MY LOVE; DOG

ROTWEILER ; VERY ANGRY

2009-11-07T02:24:00.000+05:30

Rottweilers are at times a misinterpreted breed. Due to many tragic experiences, people view this dog as ferocious and out of control. But the reality is this powerful and intelligent breed treads on a fine line between being protective and vicious. The key is proper and firm training from their handlers or owners. The breed may bite if it is threatened by an external factor and if it fears something.

If carefully socialized, their ability to discriminate what is a danger or not is inhibited so it may become overly protective and lash out. “Fear-biting” is when it bites not an act of defense but a reaction of being afraid. Obedience training and proper socialization is the best way to avoid any disasters. Experienced owners should establish their leadership with respectful and non-harsh techniques as to not let the breed take the top rank in the chain of command or lose its dignity and shy away from everything.

Also, dog training is an integral part of a working dog’s life for them to be able to assist humans in activities like hunting and police work. Training dogs is a specialized skill since the key difficulty lies in how to communicate efficiently with them.

All dog training is a repetition of the basic principle of reward and punishment in various forms and combinations. Communication of these signals is the key to proper training. One very important thing to remember is consistency of signals. The reliability of the training depends on how well a dog is able to be sure of what your signals mean.

It must also be mentioned that different dog breeds take to training differently. Dogs like the iconic German Shepherd are very easily trained due to their high intelligence. Another important factor is the emotional state of the dog. A dog that is frightened, anxious, or insecure doesn’t train well and this reflects the importance of factors like proper socialization of puppies.

A lot of studies have shown that proper puppy socialization goes a long way towards ensuring a good temperament and receptivity towards training. Lots of handling, petting and generally being around humans in their everyday life goes a long way towards making a dog well behaved and easy to train.

Training Rottweiler puppies should not begin too early however, as there is evidence to show that before a certain age, the brains of puppies are not significantly developed enough to process complex learning.

Professional dog trainers are best when it comes to training your Rottweiler as they will ensure that the proper habits are set for life, including how to behave around strangers. For the safety of your Rottweiler dog, it is your duty as an owner to ensure that he or she is well trained.

I have come across many Rottweiler Blogs and websites that mention tail docking, Is it good? Is it not good? Should it be done? Should it be banned? It is a tough choice that many Rottweiler fan and owner asks…and ponders about.

Tail docking is a procedure that is done when the puppy is only days old. The proceedure is quite primitive to say the least, since the tail is twisted off, after a scissor-like contraption has been clamped onto the tail. Length varies according to breeds, with Rottweilers having a short docked tail, while bird dogs like Weimaraners for instance have longer ones. If the tail has been docked properly, the fur will grow on the end of it.

There are some reasons for docking. A breed standard often dictates it. Another reason could be the so called: “Happy Tail Phenomenon”. A lot of breeds, like the Labrador for example has such a powerful tail that comes from its passed function as a retreiver dog. It could swim along much like an otter. With such powerful strength, it has been known that these dogs can break their tails. And then what is left is a docking proceedure that has to be done at an adult stage - and it is much more painful when the dog is older.

It remains a controversial issue. A lot of breeders are against it, and sell purebred Rottweiler puppies with their tails intact.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER; VERY BEAUTIFUL DOG

2009-11-07T02:03:00.000+05:30

Are you thinking of buying a golden retriever? Here's a few frequently asked questions about golden retrievers to help you in your decision making!

Are golden retrievers good with kids?

Most golden retrievers are wonderful with kids, especially when they have been regularly

exposed to well-behaved children as puppies. However, you have to bear in mind that golden retrievers are large and quite excitable dogs.
Golden retrievers can easily knock a child over my jumping up on them or send a small child flying with a wagging tail!
This is important It applies to all dogs, not just golden retrievers - Never leave very young children and dogs together unattended. Just as the dog could easily accidentally hurt the children, so could they hurt him by poking him in the eyes or ears or pulling his tail.

How much hair do golden retrievers shed?

Golden retrievers do shed a lot of hair - their abundant coats will leave quite a large & constant amount of hair in your house. That's why it's so important to groom golden retrievers regularly as this can help deal with the issue of hair shedding, but if you really don't like the idea to dog hair in your home then I wouldn't recommend that you buy a golden retriever.
How much exercise do they need?

Golden retrievers are a sport breed and will need plenty of exercise. Once fully grown (about 2 years old) golden retrievers need regular periods of aerobic exercise. Golden retrievers would not be a good choice if you have a sedentary lifestyle yourself.
Be careful with golden retriever puppies under 18 months. While they need exercise, it must not be forced or sustained becuase of the risk of damaging their joints

Do golden retrivers bark a lot?

Not typically, but they can if they are bored.

SPITZ; VERY SWEET

2009-11-07T01:31:00.000+05:30

Origin:

The German Spitz is thought to be descended from the Northern sled and herding dogs which arrived in Europe with the Vikings. Spitz dogs are referred to in German literature as early as 1450 and by the 1700s were well known. The smaller representative of the breed (klein) was much favoured by Queen Victoria and they became very fashionable until their numbers declined during World War I when all things associated with Germany were rejected. It is from the klein Spitz that the Pomeranian, which is now a different breed with its own Standard, was developed. The breed still is not numerous, but its popularity is increasing as its happy, equable disposition and its suitability as a household pet become more widely known. The code of ethics of breed fanciers forbids breeding between the klein and mittel.

Character:

This is a happy, active dog which is devoted to his family. He can demand quite a lot in the way of interaction and attention from his people so is totally unsuited to a life outside away from those he loves. He is highly intelligent and therefore very good at manipulating you in order to get what he wants, so firm, consistent leadership is necessary in order that he learns to respect the boundaries set for him. He is also a confident, independent and curious dog with an adventurous spirit which will lead him to roam if fences are not secure. Although quite happy to curl up by the fire and sleep he needs things to keep him occupied during waking hours otherwise he may devise his own, possibly destructive, amusement. His watchdog qualities are excellent and sometimes immoderate. Always very alert to what is going on excessive barking at strangers, other dogs or noises can become a problem and teaching him when barking is not appropriate is important. The klein Spitz is not recommended for families with young children but, apart from that reservation, this is a fine companion breed for those who want a small, sprightly dog and can cope with the demands of daily grooming of the abundant coat.

Exercise:

The German Spitz is a busy, energetic dog and will provide himself with a considerable amount of exercise playing and investigating in and around the house and garden. However, a daily walk is necessary, not only to keep him physically fit, but to provide mental stimulation. He has an enthusiastic attitude to any task before him and, once trained, is a willing and often successful competitor in agility trials.

Training:

Basic obedience training should commence from puppy-hood in order that he learns to become a socially acceptable dog and to fulfil his potential as a good family member. His innate intelligence means that the German Spitz is quick to learn, but he can be rather willful and therefore present training challenges. Rather than trying to force him to do things the better approach is to encourage him to want to do things for a reward. Once he realizes that a certain behaviour is followed by a treat and/or praise he will be more likely to repeat the behaviour when instructed to do so. Socialization which will accustom him to various situations, different types of people, other dogs, potentially alarming objects, etc. is vital. This early and on-going introduction to the world will prevent any nervousness or aggression and the dog will grow to be the level-headed, confident, buoyant representative of its breed that it should be.

LABRADOUR ; VERY INTELEGENT

2009-11-07T01:26:00.000+05:30

Dogs have become such an important part of our society, that the need for them to fit in well with other human beings and not pose a threat or a disturbance is critical to their long term acceptance by our neighbors and others around us. Not all people are dog lovers and to make sure that they’re not inconvenienced by our pets, training is essential.
Also, dog training is an integral part of a working dog’s life for them to be able to assist humans in activities like hunting and police work. Training dogs is a specialized skill since the key difficulty lies in how to communicate efficiently with them.
Dog training is a repetition of the basic principle of reward and punishment in various forms and combinations. Communication of these signals is the key to proper training. One very important thing to remember is consistency of signals. The reliability of the training depends on how well a dog is able to be sure of what your signals mean.
It must also be mentioned that different dog breeds take to training differently. Dogs like the iconic German Shepherd are very easily trained due to their high intelligence. Another important factor is the emotional state of the dog. A dog that is frightened, anxious, or insecure doesn’t train well and this reflects the importance of factors like proper socialization of puppies.
A lot of studies have shown that proper puppy socialization goes a long way towards ensuring a good temperament and receptivity towards training. Lots of handling, petting and generally being around humans in their everyday life goes a long way towards making a dog well behaved and easy to train.
Training Labrador Retriever puppies should not begin too early however, as there is evidence to show that before a certain age, the brains of puppies are not significantly developed enough to process complex learning.
Professional dog trainers are best when it comes to training your Labrador Retriever as they will ensure that the proper habits are set for life, including how to behave around strangers. For the safety of your Labrador Retriever, it is your duty as an owner to ensure that he or she is well trained.

GERMAN SHEPHERD ; THE KING OF DOG

2009-11-07T00:55:00.000+05:30

Some of the character traits in German Shepherd Dogs are purely genetic. Just like the components like pigments, anatomy etc. are engineered into the dog genetically, so are these traits. Well bred GSDs have all positive traits in common. This post on character traits in German Shepherd Dogs is going to talk about the purely genetic traits in the breed - starting from the physical endurance to agility, distractibility and a few more!
Physical Endurance: Physical endurance describes the overall physique of the dog including sturdiness, muscular tone and general physical condition. This is a genetic trait and breeders must keep this in mind while breeding. A well bred dog usually has a good physical endurance. A dog with an excellent physical endurance spends less energy while working. This ensures both quantity and quality of work within a specified amount of time.

Agility: Agility is another remarkable feature in German Shepherd Dog breed. Agility describes the total coordination of the dog, including its natural fastness. Reputed breeders keep the Agility trait in mind while breeding, so that the dogs natural tendency to pursue things with fastness and surefootedness is not spoiled.
Sharpness: Alike these traits, Sharpness is transferred genetically! This is why not all German Shepherds are equally sharp. Degree of Sharpness is how intensely he reacts to a stressful situation. It is also a by-product of his intelligence. For instance, if your Shepherd bites you for no apparent reason, and if he is sharp enough, he will immediately realize his fault. This will make him cool down to his normal status.

Feral Tendency: Feral tendency is a purely genetic trait, which is a tendency to revert to a animal in the wild. A well bred dog has a higher feral tendency and will act more intelligently than the other dogs. A dog with high degree of feral tendency can be more easily trained and acts more obediently during the period of stress and pain. Dogs with low feral tendency will mis-behave in stressful situation.

Distractibility: Distractibility is environmentally influenced genetic trait that describes the tendency of the dog to get distracted from its allotted work. High degree of distractibility trait means the dog is highly influenced by the environmental factors, which is not a desirable trait as it hampers the working ability of the dog. Remember, GSD is a working breed. Most well bred dog are have amore or less high degree of distractibility, but that doesn’t mean that dog is genetically weak. Most well bred dogs have the ability to maintain the competency, but hidden. All you need is to carry on a rigorously typical training session to make use of the competency and attentiveness hidden within them.
Sensory Threshold: Sensory threshold is a purely genetic trait in German Shepherd Dogs. This trait describes the level of stimulus that a given amount agitation can make the dog to respond. The dog may whine, scream or bark in response to agitation. This describes the amount of stimulus that makes the respond to agitation. Dogs with higher sensory threshold take longer time to respond to agitation; they handle such situation more intelligently. They usually have stronger character with higher feral tendency. Dogs with lower sensory threshold gets agitated easily, which in turn means they have lower Feral tendency.
Here are the details of the German Shepherd Dog character traits that are psychological, but physiologically based:

The character traits of any dog breed depend on many factors. German Shepherd Dogs are sometimes quite hard by nature (both mentally and physically) and pain tolerating capacity is high, while soft at some other times. Both hardness and softness in the characters are the psychological traits in GSD that are physiologically based.

Hardness: Hardness is the trait that is both psychological and physiological. It is a mental resiliency (backed the physical and biochemical soundness) to not-so-pleasant experiences. Hardness is judged by putting the dog into situations where the pain threshold can be determined. Pain threshold is the point at which the dog starts reacting to pain. The intensity at which the stimulus (physical and mental pressure and stress) starts evoking pain the threshold stimulus. To be a bit more simple, the pain threshold is the point at which the starts not to tolerate the pain any longer. Since the threshold stimulus varies from breed to breed for a given stressful situation, the pain threshold level differs too. A well bred German Shepherd Dog has comparatively high level of pain threshold than most other dog breeds. By saying this I mean to say that the capacity of tolerating pain has been genetically engineered into the breed. Hence “hardness” is not 100% psychological and physiologically trait in GSD and other dog breeds, although, as a matter fact the level of hardness also varies form dog to dog within the breed itself. GSD has higher “Hardness” trait, means they can tolerate tremendous stress with little negative attitude. That in turn means that the GSD needs to handle strongly and requires strong corrections when they are disobedient.

Now what does it mean when I say that “Hardness” in GSD is a psychological trait, being physiologically based? From physiological view point, the hardness in GSD means that the dog is strong by nerve. It relates to the thick sheathing around the nerve fibers in the body of the dog which makes its pain threshold higher than other breeds. Sometimes the hardness is so high that corrections to disobedient behaviors sometimes become quite tough for les- experienced trainers. This is why an experienced specialized dog behaviorist/ trainer will always suggest not to hit him while training. This will make the training process harder and ineffective.

Softness: Softness in the character traits in German Shepherds is just the opposite of the hardness. Wild dogs in the nature are comparatively softer than the pets. In fact the softness is a natural trait that helps the dog to save himself from natural dangers. Softness breeds a bit of fear in them which acts as the natural measure for protection themselves form real danger – as I said in my last post. Softness in German Shepherd Dogs is another psychological trait that is associated to the fear from stressful experience. Excessive softness is a behavioral fault in the GSD breed. This is because these dogs are bred to work under a wide range of stressful situations. If a German Shepherds fail to do that, it means it doesn’t satisfy the breed’s actual purpose.

You will probably like to read about BREED EVOLUTION TEST IN GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG (Schutzhund) that has been designed to separate German shepherds with correct physical and character traits from the ones that have undesirable traits.