Category: About Dogs

Intro

When I wrote the article last week on how to shop for a puppy, I left out one of the most important aspects of caring for a new puppy, and that was on how to house train your puppy. I was more focused on adopting a rescue dog or a young dog that had been in a home for a while.

My mistake. I heard from several readers that wanted to know–you guessed it—how to potty train their puppy. So here is the information you wanted.

Potty training your puppy is just as much work as training yourself. You will have to make the rules and follow them, or your puppy will be confused and the job will never be done satisfactorily.

Pick a Potty Spot

The first thing you need to do, depending upon where you live, is to pick a potty spot. If you live in a house with a yard, decide where in the yard you want your puppy to go when nature calls. Pick a spot that is easy to get to from the door to the outside and is away from foot traffic or driveway.

If you live in an apartment-pick the quickest way from indoors to the outdoors and select an isolated spot.

When you’ve picked the place, bring your dog to the same spot every time.

Dogs smell their territory- and pretty quickly, they will get the message: “This is my spot.” Be consistent. Bring him to the same spot every time. Soon, your dog will get the message. When you open the door, he will automatically go to his spot.

If you live in an apartment and you have a stairway to go up or down, and perhaps a hallway to the outside, keep the leash by the door and figure the quickest way out.

Signs your dog needs a trip outside

Dogs have certain ways to tell you he needs to go out. You just have to pay attention to his sign language. Your dog probably is telling you he needs a potty trip if he smells his rear; paces in circles; barks or scratches at the door; sniffs the floor; or squats on the floor.

Do not wait around or read just one more paragraph in the paper. Take him out as quickly as possible. Keep a leash at the door until your puppy learns where he must go, Open the door and he’ll go out to his spot on his own.

Schedule meal times and snack times so puppy knows when its time to eat. You follow up a few minutes after he is finished eating with an outside trip. Some puppies drink a lot of water, and you need to follow a long drink with a trip out.

Sometimes small pups drink a lot. They have tiny stomachs and tiny bladders. Keep an eye on how much they drink. They may need to go out every hour.

Once in a while puppies develop bladder infections. The only way you would know is if he seems to be going an awful lot. Take him to the vet for a checkup. If your pup has a recurring medical problem, you want to catch it early.

Here is a loose schedule to follow that will make life the easiest for both you and your puppy. Just remember, take your puppy out often:

1. first thing in the morning

2. After all feedings

3. Anytime he is acting like he needs to go

4. The last thing before you crawl into bed at night.

Other Things to Remember

Praise him, give him a treat when he goes out and when he actually does his business where he is supposed to. Pretty soon, he will be going out on his own. That is the ultimate goal and you will really want to praise him a lot. Mission accomplished.

Puppies, young dogs, old dogs, may have an accident in the house. If this happens, take him out immediately to his spot. You are reinforcing where he should have gone.

Be calm, be patient. Do not punish him, or yell at him after an accident, it will only confuse him and make things worse.

Clean the area right away.

If you make the rounds visiting friends for games, dinner out, short trips, etc., be sure your pup is used to going to the bathroom when necessary outside. Make sure he has been trained to follow your commands

If he is good with strangers, and children, take him along. If he has trouble behaving with strangers it would be better to leave him home. If you are just going to be gone a couple of hours, he probably can say home by himself.

Final points

If you are going to be gone several hours or overnight, it would be best to leave him with a friend. If you are going to be gone for a week or longer, it would be best to board him.

Better yet, most dogs like to ride in the car. Make some small trips and let him learn to travel in the car and potty at a

designated spot. An adult dog in a car is a thief deterrent. Remember to gauge the weather and do not leave your dog in a hot car or a freezing car. If you do travel with your dog, stop every hour or two to let him relieve himself.

If you have to be away and your doggie friend cannot go, you will ask a friend or pay someone to take care of your dog while you are away. If your dog is not completely outside trained yet, be sure to give your pet sitter information on how to keep the training going while you are away.

For bad weather, keep an umbrella close by to keep water off both you and your dog when it’s necessary to venture out. For snow conditions, be ready to shovel a path to your dog’s special spot.

If training seems to be slowing down or not going well, Take your dog to the vet for a checkup to make sure there are no health issues.

 

 

I’m Barbara Nelson and I hope this answers all your training questions. Please let me hear from you.

Intro

You and your spouse have decided to adopt a puppy for your Christmas present to each other. That means the question of what to get for each other is solved. Or is it? Continue reading “How to shop for a new puppy”

Intro

Both humans and dogs went through more than one period of domestication. In fact at least one scientist-with a bit of tongue -in-cheek- has suggested that dog may have domesticated humans instead of the other way around. Regardless, both humans and dogs have inhabited the earth for about the same length of time and have learned to cooperate for the same commodity–food. Continue reading “2. An ancient Bond exists between Canine and Human”

Definition of a Stray

Last week I wrote a post on feral cats as opposed to Domesticated cats. Handling the stray dog problem is entirely different from working with feral cats. For one thing, size creates a special situation. Adult cats usually weigh 10 to 12 pounds at the most. Even if one should lash out at you, the most you would get is an an angry looking Continue reading “How to Handle the Stray Dog Problem”

Introduction

Everybody loves a movie about a courageous Dog. TV shows and contests about pets hold us captive. A Collie named Lassie was a must see for 19 years (1954 -1973) on Television and in movies. Rudd Weatherwax was trainer and owner of Pal, the first Lassie.

He eventually acquired the name and trademark. Pal and his descendants played Lassie for the whole 19 years.

 

 

 

The movie, 101 Dalmatians, inspired a lot of families to adopt one for a pet.

The 143rd Westminster Dog Show held dog lovers hostage in front of the TV set just a few weeks ago when “King” the wire-haired Fox Terrier from Brazil was selected as Best in Show.

But are movies, TV shows and Contests the best avenues to decide on a pet for our households? Do we get an accurate background of knowledge to make an educated decision on a particular animal?

The Valiant Collie

Lassie, the canine star of the long-running TV show of the same name, was played by several dogs. The first dog to portray the female star Lassie was actually a male, named Pal. Pal was an excellent actor, doing most of the stunts on the first take. Pal’s son, Pal Junior came next. Subsequent offspring of Pal; – Spook, Baby, Mire and Hey Hey played the heroine for the whole series.

The Collie is a beautiful dog with an open, bright-eyed facial expression and a long flowing coat. She is a gentle dog and is very good with children. The Collie is an- all-around exceptional dog for a family.

The breed originated in Scotland and Northern England and was used as a herd dog. The Collie is a strong, active, responsive dog, very intelligent, mild-mannered, and easy to train. Daily care includes lots of exercise and a daily brushing.

If you decided to get a Collie for the family pet based on the series, “Lassie” you would have probably made a good choice, considering temperament and ease of learning. But do not expect your collie to perform the gallant rescues that the TV Collie was specially trained to do.

101 Dalmatians, the movie

The movie was released in 1966 and immediately captured everybody’s heart. The story is pretty simple. The evil Cruella deVil is captivated by the dalmatian puppies and devises a way to get enough spotted puppies in order to make her a spotted fur coat. Of course the puppies owners thwart Cruella’s every move and she doesn’t get her coat and the puppies are saved.

Real puppies weren’t trained for this movie. Animatronics were used to create the puppy antics. Nevertheless, people fell in love with the adorable puppies and after the movie release, sales of Dalmatians shot up. Families were not prepared to handle adult Dalmatians and many were given up to pounds and shelters, which led to many of the dogs being euthanized.

Dalmatians, the Dog

The Dalmatian is a medium to large dog, reaching 48 to 55 pounds and has a life span of 13 to 16 years. The origin of the breed is unknown. The name comes from Dalmatia, now called Croatia, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.

“Born to Run,” the Dalmatian started out as a coach dog- a hunting dog- a fire house dog and a circus performer. The Dalmatian can act from gallant to goofy. He is affectionate and good with kids, friendly with other dogs, but not a dog for apartment living.

Dalmatians shed and need daily grooming. They have a high energy level and daily exercise is a must. This is a dog that was bred to run for miles and miles. In the days of horse drawn carriages, the landed gentry had Dalmatians run alongside the coaches for miles, and perhaps more than once a day.

These dogs have an endless capacity for exercise. They are intelligent animals and need rigorous training. Their owners need training too, on how to manage them. Finally, there is a possibility of deafness that runs in the breed. These are beautiful dogs, but can be more difficult to care for than most families can manage.

143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

February 11 and 12, Dog lovers were glued to their TV sets waiting to see if their favorite breed would make “Best of Show” this season. Some were happy and no doubt, some were not so happy when the Best in Show, “King,” a wire- hair Fox Terrier won the title.

The Fox Terrier is a medium size dog.The male reaches 14 to 16 inches in height and will  weigh 15 to 20 pounds. Females will reach 13 to 15 inches in height and will weigh 13 to 18 pounds.

The coat is dense with twisted hairs. The hair grows thick and close together, so thick that when you try to part it, you cannot see the skin underneath. Wire hairs have an undercoat that is soft, smooth and short.

Fox Terriers are usually white with black and brown markings.The life span is around 15 years. Like most smaller dogs they present a bold, brave front. They are cheerful, lovable, enthusiastic and playful. They get along well with children and are devoted to family.They will get along with other dogs, if they have been properly socialized.

Terriers are intelligent and can be taught to do tricks. They do have a dominant streak and are very energetic – which means that they need lots of exercise, both mental and physical.

The dog’s owner must be 100 percent, all the time, firmly, his pack leader. Terriers need consistent rules to follow, with limits on what and what not to do. They are fine living in an apartment, as long as they have a vigorous walk or jog each day.

Wire Hair Terriers were originally bred to hunt, coming from a mix of Daschund, English Hound, Fox Hound and Beagle. Farmers used them to stalk and kill small prey.They are one of the oldest Terrier types, dating back to the 17th Century.

Up until 1984, all Fox Terriers were considered one breed, with two coat types: smooth and wire-hair. In 1985, the AKC recognized them as two distinct breeds.

Wire Hair terriers can make good family pets. They are willing companions for that morning jog and that evening constitutional. They do not shed,which makes them wonderful pets for allergy sufferers They need to be brushed once a day and only bathed when necessary.

Wrap Up

The human being likes a certain amount of drama in his/her life. An activity that makes the heart race a little, the breathing come faster. It can be personal activity or the senses triggered by something we see. Action movies can give us a rush of excitement. We love movies where animals are pitted against what seem to be impossible situations, prevail and live happily ever after.

But deciding on a pet based on the tricks the movie animal does is not the right way to go. Those animals are especially trained by professional animal handlers. You can’t expect your pet to perform like a movie star. Do your own research and select the pet that suits you and your family.

Thanks to: Dog Breed Info; Dog Time.com; Wikipedia;  Pet M.D..com; Westminster Dog Show; Pixa-Bay for information on this Post.

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Introduction

Some might disagree with me, but cats and dogs exhibit certain personality traits. Some cats are very friendly, some talk a lot, some always run away when they get the chance, some are aloof. Some dogs are friendly from the beginning, some are very shy, some like to bark nonstop. Most dogs are friendly, unless they have been traumatized by loud noises or mistreated. Gently turn down offers of cute puppies, breed unknown, in order to give yourself time to select one with the personality you want.

Now please don’t send me nasty notes telling me that I’m a snob about breeds, and that mixed breed puppies are wonderful dogs with great personalities. I agree.

Mixed breed dogs can be the greatest dogs around. I’m just giving you several things about dogs to think about. If you are adopting a dog for the family, especially a family with children, you might want to consider personality traits and compatibility before you bring the dog home. Remember, you will have that cute bundle of fur for about 10 or 12 years.

There have been studies on what causes certain cats and dogs to exhibit certain traits. It seems that color and breed influences cat and dog personalities. If you know what kind of personality to expect with the pet of your choice, you will have a better idea of what to expect of your new family member. Today we concentrate on dogs.

Part One

Dogs and Wolves Split

DNA studies of wolves and dogs point to a split into different species about 100,000 years ago. Domesticating dogs may have happened between 40,000 and 20,000 years ago. Researchers cannot agree, but some think that the domestication began in East Asia, others think it started in the Middle East, and others think there was a second domestication that took place in Europe. Whatever world circumstances were in place about 14,000 years ago that caused men and dogs to form working or companion relationships is still in place today. The bond between dog and human is unbreakable. One thing scholars do agree on is that most of the dog breeds we see today are recent developments.

Dog Personalities by Breed

I picked several dogs that have quite different body builds that exhibit personality traits a family might be looking for. In dogs, breeds usually hold to one color or one color combination. In mixed breeds a variety of colors can be exhibited.

1. The Newfoundland–is a giant breed. It is usually black and has a natural ability to swim. It has a very placid personality and gets along well with children. If you love to swim, the Newfoundland is a perfect companion. Just remember, this lovable giant will eat a large hole in your grocery budget.

2. The Pug--is a small dog- a member of the Toy group. Pugs are very social and they can form a special bond with children. They also will be a little easier on your grocery bill. They can have light colored bodies with black faces.

3.Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium size dog and is a good companion dog for the family as long as he is the only dog. The Staffordshire is not good with other dogs.

4. Labrador Retriever- the most popular dog around today. Usually come in black, chocolate and light cream or tan. They make wonderful family dogs, but they must be trained. They also are large dogs.

 

 

 

5. Keeshond- is a medium-sized dog with a  fluffy silver and black coat They are great with children and easily learn tricks. These are truly people dogs. They are an old breed. They once were companions and watchdogs on the barges and boats that traveled the canals and rivers of 17th and 18th century Holland.

 

6. Golden Retriever- large dogs. They are extremely intelligent. The Golden is a great dog for a family. They always make good service dogs. By virtue of their name, their coats are golden brown. However, they can have light, off-white coats too.

 

 

7.The Collie is a beautiful, gentle dog. A large dog with a gorgeous coat -light brown over all, and white on ruff, tummy and paws-who is well suited to families.

 

 

8. The Standard Poodle- A large dog that can come in several colors-black, white, gray. These are the wizards of the smart dogs. They are extremely intelligent and do well with all dog sports. Poodles are affectionate, patient, and make very good family dogs.

 

9. The Burmese Mountain Dog-another gentle giant. This dog can weigh between 98 and 120 lbs. when full-grown. They are good companions for children and they get along well with other pets in the family. The Burmese has a long shaggy brown, black and white coat.

 

 

10. The Bull Dog–a small dog that will become the clown in the family. They can be black and white, or light brown or tan and even white. They have a tendency to be stubborn, but they are also very docile and loyal, and do well with children.

 

 

I named just ten dogs out of hundreds of breeds. Some are large, some medium and some small. I know I left out quite a few breeds that are also quite good at being family dogs. These ten breeds have certain personality traits that you can depend upon. Families with children need pets that the younger members can enjoy. Dogs and children grow up together and it’s a wonderful experience. Children also learn that pets are dependent upon their owners for food, exercise, and health needs.

Conclusion

We often leave out the mixed breeds. Some of these dogs are wonderful with families and deserve a good home. If it is at all possible to find out the mix, it will give you a better idea of the personality traits you can expect.

My mother adopted a Keeshond/Irish Setter mix and as the puppy developed into a mature dog, we could begin to see how the two breeds melded together into a beautiful friendly dog. Her body build was more like the Setter- a little larger with longer legs and a longer coat.

But the Keeshond showed up in her coat color- the silver/ black with a thick mane. Her disposition was more like the Keeshond. All in all, she was a wonderful dog, very loving and smart.

Would love to hear from my readers. Let me know what you liked or didn’t like. Next time, we explore the personalities of cats by color.

Information for this article came from : The Thought Co.; dogtime.com; Dog Reflections, May 2008 by Dan; Cattime.com; Pet Wellbeing; Pixabay .com.