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犬の口臭は改善すべし - Dogs Need Improve Bad Breath

突然ですが、愛犬の口臭大丈夫ですか？ペットの口臭が気になった事がある飼い主さんなら、何とか口臭対策グッズでその臭いを消そうと試みた事があるんでは無いでしょうか？

しかし、犬の口臭も私達人間と同様に、健康維持には正しいケアが欠かせません。口臭グッズでたとえ臭いを抑えられたとしても、その臭いの元となっている原因そのものを解決出来なければ、愛犬の口腔内の症状は悪化の一途を辿るのみ。口臭がカットされ、飼い主としては嬉しいのですが、口腔内の異常のサインそのものを消してしまうこととなれば、本来必要な治療を無視する事になり兼ねませんので要注意なのです。

そもそも健康な犬の場合には不快な口臭はないと言われており、口臭が臭う場合は健康障害の前兆、あるいはすでに何かしらの病気の症状の一つであるという事を、飼い主なら知らなければなりません。

飼い主が犬の口臭を軽視してしまう原因として、目に見えない症状であり、健康状態に変化もなく、愛犬の不快な口臭による反応もない為に、ついつい見落としがちに。又、定期的な歯科診断とスケーリングなど、専門的なケアの費用を節約したいというのも本音のところ、口臭の軽視に起因しているんでは無いかと思います。しかし、もしも病気の症状が悪化すれば大ががりな治療となり、愛犬にも飼い主にもより大きな負担が掛かるかと思われますので、こういった軽視されやすい口臭チェックは油断ができません。

うちのナオミは歯磨きガムをちょっとさぼると、口臭が気になり、口の中を確認すると犬歯と前、後臼歯に歯石が溜まっているので、見つけるとスケーラーで少しずつ取り除けるまで毎日繰り返しやってます。こびり付いた頑固な歯石はなかなか取り除けないですし、歯茎付近はスケーラーで引っかくと危ないので、その日一回で取ろうとしない事がポイントになっています。嫌がるところを無理やりやっても、次回から怖がって口を開けてくれなくなるといけないので、おやつをあげながら短時間ずつやる事で怖がらせずに出来ているので、今後挑戦される方はご参考までに。

犬の口臭の主な原因

犬の口臭の原因の９０％以上は、口腔内の異常であると言われています。主な原因としては、歯石、歯周病、歯肉炎、虫歯、口内炎、乳歯遺残症などが挙げられており、重度となれば特別な治療も必要となるので、早期発見する事で愛犬の症状も治療費も軽減されるので、飼い主にとっては重要な事。私達、飼い主の『犬の口臭は自然なもの』という間違った判断となれば、症状は悪化していく一方となり、愛犬の健康を脅かすことにもなり兼ねません。口臭を一つの健康バロメーターとし、毎日の口内チェック、そして日々出来る予防対策、例えば愛犬と相性の良い歯磨きガムなどはとても有効かと思いますので、事前の対策として心がけることをお勧めします。　　

口内に症状が見られないけど口臭がある場合

獣医さん曰く、上記で挙げた主な原因のように、口の中を観察することで異常が発見できる口腔内の異常の他にも、腎臓や肝臓が正常に働かず、体外に排泄されるべき物質が体内に溜まることで、独特の臭い、アンモニア臭がするといった事もあるんだそうです。又、腸閉塞などの理由によっても、腸の内容物が動かず、その匂いが口臭として上がってくる事もあるそうですので、口腔内に何も異常が無い状態で口臭が気になる際には、早めに病院で検査、治療をするようにして下さいね。

In English please click “さらに読む” (read more) down below.

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Dogs Need Improve Bad Breath

First of all, does your dog ​has bad breath? If you've ever been concerned about your dog's bad breath, I imagine that most of the owners had attempted to try out some products like bad breath controls for it.

However, dogs need right treatments for bad breath just like humans. Even if the odor is reduced by some of the breath fresheners or dental formulas, the oral symptoms in dogs will only worsen if the fundamental causes of the bad breath can not be solved. We, owners would be happy if the bad breath cut off, but owners should be very careful with it, because if we erase the signs of the oral abnormalities in dogs, we would be able to easily ignore treatments that our dogs are practically need.

In the first place, it is said that a healthy dog ​​has no bad breath, and if it has, the owner must know that it is a sign of health disorder or one of the symptom of some illness what the dog already has.

The cause that most of the owners disregard bad breath in dogs is what invisible symptoms, there are no change in the health conditions, and there are no reactions of dogs due to the bad breath, so it is easy to overlook it. And also, we, owners may prefer to save the costs of professional cares, such as regular dental diagnosis and scaling for dogs, therefore owners are due to disregard of dog's bad breath probably. However, if the symptoms of the diseases worsen in dogs, it would need special treatments for them and would be more burdensome for both dogs and the owners, so owners should not miss out dog's bad breath and must not be ignorant of dog's bad breath which is actually help to understand what is going on and prevent the worst case.

My dog, Naomi apparently gets bad breath when she skipped her dental treats for a while, so when I find her having bad breath, I always check in her mouth and can see tartar developed on fangs and molars as result, so I attempt using a scaler everyday to remove the tartar off gradually until I finish removing it completely. It is not easy to remove stubborn tartar that is stuck on the teeth, and it is really dangerous to scratch around the gums with a scaler, so removing tartar at one time in a day is not a good idea as my point. If you forcibly do scaling when your dog refuse to do it, your dog could be scared and would not open its mouth next time, so giving a snack little by little and do scaling for a short time are the point which you could avoid your dog does not be scared, so this is just a reference to the owners who would challeng it in the future.

Main Causes Of Bad Breath In Dogs

It is said that more than 90% of oral abnormalities cause bad breath in dogs. The main causes are tartar, periodontal disease, gingivitis, cavities, stomatitis, residual deciduous teeth, etc, and there will be special treatments needed if the symptoms have gotten worst, so it is important that owners have early detection of these causes on their dogs, because it should help dogs reduce symptoms and reduce the costs for the treatments. If owners make a wrong decision that is "dogs have bad breath naturally", the symptoms of their dogs will only get worse and may jeopardize dog's health. I assume that bad breath is one of the health barometer, so daily oral check and daily precautionary measure, such as dental treats when it is suitable with each dogs are very effective, so I recommend owners these simple things as daily routine for a prior countermeasure of dog's health.

No Symptoms In The Mouth But Having Bad Breath

According to a veterinarian, there is an other reason which can be caused bad breath other than the main causes that can detect by observing the abnormality in a mouth listed above. It is said that when a kidney and liver do not work properly, and substances that should have been collected were accumulated and couldn't excrete outside of the body causes a unique odor like an ammonia smell. In addition, it is said that if there is an intestinal obstruction, the contents of the intestine may not move, therefore the odor can be come up as bad breath, so if you don't see any problem in a mouth and having bad breath on your dog please see a vet to take an examine and get an early treatment if necessary.

[waggingatail]

草を食べて整腸？犬が草を食べる訳 -  Eating grass for improving intestinal regulation - The reason for dogs eat grass

最近、久しぶりにナオミが朝の散歩で草を食べるのを見かけるんですが、犬のこの行動を初めて見た時は、大丈夫かなと飼い主ならとても心配になるんではないでしょうか？！勿論、私もその一人で、獣医さんに相談したこともあります。でもこの行動、実は犬が野生で暮らしていた時から本能的に持ち合わせた、とても自然な行動のようなんです。

昔、犬が野生で狩りをして生活をしていた頃、小動物を丸ごと食べるなどで胃で消化しきれない不要物を草を食べることで吐き出していたという事です。それが名残で、現在でも犬が胃腸を整える為に草を食べているそうなんです。犬の本能の中には、草を食べると胃の中の物を吐き出せるという考えが根付いているらしいのです。

とはいえ、子犬や成長期の犬にこの行動が頻繁に見られる際は、母犬からの胎盤感染によって腸内に寄生虫が寄生し、胃腸障害を起こしている場合も考えられるそうですので、まずは獣医さんにご相談下さい。

ナオミの場合は草を食べて吐いたりする事は無いんですが、食べる量によって下痢気味になった事があったので、今は食べすぎないように様子を見ては辞めさせてます。

かつての獣医さんの話では、ナオミの状況からすると、腸の働きが弱い可能もあるとの事だったので、一時期はロイヤルカナン、ベテリナリーダイエットの胃腸専門のドッグフードにした事もありました。その後は調子も良かったので、茹でた野菜とささみに切り替えていたんですが、最近はピュリナ、ベネフルの新作を見つけて良さそうと思い、茹でたささみと野菜に少し混ぜて食べさせているんです。この餌に切り替えてもう２ヶ月近く経つし、ナオミにも行動にも何の変化も見られなかったので安心していましたが、またこの行動が見られるという事はこのドッグフードが合わないのかな？！

ちなみに、この草を食べるという行動、整腸作用、消化機能を助ける為という理由以外にも、幾つか違った理由があり、飼い主なら見逃せないサインですのでそちらも今後のご参考までに。

犬が草を食べる訳

その１、胃腸の調子が悪い

上記にあげたように本能的に胃の不快感を解消、又は、整腸作用を促す等。但し、食欲がなく、頻繁に草を食べ、下痢をするなどの症状がある場合は、胃炎やその他の病気の恐れがあるので獣医さんに相談して下さい。

その２、誤飲したものを吐き出したい

誤飲してしまった物を吐き出したいと考えた時に、草を食べると胃の中の物を吐き出せるという考えが根付いていることから。

その３、繊維質、ビタミン不足

ドッグフードだけを食べていると、ビタミンや繊維質が不足がちになる為、草を食べて補うんだそうです。特に緑黄色野菜に含まれている葉酸というビタミンが、身体の中で不足していると感じると、犬は自然とその不足ビタミンを補おうとし草を食べるそうです。

その４、ストレス

犬も人間同様、日々様々なストレスを抱えていると言われています。運動不足や環境の変化など、ストレスを感じている時にも草を食べようとする犬が多いとの事ですので、そういえば最近思いっきり遊ばせてあげていないなとか、環境が変わったなど、心当たりがある場合はそのストレスを解消させてやって下さい。

その５、草の食感が好き

特に子犬は人間の赤ちゃん同様、何でも口に入れたがり、初めて草を食べた時に味や食感を気に入った犬は、草は美味しいものと認識し繰り返し草を食べるようになるようです。こうした草を食べるのが好きな犬は、食事の量が足りない時や空腹状態の時などにも草を食べる傾向にあるようです。

以上、犬が草を食べる理由としてあげられていますが、決して草なら何でも食べさせていいという事では無く、自宅の庭や家庭内でも犬にとって毒性のある花や観葉植物が意外にも身近に様々ありますので、そういったものを食べることのないような環境作りも必要です。

又、道端の草でも現代は除草剤などがかかっている疑いも大いにありますので、地域の雑草に対する管理活動等も視野に入れ、不安であれば食べさせないようにしなければなりませんね。結局、危険リスクを回避するのには、ペットである犬にとって、餌の工夫を試みることが手っ取り早く、現代には相応しい、安心な方法なのかもしれません。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Eating grass for improving intestinal regulation

Recently, I've seen Naomi eat grass on a morning walk for the first time in a long time. If it is the first time to see the behavior of your dog, most of the owners might worry about why they eat grass. Of course, I was the kind of owner and had a consultation regarding the behavior with a vet. But this behavior seems actually a very natural behavior that the dog has instinctively had since living in a wild. 

In the past, when dogs hunted and lived in a wild, they ate small animals to live, therefore they had instinctively ate grass and vomited unnecessary things that could not be digested by their stomaches. This is why dogs still eat grass to keep their intestinal regulation. The dog's instinct seems to have a routine idea that eating grass can puke things in the stomach.

However, when this behavior is frequently seen in puppies and growing dogs, it is possible that parasites are infested in the intestine by placental infection from their mothers which might be caused gastrointestinal disorders. This case needs to consult to a vet to solve the issue.

In the case of Naomi, she had not vomited, but since she had become diarrhea depending on how much she eat grass, I have been adjusting at the situation so as not to eat too much.

The previous vet told me that the intestinal function could be weak in Naomi's case, so I switched dog food to the vet recommended, gastrointestinal dog food of Royal Canaan for a period of time. Since then she was doing well, so I switched to boiled vegetables and chicken meat again instead of the gastrointestinal dog food, but recently I found a new version of Purina, Beneful dog food and thought that it would be a good try, so I have been mixing the dog food with the boiled vegetables and chicken meat to feed her. I think that it has been almost two months since I switched to this dog food, and I was relieved that there was no change with her behavior and digestion, but now it seems that she has been getting a reaction from the dog food which may not suit to her digestion regarding her behavior.

By the way, I figured out some more other reasons beside improving intestinal action and digestive function on this behavior, and I think that these reasons are reasonable dog's signs that should not be overlooked by the owner, so please refer to it as an useful information.

The reason for dogs eat grass

1. Gastrointestinal upset

As I mentioned above, it instinctively eliminates discomfort in the stomach or promotes intestinal action. However, if dogs do not have appetites, eat grass frequently and have diarrhea, they may be gastritis or other illnesses, so it is better to see a vet in this case.

2. Trying to spit out something what was ingested by mistake

When dogs want to spit out something they have accidentally swallowed, they have a routine idea what is to eat grass can puke things in their stomach.

3. Lack of fibers and vitamins

When dogs eat dog food alone, they tend to be deficient in vitamins and fibers, so they eat grass to make up for it. If they feel that their bodies are deficient in the vitamin of folic acid, which is especially found in green and yellow vegetables, dogs will naturally try to make up for the lack of vitamin by eating grass.

4. Stress

It said that dogs are also have various stresses every day just like humans. In addition, many dogs even try to eat grass when they are stressed due to lack of exercises or change of environments. If you have an idea that you haven't been able to let your dog play enough recently, or the environment has been changed around your dog, then simply give it a chance to relieve the stress.

5. Addiction of texture of grass

Particularly, puppies are same like human babies, want to eat anything, and dogs who like the taste and texture when they eat grass for the first time seem to recognize grass as delicious and eat grass repeatedly. Dogs who always like to eat grass tend to eat grass even they are short on food or when they are hungry.

As above, these are the reasons for dogs eat grass, but it does not mean that they can eat anything on grass. Since we have various toxic flowers and house plants at our places like in homes, so it is also necessary to create an environment that dogs do not eat such things.

And also, there is a high suspicion that herbicides are being applied to roadside grasses in this modern society, so we must also consider local weed management activities and avoid dogs eating them if we are uneasy with it. After all, we may need to devise food to your dog's health as possibly as we can to avoid the risk of danger for them as a pet which may be the easiest and safest way for us to do in this modern society.

[waggingatail]

ペットの犬は大丈夫かな？犬の新型コロナウィルスに対する報告と対策 -  Is your dog OK? The Reports and Countermeasures for The Coronavirus in Dogs

現在新型コロナウィルスが世界的に猛威をふるう中、私達犬の飼い主としてもどのように自分がペットとこの状況に対処したらいいのか不安も募る事かと思います。今月頭に香港の新型コロナウイルス感染者の飼い犬から新型コロナウイルスが検出されたとのニュースで、より大きな不安を抱えてしまった飼い主さんも少なくないのではないでしょうか。自身もそんな飼い主の一人として、この状況の中でどんな対策ができるのかを調べてみました。

ここにJBVP（一般社団法人　日本臨床獣医学フォーラム）の最新の犬の飼い主の為の新型コロナウィルス対処法をまとめてみましたので、未だ理解が出来ていない、又は対処法が曖昧な方は是非以下の事を参照頂き、ペットにも安全な生活環境で、私達も安心して暮らせるよう努めましょう。

犬とコロナウィルス感染の関連性の現在のまとめでは、香港漁農自然護理署（AFCD）の検査によって犬が「低レベルの感染」をすると結論を出しております。同時にこの所見は大学や国際獣疫事務局（OIE）の専門家たちによっても確認され、「人間から動物への感染例の可能性が高い」とされました。

香港で検査されている犬は、人間に見られる新型コロナウイルス感染の症状を全く見せていないといわれており、香港政府は「現時点でペットがウイルスを媒介するというデータはない」と強調しています。そして動物、即ち、ペットが感染源になるといった過剰な心配を抱かないようにと呼びかけています。

下記３つをケースとし、それらの主な対策として ー

1. 犬における感染 犬は家の中で隔離するのがいいとの事。幸い犬が新型コロナウイルス感染によって人間に及ぼしているような健康を害することはないようなので、処置として隔離しておけば自然に感染はなくなるものと言われています。尚、何かの症状がなければ動物病院でも対処できる事がないのが現状。又、人間のコロナウイルス感染者を受け入れることができるような病院に相当する動物病院の体制はない様です。ご自身も感染し軽症で家にいる場合は、自分で世話をし、入院する場合には医師ならびに保健所の指示で判断するようにとのことです。

2. 人間が感染している家庭に犬がいる場合 これまでの香港の2頭だけの経験では，感染であっても低レベルであり，犬には症状は出ないようです。しかし、生きたウィルスが少量ながら一定期間そこに存在するということで注意は必要です。一方、日本国では動物に対して人間のコロナウイルスのPCR検査を行う体制は全く整っていないので、検査を行うかどうかについては保健所の判断との事。動物病院に出向いても国立感染症研究所から出されている感染管理ガイドラインに沿った対応はでき無いとの事ですので、自宅にて世話をし、世話が出来ない状況であれば、医師ならびに保健所の指示にて判断されるのが適切だと思われます。

3. ふつうの家庭にいる犬

外出を避ける。外に出ても必要最低限で、人混みには連れて行かない事。他の犬との接触を避けるためドッグランも利用しないようにする等も対策としてあげられています。犬には犬コロナウイルス感染症ワクチンがありますが、これは犬の消化器コロナウイルスのワクチンなので、ワクチンを打っていても人間の新型コロナウイルスに対しては無効力という事なのでご注意ください。

最後に

今回の事例では、犬は善意の第三者であり、たまたまウイルスをもらってしまったと考えられる為、どうして犬に感染が起こったのかについては、老齢の犬であったからなのか、それとも犬はすべてそうなのかは、まだ例数が少ない為不明な様です。ですが、中国のように多くの感染患者がいる場所でも、犬から病気をもらったというような状況は報告されていないようですので、中国の村で起きた、犬のコロナウィルス媒介に対する理解不足により引き起こされた犬に対する暴行事件のように、決して犬を悪者にしたり、飼育を放棄したりするような事がないよう、飼い主がしっかりとこの現状を理解し、今まで同様に家族として守り、この状況を乗り越えなければなりません。

私とナオミが住むアメリカ国での、ペットの動物病院利用時の制限も少しずつ発表され、この先動物病院によっては完全にサービス停止などもありえるかもしれません。地域によっても違いがあるかと思われますので、各自で随時問い合わせが必要かと思われます。

まず人間への感染予防が優先ですから、ペットに緊急を要する場合以外であれば様子を見て、極力行動を控えるようにするのが今は一番適切かもしれません。

又、人はパニックに陥ってしまえば通常とは思えないような行動までをも引き起こしかねません。飼い主としてそんな事でペットを犠牲にする事のないように、責任ある行動と冷静な判断で、周りにも注意を配りながらペットにも安心で安全な生活環境を守っていきましょう。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Is your dog OK? The Reports and Countermeasures for The Coronavirus in Dogs

Now, the Coronavirus go on a rampage round the world, and we as dog owners may be worry about how to cope with this situation with our pets. Earlier this month, the news that there were dogs who had detected coronavirus which was infected from their owners in Hong Kong might lead some owners to worry about coronavirus in dogs more. I am the one of the kind of owner, and so I searched what countermeasures could be taken in this situation.

Here, I compiled informations and countermeasures of the new coronavirus for dog owners based on the latest JBVP (Japan Forum for Clinical Veterinary Medicine), so if you are unsure or ambiguous how to cope with this situation of the coronavirus as dog owners, please refer to the following informations to ensure that we can live calmly and can give dogs a safety living environment.

The current summary of the relation between dogs and coronavirus infections concludes that dogs have a "low level of infection" after testing by the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). At the same time, the findings were confirmed by universities and the experts at The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) stated that "there is a high probability of human-to-animal transmission."

Dogs being tested in Hong Kong have shown no signs of the coronavirus infection like a human, and the Hong Kong government has emphasized that "there is no data that pets transmit the coronavirus". In addition, it said that we should not have too much worries about animals especially dogs becoming a source of infection.

There is three possible cases under the circumstance, and their main countermeasures were -----

1. Infected dogs

Dogs should be isolated in the house. Fortunately, dogs don’t seem to harm their health by the coronavirus like in humans, and it seems that the infection will disappear naturally during a certain time while the dogs are isolated to ensure that their owners won't be infected. And also, if there is no symptom, then there is nothing to do for them at the veterinary/animal hospital which is what it is. In addition, there seems to be no veterinary/animal hospital like human hospitals where accept patients of the coronavirus infections. If owners/you are infected by coronavirus, having light symptoms and staying at home, then the owners/you should take care of the dogs, but if the owners/you need to be hospitalized, it said that the owner/you will need to clarify what to do for the dogs with the instructions of doctors and public health centers.

2. Dogs with infected owners/family homes

So far, there are two dogs who were infected by coronavirus only in Hong Kong which have experienced low levels of infection, and what they show is that dogs don't seem to have any symptoms caused by the coronavirus like humans do. However, it is necessary to be careful that a small amount of live virus exists there for a certain period. On the other hand, in Japan, there is no system for conducting PCR tests for human coronavirus on animals, so it is up to the public health center to decide whether or not to perform the test. Even if owners or someone instead go to a veterinary hospital to check their dogs, they can not receive a specific service according to the infection control guidelines issued by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, so owners need to take care of their dogs at home, and if owner/you can not take care of own dogs, then owner/you will need to make a decision of what to do for their dogs by the instructions of doctors and health centers which may be the best solution in this matter.

3. Dogs with uninfected owners/family homes

Avoiding go out as possible. If dogs need to go outside for any reason, it will be better to minimize necessity, and owners should not take dogs to crowds. As a countermeasure, it may be a good idea to not using dog parks just for avoiding contact with other dogs. There is a canine coronavirus vaccine, but please note that this is a vaccine against only canine gastrointestinal coronavirus, so it is ineffective against the new human coronavirus even dogs has gotten with the vaccine.

At last,

The case of Hong Kong, the dogs were good-willed third parties, and because it has happened to them unfortunately. And also, it is unclear that they were infected, because they were old-aged dogs or all dogs were so. The number of case is too small, so it seems that it is hard to define it yet by now. However, there have been no reports of dogs getting sick by the Coronavirus, even in the places with a large number of infected patients, such as in China, so owners must understand this situation, protect own dogs as a family as usual, and survive this matter, so that helps dogs will never be villains or abandoned from their owners such as the case of the violence on dogs by a lack of understanding regarding the coronavirus in dogs like the tragedy in a village in China.

In the United States where Naomi and I live, restrictions on the use of veterinary/animal hospitals are announced gradually, and it is thought that there may be differences, such as possible complete suspension of service depending on each veterinary/animal hospitals, so at this point, I think that each inquiry and investigation are necessary to veterinary/animal hospitals who are in your local areas.

The importance is that prevention of human transmission is the highest priority, so it may be appropriated to look at the situation what you and your dog have now except when the dog needs urgency and to refrain from acting as much as possible.

Also, if people are in panics, they can be caused unusual behaviors. To keep our dogs in safe and secure, we as owners should also take care of our surroundings with responsible actions and calm judgments so that we do not sacrifice our dogs for such the thing.

[waggingatail]

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何故そんなに夢中で爪を噛み噛みしているの？ - Why are you addicted to biting your nails?

夕方の散歩から帰って一息ついていると、聞き覚えのあるカリカリと爪を噛む音が聞こえたので、これはもしや？と思いナオミを確認。見ると案の定一生懸命自分の爪を噛み噛みしてました。しばらく観察しがてらこの行動の理由はなんだろうかと考え���ました。

ナオミは爪をよく噛むんですが、怪我もなく健康的異常も見られないので、この行動に関しては獣医さんに相談するほどでは無いかとそのまま放っておくことが殆どなんですが、以前気になって爪を噛む原因を調べた事もあり、専門家曰くはこの犬の行動には様々な原因がある事を知りました。成る程と納得な原因からメンタルなケアーを要する事、獣医さんに相談し兼ねない原因まで幅広いので、自身のワン子にも同じような行動が見られたらここは要チェックです。

犬が爪を噛む様々な理由

● ストレスの可能性

専門家曰く、犬が自分の爪を噛む主な要因にはストレス性の問題であることが多いとのこと。もしも原因がストレスである場合、先ずはそのストレスを引き起こした要因を突き止めることが必要。その要因として主にあげられるのは、運動不足であったり、飼い主とのコミュニケーション不足。又、環境の変化であったり、気温の変化でもあったりするようです。

これらが原因で犬が爪を噛んでしまっているのなら、犬のストレスを軽減することが問題解決の改善策となります。

● 爪の伸びすぎの可能性

このケース結構あります。爪が伸びすぎていて気になってしまい爪を噛んでいるんです。爪はこまめにチェックして切ってあげるようにするといいですね。

● 暇つぶしの可能性

これは特に子犬の歯が生え変わる頃に、むずがゆさから爪を噛んでしまう傾向から、成犬になってもこれが癖になってしまっている犬もいるとの事です。

対策としては、他に気を紛らわせられる物、例えば犬用の歯磨きガムなどを与えて様子を見るのがいいかと思います。

● 緊張からの可能性

犬が何かに緊張している時、自分の爪を噛むことがあるそうです。人間でも見られる行動と同様に、気持ちを落ち着かせる為に爪を噛んでいるんだそう。少し様子を見て止めるようなら一時的な緊張からと言えますが、なかなか止めない場合は原因を探る必要があります。

この場合の対策としては、犬の気持ちが落ち着くよう、安心して生活できる環境作りをする事でこの行動も解決に向かっていくようです。

● ニオイ

爪や、犬の足の裏の肉球に何かの匂いが付いている時、掃除する為に爪を噛んだり舐めたりすることがあります。これは一時的な事なので問題はありませんね。気になる場合は拭いてあげれば、爪を噛む行動も直ぐに無くなるはず。

● 怪我や炎症、痒みがある可能性

怪我や炎症、痒み等がある為に足を舐めたり爪を噛んでいることがあり、これらの原因としては爪が折れている、トゲなどの異物が刺さっている、怪我をして腫れているなどで違和感がある、又は痛みがある、餌によるアレルギーなどによって痒みがある等々があげられます。見た目でわかる範囲の原因は突き止めやすいですが、そうでない場合は難しいかと思いますので、獣医さんに診てもらって原因を突き止めた後の処置をとる他ありません。

そもそも野生で暮らしていた頃にも抱えていただろう原因、例えば爪が伸びすぎ、癖、足の掃除ゆえのこの行動は、ペットになった今も過剰に注意を払わなくてもいいのでしょうが、その他のストレス、緊張、アレルギーによる痒み等に関しては、ペットとして迎えた私達によって生み出された原因でもあると思われるので、この責任は重大です。しっかりと原因を突き止め、早急な処置を取ることが飼い主としての義務です。

この上記に挙げた爪を噛むという行動以外にも、とにかく肉球をひたすら舐めるという行動があるんですが、冬に一瞬この行動がナオミに見られた事があり、外見判断から寒い地域特有の氷と乾燥による肉球のひび割れが見られたので、食べ物アレルギー以外にもこんな事が要因で脚を舐め舐めしていることもあるんです。この時は即行肉球クリームで治療に当たりました。人間同様、ワン子も肉球のひび割れが悪化すれば歩くのも痛くて辛いですから、早い段階での治療が重要です。

ちなみにPAW MAGIC（パウマジック）という肉球専用オーガニックの保湿クリームは驚く程の効果を発揮で、この冬も何度もお世話になりました。クリームを塗った直後の舐め舐めで、せっかく塗ったクリームが台無しになってるって事は多々あるのかな？でも間違いなく効果は得てました。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Why are you addicted to biting your nails?

I was taking a break after the walking with Naomi, and there was a familiar chewing sound of nails in the living room, so I immediately thought that this must be coming from Naomi and just checked her. And yes, I was right. When I saw her, she was biting her nails madly. After observing it for a while, I was thinking about the reason for this behavior of her.

Naomi chews her nails fairly often, but there is no injury and a health problem, so I don't have a feeling that she needs to visit a vet for this matter with her therefore, I just let her do it when she does so far. But, I just had my interest on the reason for why dogs chew their nails, so I researched about it and knew that there are quite various reasons on this behavior according to a dog specialist. There is a wide range of reasons from a reasonable reason, the case of mental care needed or the cause that may require a treatment or a consultation with a veterinarian, so if your furry friend has a same behavior, this information must help, so please check what are the reasons for.

Various reasons to dogs bite their nails

● Likelihood of stress 

Dog expert says that dogs often bite their nails due to stress is the most likelihood. If the cause is stress, it is necessary to determine the factors that caused the stress at first. The major factors for this are lack of exercise and lack of communication with the owner. And also, a change in the environment or a change in temperature are seems to be related to this factor.

If these are the causes to dogs to bite their nails, reducing dog stress can be a solution to this problem.

● Likelihood of long nails

This seems to be quite often happening with Naomi. When nails are too long, and dogs feel uncomfortable with it, they bite their nails. It's a good idea to check their nails frequently and cut them.

● Likelihood of killing a time

Puppy chews nails when the puppy's teeth change, so this is because some dogs may have become habitual to chew their nails even they grew up.

As a countermeasure, it's better to give something distracting, such as a dog's dental treats, and see how it goes.

● Likelihood of under tension

When a dog is nervous about something, it sometimes bites his nails. A dog can calm his mind to doing this which has been well known as a similar behavior in human. If this behavior goes a little time and stop, it can be a temporary tension, but if dogs can not stop it, the owner must need to find the factor for this.

As a countermeasure in this case, the living environment is the key, so the behavior is going to be resolved by creating an environment with peace of mind so that the dog's feelings can calm down.

● Likelihood of Smell

If there is some smell on dog's paws or the nails, they may lick their paws or bite their nails to clean it up. This is a temporary behavior, so there is no problem. If you don't like them to do, you should wipe it out and they will soon be able to stop doing it.

● Likelihood of injury, inflammation and itching

They may lick their paws or bite their nails due to injuries, inflammations and itching, and the factors of these are usually cracking nails, have a foreign material like a prickle on paws, have a injury and feel uncomfortable or have pain, have itching due to food allergies. It is easy to determine the cause with an external appearance, but otherwise it is difficult, so there is no other way but to consult a veterinarian and determine what the cause is.

The factors which dogs might had gotten when they are in a wild in the first place such as overgrown claws, a chewing habit, and cleaning their feet are not serious behaviors what we have to pay too much attentions even though we are their owners now, but other factors related to their stresses, tensions and itching from food allergies are what we need to be aware of which might have created by us in this society, and so this responsibility is significant.

To this, to determine the cause is the owner's duty, and we need to be serious to take an immediate action as an owner for these factors if necessary.

In addition to the above-mentioned action of biting nails, there is also an action of simply licking paws to a dog. This behavior had been seen for a moment in the winter by Naomi, and from the appearance judgment, I found that an extreme cold climate can let dog's paws to crack due to the ice and the dry air, so besides food allergies, there are a chance to dog to lick its legs due to such this factor.

Anyway, this was treated with an immediate treatment with a moisture cream for dog's paws. Like a human, a dog also can get a pain and difficult to walk if the cracks in the paws deteriorated, so treatment at an early stage is very important. 

By the way, PAW MAGIC, an organic moisturizing cream for the dog's paws was amazingly effective, and Naomi's paws had been taken care of by this cream many times in this winter. Maybe a lot of the cream I applied had ruined by Naomi's licking right after applying the cream. But, she definitely had gotten a good result.

[waggingatail]

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戦の前のカモフラージュ？それともお洒落の為の香水？

- A camouflage before a hunting? Or as a perfume of your own?

今日は晴天、最高の春日和です。今年は暖冬で通常よりも春が早いのかな？外の空気は温かでとっても爽やか、今朝の散歩時間は自然と長くなってました。ナオミもとても嬉しそうに匂いを嗅いでは走って、芝生の上でゴロゴロする事もしばしば。ある時は鼻を地面に押し付けてそのまま顎、頰へと滑り込み、ある時は２、３回手で地面をほじってからの滑り込み。この行動は飼い主さんならとても馴染みのある行動でしょうし、出来たらやめて欲しいと思ってしまう行動なんではないでしょうか。（笑）

さて、この体をゴロゴロして擦り付ける本能的行動、大きくは狩猟本能から自分の匂いを消す為の行動と、単に自分の好きな匂いをまとっていたいという欲望と分けられるようですが、それ以外にも幾つか違った意味を持ってしている事があるようです。

その他１：所有権

犬の頭部にある匂いの分泌腺を物等に擦り付けて”自分のもの”と主張している可能性があるとの事だそうです。

その他２：伝言

これは野生時代の名残で、獲物のにおいを付けて群れに戻ることで仲間に狩りの情報を知らせることができるからだとという説があり、例えば、動物の糞に体をこすりつけてしまうというのは、獲物の情報を仲間に効率よく伝える為めだと考えられているようです。

その他３：身分証明

犬にとって体臭は自己アピールであり、犬同士の好ききらいの判断材料にもなる大切な情報そのものです。このことから、犬が体や顔をこすりつけるのは体についた別の臭いを取り去り、自分のにおいを取り戻すための行為でもあるそうなんです。シャンプー後に犬がじゅうたんや庭などで体をこすりつけているのは自分の臭いを早く取り戻したいと思っている行動だと考えられます。

その他４：関心を引く

犬は刺激的な臭いを身にまとうことで、仲間の関心を集めているという説があるようです。なんでも、犬社会でモテ犬になる為にはミミズの死骸の臭いが最強なんだとか。（苦笑）

その他４：満足

食後や散歩後など、犬にとって楽しい出来事の後に仰向けに寝っ転がって背中又は顔を擦り付け、とっても満足気な表情でゴロゴロしている時は幸せを実感している時かも。

その他５：感覚的な刺激

これは身分証明としてでも無く、仲間の関心を集めるのでも無い、感覚的な刺激を単に求めているからだと思われる場合もあるようで、雪の上で夢中で体を擦り付けたり、糞の上で体を擦り付けるのもそういった理由からの行動の場合もあるようですよ。

その他6：皮膚の病気

ノミやダニ、餌アレルギーによる痒み等、皮膚の病気で体を擦っている場合があるかもしれませんのでこの場合は要注意です。この場合は必要に応じて治療を受ける為、すぐに獣医を訪問する必要があります。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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A camouflage before a hunting? Or as a perfume of your own?

Today is sunny, a perfect, clear day of spring. Is spring coming earlier than usual, because we have a warmer this winter? The air was warm and refreshing, and we had a long walk naturally in this morning. Naomi was also enjoying smelling, running very happily and rubbing her back on the lawn fairly often. Sometimes, she just pushed her nose into the ground and slid her chin, cheek and then the body, and other times, she dug a ground where she found something into it two or three times with a paw and slid into the ground with her face and then the body. This behavior is quite familiar to dog's owners, and it is something that the owners want their dogs to stop doing it when there is a choice.

By the way, it sounds that there are two major reasons on this behavior. The one of the reason is the instinct for a camouflage of hunting, and the other one is their desires to simply wear their favorite smells, but besides that, there are some more different meanings on this behavior.

Other 1: The ownership

This case refer to dogs rub their secretory gland of the odor on the heads against things what they love, and this is possibly have a meaning of their claims that the thing is "mine".

Other 2: Message

There is a theory that this is a handover from the wild age, because it is possible to give a group an information on hunting by returning to the flock with the smell of a prey. It seems that rubbing the body on an animal fece for instance which thought to be a way to efficiently communicate with a group for an information about prey.

Other 3: Identification

Body odor is same like a self-promotion for dogs, and it is an important information that can be used for like and dislike of dogs each other among them. From this, there is the case that rubbing a body and face is also the act of removing another smell from themselves and regaining their own smells. The reason why dogs rub their bodies on a carpet or a floor after shampoo is probably the action that they want to regain their smells quickly.

Other 4: Attract an interest

Dogs instinctively rub their bodies with the smells what they like as attracting male or female or their peers to get attentions by wearing an exciting smell just like a perfume in human society. By the way, the odor of the earthworm's carcass is the best to become a popular dog in the dog society:((

Other 4: satisfaction

After fun events for dogs, such as after a meal or a walk, they lie back and rub their backs or faces on a floor or a ground which case is they usually show a happy, smiling face.

Other 5: Sensuous excite

This case may not be for an identification and may not be for a mating or the case of attraction of their peers. This may be because they are simply seeking sensuous excite. For instance, some dogs rub their bodies on the snow madly or on the feces in some cases on this.

Other 6: Skin diseases

Dogs may be rubbing their bodies due to skin diseases such as fleas, mites, or itching due to allergies on food, so owners must be very careful on this. If this is the case, dogs need immediate vet visit to get a treatment if necessary.

[waggingatail]

犬も日光浴で健康促進！ - Sunbathing promotes a health for dogs too! -

春の訪れを感じさせる太陽の軌道の変化から、部屋を差し込む西日の面積が広くなってきました。今まで日が差しこむことが無かったリビングのじゅうたんにも春の柔らかな日の光が差し込み、ナオミも嬉しそう。

犬にとっても日向ぼっこは気持ちくてとっても嬉しいこと。寒がりのナオミにしてみれば、これはもはや私達にとっての入りたい放題の露天風呂の様なもの。暖かいし気持ち良くて、見つけたらどんなに小さな範囲でも速攻で、利用せずになんかいられませんよってな感じで場所を陣取ります。

犬が日向ぼっこをしている時は、太陽の光を楽しんでいるというよりも、暖かい場所で安心してのんびり過ごしているという感じのよう。でもこの日光浴という単純な行動一つで、犬にとっても健康にとても効果的な要素が幾つかあるのですから、疎かにはできない事だと実感しています。

ー　日光浴による犬の健康促進効果　ー

獣医さん曰く、太陽の光を浴びると“幸せホルモン”として知られている「セロトニン」という物質が分泌され、精神状態を安定させる効果や体内時計を改善する効果が期待されるようです。 セロトニンの分泌が悪くなると情緒不安定になり、ムダ吠えしたりする犬もいるようなので、犬にとってもとても重要なホルモンのひとつだそう。

こうしたことから、夜間徘徊や夜鳴きなどの症状が見られるシニア犬も、日光浴を取り入れることで生活リズムが整い、又気分転換にもなる為、症状が軽くなることもあるとのこと。

又その他には、成長ホルモンの分泌を促す効果が期待できることや、太陽の光に含まれる紫外線による殺菌作用で、皮膚病の予防や悪化を防ぐ効果も期待できるとのことも。

犬は紫外線により体内で作られるビタミンDの量が人と比べると少ないようなんですが、犬にとってもビタミンDはカルシウムの吸収や筋力の維持などの重要な役割を担う為、ビタミンＤを体内に十分に維持するには、食事だけではなく日光を浴びることも大切だという事です。

こんなにも沢山の健康にいい事があるんですから、日中の散歩が難しいわん子でも留守番中に日光浴が出来る場所を選んであげると、自然の力で健康管理も出来るし、わん子も喜びますよ。わん子のこれほどない平和的で幸せそうな寝顔を見れば、日光浴の重要さを実感しますよ。

とは言え、現代の真夏のジリジリと照りつける太陽の下での長時間の日向ぼっことなれば、飼い主として注意しなければならない事もあるとは思います。　基本的に犬は自分で暑くなれば涼しい場所に移動するとは思うので、自由に移動できて日陰もあり、水が飲める環境であれば、真夏の日光浴でも「熱中症」や「脱水症状」を起こしたりすることはないとは思います。でも、もし感覚が鈍くなっているシニア犬、又はケージの中で動く範囲が限られている等の場合は勿論飼い主さんが側で管理してあげないといけないですよね。

それぞれ違った環境、状況下にあると思いますので、飼い主としては状況に会った正しい行動を取らないとですね。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Sunbathing promotes a health for dogs too! 

It is the relation for the change in the orbit of the sun which makes us feel a spring is coming, and the area where sun brightens a room got extensive than before as a afternoon sunshine. Naomi seems to be happy with the sunshine as a soft spring day appears on a carpet in the living room where the sun has never entered in the winter time.

The sunbathing is very grateful and pleasant for dogs too. This is same thing like an everyday free pass for a natural hot spring of human for Naomi especially who gets cold easily. It gives her warm, peaceful time and let her be relaxed, and when she find the spot where the sunshine comes in even if it is any small area, she immediately takes the place. It just looks like she is telling me why not do that.

When a dog is sunbathing, it feels more like relaxing in a warm place than it is enjoying the sunshine. However, this simple activity of sunbathing has some elements that are very effective for dog's health, so I realize that it cannot be neglected.

The effect of sunbathing for the promotion of Dog's health 

According a veterinarian, when body exposed to the light of the sun, a substance called serotonin which is known as the "happy hormone," is secreted, and it seems to be expected to have the effect of stabilizing the mental state and improving body clock. Poor serotonin secretion can cause emotional instability, and some dogs may have an unnecessary barking, so it is one of the most important hormones for dogs.

With these reasons, it says that senior dogs who have symptoms such as strolling a room at night or crying at night can be refreshing change of mood or less susceptible to symptoms by taking sunbathing.

In addition, it also says that the effect of promoting the secretion of growth hormone can be expected, and the effect preventing and defending aggravation of the skin disease can be expected by the bactericidal action of ultraviolet rays contained in the sunlight.

A dog can produce less vitamin D in the body than human, but vitamin D performs an important function in dog, such as absorbing calcium and maintaining muscle strength. In order to maintain enough of it, it is important not only to eat but also to get the sunshine.

Now we know, there are so many good things for dog's health by sunbathing, so if you have a difficulty to let your furry friends out in a daytime, let's pick a place where your farry friends can sunbathing while you can't deal with them or you are out in a daytime. That way they can maintain their health naturally, moreover they will enjoy it and will be happy with it. You would realize how important sunbathing is, when you see the peaceful, happy sleeping face of your furry friends after all. 

But, there should be some attentions that an owner has for furry friends if they spend a lot of time on sunbathing in a hot summer especially these days. Basically, if dogs get hot, they will move to a cool place naturally, so if they can move freely, have a shade and can drink water anytime, there won't be an issue something like "heat stroke" or "dehydration" by sunbathing even if it is in a hot summer. But, if a dog who are a senior with a lack of sensation or a dog who have a limited range of movement in a cage, definitely the owner will have to manage it overall.

I think that each has a different environment and situation, so as an owner, we must know what is the condition of own dogs and have to do the right thing what it should be in its situation.

[waggingatail]

強い狩猟本能 - Strong Hunting Instinct -

今日の散歩は夕方でもとても暖かくて気持ちのいい日でした。こんな日は公園で暮らす小動物達も活動的な様で、沢山のリス達も追いかけっこや食事を楽しんでいるようでした。

しかし、そんな平和な光景を楽しめたのもつかの間。リス達の匂いを嗅ぎつけた事でナオミの狩猟本能が過激さを増し、いつも以上に活動的となって興奮状態。リードのストッパーが壊れるんじゃないかというぐらい引っ張る引っ張る。

まさに釣り竿に大物の魚がかかった時のリールから糸が引かれていくあのスピードと音を実感できる程。私も今ではナオミの行動が読めるので、周りに自転車や人がいない事を必ず確認してからの事。さもないとこの凄まじいスピードと、定まらぬ方向で走り回っているんだから、人もを巻き込む惨事になりかねません。

そもそもナオミはアメリカンラットテリア とメキシカンチワワの掛け合わせとあり、小動物に対して狩猟本能が目覚めやすく、動くものに敏感に反応して追いかける犬種。スイッチが入ったらもう止まらないところはチワワ犬種ならではと思われる野性味が強く独立心が強い所。これは本当、他犬種に比べると半端ないです。

木の上に避難したリス達には吠え散らし、私には捕獲できないあまりクーンクーンとねだり泣きで、捕まえたくて仕方がないとの欲求です。

リス達にしてみたら平和な時間を荒らされて大迷惑。でもたまにボスリスと思われる勇気あるリスが現れ、こんなの慣れたもんよと言わんばかりに、わざわざ下に降りてきてはナオミを誘って又木の上に逃げるという、鬼ごっこみたいな事をして遊んでくる事もあるんです。見ると本当に面白いですよ。

私もナオミのこの行動には慣れたもので、今日もナオミのお気に入りのベーコンチーズのおやつで言い聞かせながら無事公園を退散できました。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Strong Hunting Instinct

Today is a warm weather in here, and walking with Naomi was so nice even it was an evening. On this day, the small animals that living in the park also seemed to be active, and many squirrels were playing, chasing and enjoying their meals.

However, the peaceful moment was too short to enjoy. Naomi's hunting instinct increased intensely by smelling the squirrels, and she became more active than usual and became too excited. I had to be worry about the stopper on the leash which may be broken by Naomi pulling it so hard. 

It was just same as you can feel the speed and sound of the fishing line being pulled from the reel when a big fish hits the fishing rod.

I have well known what Naomi does in the next as her behavior, so this is what I always to be sure that there are no bicycles or people around us before her behavior actually happened. Otherwise, she does run around with a terrible speed and in an unpredictable direction which could be a disaster involving people.

To begin with, Naomi is a mix of American Rat Terrier and Mexican Chihuahua, and her hunting instinct has gotten easily by seeing small animals, and it is the dog breed that responds sensitively to moving objects. It is the factor what I can not stop her once her hunting switch turned on is the character of Chihuahua breed regarding a strong wildness and a strong sense of independence. This characteristic what I have been talked is really different and more strong than the other dog breeds when it is compared.

Anyway, she was barking at the squirrels who evacuated on the tree for while and then, she started whimpering that she wants to catch them to me.

I imagine that it was just a nightmare to squirrels who were disturbed such a peaceful time by Naomi. But sometimes an courageous squirrel who seems to be a boss appears and handles this situation which may be familier with him.  It seems that he says "no problem" and teases Naomi by attracting on the ground at first and escape to a tree just like playing a game of tag. This is really funny.

Of course I got used to with this Naomi’s behavior, so I led her away from squirrels by giving her bacon cheese strips which she loves as always and left the park safely.

[waggingatail]

狭くて少し暗い空間を好む犬 - Dogs prefer a little dark and narrow space to relax -

家では食事の準備をしながらも、ナオミがベットで寝ているかどうかを確認できるので��と見る事も多いのですが、自分のベットで寝ていない事も多く、何処かと探すと、大抵ベッドの布団の中に潜り込んで寝ている事が多いんです。今日も夕飯の支度をしている最中にベットにいない事に気付いたので探してみると、なんと枕の下に隠れてて、、、笑えました。たまたま枕カバーを交換して、そのまま無造作に置いていたのでナオミが潜るのには最適だったようです。

何時もは近ずいていくとその気配で直ぐに目を覚ますんですが、今回は珍しくしっかり眠りについていた様子。夕飯の匂いに誘われて、夢の中のご馳走に夢中で起きれなかっただけかな。（笑）

このナオミの隠れ寝癖もコロラド州に越してきてからよく見られる行動なので、おそらく寒さ対策と落ち着いて寝たいと思っている時なのでしょう。

犬にとって狭くて少し暗い空間は、安心ができて本能的に好む場所であるという事ですから、布団の中、又、今回のように枕の下でも安心して落ち着いた状態で眠りいたいという気持ちの現れなんでしょう。

特にナオミのこの行動は食事を作っている時によく見られる行動なので、おそらく調理音、特にフライパンで炒めたり焼いたりする音が苦手で恐怖心もあるように思われます。

皆さんも、もしワン子が布団の中に潜り込んでいたり、自分のお気に入りの何かに包まって、又は何かの下に隠れて寝ている際には、叱らずにそっと優しく声をかけ、そのままでいさせてやって下さいね。

ワン子にとっては自分を落ち着かせようとしているか、ただ単にリラックスしたいだけかもしれませんが、何れにしてもちゃんと意味のある行動なんです。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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A Dog prefers a narrow and a little dark space

I can check if Naomi sleeps on her bed circumstantially while I am preparing meals, so I often see the spot where her bed is, and if she doesn’t sleep on her bed, I search her where she is and usually find her in a futon in a bedroom. Today was the day also, and I searched her and just laughed about where she was, because she was under the pillow in this time. I put the pillow roughly on the bed after I changed its pillowcase, so I guess that the pillow was the perfect thing that Naomi can hide easily and sleep.

She usually wakes up by the indication as soon as I get closer, but this time, she seemed to fall soundly asleep. Perhaps, the smell of the dinner affected to her dream, and she caught by a food something tasty in the dream and simply wanted to stay in there.

Anyhow, this Naomi's habit of "hidden sleeping" has been seen since she moved to Colorado, so it is probably when she has discomfort with a cold situation and has a feeling that she wants to stay calm or wants to sleep calmly.

A narrow and a little dark space is a place where is safe and instinctually preferred for dogs, so it may be the expression of their desire to sleep in a comfortably calm state as the case of under a futon or under a pillow like in this case.

This particular Naomi's behavior usually occurs during cooking, so it sounds that she seems to be disliked and scary with the sounds of cooking, especially frying or stir-frying.

When you see that furry friends who are hiding in a futon, being wrapped up with something what you love or sleeping under something please talk to them softly and let them do whatever they are doing until when their discomfort relieved instead of scold them. 

Dogs may be trying to calm themselves or even it is just for a relaxing, but their actions have reasons and are always meaningful for them. 

[waggingatail]

犬の聴力 - Dog’s hearing ability

今日は肌を突き刺すような寒さ。曇りで、さらに強風。この強風でより一層寒さも増して、ナオミは散歩に乗る気がしないようでした。夕方の散歩に何度誘って呼んでも、全く素振りを見せずにその気じゃない感じで、、、今日の散歩はナオミにとってはかなり大事のようでした。

私も相当の寒がりなので、ナオミの気持ちはよくわかります。空気がとても冷たくて、夕方は気温がマイナス３°C程でしたが、天気予報によれば強風の為に、体感温度をマイナス10°C位まで下げていたようです。

ナオミは、特に家の中にいる時の風の音に恐怖心があり、おそらく強風が窓で音を立てていた事が影響し、この様な鈍い反応に陥っていた事もありそうです。

ところで、専門家によると犬は最大で約5万ヘルツまでの音域を聞くことができると言われています。つまり、犬は人間よりもより高い音を聞くことができるという事です。人間が日常生活で耳にする音は日常会話で最大約4000ヘルツ、大きな音の飛行機でも最大で約1万3000ヘルツだそうです。

犬にとっては低い音よりも高い音、特に8000ヘルツ前後の高音を聞き取るのが得意だそうで、人間の日常会話が約4000ヘルツとされているので、声をかけるときや呼ぶ時には声のトーンを上げるとより聞き取って貰いやすくなるとのこと。

距離に関しては、犬は1キロ以上離れた場所の音までを聞くことが可能だそうで、障害物のない空間の場合ではそれ以上遠くの距離の音を聞くことができるようです。

日常生活の中でも、私達には聞こえない様々な音の世界に犬達は生きているんですから、なかなか言うことを聞いてくれない時は単に別の音に邪魔をされているからだけからかもしれませんね。

ー　耳の形と大きさによる聴力の差　ー

聴力の差を調べた実験によると、直立型の耳を持つチワワと、垂れ耳を持つ他の犬種間にて、顕著な聴力（周波数）の差はなく、大きさとの聴力（周波数）の差に関連性はなかったといわれています。

ここまで犬の聴力がとても優れているという事を話してきましたが、好む音や苦手な音には一定の傾向があると言われています。好む音として、食べ物に関わる音やおもちゃの音、飼い主さんからの呼びかけやほめ言葉などがあげられ、これらは犬が音そのものを好きなのではなく、自分にとっていいことが起こる際の音であることを認識し、これらの音を楽しい、嬉しい音としてとらえるようになった事で敏感に反応するようになるようです。

日々の生活の中でこうした事を意識するとなんだかもっと楽しめそうですね！

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Dog’s hearing ability 

Today, we have a biting cold in here. It is cloudy moreover, it is windy. The wind brought us feel like more cold, so Naomi didn’t have a mood for a walk. I called her many times to go for a walk in the evening, but she had not quite ready for it. It appeared to me that it was a real deal for her to go out for a walk today. 

I am also the person who gets cold easily, so I understand her feeling. The air was really cold and the temperature was around -3°C in the evening, but the effective temperature was lower like -10°C according to the weather news.  

Naomi has a fear of the sound of wind especially when she is at home. At this time, the wind was too strong, so maybe she heard some noises what the windows created by the wind, and if so, this might be effected to the dim response which was not only because outside was too cold.

By the way, it said that dogs can hear sounds up to approx. 50,000 Hertz according to a dog specialist. In other words, dogs can hear higher sounds than humans. For instance, the sound that humans hear in daily life is up to about 4000 Hz in everyday conversations, and something noisy like an airplane sound is up to about 13,000 Hz only. 

In addition, dogs are good at hearing higher sounds than low sounds which means that our daily conversation is about 4000 Hz therefore, the high sounds around 8000 Hz is much easy for them to hear. For this reason, raising a voice tone can be affected to get a better response when calling or talking to your furry friends.

About a distance for dogs can hear the sounds is more than 1km, and in an unobstructed space, they can hear sounds at a greater distance than that.

In everyday life, dogs live in such a world of various sounds that we can not hear, so when they do not hear what their owners say, it may be because they are simply disturbed by something other sounds out there.

Hearing differences due to ear shape and size

One of the experiment that examined hearing differences showed that there was no significant difference in hearing or a frequency between chihuahuas with upright ears and other breeds with drooping ears. And also, there was no relationship between dog size and hearing difference in frequency.

I have been talking about a specialized hearing ability of dogs, but here is one more thing that there is a certain tendency for sounds they like or dislike. Their favorite sounds are related to food, sounds of toys, calls and compliments from their owners, etc., but this doesn't mean that they like the sound itself. What they like about these sounds is that apparently, dogs recognize the sounds what are usually great things happen on them, and they get used to like the sound itself and become more sensitive about it.

When we are aware of this world of the sounds based on dogs in everyday life then, we can enjoy more with them together! 

[waggingatail]

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匂いを嗅ぐのが犬の散歩 - Sniffing is about a walk of dog

今日は晴れたとてもいい日で、晴天の夕方となりました。日光が輝かしい景色と暖かさをもたらし、ナオミは活発に散歩を楽しんでいました。

雪も溶け匂いもかき放題なので、あちこちと方向が定まらない状態で歩き進めるのでリードの操作も大変。でも犬は散歩では匂いを嗅いでなんぼ。

散歩が終わる頃には物足りない感じで見つめられちゃいましたが、時間に限りもあるのでオヤツで言い聞かせて仕方なく帰宅です。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Today, we got a sunny, nice day in here, and the sun just gave us a shiny evening. Naomi was enjoying a walk while the sunshine brought us a bright scenery and a warmth, and it simply led her more active. 

A snow has melted, and Naomi can smell anywhere, anything she likes, so I had a difficulty to handle a leash where she goes.  I understand that how much dogs can sniff while they're walking is all about the meaning for them to walk, so I don't blame her.

By the end of the walk, she was staring at me unsatisfactory, but there was a limitation for a time, so I led her back home by managing a treat what she loves.

[waggingatail]

犬の前脚クロスの意味 - The meaning of dogs to cross legs

朝起きてブラインドーを開けると最近では珍しくも無くなった雪模様。故郷の日本でも雪は殆ど降らない地域で育ったし、渡米してからテキサス州にしばらく住んでいたこともあって、コロラド州に移り住んで来てからは雪が降るたびにはしゃいでいたのに、一年ちょっとして最近では雪も珍しく無くなったせいでこんな朝もごく日常の光景になりつつある今日この頃です。

今朝は雪が降っていても気温はまだそれほど下がっていなかったので、ナオミも起床後は自分のベットでリラックス。お決まりの毛布からムクッと顔を上げてのご挨拶。

犬が脚をクロスする意味や理由

犬が脚をクロスして寝ている時は、立ちあがるときに時間がかかる為警戒していたり、不安を感じたりしている場面では取らない姿勢ということもあり、この体勢はくつろいでいる時にとる姿勢だと言われています。

犬によってはただ楽な姿勢だからクロスしているのかも？でもそのときの表情を見ると本当にリラックスしているように見える。 犬の専門家曰く、この姿勢をとる事で飼い主が喜んだりするのを覚えて、前脚をクロスするようになる犬もいるんだそうですよ。

仕草一つ一つ取ってもその時の感情、性格なんかも表れて、必死に飼い主にアピールしてるんですよね。そのサインしっかり汲み取ってあげないといけないですね。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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When I wake up and open the blinds, it was snowing in this morning, and I feel that it is no more rare case in here recently. My hometown where has less snowfall in Japan, and I lived in Texas for while since I came to the USA therefore, I had been so excited to see a snow every time since I located in Colorado. It is a little over a year now since then, and snowfall is not rare in here, and I feel that it is becoming a normal sight of it these days.

Even though it was snowing this morning, the temperature was not too low, so Naomi also relaxed on her bed after getting up. She raised her head and greeted to me by chance from her favorite blanket.

The meaning and reason to cross legs

It says that when a dog sleeps with legs crossed, apparently it is relaxing, because the posture takes time to get up, so it may be an alert position and may not take this position in situations where it feels uneasy.

Maybe some dogs are crossing their legs just because the position simply gives them comfort. But when looking at their faces with this posture, it seems to be really relaxed. A dog expert says that some dogs cross their front legs, because they learned that the owners are happy with this attitude and remember it.

Obviously, each behaviors show their emotions and characters at a time, and what important is that dogs are always appealing to their owners to understand them well. As we know, owners should be specialized with own dogs and must not miss out their signs.

[waggingatail]

鼻を覆って寝る犬 - A Dog who is Sleeping with a Covered Nose

ナオミはよく鼻を両手で覆った独特なスタイルで寝ていることが多いのですが今朝もその姿を激写。

犬にとって鼻はとても敏感で大事なところ。鼻を隠して寝ているのは寒さ対策の表れで、冷たい空気から覆って保護ることで寒さを和らげているんだと言われています。家の中は必要以上には暖房をつけない様にしているのと、コロラド特有の乾燥した気候のせいもあって部屋の中の空気が冷たかったかな。

チワワとラットテリア のミックスでラッチャと言われる犬種のナオミは、暖かい地域での生息に適したショートコートのシングルコートなので、とにかく寒がり。自分のベットで専用の毛布を被って寝るのは当然、冬場のこの時期の就寝時には布団の中に潜り込んで来てはリラックスモードの横向き寝するのが当たり前。

よくまん丸になってお腹を隠して寒さをしのぐスタイル、アンモナイト似ていることから通称ワンモナイトとも呼ばれる寝方は、体を丸める事で体の面積が小さくなり、空気に触れる部分が少なくなるので、体温が下がりにくく寒い時にはとても理に適った自然な寝方だと思いますが、ナオミのこの寝相は独特。これはうつぶせ寝の警戒した状態��もあり、毛の薄いお腹の体温が逃げるのを本能的に防ぎつつ、更には寒い空気を鼻を覆うことで和らげての完全防備のナオミ独自の寝方なんです。

犬の寝相の定番と言われるうつぶせ寝の時には、すぐに起き上がれる体勢であることから基本的にちょっとした警戒心を持っているのだそう。

顎を地面に付けていますがこれにもちょっとした意味があるようで、実は、地面から伝わる顎の感覚で敵が来るのを察知するのだそう。寝ている時でも敵から身を守る術が本能的に染み付いているんだから自然界の厳しさやいなや。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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A Dog who is Sleeping with a Covered Nose

Naomi often sleeps in such a unique style like covering her nose with front legs, and here is an another shot of it in this morning. 

Nose is a very sensitive part and important for dogs. In general, covering nose is the one of the action that it attempts to shut out the cold air around it and relieve its coldness by doing it. I prefer do not use a heater more than I need in my house, and the dry climate in Colorado tends to feel the air too cold especially to Naomi in this case.

The dog breed called Ratcha in the mix of Chihuahua and Rat Terrier has a short coat with a single coat which is suitable for living in warm areas, so it gets cold very easily. It is too basic that she sleeps on her own bed with her special blanket, and it is so natural to come into a futon and sleep with a sideways in relax mode while a bedtime at this time of season.

Dogs often sleep with a rounded shape which also we called “Wan-monite”* as a joke of Japanese of its similarlity to ammonite and protect their belly from a coldness. The shape simply leads dogs produce a small area where touch the air around and reduce losing a warmth. It is a very practical and perfect style for them to keep warmth while they sleep when it is cold. But Naomi’s sleeping style is unique to compare to this. Her sleeping style in the picture is a state of caution which case is face-down in sleep basically, and it allows her to protect her belly where she has less hair to keep warmth instinctively, in addition, covering her nose to create wamer air around is absolute her perfection of sleep which was created by her own.

When dogs sleep in face-down posture is a very natural, and it is standard sleeping pattern what is a state of caution in case of it can get up quickly for any reason as their instincts.

Also, to attach their chins to a ground is a little meaningful. In fact, dogs feel their enemy coming with the sensation of the chin coming from a ground. Dogs that instinctively protect themselves from enemies even when they are asleep demonstrates that how hard to live in such a natural harshness surely.

* ”Wan” for Wan-monite is the imitation of dog's bark in Japanese

[waggingatail]

犬の生態、習性と反する生活環境 - Dog’s Living Environment Contrary to the Original Ecology and Habit

デンバー出身によるとコロラドの冬はまだまだこれからとういことですが、昨日は又朝から粉雪がチラつき夜には辺り一面真っ白に。

ナオミも夜の散歩でまだ粉雪の降り続く中、肌を突き刺す寒さに体を動かさずにはいられないようで、フカフカの新雪の上を狂ったように駆け回り、雪もそれほど深くないせいか、雪の下の何かの匂いを嗅ぐのにも必死。散歩が終わった頃にはヒゲには大量の凍った雪の塊が付いてました。ナオミ自身はなんてこと無さそうで、ちょっと笑えました。

とはいえ、雪国に特化した犬達のような生きる術も、雪への対処法も、私たちのような寒い気候に対する防御能力も持っていないので、自分自身の体に不快感を感じる、又は体に異変をきたすまでやり続けることになりかねる状況なので、特に元の生態学と習慣の異なる環境下でのこの状況には注意することが重要ですよね。

チワワは元々メキシコ北部のチワワ州の出身で、明らかに雪の多い地域での生活には無知です。動物本来の自然界の身の危険に対しては本能的に判断はできても、元々の生態、習慣とは違った環境下での生活となれば１からの学びと経験が必要。

現代では犬はペットとして、生態、習性とは全く違った生活環境下でも、飼い主さんと何処へでも行って暮らすので、しっかりとした管理と安全な暮らしを守ってあげる事が、私たち飼い主が注意して取り組まなければならない事だと実感させられます。

In English please click "さらに読む" (read more) down below.

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Dog’s Living Environment Contrary to the Original Ecology and Habit

According to the people who live in Denver, winter is actually just about the beginning right now, and here we got a powdery snow from yesterday morning through the night again which is snow covered all over the town. 

It was still lightly snowing at night, and it seemed that Naomi was too excited running around on the fluffy powder snow, because the freezing cold temperature drove her hyperactive. Moreover, she was crazy about dipping her nose into the powderly, shallow snow to sniff something that she likes. She got lumps of snow on her whiskers in the end of the walk. She seemed nothing problem with it, so that made me a little laugh.

However, she doesn’t have a way to live in a snowy country like other dog breeds who are specialized to a cold climate, has no idea how to deal with a snow and has not have a defensive capability of a cold climate like people have, therefore this simply leads her keep doing whatever she does unless when she feels weird or gets something wrong with her body, so it is important to be careful with the situation that is under the different environment of its original ecology and habit.

A Chihuahua is originated in northern Mexico and apparently be ignorant of living in snowy areas. Even it can instinctively determine the natural dangers as a dog, it needs to learn and have an experience for the way to live from the beginning if it lives in an environment that differs from its original ecology and living habit.

In this modern society, dogs move anywhere where their owners go and live anywhere as a pet in living environments that are completely different from their original ecologies and habits, so what I realize with this situation is that they may get unknown fields to living, therefore we as owners have to handle situations and manage their secured lives in this world.