Pack of Joy: Adopting a New Dog

By Frank Vanderlugt
Adopting a new dog can create a pack of joy or a pack of disaster. Thinking carefully about adding a new dog and choosing one carefully can help you avoid potential problems down the road. Whether you want a purebred or a mix, shelters are full of dogs and other animals that need good homes.

Before even visiting the shelter, you need to think about why you want a dog and if your lifestyle is ready for one. Having a dog is a great deal of work any way you look at it. You’ll need to have time each day to play with and walk the dog and money for food and vet visits.

It’s also important to consider beforehand the type of dog that will fit your lifestyle. Many people buy small dogs thinking that they’ll be less work and then find that they still need to devote a great deal of time to their dog. Here a few things to consider when thinking about the type of dog to get:

§ Energy Level: you should think not only about the energy level of the dog, but also your own. If you like to run, walk, and hike, you’ll probably want a higher energy dog to accompany you. Those who like vegging on the couch will want a lower energy dog.

§ Living Space: consider your living space and the size of the dog that will work in it. Do you have a fenced yard? Live in an apartment? Where will the dog be when you are not at home?

§ Time: what amount of time each day do you have to devote to walking, playing with, and training the dog? How many hours each day will you be home with the dog? To be a pack of joy, you’ll need to have the time to dedicate to your dog.

Many people have a certain breed in mind that they’d like to have. Others fall in love with the appearance of a dog. Before you choose a dog based on these characteristics, you should read up on the breed to understand what the dog is generally like and spend some time getting to know the dog before choosing one based only on appearance.

Shelters are full of dogs whose owners wanted a certain breed or fell in love with the look of a dog but were not prepared for the dog’s personality or characteristics. Having a dog is a commitment and you should make choosing the dog an important task. This doesn’t mean that you can’t love how your dog looks, but just that it shouldn’t be your only consideration.

When you do visit the shelter, talk to the staff members about the dogs you are interested in and tell them about your lifestyle and what you’re looking for in a dog. They’ll be able to give you helpful insight into the dogs’ characteristics and personality to help you choose the right dog for you.

Before bringing a dog home, prepare your living space for the dog and read up on taking care of a dog if you don’t have a lot of experience with them. Look into training classes and check out a few books on the topic. You’ll also want to choose a vet to take your adopted dog to for a health check as soon as you can.

Adopting a dog can be a great experience if you take the time to do it right. You’ll soon be a pack of joy ready to take on the world together.

Frank j Vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.packofjoy.com 2 Packofjoycom

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Dog Training - Back To Basics

Andrew Strachan
Canines and humans have had a strange sort of bond for centuries. And even though they say that a dog is a man’s best friend, the communication between them is strange and difficult. They say that man is smarter of the two, but if you were to watch a training session, you would wonder. Dogs and two year old children have the same mental capacity, but that is where all the similarity between dogs and humans end. You need to understand some things about your pet before you start dog training basics. Dogs have different color vision. They react to reds and greens. They also have a strong sense of smell. They perceive things differently in their minds. So if you are trying to train your dog, it is best that you are aware of these things to avoid yourself some frustration.

Most of us harbor the misconception that dogs are pack animals. And even though they descend from wolves and are claimed to be ‘loners’, this is not true. Dogs are as social as humans. They need constant affection and a hierarchy to be properly trained. Always start training your dog or puppy when he is young. A month old puppy is not too young to be trained. Devote thirty to sixty minutes a day to train your dog. This is not too much depending on the breed of your dog. You need to set aside this time for dog training basics, as it is essential for your dog. Potty training is a separate issue and can be dealt with later and in a different manner, but all other forms of training can follow the same pattern.

You need to establish your role as the alpha leader to your dog as early as possible. Dogs only understand the concept of alpha, beta and omega. And you need to be a firm alpha male for your dog for it to respect you. You may find it difficult with some dogs and easy with others. This level of difficulty to establish your status in the hierarchy depends on the breed of the dog and its personality. Some dogs are naturally aggressive, while others are docile. You can use leashes, collars and voice commands to train your dog effectively. Remember that you are the boss of your dog and it is not the other way around. While it is perfectly all right to use dominance to train your dog, physical dominance is unnecessary and can more often than not be detrimental to your training efforts. Patience and a firm command will be more effective.

To get a dog to submit to his master’s dominance may require some tactics. If it is a puppy then place the canine on his back and place a hand on its chest till it lowers the paws. In the case of a bigger dog, put your face close to the dog’s face. If your dog tends to run around a lot, then you need to use a short leash to control this tendency. But this does not mean you do not allow the dog some playtime to run around and expend all that pent up energy. Using voice commands works incredibly well. Your voice commands need to be short and crisp. Words like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘down’, ‘come’ and ‘no’ are easy to understand. You need not sound angry, just in control.

Article by Andrew Strachan. Find out more dog training tips and dog behavior training advice at http://www.types-of-dogs.com/training/

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Skin and Coat Problems in Cats and Dogs2

By: Elyse Grau
If you suspect your pet has fleas but you haven't actually seen any, look for the tell-tale black "specks" at the base of the hairs. Fleas particularly love the areas at the base of the tail, ears and hind legs (where they meet the belly). To determine if the specks are flea dirt (dried blood) and not just dirt, put some on a white paper or cloth and wet them. If they turn red, you've got fleas.

Some diseases cause symptoms of the skin and coat. Thyroid imbalances may cause dull, flaky or greasy coat and sometimes hair loss. Skin and ear infections are common with Cushing's Disease.

There are some specific skin diseases as well. Mange is caused by a mite and causes lesions and hair loss, usually around the mouth and eyes. This most often clears up on its own, but some dogs and cats cannot rid themselves of the mites and have a more severe case. Ringworm is a highly contagious fungus affecting cats, dogs and people (especially children). It shows up as circular lesions that are raw, hairless and scaly. The disease spreads rapidly.

Boredom or anxiety can cause a dog to lick its paws repeatedly and constantly, resulting in "lick granulomas". These are raised nodules, often rough and scaly. There is also a group of autoimmune diseases called Pemphigus which cause scaly skin, scabs and pustules. Some breeds are particularly susceptible to the disease.

Elyse Grau has written many articles on pet health and care. They are based on her own experience and knowledge, as well as extensive research and interviews. For more information on caring for your dog or cat, see => http://www.pethealthresource.com

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