Dog | Raining Cats and Dogs

Finding a Local Dog Breeder

It’s highly unlikely that you will find the dog breed of your dreams at a local pet shop since most dog breeders don’t sell to them. Meanwhile, shelters and rescue facilities are typically home to mix breeds and very little purebreds. So if you want one breed and one breed only, you will have to buy right from a dog breeder of that kind. The good news is that you don’t have to travel far to buy from a renowned breeder who will overcharge you, instead there are probably numerous local breeders in your area.

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Dog breeding is a very niche business so you won’t find many commercials or billboards advertising their services. The classifieds section of your local newspaper may list dog breeders, but due to the cost and space, the information in the ad is sure to be limited. A great alternative is to search online, but it’s more efficient to use services that cater to specific areas rather than search engines that will produce unmanageable results. Concentrate on your geographic location, like canada 411 if you live in Canada.

You can also find local dog breeders through word of mouth. Meet with your local veterinarian to find out with they have any recommendations, as well as advice on how to decide if a breeder is legitimate. And don’t be afraid to ask dog owners in your neighborhood where they found their pets. Along with searching for a dog breeder, search for any organizations or dog events our area that could point you in the right direction.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Dog, Dog breed, Purebred

Basic Puppy Preparation and Tips

Puppies are all fun and joy when they first arrive in your home. They’re playful and very curious. If you are seriously considering getting a puppy, make sure you understand what you’re getting into first. Puppies require lots of attention and time to train them.

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If you expect your puppy to come with an automatic be-good-button, you might want to consider a goldfish. If you aren’t sure, try researching online. So here are a few basic tips about preparation for you puppy.

Rearranging your home is the first stage. Puppies will get into anything and everything that they can reach.You don’t want anything that is plush or cloth near the floor. Your darling new puppy will chew anything within reach. Also move any power cords up off of the floor – they are very dangerous for puppy.

If you have any anti-pest products, make sure you put them all away and clean up any residue. Like all dogs, your puppy has a super sniffer! On top of being able to find anything that smells, they tend to eat whatever it is too. They’ll probably find things that you never knew were there, so check around under all of your furniture before your puppy arrives.

Another option is to make puppy safe zone. If you don’t want to move all of your furniture around, just make one area into a puppy safe zone. Close it off with a baby fence, but make sure to spend enoug time with your puppy.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Dog, New Puppy, Puppies

Crate Training to train a dog

Unfortunately, many people do not understand the importance of crate training for their puppy or dog. On the other hand, they consider as the cruelty against their pests and hence don’t even think about that.

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The principle of a crate training is to establish a routine which will make your dog behave normally even in your absence, as it is imperative to make some provision for your dog, when you are out. The crate training is also the safest way to carry your dog in a car or even at any other place where you feel that it would not be appropriate to take it. The only way puppy acquires this intelligence is through the means of crate training. It is believed that a dog can never make his den dirty, if it is being trained properly and in well organized manner.

The crate must be very safe place where your dog can feel pleasure and warmth. An attractive den is considered as the comfy blanket. However, confining your dog will temporarily to a small area will make it feel stressed out and uncomfortable, but this is the part of crate training and your dog will get used to it after a certain period of time. Always try to feed your dog very close to its crate, so that he can keep in touch with the crate every time. After that dog has finished eating his meals, just push the plate out of the crate, make sure that he does not show any sign of anxiety.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Crate training, Dog, Pet

Reasons to Get a Pet

It’s hard to separate people from their pets, but why do people decide to be pet owners in the first place?

Actually, there are many reasons to get a pet. Perhaps you are lonely and want companionship. Pets make wonderful companions for people who don’t live close to family or friends; or for people who prefer the company of beings who will love you unconditionally. Some pets make better companions than others. For example, if you are lonely you may find the company of a dog or cat to be more exciting than the company of a fish.

Another reason to get is pet is because you want to teach your kids responsibility. Kids can learn a lot from having to take care of a pet. They learn not to be selfish and how to care for someone other than themselves. Even small children can help with basic tasks such as filling a pets food or water bowl.

Protection is another reason to get a pet- in particular a dog. Some breeds are better watch dogs than others so it is important to research breeds before you go and buy a dog. Also keep in mind that dogs need to be trained. You can’t expect to get a dog and sit back and relax. If you have certain tasks you want it to complete, you need to be prepared to train it to do so.

If you love animals, this can be another reason to get a pet. Some people get great joy from waking up and seeing their favorite animals faces. If you are not lucky enough to work in an environment with animals, having a pet of your own can be the next best thing.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Dog, Pet, Recreation

Small Dog Health Problems

Small dogs can have a variety of health problems. The first problem they have is with their teeth. Larger dogs can use hard food, bones, and other items to clean their teeth; but with small dogs it’s harder. In addition to providing chew toys it is important to brush your small dogs teeth. Many small dogs end up losing their teeth because the owners just can’t keep them clean.

Your small dog may eventually need a professional teeth cleaning. This may seem silly, because it is expensive, but if you want your dog to stay healthy, you have to make sure their teeth are healthy.

Having bad teeth can cause a variety of health problems because the germs from the mouth can travel into other areas of the body. Once this happens, the germs manifest themselves as other diseases.

Lack of exercise is another health problem that plagues small dogs. Since small dogs are so cute and cuddly, owners have the tendency to carry them all the time and overfeed them. This means the dog is not getting any exercise but they are eating up a storm. It’s okay to carry your small dog- after all, maybe that’s why you got a small dog in the first place. But you still need to make sure they get exercise.

Take your small dogs for walks, let them run around and get some fresh air. If you live in a cold environment see if your local area has a dog gym or play place. This can be a great way to get out and have some fun with your precious pooch.

Just like with humans, being overweight can cause health problems for dogs. Especially small dogs that just don’t have the resources to support normal functioning on top of an overweight body.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Dog, Health, Pet

Should You Get a Pet?

Perhaps you are at the time of your life when you are considering getting a pet. Maybe your kids are bugging you about it, or perhaps you seek companionship; whatever the reason is, there are some things to consider because it’s not a good idea to just rush into buying a pet.

The first thing to consider is what kind of pet you will get. Dogs and cats are the most common pets- each with their own pros and cons. For example dogs need to be walked each day rain or shine and it may be difficult to potty train them. You also have to consider the breed of the dog to see if it matches your temperament, living space, and any legal codes where you live. But one big benefit is that dogs are loyal and will be your best friend if you treat them well. They are also very fun to play with.

Cats are more independent than dogs and that can be a pro or a con depending on what you want in a pet. If you want a pet that is going to be happy to see you when you get home- you may be a little disappointed if you get a cat. Cats can also climb on your sofa and countertops and scratch up your furniture. However, cats are intelligent, they like to play games, and they can help keep your place rodent free.

When it comes down to it, you have to evaluate the pet that would be best for you. After all, you could do your research and find out that neither a dog or a cat will suit your needs- maybe you’d be better suited to have a fish, snake, or rabbit for a pet.

Filed Under: Care, Pets Tagged With: Dog, Pet, Toilet training

What is Crate Training and why is it Necessary?

“Crate training” means that you are getting your dog accustomed to being in a crate, or cage. Many people can’t ever imagine crate training their dog. They believe it’s cruel to get a cage for their dog. However, crate training is widely considered by dog experts as not cruel at all; rather, it is a modern necessity for owning a dog.

Think of it this way. In the wild, a dog’s natural home is a den. Your crate is a dog’s modern version of a “den.” Rather than thinking of a crate as a cage that keeps your dog from freedom, a crate should be thought of as a den, a personal space that your dog calls his own. You’ll find that your dog enjoys spending time in his crate. If dogs have been properly crate trained, they’ll go into their crate often to sleep, relax, or just get some down time. This “down time” is especially important if you have kids.

Crate training is not for the faint of heart, however. You must withstand your puppy’s crying. Puppies cry in their crates because they are used to sleeping in a litter with their brothers and sisters. They like to snuggle up and a crate seems lonely, scary, and isolated from a puppy’s new family. For the first few nights, you may want to sleep next to the crate, so that when your puppy cries you can put your hand in and soothe him, letting him know that he is not alone.

Crate training during the day is difficult, too. Even if you plan on letting your dog roam the house freely during the day, there will be times when you need to crate your dog. Maybe you spilled a chemical or chocolate pudding and you need to clean it up. Maybe you have a guest coming over who’s afraid of dogs. Maybe the painters are coming and they have a strict policy on uncrated dogs. Crating is a part of modern dog ownership.

Filed Under: Pets Tagged With: Crate training, Dog, Personal space, Your Puppy (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

How to Socialize Your Puppy

Socializing is a critically important step in the dog-raising process. While the process itself is pretty easy, it tends to be one of the most difficult things for people to do for their dogs. Making the effort now will ensure that you won’t have an aggressive dog in the future. Your dog may be aggressive towards people, visitors, children, or other dogs if you do not socialize your dog.

Part One: People

Take your puppy everywhere you can. Take him to a local park and invite children and adults to play with him (chances are, you won’t have to ask—people LOVE puppies and will probably be asking you if they can play with him). This is also helpful in your jumping-up training, if you ask people to not touch your puppy until he is sitting or lying down. Have him meet everyone you can: young children, babies (gently and supervised, of course), older children, teens, adults, the elderly, etc. Keep these interactions as positive as possible and have everyone give your puppy treats and affection. If someone is treating your puppy aggressively or negatively, gently remove your puppy from the situation immediately. The key here is gently. You don’t need to grab your puppy roughly or harshly, just scoop him up and walk away.

Part Two: Dogs

Dog interactions are tricky because dog introductions require structure, and not all dog owners are prepared for that. Try to gauge the dogs you know. Which ones are friendly and non-aggressive? Which ones are well-behaved? Which dogs will give your puppy positive experiences? Find these dogs and invite them over, so your dog gets used to having other dogs in his space. Go over to non-aggressive dogs’ houses.

Part Three: Visitors

You need to invite people over so your dog gets used to having visitors on his home turf. The more people come over, the more your dog will be okay with outsiders in his normal space. Some dogs aren’t aggressive at all unless someone is in “their” space.

Filed Under: Pets, Relationships Tagged With: Dog, Recreation, Socialization, Your Puppy (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

Reasons to Socialize Your Dog

When many people first get a dog, they focus on the basics. House training. Sit. Stay. Don’t eat shoes. Don’t go through the garbage. These are all incredibly important lessons to teach a new puppy, but don’t forget another very important lesson: socializing.

What is Socializing?

Socializing is the process by which you introduce your dog to the concept of other people and other dogs. We often don’t think about socializing because we as humans do it naturally: our babies and toddlers often go out into the world in shopping malls, grocery stores, or daycare centers. No one is afraid of a baby and adults often come up to our children and talk to them, smile at them, make silly faces in the checkout line, etc. However, dogs generally stay in one area. They may have a fenced yard where they exercise or go to the bathroom. They stay in your house. Even if you take your dog on frequent walks (and you should), you probably don’t stop to greet people or introduce your dog to them. Having a puppy generally makes this easier since almost no one is afraid of new puppies, and children (or adults) often ask to pet the new puppy. Your dog also needs socializing with other dogs to curb aggression problems later in life. This can be tougher than socializing with humans, because many other dogs suffer from the same problems you’re trying to curb now. Other dogs don’t “play nice,” and you may be afraid they’ll cause an injury to your tiny puppy.

What Happens if I Don’t Socialize my Puppy?

You’ll experience greater problems when your dog reaches adulthood. They may not like children (or not know what to do with children). This is incredibly difficult on young couples who may want to start a family one day. If your dog isn’t socialized to other dogs, your dog may experience severe aggression later in life, which may prevent you from taking your dog outside the house (and furthering the problem). You may also be unable to get an additional dog.

Filed Under: Pets, Relationships Tagged With: Dog, Dog breed, Housebreaking

The History Of Poodles

The Poodle, while a contemporary little dog by assumptions standards, has quite a long history, and comes in many shapes and sizes. This surprises many, as it is assumed that they are the cute little fluff ball at your neighbors house. The truth is quite the opposite with these dogs. In fact, they were very hard working dogs in the last 1700′s, and were brought to the United States, for the mere purpose of working for sailors fetching goods, or shipmates that had fallen overboard. Poodles are known for their amazing swimming skills, and have been ranked one of the smartest breeds on the planet. They come in four different sizes, teacup, which weigh about two to three pounds, toy, which weigh five to seven pounds, mini, which weigh around 10-15 pounds, and then finally the standard, which can get up to 60 pounds. The size variations were all intended to have a purpose, as the breeders in France needed them.

During the days of rats going crazy in France, and the rest of Europe, people were desperate to get a grasp on how to handle them. Cats were helping, but there were times that the rats were bigger than the cats. People started noticing that terriers, which are renowned ratters, were doing a good job, but not getting rid of the population. Poodles, which had a modest start on cargo ships, were found to be quite dominant with the rats. The different sizes even helped to located different sizes of rats and mice, and were then able to help eliminate much of the population. This came as a great comfort for a continent that was being annihilated by the plague. It was later discovered that the heaping mounds of trash in the streets were the primary culprit. The Poodle however was regarded as a work dog after that, and then was transported to other countries to be used in labor projects.

Filed Under: General, Pets Tagged With: Dog, Pets, Poodles, Working dog