Dog breeds information & picture

Best Food For Puggle Puppy

2007-12-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

Over the years, commercial dog food companies have come up with some very confusing variations about which formula to feed our dogs, especially when it comes to our precious puppies.
Puggles are incredibly loving and friendly dogs. They especially enjoy eating and have hearty appetites, which could lead to obesity if not fed the best food in their early years.
Here are a few tips on finding the best food for your puggle.....
1. Stay away from foods that have hard to digest grains in them such as corn, wheat, glutens, dairy or soy. Even if the label says "natural" read the ingredient list first before you purchase!! Many dogs are allergic to grains like corn and wheat so starting your Puggle puppy off on these foods could cause problems in their future health. Corn especially, is very high glycemic which could lead to overweight issues when they get older.
2.Be sure and find a dog food with a good, quality protein source. Chicken meal is the best. It has less water than chicken meat and is more concentrated. This gives your puppy adequate protein as he grows.
3. Choose a high, quality, all natural food; then there is no need to feed a puppy food. Find a food that is formulated, and tested according to nutritional profiles of AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) for ALL stages of life, both puppy and adult.
5. ALWAYS look at the first 5 ingredients of your dog food! This is key to how good of quality the dog food is. Remember, stay away from corn and other grains like wheat. Again look for quality protein like chicken meal, catfish, etc.
5. No by products!! By products are the "leftovers" after the choicest meat has been removed. This could include chicken feet, intestines, etc.... Oh well , that's a yukky thought! These inferior ingredients get added to many commercial puppy foods. So be sure and read your labels! Please don't feed this to your sweet Puggle!
6. Choose a food that has vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in it. Good nutrition is a must for a puggle puppy and what they receive in their first year can set the stage for their entire life.
Did you know that dogs fed a high quality dog food live on average 5 or more years longer than dogs fed lesser-quality food?
Want to get your Puggle off to a good start with an all natural, high quality dog food? Visit http://pugglepuppyfood.blogspot.com/ for a free sample!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candice_Lee

Finding the Responsible Breeder

2007-12-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

How to find the Responsible Breeder

1. Contact the breed registry. If the dog is an AKC breed start with the AKC web site www.akc.org. AKC is a multi-breed registry that maintains stud books (pedigrees). It is made up of many member clubs, one for each breed. The national breed club can send you a list of breeders. The list is not an endorsement. You still have to check everything. It is just a place to start. Virtually all countries have their own kennel clubs, a good many of them are now on the Internet.

There are breed registries other than the AKC. One is the United Kennel Club (UKC). Also look at the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). Others are breed specific. You will usually find these breed specific registries in the process of researching your breed.

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a registry is legitimate. There are many out there that are not, so be careful. Make sure the breeder gives the actual name of the registry, not just the initials.

2. Contact local breed clubs. You can contact them through the AKC web site, or United Kennel Club or do a search on the Internet or subscribe to some magazines. Make sure you know how to spell your breed's name. You would be amazed at how many people handicap their research because they spell the breed name incorrectly.

3. Talk to other people who have the breed you are interested in. Where did they get their dog? Are they happy with the breeder? If you have never met anyone who has the breed you are interested in, then you really need to take time out to do just that. Before bringing a dog into your household you want to see at least half a dozen living in different households so you get some idea what the dogs are like in real life, with real people just like you.

4. Attend dog events. Good breeders are active in the dog world. That is how they keep in touch with important information. The AKC web site can point you an events calendar. It is important to know that just because one breed club is putting on the show does not mean that your breed won't be there. Use the events search to find ANY event, then contact the secretary of the event and find out if it is likely your breed will be there.

There are also web sites for a variety of dog sports that will also have events calendars. Be sure to check places other than AKC since there are a lot of competitions that don't involve AKC. If you are interested in a dog that does a particular activity, say sledding, then try the sledding web sites for organizations that put on events and have an activities calendar.

5. Go to any place where people with dogs gather - dog parks, grooming shops, training centers, veterinarians, pet supply stores. Talk to people. You can find some shows on http://www.infodog.com/, but don't forget the performance and non-AKC events. To find them explore the activities links looking for web sites that maintain activities calendars.

6. Get involved. Join some of the Internet discussion lists for your breed. See

This can be a wonderful way to meet some really good breeders. If you've done your research it will show in the questions you ask. Since a responsible breeder's main concern is the right home you may well end up with a pup that would otherwise be unavailable. I've known breeders to move people up on the waiting list just because they felt it was a really good placement.

7. What about the newspaper? The newspaper is not a good source. That doesn't mean there is never a responsible breeder advertising in the newspaper. Your chances of finding one there, however, are very small. The sad fact is that if you have done your homework you will know far more about breeding healthy dogs that 99 percent of the people advertising in newspapers.

You can use newspaper listings to polish your interviewing and question asking skills. Be warned, however, that some people will become hostile when you ask them questions, especially about health and temperament. Mostly they get hostile because they don't really understand and they think you are accusing them of being a bad person. If you can stand the possible hostility you will certainly gain an education, and you might end up educating others. Not a bad thing.

Oh, and some of the worst breeders are advertisers in the dog magazines. There may be good breeders too, but flashy does not equal good, and neither do large numbers. Pay attention to what they DO, not how grand they sound. Be skeptical. They write their own praises, remember that.

8. Then again you might decide that you have room in your heart for a dog that was bred by a less than responsible breeder. If everyone were a responsible breeder there would be little need for animal shelters. To do your part in reducing pets in animal shelters don't reward bad or careless breeders by buying from them. Don't make a bad situation worse by rewarding them for what they do no matter how sorry you are for the dog. You will only increase the problem. Unfortunately there are plenty of irresponsibly bred dogs looking for a loving home in shelters and rescues across the USA. You can get some really terrific dogs that way. I should know because that is where my dogs come from.

If you are lacking in experience focus on rescues where you will get more support and guidance than government run shelters.

I have a page for Rescue and Shelter dog links. It is a short list of some of the web sites that list shelter, humane societies and rescue dog organizations. There are more of them, but I can't keep up.

9. People used to looking for products are used to looking for lists of suppliers with a good reputation. This doesn't work well for finding a good dog breeder. A responsible breeder spends a lot of time preparing to breed, but may end up breeding only a few times. These are the breeders who have the time and energy to actually care about the future of the puppies they produce. But it makes for an ever changing "list" of good breeders - individuals popping in once then not reappearing for several years. Who is going to be able to do a better job of following up and supporting the puppy buyer - the person who has produced two litters of eight puppies over ten years (16 dogs to track) or the person who has produced five litters of eight every year over ten years (400 dogs to track). This is why the individual breed clubs are a good bet for finding a good breeder. People can be listed or unlisted efficiently because there is more direct involvement and communication.

Source : http://www.dogplay.com/GettingDog/where.html

PUPPIES AS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

2007-12-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

"Accepting deposits now for Christmas puppies," classified advertisements read at this time of year. Are you considering getting a dog for Christmas or thinking about giving someone else a puppy as a present? Do pets make good Christmas gifts?
"Puppies just don't make good presents because they need so much attention and care," said Candy Roberts, Humane Officer at the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley.
Puppies require constant attention and supervision when you first bring them home. They must be fed three to four times daily. Housetraining must start immediately and is a time-consuming process. Puppies usually need to go out every time they eat, drink, play or wake up from a nap, including the sleepiest hours of these cold, winter nights.
During the holiday season people are so busy that they don't have the time it takes to fulfill a new pup's 'round the clock demands. It's unfair to bring a young dog into the chaos of holiday celebrations and ignore their needs.
"Christmas is not a good time to introduce a new animal into a household. It is best done later, when things are calmer and there's more time to help the puppy adjust to their new surroundings," said Daneen Pacifico, board member of the Humane Society of Parkersburg, West Virginia.
With all the activity during this season, it's possible that the puppy may be frightened or distressed. A new pet may also be upset by the stressful emotions of the humans around them. A stressed pet, particularly an energetic and playful pup who is left unsupervised, is more likely to get into trouble.
The rich fare served during the holidays can irresistibly tempt a constantly-hungry pup to steal and devour these goodies from the table or garbage. Another temptation is to hand feed a new puppy tidbits as a special meal. Having access to spicy, fatty or excessively-sweet Christmas foods is a recipe for having a sick puppy.
Other Christmas dangers for new pets include their investigations of shiny decorations with wonderfully strange odors. Most puppies explore by mouthing objects that interest them. If a pup chews on decorative lights, extension cords, glass ornaments, tinsel or leaves from seasonal plants, they could become injured, seriously ill or even die. A dead puppy is not a good Christmas present.
What about additional health considerations of Christmas puppies? Were the sire and dam healthy? How about further back in the pedigree -- are there any genetic illnesses -- did the breeder spend the time and money to check?
Puppies advertised as Christmas presents have most often been bred to bring their owner extra cash for the holidays. Since breeding a healthy litter costs more than can be recovered in sales, these so-called breeders may have cut corners by withholding important veterinary and nutritional care to the pups.
Also, was the litter an accident? Most reputable breeders do not have litters available during the holidays because puppies that are given as presents seldom remain in their first home. Some of these puppies end up at animal shelters, where parents may bring their children in at the last minute to pick a pet as a Christmas present.
"They don't need or really want a dog when it gets that close. It's a last minute thing then. Getting a pet isn't a spur of the moment decision," said Roberts.
Prospective owners need time to prepare for the family's new addition. The purchase of a puppy should be part of a well-researched, thorough and forward-looking plan.
"A puppy is not something that looks cute and is taken on a whim, then after a short time is returned to the shelter. We close the shelter to the public the day before Christmas to try and prevent adoptions made on a whim. These are living creatures that deserve a huge commitment. To do that someone must be ready to take on this big responsibility." said Pacifico.
Roberts said, "After the excitement is over, many kids get tired of taking care of a puppy and the parents won't do it because they're too busy. So, about half of our puppies that are adopted during the holiday season end up being brought back to the shelter. Pets aren't like toys. When you get bored with them you can't throw them away and get a different 'toy.' If you do that with a dog, it hurts them."
There are more reasons for never giving an animal as a present. Selecting a pet is a personal choice, not something one individual can do for another. What if the receiver doesn't want the puppy? Do the kids and the new dog get along? This should be determined in advance of permanently acquiring a pet.
"We advocate that if a person wants a puppy, they should choose the pet themselves so that it is compatible with their lifestyle. They must want it, agree to accept responsibility for it and be willing to provide care for the animal," said Pacifico.
If the decision to get or give a puppy as a present has definitely been made - hopefully with much forethought - breeders and humane officers make the following recommendations. Give a gift certificate, a stuffed animal or pet-care items at Christmas. Wait to bring the new pup home until after the holidays are finished and people's homes and schedules are less hectic. The right puppy will be worth the wait.
More people buy puppies as presents than other types of pets, but animals such as kittens, ferrets, birds and reptiles should also not be given during the holidays for the same reasons.
The commitment to a newly acquired pet must last the lifetime of that animal, not just on Christmas Day. So before deciding to give a puppy - or any other animal - as a gift remember: Pets Are Forever.
by Lexiann Grant
Email: lexiann@frognet.net
Copyright© 1999

Working Dogs Training

2007-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

Tittle : Training A Working Dog

In today's world, working dogs are a fact of life. These dogs selflessly provide a service to their masters and their communities and are rewarded with adoration and praise. Police dogs provide such an important service that, in some areas, the killing of a police animal is just as serious an offense as murdering an officer of the law. That in itself is quite a tribute to the work these animals perform.

But what goes into the training of one of these fine animals? Have you ever taken the time to think about how many hours are put into sorting the working animals from the common pets? How much effort is placed on teaching these animals how to do their job in protecting and serving their masters either in official police form or as an assistance dog, such as Seeing Eye or Hearing Ear dogs?

The training of Police dogs alone accounts for many hundreds of man-hours spent for just one animal. Trainers spend many hours researching, locating and acquiring suitable breeds for service dogs and then the dogs must fall within the correct age bracket being neither too young nor too old for service with most dogs ranging between ten months on the young side and two and a half years on the older side. The dogs are then given complete physicals including blood work and X-ray pictures to be certain that they can withstand the stresses and situations the job throws at them.
The dogs are required to do pre-tests to determine eligibility for the program as well as aptitude and the pre-tests include such things as whether the dog is approachable by strangers without extreme shifts in behavior, retrieval behavior and foreign object acceptance, such as horses, umbrellas and objects not encountered daily. These tests are used to match the dog to its specific line of work as in patrol, cadaver, narcotics or explosive training.
There is much rigorous testing of the animals before any true training ever begins and matching the animal's temperament and personality to the correct trainer is one of the biggest criteria to effective training. If the two personalities clash then the whole training process can be disrupted or, worse, destroyed beyond repair. Dogs are matched to trainers and allowed to bond with their trainers before the earnest training ever begins, thus establishing a trust relationship between the man and the animal that will be crucial in the field later.Now the difficult task of training begins, with each trainer customizing the lessons to their own style in addition to the age and abilities of the dog. There are classes in different tracking methods, aggression behaviors, environmental dangers, gun conditioning and protecting the handler. The dogs must learn and qualify on these procedures before moving on to the next lesson. Each of these lessons requires many hours of skilled and consistent training just as does any other form of specialized work. Besides these basic lessons, there are also the specialized lessons such as small item retrieval, explosive and drug location, obstacle avoidance and circumvention, along with how to handle a combative subject and escalated force routine. These animals must also learn to deal with distractions, large crowds, tracking in rural, urban and suburban environments and unusual objects, such as umbrellas and weapons.
Remember that there are many hours spent on each of these lessons and that the average dog/handler team is in the field for a year before they become effective and you have a huge amount of training going on. What happens to the dogs that just can't learn all the behaviors? While some are qualified enough to be accepted for other programs such as the Seeing Eye or Hearing Ear programs to assist the physically challenged, most become ordinary but very well trained house pets. For those accepted into the other assistance dog programs, a whole new line of training begins which utilizes their previous training while involving such things as leading the blind thru obstacles using a specially made halter or learning to recognize environmental threats such as smoke, fire, vehicles and tripping hazards and alerting their handlers to the presence of these things. These lessons alone count for many more hours of training.
What does the dog get from all of this? A reward you could never imagine... The love of a trainer and handler that is served well. The affectionate hug of a child whose daddy came home tonight because a well-trained dog put its life on the line. The caress and praise of a blind child who has new freedom because of an animal that leads them where they want to go and protects them from danger. These dogs are rewarded for what they do and rewarded well because they serve well. Think about that the next time you see one of these dogs on the street and remember all the training that goes in to making sure they protect and serve with pride.

Dog Article courtesy of I-Love-Dogs.com