How To Choose Your Dog

So you've decided to grow your family. Chance meetings with dogs are on the increase. At the magazine stand a friendly pooch stares out of the pages at you. Late night reruns are suddenly awash with dogs - from Turner and Hooch to 101 Dalmatians! Even your friends are gushing about their new furred family addition! Your heart has been played and a dog it is. Now what? Where do you go to get a dog and how do you select one?

Your options are many and may be as simple as accepting a puppy as a gift from a friend who's just been blessed with a new litter. Chances are this is not going to be the case. Your choice should be governed by several considerations. Lets go over some of the logistics:

1. Have dogs always been part of your life? If so you can proceed with a slightly higher degree of certainty and comfort as to what you are looking for. More than likely you will want a dog of similar size, breed and temperament as the one you grew up with. If you've never owned a dog before, you may want to do some homework first.

2. Do you live in a house with a yard, a townhouse or a condominium? Although I have seen big dogs on city streets it is my opinion that they are best suited for a house with a yard. All dogs like to be played with but a big dog is best played with out in the yard where there is more room for him to romp around and run without having to be careful about furniture and furnishings. Small dogs on the other hand can play tug of war and other games in the house without disrupting your décor.

3. If the dog will be joining a family with young children you need to consider its temperament. It is no wonder that the Labrador and the Golden Retriever are a favored breed with families - they are at once protective, gentle and indulgent of small humans and incredibly forgiving of the prying and prodding of their tiny hands!

If on the other hand you and dog will form a family of two, you can opt for all kinds of other considerations. You probably have a breed in mind. If you want a purebred, go to a dog show or twol. Not only will you see some fine dogs of your preferred breed, but you can also compare them to other breeds of similar size. I remember when we were looking for a dog but were not sure whether we wanted a Rotweiler or a Weimeraner, we attended such a show and absolutely fell in love with an English Mastiff! I would never trade him! Ok. Big difference in size but it's a breed we would not have even thought of had we not seen one at a dog show.

4. Purebred or mutt? The advantage of a purebred is that you know what the puppy will grow up to look like and you know what its main characteristics are. A sheltie is a herding dog and very protective. A Shepherd or a Doberman make for good guard dogs. A mutt on the other hand, unless already grown, is more of a mystery. Of indeterminate breed(s), that cute little ball of fur may end up growing into quite a large dog with who knows what characteristics. A mutt, I have heard it said, is the true original dog - it is one of a kind, a true designer dog! A truly rare pedigree!

5. Breeder or the animal shelter? Definitely, if you have settled on a purebred, you want to get your puppy from a reputable breeder. There is probably a local breeder that you can visit. Your visit will tell you a lot about both the breeder and the dog you will bring home. Make sure the facilities are clean, the dogs well cared for and it would be good if you could have a reference or two.

Our animal shelters are overcrowded. Mostly mistakes, sometimes abandoned or just given up, these dogs make for excellent companions. Once again, if this dog is coming home to a family with young children, a puppy would probably be a better choice. If on the other hand, the children are older or its just you, an adult dog will give you just as much pleasure and joy. The advantage here is that it is probably already house trained and there are no surprises as to what it will look like when it is grown! Pound mutts come with a pedigree all their own and are much lighter on the wallet too!

Whatever your choice remember that this is a lifetime commitment. Bringing a dog into your life is not a spur of the moment decision. A dog is a life, it needs nurturing and loving, caring and giving. You'll be rewarded with sloppy kisses, adoration and unconditional love. Happiness is a two way street.

Dogs That Are Good With Children

Its true, dogs do play pivotal role in child development. Health care specialists have noticed after a nurse, Elaine Smith, introduced dog therapy as an alternative therapeutic treatment how dogs can play a major role not only in therapeutic treatment but also in child development.

Companionship can be critical to children and it was found out that dogs can readily and efficiently fill that spot. That's why it is often recommended that smaller growing children should have a pet of their own, if only to break barriers that inhibit growth like speech impediment. Or just instilling a sense of responsibility at an early age. And naturally, dogs that are good with children are best candidates for this purpose.

Being sought more as family pet, selective breeding practices over the years were aimed to iron out aggressive traits of some breeds of dogs. Now there are those breed of dogs are highly tolerant; they tolerate well the clumsy handling of older individuals and the rough handling and playing of small children. Those that have undergone training are able to resist any instinctive retaliation when pranks are played upon them - typical to small children at play. One example of a highly tolerant breed is mastiffs. A trained English mastiff can be very tolerant and gentle that it can suffer most rough playing before showing signs of aggression, and won't bite even then. Pointers are also famed for their low aggression level, though their playful nature can be harmful for very young toddlers. Another trite example is the St. Bernard.

Depending on the level of play of youngsters, there are suitable dogs and there that isn't. For growing children that loves playing outdoors, dogs that are good with children should be also adaptable for such activity. That's why Labradors, retrievers, Dalmatians and American Eskimos are better dogs. But for those especially young children, who are more cooped up indoors, a St. Bernard or a mastiff would do nicely.

In a nutshell, there are dozens of breed of dogs that are good with children. Examples include but not limited to mastiffs, pointers, and some mossolers like the St. Bernard, and conventional toy dogs like poodles. However, breed is not a de facto standard for naming dogs that are good with children, as training is highly essential for dogs of this purpose.

If you are considering dogs that are good with children, you should choose a breed that's normally with gentle temperament like those mentioned above. And they should have the right training.

Your Attitude, Is Your Dog a Match?

Each dog breed is known for certain basic characteristics - including temperament. As a result, you can rely on this information to help you choose a dog whose attitude and disposition match your own.

Some smaller dogs are known to be feisty and noisy, while some larger dogs are quiet and tranquil. One thing you need to know up front is that you're not going to get a dog to go contrary to his inherent instincts. So if you like the look of a certain breed, be prepared to live with the temperament of that breed once you take it home.

What kind of dog has an awful disposition? Answer? None if you're well matched to the dog. Behaviors that are irritating to one dog owner are no big deal to another. A person who's hyperactive won't mind a nippy miniature Poodle or Chihuahua that's just as hyperactive as they are. A quiet, studious person needs to have a calm, patient dog like the good natured, faithful Basset Hound.

Some dogs are considered by breeders to be difficult to train - such as the Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Dalmatian, Irish Setter and Bull Terrier. Not all dogs are man's best friends. Some are fiercely independent and care little about their owners.

These unsociable dog breeds can include Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman, Irish Terrier, Wire Haired Fox Terrier and Rottweiler. The unsociable dogs can be alert, independent, aggressive and good as watchdogs, but they're sometimes not optimal for training.

In other cases, the dog breed may have potential for training but the personality of the individual dog is more reluctant. Or that dog may have had a bad experience at the pet store from unkind or unskilled caregivers.

The dog is reacting tough to mask his fear of being harmed or neglected based on old memories. If that's your dog's experience, then you have to take more time to reassure him that you're trustworthy and will never harm him as a means of punishment during training.

Withholding a dog treat when the dog walks poorly on a leash is reasonable. Taking away his dinner is cruel and only teaches the dog to resent you and defy you as the only means of expression he has toward maltreatment.

Other times, there's no apparent reason for the dog's odd behavior. Becoming a dog owner doesn't come with guarantees. Sometimes you have a dog that is difficult to engage and you must either care for that dog or see that he has a proper home

Dogs Are Entertainment, Protection and Love

Dogs are a big part of my life. They keep me company while everyone is gone for the day. Our first dog and all of our dogs are Dalmatians; Blaze, Pepper, Sparkle and Grace. Blazed blessed us until she was sixteen. She thought she was the queen, she was four years old when we brought home our second her name was Pepper. Unfortunately Pepper died from epilepsy when she was four. She sang to us every day she was a great joy. We Miss them both. That brings us to Sparkle, my umbilical cord, she follows me twenty-four seven and when I leave she is waiting for me at the door when I get back. She's my girl I love her.

Blaze died and we searched and found a beautiful Dalmatian puppy. Her hearing test showed she was deaf. The owners were unable to sell any dog with a hearing problem. Puppies with defects have no value and are put down. This is a way to keep the gene from being passed down to the pups. This was heart breaking for us that this puppy, our puppy would be put down just because she is deaf. Sparkle who is great and also deaf and we trained with hand signals. We still wanted this puppy. How we are able to train and cared for our dogs was enough to convince them to let us have her. We sent them the documentation that she was spayed and that is the guaranty that she will never pass on the gene that causes deafness in some Dalmatians.

We brought home Sparkle home when Blaze was eight. Blaze was the queen and just ignored Sparkle most of the time. The boys love when we bring home a new puppy and with Blaze gone and Sparkle eight years old it was a good time to welcome a new puppy with open arms. This blue-eyed beauty went almost a whole day before we came up with a name for her. Nothing really seemed to fit her personality until she went to turn while she was running and when she started to turn she wiped out falling all over herself. I laugh so hard and said that was not graceful. That is how her name became Grace, because graceful she is not. Her nick name is Velcro dog she sticks to me like Velcro she follows and sits next to me every day. Grace is just what we needed to bring more fun and love into our lives. Grace lives up to her names in some way every day she is such a clown and what a joy.

Sparkle and Grace get me up and out the door to walk with them every day. They keep me in the present not asking for very much, always looking for some love, a pet or a scratch and ready to snuggle with you at any time. My dogs are the entertainment, protection, and company we enjoy every day. I love my dogs they only act up if they feel you might be a threat to me or my family. I would love to take all the credit for the behavior of my dogs and I think my training falls short of the connection they have with each other. Grace pays close attention to Sparkle and I think that she was trained fast because she always follows Sparkles lead.

My dogs are not disable they are deaf. They use other senses to make their way in this world. Most people would not know that if I didn't tell them. I watch over them, love them and they watch over me. Everyone thinks that they're dogs are the best and I am no different. Owning four Dalmatians I can say this is my favorite breed. Soft as velvet, black spot on white, black lined eyes, black lips and a black nose. Their eyes are golden brown, chestnut or blue. They love to walk to the park and run every day. These dogs motivate me to walk they calm me when I am upset, they warn me when I am getting a migraine and in some way they make me laugh every day. I love this breed and all my girls past and present. Sparkle and Grace are great dogs and even if they can't hear we love them and they love us. Our dogs light up when we enter the room, they wag their tales and show us how grateful they are that we chose them. They all have their own personalities and become a part of the family.

It is by free grace that I am saved through faith, and this is not of myself, but it is the gift of God.

EPHESIAN 2:8

The Smartest Way to Buy a Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs make fantastic pets - extremely cute, sociable little animals who love to run about whenever they have the chance to. On the flip side of the coin, if you are a very busy person, or have little space to spare, this is not the pet for you. They do need regular care - teeth, nails, coats, weight, eyes, ears, noses, breathing, droppings and urine and even their rear ends all need monitoring and attention. Having enough space is vitally important - they must come out of their cage or house every single day to be able to run around. Although there are some who say one guinea pig needs four square feet or housing space, dedicated guinea pig welfare organisations often argue the absolute minimum should be 7.5 square feet instead.

On average, their lifespan lasts between 5 and 7 years. They'll need adequate housing, exercise space outside their house, specialist food, treats, toys, some grooming and of course, you need to think if you can always afford vets bills. They're a popular pet bought for children - however, their care needs are sophisticated enough to need an adult in charge at all times.

One Guinea Pig Or Two?

Guinea pigs are sociable creatures- two, three or even more guinea pigs can happily co-exist. Male guinea pigs will not necessarily fight other male guinea pigs. Be careful to determine their sex, as they will breed quite prolifically if you leave any male and female in together, even if they're related.

Where To Buy A Guinea Pig - Or Two

You can buy them obviously in pet stores or through classified adverts. However, if you can't inspect the facilities where they were bred, you have no guarantee that they are sold by someone who took care of them properly. This could mean a sick guinea pig- which can obviously be distressing not to mention costly for its new family.

Although people may associate it with purely altruistic ideas of saving needy animals, adopting a rescue centre pet can represent a real advantage for the new owners. Good rescue centres are able to afford vets to assess and monitor their animals. This decreases the likelihood of buying an animal that becomes sick. Of course this can never be guaranteed, no matter where the guinea pig comes from, but at least the health history of the animal is known during its time in the better quality rescue centres, cared for by expert staff. You can also get free ongoing advice on how to care for your pet- an after-sales service not every regular breeder will offer.

Will There Be A Surge In Abandoned Guinea Pigs?

Sadly, the time may never be better to re-home a rescue guinea pig rather than buy one from a regular trader. Animal charities have expressed concern that more guinea pigs will be abandoned in the wake of the Disney film 'G-Force' which features animated guinea pig heroes. This comes following incidents of impulse buying of dalmatian dogs after the release of Disney's '101 Dalmatians', only to dramatically increase the numbers seen at rescue centres a short time later.

IMPORTANT: This article is a general introduction only - if you have any concerns about any guinea pig's health or welfare, consult a knowledgeable vet professional advice. Thank you.

Adopt a Pet - Animals Make Us More Human

Imagine the following scene if you will. You have three children, the normal energetic kind who are always underfoot, always screaming and always full of life. The moment you set out a meal, they're pushing and shoving to get the bigger share, to get there first, or just pushing for fun. And then, you get a nice fluffy puppy for the children. And you notice the difference immediately. Each time a meal gets set out, each time you give a child candy or something, the children think not of themselves, but of whether Barkley the puppy has had his share. Parents don't often realize this; but when your kids ask to adopt a pet, it isn't just additional responsibilities you need to concern yourself with. Pets can make children learn a thing or two about being kind, being selfless, about caring for another. And they can do this even if they are completely irresponsible when it comes to taking care of the pet's everyday needs.

There are more pet owning families in America than families that don't have a pet (and it's almost an even way split between dog and cat households). Certainly, if you look at it in terms of how much a pet costs and all the hassles that go along with having a pet, it can be enough to dissuade anyone. But the soothing, humanizing influence that pets can be for everyone in the family, whatever time and money you spend when you adopt a pet will be spectacularly repaid.

There are other more tangible benefits that come by you too. Children who grow up in a home with pets grow accustomed (and unallergic) to everything that goes with pets - animal hair, mites, grass (that the animal rolls about in). Animals don't just make you feel good. They make the whole family physically healthier. And of course, a well-adjusted pet makes for better blood pressure and just more Prozac-free happiness. Children, especially, find that a bond with a pet is a particularly valuable one. It's the friend they get to have at home who always understands.

Going out to adopt a pet, make sure you go with a reputable breeder so that your pet is healthy and free of genetic disorders. And try to go with dogs that are known to be friendly with children. Dalmatians and Jack Russell terriers may look really cute; but they aren't really friendly as far as children are concerned. And make sure that you don't go with some kind of fad animal.

Different Type of Guinea Pig Breeds and Colors

Guinea pigs, also known as cavy, are species of rodents originated in Andes, a mountain Range in South America. How it ends up being called a Guinea pig when it's not even a pig nor is it from Guinea, is still a big question.

"Cavies" are docile in nature; they are a social animal and they rarely bite even when they are tense. Their receptiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them, makes them a popular pet.

Domesticated cavies come in various breeds, which have been developed since their introduction to Europe and North America. Since their introduction to the United States and Europe, developing new guinea pig breeds gears toward development of attractive and appealing pet.

Here are some common breeds:

The American or formerly known as English cavy is the most popular, they are also the oldest breed of Guinea Pig. The good thing about this Cavy because of its short and glossy coat its low maintenance. It's also easy to handle because of its tame personality.

The Abyssinian cavy has a very distinctive appearance. Its coat is multiple swirls of hair referred to as cow licked rosettes. The ideal Abyssinian has 10 rosettes, one on each shoulder, four across its back, one on each of the animal's hips, and two on the rump.

The Peruvian breed has a smooth and straight coat that grows to several inches in length. These type of guinea pig breeds requires a lot of grooming because of its long hair, which makes it harder to take care of. The Himalayan cavy originates in Southeast Asia and is similar to the Siamese cat in coat. Himalayans' coat darkens depending on the temperature.

A Silkie or Sheltie has a silky and very long coat that smoothly flows back over its body and never forward over the face (as in the Peruvian). Compared to the well-known Peruvian, the Silkie's soft coat fails to part, at least naturally, along the back. The hair continues to grow backwards from the head. The Sheltie is normally expected to have a fairly longer sweep of hair in the back. The Teddy is a short-haired cavy characterized by a short dense coat with bent (kinked) hair streak that makes the coat stand on end, giving a very fuzzy look.

There are also a range of color varieties of cavies, aside from the typical guinea pig breeds. The familiar colors are the following:

Self: This cavy only has one color, so it can be completely black or white or any other color. This is one of the most common colors for cavies. An all-black color guinea pig is called self-black.

Agouti: Alternate dark and light bands of color on each hair; the hair roots color is different from the tip. Usually, this type of color is found in short-coated guinea pigs.

Solid: This is almost like the Agoutis, but its belly is marked as well.

Tortoiseshell: This guinea pig is a mixture of black and red; just like the Dalmatian, it comes with patches.

Brindle: Black series and red series hair colors are evenly mixed throughout their coats.

Albino: This is one of the most common colors for guinea pig. It is white with pink eyes.

Dalmatian: Just like its dog counterpart, this "pig" has a white body with black patches or spots.

Himalayan: The color of the Himalayan's body is white, while brown or black is the color of its nose and feet. The color of the eyes is either black or pink.

If you're interested in owning a cavy as a pet, there are lots of other breeds you can choose from.