Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: TOP 7 DOG BREEDS FOR URBAN LIVING

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: TOP 7 DOG BREEDS FOR URBAN LIVING:               Owning a  dog is an awesome experience and life changing too. All dogs are not the same. We may like a dog but some constrai...

TOP 7 DOG BREEDS FOR URBAN LIVING

              Owning a  dog is an awesome experience and life changing too. All dogs are not the same. We may like a dog but some constraints belittle our choices. space is one critical issue in raising a dog.A pet lovers dilemma in urban living is how to choose pets for small spaces. 

             Here I  have analysed Top 7 dogs based on the critical factors like space, temperament, exercise requirement and grooming ( not in that order)

MALTESE TERRIER.

     A member of Bichon family, Maltese is a very happy, healthy and long living little dog, well adapted to urban living. It tends to bark and at times the temperament changes while playing with children. As they do not have undercoat they shed little or no hair shedding. So, its best suited for people who have allergies. But they are prone for dental diseases and tear staining problems.

AUSTRALIAN SILKY TERRIER.

  Its one of the world's best small breeds which are wise and with good temperament, Well adapted with children and in urban living. It requires regular grooming and shampooing to retain its silkiness.Like Maltese these breeds are also prone for dental diseases.

BICHON FRISE

   Bichon frises are friendly and cuddly small pets which enjoys as much exercise as the owner provides. Its a companion breed and do not moult ( shedding of hairs) as they are bred to be hypo allergenic. They are prone for liver shunts and auto immune hemolytic diseseas.

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL.

     This small spaniel is an admirable choice of most people as a family pet as its good temperament and quickly adapt to any environment and location. It enjoys a fair amount of exercise. As spaniels are hunting dogs they have the natural instinct to chase things. Its prone for cardiac diseases like mitral valve disorders..

BEAGLE

      Remember "snoopy "of "Peanuts"?? Beagles are most popular breeds and are choice of British royals because of its small size and calm temperament . They bond with everyone in the family especially with children. This scent hound breeds are astoundingly intelligent and so they are good watch dogs. They are prone for orthopaedic and ophthalmic diseases like hip dysplasia, cherry eye etc.

ENGLISH BULL DOG

      This is a medium sized gentle, admirable dog which makes a delightful pet. But they are categorised as one of the least intelligent dog breeds related to obedience training. These Brachycephalic dogs need much care during summer as they are prone for heat strokes. Due to its skin folds they acquire dermatological problems too.

PUG

      Pug is a cheerful, intelligent dog, popularized by a network company. It needs modest exercise due to its small size. Like bull dogs this Brachycephalic breed also need to be taken care in hot weather. They are susceptible to ophthalmic and respiratory disorders.

             As discussed above,these are the best dogs suited for limited space urban living. Some dog breeds even small breeds should be avoided as pets in apartment/gated community life style either due to hair shedding, bad temperament, requiring lot of moving space and vigorous execise. They are Rottweiler, Chihuahua, Dalmatian, Pit bull Terrier and Doberman.                                                                                                                               

NOTE                                                                                                                                        

The above list is suggestive only. But before selecting a pet its advised to contact your veterinarian to get a professional guidance .                                                                               

  HAPPY PETTING!!!

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: BATHING YOUR DOGS

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: BATHING YOUR DOGS:                              Bathing your dogs gives an opportunity to bond and share your affection which makes you more friendly wi...

BATHING YOUR DOGS

             

               Bathing your dogs gives an opportunity to bond and share your affection which makes you more friendly with your dogs. Its also a key to maintain good health. start bathing your puppy as early as possible. It is necessary to get them used to bathing at an early age so that we encounter less trouble later.

HOW OFTEN TO BATHE THE DOG?

           This depends on the dogs environment and type of the coat. Normal coat dogs needed to bathe once or twice a month while oily coated dogs needed frequent bathing as once a week. 

         Dogs with thick coats needed fewer baths and lots of brushing to get rid of dead hair and to retain their natural oils which keeps the dogs coat healthy.

PROTECT THE EYES AND EARS.

        keep your dogs eyes and ears protected while bathing. Utmost care should be taken that water shouldn't get into the dogs ears. The canine ears are L- shaped and this is the reason that dogs are prone to ear infections. So, stuff some cotton into the ears so that water will not get into the ears.

PROCEDURE FOR BATHING.

         Before going for a bath, brush your dog completely to remove the tangling hairs and dead hairs from the body.  Use shampoos or soaps according to the skin conditions recommended by your veterinarian.  Dog shampoos are formulated according to the pH level of the dogs skin. Never use a human shampoo. 

         Check the water temperature. It should not be too hot or too cold. Wet the skin and coat as much as possible especially in long coated dogs. Apply the shampoo or soap all over the body from tail to head so that the shampoo gets applied not only in the coat but also on the skin. If its double coated pre-mix the shampoo with water and apply it.  Apply it down on all four legs, all four paws.

        Lather your dog and ensure the shampoo gets evenly distributed to the whole body. Then rinse thoroughly . Take some time with long or dense coated animal and ensure that all the soap/ shampoo are rinsed off well. Wash the head and face seperately, raise its chin up and rinse with soapy water. use a wash cloth to clean his facial folds.

        Dry the dog by using a towel or blow-dry. Then clean up the eyes to remove the tears and dirt. Use an ear cleaner to clean up the ears. Pour  the liquid directly into the ear canal. Massage it gently and then swab out the wax and debris and lastly clean up the pinna of each ear.

         Most people clean up the anal sacs while bathing. But as a veterinarian i would not recommend to clean up the anal gland secretions while bathing unless impacted. Healthy anal glands empty their fluid on its own when your pet has a bowel movement. The fluid secreted by the anal glands contains a distinctive odour that identifies the dog of its own and also other dogs about its age, sex, health status etc. So, emptying is generally not needed during bathing.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BITING PUPPY.

          Playing is a healthy activity that creates a good bonding between you and your puppy. This play behaviour is a normal behaviour in pups which starts from 3 weeks of age and it includes chasing, playbiting, barking, pawing, wrestling etc. This play behaviour helps to develop reflexes, coordination, physical and social skills which is necessary to interact positively within their packs.

         Pups develop primary or deciduous teeth as early as 3 weeks of age. It has 28 temporary teeth and so biting habits starts at this age itself. It is important to teach your puppy not to bite and that everybody in the family who plays with the pup has to practise it and not just one who teach him not to bite. 

 Here are some suggestions to train your puppy not to bite.

BITE INHIBITION.

            When we closely observe the mother dog and the litter mates, we can learn some techniques of bite inhibition. A dogs ability to learn to control the force of biting is called bite inhibition. This starts soon after the temporary teeth erupted especially during milk feeding by the mother and play fighting with their mother and litter mates. Generally  mother dogs when they are bitten by her pups, makes a yelping sound so loudly , growl and start showing her teeth to her pup. sometimes turns her back and completely ignore the pup. so from this action the pup gets the warning signal that they are hurt and learn to stop biting too hard.

TRAINING YOUR PUPPY.

            In the same way as their mother dog and litter mates we should also teach the bite inhibition technique at home. Whenever it bites during play, stop the play immediately and give a high pitched exaggerated yelping sound, give a scruff shake, or saying NO in a threatened voice, or turning around and tucking your hands, or tieing with a leash at one corner of the room or in an another room , turning your back to him,  for a short while. Then return to your pup and start your play again. so,this form of attention with drawl will be a calming signal  for the pup to stop biting too hard.

        When a puppy is pouncing on your legs and feet as you walk, stop moving. Hold a treat or a favourite toy as you walk. once it grabs the toy or the treat move again. praise your puppy for stopping to bite or for licking you.

         Puppies that were not trained in bite inhibition ,may grow up to develop behavioural problems.

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BITING PUPPY.

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BITING PUPPY.:           Playing is a healthy activity that creates a good bonding between you and your puppy. This play behaviour is a normal behaviour ...

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: FACTS ABOUT DOGS

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: FACTS ABOUT DOGS: Dogs  was one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans. All dogs are direct descendants of wolves. An adult dog has 42 teeth. ...

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: WINTER CARE TIPS FOR DOGS.

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: WINTER CARE TIPS FOR DOGS.:        Winter is here and we need to pay close attention to the weather and to our pets. Here are some tip s to help ensure your pets safe...

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: WHAT TO FEED YOUR PET DOG?

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: WHAT TO FEED YOUR PET DOG?:         whenever a pet lover or the one who owns a pet approaches me, the first thing they ask  is what to feed a dog and when to feed and ...

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: ARE ALSATIANS AND GERMAN SHEPHERDS THE SAME?

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: ARE ALSATIANS AND GERMAN SHEPHERDS THE SAME?:              Among many of  the pet owners there is always a confusion whether  Alsatian and German shepherds belong to a same breed or ...

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PET DOG

Paws N' Claws Pet Clinic- The Pet Vet blog: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PET DOG:       When you decide to get a pet dog there is always a concern about how to choose a perfect pet for your family. Here are some of the su...

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PET DOG

     When you decide to get a pet dog there is always a concern about how to choose a perfect pet for your family. Here are some of the suggestions for choosing a right pet dog.
     Select your new dog which suits your family , lifestyle and living situation. Consider its temperament, size and coat as well. Consult your veterinarian before you acquire a pet of any kind.

BREED SELECTION.
      The recognized breeds are grouped into 7 categories, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy breeds,  Sporting,  Non-sporting and Herding breeds.
       India is a tropical country with hot weather most of the year round with short duration of winters and monsoons.Keeping the climatic conditions in mind the dog breeds which suits well for Indian climate must be preferred.Your vet and dog shows are excellent sources of information about individual breed characteristics.
       Opting a puppy born of pedigreed and kennel club registered parents is a wise decision as you get to know the ultimate size, shape and temperament of the dog.
       While buying a registered puppy, collect the registration certificate, microchip, transfer of registration form duly signed by the breeder, which is issued by the kennel club of India KCI with its headquarters at Chennai.

SELECTING A PUPPY.
          6 to 10 wks is considered an ideal age to acquaint a puppy with its new home. Select a puppy that is active, friendly and inquisitive. While buying the puppy enquire the breeder about the details of vaccination and de worming done ,so that it will be useful for you to continue it. Before bringing home your puppy, his place of living should be decided in advance.The place should be comfortable in summer & winter months. The first time he arrives home, make him feel comfortable. It is the start of the relationship.

ARE ALSATIANS AND GERMAN SHEPHERDS THE SAME?

     

       Among many of  the pet owners there is always a confusion whether  Alsatian and German shepherds belong to a same breed or a different breed. when we look  into the history of German shepherds , we found many interesting facts about how the original name had been changed and how the breed got it back..

ORIGIN
     German shepherds was originated in Germany in 1899, as part of herding group. The breed was named as Deutscher Schaferhund meaning "German shepherd dog". It is abbreviated as GSD. It was so named due to its purpose of assisting shepherds in herding and protecting sheep.

HISTORY.
       After the conclusion of world war 1, due to the anti- German sentiments of the era, the breed was officially renamed by the UK kennel club to 'Alsatian wolf dog'.
      Alsace is a historical region in north eastern France bordering Germany and Switzerland. The predominant language of Alsace is Alsatian ,  and so the breed was named as "Alsatian wolf dog".
     But many breeders were worried that the name "wolf dog hybrid" would affect the breeds popularity and legality and so the name "wolf dog" was dropped and "Alsatian" remained for nearly five decades.
      In 1977 many dog enthusiast successfully campaigned about the original name of the Alsatian among the people and the UK Kennel club allowed the breeds to get registered again in the name of German shepherds. But AKC went back using the original name of German shepherd dogs in 1931. The word Alsatian was completely removed in 2010.

BREED CHARACTERISTICS.
     German shepherds are medium to large sized dogs. The standard height of male is 60 -65 cms and for females it is 55-60 cms. They live upto 12 to 13 years. They have a two layered coat and the coat has two variants- medium and long. The coat colour includes Black & Tan, Black& Red, Black &Silver, Blue,Gray, Liver, Black, Sable and White. AKC doesn't recognize white as a colour of this breed.
      They are preferred around the world for many types of work like disability assistance, search and rescue operations, police, military etc. They are loyal, intelligent, obedient, courageous, watchful, alert and confident.
     German shepherds are the second most popular dog breeds by registration world wide.

WHAT TO FEED YOUR PET DOG?

       whenever a pet lover or the one who owns a pet approaches me, the first thing they ask  is what to feed a dog and when to feed and how to feed a dog? This is the major question i had came across in my 16 years of professional life . so ,i decided to give some suggestions for them which can help them feed the pet a healthy and balanced food. 
      Dogs are basically carnivorous animals which prefer meat and meat products, however domesticated dogs are adapted to omnivorous feeding habits, and can survive on a vegetarian diet as long as it contains sufficient protein and is supplemented with vitamin D.

    It is important that the diet you feed your dog is complete and balanced in every meal. Every dog’s unique nutritional requirement depends on its size, breed, stages in their life. 

     A better understanding of how dogs use the various nutrients in food and how much of them they need can help you choose a healthier diet for your pet.

      Dogs eat larger , less frequent meals. It is fine to feed an adult dog 1 or 2 times per day. Puppies however need 2 to 3 daily meals.

     Dogs need aminoacids from protein , fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water to survive.

Here are some guidelines for feeding your dog.

COMMERCIAL DOG FOODS.

          In a variety of forms- dry,semi-moist, canned food. It generally contains much higher levels of animal products. It is necessary to see the pet food labels which contains the list of percentage of protein, fat, fibre, water in the food. Consult your veterinarian and get advice about the breed specific, age specific food for your pet.

 MEAT AND OTHER ANIMAL PRODUCTS.

         It should always make up atleast half of the diet. Meaty bones include chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, pork, venison, ostrich, buffalo etc. Be sure the meat is fresh. Feeding fish is occassionally good but not as a main food. Egg is also nutritious.

DAIRY PRODUCTS.

     Plain yoghurt, curd, is well tolerated by dogs. Cottage and ricotta cheese are also good options. Milk should be avoided.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.

      While this is not a significant part of evolutionary diet of the dog and wolf, these provide fibre that supports digestive health and can be used as treats for your pets.

       Vegetables like Pumpkin, carrot, peas, beets, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini, can be steamed, chopped and fed.

        Fruits include berries, melon, papaya, banana, apple are good option.

GRAINS.

      Good choices include oatmeal, brown rice, barley which must be well cooked. Use of rice, wheat, corn should be limited.

       Dogs lack the digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates. so, it should be restricted to avoid the pets from diseases.

WINTER CARE TIPS FOR DOGS.

       Winter is here and we need to pay close attention to the weather and to our pets. Here are some tips to help ensure your pets safety this winter season. 

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BREEDS SUSCEPTIBILITY TO COLD.    

   Dogs that are great in the cold climate include  Siberian husky, German shepherd, collie, saint Bernard, bull mastiff, Labrador, Golden retriever, chow- chow, Tibetian mastiff etc.

     Dogs that find harder in cold climate include Doberman, Boxer, Grey hound, Beagle, Pointer, Weimaraner, Great dane, Pug, Maltese and other Toy breeds.

PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SHELTER.

       If you have dog which is placed outdoors ensure that it  has a warm place to sleep off the floor.

      You can provide with a dog bed, cushions, blankets, quilt etc and make a warm bedding.

    Clean and change the bedding regularly.

    While taking your dog for a walking it can be provided with dog jackets, snuggies, sweaters, booties etc.

FEEDING.

     Pets who spend most of time outdoors needs more calories of food in winter because keeping warm depletes energy. But don’t overfeed your dog.

     Routinely check your pets water dish to make sure that water is not too cold.

    Talk to your vet doctor about your pets energy needs.

 GROOMING.

     Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as longer coat will provide more warmth.

      If  your dog is long haired , simply trim the hairs but don’t neglect the hairs between the toes.

      Take  out for shorter walks during cold months.

      Bathe your pets as little as possible during winter or use  sprays.

      Consult your vet about the moisturising shampoo for bathing during winter.

      Maintain a good grooming regime, combing out knots & brushing the coat thoroughly.

HEALTH PROBLEMS.

    As with humans dogs can fall ill during colder months.Respiratory infections in damp climates is the principal concern.Frost bite can be a problem for some dogs especially hairless varieties.

  Arthritis ,osteo arthritis, lameness, especially in aged dogs can be aggrevated during cold months.

   Exposure to winter can cause itchy, flaking skin, cracks in the paw pads, redness between the toes and fleas infestation.

    Consult your veterinarian for proper medication if you came across any of the illness during winter.

    Paying special attention to your dogs wellbeing during winter season will ensure you both enjoy the winter to its fullest.

                                                                          

FACTS ABOUT DOGS

• Dogs  was one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans.
• All dogs are direct descendants of wolves.
• An adult dog has 42 teeth.
• Dogs sweat through the pads on their feet. The only way they discharge heat is by panting.
• Dogs do not have many taste buds as humans, but have over 200 million scent receptors in their noses
• Dogs see colours but not as vivid as humans.
• When a puppy is born, it is blind, deaf and toothless.
• Dogs do not have an appendix.
• With the help of their swivelling ears they can locate the source of sound in 6/100 th of a second. They can detect sounds in the frequency of app. 67 to 45,000 Hz.
• Dog whiskers found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaws are called vibrissae, which  are touch sensitive hairs that can sense minute changes in the airflow.
• All breeds of dogs have pink tongue except chowchow and sharpei which have black tongue.
• Basenji is the barkless dog in the world.
• Greyhounds can reach a speed of upto 45 miles per hour.
• Irish wolf hound is the tallest breed and Chihuahua is the smallest breed.
• The world’s oldest breed of domesticated dog is the saluki, believed to have emerged in 329 BC, revered in ancient Egypt , being kept as royal pets and mummified after death.
• Other ancient breeds are Alaskan malamute, akita, basenji, afghan hound, chowchow, tibetian terrier, Lhasa apso, shiba inu ,Pekingese etc.