Pet Care Information

I didn’t seem to have much enthusiasm for my life. Divorced for seven years, I still had scars of my abusive ex-husband. Still single, I was very lonely. Life was rather dreary. Then I met her.

Visiting a friend named Stacy, I sat on the bed of her aunt, as she did some chores. I got a glimpse of something in the corner of my eye. It lay unmoving on the floor of the room. I peered closer, not sure what I was looking at. It seemed to have fur and resembled a stuffed animal. Then I noticed there was some movement.

I bent over a bit, to get a better look. Once convinced that it was not rodent, I asked Stacy what I was looking at. She replied that it was her aunt’s dog, a Pomeranian. When replying to my question of how I could not have known there was ever a dog in the house, Stacy told me that the dog was mute. I was stunned to learn that the aunt kept the dog in the bedroom, never allowing it to leave; the dog never had seen the outdoors. This creature had been a “prisoner” in the small room for over five years.

I bent down to pick up this delicate animal, to inspect her. I immediately noticed that she was malnourished; not weighing more than two pounds. Barely moving, her short small breaths scarcely made a sound. She was the color of a baby fox, and despite her matted coat of hair, she was beautiful.

Disgusted at the neglect, I simply said, “I’m taking her home with me”. I cradled the dog in my arms and proceeded to get in my car. Expecting Stacy to follow me outside, to protest my “kidnapping” of the dog; I surprised to leave without a bit of objection.

I was worried the car ride would be too stressful. She cuddled into my lap, almost seeming to cling to me for reassurance. I carried her into my home and came to the full realization that I just made a commitment to care for another living thing. I did not know how to care for a living thing. All I knew was my bed, my work and my television.

I tried to muster the confidence to accept this dog as my own; to be completely responsible for her new life. First things first, I had to give her a proper name. With flair of my silly sarcastic personality, I named her Killer.

I had a lot of road ahead of me. I set her down, onto the soft rug in my living room so as not to startle her. Killer lay down, closed her eyes and curled up; as if it was the only position that she thought possible. The next few weeks would produce stirring results.

Afraid to step on my kitchen’s linoleum floor, Killer’s solution was to make a jump for the carpeting under my kitchen table, and then make another small leap to the placemat that held her food. After a few weeks of slowly summoning up her bravery, I was thrilled when one day she actually did step onto this new environment under her tiny feet. It was our first victory.

There were many more to come. Killer had no notion of what a staircase was and was petrified to climb the stairs to my bedroom. Letting her roam the house freely, I allowed her to decide for herself when she was ready for this venture. One day I found her on the first step, then next day on the third. I would smile and I felt warmth in my heart as this wonderful companion began to experience the world.

She had gained four pounds; which on her tiny frame produced a wonderful effect; she looked so healthy and happy. She became my best friend. There was so much that she learned. We spent hours taking walks outside, exploring neighborhoods. I would bring her with me to run errands; placing her in my pocketbook; as she was still so small that she would stay unnoticed.

The most thrilling moment of Killer’s new life came unexpectedly and the sound was very confusing to me. I heard a bark. Killer was mute; where did the bark come from? It came from Killer! Her former owner, in her own stupidity, was unaware suffering mistreatment made the dog silent. At night, Killer would cuddle up to me on my bed, her soft breathing in my ear, and she filled the empty feeling that I used to have.

To make our lives a bit easier, I connected one end of a leash to the inside of my home, near the front door. After motioning to me that “it was time, I would then connect her to the other end of the leash allowing her to roam the front lawn. She would sit upon the step landing and patiently wait for me to open the door when she was done.

It happened on a Saturday. I allowed Killer to go outside on her leash as normal. Entering my kitchen to pour myself a glass of juice, I heard a knock on my door. I stood in disbelief as my neighbor calmly said, “I’m sorry, my dog just killed your dog”. Apparently, his dog, a mixed breed weighing over thirty pounds, had broken out of the fencing around his home. It had sprinted across the street and in an instant, broke Killer’s neck.

I swiftly took Killer’s body into my arms. The overpowering feeling of grief overtook me. I melted onto the ground and wept. My tears spilled on Killer’s coat of fluff. My neighbor muttered a few more apologies and left. Astounded at his lack of caring and stunned that he owned a dog that was capable of attacking a defenseless animal; I called the police station to report what had happened.

The police officer told me there were no previous complaints and the local law stated that only in the case of a second offense, would there be some type of retribution. Informed that the local dog officer was off duty, I was left on my own to take care of Killer’s body.

I held onto Killer as long as I was able to; wrapping her in a small blanket and sobbing in my state of heartache. With my neighbor perched on his doorstep watching me, I sorrowfully dug Killer’s grave. My motions were trancelike, my eyes barely able to see. When I positioned Killer into her resting place, the pain in my heart seemed to tear at my entire body.

I will never forget Killer; never forget how she came into my life. That little ball of fluff that I found scared and curled up in that prison. It was similar to the prison I used to have for myself, in my room alone each night. Each step Killer took in her new life gave me a boost of confidence. Each moment she snuggled against me, took away a piece of my loneliness. She taught me how to smile, how to appreciate the “small things in life” and most importantly, how to give and take unconditional love. I may have been the one to rescue her first, but Killer saved me in ways that she will never know.

Alisa is webmaster to Pet Pom, a complete informational site devoted one of the most lovable toy dogs, the Pomeranian. Found at petpom.com petpom.com.
Alisa is also webmaster to Love Bulletin, a free and complete women’s online magazine. Updated weekly and daily with reader submissions to change the contect. Guidelines for dating, relationships, breakups and more.

So you have a new pet and are starting to think about how you plan to successfully accomplish dog house training, well good for you! Dog house breaking is critical if you want to have a pet that will be happy and contented. Most dogs prefer to be with their human (that’s you) and will not be very happy living outdoors.

WHAT IS HOUSETRAINING?
House training is teaching your dog not to use your house as their personal bathroom.

House breaking using crate training methods makes it much easier for your pet to associate what you want them to do with your positive response. Here are a number of Important Tips for Successful dog house training

TIP #1 Never Scold or Punish your dog. Dogs have few cognitive reasoning skills, if any. This means that hitting or yelling at your dog will most likely result in confusion for your pet and not correction. So even if you are frustrated, don’t ever hit, smack, or abuse your pet either physically or verbally.

TIP#2 Consistent behavior is Important. That’s YOUR behavior not your dogs. Both puppies and adult dogs respond much more positively to a consistent schedule than to a hit and miss one. Know your pups schedule and use it to your advantage. Do they get up and prefer to eat right away? If so, right after eating, take them outside to urinate.

Eating presses on the bladder and causes them to want to go. Take your puppy outside and let them go so you can give them loads of praise. This is important because you want your puppy to remember outside-bathroom-and your happiness all in one thought.

TIP#3 Dogs use voice inflection to gather meaning and interact with humans. All canines have a very limited vocabulary which means that you need to use the same word to mean the same thing all the time. Potty, Going outside, Bathroom, Have to PEE, etc. are all different to a dog even if they mean basically the same to us.

TIP#4 While a dog pen or cage can be used for crate training it isn’t a house breaking method but only a tool. Crate Training is a way to keep control of your pet whenever you aren’t able to keep a watchful eye on them. This includes not only during the day but also night time as well.

It’s no secret that it takes awhile for your dog to get completely crate trained. Dog house training tip successfully means making the commitment to keep control of your puppy even during the night time. This means lugging that hard plastic or wire cage crate into your bedroom at night.

For more information, visit the link below to find out about an easy to use and easy to move lightweight doggie crate designed especially for those serious about successfully house training their POOCH. You DO want to make dog house training as easy as possible for you and your puppy. Picture being about to keep your pup close without having to fight moving a heavy unmanageable metal cage or cumbersome plastic crate.

Get more info about

Despite many years of selective breeding, hip dysplasia remains one of the commonest orthopaedic diseases of dogs. It is often confused with osteoarthritis of the hips in older dogs which is incorrect; hip dysplasia is a developmental disease that can start within the first few weeks of life, whereas osteoarthritis is the consequence. Dogs with hip dysplasia usually fall into two categories when first being presented to the veterinarian for this condition:

1. When they are less than 12 months old, and pain arises due to the joint laxity, the key initiating factor in hip dysplasia. 2. When they are over 2 years old, and pain is due to osteoarthritis caused by the hip dysplasia.

Between these two stages, symptoms often decrease. This is because the joint laxity causes thickening of the joint capsule and surrounding tissues, thereby restricting movement. Increased muscular support also helps to mask the symptoms by providing external support.

It is well documented that developmental skeletal problems tend to occur in larger breeds of dogs, with force through the joint directly proportional to bodyweight. However, genes are not the only cause. Factors such as diet, bodyweight and exercise play a crucial role. It has been suggested that as few as 24% of young dogs with severe signs of hip dysplasia on xrays will actually develop symptoms of the disease if managed appropriately with regard to the factors mentioned above.

So, what are the signs to look out for? Symptoms may range from mild stiffness on getting up, or a reluctance to jump, to the classic wiggle seen as the dog rotates its pelvis as it is walking, to reduce the extension of the hip which is painful.

On examination by a veterinarian, younger animals may show increased joint laxity, essentially looseness of the ball (femoral head) in the socket (acetabulum). Older animals typically show reduced flexibility of the hip joints, with a grating sound produced on manipulation of the joint (crepitus) and muscle wastage of the hindlimbs.

One must also bear in mind that there are other diseases that can affect dogs of this age, such as diseases of the nervous system (e.g. lumbosacral stenosis, degenerative myelopathy). Though rarer than hip dysplasia, they must be considered before making a diagnosis.

How is diagnosis confirmed by the veterinarian? 1. Clinical examination. Though joint laxity in the hips can often be felt with the dog conscious, it can be painful and therefore is best performed with the dog under general anesthetic or heavy sedation. This will also reduce the effects of muscle tension. There are 3 tests that vets can perform on the anesthetized dog to diagnose hip dysplasia: the Barlow test, the Bardens test and the Ortolani test. These tests invariably involve applying pressure and manipulating the hip in a certain direction to cause partial of full dislocation of the femoral head.

2. Xrays. Good quality, well positioned radiographs are required to assess hips for dysplasia and general anesthesia is a necessity to achieve this. If a dog is to be used for breeding, it is often hip scored prior to doing so. This is often done in the absence of any symptoms at all, in perfectly healthy dogs. The radiographs are then sent off to the national Hip Dysplasia Scheme assessors for examination, where the hip joints are scrutinized to predict the likelihood of the disease occurring.

My dog has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. What are the management options? This is relatively straight forward. Dogs can either be treated conservatively (without surgery) or surgically. Conservative management is NOT doing nothing, it should be a PROACTIVE option. A programme should be designed for the individual dog to address weight control, exercise management, physiotherapy and pain control.

CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT 1. Weight Control Excessive weight should be prevented in puppies, and adults should be maintained at or below normal adult bodyweight. Simple weight reduction has been shown to result in a significant improvement in lameness in adult dogs with osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia.

2. Exercise Management A suitable level of exercise should be determined for each individual dog to maintain muscle development and fitness without exacerbating the clinical signs. Obviously this must be integrated with the owners lifestyle expectations. Regular, low impact exercise is preferable to intermittent, vigorous exercise. Several short walks a day is better than a huge walk every other day!

3. Physiotherapy The benefits of physiotherapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases of animals have only recently been recognized. Hydrotherapy is an excellent form of exercise for obese, unfit and disabled animals. This is because the buoyancy the water provides helps overcome the effects of gravity, and muscles are worked out without placing too much force through the joints.

4. Pain Control Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are a key component of conservative management. They work by blocking the formation of inflammatory mediators which cause pain, specifically by blocking the cyclooxygenase enzymes COX 1 and COX 2. The modern NSAID drugs preferentially inhibit COX 2 enzymes, which reduces the side effects associated with them, such as stomach ulceration and kidney damage. The most commonly used NSAIDs are carprofen and meloxicam.

5. Nutraceuticals and cartilage protecting drugs These are slow acting, disease modifying drugs that may help to control osteoarthritis. Orally administered forms of glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin sulphate have been shown to improve joint function in humans. Whilst the exact mechanisms of osteoarthritis may differ between dogs and humans, anecdotal evidence suggests they are beneficial and they have become popular with many veterinarians. Above all, they cannot do harm so are often prescribed, despite the absence of hard scientific evidence in their favor.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT Surgical treatment can be divided into preventative or salvage. Preventative treatments include the following:

1. Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) This is indicated in young animals with painful hips that have failed to improve with conservative treatment. The operation provides stabilization of the hip, which reduces the progression of osteoarthritis. It can be performed on any age of dog, but dogs have to show minimal remodeling of the hip joint on xrays and so most that meet the criteria are less than 8 months old.

2. Perineal myectomy This involves removing part or all of the pectineus muscle, the spasm of which is thought to cause pain in the growing dog with hip dysplasia. However, whilst this procedure does tend to produce some pain relief, it is now considered outdated by many.

3. Intertrochanteric osteotomy Although effective in decreasing pain and reducing secondary osteoarthritis, it is less effective than TPO and there is a risk of fracturing the femur during the operation, meaning it is no longer recommended.

4. Pubic symphysiodesis A new technique for young dogs considered to be at risk of developing hip dysplasia. The procedure is most effective in very young animals, which are usually not showing any symptoms at all, making it a controversial treatment option and not recommended at present.

Salvage options include: 1. Femoral Head & Neck Excision This involves surgically removing the head and neck of the femur. Heavier dogs have a much poorer outcome than lighter dogs. It tends to give positive results in dogs less than 17kg in bodyweight. Obese dogs fare poorly. Younger, more active dogs can respond very well to this procedure.

2. Total Hip Replacement This is not the solution for every dog with a painful hip. Owners must be aware that while the outcome is usually very good, complications can rarely occur and when they do they are disastrous.

The ideal candidate for a hip replacement is a well trained, sensible, medium to large breed dog, which was previously active, and has a painful hip that is unresponsive to medication. The owners should be sensible and compliant, with funds to spend not only on the surgery (which is expensive), but also on dealing with potential complications that may occur, which can be equally costly. If these criteria are not all met, it may be more appropriate to perform a femoral head and neck excision.

Dr David Brooks is part of the online veterinary team at whydoesmypet.com” target=”_blank WhyDoesMyPet.com. Veterinarians, Vet Technicians, Nurses, Trainers, Behaviorists, Breeders and Pet Enthusiasts are here to answer your pet questions and concerns…
Our dedicated community of caring experts are waiting to offer you advice, second opinions and support.

About Pet Lodging

When you’re ready to go on vacation, it may not be an option to take your pet with you. Though you will find that quite a few hotels are pet friendly (for a fee) and traveling with your pet in tow is one way to go, you may find it more convenient to find pet lodging at home while you travel to your destination. An entire industry has grown up to provide you with a variety of services to choose from. Take your pick!

Pet Sitters

These kind people allow your pets to stay in the comfort of their own home while they handle the discomfort of your absence. Pet sitters come by daily for dogs, to walk them, feed them, and spend some time. For cats, they may come over every couple days to refresh the water bowl, scoop the litter box, and refill the food. Other pets require pet sitters on an as needed basis depending on the species for their basic survival requirements.

No matter what kind of pet you have, you may also employ your pet sitter to spend time with your pet so he doesn’t get lonely. This may help you avoid the angry ‘accidents’ that jilted pets leave for their owners (i.e. chewed up furniture, shoes with an extra special ‘gift’ left inside). It is essential, however, that you choose a pet sitter who you know and trust or a company with a solid track record and references you can contact. Unless your dog lives in the back yard, you will need to provide your pet sitter with keys and access to your home – a dangerous proposition if the person is a complete stranger.

Kennels

Kennels or pet hotels are just what they sound like – places where you can drop your pet for the duration of your trip, knowing that they will be cared for by professionals. Lower cost kennels keep your pet in a large concrete or caged room with a bed, food dishes, and towels or toys and blankets that you bring. You can bring food of your own and stipulate special medication that needs to be given, and you can be sure that your pet will get some attention at least once every day from the staff. Pet hotels are slightly nicer, offering higher quality rooms, more expensive food, a bath and nail clipping session, and perhaps even some backyard time.

Expense

Pet sitters usually charge by the hour – or by the day – with an additional charge for each pet and perhaps extra fees for special services like nail clipping or medication. You may be charged $10 a day by a teenager in the neighborhood or $25 a day or more for a local company.

This, however, is nothing to what you will pay per night for a kennel. These can range from $45 to $75 a night with higher costs during holiday seasons. And the price tag for a pet hotel stay? It may rival your own. Some are more than $100 a night.

Pet Friendly Hotels

If you decide that none of these options suit you, you will find a great many hotels across the country will accommodate your pet. Some may allow your pet to stay in your room while others offer a pet hotel within their hotel. You will even find that some establishments offer grooming services for your pet as well. You can find listings nationwide at any of the following websites:

• pets-allowed-hotels.com/

• petswelcome.com/

• dogfriendly.com/

• letsgopets.com/

• takeyourpet.com/

• hotdealsonhotels.com/pets/

Melissa Steele is a freelance writer for

Most dog owners would agree that dogs do not need to wear clothes, since they were born with a built in fur coat. Why defy nature?

Other dog owners maintain that their dogs need to wear clothes, since they will feel cold in cold weather like human do. Why denied them the apparel to keep them warm. And then there are those other dog owners who just dress their dog to look fashionable and cute, simply for their own delight.

In spite of all the different opinions, there are however real reasons to consider making your dog wear clothes. Modern dogs do not have to endure the ravages of nature as they did back in the days of wolf packs, so our pet dogs have become accustom to the same climate controlled environment we enjoy.

Today, even veterinarians agree that domesticated dogs physiology has evolved and adjusted to human environmental standards, therefore they do need extra protection from the cold as much as their human counterparts. If you are trying to decide if your dog needs clothes apparel in the practical sense, a good indicator is the type of dog breed and the environment you live in.

Obviously dog clothes are not a must to every dog breed living in warm climate. It is typically in these warm climates that dog owners only dress their dog in fashionable little outfits. Owners of small dogs and dogs without a lot of fur living in a cold climate may choose to put their dog in some sort of clothing.

For example, small breeds like Chihuahuas lose heat quickly and easily, so a sweater would be essential in rainy or cooler climates. In areas where the weather is bitterly cold, a sweater and insulated dog booties may be required. The best bet during these bitter cold months, however, is to keep your small dog indoors.

Dogs that have had medical treatments that result in the loss of fur will often need at least some protection from the weather until their fur grows back. This also applies to dogs that have been shaved for agility and show reasons.

Large dogs that have short hair, such as a Great Dane, may need a shirt or a sweater in cold climates. There are several online stores that specialize in custom dog clothes and these would be the best bet for purchasing clothes for large dog breeds.

Some dog breeds that are acclimated to living in cold conditions do not need clothes at all even in extremely cold weather. Examples of such breeds that enjoy the cold are the Siberian Husky, Great Pyrenees and the Saint Bernard. Besides, putting clothes on a large dog that is used to being outdoors would be plain silly - they would get too hot and get heat stroke easily! The only type of clothing these dogs might need would be insulated booties if they spend long periods of time outdoors.

Some dog owners may have the opinion that dressing your dog in clothes is cruel and defying nature; however, under practical circumstances such as during bitter cold winter time, putting apparels on your dog could keep them comfortable, warm and even save their life.

Moses Wright is the founder of dog-wear.net/ Dog Carriers and Grooming. He provides more useful information on dog-wear.net/toy/ Dog Toy and dog-wear.net/clothes/ Dog Clothes on his website. Webmasters are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

All dog training follows 3 phases. This goes for positive methods, force methods, or a combination of both, these three phases apply to them all.

They are:

1. The Learning Phase. 2. The Correction Phase. 3. The Proofing (or distraction) Phase

Let’s look at how these three items link together for for a solid training process.

1. The learning phase. Before a dog can perform a behavior they must learn it. In this phase there are no corrections, no distractions, and the dogs are allowed to make mistakes while we teach them what we want them to do.

The learning phase is where most owners go wrong and start to hender the training process by being strict and putting too much stress on the dog.

Imagine it like this, a kid is learning their ABC’s for the first time. Each time the kid makes a mistake the teacher hits them with a ruler on the arm.

Is that a fair way to teach? No. Yet owners world wide think this is the right way. It is not and it only hender your efforts.

2. Once the dog has a clear understanding of the behavior (Can perform it on cue at least 95% of the time) we add corrections.

Once again people misunderstand and think it’s okay to go to town on their dogs and correct them for any minor infraction.

And once again they are wrong. In the correction phase you want to give your dog the chance to work and be successful but if they disobey we introduce corrections in order to show them their are conseqensces for their behavior.

3. To increase the dogs ability to perform the behavior we introduce distractions.

Starting out with mild distractions you want to gradually introduce distractions that are great enough to cause disobedience. The great the distraction the more likely the dog is going to disobey or not respond in a timely manner.

Distraction training never ends. You want to introduce new distractions and new situations to your dogs on a regular basis and help them learn how to be more reliable in every day situations.

If the training method you are using to does not have one or more of these phases then you should start looking for one that has them all. You will get better results as a result.

For more information on

I know that you find American Eskimo dog so irresistibly cute with all those fluffy hairs and stuffs. And he can be a real charmer too, American Eskimo dogs are naturally very friendly, playful and devoted, which no doubt you’ll find a very pleasing trait for an incredibly cute dog. But, do you know all there is to know about American Eskimo dogs?

American Eskimo dogs originate from arctic regions, accounting much for its fluffy fur. A member of the Spitz dog family, American Eskimo dogs resembles in temperament much like Siberian husky and the malamute in its playfulness nature but possesses more intelligence and thus high train ability than its arctic cousins. American Eskimo dogs are also very friendly, pack oriented that is devoted to every family member and suspicious to strangers. For that they make excellent family guard dogs, barking to announce strangers but won’t attack.

These traits make American Eskimo dogs highly suited as companion dogs. Their friendly temperament compounded with their high train ability factor makes them highly prized dogs as family pets. And because they are exceedingly cute, and provides a reason for taking care of (the hair requires substantial brushing) they are top notch choices for first time owners, even children, providing companionship or functioning as therapy dogs.

American Eskimo dogs, like most dogs of the polar region require a degree of exercise or playing, especially when pups where they tend to be so playful with exhaustible energy. And the transition from pups to full grown dogs tend to be slow, so the burden of constant outdoor activities tend to be a burden for some. But this aspect could be a beneficial factor, giving an individual reason enough to sport on their runners and sweats.

The amount of hair on American Eskimo dogs can be a problem. It requires cleaning for one. Though normally American Eskimo dogs are adapted to colder climates thus having a lesser pronation to “doggy sweat” smell, they will still stink enough with dirt easily adhering to their coats. The fur underneath their eyes can stain too, with tear stain if not clean regularly. The routine to keep a clean American Eskimo dogs is therefore a shampoo once a week interspersed with coat brushing.

With regards to tick and fleas, the amount of hair on American Eskimo dogs can be a problem too. Their long hair means a bigger habitable environment for fleas, so an anti flea shampoo should be routinely used aside from regular shampoos the dog may use.

Lastly, with white fluffy hair, red lapping tongue, a few other dogs can be as cute as an American Eskimo dog at play. And playing is what they like best. So make sure if you’re bringing home an American Eskimo dog, you’re ready to spend some quality park time with him.

El is the owner of the dog-training-reviewed.com dog behavioral training website. Visit dog-training-reviewed.com dog-training-reviewed.com to find out more resources and offers for dog lovers.

When visiting Disney, one of my favorite places to see is “It’s a Small Small World,” I enjoy seeing it and then humming the song for days after.

I enjoy things that are small and that goes for dogs, too. The toy breeds are so cute, cuddly and precious. However, they are really not “toys,” but living breathing creatures, that need to be watched out for and properly cared for.

Each toy breed is a category in itself. If you are in the market for a small dog, you need to do yourself a favor and research the breed you are considering. I will be giving you a thumbnail description of a few breeds later on in this article, but you owe it to the dog to do far more research.

There are approximately two dozen toy breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club to choose from. These breeds are perfect for a small house or an apartment. They are not the perfect choice for someone with small children or large dogs.

Toy dogs are not for everyone, they require care and need to be treated as real live pets and not as a “moving stuffed toy.” Due to their size, care has to be taken to protect them from being sat upon, tripped over or stepped on by unseeing adults.

Most toy bred dogs tend to be easily excitable, territorial, reactive to their environment and protective of their owners.

Most are great watch dogs and some can be over active barkers.

However, they are quite portable and are welcome at most motels, hotels and airlines.

It is recommended that you keep your toy dog leashed at all times, when you are out and about, as they are apt to run into traffic or chase an unseen object. Collars are good for holding tags, but with a toy breed a harness is suggested for walking outside with a leash.

Why? Due to their small size, pulling or tugging on a collar with a leash can easily injure the dog’s throat or neck. Remember, these are little bitty guys with small delicate bones.

Small and delicate bones can also be injured by jumping off furniture. Think about this for a moment, jumping off a couch or chair for a small toy breed is like a human jumping off a one story building. If your dog is able to get on a couch or chair and does this 20 or 30 times a day think of the impact that jump has on its front and back legs. Add a flight of stairs to the dog’s activity and you can get worn out just thinking about it.

Furniture jumping and all the other jumps and climbing a small dog will do during the course of a day, can bring about many injuries. Small dogs suffer from broken legs, sprains to the leg, wrists, shoulders, broken toenails, tendonitis, slipped kneecaps and ruptured disks.

How can you prevent these things from happening? First of all teach your pet not to climb upon the furniture. Okay, so they are lap dogs and we bring them up on the furniture and expect them to jump down.

However, there are little ways that will not disturb the décor of your home that can make life a little easier for your precious little dog.

Ramps are great. A ramp covered with carpet or some other material that allows for traction can be simply made or store bought. It does not need to be large in size, just wide enough for the dog to walk up it and long enough so that it is not like climbing a steep mountain.

There are even low stair steps made especially for small dogs, in order that they may climb upon couches, chairs or even your bed without harming themselves.

A ramp or a set of stair steps may seem like a frivolous thing, but one vet visit for a broken leg or hurt back would more than have paid for it.

In the small small world of small breed dogs there are many things to consider, grooming is one very important thing, as many small breeds have a great deal of hair, which has to be brushed and combed, along with trips to the groomer.

Barking can also be a problem in an apartment complex. Toy breeds need to be socialized extremely well in order to have them adjust to external sights and sounds that create barking.

Attitude is another problem, some breeds have very superior attitudes and can be very demanding. With some breeds patience is not just a requirement on your part it is an absolute necessity.

That is why I cannot say it often enough, do your homework and research the breed you are considering.

Here is a thumbnail sketch of 10 of the most common small breeds:
Shih Tzi:
Lifespan 12 – 14 years
Weight 9 – 16 pounds
Height 8 – 11 inches
Pros: They are gentle, loyal and affectionate. Are as a general rule not barkers, they are not demanding or high strung and get along with other pets
Cons: Grooming, need almost daily combing and brushing as hair get matted and tangled. Needs air conditioning cannot be over heated or in high humidity.
Italian Greyhound:
Lifespan 13 – 15 years
Weight 7 – 12 pounds
Height 13 – 15 inches
Pros: Clean and odorless. Peaceful, undemanding and needs little training. Beauty in motion.
Cons: They are prone to broken legs and slipped kneecaps. Are best in situations where there are no children. Are not considered a watch dog and needs a leash on at all times, when not in the house. Prone to running after anything that moves.
Toy Poodle:
Lifespan 10 – 14 years
Weight 6 - 9 pounds
Height up to 10 inches
Pros: Need little exercise and are non-shedders (as much as dogs can be) are lively and good watch dogs.
Cons: Need to be groomed every 6 to 8 weeks. Are over bred due to popularity which can bring on genetic health problems. It is suggested to avoid the “tea cup” variety as they may be neurotic and/or sickly puppies.
Yorkshire Terriers:
Lifespan 12 – 14 years
Weight 3 - 7 pounds
Height 7 - 9 inches
Pros: They are beautiful, smart and very loyal to owners. Can be cunning and tricky, a great lap dog that loves attention and is a great watch dog.
Cons: Need constant grooming, not good around children. Yorkies like quiet, but they can be barkers. High energy and very lively. Need harness and not a collar when going outside and should be leashed at all times. Very adventurous.
Pomeranian:
Lifespan 12 – 16 years
Weight 3 - 7 pounds
Height 8 - 11 inches
Pros: Good apartment dog, does well in obedience training and needs little exercise. Makes a great lap dog.
Cons: Needs good socialization to curb barking and possessiveness. Pom’s shed quite a bit and need brushing.
Prone to dental problems and needs proper dental care.
Pekingese:
Lifespan 13 – 15 years
Weight 8 – 14 pounds
Height 8 - 9 inches
Pros: Does not mind being alone, good dog for someone who works. A small dog but not as delicate as other small dogs, needs an occasional walk in the park.
Cons: Not child friendly, likes some cats does not like other pets. Needs grooming, brushing and sheds. Needs to be in air conditioned space as it cannot tolerate heat.
Toy Fox Terrier:
Lifespan 13 – 14 years
Weight 4 - 7 pounds
Height 8 – 11 inches
Pros: Very smart, learns quickly and is the easiest of all small breeds to housebreak. The newest toy breed to be recognized by the AKC and UKC in 2003 so they are not over bred. Have few genetic health problems and are good watchdogs.
Cons: They are Terriers and will dig, chase and run. They need great socialization as they will over react to things. Usually are a one person or one family dog. Very high strung and are not for a person who is not active or for the elderly.
Pugs:
Lifespan 12 – 14 years
Weight 14 – 18 pounds
Height 10 – 11 inches
Pros: Good with children and other pets. Very easy to live with, peaceful. Needs minimal grooming and little exercise.
Cons: Indoor dog that needs air conditioning cannot tolerate heat or humidity. Has wheezing problems along with grunting and snorting, prone to breathing problems. Sheds a bit and needs eye care.
Miniature Pinscher
Lifespan 13 – 14 years
Weight 8 – 10 pounds
Height 10 – 12 inches
Pros: Excellent watchdog – will attack. Very active, high energy, playful and curious. Needs plenty of exercise.
Cons: Not for small children. Very fragile, but does not know this. Strong willed, very curious and needs to be on a leash at all times when outside as it will run and chase anything that catches its eye.

There you have a quick rundown on 10 of the top small dog breeds. If one of these is for you please do your homework and know what you are getting into before you leap.

Good luck and have fun

Whether you are interested in a small breed of dog or a dog of any size the most important thing to consider is yourcommitment to the pet of your choosing. Do you have the time, energy and financial means to provide for a pet. Do not get a pet if you are not totally committed to its care. For more information on pet care, training and nutrition please go to my website at cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com

This past week has been filled with highs and lows. My husband, Ken, traveled to San Diego to bring our son home for the summer from college. I was looking forward to spending some time with our son, Sean.

This same week our beloved Boston Terrier Mix dog, Lucky, became gravely ill. He hung on until my guys got home. Then it became apparent that he was in pain and his system was shutting down. There’s no need for the details. We took Lucky to the vet yesterday morning and at age 19 he passed on his own a minute or two after we left the room.

What do we learn from our beloved dogs and cats? Here are a few things I learned from Lucky.

* There’s always time for fun & play.

* Simply be happy when you’re with the people you love.

* A walk is always in order.

* Stop & smell the flowers, grass and clean air.

* Food is good. So is water.

* Stretch

* Show others your appreciation.

* Sleep well. Don’t worry.

* Back scratches are great!

* Pay attention and comfort others when they feel sad or upset.

* Don’t hold a grudge.

* When you’ve done something wrong, be sad and apologize. Then go run & have fun.

* Look others in the eyes.

* Play in the snow.

* Have the energy of a young pup all your life.

* Assume that others love you unless proven otherwise.

* Love unconditionally

This week I invite you to stop and think about the lessons you’ve learned from your animals. Then take those lessons into your own life.

Copyright 2007, Iris Fanning. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. irisfanning.com/” target=”_new www.irisfanning.com Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit.

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When you’re erecting a dog fence at home, spare a thought for the people who built the Dingo Fence in Australia. It was put up in the 1880’s to protect enormous flocks of sheep in Southern Queensland, where Dingoes had almost been exterminated.

To prevent Dingoes from other areas getting to the sheep, the fence was built. It is 6 feet high and there is one foot of it underground, with uprights every 9 metres. It’s the longest fence in the World, stretching 5,320 kilometres which is over 3,305 miles! Ironically, it has not been a complete success - dingoes still lurk in the area!

Does Your Dog Need An Invisible Fence?

Some dogs delight in damaging flower beds and destroying vegetable gardens. Worse still, they might escape and cause an accident - for which you would be liable. If you don’t want very high, solid fencing around your property - or the price of it, it might be time to consider an ‘invisible’ fence.

What Is An Invisible Fence?

There are many of these on the market now and they all work in a similar way. An invisible fence allows you to have one or more dogs running freely on your property, within boundaries chosen by you.

How Do These Fences Work?

A wire (of anything up to 400m long) is put onto the ground, buried just under the surface or attached to a fence that is already there. The wire carries a signal transmitted from a small unit. The dog wears a special collar that receives a signal if he goes near the wire.

The signals are usually zoned. When the dog gets anywhere near the wire he goes into a ‘warning zone’ and he will hear a warning ‘beep’ from his collar. If he gets even closer, he goes into a ‘correction zone’ and will receive a buzz from a small electrical impulse via the collar.

Once the dog begins to realise the boundaries, the owner can reduce the electrical impulses and rely on the audible warnings. Eventually, once the dog is reliable and not going anywhere near the fence, the collar may be taken off - or substituted for a dummy collar while he’s on - probation’!

Making Adjustments To The System

These fences can be set up to suit any dog and any layout defined by the owner. The distances of both the warning and the correction zones can be adjusted. The strength of the electrical impulse can be altered to suit the size and temperament of the dog.

Will My Dog Be Hurt By The Electrical Impulses?

No – it doesn’t hurt. It’s not a new idea – this has been used in different forms of dog training for more than 40 years.

I Have More Than One Dog - Will This System Still Work?

Yes – with these systems, as long as each dog has a collar with a receiver, the system will work for them all.

Don’t Forget The ‘Dummy’ Collar

Most systems recommend that your dog wears a dummy collar for a few days prior to the invisible fence being set up. This is for two reasons. It lets the dog get used to the collar so that it’s not distracted by the unusual feel of it when the zone impulses start to be used. It’s also important because it can be counter-productive for the dog to associate the impulses with the collar, rather than the fence.

What Happens If My Dog Gets Through The Fence?

This is very rare and usually means that the collar isn’t fitting properly, leading to the dog receiving weak or no impulses.

To learn more about