Saturday, November 15th, 2008
by: Jeremy C.W
Often, many pet owners misunderstand the concept and the importance of crate training. Believing that crating an animal for any length of time is a cruel thing to do. In fact, dog crate training is actually one of the best things you can do for your pet. It gives him his own personal place that no one else invades. If you think about it, you probably like having your own space, so why wouldn’t your dog?
One thing you need to remember about your pet. He is going to want to be with you so it’s best to either make sure his crate is where he can see and hear other people. If it is going to be an extra load on you to move his cage all over the house purchase an extra cage. This will allow him to have one in the bedroom and one in another part of the house.
Another advantage to crate training your dog is that if you have somewhere he can be confined when you are away, you do not have to worry about coming home and finding a mess. Older dogs normally will hold their bathroom trips for a longer period of time. However, puppies will pretty much go anywhere until they get accustomed to going out or using puppy pads.
Dog crate training can be great if you are planning on taking your pet with you somewhere that you have to fly. This can keep them from being so nervous if they are already accustomed to being in a crate. Traveling in their own crate that is familiar to them will not be as upsetting either. Taking along a favorite blanket or toy helps too.
A great advantage to crate training if you have a larger breed dog such as a boxer is that he can go to his crate when company is visiting. Some people are afraid of big dogs and it makes them uncomfortable to know the dog can get to them. If he is in a crate, it will ease the feelings of your guest and your dog.
Some dogs are just natural born chew machines. They will chew anything and everything they can get their teeth into. So crate training is a blessing if you have a job or places you need to go. Then you won’t have to come home to all of your belongings chewed to pieces.
Just take into consideration when you do put your dog in his crate that you don’t make him stay inside for hours upon hours. He needs to be able to get out and stretch his legs and go to the bathroom. The crates can be comfortable but your dog needs to be able to get out and stroll around to keep his muscles from getting cramped.
We love our dogs, once you’ve successfully house-trained your dog, remember to reward your dog for using his crate in the correct manner! You have just taken the long rewarding road towards creating a positive bond with your dog!
About The Author
Jeremy C.W is a Pet Fanatic and Write Information Articles for Websites like http://www.DogNpuppies.com =>Visit http://www.DogCrateTraining.net for More Insider Dog Crate Training Secrets
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Posted in Health & Fitness, Training & Tricks | No Comments »
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
by: Jennifer Jordan
It’s safe to say, my dog has me well trained. My “best friend” since she was six weeks old, my precious pup is now a fourteen year old peke-a-poo, missing teeth, missing vision, and missing manners. She growls at me whenever she wants MY dinner, she awakes me at three a.m. so I can give her a drink from my glass and free her from having to walk the ten steps to her water bowl, and she bites me whenever I accidentally touch her as she sleeps in our bed (90 percent of the bed, she has decided, belongs to her ten pound frame). Yes, it’s fair to say, when it comes to my dog, I am nothing if not obedient.
I’d like to say it hasn’t always been like this; I’d like to claim that I once had the upper hand and behaved like, well, the superior species. But, the truth is, I never did. Even before I brought her home, I found myself running around and getting things ready for her arrival. I bought her everything she needed, stopping just short of getting her a diamond studded collar from Tiffany’s, and I puppy proofed my house; I puppy proofed my house like a maniac: there was no way my dog was going to get hurt in my, oh I’m sorry, her, home.
This brings me to the topic of puppy proofing. As essential as it is, it’s not that hard to overlook; new dog owners might find themselves forgetting to make a safe environment as they become so wrapped up simply in loving their puppy. Still, puppy proofing your house helps you assure that you will have a puppy to love. So, before you bring home your new bundle of joy, try to engage in the following:
Secure your cords: Like moths to flames, puppies have been known to flock towards electrical cords, placing them in their mouths, and chewing away. Not only does this ruin your cord, but it can give your puppy quite a shock. To avoid this, keep cords out of the area where your puppy will be. If it’s impossible to keep cords out completely – if your puppy is in the TV room, it might be hard to not have a cord for your plasma television – place them out of your puppy’s reach: hang them from something high, tape them to the wall, or purchase a wire cover.
Guard your Balcony: All puppies have some Christopher Columbus in them: they like to explore. While this is often harmless, when a puppy starts to explore high areas, such as a deck or upstairs balcony, they run the risk of falling. Since you probably won’t be able to keep an eye on your puppy twenty four hours a day, buying a balcony guard is your best bet. A balcony guard allows your puppy to explore higher areas all while assuring that he or she won’t suddenly be thrown off course.
Latch Your Cabinets: If there’s one thing puppies know how to do, it’s get into things they shouldn’t. Cabinets, particularly ones that house kitchen or bathroom trash, are prime goals for puppy pursuing. If successful in their venture, puppies can find things in cabinets that could harm them: household cleaners, chicken bones, mouse traps, bleach. Simply putting latches on your cabinets can assure your puppy won’t be able to open the door on this danger.
Hang Your Plants: I remember my dog, as a puppy, had an affinity for getting into plants. Sometimes she would dig them up, sometimes she would pee on them, and sometimes – mistaking them for a salad bar – she would eat them. This, turns out, wasn’t a good idea: some plants are edible, but others can be poisonous. Your veterinarian can provide you with a list of plants that are harmful to pets, including Aloe Vera, tomato plants, rhododendron, English Ivy, and mistletoe. Instead of leaving these, or any plants, on ground level, hang them from the ceiling. Chances are your puppy won’t figure out how to use a ladder.
Puppy proofing your home can take time and money. But, it’s worth it all in the end. It helps us keep our best friend safe, which speaks to those of us who know that there is no such thing as “just a dog.”
About The Author
Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor for http://www.etodoors.com. Someone who changes her mind every five minutes, her house is in a perpetual state of home improvement.
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Posted in Accessories, Health & Fitness, Owning a Dog | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008
This was sent to me via email. I thought it was cute enough to post.
——
A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard.
As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of little boy.
‘Mister,’ he said, ‘I want to buy one of your puppies.’
‘Well,’ said the farmer, As he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, ‘These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.’
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.
‘I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?’
‘Sure,’ said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle.
‘Here, Dolly!’ he called.
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.
The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, The little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.
Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up….
‘I want that one,’ the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, ‘Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.’
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, ‘You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, And he will need someone who understands.’
With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.Holding it carefully handed it to the little boy.
‘How much?’ asked the little boy.
‘No charge,’ answered the farmer, ‘There’s no charge for love.’
The world is full of people who need someone who understands ..
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Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
by Rebecca Prescott
Canine hip dysplasia is a genetic issue that starts to appear from the ages of 4 to 12 months. Not all puppies in a litter will develop it, though if your dog has canine hip dysplasia, she should not be bred.
Larger breed dogs have a higher risk of developing hip dysplasia, due to the greater weight these joints will have to bear. But it’s important to realize that small dogs can be affected also. Large breed dogs at risk include rottweilers, german shephards, golden retrievers, dalmations, and blood hounds.
Canine hip dysplasia affects the ball and socket joint of the hip. The head of the large bone in the dog’s leg doesn’t fit snugly into the hip socket. The problem is that the socket itself is not well developed, and it creates a lot of stress on the joint. The muscles don’t develop as quickly as the bone grows, and a situation is created where the weight the joint has to bear is greater than the capacity of the ligaments, tendons, and muscles around the joint. Thus joint instability develops. This in turn leads to a greater wear and tear than the joint would normally experience.
Canine hip dysplasia ranges from mild to moderate. In mild cases, the space between the joints is greater than normal and the ball at the top of the hip bone is part way out of its socket. Fortunately, in mild cases, there are no associated arthritic changes in the joint.
In moderate canine hip dysplasia, the top part of the normally rounded hip bone begins to flatten, and it sits only loosely in the joint. Bone spurs begin to develop, and arthritic changes start to happen.
Unfortunately, in severe hip dysplasia, there is definite arthritis present. And once arthritis appears in the joint, the condition is irreversible. In the severe cases such as this, the hip bone is completely out of the joint. The silver lining is, however, that not all dogs with hip dysplasia and arthritis will become lame. Some may become lame as puppies, some may not ever become lame.
Symptoms of hip dysplasia include:
* walking with a limp
* a swaying gait
* bunny hopping when running
* difficulty in the back legs when getting up
* pain in the hip
* when the puppy is lying on its back, its back legs may not extend towards the front legs without pain
The only way to find out if your dog definitely has hip dysplasia is if he has an x-ray by a vet. This normally means the dog will have to be heavily sedated, or go under anaesthetic.
Tips To Prevent Canine Hip Dysplasia
* Don’t feed a growing dog a diet too high in calories. It’s important that the growing dog’s nutritional needs are met, but excessive weight, and rapid weight gain, create more of a load for the joints to bear. If a dog is genetically predisposed to hip dysplasia, this can delay the beginning of symptoms, or reduce the chance of it developing into a more severe form.
* Be careful about the type of exercise growing dogs get. Jumping up and down from heights, and standing on their back legs, such as when they stand against a fence or window to look over it, can aggravate the joints whilst they are growing quickly.
* Buy dogs from a reputable breeder. If one parent dog has hip dysplasia, the risk of it occurring in the litter is doubled. Good breeders take care to prevent this situation from occurring. The pedigrees of dogs can be checked to see whether they have been certified as normal by the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFA) in the US. Their website is www.offa.org
Other organizations that check for markers of hip normalcy in dogs are PennHip and the GDC (Genetic Disease Control in Animals). Large breed dogs have a greater chance of developing hip dysplasia, and prospective owners would be wise to take this precaution.
References: J Griffin and L Carlson, Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook
Whilst large breed dogs are more susceptible to canine hip dysplasia, buying from a reputable breeder can prevent this developing. Large breed dog articles, with photos, include these on the bloodhound dog, and the dalamation.
Lady Pens
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Posted in Health & Fitness | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
by Rebecca Prescott
In many ways canine pregnancy is not that different from human pregnancy, although it is somewhat shorter, averaging sixty-three days. A dog’s diet, as well as their consumption of medicine needs to be monitored during pregnancy, just like a woman’s should be, and you may notice changes in your dog’s emotions and social behavior. She can even experience morning sickness!
Most dogs will gain 15-25% of their original body weight during pregnancy, although this does depend on the number of puppies they are carrying and some do not put on noticeable weight until the last week before whelping.
Nutritional intake needs to increase during canine pregnancy and lactation; your dog may even double the amount she eats. During lactation she will need a high protein puppy food, and you may want to gradually introduce this during the last two weeks of her pregnancy, or even earlier. If you are concerned about providing the right pregnancy diet to meet your particular dog’s needs you should consult your veterinarian.
You should try to avoid nutritional supplements during canine pregnancy, even though these may seem like a good idea. Your dog will naturally produce everything her puppies need to thrive during lactation, and supplements may interfere with this process. This is particularly applicable to calcium supplements. If you use a good quality, high protein dog food, supplements will not be necessary.
A lot of canine medication is safe to use during pregnancy. If you give your dog regular preventative medication for heartworm you should continue this throughout pregnancy and lactation. Some medicines to get rid of other types of parasite, such as hookworms or roundworms, can be used but you should consult your veterinarian before administering these. It is important that your dog does get treatment for these conditions as otherwise she can pass them on to her unborn puppies.
Vaccinations should not be given during canine pregnancy. However, if possible, it is a great idea to have your dog vaccinated just before becoming pregnant as this will ensure she has a high level of antibodies to pass onto her puppies during lactation.
About halfway through her pregnancy you should take your dog to the veterinarian for a wellness check and to confirm the pregnancy. The veterinarian will be able to do this by examining the stomach, but a blood test can be done to provide a conclusive result.
You may want to have a radiograph done three weeks prior to the deliver to count the puppies. Knowing how many puppies to expect will help you to prepare for the delivery. Remember that your dog can become pregnant by more than one male during any one heat stage so you may be surprised at the number of puppies she is going to produce.
During the last three weeks of your dog’s pregnancy you may want to isolate her completely from contact with other dogs. This will ensure she does not pick up the herpes virus. While this is usually harmless in adult dogs, it can trigger a miscarriage in your pregnant dog.
You may find she wants to stay close to you during this time anyway. She may dislike being left alone and will probably become more affectionate, if a little irritable. As the delivery date approaches she will start to look for a safe place to give birth, and you should give some thought to where this will be.
As with human pregnancy, it is important to remember that canine pregnancy is a natural process, and your dog has been blessed with the natural ability to carry it through. With a little extra attention to nutrition, and some protection from common diseases, this should be a stress free time for you and your dog.
If you’d like more information on nutritional deficiency in pregnant and lactating dogs, click here. Rebecca writes on dog health and other four legged issues.
Lady Pens
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Posted in Dog Breeders, Health & Fitness | No Comments »
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