What Should I Do Before Adopting a Shelter Dog?

Puppies seem to be in abundance when it comes to ill equipped breeders or people that have lost interest in them. Before you purchase that puppy in the pet store window or call a home concerning an ad in the local paper about buying a puppy, I implore you to please go visit your local animal shelter or rescue organization and adopt a puppy! Too many homeless and stray animals of all ages are without good and loving homes. It is an epidemic of mass proportions the number of stray dogs in our country that are without a forever family to love and care for them! Most people want that pedigreed, brand new, and raised from birth puppy.

A pedigree does not ensure that your puppy or dog will be well mannered, any more healthy, or any well trained than a dog of mixed breed or a dog without papers. Shelter dogs are just as if not more well mannered and trained. Many of them get excellent and top of the line veterinarian care because many veterinarians volunteer their services and care to local shelters. It is a myth that dogs and puppies of shelters all come from acts of violence or sickness. Not true at all! Some of them are there because owners thought they were ready for a pet but found out it was more time than they wanted to share.

Some reasons are owners see the “puppy” and when the “puppy” is no longer a puppy and they are ill equipped to care for the dog then they cast it off to a shelter or let it fend on it’s own. Puppies are even brought in because an owner’s dog became impregnated and they could not care for the litter or give the litter away. Even in those cases of neglect, abuse, and violence those dogs can be trained and given therapy that result in perfect behaviors and temperaments. Here are some tips when going to your local Animal Shelter to interview, and yes it is necessary that you interview your local shelter! Not just for your benefit but for your potential canine forever friend.

Very important questions that should always be asked are: How they take care of the dogs? Do they get more than just food and water? Does the animal shelter place emphasis on socialization? Do they allow the animals to move around and interact with the other dogs?

There are a few things to look for when you visit shelters. First of those are if you walk into a shelter and you see puppies in cramped kennels or cages and this is where they have spent their entire stay while at the shelter, you will not want to adopt ANY dogs from this place and you should perhaps report the shelter! Dogs that are kept in cramped, dirty, etc. are being conditioned into furthering fear of the outside world, trauma, stress and anxiety disorders, and other fears.

If a shelter does not allow their dogs to be exercised or to be let outdoors, then you should ask how it is they are allowed to enjoy physical activity and stimulation. Also you will want to know exactly how much and how often human contact is received. To add to your query when interviewing a shelter is to ask what services such as pet insurance, complimentary vet visits, obedience classes, and do they newsletters following adoption on care and tips for introduction to their new home, etc…

About the author:

James is the owner of Your Dog Supplies Store an online dog supply store that focuses on the needs of dogs and dogs only. They have many different dog supplies such as food, treats, pet carriers, dog shampoo and so much more! Visit us first!

5 More Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Just about everyone has given their dog scraps or food right off their own plate at one time or another. Overall it’s not a good idea, for many reasons, but for the most part it’s not usually too big of a deal. However, sometimes it can be very harmful or even fatal to your dog. After my last post, 5 Foods You Should Never Give Your Dog, you already know you should never feed your dog chocolate, onions, alcohol, caffeine, or raw fish. But there are more foods you should also never feed your dog. In this article I will tell you which ones and why.

Here are five more foods you should never feed your dog, in no particular order:

1) Avocadoes – These contain toxins that are harmful to dogs and can cause heart problems and damage to tissue. They are also high in fat which can upset your dog’s stomach causing vomiting or just making him miserable. The pit of the avocado can also get lodged in your dog’s intestines and surgery may be required to remove it. Remember that guacamole is mainly made of avocadoes so keep your dog away from that too.

2) Bread Dough – The heat in your dog’s stomach will cause the bread dough to rise. This can cause bloating, vomiting, and pain. Alcohol may also be produced during the rising, which is very bad for your dog.

3) Pitted Fruits – A lot of fruits that contain pits have small doses of cyanide, which can be very harmful or fatal to dogs. The pits of these fruits also cause a choking hazard.

4) Grapes – If you dog eats grapes or raisins it is recommended that you seek immediate and aggressive treatment. They can cause diarrhea, vomiting, severe kidney damage, and even death. These are very easy for your dog to ingest so make sure you always keep them out of reach.

5) Macadamia Nuts – The toxins in these nuts is strong enough to have an effect on your dog even if they only eat a small amount of them. They can cause extreme weakness, paralysis of limbs, accelerated heartbeat and tremors.

So there you have 5 more foods you should never feed your dog. Keep these foods away from your dog at all times to avoid an accident. Remember you may think you are being nice to your dog when you feed him “people food” but your dog will be happier and healthier without it.

5 Foods You Should Never Give Your Dog

Even though most of us know that giving our dogs “people food” isn’t a good thing, we still find ourselves sharing our meals with our furry friends all the time. Most of the time doing that isn’t exactly the worst thing we could do (but it’s never good). However, there are some foods that you should never give your dog no matter how bad you want to. This article will address some of the foods you shouldn’t give your dog and why.

Here are five foods you should never give your dog and the reasons for it:

1) Chocolate – This is probably the number one food that you should never give your dog. It’s very toxic to them and can kill them quite easily. Even if they don’t eat enough to kill them, chocolate can cause vomiting and diarrhea. If your dog gets ahold of some chocolate it’s wise to take them to a veterinarian right away.

2) Onions – These cause the breakdown of red blood cells in dogs, deprive them of oxygen and cause anemia. They can also lead to vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and more. The effects of onions can add up over time to make things even worse. So don’t give your dog onions or foods with onions in them.

3) Alcohol – Simply put, alcohol can kill your dog. If it doesn’t do that it can give them alcohol poisoning or put them into a coma. Dogs bodies do not handle alcohol like humans do. It is much worse for dogs even in small doses.

4) Caffeine – Is a stimulant that can make your dogs heartbeat rise to a very dangerous level. This can cause a whole host of problems, including seizures and even death.

5) Raw Fish – Certain types of raw fish can infect your dog a parasite. That actual parasite isn’t so much the problem. However, if that parasite is infected with a certain organism then your dog can be in some real trouble. Without treatment death is nearly certain. Fish is good for dogs but make sure it is cooked.

There you have it, five foods that you should never give your dog. If you find yourself giving in to the urge to feed your best friend the foods you eat just make sure it’s not on the above list.

Finding a Guard Dog – What Breeds are Best?

If you are looking for the best guard dog to protect yourself, family, home, property, or business here are five of the best breeds to choose from…

1) Rottweiler – Widely considered one of the best guard dogs in the world, the Rottweiler has an inherent desire to protect its home and owners. They are natural guard dogs and are very courageous, highly intelligent, confident, and adaptable.

Rottweilers are large dogs usually weighing around 100 pounds. In general Rottweilers love children and are very good with them. They are also calm, very devoted, eager to please, and quick learners.

2) Bullmastiff – It makes sense that the Bullmastiff is one of the best guard dogs since they were bred specifically for that job. Originally they were developed to protect against poachers. Bullmastiff’s have a strong build and large size, typically weighing over 100 pounds.

A good Bullmastiff will be fearless and confident. They are also very alert, intelligent, reliable and willing to please. Their overall combination of physical and mental attributes makes them very capable and willing guard dogs.

3) Doberman Pinscher – Another dog that was bred for the specific purpose of being a guard dog, the Doberman Pinscher is very good at its job. They are certainly one of the best guard dogs you will find. They are a determined dog that shows no fear and is very assertive.

Dobermans are naturally protective and typically excel at guard work without any guard dog training. They are also affectionate with their family members and like to be close to them. Size is considered medium to large, they are tall dogs but are thin and don’t get as heavy as most other guard dog breed’s.

4) Rhodesian Ridgeback – This is a less well known breed but it is still considered one of the best guard dogs in the world. Ridgebacks are large, muscular dogs with powerful jaws. They are also very brave, intelligent and loyal to their family. A very willing and capable guard dog of the highest caliber.

5) German Shepherd (aka Alsatian) – I’m sure it’s no surprise to see this breed on the list of best guard dogs. They are very well known all over the world for guard, security, military and police work. The German Shepherds personality can be described as fearless and self-confident. They are extremely intelligent and eager to learn with high learning ability. When searching for a good guard dog this breed has to be among your choices.

There you have it, five breeds that are well suited as guard dogs. All of them are among the best in the world for guarding and protecting you and your home. Each breed has their own unique characteristics that may suite you better than another, but all are excellent guard dogs and should be considered when trying to find the best guard dog for you!

Boost Your Dogs Intelligence with Toys

There are many benefits in giving your dog the right toys to play with and chew on. While most people think that dog toys are only to relieve boredom that is not the only use for dog toys.

Yes, dog toys are excellent for relieving boredom and are especially good when you have to leave your dog on it’s own for a while, but there are other reasons why you should consider buying your dog toys.

Some dog toys are designed to boost their intelligence where they will only get a reward after they have performed certain tasks.

These toys are a very effective method of training.

Other toys help dogs to know what they can chew on, which will help you save a lot of money by not having to replace expensive items around your house that have been destroyed by your dog chewing on them.

There are chewing toys that will help your dog strengthen and keep their teeth clean and there are toys that will help train your dog to retrieve or hunt.

It’s your job to decide what you want to get out of a certain toy before buying and also to determine what the personality of your dog is before you can get the right toys for it.

Some toys are designed to last for a short period of time and then be replaced by new ones, and these are often the chewing variety. Some are designed to be very stong and durable to last a long time

Some toys of the chewing variety are flavored so you will need to check first to see what ingredients they have used for the flavoring or you might be buying a toy that your dog is allergic to. These toys with flavoring often have preservatives in them so beware of that as well.

With such a wide variety of toys available on the market these days there is certain to be something that your dog will enjoy and make their life all the more happy while increasing their intelligence.

You can get most of these toys at any pet store or dog toy website.