Saint Bernard Puppy And Dog Information

By: Mitch Endick

The Saint Bernard can even be kept in an apartment if walked often. They are better suited to a fenced in enclosure for exercise. They are said to be easy to train. It might be a good idea to obedience train early as this breed becomes very large and can be hard to handle even for the strongest person. They can get along well with other pets, especially if well socialized with them early on. They generally love children. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Saint Bernard is 24 to 28 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 110 to 200 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Saint Bernard is no exception. Be on the look out for heart defects, bone problems, arthritis, hot spots, Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness) and bloat (Gastric Dilation-Volvulus, the second leading killer of dogs, can kill within the hour, this space is too limited for a complete explanation but you should read up on this). Feeding more then once a day and avoiding exercise right after meals may help guard against bloat. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. The Saint Bernard has a dense, short-haired, tough and smooth coat. She should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.

*Life Span. The Saint Bernard can live between 8 and 10 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Saint Bernard comes from Switzerland where they were used for locating lost people. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1885.

Some Registries:
* Saint Bernard Club of America
*UKC United Kennel Club
*NKC National Kennel Club
*CKC Continental Kennel Club
*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
*AKC American Kennel Club
*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
*ACR = American Canine Registry

Litter Size: 6 to 8 Saint Bernard puppies

Category: Working Group

Terms To Describe: Powerful, intelligent, gentle, tolerant, faithful, kind, affectionate, mellow, lazy

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Very good watch dog.
Easy to train.
Tolerant and good with children.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS
Not a good guard dog.
Do not like hot weather.
Can be a drooler.

*Other Names Known By: St. Bernhardshund

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

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


Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website developer for the popular pet site petpages.com. www.petpages.com is a pet information site with free pet ads, dog classifieds, and puppy for sale info Petpages.com also offers information on cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets, rabbits, mice and even pet bugs.

Is A Pomeranian Puppy Right For You?

By: Lee Dobbins

If you're thinking about getting a Pomeranian puppy, welcome to the joys of dog ownership.
Pomeranians are a breed of "toy" or small dogs that are renowned for their attractive double layer coats, sturdy build and friendly, inquisitive nature. The dogs are compact, with short backs, a short muzzle and a generally fox-like appearance, with small ears. Their tail curls up until the tip is parallel to the spine and a typical Pomeranian is between 3 and 7 pounds. Show-dog optimums are 4-6 pounds. Pomeranians come in a wide variety of colors with the most common being Black and Tan.

Pomeranians are very bright, active dogs as they mature. They're high energy and good companions for people in medium sized homes. They are very affectionate and are good at keeping their human owners active with a strong play regimen and their affinity for running.

Sadly, a Pomeranian puppy's high energy and inquisitive nature means that not all homes are ideal for them. If you cherish peace and quiet, a Pomeranian may put you to the test. Likewise, their intelligence means that "dog proofing" your home can be an exercise in frustration, particularly since Pomeranians can jump surprisingly high for a toy dog. Like most high energy dogs, expect to spend a lot of time playing with them and walking them as they go from puppyhood to adolescence to full maturity.

If you're looking to adopt a Pomeranian, you may find one through a local rescue agency or (rarely) through an animal shelter. You may want to try to contact a reputable breeder. Talk to the breeder and find out how many pups they sell in a year and if they participate in Pomeranian rescue. A good breeder will be asking you questions as well - he'll want to make sure the Pomeranian puppies are going to good homes.

Be sure to ask if the Pomeranian breeder has any dogs that have manifested genetic diseases c they shouldn't be breeding from those dogs. All of their breeding dogs should be registered with the American Kennel Club and the breeder should be well versed with the breed standards.

When meeting the puppies, look for a biddable personality and look for signs of intractability before taking him home. Following these steps will go a long way towards making a Pomeranian a welcome and active part of your home.

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


Lee Dobbins writes for www.pomeranian-pages.com where you can learn more about caring for and raising Pomeranian puppies.

Since The Begining Of Dog

By: Daniel Millions

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man's habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern dog, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from wilder animals, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a corner in his dwelling, and grew to trust it and care for it. Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions from the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. One can well conceive the possibility of the partnership beginning in the circumstance of some helpless whelps being brought home by the early hunters to be tended and reared by the women and children. Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family

In nearly all parts of the world traces of an indigenous dog family are found, the only exceptions being the West Indian Islands, Madagascar, the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago, New Zealand, and the Polynesian Islands, where there is no sign that any dog, wolf, or fox has existed as a true aboriginal animal. In the ancient Oriental lands, and generally among the early Mongolians, the dog remained savage and neglected for centuries, prowling in packs, gaunt and wolf-like, as it prowls today through the streets and under the walls of every Eastern city. No attempt was made to allure it into human companionship or to improve it into docility. It is not until we come to examine the records of the higher civilisations of Assyria and Egypt that we discover any distinct varieties of canine form.

The dog was not greatly appreciated in Palestine, and in both the Old and New Testaments it is commonly spoken of with scorn and contempt as an "unclean beast." Even the familiar reference to the Sheepdog in the Book of Job "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock" is not without a suggestion of contempt, and it is significant that the only biblical allusion to the dog as a recognised companion of man occurs in the apocryphal Book of Tobit (v. 16), "So they went forth both, and the young man's dog with them."

The great multitude of different breeds of the dog and the vast differences in their size, points, and general appearance are facts which make it difficult to believe that they could have had a common ancestry. One thinks of the difference between the Mastiff and the Japanese Spaniel, the Deerhound and the fashionable Pomeranian, the St. Bernard and the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier, and is perplexed in contemplating the possibility of their having descended from a common progenitor. Yet the disparity is no greater than that between the Shire horse and the Shetland pony, the Shorthorn and the Kerry cattle, or the Patagonian and the Pygmy; and all dog breeders know how easy it is to produce a variety in type and size by studied selection.

In order properly to understand this question it is necessary first to consider the identity of structure in the wolf and the dog. This identity of structure may best be studied in a comparison of the osseous system, or skeletons, of the two animals, which so closely resemble each other that their transposition would not easily be detected.

The spine of the dog consists of seven vertebrae in the neck, thirteen in the back, seven in the loins, three sacral vertebrae, and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each has forty-two teeth. They both have five front and four hind toes, while outwardly the common wolf has so much the appearance of a large, bare-boned dog, that a popular description of the one would serve for the other.

Nor are their habits different. The wolf's natural voice is a loud howl, but when confined with dogs he will learn to bark. Although he is carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and when sickly he will nibble grass. In the chase, a pack of wolves will divide into parties, one following the trail of the quarry, the other endeavouring to intercept its retreat, exercising a considerable amount of strategy, a trait which is exhibited by many of our sporting dogs and terriers when hunting in teams.

A further important point of resemblance between the Canis lupus and the Canis familiaris lies in the fact that the period of gestation in both species is sixty-three days. There are from three to nine cubs in a wolf's litter, and these are blind for twenty-one days. They are suckled for two months, but at the end of that time they are able to eat half-digested flesh disgorged for them by their dam or even their sire.

The native dogs of all regions approximate closely in size, coloration, form, and habit to the native wolf of those regions. Of this most important circumstance there are far too many instances to allow of its being looked upon as a mere coincidence. Sir John Richardson, writing in 1829, observed that "the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference.

It has been suggested that the one incontrovertible argument against the lupine relationship of the dog is the fact that all domestic dogs bark, while all wild Canidae express their feelings only by howls. But the difficulty here is not so great as it seems, since we know that jackals, wild dogs, and wolf pups reared by bitches readily acquire the habit. On the other hand, domestic dogs allowed to run wild forget how to bark, while there are some which have not yet learned so to express themselves.

The presence or absence of the habit of barking cannot, then, be regarded as an argument in deciding the question concerning the origin of the dog. This stumbling block consequently disappears, leaving us in the position of agreeing with Darwin, whose final hypothesis was that "it is highly probable that the domestic dogs of the world have descended from two good species of wolf (C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms; from at least one or two South American canine species; from several races or species of jackal; and perhaps from one or more extinct species"; and that the blood of these, in some cases mingled together, flows in the veins of our domestic breeds.

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


Web Directory
Daniel Millions