Blog - Page 3 of 6 - the purebred life articles and more

Dog Behavior

We all know the old saying, “Dogs are man’s best friend,” but sometimes beloved dogs don't always live up to this adage. It is very important to be aware of the underlying reasons why dogs' behaviors are poor or unexpected.

Fortunately, experts on dog behavior maintain that man can teach his dog the best behavior through proper training. Interestingly, dogs' behaviors are simply responses that are set off by environmental and social situations. In order to keep these responses in check, the owner, or pet companion, needs to train his dogs the appropriate responses to the environmental and social factors.

Why do dogs bite?

According to statistics, dog bites affect 5 million people in the United States each year. This is alarming because 5 million people is almost 2% of the total U.S. population. Additionally, dog bites are the second most common cause of emergencies in U.S. hospitals.

The logical question is: Why do dogs bite?

Accor…

Underground Fencing

The new trend in the puppy product market is underground dog fences. These underground fences teach pets boundaries while in your yard through an electronic containment system. These systems deliver a small electric “shock”, which is transmitted through an electric collar.

Advantages of Underground Dog Fences

Underground fences have several benefits, including the ability to contain your dog within a barrier without the expensive cost of installing a real fence. Dogs like the fences too because they don't have to be kenneled up for long periods of time while you are at work or the kids are at school. Underground fences allow them the freedom to roam around the front and back yard, but only to the extent that the invisible fence allows.

A big advantage of using an underground dog fence is that you don't have to resort to options that some people consider inhumane or unhealthy for your dog, such as tethering the dog with ropes or chains or even locking …

Pet Rescue

Many people have their hearts set on choosing a certain dog breed - a Labrador, German Shephered, Spaniel, or whatever. We can't always afford our top choice of a purebred puppy, though because life and family compete for the finances. Dog Rescues can save the day and fill this need.

Dog Rescues are run by people who want to help dogs that have been mistreated, abandoned or given up on by their previous owners. A Dog Rescue's mission is to place these unfortunate dogs in a home with loving parents so that they can live out the rest of their days in a safe and caringv environment.

Find Your Breed

Dog rescues normally focus on a particular breed of dog. This makes your search easier, because once you have found a rescue for the breed your heart is set on, all you need to do is register and wait for the right dog to come along. Typically, these organizations have contact lists to keep members informed when new dogs come in.

You can find a Dog R…

Radio Fence for Dogs

Radio Fences are an automatic device that helps keep your dog within a specified boundary that you do not wish it to cross. Pet owners as well as their neighbors are able to live in a peaceful environment without any risk of danger from the dogs. In this way one can also do away with the hassle of installing expensive wood or metal fences, which are considered to be less efficient. Radio fences are also sometimes known as invisible fences.

The Electric Radio fences work in a very simple way. The wire of the dog fence is buried underground around the boundary that you have marked for it. Different models require different patterns of layouts, so you may actually need twice the amount of wire that you originally intended. The electric collar worn by the dog receives radio signals emitted by the wire. The wire in turn is connected to a transmitter plug that is fitted inside your home. When the dog gets closer to the boundary, the collar around the d…

Dog Pregnancy Issues

When you are breeding a dog there are pregnancy issues that can come up. You will know if the dog needs help because there will be a number of warning signs. Much like humans, the canine mother needs to keep up with her nutrition. You should feed the expectant mother a high quality puppy food. This will give them the protein she needs. This is a very crucial element in the pregnancy. If for some reason you discover your dog is not eating or drinking it, is time to go to the vet. Improper nutrition may be an indication of a serious problem. However, if your dog is getting proper nutrition there still could be other problems.

Know What to Look For

Of course as with the human mother, the dog should be checked for any bleeding. If your dog is bleeding see the vet right away. He will check to see whether or not she has a uterine infection. This is nothing to fool around with. It could end up bei…

When Things Go Wrong

Both in humans and animals, we have gotten to a point of confidence in successful pregnancies that just assumes happy endings. I guess that high success rate makes dealing with situations when things go wrong all the harder. All in all, we've had a pretty good history of breeding dogs. Recently we lost our first full litter including the mother. Everything went much like every other pregnancy. Then for some reason that we don't fully understand, we lost the mother. Things went down hill from there.

It Takes a Village

While you might find that breeding dogs is a solitary effort, it's time's like these that you find out you are part of a community. We had two other kennels provide substitute mothers, and even more people offered assistance. Despite everyone's best efforts, it didn't work. More than a few experts had their hand in this rescue operation. It just wasn't meant to be.

Sooner or la…

Westminster Dog Show

As a dog breeder, aside from the love of the breed, there is the prestige of being recognized for producing dogs closest to the breed standard. Nothing says prestige quite like the Westminster Dog Show. As it says on the brochure "There's only one."

Tomorrow kicks off the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Be sure to watch it on USA network. For us it means packing up the van around 4AM and heading for New York. Breeders from around the country are making this annual pilgrimage as we speak. If you happen to be in New York City and see people carrying around a bunch of gold a purple paperwork, they are there for the dog show.

It's not all on TV

What you see on TV is really just the tip of the iceberg for this show. There's a lot going on behind the scenes and it's also what's known as a "benched show". At most dog shows, dogs and their owners come and go. At benched shows, dogs are required to…

Canine Dental Care

Dogs are man's best friend. Most people treat their dogs as if they are literally part of their families and see them like humans. Because dogs are like family to most, it is also best that we all know how to take good care of them like human beings.

Like humans, dogs also have a health to maintain and as responsible dog owners, it is part of your duties and responsibilities to keep them healthy and well. Specifically, you have to know how to promote canine dental care to your dog. There can be lots of reasons why health teeth must be maintained to your dogs, however, above all these reasons; the main thing is because you love them so much that you don't want to see them suffer from any complications brought by different dental diseases.

Vets not Dentists

Canine dental care can be a lot like human dental care too, the difference is that instead of going to the dentist, dogs must be sent to veterinarians for consultation. It is always wise to go first …

Clipping Your Dog’s Nails

Just like in human beings, clipping dog's nails is part of his personal hygiene. While some dogs have short nails because of frequent wear (by rubbing against concrete floors when they are walking or by digging in your backyard), some dogs do not get the chance to maintain these nails because of infrequent contact with hard and rough surfaces. This is especially true with little dogs, such as Chihuahuas, mini pinschers, or dachshunds. Toy dogs that are usually kept inside the house and made to play on carpeted floors or soft beds need their nails to be cleaned and maintained by their humans.

Before you get your doggie nail clippers and set your dog up for a pedicure session, here are a few things that you should know about grooming your dog's nails.

The importance of clipping dog's nails

Both you and your dog could feel uncomfortable in grooming their nails, but it needs to be done. Allowing your dog's nails to grow too long will make it curl back in…

Exercising Older Dogs

Your darling dog is ageing and you want him to continue to stay healthy. Changes in behavior, appetite, activities, sleep are some of the common changes to expect in your dog. As the dog gets older, you still want him to be active, but don’t expect him to have the energy he did as a puppy.

Exercising older dogs is not that much different than exercising younger dogs. Just a little more attention and a better understanding of his changing requirements and you are ready to go. Whether your dog is an active and fit fellow or not, but as he gets older, he will start to slow down. This does not mean you should stop exercising older dogs.

They say that prevention is better than cure. Well, this goes perfectly for a dog's lifestyle too. Make sure that your dog gets a healthy diet, and an appropriate amount of exercise. Make a regular visit to vet and keep tabs on health supplements, nutrition, and exercise as he starts ageing. Even alter…