Happy Healthy Puppy

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?
Dog DNA testing kits come in two types: ones that require a blood sample (and a veterinarian to take the sample), and tests that only need a cheek swab (which you can do at home). A DNA sample taken from a swab on the inside of the cheek is as accurate as a blood test, since the DNA in the cheek and blood is the same.

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.

In the United States, and most other countries, there are laws that prevent cruelty to animals. Given these laws, why do puppy mills still exist? Sadly, its' a question of lack of enforcement, and an overburdeneded system.

In the United States, Congress passed the Animal Welfare act nearly 35 years ago to, in part, ensure that animal breeders gave their animals humane treatment.

The Animal Welfare Act requires that animals have basic prevention of disease, adequate ventilation and sanitation, ample food and water, adequate housing, and reasonable handling.

In 2006, USDA had only 96 inspectors nationwide, and these inspectors were seriously overburdened. The USDA’s inspectors are responsible for overseeing zoos, circuses, laboratories, animals transported on commercial airlines, and pet stores and puppy mills.

Purebred dog lovers swear by the reliability of their breeds temperament and looks. Getting a purebred from a reputable, caring breeder can be a wonderful choice for you and your family.

Purebred Pros

• Often tested for health or genetic defects
• Have predictable temperaments
• Have predictable physical characteristics
• Choosing a purebred is great if you're looking for a dog for a specific function, for example, a guard dog, a hunting dog, a dog to herd sheep, pull a sled, or even dig for truffles

Purebred Cons

• Generally much more expensive than mixed breeds
• Popular, trendy, breeds attract bad breeders and puppy mills
• Tend to suffer from genetic and health diseases due to limited genetic diversity

Ahhh... the old controversy - which is better? A boy or a girl dog?

Many first-time dog owners want a female dog, because they think they’re less trouble. Others like a male dog because there's no danger of being stuck with puppies.

An individual dog can always be much different than generalizations suggest. I’ve seen many male dogs that were completely docile sweethearts, and females that were aggressive and wanted to wander. Overall, deciding to get a female or male dog is just preference.

If you plan to spay or neuter your dog, then it probably won't make a big difference if you get a male or female dog.

Male Dog Behaviors
Non-neutered males can be more aggressive, and have a tendency to wander. They may also want to be more dominant, and sometimes challenge your authority. They also tend to lift their rear leg to pee as a way to mark their territory (you can also expect neutered males to lift their leg to pee).

Many senior dogs end up for adoption each year through no fault of their own. The owner may have died, someone in the family developed allergies, or the family moved.

There are even cases where the family simply decided they couldn't bear to see their dog get older and pass away. A large breed dog is considered senior at about seven years of age, and a small breed is considered senior at about twelve years of age.

A senior dog rescue can be an especially good choice for someone who wants a dog that is less active and energetic. Many senior dogs have mellowed a lot by the time they reach their senior years, and really want nothing more than a little food, short walks, and love and affection thrown in for good measure. A senior dog adoption can get you unconditional love and a friend for life.

Advantages of a Senior Dog Rescue

There some great advantages to senior dog adoption or rescue: