Dog Breeds
My first dog as an adult was an Irish Setter. She was a beautiful puppy so naturally I called her Scarlet O'Hara. I didn't realize she would grow so big. I had every intentions of keeping her as a inside dog. I went to work. She chewed my couch cushions. Luckily, it was a very old couch that we had paid about 25 dollars for. I got her some chew toys. After that, we put her in the bathroom. She wasn't happy there either. She chewed up the toilet paper and any thing else she could find. Scarlet wasn't housebroken either. It was a mess. Scarlet like to chase tennis balls. I made a mistake and threw the ball up in up in the air. Scarlet jumped and landed the wrong way on her leg. It broke. I took her to the Vet. She wore a cast for about a month. Since then, I have always been careful to throw balls and other toys out instead of up to my other dogs. I had a fence built outside so I could leave her outside when no one was home. I'd come home from work and she'd be gone. This dog would climb the fence! So, then I got a chain and tied her out within the fence. The dog was like Houdini. She still managed to escape and it was just once it was everyday. Finally, I found a family out in the country that had acres of land and lots of kids. I took Scarlet to them. Scarlet took off playing with the kids and never looked back. She was happy where she had plenty of space to run.
when i first got my beagle, he showed his teeth at me while wagging his tail and crying excitedly. I was a bit drawed back having had aggressive dogs before that when they 'd showed their teeth you better leave them alone. However, I realized that the beagle was just smiling at me, or at least that is what it looked like. I have heard of other dogs doing this to greet people when they are excited.
my beagle snores. loves to sleep, eat and get petted. beagles are hunting dogs. They have a good nose. My beagle cleans up the floor after the kids eat.
My beagle was crate trained when I got him. The idea is a dog or puppy will not soil his bedding. You put the dog or puppy in the crate when you leave the house or at night when its bed time. The crates are specially made, they are basically a large cage. You can buy a crate at a pet store. I didn't get a crate to do this. I am home most of the time so there was no need to try this. 'When I got my beagle from the pound he was 2 years old and already housetrained. I prefer to get an older dog simply because of this. However, since he was not use to his new environment, he slipped in his housetraining. It took about 3 months to stop messing in the house. He will still slip up now and then, but its because someone is not paying attention to him. beagles are very gentle and loving pets.
beagles are pack dogs. most beagles do well with another dog. Most of the
time, if you get a another dog later on, the dogs will respect seniority. In
other words, the dog that was first is
the dog that dominates. The new dog or animal will respect this and act
accordingly. my beagle was second to my cat. the cat will actually walk up
to the dog and smack him for
no reason other that to show superiority. The dog takes this. I have seen my
dog run from the cat. but this could be the breed. I adopted another dog,
this dog allows my beagle
to takes its food, be first when going out and most anything else. It also
bows to the cat. This is what you call pecking order.
Beagles are used for hunting mostly. They are working dogs. They have good noses and are real good at finding food. They have a very good disposition. My beagle mix loves attention, sleeping and food. He snores loudly. He likes to get under the covers or bury himself under the pillow.
cocker spaniels are my favorite dog breed. They are so pretty and smart. some cocker spaniels do have attitudes.
I had a cocker spaniel many years ago. She was a good dog. She didn't like men to well. This dog was given to me when she was 4 years old. The people had to get rid of her because she was running the neighbor's chickens. Her name was Brandy. She was a buff colored Cocker. When I first got her, her long ears were covered in ticks. I took the tweezers and pulled each tick from her ears. Then I burned the tick. Brandy was very patient and gentled natured. I was very amazed that she let me do this without snapping at me. I've heard cocker spaniels were snappy and ill tempered. But Brandy was the exception. 'I used to use seven dust on my dogs, in the yard and in the house to get rid of fleas. I was told by some well meaning people that it worked and was not dangerous. But get real. this stuff is insecticide and is not meant to be used in this way. So, I now use Frontline for fleas. Its more effective cause it keeps the fleas off the dog and therefore out of your house.',
border collies need room to run. They are happier as an outside dog. My border collie mix loved it when it snowed. He'd get out and roll in the snow. He'd love to play catch the snowball. It was funny to watch him. border collies do not make good indoor pets. They need to run. They make good dogs for farms. Being pent up inside will make them aggressive.
border collies are very smart dogs. I had one that was mixed with a chow. He was aggressive and too smart for his own good. Border collies are working dogs and are bred to herd cattle or sheep, so they nip at your ankles when you walk or grab your pant legs and not let go.
Siberian Huskies are sled dogs. They all have blue eyes. They are the only dogs I know of that have blue eyes. These dogs are bred for cold weather. They naturally love the snow. I saw the movie eight below, which was based on a true story about eight sled dogs left in Antarctica because of bad weather to fend for themselves. The dogs were stranded for close to 5-6 months. The story shows how they might have survived. The dogs are pack dogs. When they hunted, the dogs brought the food to the leader of the pack and waited for the leader to start eating before they eat their food. The story is a remarkable story. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves dog stories.
About Housetraining a dog
I've read where a puppy isn't ready for house training until 4 months.
Its frustrating when you have to house train your dog or puppy. I have had to house train puppies before. The vet said it was better to give the puppy a reward when he went to the bathroom outside than to punish the dog for messing in the house. I've trained several dogs in this manner. No matter what you do it will take about 4 months for any dog to get the idea. I house trained a puppy before. You are the one that has to be trained to recognize when the puppy has to go out. If you give the puppy a reward after he does his business outside he will quickly learn. the problem with this method is, the puppy or dog soon learns that if he goes out he gets a cookie or dog biscut. My dogs play game on me. They will ask to go out when they just want a cookie. I have one dog that will go through the motion of using the bathroom so to get a cookie. I don't know if it is a false alarm and dont want to take a chance so i let them out. And they get their cookies. They will tag team me too. One will ask to go out. both get a cookie. Then the other will ask. So these dogs are pretty smart.
a vet told me not to rub the dogs nose in it own mess instead reward the dog every time it goes out to urinate or defecate. The cookie training or reward method is suppose to work better. A dog will eat its own or other animal's poop. so its probably not a punishment to the dog.
Fleas
fleas can spread disease and cause health problems. They bite, then suck blood which causes itching and irritation. They can cause flea allergy dermatitis or FAD. This is a very common allergic skin disease in both dogs and cats. Fleas can infect your cat or dog with tapeworms. Advantage Flea killer kills fleas within 12 hours of use and keeps fleas off all month long. Any new fleas that may jump on your pet is killed within 2 hours. fleas stop biting in 3-5 minutes and fleas start dying within an hour of application. It also kills the flea larvae. Like frontline, you apply advantage flea medication to the back of the pet's neck next to the skin once a month.'
I use frontline plus on my two dogs. The vet recommended the flea killer. It kills fleas, ticks and lice and keeps them off. They dont scratch anymore. I put it on the back of their necks next to the skin under their collar. You can't give the dog a bath for 24 hours after applying frontline. The next day, I brushed the dogs to get the dead fleas off. I also vacuum the rugs. I cant use Frontline on my cat cause I cant catch her. I cant use a flea spray or any flea dip on her either. She sees the can and runs. She stays inside now that she is older. The only time I've had a flea problem with the cat is when I first got her. I've been lucky. She use to go outside but now she's very old and stays inside most of the time.
How to apply Frontline Plus
'I put the monthly dose of frontline treatment on both my dogs the other day. You have to empty the vial on the neck next to the skin near the collar. My dogs will sit still for this but you can tell in their eyes they feel anxious. As soon as I turn them loose, both dogs will run and rub their necks and body against the carpet. It must itch. Its only a few minutes they do this. Then they will settle down. Frontline is the best flea medication I have used. I wont use anything else. Since I started using Frontline, I have not seen a flea in my house. I have visited my daughter who had several cats and didn't use the flea medication. I couldn't sit on her couch cause the fleas would jump on me and bite me. Its terrible to visit someone who has fleas all over their home.
Flea and tick season is here again. My dogs aren't infested yet. I am going to treat them with Frontline plus like I do every year. I forget to use the flea medicine in the winter cause I dont see the fleas on my dogs. however, this is not a good idea. Cause when you see a flea you are infested. Its best to treat fleas and ticks before you see them.
Preventing heartworms in dogs
both my dogs are taking Interceptor Heartworm Medicine. I give it to them once a month. The vet recommended it because it not only prevents heartworms but also controls and removes hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. I wrap the pill in a piece of cheese so they eat the pill.
Dog eats poop
my dog will raid the cat litter every chance he gets. this is disgusting. The vet told me cat poop was a treat to a dog. Its the by product of what the cat eats. They have a product that stops the animal from eating poop, but you have to feed it to the animal the poop is coming from. so, this product may be completely useless to you.',
Dog Coat / Sweater
Buddy and I walked a bit today. He looks forward to it. Its cold. I am debating about getting him a dog sweater. My boyfriend says he will be alright. We aren't out in the cold that long but he's a short haired dog. I thinks he is cold. We run back to the house in the morning. I went to Wal-Mart the other day to look for a dog coat or at least a sweater. They were out of Buddy's size and pretty much out of any size. They weren't very expensive, less than 12 dollars. They did have those dog pocket books or carriers that are the latest rage. The one's like Paris Hilton carries her dog around in. Buddy's too big for that and anyway he wouldn't stand for being put in one of those things anyway. He'd rather walk.
I bought my beagle a dog coat today. Its fleece. My dog is overweight so I had no idea what size when I went to the pet store. You have to measure or make a good guess at the size. Dog attire is measured by inches around the chest. Most of the dog jackets had velcro. The have 2 holes for the legs in front and only cover about two thirds of the dogs body because they have to use the bathroom. The dog jacket I got for Buddy was one that he could step into with my help and attach the velcro on his back. Buddy has no problem in wearing the coat. Its very cold here lately. If you are looking for a warm coat for your dog, see dog parka. I walk everyday to the bus stop with my granddaughter. Buddy always goes with me. But, somehow i forgot him yesterday. I got down to the driveway and my granddaughter asked me where Buddy was. It was too late to go back and get him. When I got back home, he came up to me with a curious look. His feelings were hurt. Who says dogs dont have feelings? He thought I was mad at him. He wanted me to consul him and pet him to reaffirm that I wasn't angry at him. He followed me around all morning too. This morning he was at the door and ready to go. The one problem I have with taking my dog on the walk is he always wraps around my legs when he 's not pulling me along. I have to keep him on a short lease to prevent him from wrapping around my legs.
Dog Training
I have been watching the dog whisperer on National Geographic lately. I am amazed at what Cesar can do with dogs so I bought his book, Cesar's way. I have two dogs that need to be better controlled. The book makes sense and I can see where a lot of people go wrong when dealing with their dogs. The main point Cesar makes in the book, is dogs are not humans and you should not treat them as such. Before I started reading the book, I let my beagle (and all my dogs before him) take me for a walk. Now, I make my dog stay at my side never getting ahead of me by using a short lease. This is suppose to show the dog that you are the leader of the pack not him. It took about one day walking. After that, my beagle doesn't pull me ahead. Neither does he wrap around me. I noticed my kids baby talk both of my dogs and neither one of the dogs will mind them either. I'll add more about this later as my dogs progress through the program. My other dog, kiyou, is an escape artist. He likes to get out and run. Unfortunately, we live in the city limits and a dog running loose isn't allowed. If you chase him, he will run that much further. I was hoping to break him. So, I started walking him and keeping him on a short lease. Always keeping him at my side. today, he got off the lease by moving his head about till he got loose. He took off. I had other things to do. I wont chase him at all although my kids try at time. Today, the kids and i just went inside. I thought since it was warm he'd be gone till midnight. Instead, he came back in 30 minutes, just in time for our daily walk. coincidence ....
Nail Clipping
Buddy has to get his toenails clipped about every 3 months even though he does walk every day on pavement. Tomorrow, I am taking Buddy and kiyou to the vet to get their nails clipped and for a bath. I'd rather the vet clip their nails cause I'm afraid I will clip the nail too much and cut into the quick. If this happens, the toenail will bleed and I heard it hard to stop the bleeding. So, I'd rather have a professional clip the toenails. My vet only charges about $10 for the service. '
Weight Gain
This has been an on going battle for 2 years. Buddy lost 7 pounds then gained every bit back. How? good question. The kids leave things around and sneak him food. The cat now stays in my son's room with the door closed. However, my son is not real good at closing his door. Every chance Buddy gets, he'll run in and grab some cat food before we can stop him. Every once in a while, someone forgets and leaves their dinner plate unattended for a few minutes. I stopped everyone from putting food in the trash. I cut his dinner to 1 cup of dog food a day and upped his exercise another 15 minutes a day. Hopefully, he'll lose weight this time around.
Fear
Most dogs don't like thunder. I know my 2 dogs wont go out if its thundering. They both will get very nervous and try to hide somewhere. Usually they will get behind the coach or under the bed if they can fit. One of my dogs likes to escape and run. If its storming outside, you dont have to worry about him getting out cause he wont go near the door.
Eating Grass
when a dog eats grass you know it has an upset stomach. Usually, when my dog eats grass, he 'll throw up soon after. I have one dog that's a picky eater. If he doesn't get what he wants, he wont eat and he gets sick from not eating. I 've caught him eating the grandkids toys, combs and other items too. I've told the kids that if I find their junk in the floor anymore, I 'll throw it away. This way I only have to pick it up once and the dog doesn't 't eat it either
Vet Visits
'I had been putting off taking my dogs to the vet simply cause I didn't have the money to do so. It costs over $100.00 every time I take them cause I am paying for two. I have to have their nails trimmed every 2 or 3 months, then I have their anal glands expressed - Vet says this is necessary. The anal glands fill up and become very uncomfortable for the dog and this is what makes the dog scoot his hind end on your carpet. Then the other expenses are shots like rabies, bordella, distemper, parvo and other vaccine shots - that is if they need them. Rabies is usually given every 3 years. Anyway, add a flea medication such as frontline and heartworm medication such as heartguard. Throw in a bath and its well over $300.00 for 2 dogs. ouch!','
'Its important to take your dog or cat to the vet at least when their shots are due. If your pet is sick or hurt, you should take it immediately. Dont wait to see if it will get better. If you cant afford to take care of a pet, dont get one. Its that simple. Pets require responsibility. They need care. I have known people, who have had pets that never took it to the vet even when the animal was obviously sick or injured. They 'd didn't have the money to care for the pet. They shouldn't have had the pet to begin with if they knew they couldn't take care of the animal. A vet can be expensive. A typical vet bill can run over $100 and upwards of $200. This includes shots, exam and to check for worms. The cost can also vary according to your location.
When i took my dogs to the vet last month, I wanted a flea medication I could use on both dogs. There is a considerable weight difference between the two cause my beagle is extremely overweight. My vet recommended a new flea med called Vectra 3D for dogs weighing between 21 and 55 lbs. It does the same thing frontline does .... repels and kills fleas, ticks and mosquitoes for one month. Its a topical flea treatment with an applicator which you have to apply in 3 areas back of neck under collar, middle of the back and base of tail. It remains effective after bathing and swimming. It kills 96% of fleas in 6 hours. It kills fleas that may cause flea allergy dermatitis. It repels and kills ticks that may cause Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and hepatozoonosis. It also prevents development of fleas, flea eggs, larvae and pupae. In other words, it gets rid of your flea problem pronto. Only problem is its only available from licensed veterinarians only. Best deal cause its cheaper than frontline too.
