Dogs: Leash or Muzzle?

My mission: ALL dogs should be on a leash or wear a muzzle when in public places

Archive for the 'Dogs' Category

Do dogs know its Christmas?

First question, have you bought a christmas present for your dog this year?

A few years ago, you would have been considered barking mad or over-indulgent if you’d answered ‘yes’ to this - but not anymore!

A poll published last week showed that around 90 percent of Americans consider their dog or cat a part of their human family, and 65 percent of Americans buy gifts for their pets during the holidays.

A gift under the tree for your dog is now the norm. It might just be a bag of his favourite treats, a new bone or a new toy - but dogs aren’t left out on the presents.

But thats not all!

For many dog owners a present is just the start, they throw a party for them, have them photographed with Santa, or give them a spa treatment.

My dog Monty, has got his own Christmas list too. ‘He’ buys presents for his other doggy friends and some humans!

What have you bought for your dog this year?

dog care

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khealey on December 21st 2007 in Dogs

Rent a Dog

Dog rental in Japan is booming. The number of companies dedicated to renting out pets in Tokyo alone has risen from 17 in 2000 to 134 today.

In the cities, a shortage of space, apartment regulations and long working hours often means that people are unable to keep a dog of their own, full time. So with dog rental, its possible to have a dog for just an hour or two at a time.

And with costs as low as 1,500 yen (£6.30) an hour to rent a dog - the most popular rental animal - the practice is as accessible as it is popular.

Many people are now ‘regulars’ and rent their favourite dog for a walk and playtime every day. Its also become a social event, with friends renting together. Others use the dog rental scheme as a ‘trial run’ for having a dog of their own.

Maybe it will catch on in the rest of the world, who knows????

dog care

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khealey on November 25th 2007 in Dogs

FaceBook for Dogs!

Is your dog on DoggySnaps yet?

http://www.doggysnaps.com/

Now dogs have got their own social networking site, nicknamed ‘FaceBark’, where dogs have their own profile, their own friends and can send their favourite dogs a treat!

The website has a serious side too. It has been created by the Dogs Trust who care for more than 14,000 dogs each year and the site contains entries from stray or abandoned animals the charity is trying to rehome.

Sounds good to me!

Have a look at my Monty

Montgomery Burns

and send him a treat!

dog care

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khealey on November 4th 2007 in Dogs

Ten Peeves that Dogs Have About Humans

Ten Peeves that Dogs Have About Humans

1. Blaming your farts on me… not funny… not funny at all !!!

2. Yelling at me for barking… I’M A FRIGGIN’ DOG, YOU IDIOT!

3. Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4. Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose… stop it!

5. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you’re not home.

6. The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

7. Taking me to the vet for “the big snip”, then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

8. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven’t quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

9. Dog sweaters. Hello???, Haven’t you noticed the fur?

10. How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth, you’re just jealous.

Now lay off me on some of these thing’s,

We both know who’s boss here!!!

You don’t see me picking up YOUR poop do you ???

dog care

1 Comment »

khealey on September 16th 2007 in Dogs

Dog Health Questions

There are a number of pet health questions that you may encounter with your dog throughout his/her life. Being prepared by feeding your dog a healthy diet, and being able to recognise some of the signs of sickness will help you maintain your pet dog health. Knowing what types of nutrients to feed your dog, and how to deal with diarrhea, constipation and fleas are all dog health questions that you may need to educate yourself on.

Here are several of the most common dog health questions, together with some answers to assist you.

1. How to deal with constipation in your dog:

This is one of the more common dog health questions that many people will face at some point in time. The most common cause of constipation is an unbalanced diet in which a lack of fiber causes a build up of drying feces. Adding a teaspoon of fiber to their usual meal will help increase their fiber intake and eliminate the build up of drying feces. If the constipation does not clear in a few days, you may need to take your dog to a veterinarian.

2. How to deal with diarrhea in your dog:

This is a serious pet heath question because diarrhea can become a concern to your pet dog health if it goes on too long. You have to become worried about dehydration and further complication if it drags on too long. You can help the problem by feeding your dog white or brown rice with their usual meal, along with giving them an over-the-counter remedy.

3. How to deal with fleas on your dog:

Fleas can be the bane of your dog’s life. They are nasty creatures that live on, and feed off your dog. They are highly contagious, in that if one of your pets contracts fleas, all of your pets will become infested within a very short space of time. How do you prevent fleas? Or get rid of them if you haven’t succeeded in preventing fleas on your dog? Most pet owners resort to chemical preventatives and treatments, but more and more pet owners are turning to natural flea treatments that, when used consistently, can be just as effective in treating fleas as their chemical counterparts. – Especially if your dog is otherwise healthy, is bathed from time to time, and is eating a healthy diet. Which brings us to the next two dog health questions:

4. How regularly you should bathe your dog:

Dogs can be placed in water as often as you would like them to be as long as you don’t use any kinds of soap. If you are giving them bath and washing them with shampoo or soap, human shampoo or soap can lead to an imbalance of sweat with dogs and hurt your pet dog health. Even when using dog-specific soap, no more than one bath every few weeks should be given.

5. What is the best food choice for your dog:

This is one of the more difficult dog health questions to answer because there isn’t necessarily a correct answer for everyone. There are certain foods that are not good for any dogs. Avoid store-bought foods that contain by-products of any kind in them. Such commercial dog food is undoubtedly the worst food you can feed for your pet dog’s health. The best natural dog food is raw meat and other raw food as the primary food source for your dog. Some dog owners are reluctant to feed raw meat and bones, so a very high quality convenience natural dog food is an alternative, as is cooked meat with perhaps a little rice, cottage cheese and even some eggs for a varied protein source from time to time.

Taking care of your pet dog health is absolutely vital to increasing your dog’s lifespan. Everything from what to feed your dog to how to handle fleas, diarrhea and constipation are all important. If you’re not sure of the answer, don’t hesitate to look online (see below) or ask your veterinarian your dog health questions.

Healthy Happy Dogs is a resource containing a wealth of information on dog health questions. If your dog tends to suffer from constipation or diarrhea, click here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/NaturalRemedies for information on the very best natural remedies for dogs available.

For more information on quality dog shampoos, natural flea treatments and for your FREE dog health report, sign up at HealthyHappyDogs.com.

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

dog health

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khealey on April 13th 2007 in Dogs

Dog Training Tips

Let’s face it, for many people training their dog is a struggle that sooner or later leads them to just give up and let their dog do whatever he pleases. Then they ask themselves why they have such a disobedient dog. More experienced dog owners know that dog training is something that is always going on. Whenever they are with their dog they are always training him. Going for walks, playing in the park, even just relaxing around the house are all opportunities to teach.

Dogs by nature are curious creatures who get easily bored. If there is not a proper outlet for this boredom they will find something to do. And to a dog who doesn’t know the difference chewing up a shoe or digging holes in the yard is neither good nor bad. It’s just something to do. The more a dog learns to please himself and do whatever he wants the less control his owner will have. A disobedient dog does not just happen; by ignoring, mistreating or being lackadaisical about training him he will learn all sorts of bad behaviors all by himself.

Dogs love to please their owners but without feedback they have no idea if they are doing right or wrong. Everything is the same to them. This is why it is important to praise a dog when they are being obedient. Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful dog training tools a dog owner can use.

Many people do not realize the amount of work needed to train some of the more amazing dogs they see on TV or here about in news reports. Police dogs, seeing eye dogs, military dogs can take a good year of intense training to get them to the point where they can even start working in that capacity. And their training never stops. Dogs do not come trained and they will not learn simply because they inhabit the same space as their owners. Dogs have no inborn sense of right and wrong; everything is the same to them, unless they are taught.

Dog training is all about teaching a dog good behavior. Repetition is the name of the game when it comes to training a dog. Combined with praise for a job well done a dog will soon learn what its boundaries are and who is actually in charge. The first thing every dog should learn is their name. This is what gets their attention and simply saying it should stop them dead in their tracks from whatever they are doing. From there on a dogs training should be a daily routine; housetraining, sitting, staying, not barking or jumping up on people, these are things that will make life with a dog easier and much more enjoyable.

For more dog training tips and tricks visit the website Worfdog.com by clicking here.

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

dog training

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khealey on April 13th 2007 in Dogs