http://www.uwsp.edu/PSYCH/dog/LA/DrP4.htm

2. Dogs have night vision as the number of rod cells in their eyes is greater than that of cone cells.

3. Dogs have unique ‘nose prints’ that can be used to identify them, just as humans can be identified by their fingerprints.

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4. Dogs don’t sweat like humans do. Their only sweat glands are in their paw pads. Panting can help cool dogs down, but because they have fewer sweat glands than humans, leaving a dog alone in a car can and will be disastrous.

5. The Lundehund breed of dog can close their ears. These dogs also have 6 toes on each paw. This is because Lundehunds were bred to climb cliffs. Having an extra toes greatly helps.

6. Teddy Roosevelt’s dog (called Pete) once ripped an ambasador’s pants off in the White House.

7. Basset Hounds cannot swim.

8. The Bible mentions dogs fourteen times, but never mentions domestic cats.

9. Both dogs and cats are either left- or right-pawed- just as humans are either left- or right-handed!

10. Of all the animals, only dogs and humans have prostates.

11. Dogs do not have an appendix.

12. A dog’s sense of smell is thousands of times stronger than a human’s.

13. If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could product over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!

14. The smartest dog is believed to be the border collie, followed by the poodle and Golden retriever.

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15. The dumbest dog is believed to be the Afghan hound. (Hounds, however, are notoriously stubborn- which may contribute to the fact that many hounds are found on the bottom end of the canine intelligence list, which is judged by the quickness with which a dog learns commands (in other words, how many repetitions it takes for the dog to respond to the command).

16. One in four dogs found in animal shelters are purebred.

17. The Basenji is the only dog breed that cannot bark. They do have a distinctive howl.

18. Humans have kept dogs as pets for at least 12,000 years.

19. Like human babies, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes with age.

20. Dogs have two times as many muscles to move their ears as people.

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21. U.S. Customs dogs “Rocky” and “Barco” were so good at patrolling the border that Mexican drug lords put a $300,000 bounty on their heads.

22. Humans can detect sounds at 20,000 times per second, while dogs can sense frequencies of 30,000 times per second.

23. Boxers are named for ‘boxing’ with their front paws.

24. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese.

25. In a suburb of medium density, a dog’s bark can be heard in 200 surrounding houses — or by 800 people.

26. Anything over 45 minutes seems like forever to your dog. You will be greeted as enthusiastically coming back from a two-hour shopping trip as you will coming back from a two-day vacation.

27. If a dog tolerates gentle handling between its toes, it probably is suited for children.

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29. It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks- among other health benefits.

30. There are seven types of blood group in canines.

31. The Lhasa Apso guarded Tibetan temples.

• They’re having a new baby

• They’re moving to a new home 
where there are no dogs allowed.

• They can’t afford the vet bills

• It was their child’s and they lost 
interest.

• They didn’t know that it was going to 
get that big.

• They don’t have the time they
thought they did for it.

•and many more.

All of these reasons that people give for giving up their pets are stupid. There are many people who have a new baby and still have a dog. If you had another kid, would you get rid of that because there’s a new baby on the way? I don’t think so. And then you have the people who go out and get a dog because they think that it will be a play mate for the baby. Then they realize that they shouldn’t have done that because they can’t take care of a baby AND a puppy, which is like another baby. And I have two questions for all the people who are moving and the place doesn’t allow dogs: Firstly, do you think about looking at another place where dogs are allowed or asking about paying an amount of money that you get back if the apartment looks the same when you leave? And secondly, if the apartment didn’t allow kids and you had one, would you put your child up for adoption? Animals aren’t just pets, they’re part of the family. You have a dog for 9 years and you’re just going to give it up because the place you’re moving to doesn’t want it? That’s not right. That dog became attached to you for those years of it’s life and now you’re just kicking it out or throwing it away. 

Another thing that really bothers me is the people that didn’t know that the dog was going to get that big or don’t have the time for the dog. Didn’t you research the dog before you got it? Before even thinking about getting a dog, you should research the breed so that you know what you’re getting. It’s not that hard to go to Google and find a picture of what the dog will look like when it is fully developed. You obviously have internet to post the ad, why don’t you do the research first? 

People are so ridiculous when it comes to animals. They get one and than decide that they don’t want it or don’t have time for it and then just throw it away. Millions of animals are put down each year because of these careless people who breed and then because of the careless people don’t know how to keep a dog and get them spayed. I don’t have a problem with craigslist. I think that’s it’s an excellent site to find things. I just wish people had more common sense then to buy and sell, buy and sell. If that dog can’t find a home and ends up in a shelter, it’s not going to have a good life. No one will spend time with it and if it’s older, it has a greater chance of not finding a home…which eventually leads to it being killed. Think before you get a pet. You could be saving a life and making a difference. Every difference counts.

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Once you believe you that you have fully and properly trained your dog it is disconcerting to then find that your hairy little friend begins to urinate when he gets excited. You might wonder where you went wrong during your training. You might also wonder if there is something physically wrong.

It is always good to be concerned when you notice something like that happening with an animal friend. So a quick trip to your vet is always a great idea. Your vet will tell you, after a few tests, if your pet is healthy or if there is a physical reason for his urination. If your pet has a physical problem then it is your responsibility to fix the situation, your friend relies on you.

If your pet still has issues with urination when excited then it is likely a psychological issue. As many of you know, psychological issues can be very difficult to cure but it can be done. It can be done but it can take a good bit of work, consistency and dedication on your part.

Knowing some of the reasons for such a response to excitement can help you deal with things. Many times this kind of urination can be related to youth. As your dog ages she may grow out of it but sadly this is not always the case and there are larger issues to deal with.

This kind of peeing is known as submissive peeing. As nasty as urinating on the floor can be the dog really has little choice at this stage. Keep in mind that this is not a housebreaking problem so do not put your dog outside and expect him to learn anything more than you are unhappy with him. Certainly, yelling at your dog is no answer either. The fact is that you should never yell at your dog anyway.

Submissive urination is related to your dog’s level of self esteem. Your dog will many times see you as the leader of his little pack, more often than not, and as such will become more than a little excited about you returning home from work and will then urinate upon seeing you.

Upon discovering that your dog is expressing his submissiveness by urinating there are ways to deal with it so don’t despair and help your dog. You’ll both feel better about it.

For a beginner, setting up the first tank can seem simple at first, but then the reaslisation will suddenly dawn that its more complicated than it looks, and doing it wrong can have disastrous consequences for your fish! With the right help, it is quite simple – just follow these steps.

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Step One: Choosing a position

Fish tanks are very heavy and hard to move when filled with water (1 litre of water weighs about a kilo!) so it is best to get it settle before filling it. Choose a place away from a window to slow algae growth, and if it is a large tank of more than 70 litres or so, it is best to use a specialist stand as many normal pieces of furniture cannot support a heavy tank, and the uneven surface caused by bending of the furniture may crack the tank – and a flooded house is never good!

Step Two: Cleaning the tank

Use a cloth (preferably one that has never come into contact with detergents, or has been boil washed) and water WITHOUT ANY CHEMICALS to wipe the inside of the tank, and just get rid of any dirt from the shop.

Step Three: Adding the Equipment

Now insert the electrical equipment such as the filter and heater (VITAL – IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THESE… GO BUY THEM! The heater is not needed for cold water fish, but the filter is still important!) Stick them to the side of the tank, as per the instructions included, and leave them off for now. Other equipment includes fertilisation systems and air pumps (pretty bubbles!)

Step Four: Adding the substrate and decorations

Substrate is a word that means any sort of ground covering for the tank, such as sand or gravel. This is essential for a fish tank as it makes the fish feel secure, gives them somewhere to dig in and also looks pretty. Put the substrate in a bucket, and use a tap or hose to rinse it, then tip away the excess water. Repeat until the water runs clear – you would be amazed how dirty shop-bought substrate is! Afterwards, simply tip/scoop it into the tank and spread around. Rinse any decorations under the tap, and place them in the tank. Add plants at this stage too.

Step Five: Adding the water

Use a bucket or hose, or whatever, to fill your tank with tap water. Add dechlorinator (chlorine kills fish!) and turn on all your equipment. Leave the tank running like this for about 5 days for the heater to bring the water to the right temperature, and for everything to settle down. Then you are ready for your first fish!

 Additional Notes

1) Research your fish choices carefully. Make sure what you get will not grow to 3 feet long!

2) Research the Nitrogen Cycle and buy a liquid test kit – they may be expensive but they save fishy lives and last ages. More information at: http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling.htm (this site contains other useful information too, including a fish database and a friendly help forum!)

3) Keep up the water changes! Change 25% of your fish water every week, to get rid of nasties, and remember to add dechlorinator.

Thanks for reading, and may all your fish be happy!

TheResistance

So the plan was hatched my mom starting hunting around to find a small dog even though I had begged for the one female puppy from the litter of German Shepherds our neighbour had. The answer was no we will wait to find a small dog, although I was disappointed I agreed. The search continued although I can’t really remember for how long one day my mom told me she had found a dog and would be going to look at him while I was at school. This was honestly the longest school day of my life, I spent my lunch hour in the school library looking through books for a prefect name. I found it before I had any idea what the dog looked liked or if I was getting him or not, Timmy.

Finally after what felt like and eternity the day was over and the bell  rang. I got my school bag together as fast as possible and ran out to our van. I swung the door open and jumped in and sure enough there was the cutest little black and white long-haired terrier sitting between the vans two front seats. I immediately said I wanted his name to be Timmy but he had come with a name already Smokey. The reason he was called Smokey is because he was found dodging traffic with another small dog, so the people called him Smokey and the other one Bandit.

Eventually the name got changed to Timmy I think it was only about a week into having him. We figured he probably didn’t really know the name well anyways. The reason we got him is because no ever came forward to claim either of the dogs the family that found them kept the other one. Timmy was quite the mess when we first got him and his long hair was soon traded in for a short shave except for his tail and face.

Timmy was extremely nervous and afraid of men and loud noises when we got him and we figured he had been abused by his previous owner a lot of time and patience proved worthwhile and his personality started to shine through. We took him to the vet shortly after we got him and they told us he was about 10 months old and a terrier of some sort later on down the road we discovered he was a Tibetan Terrier.

Timmy was a huge part of my life as a child and when I left home he stayed with my parents. Unfortunately my parents had to have him put to sleep several years ago due to pain from large fatty deposits that formed on his chest. Timmy had also gone deaf about 2 years before they had him put to sleep. Timmy lived a happy and long life he was spoiled rotten and was the best dog I could have asked for. He was the sweetest most loving animal and a great friend. My parents had moved away from where I live several years before his death and it took my mom several months before she was able to tell me of his passing. I was quite devastated and still miss my best friend to this day. I wish i could have seen him more in the end I feel bad because I always wonder if he was waiting for me to come home like he always did when I was a kid.

That is my Papillon Gizmo. I believe that she was given the short end of the stick when she came into the world. She doesn’t have big ears like most Papillon pictures I have seen and she isn’t that big. I got my Papillon in the year 2007. I head of the breed before but never really put thought into getting one. I had a summer job and saved up money and my parents finally told me that I could get a puppy. I promised
to take care of it and started looking online for one. I used this website that I used to go on. I found two that I actually liked. It was mainly all white except that it had black on it’s ear. I thought that she was so cute. I contacted the breeder and started talking to her. The dog was 700 dollars including it’s shipping. I was very excited but kept my options open. I found another dog that was a light brown and had a under bite. That
was okay to me because I didn’t plan on showing the dog or anything. I just wanted a companion. I talked to both of the breeders and decided on the one that caught my interest the most. That was the one that was mainly all white. I contacted the ladyand did a Money gram at Wal-Mart. After I did it, I sent her a message and she nevergot back to me. I got worried and my mom and I went to Wal-Mart to get my money back. I ended up losing $40.  I was pretty down at this point because I really wanted that puppy.

I couldn’t believe that she didn’t reply to my e-mail. She had good reviews. My friend’s mom ended up searching the internet and she found a breeder in PA. I e-mailed her and told her about myself and we started talking about meeting. My parents agreed to it and we set a date that we would go visit her. I couldn’t wait for the day to come. She sent me a picture a Tri-Colored Papillon. She was really cute and I was really excited to see her.  The day finally came that my parents and I made the trip to PA. It snowed that weekend so my trip almost got cancelled. We went though. It was about a 2 hour drive and when we finally arrived, it was like a relief to my legs to get out of the car. The lady ended up having three dogs and then the three puppies. In the litter, there was one girl and two boys. She had the parents and then a Pomeranian that was her son’s or something. The parents were really friendly and we got used to them. The mother was sitting on my dad’s lap. She took the girl Papillon out of the cage and handed her to me.

She called her “Lily” for the time being but I was allowed to change her name. Lily was the cutest thing ever. She laid on my lap, looking scared. I bet her and she seemed to get used to me. We talked to the owner and then I decided that I did want the dog. (I didn’t really have a choice in the matter because my parents didn’t drive down there for nothing) I signed a contract and then we talked a little bit more. After that, we left. ”Lily” didn’t want to go in the crate that I had for her. I let her lay on my lap. We weren’t even halfway home when she puked on me. I didn’t mind because I was happy that I got my new puppy. 

It’s been almost three years since I got her and I wouldn’t change a thing about her. I changed her name and it’s now Gizmo because that’s what she reminds me of. I want another one so bad. They’re truly a great breed. She’s a loving dog that wants to make you happy. She’s truly a lap dog too. I don’t know if it’s all Papillons or just her but I know that I love it. I would recommend this breed of dog to anyone. With the right attention, they’re very affectionate dogs.

What Causes Deafness in Cats?

Deafness in cats can come from many problems. Although we often associate it with old age, and may even be unaware that a cat is going deaf, some are born deaf and others develop hearing problems.

While cats with blue eyes are often deaf. White cats with one blue eye are often deaf in the ear on the same side as the blue eye.

Kittens who suffer from bad cases of ear mites can experience temporary deafness due to the blockage in their ears, if untreated they can become permanently deaf in one or both ears.

Cats, or kittens, who have lost their ears due to extremely cold weather (frost bite) may also be deaf in one or both ears.

Trauma, or abuse, can also lead to deafness.

Age related hearing loss is also something cats experience and will often meow more when losing their hearing.

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How to Determine if a Cat is Deaf?

There are several ways of determining if a cat is deaf, one is to clap your hands behind the cats head. The cat might respond if it feels the air moving due to the force of the clap, a snapping of the fingers can be used just behind either ear, but some cats would ignore this anyhow.

The best test is the vacuum test. When the cat cannot see the vacuum, or when it is sleeping, turn it on. Most cats are frightened by the sound and will flee if not deaf.

Other similar tests can be done, or a veterinarian can be contacted for an ear exam.

Care

If the problem is related to ear mites or an ear blockage treating the problem is of utmost importance. Do not attempt to clean the ear out yourself as you may push the blockage in deeper and cause more problems. Have a veterinarian remove the blockage or show you how to treat your cat (as when infected with ear mites.

Deaf cats should be kept as indoor pets only, they cannot hear an approaching car, or a barking dog. They are easier prey for raccoons and so forth.

If one owns a deaf cat and they wish for it to have access to the outside they can look into building a “catio” or fenced cat section in their yard. Having such right next to the house allows the owner to let it in and out easily (as when a window can be used for access). A deaf cat would be fine outside on a leash and harness but only when the owner can be out with it (as if not fenced properly a tethered animal is easily targeted).

Related Links

Curious Cats – Odd Cat Features

Health Concerns for Aging Cats

Risks for Cats who Go Outdoors

Building a Cat Enclosure

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Cleaning the litter box is hard enough and with the smell, sometimes it can be over whelming. People that have a car, has tried everything to try to control the smell that comes from the litter box. Trying to find away to help cat owners with the “choir”, the manufactures came up with flush able cat litter.

Instead of getting rid of the clumps from the litter box or all of the litter and placing it in your garbage and still having the smell. With the flush able cat litter you can get rid of both the mess and the smell, all in a flush.

Flush able cat litter is great for people that has a busy life or that has multiple cats. Since it does not take as much time as the other cat litter and it takes care of the both the smell and the mess the quickest.

The cost of the flush able cat litter is roughly about the as the other cat litter. At first the flush able cat litter might seem more expensive but it weighs less then the other leading cat litter, so it goes farther. Just like the other leading cat litter, it can cost between $9.99 and $19.99. It might be harder to find it at your local pet store but they are available in online stores.

There are some drawbacks to having flush able cat litter. Instead if going to a landfill, it would be going to the swear line. So there would be extra sewage and wasting water.

The flush able cat litter does not feel like clay, like the other cat litters. Because of this change, your cat may or may not use the litter box. After you change the cat litter to the flush able cat litter, watch your cat to know if he/she likes it.

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Since kittens should be kept with their mother’s until 3-4 days old, if at all possible, I am going to start off at about one week old. The kittens have barely opened their eyes and they still can’t hear. You’ll notice, these miracles are still tiny and fragile. If you end up with kittens this young, you are going to have to stay on top of things to keep them alive. The first two weeks of a kittens life are by far the hardest on them, especially without a mother.

You have two main things to deal with at this time; food and warmth. Kittens need to be fed every couple hours, regularly – even through the night. A healthy kitten will grow by a few grams a day. If you have one or two kittens, it is going to be a bit harder to keep them warm. They are going to need a blanket or a few towels, and since they aren’t potty trained yet, you’ll want a few changes. If you have a litter or 4 to 8, they will huddle together and likely keep themselves much warmer than a single kitten. A single kitten or two, will do best if you spend as much time as possible cuddling with them and keeping them close to you. DO NOT put kittens somewhere where there is drafts. A drafty room can make a small kitten very sick and could kill a young kitten.

Once you’ve got down a warm spot, and the appropriate food (preferably commerical kitten supplement), next is learning to help them urinate and defecate. Yes, you read right – they cannot “go” on their own. When a mother is seemingly cleaning her kittens, she is also helping them go potty. To help them, obviously humans aren’t going to lick the kittens genitals. Use a Q-Tip, or soft cloth. Get it wet with WARM water. Proceed to gently massage the kittens genitals and lowered abdomen in circular motions works best. I have also been told that you can actually sick the kittens rear end under warm running water and proceed to massage – but I do not have any personal experience with this method. Anytime a kitten gets wet, you must keep them warm until they are completely dry.

You will keep up the warmth and feedings until 3-4 weeks old. Between 2 and 3 weeks old, the kittens will also start “going” on their own. About 3 weeks old, it is okay to start weening your kittens onto something other than formula. I would suggest blending kitten food and soaking it in the supplement milk. Some people use plain meat baby foods (ONION POWDER in baby foods other than STAGE 1 can kill kittens) but this can also lead to a picky eater when it comes time to start feeding solids. Some kittens will automatically take to canned food as well. Some kittens will pick up drinking from a bowl right away, some kittens this can take a week or two to get down. I’ve had kittens go from dropper/bottle feeding, to drinking from a bowl, to eating canned food in less than 24 hours. At the same time, the brother to that same kitten wasn’t at all interested in drinking from a bowl. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you have to be VERY patient. You have to remember, even if a kitten at this age might be ready for solids, they do not have adult teeth yet – they barely have tiny teeth in there.

Great, the kittens eating on it’s own and it’s healthy. Around 3-4 weeks you an introduce a litterbox. Something fairly shallow works best so the kitten can come and go easily. Plain clay litter works best, or you can also use shredded paper or even plain oatmeal. Kittens can, and often will, try to eat the litter – large clumping litters can clog their insides and kill them. To train them to use the litter box, place them in the box before and after meals – you’ll notice they are most likely to go right after eating. They may not go every time – this is normal. If they need help with covering their tracks, gently show them a scratching motion in the litter with their paw. Most cats will instinctively pick this up and some cats never cover their tracks.

So by now you’ve got the basics – feeding, warmth, potty training. (Keep in mind, kittens up to 2 months will need somewhere warm). By now, you’ve probably noticed your kitten9s) being very curious about everything. They’ll want to follow you and check out what you are doing. They will likely try to climb everywhere and check out every corner. Make sure your house/room is kitten proof! No exposed wires, deep pools of water – common sense should help you here. Think about you kitten as a young child who just learned to walk.

Sometimes, orphaned kittens came from mothers that were never vaccinated and/or were exposed to diseases at an early age. Upper Respiratory Infections are highly contagious and will easily attack an unvaccinated cat/kitten. Signs are watery eyes, sneezing, runny noses and in advanced cases you will notice your kitten having no energy. The earlier you can get your kitten(s) to the vet, the better.

Shivering kittens are often though to be sick or getting a cold. When a kitten shivers it often means he/she is underfed. Start feeding more/have more frequent feedings. If this does not help, take your kitten to the vet.

Kittens are prone to becoming ill until they are old enough to be vaccinated, and then given their boosters on time. I strongly believe that all kittens (inside or outside) should be given their basic vaccines – and for additional coverage for outside cats, Rabies vaccines is always a good bet.

(Please let me know if you think I have missed anything or should add any more information. I have been rescuing kittens and puppies my whole life and currently have 2 that just started drinking from a dish.)

I currently own a Papillon and a Maltese. I owned another Maltese but when she was around 10 years old, she was diagnosed with Kidney Failure. My dogs are strictly inside dogs. They go to the bathroom on papers and play inside with each other. I don’t live in an apartment so they have a lot of room to run around inside the house. The shots that dogs get have to deal with things that are outside. My dogs will never be prone to most of these things. So, why do we have to vaccinate them? 

My family and I believe that our first Maltese got Kidney Failure because of all the shots her vet gave her. She was only 7 pounds and a vet gives the same dosage as they give a Great Dane. The Rabies shot isn’t even to benefit the pet. It’s to protect humans. Also, heart-worm medication is said to not be good for the dogs and have long term effects on the dog. The steps of a dog getting heart-worm is very complicated. If you have time, look them up. The temperature has to be at a certain spot for about a week. A dog can’t get heart-worm during the winter months because of the cold. Rabies is also like that. In my daily paper, a few months ago, there was an article where a lady asked why her inside cat had to get it’s rabies shot. The reply was “Because if a bat flew into your house and bit your cat, it could get rabies.” Or something along those lines. The odds of that bat carrying rabies is very high. 

I have a few personal stories about vets and vaccines. You can tell that vaccines are the vets way of making money. When we got our second Maltese, we took her to this new vet because we were trying to find someone closer. So, during the first visit, the vet pushed a whole bunch of vaccines on us. I took my Papillon there too because she was due for check-up. He wanted to give her shots too. I told him no but yet he still pushed shots on me. He ended up pushing shots on my mom for our Maltese. I told her not to do any of them and she didn’t. She only did the ones that she was due for. This raised the alarms in my body. Firstly, he wanted to give a 3 pound puppy all those shots in a die. What was he thinking? Secondly, he tried to persuade us to get them. That was working with me. The one shot that he tried to push on us was the Lyme disease shot. He said that we should get it because the area that we live in has lots of ticks. We told him that our dogs didn’t go outside and of course, he had something to say back to that. Like, what if we brought a tick in with us and it got on them. The things he said were ridiculous. So anyways, a couple months later, my Papillon wasn’t acting like herself. We took her to a different vet and my mom asked this vet if he would give a small dog the Lyme disease shot. He told my mom, “Absolutely not. I wouldn’t even think about it. There to small.” So, it made me wonder which vet to believe.

Another thing that’s always had me cautious is that my first Maltese’s sister got lots of shots in a day and she ended up having to be be hospitalized because her body couldn’t handle it. She was bigger than my Maltese so it always made me very cautious.

In situations like these, you don’t really know what to believe. So many different vets have different opinions. It’s hard to find the right one and know which one cares about your pet, not the money. I recommend taking different books out of a local library or buying them, and reading up on it. Or you could ask your vet and other vets and find out what is best for your dog. Don’t settle for less.