tolerance to the allergens.

Parkinson's-like gene mutation found in dogs

Tibetan terriers share a gene mutation similar to Parkinson's disease in humans, according to a University of Missouri study published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease.

The mutation prompts similar symptoms to Parkinson's disease, and for both humans and dogs the afflictions are usually fatal. The researchers believe that they may be able to test potential human therapies on the animal population because they can use a DNA test to identify affected dogs before they start to show symptoms.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.