Ok so what are dog allergies and why you should be concerned about them. For one, they can cause problems for your pets to the extent that they can be suffering quite a bit from it. This means you’ll have to take them to the vet and that costs money and time.

Getting a puppy is an exciting time for both the family and the puppy. When a puppy comes into a home, it will be exposed to a variety of new sights, sounds, and places to explore. This can be a very overwhelming and stressful time for the little critter. It is important for the owner to help the puppy adjust and become a well-behaved adult dog. This will involve teaching it to listen to your commands and desensitizing it to new stimuli.

It is well known, cats have an absolutely amazing tongue that they use to keep their coat clean and beautiful. Sometimes, especially in what is called “the shedding season”, or for cats with very long or thick fur, your cats own efforts may need some help. Getting an occasional bath can remove a lot of loose hair, which spells less hairballs, and less cat hair on your “fur”niture. It also keeps mats and tangles at bay while keeping kitty looking magnificent.

The Miniature Schnauzer is a small dog that has its origins in Germany. It is one of the most popular dogs due to its alertness and territorial instincts. Squarely proportioned and as small as 12 to 14 inches, these dogs make great guard dogs and watch dogs. Full of spunk and pep, the Miniature Schnauzer is a friendly and intelligent dog. However this breed is extremely suspicious of strangers and will assume a wary stance until the master greets and welcomes the stranger. Dog breeders and information can be found at Pets4You.com.

Miniature Schnauzer Dog Breed

Feeding and Grooming

The best foods for your Miniature Schnauzer are homemade lean meats and vegetables. Commercial food should be avoided if it can be since the digestive tract of Miniature Schnauzers is relatively weak and susceptible to problems. Some pure breed Miniature Schnauzers may also be allergic to high cereal content, something that is a mainstay of cheaper commercial dog foods. Consulting a veterinarian for a Miniature Schnauzer diet plan is an option you should consider if you want to give a proper and balanced diet that is fir for your loving dog.

Some people refer to Miniature Schnauzers as ‘non shedding dogs’. While this breed does shed, the levels of shedding are minimal and goes unnoticed. However, Miniature Schnauzers have long hair on the legs and the ends that need to be combed every single day. However, all that you need is to brush the coat and untangle the hair. Whiskers should be cleaned after meals. Clipping twice a year by a professional is recommended. Additional care needs to be taken for the Miniature Schnauzers ears especially if they are not cropped. Checking and drying ears after a swim or a bath is extremely important to avoid infections.

Exercise

Miniature Schnauzers do not require too much exercise and are happy to stay indoors. They are therefore extremely good companions if you live in an apartment or a condominium. Small walks are all that is required to keep a Miniature Schnauzer fit and healthy. If you have a large yard, then even the walks are not necessary since the Miniature Schnauzer can get adequate amounts of exercise while playing in the yard without a leash.

Special Care and Health Concerns for Schnauzers

With a life span of 12 to 14 years, the Miniature Schnauzer has a long life. However, some of the major concern that is associated with this breed is urolithiasis and bladder stoned. To avoid this, plenty of clean fresh water should always be made available to Miniature Schnauzer. Other minor issues are follicular dermatitis and esophageal achalasia. Cataract, pulmonic stenosis and Legg Perthes have also been seen at times.

The Schnauzer breed can be susceptible to diabetes, bladder stones, and eye problems. Foods with fatty acids and sugars should be avoided to prevent these conditions from occurring. Heart related conditions that occur due to high fat levels like hyperlipidemia can also occur. This increases the chances of pancreatitis.

Eye problems that are genetic in nature can also occur. Since conditions such as cataract and retinal dysplasia are linked to hereditary there are many Miniature Schnauzer owners that need to live with a pet with such a condition.

When it comes to caring for a terrier, you will find that it is easy, as long as you know about this specific breed. The terrier is an energetic type of class of breed that needs a lot of attention. The attention you need to give them as their owner is very important. If you plan on breeding terriers, it is first recommended that you speak to your veterinarian and get your terrier inspected to make sure that he/she is suitable for reproduction. In the article below, you will find out more about the caring for your terrier.

Understanding your dog’s needs is the first step to becoming a good pet owner. The behavior, as well as the grooming requirements of a terrier varies depending upon which type you get, as some may have more exercise requirements, thicker coats, etc. For instance, Yorkshire terrier training may be more difficult than other terriers as they are notoriously hard to housebreak. Doing a bit of research on the personality and physical requirements of different terrier breeds is the best way to help you decide which is right for you.

The food needs to be the best nutrients in order for your friend to get the right growth they require. To find the right type of foods you should check out many different food brands. You shouldn’t change the dogs food, because it can mess up their stomach.

One of the very first things you should do if you get your terrier as a puppy, is to get his vaccinations administered as soon as he is old enough. This is ideally done between 9 – 18 weeks of age. The older the puppy becomes, the more likely his body is to develop an immunity. After your puppy has had the initial injections and booster, you should generally follow up with a yearly booster shot and check up.

Caring for a terrier will be like any other dog, but they will be a bit more energetic and need play time. Playing with them everyday will help them grow on you and listen a lot better, resulting in a calm pet you need. There are many places in which you can obtain your terrier, including pet shops, breeders, and even the classified ads section of your newspaper. You can also do an Internet search, such as “Westie puppies for sale” which will display the sites of many breeders or rescue organizations in which you can contact.

A Pug is a small breed that has a short muzzled face and a lot of wrinkles. While the breed has a sullen sad expression, the name of the breed has been means a frisky and prankish little devil. The Pug is a sociable dog and fairly charming. A Pug needs lots of attention and tends to get agitated unless attention is showered by the owner. The life span of a Pug is generally between 12 to 15 years and while there are no major issues with the breed, there are a fair number of minor health issues that the breed is prone to. Pug puppies are very cute.

Feeding and Grooming

Pugs are hungry and greedy dogs that tend to eat more food than they require if it is made available. This can result in obesity and heath issues associated with being overweight. While most adult dogs should be given one or two meals in a day, Pugs should be offered food two to three times a day. Smaller portions should be made available so that the dog eats only a specific measured amount. Fresh meat and vegetables make a good meal for Pugs. Use only the best brands of commercial food if you are not able to provide home food for your pet.

We Are Pugs

While the short coat of a Pug is generally easy to maintain, the wrinkles need special attention.  Brushing and combing should be done at least a couple of times a week, while making sure that all the folds are attended to. While a bath is not necessary and a dog shampoo should be used only when absolutely necessary, cleaning the folds daily is required to prevent skin infection. Clipping the nails regularly is also required since Pug nails tend to grow fairly quickly.

Exercise

Being a small dog, the Pug needs relatively lower levels of exercise. A walk in the park is enough to keep them fit. However, this needs to be combined with diet regulations since Pugs tend to overeat. While exercising your Pug, make sure that you do not leave them in the sun for too long since Pugs are not accustomed to extreme heat or cold.

Special care and health concerns

- The wrinkled face and large eyes of the dog combine to create a situation where the drainage from the eyes can get caught in the folds of the skin. Dust particles and other dirt can also get inside the folds of the wrinkles and start to cause infections. Therefore the folds of a Pug’s face should be cleaned carefully.

- While obesity has been mentioned above, it is important to reiterate that obesity can cause other health issues that may be fatal in the long run.

- The long palate accompanied by the short snout causes Pugs to ‘reverse sneeze’. This manifest itself in gasps and snorts that emanate from the Pugs mouth from time to time. While some owners tend to feel that their pet is asphyxiating, there is actually no reason to worry about a ‘reverse sneeze’

- Pugs are also more susceptible to eye injuries like puncture wounds and scratched cornea.

- Demodectic mange is another health concern with Pugs.  The weakened immune system causes Pugs to catch diseases more easily than other dogs.

- Since Pugs have a short snout and smaller breathing passages, they tend to have breathing issues too. This also causes the additional concern with being able to use panting effectively to regulate temperature. Extreme heat can actually result in death and therefore it is essential to keep your Pug in areas that have proper cooling or have a temperature that does not go beyond 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Pugs are also known to suffer from an inflammation of the brain called ‘granulomatous meningoencephalitis’. This chronic condition is specific to Pugs and is also called ‘Pug dog encephalitis (PDE)’. The cause of the inflammation is considered to be hereditary in nature and there is no cure. In most cases, the pet either dies or is euthanized in a few months.

- Another health issue that Pugs, like other brachycephalic dogs, are vulnerable to is hemivertebrae. While the screwtail is also a hemivertebrae, when this occurs in other places, it can cause severe pain and then paralysis. However, it should be noted that this defect is generally congenital and can be detected with an x-ray as soon as a Pug puppy is born.

- Special care is required for Pug female dogs during pregnancy and childbirth. Small dogs such as these may require a Caesarian section and sometimes Pug female dogs also show apathy towards their newborns.

TAGS: Pugs, Pug breed, We are Pugs, Pug disease, Pug exercise, Pug health concerns, Small Dog Breeds, Pug Feeding and Grooming, dogs health, dogs.

Since last January the dogs apprehended from Michael Vick’s dog fighting compound on Moonlight Road in Smithville Virginia have been on a long road back to being rehabilitated to a better life,  but this did not happen over night or very quickly.

Michael Vick called his dog fighting operation “Bad Newz” and these dogs which numbered 51 have had a life of pain and alot more bad news than normal dogs.  The trainers on Moonlight Road often roughed up the dogs that did not fight by slammed them to the ground repeatedly until they died. Dogs that had no fight in them were shot, electrocuted, drowned, or hung by a rope and killed at the compound.

Their water bowls outdoors stank with green colored algae water and were kept hungry to make them meaner and leaner to fight. For exercise the dogs had to hang from a rubber ring to make their jaws stronger for long periods of time. These dogs were trained to kill each other and they were taunted to attack. The female dogs were tied down with ropes to be raped by the males for breeding purposes or perhaps the entertainment of the visitors. Dogs that were too young to fight were kept as bait for the older dogs to train on and this was the method to toughen up the younger dogs if they survived the attacks at all.

This blood sport as some call it, was for the entertainment of Vick and his friends although he never lived at this particular house it was a torturous hell for these pit bull dogs. The road away from Moonlight Road could only have been an improvement but could it?

The Vice President of the ASPCA Stephen Zawistowski stated that the dogs that lived through this brutality felt the trauma that was happening to the other dogs in the woods.  They endured those same feelings after hearing or knowing their mates were being killed or tortured through brainwaves. He stated that trauma is not only endured by the dog that is being killed, but by the dogs that heard the barking and screams of pain and were to endure more pain of their own.

Initially the dogs were taken to animal control facilities and kept separately in cages, for months they were feared and not let out of their cages. They stood in their own waste and squalor not knowing what their fate would be at the hands of their keepers because their cages were not cleaned at all. The dogs stood hunched over with heads lowered as if they felt something dreadful was going to happen to them. They did not want to venture out of their cages at all as bad things happened when they were let out. One dog was so frightened even while inside the cage it was very stressed out. Eventually a shelter worker put a blanket tent inside the cage to give the dog some comfort and to hide away from the world.

Surprisingly PETA called for the dogs to be put down stating that ……continued in tomorrow’s Post.

Tags: Michael Vick’s Dogs, ASPCA, PETA, agressive dogs, agressive dog training, abused dogs, dog, dog health.

A good rule on buying supplements for your pet is to buy the very best quality as it is worth the price.

Most dog foods do not contain enough nutrition for your dog even if the advertising claims say new and improved you have to look at ingredients.

Supplementing your pet’s diet is not only saving you money on vet bills but also keeps your dog in a good healthy condition.

Buy from a Reputable Company:

Many companies will just cut corners on quality ingredients and offer substandard vitamins and supplements. But there are companies on line that have longstanding reputations to uphold and we recommend those very highly.

Organic supplement companies use natural ingredients with no chemical additives, colors, fillers, and useless ingredients.  A good supplement company will have their own testing laboratories to test their products and even give them to their own pets.

Stick with the Basics:

A good multiple vitamin in one pill is much desired by pet owners since giving a pet a pill is not easy. Vitamin B is extremely helpful as is Vitamin A and D. A good essential fatty acid supplement will help with dry, or itchy skin and coat problems.

Some vitamins are available in liquid form which is easy to administer with a spoon or sprinkled on food.

Natural vs. Synthetic Supplements:

Vitamins that come from natural sources such as plants are far more effective and preferable than those that are imitation or made from chemicals in a lab.

Again quality makes the difference and you would rather pay a few cents more per pill than to buy something that is not effective and not worth the money.  Always using natural supplements is the best advice in finding a supplier of the best for your dog.

Tags:  vitamins, supplements, how to shop for pet supplements, natural supplements, synthetic supplements, dog, dogs, pets, pet supplements.

Written by:  Teri Salvador

Signs of Heat Stroke:

Especially with overweight dogs, panting heavily can be a sign of overheating and vomiting is another symptom. You have to ask whether it is worth the risk to walk your dog in high heat and if you think it is hot, remember it is much hotter for a dog without sweat glands to offset the body’s heat. An emergency trip to the vet involves IV’s, drugs and other costly treatments.

Warning: do not leave your dog in a car while you go shopping even for milder days and if all the windows are open, temperatures in a parked car can rise to over a 100 degrees in minutes.

Symptoms:  to watch out for are:  thirst, headache, nausea, sluggish, higher body temperature, sweating, irritability and a raspy throat with difficulty breathing are all signs of heat exhaustion.

An early morning walk is not a safe bet for heat stroke can also occur in higher morning temperatures and the key is not to overly exert your dog. Dogs are also lower to the ground and are getting heat from the earth or sidewalks especially if it is muggy and humid in high heat temperatures. Some dog owners use what is called a “cool coat” and a tube of Nutri-cal.

Just because you do not think it is hot does not mean it is the same for your dog and you must remember dogs usually have a lot more fur on their bodies. Dogs can overheat very quickly and stop breathing or go into shock.

Always bring cool drinking water to reduce body temperature as you are walking your dog in higher temperatures.

Quick Action for Heat Stroke:

Tips on massaging your pet has so many health benefits and here is how to relieve pain, promote a healthy coat and skin and countless other reasons why you should learn how to massage your pet.