Dog Lovers - 7 Ways To Love Your Dog

by
Connie Bowen

Our dogs add so much to our lives, giving us unconditional love and affection. Here are some suggestions to help your dog live a comfortable, happy life.

1. Regular exercise and fresh air helps your dog’s immune system function at its peak. The exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous in nature, but a consistent walk or friendly play at a local park can work wonders for a dog’s mental as well as physical health.

2. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian are a must. Ask your doctor about the dangers of over-vaccinating and the possibility of checking your dog’s immune system with a blood titer test. A yearly visit with your doctor will give you a chance to ask any questions you may have, and will give your veterinarian an opportunity to catch any problems before they develop into something serious.

3. Provide a clean, safe environment for your dog free of second-hand smoke. Give him or her a quiet, comfortable place to sleep. Most breeds of dogs prefer to live indoors with their family. Only a few large breeds meant to live outdoors to protect sheep are suited to a life in all kinds of weather away from human contact.

4. Give your canine easy access to a fenced backyard or other suitable place so that they can relieve themselves during the day if you are going to be gone for long stretches at a time. A doggie door is ideal, but if this is impractical for your home, there are professional dog walkers who would love to stop by to give your dog a much needed walk during the day or evening.

5. Plenty of fresh, wholesome food and fresh water are key to maintaining a dog’s health. Raw food diets are gaining popularity, but if this is not something you or your dog would enjoy, there are other high grade alternatives. Read the labels of any product you purchase for your dog and steer clear of products with artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives. The Whole Dog Journal is an excellent source of information and suggestions for which foods are the most nutritious and beneficial for dogs.

6. Daily grooming is important for all dogs, especially those with long coats. A quick brushing before bedtime is important for two reasons. It will remove any loose hair and skin and also will give you a chance to check for ticks or other problems your dog may have developed. Brushing your dog’s teeth is also vital to their oral health. There are special canine formulas and toothbrushes made especially for this purpose. (Never use human toothpaste on your dog.)

7. Positive, enjoyable training is available from reputable professionals for you and your dog. Training should be fun for both of you. Steer clear from any dog training classes that use punishment or adverse methods. Clicker training and reward based training can help guide you and your dog to a happy understanding of what you are requesting of your dog.

Many enjoyable dog-loving years await anyone who sincerely desires to create and maintain a positive relationship with their dog.

© Connie Bowen

Note: this article may be re-published freely as long as the following resource box is included at the end of the article and as long as you link to the URL mentioned in the resource box:

Pet Portrait Artist, and Professional Illustrator Connie Bowen creates stunning pet portrait paintings on canvas from photos. Specializing in capturing the spiritual nature of dogs, cats, horses and other animals in a realistic fashion with impressionistic backgrounds as seen on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s TV show, Art Beat. Over 200 pet portraits completed and counting! Visit http://www.conniebowen.com to view exquisite samples.



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Dog Health Tips – Care For Your Pets at Home

by
Adrienne Davis

Everyone with pets, whether dogs or puppies, needs to have a veterinary surgeon to turn to in an emergency. They do a wonderful job, and you should never ignore a pet’s suffering. However, it is a waste of money to attend the Vet’s surgery when the problem is one you can solve at home. This is a short guide to dealing with minor ailments as a form of Pets’ First Aid. If the symptoms persist you can still contact the vet. Dog health need not always be a costly worry to the wise pet owner.

Some dog breeds do not like being handled: pitbull dogs and bull terriers for example. This should be key element of dog obedience training so that the dog accepts that you are entitled to treat him for his own good. After a country walk it is a good idea to give your dog a quick grooming or rub down, and check for any lumps or bumps that he may have picked up along the way. My own dog, a Collie – German Shepherd cross, gets twigs and sticks caught in round his rear and his bushy tail. Left unchecked, these can cause the fur to mat around them. The dog will worry at it and probably lick the area bare, leaving it open to infection. You can avoid this with a few minutes’ attention.

Ticks are nasty. They have a one-piece body and the harpoon-like mouth barbs attach to a host (your dog) for feeding. Crablike legs and a sticky secretion help the tick to hold on. Long-haired dogs like Schnauzers often suffer badly from ticks. When attempting to remove a tick, the aim is to prevent the mouth section from coming off and remaining embedded in the skin. The home remedy is simple and cheap – petroleum jelly, which is what you would get if you went to a pet shop and paid for a proprietary tick remover! The most effective way to remove the tick is to put a big lump of petroleum jelly over the area where it has attached itself. Leave this for at least ten minutes. Once the tick’s grip loosens, you can wipe it out of the way with a tissue.

Ear mites - if your pet has ear mites, then place two drops of corn oil into its ears (an eye dropper will do the trick), massage the ear gently then clean with a cotton ball. This will suffocate the mites. Repeat for 3 days. Regular ear bathing with oil is recommended by vets, to avoid a buildup of wax and irritants.

Constipation - try this quick fix for a constipated pet. For a large dog, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of mineral oil to its food. For a small dog reduce the dose to 1 to 2 teaspoons. Do this for two days and the problem should clear up.

Diarrhoea – mix one heaped teaspoon of carob powder with a little water and mix into your dog’s dinner. Use half a teaspoon if you have a puppy.

Urinary tract infections – mix 30-40ml of cranberry juice into your pet’s food. This will boost the acidity of its urine, reduce bacteria and help relieve the discomfort.

And if you’re not sure what’s wrong – say your pet seems ‘off colour’ – then here’s a tip we use all the time. Add half a dissolved aspirin or children’s liquid analgesic to your pet’s food. It can perk up a German Shepherd in minutes!

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com


Adrienne Davis runs Dog Health Training and Care, at www.homebusinessadvisers.com/dogs offering tips on Care and Training for Dogs and Puppies of all breeds. Advice on Obedience Training, Dog Breeds and Characteristics. Where to find a dog and how to care for him. Find your Matchmaker Online – www.myasianpartner.com



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The Love Between Dog And Human

by
Phyllis Benton

I got candy girl when she was six weeks old. I wanted a pure breed black lab but there didn’t seem to be any available at the time. I called to answer an ad for some mix lab puppies. I went to look at the puppies but heart really wasn’t in it. As I looked at the puppies, Candy kept crawling up on my sneakers. I would move away from her as I still did not know which, if any, that I wanted. She continued to follow me and would climb back up on my shoes. After several times of moving and her returning, I picked her up to look at her closer. As I did, I made the decision to take her home with me. I felt that she chose to be with me.

We made a game of feeding her. Her dry food had a variety of colors in it. I would pick out a certain color and feed it to her calling it meat, vegetable, and cheese. She was fascinated, like a child, with the game. I fed her piece by piece until she had had enough. I gave her some can dog food a few times a week and fed her with a spoon. She loved the attention.

She became my best friend. We played together and worked together. When I had raked leaves or put limps off trees that had fallen off trees, on a tarp, she would grab one end in the front and help me drag it to the pile we had for burning. She also helped me when I planted flowers or bulbs. She would either run off with the containers or dig up the flowers or bulbs as soon as I got them in the ground.

She loved to go to the neighbors homes to see what she could bring home. She brought trash, baby dolls, stuffed animals and food. Once the back yard was white with the fiber fill from a huge stuffed animal she stole and tore apart—if you tried to take it from her she would run or swallow it. I learned how to sneak up on her if it was something that I knew. if swallowed, may harm her.

Candy loved the water so I got her a baby pool to play in. She loved it and would get in and lie down to cool off in the hot summer days. She would sneak down to the creek to get wet and muddy when no one was looking. Sometimes she would bring home a gift for Mommy. That included rats, mice and once she brought home a possum. She put the possum in her swimming pool and then came wagging her tail for me to come and see. I figure she was making sure it was dead by drowning if not already.

She comes in to wake me in the night if she hears any sort of a beeping noise or something that doesn’t sound right. Candy is nine now. I can’t begin to tell you all the stories about her and our lives together. She is my best buddy. I can’t imagine ever loosing her.

Coco came about after we lost Bubba at the age of seven to a brain tumor. He was abandon at four and was going to the dog pound. I rescued him and brought him home. He is a whole other story.

Back to Coco. Candy needed a companion again after her mourning time of six months. She was ready to have a new house hold member again. I didn’t think she, or me, needed a have a puppy to train. Both of us were getting to old for that. Candy needed a dog a bit older so I got on the Internet and looked at shelters, rescue shelters until I found the dog I thought perfect for her. He was a lab mix. His name was Coco. I got in touch with the rescue shelter and was told that he had already been adopted. It was very disappointing. I contacted another woman who told me of another rescue shelter. We went to see the dogs available for adoption after being told they had a mix breed lab about a year old. At the shelter we were introduced to a young dog, kind of skinny, male, mixed breed. His name was also Coco. It didn’t dawn on me at the time until after Candy thought him to be okay, she went with us, and signed the adoption papers, that it was the same dog as was on the Internet. It seemed as though we were supposed to have him.

Coco got out every toy from the toy box when in the house. He played with each and every one of them. He was full of energy and he was very bossy. He would push Candy out of the way when she would try to get close to us. He wanted all the attention.

We learned of his fear of the thunder storms after the first one that came after bringing him home. We were asleep and I woke to the sound of a scratching sound in the bathroom. We have a Hugh garden tub with no surround in the front, just a small edge. He was standing, all fours, on the top of the tub, shaking all over. I can’t even imagine how he got up there. I lifted the 73 pound dog down and closed the door to the bathroom. The vet gave us some tranquilizers to give him before the storms to calm him. I have lost many hours sleep with him and storms. Coco is extremely intelligent and eager to learn. He is so affectionate. He will lay his head in my lap and go sound asleep. He loves to be kissed.

These dogs are my family, my kids, and couldn’t imagine life without them. I talk about all my dogs in my new book, Living Nightmares of Abuse. http://www.pdbenton.org My book is available at http://www.publishamerica.com and on any on line book store. Check your book store for listings.



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Train Your Dog To Exercise Indoors

by
Lee Dobbins

Exercise is as important for your pet as it is for you and every dog should get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Just like with humans, exercise has health benefits for your dog such as conditioning his muscles, helping his heart stay healthy and even helping him have a positive attitude.

But with the hectic schedules that most people have today, it can be difficult to fit in 30 minutes each day to devote to exercising your dog. While it would be nice to kill 2 birds with one stone and take your pooch out for a walk, thus providing exercise for both you and him, this may not be practical timewise or weatherwise.

Luckily there is an answer - pet treadmills. These are similar to human treadmills and have a rotating floor that encourages your animal to keep with a pre-set pace. It is on a smaller scale from a “people” treadmill and has straps that keep your pet within the bounds of the treadmill.

To use the pet treadmill, you simply strap your pet in so he cannot stray from the platform then turn it on. As the floor moves, your pet will start walking to keep up with it. This may take a bit of getting used to for your dog, but with a little training and positive reinforcement your pet will soon learn to love it. I recommend, you start slow and gradually speed up the treadmill once your dog gets used to it.

These pet treadmills can give your dog the exercise he needs when you cannot. They can simulate the same feelings your dog has when he plays or runs outside. Their great for people who physically cannot exercise their dog or for those bitter cold winter days when it’s not fit for man nor beast outdoors. Even if your dog is older and doesn’t have a lot of energy, you can simply put the treadmill on a slow speed. Younger dogs with energy to burn can get theirs set to a fast speed and there’s even a timer so you can make sure your pet gets his a veterinarian-recommended amount of exercise.

Having a pet treadmill is a great addition to your pets exercise routine but it’s no excuse to never take your dog outside. Dogs love to get out and smell the different smells and see some different scenery. They are much happier when they get to walk and play outside regularly. Come to think of it, you’ll be much happier too if you schedule some regular outdoor time for you and your dog.

But an pet treadmill can be a boon to busy pet owners and many use the exercise machines on the weekdays when they can’t fit in time to walk the dog. On the weekends, there is more free time, so they can take their pet for a walk in the park and let him run free or play frisbee. You might even look for a doggy park or playground where there is a fenced off area where your pet can run and play with other like minded dogs.

Training your dog to use a treadmill to get his daily dose of exercise indoors isn’t hard. After a few times, you’ll probably notice that your pet even looks forward to it!

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.train-the-dog.com where you can get more dog training articles.



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The Dachshund: The Weiner Dog

by
Michael Russell

The Dachshund is popularly called "The Wiener Dog" because of its long and low appearance. The Dachshund in Germany is known as the "Tekal" . The Word "Tekal" can be found inscribed on the base of an ancient Egyptian sculpture which pictures a King seated with three rather strange yet familiar dogs. Apparently a breed of dog that was long backed and short legged did exist in Egypt at a very early date. These dogs are said to be the forebears of the Dachshund as we know it today. The German word "dachshund" translates as badger dog, historically this was the work which the little dog performed. Badgers are nasty and vicious animals, living in burrows in the ground and the Dachshund is a breed that was bred to dig into the burrows and roust out the fearful creature. Needless to say, the Dachshund is a plucky and courageous dog who considers himself to be much larger than he actually is! In actuality, the little dog is of the Hound family, using scent capabilities when hunting, but because of the ability to dig and the ferocious persistence the dog exhibits when "going to ground" it is often mistakenly assumed that this breed belongs in the Terrier family.

The modern Dachshund is represented by two different sizes and three different types of coat. The Standard Dachshund is 12-15 pounds and the Miniature is less than 9 pounds. The coat can be long haired, smooth, or wire haired. Historically the Germans used the Dachshund for the utilitarian purposes for which it was bred. The Standard is considered the dog for tracking badger, stag and boar. The Miniature was used exclusively for rabbit and small game. Regardless of the size or coat, all Dachshunds have the appearance of a long but very short dog, approximately three times longer than it is tall. Tails are long, ears are lop and nearly as long as the head. The muzzle is long and the head should taper cleanly to the tip of the nose. The breastbone should be prominent and the forelegs, because of the depth and broadness of the chest may have a slightly bowed appearance. The legs are built for digging and the paws should be large and the shoulders should be muscular and wide.

In the United States the Dachshund is not often considered as a "hunting dog" and its function is generally that of a pet dog. The popular "Wiener Dog" makes a friendly, if not somewhat feisty, companion dog. This is a little dog who thinks he is tough. He needs to be trained from the beginning to be gracious to strangers who knock on the door , but is not normally a vicious or aggressive dog, just noisy and territorial in his nature. He is prone to problems which can develop because of the long length of his back and as a puppy or an adult, care needs to be taken that he is not lifted or carried incorrectly nor allowed to jump off of furniture. This little dog also loves to eat and has a propensity to become obese if not kept well exercised and given the proper diet.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dogs



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