Conscientious Owners Can Keep Their Dogs Disease-Free Many common canine diseases can be prevented or treated with available vaccines. Dogs are susceptible to many diseases transmitted by contact with infected dogs or wildlife. Here are the common canine diseases: Rabies -- Transmitted by bites from infected animals. Symptoms can include seizures, paralysis, aggression and lack […]

Try a Holistic Approach to Battling Fleas When it comes to fleas, the best defense might be a good offense. Attack fleas before they attack your dog! Holistic veterinarians recommend that your efforts to kill fleas be directed toward the places where your do spends most of his/her time. Nematodes, microscopic worms that actually eat […]

When you breed, keep a close eye on the puppies for unexpected issues that may need intervention and professional help. I had never had more than four puppies in a litter in my many years of breeding Japanese Chin, and then there was a litter of five. The dam had a C-section when she stopped having […]

Effective socialization includes ensuring that your puppy experiences early in life some of the things you know he will encounter later on. Technology requires that hardware devices—computers, smart phones, and so on—have software operating systems that enable them to perform the tasks we want and need. Dog personalities are not unlike technology. Temperament is hard-wired […]

In the future, might more dog breeders take advantage of technology to predetermine the sex of puppies in a litter? In mammals, the male determines the sex of an offspring, while the female determines the size of a litter by the number of eggs she drops that become fertilized. We have all heard that there […]

We can only make informed decisions if we glean information from our experiences as breeders—including some that are heartbreaking. The most important dog you own is not the one who won the most ribbons, produced the most champions, or sleeps in your bed. It’s the one who just died of something other than old age, […]

Strategies for socializing the litter help ensure each puppy a bright future — whether as a show dog, performance competitor, or pet. Whether home companion, show dog, or performance dog, early socialization and mental conditioning is a must for puppies. Socialization methods and advice abound in books and on the Internet. Many studies have shown […]

Raising puppies the right way helps to ensure that they will grow up to be happy and well-adjusted companions for life. There is a lot involved in properly raising a litter of puppies. Creating a “dream doggie” who looks like and acts like his or her breed should involves both genetics and nurture. Breeder Pat […]

We can help to educate prospective owners before they get a new puppy or dog—likewise, breeders can be educated too about ways they can properly screen their buyers. We must help spread the word to the public about responsible dog ownership—and that message includes educating people about the homework that should be done before they […]

Wire-coated dogs are supposed to look rough, scrappy, and ready to barrel through the brambles, chasing after critters and laughing at dirt, bugs, and burrs as they fly off that resilient coat. A "correct" coat means one that best facilitates the breed's original job. The way to get the proper wired-coat look is to pull […]