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.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

Dealing With Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety, also known in the dog training world as owner absent misbehavior, is one of the most frequently encountered problems in the world of dog training. Separation anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, including chewing, destroying the owner’s property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.

Dogs suffering from separation anxiety often whine, bark, cry, howl, dig, chew and scratch at the door the entire time their family members are away. Well meaning owners often unwittingly encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the dog, but it is important for the well being of both dog and owner that the dog learn to deal with extended periods of separation.

How the owner leaves the house can often contribute to separation anxiety issues. A long and drawn out period of farewell can make matters worse by making the dog feel even more isolated when the owner finally leaves. These long types of farewells can get the dog excited, and then leave him with lots of excess energy and no way to work it off. These excited, isolated dogs often work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.

Excess energy is often mistaken for separation anxiety, since results are often the same. If you think that excess amounts of energy may be the problem, try giving your dog more exercise to see if that eliminates the problem.

If separation anxiety is truly the problem, it is important to address the root causes of that anxiety. In order to prevent separation anxiety from occurring, it is important for the dog to feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for the day. It is important, for instance, to give the dog plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away. This means providing it with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys. A pet companion is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well. Giving the dog a playmate, such as another dog or a cat, is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.

Setting aside scheduled play times, during which the pet is given your undivided attention, is another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety. Playing with the dog, and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, is a proven way to avoid a stressed and anxious dog. A happy dog that has been well exercised and well conditioned will generally sleep the day away happily and patiently wait for the return of its owner. It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day. It is important to give the dog a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave.

For dogs that are already experiencing separation anxiety and associated misbehaviors, it is important to get him accustomed to your leaving gradually. Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day. Doing so will get your dog accustomed to your deparartures and help him realize that you are not leaving him forever.

Dogs that have been previously lost, or those that have been surrendered to shelters and readopted, often have the worst problems with separation anxiety. Part of treating this problem is teaching the dog that your leaving is not permanent.

If you would like more information like this,
Sign up for our "You Love Dogs" Newsletter and receive a free Dog Care Booklet.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

How To Eliminate Your Puppy's Love of Nipping

by: David Silva

If you've ever been nipped by a puppy, you know those teeth can be as sharp as ice picks. While other dogs generally have thick skin and can handle a nip relatively undamaged, we humans are not quite so fortunate. And yes, a puppy bite can definitely break skin.

So how do you put a stop to your puppy's nipping?

First, it helps to understand that he's not biting maliciously. Biting and mouthing are natural activities for puppies and young dogs. They instinctively nip when playing with their siblings. This is the way they interact with the world around them. Left with his family, a puppy would soon be taught by his mother and siblings to control his bite. But most puppies are removed from their mothers before they've had a chance to learn this lesson.

With this in mind, taking advantage of your puppy's natural instincts can actually provide you with an easy, painless way to inhibit his biting. All you have to do is let him play and socialize with other dogs. Puppies love to tumble and roll and play. They also love to nip. If your puppy becomes a bit too rough in the company of other dogs, the rest of the group will quickly correct his inappropriate behavior. As simple as it is, this socialization with other dogs is easily the most effective way for him to learn to control himself when he's tempted to nip.

There are other benefits to socializing your puppy as well. He'll learn not to fear other dogs. He'll expend his excess energy. And you'll find that he interacts better with the rest of your family. Puppies that miss out on socializing with other dogs tend to be hyperactive and destructive and exhibit other problem behaviors. In addition, unsocialized dogs will often react aggressively to new situations. So any efforts you make to expose your puppy to other dogs and new people (especially children) will pay dividends in many ares of your puppy's development.

This can be particularly helpful if you have children in the family. Children are closer in size to dogs, and they often have that same puppy-like energy that can be interpreted as aggressive by a dog. So while your puppy is still young (four months old or even younger), this is a good time to have him interacting with children in a proper manner that excites neither your puppy or the children. This can be especially important if your puppy is from a breed of large or aggressive dogs.

The next way to work with your puppy in eliminating biting behaviors is to gain his trust and respect. This goes a long way toward making all training easier and more effective, especially if you're working to correct problem behaviors.

How do you gain your puppy's respect? By treating him with respect.

Whether you're training your puppy or just playing, always treat him with respect. This means no hitting or slapping your puppy, even in situations where you're trying to correct inappropriate behavior. Physical punishment will not only destroy the trust and respect of your puppy, it'll make him afraid of you. More important, it's often ineffective. Reprimanding your puppy will not stop him from biting. It'll only confuse him.

Using positive reinforcement, which generally means treats and plenty of praise, will teach him much faster and more effectively to play without biting.

A puppy that bites will grow up to be a dog that bites unless you teach him better. Left alone, these negative behaviors only become worse. So deal with them early, and deal with them positively, and you'll establish the foundation for a loving, healthy relationship with your puppy for the rest of his life.

About The Author David Silva serves as the webmaster of Dog Training Unlimited. To learn more about training your puppy visit us at: http://dogtrainingunlimited.com/puppytraining/.

Hope this article was helpful to you.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

Puppy House Training Tips

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding puppies. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about puppies.

House training a puppy is very important for the well being of both the puppy and the owner. The number one reason that dogs are surrender to animal shelters is problems with inappropriate elimination, so it is easy to see why proper house training is such an important consideration.

It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the puppy is young, since these habits can last a lifetime, and be very hard to break once they are established. It is very important for the owner to house break the puppy properly. In most cases, true house training cannot begin until the puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true house training.

Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, puppy proofed room when the owner cannot supervise them. The entire floor of the room should be covered with newspapers or similar absorbent materials, and the paper changed every time it is soiled. As the puppy gets older, the amount of paper used can be reduced as the puppy begins to establish a preferred toilet area. It is this preferred toilet area that will form the basis of later house training.

The Do’s of House Training Your Puppy:

• Always provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the established toilet area.
• When you are at home, take the puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes.
• When you are not at home or cannot supervise the puppy, you must be sure the puppy cannot make a mistake. This means confining the puppy to a small area that has been thoroughly puppy proofed. Puppy proofing a room is very similar to baby proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.
• Always provide a toilet area that does not resemble anything in your home. Training the puppy to eliminate on concrete, blacktop, grass or dirt is a good idea. The puppy should never be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.
• Praise and reward your puppy every time he eliminates in the established toilet area. The puppy must learn to associate toileting in the established areas with good things, like treats, toys and praise from his owner.
• Always keep a set schedule when feeding your puppy, and provide constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. A consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.
• Using a crate can be a big help in helping a puppy develop self control. The concept behind crate training is that the puppy will not want to toilet in his bed area.
• And finally, it is important to be patient when house training a puppy. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.

The best time to learn about puppies is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable puppy experience while it's still free.

The Don’ts of House Training Your Puppy

• Never reprimand or punish the puppy for mistakes. Punishing the puppy will only cause fear and confusion.
• Do not leave food out for the puppy all night long. Keep to a set feeding schedule in order to make the dog’s toilet schedule as consistent as possible.
• Do not give the puppy the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.
  

House training is not always the easiest thing to do, and some dogs tend to be much easier to house train than others. It is important, however to be patient, consistent and loving as you train your dog. A rushed, frightened or intimidated dog will not be able to learn the important lessons of house training. Once you have gained your puppy’s love and respect, however, you will find that house training your puppy is easier than you ever expected.

You can't predict when knowing something extra about puppies will come in handy. If you learned anything new about puppies in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

--Henry Juarez

YouLoveDogs.com

Pet Medical Recorder

There's a lot to think about as a responsible pet owner and it's all too easy to lose track of important things.

It's so easy to forget vaccinations and worming, which can have potentially disastrous consequences for our little furry friends.

Equally important, but very easy to overlook is regular flea control.

Anyone who's had a runaway flea infestation in their home will tell you that it's something they'd never want to experience again.

Pet Medical Recorder is a simple to use software tool which will generate a set of special forms to allow you to keep track of all your pets medical and treatment information.

It will keep records of vaccinations, worming, and flea control, so you can see at a glance when the treatment needs repeating.

It will also record details of any medicines that your pet needs to take, general medical history, vet contact details, immunizations and health insurance details.

Pet Medical Recorder can be used to generate forms to keep tabs on as many animals as you want, all with just a few button clicks.

Now you can keep on top of your pet's medication and treatment the easy way with your copy of Pet Medical Recorder.

Get More Details Here!

--Henry Juarez

YouLoveDogs.com

Dogs and Lifestyle

This article explains a few things about dogs, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

For some, these two notions might seem too far apart to present any similarities. But still, more than we know, dogs as object of our love or repulsion, affect our lifestyle.

Each and every one of us has gone through at least one experience that included a dog. Whether sad or fortunate, these experiences exist and cannot be ignored. As every other marking moment emotions triggered by a dog at some point influent our ways from that moment on.

Just for fun I want to show you what I mean by giving a rather unknown example to prove my point.

Let’s say you are over 30 and tried already every diet in the world to loose a few ponds. And naturally, nothing worked. Well, one evening, rainy evening of course, you come across a little fluffy puppy abandoned just next to the garbage can in front of your house. You don’t necessarily like dogs, but this one seems different and so alone, maybe even a little sick, that you feel pity (you think) for him and take him in…just for the night. And then you keep him another night, and another one till he officially becomes your pet – you can’t deny it anymore. You walk him every day at fixed hours and, although you forgot all about your weight problem being too busy petting the little pet, you amazingly reached undreamed results in that particular problem.

Surprised?

You shouldn’t be, it’s known (by some at least) that regular daily 10 – 15 minutes walks are the best diet of all. Try them on your own and you might get bored and give up. But with a dog, the walks are a must, they have to be done, you can’t miss any of them.

So, the little innocent dog not only made you a better person since you let him into your house (and heart), but also solved the problem you had that all your determination and lost money on diet products couldn’t solve.

If I wasn’t convincing enough, just try it. Get a dog. And miraculously you will be a different person.

There's no doubt that the topic of dogs can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about dogs, you may find what you're looking for in the next article.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

p.s. Have you checked out the links to the right of this post? You might find some further help on the other side of the click.

Pet Obesity

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

When you think about dogs, what do you think of first? Which aspects of dogs are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Obesity as commonly perceived is not just a problem with human beings. It is prevalent in animals, both wild and pet.. In case of animals it is mostly found in pets. According to a recent research it has been found that about 25% of the pets are obese or overweight. The study and percentages indicate that the problem has reached proportions where it cannot be ignored.

A pet’s weight cannot be evaluated by just measuring the weight. It is more appropriate to observe the physical condition of the pet by comparing it with one of its own breed or species. The overall appearance of the pet is of prime importance since the ideal weight is very varied in case of pets or for that matter in all animals, in judging the obesity factor.

A scale of body condition scores is used in observation of physical condition of a pet. The body condition score is normally between 5 and 9, and a score of 7 is optimal or ideal. This score is assigned after observing a pets build, fat coverage on rib cage and the waist. Other factors that influence this score are sex, breed, age and life style.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and dog experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to dogs.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to dogs than you may have first thought.

Some observations that can help in your own assessment of your pet are suggested. The ribs should not be visible to the eye but should be easily felt without pressing. The stomach or the abdominal area should be tucked in. These simple tests or feels can be reviewed at home if the owner can objectively record the same. A veterinarian would be required for advice if you find that your pet does not possess the much sought after hour-glass physique. The owner should have a good reference point to infer the results from his observations, i.e. he should have good knowledge and information about the general physical appearance of the species of his pet.

Obesity decreases the life span of your pet, and an overweight pet is generally not healthy. Obesity may lead to diabetes, arthritis, heart complications, endocrinal diseases and bad joints. The medication for these conditions is also seriously compromised due to underlying obesity factors and age.

You pet is overweight because of the simple reason that it has more to eat and not enough exercise. The over feeding trend arises from the owners special way of showing love and care to their pets It is very important to keep tabs on the feeding habits of your pet. Many pet food packs carry a dosage level instruction, but it cannot be really depended upon. It is the owner who has to decide how much feed the pet since a lot of other factors like life style, exercise, activities, age etc. Most animals tend to overeat given the opportunity, curbing it is the owner’s responsibility. Taking advice from a veterinarian in regard to determining the pets ideal weight, creating a weight loss and maintenance plan, would be a good start.

Now you can understand why there's a growing interest in dogs. When people start looking for more information about dogs, you'll be in a position to meet their needs.

There's a lot to understand about dogs. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

Walking Your Dog - Eleven Rules

Are you looking for some inside information on dogs? Here's an up-to-date report from dog experts who should know.

When we walk our dog, no matter the destination – on the city streets, in parks or in open spaces – it is necessary that he respects the disciplinary rules settled before and learned, to avoid getting into problems with other animals or people we meet.

So let’s see how our little friend will have to act in some situations:

1. Usually, in crowded places we will keep him in a leash, to always have him under control. So he will have to know how to walk in a leash, near your foot, without pulling.

2. The dog is not allowed to jump on people or animals met or to attack any of those, as long as he isn’t aggressed.

3. The dog shouldn’t run after bicycles, motorcycles, cars or people that are running. It is know that some dogs do that because of their hunting instincts.

4. When we let the dog free, to relax, it is crucial that when he is called he return on the shortest way and as fast as possible.

5. At a picnic, the dog is not allowed to pass thought other people’s carpets or to eat their food.

6. Wherever our dog might be, he is not to be allowed to eat food given by someone else or food found thrown around.

7. Generally, small dogs are more spoiled than big dogs and they are more aggressive, anti-social and afraid of other people or dogs. The ones to blame are the owners that often amuse themselves when they see their dogs acting this way. This way the dogs get to barking and even biting their own owner.

8. The dog must have the initial training learned and practiced, so we would have no problems when walking him.

9. All through the walk, the dog is not to chew on his leash or to pull it with his teeth, because it might happen that he is tied somewhere alone and he will chew on it until he becomes free and gets lost.

10. The dog is not allowed to jump up and out his front paws on us or others even if he is just playing.

11. Pay attention to drunken people! Many times the smell, the walk and the yelling of drunken people annoy the dog. The dog is to loose his reality sense and his instincts and therefore they won’t pay attention to any of our advices. Some drunken people are even aggressive to dogs. Stay away from them as much as possible.

When word gets around about your command of dog facts, others who need to know about dogs will start to actively seek you out.

--Henry Juarez
YouLoveDogs.com

Keeping a Dog Tick-Free

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

Dogs and in general all pets tend to spend more of their summer time outdoors. In case of dogs, it is very important to be careful about parasites, bugs and micro organisms that can harm them while they get their whiff of fresh air. Precautions are necessary to keep these dangers away. One of these pests that can cause a lot of nuisance and damage are the ticks since they carry diseases. Avoiding the ticks is of prime importance than curing at a later stage.

Why Ticks?

Ticks tend to stick to warmer temperatures, CO2 and movement. Ticks do not transmit through the air. Their motion is limited to crawling. They transmit themselves by climbing up taller structures or plants and drop onto any living and moving human or animal. The danger of diseases or kinds of diseases transmitted by ticks depends upon the country and culture, therefore the cure of after effects of ticks and ticks itself varies from country to country. The danger of having ticks on your dogs body begins once the tick bites. The bite itself is painless and unfeeling but the place of bite might get infected in no time. Consulting a veterinarian is advisable for treatment which normally involves oral antibiotics. If your pet dog is diseased due to a tick bite, there is a risk of infection spreading due to your dog salivation on or biting another pet. The most popular disease spread by a tick bite is the lyme disease but not the only one.

The information about Dogs presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Dogs or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

How to keep ticks away from your pet dog.

The best way to avoid ticks is to avoid walking your dog in the midst of vegetation during tick season. Always keep the vegetation around your house trimmed. Certain preventive medication products are also available. More information can be gathered from your veterinarian about suitability of these to your dog in respect to age and area. Do not use medications without consulting and proper instructions must be followed in using this kind of medication. Please remember that these medications are suited for a single class of pets only, meaning that tick prevention medication for dogs is for dogs only and should not be used on cats or any other pets.

Removing Ticks

When your dog comes back from outdoors make sure to check him carefully for ticks. They are normally found in warm areas, under the arms, in the ears, between the toes and in the folds of the skin. If you find any, remove them safely. Do not touch the tick, use a alcohol swab, then pull it up slowly with tweezers. Make sure not to leave any parts of the tick sticking to your dog. If you are unsuccessful contact your vet.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about Dogs.

YouLoveDogs.com

HOW MUCH TIME CAN DOGS STAY ALONE?

If you are going to leave your dog alone for a long period of time then don’t be surprised with the behavior issues he might develop. Being alone, he deals with two big problems. The first one is the physic and emotional discomfort, because he sees he is free and he doesn’t know what he is allowed to do and what he isn’t. Sometimes stress is added because he is afraid of doing something that can get him punished. The second problem comes out of the need of a dog to be permanently around people or other dogs.

If it is a small dog, he should be familiarized to his environment. If a little dog is to be left alone the entire day, then make sure he has enough water and that a big part of the room he is left into will be covered in papers. A small dog needs to satisfy his physiological needs every three hours. Do not under any circumstances leave the dog locked in the doggy house without given him access to water. You should let him stay in a small room, for example the kitchen.

A good idea might be coming home in your lunch brake or hiring someone to walk your dos. This way he gets a chance to meet other people and dogs and help you prevent a home disaster.

Experts recommend us to spend a few hours a day with or dog and to introduce him to as many friends and neighbors as we can until he turns 7-12 weeks old, because at this age the puppy holds the capacity to understand some situations.

If you have an adult dog, that needs to be fed only once a day, it is simpler. The dog will eat at night or in the evening when you get home. You will walk him in the morning and when you get back from work. But try not to be out of the house more that 8 hours because he has a schedule, he knows exactly when he is given food and when he will be walked. If you don’t impose him a rhythm, the dog will be stressed and the house a mess.

Never leave the dog alone when you are planning to go on a trip or on a vacation. If possible take him with you or if not, hire someone or ask some friends to take care of him.

It is important to make it up to your dog. If you have to leave him alone a lot during work days, try and spend more time with him on weekends and holidays. Behavior issues can be easily corrected if you just play more with the dog.