bunch of blogs: Pets and Animals

There are lots of dog lovers clubs in the US that offer a lot more for both the dog lovers and their dogs. Here are some of them.
The American Kennel Club has a dog lovers section called “For the Love of the Purebred Dog”. This article is more than a canine purebred section. It is dedicated to living at home with dogs. This dog club gives informative and educational materials pertaining to pet care, training, nutrition and a lot more. It also includes funny stories, art, pet history and the more popular Companion Animal Recovery method. There are also more popular sites like the dog breeds and events page.
The American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration or (AMBOR) on the other hand was created in 1983 with the objective of taking into accounts the perseverance and accolades in obedience contests of mix breed dogs and handlers. This dog lovers club also gives support and inspiration to dog handlers.
Important Information for Members:
1. Mixed-breeds
Unlimited full membership is open to handlers and owners of mixed-breed dogs as long as the pet is spayed and nails are cut. There should be front and side photo shots of the dog that will be included in the application. This is the ticket to all the obedience and agility programs, automatic tabulation in the agility and obedience nationwide ranking system. This also includes a given eligibility for the annual awards.
This achievement will be given honor in AMBOR highlights (AMBOR’S newsletter) and on the website. The member will be eligible to any agility and obedience national competition in the future. Dogs with assigned numbers are marked as purebred and should be enlisted as a purebred. Also, dogs that are listed as mixed-breeds that are given a number based on the owner’s application causes its membership to be changed to a status of a purebred.
2. Purebreds
Purebred dogs can be listed with AMBOR with a rule that entry is limited to the AMBOR-supported agility program. All dogs that are purebred, listed with AMBOR and exhibits AMBOR-supported programs on agility will have competition points monitored and there will be an automatic issuance of certificates.
Dogs that are purebred and listed with AMBOR are not qualified to be a part of the agility and obedience scoring systems. They will also not be included in the website on highlights and not qualified for any mixed-breeds national competition in the future.
Handlers that register to the AMBOR-supported trials on agility should put their AMBOR number on the form at the club’s entrance so that competition points will be monitored.

Dogs, aside from being his best friend has also served man in so many useful and varied ways – from shepherding, to cattle rustling, to rescue, and protecting property.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that they also are able to assist those who cannot get about by themselves. Assistance dogs are specially trained dogs that serve to complement, assist, and aid those that may have some sort of limitation. They have also become indispensable to some who have difficulty with mobility due to some disability.
Below are a few ways dogs have truly become man’s best friend as assistance dogs.
Guide Dogs:
When you mention assistance dogs, this is the first function they perform that comes to mind. These types of dogs help those who have visual impairment and help them move about conveniently. They help these people cross roads, climb stairs, and find their way around a place. They are usually able to help these people manage even potentially hazardous areas.
Hearing Dogs:
These dogs assist those that have hearing impairment, and are specially trained to nudge their owners when they hear certain noises such as telephone rings, doorbells, and horns among others.
Mobility Assist Dog:
These friendly canines pull wheelchairs, and carry light equipment for their owners in their backpacks. These amazing dogs assist those who cannot move around easily to at least find convenience moving around an area.
Seizure Alert/Response Dog:
These dogs are trained to hit a button that contacts 911 in case of a seizure or cardiac attack. Operators are advised in advance that calls coming from this line are activated by dogs. In turn, they alert paramedics on a possible emergency situation. As with most assistance dogs, they do not leave their owner’s side and are constantly alert and observant.
Psychiatric Service Dog:
These dogs provide an emotional security blanket to those who may have mental illnesses and phobias. They also help autistic people stay focused. These dogs never leave their owner’s side and provide steady, reliable companionship to their owners.
Combo Dogs
These dogs are a hybrid combination of the above mentioned assistance dog types. They are trained to assist those with multiple disabilities or needs. Although their jobs may seem quite advanced, they do accomplish their tasks consistently.
Assistance dogs serve a vital part of many people’s lives. They are not only ‘tools’ that assist a deficiency, but friends that provide companionship for the duration of their lives.

Dogs’ nutritional needs may differ from ours. What we deem as healthy for us might not be sufficient or appropriate for them. To give your dog the best nutrition available you will have to understand their specific needs and how to address them. Taking care of man’s best friend does take a little preparation and know-how.
Your dog needs the essential nutrients to grow, go, and glow. If your dog does not receive proper nutrients it may result in poor health, stunted growth, lethargy and shortened lifespan.
Dogs, like most animal life forms, need the six basic nutrients for survival: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients serve different functions in sustaining the health and well-being of your dog. This guide will elaborate on dogs’ need of these nutrients.
1. Proteins: the building blocks of your dog’s health
Proteins are chemicals made of amino acids. Your dog can produce some of these chemicals in their own bodies. The rest has to be supplied through food. The best sources of these amino acids are meat and its byproducts. Dogs can extract proteins from these sources a lot easier than it would with plant sources.
Choose feeds that have an adequate amount of protein in them to help your puppies and working dogs grow. Too much of this, however, may cause kidney problems and has been known to cause temperament problems.
2. Fats: delivering other nutrients to the body
Fat sound like a bad word – everyone tries to avoid it because it causes tons of health problems. Dogs, however, just like man, also have a need for these nutrients – albeit in a moderate amount.
The right amount of fat is needed to promote good skin health, and to transport fat-soluble vitamins. Fats are also essential to kidney function and reproductive health. They make food tastier too. Too much fat will result in obesity and lethargy.
3. Carbohydrates: doggie fuel
Fifty percent of your dog’s diet should consist of carbohydrates since they need it for their energy. Corn is one of the more popular sources of this nutrient, along with soybeans. If this source is clean and of good nutritional quality then that should be fine as well.
4. Vitamins and Minerals: keeping your dog healthy
It would have been easier if your dog only had to splurge on vitamins and minerals to get optimal health. However, the opposite is true. Your dog needs an exact amount of vitamins and minerals to be healthy. Although, your dog may receive these nutrients from food, vitamin supplements for your dogs could be helpful. Specially formulated commercial feeds also make it easier for dog owners to give their dogs good nutrition.

A dog is more than just a pet. It is a friend one can always count on when things go wrong and no one seems to care. Having a dog for a pet is not just about feeding it and giving it a good home. It also takes maintenance to keep that dog strong and fit.
Spending time with man’s best friend further deepens the relationship one has with a pet. It tells the dog that the owner loves being with it and by either playing or working together; it strengthens the communication, understanding and respect between man and animal.
There are many ways to teach a dog discipline and learn new tricks and by teaching it through games instead of the normal routine with a little imagination thrown in, it can both be fun for the dog and the owner.
One game is called follow the leader. This activity consists of a group of owners and the dogs. By placing objects such as cones or cans on the ground and making the group go around these objects, the dog will learn to follow when it is called. Further strengthening that could be by switching who the leader is and doing the entire process all over again.
Another game is hide and seek. Children play this game with other children but by teaching the dog to stay in one place then have the dog search for the person when the dog’s name is called, it teaches the dog discipline and will make the dog learn to wait until being called.
One can modify this game by hiding a treat in a certain area and have the dog look for it. The animal will learn to use its keen sense of smell to search for things and be rewarded for it.
Waking up in the morning and taking the dog out for a jog is another good opportunity to spend time with the dog. This gives both the owner and pet a good exercise, keeping both physically active and in shape. Dogs like to play often and by changing the game with a little twist like catching the Frisbee or fetching the stick; it not only strengthens the limbs but also involves some thinking on the part of the dog to successfully catch the object.
Spending quality time with ones dog through a variety of activities is fun. It gives the animal an opportunity to learn good manners making it easier to live with and make the owner enjoy how wonderful the experience can be.

Did you know that obesity is one of the greatest health risks among dogs?
Obesity is caused by excessive eating and unhealthy binges just as it is in humans. Often, this situation is triggered by some environmental factors that may lead to more problems when not controlled .
Like humans, dogs develop certain diseases when they are overweight. These diseases, if not corrected, can lead to more serious complications including death. Here is a list of some of the repercussions of obesity in dogs:
1. Arthritis
Obesity in dogs tends to put extra weight on their bones. In turn, the joints and other parts of the dog’s bones develop arthritis.
Excess weight in dogs may also initiate the development of other muscle and joint problems like spinal disc disease, hip dysplasia, and cracks on the joint ligaments.
2. Diabetes
Like humans, dogs can get diabetes too. We all know for a fact that overweight cause diabetes in humans. This can also happen in dogs. The reason is that the more fat stored in the dog’s body, the greater its system will generate insulin in order to cope up with its growing mass. Hence, dogs have the tendency to resist too much insulin in the body. The end result is diabetes.
3. Skin problems
Obesity in dogs can cause some skin problems. This is because excess fat deposits are being stored in their skin; hence, their owners are having a hard time grooming them. When dogs lack proper grooming, there is a tendency to accumulate bacteria, dirt, or other elements that could cause harm to your dog’s skin. In the end, they develop rashes, skin ruptures, and infections.
4. Capacity to tolerate heat
With too much fat deposits accumulated in their skin, dogs are more inclined to problems concerning heat tolerance. This is because dogs find it hard to tolerate heat due to the build-up of fats in their skin. That is why most obese dogs are prone to heat stroke especially during summer time.
5. Respiratory problems and other heart diseases
Like humans, obese dogs also have the tendency to develop respiratory problems and heart diseases. This is because the chest cavity is already covered with thick fat deposits. Hence, whenever the dog breathes, the lungs are having a hard time expanding and so does the heart. The problem starts when the heart and the lungs can no longer produce the right amount of oxygen and circulate it within the dog’s body.
6. Gastrointestinal problems
Obesity in dogs causes some problems in their intestines and pancreas. This problem results in an inflamed pancreas which is very painful to the dog and can also cause death.
7. Liver problems
Fats are harder to strain and this can pose a problem to the dog’s liver. When the liver can no longer function well because of the fat deposits that accumulated in the area, liver problems may occur and may even cause the death of your dog.
These health problems are indeed life threatening. It depends upon the owner how to combat these problems in order to keep your dog healthy.
One of the greatest ways to solve weight problems is a strict exercise schedule. It is a must that owners create a healthy exercise schedule for their dogs. This can be done by taking them for a walk every afternoon or letting him run through a field.
The best thing about this program is that not only the dogs get the chance to exercise but their owners as well. So, it’s a double benefit.
Next is to create a healthy diet for your dogs. Diet meals are extremely important for dogs so that they can still obtain the necessary nutrients they need in order to stay healthy. This should include the right combination of fiber, meat, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals.
However, dog owners should always keep in mind that when their dogs are taking fiber, more water should be employed so as to prevent constipation.
Alternatively, dog owners should also remember that before incorporating all of these things for your dog, it’s best to consult the veterinarian first.
For healthier and happier dogs, give them the best love and care you can plus a great dietary regimen. As they say, a healthy dog is a happy dog.

Statistics show that 4.7 million people get bitten by dogs yearly. These bites range from minor nips to major attacks.
Dog’s are man’s best friend, not his worst enemy….With this thought in mind, here are some tips to prevent being bitten by a dog.
Bite Prevention:
1. Don’t Approach a Strange Dog.
Don’t go near just any dog you find adorable, particularly when that dog is tied, fenced-in or in a car. A new or strange dog might think that you are threatening him or you are an intruder.
2. Don’t Pet a Strange Dog.
It is not advisable for anyone to pet strange dogs, or even his or her own dog, without letting him sniff and recognize you first.
3. Don’t Turn Your Back and Run from a Dog.
A dog’s instinct will be to chase and catch you. So, running away is not a good option.
4. Don’t Disturb a Dog.
When a dog is sleeping, chewing on anything, caring for her puppies or eating, it is bad idea to shock or disturb it.
Other Precautions to Prevent Dog Bites:
1. Neuter or spay your dog to reduce its tendency to roam and fight with other dogs.
2. Make it socialize to lessen its being nervous when a lot of people are around.
3. Train your dog to not chase anyone even when it’s just for fun.
4. License your dog and provide for its regular care and rabies vaccinations.
5. Never let your dog roam alone.
What To Do for Dog Bites:
1. Never Panic.
This will only aggravate the situation. Stay calm and make sure that you make informed decisions.
2. Deal with the Wound Immediately.
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water. This should be done immediately. Then, contact your physician for more care and advice.
3. Tell the Animal Care and Control Agency in Your Location about the Bite.
Report to the animal control personnel all the information you can supply regarding the dog. If it is a stray dog, describe the dog, where you saw him, whether you are familiar with it and also the direction which he went.

Dogs are man’s best friend. Always loyal and ever loving, this trait has made canines an integral and common part of what is fast becoming a common mode of therapy in many health care facilities. Not just dogs but animals in general have long been recognized as having a positive effect on the healing process. Dogs, especially, have a calming effect.
These dogs help people cope with emotional issues, offer physical contact, invoke pleasant memories and they divert a person’s focus from the problems of the day. That’s why they’ve been used to great success as helpers for those people who are in therapy. Dogs are specially trained for their jobs of helping to take care of the sick, the elderly or the infirm.
Currently there are three types of therapy dogs:
a) Facility Therapy Dogs
b) Animal-Assisted Therapy Dogs
c) Therapeutic Visitation Dogs
The first two types assist physical therapists by meeting the requirements for a person’s recovery. They are usually found in hospitals and are permanently assigned there. The most common type of therapeutic dog, however, is the third type.
Therapeutic visitation dogs are ordinary pets whose owners take to hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. These dogs help people who are away from home due to mental or physical illness. These people are usually in a highly stressful or depressing environment and a visit from a therapy dog can always brighten their day and help them deal with their problems.
Through their bright example, these dogs help the people they meet maintain a positive attitude. This positive outlook is important in good health, happiness and staying young. Pets also provide a chance for patients to touch and be touched. This gives the patients a chance to express their need for physical contact, a need that doctors have proven as a very important factor in a patient’s psychological health.
This is integral in helping people maintain a better mental standing on their condition. This and the ever-loving nature of dogs make them perfect cures to depression that often plagues many patients and residents of nursing homes and hospitals.
It’s very difficult to accurately measure how positive an effect these dogs have on patients. But all you have to do to see that they’re doing their job is a happy smile on a patient’s face when they’re in the company of one of these amazing healing hounds.

So, you finally deiced to get a puppy. You spent many hours talking to dog breeders and surfed the Internet countless times to find the perfect puppy for you and your family. You went from pet shop to pet shop, to dog associations, to animal societies, looking and meeting puppies until you have found the right one.
Question is: Now what? Your puppy needs a name!
Throughout his lifetime, you will use the dog’s name over 35,000 times. So, make sure that you choose a name that you and your family will use to refer to that loving dog of yours.
Here are some tips in finding the perfect name for your puppy.
Remember that dogs understand brief commands. Names should therefore be easy to remember. Names with two syllables or lesser work well. Don’t expect that your dog would be able to respond to you immediately when you named him “John Dewey McArthur”.
The name of your puppy should not sound like the rest of the commands. For example, do not call your dog “Stacy”. It’s too close with the command “stay”. Having a name like that will only confuse the dog.
Remember that you will be using the dog’s name in public. Remember the joke circulating in emails when someone has a dog named “Sex” and gotten the dog owner into trouble? “Boner” might be funny for your drinking buddies, but may have a different reaction when you are in a veterinarian clinic or at a park.
Ask your kids what they want to name the dog. Let them participate in name decision process. If they want to name the dog “Champ” or “Tootsie” so be it. Reserve your funky names when in front of other people.
You may believe that it would be an honor for your Uncle Tom or best friend Bobby if the dog is named after them. Maybe naming your baby after them might honor them, but naming your puppy after them won’t.
If you decided to bring home a dog that is quite older, it would be probably better to stick with its old name. But, what if the name of the dog is “Barney”, the name of your-ex whom you had a bitter breakup? Then, stick with other sounds similar to it.
Once you’ve picked a name, see if it works out. You will know if that works. If not, then there are tons of dog names available to replace it.
With these tips, naming your puppy would be fun.

There are many things that both the dogs and the dog owners could have in common. For example, both dogs and dog owners could be prone to obesity if not regulating food intake and by not exercising.
In addition, dogs and humans may also acquire diseases that results from improper dietary regimen like diabetes, heart diseases, etc.
Moreover, the most amusing thing that both dogs and humans share is the fact that they are both vulnerable to allergies.
Sounds impossible? Think again.
Veterinary experts assert that dogs have allergies too. One of the primary signs of allergies is the itching of their skin. Their respiratory tract system can also be affected with allergies.
Normally, dogs will manifest symptoms of respiratory tract allergies like sneezing, wheezing, and coughing. Their nose and their eyes may also manifest a discharge just like humans do whenever they have colds or flu.
There are also allergies that may have an effect on their digestive system; hence, it may result as watery stools, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Experts say that almost 20% of the dogs in the United States suffer from several types of allergy. So, for people who want to know more about the different allergies that dogs acquire, here is a list of the most common allergies:
1. Allergies with fleas
It is a well-known fact that dogs are usually infected with fleas. However, what most people do not know is that they can get allergies through these fleas, too.
Well, it is not the fleas that actually cause the allergic reactions in dogs but the flea’s saliva. Hence, it is important for the dog to undergo a skin allergy examination so as to determine if a particular dog is sensitive to flea saliva.
In the event that the dog is allergic to flea saliva, it would be better for the owner to implement a rigorous flea control or flea eradication treatment in order to lessen the allergic reactions. Though, it must be kept in mind that solutions that are used in flea control should be safe for the dog.
2. Allergies pertaining to foods
Like humans, dogs get allergies from food as well. There are instances wherein dogs get allergies from foods that their system cannot tolerate, such as wheat, soy products, pork, beef, whey, fish, eggs, milk, corn, artificial sweeteners, and chemical preservatives that are placed in their food.
Moreover, dogs can get allergies in food that they have not tried before. The best way to combat this particular allergy problem is to feed the dog commercial dog foods more often instead of homemade products.
Some signs of allergic reactions to food in dogs are shaking of the head, scratching the ears, irritated skin, biting and licking at the rear feet, inflammations in the ear, sneezing, behavioral changes, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
3. Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a known allergic skin disease in dogs. This is usually caused by the hypersensitivity of the dog’s immune system to ordinary substances that can be found in the environment like molds or dust mites.
Usually, a dog is said to be suffering from atopic dermatitis when the dog begins to excessively lick and chew its paws, licking the abdomen and its rear feet.
Atopic dermatitis can be seen as a saliva staining found in the armpits, between the toes of the paws, and in the groin. In light-colored canines, atopic dermatitis can be seen as a red-brown stain found on the same parts that were mentioned.
4. Allergies resulting from bacteria
This is the most common cause of serious allergies in dogs. Generally, there are certain bacteria that thrive in the dog’s skin. This is known as the species of Staphylococcus bacteria. In most cases, this does not cause allergies in dogs. However, there are certain types of dogs that develop an allergy to it.
The most common symptom of this kind of allergy is hair loss along with the development of ringworm like marks in the dog’s skin. The areas where these marks appear usually get infected, hence, it is important to treat them with antibiotics.
Indeed, allergies are not for humans only. Allergies great affects almost 20% of the total population of dogs in the United States, and that is a pretty alarming number. Therefore, it is extremely important for dog owners to know these dog allergies in order to prevent them from further exposure.

What is canine hip dysplasia?
Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is one of the most frustrating diseases in veterinary medicine today simply because it is so difficult to prevent and treat. CHD is a developmental disease of the bones in which the head of the thigh bone poorly fits the hip socket, causing damage to the cartilage, gradual destruction of the joint, pain and swelling. This disease should not be confused with hip arthritis. Rather, it is the most common cause of arthritis in the hips.
How is canine hip dysplasia transmitted?
CHD is a inheritable disease. It is passed on by the parents to the offspring. The only effective measure therefore to eradicate the disease is to prevent dogs with hip dysplasia from breeding. However, this is easier said than done, because not all dogs with hip dysplasia show signs of the disease. Seemingly normal dogs still carry the gene for CHD and are bred, causing the disease to stay within the genepool.
How does one know if a dog has hip dysplasia?
A dog with hip dysplasia generally has less energy and movement. It has difficulty rising from a sitting position, lameness in the back legs, is hopping like a rabbit when running, and is reluctant to go up the stairs. However, these symptoms are usually not evident till the dog reaches middle age. In extreme cases though, some dogs exhibit obvious hip problems as early as 5-6 months of age.
How does a vet confirm if a dog has hip dysplasia?
Sad to say, there is no blood test or genetic test yet that will detect if a dog is a carrier of CHD or not. Diagnosis of the disease is routinely done through physical examinations and x-rays. X-rays help in assessing how bad the condition is, and through comparison with future x-rays, it can also serve as a gauge of how well the chosen treatment is working. Two techniques for taking x-rays of CHD-afflicted dogs are listed below:
1.hip-extended ventrodorsal view x-ray – It provides a frontal view of the pelvis and hip-joints and best assesses the degree of severity of arthritis present.
2.PennHIP radiography technique – It is used to detect hip looseness in dogs as young as four months of age.
What are the treatment options for canine hip dysplasia?
There is no real cure for CHD just yet, but there are conservative or non-surgical ways to relieve its symptoms. These include the use of drugs to relieve pain and inflammation. Rimadyl, Ectogesic and Deramaxx are effective and have given a lot of suffering dogs the relief needed to live a normal life. Weight loss programs, controlled exercise and physical therapy are also very effective in certain cases.
When conservative treatment is not enough, the only other option is surgery. Surgery can be very effective as it corrects the underlying cause of hip pain which is a malformed joint. Surgery is approached in two different ways when dealing with hip dysplasia. Prophylactic surgery is done to prevent the progression af arthritis while therapeutic surgery aims to treat already arthritic hips.
Triple pelvic osteotomy is the primary preventive procedure available. It involves cutting the pelvis in three places and rotating the hip sockets to provide better coverage. This procedure is effective as long as it is done before arthritis sets in or before the joint is damaged. Another kind of preventive surgery, although still being studied if it is effective or not, is pubic symphysiodesis. This involves manipulating the way the pelvis grows to ensure a tighter hip. This procedure is done on very young dogs.
Therapeutic procedures include total hip replacement and femoral head ostectomy. Total hip replacement is performed mainly on larger dogs. High density, medical plastic is used to replace the socket and a high-quality, non-corrosive alloy is used for the ball. This procedure has a high success rate, almost completely eliminates pain and enables the dog to completely resume activity.
Another therapeutic procedure for hip dysplasia is femoral head ostectomy. It involves the removal of the top of the femur which then eliminates the painful grinding at the hip joint. The femur is then allowed to float freely causing the formation of scar tisue which then serves as a false joint. This procedure is not recommended for mild cases of arthritis and is generally effective only on smaller, well-muscled dogs.
Can canine hip dysplasia be prevented?
The best measure of prevention is of course careful breeding since hip dysplasia is a inheritable condition. The onset of hip dysplasia can be delayed in many dogs with a genetic predisposition by preventing excessive weight gain during the early months and by making sure that the puppy does not place undue stress on the hips.
OFA and PennHip offers information on breed risk. Prospective puppy buyers are advised to check for pedigrees for OFA, PennHip or GDC certifications.