Stop the Mess When Housebreaking a Chihuahua Puppy

Housebreaking a Chihuahua puppy can be quite a challenge. Chihuahuas are famous for being difficult to house train at times. You see, just the small size of your puppy makes a difference. Very small dogs often can feel frightened and vulnerable. That's a main reason your puppy may not even like to go outside. Here's what you can do...

1. Wait.

Don't start too soon. Make sure your puppy is capable of controlling elimination before you try. Otherwise you're set up for frustration. Often about 12 weeks is the right age. Check with the breeder.

2. Remember... gentle.

Praise success. Punishing a puppy for accidents may be very confusing and can lead to aggressive behavior. Be careful how you react to problems.

3. Habits are useful.

Puppies eliminate shortly after eating and drinking. Just watch for signs and you can be ready to whisk your pup to the right spot. The other time to be on the lookout is after naps.

4. Think paper.

Use papers as the elimination spot if you can't make it outside. After the papers become the spot to go, start moving the papers outside or wherever you choose.

5. The nest method.

Puppies don't like to foul their nests. You can confine your puppy in a nest for short periods of time. That nest might be in a crate. Your part is to watch very closely for signs of elimination. At those signs, out goes the puppy. Do your part. You must monitor the puppy all the time the pup's in the nest.

Wait until your puppy is old enough before you start puppy training. Then use just a few little tricks. With patience and time, your puppy should learn what's expected and your problems are over.

Tips For Buying Quality Dog Food

Read the First Five Ingredients
Out of the first five ingredients on your dog's food at least two should be animal protein, and I do not mean by-products. These are the ground up leftovers after processing, and they are not considered fit for human consumption. Even some of the dog food brands that are considered healthy have animal by-products in the first five ingredients. To be honest you probably will have to give up on the grocery store when it comes to buying quality dog food, and rely on a pet store instead.

Know What Grains are Good for Your Dog
Did you know that your dog cannot process soy, wheat, or corn? Unfortunately these cheap grains make up the bulk of less expensive dog food, and your dog pays the price with his health. If any of these ingredients are in the top five of your dog's food, toss it. Instead, look for quality dog food with brown rice, millet, or quinoa, which are all easy on a pup's tummy.

Know Your Percentages
Ideally your dog's diet should consist of 40% meat, 50% vegetable, and 10% grain. Read the guaranteed analysis on the label to determine what the percentages are in your dog's food.

Ultimately it may cost more to buy your dog quality food, but it will save you money and heartache in the long run. Good food can prevent health problems and extend your dog's life, while junk food will land your dog in the vet's office before he is even old. Take pride in knowing that you are providing the very best you can for your dog, and simply enjoy each other's company.

Golden Retriever Physical Characteristics - What You Should Know About His Height, Head and Eyes

The standard Golden is a medium sized dog. Measuring a dog's height is done by using a yardstick and a flat surface, for example, a sheet of cardboard that is gently placed at the flat area where the neck and back meet. A Golden's height may vary an inch over or under and remain within the standard. The Golden should be slightly longer in body than height. The weight recommendations are meant for dogs of proper height that are in working condition.

Obviously, an overweight dog will not fall within these weights. The tendency for Goldens to be larger than the standard allows is due to certain trends over the years; a moderate sized Golden is more suitable for the various jobs it performs and will be subject to fewer soundness problems.

The way the head is proportioned and the facial expressions define the Golden Retriever. The stop is the area between the eyes from the top of the head to the beginning of the muzzle or nose.

There should be a definite difference in these two planes. A dog with no stop has only a slope from the head to muzzle as opposed to an angle that indicates depth. The muzzle should taper slightly to the tip of the nose, but it should not be pointed.

The eyes are the single most important physical characteristic of the Golden. The eyes mirror the dog's personality and character, which are what make a Golden what she is, intelligent, trusting and fun loving.

The eye abnormalities mentioned above need to be diagnosed by a veterinarian. Adult make Golden Retrievers are usually 23 to 24 inches tall, with females coming in at about 1-1/2 to 2 inches shorter.

The eyes are his most important physical characteristics, they reveal a lot about his personality.

Things to Consider Before Getting a Giant Schnauzer

This breed originated from Germany - the term Schnauzer is German for "muzzle", which is a term referring to the "barrel of the gun". So Giant Schnauzer would mean giant barrel of the gun, which is in some way related to its intended purpose in the past. During World War I, this pooch was used as a messenger dog. It had to run across the battlefield, dodging flying bullets and land mines to deliver its message. The job wasn't meant for the faint of heart; a lesser breed given a task like that would have found a nice hole to hide in and shiver with its tail in between its legs.

They looked for a dog with the courage, physical prowess and intelligence to fill the post. Eventually the search ended when they found the Giant Schnauzer. This breed is a crossbreed - what they did was take a Standard Schnauzer, and let it get busy with a larger breed. The result was it retained its original attributes, but increase in size. It now has a height ranging from 23 to 28 inches, and a weight of 55 to 80 pounds. This is a big change compared to its original height and weight which was 17 to 20 inches and 30 to 45 pounds.

The Giant Schnauzer is large with a solid build. This pooch has a bushy double coat, usually coming in the colors pure black, or salt and pepper. The outer coat is quite coarse, while the inner coat is soft and thick. Its beard is long, and is complimented by its whiskers. There's not much to talk about when it comes to its tail, which looks like a candle stump. Today this dog still carries out functions similar to the ones it was assigned to at the past. Its great sense of smell is used for bomb detection and other illegal commodities such as drugs.

In some areas, its strength was used for farm work, such tasks include protecting livestock and actually pulling carts. But because of its obedience, intelligence, protective and affectionate nature, the majority of the population have made it a house pet. The Giant Schnauzer serves as an excellent guard dog. It is very protective over its master and territory, and has the build to back-up its bark. Growing suspicious of strangers is a normal thing for it to do, which at some times can be a problem. It may have the tendency to bark at your guests, so to eliminate the behavioral abnormality, training will be needed.

A well-trained Giant makes an outstanding pet. Aside from that, this breed loves keeping human company. It is playful and sweet, always looking for ways to catch your attention. A major need for this breed is exercise. Having it not expend its excess energy will make it restless and can result to some behavioral problems. It will require daily jogs, or long walks, and other strenuous work-outs, all of which it enjoys very much. It may need exercising twice a day if the earlier routine wasn't good enough for it. The Giant Schnauzer isn't for those who don't have the time to give it this.

But if you're willing to make changes to your schedule, the sacrifice will be well worth it.

Red and White Setter Puppies

The Red and White setter is from the same family as of Irish setter, Gordon Setter and the English setter. Red and White Setter is strong and powerful, without lumber - athletic rather than racy. The head is broad in proportion to body, with good stop.

Red and White Setters are energetic, intelligent, affectionate, high-spirited, and full of energy. The dog is loyal and affectionate, and its appearance emphasizes the dog's strength; its coat is also thicker than that of other setters. The dog's bright, dark eyes carry a wise expression and are set into a relatively narrow and deep head. The hindquarters are wide and powerful. Legs from hip to heel are long and muscular and from hock to heel are short and strong. They are good working dogs. It even works well on wetlands for hunting.

They work well in fields and also prove to be good show dogs. Both field lines and show lines make good pets, though the field lines are generally smaller with shorter coats and a much higher activity requirement. The Red and White Setter is used for all types of hunting specially game birds. It even works well on wetlands. Training is required for this breed firmly at an early age to prevent development of bad habits, as this breed tends to pick up bad habits quickly. It is important to train for good house manners and obedience also. These dogs are said to be easily housebroken. They are extremely intelligent and strong-will, which may be seen as stubbornness but the breed is highly obedient in nature, and is considered easy to train. The training of the dog should be started early in childhood so that it can learn the house rules and can be friend to other pets. The dog should be learning first the physical commands like sit, heel etc. They love to play in outdoors and need a lot of exercise. They also require regular grooming, especially the feet and ears, to stay healthy.

PPC (Posterior Polar Cataract) is a relatively minor form of cataract, doesn't normally lead to blindness, but is in the breed. Breeding stock should have their eyes checked and certified before breeding. The dog suffers from different diseases like hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism and gastric torsion. Their life expectancy is about eleven to fifteen years. To participate in dog shows they need professional training. The Red and White Setter is not recommended for apartment life and does best with a large yard.

Gordon Setter Information

Description :
This breed tends to bloat. It may be wise to feed 2 or 3 small meals a day instead of one big one. The Irish Setter is particularly prone to epilepsy and severe skin allergies. They also suffer from eye problems and elbow & hip dysplasia. Also prone to PRA, auto-immune disease and hypothyroidism. The ears should be watched for ear inflammation. Ear operations for otitis often make the dogs ill-tempered afterwards.

Temperament :
This breed tends to bloat. It may be wise to feed 2 or 3 small meals a day instead of one big one. The Irish Setter is particularly prone to epilepsy and severe skin allergies. They also suffer from eye problems and elbow & hip dysplasia. Also prone to PRA, auto-immune disease and hypothyroidism. The ears should be watched for ear inflammation. Ear operations for otitis often make the dogs ill-tempered afterwards.

Height :
Dogs 24-27 inches (61-69 cm.) Bitches 23-26 inches (58-66 cm.)

Weight :
Dogs 55-80 pounds (25-36 kg.) Bitches 45-70 pounds (20-32 kg.)

Health problem :
Usually in excellent health, but some are prone to hip dysplasia and eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts. These dogs are prone to bloat and should be fed two or three small meals a day rather than one big one.

Living conditions :
The Gordon Setter is not recommended for apartment life. It is relatively inactive indoors (if a Gordon Setter gets enough outdoor activity it will be calm when it is indoors) and does best with at least a large, safely fenced yard where it can run free. They like to roam, so a good fence around your property is essential.

Kitten Care Guide - Complete Care Tips For Your Kitten

Kitten care may be intimidating to the first time cat owner. There are a lot of things to know about kitten care. From bottle feeding to socializing your kitten, you'll have to learn these things in order to raise your kitten properly.

Kitten care should be fun. You will look at your kitten and see a totally helpless creature for the first few days. You need to take care of your kitten and eventually; they will grow into strong, intelligent, and loving cats.

Kittens will grow very quickly. For the first six weeks, they will grow their fastest in their entire lifespan. This stage is crucial. There are some things that you should not do during this stage of a kitten's life.

You should not feed your kitten dog food. This might make end up with cats vomiting or cat sickness. You should not feed it table scraps either. Avoid giving your kitten liver, canned tuna or any type of canned fish for human beings. You should feed your kitten specialty food and nurse them with their proper milk. Kitten care in feeding is important.

Socializing your kitten is part of kitten care. You can talk to your kitten, cuddle with your kitten, and play with it. When you handle it properly, they will associate positive experiences with you and thus, become properly socialized.

Part of kitten care involves what you should allow and what you should prohibit when your kitten is playing. You should now allow your kitten to play with your fingers and associate it with some play toy. This may develop into a bad habit and may eventually cause scratching and biting not only to you but to other people in the household as well.

Part of care involves what kind of toys to buy them. In some cases, you don't even have to buy them because you can find them lying around the house or you can make them. One toy that you may want your cat to play with is a plastic straw. These are excellent for teething during the early stages of cat's life. Aside from straws, you can also get old shoulder pads. They will enjoy playing with this too.

Kitten care also involves what your cat should not play with. Avoid giving your cat curling ribbons or loose string elastics. They may get a cat hairball. You don't want your cat going to the vet because of their toys.