A good book or reference guide is the most important piece of equipment that a dog trainer can have.  There are all types of gizmos and gadgets that are suppose to make dog training easier, from clickers, do retractable leashes, to bark collars, and more…

Most people would never buy a DVD player that didn’t come with a manual on how to get it functioning properly.  But, many people buy a dog but have no reference material to know how to treat their pet and have an obedient and well-trained dog.

What to understand when searching for a dog training ebook.

Regarding the subject of dog training, things can be complicated. A well-made dog training ebook can be a dog owner’s most important piece of material. Having a dog is a responsibility, and ensuring the dog gets correct training is incredibly important. Most people make the mistake of thinking that dog training is common sense. It can be normal for someone to spend hundreds of hours and lots of dollars on a dog’s food, health, and equipment. However, these people neglect to provide their pet decent training. They will mistakenly count on their misguided “common sense” methods.

Just about every dog training ebook that is sold today will come with some form of satisfaction guarantee. These guarantees can vary from 30 days to occasionally over 90 day money-back guarantees. If the dog training ebook you are considering buying does not include some form of a satisfaction guarantee , think carefully about ordering that dog training ebook. If it doesn’t have of some type of quality guarantee probably means that the authors of that specific dog training ebook do not have very much faith in the content of their material.

Many a dog training ebook will include free bonus material . This extra dog training material can make less difficult things from grooming and health, to aggression training and others. Be sure to look over the bonus features that are contained in the dog training ebook. To receive the most value for your buck, find an e-book that offers the most bonus features.

There are different ways in which a dog training ebook can be bought. PDF files are like online books. Some e-books take the form of a .pdf file. PDF files can contain text or images and are available for instant download, and they can be used on your computer, or printed out and taken to read anywhere. Other dog training ebook, and some of the bonus material can be presented in video form. Videos are helpful to ensure that you are training your dog correctly. Videos will give you the bonus of watching someone else act out the motions of good dog training, so you know you are doing it correctly. Some dog training ebook can take the form of audio. Audio books can be convenient for someone that doesn’t have much time to spend reading or watching a video. An audio dog training ebook can be downloaded, burned to a CD, and listen to in the car, on an iPod, or with any other convenient audio method.

It is necessary that any dog gets good training. Dog training is one aspect that can not be neglected when being a dog owner.  Good dog training reference material, like the kind found at www.DogTrainerPro.info can be a big help in this regard.  A correctly trained dog is obedient, non-aggressive , well behaved, and will make a happier environment for both the dog and dog owner. 

Why do dogs need toys? Well this is a good question and there is no simple answer. Dogs are like children or at least many owners treat their dogs like children. So for the same reason parents buy toys for their children, so do dog owners buy toys for their dogs.

There are many toys for owners to choose for their dogs. Choosing toys that are safe relies on a number of considerations which I cover briefly in this article.

First of all what do we mean by toys for dogs. Basically they fit into two categories. Special toys you can buy from a pet shop or other similar retail outlet. Household items or objects found in your garden or local park. Let’s take these in that order.

Special Dog Toys

Although you can buy toys for your dog in a shop that does not mean that they are all safe for your particular dog. Also you should realise that toys you can buy for dogs do not have to meet the same stringent safety standards imposed on the manufacturers and retailer as required for children’s toys.

Dogs of any age are like children at a young age and cannot distinguish between a safe toy and one that can cause harm. Of course Dogs can be trained to avoid toys that can be harmful but that really only applies to household items or objects used as toys which I cover in the second category. It is really up to the dog owner to choose toys that are safe for their particular dog.

So what criteria should dogs owners look for when choosing a safe toy for their dog. Well of course the toy has to be fun because that is the primary objective of a toy. Then it has to be practical in that the toy needs to be durable – it needs to be capable of quite a lot of abuse from your dog and you want it to last for a while. Finally it has to be safe and what is safe for one dog may not be safe for another.

Most dogs like to chew almost anything that comes near them, particularly when they are a puppy. So a soft cuddly toy which squeaks may be safe when bitten by a small Chiwawa but can be harmful and certainly not durable when chewed buy a Great Dane. Plastic toys can break up and cause harmful splinters for a dog with a powerful jaw.

Anything that is small enough to be swallowed by your dog is potentially harmful. Choosing a toy of the right size for your dog is very important. Much of this is common sense to the majority of sensible dog owners and if in doubt about a toy then ask the shop attendant before you buy. Chew Bones are very popular and are safe provided they are not small enough to get stuck in the dog’s mouth and provided they are not made from a brittle material. Hard rubber toys are usually a good choice. Kongs are probably the best toy ever invented and come in a variety of sizes to suit any dog. So lets move on to the next category.

Household Items or Objects used as Toys

Well the list here would be endless so I will talk only about the type of household item or object that can be found around the house, garden, local park and anywhere you are likely to take your dog. Vigilance and common sense by the dog owner is very important particularly with young puppies that have yet to be trained.

Avoid allowing your dog to chew or bite on anything that can be harmful. Items such as string, shoe laces, cord of any kind (especially electrical), discarded socks etc etc. All of these things can be swallowed and/or trapped in your dog’s throat. Anything that is likely to break into small pieces when chewed or bitten must be avoided.

Whilst a dog owner can usually control what happens within the confines of the house and garden, it becomes much more difficult in the park, in the field or down by the local pond. This is where vigilance by the dog owner is so important. When out in the open, most dog owners like to play ‘fetch’ with their dogs and the choice of object used as a toy in this type of game is similar to the criteria used when buying a safe toy from a shop. Twigs and small branches are usually ok provided they cannot be broken or splintered too easily. Tennis balls are used as very popular toys for dogs as many are other types of ball. The main criteria here is to ensure the ball cannot be swallowed or become stuck in the mouth or throat of larger dogs.

In summary, When choosing a safe toy or object for your dog to play with it really comes down to just plain common

sense.

Dog owners are a different class of people altogether and if you own a dog you will nod your head to this statement. Dog owners treat their pets as their children and at times, the pets are given far more attention than we give to our kids. We can talk in doggie language and know exactly what is on our dog’s mind when he stares at us at the dining table with those soulful eyes. Dog owners are the only people on this earth who will laugh to see their morning paper torn to shreds by an adorable puppy and if your dog hides your socks while you are getting late for an early morning meeting, only a dog owner will find it amusing. So, since we love our pets so much and obviously our world revolves around them, it is only natural that we would want to provide the very best care possible for our beloved pets. Sadly, most of us do not realize the importance of a dog health insurance and the crucial role it plays in a dog’s life.

A dog health insurance is not necessary only when your pet is ill and needs to see a vet, the insurance can come in handy in many other situations as well. Keeping a dog is not just about his food, exercise and cleanliness, it stretches much beyond that. Regular, annual vaccinations, for instance are very important for the dog’s and your family’s health and these vaccinations can cost a tidy amount of money. God forbid, if your dog falls seriously ill and needs expensive treatment like a kidney transplant, the treatment can cost a fortune and even your best financial planning may not be sufficient. Also regular grooming and visits to the vet for health check ups on a regular basis can make a dent in your pocket if you do not plan ahead for such expenses when you are keeping a dog as a pet. In comparison, if you get a dog health insurance, the premium which you will pay monthly, works out to be much less compared to the costs if you were paying from your own pocket.

Many companies are providing various insurance plans for dog health insurance as well as other pet insurance schemes. It is upto the conscientious owner to select a plan that will fulfill all the requirements of the pet. A little background research and helpful reference form other pet owners or preferably from the vet can help you choose an insurance that is perfect for your pet.

The dog health insurance can provide a suitable cover for many other situations that may arise in your life as a pet owner. For instance, accident coverage, or coverage in case your dog harms a neighbor, etc, are also provided by insurance companies if you select an insurance plan with care. Once you have shortlisted a company and decided on the premiums to be paid, you and your pet can rest easy with the assurance that no matter what, your pet will always be looked after well under any circumstances.

Having a pet implies an assumed responsibility: you are going to provide for the animal and look after it. Therefore, it is more than sure you will need lots of dog health information, regardless of whether you’ve got a puppy or an adult dog. Fortunately there are very many sources that you may turn to for dog health information and the first one to try is the vet or the breeder. Mention should be made that sometimes dog health information is different according to breed specificity: there may be very vigorous breeds, but there are also some weaker ones that require extra care.

Dog health information is one click away if you choose to surf the net for the details you need on how to raise a dog. If you take a puppy from a professional breeder for instance, make sure you get all the dog health information necessary for the future: vaccination and de-worming as well as any specific dysfunctions or weaknesses. All dog health information should be included in the contract you sign with the dog breeder, where you also have the pedigree warranty. Many buyers choose to have the dog health information provided by the breeder checked by a vet.

Thus, it is not uncommon practice to take the vet with you and have him or her examine the puppy before you buy it. Very detailed dog health information is crucial when it comes to breeding and raising pure pedigree and future champions. Anyone who would pay a few hundred if not thousands dollars on a pet would like to have a medical evaluation of the animal. But, getting back to regular dog owners, quick access to dog health information is very important when you care enough to provide what’s best for your pet. For instance, little do people know that processed food is not the ideal dog meal.

Specialized magazines, professional sites such as Dog Training Expert, dog raising guides and so on, all provide very comprehensive dog health information. If every dog owner had at least the general picture of what it is good for the dog, neglect would be no longer such an issue. Many of those who volunteer for home fostering dogs from rescue centres use the knowledge and the dog health information any dog owner should have. Therefore, with every visit you make to the vet, try to get even more dog health information for your friend’s sake.

Supplies

Supplies you will need before you bring your new puppy home: The first thing you’ll need is a travel crate for your dog’s trip home. You’ll also need to buy some high quality puppy food and bowls for food and water. Your vet, breeder or shelter personnel can tell you which brands of food are the best. Other items you’ll need to get in advance of the new puppy’s arrival are: an adjustable collar, a leash, toys and bedding. Don’t forget to make an appointment with your veterinarian for your puppy’s first check-up!

No food should ever be fed to a dog unless that food is put into some type of a container. The practice of putting food on newspapers or directly on a cage floor or the ground serves no purpose except to contaminate the food from the surroundings. This method also contaminates the surroundings from the food, draw flies, increase parasite transmission and soil the dog’s coat. The money, time and energy a dog owner thinks he is saving by such feeding practices are completely wiped out by the loss of the dog, the time spent to clean floors and combat insects, or the effort needed to put a food-soiled coat back into show condition.

Crate Training

Crate training is a method by which your dog is taught to stay in a crate within your house for prolonged periods of time. This is an especially useful technique for dogs that would otherwise tear up the house when left alone. The best time to start crate training is when your dog is still a puppy. Leave him in the open crate for brief periods of time at first and then begin closing the door behind him.

Make sure that your puppy’s crate experience is always positive by giving him treats and rewards whenever he enters the crate. Once he is comfortable, you can leave him in the crate for increasing periods of time – give him his meals there as well.

Never use the crate as punishment. You want your dog to feel that his crate is a safe refuge, not a prison. Furthermore, the crate is a place where your dog can go to feel safe and secure while you and your family are away from home for a few hours. When you’re home, your dog should be out of his crate and socializing with his human family.

Obedience

Teaching basic obedience skills to a dog can be exciting as well as challenging. Having problems on where to begin? Start by doing your homework. A student can only be as good as his trainer, right?

The first lesson in obedience is to get your dog to pay attention to the commands. You want to start by calling his name and then using a keyword like “watch” or “look” afterwards. This way, he will associate the words to a command. Once you’ve got his attention, the lessons can begin.

You want your dog to be able to pay attention for a short length of time. Try keeping his attention by doing attention exercises. One example would be to hold a toy or dog treat in near your mouth and then give him the keyword command.

Each time he takes the time to watch, praise him. The more you do this exercise, the more time he should be able to pay attention to you. Try getting him to watch for at least a minute. Let him know that he is doing a good job by rewarding him. Dogs learn best this way.

Because dogs have such short attention spans, they get distracted pretty easily. Choose a place that is free of other distractions such as other pets, children or loud noises. Training sessions should only last approximately 30 minutes tops. Usually, if you go over this time limit, the dog will get restless and easily distracted.

If your dog isn’t learning very quickly, you may become frustrated. Don’t take that frustration out on your animal. A few things to remember before starting your obedience lessons:

1) Never cause pain to your dog (this will cause him to shy away or become aggressive to you.)

2) If he begins to become distracted, change the tone of your voice (this doesn’t mean raising it)

3) Consistency can not be stressed enough (animals are like children, if you’re not consistent, they will become confused as to what is expected)

Teaching your dog basic obedience commands will make for a more obedient and more pleasant dog to be around.

The first command to start off with would be to sit. You must use the word sit while teaching him so that he can relate the word with the action. Start by gently pushing his backside down and saying the word “sit.” Eventually he will catch on to the concept.

The second command is “down.” Dogs can become pretty hyper when they get excited. Jumping up on their owner’s lap is usually how they express their excitement. If you have a big dog or have other people over, you might not want them pouncing about. When they jump up, tell them “down.” Do not pet them or act excited to see them while they are on you. Continue to tell them “down,” and even place their legs down if you have to.

Next is the command of “stay.” This command is a good one to know especially if you have a rambunctious hyper dog. You can teach him stay, for example, by putting a treat or something desirable on the ground. As he moves toward it, tell him “Stay.” Another good idea would be to put your hand up while saying the word “stay.” When he begins to become obedient in this area, you can move further away from him. This will cause him to become more daring and he will probably take a step forward to see how much he can get away with. When he does this, continue to put your hand out and tell him “stay.” He has to know that even though you are moving away, you can still see what he’s doing and expect him to continue to obey.

After you’ve mastered the stay command, you will move on to the come command. Once your dog has learned to sit and stay, he will need a command to know when it’s ok to get up and approach you. They may be a bit confused at first, but with a change in the tone of your voice, he will soon understand. Put a little excitement in your voice when saying the word “come”. He will pick up on it. You might also want to pat your leg when you say come.

Stand is the last command to achieve. This is where your dog is allowed to get a little excited but not in a pouncing kind of way. When teaching your dog to stand, pat your hands on your chest and, once again, put a little excitement in your voice, so that he knows he’s aloud, under certain circumstances. He will begin to know the difference.

Teaching your dog basic obedience, if possible, should be taught as soon as you and your dog are ready. Remember be consistent with the commands and don’t forget to have fun!

Puppies are such cute furry bundles of joy it is little wonder that most of us find them irresistible. The thing to remember though is that that cute furry bundle comes with a whole bag of responsibility and moreover some day that little furry bundle of fun will transform into a big furry bundle. The point to note here is that it isn’t enough to see a puppy and exclaim “ahhhh” and feel that covers all your future obligations and requisite requirements to becoming a dog owner. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Before you go puppy scouting you first need to do some research on the type of dog breed that best compliments your personality. Another point to consider is that if you are getting the puppy for a child most of the responsibility of taking care of that puppy is going to fall on your shoulders, your child’s promises and good intentions notwithstanding.



Choosing Your Puppy

Choosing the right puppy for you and for your home requires a certain degree of insight to yourself. If you intend to have a long and happy relationship with your dog then you need to get a dog breed that will fit into your lifestyle and match your character. Thus you need to ask yourself a number of questions and be prepared to answer them with nothing less than stark naked honesty. Such questions include:

•    Are you an energetic/active person

•    Are you a couch potato

•    Is the dog going to primarily be a companion or pet

•    Do you live in an apartment

•    Do you have a backyard

•    Is the dog going to be a playmate for kids

•    Is the dog primarily for protection

•    Do you intend to exhibit your dog at dog shows

•    How does having a dog fit into your work schedule

•    How much time are you prepared to spend on grooming

•    Do you want a super affectionate dog

The above list is by no means all encompassing but certainly tackles some of the questions you should ask yourself before you eventually get your puppy. Think of these questions as primers to your quest for the perfect puppy dog!

Get A Dog Breed That Compliments You And Your Needs

The great thing about getting a dog is that there are well over 200 different breeds to choose from; and it gets better. Over a span of many hundreds of years (in some instances thousands) man has bred every and any type of dog to cater to practically any need he so desired. That means that somewhere out there is the perfect dog breed for you. Hence if you are little inclined to indulging in long arduous walks or are loathe to bouts of daily exercise, it makes no sense at all to get a dog that belongs to the sporting group of dogs, because such dogs invariably need a lot of exercise.

In other words if your nature leans towards couch-potato hedonism then get a puppy that compliments your couch-potato lifestyle. Fortunately there is no shortage of dog breeds that possess such qualities. In a somewhat similar vein if your intended dog is for protection, guarding or some other form of service, it makes sense for you to choose a dog from the working dog breed group.

Probably the single most common mistake that would-be dog owners tend to make is to base the appearance of a dog as the ultimate criterion for their selection. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with initially basing your choice of dog on the breed’s appearance but remember that looks tell you little if anything about any dog breed’s inherent character and nature.

Take the Poodle for example; most people think that the Poodle is nothing but a show dog. However what they don’t know is that the Standard Poodle (this is the big variant which attains a weight of 65lbs plus and grows to a height of 21 inches and more) actually makes a very capable watchdog with a pretty convincing bite to remind you and anyone else inclined to forget that it is more than just a pretty face in a doggy world!

Where To Get Puppies From

There are a variety of places that you could get your puppy from, some highly recommended while others you should avoid at all costs for a number of reasons that will be explained shortly.

1. Puppies From Reputable Breeders

These are people who raise dogs because they actually love dogs and are not in it for the money. Such a dog breeder:

•    Raises their puppies in close proximity to people and in a warm, safe comfortable and protected environment. The reason why it is essential that puppies be raised in close contact with people is so that they get accustomed and socialized to humans from an early onset which makes for a better pet.

•    Never breeds more than a couple of litters each year and restricts any one female dog to a single litter per year.

•    Screens their puppies and dogs for genetic or hereditary disease and other ailments and will supply you (the end-owner) with the relevant registration papers and certificates proving so

•    Would as a matter of course inquire about your lifestyle, where you live and what kind of experience if any that you have with dogs. They’ll ask you such questions not because they are nosey but rather to ensure that you are truly compatible and well matched with the dog that you are about to introduce as the newest member of your family. Remember, as stated before, reputable breeders are concerned about the welfare and well being of their dogs and want to ensure that their puppies don’t end up being abandoned by a negligent owner.

Getting your purebred puppy from a reputable breeder will initially cost you more money upfront but will pay off in the backend because in effect what you are paying for is a guarantee of a puppy that:

•    Is well socialized

•    Has been screened for health defects and possible genetic disease

•    As an adult dog will exhibit the positive attributes and characteristics typical of the breed and not the unwanted traits that appear in poorly developed purebreds as a result of over breeding along the same generational lines

2. Dog Rescue Shelters

Every year millions of dogs are euthanized in the United States alone, many of them being abandoned pets that cannot be housed in foster homes in a timely fashion before funds for their upkeep run out. A lot of those dogs in rescue shelters are purebred dogs that have been abandoned for some reason or other by their previous owners.

Good Reasons To Get A Dog From A Shelter

There are actually a number of advantages in getting your dog from a rescue shelter and such reasons include:

•    You will pay much less for your new pet even if it is a purebred dog (typically you’d just pay the adoption fee which helps to keep the shelter open and is about $50. Getting your purebred dog from a reputable breeder would set you back anywhere from $500-$1500.

•    Most dog shelters have some degree of veterinary facility on their premises ensuring that dogs are neutered/spayed (commonly but not always) as well as treated for any ailments/diseases and screened for problems. All this is done at no extra cost to you, having been incorporated in the miniscule adoption fee.

•    The average dog from a shelter has undergone some level of housetraining which is a huge weight off the shoulders for any new prospective dog owner.

Where Not To Get Puppies From

There are two places you should avoid getting your puppy from at all costs and those places are:



A. Puppy Mills: as the name suggest such places are devoted to churning out puppies in volume without due consideration to their welfare and well being. Puppies from puppy mills are raised in horrendous conditions, rarely if ever in contact with people and are removed from their mothers prematurely at the tender age of 5 weeks (which is much too soon).

A consequence of such horribly conditions and a deprived puppyhood is that these dogs make for very poor pets. Moreover such puppies are far more likely to suffer from undiagnosed genetic disease as well as other ailments because it is a good bet that the puppy mills are certainly not bothered with such trivialities as the good health of their wards!   

B. Pet Stores: Next time you see that cute but sad-eyed puppy in a pet store brace yourself and walk on by. Why? Because pet stores are actually the sole reason that puppy mills still exist. Pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills or from for-profit backyard breeders, two types of establishment that aren’t concerned with:  the pedigree purity, genetic disease, or emotionally and mental well being of the dog.

Puppies from pet stores typically get there at about five weeks of age and are finally placed with an owner around 12 weeks of age. Conditions in the pet store may be better than those of the puppy mill but only marginally so. Much of the time the puppy is in isolation and has little if any human contact, which means that if you do break down and get that sad-eyed puppy in the window you are getting a dog that has next to no socialization skills and is almost invariably emotionally and mentally scarred! Besides by getting your puppy from a pet store you are in effect perpetuating this horrible cycle of canine misery.

More about the dog

It may be the worst thing that can happen to a dog owner: coming home and finding your “best friend” suddenly dead-when the dog had seemed completely healthy. Unfortunately that’s exactly what happened to me one October afternoon, when I came home to find one of my German Shepherds dead on the floor. What could it be? A stroke? A heart attack? After getting over my complete state of shock-the dog was not “aged” and seemed completely healthy-I began digging for answers.

It turned out that the cause of death was an event called “stomach torsion” that comes about from “bloat”. This is a serious issue in pet dog health, its the second leading cause of death for large dogs. But at the time, I didn’t know very much about it.

Becoming educated on this issue could mean the difference between death and several extra years of life for your dog.

OK-so what is it? Let’s try and describe it in laymen’s terms. Bloat is basically a condition where a lot of gas or fluid gets trapped in the dogs stomach. This really isn’t all that different from what might happen to you if you drank too much root beer on a full stomach, but in dogs, and in particular large dogs, this is a serious problem. This is because the stomach isn’t as well set in the body cavity as ours is, a dogs stomach is kind of hanging loose if you will. When it becomes over-engorged with fluid or gas, it can twist around.

When it does, the result is a medical emergency. The blood supply to many vital organs gets cut off when this happens, and the dog goes into shock. Death will result if surgery is not performed. A symptom that this is happening is that the dog will be throwing up clear liquid or attempting to throw up.

One tragic aspect of this condition is that onset can happen rapidly, and so you may become aware of it when its too late. That’s what happened in my case, my dog was fine when I left the house. I was gone for a few hours, and when I got back she was dead. Its a sad state of affairs but the progression from bloat to stomach torsion to death can happen in as little as an hour.

We can’t be with our dogs 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but what we can do is take steps to reduce the risk of it happening. Here are a few things you can do:

Break up your dogs feedings. The less food a dog takes in when it eats the lower the risk. A dog that eats just once a day has a higher risk than a dog that has its meals split into two or three portions a day. Watch out for dry food. Dogs that eat all dry food have a higher risk. Consider feeding canned food, or mixing dry and canned together. When you do this substitute a can of moist dog food for a cup of dry food. This helps because dry food tends to expand when liquified in the stomach adding stress to the stomach.

Feed using raised bowls. There is a bit of controversey about this one, but feeding using raised bowls may help reduce the risk. This is because some dogs gulp down air when they eat, and its believed by some that bowls raised off the floor cut down on the amount of air gulped in. This in turn cuts the risk of bloat happening. Raised pet bowls are available for sale on the internet. Watch out for diarrhea. If a dog has chronic diarrhea, it may increase the risk. Make sure to get diarrhea treated. Never exercise right after feeding. Let the dogs stomach “settle” for an hour or two before going out for exercise. Avoid feeding immediately after exercise. After a long walk, a dog probably wants to drink lots of water. Doing that and then eating can be a fatal recipie. Don’t feed late at night.

Before this happens I had no idea what a serious problem this was in pet dog health. Interestingly, it often takes dogs in their prime: most victims are aged between 4 and 7 years of age. But dogs of any age can get it, and although males have a higher risk, female dogs die from it as well.

In the end we can’t prevent every bad event from happening. But at least taking these steps will put your mind at rest since you’ll know you were aware, and took responsible steps to control the risk.

More information on pet dog health: click here

Like all animals, as dogs age they tend to develop health problems unique to older dogs. Many dog owners have a difficult time accepting this fact and think that their lively pooch is not an older dog and will not have health problems.

Dogs can, however, show signs of aging as early as seven years old. Older dog health problems generally affect larger breeds earlier than small breeds that tend to show signs of aging around 10 to 12 years of age. The fact is that senior dog health problems will eventually be a concern for every dog owner.

Common Health Problems Facing Older Dogs

All dogs are different and, depending on their size, breed and activity level, will exhibit health problems differently. However, there are common health issues that may manifest in all senior dogs including the following:

Joint and bone problems

-An overall reduction in their metabolism

-Difficulty with their eyes and ears

-Liver and kidney dysfunctions

-Skin becomes thin and less pliable while the coat becomes mottled and patchy

-Problems with teeth and gums

Unlike a little puppy who has an endless supply of energy, an older dog will tend to slow down and take longer to lay down or stand up. Instead of bounding up the stairs your senior dog might take each stair one at a time.

Your dog may develop arthritis, an inflammation of the joints causing pain and discomfort, which is generally the cause of this slowing down. There are a host of anti-inflammatory drugs that your veterinarian can suggest to reduce the discomfort caused by arthritis.

In many cases, an older dog will have problems with their eyes as they develop cataracts or even glaucoma. A cataract will become obvious to the owner as the eyes have a cloudy appearance and tend to reflect light. Senior dogs may also develop glaucoma, an increased amount of pressure on the eyes, and can cause more serious problems if left untreated.

The entire circulation system and many of the major organs are taxed in older dogs. The heart, lungs, liver and kidneys all become less efficient and the immune systems can become weak and vulnerable to viruses and bacteria.

Serious health problems may develop in your senior dog as some of the symptoms develop gradually. It is your responsibility to maintain your older dog’s health and remain informed of the possible senior dog health problems that commonly arise.

Helping Your Older Dog Overcome Health Problems

As an aging dog inevitably develops health problems, you can help alleviate many of the symptoms and keep your pet comfortable. The most basic thing you can do is simply pay more attention to your senior dog making sure you’re aware of the changes taking place. Brush your dog’s coat daily and ask your vet if there are special shampoos to help with her skin and coat. Spend time rubbing your hands on his coat feeling for bumps or lesions.

Be patient when your dog needs a little extra time walking up the stairs or jumping up into the car. Make sure you make regular visits to your vet and stay current on vaccinations. Brush your senior dog’s teeth regularly and have them professionally cleaned occasionally. Provide regular exercise while also making adjustments needed for your dog as she ages.

As your older dog slows down, you might have to adjust her diet to help compensate for the reduction of energy for both her weight as well as her coat and her circulation system.

Not only must the overall calorie intake be reduced, but you can also feed your senior dog specially formulated foods made to fit their particular needs. Try to purchase the most expensive, best quality food you can afford and avoid greasy table scraps.

It’s an inevitable fact that dogs age, but you can make a difference in helping your older dog overcome health problems. Keep in mind that in the last eighty years or so the average lifespan of dogs has increased from 7 years to 12. Expanding your knowledge and paying attention to your dogs health will help ensure your dog lives a long and comfortable life.

Once you have brought your teacup puppy home, wait at least a week or so until he has settled into his new home. Since immunization shots could put your puppy into stress, making him lose his appetite, it is best to wait at least 48 hours for his first checkup. At your first visit to the vet, a health check is needed to determine whether your dog is healthy or not. Regardless of results, your vet will tell you to set up a schedule for completing all required immunizations for your teacup.

Since regular vaccinations can prevent your teacup puppy from contracting these common diseases, it is your responsibility as a dog owner to ensure regular visits with the vet. In order to prevent dog health problems, you should be aware of the common diseases faced by dogs. Depending on your vet’s assessment, your dog should be able to complete his shots for Canine Distemper, Rabies, Infectious Hepatitis and Corona Virus. Here are other common dog problems that may need vaccination in the future:

1) Parvo – Scientifically known as Parvovirus, this viral disease affects all types of dogs, but is more common in puppies rather than adults. However, this disease could have serious consequences for the infected puppy, including sudden death. Since there is still no cure available for Parvo, it is important to vaccinate teacup puppies against it at an early age. Your vet will schedule a Parvo immunization as soon as your teacup puppy reaches 6 weeks of age and continue vaccinations until their 20th week.

2) Heartworms – These parasitic worms are common in dogs as well as cats. As their name suggest, heartworms live inside your puppy’s heart, free-floating near blood vessels. Unfortunately, even if you take care of your teacup puppy strictly, these worms can still be transmitted from dog-to-dog via mosquitoes. Since heartworms can be extremely dangerous to your dog’s health, it is best to give him shots around 3-6 months old because most 7-month old dogs and older are prone to experience adverse reactions to heartworm treatments.

3) Worms – Your teacup puppy may be infected by several variations of intestinal parasites, such as whipworms, tapeworms, roundworms and hookworms. Because these worms could cause numerous health problems, including death, you should take all measure to detect and prevent it as soon as possible.

During the first 8 weeks of your teacup puppy’s life, he should have received shots on measles, distemper and CPI. After these main vaccinations, be prepared for lyme, heartworm, rabies, hepatitis, parvo, parainfluenza, leptospirosis and other vaccinations appropriate to your area.