When it comes to an amazing pet, nothing compares to a dog. You likely care for a dog already, or are considering adopting one, as you have located this article. It isn't easy to take care of a dog, but this article has all the great hints you need to make dog ownership a blast.

Never allow your dog to leave your yard without a leash even if he seems very trustworthy and calm. A feral animal might catch their attention, causing them to pursue them, or an unplanned incitement might lead to a bad situation with other pet owners. You are responsible if your dog does this.

Never hit your dog. There are better ways to train a dog without having to resort to violence. The best way to train a dog is to reinforce positive behaviors with treats and attention. Negative behavior should be handled with a stern and disapproving voice as opposed to striking the animal.

If you are in the market for a new puppy, make sure you will have enough time to devote to his training. On average, you need to take a young dog outside to do his business eight times a day and that can take a lot away from your schedule. Training takes more time and patience than most people realize.

To protect your dog in the event he is lost or stolen, have a microchip surgically implanted by your vet. These handy chips store data that can be retrieved by a shelter or animal officer and used to contact you. They are painless to put in and offer peace of mind for the pet lover!

Keep your dog at a healthy weight. Plenty of dogs are overweight, and just like humans, this can lead to health issues. People tend to overfeed their dogs, and many also feed them table scraps. A dog doesn't need as many calories as most people think; talk to your vet about how much you should feed him each day, and what food is most suitable. A vet will advise you based on his size, age and lifestyle.

Teach your dog to be trained, even if you don't plan on devoting a lot of time to special tricks. A dog needs to understand the basic hierarchy of the home and should be prepared to listen and learn throughout his life. Practice the basics like "sit" and "down" in the beginning and introduce something new every once in a while.

You need to trim your dog's nails regularly. If you neglect your dog's nails, they will be in discomfort. Buy some clippers and do the job yourself. Can't hack it? Take them to the groomer instead.

When taking your senior dog to the vet for an annual visit, make sure to request senior blood work. A blood panel can help your vet to identify any kidney, heart or vascular concerns. If caught early, treatment is often minimally invasive and less costly. do some why does my dog stand on me is a great way to keep your pet healthy for years to come.

If your dog seems to have a bad reaction from every shampoo you use on him, try a green product. Most commercial brands of dog shampoo contain a lot of things like phosphates and sulfates, which can irritate your dog's skin. They are also harmful to the environment so you'll be solving two problems at once.

Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly. It's important that the dog sees a vet every so often to make sure there aren't any shots that they might need. Puppies tend to need the vet more than adults. Plus, you need to take immediate vet action if the dog shows any signs of injury or illness.

If you bathe your dog often, watch out for signs of painful earaches that can be problematic for canines. They can happen when too much water gets into the ears. Use cotton balls dabbed in baby oil while giving him a bath, and that should keep water from getting in, even if he splashes around.

When you are walking your dog in the wintertime, there may be rock salt or chemical ice melters that come in contact with his feet. Once you get back in the house, wash his paws and dry them gently. This will prevent these items from causing any type of infections.

Do not rely on a cold, wet nose to judge your dog's health. Even if your dog is sick, there are different reasons his nose may be wet and cold. You can tell how your dog is feeling by watching his appetite and energy levels. These are good indicators for how your dog feels. Check a dog's temperature rectally.

If you have a hard time with keeping your dog from chewing your possessions or your furniture, use a taste deterrent. Most pet stores sell bitter apple sprays or other products you can use to keep your dog from chewing. Choose a product that does not contain any chemicals if possible.

Watch what your dog is eating. Puppies can eat highly caloric foods, which facilitate proper growth. As your dog ages, his caloric intake should be reduced to avoid obesity.

If you have a new dog in the house, be careful with how much freedom you give him or her initially. The freedom to have access to all areas of your home needs to be earned. If you allow your pet to roam too soon, you may have to deal with damaged furniture and other issues. Use baby gates to help restrict your dog's movements, and house him in an appropriately sized crate when you cannot watch him.

Buy a good quality leash. Make sure that the leash is the proper size and strength for your dog. For example, a lightweight nylon leash would be suitable for a smaller dog but not strong enough for a larger breed such as a labrador. If your dog has a tendency to pull, a harness is a great way of correcting this instinct.

With all of this great information in hand, prepare to use it to better your dog's life. There is nothing like making your canine companion happy! In return for what you do for your dog, you will get their love back as well as feel great about making them a happy, healthy pup.

Working Australian Shepherd vs Show – Which is a Better Choice?

As a newcomer to the Aussie scene, you are sure to be repeatedly confronted with the two terms “working Australian Shepherd” and “show Australian Shepherd”.

What is behind these terms and how do these dogs differ from each other?

Can a newbie train a working Australian Shepherd, or should a family choose a dog from a show line?

Show Australian Shepherd

These dogs are primarily bred for the purpose of achieving the highest possible rating at (beauty) shows. There are such exhibitions in many places and by many associations.

Puppies that do not reach the quality of a future show champion are often offered as easy-to-use family dogs.

At the exhibitions, the dogs are judged in rings, separated according to males and females and different age groups, solely with regard to their beauty and the correctness of their physique.

Character, motivation, performance, health, robustness, and sporting opportunities play a subordinate or no role in the assessment. More hints ’s all about having the most beautiful dog possible in the ring.

Often the show judges prefer dogs with a lot of colors and distinctive markings, a very strong, heavy build, a lot of fur, and with large sizes within the standard.

Since these exhibitions often take place with many people and dogs in a confined space, there are often few opportunities to run around. The dogs often spend a long time in so-called exhibition cages at the exhibition until it is their turn. Dogs with a “chilled” mind is much easier, and it turns out that show line breeders usually breed a type that can be characterized as follows:

They are often more difficult to motivate and sensitive in warm temperatures due to the pronounced coat and strong undercoat. Sometimes they have to get a lot of grooming so that the undercoat does not become matted and starts to smell.

Character defects such as fearfulness, insecurity, or aggressiveness can easily be covered up by an experienced exhibitor. Therefore the championship does not guarantee a first-class character.

Working Australian Shepherd

The original Australian Shepherd was and is still a pure working dog who tirelessly helps the ranchers with their work.

He was selected to have a lot of interest in cattle, to be easily trainable, to have a high level of stimulus and drive control, and the desire to work with and please his humans.

This package creates the fascination of the dog. It seems as if he only has eyes for his owner, obeys the slightest word, can do the most incredible tricks, and is successful in every area of ​​dog sport.

But for breeding, the following applies: “If you don’t use it, you lose it”.

This means that characteristics and physical traits that are not constantly requested and checked by the breed as part of a meaningful selection are lost or changed to a form that no longer corresponds to the original characteristics.

Working line dogs were selected solely on the basis of their work performance and robust health, which means that these dogs have comparatively few problems with diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and Osteochondritis dissecans. Epilepsy is also comparatively rare in working Australian Shepherds.

However, since they are not bred with a particular beauty standard in mind, they are often much lighter and smaller in size, have lighter, narrower heads and often significantly less and very easy-to-care-for fur, and are therefore often not as colorful and impressive as their colleagues from the show ring. Upright ears instead of the button ears desired for the show ring also appear from time to time.

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