The past few months we have experienced multiple weeks of weather in the 90's and some days even reaching triple digits. It can be tough staying cool throughout the summer, especially when you live in a house that doesn't have AC. Some of the ways we helped Leenah stay cool this summer were freezing partial water bottle for her to chew on outside. A lot of dogs like the sound of the crunching plastic and as they chew the ice starts to melt giving them a nice cool toy. *Be sure to monitor them when playing with bottles to ensure they don't accidentally swallow pieces of plastic*
Some other ways we kept her cool were taking her to a local lake that allows dogs. Even though Leenah doesn't swim she has learned that she likes to jump along the edge of the water. A fun snack for her that she LOVES and cools her off is refrigerated or frozen watermelon! She absolutely loves crunching on some with us in the evenings and we can get some hilariously cute videos of her munching away! I recommend talking to your vet about what human foods are safe for your dog to snack on before making any assumptions!
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The American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaffs) is probably one of my favorite variations of pitbulls. The Staffordshire Terrier is a short dog standing 17-19 inches tall. They have a think muscular build with a broad head and a well defined cheekbone and jaw. Their colors and markings have no restrictions and by breed standards they typically have docked ears.
This breed is keenly aware of it's surroundings at all times and are game for any challenge. They love mental and physical challenges and are highly trainable. In the house they are very loveable and have amazing personalities. AmStaffs need a decent amount of exercise and do best when exercise is people oriented. Obedience classes and agility courses are a great example of something they would except at. Some have even been trained in dock diving and search and rescue and do great! Their life expectancy is 12-16 years and some common health issues to be aware of is hip dysplasia, cardiac disease, and skin allergies. If this is a breed you are considering to make a part of your family make sure you do your research. If not trained properly they can become dog aggressive. The American Pit Bull terrier is a more slender build pit bull variation. Originally bred as a family dog it was used on the farm to work with cows. They eventually made their way into the home as “nanny” dogs because they interacted with children so well. Average size is 30 to 60 pounds and can be many different colors.
This medium sized dog has a ton of energy and is very eager to learn. This breed has a lot of zest for life and they are very enthusiastic. You'll see this dog a lot in agility courses and obedience competitions. They can shed a lot but are easy to groom and overall relatively healthy animals. They can adapt to living just about anywhere as long as they get plenty of exercise. They can be dog aggressive is not properly socialized and trained as a puppy. They are however extremely friendly with strangers and love children. This is a working dog and does best if they have a "job" to do. They do great in professions like search and rescue, narcotics dogs, and service dogs. If you plan to bring a pit bull terrier into your home ensure they get plenty of daily exercise and socializing. The American Pit Bull terrier is a great dog for any family to have! Pitbulls have a few variations of the breed which a lot of people don't understand. Your most common “aggressive” looking is the American Bully. The other variations are American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The American Bully is a relatively new breed of pitbull. Bred as a companion dog, they are happy, confident, and loving dogs. Always looking to please their master, they are very loyal and obedient. They are very tolerable of children and very protective of their family unit. They have a very muscular build and can handle a large variety of jobs. They are very outgoing with a lot of agility. They can live just about anywhere as long as they are provided with plenty of exercise and socializing as a puppy. They are protective of their family if they feel the family is in danger but are overall a great family dog! Dobermans have a special place in my heart because of Leenah. They are truly an amazing breed. It's sad to think that they are considered an aggressive breed by so many. Dobermans are a German breed and are relatively new compared to other breeds. This breed was designed to be a protector and companion of the home and does well with police and military work. They are a lean muscular build with a beautiful sleek coat. The AKC recognizes 4 colors: black, red, blue, and fawn. All having the rust colored markings on their chest, legs, mouth, and eyebrows.
They are descendant of many breeds and are extremely loyal and fearless. Unless you are Leenah, she's scared of water! When it comes to loyalty the breed is very high on the list of most loyal. So loyal in fact that they become velcro dogs and refuse to let you alone! They are amazing pets and parts of the family and I would recommend them to anyone! The last couple of weeks have been very busy! I was trying to find something that I could make for people that are passionate about breeds of dogs that are considered aggressive. I have started to make some merch for all of the animal lovers and lovers of all of our "aggressive" breeds. I had a lot of fun making all of these items and wanted to share them with you!
Feel free to check out my Etsy shop! I am The Dobie Domain on etsy as well and my link is below! https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheDobieDomain I’ve decided to take a slight turn in the focus of my blogs. While I will still write about tips with dogs I want to focus a little more on a topic that pulls at my heart a little stronger. You always hear stories about “aggressive” breeds of dogs. When you hear the phrase aggressive breed you instantly know what they are talking about. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans. There are so many stories that focus on bad things that happen with these breeds and they always blame the dog. I am a very strong believer that these breeds are misunderstood and these stories don’t focus of the reason behind why the dogs are struggling.
I have met and worked with so many different breeds of dogs. In all of the years I have worked with dogs I have never met a mean or aggressive dog. Even some of the most abused and neglected dogs turn out to be the sweetest and most loving pups that just want loved. Five years ago I adopted a beautiful Doberman from a local shelter and fell in love with not only the breed but a loving dog that wouldn’t know how to hurt a fly if it landed on her tongue. I plan to talk more about each of these breeds and teach people about their personalities and the breed as a whole to hopefully help show that these wonderful dogs are just misunderstood. As always please leave comments or questions! If you have a topic you would like covered or a story to share of your loving pup feel free to share with our contact page and we will add him or her to our friends page! At some point in time almost every pet will have to take some sort of medication. Being able to find a way to easily get your pet to take it can be a hassle. For me, I’m very lucky that Leenah comes running when she hears her pill bottle shake. But growing up we have had some dogs that will do anything in their power to get their pill out of their mouth.
There are many different ways to try to hide the medicine. My go to is a ‘special’ treat that you know the dog enjoys. Whether it’s a piece of cheese or hotdog or is a soft dog treat, having something that you can squish and mold around the pill will work in your favor. The next step is figuring out how to hide the pill in the special treat. The treat needs to be big enough to fully cover the pill so there’s less chance for it to fall out. If your dog is good about taking their pills just giving them this treat will work but if your dog is tricky you may need to chase the pill treat with more treats after to distract them. A trick I like to use is having 2 treats, one with the pill and one without. I hold them both above their head and give the pill treat while keeping them looking up with the second treat that I give to them as they swallow the first treat. This keeps them from chewing on the treat and working the pill out of their mouth. If they still manage to spit it out a almost surefire way to get them to swallow is to catch them. You have to get them to take the pill as far back in their mouth as possible. With one hand hold their mouth up towards the ceiling keeping it closed, with your other hand stroke their throat in the direction of their fur. This encourages them to swallow and once you feel them swallow you can let them go. No matter which way you have to use to get them to take their medicine be sure to praise them with scratches and treats to make it a positive experience. Walking on leashes can be a challenge for some dogs and some owners as well. Theres many ways to help your dog learn how to walk nicely. Depending on how you want to train your dog there are many different harnesses and different types of collars. Throughout my years of working with different dogs i've tried a few different options and have some favorites.
The first option is a body harness. This is great for the dog that pulls so hard they choke themselves. The harness straps around their chest and ribs, allowing for a lot of contact space so it doesn't slip off. It’s easy to leave on the dog and doesn’t get in the way. One of the downsides I have found to this style is it doesn’t teach the dog to stop pulling. In many cases the dogs start pulling harder because they are no longer pulling at their throat. If you have a large dog or one that is very strong I wouldn’t recommend this style. Another style of harness is a gentle lead, or head harness. This straps around their snout and behind their ears, it’s difficult to get off and controls the dogs head more. This style of harness works great for those larger and stronger dogs. When they try to pull they pull on their own face causing them to release the pressure since they don’t like their head being pulled back. If you can get your dog comfortable wearing this then it is a great tool to use. My experience in the past is the second I put it on the dogs instantly drop to the ground trying to get their head free and we usually don’t last more than 20 feet of walking. These harnesses can be slipped off as well so having a second leash attached to their collar is a good idea for backup. The last style is a training collar. This collar is a long metal chain that loops through itself and slips around the dogs neck. When using this collar I prefer to keep the dog on my left side. Position the chain so that when you lift up on the leash the collar tightens and when you lower the leash, the loop releases on its own. Keep the collar high on the dogs neck, just behind the ears so you aren’t choking them. Keep the leash short and the dog right beside you. When the dog pulls the chain will tighten some and the dog will give into the pressure and the chain will loosen as they release. This collar you have more control over and I typically have the best response with. The downside to this collar is if you put it on upside down, it will not release properly and you will have to continuously adjust it. Be sure to reward your dog for walking nicely no matter what style you use and they will learn quickly! Finding someone you trust to watch you furbaby can be stressful. Not having family nearby or close friends can make occasional trips difficult. I have spent the last 3 weeks searching for a place to board Leenah while we go on a weekend trip.
The first step in finding somewhere it's figuring out what the requirements are. Most kennels require proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations as well as bordatella, or kennel cough. Every kennel is a little different in how they run so talking to them will get you a better idea of how the animals are kept and interacted with. If you have a dog with extra needs, like medication or specific feeding routines or certain snacks throughout the day, it's important to see if they are willing to do so. Other options are online dog sitting apps. You can find families or young adults looking for side jobs that will take them in as their own for the time you are away. What you should prepare for your dogs stay are their essentials. Pre package their food to make feeding time quick and easy. Any medications should be prepared and directions layed out. Any specifications for play time or interaction with other boarders should be made clear in advance to ensure everyone has a nice stay. At drop off any last minute comments or questions should be made. Be prepared for a quick transfer of your pup to be whisked away to the back to limit the time they have to get worked up about being there. Know that your pup is in good hands and enjoy your trip while away! Some kennels post pictures daily of the dogs playing so you have updates and pictures of them! |
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June 2019
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