barbie loves dogs

Do you enjoy grooming your dog? I don’t my dogs roll in filth. Then I am stuck washing mud out of their fur. It is always important to groom your dog. We all must never forget that. Some breeds of dogs require more grooming than others. Such as wrinkly bulldogs, those are so ugly that it makes them look cute. We must all also remember the importance of ridding your pet of pests such as fleas, and ticks. Another horrible pest that plagues dogs is ear mites. I didn’t even know dogs could catch ear mites. Not until my dog Heidi caught ear mites. It is important to bath your dog to rid them of fleas and ticks. A lot of dog shampoos will kill fleas, and ticks up to a certain amount of time after the dog’s bath. Some breeds of dogs need to be brushed. Dogs like German Shepherds need brushing daily because, of their thick coat. If you don’t brush their hair they can be prone to skin diseases, and infections. Another thing to note about grooming a dog daily is that it reduces their effect on people who have allergies. This is due to the fact that it keeps the hair and dandruff from floating around.

 A dog owner should also do other things to maintain their dog. Dog owners should also brush their dog’s teeth and, cut their claws.  There are many products on the market now days that make it easy to cut your dogs claws. If you do not cut your dogs claws your dog can hurt its feet. Claws can wrap around their feet and make it hard to walk. Their claws can also break off and cause their feet to bleed.  Cutting your dogs claws also prevents you from getting scratched when they sit in your lap, or jump up at you. If your dog weighs over 100 pounds, it can also prevent it from being so painful when they step on your feet. Brushing your dog’s teeth is important as well as cutting their claws. If you brush your dogs teeth it keeps plaque down.  Their teeth are much like our teeth, and like our teeth their teeth also rot and fall out. Your dog can get nasty mouth, gum, and teeth infections if they do not have proper oral hygiene. If your dog develops dental issues, you will have to take them to the vet. The vet bills can get awful large, when it could have been prevented by just brushing your dog’s teeth every day. There are also treats that are sold in stores, to clean your dog’s teeth such as dentasticks. They even come in strange minty meaty flavors.  Unlike us dogs don’t really wear dentures so it is important to make sure they keep their teeth for as long as they can. Once your dog loses his teeth he has to eat special soft dog food. This can shorten the length of their life.

Some breeds of dogs have strange wrinkles and smashed in faces. Breeds like the pug, or the Shar Pei. These breeds of dogs need extra care when grooming. You have to clean their wrinkles out every day. They also get a trail of snot that runs from the corners of their eyes and down. You must clean their faces every day or, else they can get skin infections. Some people enjoy doing these things every day. Well if you enjoy cleaning dogs, everyday you should become a dog groomer. People pay dog groomers to do these things for them every day. If you are interested in dog grooming you should research how to be a dog groomer. I am sure they make good money, especially with breeds of dogs that need frequent grooming. 

Some dogs get nervous when their owners leave them alone. When they are left alone they tear up furniture, as well as anything that is around them. They will use the restroom on the floor, and will do things they would not normally do with you around. While these are all signs of bad behavior, it might not necessarily be bad behavior. It may be separation anxiety. What causes separation anxiety is your dog being separated from you. The same as a child experiences separation anxiety, except your dog won’t necessarily grow out of it. “One of the most common complaints of pet parents is that their dogs are disruptive or destructive when left alone. Their dogs might urinate, defecate, bark, howl, chew, dig or try to escape.” If your dog is defecating in your presence it usually is not separation anxiety. It is instead bad house training. One thing that is common amongst dogs that have separation anxiety is that they try to escape. They will chew at doorways, dig, and chew at window seals.  Another thing they will do is pace. If your dog is defecating then eating it that also is a symptom of separation anxiety.

There is no known cause for separation anxiety, but sometimes changing owners can cause it. There are also other things that can cause separation anxiety. Which are moving to a new house, change in routine, and changing caretakers.  There are a few things that separation anxiety could be mistake for. These things are urinary diseases, marking, bad house training, and peeing when they get to excited. Another thing to consider is that your dog may not have separation anxiety. They may just be a destructive bad dog, or a younger dog that has not outgrown chewing. Some dogs also become bored and, destroy things. My dogs like to shred up pieces of paper. Another thing to consider as well; that if your dogs are barking or howling excessively. It also may not be separation anxiety; it may be because they hear something or see something unfamiliar.

A way to treat separation anxiety if it is not too bad is to associate being alone with something good. Something that the web M.D. for dogs website, suggests is to get one of those rubber Kong dog toys and filling it with treats. They particularly say to fill it with spray can cheese whiz. If the dog has extreme separation anxiety you will have to rely on a trained professional to help you.  On web M.D. it also explains to you the steps to training your dog to help with separation anxiety.  Other things to help with doggy separation anxiety would be; doggy day care, taking your dog to work with you, or leaving your dog with a caretaker or family member. As I had also mentioned in previous posts, is crate training also helps with separation anxiety. This helps with my dogs. It creates a safe feeling place for your dog, and it keeps them away from things that they can destroy. It also keeps them away from house hold items that can be potentially dangerous. The crate acts the same way a den would to a wild canine. Another thing to think about is, it is not shameful to hire someone to help you with your dog. Don’t ever feel bad about finding a trainer or baby sitter for your pet. If separation anxiety gets severe to the point where no one can handle it, you can always go to the vet to have your dog evaluated. The vet can prescribe medications to help your dog with separation anxiety.

Every dog does it, and we all hope that one day they out grow it. Every dog chews. They chew on your furniture, your shoes, and you. Puppies with teeth growing in gnaw on everything, to ease the teeth in. The same way human babies do. Even when dogs are older they still like to chew on things. This becomes a big problem though when it becomes, destructive. The damage can be frustrating and, expensive. When it comes to chewing, you should first try to discover why your dog is chewing. Some dogs destroy things, when they go through separation anxiety. Signs of separation anxiety are “dogs are disruptive or destructive when left alone. Their dogs might urinate, defecate, bark, howl, chew, dig or try to escape.”   If your dog is chewing because, he is cutting teeth. You should either crate the dog, or restrain it to a restricted area. You should offer the dog, chewing treats or toys and wait for the dog to get older. This behavior is resolved by the dog growing out of the phase. If your dog chews on inappropriate things tell the dog no and, reinforce positive behavior such as chewing on chew toys and chew treats. Younger dogs also chew on people, and will bite on you. Do not sit there and let your puppy chew on your hand. While it may be cute it is encouraging biting.

Every dog also will bite, they all have a mouth. Biting is a dogs natural defense. It is a good idea to train your dog. Especially if you have people or children that frequently interact with your dog. The leading causes of Emergency Room visits are from; when a child has been bitten by a house hold dog. See the Center for Disease Control  “About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year.”  A person must always consider that dogs, are still animals. All animals will bite to defend themselves. Never leave children unattended with a dog is an important tip, and sadly becomes an important lesson to some dog owners. If you have an aggressive dog, you should consider keeping the dog properly restrained. The healthiest way to restrain a dog is a fenced in yard. Make sure the fence is tall enough that the dog cannot jump out, and make sure that the dog cannot dig out.

Some breeds of dogs (such as pit bulls) have suffered prejudice for being aggressive breeds, and should be maintained so that they do not get out. This is because; in some states the Animal control will kill any aggressive breeds of dogs immediately. Some states require you to have licensing to have certain aggressive breeds. Some more aggressive breeds of dogs cannot be trained, they can only be restrained. The aggressive dogs that can be trained should be trained by a professional. Other less aggressive breeds of dogs can be trained at home.  Tell them no, and reinforce positive behavior with treats, and attention.  If you have problems training your dog you should find a professional to help you. You can look in the yellow pages for a professional under dog trainers. Also some corporate pet stores have trainers. They have classes that you can enroll your dog in. The only down side to these classes is that your dog will be exposed to other dogs. That he or she may not be friendly with. Also your dog will be around a person that they do not know. This can provoke more bad behavior from your dog.

German Shepherds are a versatile dog; they can be trained to do anything. This breed of dog comes in three coat colors; black and tan ,white, and black. They are a larger breed of dog. Their ears stand up but they are born with floppy ears. German Shepherds have a double coat and, are suitable for all different types of weather. They also have bushy tails. German Shepherds have a long snout that is believed, to be inherited by the breed being interbred with wolves. Their long snout makes it easier for them to pick up scents and track thing with.  The German Shepherd has powerful jaws can cause serious damage and are one of the top dogs in the list of dogs with powerful jaws.  This dog was originally bred from farm dogs used for herding. They are recognized by the American Kennel Club and, are America’s most popular dog. http://www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/index.cfm

The German Sheppard counts for over 8,000 of police dog force in the United States. Police dogs are considered more than a dog, in fact if you kill a police dog in the United States. It is considered capital murder. The German Sheppard was used by Germany in World War one and World War two. After World War two American soldiers brought the breed over impressed with the breed’s abilities after the war. How so ever there is no proof of the breed being bred with wolves. The famous dog movie star Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd. “Made 26 films for Warner Brothers pictures and is actually credited with saving the studio from bankruptcy.” http://www.rintintin.co/com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=53  He was born September the 10^th, 1918 and died August the 10^th, 1932.

 German Shepherds are a healthy breed of dog but they suffer from Hip dysplasia. I also found that they suffer from other health issues: “The most common health issues that arise are Hip Dysplsia, Bloat, Gastric Disorders, Panosteitis, Spinal Paralysis, and Eye Diseases.” http://www.germandogtrainingcenter.com/health-issues-for-german-shepherds.html They also shed lots of fur and, need frequent grooming. The breed needs a lot of exercise because they are a dog with a lot of energy. It is best if you have a yard for a German Shepherd, they can be kept inside but if they are they need frequent walks.  When they are not trained well they are the number one bitter. They need training as a puppy to prevent them from biting, and chewing on everyone. They want to play constantly and have a lot of energy. They are a good family dog, and are protective. They don’t like outsiders, and are the easiest breed to train. These dogs are well balanced and good natured dogs.

                Personally I have two German Shepherds; both of them are half breeds. I have Heidi and Wolfe.  Heidi is half bull mastiff, and Wolfe is half Border Collie. They are both high energy dogs, they are very loving.  Both dogs are extremely aggressive towards strangers, but do well with the family. The dogs I have both are not trained well. I let them run loose in my back yard. They have issues with jumping on people, and they like to try to chew on peoples shoes while they are walking near them. I love my dogs, and they make a good breed to have around children. My dogs stay very close to my children, and if anyone comes near the kids. The dogs get very aggressive. If one of the children gets hurt, the dogs bark and alert us. (Kind of like lassie.) I would recommend this breed of dog to anyone.

My dogs being an aggressive small breed of dog are crate trained. This means that I close them up in a crate, or dog kennel to keep them safe or to keep others safe. Some people may think that this is cruel but I assure you that it is not. The humane society supports the use of crates, and they have a website that offers information about crate training. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/crate_training.html  We often forget that dogs were once wild animals. Wild canines live in dens, and feel most at home and safe in a small enclosed area. These small enclosed areas such as crates suffice to a domestic dog like a den would to a wild dog. Wild dogs use their dens for sleeping, having puppies, and raising their puppies. The dens also keep them away from natural elements such as wind and rain.

 Another thing to think about when crate training is that most dogs will not soil their den. This means that crating works well to potty train your dog. You can keep them in the crate and let them outside to use the restroom in the yard. This eliminates stinky puppy pads, and works well with stubborn breeds of dogs that go on the carpet no matter what you do. It is important when crating your dog, to remember that dogs need plenty of fresh air and exercise. Never leave your dog in a crate for long periods of time. If you keep them in the crate to long, they can become sick. They can also use the restroom in the crate, and nobody really wants to clean up doggy poop.

There are other pros to crating your dog other than keeping them from using the bathroom on the floor in your house. It also prevents them from chewing on furniture, electrical cords, and it keeps them out of dangerous household chemicals. This is a horrible stage that all puppies go through that they out grow when they get older. Crating also helps prevent dogs from being stressed, and helps with separation anxiety. It creates a safe feeling place for them to hide, almost like their own little room. My dogs use to like to tear up pieces of paper, and sofa pillows. I would come home and think oh what happened here? Did a lawn mower run over my sofa cushions? This is a sign of separation anxiety; another sign of separation anxiety is your dog using the bathroom inside the house when he normally wouldn’t do that. It might be a good idea to crate your dog when he starts to show signs of separation anxiety.

 Crating a dog makes it easier to transport the dog. If the dog is used to being in a crate it makes the situation easier and less stressful on the dog. Then you can take the dog on airplanes, or in a vehicle without worry of your dog being scared or stressed. Another thing to think about when traveling is that a crate will keep your dog from going to the restroom on expensive hotel rugs. The crate is your doggy’s portable bedroom.

So how do you choose a crate? There are various different crates that a person can choose from. There are plastic crates, much like the ones people take their cats to the vet in. These crates are often used to travel with. There are also ones with removable doors, for when the door is no longer needed. (I leave the doors on my crates, because my dogs bite people.) There are also wired crates, I keep a wired crate for my German Sheppard Heidi. She is half German Sheppard and half bull mastiff. So looks like an over grown German Sheppard. The wired crate works better for her because, of her size. She also isn’t as aggressive as the smaller dogs I own. I can allow her to see what is going on around the room, without expecting her to bark, and snap through the cage. This is another thing to consider when choosing a crate, is the size and the personality of your dog. You should furnish their crates, with a dog bed, dog toys, and put treats in their crate. This will make it a place they can enjoy.

I have two Dachshunds. Their names are Daisy and Oscar Mayer. One of them is a regular weenie dog with a brownish red coat (wire haired) and the other is a miniature with a darker coat (also wire haired). He has a white spot on his chest. It is interesting that one breed of dog, can have so many variations of coat colors. They have three different colors. They as well have wired hair or longer hair. Most of them have the rougher coat that is wired hair. Dachshunds are a short dog with small legs, and they have a long body. Their body resembles that of a hotdog, there for most people call them weenie dogs. They have floppy ears, and a keen nose like most hounds. They also have wired hair or longer hair. Most of them have the rougher coat that is wired hair. The Dachshund is a breed approved by the American Kennel club. http://www.akc.org/breeds/dachshund/  At one time the Dachshund was one of the most loved dogs in the United States.

 Dachshunds can be very aggressive. My Dachshunds are very aggressive. I would assume that they are the most aggressive breed of dog. When they determine the most aggressive breed of dog one of the things they consider is; how many people end up with serious injuries due to that breed of dog. Upon research I found this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2254479/Sausage-dogs-are-the-most-aggressive-dogs.html saying: That the Dachshund is the breed of dog most likely to bite strangers and even their owners. (While my dogs have never bitten or snapped at me, they have bitten everyone else. They also have definitely snapped at everyone I know.) The Daschund was bred originally for hunting aggressive badgers. So when they decide to attach something, they do not back off easy. They are stubborn like a badger. How so ever regardless of what people say. I feel as if my dogs are loving towards me. They love to sit on the sofa with me and watch television. I often give them treats.

 When training Dachshunds. You will have to consider this breed of dogs stubbornness makes it difficult to train them. They want to do their own thing, but with consistency they train well. I kennel train my dogs. I keep them in the kennel, when they are small and only let them out to go to the bathroom outside. I do this for a few months until they get the hang of the schedule. Once they get use to it I let them out. This also makes it easier to control them. If someone comes over I tell them go to your cage. I then cage them so that they do not eat my guests. The dogs do not train well, inside the house. They go to the bathroom on the carpet, so puppy pads do not work well. They need to be outside to use the restroom.

When considering rather or not to get a Dachshund. The Dachshunds are considered to be one of the healthier breeds of dog. The Dachshund has back problems, and they get fat easy. You must walk them regularly, or have a fenced in area for them to play. You must have it fenced in because; they will bite your neighbors.  The biggest concern is because; of the shape of their body they often have spinal problems.  These dogs do best with adult owners. They do not do well with children this is due to the fact that they are short tempered. They are stubborn and have the tendency to snap. They don’t tolerate ear pulling very well, and they seem to get jealous. I have three children, and my children know not to make quick movements around the dogs or make loud noises. My dogs do not tolerate them. When the kids play with the dogs, appropriately the dogs are well behaved. They don’t bite for no reason.  Here is a video from the discovery channel that I thought might help a person learn about this breed of dog. http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/dachshund.htm