Basic Puppy Care – First Weeks

After you select the puppy of your dreams, you get to take him home, but need a manual to help you succeed at raising him.  The first night is always hard because the puppy will start to miss his Mom and other siblings.  He may cry or whine through out the night.  One can hardly blame him for his actions.

    The pup will need a soft, dry, and safe place to sleep.  Perhaps throw in a cloth or toy that has his litter mates or Mom's scent on it.  If you run to him when he cries, you will be reinforcing the habit.  Placing a sheet over the box or crate will get the pup used to going to sleep at that time.

    Puppies are mischievous by nature, and like their feline companions, get into everything.  Be sure hazardous items like marbles, wires, rocks, and any type of harmful plants are far out of the puppy's way.

    Scolding your pup should be just like telling a child NO.  However, when you tell him NO, you should show him the correct behavior.  For example, if he is chewing up the newspaper, take it away and replace it wit one of his toys.  Praise him for chewing his toy.  Reprimands should be sharp and short.  Hitting or spanking may create more problems down the road.  The pup can become fearful, shy, or aggressive.  Always reward for proper behaviors.  Treats make a great re-enforcer.  So is a simple scratch between the ears and a hug.

    Feed him a dry food especially made for puppies.Feed him two or three times a day.  Usually after fifteen minutes, the pup will have eaten all he wants, you can remove the dish.  As the pup grows, after ten to twelve weeks of age, feed him one in the morning and once at night.

    All of this should help your new pup get through those first hard weeks away from his family.  The bond forming between you will last a lifetime.

http://sheltiesorshetlandsheepdogs.blogspot.com/

Dangerous Dog Treats: What To Know Before You Treat Your Pup

What pooch does not love getting a treat or two now and then. Dog owners also love giving their dog’s treats. If you have a dog, then you have a good idea of what your dog likes to nibble on. There are so many treats available these days and they all come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and consistencies. For every great dog treat, there are those on the market that are not so good. These treats can harm your pet by being lodged in your dog’s throat or intestines. This can cause choking or worse. If you love treating your canine friend, then you will want to be aware of those treats that can be potentially harmful. Even with treats that are not usually dangerous, you need to supervise your dog when they eat.



Greenies: Most dogs really enjoy these treats. They are advertised as a treats that help clean your dog’s teeth. However, you need to be aware that “greenies” can cause choking. This is because dogs eat these very quickly causes large chunks to lodge in the throat. Young puppies should not eat this treat and dogs that are prone to “scarfing” food. If your dog eats these treats, be aware of potential vomiting, bloody stools, and difficulty breathing.  If you notice any of these symptoms after your dog has eaten this treat, seek medical attention.



Rawhide Chews: What dog does not love snacking on these chewy treats? Raw-hides are good because it cleans your dog’s teeth and keeps your dog occupied. However, rawhides are dangerous, as well. Some rawhides that originate outside of the United States may actually be preserved with arsenic-based chemicals that will be ingested by your doggie when he or she chews.  For this reason, make certain that any rawhide treat you purchase is processed in the United States where this preservative is forbidden.  If you cannot tell where a treat originated do not buy it! In addition, you still need to watch your dog when he her she is munching on rawhides to help prevent choking. Make sure you buy rawhides that are the right size for your dog, too. A small dog needs the smaller sized rawhide treats.



Chocolate: Chocolate is a terrible thing to allow dogs to eat. Of course, sometimes dogs get into candy and cake without your knowledge. Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, so you need to be aware of your dog sneaking chocolate nibbles, especially around the holidays. Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine. This acts in the canine about the same way caffeine acts in the human.  A little will make the doggie hyperactive, but a huge dose may be fatal. If your dog has gotten into chocolate, you need to look for vomiting, shallow breathing, and irregular heartbeat.  A visit to the emergency vet unusually results.



Bones: It seems that it is the right of every dog to be able to crunch on a real bone from time to time. Dogs love bones of all types. However, some bones can be dangerous. Both chicken and turkey bones are especially dangerous because they are brittle. When your dog chews on the, they can easily splinter and cause choking. Some pork and beef bones can also cause the same problem. Veterinarians agree that the one of the safest bones you can give your dog is a shinbone.  If you must give your dog a bone, make sure you supervise your pooch and if he or she shows signs of bleeding, then you should call your vet immediately for some advice.



This is not to say that you cannot give your dog an occasional treat. That is one of the fun parts of owning a dog. You do need to watch your dog and make sure that your dog is safe when snacking. Always pay attention to what kind of treat you give your dog in case of a recall.

How Do Dogs Communicate?

Dogs are one of the intelligent animals among the domestic pets. They have the ability to communicate with humans, other dogs and even other animals. They do this by using body signs and different vocals. The signs are made with the help of body movement involving eyes, ears, eyebrows, head, mouth and tail. Different vocals include barks, howls, growls, whimpers and whines. Dogs do gestures whose meaning can change depending on the situation. Like if a dog pants, it can mean that the dog is feeling hot or the dog is happy or anxious.

Confident and higher ranked dogs have a high held tail. Dogs have the feeling of submission and dominance in them. This is because the dogs live in packs, in the wild. They have hierarchy within the group. The weaker dogs submit themselves to the stronger dog. That is the reason why dogs lower their tail when they feel insecure. When the dogs fight for dominance, the fur on their tail stands up. They and even other animals, do this to increase their size in front of their enemy.

When the dog is in a confused situation, it wags its tail slowly. They are in a process of figuring out whether they should accept the situation or time or else, they have still not accepted the situation completely, but are in the process. Excited dogs wag their tails very fast. If the hip moves along with the tail, it means the dog is ready for submission to a dog of higher rank.

When the dogs get aggressive they show their fangs. If the teeth are visible, it indicates that the dog is ready to bite or attack. They also show teeth when they smile and this is an indication of submissiveness. Observing the number of teeth on display can differentiate a smile. Smile reveals only the front teeth, but when the dog snarls, all his teeth and gums can be seen. Ears are good indication about the attention levels of the dog. When the ears are erect and forward facing, means the dog is concentrating. But when the dog fears something, it lays down its ears. Some dogs hold the ears in forward and horizontal direction when they are happy.

In majority of the cases, barking is done to scare away stranger and to make the owner aware of an intruder. They also tend to bark while they are playing. They use to even convey emotions such as pleasure, fear, stress and suspicion. When the dog is excited or is playing, the barks are sharp and short. When they are stressed out or anxious, they bark repeatedly in a high pitch tone. They also bark to communicate with other animals such as cat, deer, squirrel, fox and other dogs. But the sound of barking is different.

Growling is done to threaten or to show superiority. Dogs howl when they make long-range communication. A dog yawns when it is bored and needs to be left alone. It also yawns when it is sleepy, stressed out or confused. When the dog pants with a full open mouth, it is happy. When it pants with a slightly open mouth, it needs to be played with. Dogs lift one forelimb up, when it wants to play. It will stamp its front limbs when it is excited. They scratch objects they want. Domestic dogs are trained for handshake, like human beings. They hold out a paw forward and exchange a handshake. If the dog tilts it's head in a particular direction, it means that it is trying to concentrate and recognize an unfamiliar sound.