Title: The Beagle - Friendly Loyal And Loving

A small to medium sized dog, the beagle weighs between 20-28 lbs and is 12" to 16" in height. Sometimes referred to as the English Beagle, this breed is energetic, friendly and loyal both as a family companion and hunting dog.

Coat colors accepted by the AKC are orange and white, lemon and white, red and white or tri-colored. Black, white and tan tri-colored coats are the most common. Their medium length coat is smooth, hard and close. It requires minimal brushing and only needs washed occasionally. 

Friendly, loyal, loving and playful are all qualities that make them excellent family pets. Homes with other dogs, pets and children can all welcome the Beagle as part of the family. They require minimal socialization and actually enjoy the companionship of other pets and their family. A very energetic breed, the beagle needs a home that will give them plenty of play time, exercise and regular walks. When outside they should be in a fenced in yard and a leash should be used for walks as they have a tendency to explore and follow scents. They make good watchdogs as they will let you know if someone is at the door by barking, but they are naturally friendly with strangers, so don't expect them to be good guard dogs. 

Originating in England, this scent hound was bred for hunting rabbits and quails. They would often hunt in packs or pairs, but can also hunt well alone as well. They have an excellent sense of smell which makes them good at tracking and as narcotics dogs. Today they are mainly seen as companion dogs in the United States, but they are also used as hunting dogs.

A breed with such a friendly, loving nature is perfect for just about any family dynamic. Because of their high energy level and need for regular exercise, they work best with active families or those that have a yard where they can have plenty of time to roam and run. If you are looking for an affectionate breed that enjoys family companionship and loves to play, then the Beagle is the perfect dog for you.

Teaching A Quick Response To Commands

Dear Adam:

I have read the first 125 pages of your book.

You reference, "training collar" several times. I have probably overlooked this, but what do you mean by training collar? Is it a pinch collar or one that delivers a shock? So far I have used your techniques with a great deal of success. We use the "get busy" command to make the dog relieve himself. After three days, it works very well. The dog sits well, too. He still needs a hand signal from time to time. We're currently working on the down position. Your book has been an inspiration. One other question: We recently had an invisible fence installed. The dog is 15 weeks old. How soon should we start to use this? He is a 33 pound "English" yellow Lab.

Thanks,

Brian

Dear Brian:

Thanks for the e-mail.

Yes, in general I'm talking about the pinch collar when I refer to the training collar.

In regard to the to sit command: You should first issue the command THEN the correction. Don't wait to see if the dog's going to do it or he'll learn to WAIT to see if you're going to correct him. In other words, you end up teaching your dog that a slow response to commands is okay. And this is not our goal. Our goal should be to teach the dog that he should respond quickly and immediately.

Once he's 100% conditioned to respond fast every time... and he consistently beats you to the correction... then you can stop.

As far as the electronic fence... I'd probably wait until he's 6 to 7 months.

That's all for now, folks!

Adam

Submissive Urination

Dear Mr. Katz:

I recently received your book on training and listened to the bonus tapes.

Although I found numerous ideas for other training and problem areas in the book, I did not find anything helpful to me in the main complaint area I still have with my dog. He is a 5 month old boxer/shepherd mix who pees submissively/excitedly upon greeting friends or anyone really who arrives home. Occasionally, even if he has been calm inside his kennel cage, he will pee in the cage when I go to greet him to take him out. I have tried having everyone, including myself, be very low key when greeting him and trying not to excite him. It does not work. I have not been correcting him for this submissive/excitement peeing because I did not want to make him more submissive or nervous. His problem seems to be more excitement than submissive to me but I am new at puppy training. He does not lay down and roll over on his back when he pees and does not display typical submissive behavior. He usually does it by standing up and peeing while he greets you. I have even made him stay in a sit while he is greeted and he still pees. HELP!!!

Thank you in advance,

Greg

Dear Greg,

Thanks for the e-mail.

Yes... you are right in your assertion to not correct the dog for submissive urination.

I hate to tell you this, but barring any kind of urinary tract infection (you should have him checked just to be on the safe side) this is simply a phenomena of his young age. We usually see it in males, and usually of certain breeds. For some reason it's quite prevalent in working breeds.

The best you can do is to leave the crate next to the door and immediately open the crate and run him outside. But even doing this, like you stated, sometimes he may urinate in the crate.

The good news is that this is simply a facet of youth. The dog doesn't even know he's doing it. All I can really advise is that you tough it out for another couple of months. At the most, he should be over it by 11 months. But usually they pass through it it around 7 months of age.

As the dog gets older, his temperament will firm up, too. And this will make the submissive urination problem disappear.

You can also try building up the dog's confidence by doing some of the dominance building exercises referenced in the book, in reverse. Play tug of war with him and let him win. Build him up a bit. But regardless, this is a symptom of the dog's youth.

That's all for now, folks!

Adam

Stop the itchy fleas!

“No, your dog is not pregnant but she has fleas”, said the vet.

“Excuse me?”

(She lifts up the dog’s tail) “You see all these fleas”

I was stunned. I give my dog flea preventative every month! She bathes monthly and she rarely goes outside. So how could she get fleas?

I learned that all the things I thought mattered did not. After all, what good is flea preventative if it doesn’t work?

Based on my experience, I am going to tell you how to treat and prevent dog fleas.

First, an ounce of prevention is worth…well you know the rest.

It’s easier to prevent fleas than to treat them. I recommend using a high quality flea preventative monthly. Avoid the cheap ones you find in the grocery store and the flea collars. You want to get a treatment that is applied directly to your dog’s skin in between the shoulder blades.

If your dog gets fleas, you not only have to worry about getting the fleas off of your dog, but you have to get the fleas out of the environment. That means everywhere your dog has run, jumped, rested or thumped is full of flea eggs that you have to eliminate.

When you notice that your dog has fleas (If your dog has a lot of fleas, they will be easy to spot. But if it’s only a few fleas you will need to check under your dog’s belly. Then look under their tail)

If you notice fleas, it’s time to act quickly. First you need to treat your dog. Your dog needs a Capstar pill which is a pill that immediately kills all adult fleas within a half hour. You can get this from your vet which will run you about $7 a pill, or you can check out some online stores where you can find it for $14 for a package of 6 pills.

After you apply the Capstar you need to follow up with a flea preventative. This is because the environment still has fleas and you don’t want your dog to get re-infested during the treatment process. Though it can get pricey, I would recommend using Frontline or Advantage. 

Next you need to treat the environment. Remove all the dog bedding and immediately wash it. Vacuum all the floors where the dog has had free run; after you vaccum throw away the vacuum bag because it probably contains flea eggs. Next you need to get your pet out of the house and spray your house down. I would recommend getting a bottle of Knockout ES from your vet. Spray all the carpet, all couch cushions, under all furniture and all nooks and crannies. If you use Knockout ES you will need to leave the house for a few hours after you spray because it is very strong.

Now you should have your dog and the environment under control. But there is still a chance that flea eggs did not get treated and are ready to hatch so in 2-3 weeks you need to repeat the environment treating. In 4 weeks, reapply toe Frontline or Advantage to your dog.

Shih Tzu: Finding the Perfect Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a lively, proud and very lovable dog as owners will testify. The Shih Tzu is one of the most popular dog breeds on earth for good reason. In 1994 the Shih Tzu was the 12th most popular dog breed, according to the American Kennel Club. 

They are generally friendly and self-assured. The Shih Tzu is the kind of dog that expects to be treated like a king, and wants you to know it. It is for this reason that often Shih Tzu's are not a good choice of dog if you have babies or toddlers in the house. They can become jealous easily.

Shih Tzu's make excellent watchdogs. Their alert and active nature means they are excellent good mannered companions. Poorly bred Shih Tzu's can be noisy and snappy. 

If you want a Shih Tzu it's best to take a few precautions to avoid half-bred or genetically faulty Shih Tzu breeds. Rather spend some time making a good decision than have to regret it later. Unethical breeding practices are common and you will need to be an informed buyer if you are going to choose the best Shih Tzu for you.

Choosing a good breeder is very important. You don't want to end up buying a puppy from one of the notorious puppy mills. Cross bred varieties can produce all kinds of health and behavioral problems. If you want to be certain that you are getting a genuine Shih Tzu it's wise to check the breed standards before buying. 

This means careful attention to the look and temperament of a Shih Tzu. Ask your breeder to show you the parents of the dog before you commit to buying the puppy. Check the parents of the puppy carefully for any of the faults outlined.  This is just a guideline; it is not an absolute standard for pet quality.  

If you intend on showing your dog at competitions and shows then an even more careful reading of the breed standards are important. You will also want to choose a more confident puppy - look for the puppy in the litter that seems poised and friendly - and of course good looking!

Some general points to look for 

Color, age and size are the most important and immediate things you can check.  The puppies will tend to look like their parents however this is not fool proof.

Shih Tzu's do not have gender related temperament differences and both male and female are equally loving. 

Teacup varieties are not officially recognized for good reason. People who breed these minute dogs do not do so improve the breed; ethical breeders breed for that reason.   Teacups, the ones that will be under three pounds as adults,  have many problems and usually do not live beyond the Shih Tzu's that weigh a little more.

Caring for your Shih Tzu

Usually the major grooming has to do with care of the coat. If you do not have time to groom your Shih Tzu at least every other day then you will need to consider another breed. Neglect of the Shih Tzu's coat will lead to skin problems as well as a host of other horrifying conditions, Painful matting, skin infections and even maggot infestations can occur if you leave the coat for too long. 

The Shih Tzu is also prone to renal dysplasia (kidney disease) and slipped kneecaps. Because of the shape of the Shih Tzu's face the eyes are more prone to injury. The short muzzle can mean breathing problems. 

Spend some time learning about the Shih Tzu breed before you commit to a puppy.  They can make a very nice pet for your family.  Well looked after Shih Tzu's can expect to live a long and healthy life, by your side.

Royalty Companions: The Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu breed was originally a dog of the Chinese people. Believe it or not, they were at once considered royalty to this culture. Kept inside as the palace pet; the Shih Tzu was highly valuable. Still today, this special breed carries itself in a high manner. The Shih Tzu prances with their heads held high and their tail curved upwards over their back. 

Not much training is needed to instill a sense of pride in this breed. Enjoyable as pets but also very competitive in shows; the Shih Tzu has been paraded in several of the top dog show competitions. The Shih Tzu is definitely a fine pet for a small town house, or for someone looking for a small companion. 

The temperament of this breed is calm yet affectionate and playful. They are not too territorial with other dog breeds and are trusting to those around. Many people define the Shih Tzu as the perfect playful animal that barks only when needed and relaxes with the best of breeds. Their sense of danger is keen and they are able to detect noise or alarm their owner if someone is at the door.

This small sized breed usually ranges between ten to twelve pounds and reaches no more than ten inches in height. They have also been bred in recent years to be anywhere from three to five pounds, known as a teacup. This small, compact dog has other special characteristics to its name. 

The coat of a Shih Tzu is unique to all. This breed has a double coat and if not kept groomed can grow to great lengths. Most owners interested in keeping the coat at a medium maintenance find grooming every ten weeks to be standard. It is standard to keep the coat short or if interested in higher maintenance can be grown out to full length. If the coat is grown long, it must be kept brushed daily and somehow tied up around the face. The Shih Tzu has large eyes and often the eyes are very irritated if the hair is not kept cut and out of the face. 

Trimming must also be done around the feet, belly, and anus to permit movement and allow neatness. The short snout of a Shih Tzu is comparably sizeable to their small trunks, however can, at times, cause complications to breathing. On a cold day, it may be hard for this breed to take in the brisk air and can possibly cause a form of asthma. To help calm the dog’s breathing, an owner may put their fingers on the Shih Tzu’s nose holes to force them to breath from their mouths. This will remind the dog they may use their mouths to help them breath in circumstances where air is thicker and harder to take in.

Colors of this breed vary from black, white, and brown. They may have all three colors or variations of the three colors. It is rare for a Shih Tzu to have an all black coat, but not impossible to find. Finding a good breeder is like finding any other good dog breeder. If you want a particular size or color make sure the parenting dogs are of this caliber. 

Make sure you look at the parenting dogs and the environment in which they are kept before making a purchase. If you are having a puppy shipped from across the United States then ask for references. It is important not to purchase from a breeder who breeds related dogs or who over breeds their dogs; once a year for each dam is permissible. It is also important to pick a breeder who values their dogs and takes good care of them. Try to find owners who breed for the love of dogs instead of owners who breed to make a living. All in all the Shih Tzu is the perfect companion for someone looking for a dog that is affectionate, happy, somewhat playful, and very trusting.

Guarding Your Dog's Health

We all recognize the saying "dog is man's best friend" appear to last ages currently. however we've got reasons enough to contemplate our dogs as important components of our daily existence. 

They seem to own this special character to show love and loyalty, to not mention a novel fun that we are able to solely witness from them. That's why, the maximum amount as attainable, we are going to do everything we are able to to allow them the simplest treatment and best health care, rather like we tend to do for our relations. come back to consider it- we tend to even give them their own insurance! 

In this article, we are going to tackle some necessary dog health tips. tho' significantly generalized for all breeds, data here ar useful still in maintaining our greatest friend's optimum health.

Dental Care. Swollen, inflamed gums and secondary infections usually cause the existence of different major dog health issues. It should be determined that a young dog's teeth ar brushed once in a very week. Older dogs should have an everyday session of thrice every week.

There ar particularly designed toothbrushes for dogs that give cleansing of the rear teeth. it's not a decent apply to use human dentifrice for them, instead create use of catalyst dentifrice that may forestall tartar build-up. There also are dental cleansing pads that may complement for tooth brushing, if not often done. Such pads would cleanse your dog's teeth by suggests that of enzymes incorporated on their surface, that ar effective in removing proud dirt.

Ear Care. we regularly overlook the ears of our dog, but this apply would possibly result in wax and dirt build-up that may cause infection and inflammation. Regular ear care can facilitate take away ear trash and drying the meatus. Thus, hindrance of some major conditions that may furthermore cause United States to allow particular attention to those components.

Ear care additionally entails the extermination of ear mites that usually reside within the labyrinth of our dogs. 

Nutritional Supplements. Dog foods ar usually lacking in nutrients essential for the optimum development and growth of our pets. Thus, it's terribly important to supplement them with vitamins and nutrients to forestall deficiencies that may cause serious dog health complications. this can be very true for older dogs World Health Organization not has the appetence to eat warmly. 

Those dogs that job laborious throughout the complete day additionally would like supplements. And additionally for those who have recently undergone surgery and illness. 

Irritated and Sored Skin. Not solely humans get skin irritations and allergies. Some dogs have additional sensitive skins that create them prone for microorganism and flora attack that successively could result in wounds, scabs and skin diseases. 

Hot Spots. These ar characterised by skin areas, that ar damp and inflamed. These ar usually thanks to irritation from fleabites, substance irritation or allergies. These spots ar typically extraordinarily restless that cause dogs to scratch and lick on them. Thus, the aggravation of the condition that may result in serious wounds.

The most important step in healing hot spots is to scale back the frequency of scratching. Afterwhich, spraying of skin relief product could prove helpful n stopping the pain and itch. 

If your dog show symptoms of conditions as listed here, it's knowing consult a vet forthwith. He could give you with some tips, which is able to aid greatly in protective your pet's health. it's additionally possible that he can order you with  some medications that may ease the symptoms that your dog exhibits.

resource : 

http://doghealthus.weebly.com/

Breed success in your puppy search

The numbers can build any pet lover blanch with disgust, anger, and unhappiness. The Humane Society of the u.  s. calculates that as several as 500,000 puppies each year ar sold  in pet outlets, which several of those pet outlets obtain their pets from the worst breeders—so-called puppy mills. What do these puppy mills (and kitty mills) have to be compelled to do with you if you’re on the marketplace for a brand new hairy  companion? you recognize what you’re doing once it involves shopping for a purebred, right?

Truth be told, puppy mills ar for the most part answerable for even harsher statistic: as several as twenty five % of all purebred pups suffer from genetic difficulties owing to unhealthy breeding. And as knowledgeable as you're thinking that you're regarding shopping for a dog, you'll stumble upon one in all these poor pups and not even comprehend it.

That could mean that you simply spent a whole lot, if not thousands, of bucks on a pet, solely to own it succumb to a associate degreeomaly|congenital defect|congenital disorder|congenital abnormality|defect|anomaly|anomalousness} and perhaps even die at an early age. even though this worst-case situation doesn’t occur, shopping for from the incorrect stock raiser|stockman|stock raiser|stock farmer} also can land you Associate in Nursing animal that picked up diseases owing to the intolerable conditions at the breeder. that would cause extra thousands spent on vet bills.

Why leash yourself to such heartache? There’s no would like once there ar such a large amount of nice and trustworthy breeders out there, UN agency will combine you with a crazy new puppy. 

To find the proper stock breeder for you, begin native. Your best bet is to seek out breeders at intervals driving distance. That way, you'll be able to visit the particular breeding facilities. And whereas there, take care to scout out for the subsequent characteristics that each one best-of-show breeders possess:

• A litter of dogs that play, smile, and show all the opposite signs of being happy and healthy. notice, too, that the pups ar sociable to the stock breeder, you, and their brothers and sisters.

• More demand for his or her dogs than they will handle. sometimes a protracted buyers’ roll at a stock breeder is sort of a wagging tail on a puppy—a smart sign.

• A discerning eye for purchasers. smart breeders ought to raise you as several queries as you raise them, on topics like your reasons for wanting their dog, your past pet expertise, whether or not you have got enough house reception, and UN agency in your family are going to be answerable for daily puppy care.

• The temperament to point out you the puppy’s folks throughout your visit if you offer the proper answers to the on top of queries.

• A wealth of data on the dogs that they breed, together with specific recommendation on the breed’s customary and temperament, to satisfy all of your queries and considerations.

• A health guarantee in writing that shows precisely what vaccinations the pup has had.

• The friendly recommendation regarding what future vaccinations you must offer, together with the most effective ways in which to coach and look after the puppy.

• A guarantee, once more in writing, this one stating that the stock breeder would be willing to require back the dog if you can not keep it at any time.

• The care and thoughtfulness to stay in reality for a few time when your purchase, to see on the dog and provide any recommendation once required.

If you retain your eyes bare-assed and your ears perked up for these signs of an honest stock breeder, you won’t have to be compelled to consider luck or an honest reference find the proper puppy (though those don’t hurt either). You’ll learn before long when you bring your new pal home that you simply created the proper alternative, and over time, your family and pet bond. Your pet can live a protracted, healthy life as a part of your family.

source : http://dogsfoodus.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/which-dogs-are-considered-small-breed-dogs/

A Dog in One Pack- Jack Russell hunting dog

We essentially need to search out companions UN agency would offer USA most of the advantages we predict we want. Well, if you're probing for a dog that's somewhat a one-in-package pal, you would possibly notice Jack Russell Terriers attention-grabbing enough. 

This dog features a history that's somehow loomed to convey rise to the currency. 

It was aforesaid that the stockman of this dog, a young scholar student of Oxford named John Russell once met a deliverer with a white hunting dog that has spots on his eyes and ears. This dog became his interest that later proved  to be his foundation for breeding a replacement dog breed that a lot of has learned to like as pets. The dog he 1st saw was named "Trump" from that another sixty forms of terriers were later bred from. 

With a terrier's basic nature to travel on and over the bottom (terrier by the manner came from the Latin term "terra" which implies earth), Jack Russell terriers even have the disposition to hunt and scour for looking. Thus, they must run enough grooming therefore on depart the dirt they gather from excavation soil to either bury a treasure or to recover a hidden treasure unbroken previously. 

An excellent ratter, Jack Russell Terriers proves to be smart "housekeepers" since they keep most rats removed from home. Any unlucky rat that happens to be within the quarters of this hunting dog is certain to fulfill its instant doom. Thus, house owners notice themselves with each a dog and cat in one pal. 

One basic character of this dog is its disposition towards strangers. they'll simply discern UN agency should be unbroken removed from their homes and UN agency are often accepted within the house. This terribly perspective conjointly makes them smart watchdogs. They were designed specifically to be aggressive on preys. And whereas they'll be terribly vocal, several of them solely barks after they notice smart reason to. 

They do not seem vicious tho'. however once they smell threat, they'll boast aggressiveness that might function warning towards the strangers. However, once the interloper is let into the house by the owner, a Jack Russell will already tolerate his or her presence. 

This hunting dog is additionally a family dog and needs for human society. And their love for kids is considerably attention-grabbing. However, once they're abused or had been shown improper treatments, might or not it's intentional or accidental, they'll react through aggressive behaviors. Their aggressiveness is additional manifested with their lack of worry towards larger dogs which might sadly result in injuries, some will even be fatal. 

They are conjointly marked for his or her intelligence and guardian spirit. These characteristics are often extremely evident through their curiosity in things. Thus, they need supplementation on formal coaching unless you'll tolerate troublesome behaviors. the great factor tho' with Jack Russell is that it will acknowledge coaching and had best in most of them. In fact, they're proverbial to champion varied ring shows and different similar competitions. 

The Hollywood has recognized the disposition of those dogs too. not to mention feisty and smart physical characteristics, this pal has already created names within the screens. If wishing bone, milo maize (from The Mask) and Eddie (from the Frasier) ring the bell on you then there's little doubt that you just will acknowledge this dog. 

Jack Russell truthful well with grooming. A dog of comparatively tiny size, this breed won't tax you with grooming desires.