How Old is My Dog?

Eight in ten people consider their dog a member of their family. So, it is not surprising that43 percent of dog owners celebrate birthdays, according to a study done by Purina Pet Institute. The celebration includes a new toy, or a special trip to the park. But a doubt emerges when we try to calculate how old the dog is in human years. 

Once upon a time, it was an easy task to translate the age of a dog into human years. All you had to do was multiply the age of the dog by seven. But now it seems that it’s not so simple. If Sparky is ten years old, he’s not necessarily as old as a seventy year old human. Think about this: If it were truth that one dog year is like seven human years, a dog at the age of one would be like a human at the age of seven. But a human can’t reproduce at the age of seven, while a dog can reproduce at the age of one.

A two month puppy is approximately like a 14 month baby; a 6 month puppy is like a 5 year old kid; an 8 month puppy is like a 20 year old human; a dog at the age of three is like a person at the age of thirty; a five year old dog is like a forty year old person; and a dog who’s seven years old is like a human who is forty six. What is more, according to the BBC, not every breed ages in the same way. Besides, dogs may age at different rhythm at the different stages of their lives. And size is fundamental to determine how old the dog really is.

Ezequiel Olivieri y Julieta Balduzi, directors of a website devoted to pets, explained, “Statistically, the bigger the dog, the less they live. The biggest ones have a life expectancy of 12 years and the smallest ones can live up to 16 years or more. This depends, of course, of the quality of the food, the hygiene and the life style”. They then added, “It’s fundamental to take into account that a dog reaches its definitive size in its first year, that’s when we can evaluate its size”.

A source from the BBC explained, “If you think in the statistical correlation between the life expectancy and body size in mammals, generally, it tends to be positive: Gorillas, elephants and wales live much longer than hamsters and mice”. Therefore, a Rottweiler should live longer than a Yorkshire. But it’s actually the other way around. This is because small dogs have a shorter youth and a longer adulthood. They grow faster during their first 24 months, but their growing slows down as they mature. As strange as it might seem, a small dog at the age of two is older than a big one of the same age; but the small dog will be younger than the big one when they are both 5.

Is There Such Thing as a “Dangerous Breed”?

In 2012, animal lovers from all over the world were heartbroken when they learned Wicca’s story. Wicca was a pitbull from Canada, who was euthanized just for being a pitbull. The city of Montreal killed the dog, ignoring thousands of requests to save her life. It all started when Wicca allegedly bit a woman and subsequently nipped an ambulance technician who treated the woman. The dog’s owner claimed that Wicca only jumped on the two so called victims because they scared her.  According to the owner, “The lady never went to the hospital. She never got stitches”. The problem was that the city of Montreal is allowed to kill dogs considered dangerous, such as Pitbulls, without evidence. A law says so. And this type of breed-specific legislations exist in many cities around the globe.

Breed Specific Legislation (BLS) is to use the law to regulate and restrict dog ownership based solely on their breed. It’s based on the idea that certain dog breeds are bad by nature and are innately more aggressive than others. Is that so?

Many people believe that no breed should be labeled as “bad” or “dangerous”. Patricia Abala, who organizes dog shows, stated “Pitbulls are not dangerous, as long as you handle them correctly since they are puppies, like any other dog”.  And she added, “Many people think that to have a good guardian dog it’s necessary to abuse him, to have it always tied or get him used to beating. The only thing you achieve with this is potent the aggression. In every case where a dog attacks a human there’s always a history of abuse and wrong training. The animal is first a victim, then an aggressor”.   

The truth is that all dogs have the same number of chromosomes. Hence, they are the same from a genetic point of view. “No dog is dangerous per se. It depends on its inheritance and stimuli (positive or negative) he receives”, affirmed Dr. Fernando Catrina, director of the Center of Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Problems in Canine and Feline Behavior”, in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. Catrina also explained, “The most important is the sensitive period of the animal’s development. The first four months of his life. It’s when the dog adapts to the stimuli he gets. The dog is born with an immature nervous system and its sensorial capacity augments through the maturity of its sensorial organs, such as smell, vision and hearing”.

In a forum where this topic was heatedly debated, a woman identified as Gigi Monzón stated, “I worked on a pediatric ER, and most of the kids attacked by dogs were attacked by small dogs. More than once those small dogs disfigured kids because the kids put their faces in the dog’s mouth. The thing is that with big dogs the attack tends to be fatal, so they get more media attention”.

“There are no dangerous breeds, only irresponsible owners”, concluded another woman called Mescalita Vero. “If you raise it properly the dog will be wonderful”.

Rules For Choosing The Right Pet

Whether it’s an individual or a family, having a pet can be a source of fun, joy and comfort, but that’s only if they choose the right pet. Pets can be a source of learning opportunities, unconditional love and a connection to nature, especially for children. They can be great companions for parents and adults. The choice of a pet has a lasting impact for people and it has been proven through studies that the chance bought on impulse are usually given up in contrast to those that are chosen thoughtfully. Every individual, family and pet is unique. There is no ideal pet that can be chosen.

A number of steps should be followed before people actually get a pet for their household:

1- No Impulse Shopping: This can be a mistake. Getting a pet on an inspiration or a whim can turn out to be a disaster. Ensure that’s it’s a deliberate act that has been given careful consideration. Just because an animal looks adorable in a pet shop doesn’t mean that you scoop it up and bring it home.

2- Shop Around: If you are interested in buying a pet, have a look at the different options available to you. Do some research and find out the several breeds, types and kinds of animals that you can choose. Ask your friends and relatives for suggestions, particularly if they have pets.

3- Matching Pets With Your Lifestyle: Go to a shelter or animal rescue organization and observe the animals on a one-on-one basis. Make a mental list of their positive and negative aspects. Compare them with your lifestyle. If you are a night owl, you don’t want a pet that is awake during the day as it will be left unattended. If you are looking for pets that will fit in with your children, you can look for one that’s affectionate and loyal.

4- Consider Home Environment: Your home environment includes the space you can offer to the animal you choose. Don’t go for horses or dogs if you are going to keep them cooped up in a small apartment. Houses with backyards, fences etc. are good for them.

5- Allergies: Don’t forget to take into account allergies that you or any family member may have. It can put people at serious risk so they should consider them before selecting a pet.

6- Deciding Why You Want A Pet: It is essential to understand the reason for a pet in order to make the right selection. If the pet is a child substitute, people need one that’s affectionate, companionable etc. If it’s just for the company and presence, they need one that’s self-sufficient and independent.

7- Figure Out if You Can Meet the Needs of the Pet: Every pet has different needs. While some pets may be self-sufficient, they may still want some affection and company. Likewise, the needs also vary depending on their diet, hygiene etc. People should have the capability of meeting these needs before getting them.

With these considerations, the right pet for individuals and households can be chosen.

The Top Exotic Yet Bad Pets

 Credit: PattybrdarPhoto           

Potential pet owners will have a large variety of animals at their disposal when they go pet hunting, but this wide range makes it difficult for them to actually settle on one. A number of animals out there will prove to be a great addition to the household and will become part of the family in no time at all. However, there are plenty more animals that shouldn’t be kept and if, at all, there should be special circumstances to warrant that. A horde of animals are a good bet for a pet and are less dangerous to care for, although they might not be as exotic.

Nonetheless, listed below are some of the animals that may seem exotic pets, but aren’t actually a wise or good choice:

Primates

Baboons, chimpanzees, lemurs and monkeys are part of this category. They are child-like and cute; no doubt about that. However, they should never be considered a substitute for babies. Owners may insist on treatment them like one by taking them out in strollers and putting them into diapers, but the problem is that they permanently act like babies. They throw tantrums, scream and get angry. Also, they lack moral conscience so they can go on a rampage without cause and even attack the owners. This is dangerous as they are known to transmit diseases like HIV-1 and Hepatitis A.

Large Cats

Most of the large cats that may be chosen as pets include tigers, cougars, leopards and lions. They are dangerous and strong and de-clawing them will not turn them into Fluffy the housecat. De-clawing involves removing their bones from the body and if not done properly, the cats will not be able to walk properly and may become paralyzed. Plus, tigers and other large cats don’t use claws for killing their prey. They use their teeth for biting into the throat. If not the teeth, then the jaw pressure of the cat is enough to kill.

Venomous Snakes

It takes only a single bite for an individual to die. Get safer species because you might not have anti-venom handy. Some snakes are also known to cause blindness and immense pain.

Foxes

People may tame foxes, but they will never be fully domesticated. They are dangerous and untrustworthy, especially around children. In addition, they give off a musky odor that’s even worse than that of a ferret. Their canine teeth are very sharp and they switch on their wild instincts and inflict harm if they become scared in any way.

Bears

People think that bears are just like teddy bears i.e. cuddly and cute even though they are around 1500 pounds. For many reasons, bear cubs may be appealing, but they definitely don’t stay that size for long. They can be trained, but cannot be considered trustworthy. Just by using their paw, a bear can inflict serious damage and even kill people with a single blow.

These pets may seem exotic and exciting, but are very dangerous, especially if pets for families are being considered.

The Health Benefits of Keeping and Interacting with Pets

The significance of human-animal bond has been accepted the whole time, across cultures, and in modern research. Yet, attachment with pet animals has been undervalued. Ancient people valued the connections between humans and animals. In recent years, increasing research evidence confirms the physiological, psychological, and social benefits of communications with animals and the healing potential of animal-assisted programs in a wide range. Yet the field of mental health has been slow to recognize the importance of these bonds.

Health Benefits of Keeping a Pet

Over the past 30 years, research in a wide range of journals and disciplines offers rising evidence that communication with companion animals leads to healthy physical conditions, psychosocial happiness, and recovery from serious conditions. Although early studies were not as precise as the modern ones, modern organized research mostly confirms these benefits. One research suggests that pet ownership reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The next revelation is a funny one, which suggests that the presence of a pet was found to be more effective than that of a spouse or friend in ameliorating the cardiovascular effects of stress.

Many effects are mutually advantageous. Merely stroking a dog reduces blood pressure in both the person and the animal. Interaction with companion animals increases neuro-chemicals associated with relaxation and bonding and they improve human immune system functioning. A number of studies demonstrate the positive impact of pets on coping with chronic conditions and on the course and treatment of illness such as heart disease, dementia, and companion animals have been found to facilitate the recovery of hospitalized children and ameliorate depression in AIDS patients. Avian companionship was found to alleviate depression, loneliness, and low morale of older adults in skilled rehabilitation. Companion animals ease suffering and anxiety at the end of life for those in palliative and hospice care. It has also been found that pets are able to anticipate the death of loved ones.

German and Spanish Researchers Prove More Health Advantages of Interacting with Pets

Interactions with pets alter the tendency of those with mental problems to focus negatively on themselves. They become more involved in their environment in nonthreatening ways with a companionate animal. Researchers in Germany and Australia found that people who have continuously owned a pet were the healthiest group and those who no longer had a pet or never had one were least healthy. Spanish investigators found that the constant relationships moderate the physiological processes through relaxation and soothing contact in stroking and holding pets. Pets also reduce stress. Moreover, they give indirect benefits, in strengthening health by maintaining exercise. Taking a dog for a walk or having relaxed conversation with pets also catalyzes social relations, which in turn reduces isolation and loneliness.

Conclusion

On the whole, a wide range of investigations has found that animal-human communication reduces chances of depression and loneliness as they increase social support and general happiness. To fully understand the strength of close, long-term bonds with pets, we need to explore more deeply their meaning and importance for human beings.

Human-animal connections merit greater improvement in the mental health. Humans happen to be social beings, companion pets, although, can meet most of the psychosocial requirements and improve our lives. They give joy and relaxation, affection and steadfast loyalty; and security and constancy in our lives and bring pleasure and comfort to both children and adults. Bonds with companion animals may not be the soul motive of our whole lives, but they can make our lives complete.

Make Sure Your Cute Little Bunny is Not an Exotic Pet

When people hear the term “Exotic pet” they automatically think of a Capuchin monkey, an alligator or a raccoon. Some are baffled to find out that bunnies are exotic pets too.

According to Dr. Kevin Wright, a vet specialized on exotic pets, “an exotic pet is any species that is not one of the nine major domesticated species that comprise the majority of the curricula of veterinary schools”. That means any animal that’s not a dog, a cat, a horse, a cow, a sheep, a goat, a swine, a chicken or a turkey, can be exotic.

The first thing you should consider before welcoming a rabbit into your home is that they are prey animals, which means that they’ll interact with their environment differently than animals like cats or dogs  which are predators by nature. For instance, if you bend over a bunny and grab them the animal might feel like he’s being picked up by a hawk. Imagine how scary it must be for the cute little rabbit. That said, bunnies are indeed very sociable creatures. They not only like to interact with humans, they need to. But the best way to interact with your bunny is on the floor. If you sit on the floor while he plays he’ll soon approach you to investigate you. And he’ll want you to pet him as he sits next to you; at least at first. With a lot of time, love and patience he might like to be held. Some bunnies grow to become “lap rabbits” after some time.

If you are going to hold your rabbit, you should be familiar with the right ways to do so.

First of all, you should approach the rabbit so he sees you coming and then pet it to help him relax.  Then place your writing hand under his arms and hold his chest. After that, put your other hand to scoop up his bottom. Finally lift the rabbit to your chest.

You can also pick your bunny up from the midsection. In this case, place both hands around the rabbit’s midsection between its front and back paws.

For all the aforementioned characteristics, bunnies are not suitable pets for toddlers or small children. A little kid will likely want to hold the rabbit right away and won’t be patient enough. Besides, a little child won’t know how to properly hold it in a gentle manner. A dog, on the other hand, will love to play rough.

Rabbits are also not recommendable for households with dogs or cats, considering that canines and felines have natural hunting instincts.

Buying or adopting any pet means making a commitment for as long as the animal lives. It’s crucial to do the proper research before becoming responsible for the well-being of a living form that doesn’t reason but definitely has feelings. This is of particular importance when it comes to an exotic pet, since people generally don’t know a lot about them and information about these particular animals tend to be scarce.      

Conversations With Our Four-Legged Friend

Mr. Scoop is lying peacefully over his owner’s bed, as always. The woman then puts on a coat, grabs a purse and announces, “Bye-bye, baby boy. Mommy’s got classes. I’ll be back soon”. Before leaving, she requests “Give mommy a kiss”; and the dog, naturally, complies.  

Anything sounds familiar?

According to a survey conducted in the US, half of the pet owners talk to their pets. What’s more, eighty percent of the people who talk to animals affirmed that the pets appear to answer with sounds, body language or facial expressions. Besides, eighty percent of polled pet owners alleged that their cat or dog could sense their emotions, and three out of four even believe that their pet attempts to cheer them up if needed.        

Studies have shown that those who talk to pets may be on to something.

“Conversations with your pet can help you nurture and strengthen the bond between you and your pet”, explains Linda Cole, who writes a blog about pets. “Of course they don't understand everything we say, but they can and do pick out the words that mean something to them”.

Indeed, it has been proven that the average dog can understand about 165 diverse words, and this number can go up if the canine is trained. .Three years ago Chaser, a very impressive border collie, learned the names of 1022 items, becoming the animal with the highest vocabulary. Before Chaser, another collie called Rico became famous for responding correctly to 200 words.

Dogs understand basic commands like “Sit”, “Come here” or “Go”, and a variety of others terms, as long as they are tangible words rather than abstracts ideas. For instance, most dogs can tell that a leash if the object they wear to take a walk. However, they probably don’t know that the purpose of that object is to restrain them so they don’t run away. Also, it’s much easier for a dog to learn those terms that are associated with concrete actions or objects, especially those related to eating or playing.   

Also, Intonation and volume are paramount. If you say “You’re a bad dog” with a smile and in a sing-song voice, your pet will take it as a compliment.

Nevertheless, talking to a pet seems to have little to do with being understood. It appears to be more about expressing emotions and venting. 

On a forum where the topic of talking to pets was being discussed, a person identified as Peacebe2me said “Today I had a very bad day, and I had a long talk with the dog about how I felt about some people, and other things going on. I don’t know if he understands or not, but I sure feel better” While a pet-lover identified as C.S. stated “Pets listen when you want to talk about your feelings, even when your mate doesn't want to hear it anymore”. And another dog owner identified as wwdiup1 said ““I talk to my dog because she's the best listener, never interrupts!”

Your Friendly Dog; Yep, He’s Talking to You

One of the best things of owning a dog is definitely having a friend willing to listen to you, no matter how silly things you say are. Your four-legged friend is there for you. But do you listen to him? Because dogs definitely talk to you in the way they are able to. So, can you speak his language?

Dogs bark once when they want to call someone out, and bark multiple times rapidly to let their group know that something threatening or interesting is going on. A high-pitched barking can be a sign of either frustration or playfulness. Dogs also growl to show disgust and whine to beg. If the sound starts low and ends high it means the dog wants something, but if it starts high and ends low it means he’s complaining about something that makes him unhappy.

But our pet doesn’t have to make a sound to let us know how he’s feeling. Something every dog owner knows is that when a dog is very excited to see someone he wags his tail frenetically (In addition to jumping up and down). Dog owners also know that a tail that tucked, curled, or hanging unusually low indicates that the dog is feeling scared or in pain. However, wagging his tail doesn’t always equal happiness. That tail wagging humans interpret as a sign of excitement could actually mean fear or readiness to fight.

The rapid tail wags are indeed the classical signs of joy and desire to interact playfully, but slow, short wags indicate confusion but, also, interest. If a dog only wags the tip of his tail he may be afraid of you and is ready to defend himself if he has to. When it’s your dog the one doing that, it’s means he’s about to chase something or start a fight. Two dogs interacting that show such kind of tail wagging are uncomfortable with one another. If the dog is wagging his tail fast and up it means he’s confident and prepared for a fight. The tail extended straight out also means the dog is prepared to attack, while a tail straight up simply means alertness and interest.

The mouth of your dog also speaks volumes of his mood, even when he’s not barking. The way he positions his teeth, lips and jaws can tell you what you need to know. If your dog is content and relaxed, he’ll probably have his mouth closed or slightly opened.

People assume, sometimes wrongly, that a dog is being aggressive if he exposes his teeth. But the dog might actually be “smiling” to communicate the opposite. If a dog is feeling very submissive, he’ll show his front teeth by pulling up his lips vertically. Such smile goes together with a lowered head, whining and squinty eyes.

On the other hand, a dog with aggressive intent will display his teeth by retracting his lips, while wrinkling the top of his muzzle. That’s a dog that’s telling you to back off!   

Friendly and Interesting Cat Breeds That Anyone Would Love to Have

One of the favorite animals of all time is cats. People have kept them as pets for years because they are companionable and fair sharp creatures. They do not need to be looked after overmuch and can take care of themselves if needed. Nevertheless, it is still questionable in some societies about the domesticity of cats. However, it is a known fact that humans have been breeding cats for centuries and each of these breeds has their own unique characteristics. Some of the popular breeds are as follows:

Abyssinian

This cat stands out because of its multicolored and silky coat, which comprises of several colors on each hair shaft. This combo gives the cat its unique ticking appearance and makes it a stunning one. They have a graceful walk as their muscles are well developed and are medium in size. Gold or green almond-shape eyes are common in these cats, which make them even more striking. This particular cat is highly playful and active, but doesn’t enjoy being handled. They interact with humans and are bundles of joy.

Bengal Cat

The remarkably soft, dense and lush coat of the Bengal cat is what makes it different from the others. They have leopard like spots on their bodies, which are quite distinctive and can be in a pattern or simply random. These cats renowned for possessing a special trait called glittering, which makes it seem that the coat is dusted with pearl or gold. Having wide and dark eyes, this is a muscular, long and medium sized cat that has high cheekbones, broad head and muzzle and pronounced whisker pads. Although people assume that to be feral, they can actually be tamed and are also affectionate. Due to its energetic nature, this cat prefers the company of children.

Persian

This is one of the most famous breeds of cats that carries a sweet expression on its face and is large to medium-sized. Its tale is comparatively short than other breeds and it has small ears that set of a huge and round head. The Persians are well-known for their shimmering silky and long coat. They can be found in more than 80 colors, although the most popular choice is silver. These cats are extremely intelligent, but remain inactive for various periods. They are sweet and docile and an excellent choice when people are in need of a companion. However, they need considerable maintenance to ensure that they remain beautiful.

Siamese

Attractive baby blue eyes and large and striking ears make this particular breed different. They have a fine and short coat that covers a slim and sleek figure. Four traditional colors can be found in the coat. This particular cat is extremely dependent on human companionship because it’s very social and outgoing. They love communicating and shouldn’t be left alone too often. They need to be given affection and live and have to be handled with care.

Somali

This particular cat has been endowed with more than its share of good looks. It grabs the attention and has long hair, large foxlike hair and a tail to go with it. It may look feral on first sight, but that may be misleading. They have almond-shaped eyes that are often copper-gold or green in color. The cat is known for its alertness and is quite well-proportioned. It is large or medium, solidly built and quite muscular. This cat is highly playful and curious and can turn your life upside down. They like to explore and will simply enter into different places. They have a touchy-feely attitude and will try entering every area of your life.

Sphynx

Another interesting breed of the cat is this large or medium sized cat, which is quite heavy and muscular for its size and appearance. They have widely set and round eyes that render them a friendly and approachable appearance. They have highly prominent cheekbones and have no specific eye color. Sphynxes have a very high metabolism that contributes to their large appetites. They may appear to be hairless, but this is not the case in every sphynx. They appreciate human attention and have high energy levels. Therefore, they have the capability if indulging in various acrobatic tricks, much like monkeys. They are mischievous and curious creatures that enjoy showing off. They have a sense of humor and friendly attitude that has made them highly popular.

Munchkin

This cat is recognized for its short and stubby legs. It has a long body and is medium sized with walnut-shaped eyes. It is not self-conscious at all and is instead very outgoing and confident. It likes to wrestle, play and snuggle and prefers to have shiny objects. It also has a hunter’s instinct and chases after everything that moves.

Most of these cat breeds enjoy being with people and can make excellent family pets.

5 Dog Breeds with Longest Life Expectancy

Although when it comes to dogs there can be no guarantees, the five breeds listed below are more likely to be living a longer life. Some breeds, such as the English Bulldog and Irish Wolfhound, die soon. You may enjoy the company of 5 great dog breeds listed below for over 15 to 20 years, and probably even longer.

Dachshund

This dog was initially bred in Germany as a hunting dog. It’s been living a healthy and long life in many regions ever since. It is certainly a hunter, bred to hunt badgers and other little animals, but it is a common pet and is known everywhere as “wiener dog”. Longest lived type of this dog is miniature, and just like all other long-lived breeds, it is small in size, weighing even less than 12 lbs.

A majority of people who get a Miniature Dachshund love its playful personality, but another property of this breed is its aggressive behavior, particularly with strangers. It could have been considered among the dangerous breeds, only if the dog was bigger in size, but since the dog is small, not many of their bites have ever been reported. You have to make sure that you can deal with their aggression and reluctance to be obediently trained. Many of these are very difficult to be trained at house. This dog is famous for its harsh bark, and it can destroy any garden.

A Miniature Dachshund is able to live for many years if he doesn’t catch any severe health issues. About one fourth of these develop problems with back and it is worse in many. Also, these dogs are subject to obesity and several other health issues (like epilepsy, thyroid problems, dental disease, and eye conditions), but none of these problems is as bad as problem with the back.


Lhasa Apso

This dog has long hair and it is among the cutest ones. Lhasa Apso usually doesn’t weigh any more than 18 lbs but looks quite small. They are found in many different colors but regardless of how this dog seems, its bark can always be counted upon. These are great watch dogs and are pretty easy to be trained.

These dogs can have health issues, such as some eye and skin diseases. If you could protect them from these, however, it is among the longest living dog breeds and a perfect companion.
 
Toy Poodle

Toy Poodle is famous for many reasons; one significant reason is that it doesn’t shed much. It weighs about 10 lbs, has curly hair, and people who are not even around the dog know what it looks like, as these dogs are often seen being used in circuses and several shows where dogs in which dogs participate for doing tricks. This dog does great in the obedience class and usually picks up all the tricks you wish to teach it.

If the Toy Poodle you have doesn’t have any health issues, it will live for a long time. These dogs are sometimes found with heart disease, diabetes, and epilepsy. A few may have skin problems and allergies; others might have eye and ear problems. If you keep your dog groomed and make sure that it meets its exercise needs, it’s an intelligent dog breed which can live for pretty long.

Chihuahua

It is one of the smallest breeds of dog, typically weighing no more than 6 lbs. It viciously defends its territory for several years. This dog can have significant health issues. It can have a malformed trachea and heart murmur, epilepsy, bad knee caps, and a soft spot on its skull that gets firmer as dog gets older. If you plan on buying one of these dogs, you must be very careful. These are often not very good with kids, and at time become too fond of just one family member in a household. These shiver a lot, and therefore may spend most part of day just wrapped up in blankets.

If you could keep this dog from getting obese, and be on top of a potential health issue, it can live with you for several years.

Beagle

Beagle is the largest of long-living breeds, with male dogs weighing up to around 25 lbs. This dog is known as a scent hound, and was first developed for the purpose of tracking with its nose, and it is used for this purpose presently too. This dog has a good temper, is friendly with kids, and has a great size; and these are the qualities that make it a best family dog. The long life of this dog is usually attributed to its lack of health issues.

These dogs do have a few issues too. They often ignore their owners when they get a nice scent, so if off-leashed they may just run off. Although these dogs are intelligent, it is often difficult to train them. Beagle dogs are okay as the watch dogs, but they definitely are not good to be guard dogs, as they can just be too nice and are likely to making new friends than biting an invader.


Regardless of what the breed detail tells you, any dog breed can live for long or have short life. It is entirely up to how you keep your pet as healthy and well-shaped as possible, exercise it often, and give a good mental inspiration for making its life more interesting for it.

Great Dane In A Trailer

Many people, if not most, pick out a dog by the looks it has, without thinking about what environment is best for the dog. The environment, of course, not only includes the interior living space, but also the exterior, as well as the proximity of neighbors. People look for the cutest dog, the best protection, their favorite breed, or, Heaven forbid, the cost. Yes, that actually happens. Some people will go shopping for a dog, wanting a small dog, but buying a medium sized dog because it is more in their price range from the few they see that day. People can accidentally be cruel to the pet by being impatient. “I want a dog NOW!” Adults do this impetuous act almost as often as children. This could end up being a cruel situation for the dog, not to mention tantamount to disaster to the carpet and furnishings of the buyer’s dwelling.

I was visiting a friend that had recently purchased a mobile home. It was a new, beautiful, sizeable mobile home. That friend had a cat. The neighbor, however, had a Great Dane. It was really the largest Great Dane I had ever seen. It was as large as a small pony. It was a pretty dog. It was white, with many black spots. I saw it walking freely in my friend’s yard, and I gasped. I asked about it. My friend informed me that the lady seemed to be handicapped, may have wanted a guard dog, and that he only saw the dog about once a month, outdoors. Sure enough, on each subsequent visit to my friend’s trailer, I never saw or heard the dog again.

I finally asked my friend if the dog was gone. He elaborated that the dog was still there, because he could hear it running through the trailer as late as midnight, almost every night. We both speculated about how the dog could run in a trailer that would have to be full of excrement. Not only was the thought of that disgusting, I was very saddened about how the poor dog must feel cooped up in a trailer all the time, living amid its own waste. That environment, of course, was too small.

Likewise, a dog can be too small for a home. An easily frightened dog sometimes hides, and if you had a Chihuahua in The White House, you may not find it for days, as it cowered in small places that make it feel safe.

A beagle barks like a howl, and howls like a hyena stuck in a bear trap. Your neighbors might murder you. A miniature dachshund, which is all the rage, is very stubborn about housebreaking, and also barks for ten minutes after the mailman has left. They are often obstinate to any sort of bark training. A Dalmatian is supposed to run nearly eight miles a day. Who on earth could see to that? You better have a farm.

A dog that gets no exercise can suffer from depression, just as human beings can. They gain weight, which is a tragic and unfair thing to do to the dog. They suffer from back problems, and heart ailments, just to name a few.

When you decide to select a dog, you can look at websites about each breed you think you may like. The American Kennel Club even has information about how to match your dog’s needs to your environment. You can read about the needs of nearly a hundred breeds on their various websites. Do your research. If you do not care about your dog’s wants and needs, please get a goldfish.

Effective Training of Dogs

Most people like to keep pets but not just a pet; they are keen to own one that proves to be a cooperative dog. Some prefer a well tamed dog. Taming an animal is not as simple as it seems to be. There are a lot of precautions that must be considered to get satisfying results. The first thing to consider is the breed of dog. The breed of dog is the fact that entirely depends on judiciousness of an individual. Most of them either in order to show off their effluence or their bravery, purchase one such kind that is takes perpetual taming process. Of course, you cannot tame a Pit-bull at your house.

The Dogs can be trained by a polite behavior rather than frigid one, and can be made non-violent by having them make more interaction with the family and friends around. Playing cheers up their mood, so the dog owners need to involve their dogs in activities that could keep them busy and happy. It is dogs’ natural instinct to retaliate the way others behave. For Example, when a dog owner feels sad, the dog reflects the same behavior and similarly, owner’s pleasant mood affects the dog too. There are some dogs that bark excessively. Instead of purchasing these types of dogs, one should be careful in choosing a pet. It’s always wise to go for Italian Greyhound, Papillion, etc. These breeds are far much easier to tame.

The Dog must be an infant as it plays a major part in dog training. Young age provides us with a number of advantages, such as better relationship with the pet keeper, maintaining an understanding between the two, etc. Several cunning dog habits are sand digging, excess barking, eating Coprophagia, etc. They, at times, bark due to a stress or when they miss their fellow dogs with whom they had been living during infancy. So you understand the cause and treat the cause by either playing or giving slightly more attention to them than usual.

A good training of dog includes dog whispering, clicker training, etc. These help to enhance your relation with the dog.  It dominates the line of communicating between the dog and the keeper. Moreover, this lessens the chances of negation of your commands. You will see an improvement in the dog with his behavior of barking, jumping, chewing, and digging.

The dogs love wandering around, so they must be taken for a walk on daily basis as to maintain a flow in their mood. In order to tame a dog, the things that really matter are your relation and your understanding with the dog. 

How to Communicate Affectionately with Your Dog

 

Labeled as a man’s best friend, dogs can prove to be wonderful pets for people, despite the monetary investment and time that is required for keeping them. There are a hundred of reasons why dogs can be the ideal pets for most people. Some of these reasons include their loyal nature, steadfast companionship, lively dispositions, ability to act as guard dogs and the variety that can be found.

The dog and man relationship is extremely special because it has managed to endure for a thousand years. This is perhaps because of good communication between them. Sometimes, even a single look between the owner and dog gets the meaning across to both of them. However, in order to accomplish this bond of communication, it is essential for dog owners to be affectionate with their dogs, but firm at the same time to show who is in charge. Here are some tips that can prove to be handy for communicating affectionately with your dog:

1-    Owners should keep a close eye on the body language of their dogs. People who have had dogs for a while will be able to tell when the dog is afraid, anxious or happy. Proper reaction can be given to the dog once the owner is aware of the feelings their pet is encountering at a particular time.

2-    The dog should be ignored until it does whatever you want it to do. Affectionate communication is required, yes. But, it doesn’t have to excessive communication. When the dog does something good and it is given proper attention; this will help your pet in understanding the importance of your attention. Otherwise, they might simply take it for granted if it’s bestowed all the time.

3-    Pet owners can get their meaning across to the dogs with their body language. Dogs usually look at their owners when something exciting, interesting or strange happens in order to decide how to react. Dogs have the ability of picking up on very slight signals, which people might give off without knowing. For instance, owners should not tell their dog not to worry when they wish to reassure them. Instead, they should simply learn to relax their own stance to get the meaning across.

4-    Take part in dog activities every once in a while. Dogs like to sniff things and run around and they are even happier when it’s done in a pack. Spend time with your dog by taking them to walks.

5-    Regular grooming of the dog is also another important fact. Not only is it healthy for the dog in question, but it will also prove to be beneficial for enhancing the owner and dog relationship.

6-    Trust-building exercises should also be performed with the dog like obstacle courses. These exercises can have two fold benefits. They are helpful in boosting the confidence of the dogs and at the same time, they foster a very close relationship between the owner and the dog.

With these steps, people can behave affectionately with their dogs and get the same in return.

Learning How To Train Cats

Pet owners often consider cat training to be elusive. In fact, they are of the opinion that some cats cannot be trained at all. It is completely true that cats are one of the most independent pets that people can have; they are even more independent than dogs. However, this doesn’t mean that they are impossible to train. There are a myriad of pet owners who have discovered plenty of enjoyable ways to train their cats and interact with them. Training a cat to behave in the proper manner involves the use of different methods and considerable time and patience on the part of the pet owners. Nevertheless, they can expect positive results. Some of the easy steps are listed as follows:

1-    First and foremost, cat owners should understand the type of training that gets a response from their cats. Bad behavior in cats can often not be stopped through rewards of affection and food. Pain is also another no-no for training. Surprise proves to be the best tactic, provided that it’s not painful in any way.
2-    Sit down until you are at eye level with the cat. Better communication can be fostered between your cat and you when you bend to their level for administering discipline.
3-    When your cat misbehaves, use a water gun spray or a plant sprayer to spray water on her. Water is not harmful for the cat, but they are usually afraid of it. Yelling should be avoided when the cat is sprayed with water. This will show that it’s a punishment.
4-    A bean bag should be kept handy for surprising the cat when she misbehaves. Surprise the cat by throwing the bean bag near it, instead of at it. It is necessary to respond rapidly. If punishment for bad behavior is rendered later, the cat will not understand the purpose and may repeat the behavior.
5-    Aluminum foils should be placed in areas where the cat shouldn’t wander. Cats do not like the noise the foil makes when they walk on it and neither do they like its feeling under their feet.
6-    Put mothballs in houseplants to train cats not to dig in them or eat them. They don’t like its strong smell. Another alternative is to place mousetraps around the plant and hide them under paper. The trap will spring when the cat steps on the paper. This will not hurt it, but will manage to surprise, which is the end goal.
7-    If the cat misbehaves in any way such as biting, it is recommended that people should tap them gently on the nose. This can train the cat not to cause any harm because it is how cats tend to retaliate against one another. However, this will only be effective if the misbehavior is directed at the owner and not at someone else.

With these cat training tips and recommendations, cat owners will be able to train their cats into behaving properly around the house and become the loving pets they can be.

Why Is It So Important to Train Your Dog?

Dogs are said to be more of a friend and less of an animal in today’s world. They are very helpful when it comes to the safety of its master and the place where it is kept. There are many advantages which a dog keeper enjoys but along with these advantages there are several problems associated with keeping a dog. Without proper dog training, this friendly animal that is more of a family member can get wild. To avoid the dark side of the game the dogs are especially trained so that they may obey the master in every situation. If a dog does not obey the master, the situation sometimes may become very embarrassing. Imagine a crazy dog jumping on people while walking in a park. It will lead to the insult of the dog keeper in the social circle where they reside.

Dog jumping on strangers is a very common problem and sometimes does lead to stress for the dog keepers. To understand the reason for which the dogs keep jumping on people in social places are there common way of saying “hello”. The mistake is at our part that we have not trained the dogs to react in such a situation. We from the very beginning should train our dog to adopt a proper way of saying Hello to people. The appropriate way is to train the dog according to the environment we move around with the pet, so that the dog knows at what location it should be responding in what way. All they are looking in the social places is just the attraction of the people as they have a natural instinct which they have learnt over a period of time is that the people bend down towards the pet and usually tab the pet so that the dogs may feel important for themselves.

The operant conditioning is the best way to train a dog. We have often seen people letting the dogs run after their bikes. These are the obsolete ways of training the pets. The most advanced and effective way of letting the pet learn is from the positive reinforcement that is rewarding the pet for doing what you want to do so that it may do it every time in order to get some kind of reward. In this way, the pet will get used to the reaction and will always respond to such situation in a way the master wants.

Best Dog Training Tips to be Used at Home

Keeping a dog at home is not a big problem but to make it obey, you have to work hard in training your dog some good skills. In order to maintain good trust, co-operate and control, you have to be positive while you are training your dog. To be positive; all you have to do is praise or appreciate your dog when it performs a trick correctly.

To make your dog more like a well-behaved canine citizen, there are certain commands you have to teach it while you are training. Commands include sit, heel, fetch, stay etc. and while teaching your dog, be happy and maintain friendly voice so that it may look like a dog training not an army training. There are some important reasons for owners to be happy and positive. One them is, when you train a dog and it makes mistake, you have to tell him/her repeatedly because you are going to punish him or beat him with stick, the only thing you will get is that your own dog will be afraid of you.

So, until now we have learned, patience is a key component in dog training. While training your dog, if you feel like things are getting out of control, stop training or do not attempt to train. The reason to halt is, dogs are incredibly smart therefore, the moment you are in a bad mood, and they will pick up your emotions and will act accordingly. Remember this is fun!

Before beginning to train your dog make sure you have a puppy of few weeks old. Few weeks old dog is easy to train, since they are newly born their ability to learn is far better than elder dogs.

For dogs, a single command and fifteen minute training is like more than enough. Focusing on one command will help you to anticipate its moves and ending it after fifteen minutes will allow your dog to think what it has learned on that training.

In the end, remember one thing, dog training is fun! Dogs are known to be man’s best friend but to maintain that kind of relationship you have to be patient in all training sessions. It is important for both you to understand each other’s personality, nature, like and dislikes. Therefore, if you keep it positive and simple, you will have a dog with good skills, behavior, obedient, loyal and never ending friendship.

How to Train Dogs at Home

Dog being a very loyal animal and pet learns very fast from its environment. This is why; dogs have been a source of entertainment for kids and social security for the elders. This multipurpose pet has many more qualities in it but there is a huge difference between being an average pet and being an extra ordinary pet. People keep dogs as a family member at home. There are several stories where dogs have saved lives of many people. A normal person thinks how can dogs save a life? Well, this is all about the training of the pet. The pet of the any breed is just an ordinary pet, whereas, after training the same pet helps the police searching for clues at an incident. From here, we can know the importance of training while having a pet at home.

There are many forms of training as per the breed and the uses, which one expects out of the pet. For example the dogs which the military have train the dogs completely differently and the people having pets at home train them completely differently. The training depends on the usage which they expect out of the animal. But in both cases reward system is a common practice being carried out on the part of the dog trainer. The pet is given a reward for obeying the instructions of the master.

In this way, the dog is motivated and bound to follow the instructions which develops a behavior in the nature of the dog. After a certain period of dog training, the dog will automatically respond in the same way without expecting a reward out of it. There are several other ways in which dogs can be trained. Dogs are trained not just for certain reasons but pets at home are trained to sit and stand as per the command of the master. The secret behind is to make the dog practice it for a few days. Give a signal to the dog or call out “sit” to make the dog sit by pushing it downwards and then call out “stand” and help the dog stand up. Keep doing it for a few days and then, after a period of time, do not help the dog with your hands just call out “sit” and give a signal with the stick. In this way, the dog will get used to it and learn to obey the orders of the master.

Importance of Dog Training

Dogs are gaining importance in the today’s world not just because of their loyalty but also because of their extraordinary abilities. The dogs are being trained in such a way that they are used in many other fields. In the past several years, dogs were just used for security purposes and it was a mindset that the dogs are meant to protect the houses. Now as per the changing trends dogs are being used in military as per as the privately. The dogs are trained in such a way that they are used for different purposes. There are different techniques used to train the dogs. The dogs are trained to perform different tasks as per the requirement of the master.

Dogs that are well trained are much more sophisticated than the other dogs. We have seen real life examples in our lives. Whenever we roam around in the social places we often witness dogs barking and jumping on others. This kind of situation becomes very embarrassing for the master of the dog or the owner who is moving along with the dog. This is the reason training of the dogs in an important issue for those who have dogs as pets at their homes.

The best technique used for the training of dogs is known as the operant conditioning in which the dog is presented with a situation and the dog responds to a certain stimulus. This technique is the most widely used technique throughout the world in the training of different pets. This technique is especially used for the training of dogs. This technique is basically based upon the positive reinforcement which means this is based on the reward system. This reward system works like if we have given a call for the dog to perform a certain action and the dog performs it, the dog is being rewarded with a snack. This makes the dog curious to obey the orders of the master.

Dog training can be done in various other ways but amongst over it is a proven fact that the positive reinforcement or the reward based training in which the pet is being rewarded for the obedience shown. This way is much more convenient for the trainer as well as the pet. The dogs trained on this way are much more loyal and have much more efficiency than the other techniques. The training of dogs matters a lot when it comes to keeping dogs at home.

Bomb Dog Training

Today, explosive detection dogs are having high demand than a CCTV camera. These dogs are master in detecting explosives of all kind. During training, these dogs go under dangerous tasks, such as explosive detection, which includes TNT, dynamite, detonation cord, ammonium nitrate, Flex-X, Slurry Gel and smokeless powder.

Dog that is used in this type task is K-9. A K-9 has the ability to learn faster than other dogs. These dogs are excellent sniffers and attackers, whereas worldwide armies, rangers and even navy seals prefer this dog in their special missions.

Training for a bomb detection dog begins with obedience. Since it is just a beginning, trainers teach basic commands to their dog. Commands include heel, sit, fetch, recall, attack and down. This training also includes language such as English, German and Czech but it depends on you what type of language (other than these) you want to teach your dog.

After basics, comes focus. In this part of training, dogs are taught to remain focused in case of gunfire, loud noises and crowds that are daily routine distractions. A K-9 must concentrate in all sorts of distractions because if they get scared or lose focus things might get though for them to survive in this kind of situation.

Last part of dog training includes searching for bomb in buildings, houses or in bags. In this part, trainers perform a demo in which dogs first sniff the explosive material then are set free to search the building and find the culprit bag, box etc.

In case of vehicles, dogs are allowed to search the vehicles of all types like bus, van, minivan, truck, trolley, car etc. When it comes to search a bag or luggage at airport, station or bus stand dogs are trained to sniff all types of luggage material that may have explosives, drugs or even metal like guns, etc.

Due to increase in terror threats, some dogs are also trained to search aircrafts. These dogs specialize in metal sniffing which includes sniffing thick and thin metals. These dogs have more sniffing ability than other dogs. They can detect any kind explosive and drugs through one meter metal or more. A bomb detecting dog has more medical fitness than other house or office dogs.

After their full training as a passing out parade, these dogs are awarded with dog detection certificates with approval stamp of training institute.