The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) reported that in 2011, they received 28,162 calls about animal abandonments, compared to 27,755 in 2010. In 2007, RSPCA received just 21,481 calls. This means that reported calls about animal abandonments increased by 31% within five years. A number of these abandoned animals are of any dog breeds.

RSPCA Inspector Tony Woodley says:

Although it is tempting to blame the economic situation, we have no real idea why the number of abandonments is increasing overall. But it is so frustrating to think that the messages about caring for animals just aren’t getting through to some people.

To reduce the number of abandoned animals, RSPCA gives the following tips:

.Only take on an animal if you are confident you can provide for him/her.

.Make sure you can afford veterinary care before taking on an animal.

.Neuter your pet to reduce the chances of unwanted litters.

.Microchip your pet so if he/she does go missing, they can easily be traced back to you.

In the U.S., most households have at least one pet. Majority of these pets are of any dog breeds. Why do most Americans prefer to have a dog in their households?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed the following as the benefits of having any dog breeds:

.Dogs decrease your blood pressure

.Dogs decrease your cholesterol levels

.Dogs decrease your triglyceride levels

.Dogs decrease your feelings of loneliness

.Dogs increase your opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities

.Dogs increase your opportunities for socialization

The Philippine Canine Club, Inc. announced that the top 10 dog breeds among Filipinos for 2011are the following:

1. Shih Tzu
2. Chihuahua
3. Pomeranian
4. Siberian Husky
5. Beagle
6. Labrador Retriever
7. Chow Chow
8. Pug
9. Poodle
10. German Shepherd

Canine Club president Augusto Benedicto Santos III, in a statement, says:

Apart from preserving the line of the breed, owners can develop a working knowledge on what to expect with their dogs in terms of temperament and behavior, allowing them to easily train the dog and create a wonderful relationship with them.

Click here to read more about this story.

This winter, as the temperature drops, dog breeds of any kind need special care to stay healthy and safe. The American Kennel Club (AKC) says that it is important to pay special attention to your dog’s well-being during the winter season.

Here are AKC’s tips in keeping our four-legged friends stay healthy and safe this winter:

.Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.

.Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog’s feet after a walk.

.Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.

.Frostbite is your dog’s winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don’t leave your dog outdoors for too long.

.Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.

.Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.

Dr. Dubovi says:

If I’m in New York City and going on a two-week vacation at Christmas and putting the dog in a kennel, then I’m vaccinating. If I’m in Kansas City where you don’t know for sure the virus exists, then maybe I’m going to wait.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dog flu is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by a specific Type A influenza virus referred to as a “canine influenza virus.” CDC stressed that this a disease of dogs, not of humans. The virus was originally a horse influenza virus. Later on, this virus spread to dogs and can now spread between dogs.

Merck & Co, makers of the dog flu vaccine reported that the virus has been detected in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Texas and is now being investigated in California.

River May, a doctor of veterinary medicine, published an article in the  Times Publishing Group that touches on the ways owners of any dog breeds can reduce their dog’s health care costs.

Hereunder are the doctor’s suggestions:

1) Feed high quality food and provide plenty of exercise to maintain ideal weight.

2) Brush your pet’s teeth. Brushing can be done!

3) Buy health insurance for your pet.

4) Use regular flea control.

5) Watch for and ask about specials on common products and routine services.

Click here to read the Times Publishing Group article in its entirety.

The article “The problem is in the training, rather than in the dogs” written by Steve van Staden, a canine behaviour specialist, was featured in The Witness. Staden says that dog breeds of any kind can become calm, responsive and well-adjusted pets if you as the owner established yourself as their pack leader.

Staden says:

I won their respect, coupled with appropriate submissive behaviour, by gaining their trust. If a pet needed to be desensitised to other dogs I would do this in a manner where the social and coping skills were respected.

Click here to read The Witness article its entirety.

Ann Arbor recently featured an article dealing on the effective ways to adopt dog breeds of any kind from a shelter or rescue. As most of the dogs that wind up in the shelter or rescue are in their adolescent stage, adopting one is a challenge.

Ann Arbor say,

Adopting an adult dog from a shelter or rescue can be successful if you ask yourself hard questions first.

Click here to read the Ann Arbor article in its entirety.

Researchers from the Cognitive Development Center of Central European University, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Department of Ethology of Loránd Eötvös University have been able to explain the ways dog breeds of any kind respond to human directional gestures.

In the study result published in the online journal Current Biology, the researchers say:

Results show a higher tendency of gaze following in dogs when the human’s head turning was preceded by the expression of communicative intent (direct gaze, addressing). Our findings give further support to the existence of a functionally infant-analog social competence in this species.

This finding shows that dogs are attuned to human communication signals such as direct gaze and addressing. In particular, this shows that if a dog owner first gets the attention of a dog, the dog will follow the direction of the owner’s gaze.

Click here to read the Current Biology article in its entirety.

The Arlington Patch recently featured an article that deals on the ways of protecting any dog breeds from winter weather.

Arlington Patch says:

For many breeds, however, I think a coat is a really good idea. Dogs with a smooth, thin coat and most small breeds, in my opinion, really shouldn’t be expected to brave walks without some sort of protection from the cold.

Click here to read the Arlington Patch article in its entirety.