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.
My Dog Has Fleas and They Are Out Of Control
Every time warm weather approaches, veterinarians are once again overflowed with complaints and questions from worried dog and cat owners, who are waging the recurrent battle against external parasites, particularly fleas and ticks.
The problem of parasites and the complications they cause is an extensive and serious one, but one that has been faced by nearly every pet owner at one time or another. In an effort to spare your pet a great deal of suffering this coming summer, we would like to answer two questions that are most commonly asked by pet owners about those annoying parasites; fleas and ticks.
What Exactly Are Fleas & Ticks?
Fleas are tiny insects that, as adults, must suck blood from another creature to sustain their own lives. Fleas are wingless, six-legged parasites, capable of jumping with surprising speed and may infest your pet alone by the thousands. The flea is a dark, reddish-brown color, similar to dried blood and is a common external parasite found in most parts of the United States.
The tick, a friend in misery to the flea, is generally dark in color, several times larger than the flea and when on your pet does not move about but rather attaches itself to your pet’s skin and remains at that spot until it has satisfied its hunger for blood.
The female tick, engorged with blood, may look like a large, grayish-white, puffy pea-sized object, which on closer inspection, is attached by its tiny mouth to the animal’s skin. Often in close proximity to the underbelly of the female lies another smaller tick, a male waiting to complete the breeding cycle.
How Will I Know If My Pet Has Fleas Or Ticks?
The most common reaction of an animal infested with external parasites is an insatiable desire to scratch or chew at its skin. Frequent periodic checks of your pet’s skin and coat are advisable, especially during warm spring and summer months when the parasite problem reaches its peak performance. Fleas are frequently spotted leaping from place to place across the animal’s body.
If no fleas are readily apparent, part the animal’s fur close to the skin and check for flea excrement, which are specks of black, pepper-like dirt that, when wet, regain the color of the blood ingested by the flea. This discovery is a very good guarantee that fleas are present in your pet. On longhaired animals, checking the lower abdomen, genitals and other areas of sparser hair growth will sometimes give clues when all else fails.
Ticks are more easily identified since they are easily seen by the naked eye. If long hair is in the way, a thorough stroking of the animal’s skin from head to toe will usually reveal the whereabouts of ticks by the feel of their tiny, hard-shelled bodies close to the skin.
Engorged female ticks are generally quite obvious because of their greatly enlarged size and distinctive appearance. Ticks frequently go unnoticed when lodged in ears, around the anus, on the tail and in between paw pads, so be sure not to neglect those areas.
Avocados: A Surprisingly Healthy Fruit For All Dogs Part 2
Most dogs love avocados. They taste good and they are an excellent source of fat. Fat is responsible for providing dogs with an extra amount of energy and gives them healthy skin as well as an extra glow in their coat.
Strangely enough, it was the dogs themselves who led us to the idea of using the avocado as a supplement to the canine diet. It seems that avocado growers’ pet dogs were competing with the growers for any fallen fruit. The growers became curious and decided to compare the nutrients that this amazing fruit contained with those needed by canines.
According to a Veterinary professor at Iowa State University, this fruit enhances hair quality as well as skin tone. Avocado growers have reported this improvement in their dogs is most likely due to the amount of linoleic acid of the fruit when added to the dog’s diet.
Of course, this fruit alone could not be recommended as the only nutrient source for dogs. An avocado, in small quantities as a supplement, might be helpful if adequate amounts of fat were not available from other sources.
A dog’s requirement of fat depends mostly on the amount of activity he engages in. For instance, an active working dog needs up to twenty percent fat in his diet, while the average household dog that walks a few blocks everyday, needs only five to eight percent of fat in his diet. The very thin dog should get a diet rich in fat until his weight and health improve. The pregnant and nursing female dog also needs greater amounts of fat in her diet.
The majority of canine canned foods contain adequate fat to satisfy the need of an average household dog. However, if the dog is fed a diet strictly of dry meal, it might be moistened with additional sources of fat.
Avocados are an excellent source of fat for this purpose. For canines that get most of their fat from canned foods, this tasty fruit also serves as an occasional treat. Avocados might be alternated with other occasional food supplements to add variety to the dog’s regular diet. Simply put, dogs love avocados and they are good for them!
Word Of Warning: Documented evidence suggests that some dogs, as well as other domestic animals like cats and cattle, can be severely harmed and prove fatal when they eat the avocado pit, skin, leaves and bark of the avocado tree. Therefore, when supplementing your dog’s diet with avocados, make sure to only give him the meat of the fruit.
