Pug dog

The pug is a "toy" (very small) breed of dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, and a compact square body with well-developed muscle. They have been described as multum in parvo ("much in little"), referring to the pug's personality and small size. Known in ancient China as lo-sze, they may have been responsible for both the modern Pekingese and King Charles spaniel.


They have Chinese origins, but were popularised in Western Europe by the House of Orange of the Netherlands and the House of Stuart of England, Ireland and Scotland.

They can suffer from a variety of health issues, including overheating, obesity, pharyngeal reflex and two fatal conditions which are necrotizing meningoencephalitis and hemivertebrae. In addition, care must be taken by their owner to clean their ears, and the folds of skin on their face
 

Dog Problem Solutions

                                                                        Dog Problem Solutions

Most people have seen the signs of aggressive dogs like bared teeth, growling, and biting, yet often people do not understand the reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs.


Getting a good grasp of the underlying reasons for this aggressive behavior is the first step to learning to curb them in your own dog. A well-behaved dog is often a happier dog, so getting the root of aggressive behavior in dogs is important to you as well as your dog.

Dominance Aggression

One of the reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs is that they want to establish dominance. This behavior can be exhibited toward humans, but it is more commonly shown against other dogs or animals. Canines are pack animals, and there is a certain hierarchy within that pack. Sometimes dogs think of the people in their family as their pack, and they will try to establish themselves as alpha dog, so aggressive behavior may occur when there are a lot of people or pets around.

Territorial Aggression

Along with dominance as one of the reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs, the dog's territorial nature is also common. Dogs often consider their home and family as a possession, and they will protect them all fiercely. Aggressive behavior may occur when a dog feels that someone has intruded on its space or is threatening its family. While it may be one of the admirable reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs, it is still undesirable and unacceptable in the world of human beings.

Fear Aggression

Fear is another one of the reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs. There are some specific signals that a dog is afraid, and those signs need to be taken seriously, because fear is one of the most misunderstood reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs. A dog in a state of fear will usually lash out because it feels cornered. The dog will usually show signs like growling, ears pulled back, and the tail between the legs. When a dog lashes out because it is afraid, the behavior is often mistaken for direct aggression rather than a reaction to the stimulus.

Predatory Nature

While some dogs may be afraid, others have strong instincts, so predatory behavior is another reason for aggressive behavior. Certain dogs love to hunt and chase down game. Sometimes cats, smaller dogs, or children can be mistaken by a dog as food.

Redirected Aggression

Another reason for aggressive behavior in dogs is redirected aggression, and it is very much misunderstood. This behavior occurs when a dog cannot take out its aggression on the actual object causing the fear, anger, or territorial thoughts. For instance, if your dogs are in the backyard and a person they perceive as an intruder enters the house, the dogs may turn on one another. However, some people do not understand the displaced aggression, because they do not know what started the aggressive behavior.

Medical Reasons for Aggression

Finally, there may be medical reasons for aggression in dogs that have not been diagnosed. While most dogs can be trained to not be aggressive if the aggression is behavioral, sometimes there is an underlying medical condition that needs to be treated. Also, some females are very aggressive when they are pregnant or nursing, and though maternal protectiveness is common in many nursing females aggression can be curbed through good training early on in the dog's life.

Taking a step back to look at the reasons for aggression in dogs and seeing where your dogs fits can be the first step in curbing the behavior. There are some different training methods you can use to curb the different types of aggression, so learning the reasons behind your dog's aggressive behavior can help you determine what training methods to use to be more effective.

Why do we offer free Dog Training Advice?

Dog Problem Solutions was set up because after reading magazine after magazine searching for quality dog training advice only to find no real advice, we decided to put together our own information resource and have made all this information available for free. That's not to say the information here isn't the latest.


"At this point, we don't want to put her through the whole major surgery and anaesthetic ... We think that's hard on her and extremely expensive," Cross said.

A Manitoba Conservation spokesperson said the bear was likely attracted to the cottage because of garbage that had been left out.

"We have been seeing with this very dry weather, the quality of the berries is going down," said Kelly Leavesley, a regional wildlife manager for Manitoba Conservation. "There has been some concern with reduced natural foods, it may be more common for bears to venture closer to humans looking for food."

Cross said the family typically removes garbage from their cottage area, however she admitted that on Tuesday they had left some garbage out by mistake.

"Knowing how to make sure that you're not providing attractants that will encourage bears to come close to you and your property is ... one of the most important messages that we can get out to people," Leavesley said.



Tips to stay safe include taking down all bird-feeders, double bag garbage and put in bear-resistant containers, clean garbage bins with bleach and keep pet food indoors.

Dog behaviour advice

All breeds of dogs sometimes show an aggressiveness in their behavior at some point of time. This is noticed in almost all the breeds of dogs. Sometimes we see our dog companion growling, barking, snarling, snapping, showing teeth in anger or even biting other dogs or even humans. Sometimes the dog might use an aggressiveness in its behavior so as to terrorize/ harm others. But the problem arises when the dog exhibits a constant aggressiveness in its behavior at all times which pose as a problem for the owner. An aggressive dog's presence in the family can be quite a headache to its owner. This results in disrupting the bond that the owner shares with its companion dog. Prior to taming an aggressive dog, its necessary on the part of the owner understand how to tackle such a problem. In the following lines, we have tried to help you understand your dog better, by detailing the various types of aggressive dog behaviors and ways of controlling the same.


Types of Aggressive Dog Behavior :
Dominance Aggression :

The dog gets aggressive as because he demands obedience, it is dominance aggression. Here the dog enjoys being the undisputed king of the household and will often be deaf to your dog commands. Even if the dog is patted or groomed or maybe asked to do certain things, he will exhibit aggressive behavior.


Territorial (Overprotective) Aggression :


In this case the dog shows an aggressiveness in his behavior when he believes that someone is intruding or violating his personal space/ belongings. Sometimes, the dog gets aggressive without the presence of any actual threat. Here the dog is guided by a sense of excessive protection for his owner/ house from other people or animals.
Fear Aggression :

Sometimes a dog tries to be aggressive out of his own fear, nervousness and insecurities. Such kind of a dog reacts to anything and everything. He is alarted by any sort of disturbance in the surroundings and which makes him exhibit aggressive behavior. He might even try to bite when you try to pacify him.


Predatory Aggression :


This is quite a dangerous aggressive behavior in dogs. Anything that moves triggers an aggressive behavior in him which can be very dangerous. One can witness this behavior with street dogs that chase moving vehicles. Sometimes playing children, joggers or even normal pedestrians fall a prey to them.
Punishment Aggression :


Sometimes, the dog gets severe punishment from its owners which disturbs his emotional wellbeing and can turn out to be unhealthy and dangerous. The dog's confidence is shattered by this behavior which makes the dog see his master as a source of threat, and retaliate by displaying aggressive behavior sooner or later.


Pain Aggression:


Sometimes when a dog is touched in sensitive, infected or cramped areas it can turn aggressive. Various health problems like arthritis in dogs, ear problems in dogs and hip dysphasia in dogs also make his temperament foul and vivacious. Thus, such an aggressive behavior is the result of his painful condition.


Maternal Aggression :


This kind of aggression is seen in female dogs, when they rear and feed their new born pups. If any human or animal approaches the whelping area she might instinctively exhibit aggression. As her puppies grow, maternal aggression slowly disappears in the mother.
Dog Aggression :


This type of dog-to-dog aggression is seen in puppies while they play and learn in their early stages. This should be curbed at once. If such behavioral patterns are left unattended, its gives rise to adult dogs that can be highly dangerous. Dog-to-dog fights generally take place for various reasons like territory, food, dominance or fear.

Redirected Aggression :

A dog which is already aggressive might redirect his aggression to anyone. In such a case, the dog is already aroused/ agitated and tries to harm whoever tries to interfere with or put an end to his aggression. Thus, its always better to find out the primary precipitating factor of the dog's aggression and treat / prevent it.



Stopping Aggressive Dog Behavior :



Handle the puppy/dog with care and show him that you care for him and love him.
Let the dog know and understand his position in the family.
The right breed of dog needs to be selected that suits your lifestyle and habits.
Never make your dog a part of aggressive games and play.
Provide your dog with rewards for displaying good behavior.
Mild discipline should always be maintained.
Provide him enough mental and physical exercise.
Don't pat or praise him excessively, without any reason.
Don't be too harsh on your dog and mete out unwarranted punishment on your dog.
Don't leave the dog unsupervised with strangers and small children.
Consult your veterinarian and appoint a good trainer.

As we see that a dog might be aggressive because of various reasons, it is very important for us to see and understand the underlying cause and psychology behind the aggressiveness of the dog. Leashing an aggressive dog in a secluded corner or meting corporal punishment will not do any good.



Try the above suggestions and tricks and be the proud owner of a happy dog.

Rabies Treatment for dogs

Dog Rabies information

The rabies virus affects dogs and all other warm-blooded animals. In wildlife animals, rabies is  commonly seen in foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. Each of these species carries a variant strain of the rabies virus. All of these strains can affect animals. Domesticated animals such as cows, horses, dogs and cats commonly act as a source for human infections but people can be infected from wildlife sources as well, particularly bats.

Rabies Control

The first step to controlling rabies in dogs an other pets is vaccination. All healthy pets should be vaccinated. The rabies vaccine is very effective, inexpensive, and is usually given every 3 years. In horses, it is usually given every year. In most localities, the law requires rabies vaccinations for all pets.



The second step to rabies control is a thorough understanding of this terrible disease so that risk exposures or contact can be prevented. The third step toward controlling rabies is cooperation between veterinarians, the public, the public health system, and those government agencies who  monitor and control rabies on a regional level. For example, in some parts of Canada, bait is dropped from airplanes into rural or countryside areas so that wildlife will eat the bait (disguised as food treats) laced with an effective protective vaccine. Public health departments also track and manage human exposures. Rabies moves to and from animals and people through a bite wound or through breaks in the skin or mucous membranes. It’s thought people can become infected by breathing air around bats, such as in bat caves where the virus is suspended in droplets in the air.

Rabies Treatment

Rabies is almost always fatal. However, if a dog or person is bitten by a rabid animal and begins treatment prior to experiencing symptoms, there is an effective post-exposure treatment, which involves an injection of immune globulin and several rabies vaccines given to the infected victim over a 28-day period.

Disease Progression

Once the rabies virus enters the body of the animal or person, it travels to the central nervous system along the nerve fibres. It sets up a base in the brain and spreads back out into the body using the nerves to move around. The virus particles end up in many body tissues. Of particular importance are the salivary glands. Once rabies viruses enter the salivary glands they're present in large numbers in saliva and are easily spread between animals or people via licking or biting.

Rabies Symptoms

Once infected, dogs and other animals may show widely differing symptoms depending on what stage of the infection they are in. Early in the infection they appear completely normal. This pre-symptom phase can last for long periods of time. A bite on the face will tend to lead to a shorter prodromal phase since the virus is close to the brain, while a bite on the tip of the tail or paw may result in a long phase because it takes longer for the virus to travel to and from the brain.



For a few days at the very end of this prodromal or normal-behaviour phase, rabid dogs and animals can pass the virus on to other animals or people. This is the greatest time of risk because the typical rabies behaviours are absent. Once clinical signs of illness start, the animal only has about a week to live. Typically a phase occurs where rabid animals becomes very nasty, and will be irritable and snap and bite without being provoked or bothered. They may attack. This phase is termed furious rabies because the animal seems uncontrollably angry. Finally, the animal becomes progressively paralyzed, termed dumb rabies, and dies because the muscles for control of swallowing and breathing, amongst others, lose their function.
Unfortunately, not all cases follow typical progressive symptoms. For example, rabid cats often become overly friendly and affectionate rather than vicious. They can snuggle up to a child and suddenly lash out with teeth and claws after appearing quiet and nice. A dog may just show what appears to be a paralyzed tongue hanging out. The dog may be quiet, with jaw hanging open and saliva dribbling out of the mouth. One might think he had something like a stick stuck in the roof of his mouth! How about a cow that is restless, foaming at the mouth and when approached, is irritable and grabs a person? Though cows do not have a pile of sharp teeth at the front of their mouth like dogs or cats, this can result in a bite that breaks the skin. How about a pony in a petting facility that gets "nippy" and bites those passing by? Affected animals may also have trouble drinking or eating, and run a fever.
Do these stories sound far fetched? They are all cases veterinarians have seen in practice, so never forget that any animal acting in any unusual fashion can be showing signs of rabies! That is why rabies is called the great pretender. It can look like many other conditions, and can be very different from the vicious biting rabid animal image we hear about.

exercsie for Dogs

                                              Information 

Some daily activity and exercise is essential, allowing freedom to move about in a natural manner. Lack of exercise leads to poor muscle tone, obesity, heart ailments, bone disorders and often results in emotional problems and dog behavior quirks. Dogs with no exercise subjected to overcrowding and confinement in cages for prolonged periods, often their entire lives, develop a great variety of physical and emotional disorders.




An exercised dog may rest more calmly at home and be less nervous when left alone. Exercise can improve dogs bone and joint health, heart, and lung function. Exercise makes show dogs look better and feel better to a judge's exploring hands. (Because a happy dog looks more gorgeous).



The best exercise channels the activity of both mind and body. Some people believe that dogs need a big garden so they can get plenty of exercise. The truth is that most dogs do not exercise when they are outdoors by themselves; they spend most of their time laying in the shadow and waiting for "their people" to play with them.



You do not need to take up marathon running in order to adequately exercise your dog.



Make your walks interesting. Let your dog carry a box, a basket, or a toy while walking. Let your dog jump or balance over a tree, hide his toys, hide yourself, and most important – let him play with other dogs! Open the leash when another dog approaches, to prevent “leash-aggression”. (Don’t worry, they will not kill each other). A dog that tries to "guard" against all strangers is neither happy nor likely to live out a full lifespan. Help your dog learn to enjoy other dogs and people.




Teach your dog to retrieve. A dog who retrieves is easy to exercise. But throw the toy rather far than high. Jumping high in the air to chase it and landing awkwardly may lead to serious knee injuries.



Some games to play



FIND IT

This one is great fun for the dog. Show your dog a treat or his favorite toy, and then place it out of his sight but easily accessible in a dark room. Tell him to SEEK - his success you will praise enthusiastically. Obviously, the rewards for the dog are multiple - he gets a treat or finds his toy plus a very happy handler. If using a toy, be sure to reward his find with some play before starting again.

You can increase the difficulty of FIND IT by hiding the dogs treats in less accessible places, like in a shoe, or on a low shelf. This can be practiced indoors as well as anywhere else!



Alternative exercise:



Tunnel exercise - Make a tunnel or maze with some old cardboard boxes or chairs and encourage your dog to explore and go through it.



Concentration exercise – Hide some treats inside an old wash-glove or in a rolled up towel, this is fun for your dog!



Brain exercise – Turnover a bowl and hide the treats under it. Doggie must use his creativity to turn the bowl and get all treats. That is exciting exercise!

Bullmastiff dog

The Bullmastiff is a dog of incredible strength, keen alertness, and surprising endurance. Although characterized by gentleness, they are a natural guardian of the home and will not back down from a fight. To strangers they are rather standoffish, but they are loving toward their owner. Bullmastiffs are normally very gentle, cheerful and calm. They make a devoted, gentle companion. They are also known as the "gamekeeper's dog" because they were bred to accompany gamekeepers for the ability to track and overpower a poacher.




History/Origin:
Developed in the late nineteenth century by crossing the Mastiff with the Bulldog. He was breed to combine power, speed and a keen sense of smell with the courage and aggression of a bulldog. In 1924 he was standardized and was officially recognized in England.



Height: 25 - 27 inches

Weight: 90 - 130 lbs.

Colors:
Shades of brindle, fawn or red. Slight white marking on the chest is permissible, black muzzle.

Coat:
Short, smooth, dense




Temperament:
Loving, courageous, loyal; Tolerates children; Should be socialized with other animals at an early age

Care and Exercise:
Minimal brushing of his coat. A good rubdown with a rubber brush or massage glove will remove old dead hairs. Nails should be kept short. Diet and daily exercise need to be balanced to prevent obesity. Daily walks or lost of running space is ideal.