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Puppy Mills

Don’t necessarily believe a pet store if they tell you that their puppies don’t come from a puppy mill. Pet store employees are not always well trained to spot signs of abuse and mistreatment seen in puppy mills.

Often, pet store owners and managers and their staff don’t know the conditions that their pets are bred in. Sadly, the cold reality of many puppy mills is that dogs in puppy mills are often kept in small cages, fed as little as needed to keep them alive, denied adequate medical care, and receive little or no positive human attention.

The parents are seen as breeding machines to create as much profit as possible. Many female breeding dogs are euthanized as soon as they stop producing enough puppies. The puppies are seen as little products, and given only what is needed to get them shipped to a store where they can bring in money.

Genetic Disorders in Mixed Breed Dogs

If your dog has a purebred ancestor, it may be susceptable to genetic disorders specific to purebreds. A mixed breed dog with a purebred ancestor can inherit a genetic disorder from its purebred parent or grandparent.

Unfortunately, owners of mixed breed dogs often have no idea if their dog is at risk of a genetic disorder. Until very recently, there was no way owners of mixed breeds could determine if their dog’s parents were purebreds (other than finding out directly who the parents were). Unfortunately, many dog owners have no information on the parents of their dog.

In the past couple of years, mixed breed Dog DNA tests have come on the market that can help you determine if your dog has a purebred parent or grandparent. Knowing your dog’s purebred ancestry can help you to determine if your dog is at risk of an inheritied genetic disorder.

You’ve Decided on a Purebred

Congratulations! A purebred dog can be a wonderful companion and friend. Purebreds have highly predictable physical characteristics and behaviours, so you won’t need to spend a long time searching for perfect combination.

The first thing to do is to decide on a breed of purebred dog. Even if you have a good idea of the breed you’re interested in, taking a little time to do some research can help ensure that you’ve made the right choice.

Genetic Skeletal and Muscular Disorders in Mixed Breed Dogs

Problems with the skeletal and muscular systems are among the most common disorders among purebred dogs.

However, owners of mixed breed dogs with a purebred ancestry often have no idea if their dog is at risk of developing disorder of the skeleton or muscle. This is because many mixed breed owners do not know if their dog has a purebred parent of grandparent.

Mixed breed Dog DNA tests, only available in the past few years, can tell if a mixed breed dog has parent or grandparent that was a purebred. Your vet can determine if your dog is at risk of inheritied genetic disorders once your vet knows the purebred ancestry of your mixed breed dog.

Choosing the Right Breed of Dog

Choosing the right dog breed is pretty difficult. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of breeds. So, how do you even begin choosing dog breeds?

You probably have a general idea of the breeds that might work. Once you’ve got a good idea of the breeds you’re interested in, talk to several owners of the breeds you’d like to buy. This will help you greatly when choosing the right breed of dog.

Breeds vary enormously in personality, and it’s crucial to consider if a breed’s personality matches you and your family’s needs. Different breeds were developed for different functions, and this can greatly influence their behaviors, so choosing dog breeds is a pretty difficult task.

Small and Tiny Dog Breeds

How small is a small dog? Small dogs weigh about 12 to 30 pounds. Small dog types are a terrific choice for someone in a smaller house or apartment, or who would have trouble physically caring for a larger dog. Small dog types may shed less and give off less allergens than larger dogs (simply because they have less hair and a smaller body).

Small dog breeds tend to live, on average, about 14 years. Some small dog types live much longer, and some Terrier breeds can easily live to be 20 years old.

Small dog types tend to have some health issues, but these are usually related to specific breed characteristics, rather than their smaller size. Dachshunds, for example, tend to have spinal problems that result from breeding for their long bodies, and Pugs often have breathing problems that come from breeding for their unusually short noses.

Do you Want a Long-haired, Short-haired or Hairless Dog?

Thinking about a long-haired dog? There’s a lot of grooming. But, surprisingly, some short haired dog breeds can shed a lot as well!

For the most part, getting a long haired or short haired dog is simply a matter of personal experience. Some people just love the look of luxurious long fur on a dog, and other people see it only as a bother.

Long-haired dogs usually require more grooming time to keep their fur free from mats and looking good. So, if you get a long-haired dog breed, you may end up spending more time at the groomers, or brushing your long-haired dogs fur yourself. Just be aware that short-haired dog breeds don’t necessarily shed less than long-haired dogs.

How to Adopt a Dog

One of the kindest, most responsible ways to get a dog is to adopt a dog that’s unwanted. Adopting a dog today is quite easy

Many people don’t want to adopt a dog from a rescue or animal shelter because they think of a used dog like a used car. After all, who wants someone else’s mistake and problem? Not true – when you adopt a dogs life improves immeasureably.

Truth is, most dogs at shelters are wonderful pets just waiting for someone to love them. They’ve ended up at the shelter because of their owners’ divorce or allergies, the owner becoming ill or unable to care for them or moving, a poor match with their owner (for example, a relaxed dog that only wants to hang out on the couch, matched with an owner who wants a running companion), or a hundred other reasons that are not the dog’s fault.

Quiz for Choosing a Dog

Are you really, truly willing (and able) to assume all of the responsibilities of having a dog?

This quiz for choosing a dog should help you determine if you’re really capable and willing to bring a dog into your life. If you can honestly answer yes to most of these questions, congratulations! You’re ready to consider choosing a breed.

Are you and your family able to commit 12 or more years to living with the dog? Could there be major, life-altering events in your future, such as divorce, moving to a different city, having children, or having to take care of elderly parents? Will you be able to take care of an aging dog that may have health issues?

Dog Training.com: Does Online Dog Training Suck?

You bank online, date, make friends, 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 arse 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.