Euro Puppy BLOG

Most Popular Small Breed Dogs

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:27:43 -0400

Being very portable, easily adaptable to different climates and more affordable in maintenance, it is no wonder that small breed dogs are growing in popularity. Noted for being lively and energetic, they make terrific pets for apartments and are comfort dogs as well. People living alone or the elderly feel better with them around. The following small dogs are popular for their uniqueness.

Dachshunds or �Weiner dogs�: They are fearless and loyal.

Shih Tzu�s�: Lion appearance demands attention and respect

Yorkshire terriers: Crave for owner�s company and are known to be jealous.

Pugs: Sweet and huggable

Chihuahuas: Charismatic and have big hearts.

Smaller dogs tend to have a longer life expectancy and not subjected to health concerns of big dogs such as hip dysplasia or arthritis. However keep in mind that smaller dogs don�t mean smaller responsibilities. They still need attention, love and visits to your local veterinarian.

What does the Bloodline mean for Dogs?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:59:30 -0400

The bloodline of a dog is a tale of its lineage. Like a family tree, it shows what other dogs have come before it and what has contributed to its present genetic make-up. There are two ways of viewing bloodlines to be aware of: one that is formed based on the breeder�s signature of careful standard and the other bloodline is based on detailed traits that a family of animals may contain.

For responsible breeders, looking at the bloodline is important in the breeding process. This is in order to determine if there are any genetic defects, behavior potentials, health concerns or medical history that may be detrimental for the dog and where it came in and how to minimize it. It gives a whole image of the dog and its construction over time. Many breeders and owners look for dogs that have a champion bloodline. This means that it is from a generation that had received the most points for meeting the standards given by International Kennel Clubs. Appearances are not only the way to view dogs, but its lineage can also be considered.

If you really cared about the breed of dog you own, then learn the basics of that breed. Don�t rely on description of how the dog looks but know and understand the bloodline. Since description or colors of dogs don�t ensure that the dog is in fact a Pit Bull to start with and based on the very picture of the fake bloodlines, there is a high probability that they are not. You must understand that A Bloodline is based on traits and based on selective process. Every breeder has its own process and every family has its own as well. So ask them; what are the traits that their bloodline bears? Ask your breeder something that you don�t know.

Did you know?

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:06:51 -0400

The normal body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.4 degrees Celsius.

Dog Quotes #52

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:58:49 -0400

"Bulldogs are adorable, with faces like toads that have been sat on." - Colette

"I spilled spot remover on my dog. He's gone now." - Steven Wright

Dogs and their weird rituals, are they normal?

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:23:41 -0400

Dogs do have rituals too!

Do you want to understand why a dog licks your face excitingly whenever he/she sees you? Or why does your dog buries bones? Are you planning to have a dog or are you a dog owner who wants to understand certain canine greeting, hunting and feeding rituals? Apparently, certain dog rituals could be explained by trying to look on how they were raised, trained or simply their basic animal instincts.

Greeting Rituals
A dog�s greeting ritual may be identified into two major types: One could be licking the mouth or face area of its owner or a visitor or smelling a person�s genital area. You may find it weird whenever your dog manifests these behaviors but it may also be a shock to you to find out how normal it is for dogs.

You may also find your dog jumping on you or on your visitors, which may also be considered normal for them to do. Most people punish or scold their dogs for behaving normally but inappropriate which causes the dog to feel uneasy and tense. Understanding so, it is advised that instead of expressing dismay to your dog�s behavior, you may try to divert this behavior by giving them toys as a form of distraction or an alternative outlet for their excitement and energy.

Hunting Rituals
Ever wonder how dog play works? Well, dog play could basically involve any of these: staring, chasing, nipping, shaking or grabbing. Though dogs may manifest some of these behaviors, it does not necessarily mean all of those should be seen on their dog play. Do not worry if your dog would only enjoy running around unlike other dogs that would wrestle, grab a toy and look like it would tear it apart�your dog is still completely normal.

For those who do not know, these dog play actions are hunting behaviors for survival. Just like their canine relatives such as wolves, your pet dog still shares the same hunting behaviors. Over excitement of dogs could lead from dog play to dog riot. A simple dog play between perfectly normal pet dogs could lead to rumble. So be on the lookout because it may cause pain for your pet.

Feeding Rituals
Ever find your dog burying bones or their toys on your lawn weird? As a part of survival and feeding, it is a normal behavior for dogs to hoard. Still sharing this common normal trait with their wild relatives, hoarding or caching is just a normal act for them to do. You may even find your sweetest and lovable poodle hoarding kernels or kibbles underneath their dog beds or blankets. It is somehow their way of protecting their food, but some of them end up lost or forgotten in due time.

So are you ready to start anew with your pet dog or your future pet? Hopefully, this might have given you a new light in understanding how a seemingly weird behavior of dogs is actually perfectly normal for them.

Dog Quotes #51

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 03:45:18 -0400

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." - Louis Sabin

Odd Couples - The Strange Friends Our Dogs Can Make

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 02:51:22 -0400

A Rottweiler and a wolf have formed the oddest new relationship in the animal world. As newspapers have been reporting a 150lb Rottweiler called Ulrok has befriended a tiny wolf cub called Beldaran in he Kisma Preserve in Maine, USA . He is a fully grown Rottweiler. She is a tiny wolf pup. They sleep together, frolic in the sun and even howl at the moon in unison.

This is far from the strangest friendship we�ve come across, however. In China, for instance, a Chihuahua adopted an orphaned chick. The dog acted as the chick�s surrogate parent picking it up in its mouth and taking it safely home when it risked getting into trouble. In the US a dog and a giant black bear have been observed by scientists happily together in the captive bear�s cage.

Dogs have also been known to let the offspring of other species suckle from them. Again in China, a kitten and a pair of tiger cubs have been observed feeding off the breast of dogs.
Dogs can even behave well towards their supposed worst enemies - cats. A scientific study found that cats are more likely to be chased if they are running away from a dog. The sight of the fleeing cat triggers a dog�s deep-rooted instinct to carry out prey chasing. Cats avoid being hurt by a chasing dog by learning to freeze and to lie down, with their bodies and head flattened to the ground. Denied the thrill of the chase, the dog will often lose interest.

Take that guilty look off your face. We can�t read our dogs� expressions after all

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:20:54 -0400

Those looks so many of us have seen in the eyes of our dogs are just tricks of our imagination, apparently. New research reported by the BBC suggest that the expressions we see on our dogs faces are simply projections of our own feelings.

A study was carried out by Alexandra Horowitz, assistant professor at Barnard College in New York, who looked at how dog owners interpreted their pets' expressions, when they believed that the dog had stolen and eaten a forbidden treat.
Horowitz and his team weren�t always truthful with the owners, however. Sometimes the dogs hadn�t eaten or stolen the treats.
Yet when owners were told their dogs had misbehaved, they ivariably reported seeing the guilty expression, even if the dog hadn�t really done anything wrong.

The conclusion was that there was no link between what owners thought they saw in their dogs� faces and their behaviour.

More Evidence That Dogs Are Smarter Than Cats

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:52:17 -0400

We all know it�s true, but now there is more evidence that dogs are smarter than cats.
A new study, reported in the Guardian newspaper suggests cats don�t understand cause and effect as well as dogs do.

Tests were carried out by a Psychology lecturer Britta Osthaus. She set a group of 15 cats a simple task: attaching fish and biscuit treats to one end of a piece of string, placing them under a plastic screen to make them unreachable and then seeing if the cats could work out that pulling on the other end of the string would pull the treat closer.

The test was conducted using three different arrangements of string: a single baited string, two parallel strings where only one was baited, and two crossed strings where only one was baited. Cats had no problem solving the problem with a single string. With the other two tests, however, they fared much worse. No cat correctly chose between the two parallel strings.

Dogs, on the other hand, performed much better, especially in the parallel string test.
Osthaus, of Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, said: "This finding is somehow surprising as cats regularly use their paws and claws to pull things towards them during play and hunting. They performed even worse than dogs, which can at least solve the parallel string task. I am not trying to say cats are stupid, just they are different.�

We all second that final thought, I'm sure.

Dog Quotes #50

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:28:02 -0400

"Do not make the mistake of treating your dogs like humans or they will treat you like dogs." - Martha Scott