My Ideal Dog

A dog breed noted for its monkey-like face originates from Germany in the 17th century. The little dog was popularly known as Monkey Dog. Diablotin Moustachu, meaning mustached little devil was given to the dog by French breed enthusiasts. This breed was originally developed to be a rodent catcher. As such, the dogs are usually seen in barns, stables and kitchen chasing rodents away.

A high level of intelligence, an affectionate nature and the renowned clownish personality are the admirable qualities of an Affenpinscher. The Affenpinscher is certainly the correct choice for a dog owner wanting a pet that has the ability to amuse the family with its comic antics. The dog is a showoff and would take every opportunity to catch anyone’s attention. For that reason, the dog has left its modest corner in barns and stables to be the pampered and highly valued pets that are provided comfortable accommodations including the laps of its adoring owners. An Affenpinscher though has a cunning side. The astute dog can play up and take advantage of the master’s weaknesses. The dog is small in size but big in personality as it can easily compel the family to give in to its wishes. An Affenpinscher certainly makes a wonderful and ideal family companion but owners have to be aware of the dog’s domineering personality. Never give in to the desire to spoil this dog if you don’t want to have a bully in your hands. An Affenpinscher that cannot have its way will be in a huff all day. This dog will not put up with any kind of teasing especially from unfamiliar faces. Affection and correct training methods will turn this spunky little devil into a lovable toy-like pet that will be the joy of the family.

An Affenpinscher is recognized as one of toy breeds. The size makes this dog an ideal choice for an apartment dweller. However, unlike other toy breeds, the dog has a rather high exercise requirement. This breed must be allowed to exercise daily. Bear in mind, in spite of the size, the dog is very active. Apart from the cuddly size, an Affenpinscher forms a strong bond with its human family so that family members may take turns in cuddling the dog. An Affenpinscher not given the chance to let off steam will turn into a destructive dog. Properly cared for and correctly trained, an Affenpinscher will be an ideal pet that will never cease to provide the family with loving and devoted companionship.

Dogs are not only loyal friends of man, these animals are man’s protectors as well. The quality of humans life was greatly influenced by these animals. On many occasions, dogs have comforted and manifested their affection to humans. These animals that are known to be highly attuned to the feelings of humans have been the silent sounding boards for man’s woes and misfortunes. Dogs are tough and they have gained the reputation of being the defender of their people but such is not always the case. Pet owners have to learn how to calm a dog as these animals get stressed too.

A dog can be easily stressed by a situation in the environment. Once a nervous dog is exposed to a certain situation, it would be tightly wound up and would bark frantically, salivate excessively and basically be a hard to control pet. Other dogs would react to the same situation in a different manner. Some dog owners find managing a stressed dog very difficult. Loud noises such as the sound of thunder and firecrackers, unfamiliar faces and places as well as new situations would trigger the nervous behavior of dogs.

Repeated exposure to these kind of situations will enhance the nervousness of the dog until it develops into a phobia. A dog that is always exposed to a stressful situation can be lethargic and can even lose weight. No dog owner would want to see a pet trembling in fear and no owner would want to constantly calm the pet. Pet parents of highly stressed dogs have to find ways to calm the pet.

To prevent the dog from being stressed it would be best to know what activities or situations trigger a nervous “attack” so that the situation can be avoided. However, it would not always be possible shield the dog from stressful situations thus it would be the owner’s task to find means of calming the dog.

Due to an affectionate nature, dogs would love to be petted by their owners. Pet owners use massage to calm the pet. By slowly moving the hand in over the dog’s body, the tension is dissipated until the pet is calmed. Take advantage of the dog’s inordinate liking for food by giving frozen Kong toys that are proven to effectively distract the dog’s attention and ultimately calm the pet. Our four legged friends are very energetic animals. Tired dogs are calm dogs thus an owner simply need to provide the dog with sufficient opportunities to exercise. Did you know that yawning is a simple trick to calm the dog? Try yawning several times in front of your stressed pet and you will see that after a while the dog is already calmed.

Heartworm, or roundworm, is very serious can affect all types of Gun Dog. With gun dogs, working dogs, and other outdoor dogs, you must be especially concerned because they are more susceptible to heartworm. The worse case scenario is that an affected dog can pass it on to humans, as well as other dogs. In turn, you can also pass on heartworm to your own dog. 

Prevention of heartworm is crucial, especially when you consider that once your dog is infected with this parasite it made lead to death.  Of greater concern is other in animals that come in contact with your dog such as coyotes, fox’s, and others may have roundworm and may transmit that disease to your dog.   

Preventing Roundworm/Heartworm 

Giving your dog a tablet, food additive, or other preventive will greatly reduce his chances of getting infected.  Tablets can be taken orally as a doggy treat while food additives are sprinkled, poured, or mixed in with food.  Most preventive treatments require a monthly application, so mark a calendar to keep track of when dosage was given so you’ll know when to do it next.   

If you live in an area of the country that is fortunate enough to have four distinct seasons you will soon discover that your dog is at higher risk for roundworm.  The reason for this is that mosquitoes are often the culprit in transmitting roundworm from animal to animal.  If you have a hunting dog or gun dog, you should immediately begin prevention treatments on a monthly basis.  Your veterinarian will provide you with the information you need to ensure your dog is protected.   

Symptoms of Roundworm 

In its early stages, roundworm is very hard to detect since your dog won’t show any physcial signs of illness. Your vet can test for the disease, or skilled vets can tell by observation. It is typical of heartworm to gestate for several months before affecting your dog. During this stage of the illness, the disease can easily be treated, but it is best when your dog is asymptomatic.       

A dog affected with heartworm will usually cough, and energy and weight loss are other common symptoms. The sick dog will appear to be weak and disinterested in activities and playtime. If you see these signs, take your dog to the veterinarian immediately as this can be roundworm or another serious illness.    

Diagnosis and Treatment of Roundworm 

A blood test is required to diagnose roundworm definitively, but it is a simple test that most vets can do easily.  The next step is to determine whether an early infestation is primarily female or male roundworm, which will decide early treatment.       

Once diagnosed, the treatment can start right away. In the later stages of infestation, extensive and costly treatments will be necessary. Roundworm can be treated with drugs and/or dialysis in order to be completely killed. This is hard on your dog’s internal system and can lead to weight loss and listlessness, especially if the worms start showing in the stool. After treatment, follow up treatments should occur for months to make sure that your dog is completely rid of roundworm.  

Another unfortunate effect of roundworm infection maybe organ damage.  Sadly, this can mean lifelong treatment for your pet resulting in frequent vet visits and high expenses.  It is crucial that you identify any roundworm infection early and the treatment is not delayed.  Again we remind you that prevention may be the very best treatment for roundworm.

When you have any sort of hunting dog, you should always keep in mind that you should always keep your dog’s health as top priority. There are also lots of different hunting dog supplies that you should have on hand for your dog such as dog training collars or dog collars.  

To roll over is one of the tricks you can teach your pet. A Maltese, a Shih Tzu and other toy breeds that can roll over would be entertaining sights but consider if you were able to teach a Great Dane or any other large breeds to do the trick.

Dogs need to have a well defined rank in a family unit because man’s best friends are pack animals. Dogs may want to be the pack leader but if it is not possible these animals would want to gain the good favors of the alpha male. To make training easier, a dog owner can take advantage of the dog’s willingness to please. Due to individual differences, a training method that worked for one dog may not be effective for another.

A dog owner can try using different methods to train the pet. It will be noticed that some dogs would prefer food motivation while others will be enticed to respond to the training by the master’s attention and lavish praise. To make training easier, a dog owner has to have an idea on the preferences of the pet.

A dog that already obeys the down command can be easily trained to roll over. If the dog is food motivated, using treats as rewards would make the training easier. After the dog has obeyed the down command, get the dog’s attention by showing the treat in your hand. Hold the treat near the dog’s nose and slowly bring the hand on the dog’s side and over its body. The dog wanting to get the treat would follow the hand with its head and in doing so would roll over. As soon as you see the dog trying to roll over, give the roll over command and allow the pet to have the treat. The dog may stand up to get the treat but you can stop the movement by bringing the hand holding the treat down over the dog’s lying body.

Repeat the training session whenever possible. Dogs get bored easily therefore the training must be enjoyable to get the interest of the pet. Teaching a dog to roll over and to do other tricks is not for an owner with no patience as teaching a dog would not be an easy task. Dogs cannot read people’s mind but a persistent pet owner can make the dog understand what must be done.

Sarah’s Dogs has more information on how to teach a dog to roll over as well as dog first aid.

The health and happiness of pets are in the hands of their owners, most importantly in making certain that they can be brought to the licensed Olrando vet’s office once in 12 months and they get enough exercise and food. Even with meticulous care for their pets, dog owners can’t still get away from the dog ailments that keep occurring from time to time. Enumerated here are some of the most probable ailments that dogs can acquire and that you should watch out for in your pet.

Dealing with Parvo, one of the most crucial diseases in dogs, is challenging for an Orlando vet. By attacking the intestines, this aggressive virus results in symptoms like loss of appetite, severe bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and depression. Luckily for dogs, they can get away from this condition by means of vaccination. If not vaccinated by an trustworthy Orlando veterinarian and a dog contracts the virus symptoms will appear within hours and death can occur in days.

Should a dog contract Distemper, it is a disease that is unfortunately incurable. However, it can be prevented with regular vaccinations at your local vet’s office. Unluckily, the rate of mortality of the disease is high that 50% of adult dogs die and 80% of puppies still end up dying even with a treatment from an Orlando veterinarian. What to watch out for are; symptoms like diarrhea, chest congestion, eye and nose discharges and coughing.

Dogs that are underfed, eat too quickly, or only eat one meal daily are likely to acquire the condition Twisted Stomach. Your licensed Olrando vet is immediately needed for this condition where the stomach basically twists on itself resulting for the blood supply towards the stomach to be impeded. This condition is exceedingly painful and can cause the quick death of the pet should the owner fail to submit their pet to a vet’s office for a surgical treatment. If caught promptly enough, surgical treatment by the doctor can help the dog survive the twisting but it is likely to suffer the same condition if proper measures are not taken.

Lastly, be cautious of Rabies or the best thing to do is get your dog vaccinated at the trustworthy Orlando veterinarian against this disease every three years to give them a long and happy life to live. There is still no known cure for Rabies and that is why contracting it is almost always associated with death. However, the effectiveness of the vaccine at preventing this condition is quite proven and to even more promote safety for your dog, keep them away from wild and other animals that manifest similar symptoms. Manifestations of Rabies are most of the time symptoms like violent behavior, excessive barking, irritability, and restlessness, fear of water, loss of motor control, behavior changes and fever, and that you can be warned about by your licensed Olrando vet.

By availing the proper treatment at your vet’s office, all those four conditions discussed above can be prevented. Vaccinations and proper care are sure ways to make your dog healthy and happy. An AMVA certified Orlando vet can help you by describing other methods of prevention for these and other diseases.

Don’t panic if you see your dog having a fit because a pet that can feel your nervousness would be more stressed. You will certainly panic if you see the pet having a fit as a seizure episode is not a pretty sight. Because you love your dog it is not impossible for you to panic if the pet is seen in throes of agonizing pain. It would be comforting for an owner to know that the dog actually does not feel any pain during a seizing episode. Dogs have the ability to sense what you feel thus your nervousness will not help calm the dog.

To help the pet, the best thing a pet owner can do is to keep a clear head. All other dogs and pets must be kept away from the seizing dog. This is to prevent other pets from attacking the seizing dog. In a seizing episode the dog will lose control of its movements.

As the dog can’t control its movements it will be your job to prevent the dog from being injured. The dog’s uncontrollable thrashing can cause heavy objects to fall on the dog or the dog can also fall from stairs thus it will be your job to ensure the safety of the pet. Slide the dog away from hard objects to prevent the head from being banged.

Seizing dogs cannot swallow their tongue and anyone reaching into the mouth can get bitten instead. The dog can’t swallow its tongue but the jaws that close and open involuntarily can cause the teeth to injure the tongue. The wounded tongue would make eating difficult for the pet. A damp strip of cloth placed loosely across the tongue with the ends held under the jaw will prevent the teeth from locking in on the tongue while the dog is fitting.

It is important to make the dog comfortable. Seizing dogs often lose control of their bladder. After a seizing episode the disoriented dog can slam into anything as often times hearing and vision are lost for a while. By placing a towel under the dog to soak the urine will prevent the dog from falling after the seizure. It would help if you can stay with the pet in a dimmed room until the seizure is over. Some seizure would last for seconds and other episodes that recur can last for minutes. Talk to the dog – your voice will calm the pet.

Sarah’s Dogs has more information about what to do if your dog has a seizure and first aid for dogs.

Dogs get injured and minor injuries that do not require veterinary attention has to attended to by the pet owner. Dog are very energetic animals. As such, dogs are often injured. The dogs injuries can result from dog fights. Dogs trailing a prey would run at top speed and enter thorny thickets. Dogs run very fast and a screeching sound can be practically heard when they try to break the momentum. Every dog owner will be faced with the need to deal with the injuries sustained by the pet. Dogs would limp because of thorns embedded on the paws. Dogs can be injured by sharp tree branches. Dogs sustain various injuries and the pet would be lucky if an accident only results to minor abrasion.

Abrasion is a minor scrape on the outer layer of the dog’s skin. Abrasion occurs in dogs but it is not a common injury as the skin is protected by fur . Dogs though are very active animals and it would not be unheard of if the top layer of the skin gets injured from being rubbed against hard and rough surfaces. Abrasion happens when the skin is rubbed against rough surfaces such as a gravel road or a rocky surface so that the upper layer of the skin is scraped. A dog that was hit by a speeding car will be thrown or dragged along the road. A dog’s neck can have abraded skin is the collar is tightly fitted. The superficial damage to the skin can be caused by the dog’s self mutilation. External parasite infestation and boredom will make the dog persistently gnaw and lick until the upper layer of the skin is abraded.

Abrasion is usually not a serious health concern. Abraded skin normally does not bleed heavily as the subcutaneous layer of the skin is normally not damaged. Normally, abrasions do not result to scarring as the subcutaneous layers of the skin are not affected. First aid treatment for abrasion will be necessary to prevent the wound from getting infected. To save the dog from pain associated with abrasion the dog has to have first aid treatment.

First aid treatment must be administered to the abraded skin of the dog. The fur around the wound must be clipped. This must be done to prevent infection and to speed up the healing process. The wound must be thoroughly cleaned with saline solution. If none is available a solution can be made by dissolving a teaspoon of salt in 2 cups of water. Make sure that all the foreign materials are removed from the wound.

An antibiotic cream can be applied to the wound three times a day. Leave small abrasions unbandaged. However, abrasions on the feet have to be protected with a non-stick dressing to prevent infection from setting in.

Find out more about abrasions and first aid for dogs at Sarah’s Dogs.

If you have ever owned a dog, you have had this problem . Your dog is so euphoric to see you that he jumps up on you getting hisdirty paws all over your new cloths . Or even worse, during his excitement he jumps on a little child and pushes them down or scratches the child’s face, arms or legs.  This might be your fault . Let me explain:

When your dog was a puppy, he was much smaller and he would come running and jump up on you or perhaps your knee, no big deal right? And in response to your little bundle of joy, you would reach down and pet him, maybe even pick him up.

Your puppy has just learned a valuable moral, jumping up is a good thing. It’s a great way to get positive affection . Your dog doesn’t understand the difference between a small, cute little puppy and in a matter of a few months he is now a bigger adult dog with the mass and power to be able to take down a small adult man . All he knows is “jumping gets me love.”

<b> Why do dogs jump? </b>

Most often dogs jump out of extreme excitement. Such as, seeing you after a long absents (coming home from work) or during high energy playtime.

On the other hand, if he jumps in a variety of situations, you could be dealing with more of a dominance issue and symptoms of a more complicated problem of communication and attitude. The longer this type of behavior is allowed to happen the harder it will be to regain control of the jumping issues. At this point and time I would highly suggest that you study alpha-dog techniques.

How you react to your dog jumping on you and others will determine whether or not he repeats this behavior. You will have to make a commitment to continuing effort and consistency in dealing with this problem. To stop dog jumping you have to make it clear to your dog that it is never acceptable to jump on you or anyone.

This means that you must fallow your stop jumping techniques always. You can’t ask? your dog to understand the difference between playtime and greetings, nice cloths and play cloths, showery days or sunny days. If you let your dog jump at anytime, he will feel free to jump whenever he feels like it.

Most professional trainers agree that the most effective way is also the easiest way to stop unwanted behavior (such as jumping) in your dog is to ignore him whenever he jumps. No need to yell or correct, although that is usually the first thing that comes to mind when your dog just ruined another pair of nylons or scratch one of your children. You must ignore the bad behavior.

When your dog goes to jump on you, turn your back on him right away. Dogs understand body language much more than the spoken word. So, what you need to do here is use your posture to get your message though loud and clear. As soon as he gets his paws back on the ground, reward him with praise. If he gets excited again and goes to jump, turn your back, head and eyes away from him (the cold shoulder). You can repeat this cycle several times in a matter of seconds. Don’t concern yourself with confusing your dog because they can only comprehend your reaction to their given behavior at that moment. Continue this training technique for the next several days and soon your dog will stop jumping on you.

Worms in dogs are a common problem in the UK. They can lead to ill health and distress in our pets and can re-infest them at any time. All over the world there are many types of worms in dogs and in the UK we are fortunate enough to have to deal primarily with only two. These are the tapeworm and the roundworm.

Roundworms cause difficulties when they are passed from one dog to another and more so when most puppies are born with an infestation. This type of worm resembles short lengths of spaghetti. Mature worms live in the dog’s intestines and feed on the contents. This results in your dog’s dinner being shared as worms feed on its partially digested food. Depending on the severity of the infestation, dozens of worms could be present at any one time. Of course, it follows that a dogs which is being forced to share its food with large numbers of parasites will become malnourished. Severe infestations can lead to loss of energy and a dull coat. The dog may also suffer with diarrhoea and vomiting. In puppies, roundworms can cause delays in growth and distended abdomens. If a puppy with roundworm is left without treatment he or she could die from intestinal blockage. It is of course important to note that many infestations of worms in dogs are symptomless. Regular worming treatment should still be used.

In adult dogs, the larvae of the worms move around the body until they settle in cysts in the muscles. Even worming treatment cannot eliminate the larvae when it has formed a cyst in a muscle. The larvae can remain inactive in the dog’s body until they reawaken during a time of stress. They will normally reactivate when the dog is pregnant and migrate to the womb to infest the puppies. This is why it is important to worm all puppies.

Worms in dogs are a problem that can actually affect humans as well. Children are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to come into contact with worm eggs in contaminated soil or sand whilst playing. The worm larvae can migrate though the human body and can lead to permanent damage to the eye sight if they settle at the back of the retina. Regular treatment for worms in dogs is therefore vital to protect the health of the entire family.

Gee, my dog is licking my face again. Of course I love my baby but her wet sloppy kisses as well as the raspy tongue that laves my nose, face, ears with her icky drool is a less than pleasant show of affection. Licking is a normal behavior of dogs but with the way my pet is licking me every time it gets the chance, this pooch is probably the world’s greatest licker.

Licking is a habit learned by dogs from puppyhood. Mother dogs would lick the puppies clean. The mother dog would lick the pups after they have defecated and urinated. Experts tell us that mother dogs would instinctively lick puppies to aid their digestion and circulation processes. Puppies that want to nurse would lick the mother dog. Puppies that are about to be weaned would lick the lips of the dam as an encouragement to regurgitate food. Obviously, the most common reason for licking is to show affection. The instinctive licking of the mother dog to a pup that has crawled away is a visible sign of affection. Puppies would lick not only the dam but also their siblings.

Dogs would normally show their affection by licking. Dogs that have closely bonded with their owners consider humans as their family. Humans become the family of the dog thus, the licking that is a manifestation of affection will now be given to the family. The dog licks you because you are now his family. It will be noted that dogs that do not receive the same care and affection from their owners would not have the inclination to lick their owners.

Dogs are pack animals. You may have made your dog understand that you are the alpha male – the leader of the pack. Your pet recognizes you as the leader of the pack because licking is a sign of submission. Dogs are known to lick the master to gain attention or approval. Dogs in a household with more pets often manifest the need to secure the affection of the master. The pets would vie with each other for the attention of the master.

Licking though can be a less than pleasant habit of a pet that also has the inclination to eat feces and other things considered disgusting by humans. Dogs also have an unaccountable fondness for the water in toilet bowls. Because of these habits, the pet would not think you do not value its affection by trying to curb its licking behavior.