Puppy Articles

This breed is one of the oddest looking dogs. The Chow Chow has a very square shape when looked at from the side, it’s head is quite broad, it has small triangular ears and a think mane of fur around it’s neck. The Chow’s eyes are almond shaped and deep set. It’s tail curls tightly onto it’s back. Chows tongues are blue/purple and black in colour. The back legs are very straight giving the Chow a stilted gait.

Chow Chows make great pets. They are protective and sociable within their own family group. They do not take to strangers and may come across as aloof. They do not display excessive aggression or shyness as long as they are bred from good stock and treated well from puppies.

Chows are not the most active of breeds, so they are very suitable for confined living (ie, units or apartments). However, they will still require walking just as any other type of dog. As this dog can be bored easily, regular walks and toys will keep it simulated, happy and alert.

Chows are one breed with a lot of potential health problems. Chows can be affected by elbow and hip dysplasia, patellar luxation (slipping of the knee cap) and thyroid disease.

Chows also are prone to eye disease such as entropion (eyelid folds inwards and rubs on the cornea) and ectropion (bottom eye lid folds outwards).

To avoid such risks make sure you purchase your Chow from a breeder. Always ask for health clearances which can be obtained from the Canine Eye Registration Foundation and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals in the USA. Please be sure to check the health testing of this breed in other countries before buying.

Chows have a life span of between 10 – 15 years. If you look after your Chow from being a puppy, you will have a healthy and happy companion for many years.

If you are bringing a puppy home for the first time, you are about to experience a rewarding but demanding time in your life. There are many tips and techniques to help you with your new puppy. This article examines the basics of puppy care and some tips on how to get through it.

1) Vaccines - Vaccines are a good idea for every dog to help minimize both diseases and illness. By the time you get your puppy, the breeder should have already administered some vaccines. Be sure to check what vaccines have been given and when they were administered.

2) Feeding – Puppies should be fed dry puppy food and not normal dog food. Puppy food contains nutrients and proteins essential for a growing puppy.

3) Training - Training a puppy should be started at an early age. Commands such as sit, stay and basic toilet training should be started as early into a puppies life as possible. Puppy’s pick up things pretty quickly, so this is a perfect time to begin training.

4) Sleeping - Sleeping arrangements for your puppy should be decided upon well before you get your new puppy. Once you have let your dog know where it should be sleeping, it will be hard later down the track to move this to another spot. So unless you want your dog on the bed every night, resist the temptation of letting your puppy cuddle up with you.

5) Socialization - Once the puppy is old enough, socializing is a must. Introduce your puppy to other puppies and people to help the dog with meeting new people and animals.

These simple puppy tips and tricks can help ensure a successful transition from your puppy into a mature and confident dog. These tips will also help your family cope with the new arrival and the pressures that a new puppy can bring.

Bringing a new puppy into a home will mark a change in your life. A puppy has a variety of different behaviors and it is essential that an owner understands how to control these behaviors. Below is a guide to puppy behavior with some essential tips that may help both owner and dog.

1) Introduce Puppy To Other Dogs – Introducing your puppy to other dogs is essential in the early days. Without early introductions, dogs can grow to be wary of other dogs and even show signs of aggression to other dogs out of fear. An anxious or scared dog may bite other dogs which certainly emphasizes the benefits of early puppy socialization. Always introduce your dog to other dogs in a controlled environment.

2) Introduce Puppy To Other People - Like introduction to other dogs, puppies should be introduced to a range of people as early on in their life as possible. This will ensure your puppy grows up enthusiastic around people and full of confidence and helps ensure your puppy does not grow up to show fear or aggression around people.

3) Start Good Habits Early - Your puppies good habits should be encouraged and rewarded from the first day. It is far better for a puppies learning to reward a puppy for good behavior than it is to punish a puppy for bad behavior.

4) Train Early - Puppies can learn behaviors, habits and tricks off you very easy. It is essential to teach your puppy appropriate behaviors from early on as it is often a lot harder to remove undesirable habits and tendencies when dogs get older.

Remember, start right from day one. These are just some of the basics of puppy behavior. If you stick with these suggestions, you will be well on your way to raising a confident and friendly dog.

Miniature or toy dogs are a group of very small canine breeds. Sometimes these miniature dogs are also referred to as teacup varieties. There are many different breeds which are classified as toy dogs.

These miniature dogs have many characteristics that separate them from other breeds and types of dogs. Miniature dogs are very popular due to many great advantages that these dogs offer.

Due to their small size, these dogs eat very little, are easy to exercise and can easily live in a small apartment or small yard. Although they are small in size, these dogs are not small in personality. Miniature dogs can have great personalities, can be very sociable and can raise the alarm by barking if intruders enter your premises.

There are many great breeds of toy dogs available. The Chihuahua is one of the most popular of the small breeds available. Chihuahuas are originally from Mexico and are known for being easy to care for and full of personality and charisma.

Another popular choice in miniature dogs is the Miniature Poodle. Poodles are renowned for being smart, obedient as well as extremely friendly. A miniature poodle would make a great addition to any family. Some other great small dog breeds include the Shih Tzu, Maltese, Terriers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Pugs.

There are also many other smaller dog breeds available. As with getting any dog you should always first do your research to determine which dog best suits you and your families needs. So if you are looking for a new dog or puppy, consider these small types of man’s best friend. Although these dogs may be small, they are full of life and can make a great companion.

There are a heap of different small breeds out there so make sure you do your research before deciding on a particular breed.

So your looking through newspapers and the internet looking for puppies for sale? Perhaps you are looking for a new dog for your family? There are many different dog breeds out there but one breed few people think of is the greyhound. Greyhounds can make marvellous pets and the following article will discuss the many great traits of the humble greyhound.

Greyhounds & Muzzles

The first misconception about greyhounds is that they are vicious as they have to wear a muzzle. This however could not be further from the truth. Greyhounds are calm and affectionate dogs that are great around children and in a family setting. The muzzle is required due to an outdated law. Since greyhounds were bred for racing, there vision and running instinct is high especially when seeing something like a rabbit. Because of this the muzzle law was introduced, but it would be extremely rare for a greyhound to bite or show any aggression to a human.

Greyhounds & Exercise

Another thing people think of when considering a greyhound is that they believe the dog needs a lot of exercise. Once again this is entirely untrue. Greyhounds tire quickly and are happy with just a short walk every day. They are actually a couch potato, and it is often hard to get them off the couch once they are comfy.

Greyhound Care

Greyhounds are a pretty easy dog to care for. Their short hair means they really have no specialist grooming needs. They do tend to eat a lot as they can be quite a large dog. They can get quite cold when left outside on a cold day so it is essential to cover them up with a jacket for warmth. They are also more suited to sleeping indoors because of this, and are also more suited to warmer climates.

Buying A Greyhound

So where can i buy a greyhound for sale? First you can try online or in the paper. Another option is to purchase a retired racing greyhound. These greyhounds used to be destroyed after their racing days were over but now there are programs where groups train these dogs to be re-homed. They usually charge a small fee but you will get a dog that has been road tested, toilet trained and ready to step straight into your home and family.

Summary Of Greyhounds

In summary, greyhounds can make a great pet for you and your family. They have low energy needs and are also easy to care for. They are calm dogs that are easy to groom, good with other pets and great around people. If you want a new dog, consider a greyhound and you won’t regret it.

If you have a dog it is important to provide a safe environment for your pet. There are many things you can do to ensure your dog is safe from harm at home and when you take it with you places. These things include locking up the trash, cleaning, and more.

When a pet is injured it can cost hundreds of dollars at the veterinarian in order to treat your animal. A vet can cost you as much as it does to see a doctor. This can be frustrating, especially if you cannot afford pet insurance. Most veterinarian visits are due to owner’s not providing a safe environment for their pet. Here are a few ways to protect your dog from injury.

Locking up your trash is very important if you want to keep your dog safe from harm. If a dog smells something good in the trash like leftovers for dinner it may tear your trash apart to get to what it smells. Trash usually contains harmful items that can harm your animal. You may have detergents or chemicals that can be harmful to your animal. The best thing you can do is put a locking mechanism on your trash can so your dog cannot easily open the lid. There are plenty of trash can types you can choose from. The important factor is that your dog cannot go through the trash when it smells food or other items it things it wants to eat. This will also save you time in not having to clean up the mess also.

Cleaning is very important when it comes to owning a dog. Maintaining a clean yard and inside of your home is extremely important because your dog could become injured. If you have broken glass in your yard it could cut its paws severely. It is common for a yard that needs to be raked to contain stickers that can get all over the dog. These can be very painful to an animal when they want to lie down and hard to get out. They may even have to be cut out of your dog’s hair if you have a long haired dog. In order to ensure your dog is safe in the yard you have to rake it and keep it free from debris.

Using a leash is another thing you need to do when you keep your dog from getting injured. Many people like to let their dog run free but this is where problems occur. Your dog may be fine but you don’t know if the other dog in the neighborhood will hurt your pet. When you use a leash you are protecting your dog and the other dogs in the neighborhood too.

There are many ways you can keep your dog safe from harm when you own a pet. These things should be taken seriously because you want to ensure you don’t have a big vet bill that you cannot afford. Make sure your dog doesn’t have access to the trash, there is nothing dangerous in the yard, and keep your pet on a leash and all of these things are even more important if you only have a cheap pet insurance policy in place.

There are many ways a biting dog could ruin your life. You may be the owner of the dog or the recipient of a bite. The different ways include a lawsuit, injuries to you, injuries to a child, and even losing your pet. Teaching your dog not to bite will prevent any of these things from happening.

If you have a biting dog then it could cause you many problems. Your dog may love its home and love you but no one else. You may not take the dog out enough in public so it has no idea how to act around others. When a stranger comes to your home and your dog is extra protective then it may be inclined to bite. This is common when you call a technician to your home for the phone company, a plumber, electrician, or some other stranger. Your home needs to be a safe environment for public service personnel and people you bring into your home. If your dog bites them then you may be looking at a serious lawsuit. This could cause you to lose your home and all of your assets.

If your dog bites a child you may be looking at some big liabilities if the injury is too severe. Most authorities will force a pet owner to have their dog euthanized if it bites a child and it doesn’t matter how bad the bite really is. Any dog that bites can be dangerous. Not only could you have your dog taken away from you and killed but you may even be looking at a lawsuit from the family members. If the injuries are too severe or your dog was supposed to be restrained and it was not you may be looking at criminal charges. No one wants to go to jail because their dog attacked another person or a child. If you only have a cheap pet insurance it might not help you at all.

Many people have no fear of animals. They think they are immune to dog bites and all dogs love them. It is the one time they are not paying attention that a dog lets the person have it. Being bit by a dog can ruin your life especially if the bite and attack changes your appearance. You may work in a public relations field where your appearance is everything. If your appearance is ruined due to a dog attack you will be looking for a new line of work. This can be difficult if all of your experience and training is in the one field.

A dog bite not only affects the owner but it also affects the recipient of the bite and hopefully the bite is not too severe. People love their pets and no one means for something like this to happen. The thing you need to remember is that there are too many people out there just waiting for their opportunity to sue another person for negligence of some sort. You can pratically cover yourself with a premium pet insurance but the best solution is to teach your dog how to be kind and that it is not okay to bite. Never play with your dog and allow them to bite while playing. Then the dog will not understand.

The American Kennel Club compiles a list of the most commonly registered dogs in each group on a yearly basis. Every year toy dog registrations continue to increase across the group; however there seem to be some definite favorites. Toy dogs are popular because of their small size and the increasingly positive press these dogs are getting, especially as celebrity pets. This list only includes the purebred, registered members of each breed; however there are a huge number of hybrid or designer toy dogs also sold each year, further adding to the numbers.

Toy dogs, when properly bred and cared for, make excellent pets. Those that are bred to be smaller than the standard or those that are not trained, socialized or routinely worked with can be as problematic as larger dogs and just as aggressive. Good owners that are responsible with these dogs are constantly amazed at how loving, playful and full of fun these pint sized dogs can be.

The top five toy dog breeds include:

Yorkshire Terriers always popular, these small sized dogs are both elegant in appearance and true terriers at heart. Their longer coat, steel blue and tan coloration makes this a very distinctive and easy to identify breed. They love to be around people and enjoy being close to their owners however they are also independent. Some can be prone to snapping and aggression, and may not be tolerant of children unless raised in a family.

Shih Tzu the lovely, long silky coat of the Shih Tzu makes this dog a great choice for someone that has time for routine grooming. The Shih Tzu has a tremendous amount of personality and is suited for households with both children and other pets, as long as they are trained and socialized. They are a dog that bonds with their owners.

Toy Poodles a very intelligent, loyal and playful dog the Toy Poodle is a good match in most households. Some Toy Poodles may be prone to being very finicky eaters so be sure to start them out on a good, high quality kibble. Many breeders are now specializing in “Teacup Poodles” which are an even smaller breed version. Teacup Poodles are not recognized by the AKC and due to genetic problems in the downsizing of the breed need to be very carefully bred to avoid serious health problems. A Toy Poodle that is from a responsible breeder will typically be a healthy and very long lived dog. They are also a good match for many people with dog allergies.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel members of this breed are true clowns, playful, energetic and highly bonded with their family. They come in a wide variety of colors and have a relatively easy to maintain coat. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has been bred as a companion dog and literally craves human interaction. They are good with kids and also with elderly people.

Pugs highly recognizable with their short muzzles, Bulldog-like body shape and tan and black color the Pug has been a popular toy breed for a long time. They can be stubborn and rather headstrong, but are also loving, loyal and an excellent watchdog. The Pug may snore and will need to be monitored in hot weather for breathing and respiratory problems.

Choose a toy breed from a reputable breeder and avoid buying a puppy unless you have a chance to see both the parents as well as the health information for the breeding line.

Article by Karen Olson of Oh My Dog Supplies, your top spot to purchase dog toys online.

Not every dog, whether purebred champion or friendly companion pet, has a coat that is easy to maintain and keep looking great with just a simple pin brush or bristle brush. There are many different grooming tools and supplies on the market that can help any breed or mixed breed dog look their best. These tools also help out the owners since they make grooming easier and much less time consuming. Finding the right grooming tools for your dog isnt difficult, you can consult with a groomer or even knowledgeable staff at your local pet supply store can be helpful. Talking to other breeders and owners about grooming equipment can be a great way to find out some tricks of keeping specific coat types looking exactly how you want them to be.

Beyond the basic pin brush and bristle brush and comb the following grooming supplies can be a real asset. Remember they do vary between dogs so the coat type they work best with is also provided.

Slicker Brush this is a specialized finishing brush that is flat to convex on the front face of the brush. The teeth are very fine and short, allowing the brush to actually smooth the coat and remove even the slightest tangles from the top coat. Slicker brushes come in a variety of sizes for different types of dogs and they can be used on any coat from short to medium in length. They are not suitable for very long or very dense coats except on any shorter hair areas. They do not reach inner coats and are only used as a finishing step in the grooming process.

Grooming Rake opposite to the slicker brush the grooming rake is a combination between a brush and a comb, designed to reach deep into thick heavy coats and groom the inner layers. The grooming rake is an essential for any seasonal shedding breed as it will help speed up the removal of the dead hair from the coat and prevent matting and knotting problems. Dogs with very short coats or those with single silky coats will not need a grooming rake.

Dematting Tools these tools, sometimes called dematting combs, have longer, elongated, sharp, triangular blades that are typically serrated at the thick base area. The tools are useful in breaking up large mats in the coat. The tool itself needs to be used with caution as it does cut through hair and if not used properly can remove too much hair, resulting in patches of sparse hair or ragged looking coat on the dog. Medium to long coated and double coated breeds may need a dematting tool, especially during the heavy spring shed.

Detangling and Conditioning Sprays There are several different products sold through online or retail outlets that act as spray in detanglers and conditioners for the coat. If you routinely groom your dog these are the best option for dealing with minor tangles. While the detanglers are used with longer coated dogs, the conditioners can be used for any breed or coat type. As with any product for your dog be sure to test for allergies and only use specific sprays designed for use with dogs.

Getting the right grooming tools can really make your grooming routine more pleasant. Besides the tools listed above you will also need high quality nail clippers, blunt ended scissors for trimming, dental care products and possibly dry shampoo for touch ups between full baths.

Article by Karen Olson of Oh My Dog Supplies, your top spot to purchase dog carriers online.