Thursday, 22 March 2012

Facts And Features Of American Eskimo Dog

The American Eskimo Dog is a small to medium breed of domestic Dog that, despite it's name, is actually native to Germany. With European settlers came white versions of the German Spitz but after the First World War, it's name had to be changed to avoid negative feelings towards the country at the time. Until recently the German Spitz and the American Eskimo Dog were recognised as being the same breed, but they have now been registered separately as there are actually subtle differences between the two. Three different types of the American Eskimo Dog are bred today which are the toy, miniature and standard versions. Although they differ in size, they are almost identical in both appearance and temperament.

American Eskimo Dog Physical Characteristics
The American Eskimo Dog is a small and compact domestic breed, with a square body and a wedge-shaped head. They have small, pointed ears that are almost always erect, and a generally black nose with brown eyes. One of the most distinctive features of the American Eskimo Dog is it's beautiful snow-white coat which is quite long in places. The American Eskimo Dog has a thick double coat of fur which consists of a soft, dense under-coat, with longer, coarse hairs forming the outer layer. The American Eskimo Dog's tail is long and curved upwards, and is covered in long, white feathers. They range in size from 23cm to 43cm tall, depending on the breed type (toy, miniature or standard).

American Eskimo Dog Behaviour and Temperament
The American Eskimo is an affectionate and loving breed, having become increasingly popular in households throughout the United States. They are hardy and adaptable Dogs, known to live easily in a variety of houses and apartments. The American Eskimo Dog is highly alert, making it a keen watchdog as they will bark to alert their owner to any approaching stranger. They are known to be good with young children as they are naturally playful by nature and are always eager to please. The American Eskimo Dog is also very intelligent having been used as a watchdog, guard-dog, in narcotics detection and for performing tricks. The American Eskimo Dog thrives on Human companionship but behavioural issues can arise if it does not have a clearly dominant owner.

American Eskimo Dog Breeding
The American Eskimo Dog has actually existed in America for hundreds of years, but it was known as the White German Spitz until it's name was changed after the First World War. They have been bred almost exclusively as companions and sometimes watchdogs, with the three different sizes meaning that any home of any size, can now own one. They do however, need a great deal of attention. along with regular grooming of their silky fur, and like to integrate themselves into the family properly. The American Eskimo Dog has an average of 5 puppies per litter and healthy individuals can get to be more than 15 years old.

American Eskimo Dog Interesting Facts and Features
Despite it's name, the American Eskimo Dog is thought to have absolutely no connection to Eskimo and Inuit Dogs whatsoever. In 1913, they were renamed as the American Eskimo to avoid discrimination towards the breed because of their German origins. It is thought that the most likely reason that they were named as American Eskimos is due to their snowy white coat. The American Eskimo Dog became an increasingly popular breed after having made an appearance in a number of acts at the Barnum and Bailey Circus. A number of tricks could be completed such as dancing to music and interacting with clowns, but it was the fact that one American Eskimo Dog was the first Dog to walk across a tight-rope, that really made a name for the breed.

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

American Bulldog Interesting Facts And Lifestyle

Although the exact origins of the American Bulldog are still not quite clear, they are most commonly thought to have derived from English Bulldogs that arrived in North America with European colonists. Despite there being a great variety within the breed today, the American Bulldog is thought to be the most typical example of the original English Bulldogs of the 17th and 18 centuries. Bred and kept primarily for hunting and as a guard Dog, the American Bulldog was also used in Bull baiting - a cruel and bloody sport where the American Bulldog would publicly fight and being down a Bull. The American Bulldog is most commonly found across the ranches of the southern states of the USA, where it has been also known as the Southern White, the Country Bulldog and the White Bulldog.

American Bulldog Physical Characteristics
The American Bulldog is a large and powerful breed of Dog belonging to the Mastiff family. They share many of their characteristics with other Mastiff breeds including their small, half-pricked, pendant shaped ears and their square, broad head. The American Bulldog is bigger, faster and more agile than the English Bulldog, and has such powerful hind legs that they are able to jump up to 6ft high. The American Bulldog has short, coarse fur that can be found in a variety of colours, but most notably white and brindle. They are an incredibly muscular and powerful breed having been bred as hunters, guarders and to fight (and win) against Bulls.

American Bulldog Behaviour and Temperament
The American Bulldog is a courageous and fearless breed, known to be incredibly aggressive at times when it feels under threat. They are however friendly and even sociable Dogs, having been known to be kept in a pack that primarily hunts large carnivores, such as Bears. They are also known to be loyal and devoted towards their owner, providing that they assert themselves as the leader of the pack (dominance issues may occur otherwise). Although the American Bulldog is not listed under the UK's Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is not uncommon for them to be confused with more aggressive breeds such as Pit Bulls. These Dogs are not related but are indeed banned, so any potential owner of the American Bulldog is encouraged to acquire the adequate paperwork to prove that their Dog is not a dangerous breed.

American Bulldog Breeding
The colour of the America Bulldog's fur, along with very subtle differences in general appearance and temperament, is said to differ between different areas. In regions where the American Bulldog is most popular, the Dogs are said to be able to differ between these places, which suggests that the American Bulldog is most commonly bred with individuals that live close by. After their near extinction in the 1940s, the American Bulldogs found throughout America today, are nearly all thought to have derived from Dogs bred by just two breeders during the mid 1900s. Females give birth to between 6 and 11 puppies per litter and can often live to be more than 15 years old.

American Bulldog Interesting Facts and Features
Despite being a widely distributed and popular breed today, the American Bulldog was on the verge of becoming extinct towards the mid 1900s. On returning from service in the Second World War, John D. Johnson decided to follow in his father's footsteps and resumed the breeding of the American Bulldog in the United States, and ultimately saved this breed from disappearing forever. The American Bulldog was first recognised as an official breed in 1970, when it was registered as the American Pit Bulldog. However, the name of this domestic breed was soon changed to the American Bulldog to avoid confusion with the American Pit Bull Terrier (to which this breed can look quite similar and the two can often be confused).

Sunday, 4 March 2012

Dealing With Dog Smell For Clever

There are many ways in which people and dogs are similar, but an area in which dogs are much superior is in their olfactory ability, or their sense of smell.  Dogs can smell 100,000 times better than humans.  In tests, dogs have been able to detect a chemical in a solution diluted to 1 to 2 parts per trillion. The human brain has a large area devoted to vision, while dogs have a large portion dedicated to olfaction, in fact, 40% more of a dog’s brain than a human’s is committed to smell.  The average person has 5 million smell receptors, while the average dog, depending on breed, has 125 to 250 million smell receptors.  The Bloodhound has an incredible 300 million smell receptors!  Dogs can smell things up to 40 feet underground.  Dogs can even smell human fingerprints that are a week old!

 Part of the reason dogs have an excellent sense of smell is the moist leathery surface of the nose determines the direction of air currents.  Also sniffing brings air with scents directly into the nostrils and then onto the moist surfaces inside the nasal cavity which catches the molecules so the dog’s internal receptors can decode them.  It is believed that even long ear flaps can help their sense of smell by stirring up odors close to the ground.

People have taken advantage of this incredible sense of smell and trained dogs to detect certain odors.  One of the more unusual objects that dogs have been trained to find is whale feces.

Whale researchers for years have been stymied by their inability to test whales in the wild.  It was then discovered that whale poop could give them information on diet, genetics, hormone status, level of toxins, etc. But how to find enough whale feces to get significant findings?  Whale feces floats for only about 30 minutes. One research group found only five samples in two weeks by searching on their own.  Then Tucker and Fargo came into their lives.  Tucker is a Labrador mix -breed dog who searches for Orca whale feces in Puget Sound, and Fargo is a Rottweiler who finds right whale poop in the North Atlantic.

With the dogs on board, the research teams have found as many as 12 samples a day.  At first their success rate was less, only because the researchers underestimated the distance at which the dog could detect the odor.  With time the researchers learned that when the dog signaled , they should point the boat in the direction of the dog’s nose and keep going until they found the feces;  this has been as far as 1.2 miles.  As one researcher said,” The lowest-tech method turns out to be the most effective.” Findings from these studies show that the orcas have had a drop in thyroid hormone; the researchers attribute this to a poor food supply.  This could explain why orcas had a 20% decline in population in the last decade in Puget Sound.

The Atlantic study has not found the reason for the poor reproduction of the right whale since a hunting ban went into effect 70 years ago.  From a low of 100 whales, the population is now only about 300, while 100,000 used to swim those waters.  Research continues as long as the dogs keep finding samples!
Another amazing example of dogs detecting unusual things is the study that showed that dogs can identify people with cancer by smelling the person’s breath or urine. The person’s breath was used to find lung and breast cancer; urine was used to detect bladder or prostate cancer.  The dogs were accurate 99% of the time for lung cancer, and 88% of the time for breast cancer!  This is equal or better than high tech techniques such as scans.  This study was done with only two to three weeks training using pet dogs and the only previous preparation was basic puppy training.

For centuries dogs have helped people with hunting, herding, and protection.  These examples clearly show that dogs are capable of much more.  Only our imaginations may limit what dogs might do in the future.

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Learn Something About Dog Illnesses

All pet dogs should be treated as members of our family and adequate attention must be paid to the canine's health. Sometimes dogs become sick but may not look so. It is very important to recognize and understand dog illnesses symptoms.

Since prevention is a better cure, we must learn something about dog illnesses and symptoms so we can better understand their conditions. This will help us recognize some common dog illnesses. If appropriate and adequate vaccinations are administered to the puppies, most of the common dog illnesses can be easily prevented.

Some elementary observations are useful to recognize certain common dog illnesses. Dogs take a lot of sleep but their sleep is marked by alertness. If a dog is sluggish then there may be various causes contributing to it, right from anemia to old age. If the dog is limping then you should check for prospective painful areas using a firm and yet gentile hand. Check out for any signs indicating lameness from time to time.

The appetite of the dog is bound to be affected by ill health. Look for any signs of loss of appetite. An important sign of dog health problems is excessive thirst. A pronounced weight loss is also an indicator of ill health. Check the eyes for any ulcers, discharges, veins or sores.
The mouth of a healthy dog is pink. There should not be any discoloring or cavities in the teeth. Look for signs of discharge from ears. It is advisable to clean the ears from time to time. The dog's head should be regularly checked for sore patches, hair loss, or deep wounds.

Investigate the limbs and trunk for the same signs. If the dog is vomiting, there may be various underlying problems. If the body temperature of your dog is not between the range 38 to 39 Celsius it is an indication of some kind of illness. Check the female dogs for any kind of foul smelling vaginal discharge, which needs attention of a vet.

The symptoms of pain and discomfort experienced by a dog can give us many clues about the possible underlying illness. If the dog is suffering any abdominal pain, it may be due to canine hepatitis, enteritis or it can be a simple case of constipation. The abdominal swelling dogs indicate canine bloat and roundworms in puppies. Aggression of the dog may be caused by rabies. Roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms my cause anemia in dogs. Any behavioral changes in dog can be an indicator of hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, canine arthritis, heart disease, canine, or parvovirus.

Kidney diseases sometimes cause blood in urine. Eye infections and entropion cause bloodshot eyes in dogs. A ruptured diaphragm, obstructed airway, lungworm, bronchitis, pneumonia, food poisoning, heatstroke, allergies can cause respiratory problems in dogs.

There are various reasons of sudden change in weight of dogs like heart disease to heartworms. Hernia might be caused due to long term constipation in dogs. Allergies, parvovirus, hepatitis, lungworm, TB, pneumonia or distemper may be one of the reasons of coughing in dogs. Cannine parvovirus can also cause dehydration in dogs. Any pancreatic disorder, food poisoning can give rise to diarrhea in dogs. The dog may suffer from hair loss due to mange, red mange demodectic, scabies, cheyletiella mange, or cushings syndrome.

If dog indicates any signs of failing genital bleeding, persistent constipation, projectile vomiting, fainting, hair loss, seizure, stumbling, trauma, trembling, mouth bleeding, rectal bleeding, lethargy, shaking, urinating problems contact a dog care specialist.

Friday, 24 February 2012

Effective Tips For Dog Training

For a good and healthy human and dog relationship, dog training is a must, as it is through the process of training that a dog can be taught the mannerisms it requires to have, to move around in society. But what is dog training and how is it useful for the dog? Here are some free dog training tips that give you an answer. Training dogs involves clicker training, marker training, reward training, collar and leash, positive reinforcement, dog whispering,obedience training for dogs , etc. Dogs are not perfect; well no one is, and they keep doing certain things that may not be acceptable, especially when they are moving around with humans, their masters. These behavior include chewing, digging, jumping, begging, biting and barking unnecessarily. So, training dogs not to bite and training dogs not to bark is equally important. Here are some dog training tips for free, they will certainly help you change the behavior of your dog.

Tips for Dog Training
The sole purpose of dog training is to make your dog well-mannered. Following are the tips that must be followed without fail during the training sessions for dogs:
  • At the initial stage, do not over burden the dog with many commands as they might become frustrating and confusing for their little brains. Always remember to respect the behavior of your dog and plan your training accordingly. Never give a command for the activity that the dog can avoid.
  • You must always praise the dog for his good behavior and performance and reward him immediately so that he can associate the reward and the behavior. Make use of dog treats for this. This acts as a booster for the dog to follow your instructions religiously. This practice should be followed as it helps develop an amicable relation between the dog trainer and the trainee dog.
  • During the process of training, never ever punish the dog. Always focus on praising the behavioral change in the pet.
  • Penalize the dog for his misbehavior. Keep in mind that penalizing and punishing are two different things. Penalty means forcing the dog to do the thing that he dislikes like leash jerk or ignoring him to make him realize his mistake. These free dog training tips will definitely help you train your dog in the way you want to.
Dog House Training Tips
The house training is a must for a dog to make him used to the outdoors and indoors. Crate training is the basic method of training the dog. The pup must be kept in a crate for a short period in a day. If the pup wants to defecate, take him outdoors. Teach him to defecate either in a yard or in a sandbox, if you do not have a yard. You could even use these puppy potty training tips for that. Some dogs jump at their loved ones in over-excitement. It is all right with small dogs, but large dogs might injure themselves or the person they jump on. So, to get rid of this dog behavior ignore the dog instead of shouting and screaming at it. These tips on house training a puppy might prove useful. For the meal time, create a separate meal area for the dog. Make him understand the right time for meals and make sure you stick to that timing. Always remember, never overfeed the dog. The most enjoyable training is dog leash training for both the trainer as well as the dog, as it ensures a safe and enjoyable stroll with your pet. If you clearly understand how to train a dog, and follow these free dog training tips religiously, you will observe a gradual change in the behavior of your dog, a change for the better.

Dog Potty Training Tips
Now we come to the potty training tips. Potty training dogs requires you to be patient and give your dog some time to learn. This training should be given at the puppy stage itself. For potty training older dogs, you need to understand its nature and behavior. The most important thing to be considered during this training is the 'in' and 'out' timings. Usually, they should be taken out after fifteen to twenty minutes of their meal. Use a potty if you plan to let the dog poop indoors. Again don't punish your dog too hard for pooping at the wrong place; and don't forget to reward him for its little acts of good behavior.

So, these are some of the essential free dog training tips that will help you give the basic training to your dog. So go ahead and make your dog a 'gentleman'. You can even get many free dog training tips online. With the use of dog training tools available today dog training can be made easy. But the most important thing about training a dog is you give it your time and treat it with affection and care. That's my dog training advice to you.

Saturday, 18 February 2012

Take Care Your Dog's Healthy

 
Dog health care is an important part of owning a dog. A healthy dog will give us unconditional love and companionship for years in return. headache dogWe hope to inspire you and keep you well educate about your dog’s health through our free newsletter and videos. Whether your dog is young or old, the choices you make will have an impact on your k-9s health and happiness.

Grooming and bath time.Weight gain in some dogs has an effect on their joints, especially large breeds. Hips and knees work much better when not required to bear the extra unnecessary weight. Ask your Veterinarian the guidelines for judging your pet’s ideal weight.

Today your dog is exposed to many to toxic substances. Chemicals and particles from your Grooming and bath time.household cleaners can be licked off by your dog. The purpose of giving your dog a bath is to help remove dirt, grease and unhealthy contaminants from her fur and skin, and let’s not forget fleas and ticks. If nothing else, a flea infestation is one of the best reminders to bathe your dog regularly.
First Aid Cleaning products:
  • A card that lists your vet’s number and the number for the nearest twenty-four-hour emergency vet hospital. Your dog’s medical history in case you need to visit an emergency vet.
  • Saline eye wash to flush injured eyes.
  • Sterile saline to bathe skin wounds.
  • Antiseptic skin cleanser e.g. iodine or chlorhexidine scrub.
Dressings:
  • Conforming bandage in case of snake bite.
  • Gauze pads and cotton balls.
  • Adhesive tape to hold swabs in place.
  • Self-adhering bandage such as vet wrap to put pressure on bleeding wounds on legs or tail.
Dog Medications:
  • Benadryl – an antihistamine – to insect stings. Speak to your vet re dosage, but guideline is 0.5 to 2 mg per pound (1 to 4 mg/kg) given by mouth two to three times daily.
  • Antiseptic wound dressing ointment such as iodine for abrasions and wounds.
  • 3% Hydrogen Peroxide – if your dog eats something toxic, giving one teaspoon (5ml)per 10 pounds of body weight which will make him vomit it up. Contact poisons information first to see if it can be induce if he’s eaten something caustic.
  • Styptic powder or corn starch to stop bleeding.
  • Aloe-vera Gel.
Other Items For Your Dog First Aid Kit:
  • Bandage scissors.
  • Tweezers to remove splinters or other foreign bodies..
  • Muzzle – even the gentlest dog may bite if he/she is in pain.
  • Blanket to keep your dog warm, or could be used as a stretcher.
  • Disposable gloves.
  • Flashlight – accidents happen in the dark too.
  • Syringes to flush wounds.
  • Latex Gloves
  • Rectal Thermometer

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Essential To Your Dog’s Health

Austin pet grooming, both at home and at our vet clinic, is essential to your pet’s health. Keep your pets looking and feeling their best with grooming care from Dessau Veterinary Clinic. Led by veterinarian Dr. Kellee K. Campbell, our Austin veterinary care team is committed to providing compassionate and loving care for your pets. Our groomer uses a gentle and loving touch to clean and care for your pet. Our cat and dog grooming services include bathing, nail clipping, coat brushing, and hair trimming.

Our Austin animal clinic staff can provide many tips for cat and dog grooming to pet owners. At-home pet grooming, such as brushing your pet’s coat, is a wonderful opportunity to bond with your pet. While cats naturally groom themselves, many long-haired breeds need a little human assistance to manage their coat. Regular brushing will remove stray hairs and reduce the risk of injury from hairballs.

Not every cat or dog wants to be groomed, however, and if your pet becomes stressed, upset or fights back to resist grooming, it’s easier to leave the care up to our pet grooming experts! Our groomer is fully experienced handling pets of all sizes and temperaments, and knows all the tricks for making each animal feel relaxed and comfortable during a pet grooming session.

We recommend routine grooming for all pets, although long-haired cats and dogs that are highly susceptible to matted hair may need more frequent care than their shorter-haired friends. When matted hair occurs, it is easiest to let our professional groomer correct the problem. Our groomer is fully experienced at removing matted hair without causing pain for your pet. In extreme cases, we may even trim away part of the matted hair to avoid hurting your pet. This is just one example of how our professional groomer provides an elevated level of service and care for your pets.

Cat and dog grooming is also an important opportunity to assess the health of your pet. Our professional groomer is specially trained to catch many of the signs of skin problems or other conditions that you may miss. If our groomer notices anything, a veterinarian is available to immediately evaluate your pet’s health and make recommendations for follow-up treatment. We also check for common health problems such as ticks and fleas.

During a grooming session, we will wash and bathe your pet. Because many pets have sensitive skin, we only use natural, hypo-allergenic bathing. We will trim your dog’s nails so they just touch the ground when walking. If your cat has not been declawed, we will also trim your cat’s claws. We can trim your pet’s hair and even provide a little styling, as desired. Our groomer can also clean your dog's ears as needed.

Our state-of-the-art facilities are cleaned and disinfected after each pet. We find that many pets, such as larger dogs, are more comfortable in our spacious grooming facilities than during at-home grooming.