pooch-a-rama

The Pampered Pet: Tell “tail” signs that your dog is spoiled

Blogged by Tamzin on Thursday March 29th, 2007 at 5:16 am in Training | 0 Comments »

Huddled under my umbrella the other day, I was dodging raindrops and puddles as I walked the three blocks from the parking garage to my office.  As I was passing an apartment building, I saw an elderly woman standing near the entrance holding an umbrella over her little white poodle dog.  Unfortunately, the umbrella wasn’t large enough to cover both her and the dog, so she was getting soaked.  Unable to withhold comment, I said, “Do you think he’ll melt if he gets wet?”  She responded, “Well, he’s sweet enough to melt, but the truth is that if I don’t hold the umbrella for him he gets angry and pouts and won’t eat his lunch.”  And, by dinner time he’s an absolute bear! Welcome to the world of the pampered pet.

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Animal Assisted Therapy: Can it help you?

Blogged by Tamzin on Tuesday March 27th, 2007 at 5:17 am in dog care | 0 Comments »

The term “animal assisted therapy” is to be distinguished from the more familiar practice of “animal assisted activities”, which refers generally to pet visitation at hospitals and residential care facilities. 

Animal Assisted Therapy is part of a formal and carefully designed treatment program with specific and measurable objectives that matches one animal to one patient.  Under the guidance of a trained medical professional, patients with severe mental and/or physical disabilities are encouraged to interact with a “therapy dog” under the supervision of a trained dog handler.  The patient’s interaction with the dog is increased gradually.  Initially, the patient may merely observe the dog or touch it.  As the patient becomes more responsive and confident, activities may include brushing, attaching collars and even walking the dog.  Progress records are maintained as milestones are met and exceeded.

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The Bull(y) and Strong Dog: Staffordshire Terrier

Blogged by Tamzin on Thursday March 22nd, 2007 at 5:15 am in Terriers | 0 Comments »

672724_sleeping_dog.jpgThe Staffordshire bulls are known for their great strength because of their sizes. Their variety is muscular and stocky but is also known for their agility. Surprisingly, this breed is one of the two breeds recognized by the UK Kennel Club as very suitable for children. Furthermore, their types ranked 5th when it comes to dog popularity in the UK, where the breed originated. Interestingly, Staffies are the only breed of dog that are “totally reliable” when it comes to standard of breed.

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Field Trials for your Sporting Dog

Blogged by Tamzin on Tuesday March 20th, 2007 at 5:14 am in Training | 0 Comments »

734904_beach_fun_31.jpgFor those of you who aren’t too familiar with the term “field trials,” it is a sport in which the sporting dog competes under hunting conditions. The dog can pick up the scent of a rabbit or small animal and follow the trail until he’s found it. There is also the bird trials where the animal retrieves a fallen bird. During competition, the different breeds are divided into various groups. The following groups are: Pointing Dog Trials, Retriever Trials, Spaniel Trials, Beagle Trials & Hound Trials. The following guidelines are an example of what is expected before entering your sporting dog.

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Why Own a Norfolk Terrier Dog as Pet

Blogged by Tamzin on Thursday March 15th, 2007 at 5:13 am in Terriers | 0 Comments »

If you are planning to get a Norfolk terrier pet dog, here are some things you should know:

The Norfolk terrier originated from England. It is actually very affectionate and does not exhibit a disagreeable nature. Because of this, many people like to keep them as pets. However, there can be quite some difficulty housetraining a Norfolk terrier pet dog. This is because of the fact that a Norfolk terrier pet dog can be quite stubborn. The best method recommended for this breed is crate training.

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B.A.R.F. Diet: Sounds yummy but what is it?

Blogged by Tamzin on Tuesday March 13th, 2007 at 5:11 am in Food | 0 Comments »

754293_dog_smiling.jpgIt actually sounds kind of gross, but BARF is an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food.  Many health conscious veterinarians are huge advocates for this diet which can completely replace commercially prepared dog food.  One of the first proponents of the BARF diet was Dr. Ian Billinghurst who still recommends it today.  He believes that it is the ultimate way to get our pets in to optimum health. Many people believe that the BARF diet simulates what your dog would eat in his natural environment.

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The Dog of the Highlands: West Highland White Terrier

Blogged by Tamzin on Thursday March 8th, 2007 at 5:09 am in Terriers | 0 Comments »

At around 1700s, the Isle of Skye and other highlands in Scotland were already producing lots of small terriers. Scottish breeds were separated into two: the Skye terriers and the Dandie Dinmont terriers.

The Dandie Dinmonts were categorized as a separate breed. The Skyes included the Scotties, the Cairns and the West highland white terriers or the Westies.

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Opening a Kennel: General Tips and Guidelines

Blogged by Tamzin on Tuesday March 6th, 2007 at 5:06 am in dog care | 0 Comments »

716673_peaceful_animal.jpgOpening a kennel is a huge undertaking, even for those who have worked in kennels before or think they know all there is to know about caring for dogs. The following tips and guidelines will help you plan for your business and will, perhaps, bring to mind things you hadn’t considered before.

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More on Dogs and kids..

Blogged by Tamzin on Thursday March 1st, 2007 at 7:13 am in kids | 0 Comments »

If you have a rambunctious puppy, make sure your child doesn’t leave things lying around. Puppies love to chew on whatever they can sink their teeth into. If they see your daughter’s favorite dolly on the floor, or your son’s tennis shoe, the puppy will show no reserve. They will usually dive right in. Tell your child that your puppy is too young to understand, and that until he gets older, be extra careful about leaving things lying around.

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