How To Keep Your Dog Safe in the 21st Century
November 30, 2008
For thousands of years, dogs have been “man’s best friend.” Dog-loving humans have tried to keep their pets safe in return. As the world becomes more complex, dogs need extra attention now more than ever to stay safe. With a little foresight and action, you can create a “home, safe home” for your precious pooches.
Dogs have a keen curiosity. If you look at your home from your dog’s perspective, you’ll probably find all kinds of interesting things to examine. What most people don’t realize is that dogs first sniff, then mouth items to learn about them. So, be sure to keep the following out of your dog’s reach:
roach and ant traps
electric and phone cords
cigarettes in ashtrays
open doors and windows
rubber bands
housecleaning chemicals
candles
Christmas trees
ornaments
paperclips
Dogs, especially puppies, find plants irresistible as playthings. They love to dig in the dirt of houseplants, and seem to enjoy pulling off branches of shrubs. Because of this, it is important to make sure the plants in and around your home won’t pose a health risk to your dog.
Caring for Your Dogs Teeth
November 30, 2008
A dog, like a human baby, experiences the world through his mouth, by tasting and chewing on things. But, he also uses his mouth is as his hands. He carries and pulls with it as well as defends himself. Therefore healthy teeth and gums are very important.
A dog’s teeth need the same care as a human’s. Therefore, it’s important that you take care of his teeth as you would your own. The best way to do this, of course, is to brush them, which should be done at least twice a week. There are special tooth brushes designed to fit in a dog’s mouth as well as special chicken flavored tooth paste to make the task easier. But sometimes, brushing your dog’s teeth can be a real hassle. For instance, there are some dogs that will flee at the sight of a toothbrush and it is very had to coax a seventy pound Rottweiler from under the bed.
So, how can you get Bruno the Rottweiler to care for his teeth? Here are several alternatives to toothbrushing.
Dog Food
Facts You Need To Know About Adopting A Dog
November 29, 2008
Mum, dad, can we get a puppy? Its a plea that may parents will know only too well. How do you go about adopting a dog to make suure that the dog is happy and there isn’t too much upheaval in your home?
If you are thinking of adding a dog to your family, consider adopting your new best friend from an animal shelter or humane society. You’ll not only get a good feeling from helping a homeless pet, you’ll get an outstanding companion. The staff at these organizations carefully check the animals for sound health and good temperament. In addition, some shelter animals have had the benefit of training to develop good manners while they waited for a new home.
Through no fault of their own, a lot of great dogs wind up in animal shelters hoping for a second chance at happiness. People relinquish their pets to shelters when they are no longer able to care for them. Sometimes this is because the owner was unprepared for the responsibility that comes with caring for a dog. Often, however, caring owners struggling with life-changes or trying to cope with family tragedy realize their pet would be better off with someone else. They bring them to the shelter because they know the animal will be well cared for and placed in an excellent home.
Wormy Dogs? - Understand Dog Worms Infestation and Their Symptoms
November 28, 2008
Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to be of a spontaneous origin, brought about by the influence of heat upon decaying vegetable matter, and it was and still is freely asserted that puppies are born with dog worms inherited from the mother in some mysterious manner while still in uterus. This has been conclusively proven an error and in the minds of all scientists there is no question about dog worms springing from individual eggs and having a complete life history of their own.
The principal worm species with which dog owners have to contend are round worms and tape worms. The first named commonly infest puppies and consequently are most dreaded by breeders. In shape and size these worms resemble common angle worms, but in color are lighter, being almost white or only a pale pink.
In adult dogs these worms, when full grown, are from three to seven inches long. In puppies they are about half that length, and as thick as common white string. Round worms live in the small intestines, sometimes coiled in such masses as to obstruct the passage, and occasionally they wander into the stomach or are passed by the bowels.
Training Your Dog To Save a Life In Water
November 27, 2008
Occasionally watching Animal Planet does have its advantage. You can really learn how to train your dog for different situations.
There was a program on in August, 2005 about a dog that loved to swim in a nearby lake. Whenever the dog left the house, you would find him in the water. The dog would just wade in the water for hours. The family would then need to go into the water and get the dog out.
Instead of going in a getting the dog out of the water, why not train the dog to get people in trouble out of the water. So the owners decided to teach the dog to save lives while enjoying the water at the same time.
Of course, an expert was brought in on training the dog to actually understand that if there is someone drowning in the water, what actually needs to be accomplished.
As a matter of fact, in the past, when the owner’s daughter was having difficulty in the water, the dog was able to bring her to the dry ground but just left her there and went back into the water. Good on one hand, but what if she was unconscious?
Puppy Care 101
November 26, 2008
Puppy Care
Puppy care can be a lot of work, but is also quite rewarding. This article should answer a lot of your questions you might have about your new puppy, or the puppy you are thinking about getting. Here we cover the basics you need to know.
Feeding
Most people will have received their puppy after they are weaned. But if you actually need to wean your puppy, starting at about 2-3 weeks of age your puppy should start to eat solid food. Offer the puppies solid food at least three times a day. You can start by offering dry puppy food mixed with some warm water to soften it.
When the puppy reaches about 12 weeks of age, slowly start feeding dry puppy food only twice a day. Only offer the food for about 15 minutes and then take the dish away, to train the dog for eating twice a day. Between 6-9 months of age start mixing puppy food with an adult dog food over the course of a month.
Dogs and Old Age, How To Care For Your Aging Canine
November 25, 2008
Now that you’re dog has shown you so much love and brought you so much joy throughout your many years together, it’s time that you return the favor when the dog reaches his elder years. Caring for an older dog is much like caring for an elderly person. Knowing how to do that will help comfort your dog immensely.
What’s old for a dog?
The first thing that you’ve probably heard is the seven-year rule (that your dog ages seven times faster than a human). While this is pretty much accurate, some dogs (or breeds of dogs) show signs of aging earlier than others. So, you’re going to have to know what signs to look for to ascertain whether your dog has officially reached his "golden years."
Senility is not just for humans.
Dog Breath-It Doesnt HAVE to Be SO Bad!
November 25, 2008
While your friends and family are amazed that you’re raising such an amazing dog, you notice that they flinch when the dog gets too close. They may shrug away or not bend down to pet him as they once did. While they may not say so directly, it could be due to your dog’s killer breath. While this situation is all too common, hopefully you’ve noticed your pooch’s halitosis before anyone says or does anything to cause you (or your poor dog) embarrassment. As stated, your dog cannot tell you that he has a sticky, plaque taste in his mouth that won’t stop. It’s your job to understand that he, like you, needs his teeth brushed and his gums attended to regularly.
Bad breath can make being around any dog a terrible experience. Sometimes the bad breath is so strong that it permeates an entire room. Bad breath can be blamed on a number of culprits. A couple of the most common are dental or periodontal disease. This can all be associated to your dog not properly chewing his food (i.e. not allowing saliva to do its job), having a broken tooth or dental plaque and tartar. Also, your dog could be suffering an internal problem that is causing his bad breath. He could be having problems with kidney or liver function. The best thing to do in extreme cases is to consult with your vet.
Got Fleas? How to Spot and Care For Fleas on Your Dog
November 24, 2008
Your poor pooch is scratching himself all over. Plus, you know he’s uncomfortable because he’s whimpering and gnawing too. Chances are, he’s got fleas. These little sixlegged parasites will wreak havoc and mayhem for you and your pet if you don’t learn how to take care of the problem now.
Most fleas are known in the medical world as Ctenocephalides Felis, which is a species of cat flea that has really enjoys dog meat. It’s ironic, but true. These little buggers have four stages to their life-egg-larva-pupa-adult-and it’s your job to kill them all off or you’re going to have big problems with these tiny insects.
Fleas thrive in warm, humid and low altitude areas. Female fleas are the one’s that need your puppy or dog’s blood in order to lay her eggs, and their most likely the ones that are aggravating your pooch the most. However, male fleas also do their fair share of bloodletting on your doggie’s skin. If you live in a warmer climate (southern US states or Hawaii), you should treat your dog for fleas year-round.
Problem Barking-What to Do When Your Dogs Barking is The Neighborhood Nuisance
November 23, 2008
Puppies and dogs, as mentioned, are social creatures. When they don’t get the attention they need, then a bark is their method of telling you something. It’s your job to figure out the reasons behind the barking and then ease the tension of whatever is causing your puppy or dog to do so. At the same time, you are also teaching him that barking (in certain situations) isn’t acceptable behavior. If you do not take such training seriously, you may not get thrown out of the neighborhood, but you may receive a visit from the police regarding animal ordinances!
There are a lot of reasons why your dog might be barking. First, he might be lonely or bored. There are distinctive barks for these feelings. If he barks at random and whines shortly after, this might be the case. Be sure that you give your dog plenty of attention each day. Groom, pet, hug and play games with him too. If there are certain days where you might be too busy, try hiring a dog walker, neighbor or even a doggy daycare clinic to help attend to the needs of your animal.
