You'll find lot's of helpful tips for taking care of your dog.

Hi! I'm Aisha and my dog and best friend is Blue. He's going to help guide you through my web site. So come take a walk with us and please watch where you step.

Selecting a Hypoallergenic dog

• Decide on the size of the dog.
• Visit your local animal shelter and ask if they have any hypoallergenic dogs.
• Spend at least 30 minutes with the dog you're planning to purchase and make sure that your allergies aren't bothered by this particular breed.
• Evaluate your home to see if the dog you've chosen is appropriate.
• Hypoallergenic or "low-dander" dog breeds are most common.
• Visit a Veternarian .
• Always consider the dogs overall health.

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SANTA PAWS IS COMING TO TOWN!

TOP 10 GIFT IDEAS

• Homemade personalized dog bowls from your local ceramic store.
• Every dog owner will appreciate a gift certificate for dog walking services this holiday season!
• Stitch together fabric remnants to make stockings.
• Just about any friend or family member on that holiday shopping list who owns a dog will appreciate a gift certificate to a local dog groomer this holiday season!
• Nice dog collars.

• Inexpensive dog bed filled with items like shampoo and other grooming supplies.

• Febreeze Pet Odor Eliminator.
• Don't forget to keep paws warm with dog booties.

• Pet Photography.
• Old popcorn tins filled with natural snacks such as Merrick Bully sticks, rawhide dog treats, biscuits and toys.

 

CHOOSING A NAME

• Though you may already have a name for your new dog, here are some tips:
• Names should be short. A two syllable name is preferable because it’s brief but won’t be confused with one-syllable commands such as “No or “Sit.”
• Be consistent. All family members should use the same name—don’t use confusing nicknames or variations.
• Reward your dog’s attention/name recognition with lots of praise and play.

THE FIRST DAYS AT HOME

The ideal time to bring home a new dog is when the house is quiet. Discourage friends from stopping by and don’t allow overnight guests. First establish a daily routine and follow these steps:

  Step 1: Before bring him in the house, take him to the area in your yard that will serve as his “bathroom” and spend a few minutes there. If he goes, praise him. If not, proceed into the house but be sure to take him to this spot each time he needs to use the bathroom.
 
  Step 2: Take him to the room that accommodates your crate—this restricted area will serve as his new “den” for several days. Put bedding and chew toys in the crate, leave the door open and line the area outside of the crate with newspaper or Bounty paper towels, in case of an accident. Let him investigate the crate and the room. If he chews or urinates on his bedding, permanently remove it from the crate.

  Step 3: Observe and interact with your puppy while he's getting used to his new den. This will help forge a sense of “pack” and establish you as the pack leader.

Special puppy concerns
Don't treat a puppy as young as 6 to 12 weeks like an adult dog. Treat him the same way you would an infant with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical to his socialization. Use these tips:

PICKING UP A PUPPY

Just like a baby, a puppy's body is fragile. Avoid picking up your puppy unless absolutely necessary. If you must, be careful and use these steps:
Step 1: Place one hand under your puppy's rump, and place your other hand under his chest.

Step 2: Lift with both arms. With a small adult dog, use the puppy technique. For larger dogs, wrap both arms around his legs; draw him to your chest and lift.

 

 

 

 

FEEDING YOUR DOG

Proper nutrition for your new puppy is key to helping him live a long, healthy life.

SELECTING A PUPPY FOOD

Dogs are as individual as people. Large, small, young or old, despite their differences, they all need a well-balanced diet for good health. Yet, dogs of different ages and sizes have different nutritional needs. This is especially true when it comes to puppies.

The energy requirements of a puppy can be nearly twice that of an adult dog, and a puppy may not have the stomach capacity to eat enough food to meet his needs unless the food is specially formulated.

When choosing a food, select a formula that provides a highly digestible, nutrient-dense, 100% complete premium formula for growth. Such high-quality formulas contain the vitamins, minerals, protein, fat and carbohydrates your dog needs for sound and healthy development. With a premium formula, you may see these results:

Because growth rates differ among breed sizes, you need to feed one of the appropriate formulas designed to address the specific needs of your puppy’s breed size.
Feed the recommended amount for weight and age and feed this formula until your puppy is an adult.

FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS

Your new dog’s first meals at home are very important. Find out what formula your dog has been eating and continue feeding this food for a day or two after you bring him home. If you want to change his diet to another food, gradually move him from the old food to the new formula and avoid intestinal upsets by using these steps:
            Day 1: Fill your dog’s bowl with 75 percent of the old food and 25 percent of the new premium formula.
            Day 2: Mix the old food and the new premium formula in a 50/50 ratio.
            Day 3: Feed your dog a mixture that’s 75 percent new premium formula and 25 percent old food.
            Day 4: Feed 100 percent of the new premium formula.

FEEDING TIPS FOR A TEETHING PUPPY

Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs. The most noticeable period is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth (you may find a tooth on the floor).

During this phase, a puppy’s mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause him to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There’s nothing you can do except to wait out this period, even if his appetite is affected for a couple of days.

Helpful hints
Don't switch to a new formula to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:

Grooming Your Dog

Start grooming your new dog (especially if he’s a puppy) right away to get him used to being handled.

SELECTING A BRUSH

Regular brushing eliminates tangles and mats. It also gives you a change to look for fleas, ticks, lumps and bumps. Use these types of brushes:

BRUSHING YOUR DOG

Play with your dog before each session and give him a break every few minutes. Reward him with a treat and praise once you’re dogs:

Step 1: Begin by getting in the right position. Place your dog on a table or kneel down next to him. Start with a slicker or pin brush to remove dead hair, debris and tangles. (For breeds with medium or long and/or thick coast, groom with both brushes, using the pin brush first; when you’ve been through the coat with both brushes, go through it one more time with each brush).

Step 2: For tough tangles, apply hair conditioner made for dogs and gently comb or brush small sections of the tangle. Be careful not to tug or tear tangled hair. A rough brushing will make your dog dread future grooming sessions.

Step 3: After the coat is smooth, give your dog a final brushing with a bristle brush (for shorthaired dogs) or a wide toothed comb (for longhaired dogs).

Helpful hints

BATHING YOUR DOG

A brushing each week will keep your dog’s coat in good condition, but if he gets really dirty or has acquired an odor, use these steps to bathe your dog:

            Step 1: Brush your dog and then gently plug each ear with a cotton ball.
Place him in a tub or basin with a nonskid surface. Hold the collar firmly, then pour lukewarm water over his body, being careful to leave his head dry. If bathing your dog outdoors, don’t use water from the garden hose. Cold water will chill your dog and make bathing an unpleasant experience.
            Step 2: Use a dog shampoo to soap the body. Work up a lather, talking to your dog and praising him as you work. When he’s well lathered, move to his head, being careful to keep shampoo out of his eyes, ears and mouth.
            Step 3: Rinse and dry the head, and then rinse the body. When the water runs clear, rinse one more time. Dry you dog with towels and then remove the cotton plugs from his ears. If your dog has healthy skin, you can dry him further with a hair dryer to set on low or warm.

Helpful hints

TREATS AND REWARDS

Whether you’re cleaning teeth, giving a bath or teaching your dog to sit and stay, you can reward and reinforce good behavior and patience with plenty of praise and a nutritious biscuit.

 

Training Your Dog

Tips for Housetraining Puppies and Dogs
As with most things in life, there are right and wrong ways to get things done. Rubbing a puppy's nose in a mess is not the right way to housetrain. Using ample amounts of supervision and positive reinforcement is. Use the following puppy house training tips to get started on the road to proper puppy potty training.


Getting On the Right Track
The first course of action in housetraining is to promote the desired behavior. You need to:

By occasionally giving him a treat right after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to potty in the desired area. The odor left from previous visits to that area will quickly mark it as the place for the pup to do his business.


Timing Is Important!
A six- to eight-week-old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally wait longer between outings. Most puppies should be taken out:

POTTYING ON COMMAND

Avoid spending a lot of time waiting for your puppy to go, you may want to teach him to potty on command. Each time he is in the act of eliminating, simply repeat a unique command, such as "hurry up" or "potty," in an upbeat tone of voice. After a few weeks of training, you’ll notice that when you say the command your puppy will begin pre-potty sniffing, circling and then potty shortly after you give the command. Be sure to praise him for his accomplishments.

A puppy can learn a great deal, even as early as 7 weeks of age, if learning is fun and presented in the form of gentle play. Motivational methods work best for this tender young soul. Reward desired behaviors by offering toys, food and praise so the puppy wants to obey. Whenever possible, try to arrange the situation so he can't make a mistake. Never use physical punishment on a young puppy as you may damage him both mentally and physically.


TEACHING A DOG TO SIT

Move a toy or piece of food (the motivator) from a position in front of the puppy to a point up over his head and say "Sit." The pup will probably raise his head to follow the motivator and in the process, lower his rear end to the floor. You may gently help the pup at first by tucking his bottom under with your free hand. When he sits, praise him exuberantly and give him the toy or treat as a reward. Want to see a demonstration?

Taking Care of Your Dog’s Health

CHOOSE A VETERINARIAN

Just like you, your new puppy needs high-quality health care. Before you run into any dog healthy issues, ask a friend or your local humane society to recommend a veterinarian, and then choose one with these factors in mind:

Schedule a visit and interview

Once you've narrowed your choices, visit the veterinarian's office. Inspect the facility and talk to the doctor about your new puppy. If you like what you see and hear, arrange a time to bring your puppy in for an initial examination. It’s a good idea to visit the veterinarian within the first three days after you bring your puppy home to make sure he's in good health. The veterinarian will probably check:

Source: IAMS