How to Take Care of your Dog

The Bond that can come between a person and a dog can be extremely strong, especially if that bond had been strengthened living with each other for many years, I have personally cried after loosing our family dog that had been like a best friend to me from my birth till I as 15 years old, when he was hit by a car one morning.

Dogs serve many different needs for people. Some people get a dog because they are lonely and need a loyal friend or because they want a dog to protect the home. A dog that is taken good care of and given attention to regularly will give his life to help protect his home and his owner. For the blind a dog can be a pair of eyes to help them get around and for the police a dog can be an important tool and a loyal partner, with a nose that nothing can beat.

The first thing you need to know about taking care of a dog is that dogs need lots of exercise. This is the same for large dogs and small dogs. All dogs need to be let out at least once every 8 hours and should given at least a 20 minute walk to give the dog some fresh air, exercise and a chance to relieve themselves.

It is also important to play with the dog on a regular basis. This can mean going to the park on a weekend or day off and having a good game of fetch, tossing the ball around in your back yard or just wrestling on the ground with the dog, just make sure if you are ruff housing with a little dog that you don’t accidentally hurt the dog. Playing with the dog for a half hour a day, is not only good for the dogs physical health but a dig that is played with regularly is mentally healthier and less likely to become a depressed dog, it also lowers your blood pressure as well and it will form an unbreakable bond between you and your pooch, which will extend to your family if you should start having one after having the dog.

What you feed your dog is very important to the dogs continued good health. The better dog foods will be marked for what are groups the food is appropriate for. Younger dogs need certain vitamins and minerals in larger amounts then an adult dog, and the same goes for an elderly dog they need more calcium in their food to help protect their bones and joints. Feeding your dog the wrong food can stunt the dog's growth and opens the dog to a larger risk of surgery when they are older.

Just like a person a dog should be taken to the veterinarian's office every 6 months, and must receive their shots every year. Regular checkups and vaccinations will also help assure that your dog grows to be an old happy dog.

Dealing with Dog Separation Anxiety

Your dog's usual barks or “bow wows” may not always carry the same message. As your dog approaches you, don't be fooled. Your pet, that may very well be your best friend, may not be asking for the same doggy munchies. Maybe - just maybe - your mutt-friend is experiencing an overwhelming feeling of fear – separation anxiety in dogs.

Separation anxiety in dogs commences after they sense a hint that their master is about to leave. Getting the car keys, turning of the knobs, and other usual morning routine - these hints act like stimuli, or more appropriately, warning signs that tend to get the dog's attention.

This scenario can lead into disaster as dogs, due to separation anxiety, start to behave destructively. Destructive behavior may include leaving furniture, shoes and other objects inside the house or near the dog's spot full of paw marks, bites, and scratches.

Sometimes, just like how the puppy howls after being separated from its mother, dogs will bellow unhesitatingly as manifestation of its separation anxiety. Studies prove that dogs, like humans, can also feel an overwhelming fear whenever they feel being left behind. Fortunately, similar to how human anxiety is taken cared of, separation anxiety in dogs is also treated via several methods and medications. To be sure, treatment of animal boredom and anxiety is quite different. Separation anxiety in dogs usually occurs in due to the “super close” attachment between dog and master. Dogs that are “too close” to its master tend to demand constant attention from its handler.

Even the most fervent animal owners must understand that while showing love is important, it is also vital to train a dog to be independent and accept temporary periods of separation. Animals, dogs in particular, that struggle with separation anxiety will show anxiety-related behavior whenever it feels alone or understands that it will eventually be left alone. Having a pet that behaves oddly because of separation anxiety is definitely a problem. In mild cases, your animal may just show a bit of panting or less destructive behavior. In serious cases, dogs may cause intolerable damage to your property and those of your neighbors. You wouldn't want an annoying neighbor to pester you with qualms about your dog right?

At this juncture, it is important to have information on how to deal with your mutt menace. There are several practical solutions to effectively address separation anxiety in dogs. Check them out.

Encourage Independence

A little distance isn't always equal to cruelty and neglect. Train your animals to be independent by not always giving in to all its whims. Let them also play with other people so whenever you are forced to get out of the house, your dog wouldn't end up having shredded sofas and paw-markings on the front door.

Promote Independence

It is also important to make your dog's house or spot clean, habitable and healthy for your pet. The less conducive the place is, the more the animal would like leave in oder to go to you. This would further strengthen the animal's attachment with the owner. However, if you let the animal feel comfortable where it is supposed to stay, eventually, your dog will learn to “stay”, and actually enjoy it. Treating separation anxiety in dogs is important to the health of your pet and to maintaining order in your home.

How To Choose The Perfect Dog House

Dogs have been one of the most popular house pets from ages and taking care of a dog involves showing him proper care and attention to all of his needs and housing is one of the primary needs of every animal. When it comes to dog houses, you can find many adequate solutions to take proper care of your dog’s housing necessities while keeping to you budget, if that is an issue.

Dog houses can be interior or exterior, depending on the type of habitation you have, dog houses can be located inside your own home or outside it.
They can also be all of shapes and materials. The most popular exterior dog houses are simple wooden ones, simply composed by four walls a roof and a door. Cement dog houses have been widely used as well and have been very popular means of dog housing for years as aluminium ones have but both have proven to be very inefficient dog houses since they both were not comfortable for the pet.
Cement dog houses have proven to be very cold during winter while aluminium dog houses are extremely hot in the sunny weather making those two options a very cruel way to house your canine friend.

Nowadays the most popular and efficient option for exterior dog houses is still wooden or, if you fancy luxury dog houses or want to make a custom one, you can build your dog a super cosy, isolated dog house, using the same architectural and design techniques as if building a mini house for yourself. This can be a costly solution, but if that is not a problem for you, custom dog houses can be the safest way to make sure your dog is properly taken care of.
The idea of a custom housing for your dog is not all original and there are many different companies developing this type of products and services. You can now bring dog houses to a new level with customization.
Nevertheless, if you still love your pet very much but cannot afford to build him a two story with air condition house, the market has also more modest options that will keep your dog happy and well taken care of.

Interior dog houses can be exactly of the same type as the exterior ones- only they are placed inside your house- or they can be completely made out of smooth fabrics such as cotton, felt and sponge. They are very warm and comfortable dog houses, specially made for the confort of your dog without the need to think about the exterior weather conditions. Different form simple dog beds, those interior dog houses have the traditional four walls and one roof but they are made using very different materials.
All efforts to keep your furry family member happy are worth it and giving him the best housing you can is an act of love and respect. With such big an offer for dog houses, whatever your lifestyle, you can provide him with a safe and proper place to live. Dog houses don’t need to fancy or expensive, just keep your dogs contort in mind.

Dog Training: Breaking Your Pit Bull Terrier's Jumping Habit

As you have probably already learned, Pit Bulls are highly energetic animals. They love to run and play, and get excited easily. One of the more annoying habits they develop at a young age is jumping. Jumping can be particularly annoying when they do it as a way of greeting, especially if it is young child or someone who is afraid of dogs. Teaching your Pit Bull to curb this behavior is not an easy task, but is your responsibility as a Pit Bull owner.

Many people have stopped their Pit Bulls from jumping on them by using treats. When they come inside, they throw some treats on the floor, and then greet their dog while his attention is fixed on the treats. The treats usually work as a good distraction to pull your Pit Bull’s attention away from jumping on you. If you don’t like using treats to train your Pit Bull, or if the method just doesn’t work well for you, then you have to try other ideas to train your Pit Bull not to jump.

One thing you can try is teaching your Pit Bull that it is nicer to sit than jump. Go outside, leaving your Pit Bull inside, then come back in and calmly greet him. If your Pit Bull starts to jump on you, turn your back to him, and ignore him. When your Pit Bull puts all four feet back on the floor, turn back around and pet him. If he starts to jump on you again, turn back around and ignore him. This will teach your Pit Bull that when he jumps, he doesn’t get any attention, but that if he sits nicely you will pet him. This technique may take quite a while for your Pit Bull to learn, especially if he is a very excitable dog. But, if you stick with it long enough, he should learn that jumping is not going to gain him anything other than losing your attention. Once you get your Pit Bull thru this step, try to teach him to sit still for a few moments before you acknowledge him. If he gets up, use the same routine of ignoring him, and then when he sits down, pet him again. This would also be a good time to try to teach him to shake hands when he greets people, rather than jumping on them.

You can also further entice your Pit Bull to not jump by tempting him and then rewarding and praising him for his good behavior. Hold treats up in the air so that your Pit Bull will have to jump to get them. If he jumps, ignore him, and when he is calm try again. When he is able to remain seated, praise him, give him the treats, and some extra attention. He will soon learn that by behaving the way you want him to, he will not only get extra attention, but some extra treats as well, which is double incentive for him to obey.

Another method that tends to work well in teaching your Pit Bull not to jump is to have a designated place for your Pit Bull, and teach him to go there when you need him to, for example, when someone is at the door. To start this training, you will need to pick the spot, and put maybe a bed or blanket and some of his favorite toys there. When the spot is ready, spend some time with him while he is there. Giving him special attention and treats will help him attribute the spot as a good place that he wants to spend time at. As your Pit Bull becomes accustomed to his place, start sending him there occasionally. At first, you will want to be close to the spot, and eventually move farther and farther away from it as your dog learns. Make it a point to give him special attention and treats each time he goes to his spot when you ask him to. Eventually, your Pit Bull will learn that by going to his spot when you ask him to, that you will reward him for it.

The biggest thing you can do to help your Pit Bull learn not to jump is to keep your own greetings calm. I know it is hard when you have been away from him all day not to come in and play and wrestle with him, but this will only get him more excited, and he will expect this same attention from everyone that enters the house. Until you can completely break the jumping habit, it may be best to ignore him for the first few minutes you come home, and then play with him once he settles down. It may take a little time, but your Pit Bull will soon learn how to tone down his excitement.

Dog Tags - Boring or Fancy?

I was wondering if you share the same problem as myself 5 months back?

You see. I failed to find any unique or good-looking personalized dog tags anywhere – online or offline!

The search mission for a better-looking tag started when my girlfriend, Alice bought a new Chihuahua pup – Misty. While looking for a dog tag, she complained to me that most of the dog tags available are both too ordinary and actually boring looking...

"C'mon, there must be better-looking ones..." I assured her confidently and went online to look for one.

To my surprise, I can’t find any! All the tags I found online are deemed boring and not unique at all… at least according to her standard.

I even went to the local pet shops – the dog tags there are not any better, if not worse. Ordinary engraved dog tags – I guess they must have been around for at least 15 years. And they still look the same today. Amazing!!!

Ok, I admit. I did find some good-looking personalized dog tags online – there are some high-end ones, such as sapphire, real silver, gold, and even diamond embedded dog tags. But seriously, I’m just not prepared to pay hundreds on a dog tag! I’ll rather spend the money on better grooming services or maybe on her food.

I’m looking for something in the range of maybe 10-20 dollars maximum.

2 days later… I gave up. I simply can’t find any! I decided to custom make one for Misty – to keep Alice happy of course. ;-)

With the help of a friend, Lee who is in the plaque business and with his (trade secret) coating technique, I can basically put any artwork, graphic and even image onto the tag. I went on to design Misty’s personalized dog tag.

Using the idea of a newborn baby permit I saw online, a good-looking (newborn pet permit) tag with Alice’s contact information and Misty’s image was made.

Alice was happy when she saw the tag. It was unique, personalized, and one of its kind. It was special, just like her pup – Misty.

But… her happiness did not last long. The tag was not scratch-resistant! The design started to peel off slowly. It was good-looking… but not functional.

Frustrated but not about to give up, (seriously, I don’t have any solution at all then) Lee then coated the tag with his company’s patented protective coating.

Problem solved! Misty's personalized dog tag is now scratch-resistant and anti-tarnish (image won’t turn yellowish over time) because of the coating. It was even better-looking now! Because the coating leaves the tag with a beautiful glossy finished.

8 weeks of research and development (definitely much longer if without my Lee’s help, this article may makes it look easy... trust me. its not.), close to a thousand dollars spent. A good-looking, highly personalized dog tag was born.

“Was it worth all the effort?” If you ask me, I seriously don’t have the answer.

But I admit I did learn a lot from this experience… and of course in the process Dogcustomer.com was born. I’ll leave that story to another day.

My stand is that Misty won’t feel the difference between wearing a conventional engrave dog tag or a highly personalized good-looking dog tag. Only Alice will… and only Alice will understand why she wants that...

Belgian Tervuren - An Energetic Worker

One of four Belgian Sheepdogs, the Belgian Tervuren is often mistaken for a German Shepherd because they closely resemble each other in size, coat and color. It is pronounced Ter-VER-en. The Belgian Tervuren is recognized as its own breed by the AKC, but many countries consider all four Belgian Sheepdogs to be one breed even though there are noticeable differences in everything from coat to size to color.

Also known as a "Terv" by their owners, the Belgian Tervuren is named for the Belgian village of Tervuren. They were traditionally used as cattle and sheep herding dogs. They have also been used as police dogs and in narcotics detection, bomb detection, search and rescue and as therapy dogs. While two of the Belgian Sheepdogs are still used more as working dogs, the Belgian Tervuren and Belgian Groenendael are both seen more as companion dogs today.

They are a medium to medium large breed. They weigh between 45-75 pounds and are anywhere from 22" to 27" in height. They are an energetic, powerful breed that enjoys exercise and play. Because of their high energy and size, they are not ideal apartment dogs but are perfect for families with large yards or those who have access to parks or fields where they can run.

Their coat color is recognized by the AKC in the colors of a mahogany or fawn base with black tips, mask and ears. A small amount of white on nose, chest and chin is permissible. The long, straight, thick and harsh outer coat and soft dense undercoat needs daily grooming to prevent matting and knots. They shed throughout the year, but it is typically light shedding.

As a guard dog or family dog, the Belgian Tervuren is protective, loyal and highly intelligent. They are energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise and activity whether they are working on the farm or kept mainly as a companion dog. They need to be socialized and trained from an early age. The earlier they are introduced to children, dogs and other pets, the better they will do. They might be dominant towards other dogs. It is important to research a Belgian Tervuren's history before making a purchase to ensure that there is no aggression found in their lineage. Give your Belgian Tervuren plenty to do and they will be happy. A bored Belgian Tervuren can be a bit destructive as they will find a way to fill their time.

If you are an energetic family looking for a dog that will enjoy activity and outside play, then the Belgian Tervuren is a perfect breed for you. They will match you step for step in running or walking. They will be protective of you and your home and make awesome watchdogs. If you are looking for a farm dog and family companion all rolled into one, any of the Belgian Sheepdogs including the Belgian Tervuren will be ideal for you.

Bearded Collie: A Good Family Dog

The Bearded Collie is a medium sized dog that weighs between 40-58 pounds. They are 20" to 22" in height. Their abundant hair gives the impression that they are larger than they actually are. They have a happy, friendly nature and are not watch dogs in any way as they are friendly with all that they meet.

Recognized by the AKC, the acceptable coat colors for the Bearded Collie are black, grey, tan, brown or fawn with some white markings. When they are puppies, they may or may not have white markings. As they mature, their coat color either fades or changes. The most common colors are black with white or gray with white. Their long, harsh, straight and shaggy outer coat and short, soft, thick undercoat requires a daily brushing to prevent tangles. Their nickname is "beardie" because of the long, shaggy hair under their chin.

This energetic, loving, happy-go-lucky breed makes an excellent family pet. They are people dogs and love to be with their family. They are wonderful for homes with children and other dogs and can do well with other non-canine pets provided they have early socialization. They are enthusiastic, outgoing, and lively and require plenty of exercise and play time. They need a yard to run and roam. Having toys on hand is a good idea if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time. Early training is recommended because they have a stubborn tendency at times. They are easy to train.

Dating back over 500 years, the Bearded Collie originated in Scotland. They are considered to be descendents of the Polish sheepdog. They were bred to heard sheep and cattle, thus explaining their collie name which means herding dog in Scotland. They have also been used for tracking. They are still used as sheep herding dogs in some areas.

Friendly to family and strangers alike, the Bearded Collie will greet all he meets with enthusiasm. Because they require regular outdoor exercise and play, they are best with active families who will give them the activity that they need. Homes with other dogs and children can feel confident in adding a Bearded Collie to their family.