Archive for the 'Dog Care' Category

You’ve poured antifreeze in your car, installed storm windows and had your furnace serviced. But have you winterized the dog for these frosty days?

It’s only fair that your four-footed friends enjoy frolicking in the ice and snow, too.

Dr. Porge Nakovich, director of veterinary medicine at Animal Friends, the no-kill shelter in Ohio Township, Pa., has several suggestions on how to keep your dog warm and healthy in the winter.

“If it’s too cold for a person, it’s probably too cold for a dog,” she says. That’s her guide in determining when she’ll change the routine of her daily walks with her Rottweiler mix, Patches, and her Chihuahua, Taffy.

When she’s freezing herself, she takes shorter walks more frequently. If the temperature drops to zero or below, or the wind chill makes it feel that cold, Nakovich does not take her dogs outside, and she advises that you don’t either.

When leaving her home, she sprays her dogs’ paws with cooking spray. This prevents ice balls from building up between their pads and gives them some protection from the rock salt, too.

Does your dog smell bad even after recently given him bath? If so, this can be really frustrating for any pet owner.

However, it is not good for your dog to take bath too often and it is very important that your pet should be bathed only once in a month.

So, how do you overcome this problem of bad smell in your dog? There are quite few dog shampoo substitutes that can really help your dog to smell good without causing any harm to their skin. Here are some of those.

Baking soda

This is one of the best substitutes for dog shampoo. You can try baking soda between your dog baths into their fur and down to the skin to avoid bad smell. Brush the fur coat of your pet dog well with baking soda; you can surprisingly notice the difference. But, beware not to use too much. Consistent amounts can give wonderful results.

Rolled oats

If you don’t want to use baking soda or if it is not in your hand, grind ground oats in a blender till they turn into fine powder. Use this powder for your pet dog bath. You can tolerate your dog around you for more than 2 weeks after the bath.

As a responsible dog owner, it is of utmost importance that you know about the estrus cycle, what it involves, and how to make sure that unwanted pregnancies do not occur in your dog, when she is too young not ready yet.

Often, the dog breeds on its first heat at a time when she is not prepared; it would be a good idea to wait for her second or third heat so that there are no complications.

The gestation period: The gestation period for a dog is about sixty to sixty three days, and you must be aware of the time period from mating to delivery, so that you can be present at the expected delivery date.

Take your dog to the vet

You must make sure that you take your dog to the vet before you allow her to breed. This will ensure that your pet is healthy and free of infections and disease, and this will automatically make sure that her pregnancy is uncomplicated and uneventful. You may think of continuing heartworm medication through the pregnancy, after consulting with your vet.

Vaccinations: All vaccinations must be given before pregnancy occurs; vaccinations may sometimes cause abortions, and this can be easily avoided with this simple precaution.

Bernese mountain dog comes under the working dog’s group. These are outdoor dogs and are adaptable as pets if proper care [Dog Care Guidelines] and exercise is added to the Bernese mountain dog routine.

These Bernese mountain dogs are preferred for cold climates and can survive in the extreme coldness. Their coat helps them in surviving from the cold waves. They are not suggested for hot and moderate climatic areas because of their thick and long coat.

Know about the Bernese mountain dog:

Temperament or characteristics: These are the most lovable pets for family and get along well with children also. The basic characteristics of the Bernese mountain dog are

• They need attention and crave for human companion ship.
• It’s not a dog that should be kept in kennel, it can be allowed inside the house.
• Gentle, loyal, affectionate, faithful and calm towards their owners.
• Very socialized with other animals, pets and children.
• Very intelligent, but you need patience to crave complete benefits of Bernese mountain dog.
• Very good watch dogs, but cannot be used as guard dogs.

It’s never too late to teach new things for your dog despite of its age. You have to start training for your dog as early as possible.

Try to start training when your dog is 6 weeks to 8 weeks old. First you have to teach positive reinforcement to your dog.

It is the most excellent way of dog training. Positive training will show the way to your pet regarding the manner of pleasing you. By this positive dog training, your pet will learn the things sooner.

Dogs are just like small children who will please you for something, but you have to teach the proper way for them. As soon as your pets come to know how to perform the things, they feel themselves as your family members.

By praising them more frequently and by treating in the positive way, they will certainly learn and pay attention to the command which you like to educate them.

If you don’t want your dogs to stay while you are eating, train them to lie down in their bed while it was your eating time.

Dogs must consume their own food [Dog food]. Use your lower firm voice while teaching your pet to go down, stay and sit.