WALKING THE PUP ON A LEASH

It is important from an early age to put a collar on your pup to get him/her used to it. Do not, however, leave the collar on the puppy if she is un-attended to to avoid the risk of an accident. If a dog is startled or becomes upset, they can sometimes ‘choke’ on the collar by getting it caught in their mouth or accidently get it caught on something which could cut off their air supply. We would attach a lightweight leash to our 9 week out while she was in the yard with us and simply let her drag it around for a few minutes to get used to having something attached to her and then approach and gently pick up the leash handle and gently lead her around the yard, enouraging her to come with us. We then began slowly leaving the yard with Maggie on the leash and taking walks around the complex. We used an harness for walking-we felt that since she was so small that a harness provided security and we didn’t really feel comfortable using a collar on that tiny neck. We bought a ‘no pull’ type harness on Ebay. The leash clip is on the front of the harness, so when Maggie would begin to pull ahead and the leash became taunt, it automatically forced her to turn around to face us-hence stopping the pulling. Note that this type of harness is for training purposes only (as it could easily slip off) to teach the dog to break the pulling habit. We highly recommend this type of harness. It proved to be very effective while training our small dog not to pull. There were times when we would use the training harness again as she sometimes would revert back to trying to get ahead and pull on her regular harness. Only after a day or so with the no-pull harness training it was back to the regular harness once again!
Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!

WALKING THE PUP ON A LEASH

Picking The Right Food For Your Pet

Pets are great to have and to share our lives with, and they require just as much care as humans do in order to be healthy and happy and to live a long life. All pets need to be fed properly, and we often have the question of what is the best food for our pets to get from us. There are many people who give their pets human food, while others believe this is wrong and only feed their pets with pet food. We will concentrate on dogs here since this is a dog related blog. Is it wise to feed your dog human food?
Dogs are related to the wolf family which are strictly carnivourous, which means they eat mostly the flesh from other animals. This does not mean, however that human food is the correct food for them. It is best to find a dog food product where the first ingredient is meat. Make sure it is real meat and not some kind of a meat substitute. Feeding your dog only human food is not really a great idea because it can be too greasy for them and can block their arteries and they need a well balanced diet. A good dog food has a great balance of meat, grains, vitamins and fiber.
Dogs have very sensitive digestive tracks and can get diarrhea quite easily and upset stomachs if there are changes made to their diet. It is best to find a quality dog food that is healthy for them. Your vet can recommend a good food for your dog if you find it confusing.
It is also a good idea to keep them on the same food as changing food too often can cause problems for your dog. If you feel you need to change food, you should slowly mix the new food in with the old until you have fully replaced the old over a few weeks.
Dogs should get varying amounts of food each day, depending on their activity level and their size. Most dog food packages have guidelines regarding this.
Choosing the correct food for your dog is important to ensure that your dog will live a long and healthy life.
Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!

Picking The Right Food For Your Pet

Teaching Kids And Pets To Co-Exist Peacefully

It is possible for children and pets to coexist together under the same roof? Many people believe that small children and dogs are not a good combination. They fear that the dog will not get along with the new child and that the dog may hurt the child in some way. This need not always be the case, and if you take the time to correctly introduce your dog to your children, your kids and pets can live in harmony and become the best of pals!
One of the biggest concerns that many parents have when it comes to dogs in the home is how it will react to a new baby. The fact is tha most dogs readily accept a new child into the home and become loyal and very protective over the baby, as they view the child as a part of the family unit.
You should introduce your pet to your new baby slowly and be sure that you are always in the room. Allow your dog to sniff your child at his or her own pace. Make the introduction pleasant for your dog. Sometimes the dog will not give a new baby a second thought!
Allow your dog time to adjust to the new family member on his or her own terms. When a baby comes to the house, it is an adjustment for everybody. It is a good idea too to be sure your dog's nails are trimmed properly to avoid any accidents, as dogs like to put their paws on people at times.
It is a good idea to keep your dog well-groomed too. If you keep the dog clipped and brushed it will certainly help your home stay a little bit cleaner and lower the risk for allergy problems. Studies have shown that children who are around dogs and cats from early in their lives, actually have less trouble with allergies.
Make sure that your dog does not have access to your baby’s room when you are not there..such as at naptimes.
Be sure that you are still spending quality time with your dog and giving him or her attention, as dogs can become jealous easily. Do what you normally did before the baby arrived such as playing in the yard and going for walks.
Teach your child from a young age that they should never play rough or pull on the dog's fur or tail. They must learn to respect the dog. It is also important to teach your child to respect your dog and his or her space in the home.
There are many things you can do to ensure that your kids and your dog can live together happily in the same home. Your children and and your dog need to learn to respect each other from the very beginning. Children and dogs do make great bonds and having a dog in the family greatly enriches the household.
Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!

Teaching Kids And Pets To Co-Exist Peacefully

Abandoned Dogs-A Different Way To Rescue a Dog!

When I was a kid of twelve, there was a big blizzard in the small town I grew up in. My father had walked home for lunch that particular day, and told us that someone had dropped off or 'dumped' a litter of four puppies in the center of town. He told us they looked like Collie puppies.
My younger sister and I, being total animal lovers, immediately put on our winter outerwear and ran into town to see for ourselves. Sure enough, the poor, wet and cold puppies were trying desperately to get into the local banks' front door whenever customers would enter or exit!
We lured the five puppies away from the town center into a neighboring lot. They appeared to be no more than 6 or 7 weeks old! We played with them for a bit, then started walking the two blocks back home. We were just hoping that some adults in town would gather them and take them home so they would be safe. As we started walking away, all of the puppies ran after us for a few yards or so, then turned back and started wandering as a group back toward town. One female puppy however, looked back at us, then looked at her litter mates, then back and us again, and came running to us and followed us home. We knew that very instant, that she was going to become a member of our family!
When our mother saw the wet, muddy and very cold puppy, she took her upstairs and gave her a warm bath and towel dried her. What a beautiful puppy she was!
When our father came home from work later that afternoon, he had heard that all of the puppies were adopted by sympathetic people that were in town that day.
We took the female pup to our veterinarian that week and upon examining her, the vet told us that he was quite convinced that she was a full-bred Collie! She was the sweetest, prettiest dog I have ever known! Lizzie lived a very happy life with our family until she died at the age of fourteen. She was loved by all and is still missed.
How on earth could a human being gather up a whole litter of young, innocent puppies, put them in his or her car, drive to the nearest town, and just release them in the middle of a snowstorm? We never found out unfortunately, who had abandoned those puppies that cold winter day. Dog abandonment is a crime which is punishable by law most everywhere and is an inexcusable act.
Written by Cin Rupp. Come and visit my blog and see some really cute photos of Maggie!
http://mycutemutt.blogspot.com/ Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Rupp

Abandoned Dogs-A Different Way To Rescue a Dog!

Dog Clothing-Is It Right Or Wrong?

Now, this is just WRONG!

Clothing for dogs has become a very lucrative business for many canine lovers. You can now buy dog clothing with ease, both online and in boutiques; especially in larger cities. Owning smaller dogs is very popular these days, partly due to the fact that they are easy to take along with you, and also because so many people live in smaller living spaces and can accommodate a smaller pet.
I must admit that I do own a few dog jackets for my small Yorkillon mixed breed. When it's raining heavy, I put a lightweight raincoat on her as she absolutely hates to go outside in the rain. When it becomes really cold outside (below zero Fahrenheit) I slip a fleece-lined red jacket on her, which keeps her belly warm and prevents the snow from 'balling up' and tangling her fur. This is as far as I go with dressing my dog.
I have seen numerous websites that sell all kinds of clothing for dogs. Everything ranging from t shirts, hooded sweatshirts, boots and even pajamas! I know that the media shows many celebrity women carrying around their small dogs dressed in outfits, and it somehow became 'hip' or 'posh' to dress dogs up in all kinds of hideous outfits. To me, I get the impression that they look at their dogs as toys or dolls in some respect. Fun little things to play with and make fashion statements to the world!
I cannot even imagine putting a pair of pajamas on my dog at night! Talk about un-natural! I know there are many people out there who totally disagree with me. They think that they have the right to dress their dogs if they please to do so, with which I agree, but I honestly do not think that the dogs who must endure the changing of clothing several times daily are the happiest creatures on earth.
Now I also know that there are those people out there that do not think that a dog should ever wear any type of clothing-not even a rain or winter jacket. I can say that I think dog outerwear has become quite acceptable for some of the practical reasons I stated earlier. I have never spoken to a dog owner who has closets full of clothing for their four-legged friends, so I really cannot say what their justifications are for this behavior. All I can say is that I personally find it a bit disturbing and totally ridiculous. What do you think?
Written by Cin Rupp. Come and visit my blog and see some really cute photos of Maggie!
http://mycutemutt.blogspot.com/ Best Top-Quality Pet Sypplies!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Rupp

Dog Clothing-Is It Right Or Wrong?

White House Puppy?

Well, there are only two days left until the Obamas move into the White House and we all have heard that he promised his daughters a dog when they moved into their new home. When asked what kind of dog he was going to get he replied 'Probably a mutt like me!'. So of course, everyone is wondering and waiting to see what kind of pooch gets to occupy the big house on Pennsylvania Avenue! Offers poured in from all across the US and around the world, offering puppies, making suggestions and on and on! I personally don't care if he gets a mixed breed or a pure bred. It's the family's choice. No one can make the choice for them, but it will be interesting to see what kind of dog they get, as it will be an instant celebrity! What do you think? Will it be a pure bred or a mutt?
Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!

White House Puppy?

Dogs and Fireworks-Not a Friendly Combination

We humans love fireworks. They are a part of many culture's celebrations across the globe. In the United States, most towns and cities put on an incredible fireworks display on Independence Day. In Europe, fireworks are used to celebrate holidays the year round. As an American living in Sweden, I was not aware that Swedes shoot off fireworks on New Year's Eve with total abandon gusto! There are no restrictions regarding the sales of these air-born rockets to the average citizen, believe it or not.
I am the owner of a dog. She is now three years old. She is a wonderful, small female mixed breed between a Papillion (her mother) and an Yorkshire Terrier (her father). She is a very well-balanced dog. She loves and trusts everyone and loves to go along with me whenever she can.
The sale of fireworks begins here in earnest in early December. You can hear the occasional one here or there being fired at any time in December, as it seems some people are too anxious to save them until New Year's Eve. My dog hates fireworks. If we are out for a walk and one goes off, she will immediately turn toward home and pull on the leash in that direction and nothing I say or do will convince her that 'it's ok'. As you can imagine, the closer to the big holiday, the more often we encounter this when going out for a walk.
This past New Year's Eve I was home alone with the dog. I took her out at around 8 pm because I knew it would be pointless to try and take her out much after that time. She was hesitant to leave the front step, but I convinced her to at least take a few steps away from the building so she could relieve herself.
When midnight came, our neighbors from downstairs came out the door with their party guests and were carrying four full cases of fireworks! They did not even have the consideration to go several dozen feet or yards away from the apartment building; rather they set up their makeshift 'launching pad' only fifteen feet from the building!
They proceeded to fire off some pretty impressive rockets, complete with the 'whooshing' noise and the smoke. My poor dog was frantic! She saw the bright flashes in the front windows and tried to leave the apartment. I closed the blinds, turned up my music a bit, but nothing could damper the incredible noise coming from just outside the windows. I talked calmly to her, held and reassured her, but to no avail. She was shaking with fear! She finally took refuge in the shoe rack at the front door. She literally crawled onto the shoe rack and cowered there in the corner until the celebrating was over an hour later.
Next year, sadly, I will have to make a visit to my vet to get her a tranquilizer so she can endure the long night. I know that there are countless pet owners out there that feel, as I do, that there should be restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks.
Written by Cin Rupp. Come and visit my blog and see some really cute photos of Maggie! http://mycutemutt.blogspot.com/ Best Top-Quality Pet Supplies!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Rupp

Dogs and Fireworks-Not a Friendly Combination