How to Determine Your Dog's Coat Type

Dog coats come in a variety of types - from straight to curly, long to short, and fluffy to wiry. Every breed's coat is different, and as a result, they require different grooming and treatment. The first step in determining how to treat your dog's coat is to figure out what type of coat it is. Thankfully there are only two main types to choose between, and it's fairly easy to spot the difference:

knit your dog book

1. The Double Coat

YOUR DOG

Most dogs have a double coat. This is where the coat is composed of two layers. The first is the 'undercoat', which is a short, fluffy type of fur which sits directly against the animal's skin. On top of this sits the 'top coat'. This is typically stiffer, and is designed to repel water. Dogs with a double coat shed their undercoat twice a year.

2. The Single Coat

With the more rare single coat, the dog has no undercoat, and instead has only the water-repellent top coat. Because of the lack of undercoat, dogs with a single coat tend to shed a lot less hair than their double coated counterparts.

How To Tell Which Coat Type Your Dog Has

The easiest way to determine which type of coat your dog has is to look it up in a guide. The American Kennel Club (AKC) produces a guide for every major breed of dog, and this guide lists the coat type.

If there's no guide available for your dog, you'll need to determine his coat type yourself. First you need to get your dog to stand still. Using a partner to hold them will make things much easier! Part the hair on their side to see if the coat appears any different underneath (usually with a more downy texture than the outer hairs). If so, your dog has a double coat, otherwise it's a single coat.

Once you know your dog's coat type, you can use this to make informed decisions about grooming it, as each type needs to be treated differently.

How to Determine Your Dog's Coat Type

Paul Watkins loves dogs, and enjoys passing on the knowledge he's gained to help other dog owners have a happy relationship with their pets. He also has a passion for writing and creating websites. Visit his latest site about trial contact lenses [http://www.trialcontactlenses.org] which features tips on where to find affordable contact lenses [http://www.trialcontactlenses.org/affordable-contact-lenses].

YOUR DOG

Itchy Paws - 7 Possible Reasons Your Dog's Paws Itch

Paw licking can be a minor nuisance or a symptom of a moderate to serious health problem. It's important to have your dog checked if your dog is persistently licking her paws. Here are some of the reasons this might be occurring:

stop your dog from barking

1. Outside Allergy

YOUR DOG

Is the licking occurring when your dog comes in from the yard or back from a walk? He may have allergy to the grass or some other botanical cause.

2, Arthritis

If you have an older dog, it may be that he is suffering with arthritis. When a dog has paw pain, they may deal with it through licking.

3. Food Allergy

Sometimes a dog can be allergic to something in its food. If this licking just started at the time of a food change, try changing back to the old brand if possible. You may need to switch to a brand formulated especially for dogs with allergies.

4. Grooming

To an extent some paw licking is normal. This is just a way to groom, keep them clean and pretty. Some breeds are more particular than others. There is a service provided for women's feet, they're called pedicures.

5. Irritant

A dog has a webbing between it toes. Sometimes something may irritate this webbing. It may be some simple like a small stone, a splinter or a small cut.

6. Boredom

The licking can actually become a psychological thing resulting from boredom. Make sure you dog is challenged physically and mentally.

7. Toenails

If a dog's toenails get too long they may try to bite them or lick at her paws. Make sure to keep your dogs paws groomed, fur and nails.

Licking or biting at paws can cause the paws to become raw and sore, so don't let this go on too long before consulting with his vet.

Itchy Paws - 7 Possible Reasons Your Dog's Paws Itch

And now I would like to invite you to learn more about another dog issue, anal gland problems, by clicking this link:

Free Report

David Stewart
dave@doggyspeak101.com

YOUR DOG

Spaying Your Dog - The Essential Questions

For many female dog owners the decision of whether or not to spay your pet is one that is often delayed. This is regrettable, because through being hesitant it can often result in the optimum time for spaying being in the past.

What this article sets out to achieve is that once you have finished reading it, you will be able to reach a well-considered, and timely decision.

SPAYING YOUR DOG

The first question has to be: What is spaying?
It's a surgical procedure [ovariohysterectomy]. Following a general anaesthesia, a small incision is made in the lower abdominal area to effect the removal of the dog's ovaries and uterus.

What are the benefits of spaying my dog?
1. Obviously your not going to be troubled by any unwanted pregnancies. It can, and does happen, and without your even knowing. Males are very devious Romeo's, and your sweet little girl is by no means a shrinking violet once the time is right.
2. The heat cycle is over for good. Which means no more blood from the vulva on your floors and carpets.
3. It's also the end to any behavioral problems that are associated with the heat cycle. And that includes the urge to roam.
4. There are several major health advantages. Including the prevention of a pyometra developing: A serious, and sometimes fatal infection of the uterus.
5. Similarly, ovarian and uterine cancers are a greatly reduced threat--because of the removal of the reproductive organs.
6. And as your pet gets older there is a definite reduction in the risk of breast cancer.

What are the negative aspects of spaying my dog?
1. There are the risks involved in the surgery itself. The anaesthetic risk, and also the risk of infection.
2. And often the big stumbling block--The cost. In many areas there are organizations that will help--You need to be pro-active on this one, and leave no stone unturned.
3. The same as with the neutered male, there is the inevitable weight problem. Most vets will recommend that you reduce the spayed dog's food intake by around 20% on a daily basis. The real causes of canine obesity is exactly the same as it is in people: Overeating and a general lack of exercise.
4. There is an increased likelihood of urinary incontinence, as your pet gets older. It does happen, but it is very easily controlled.
5. There needs to be more emphasis on post-operative care than in the neutering of a male.

What about Post-Operative care?
Get your vet to provide you with an Elizabethan collar, or a similar plastic cone after the procedure. Several years ago, one of my dogs nipped her way through one of her stitches. She was close to opening up the entire wound--which would have had the inevitable outcome.

Also wait for at least 10 days after the operation before you exercise your dog off of the lead. I did on just one occasion with another dog, and for only a few minutes. This lead to complications, and she had to endure a further 2 weeks of on the lead exercise. These were mistakes that I made because I lacked any information about post-operative care.

The key question--When should I have my dog spayed?
A common myth is that a female should have a litter before being the spayed. This is unsubstantiated nonsense. The optimum time period is just before, or 12 weeks after her first season. By acting during this timeframe you will substantially reduce her chances of developing mammary cancer at a later stage in her life. Being a responsible pet owner it would be wise not to miss this short, but beneficial period to enhance her health prospects.

This short article should help you to reach a decision concerning the spaying of your dog. The eventual choice is yours. However, in the interests of your dog's health and well-being, if you do go ahead, please make sure that you act at the most favorable time.

Spaying Your Dog - The Essential Questions

Andy Matthews is a long time dog lover having bred, kept and shown a number of dogs for many years. He lives with his best pal Suki, a 5 year old Cocker Spaniel. Between them they have built from scratch Dog Names.

A new section on dog health has just been added at Dog Health. Check them both out --they're kind of unique!

SPAYING YOUR DOG

How to Train Your Dog - 7 Tips

Dogs can bring so much joy to our lives: they provide companionship, act as a burglar alarm, and can even protect us from danger. However, if you have a dog with behavioral problems such as urinating in undesignated areas, chewing up household items, or barking uncontrollably, you may be occupied mainly with thoughts of how to make your dog behave. These 7 tips can help.

stop your dog from barking

Tip #1: Avoid training when you are angry: Your dog is already extremely in tune with your emotions. If your dog does something to make you angry, wait until you have been able to distance yourself emotionally before trying to train your dog. Reason: if you are angry while training your dog, your dog will be distracted by your excited state and not be able to concentrate on your lesson.

YOUR DOG

Tip #2: Learn to think like your dog: If your dog does a behavioral no-no, think about what led up to the behavior. What was your dog doing before the behavioral mistake? Can you make adjustments to your dog's environment that would prevent this? The point is, try to make sense of the behavior rather than just reacting to it as an isolated event.

Tip #3: Start when the dog is a puppy if you can - but you can train adult dogs, too: Yes, of course you should try to start training your dog when he or she is a puppy (note: wait until they are at least 6 months old). But, if behavioral problems crop up later in life, by all means you can and should start a corrective training program at that time.

Tip #4: Show him who is boss: When you are training your dog, make sure that you are trainer first, friend second. You need to be strict with your dog so that there is no ambiguity about the seriousness of what you want him or her to do.

Tip #5: Avoid yelling at your dog: Similar to the tip about your anger above, make sure you do not yell at your dog. Yelling makes you seem out of control and will actually reduce the effectiveness of your training efforts. Instead, use a calm, authoritative voice to train your dog.

Tip #6: Maintain a consistent learning environment: Try to maintain a consistent environment for your training exercises. Keep the set and setting the same for each lesson and your dog will pick up on your educational cues more quickly.

Tip #7: Use a training collar if necessary: Use a 6 foot training lead to train your dog. However, if you find that your dog is difficult to control, by all means switch to a training collar while the behavior problems persist.

Having a dog with serious behavioral problems can be annoying, distressing, and even expensive. Show your dog who is boss while maintaining a calm, authoritative demeanor and your dog will be on the road to better behavior.

How to Train Your Dog - 7 Tips

Getting fed up with your dog's behavioral problems? Put an end to the stress, expense and annoyance of with this proven training guide: [http://www.I-Feel-Great.com]

YOUR DOG

Benefits of Spaying Female Dogs

Responsible pet owners choose to spay their female dogs for a variety of reasons, including the protection of a dog's overall health and to control pet overpopulation. While the miracle of birth is fascinating to many and most are particularly fond of new puppies, the fact is that pregnancy and birth can cause a variety of health issues in dogs. Also, cute puppies grow into adult dogs and without a proper home being available for these dogs, allowing female dogs to breed only increases the likelihood that her offspring will fall prey to unfortunate circumstances caused by pet overpopulation.

Health Issues

SPAYING

Pregnancy and birth are not always the safest occurrences for some dogs. As a result of either, the risk to a female dog's health is increased as mammary gland infections and uterine infections may occur. While many believe that placing a dog on birth control pills or having them undergo a hysterectomy solves the problem of reproduction and is enough to ensure a dog's optimal health, this is simply not true. Often, birth control pills and hysterectomies (which do not remove the full reproductive tract) actually contribute to poor health in animals.

The following is a list of increased risk factors that may occur when spaying a dog is avoided in favor of other methods used against reproduction:

o Like most synthetic medications, birth control pills can cause unwanted side effects and cannot be used permanently. Thus, a dog can still become pregnant.
o A hysterectomy, also known as a tubal ligation, leaves a female dog's ovaries intact and allows the dog to still produce hormones that are produced in the ovaries, and to experience semi-annual heat cycles. While this appeals to many pet owners, many do not realize that allowing the presence of hormones and heat cycles increases the likelihood that a pet will try to escape the house or yard during mating season, which also increases the risk of them being hurt or lost.
o A hysterectomy also still allows a female to participate in regular mating habits. This, combined with the hormones she produces, more easily attracts male visitors to the owner's yard, which can be a danger to the family, other pets and increases the amount of pet waste in a yard.
o By allowing the dog only a hysterectomy and keeping hormone production in tact, owners also greatly increase the likelihood of the following in their pets:

1. Uterine infections
2. Mammary cancer
3. Tumors in the ovaries or uterus
4. Coat problems (Due to hormonal imbalances)
5. False pregnancies and other hormonal imbalances (Many of which are characterized by uterine swelling, engorged mammary glands and behavioral changes)

Spaying a female dog involves the complete removal of ovaries and the uterus, which prevents hormone reproduction, hormone imbalances, heat cycles and mating rituals, as well as unwanted pregnancies.

Overpopulation

Pet overpopulation is a real problem in communities all across the globe. Unwanted dogs are more likely to be abused or neglected, and finding homes for unwanted pets is a difficult task. Without suitable homes for these animals, many are euthanized, as an attempt to control unwanted pet populations. Responsible pet owners who understand the importance of these issues opt to spay their female dogs in order to prevent them from reproducing.

To safeguard against the many common health perils in female dogs that are allowed to reproduce or who are given limited forms of birth control and prevention, spaying a female dog is the best and safest option owners can bestow on their beloved pets.

Benefits of Spaying Female Dogs

This article was written by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies - the best place to find cute dog clothes

SPAYING

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Golden Retriever For Sale

People who are contemplating on getting themselves a golden retriever sometimes do not know what they are getting themselves into and they often go ahead and buy that golden retriever for sale on a breeder's site or from a dog breeder near them. There are a number of things you should be aware of when you are buying dogs and one of these is that each type and breed of dog has a different type of disposition that is inherent to the breed.

Some of the questions you need to ask yourself before buying that golden retriever for sale online or from your friendly neighborhood breeder include questions like what grooming needs does this kind of a dog have or how much exercise does this kind of a dog need? You will also need to be informed of the necessary things you need to do for your dog before you go and buy one. Getting yourself a dog is actually a rather big responsibility and you will need to rise up to this responsibility to help keep the dog healthy and happy in your care.

SPAYING

One of the responsibilities you have when you go out and buy a golden retriever for sale online or from a well known breeder is to ask about the immunization protocol that you need to follow for your pet. You will also need to ask about spaying or neutering. If you are concerned about how your new pet will behave around other people or if it will follow your orders when you tell it to behave or to sit, you will need to ask the breeder if these dogs have any form of training prior to your buying them. You should also ask about the health problems that are common with this breed of dog and the kinds of food that is ideal for your pet as well as the ideal living conditions for your new canine companion.

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Golden Retriever For Sale

Learn more about golden retriever for sale, please visiting http://www.ddksyxx.com/pet/the-best-place-to-find-a-golden-retriever-for-sale/.

SPAYING

Dog Joint Pain Remedies - Ways to Get Your Dog Up and Running Again

A number of factors lead to dog joint pain, usually factors which are similar to those which increase our risk. An old injury is a common factor for joint pain, as well as obesity, genetics, poor nutrition and most importantly, lack of exercise.

A lot of pet owners turn to supplements to help aid dog joint care, such as anti-inflammatory medications prescribed by a veterinarian to relieve joint pain in your pet. The side effects from these medications are usually very nasty though, with side effects including liver problems, ulcers, vomiting and excessive urination.

SPAYING YOUR DOG

Studies have shown that home or natural dog joint pain remedies can be just as effective as chemical based ones - without the adverse side effects. At home you can take care of your dog's joints by incorporating a daily exercise regime and changing their diet if they are overweight.

Regular exercise for your dog will improve it strength and mobility, and hugely decrease the likelihood of joint pain in the future. A balanced and healthy diet for your dog which includes nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals is extremely important in order to keep your dog a health size and relieving as much pressure off their joints as possible.

Doggy treats like sweet bones etc can also aggravate inflammation. Limit these snacks to a couple of raisin sized biscuits a day and keep your dog's joint inflammation down. Natural dog joint pain remedies can easily be found on the Internet, with information about ingredients etc.

Dog Joint Pain Remedies - Ways to Get Your Dog Up and Running Again

Click here [http://petbouncepainreliefreview.info] to find out how I got rid of my Labradors joint and muscle pain almost instantly.

SPAYING YOUR DOG