Featured Articles
Dogs and Hybrid Vigour
Why does is seem that certain breeds of dogs are more likely to develop specific health problems than other breeds? For example, why are Doberman pinchers more likely to have heart problems than other breeds? You may or may not be familiar with the term “hybrid vigour”, but you have probably run across this concept before. In this article we will discuss how this term can be used to explain why various dog breeds are predisposed to developing certain health issues.
How are dog breeds created? If you think about it, all dog breeds descended from a single ancestor related to the modern wolf. The Chihuahua and the Great Dane, as well as the Yorkshire terrier and the Bull Mastiff all came from the same genetic background.
Tip – 9 – Puppies chasing their tails – Should you be concerned?
Even though it may look like puppy has gone bonkers when he/she furiously chases its own tail, this is fairly normal behaviour. It is usually seen after the puppy has been separated from its littermates. Puppy is just playing by …
Tip – 20 – Dogs and chocolate cats and chocolate
Chocolate and dogs and cats
Dogs and cats must NOT eat chocolate. Although the reaction to chocolate varies from dog to dog based on the quantity eaten in relation to its size, chocolate is poisonous to dogs and it can …
Size and Lifespan
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes; little, big, cute, homely, hairy, and even hairless. Sure, other animals have this discrepancy in size between breeds as well, but not to the same extent as dogs. Take the cat for example; …
Service Dogs and Autistic Children – Pet Tip 253
Dogs help humans in so many ways. They help with companionship, with tasks that they carry out for us and sometimes they help make every day living much easier. Perhaps the best demonstration of this fact is when dogs help people with disabilities. Many of us have seen dogs helping blind people and many have heard of dogs that feel when a seizure in an epileptic person is about to occur and then protect them from injury. Dogs can also help aid autistic children and parents of autistic children in many ways as well. Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of autistic children in Canada may be 1 in 165 children or higher. Therefore, many people may well personally know of an autistic child in their extended family, or know of friends or acquaintances that have an autistic child. So how can dogs help these autistic children?
The National Service Dogs (NSD) organization in Ontario Canada, is one of the best organizations that specifically help train dogs to make the lives of autistic children better. You might be wondering how a service dog can be useful to autistic children
Dog Breeds for Older People
Dog Breeds Suitable for the Retired or Elderly
For retired or older individuals, there are particular concerns to think about when choosing a dog breed. An older individual may have physical or health issues that restrict the duration or intensity …
Tip 51 – Dog sprayed by a skunk – cat got skunked – what to do
If your dog or cat gets sprayed by a skunk the first thing you want to do is make sure your pet is physically OK. If your dog or cat was scratched, it’s best you contact the vet asap to …
Tip 80 – Cat and dog fur – removing cat hair – removing dog hair
If you have a dog or a cat with long or short hair then chances are that you also have a problem with pet hair or fur being transferred to your furniture and clothing. There’s not too much you can …
Hedgehogs
Want to time-travel into the past? Amazingly, you don’t even need a time-travel machine to do so. The hedgehog is a portal to the past; the present day hedgehog looks almost identical to the hedgehog that lived 15 million years …
