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sábado, 18 de agosto de 2012

Beagle Dog Breed Profile

Description: The Beagle is an active small to medium sized dog used as a companion or for hunting. The dogs stand up to 16 at the shoulder and generally weigh between 18 to 35 pounds. As with most breeds, the bitch is smaller. The Beagle has a strong head and floppy ears. The dog has a short-haired coat and many color variations can occur. The most prevalent is the tricolor Beagle with its black saddle, but lemon, black and tan, orange, or red and white are all acceptable.

History: The Beagle rose from the anonymous ranks of 'hound-dom' in the 1500s in England. Packs of dogs were used at the time to hunt small game such as rabbits and pheasants. The Harrier, which is not only taller than the Beagle, but weighs almost twice as much, provided the foundation stock for the Beagle. Originally, Beagles were used by people who would be unable to follow a hunting pack in the usual headlong manner. The infirm or elderly were able to ride at a leisurely pace, and the Beagle provided hunting opportunities for those who had no horses. The dogs could be followed on foot. This is the way Beagles are used today for hunting. The French word 'be'guele' is probably the source of the dog's name and referred to the sound of the hunting bay.


Temperament: The disposition of the Beagle is famously good. These dogs are cheerful and gentle. Beagles are intelligent and brave dogs and get along well with other dogs. They can be trusted to behave beautifully with children. However, as they are hunting dogs, it is best to accustom them to any household cats or other pets while they are puppies. Beagles are usually difficult to train as they are easily distracted by interesting smells or sights. The Beagle loves to wander, and if the owner is not a hunter, every effort should be make to stimulate him at home. A fenced yard is the best way to assure the Beagle's safety.


Health Issues: Fortunately, the Beagle is seldom afflicted with hip dysplasia, but they make be subject to spinal disk ailments. Epilepsy is somewhat common in Beagles as are eye and heart diseases. Because Beagles often roam in fields and brush, they should be checked carefully for ticks and fleas. Ticks can spread Lyme Disease and Tracker Dog Disease. The Beagle will normally live for up to 15 years.


Grooming: The Beagle's short coat does not require extensive care, one brushing a week is adequate to keep shedding under control. The floppy ears can give rise to ear infections, so care should be given to keep them clean and dry.


Living Conditions: The Beagle loves to be outside, preferably with human or dog friends, but will be happy indoors if given adequate exercise. Beagles are companionable and like to be around others. The Beagle is best kept in the house during the winter in northern climates, although a well-made dog house will suffice in warmer areas.

Certified Bug Dogs for Extermination

Bed bugs are scary not because they can cause any harm, but because they cause nuisance and leave you with sleepless nights. Those who have kids or infants at home need to be extremely cautious. You might be ignorant to the most beneficial extermination services with the help of bug dogs. The specially trained bug dogs sniff around to find the hiding bed bugs, thereby helping the professionals to eradicate them effectively. The success rate of 97% has enhanced the demand for the canine services in residential communities, hotel rooms and other buildings. For many exterminators and dog trainers, this is a profitable business opportunity too.

Dogs are appreciated for their keen sense of smell to detect various substances, including drugs, mold and now the bed bugs. The Hollywood movies have always provided ample importance to the dogs and have shown you that they can take up variety of roles more than just being a faithful companion. It is amazing to learn that the specific species of canines even possess approximately three hundred million receptors in their noses while the amount of this in humans could just be thirty million. Despite the weather conditions like rain, mud and snow, they receive the scent and can distinguish even the slightest difference. The bug dogs mostly belong to the hunting breeds like Blood Hounds and Beagles. However, other breeds like Border Collies, Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors, and Aussies too are trained. Many residents prefer smaller dogs, especially those who have aversion to dogs. Across United States, there are ample of training facilities that raise and train dogs for the specific purpose. Most of them were once the less fortunate animals that have later been rescued. The training as well as the job duty should just be fun filled and enjoyable for them.


The bed bugs are considered to be the greatest nuisance because they can infest the entire home with ease. They are hard to detect with the human eye, not just because they are too tiny, but also because they know to hide. Most of you would bring this home either through the clothing or in suitcase from the bed and breakfast lodgings that you have stayed during your journey. The bug dogs start the training between eight to twelve months. The approximate training period is 800 to 1000 hours. The scent dogs needs to be certified by the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA) after the completion of the training for the dog to take up the job.


The scent detection canines, even though are assigned with responsibilities, demand extreme care and attention from the dog handlers. Just like any other dogs, the bug dogs too are social animals seeking attention from their masters. The dogs are highly trained so that they can even distinguish the live bugs from the dead ones. They are taught the search patterns as the bed bugs have certain peculiar hiding spots, like mattresses, carpets, closets, etc. Once they come across the infested area, they would point it out with their nose to the dog handler for extermination procedures.

Different Dog breeding techniques

Dog breeding is not as easy as you consider. Many answerable pet owners favor to get purebred dogs these days. Even on a parallel multiplies; breeding lines are tending to produce different characteristics and types of dogs. As you can watch, dog breeding is a difficult undertaking and without sufficient knowledge, you can't be a remarkable dog breeder.

Breeders should be mindful of the breed typical. On the other hand, dog breeding is sometimes influenced by the private likes or dislikes of the breeder when it comes to color, sizes, and kinds. What dog breed do you support? Does it possess its true characteristics? Is the visual facet of the dog the similar as what the books or other information basis say? What about its personality? Is the breeding line of your pet fit? You have to answer these speculates before you eventually select a certain dog breed. Answering the calls into question is in addition very important should you decide to be concerned in the breeding business.


There are almost all thoughts in dog breeding. You ought to be getting ready to invest time, attempt, and money before you can find out the fruits of your labor. Attempt to answer the questions above and if you can't, you will require digging in deeper. You have to study about the diverse dog breeds, the character of different bloodlines, the visual feature of the dam and sire, grand-dam, and grand-sire in a precise dog pedigree. Do you would like to set up improvements in the dog breed? Do you like to keep certain characteristics or qualities in the dog breed?


Breeding techniques vary whether you're contracting with inbreeding, out crossing, line breeding, or purebreds. You must be intelligent to gather all the information you have about dog breeding. Continuing educated will make you a improved dog breeder. You can study books on dog breeding or you are proficient to do some online study.


Cross breeding is one of the techniques of dog breeding. In this method, dogs of dissimilar multiplies are used. You cannot anticipate to produce the best dog injures if you use the cross breeding technique. If a criticism occurs with regards to the characteristics of the dogs, you cannot simply track down where the problem originated from.


The next technique is out breeding. This is a multifaceted method and only practiced breeders can carry out it. If a certain dog breed has a complaint or imperfection, you can make developments through out breeding. You must have a mate which groups the exacting characteristic that you want to improve. The breed should possess such characteristic up to that last 3 generations. After the out breeding, the dogs are bred back to the unique breeding line. New breeders aren't supported to do out breeding because this not a long way to begin a breeding agenda predominantly when you have maps to produce constant multiplies with the matching soundness and personality. Educate yourself thoroughly before you think out breeding.


Line breeding is a diverse technique in dog breeding. In this technique, confidentially linked dogs are bred to produce identical excellence characteristics, size, and personality’s dog strains. This method should be performed properly to confirm of success. Breeders who would like to concentrate mainly in one dog breed should be engaged in line breeding.


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miércoles, 15 de agosto de 2012

The Secrets of Potty Training an Older Dog

If you've just adopted an older dog and he's been having accidents in your home, then you should definitely take a minute to read this article.

In the next few paragraphs, I'm going to discuss some important information about potty training an older dog. First, we're going to talk a little bit about why older dogs may need to be retrained. Then, we'll talk about the training process for potty training an older dog. Last, I'll give you some great tips that are going to help you get your dog back into the swing of doing his business outside.


First, let's talk a little bit about bringing an older dog into your home, and why he may not seem to be potty trained. Just because a dog was potty trained as a puppy doesn't mean that he will be potty trained when he is brought into the home of a new owner. Dogs need time to adjust to a new environment. The dog also doesn't know what to expect from you. What will you allow? What won't you allow? He's going to feel you out at the beginning, so you'll need to let him know what you will and won't stand for.


Next, let's discuss the training process. You'll need to start training your dog as if he were a puppy. Crate training is the best option to start. However, some older dogs are very set in their ways, and can become very aggressive when faced with confinement. If this is the case with your dog, don't push the matter. Use a bathroom or other small room as your 'crate'.


A schedule should be set for potty breaks right off the bat. Older dogs are very picky about where they eliminate outside. He won't want to go where he plays, eats, or sleeps. You need to monitor your dog for a week or two until you get a handle on where he likes to go to the bathroom. Always head right to these spots as soon as you get outside with your dog. This will condition your dog to understand that when you bring him to that particular spot, you want him to eliminate.


Lastly, let's talk about some things you can do to help your dog become potty trained again. It's best to set regular feeding times. Feed your dog once in the morning, and once in the evening, and always at the same times. This way you can be sure of when your dog will need to go. Again, it's all about routine and consistency.


If your dog came from an abusive home where there was hitting or paper swatting, it may take him much longer to become acclimated to his new environment. In turn, it's going to take you longer to get him trained. If this is the case, be patient with your dog and approach the matter with love and affection. Remember, he was abused. The best thing for him is to know that he doesn't have to be threatened by you and that you aren't going to hit him when he makes a mistake.


If your dog does have an accident, it's best just to clean it up and move on. Yelling at your pooch will only make him nervous and worsen the matter. Older dogs are prone to more accidents than puppies, and this could be for any number of reasons. Mostly, it's because older dogs suffer from anxiety when they are getting acclimated to a new home. Your older dog may also 'mark' his territory by urinating in numerous places. The only effective solution for this in older dogs is neutering.


Understand why your dog needs to be retrained, learn the training process, and follow the tips I discussed and you'll have Fido potty trained in no time!

Fish Oil for Dogs

The family pet has become a part of the American family and should be treated with the same care that you would treat your children or parents. Most dogs gain huge benefits from the fatty acids in fish oil. Most people wouldn’t think of giving something like fish oil to a dog, but the studies have shown may problems with your dog can be mitigated by including these supplements in their diet.

Some ailments that fish oil can help dogs are:

Allergies
Kidney disease
Arthritis
high cholesterol
Inflammatory issues
itching due to dermititis
Dull coat
Ear infections
Cancer
Colitis

These are just a few of the problems that may be benefitted by including a fish oil supplement in your dog's diet. You should always talk with your vet before starting any kind of supplement treatment plan for your pet. Your vet will have the correct dosage and make sure that any other medications will not interact with new supplements. It is possible that your dog may have adverse reactions such as stomach aches, lethargic behavior or loose stools.


Now days, there are specialty liquids for dogs that you can purchase to make the dosage and usage even easier. These almost always come in liquid form that you pour over your dogs food once a day. These liquid forms can be found most anywhere or you can oder them from the web. You can also use a human form softgel by puncturing the capsule with a small pin and pouring the liquid out onto their food. This can be tiresome and difficult to get the full dosage onto the food. It is highly recommended that you invest in the liquid form of fish oil for your dog's health.


The dosage for dogs will vary with the weight of the animal and only a vet can tell you how much should be given to your animal. For large dogs, weighing more than 20, most vets will recommned about 20 mg of EPA per pound of body weight as a good starting point for your dog. It is important to remember that the labels can be confusing and you should make sure that you can get 20 mg out of a dose from any vendor.


Some people say that their dog is getting plenty of Omega3 fatty acids because their bag of food says that it contains essential fatty acids, omega acids, or fish oil. This is not the case because any fish oil product needs to be fresh to allow the body to make use of it. If the fish oil is cooked, as in prepared dog food, the fish oil becomes useless and a waste of time. Cooked or treated fish oil is not only not helping your dog, it has the potential to be harmful if taken over a period of time.


If your dog is a part of your family and you value their health, you need to make sure they get their full dose of omega3 fatty acids every day. This will help insure that your dog lives a long and pain free life. Make sure you are providing everything your dog may need in their diet.

Scared of The Thunder

It’s raining outside, and the sound of the heavy drops begins creating a commotion inside your home. Then the sound of thunder sends your dog ducking for cover under the bed. The truth is, dogs don’t really understand what’s going on outside. It would be tough to sit them down in front of the weather channel where a meteorologist can explain what’s going on right now. Instead, some dogs might think it’s a stranger trying to invade their home, while others have no idea what’s going on as they try to get away from the noise and commotion. Regardless of how your dog acts, when they’re reacting to thunder and lightning, it can be a little disconcerting to any loving owner. No one likes to see their dog dealing with the fear of the unknown, and by letting them know that they aren’t alone, we can help our four-legged friends cope with their worries.

Sometimes dogs are scared of thunder and lightning, but other sounds can have the same effect. Have you ever noticed that your pup may also be scared of fireworks when other loud sounds don’t seem to bother them? Like people, fear is sometimes developed for a good reason. Your dog may have encountered something that hurt them physically or mentally. When you adopt a rescued dog, you don’t always know what their history might be. Fear may be a developed problem, often making the issue that much harder to address.


Working with your dog during the storm


Your best place to start is by giving them a safe place to hide. Crates and other comfortable places should be available to them, even if that comfortable place is under the covers with you. Don’t get frustrated or angry at them because they won’t listen. Instead, go to them if you have to retrieve them. You’ll only make the situation worse if you get mad at them for being scared of something they don’t quite understand. But remember, no place is completely safe when thunder is an audible sound that travels through the air.


What you have to do is compete for attention. Try utilizing white noise, such as fans and other background sounds. Music played extra loud is an excellent play for interference, or you can even turn the volume up on the television while the two of you cuddle up on the couch. By tuning your dog’s ears to what’s going on inside the house, you take their mind off what’s going on outside.


You can go a little further by making the situation as positive as possible. Play with your dog, even if it’s just throwing the ball around or giving them a chew toy to gnaw on for a while. Give them a treat for being good while you practice a few tricks. Of course, treats come in all sorts and sizes, so don’t limit the fun to just one form of treat.


Practice makes perfect


Desensitizing by familiarization is one of the best ongoing therapies for breaking your dog’s fear of thunder. Recordings of thunderstorms or even waterfalls can be utilized to create background noise that your dog can practice with. By playing these types of recordings while you play with or treat your dog, they begin to familiarize the sound as something that’s actually good. And next time, instead of being scared, they’ll come running up to you wanting to play or get their treat.


Regularly play recordings of thunder or similar noises when you spend time with your dog, but if you’re leaving, don’t let the recording stay on. Their attention isn’t on you or the fun experience anymore, and they may associate the noise with you leaving them, causing more harm than good. For the best benefits, only use recordings to build a positive atmosphere.


Dogs are incredibly smart and they can learn just about anything we are willing to teach them. And, basic tricks aren’t the only thing your dog pays attention to when you give instruction. They watch how we act, sit, and even treat others around us. Whatever we do, our dogs watch and learn, even if it’s only a piece or fragment of what is going on around them. The best thing we can do is set a good example by not being scared ourselves, and being there to comfort them when they need the attention. Don’t let your dog deal with their fears on their own, because they surely wouldn’t let you take your fears on all by yourself.

Difference between European and American Doberman Pinchers ...

The Doberman pinscher has quite a reputation for being an excellent guard dog and a loyal pet. If you have come to a decision to bring a Doberman into your home, it is best to get a puppy. The question is, which breed line of Dobermans should you choose from.

Once you start talking to Doberman owners, you start to hear about European vis-à-vis American breeds. This might confuse you, so to help you figure it out, here are the basic differences between the two breeds.


The European Doberman


History shows that Dobermans are originally from Europe, more specifically, Germany. They were produced as military and police dogs, but quickly became a personal favorite among private families and individuals. They were brought up to be work dogs, not family pets. In fact, each Doberman puppy could only be registered if one of its parents had a Schutzhund title. This is a certification that the dog passed a test as a working breed. It is still an ongoing test used in Europe, and by some organizations in the United States.


As a guard dog, the Doberman is taught as a puppy not to be touched by anyone other than its owner or handler. This is why in many movies, you see Dobermann dogs being used as the ultimate protection for homes of both VIPs and gangsters alike. They can be very fierce and threatening, not to mention physically dangerous. However, a distinction must be made that the Dobermann dogs are taught to attack with intelligence. These are not dogs that randomly run after just anyone aggressively. They can stand in attention even in the presence of a stranger, but pounce at moment's notice once a command is given by its owner. You could not have made a better choice if you are looking for protection.


The American Doberman


Doberman puppies born and bred in the United States are segregated into security dogs or for show. However, what stands out even more than this is the social aspect of raising these dogs which is almost like night and day. In the US, the dogs raised to protect carry an even bigger threat of litigation from dog bites. Civil suits filed against owners of dogs, any breed, that threaten or bite have increased exponentially over the years, lending too much stress on the kind of training given to Dobermann dogs.


This could have led to the current trend to have Doberman dogs trained as pets or show dogs. If you notice, the usual colors of this breed is black/rust but there are albino, blue, fawn, or tan colors. Don't believe breeders or sellers who tell you that these unique colors distinguish the puppies as those from European lines.




Other Myths About The Doberman American and European Breeds


Surprisingly, it's easy to get fooled about a lot of things, and Doberman puppy buyers can quickly fall into this category because of limited information. Here are the usual lines sellers use to get you to buy their puppies.


' European Dobermann dogs are healthier - This is not a continental feature, but should be based on care and maintenance. You can ask for the history of the puppy so you can trace its genetic make-up and find out if the puppy will have a good survival rate

' North American Doberman dogs are likely to suffer from heart conditions - Not a valid statistic since it happens across the board
' European are high strung and too aggressive - As a matter of fact, because of its training, it does not attack without a command, and children can come up close to them without parents worrying about it. The Doberman puppies tend to be overly excited, but these are growing pains and so the necessary precautions should be taken

With these in mind, deciding the origin of your soon-to-be Dobermann puppy should not be a difficult decision to make. It would be far more important to know the bloodline of the puppy, shots, genetic frame, and what kind of training, if any, has been started.


Owning a Doberman puppy is going to be a decision you most likely will not regret. However, you have to establish the purpose of your puppy even before you buy it, so that you can plan the training process better.