10 Things You Need To Know Before Getting A Dog There are several points to consider whenever you are choosing a dog for you or your family. You want to match your new pet to you and/or your family and to your overall needs as closely as possible. Please, never get a dog on impulse. With any luck you're choosing a pet that is likely to be with you 8 to 15 years. Select the right dog, and you will both enjoy those years. If you don't take the time to plan a bit ahead of time right now, you will probably regret it in the future. This is one of the main reasons that shelters are so full of unwanted pets today - and one thing that could easily be avoided. One good idea is to look for a dog rescue group or reputable breeder when choosing a dog - and to avoid getting a dog at a pet store. This single decision can be overwhelming. The selection of available dog types is truly amazing. Did you know the dog comes in more than 400 different breeds? There is more variation among dogs than in any other animal species. Dogs can come in all shapes, sizes, coat types and personalities. Your job is to find the perfect dog breed that fits both your personality and your lifestyle. So, here is a list of things, in no particular order, that you'll want to take into consideration when deciding on whether or not you should get a dog in the first place. 1) Why do you want a dog in the first place? Do you simply want a companion, a dog for protection purposes, a dog to participate in sports activities with, or some other reason? Again, you must research the breeds carefully. Example: if you want a dog that can be trained to duck hunt with you then a Corgi may not be the right breed for you. 2) Do you want a purebred or mixed breed dog? Unfortunately, many animal shelters and dog rescue organizations will have plenty of each. The main difference between purebreds or mixed breeds is that with the pure breeds you will have a much better chance of knowing how big he'll be once he reaches adulthood and what basic physical and behavioral characteristics he will probably have. 3) Learn all you can about the different individual dog breeds: visit local dog shows if possible to see many different dog breeds in one location, speak with groomers, dog breeders and your veterinarian. These dog professionals can all offer you more insight into various dog breeds - the good and bad of each, and can help you decide on a few dog breeds that you may be really interested in. 4) Are you already an experienced dog owner, or will this be your first dog ever? There are a lot of dog breeds that are not appropriate for a first time owner. Knowing all you can about the breed and what the breed was originally bred to do (it's original job) is a big step in understanding the dog and what you could possibly expect from it. 5) What is your lifestyle? Are you sedentary or are you very active? Some dog breeds require a lot of daily exercise – both mental and physical. A half hour walk given to a Basset Hound is no where near enough exercise for an Australian Shepherd. Researching many dog breeds thoroughly before getting one is truly essential. 6) Can you properly provide housing for your new dog? Dogs are very social animals and your new dog should really be part of your family pack - they really do better when they are a real part of the family. And the best place for your new dog is in your home with you. You should also have a securely fenced area for your dog to exercise in. Having your dog chained in the back yard is not proper housing and is also very cruel. Which brings up a new issue..... 7) How much time can you truly devote to your new dog each day? Can you really commit to the dog for it's entire life? What if you have to move? Add another child to your family? If you have children, are you ready to teach the kids to peacefully co-exist with the dog? If you can't devote time to raising the dog, making sure it is socialized and well trained for the rest of it's life, then please, do not get one. 8) Puppy or adult dog? Keep in mind, puppies do require a whole lot more work than adult dogs do overall. You will have to schedule additional time for puppy classes, training, socialization, and many other activities. Remember, these are babies. Housebreaking and teething are just a few of the things you'll have to go through with a small puppy, but not necessarily an adult dog. Training and learning is a lifetime activity. One obedience class does not make your dog trained. 9) Can you afford to own a dog throughout it's entire life? Getting the puppy or dog is just the beginning. Now comes all the other things you'll need to get: vet checks, leashes, collars, extra toys, all sorts of treats, a crate and other necessary supplies, puppy shots every few weeks, training classes, food (the bigger the dog the more food you'll go through), medical emergencies, etc. 10) What about dog grooming? All dog breeds need some kind of grooming – even the hairless ones! Some breeds require only a few minutes of brushing once a day while others may require professional grooming. It's very important to know that all dogs also need regular attention to their teeth, ears and nails. Also, all dogs shed - some dog breeds may shed less than others but this is one fact you must accept. I hope all these steps have gotten you to thinking that adding a dog to your life is no small thing. Impulse buying can often lead to trouble. It's your job as a future dog owner to think about both your life as well as several dog breeds to help decide on which breed is the best possible match for you - BEFORE you bring that new dog home. Copyright 2007 Debbie Ray. All Rights Reserved. Debbie Ray, owner of http://www.pedigreedpups.com , http://www.pedigreeddogs.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com is a dog owner, teacher and an internet business owner. Want to learn how to build a website by yourself? Interested in purebred dogs? Check my sites out anytime for more info. Let me teach you more. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Ray
By Debbie Ray
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Seven Tips for Naming Your New Puppy After the first few days of playing with your new pup, the issue of what name to give the little fellow inevitably follows. Besides being fun, selecting a name for your puppy can have important consequences, both on the puppy’s future behavior and your own relationship with him (and even your neighbors and friends). There are seven things to consider before finalizing your choice: • You want a degree of individuality to the name – when you call his name in a public place, you want him to be the only dog that has that name. So it’s usually best to avoid names like Fido or Spot. • It is generally thought that names comprised of two syllables are the best. A one syllable name may result in the dog becoming confused often. For example, if her name is Lass, she’ll likely misunderstand whenever she hears the word “last” or rhyming words such as “glass”. Similarly, some one syllable names sound like common dog commands, so calling him “Hail” might sound to him like the command “heal”, while the name “Noah” is very confusing with “No”. • On the other hand, names with too many syllables can be hard for a pup to learn. If the name is too long or difficult to say, the puppy may get confused or lose interest. And you want the name to be one that is easy for you and your family to say. Remember, when calling the puppy, to use an upbeat and gentle voice, so that the pup associates good feelings with the sound of his name and is therefore more likely to respond when called. • Of course there are a number of other factors that can come into play. Your cute little Labrador puppy will grow into quite a large adult, so you don’t want to call him Tiny (unless you like the irony). It’s best also to give it a few days before finalizing the dog’s name, so you have time to learn a bit about his personality. Many dog owners like to name their pups after a particular character trait observed, like Frisky or Moody. But remember that your playful, excitable puppy may as an adult be fairly docile, depending upon his breed, and so naming him Fireball may not suit his adult personality. • Some people like to name the new pup after an event, so if for example the dog was born on Easter Friday, she might be called Easter. Similarly, some folks prefer to name the dog based on the dog’s breed, so an Irish Setter might be given an Irish name like Liam, and a French Poodle could be called Marie. • Of course, you should select a name that you will be proud to call out in public. Naming him Satan or Bozo can lead to embarrassment and raised eyebrows when you are calling him at the local park. • If you have children, it’s a really good idea to let them participate in the naming of the new pet, as it may help instill in them a sense of responsibility for the care of the dog if they helped name her. In case you are interested, the most popular names for male dogs last year were Max, Buddy, Jake, Rocky, Bailey, Buster, Cody, Charlie, Bear and Jack. For female dogs, the list is Molly, Maggie, Daisy, Lucy, Sadie, Ginger, Chloe, Bailey, Sophie and Zoe. It is interesting how all 10 of the female names comply with our 2 syllable recommendation, while only 6 of the male names do. Once you have finally chosen the name for your dog, you should start calling him his name regularly in order that he becomes used to it and will then respond when called. As previously stated, try to call him by his new name only when you are giving him affection, playing with him, etc. By doing so, he’ll learn to like his new name and will be much more likely in future to respond to it than if he comes to associate it with being scolded or with irritation in your voice. Colin Albert manages the TakeCareofYourPet web site. The website offers a new product called Hope for Pets dog nutrition, a natural powder that is the top natural supplement on the market to aid in promoting our dogs’ health and longevity. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Albert
By Colin Albert
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K-9 Tip When trying to train your dog patients is the best tool you can use...that and a good treat.
