Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Coping with Dog Car Sickness

Some of you might know that car sickness in dogs can be a real problem as some do show excessive drooling, eliminating, vomiting and all can lead to quite a messy problem. To make it even worse, if the dog is showing often car sickness you will even have problems taking him to the local veterinarian and we do not want this to happen. Well, if your dog shows car sickness, here is what you can do.

The first step stands in getting your dog used to the car. For some days all you need to do is feed him in the car. Every time he eats take him to the car on a leash while carrying his dog food with you and put the dog and the food in the car while leaving the door open. When he gets comfortable with eating in the car start taking him out at other times and just put him in the car, once again with the door open. Start the car and let it run a little. After that just turn it off. When the dog is in the car make sure that you praise him and pat him. Give him some special treats as well if you have them!

Now you will want to shut the door while the dog is in the car and get into the front seat. Drive the car up and down your driveway and if you notice that the dog is doing well without showing stress you can try a short drive around your home. Do many short drives, driving a little longer each time and every single time that you get him to the car you should praise him with hugs and pets while showing love and attention. Your dog will like that and start getting more and more used with the car.

Make sure that you take your dog to special places that he enjoys like a pet store or a dog park. Take the dog to various places that he will enjoy. If all this does not work you should consult a vet and get some special drugs on prescription if necessary.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Controlling Dog Shedding Through Brushing

It is needless to say that dog hair should stay on the dog and not on our sofas. The problem is that it often ends up on furniture, especially during those hot summer months. Shedding is a natural process for our dogs and it is a part of his life, although him loosing hair on our chairs and carpets is not really something that we love. The good news is that there are various techniques that you can do in order to minimize the mess caused by hair loss, controlling dog shedding.

First off, you need to know that you have to choose the right brush for your companion. For instance, a furry Alsation will need a different brush when compared to a smooth coated Beagle. In order to make sure that you make the right choice you can do two things. You should either real the label of the dog brush or you can ask someone that knows best, a friend or maybe even the salesperson or shopkeeper.

You have to brush the dog's coat deeply in order to allow the bristles to rub against his skin. If you do this you will notice that more hair will be removed because of the fact that dog fur will loosen at the hair follicle. Deep brushing allows you to remove the hair that is to fall in the near future and not only the one that needs to fall at the moment of brushing. Do not overdue it! If the dog is not comfortable do not press harder as you need only reach the skin level. Harder brushes will not do anything more than make the dog nervous. Also, keep in mind that static electricity can become a problem as the dog's coat will cause static when brushing it in dry weather. The end result will be shock to you both and neither of you will enjoy that. Use anti-static spray! You can find it in superstores and will make brushing your dog a lot easier.

When you brush the dog you also need to reverse direction. Just start in one area and then work backwards. Stop if this bothers him although it is useful when you can as brushing against the regular direction of natural growth will aid in shedding hair that is to fall before it actually falls. All will appear on your brush instead of your sofa.

After you brush your dog you should also use a rubber grooming mitten in order to take in hairs that are left behind. Your dog will surely enjoy the massage and there are specially designed rubber nubs that will capture extra fur while making your dog feel well. Never forget to use a gentle non-drying canine shampoo when bathing your dog and always do this on a regular basis. You should know that sensitive skin shampoos for dogs are great as they aid in moisturizing skin and will discourage over-shedding. Finish everything with a good dog conditioner, follow all these tips and you will see that dog shedding will not be as big of a problem as before.

Monday, May 19, 2008

About the Argentinean Dog

This breed has its origin in the province of Cordoba, in the central (Mediterranean) region of the Republic of Argentina.

Its creator was Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez, a renowned doctor and member of a traditional local family. In 1928, his passion for dogs, perhaps a family legacy, led him to set the bases and a standard for a new dog breed which he named: Dogo Argentino. His work was based upon the methodical crossbreeding of several pure breeds with the old fighting dog from Cordoba , a dog which was very strong and vigorous but lacked psychic and genetic stability. This local breed had been the product of the crossbreeding among Mastiffs, Bulldogs and Bull Terriers and was widely known and appreciated by fervent dog-fight fans, a very popular activity at the time which embraced all social classes.

After a thorough and minute character study and selection, through different generations, Dr. Nores Martinez accomplished his purpose, obtaining the first family sort to speak. At the beginning it was generally considered a dog for fighting but Dr. Nores Martinez’s liking for hunting led him to take the dog to one of his habitual hunting trips, where the new breed demonstrated its skills, thus becoming a key figure in all his trips. Thus it became quickly an excellent big-game hunting dog.

With the passing of time, this adaptating capacity has made this dog very versatile as regards functions; it has proved to be a noble companion and a loyal and insurmountable protector of those it loves. Its strength, tenacity, sharp sense of smell and bravery make it the best dog among those used for hunting wild boars, peccaries, pumas and other country predators which can be found in the vast and heterogeneous areas of the Argentinean territory. Its harmony, balance and its excellent athletic muscles are ideal characteristics for enduring long trips in any weather conditions and then fighting fiercely with the pursued prey.

On May 21st 1964, this breed was acknowledged by the Federación Cinológica Argentina and by the Argentinean Rural Society, which opened their studbook to initiate registry.

It was not until July 31st 1973 that the breed was accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as the first and only Argentinean breed, thanks to the great passion, work and effort of Dr. Augustin Nores Martinez, its creator’s brother and successor.

As general appearance, it is a molossian normal type, mesomorphic and macrothalic, within the desirable proportions without gigantic dimensions. Its aspect is harmonic and vigorous due to its powerful muscles which stand out under the consistent and elastic skin adhered to the body through a not very lax subcutaneous tissue. It walks quietly but firmly, showing its intelligence and quick responsiveness and revealing by means of his movement his permanent happy natural disposition. Of a kind and loving nature, of a striking whiteness, its physical virtues turn it into a real athlete.

It is cheerful, frank, humble, friendly, and not a hard barker, always conscious of its power. It should never be aggressive, a trait that should be severely observed. Its domineering attitude makes it continuously compete for territory with specimens of the same sex, most noticeable behavior in males. As a hunter, it is smart, silent, courageous and brave.

About the Kai Dog

The Kai is an ancient Japanese breed that was developed as a hunting dog in the province of Kai on the island of Honshu. The Kai's homeland is surrounded by mountains, so the breed remained geographically isolated. With the introduction of firearms, the Kai was used by professional big game hunters who specialized in hunting deer and wild boar. The breed was not recognized in Japan until 1934 and it is still quite rare. In part because of its legendary courage, the Kai was once thought to be too primitive to serve as a family pet, but that myth has been dispelled. In the United States, the Kai has proven to be a gentle and loyal family companion.

The Kai is a medium-sized, sturdily-built, Spitz-type dog, with a wedge-shaped head, prick ears, and a harsh, straight brindle coat of medium length. The correct relationship of height to length of body is 10:11. The tail may be curled over the back or carried over the back in a sickle position. The appearance of the Kai is similar to the other working Japanese Spitz breeds, smaller than the Akita and larger than the Shiba.

The Kai is a sturdy, muscular dog of exceptional courage and agility. Kai have been known to climb trees and swim in pursuit of their prey. Traditional Japanese writings describe the Kai as a natural hunter, a trustworthy guardian and extremely devoted to its master. The brindle pattern of coat color is the Kai's most distinguishing breed characteristic. The tail of the Kai differs from the other Japanese breeds in that it does not form a double curl but is shaped like a sickle and carried over the back. While Kais may be somewhat reserved with strangers, they are very friendly with people and are not aggressive with other dogs. The Kai makes an excellent watch dog or home protector.

The Kai was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1996.

This dog represents the force and will of the Japanese people, and one can even call it a samurai amongst the other dog breeds.