Happy Healthy Puppy

Do dogs really need a life vest?
Most people believe that dogs are naturals in the water. This is a common misconception; some dogs hate the water and will panic if they fall in unexpectedly. Some dogs like greyhounds have almost no body fat, and so don't float well, and get cold in the water quickly. Breeds like labs love the water, but can run into trouble as they become older or overweight. Even fit water dogs can become tired when overexerting themselves in the water, and can drown from this fatigue.

Dogs are also just as vulnerable as people in a boating accident. A dog can be injured during a boat accident, making it difficult for the dog to swim. Dogs can also jump off boats when you're not looking, and drown while waiting for you to rescue them.

Besides, a dog life vest is ridiculously cute. Your dog will be the hit of the party in snazzy new waterwear.

What's the difference between a dog life vest and a dog life jacket?

A good dog life jacket should have a sturdy top handle for grabbing your dog out of the water. Quick release buckles can make it much easier to get your dog in and out of the water.

Life jackets with a breatheable mesh underbelly can help keep your dog's stomach and chest area drier. At the same time a dog life jacket with a neoprene underbelly can help keep your dog warmer in cold water.

The life jacket should fit so that the dog can go pee with the jacket on. Well designed dog life jackets have a cut out in the middle for male dogs. This will eliminate potential accidents, and save you the hassle of struggling to get the dog out of the jacket in a pee emergency.

Other great features to look for in a dog life jacket:

• safety reflective strips
• adjustable straps
• quick-release buckles
• velcro fastening system (especially great for owners with arthritis)
• water resistant (do not hold water)

One of the most common questions I'm asked is how to choose a healthy puppy. I've always responded by giving people the same list of things to look for. My book even talks about signs of bad health in puppy, discharge from the eyes, dry, matted fur, irregular breathing, and so on. Despite this, the same people would come and talk to me a month later, after they'd gotten their puppy, telling me about the puppy's health problems.

What went wrong? I'd gone to a lot of trouble to help them in choosing a healthy puppy, but they'd still ended up with a little puppy with health issues.

They fell in love. That's what went wrong.

Buy your new puppy a home-made doggie bakery treat!

Dog bakeries are a huge business these days, and have yummy offerings like doggie biscuits and home-made ice cream.

If you can't find a doggie bakery near you, you can always make your own, using the recipe below!

Crunchy, yummy dog cookies
3/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup powdered milk
1 egg
1 jar beef baby food
1/2 baby food jar of water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and drop on a cookie sheet with a spoon. The cookies should be the size of a quarter. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F. Store the cookies in the refrigerator.

Ever wondered what breeds are in your dog? Want to know which male dog sired the last litter of puppies? Want to verify your purebred's bloodline?

You can use dog DNA testing to:

• verify the breed of dog for purebreds
• identify the breeds in your mixed breed dog
• identify the breeds of the father and mother of a litter

Tests cost around $70 to $125, and take a few weeks for the lab to process the results. Cheaper tests may not test for as many American Kennel Club (AKC) breeds than more expensive tests.

How is Dog DNA Testing Done?

What’s the most important dog grooming tip?
1. Start grooming your puppy NOW! You will save yourself a world of struggling to get your dog to sit still if you teach your puppy now, that grooming is a fun, loving, relaxing experience.

2. Don’t bathe your dog too often. Only once every month or two is necessary. Over washing can lead to dry, irritated skin and strip essential oils from your dog’s skin.

3. Brush your dog daily when shedding to remove the dead hair. You only need to brush your dog once a week when not shedding. This is a great dog grooming tip for both long and short hair dogs.

4. Clip your dog’s claws about every two weeks. Be very careful not to clip the pink part of the claw – this is extremely painful for a dog.

You bank online, date, make friends, have sex, order groceries, choose dog names, so why not learn to train your dog online?

The problem with online puppy training is that your pup is in the real world. In other words, eventually, you have to get off your ass and do the work. If you're prepared to do some real work after all your browsing, dog training .com may be for you.

What online puppy training is any good?
If you do a Google search for online dog training, or online puppy training, you'll come up with millions of results. The trick, then, is to figure out which site is worth your time.

My advice?

I started this site because I know exactly what it feels like to choose the wrong dog and to have to give it away. It's absolutely heartbreaking, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'd wanted a puppy for a long time, and after a lot of convincing, my ex. finally agreed. On a whim, the next day I went to pick out a chocolate Lab puppy from a local breeder.

All went well, and I picked an adorable, active puppy from the litter. Sam was a chocolate and yellow lab mix, and the most gorgeous dark golden color, with matching eyes.

I didn't know enough to ask to see the parents before I looked at the puppies, and fell in love. On the way out to my car, I was accosted by a pair of unruly, undisciplined, large, chocolate labs (both of my puppy's parents, it turns out).

The mom and dad were almost completely out of control, jumping up on me and my car, and barking with excitement. The dog's owners said "They're just excited to see someone", and I didn't think any more about it.

We're famous! Puppy in Training's great blog featured our article on choosing between a puppy or adult dog.

There were some interesting articles mentioned:

Wedding Tip's article about pets as wedding attendants.
Maybe I just don't get out enough, but this is a new one to me. But why not? We love our pets like family.
And Spot the Wonder Dog would probably be a better groomsman than your half-drunk second cousin Joe.

Jake at Dog Training Pet's article on socializing your dog.
Jake has some good tips for making your dog relaxed and comfortable in social situations.