Benefits of Dogs

Dogs are wonderful creatures and are favoured by millions all over the world for their good company, working ability or any number of the other reasons dogs are used for work or companions all around the world on a daily basis.

Discussing the benefits of dogs is a big topic and I’m sure there will be thousands of you wanting to comment on your personal experiences and bring these situations to light for all others to be persuaded to switch to owning a dog and caring for a new canine friend, but as this is not possible I’ll go through some of the more popular reasons for owning a dog and why it makes people happier.

The first is a sense of security, if you live alone or are alone wile other are at work or otherwise engaged then a pet for the feeling of being safe and secure is more then enough to make thousands if not millions of people want a dog.

With security comes a friend, and a constant need for your love and affection. Some people love to play with their dog and like to have them keep them company, humans bond especially well with dogs witch is where the saying ‘mans best friend’ comes from. Without a pet of some kind, life can be quite lonely and dull. Dogs bring a lot of excitement and interests to households, causing a feeling of happiness and comfort.

Dogs are also used on farms and security type jobs, although these dogs often seem vicious and angry in their job, in most cases they are loyal, well trained, obedient dogs coming from friendly protective and affectionate breeds.

These reasons are just a glimpse of what dogs are all about and to really understand the happiness or excitement effects a dog can have on you, you have to own your own canine friend. If you have time to give and are educated about the different commitments dogs need then acquiring a dog will be one of the best things you ever did.

Dogs in Hot Cars

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.

Bad Foods for Dogs

You may have seen many articles on the best and healthiest diet for your dog, but what foods should your dog not eat and what will help your dog’s health in the short and long term.

There are many different cases to look at when defining bad foods for dogs but there are guidelines that can be followed to prevent dog pests, dog diarrhea, and many other illnesses that can affect your dog. Routing through trash is another bad idea for your dog and if you discover this is a problem then it should be strictly disciplined.

So what should you avoid to maintain your dog’s immune system and keep their digestive system intact? Here are some bad ideas and health effecting foods that may harm your dogs health if you’re not careful. Please note that some dog food quality standards may have changed since the writing of this article.

Processed foods

These canned processed foods are nothing but bad news for your dog, after all the processing they are left with not much nutrients for your dog, the quality of meat is poor and other chemicals used in this food make for a bad dog diet and although some rare cases may exist it is generally best avoided.

Chicken Bones

Chicken bones, although you may suspect that it is ok to feed you dog on these leftover bits of meat can be harmful to your dog and when your dog chews the bone it can break and cause a choking hazard and mouth damage.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains caffeine which is considered bad for your dog’s nervous system and heart. And also contains sugar and sweetness that is not good for your dog.

Other Bad Foods

Citrus oil extracts, grapes and raisins, rotten foods and mushrooms amongst others.

Be sure to check labels and research anything you are thinking of feeding your dog before hand.

Dog Traiing – Stray Dogs

Hundreds if not thousands of stray dogs are found each year around the world with no one in sight and nowhere to go. These dogs are often in great danger whether it’s because of neglect on the owners’ behalf, or because of unforeseen circumstances causing the dog to become lost and scared.

What can be done in these situations can be a tricky choice, and a choice that will need to be done quickly. Simply driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could end in the death of the dog minutes later.

What to do when you find a stray dog is different in almost every case, but there are guidelines to follow to help save the life of a scared stray, and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.

To begin you should always be aware that the dog in question may be very aggressive due to being scared, lost, and possibly very hungry, so approach with care. If you feel the dog is not a violent one then you should still be very careful not to startle or scare the dog in any way, a scared dog could easily run onto a busy road or dangerous area.

A good way to reassure the dog you are not there to harm them and to get them close is to use a strong smelling food such as tuna or other dog favourites as well as speaking gently and calmly to the dog.

When you finally get the dog under control and have no fears of aggressive behavior, reassuring the dog by stroking and talking to them will make it easier for others to deal with them. If you have leash or any other form of dog control with you then try and secure the dog with them, still being careful not to scare the dog.

When you have successfully captured the dog or if you have had other problems making it difficult to capture then you should phone for help from the local animal care or control authority to ensue the correct procedures are met and the safety of the animal will be secure.

Best Toys for Dogs

Dog toys are essential to keep your dog occupied to stop barking problems, boredom issues and through teething times for your dog. Finding a good toy for your dog through these times is essential, leaving your dog with a bad chew toy that they don’t like will leave your dog with no option but to chew something else, there are many chew toys available so the choice is endless.

Dental health for your dog will be greatly improved by chewing toys so it is important to keep your dog interested in the toy choice you give them. Popular toys usually contain something that tastes good, smells good, some light up, and others make noises to keep you dog entertained. If the toy is fun for your dog then you can use it to reward your dog for good behavior or take it from them when they are bad.

Different Dogs enjoy different textures and tastes, you will need to find what your dog likes to chew and try your best to find a similar product but without it being as destructive to your house like their old toy, the table leg, was.

Avoiding tugging toys may be a good idea in some cases, more excited breeds of dog and puppies especially will get the message that tugging is fun for you as well as your dog, thus encouraging him to tug at you trouser legs when they’re in need of attention and curtains when they’re bored. Personally I would avoid theses toys.

When looking for a good toy for your dog, here are some good suggestions:

1. Look for a dog toy with something different like sound, taste, or lights.

2. Pick a dog toy that is tough enough to withstand your dogs chewing and biting

3. Choose dog toys that you think your dog will enjoy, using experience of what he normally chews is a good idea.

Remember that choosing a dog toy all depends on the dog in question, each dog will have different tastes and experiences of what they enjoy, something as cheap and simple as a tennis ball could be enough to keep your dog occupied for hours on end.

do dogs like or dislike the sound of the dog training clicker?

i bought a dog training clicker for my grandma, thinking that is might resolve the problem of her two yorkies fighting…. do you think it will work?

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Dog Traiing – Dogs Hit by Cars

Your dog may be the best trained dog in the world, understand your commands perfectly, and you may think that your dog understands the roads and can cope with cars well, but there is always a chance your dog could get knocked over by a car and knowing what to do in this situation is vital.

As stated above, you may think your dog is well suited to roads and can avoid cars and know when and where to cross the road, but from a dogs perspective this is all guess work and learnt from previous situations and near misses. Even after many years of crossing roads and viewing cars, dogs can still get caught up in situations that are dangerous and harmful.

If your dog does become the target of a road accident there are certain rules that should be adhered to when arriving at the scene and these rules can be the basis of how much pain and how healthy your dog will be afterwards.

The first thing to do is not panic, if your dog is conscious and can sense you panicking then they will panic also which won’t help the situation. Common injuries of a dog being run over are cuts and bruises so there is a good chance your dog is fine.

Dogs should not be moved after a car incident and until you know and are sure of the injuries they have, should remain in the same place or moved using a few people and a sheet or blanket as a stretcher if totally necessary.

Always check their breathing, your dogs breathing may have stopped as a cause of the accident and will need respiration by holding the muzzle closed and breathing air through the nose. If there is any severe bleeding you will need to add pressure to stop the bleeding and then seek urgent medical treatment.

If you are not sure of the seriousness of the damages, then contact your vet and explain the conditions to get advice on how to deal with the situation properly.

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 0 Black Padded

Product Description
HALTI HEADCOLLAR PUTS PEOPLE IN CONTROL
Stops dogs pulling on the lead – kindlyCalms boisterous behaviourSimplifies training Solves problemsAllows freedom to pant and yawnOn-off action to close biters’ jawsApproved by vets and canine expertsOver 4 million sold worldwide6 Sizes:  for toy to giant breeds4 Colours: black, brown, red and blue, plus padded for soft-nosed breeds (black only) HALTI HEADCOLLAR

If you have a large, powerful … More >>

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 0 Black Padded

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 3 Blue

Product Description
HALTI HEADCOLLAR PUTS PEOPLE IN CONTROL
Stops dogs pulling on the lead – kindlyCalms boisterous behaviourSimplifies training Solves problemsAllows freedom to pant and yawnOn-off action to close biters’ jawsApproved by vets and canine expertsOver 4 million sold worldwide6 Sizes:  for toy to giant breeds4 Colours: black, brown, red and blue, plus padded for soft-nosed breeds (black only) HALTI HEADCOLLAR

If you have a large, powerful … More >>

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 3 Blue

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 2 Blue

Product Description
HALTI HEADCOLLAR PUTS PEOPLE IN CONTROL
Stops dogs pulling on the lead – kindlyCalms boisterous behaviourSimplifies training Solves problemsAllows freedom to pant and yawnOn-off action to close biters’ jawsApproved by vets and canine expertsOver 4 million sold worldwide6 Sizes:  for toy to giant breeds4 Colours: black, brown, red and blue, plus padded for soft-nosed breeds (black only) HALTI HEADCOLLAR

If you have a large, powerful … More >>

Halti Head Collar for Dogs Size 2 Blue

Next Page »