Pet Gazette

A day or two before your dog will give birth, she usually stops eating. See this as a sign that the time is nearing. Always make sure, no matter how experienced you are, that you have a Vet ready to intervene if something goes wrong.

Let’s assume everything goes smooth and you have witnessed the birth of a healthy six puppy litter. Now the most important and first thing is momma’s nutrition. The older the puppies get, the more they will drink, and the more mommas need to eat.

Give her all the food she wants. Rule of thumb: you always pay for quality. The cheap dog foods at most stores is also cheap in nutrition! A minimum of 1600 digestible calories per pound of food and at least 21% of crude protein is a must. Read the label!!!! If your dog tends to gain weight, measure her food intake. If not, give her all the food she wants. If she starts to lose weight moisten her food or try switching to a more nutritionally dense brand.

After three or four weeks the pups will probably start playing with the food and start to get interested, which is also a good way to introduce them to solid food. At six to eight weeks most puppies are weaned and you can put your dog back on a normal diet, provided she has gained back her normal weight she had before she got pregnant.

Your dog needs exercise, discipline, and love. In exactly that order! If your dog could ask you for what he wants, this is what he would tell you. Unfortunately the majority of dog owners believe that loving and cuddling a dog is going to make him happy and that affection is all he needs.

They do not consider that a dog needs mental and physical exercise too. If the energy has no way to go but to build up and up and up, the dog is going to develop some kind of unwanted behavior; in most cases aggression, digging, chewing on furniture, barking excessively.

Exercise is the most important part of your dog's life. You have to walk him every day, or even better, twice a day for at least 30 minutes for each walk. A walk means more to your dog than just eliminating himself, but instead it fulfills his instincts to walk for food. A backyard is not enough; it is just a big cage for your dog! Structured daily walks are so crucial to your dog to feel like a dog.

Pregnant or nursing dog moms need different nutrition than all the other dogs. Here are some things you should know if you have a pregnant dog:

The pregnancy lasts around 9 weeks. For the first 6 to 7 weeks you should not change the amount of food that you usually feed her. After that, you should start to gain some weight. Give her about 25% more food a day. Make lots fresh water available to her at all times! Do not forger that your dog still needs exercise; not as much as before, but she still is a dog with the needs of a dog.

What to feed: general commercial good quality dog food. Rule of thumb: you always pay for quality. The cheap dog foods at most stores is also cheap in nutrition! A minimum of 1600 digestible calories per pound of food and at least 21% of crude protein is a must. Read the label!!!!

If your dog tends to gain weight, measure her food intake. If not, give her all the food she wants. If she starts to lose weight moisten her food or try switching to a more nutritionally dense brand.

When the time of birth comes, she probably will stop eating all together a day or two before she is ready. If this is the first time for you and your dog, please consult a veterinarian and consider spaying your dog after this litter is weaned.

Praising your dog at the wrong time will teach him the wrong things. We have to keep it simple with dogs. Whenever you praise him, be it with a treat or a friendly word or pat on the head, you are telling him that whatever he did immediately before the praise, is what he did right.

For example if your dog is scared of a flying plastic bag and you talk to him with a soothing voice while patting him on the head, you are telling him that it is ok to be scared of that plastic bag. Instead you should walk him sternly towards the bag until he understood that there is no danger at all.

Here are some behaviors that truly deserve a praise. Give praise when your dog has been:

• Fed and has exercised
• Stopped what he was doing because you told him to
• Obeyed a command
• Calmed down

Do NOT praise your dog if he is:

• Scared
• Nervous
• Barking
• Excited
• Whining
• Possessive
• Dominant
• Aggressive
• Begging
• Breaking rules

Show your love by understanding your dog and giving him what he needs: love at the right time, rules, exercise, and walks walks walks.

Positive Energy:
Dogs feel your energy, no matter if you are scared, frustrated, happy, or calm. They will pick up on it and match it too. If you stay calm and stern with your dog, he will respect you. Stern does not mean aggressive or angry, it means assertive while staying in control. This is the energy your dog needs to feel safe.

Challenge your Dog mentally:
We all need a purpose in life and so do our dogs before they get bored. Play ball or catch with him, go to obedience training, the dog park, throw the frisby, practice basic commands with lots of rewards. There is no limit to the fun!

Work:
Most dogs were bred to fullfill a job such as retrieving, hunting, or herding. For such breeds a daily walk might not be enough and they need extra challenges.

Walks:
The most important thing to have a balanced dog is the daily walk. A big backyard is not a substitute! Your nice landscaped garden or even a few acres are just a large cage to your dog. Please do not deny him his most primal instinct..to walk and work for food. This is his purpose.

Yes, the first impression is important to dogs too. Here is what to do to make that first impression a positive experience and therefore the start to a healthy relationship:

• Avoid any contact with the dog. Regardless how much you want to pet the cute puppy, you have to know that the dog does not see you the same way. His first impression is through the nose, so first you have to allow the dog to sniff and smell you. Don’t speak, touch, or look at him while he investigates you.
• After a short while the dog either decides that you are cool and shows signs of inviting you to play, he might just ignore you, or he displays aggression. If the latter happens, do not panic! A stern stance from you, avoid looking at him will show him that you are no danger to him. If that does not calm him down, ask the owner to remove the dog.
• If the dog ignores you, leave him be. He means no offense, he is just not interested. The best way to respond to that is to ignore him as well.

As the weather heats and the sun hours become longer, you need to keep a closer eye on your dog.  It’s not unusual for dogs to pant when they get overheated, but it’s one of the signs that your dog could have heatstroke so when the summer’s underway.  If the panting is combined with exhaustion or a change in how your dog moves, then it’s wise to check him out at your local veterinary clinic.  Once your dog has heatstroke he won’t find it easy to swallow so try to lower his temperature using water or a damp towel/blanket until you arrive at the clinic.

Prevent heatstroke by taking some of the following measures: 

Water – provide two separate dishes of fresh water for your dog if he’s going to be left alone.  Spills happen and if he upsets one dish of water, he’ll still have the other to drink from.

Exercise – take walks when the sun isn’t at its hottest.  Also don’t expect your four legged friend to want to chase a stick or fetch a ball in the summer heat, don’t push it.  Some dogs however don’t seem to mind the sun and would run as usual if you allowed them to, this is where you have to use common sense and make sure that they don’t exert too much additional energy and become overheated due to activity.   An alternative way of getting your dog exercise is to provide a small child’s paddling pool and allow him to bounce around having fun in the water.

Grooming – your dog’s fur may look hot to you, and as a result many dogs find themselves at the grooming parlour having the excess fur removed – take advice from your veterinary or grooming expert before you do this.  Fur doesn’t just keep the dog warm, it also acts as a barrier against the sun.  Reduce some of the fur, but make sure that you leave enough for him to keep his body cool.

Travelling – if you’re in the car make sure your dog has ample air from an open window or air conditioner.  If you park the car, never leave him alone inside.  You should carry water for him if you are travelling any distance and stop regularly so he can take a drink and also relieve himself.

The summer can be a fun time for dogs to spend time on a beach or in a forest, but make sure that you are constantly on your guard for signs that he’s overheating and take steps immediately to prevent this turning into heatstroke.

Your Dog's Coat

Brushing your dog every day is something you both should enjoy. It helps to remove loose hair shakes off dander. Always brush in the same direction as the fur grows.

Bathing Your Dog

Never bathe a dog with a shampoo meant for humans or any other animal! Put your dog in the tub and use a cup or shower head to wet him down. Do not use cold or hot water! Apply a little bit of shampoo and watch out that it does not run into the dog’s eyes. Rinse thoroughly.

Use a towel to dry your dog afterwards and brush his fur when he is dry.

Clipping Your Dog's Nails

Do not use scissors; only nail clippers made for dogs.

Clip only the very tip of each nail at first. Try to make out how far the vein runs within the nail. If the vein is difficult to see, just trim a little bit at a time. Should you accidentally do draw blood; apply pressure with a clean gauze pad until bleeding stops.

Let’s clear up some myths about spaying and neutering your dog, before you make a final decision.

Fact: Sterilizing your dog makes him or her better behaved and much healthier pet, which will save you money in the long run.

Myth: Many dog owners, the majority of them males, have a tough time getting their dogs sterilized, because they imagine what it would do to them and reflect that on the dog.

Fact: Your dog will not feel as if he was less of a “man” or “woman” after being sterilized. He or she will not suffer an identity crisis or grief the loss of their reproductive capability. Your dog will simply have one less need to take care of. Instead of being lived by his hormones and the constant thought and urge to breed, he will be able to concentrate on you, the owner, and be more receptive to what you want from him.

Fact: Un-neutered males not able to mate experience a high level of frustration which could lead to aggression. Un-spayed female dogs attract unwanted attention twice a year.

Myth:Spaying and neutering cause weight gain.

Fact: Dogs do not get fat by just being sterilized. Like people, pets gain weight when they eat too much and exercise too little. Most dog owners however continue feeding a high energy diet to a dog that now has less need for energy after he grew up to be an adult.

Fact: Dogs do not grief about their lost capability to reproduce. They reproduce only to ensure the survival of their species. They don’t plan to raise a puppy for eighteen years and they certainly do not dream of their puppy’s wedding.

The mother dogs nurse for a few weeks, teach their puppies about rules and boundaries, and limitations, then send them off to find their place in the pack. The Daddy dogs are not like our human fathers; they don’t even recognize their puppies as their own.

Fact: Neutered and spayed dogs are easier to balance pets. Be a part of the solution. Spay or neuter your pet today!

Dog Breeds in Groups

In this article you will find the majority of dog breeds that are recognized around the world. The dog breeds are categorized by groups:

The Working Group Breed

Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Field Spaniel, Finnish Spitz, Flat-Coated Retriever, Fox Terrier, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Siberian Husky, Standard Schnauzer, Tibetan Mastiff.

The Toy Group Breed

Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua,Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel, Havanese, Italian Greyhound, Maltese, Manchester Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Poodle, Pug, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier.

The Terrier Group Breed

Airedale Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Fox Terrier, Irish Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Skye Terrier, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Welsh Terrier, West Highland White Terrier.

The Sporting Group Breeds

American Water Spaniel, Brittany, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, English Toy Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Flat-Coated Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Pointer, Spinone Italiano, Sussex Spaniel, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

The Non-Sporting Group Breeds

American Eskimo Dog, Bichon Frise, Border Terrier, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, Finnish Spitz, French Bulldog, Keeshond, Lhasa Apso, Poodle, Schipperke, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier.

The Hound Group Breeds

Afghan Hound, American Foxhound, Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle, Black-and-Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Dachshund, English Foxhound, Greyhound, Harrier, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Greyhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otter Hound, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Pharaoh Hound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Whippet.

The Herding Group Breeds

Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Collie, Belgian Sheepdog, Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres, Briard, Canaan Dog, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Collie, Dachshund, Dalmatian, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Doberman Pinscher, Dogue de Bordeaux, Dogo Argentino, German Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Polish Owczarek Nizinny, Puli, Shetland Sheepdog.