18 Mar 2010
Dogs Tick
Dogs’ tick may be harder to detect, especially when it comes to our canine pets. Aside from having lots of fur to contend with, many kinds of dogs tick attaches themselves to the underbellies and back areas of the animal. The dogs have a harder time reaching for them, and owners almost always never notice dogs tick until an infestation manifests. And by that time, the dogs’ Read the rest of this entry »
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17 Mar 2010
Your dogs paws are a critical piece of equipment so practicing good dog paw health care is vital for the well-being of your pet. Let’s face it, dogs don’t wear shoes to protect their paws so paying a little bit of extra attention to this area can help keep their feet working in tip top shape.
Doc’s paws are actually quite a complicated part of their body. On the bottom they have several pads that Read the rest of this entry »
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Picking-out the Perfect Dog Breed
by: James Johnson
Here are some important thoughts and/or questions you should have in your mind before you go out & bring home your new dog, first off I will pull no punches in this regard of owning a new dog. It is a lot of work at first; here is an example, every time the new pup wakes up from a nap he or she will need to go pee and off you go outside. This new dog will be with you for the next 10 to 15 years at least. Also, this new dog can and will be a loyal, faithful and devoted companion. Bringing a dog into your home is an important step for you and/or your family. There are many breeds to choose from, how do you manage to make a decision on which one breed is best suited for you? With a little thought, you can nail down the selections & find the best-suited dog breed by following a few simple steps.
Foremost, how much space do you have. Many people tend to forget this factor. Ask yourself how much space do you have in your home. It should be the primary factor to consider before picking the dog breed. If you and/or your family live in a tiny apartment, you will want to refrain from getting a large dog. Look for dogs in the Toy group, such as Yorkshire Terriers, or Some of the smaller dogs in the Terrier group, like the Miniature Schnauzer.
With that said, if you have children, you have to think about the size of the dog, as well. Very small dogs, such as Chihuahuas or Maltese, can be very frail & are occasionally accidentally injured by very tiny children. But then, very prominent dogs, such as Boxers or the Saint Bernard, can be overly rumbustious as puppies & can inadvertently turn your infant into a human bowling pin. Consider average sized breeds, such as Fox Terriers or Lhasa Apsos, as an alternative. It’s best to consider the children rather than your own preference.
The next thing is, can you give your new dog any exercise. If you have a residence with a fenced yard, your domestic dog will be able to get some physical exercise on his own. But, dog breeds in the Sporting, Hound, & Herding groupings are very high-energy animals & you will need to have enough time to provide them with more intensive physical exercise. Plan to take a great deal of long strolls with your new hound or go for a day-after-day romp in the park. Let’s think about it, these new dog breeds were bred to work hard and don’t do well unless they have a job to do or a way to burn off excess energy.
Finally, don’t forget to look at grooming demands. Some domestic dog breeds only need a little more than a half hour or so of grooming a week, while others call for to be groomed for around a little more than an hour a day. So let’s think about it, if you are short on time, don’t buy a Poodle or a Maltese, unless, of course, you plan to take your new hound for a groom. Breeds like Boston Terriers or Whippets are fine choices for busy people who don’t have time to do a lot of grooming. Boiled down, the best dog breed is the one that fits the kind of life the future owner has.
Lastly, Most people choose their dog breed because each person has their own pre-conceived idea of what he or she wants in a dog. Sometimes its just the physical attributes of the dog, like the size, the shape of the face and/or the overall looks. Do yourself a favor and do not forget the above simple steps.
After you make up your mind on which breed of new puppy you want, you will need to consider the age of the new puppy. Many individuals opt to buy a cuddly little puppy instead of an older new hound. While puppies have not acquired any bad habits, it will be up to the new owner to be sure that the puppy becomes housebroken and obedience trained.
Whilst you’ve specified the breed options and have determined which new dog is right for you, don’t get too relaxed. After all, you still have a single more important choice to make, what to name your new puppy!
Your choice for a dog breed is many. For more infomative articles and pictures of differant breeds, to help you with your dog breed choice go to http://choose-your-dog-breed.info or dog breeds
About The Author
James Johnson, the author of this article, discovers and presents information so you can become knowedgeable, in the subjects you are searching for. I hope you find this article helpful. Your choice for a dog breed is many. For more infomative articles and pictures of differant breeds, to help you with your dog breed choice go to http://choose-your-dog-breed.info.
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Guarding is an instinctual behavior for dogs. It is useful to us when they warn strangers who intrude on their (and our) territory. One of the earliest benefits dog provided to man was to serve as an early warning intruder alert system.
Territoriality is, simply stated, guarding space. It is the dog’s way of saying “this space has value and it belongs to me and my pack.” In fact, Read the rest of this entry »
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Smart Politics – Upper Midwestern U.S. House Delegation Votes 13 …
Two regional Blue Dog Democrats defected from their party's leadership on the vote for the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" – Colin Peterson (MN-07) and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL) – while two Blue Dogs voted for the …
The Progressive Electorate:: Breaking News; Health Care Reform …
We passed the health care reform bill through the house. As Steny Hoyer just said in an interview standing side by side with Nancy Pelosi and other house leaders "it was a bipartisan vote". 219 Democrats and 1 Republican joined together – just two more than the 218 … Artur Davis – unofficial Blue Dog? (4.00 / 2). Davis has now voted against the good of his constituents on enough important issues to qualify as an unofficial parttime Blue Dog. Or at least a Purple Puppy! …
80% of House Democrats Who Voted Against Health Care Were In …
That's neat. 31 of the 39 Democratic representatives who didn't vote for the health care bill are in districts that had more McCain voters than Obama voters. … rep. from Alabama that a friend of mine who is a Congressional staffer thinks highly of. He's from an overwhelmingly pro-Obama (and overwhelmingly black) district, is not a freshman or Blue Dog, has high numbers of uninsured in his district, etc. Did he too vote against coz it was too conservative or something? …
Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.
Have a great day!
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Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…
Big Government » Blog Archive » Health Care Reform: Don’t Copy …
Just read that some savy Republicans DID have the idea to vote present on the Stupak amendent which would have let the blue dog's stew Read the rest of this entry »
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08 Mar 2010
Boxer Dogs: Clowns Not Guard Dogs
by: Dana Goldberg
Boxers have been traced to exist for over a hundred years now. They are said to have originated from Germany as the crossbreed between the Brabanter Bullenbesser (from Belgium) and the English Bulldog. Boxer dogs are known for their intelligence, hardiness, loyalty and its being family-oriented which makes it a great family pet. It is often Read the rest of this entry »
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Blue Dog Dems Scuttle House Committee's Review of Health Care Reform Bill. Don't Have Enough Votes.?
What's your feeling right now?
Me? Guardedly elated…..waiting and holding my breath to see what the vote will be.
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Antifreeze is one of the most common poisons in dogs because it tastes very sweet and dogs enjoy the taste. It contains ethylene glycol which in itself isn’t too poisonous, but in the body it is changed to a very toxic chemical which destroys the kidneys. A dose of around 5ml per kilo in dogs is usually fatal. Antifreeze poisoning usually occurs in colder climates, however some decorative snow globes Read the rest of this entry »
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Dog Training: Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Dog from Digging Up Your Yard
by: O’Neal Hendrix
It’s downright infuriating to look out the window and see Buddy digging another hole in the yard. You yell out the window; he may or may not even acknowledge he’s heard anything; then back to the digging. This dog behavior has got to stop.
WHY DOGS DIG…
Did you ever stop to think WHY Buddy digs? (except to make you mad!). This is the real trick – to figure out why he’s digging in the first place, the motivation behind the dog behavior. Then you can take dog training steps to discourage it, redirect that energy and possibly stop it completely.
1. I’M BORED!
Location: Digging along the fence lines and at the gate.
Why? He is bored and wants to get out for some action.
Solution: Provide more exercise for your dog, both physical and mental. The more exercise the better, according to your dog. A tired, happy dog will rest nicely between great outings.
2. I’M HOT!!
Digging along the edge of the house or shallow “pits,” especially in the heat of the summer.
Why? Your dog is most likely creating a cool spot in the cool under-earth. If under the porch, he’s creating a den.
Solution: Check to make sure you are providing fresh cool water throughout the day and night.
Is there adequate shade to protect your dog from the hot sun? Is good air circulation available or possibly a nice breeze? Or is the space filled with stagnant air?
Provide plant life (trees, bushes) for shelter from the hot sun. Cool grass keeps the ground heat down.
3. IT’S JUST MY NATURE!
Sometimes it’s the breed of dog, not so much the environment. Some breeds tend to be burrowers -hounds, huskies, malamutes are a few examples.
Solution: If this is the case, work with your dog to agree on a place he can do his thing and camouflage it with something like plants or fencing.
4. I LIKE IT!!
Some dogs just like to dig, and dig they will, no matter how much you yell and scream.
Solution: Create and help them with the ideal digging place – a sandy blend with hidden treasures that reward digging at that spot. Having a prepared area encourages the digger to focus the digging to the area you set up in an out-of-the-way place. Remember to keep the area stocked with assorted treats and toys.
TO FILL OR NOT TO FILL – EXISTING HOLES
The second part of the story is…
What to do with the holes that keep reappearing, no matter what you do? Have you back-filled holes dug by your dog only to find them dug again, over and over?
When this happens, the next stage of hole-filling is called for.
You might think this next step it involves yelling at your dog, or rapping on the window. Nope. Are you really going to stand and stare out the window hoping to correct the situation while it’s happening (which would be the only way to really correct it using this method)?
TECHNIQUES FOR “FILLING” HOLES
There are two better techniques to encourage your dog to rethink digging that hole.
The easier of the two is to fill the hole until almost full. Mix the last portion of dirt with dog poo, pinecones, moth balls, or other repelling non-harmful substance. The next time your dog arrives for the big dig, he quickly finds the game has changed. Most dogs quickly change their behavior.
The second method is more time consuming but effective. Cut a section of chicken wire or similar to cover the hole plus 8″ or more. Dig a hole a few inches deep that surrounds the hole and will fit the wire shape.
Fill the hole and then press wire in place and cover with dirt. Pack the area well, particularly around the wire edges. When your dog returns, the wire will stop his digging progress.
If along a fence line, secure the wire to the fence along the inside of the fence, just a short distance from the ground. When the wire gets to the ground, keep going vertically a short distance underground. Then bend the wire so the bottom is perpendicular to the top (forms an L). Bury the horizontal part underground inside the fence, pointing away from the fence. When your dog digs he is stopped by the wire and his weight on the earth helps keep the wire in place. The result is the dog gives up on that area.
Pretty cool, huh?!
CONCLUSION
We humans see digging as bad dog behavior. Dogs don’t, and they dig for different reasons. If you can figure out why they’re digging, you can put dog training steps in place to stop it. Some dogs dig, that’s what they do. Set them up a space to dig and you both win!
Try these dog training techniques to change unwanted dog behavior. They seriously work.
About The Author
O’Neal Hendrix is a premier professional dog trainer in Atlanta, GA. For many years, she has “worked miracles” with dogs and their owners. See what works for her. Check out her website — Trainer’s Pick Dog Supplies, http://www.dog-supplies-dog-accessories.com/.
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