Basics Health Feeding Mating / Pregnancy Behaviour Grooming Products Links
Basics ————————————————————————————————————————-
Dogs are popular household pets because they provide companionship, loyalty, and love, to people of all ages.
Acquiring a dog means taking responsibility for it for 10-12 years (the average age most dogs live until).
There are two categories of dogs, crossbreed and pedigree.
Crossbreed dogs come about through the breeding of dogs of different breeds whereas pedigree dogs come about through the breeding of dogs of the same breed.
Crossbreed dogs can generally be acquired for free; pedigree dogs must normally be purchased (there may also be a waiting list).
Crossbreed dogs are more popular than pedigree ones and account for the vast majority of domestic dog pets.
Male dogs tend to be independent and strong willed whereas female dogs (called ‘bitches’) are affectionate and sociable.
The larger the dog, the more: it costs to feed; exercise it requires; difficult it is to control and handle.
Health ————————————————————————————————————————-
It’s your responsibility to ensure that your dog: is vaccinated; receives veterinary care when it gets sick or injured; is free of worms and fleas; is within a sensible weight range.
Your dog should see a vet at least once a year for an examination and annual shots.
Initial vaccinations are usually first given to dogs at six to ten weeks of age.
Booster vaccinations are required throughout the lifetime of your dog.
Illness in dogs is often first characterised by a failure to eat or drink.
Dental problems are a common reason for dogs being taking to veterinary clinics.
Foaming at the mouth, muscle tremors, staggering or an inability to stand, are signs that your dog needs to see a vet immediately.
Fleas and ticks are a problem for dogs; they cause severe itching and inflammation of the skin.
The occurrence of fleas and ticks is dependent on the type of area you live in and how much contact your dog has with other animals.
Insecticidal powders or washes, rub-on ointments and special collars can be used to prevent and remove fleas and ticks.
If your dog is constantly scratching at its ears, or shaking it’s head, it may have ear mites.
Dogs can be infected with several types of worms; some can be treated at home whereas others require veterinary attention.
Always be very wary of giving your dog medication that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian specifically for your dog.
You can judge your dog's weight by its ribs; if they’re clearly visible, it’s too thin, and if they’re difficult to find by touch, it’s overweight.
Special foods / supplements / dietary schedules are available from vets to correct weight issues with dogs.
Indications that your dog is healthy: agility; clean and glossy coat; clear eyes; good appetite; quickly responsive to sounds; quiet and even breathing; stamina.
Feeding ———————————————————————————————————————–
Dogs require a properly balanced diet; it should include protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
Feeding your dog a range of meat (raw, cooked or canned) and dry food ensures that all of its nutritional needs are met.
Most canned and dried dog foods include added vitamins and minerals to specifically meet your dogs dietary requirements.
Canned foods that combines meat, vegetables and cereal are recommended.
Some dry foods are formulated to be a complete diet; these are an excellent and easy way of feeding your dog.
Don't automatically use a whole can / packet of food per meal; instead follow the guidelines stated on the food packaging.
Feed your dog in the same place every time; it should be a quiet, out of the way location.
Two small meals a day, at set intervals, is better than leaving a full bowl of food out all day.
Leave your dog’s meat meals out for a set period of time (15 to 30 minutes), and then take them away until the next feeding time.
Allow your dog access to a plate of dry food throughout the day.
Teach your dog at an early age to accept a variety of foods / brands.
It’s advisable that you buy premium brand dog food; doing so will likely extend the life of your dog.
Dogs like bones, especially raw ones; they’re also a useful aid in maintaining mouth / dental hygiene.
Avoid feeding your dog meat with small bones in it as they can get stuck in its throat.
Don't feed your dog: alcoholic beverages; chocolate; coffee; moldy or spoiled food; poultry bones; salt & salty foods.
A healthy treat in addition to your dog’s regular food is a useful training tool; however, limit them to a few a day.
Limiting between-meal extras is essential to keeping your dog within a healthy weight range.
Your dog must have access to fresh water at all times, with the water in their bowl being changed daily.
Mating / Pregnancy —————————————————————————————————
Common signs that your dog is looking for a partner to breed with are: wandering off; increased urination; vaginal bleeding (females); increased aggression / excitability (males).
Female dogs can conceive (called ‘on heat’) at certain stages in their yearly reproductive cycle; these periods generally occur twice a year and last for 3 weeks.
A female dog on heat that’s been left unattended with a male dog is very likely to be pregnant.
Signs that your dog is pregnant: abdominal enlargement; increased appetite; swollen nipples; possible vomiting.
The pregnancy period for a dog lasts approximately 2 months.
Dogs can give birth up to 2 times a year.
A dog can give birth to up to 8 puppies in one pregnancy; though this varies greatly between dog breeds.
Most veterinarians and animal-welfare organisations strongly recommend sterilising / de-sexing dogs.
By sterilising your dog, you’re preventing it from contributing to the problematic overpopulation of dogs.
It's advisable that female dogs be spayed (removal of the ovaries and uterus), and male dogs neutered (removal of the testicles), by six months of age.
Spaying a female dog means unwanted pregnancies can’t occur; it also reduces the chance of infections and breast cancer.
Neutering a male dog means reduced wandering off and less fighting with other male dogs.
Sterilised dogs tend to live longer, healthier lives than sexually active ones.
Dogs not focused on finding a mate are generally more affectionate towards their owners.
Behaviour ——————————————————————————————————————-
Dogs become friendlier if they’re treated with kindness and understanding; they need to be shown that you can be trusted.
Dogs don’t instinctively know what behaviours are right or wrong; it’s up to you to teach them.
Dogs learn through positive reinforcement; say a firm 'no' for bad behaviour and stroke them or give them a treat for good behaviour.
Dogs associate words with tone of voice and gestures; repetition and time being necessary for them to learn what you're asking / telling them.
Puppies are relatively quick to learn new behaviours whereas older dogs take much longer (or may not learn at all).
Dogs have to be trained where to go to the toilet; this could takes a few days to a few weeks.
To housetrain a dog, regularly take them to the appropriate toileting spot and wait until they relieve themselves; when they do, reward them with your attention or a treat.
Basic commands to teach your dog: sit; stay; come; down; heel; leave it.
Take time to study your dogs body language; doing so will bring you closer together.
Dogs need time to adapt to changes of location or people; this can take from a few hours to a few days.
A dog may feel nervous or uncomfortable around people because of previous bad experiences with other people.
A dog may become antagonised if it’s repeatedly: picked up; roughly touched; woken from sleeping; coerced into playing.
Never force your dog to be physically close to a person or another animal.
Most common undesirable behaviours by dogs: excessive barking; running off; snapping.
Signs that your dog is bored: chewing; digging holes; running off with items; destroying plants.
How to keep your dog busy and occupied: interesting toys; lying / sitting with them; regular play-times; walks; training sessions.
Dogs love to play; it’s an excellent source of both mental and physical stimulation for them.
Dogs need to take exercise; this can take the form of walking, running or playing.
For daily exercise, your dog could need anything from a run in your back garden to two 30 minutes walks; how much it needs being dependent on its breed, sex and age.
Ideally, your dog should be taken to open areas where it can be let off the leash to run free.
All exercise, even that taken off the leash, should be supervised, and your dog should always be kept within calling distance.
Feeding, grooming, playing and walking with your dog are the best ways to bond with it.
Grooming ——————————————————————————————————————-
Dogs groom themselves but they still need regular assistance with it.
A dog which is dirty or smells should be bathed (using water and shampoo); this will likely be necessary a few times a year.
All dogs shed / lose hair throughout the year; this is a natural process.
Brush medium or long haired dogs on a weekly basis to prevent matts or tangles from forming; short haired dogs can be brushed bi-weekly.
Check inside your dogs ears every week; if you see a waxy residue, wipe it off with a moistened cotton ball (don't use a cotton swab / bud).
Use a soft washcloth, or square of cotton material, dipped in water to wash your dog’s eyes.
To wash your dog’s eyes: hold it’s head; dab the cloth in water; wipe the damp cloth gently across it’s lower eyelid (not directly on it’s eyeball); wipe clean the residue on the cloth; repeat the process.
A dogs claws / nails should just touch the floor when they walk; if they grow any longer they should be trimmed.
To trim your dogs claws: use special clippers; use one rapid motion; cut straight across the claw; trim off the clear, curved part of the claw; avoid trimming near the thicker, base of the claw.
Use a soft-bristled tooth brush and veterinary toothpaste to brush your dog’s teeth on a weekly basis (30 seconds per session).
To brush your dogs teeth: let it lick the toothpaste from your finger; run your finger along the gums of it’s upper teeth; add more toothpaste to the toothbrush; angle the toothbrush slightly up; make small circling actions along the gum lines.
If your dog doesn’t like being groomed, break grooming sessions down into short 5 minutes sessions.
Products ———————————————————————————————————————
Items needed by dog owners include: bed / kennel; brush / comb; collar; food dish; ID tag; leash; waste removal bags; water bowl.
If your dog is sleeping indoors it will require a basket, bed or box to sleep in; this should be located in a quiet area of the house.
If your dog is sleeping outdoors it will require a kennel / dog house; this should be: draught free; dry; near the house; off the ground; warm.
Blankets, cushions, or strips of clean newspaper are suitable as bedding for your dog.
Stainless steel food / water bowls are preferable to plastic ones as they can’t be chewed.
Dogs should wear a collar and an identification tag; providing these significantly increases the chance of them being returned if lost.
A correctly fitting collar should allow you to fit two fingers between it and your dog.
In addition to a collar and ID tag, it’s advisable to have your dog micro-chipped; this is a harmless procedure which permanently links pets to their owners.
Adjustable length dog leashes are preferable to fixed length ones.
If your dog defecates on the sidewalk, or any other public place, then use waste removal bags to dispose of it; failure to do so is unethical and may result in you being legally prosecuted.
The best dog toys are those which it can chew; don’t buy ones which are small enough for it to swallow or which can break / split into pieces.
Basics Health Feeding Mating / Pregnancy Behaviour Grooming Products Links
www.dogs.about.com : A to Z of dog breeds. Dog food and nutrition. Dog mating, pregnancy and birth.
www.animal.discovery.com : Dog anatomy. Selecting a dog. Preparing a house for a dog.
www.sniksnak.com : Dog behaviour. Dog Health.
www.petplace.com : How to train a dog. Range of articles on dogs. Pictures of dogs.