John Williams Dog Training asked:


There are so many different dog breeds and dog crossbreeds around the world now that finding the perfect dog for you can seem a hugely daunting task. Sure, your perfect dog is probably out there somewhere but finding that dog is a completely different thing.

To help you narrow your search down I have taken the time to put this article together and give my best advice on which dog will be best for you if you’re looking for a low maintenance dog for your new home, family or any other occasion.

Ok, you want a low maintenance dog breed so what is the answer? There are many aspects to this question and many dogs to consider, some are realty energetic like the Labrador, border collie and Irish setter but other breeds just seem to be pretty much as energetic as each other.

Maintenance may not mean weather the dog you want is energetic and needs lots of walks and exercise and it may be other forms of dog maintenance like grooming, dog training and bathing etcetera. These differences in dog breed personalities and care are very hard to determine and sum up into a final list of perfect dog breeds as all dogs will need time and care.

The main question here ids weather you are really ready for a dog in your home or place of residence. Dogs do take lots of time especially when they are young and impressionable puppies or dogs. If you want a low maintenance dog then the option for you is to not have a dog at all. Dogs take a big commitment in your life and need to be cared for appropriately in order to be healthy and happy. If you are unsure take more time to ponder your choices and priorities, it will save you a lot of time and unwanted effort in the long run.



FRANCES

John Williams Dog Training asked:


Every dog has to go through it, every dog most probably hates it as much as anyone else does, but the fact of the matter is that your dog will show sick symptoms once in a while and will become ill. This is natural for a dog or any other animal, they all get sick and there’s nothing anyone can do to prevent it.

On the other hand there are ways in which you can ease the suffering a bit for your dog and help them get the fast paced recovery they deserve. There are probably many different home remedies for helping you dog get better, but often if any are going to work then it will be the suggestions or medication your vet will give your after a diagnosis of your dog, so when you fear your dog is ill you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.

Ok, so let’s now look at some of the more popular of the hundreds of symptoms that your dog may be feeling.

Not wanting to move

Many dogs when ill wont want to move very far, have pain in moving, refusing to exercise, limping or has signs or injured paw/leg, or just general decreased agility. Theses can all be signs of illness or injury and should be watched out for.

Discharge

This may seem an obvious choice but many dog owners fail to notice discharge from eyes, nose, and ears. These should only normally be a worry if the discharge is coloured.

Appetite

A dog’s loss of appetite is a good well recognised symptom of illness as well as over eating without weight gain, sudden weight loss, or diarrhoea. Keep an eye on your dog’s diet and food habits to make this easier to recognise when it happens.

Itching and Scratching

Itching or scratching and trying to rub themselves up against furniture can be symptoms of bad skin or new pests on the scene. At this time your dog may be feeling ill or unwell or have it to come.

Mouth Problems

Bleeding or soar looking gums, along with discoloured teeth or teeth loss all need to be diagnosed properly by a vet and could be due to a more serious illnesses.



ERASMO

Kayye Nynne asked:


Throughout history the Greyhound has been the darling dog breed of royalty and nobility. From the ancient Egyptians, who often mummified and buried favored dogs with their owners; to the English nobility who enacted a law banning so fine a beast from being owned by mere commoners. Even the Bedouin (who as devout Muslims shun dogs in general for supposedly being unclean) since time immemorial have so revered the Greyhound (or its derivative or ancestor) that not only was contact permitted, they even allowed the consumption of game caught by such dogs.

Fast forward to today and it is hard to believe that this dog breed once held such an esteemed position. Currently over 100,000 Greyhound dogs are destroyed each year worldwide, as a result of the cruel sport of dog racing!

In times long past a messenger carrying both good news and bad always supplied the good news first in order to lessen the effect of the bad news and thereby increase his chances of living to see another day (hence the expression: Don’t shoot the messenger!) So borrowing from that tactful approach, this article shall address the Greyhound’s glorious past first before covering its dismal present:

The Greyhound is a dog that stands apart from the other dog breeds not only for the fact that it happens to be the speed champion of the dog world but also because it holds an unparalleled array of records which include:

1. The fastest dog in the world across short distances: the Greyhound dog can attain speeds in excess of 40 mph (64km/h)

2. It has the longest stride of any dog breed whilst it is in full flight. One Greyhound dog is on record of having covered a distance of 30 feet (9.14m) in a single leap. The Greyhound’s sprint is described as a double flight gait which involves the dog at some point having all of its feet off the ground. When a Greyhound dog is sprinting it propels itself first with its hind legs and then momentarily lands on its front feet before cantilevering off those while reaching forward with its hind feet (at which point for an instant all four feet are off the ground).

This double-flight gait is extremely fast but also very unstable which explains the many injuries that befall racing Greyhounds. The Cheetah which is the fastest mammal on earth has a somewhat similar sprint pattern which also entails the Cheetah’s four limbs being fully off the ground at some point. The Greyhound however is no match for the Cheetah which can attain speeds of 70 mph (114 km/h) and maintain that speed for 3.5 miles!

Though the Greyhound cannot match the Cheetah’s speed, it obviously is no slow coach either and the reason why this dog breed can attain such speeds (other than its obvious aerodynamic-enhanced morphological structure and muscle mass) is because it packs so much hemoglobin in its blood. Those elevated levels of hemoglobin ensure the transfer of more oxygen to the tissues which also bestows the Greyhound dog’s blood with a sludge-like quality (thick blood). If the human heart were to attempt pumping such a thick mixture of blood it would most likely go into failure.

3. The Greyhound boasts the longest documented history of any dog breed. Ancient drawings and records place the Greyhound dog as a distinctive breed over 6000 years ago.

4. The Greyhound is the most expensive dog breed; it is not unusual for champion racing Greyhounds to command a price tag in excess of $70,000!

5. The Greyhound dog is the one breed that has been most favored by royalty and the aristocracy throughout all of dog history. In fact so much so was this dog breed viewed as the epitome of canine excellence that a law was passed in England in 1014—part of the Forest Laws—which categorically forbade commoners to own a Greyhound dog! Those persons other than nobility who were permitted to own a Greyhound, such as Freemen, could only do so, so long as the dog was deliberately maimed if they lived within 10 miles of a royal forest.

Interestingly enough, royal households used to employ select dog-mutilators whose job was to rove around the countryside ensuring that nobody not born of noble birth or titled by the king was in illegal possession of a greyhound dog that was not lamed! However, as the acreage of the great forests dwindled, and with the rising importance of agricultural and domestic livestock food sources, the function of the Greyhound dog declined correspondingly! Even so the Greyhound still remained the favorite dog of the landed gentry especially as the popularity of hare coursing grew. By the 1800s hare coursing had become a favored pastime of the upper classes in England.

Greyhound Dog: Origins & History

The Greyhound dog is evidently a breed of antiquity stretching back thousands of years. There are several references from many ancient cultures citing the Greyhound throughout history. Although many dog books note the Greyhound dog as having originated in Britain this is very unlikely. It would be more accurate to concede that the Greyhound in its modern form most closely resembles the dog that was selectively gene-trait refined according to English standards.

Historical data tends to suggest that the Greyhound evolved from early Sighthounds that existed in ancient Egypt. Paintings, decorations, and other artifacts from early Egyptian culture celebrate a dog very similar in appearance to the Greyhound. Indeed several pharaohs are known to have owned Greyhound-looking dogs. Some of the pharaohs included: Cleopatra (yes the seductive femme fatale), Tutankhamen, Queen Hatshepsut, to name but a few. The Greyhound also so happens to be the only dog breed to be mentioned by name in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31, King James Version). Ancient Greek and Roman mythology is rife with tales describing Greyhound-like dogs.

It is not unreasonable to speculate that the ancient Greeks attained their first Greyhound specimens (or at least its progenitor) from Egyptian merchants. In Greek mythology their gods were often portrayed with Greyhounds. The Romans in turn probably first stumbled across the Greyhound via their interaction with the Greeks. However it is equally possible the Romans got their original hounds from the Celts, seeing as the well regarded Roman authors, Ovid and Arrian often referred to the Greyhound as a Celt Hound. However, whatever the Greyhound’s origins, what is known is that since its earliest affiliation with humans, this dog breed has wowed mankind the world over with its speed and agility, most notably through the sport of coursing. Hare coursing is an old sport practiced since the time of the Romans who probably exported it to Britain when they invaded.

Strangely enough it appears that the Romans were much more sporting than their modern dog-racing counterparts, with respect to the welfare of both the dogs and hares involved in the coursing event, as amply illustrated by the following excerpt written by Roman Flavius Arrianus (Arrian) in 124 AD: “The true sportsman does not take out his dogs to destroy the hares, but for the sake of the course and the contest between the dogs and the hares, and is glad if the hare escapes…whoever courses with greyhounds should neither slip them near the hare, nor more than a brace (two) at a time.” Simply put, no more than two dogs were to be used in the chase and they were not to be released too close to the hare!

The Many-Named Dog

Across the breadth of time the Greyhound dog has been designated almost as many names as the number of years for which the breed has existed (okay…I’ll admit that’s a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point). In the English language alone, the Greyhound has had at least 50 names. Unsurprisingly there has been considerable debate concerning the meaning of the various names:

1. Grewhound; the “Grew” portion of the word meaning “Greek.” A similar but variant school of thought postulates that the “Grew” was actually “Graius” which still means Greek; again these old English names tend to lend credence that the Greyhound originated elsewhere other than Britain.

2. Greyhounds are certainly anything but grey so it is highly unlikely that the word ever reflected the breed’s color. Some believe that the “grey” in Greyhound was once “grei” which meant beautiful.

3. Great Hound; another school of thought speculates that the Greyhound was once known as the Greathound (the name evidently reflecting the dog’s exalted status in gentrified society) but as time progressed the term somehow mutated into “greyhound.”

The few examples above are a minuscule sampling of the various names the Greyhound has been called at one time or another during history in some variation of the English language.

The Harsh Unforgiving World Of Greyhound Dog Racing

It truly is hard to imagine how so exalted a dog breed could end up where it is today—slaughtered in the thousands each year. This is all the more shocking when one considers that at some point in Greyhound dog history it was a crime punishable by death to kill one (during the reign of King Canute). However currently each year thousands upon thousands of Greyhounds are destroyed, a good number before they’ve even attained the tender age of 2 years!

The reason for this mass slaughter can be defined in 3 words: Greyhound Dog Racing! Every year the Greyhound dog racing industry breeds several thousand dogs, far more than the number that get to compete. The reason for this over breeding—ambitious Greyhound dog breeders looking for that elusive but ever so lucrative champion dog racer! The dogs that don’t make the cut are typically destroyed or in some cases actually subjected to a fate worse than death!

The Greyhound dog racing industry certainly pulls no punches with respect to the maltreatment of animals. Since the inception of modern dog racing around the 1920s, the Greyhound (and affiliated industry animals that act as live bait) has suffered unimaginable cruelty; in this industry there is no reprieve or second chance and the vast majority of dogs never get to live anywhere near their expected life expectancy! Instead most dogs are befallen by anyone of the following fates:

1. Killed;

2. Experimented upon as a laboratory animal; the Greyhound’s superb physiology makes it a prime lab candidate for cardiovascular research;

3. Shipped abroad to countries such as China where animal cruelty laws are extremely lax (to say the least); and let’s not forget that dogs often end up on the dinner table there; and

4. Used as food fodder in commercial dog feed (euthanized pets are commonly recycled as commercial dog chow).

A very small percentage of lucky dogs eventually make the transition from Shelters/Rescue Home, to permanent adoption! One need only conduct a cursory search through online Greyhound Adoption centers to see just how bad the problem really is. And perhaps the most tragic aspect of this tragedy is that the Greyhound dog truly is a sweet-tempered and loving dog that some have described as the “speediest couch potato!”

Greyhound Dog Breed



GROVER

John Williams Dog Training asked:


There has been a lot of publicity in the last few years and even recently about dogs being left in hot overheating cars in the hot summers, by now most people know that hot cars are a real danger for dogs but there are still some of you out there that don’t seem to take the situation serious enough, or don’t realise how quickly the situation can change.

Every year dogs die because they are trapped in a heated car while their owners go into a shop, store, or any other situation when the dog will be left for long periods of time.

Dogs do not have the ability to sweat in heated conditions causing them to overheat a lot quicker than humans, along with the dog’s big fur coat; this makes a recipe for disaster on a hot day. As the heat rises outside it can be less than 10 minutes before your dog is screaming to get out in the agonising heat of the car.

You may think that your car windows being slightly open will help your dog and keep them cool, but this is not the case. If your car windows are slightly open then there will not be enough fresh air coming in to cool your dog quickly enough and if you have your windows fully open you risk loosing your dog in an unfamiliar place or even get stolen.

When a dog overheats it causes a very agonising death, if you have to rescue or treat an over heated dog you should cool them down with cool water ( not cold, this could cause to much shock to the system), or use a wet towel and wrap them in it, feed them cool water or a nice ice cube to lick and then proceed to consult a vet about the situation and get a full examination for your dog.



ARNOLDO

dechenlau asked:


Dogs want to please their owners.One of the problems is that they are not clear about what the owner wants.Just because the dog owner turns the dog out in the yard a few times a day does not mean that the dog is getting the right message.

Dogs don’t always make the connection that they were put outside to give him the opportunity to “go”. It is therefore, the dog owners’ responsibility to see to it that a connection is made.The dog owner should find a way of preventing the dog or puppy from going in the house and only having the opportunity to go outside.The dog will learn to communicate with the owner about going when told to go and will learn to let the dog owner know when he needs to go.

One of the easiest ways to housebreak a dog is by using his natural instinct of keeping his sleeping quarters clean.In the wild dogs would sleep in a den.We can provide a “den” in the form of a dog crate. This becomes his bed - a bed he cannot get out of.

In order for this approach to work it is important that the crate be the appropriate size.A ‘too big’ would allow room for the dog to go and still continue to sleep in another area of the crate.One that is too small would not allow for comfort.

By providing a crate you are mimicking a natural den, which is what your dog would seek if he was in the wild on his own.He would not want to be out in the open, but rather he would want the security of a tree trunk, cave or other available shelter.

Since puppies naturally spend a great deal of time sleeping they will soon associate the crate with sleeping. Giving the dog or puppy a treat or two each time they enter the crate can help to make this a positive experience for the animal and less stressful for the owner.Saying the word “Crate” at the time the dog enters will help the dog associate the term with the crate.This will be the beginning of training for the future.For example, you may want to command your dog to go to his crate when there is a knock at your door.

Allowing the dog or puppy out only to relieve himself should be your initial goal. As the dog learns and gains more control, the time outside of the crate can be extended.The crate can be kept near you so you can alleviate the dog fears and give him attention as well as frequent treats. The crate should not be used as a punishment.This is the dog den.It’s his place of safety.Make it comfortable for him. Provide toys and treats as well.

Each time that you take the dog out, immediately take him outdoors to relieve himself.When he “goes” make an issue of it by lavishing him with praise. Make sure your dog realizes that he has pleased you. After your dog has relieved himself you should take him back inside.This is to build the association of the outdoors with “going”.

Your dog will need to relieve himself after sleeping, eating and exercise.If you let your dog run loose you should partition off a section of the house or a room in order that you can keep up with him and any messes he may make.Many people find baby gates useful for this. It is advisable to keep a very close watch on your dog until you are certain he is housebroken. He will not make a mistake but you might….your mistake might be letting your dog run loose too soon.

By keeping your dog in a crate and only letting him out to go outdoors or out when you will be watching him closely, your dog will be housebroken very quickly.The process is practically fail proof.In addition it provides your dog with a space that he feels is his own.



GLEN

NettwerkMusic asked:

The Format - Dog Problems

CLARK

warhense asked:

This was my dog Rusty who started talking when I mentioned going for a walk back in 2001.

Unfortunately he is no longer with me, having been euthanised in 2006. He was 14 and could no longer walk due to Hip Displasia (arthritis). He was a Syberian Husky. I really miss my buddy.

Thanks everyone for the great comments. I’m glad Rusty has brought happiness to so many people around the world. Try not to be sad, Rusty had a great life, had great adventures, and brought smiles to everyone he met.

CEDRICK

Ty Brown asked:


Human beings are bound by certain social rules and etiquettes. Dogs are too, however, their rules are entirely different from our rules. For example, it is rare that one person meets another person and within seconds begins a violent fight. This behavior, however, is very common with our canine friends. Introducing two dogs in public is an art and an exercise in training and control. You must be prepared if you are going to avoid not only dog fights, but if you are to steer clear of dog illnesses and other problems when introducing two dogs.

When I have my dogs in public the first rule I live by is ‘assume the worst’. What I mean by this is that I assume that most other dogs out there are ill-behaved and not dog friendly. I know this sounds extreme and perhaps rude but honestly, am I that far off? If you assume this position you will be correct a majority of the time. Most dogs in public are poorly trained and poorly socialized and shouldn’t be counted on to automatically get along with your dog.

So how do you go about introducing two dogs with such assumptions? The short answer is, I don’t. When I am in public, generally speaking, I keep my dogs separate from other dogs I encounter. Do I know if the approaching dog is current with his shots, do I know if the other dog is dog aggressive? The answer is no. Why would I introduce my dog into such an unknown situation where he could get injured from a fight or sick from an illness?

The next assumption I typically make is ‘assume the other dog owner knows nothing about dogs’. When I approach another dog owner on the street or in a park I often find that they are eager to have their dog meet both my dog and me. I often hear comforting words such as, “Oh, he’s fine with other dogs,” or, “It’s ok, he’s friendly.” Well the truth is that maybe their dog has been friendly with a few dogs but who is to say that their dog will be friendly with my dog? I was once walking with a client and their dog down a path in the woods when along came a beautiful Airedale Terrier. As we approached the owner of the terrier called out, “He’s friendly!” following which the dog immediately proceeded to lunge at the leash while barking quite aggressively, obviously looking for a fight. Both I and my client’s dog barely missed being bit as the other owner was nearly pulled over. Ever since this experience, and many similar ones, I have realized that I can’t trust the judgment of other dog owners.

As a result of this style of thinking I religiously avoid dog parks. They are the bane of the dog world and should be avoided at all costs. They are a recipe for disease and fighting. You would be wise to avoid these settings.

Am I being too much of an extremist? No, I don’t think so. In doing this I am almost guaranteeing a safe outing everywhere I go. You may be asking, “But what about socialization? Shouldn’t my dog learn to get along with other dogs?” The answer is yes, but only under controlled settings.

I am very careful about the children that my young daughter meets. I try to avoid having her meet kids who are bullies or sick. Why wouldn’t I do the same for my dog? Whenever I allow my dogs to meet new dogs I do so only when the situation is controlled.

So what is a controlled situation? It could be a variety of settings, but typically a controlled situation is one where I am familiar with the other dog owner, familiar with the other dog and feel that said owner can control said dog. A controlled situation finds both dogs on leash and under control. When introducing two dogs I am always confident that I can control my dog so I need to make sure I partner up with someone else who can also control their dog. With all of these ducks in a row I am ready to introduce my dog to the other dog.

As I said, both dogs are on leash so the first step is allowing the other dogs to be near each other to see initial reactions. I will have my dog about 10 feet from the other dog. If either of the two begins to show aggression I know that maybe this is not a potential friendship. If they are okay at this distance I proceed. One dog remains stationary, preferably in the ‘sit’ command, while the other dog is walked by at a distance of 5-6 feet. The moving dog is then asked to sit while the other walks 5-6 away. Everybody still okay? Good, let’s keep going. Now I put my dog in the heel position on my left hand side while the other owner puts her dog on her left hand side. From here we walk past each other head on. By walking head on with our dogs on our left hand sides and under control the dogs are still separated by our bodies and still haven’t come in contact with each other. At this point, however, each dog has seen the other from a variety of angles and from a variety of potentially threatening and non-threatening positions. If they are still okay you can keep going. Obviously if they have shown aggression at any point you should stop the session.

The next step is the actual introduction. Each owner should approach the other, each dog should be preferably in the heel position. At about 3-4 feet from each other the owners should have their dogs sit by their sides. If everyone is still all right the owners should release the dogs from the sit position and slowly allow the dogs to start sniffing. After a few seconds each owner leads his or her dog away from each other and walks in the opposite direction. Do a U-turn and return to each others proximity. Come back to a halt again 3-4 feet away from each other and repeat the process. Do this several times, each time allowing the dogs to sniff each other for a bit longer period. At this stage it is important to look for tell-tale signs. If the hair on the back of one dog goes straight up lead that dog away and go even slower with the introductions. Watch for other signs such as the lips being lifted, growling, or other very tense behavior.

It is important to keep your dogs on leash. If a fight were to break out both owners could immediately drag each dog apart from each other. If when you introduce two dogs like this and everyone is still okay you can gradually give the dogs more and more freedom and allow them to play even more.

As with all dog training, use common sense. Watch for signs in your dog. Introducing two dogs can be fun, but you must always exercise caution.



ADRIAN

Dog Care Tips asked:


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

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

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

The appetite of the dog is bound to be affected by ill health. Look for any signs of loss of appetite. An important sign of dog health problems is excessive thirst. A pronounced weight loss is also an indicator of ill health. Check the eyes for any ulcers, discharges, veins or sores.

The mouth of a healthy dog is pink. There should not be any discoloring or cavities in the teeth. Look for signs of discharge from ears. It is advisable to clean the ears from time to time. The dog’s head should be regularly checked for sore patches, hair loss, or deep wounds.

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

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

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

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

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



ELMER