Archive for the ‘Dog’ Category

posted by admin on Jun 8

Does your dog seem to spend an infinite amount of time licking himself? Why is he doing it? And how do you, as a dog owner, correct that annoying licking habit? Here are five of the most common reasons why your dog might be incessantly licking himself and the solutions to correcting the habit.

1. Your dog might have developed an unrelenting licking habit because he needs a bath.

If your dog spends alot of time outside, romping through the woods, tramping in the mud, rolling in the grass or wading in the nearest stream or pond, he is probably dirty. So, your dog may be constantly licking himself because the dirt is irritating him! Plus, all that outdoor activity may have gotten him infested with ticks, fleas, mites, or lice. Your dog’s incessant licking may be an attempt to rid himself of those nasty varmints!

Give him a bath with a veterinarian-approved flea and tick shampoo. Before bathing him, make sure you brush out all the mats and tangles from his coat or the bathing will make them worse.

2. Your dog might have developed a chronic licking habit because he has a skin disorder.

Some common skin disorders that a dog may develop are mange or dermatitis. Mange is a skin disease in dogs that is caused by various types of mites. The dermatitis could be caused by an allergic reaction to fleas, dust mites, mold or a certain brand of dog food. If you suspect that your dog has a case of mange or dermatitis, your veterinarian will be able to diagnose what the disorder is and
prescribe a course of treatment.

3. Your dog might have developed a persistent licking habit because he is under stress.

The stress may be a result of a new adoption, physical abuse, separation anxiety, or even a reaction to a new food. If you think separation anxiety might be the cause of his stress, there are several methods for solving the problem. Try exposing your dog to being alone for very short periods of time. When your dog has adjusted to being alone for that duration of time, gradually increase your departure period. If you must be away from your dog for a long period of time, while you are away at work, try to find a friend or neighbor who could come over and take him for a walk a couple of times during the day.

Perhaps a new dog in the family is causing the stress? It is very common to experience a period of stress and adjustment when a new dog is brought into a household that has an established pet. One way to help make the transition a little easier is to give your older dog alot of attention and love. It will let him know that he’s still a vital part of the family. Just remember that it will take time for your dogs to adjust to one another and be one happy dog family!

Changing your dog’s diet can also cause stress. If you’re thinking of feeding your dog a new brand of dry dog food, do it gradually and over a period of four days or longer. On the first day that you change the food, feed your dog one quarter of the new food with three quarters of the old food. Add in another quarter of the new food after a couple of days or so. After another two days, add in another quarter of the new dog food. Finally, after another couple of days or so, you will be able to leave out the old dog food entirely!

If you cannot determine the cause of your dog’s stress, talk to your veterinarian. He’ll be able to refer you to a dog behaviorist who will be able to determine the cause of your dogs stress. If your dog has severe separation anxiety, an anti-anxiety medication might be considered to alleviate the anxiety. Drugs are not a complete solution, however, and should be used along with a treatment program.

4. Your dog might have developed an incessant licking habit because he has an injury that has resulted in an open wound.

A dog that has developed an injury that has resulted in an open wound will lick himself incessantly in an attempt to clean the wound and keep it free from bacteria. Dog saliva has been proven to kill some germs and when your dog licks an open wound, it will aid in keeping the wound infection free.

Veterinarian treatment may be required if your dog appears to be in pain, the wound contains a foreign material and is deep enough to require stitches, is bleeding excessively or becomes infected.

5. Your dog might have developed a relentless licking habit because he has developed the bad habit of doing so.

Some dogs develop the habit of licking their paws incessantly despite them being clean, uninjured and parasite-free!

Your dog may develop the habit of constantly licking himself because he has alot of nervous energy and no way to alleviate the stress. He also may have learned this behavior because he is bored and this is a way to entertain himself!

Give your dog lots of time to play and run and work off any excess energy. If your dog is well-exercised and happy, he won’t feel the need to relentlessly lick himself to relieve stress or boredom!

The information detailed above will help you discover and correct your dog’s habit of chronic licking. With careful observation and a little attention to proper grooming, training, along with regular veterinarian visits, you can ‘lick’ your dog’s incessant licking habit!

posted by admin on Jun 3

Maltese are outgoing and intelligent little dogs. Their small stature means that they are great playful companions in any family but read on if you are considering bringing a Maltese into your family.

Maltese love children but they are not a good choice if you have small children in the house. When I say small I mean under around eight years old depending on the maturity of the child. Otherwise they can make great playful and wonderful family members

Children will love their miniature stature; they are little enough to be carried around. But it is because of their size that they are a dangerous combination with little children. Your child will not be able to understand how fragile your Maltese is. It’s easy to seriously injure a Maltese by standing on it, or accidentally sitting on it.

The “teacup” variety three pounds and under is a very bad dog to have with children. These dogs are too small and as a result their bones are extremely frail and brittle. It’s an unfortunate result of their small size – their bones break easily. They can far too easily be injured accidentally. Standing or sitting on your Maltese can seriously injure your dog.

If you do choose a Maltese you can greatly minimize all these risks by training the dog well as well as teaching your child all about respect for dogs and how to treat them. This will make all the difference!

You will need to teach your children how to treat your Maltese. This includes strictly enforcing a “no roughousing with the dog rule”. The kids must learn that your Maltese is fragile and should be treated as such.

If you intend on keeping a Maltese in your home we always recommend some professional training. The cost can be minimal if you take your pet to Pet Smart. Spend some money and make sure that your Maltese is as well socialized as he can be.

Try to get the children involved in the grooming. Maltese need a fair amount of grooming and this is one way you can encourage a great relationship between them. Even small children can gently comb the dogs coat (under supervision!).

As with any household pets; the general principle should be to teach the children to treat all animals with kindness and respect. This is one of the most important life lessons you can impart and the best place to learn is at home.

Just don’t leave your children unsupervised around a Maltese. Even though the child may mean well, that will not stop the Maltese from becoming agitated. Some can be a little snappish, so look for a Maltese where the parents are a little mild mannered. This will reduce the risk of any problems. Overall Maltese make a great family pet.

posted by admin on May 24

Well has you are looking at this article I take it that you are thinking of buying a puppy/dog. We do know that there can be a lot of work and will take up a lot of your time. And at first training your dog can be hard work. I would like to ask you do you know how to train a dog, have you ever had a dog. Maybe this will be the best article that you are going to read about puppy’s/dogs in the terms of information.
But just one more topic before I give you that information, that topic is are you ready for a dog do you want a dog for the right reasons. You ready to clean up dog poo every day until dog is house trained. Well if your answer is yes to all the above then, I will tell you about a website that will help you on your way from picking your new puppy’s name to dog training what treat are good for your and what treats are not. Also where to buy your new dog from, also there is a large selection of dog pictures and hints and tips on what the best way to go about things.
It is pack full of information for dog owners if there is anything that you need to know you will find it there. You can also visit a forum where you can ask other dog owners question about dogs. You can get a great dog training guide with is like a gold mine jammed full of useful topics here are just a few topics covered
? Decided on a breed that is suitable for your lifestyle or personality.
? Decided what breed is best for your living environment.
? Make sure you can afford it!
? Pick a place for you to pick a pup.
? Prepare yourself for training a dog.
? Train your dog.
? Understanding dog behavior
? Housebreak your dog.
? Grooming your dog.
? Teach your dog some basic commands.
? Teach your dog some fancy tricks.
? Other tips in caring and training your dog.
? Emergency remedy for swallowed objects.
? Plus lots more useful information

If you are a first time puppy/dog buyer then you will find this site very useful, even if you already own a puppy/dog then you will also find something that will be of use to you. The site is http://www.dogbuyersguide.com and the best part of this article is that for this information it cost not a dime. Some think that we must all remember is that a dog is for life and not just a present. Many people make this mistake and that why we see so many puppy’s/dog in places like the R.S.P.C.A. If this article has just changed the mind of one person who was thinking of buying a dog but for the wrong reasons then I am happy. And who said that good advise was not free. Just before I end this article we do need to keep in mind when choosing a puppy/dog is this type of breed of dog best for us as you may well know that different kinds of breeds of dogs have different needs, let me put it like this some bigger breeds of dog need more excersie then smaller breeds also is you home the right size to take on a large dog. Many of us over look these point that are very important, are you in rented accomandation does the landlord allow dogs. Then there is that vet bills the list goes on and on, in a dog life time the amount of money that you spend is unreal. I am not trying to put you off the idea that you have in getting your new best friend, just giving you the facts. If you do want to find out much more before you take the step, go to the website and find out as much information as you can take your time think about it. Don’t join the many other who buy puppy’s/dog for all the wrong reason, like then who think that they are money making machines just keep them breeding to sell there puppy’s or them who cross breed them and turn them in to fighting dogs. It is people like that who give mans best friend a bad name. I wish you the best start with you and your puppy/dog

posted by admin on May 14

While Americans are at home treating their dogs as part of the family, in some portions of the world, dogs are caged, beat, killed and cooked. Are they made to be both pets and menus?

In some countries like Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam, dog meat eating is common. Opposite to what is happening in the western. They are being pampered and even trained. History tells that eating of dog meat was most common in Korea. The older generation ate dog meat due to different reasons: improving virility, cure for summer heat, cure for some illness, and recovery aid after an illness and improving good skin for women.

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, therapeutic claims about eating dog meat are all folklore and it has really no truth. Until now, there are no scientific evidences which prove all of these. If the reason of those who eat dog meat is achieving the mentioned reasons by the Koreans, the IFAW discourages them to continue that belief.

In the past, restaurants fabricated stories stating the benefits derived from eating dog meat. These caused people to believe such hearsay and it went on even until the modern days.

There are different means of killing a dog and many critics find it as an act beyond being humane. Some are caught, caged, hung, and boiled. Some are even beaten so hard that too much pain is being inflicted to the animal. However it is not realized by many that food dogs are not pets and they have no names. They are bred in farms, just like pigs, beefs, lambs, chicken and other animals. They are probably bred in cages, which may be cruel but is common in farms anywhere in the world. They are put down “humanely” just like any other animal used for food, usually by slitting the throat and bleeding the animal until it passes out.

The emotional pinch upon hearing dogs being butchered is because people have been domesticating it and they have been receiving the “man’s best friend” treatment. Though they are just animals, dogs are known to be sensitive. Which animal wags its tail as you call its name? Which will look guilty when you scold it? Only dogs, don’t they?

For those who are open-minded, they think dog eating is a part of advanced culture. They believe nothing is wrong with it.

Professor An Yong Kun has studied dog meat’s nutritional aspects and is its greatest booster. He has developed processed dog meat products and even dog meat oil-based cosmetics. He says he regrets that dog meat is so expensive he can’t eat it everyday. Dr. Dog Meat is furious at foreigners who complain about eating dogs in Korea, where dogs are livestock, not pets. He says the French ate dog through the 1800s, and the U.S. even today kills up to 3,000 dogs a year to use in puppy food.

An has developed dog-based kimchi, soy sauce and he is developing a Website “Globalization of Dog Meat,” in four languages. An met foreign reporter in Seoul on May 25 to announce his new dog meat products. He called on Koreans not to be embarrassed over eating dog meat, and said he will lobby for formal legalization of dog meat.

There are really different sides of this issue. Questions rise but they remain unanswered. The point is culture around d the world is really of variety. Respecting each other pays.

posted by admin on May 4

Many pet owners enjoy the challenge of training their dogs. If the dog is the type that seems to enjoy being trained, it can be a very rewarding experience for both owner and pet. Pit Bulls have the reputation for being stubborn, and few will say it’s not true. To say that the stubborn streak makes the dog untrainable however is completely false.

Take a Pit Bull and owner who have a good trusting relationship with one another and you’ll see a dog who is not only willing to learn, but also learns quickly. If a person who has never trained a dog wants to have his Pit Bull trained, he has two choices. The owner can either train their Pit Bull themselves, or hire a dog trainer to do it for them.

If you have no practical experience training dogs, but still want to try it yourself, then you will need to study up on the various training methods used by top trainers. Heading off to the local library is one way to do this at no cost, as well as researching the subject on the internet. If you have a dog that you feel may be a problem to train, skip the do it yourself and go straight for the trainer.

It will do you well to remember that a person does not need a license to be a dog trainer. Anyone who wishes can set up shop when they want and start accepting clients. It’s for this reason you’ll want to check out any individual who provides dog training before you leave your Pit Bull in their care.

Choosing the right trainer may seem like a daunting task, but it is necessary to have a trainer who has enough experience and knowledge so that the trainer doesn’t create more problems than he fixes. Find out how many years the trainer has been in business of trainer other people’s dogs. Get at least three references that you can call to ask what type of experiences they have had with their trainer.

Certain dogs, such as Pit Bulls, may have an independent streak when it comes to training. Ask the trainer how they handle dogs which may be harder to train. This is important even if your dog does well with you, he may do otherwise with a stranger. If your dog exhibits stubborn behavior, you’ll want to know how the trainer will handle it. You certainly don’t want your Pit Bull mistreated by a short tempered trainer.