Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
The German Shepherd Origin and History - A Dog in a Class by Itself
The German Shepherd dog breed has its origin in the late 1800s when Max von Stephanitz from Germany began developing a breed that would later become the dog we know today as the German Shepherd.Von Stephanitz desired to produce a dog breed that could be utilized as an all-around working dog.
Developed from various farm and herding dogs of his time, von Stephanitz's original German Shepherd was derived from a herding dog he acquired in 1899, and he and his friend Artur Meyer formed the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde which was the first club in the German Shepherd dog breed history. This club and von Stephanitz kept tight control over the breed until his death in 1936.
He determined which dogs would be used to breed based on how well they did in various shows and trials that were the precursor to the Schutzhund tests still performed today. His main criteria for judging a dog's success were both its usefulness coupled with its intelligence. Von Stephanitz also promoted the utility of the breed to the German government for work in both the police and the military as well as other all-purpose uses as a working dog breed.
German Shepherd Breed History
Following the creation of the German Shepherd breed by von Stephanitz in the early 1900s, the breed's popularity soon soared and became one of Germany's most popular dogs. Serving in both World War I and II, the German Shepherd was a favorite military dog, primarily in Germany, but American and British soldiers were also impressed by the breed and brought the dog home following both wars.
In fact, one of the most popular German Shepherds dogs was Rin Tin Tin, originally from France, and brought to America by an American GI following the first world war. Rin Tin Tin went on to make 26 movies until his death in 1932 and contributed to the breed's enormous popularity.
In addition to its use in the police and military arenas, German Shepherds have a history of usefulness in other areas, is known as a successful show dog and has been a popular family pet. German Shepherds were the first dogs used as seeing eye dogs in the late 1920s and Helen Keller, an avid dog lover, owned a couple of German Shepherds.
The first German Shepherd Club in America was formed in 1913 and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908. Instantly recognizable, the German Shepherd continues to be a popular dog breed, and the German Shepherd is continually in the top five most popular registered breeds as determined by the AKC.
German Shepard History and Origin information found at Large Dog Breeds.com. German Shepard profiles and history related know-how are added weekly within our expanding library of large dog breed material.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Border Collie - Is This The Dog Breed You Want?
Are you thinking about getting a border collie? This dog makes a great pet as long as he has lots of work to do. The border collie was bred to herd animals and that is what it will want to do. It may even start herding your kids or your other pets!
The border collie originally comes from Northumberland which is on the English/Scottish border. It is a descendant of the old British droving breeds but also has some spaniel in it. This dog is an incredible herder; it can handle any type of herd. The border collie will crouch down on the ground and give the animals an intense stare. Herding isn't all this dog is used for though. It is used for drug and bomb detection as well as search and rescue. Some are even used as seeing-eye dogs.
The border collie is one of the most trainable dogs out of all the breeds. They commonly perform in obedience, Frisbee, flyball and agility trials. If you get this dog, physical exercise will not be enough. They need something for their mind to do as well as their body. They want to work and carry out tasks. This is an extremely energetic dog.
This dog is also one of the most intelligent breeds. They are really easy to train and do the best if you give them lots of praise. When the dog is young it needs to be socialized a lot so that it doesn't become shy. Most border collies will get along fine with children and other dogs. If you get this dog it will need almost constant attention, lots of daily exercise and a task for it to do. This dog lives for serving its owner and will not just lie around the house all day doing nothing. If this breed gets bored, they can become destructive while it looks for something to do.
If you live in an apartment you definitely should not get this dog. They need to have lots of room to run and play. Also, this dog should never be left alone for a long time or they can become neurotic. You can't just ignore this breed; they need attention all the time.
Border collies are usually pretty healthy but some are prone to PRA, hip dysplasia, eye disease, allergies to fleas, epilepsy and deafness. Most live to be around twelve to fifteen years old.
The border collie needs to be brushed and combed regularly to keep its coat healthy. You have to be careful though when their undercoat sheds. They are considered to be an average shedder. Only give them baths when it is necessary.
The most important thing to remember with this dog is that it must have something to do. If you don't provide activities for the dog, you will run into problems. If you give the dog a task, make sure it gets lots of exercise and give it plenty of attention, you will have a great pet. The border collie absolutely loves to make its owner happy.
Friday, July 18, 2008
New Puppy Care
Getting a new puppy into a family home is a big decision that should come with a lot of considerations. This is because new puppy care is not all that easy and it involves everyone in the household.
The first thing that a family should do before getting the new puppy that they want for their home is to decide on what dog breed they want. Although new puppy care is basically the same no matter what breed of dog they are, a family wouldn't want to get one that would grow into becoming a big dog, especially if they feel that they could not give the same attention and care that they gave it when it was younger. So, when a new puppy is brought home it would probably be some 8 weeks old because this is usually the age when breeders would allow these pups to be separated from their mother. Taking care of a puppy at this age would always call for a warm room where there is an equally warm place for him to sleep on. Before getting a puppy, a family should make sure that they have everything ready for it, like the place where the puppy should stay all day long, the place where could eat and play and where he is supposed to go when nature calls.
Another important thing that should be remembered by any family when it comes to new puppy care is the fact that a puppy needs to have moments of socialization. This is puppy need is regardless the breed that a family finally opted on. It is very important for a puppy to be socialized so that he will be able to adapt to all kinds of things while he is still young. As he grows, a puppy will be fine with anything that a family will expose him to like playtime at the park or the pool or walking with kids or other pups his age, as long as he was initiated to this at a younger age. This practically means that if a family wants their puppy to be generally well-behaved around babies and children as well as with other animals, then he should already have had socialized with them even when he was still as young as eight weeks.
Keeping a puppy healthy and safe is also another new puppy care tip that should be observed by families getting one. This includes bringing the puppy to the vet regularly for his check-ups and for medications if needed. Vets will also be giving advices as to the proper amount and right kind of food to be given a puppy and what types of exercises will he need. Advices will also be given as to the schedules of flea and deworming treatments and vaccinations. Another thing that a family should look into when getting a new puppy is giving their new family member the right amount of loving care. Puppies always thrive better when they are loved by everyone.
Getting a Dog Has Health Benefits
Dogs have long been thought of as man's best friend, but there may be other benefits as well. Did you know that owning a dog can benefit your health, too?
Medical professionals have conducted many studies and have determined that a dog owner can benefit in several different ways by having a pet:
1) Cardiovascular health is improved - Blood pressure and cholesterol levels have been found to be lower in people who own a dog versus other people. This fact alone decreases the risk for cardiovascular disease. A New York State University study has even determined that the benefits continue even when the pet is not with them. Stockbrokers with hypertension were tested in this study that concluded that owning a pet can decrease blood pressure.
Blood cholesterol levels may be lower for dog owners, too. Fifty-four hundred people were in the study conducted by Baker Medical Research Institute of Australia that concluded that people who own a pet do not only have lower blood pressure, but also have decreased levels of blood triglycerides and cholesterol when compared to people who do not pets.
2) Higher survival rates and faster treatment recovery time - Senior citizens who were recuperating from surgery or treatment were found to respond better to treatment when they were in contact with therapy animals in hospital studies. Even something as simple as petting a dog can make a patient more relaxed and be therapeutic in healing and recovery.
If recovering from a serious illness, dog owners are more likely to survive. Even pet owners who have suffered a heart attack are more likely to still be living after a year than people who do not have a pet. One New York study found that in some cases a pet affected survival rates even more than a patient's friends and family.
3) Fewer doctor's visits - Cambridge and UCLA studies have determined that pet owners also make fewer visits to the doctor and hospital because of their overall improved health. A Medicare study agreed with these findings when conducting their own study on elderly patients. They found that elderly patients who own a pet visit the doctor less than the elderly patients who don't have a pet.
4) Increased mental health - Dog owners have been found to be more stable mentally and emotionally than their non-pet counterparts. Pets offer patients love and affection unconditionally, as well as help to reduce loneliness in sick or ill patients who are not able to leave their homes. Stress of fighting a disease is even diminished in pet owners some studies say.
A dog does not just offer you fun and love, you also get health benefits that are far reaching. Why wouldn't you want a dog?
Dog Training Tips - Potty Training a Dog
When learning how to potty train a dog you must first realize that you have to be prepared to continue training your pet all the way through. You need to be committed. Also, you should have a leash and a designated area for going to the bathroom. It should only take about two weeks to have a routine established but if you are training a dog that already has bad habits it could take up to five or six weeks.
Make sure your puppy is completely healthy because urinary tract infections and parasites can prevent you from being able to house train your dog. The area that you choose should be outside and it doesn't have to be somewhere too specific but it can be if you wish. When potty training a dog, your attitude and presence is perhaps the most important factor. You must be assertive and dominant. YOU are the leader of the pack, remember dogs are pack animals like wolves and they need a leader to follow. If you become that leader, they will constantly want your acceptance. Let your dog know when he/she does something wrong. Do not hit your dog! You can not be the source of pain, you just need to let him know you're unhappy with him/her.
And the opposite side of the coin is also important. When your dog does the right thing and shows that he/she wants to please you, give it praise. Potty training is a great foundation for the rest of the training your dog will undergo in the future.
Dog Obedience Collars
Just like there are many types of dog training, there are many types of dog obedience collars. It is very important when choosing a dog obedience collar that you do your research and find out which type is best for you and the temperament of the dog you are training. Here is a review of several types of collars to help you in making a decision as to which type of dog obedience collar is best for you.
- Choke Collar - This is usually made out of links of chain. It is also sometimes called a slip collar. It is designed so that when the dog tugs on the leash or the handler gives a slight tug on the leash to tighten and cause a choking effect on the dog's neck. This collar is designed to be used with only slight tugs. It is very easy to correct too hard and injure your dog. Long term damage has even been reports. It is imperative that if you use this type of collar that you get proper training.
- Prong Collar - This is a chain collar made out of sharp metal prongs. When tension is put on the leash from either the dog pulling or the owned initiating a correction, the prongs dig into your dogs skin. It has been said that the correction from this collar more imitates the correction a puppy receives from his mother. Similar to the choke collar, it is easy to cause permanent damage to your dog if not used correctly. It is important that you again get proper training when using this collar.
- Head Collar (also called a Gentle Leader or Halti). This collar has straps that go around the dogs muzzle and also around the back of their head. Although it resembles a muzzle, it does not restrain your dog in any way. They can still bark, eat and drink. The head collar is designed to help control your dog's forward motion. When they charge forward, tension on the collar causes the dog to turn his head back towards you. This collar is very good for dogs that pull. This is one of the recommended collars of humane society organizations.
- Harness - This type of collar really isn't a collar as it goes around a dog's chest. While it is good for puppies or a dog you need to be gentle with, you have very little control with this type of device. The leash attachment ring is on your dog's back.
- Easy Walk Harness - This is a different type of harness that gives you very good control. This collar is designed to help with leash pulling. The leash attachment is at the front of the harness on the dog's chest. It has a martingale loop that helps redirect your dog's forward motion. This collar is now recommended by many humane society organizations.
- Electronic Collars (or shock collars) - With this collar, the handler is able to administer a small electric shock to the dog with a remote control. The intensity of the shock can be adjusted. Again, this type of collar requires that the handler consult a professional trainer as this type of collar can cause great trauma to a dog that he may never recover from.
When choosing a dog obedience collar, be sure to do your research. There are many new and innovative collars on the market today that make the task of training your dog much more pleasant for you and your dog and get better results.