Friday, May 30, 2008

Labradoodle Dog Breed


By : Ashley Peach
Have you ever heard of a Labradoodle? If not you will find the below information not only interesting, but you may convert to a new dog breed for your family. The Labradoodle is a hunting dog that is a cross between a poodle and a Labrador. You will find there are seven colors you can have with a Labradoodle. They can be chalk, cream, apricot, chocolate, cafÈ, or black and silver. You will also find they can be a mix of these colors. They are one of the most interesting breeds despite being a mixed breed. You will find they usually weigh between 25 and 90 pounds. They stand about 13- 22 inches from the ground making them a short dog.

You will find the Labradoodle is intelligent, intuitive, and very full of energy. They do very well as companions, but doesn’t make a service dog. In other words while they can be great hunting dogs they don’t make for good therapy dogs or seeing- eye dogs. They tend to have both a poodle and Labrador mentality making them very excitable. You will also find they can make a great family pet as long as they have been trained. They can be excessively energetic and sometimes don’t make the best pets for smaller children. Training as a puppy is very important to help them learn proper techniques and reign in the energy just a little. If you do train them properly they can be around children.

Training should be for both a lab and poodle since they are mixed. You should be able to combine sport activity along with obedience. Labradors tend to be very energetic and without proper training they will continue to be disobedient because they would rather play. The poodle in them can make them a little anti social. You will find they are very easy to train for indoors, but consistent training and a firm hand is needed. You should always take your Labradoodle for walks daily to offer them plenty of opportunity to play and have fun. You will also find a medium yard is needed. They do not do well in condos or apartments. If you work during the day you should have them tied to a runner in the yard to let them explore and play. They require at least two hours of interaction such as walking, running, and playing with toys for the best health and happiness.

Care of the Labradoodle is fairly easy. They require regular brushing as the hair can become quite tangled. They have the poodle style coat, which means longer hair, rather than the Labrador coat which is usually short. In order to keep shedding down you will need to brush them. You should be able to clip them just once a year. You will also find this dog breed to be hypo- allergenic. In other words they tend to suffer from several allergies so they can have health problems due to respiratory issues.

As long as you train your Labradoodle and offer plenty of affection and activities you will find them to be a great addition to your family. You should start of with a puppy, especially if you are planning on having children to help them adapt to the social requirements they will need to have. If you purchase an adult Labradoodle you may find it harder to train certain behaviors out of them, especially if they have had no formal training. Labradoodles are one of the most interesting breeds because they have been mixed. They are recognized as a breed by the dog association.



Author's Resource:

Ashley Peach is a writer for the websites dog accessories, dog training aids and dog bowls.

Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.

The Neapolitan Mastiff Dog Breed


By : Ashley Peach
There are a few Mastiff breeds in the dog species. One of those breeds is called the Neapolitan Mastiff, which is also a working dog. They are large dogs growing to 165 pounds and at most 30 inches tall. They are a very muscular dog breed. The Neapolitan Mastiff is usually black, chocolate or blue in color. They have a short hair that is coarse and dense. You will find this mastiff is known by his massive wrinkles around the face and on his back. If you are ready to learn more just keep reading. We will tell you whether they will make a great pet or just a wonderful watchdog. You will also learn about care, temperament, and training needed.

First care with any dog is very important. You need to make sure you have the right dog food with the highest nutrition value, plenty of water during the day for them to drink when you are off at work, and of course that you take care in their grooming needs. As a larger dog you will find the Neapolitan Mastiff requires quite a bit of nutrients in their food. You will also find that grooming is very easy. You can brush them with a rubber brush to remove the dead hair, and help keep shedding to a minimum. You will also need to take a wet cloth to their winkles to keep that area clean, but for the most part they will keep themselves clean. This can make the care very easy for this dog breed as a pet, but the question remains are they really a great pet to have?

Their character or temperament is often seen as very watchful. They are a guard dog at heart. They will be very territorial, protective, but not aggressive. You will actually find them to be gentle and very affectionate. Despite the gentle side they will still stand guard around strangers. You may also be a little wary at having them around small children. As mentioned the Neapolitan Mastiff dog breed is very large. They are also very muscular which can make them a little scary for small children. You should introduce this breed into the family only if you have older children that can handle the massive size. You will find that around other pets and even children with the proper training and socialization they can be quite safe.

Training is very important so that you establish a dominance over the Neapolitan Mastiff rather than the other way around. You will need to socialize them with other animals as puppies to avoid issues and make sure they under stand house rules. You will need to be firm with a consistency they will understand. Their need to be protective can be a problem during training and especially if you don’t train them at all. You may seek a professional handler to help you learn the techniques you will need in order to train your Neapolitan Mastiff. Exercise is also very important to their care and training. You will find they need daily exercise, such as two walks in a day. They also need to have a large backyard to play in. Their great size demands a lot of space, even in a home. You will not want to keep them cooped up in an apartment, but rather have a large house with a backyard. While they are protective they can be happy spending time outdoors for a day while you are at work. Like most dogs they shouldn’t be left for extended periods of time or ever mistreated.



Author's Resource:

Ashley Peach is a writer for the websites dog, dog treats and dog leads.

Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.

The Papillon Dog Breed


By : Ashley Peach
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes to make great family pets. There are always dog lovers out there that have a favorite breed, but how do you know what you may like if you don’t know the breeds peculiarities. If you have never really been around dogs you should always find as much information about them as possible including the breeds that are available and how you should interact with them. The Papillon dog breed is considered a toy. It is one of the smaller dogs among the list. You will find that it is also an older breed in European history.

Dating back to the sixteenth century you will find the Papillon was considered a lap dog for most of the nobles in Europe. The name means butterfly in the French translation and when you see this dog you will understand why it is an apt name. The ears really resemble the wind span of a butterfly with the shape and the hair that grows around them. In fact you could argue their ears are actually larger than their face. You will find the Papillon dog weighs nine to ten pounds and stands about eight to eleven inches. They have one of the finest coats in the dog breeds as well. They are usually white with patches of black, tan, and other colors. The coat is long and almost silky. You will find they are soft to pet and that their hair is going to be a little longer than most dog breeds. Luckily the hair doesn’t grow to long on their limbs, but they are fairly fluffy in appearance all around.

Like most dog breeds in the toy category you will find the Papillon dog to be extremely playful, alert, and affectionate. They are also well known for their elegance. They do not make a great guard dog as they tend to be overly affectionate with everyone. You will find they are not shy or aggressive. They like to be the center of attention, and despite their size you will find them to be quite sturdy. The Papillon likes to have plenty of affection and doesn’t do well with mistreatment; therefore older children are recommended before adding the Papillon to your family. You will also find they can be a little protective towards the family or owner, but they will never be dangerous.

Training is one of the easier options you have with this dog breed. Most dogs can display a stubbornness during training, but not the Papillon. They are eager to learn and like complex problems for their intelligence. If you are hoping to integrate them into a family you will need a little socialization training regarding other pets. They tend to like being protective and the attention seeker, which may cause issues. You will find the Papillon is often a show dog or used for therapy because of their temperament. You will also find they need to have daily exercise if you hope to keep them healthy and happy. They do need to have yard space or parks that they can go to for running and playing. You should never leave this dog in the backyard unsupervised though. They tend to have issues escaping.

Care for your Papillon requires weekly grooming for their hair. They are medium shedders and they tend to get a little tangled during the week. You will also find they are prone to ear issues and the paws need to be trimmed at appropriate intervals. Health issues you may find with these dogs are cataracts, petalla luxation, and Von Willebrands disease.



Author's Resource:

Ashley Peach is a writer for the websites dog accessories, dog beds and dog collars.

Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.

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