Punishment is defined as any stimuli that causes pain or excitement. Punishment may frighten or excite your dog which reduces his ability to learn. If the dog is performing some unwanted behavior, ignore it, or instead call the dog to you, tell him to sit & reward him for doing so.

Both rewards & punishment must be given within 1/2 second of the behavior to be effective. So if you reward the dog for sitting, the dog will not think that he has "gotten away" with the unwanted behavior. If you totally ignore the unwanted behavior, the dog will not be rewarded for performing it and it will eventually stop.

If the dog has learned that he gets attention from the unwanted behavior the activity will increase in frequency and intensity when you first start ignoring it. Persevere and it will stop.

What is Heartworm Disease and can my dog get it? Heartworm disease is caused by a ten to twelve inch roundworm called Dirofilaria immitis. Adult heartworms live in the heart and major blood vessels and interfere with the function of the heart and lungs. Heartworms can infect a variety of hosts, including cats, dogs, ferrets, sea lions, bears, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and even humans.

Heartworms are transmitted between hosts by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites and feeds off an infected host it will ingest some of the immature heartworms that are found in the host’s blood vessels. The heartworm will then partially develop in the mosquito and will eventually be transmitted to a new host when the mosquito feeds again.

The mosquito is necessary not only for the spread of the disease but also as a reservoir that the immature heartworms develop in. Hence, in areas where there is an abundance of mosquito breeding sites (wetlands, ponds, rivers, lakes) there is more of a risk of heartworm infection.

Signs of the disease results from blockages of worms causing interference with blood circulation, and from the heart and lungs reaction to the presence of the worms. The signs most commonly seen are:

• Shortness of breath
• Chronic coughing
• Signs of heart disease
• Lack of energy
• Collapse

Because all of the above signs could be associated with many different diseases, if your dog develops any of them, you should consult with your veterinarian immediately.

There are many products available today to help prevent heartworm disease in your dog. Some of the key differences in the products available are topical vs. oral, and monthly dosing vs. daily dosing. Many of the products also include flea, tick, and intestinal parasite prevention as well. Year-round preventative is recommended when clients are also concerned about these other parasites.

Heartworm preventive medications are very safe and effective with little to no side effects. Consult a veterinarian regarding what would be the best preventive product for your dog's needs.

A simple blood test is used to detect whether your dog has a heartworm infection or not. Testing is done on dogs every year, regardless of whether they are on year-round parasite prevention or not. This is done for two reasons:

• If given to already heartworm infected dogs, heartworm preventive products can trigger a severe allergic reaction that can lead to death.
• Yearly testing helps veterinarians catch the disease early if it exists. This can lead to easier, more effective treatment of the heartworm infection.

Fortunately, there are treatment options for dogs that have become infected with heartworm. Depending on the presence or severity of clinical signs, pre-treatment blood work, radiographs, and/or EKG may be recommended.

The results of the treatment are usually good, with little to no lasting symptoms remaining, if the disease is detected before or just as visible signs develop. Dogs which have incurred permanent damage to the heart or lungs may suffer from chronic respiratory problems and decreased activity for the rest of it's life.