Home Dog Sitting Services Advantages and Disadvantages
Leaving Your Dog When Going Away
One of the hardest tasks a dog owner will face is leaving their dog at home when going on a vacation or for work purposes. Research has proven that dogs are happiest when they are in familiar surroundings, and that it takes time for them to adjust to new surroundings with new sights, sounds and smells.
They can suffer from dog separation anxiety, especially if they feel abandoned.
Therefore home dog sitting provides dog owners an alternative to leaving your dog with a family friend or neighbor, the vet or kennels as it provides you with the opportunity to leave your dog where it at least has the comfort of familiar surroundings with a sitter.
When picking a home dog sitting service it is wise to call up several similar services and compare rates in order to find a sitting service that suits you. Also try to find a company that provides you with the opportunity to choose your sitter or provides you with some sort of résumé for the sitter.
Home Dog Sitting Service Advantages
The benefits of employing a home dog sitting service are numerous. One is that you no longer have to transport your dog to a kennel where it may catch disease and illness from other dogs while you are away. It also solves the problem of having to transport your unhappy canine to unfamiliar territory and helps reduce the anxiety both you and your pet face due to the situation.
A home dog sitting service will usually provide you with a sitter who has proper training when it comes to handling dogs and will ensure that your dog has a proper diet, proper exercise, and is properly groomed. Since the dog is in familiar surroundings, this will make the dog sitter’s task of warming up to the dog a lot easier and will cause less anxiety in your dog when you leave.
As for the diet, some home dog sitting services will provide their own meals (usually upon your approval) and others will suggest that you organize the meals leaving the sitter only to handle the task of ensuring that your dog receives its meal on time.
Disadvantages
The only possible disadvantage you may face when employing a home dog sitting service is that it is likely to be more expensive than leaving your dog with a family member or friends. This is because home dog sitting services provides individual attention and care for your dog.
However since the advantages are usually considered far greater than a disadvantages, more often than not anyone interested in employing the services of a home dog sitting service is likely to ignore this disadvantage or feel that it is not even considered a disadvantage.
Therefore it is evident that home dog sitting services provide owners and their furry friends an opportunity to be free of anxiety and stress while they are apart.
Does Your Dog Need A Prosthetic After A Limb Amputation?
Can Your Dog Live With A Prosthetic After The Operation?
Is your dog facing the possibility of having one of its limbs amputated due to an accident or a disease? This surgery is not uncommon, especially when dog owners have pets that experience a terrible car accident or bone cancer, which calls for an amputation.
We call these amputated canines ‘tripods’ which is a lovable description known by all dog lovers for the animals that have to live with three limbs. It is understandable if you feel upset and confused about making such a big decision for your dog, but do not be worried.
It is also quite understandable to feel at a loss when facing a decision that will clearly change your dog’s life forever. The good news is that your pet will be okay (depending on the reason of course) once the surgery is over.
Your Vet Will Help You With The Decision
The first thing your vet will advise you, is whether to have your dog amputated at the leg, shoulder, or the hip. This of course depends on a few factors, such as the reason for the surgery or whether or not the dog will have a prosthetic limb mounted to replace the missing one.
Does Your Dog Have Cancer?
If your dog has cancer, which is cause for the amputation, it is best to remove the entire leg. However, if there is no medical reason for the surgery and you have the choice of leaving a stump, then this would be the ideal situation for a prosthetic. A stump will help the prosthetic to remain secured tightly.
Having a stump will make attaching the prosthetic replacement limb much easier. If the amputation is done below the knee, a prosthetic will allow your dog to have full function of the leg. The bottom of the stump must be healthy. The surgeon may even add a pad to the bottom, or pull excess muscle from the bone to place at the end of the stump. This is for protection, as well as to further aid in the attachment of the prosthetic leg.
If your dog needs to have the leg completely amputated, as with many bone cancer cases, there really is no proper way to have a prosthetic installed.Forced replacement would be extremely rigid and quite uncomfortable for your dog. The only option is to leave it alone and allow the animal to get used to life with three limbs, which all dogs can accomplish quite easily and without pain.
A Hypoallergenic Dog Is Great If You Suffer With Dog Allergies
Are you looking for a hypoallergenic dog? Since many people who have allergies love dogs, this type of dog has grown very popular of late. The good news is that you’ll find that there are many different breeds of this type of dog. Some of them have long, soft hair, some have short hair and many are hairless or have curly hair. If you are considering getting a hypoallergenic dog, though, there are a few things which you should know about them first.
Where To Find These Dog Breeds
As with many pure bred dogs, you will likely have the best chance at finding a hypoallergenic dog when you look to breeders. Just know that these dogs are often fairly expensive and many breeders may require that you meet their standards before they sell you one of their dogs.
In some cases, you might find a hypoallergenic dog at a pet store, but some sources feel that pet stores are not a good option if you are seeking a dog. Make sure that any place you buy your dog from is clean and reliable and not a “puppy mill” sort of environment as purchasing a dog from these places keeps them going.
Proper Care Is Essential
One of the things that make hypoallergenic dogs “hypoallergenic” is their coats and skin. For this reason, it’s imperative that you work to maintain the right conditions so that you will not suffer from allergies due to your dog. You might think that many Terriers, Schnauzers and Poodles are short haired, but if you don’t take them to get their fur cut, then it will grow and grow and grow, which can lead to you suffering from allergies.
They don’t shed, but like humans, occasionally their hair does fall out. You’ll have to make sure to brush them often so they don’t become matted. It’s important to make sure you will be able to do this or your dog could wind up suffering from rashes and other problems when the hair mats up.
For hypoallergenic dogs with longer hair, it’s important to brush them so their fur doesn’t become tangled and painful. By making sure to brush them at least twice weekly, you will help to ensure that they don’t wind up with too much extra hair that looks nappy.
Hairless Dogs Need Care Too
If you have a hairless dog, you need to know that it is much like caring for a baby. Their skin is sensitive and can get sun burned and the dog can become dehydrated if you leave them out for too long. Some owners of these dogs tend to put sunscreen on their pooch, while others try to put “clothes” on them. Don’t forget that hairless dogs, while hypoallergenic, need to be bathed regularly in order to care for them.
Some other things which you should consider when choosing a hypoallergenic dog is that their exposure to allergens such as pollen and grasses can greatly affect your allergies, so it’s a good idea if your dog has been outdoors a lot to wipe him down with a wipe or bathe him to remove additional allergens which might affect you.
If you’re looking for a dog that you can have with your allergies, consider a hypoallergenic dog to be your companion.
Are You Prepared To Have A Large Dog Breed?
Every year, thousands of individuals and families bring home a member of a large dog breed, only to discover in a short time that it is not the right fit for their home and lifestyle. Of course this sudden realization is understandable. Why would most people want a canine that reaches 100 pounds and is taller than the children? It was not a responsible decision in the first place to buy a large breed of dog without doing the research needed, to ensure it was a perfect match for you and the family.
They Don’t Always Stay Cute
Too many people see that oh-so-cute pup in the store, or walking around the neighbor’s yard and are suddenly drawn to have one. Why? Cute ears, puppy breath, that harmless wobbly walk – but you know what – all puppies are cute!
Let’s take some breeds for example that have characteristics that many people are not privy to when purchasing: A beagle is one of the cutest puppies there is, but most likely will run away most of the time without lots of training. A Coonhound is cute and will be big, but due to its genetic makeup must have a large outside area to explore and run when it is older. It is a tracking and scenting dog.
Know The Breed of Dog
Big dogs all have unique big dog personalities and somehow they must blend with you and your home. There must be a fit. They can put a huge demand on you and your home if the family is unprepared to handle it.
The characteristics bred into canines by humans will determine if a big dog can be a good companion in your situation. The expenses are often greater, not only in food and you must be committed to caring for them. Big dogs are also hard to find new homes for once they are older, so if you change your mind, then it will be the poor animal that suffers down the road.
Understand The Size of The Adult Dog
So you want to have a dog in your life, have done all the research you can on the breed, understand its size potential as well as its needs for living and care. You have also been honest with yourself and determined why you want a big dog and that you have the proper environment set up. You are well funded enough to do so and you just don’t want a compact mini model dog – you must have a big one!
Now all you have to do is decide want length fur you want and what breed is most suitable for you and your family. When you bring the new pup home make certain you train and socialize the big guy well and above all, enjoy your big dog!
Chow Chow Dog Breed
Many people compare the Chow Chow to the Spitz dog breed, simply because they share many of the same characteristics. It is been assumed that because they are so closely related, the Chow Chow is actually a descendant from the Spitz family. Unfortunately, the true bloodline of the Chow Chow cannot be confirmed. However, we do know that this dog has been widely popular in China for hundreds of years, possibly thousands.
The original function and purpose of the Chow Chow is theorized to have been as a hunting dog, which would sniff out and find birds. Soon enough the breed started to decline in its quality and the number of survivors diminished to almost nothing after the Imperial Hunts. But a few Chow Chows were kept inside monasteries and with wealthy families and survived.
The name “Chow Chow” is thought to have been created during the 1700s when large numbers of these dogs were imported into England from the Chinese. The exact reason for the term “Chow Chow” is not known, but dog historians assume that it may be linked to comparing the dogs to Oriental nick knacks. Another possibility is that the term Chow Chow was given because the dogs were packed into the middle of ship cargo when moved to other locations overseas.
The United States first saw the Chow Chow dog breed some time during the late 1800s when they were imported from various parts of England. Queen Victoria took great interest in the breed, which helped attract a lot of attention to them. It was 1903 when the AKC finally recognized this dog as an official breed, especially due to its distinctive noble look.
Chow Chow Personality
The Chow Chow is said to be one of the top rated watchdogs for a family. Its protection ability is powerful and this dog is immensely cautious about overlooking its family members. The animal moves in a very reserved, almost noble type of way and is extremely suspicious of strangers and other animals. Not the most playful of dog breeds, the Chow Chow may be a bit difficult to train.
Taking Care Of Your Chow Chow
Chow Chow dogs do not fare well during hot, humid weather. In fact, this dog prefers cold weather at all times. Its coat is smooth, yet thick and will need brushing at least once a week. Some Chow Chows may demonstrate very rough fur and will need brushing every other day, particularly when shedding. Activity does not need to be tiresome, just a brisk walk each morning is plenty of exercise for this dog.
Health Information
The Chow Chow has a lifespan of up to 13 years, with 9 being the average. Major health concerns to watch out for are entropion, CHD, and patellar luxation. Minor health issues include stenotic nares, elbow dysplasia, distichiasis, gastric torsion, cataracts and glaucoma.
