My Friendly Pets

Since dogs can’t talk, we, as their caretakers have to be able to recognize signs of illness in them. Do you know what to look for?

This is what a healthy dog should look like:
- Smooth skin with no scabs, growths, or rashes.
- Coat should be without bald spots, dandruff, or parasites.
- Eyes should be clean with no watering or discharge.
- Clean ears with no discharge, although some wax is normal.
- Nose should be moist, not dry or cracked.
- Stools should be firm with no parasites.
- Temperature should be between 100-102.5
- Gums should be pink, some may have darker pigments

Signs of illness:

- Visible pain, limping or chewing at joints

- Change in behavior

- Excessive urination

- Lack of appetite

- Vomiting, diarrhea, or coughing

- Lethargy

dogs, pets, animals, vet, illness, pet health

With an increasing number of people waiting until later in life to have babies, I can’t help but wonder: are these people getting dogs instead? Are our furry friends taking the place of babies? In my own personal life they have, so far anyway. With this in mind, and for your entertainment, I’ve compiled a short list of why dogs are better than babies.

1. College is going to cost you a lot more money than obedience school will.

2. A few months of housebreaking and you’re finished cleaning up poop.

3. A pack of wee-wee pads is far cheaper than several years of diapers.

4. Your dog will never talk back to you, ask to borrow your car, or ask you for money.

5. You can have them spayed or neutered, so you’ll never have to worry about teen pregnancy.

6. If, somehow they do have babies, you can always sell them.

dogs, pets, animals, children, humor, pet humor

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.” - Milan Kundera

What do you love about your dog?

dogs, pets, animals, quotes, dog quotes

I suppose the Pet-A-Potty is like the dog-version of a litter box. I think these things are great! It’s basically a box with a piece of sod in it. You can place it indoors or on your balcony for your dog to use when you can’t take him for a walk. Why didn’t I think of that?! You can replace the sod as often as you’d like by ordering a new piece from the company. The potty comes in three sizes, and two or more of them can be placed together for extra large dogs.

PETaPOTTY website

dogs, pets, animals, house breaking, petapotty, pet potty, training

The Shetland Sheepdog, or Sheltie, as they are more commonly called is known to be one of the smartest breeds of them all. Some people call them a miniature collie, which they are not. The two are entirely separate breeds, although they favor one another. Shelties are obedient and loyal, loving and affectionate towards their owners, but weary of strangers. They make excellent watchdogs. They are fairly active, and love to chase. This can probably be attributed to their herding ancestry. Shelties will do okay in homes without a yard, but need to be walked regularly. Mental and physical stimulation is essential for these dogs. They are smart, easily trained, and eager to please. Shelties don’t require bathing very often, but they may need to be brushed from time to time. They shed their undercoat twice per year. They typical weight for a Sheltie is between 14-27 pounds.

AKC Breed Standard
American Shetland Sheepdog Association

Technorati Profile

dogs, pets, animals, breeds, dog breeds, sheltie, shetland sheepdog

Do you want a dog, but you’re not sure which breed would best suit your lifestyle?

CLICK HERE to take this quiz from The Dog Breed Info Center.

Simply answer the questions about yourself and your family. The quiz will generate a list of breeds that would be best for you. They even have links to breeders.

dogs, pets, animals, breeds, breed profiles,

Owning a dog can be time consuming, expensive, and sometimes a bit challenging. Is it worth the trouble? The answer is YES, Absolutely! Studies have shown that pet ownership can improve a person’s mental and emotional state, as well as provide many health benefits.

According to medical research, owning a pet lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Pets can also alleviate stress, depression, and anxiety. The simple act of petting a dog is relaxing and calming. Of course pets encourage us to be more active. Walking dogs and playing with them gets people moving when they might otherwise sit on the couch and watch television. The companionship provided by pets can decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation. They also encourage us to be more social. I’ve met many neighbors out walking my dogs. Conversations strike up easily by asking “What kind of dog is that?� or “Oh, what a cute dog you have!�

Pets can bring families closer together. There is just something about taking care of a little furr-ball that creates closeness among family members. Caring for a dog develops a nurturing behavior in children. They learn empathy and maybe even some responsibility.

Our dogs love us unconditionally and are loyal beyond belief… what could be better for a person than that?

Pet Power
Surprising Health Benefits for Pet Owners

dogs, pets, animals, benefits, dog owner

K9 Magazine’s translation of ten different barks:

1. Continuous rapid barking, midrange pitch: “Call the pack! There is a potential problem! Someone is coming into our territory!” Continuous barking but a bit slower and pitched lower: “The intruder [or danger] is very close. Get ready to defend yourself!”

2. Barking in rapid strings of three or four with pauses in between, midrange pitch: “I suspect that there may be a problem or an intruder near our territory. I think that the leader of the pack should look into it.”

3. Prolonged or incessant barking, with moderate to long intervals between each utterance: “Is there anybody there? I’m lonely and need companionship.” This is most often the response to confinement or being left alone for long periods of time.

4. One or two sharp short barks, midrange pitch: “Hello there!” This is the most typical greeting sound.

5. Single sharp short bark, lower midrange pitch: “Stop that!” This is often given by a mother dog when disciplining her puppies but may also indicate annoyance in any dog, such as when disturbed from sleep or if hair is pulled during grooming and so forth.

6. Single sharp short bark, higher midrange: “What’s this?” or “Huh?” This is a startled or surprised sound. If it is repeated two or three times its meaning changes to “Come look at this!” alerting the pack to a novel event. This same type of bark, but not quite as short and
sharp, is used to mean “Come here!” Many dogs will use this kind of bark at the door to indicate that they want to go out. Lowering the pitch to a relaxed midrange means “Terrific!” or some other similar expletive, such as “Oh, great!” My cairn terrier, for example, who loves to jump, will give this single bark of joy when sent over the high jump. Other dogs give this same bark when given their food dish.

7. Single yelp or very short high-pitched bark: “Ouch!” This is in response to a sudden, unexpected pain.

8. Series of yelps: “I’m hurting!” “I’m really scared” This is in response to severe fear and pain.

9. Stutter-bark, midrange pitch: If a dog’s bark were spelled “ruff,” the stutter-bark would be spelled “ar-ruff.” It means “Let’s play!” and is used to initiate playing behavior.

10. Rising bark: This is a bit hard to describe, although once you’ve heard it, it is unmistakable. It is usually a series of barks, each of which starts in the middle range but rises sharply in pitch - almost a bark-yelp, though not quite that high. It is a play bark, used during rough-and- tumble games, that shows excitement and translates as “This is fun!”

K9Magazine.com

dogs, pets, animals, barking, communication, dog behavior

Cheerfulness is the hallmark of this breed. Bichons are fairly small dogs, with puffy white hair and dark, inquisitive eyes. They usually weigh between 10-16 pounds. They love to be with people and bond easily with their families. They are playful, but not hyper, and good with other pets as well as children. Bichons do well in apartments or homes without a yard. They do need to be walked, but are happy to play indoors. This breed is very easily trained, and can be taught tricks.

Bichons require a lot of time and energy in regards to grooming. They need to be brushed daily, and frequent trips to the groomer may be necessary. The upside to this is that they shed very little. When their coat is taken care of properly, they will have a “powder-puff” appearance. All Bichons are white, but some may have buff or cream shadings.

Bichons make excellent pets in almost any home, but they do require time and attention from their owners. They are loving, affectionate, and eager to please.

AKC Breed Standard
Bichon Frise Club of America
Dog Owner’s Guide

dogs, pets, animals, breeds, breed profiles, bichon, bichon frise

Vet bills can be so expensive and unexpected. Pet Insurance may be worth looking into. It’s sounds weird when you first think of it.. insurance for a dog. After I gave it a little more thought, it made sense. There are several companies out there who offer pet insurance. It doesn’t work quite the same as human insurance, and it’s definitely less expensive. For a young dog in good health, it will probably run around $20 - $30 per month. Older dogs will cost around $40 or $50 per month.

Some companies allow you to go to any vet, you then file a claim and are reimbursed. Others require that you use a vet in their network. There are no co-pays involved, you pay upfront, and then wait for reimbursment. From what I have gathered, most services are covered at around 80 percent. Annual vaccinations and routine exams are covered completely. VPI is the oldest pet insurance company. They have been around since 1982. PetCo and PetSmart also offer their own coverage for their in-store vets.

Before you purchase pet insurance, do you homework! Read all the fine print

dogs, pets, animals, pet insurance, vet bills, pet health, dog health

I’m sure you’ve heard of them by now.. mixed breed dogs usually ending in -poo. Maltipoo, cokerpoo, shihpoo, labradoodle, peke-a-poo, yorki-poo, schnoodle, pom-poos, and the list goes on. Are these new breeds? No.. not at all. They’re good old fashioned mutts, sold at a high price.

Breeders market these puppies as “designer” breeds, and claim that when mixing two breeds you get the best of both worlds. What they don’t tell you is that you might also get the worst of both worlds. The truth is that most responsible breeders commit to one breed, and would never consider mixing them. The point of breeding is to create healthy dogs, who also meet the breed standards as specified by the AKC. Certain breeds are prone to certain health problems and behavioral traits, and breeders strive to eliminate as many problems as possible. When two breeds are mixed, the risk is creating a dog that holds the undesirable traits of both breeds.

Don’t get me wrong, my family has owned many mutts who were excellent dogs. But beware when you see a “designer dog” advertised as some special hybrid mix that’s going to be the greatest dog ever. These dogs are usually sold at higher prices than pure-breeds!

My advice - find a reputable breeder and stick to pure-breeds. If you want a mixed breed, that’s fine, but don’t pay the “designer price” for it. There are tons of mixed-breed dogs at shelters in every city, waiting to be adopted.

Quiz - Mutt or Designer Breed?

pets, animals, dogs, breeds, mixed breeds, breeders

The “Westie” has been described as independent, energetic, alert, strong willed, and intelligent. They are compact little dogs, but not necessarily lap dogs. Westies will do okay in homes with older children, but the children must understand how to properly treat a dog. Westies have low dander, which is great if you have allergies. Their coat consists of a soft inner layer, and a hard outer layer. They need to be brushed regularly, but bathing is only recommended once a month to keep their skin from drying. While these dogs are not “yappers”, they will bark to announce a visitor or if startled.

Is a Westie the dog for you? Click Here

AKC Breed Standard

dogs, pets, animals, breeds, westie, west highland, terrier,

The 2007 Westminster Dog Show ended last night, with the English Springer Spaniel, James taking the coveted “Best in Show” title.

Click Here to see the group winners.

dogs, pets, animals, dog show, westminster, kennel clubs, show dogs

Dogs need activity in order to be happy. Sometimes this is as simple as playing with them. Walking your dog is an excellent way to bond with your pet and allow him to burn off some energy. Even if you have a fenced in yard, I would recommend walking your dog outside at least once a day. Dogs who are left at home all day with little exercise and human interaction usually develop behavioral problems such as destructive chewing and excessive barking. Dogs, like humans, are social animals. They have a strong desire to be with other animals, and/or humans. If this need is to meet, the dog will suffer immensely.

Also, make sure your dog has his own toys to play with. Toys are a great way to keep your dog busy when you’re not home. Kong toys are a favorite because you can stuff them with food, which keeps the dog interested and gives him a bit of a challenge. He will focus on getting treats out of the toy instead sitting alone waiting for you to return.

Cowboy’s Story

dogs, pets, animals, pet care, activity, kong toys, dog behavior

The show will air live on USA network February 12th and 13th from 8-11 p.m. both nights.

Click here for more information.

dogs, pets, animals, dog show, best in show, westminster, show dogs