If you have a dog, it's likely that he knows a lot more about you than you know about him. He has been closely monitoring your daily habits.

If you doubt that, tell me how he knows that when you grab your car keys and your wallet you are about to go for a ride.

Dogs readily discover if you are sad, mad, cranky or in a good mood and ready to play. They also seem to know when it's family mealtime and the time and place when it's time to turn in for the night.

He's learned much about you but have you spent any time learning about him? More than likely his behaviors are still mostly a mystery to you. Yet it's fairly easy to learn if you put your mind to it.

Barking serves many different purposes. Sometimes it is used to repel and sometimes to attract. Some barking styles indicate, go away, whereas others can be interpreted to mean, Im over here, where the heck are you? Even the most inexperienced of dog watchers will notice that dogs have a variety of different types of barking ranging from the muted woof of appreciation, to the sharp pitched yelp of alarm, to a the loud string of angry barks indicating aggression.

Nineteenth century British behaviorist, Sir John Lubbock, noted that a dog's bark is an attempt to mimic the human voice. He pointed out that wild dogs do not bark. Neither do their cousins the wolves, the coyotes, nor any other member of the canine family that has not heard humans speak or the barking of domestic dogs.

There is a world of difference between a bark and a growl. When a dog barks he raises his head leaving the vulnerable throat area exposed. It is definitely not a battle cry. However, when he growls he lowers his head, protecting his throat, indicating that he's ready for an impending fight.

So... when you're walking up the path to a house and the family dog comes racing out barking loudly, you are most likely in no danger. However, if he advances toward you growling, with his head lowered and his tail rigid, then look out - there's trouble ahead.

If you stand absolutely still with your hands on your chest not one barking dog in ten will actually bite. However, if you make threatening gestures, or if you turn and run, your chances of one or more bites are extremely high. A strange dogs growl should never be disregarded by anyone who values his skin.

Posted under Dogs

During pregnancy the bitch must have plenty of exercise, without taxing her strength, and plenty of minerals and vitamins in her diet. About a month before the expected arrival of the puppies you may give the bitch a mild worming cure as the puppies may become infected by parasites while still inside the mother's body. Naturally all must be made ready for the whelping. The bitch usually gives birth in a whelping box. The sides must not be too high, so that the pregnant bitch can enter it easily; nor should they be so low that the puppies can fall out.

Naturally the bitch must be of the required age. An expert from vow particular hired club will advise you and help you to select the most maw. Most countries have different rules and regulations concerning, do is and their breeding, and it is recommended that you seek Kennel or breed society advice as to the conditions you must fulfill.

Sometimes the bitch may get an attack of convulsions several days, or as soon as several hours, after the arrival of the puppies. This is called eclampsia and is caused by a sudden drop in the level of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. In such a Case the bitch must he given a calcium injection immediately.

The most suitable time to take the bitch to the dog is usually between the ninth and thirteenth day of this period. The exact time depends not only on the age of the bitch but also varies according to the individual. The bitch is always taken to the dog for mating and not the other way round. (In a strange environment a dog is often more interested in his surroundings than in a bitch.)

After the dog has mounted the bitch the two remain locked in position for some time because the dog's penis is swollen and can only be withdrawn from the vagina after it has returned to its normal size. Pregnancy lasts 58-65 days - you can count on an average of 63 days. Twenty days after mating the fertilised eggs become embedded in the lining of the womb and the placentas through which they receive nourishment are formed.

In the sixth week give the puppies oatmeal or rice gruel together with ground or finely minced meat and vegetables. By the seventh week or at the latest the eighth week, the puppies should already be accustomed to solid food and the mother will stop nursing altogether. In breeds where the standard specifies that the tail be docked it is necessary to ask your vet to do this when the puppies are only two or three days old.

Posted under Dogs

There are many questions you need to ask when considering adopting your companion. After all, a dog is a lifetime commitment:

A. When was the puppy whelped?

B. How long will it be before you can take your dog home? Your dog needs to be at least eight weeks old before they can be taken to their new home.

C. Do they have some kind of waiting list? Most breeders that are worthy will have a waiting list for their canines.

D. Have the puppies receive their first shots and have they been examined? The puppy should receive their basic veterinary care at the initial home.

E. Does the breeder require the dogs to be fixed? Good breeders will require pet quality dogs to be altered.

F. Did previous litters suffer any genetic diseases? If so, what type of genetic diseases were present?

G. What return policy if any? A good breeder will always allow you to bring the puppies back to her home.

H. How long have they been breeding this particular dog breed? A breeder should have a few years experience. By asking this question you maybe able to weed out back yard breeders.

I. Ask how many breeds they are currently breeding? A breeder that is legitimate does not breed more than two different dog breeds. If they breed more than two dog breeds you could be supporting a puppy mill.

J. How many time a year is the dog bred? A breeder that is good will only breed their dog one time a year.

Posted under Dogs