Posts Tagged ‘dog socialisation’

A Fantastic Dog – The Irish Water Spaniel

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

The Irish cialis online Water Spaniel is a scarce dog, native to the Emerald Isle that is strongly built and taller and squarer than most spaniels. In fact the tallest of spaniels. Their coat consists of dense locks with a distinctive puce / liver colour with a pronounced purple shade. Irish water spaniels are about 60 cms ( 24 inches) high and weigh twenty five – thirty kgs (around sixty lbs). The Irish Water Spaniel’s throat and face are smooth with the head topped with a “top knot” raising as a peak stuck between the eyes. They have a remarkable, a strange  average sized smooth, rat like tail. Which contrasts strongly with their curly hair.

They were and are a working dog, so are active and very online Camagra without prescription buy cheap intelligent. It important to socialise Irish Water Spaniel’s if they are to make good family dogs. They need plenty of regular walks and effort spent on dog training to make the most of them. They are defensive of their family and have a deep, fierce sounding bark if irritated. They typically live for 9-11 years
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Their coat is non-shedding so many people who suffer allergic responses might not be affected by the Irish Water Spaniel. Irish Water Spaniel’s do not require regular daily brushing unless showing. An occasional trim to get rid online tablets cialis of straggly ends with a comb and scissors to eliminate the mats.   As you would expect with their name, they love swimming, so an occasional swim will curl up the coat again and buy Viagra Soft Tabs online keep them happy.

They developed in the the early nineteenth century in Ireland. The origins of the breed are unclear, experts generally thinking they may have come from the Poodles, Portuguese Water Dog and Barbet. The Irish Water Spaniel hunted as a gundog on the bogs, marshes and rivers.

As well as liking relaxing and sleeping at home, they need regular exercise and walks for a happy life. An unexercised Irish Water Spaniel is likely to lead to a mischievous, naughty dog. A great home for them is an active one, with plenty of activities going on and space, where the dogs’ minds as well as bodies are exercised. Dog walkers love them, as they appreciate good ordering cialis walks. Numerous Irish Water Spaniel owners work their dogs in the shooting field, in obedience tests, in conformation show ring or agility competitions.

The Irish Water Spaniel’s intelligence results in them enjoying agility and obedience activities and combined with their great nose often results in them being trained for explosive and drug detection.

The major health issue with the dog is due to their size and may suffer from hip dysplasia, if planning to breed from them, the potential mother and father should be scored for this.

They can be greedy, so you need to regulate the calories that they eat.

The Irish Water Spaniel is a wonderful dog for an active couple or family who have the time and either experience of other dogs, or are willing to train them, perhaps with the help of a professional dog trainer.

 
 
 

 

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German Shepherd – a Dog with Personality

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

 

The German Shepherd Dog also called the Alsatian comes literally from the German Deutscher Schäferhund.  They are a relatively new breed of large-sized dog that dates from the late 19th century. They are part of the Herding group that was originally developed as a working dog for herding sheep.

The German Shepherds strength, intelligence and obedience they are often employed in police and military roles. They are also one of the most popular breeds around the world.
The original dog was named Hektor Linksrhein. He so stunned Von Stephanitz that he purchased it and changed the dogs name to Horand von Grafrath and founded the Society for the Alsatian Dogs.
Horand von Grafrath became the buy Fatblast Extreme online focus of the Alsatian breeding programs and was mated with many other society member dogs.
online buy without prescription cheap Camagra The Alsatians popularity has grown rapidly through the 20th Century, though taking dives in popularity in the early days due to genetic health issues from poor inbreeding and after the world wars with anti German feelings. This caused the UK Kennel Club to rename it to “Alsatian Wolf Dog”, a while later the wolf dog addition was removed and in the late 70s, the Alsatian Dog was back as the official name, though it is still often known as the Alsatian. The German Shepherd popularity was helped by animal actors such as Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart. Now it is in most countries the third most popular dog breed.

They are a large dog of between 55 and 65 centimetres ( 22 and 26 in) at the top of the back and weigh between 22 and 40 kilograms ( 49 and 88 lb).

The Alsatian’s face has a long square cut muzzle, a doomed forehead, a long neck, strong jaws, big erect ears (that are often pulled back when on the move), black nose and brown, medium-sized eyes. With a bushy tail.
 
German Shepherds come in many colours, the most common being the tan/black and red/black types with black masks and saddles. Less common types include the sable, all-black, all-white, liver and blue varieties, which may not fit country breed standards. German Shepherds have a double coat. A thick close dense outer coat, which sheds continually and a thick undercoat. There is also the rare long-hair variant.
The Alsatian, like many working dogs is very intelligent,  and are ranked as the third most intelligent breed of dog by Stanley Coren in his reference study and book “The Intelligence of Dogs”. This attribute combined with their power makes the breed sought after as police, guard, and search and rescue dogs, being able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.
Alsatians have a reputation for aggression and have been restricted in areas as a result. Statistically, in the United States, the Alsatian is responsible for more random bites than any other dog breed, and have a known tendency to attack smaller breeds of dogs.

Additionally studies have shown that Alsatians are the third most likely dog breed to attack someone and in another report found that Alsatians accounted for almost fifty percent of the dog bites that needed medical attention, versus a more normal twenty of bites requiring medical treatment, not surprising with their powerful jaws and scissor teeth.
 
The problem is not with the dog, but the owners. As with any intelligent energetic dog (or child), if they are not regularly exercised and kept busy, they can become troublesome. Good dog training and dog socialisation are crucial for a dog like the German Shepherd. The German Shepherd is different from the collie, where a lot of its aggressiveness has been removed by breeding for shows, the Alsatian does not seem to have lost this character.

The Alsatian are great with the family they know, but can be over protective of their home and family – why they are a great guard dog. Due to this they may appear a bit aloof.

Alsatians learn well and are highly obedient and not easily sidetracked, but due to their tough character,  you must be very firm with them.
The German Shepherd will need to have two good walks a day. They are not a dog for a busy family without time for attention.  For this reason, busy couples regularly ask dog walkers to help out by walking them for a couple of hours a day.
Poor breeding has led to common genetic health issues, elbow and hip joint problems (dysplasia) which is painful for the dog and often causes arthritis. The Alsatian also is susceptible from monorchidism (one testicle), weakness of temperament, and missing teeth, as well as folded or bent ears which never fully turn up when reaching adulthood. The German Shepherd is often has ear problems due to his large and open ears.

Alsatians, like many large bodied dogs are prone to bloat, this is a very dangerous and often rapidly fatal problem, so if in doubt consult a vet. This is a build up of gas in the stomach, caused for varying reasons. The symptoms of distress for no apparent reason, a firm distension of the abdomen, general weakness, depression, problems breathing, hypersalivation, and retching without vomiting. A large percentage of dogs with bloat have cardiac arrhythmias ( forty percent in one study), loss of appetite, vomiting and weight loss.

The Alsatian also suffers from Degenerative Myelopathy, or DM is a neurological disease and are predisposed to Von Willebrand Disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder, which shows in differing degrees of bleeding tendency, commonly in the form of easy bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums. .

In spite of these problems, the German Shepherd is sturdy with simple dog care and the average lifespan of cialis delivery supplier a German Shepherd is seven to ten cheapest price for cialis years, which is normal for a large dog breed.

The German Shepherd has a great nose so is one of the most widely-used breeds in a wide variety of buy cialis scent-work roles, including cadaver searching, search and rescue, explosives detection, narcotics detection and mine detection.

So the Alsatian is a wonderful intelligent breed that will bond well with you, if you have the time and dedication for him. Not advised for busy working families.

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Scottish Terrier – a Dog with Character.

Monday, July 27th, 2009

 

The buy Viagra Soft Flavoured online Scottish Terrier also often called the Scottie or the Highland or Aberdeen Terrier is well known for its distinctive terrier personality. There are four other Scottish Terrier breeds, Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont and West Highland White Terriers.
The characteristics and personality and more importantly the dog care of the Scottie comes from its historic roots.You should compare characteristics with with the other top dog breeds, of which there are many.
The Highland Terrier is often given the nickname of “little diehard”. Originally given in the 19th century by George, the fourth Earl of Dumbarton. George IV had a pack of Scottish Terriers, supposedly so fearless that they were nicknamed “Diehards” and were the stimulation for the name of his Regiment, The Royal Scots, “Dumbarton’s Diehards”.
As always it is difficult to know the real origins of the Highland Terrier, but it was bred for controlling small rodents in Scotland for many years. It could be the original breed of the five Scottish Terrier breeds and there are some historical evidence dating back to the 16th Century.
The origin of the name “terrier” is the Latin terra denoting “earth”. The Scottie was a hunter where these short legged, powerful dogs were designed and built for the function of killing small pest animals such as badgers, foxes and rats out of their tunnels.
Scottish Terriers appearance is  characterised by long fur, heavy eyebrows and whiskers. The wiry coat can be found in many colors, including black, brindle or wheaten of any shade. Scotties with ‘Wheaten’ (straw to nearly white) coats may occur, but may be Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier or West Highland White Terrier.
Aberdeen Terriers are sturdy, with a muscular body and a long neck. A Scottie has a long head in proportion to its body which averages just under a foot high. The Aberdeen Terrier has  erect ears and tail. Scottish Terrierwere bred with strong tails so that order cialis professional their owners could pull them out of tunnels when they were wedged after tunnelling after vermin and voles.
Aberdeen Terrierhave small, intense almond-shaped and dark eyes.
The Highland Terrier personality is one of autonomy and will power. Often people say a Scottie imagines he is an Irish Wolfhound in height! To the point that he is quite fearless that often appears foolish in the face of a larger dog, when he suddenly realises that he is only nine inches high. Dog walkers love to walk them, they are never intimated by the bigger dogs!
Height at withers for both sexes of the Scottish Terrier should be roughly 25 cm (9.8 in), and the length of back from shoulder to tail is roughly 28 cm (11 in). Generally a well-balanced Scottie dog should weigh 8–10 kg (19–22 lb) and a female from 8–9.9 kg (18–22 lb). Highland Terrier are about 11–15 inches (28–38 cm) in height.
Aberdeen Terrierare very attentive, jovial and sure in themselves. Aberdeen Terriers typically live from 11 and 13 years.
Scotties, whilst being very loving, can also be irritatingly immovable. Because of this obstinate trait, a Aberdeen Terrier needs strong, but kind handling from a puppy or it will dominate the household. Every new Aberdeen Terrier addition should have a clear puppy training supplier delivery cialis plan.
The Highland Terrier makes a great watchdog because it normally only barks when essential and usually only for strangers. Dog socialisation is important as it is a brave breed that may be aggressive around other dogs unless presented and trained to different dogs at an early age.
Because the Aberdeen Terrier were  used to hunt and fight badgers and other pests they love to dig and chase small vermin, such as Squirrels, rats, and mice. For this reason it is recommended that they are kept on a leash.
Whilst Aberdeen Terriers are normally a robust breed they do have a greater chance of going down with some cancers than other purebreds. Studies have identified 6 cancers that Highland Terriers are more likely to be at risk of ( when compared to other breeds) are: (in descending order) bladder cancer and other transitional cell carcinomas of the lower urinary tract (more order cialis normal in more mature dogs and more frequently in females so watch for blood in the urine, straining to urinate and frequent urination – and search veterinary assistance); malignant melanoma; gastric carcinoma; squamous cell carcinoma of the skin; lymphosarcoma and nasal carcinoma.
To help prevent cancer in any dog,  ensure that your dog has little or no contact to herbicides, pesticides, solvents and cigarette smoke; use caution when treating dogs with some flea medications; provide a healthy, vitamin-rich diet (low in carbohydrates, high in vegetables) and regularly exercise.
Two other genetic health concerns in the Scottie breed are von Willebrand disease (vWD) which shows in varying degrees of bleeding tendency, usually in the form of easy bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums.
The second is craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO); sometimes  known as lion’s jaw, that created extensive bony modifications in the mandible and skull. Normally occurring between the ages of 3 and 8 months. The lesions stop progressing after twelve months or so, and can regress. The firm swelling of the jaw, drooling, pain, and difficulty in eating. This is also an inherited disease and if major, could be difficult for the dog.
Because of these inherited diseases it is highly recommended to buy direct from a breeder, who can show he has not had a problem with these diseases.
Famous Scotties include Roosevelts – Fala and former President George W. Bushs’ Barney. Infact the  Scottish Terrier is the only dog breed that has lived in the White House more than three times.
Other famous people who are known to have owned the Scottie  include: Bette Davis; Julie Andrews; Queen Victoria; Camagra online buy cheap without prescription Theodore Roosevelt; Dorothy Lamour; Tatum O’Neal owned a Scottish Terrier. She was said to be so upset by her dog’s death to cancer and old age that she fell back into drugs.
The Scottish Terrier is also a player token in the board game, Monopoly.
 A Aberdeen Terrier and a West Highland White Terrier are pictured on the Black & White whisky label. In Enid Blyton’s Mystery Series books, there is Buster a Scottish Terrier, who is often part of the mysteries.
So all in, a rightfully popular dog breed, particularly in character per kg, but you will need to train and be firm with your Highland Terrier.

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Sociable Dog Training

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

As mans best friend, we want our much-loved pooch to be well mannered in the varied social situations it finds himself. This education needs to commence while the bitch is young. We want the bitch  not to be worried or belligerent towards individuals or other pets. Pooch socialisation is a crucial part of dog care.
Research at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine showed that the first twelve buy Lidocaine online are key, and the easiest for socialisation. For many puppies this period is dealt with by the breeder. After that time it is still key, but takes more time and effort and planning. This is also the experience of professional dog sitters who are frequently asked for tips.
Dogs are like us, if the first time is agonising, we will steer clear of it or be nervous in the future, review cialis tabs soone step at a time. Do not force the puppy. Take no risks. Remember young puppies tire easily and need to rest often, so short and often is a rule to follow.
So what approach should I take?
• Invite friends and family, small, large, varied looking, different buying cialis sexes. Be cautious and vigilant with introductions to kids.
• Start him on a collar and then a leash. Just put the collar on, later attach the leash and let him wander around the house, then you can walk him around a bit with it on. Carefully choose a lightweight buckle collar with a puppy.
• Visit your friends and families in their flats.
• Try and introduce different mutts, particularly other friendly, vigorous and vaccinated mutts. Be prudent until the cialis without prescription puppy is fully vaccinated, meeting  mutts of unknown history.
• If you know friends with mutt friendly cats, organise a visit?
• Meet other animals, do you have a friendly farm near you? Difficult in towns, but if you go away for holidays.
• Driving is part of life. So take mutt out for as many convenient short drives in the car. Park up and let him watch the world pass by, in the safety of the car. This helps with him getting used to noisy. Introduce him to other piercing noises such as drills.
•  Lug or walk him to spots where there is local activity such as the online without prescription Camagra buy cheap mall and open spaces. Find a restaurant or seat where you can sit outside with your fido and watch the world go by. Loads of people will introduce themselves to him.
•  Keep him close to activities in the home, within the constraints of safety, house work, cooking and gardening.
• Puppy grooming, a great time for you and him, start a routine as soon as possible of brushing, bathing and inspection.
•  Introduce the puppy to stairs carefully, if you are a typical town apartment owner, this may be more difficult.

Dog socialisation, start today and have a wonderful sociable puppy.

 

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