Dog Health Tip for Holidays

As families all around the country start pulling out their favorite holiday recipes, and shopping lists, and decorations, it's easy to overlook one hairy detail: the family pets. Between vacationing out-of-town and readying the house for a veritable invasion of friends and family members, it is really no surprise that pets feel left out, but more than that, the general upheaval of the holidays can be a dangerous time for cats and dogs.

Nationally recognized veterinarian Dr. Bernadine Cruz, DVM, and one of the resident veterinarian advisors on MyPetCareTV.com, encourages pet owners everywhere to add "pet safety" to their holiday list and check it twice.

Year-round every room in a house can pose a potential threat to your dog health when human foods, cleaning products, insecticides and rodenticides, and medicines meant for people are left out where pets can get into them. During the holidays inattention to things left unattended can double. Everyone is busy, caught up in the celebration of good food and good company: house guests may unwittingly allow the dog into a room he is usually forbidden to go, or feed the dog a "treat" to which he is allergic. The holidays bring out so many more potential hazards to pets than we may think. Dogs may ingest tinsel, ribbons, and string, harming their digestion and intestinal tract. Especially harmful is fertilizer used in the water of Christmas tree stands which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

To pass the holidays in celebration, companionship, and good health, Dr. Bernadine Cruz offer these tips to add to every dog owner's list:

* Remind houseguests not to feed your dogs human food, especially fatty foods and candy.
* Restrict dogs to "safe areas" or outdoors during dinner parties when you are too occupied to watch them.
* If you have not already, install child safety locks on cabinets that contain cleaning supplies, paints, and medicines. Even hand soap and toothpaste can harm your dog health.
* Try to give your dog some focused attention each day to keep her or him calm, relaxed, and less likely to misbehave.
* Be sure dogs wear identification tags at all times. That includes indoor pets, because with the hustle and bustle of having visitors, pets can wander outside without their owners being aware of their escape.
* To protect curious pets, be sure to keep candles safely out of the reach of paws, whiskers, and tails.
* Pets, especially dogs, tend to eat first and think later. A dangling, shinny tree ornament or holiday table decorations may be more than your pet can ignore. A nibble of a plant can lead to an upset stomach or worse. Decorations can lead to an obstruction in the digestive tract and require a visit to the veterinary emergency room.

Small Dogs - Information of small dog breeds

Everything you wanted to know about small dogs. Here you will find helpful and accurate information about the physical and behavioral characteristics of each of the small dog breeds - to help you choose a little dog that's right for you!

Learn about the many small dog breeds and find a small dog with a personality, and appearance, that suits you. From cute to tough breeds, toy dog or terrier breeds - there are many different small dog breeds for you to choose from. Small dogs make ideal pets for apartment dwellers and those with smaller living spaces.

Small dogs are also a lot easier and cheaper to look after and care for. There is less shedding, less mess, and the cost of caring for them is less. Don't let there small size fool you, however. Some of these small dog breeds are as tough as nails and will often, unwisely, attempt to take on a dog five times their size.

Small dogs are adorable, compact animals, and there are many different small dog varieties to select from. The toy dog group is made up of some of the smallest dogs around. Many dog breeds are exclusive to the toy group, such as the Shih Tzu or the Chihuahua. However, others, such as the poodle for example, come in two other sizes: standard and miniature, and the toy breed is the smallest of these sizes.

Most small dog breeds have bags of character, energy and endless love to give, and make for very good household pets. It is advisable to do some careful research, however, if you have small children or other pets, as not all small dog breeds get along with youngsters or other animals, although the majority will be fine with proper socialization. Many small dogs make ideal companions, and are well suited to apartment living because of their size. Many are also well suited as companions for the disabled or elderly as not all toy dogs require a large amount of exercise.

Some of the small dog breeds excel as watchdogs and will raise the alarm when something unusual occurs. Of the small dog breeds in the Toy group, the ones that excel as watchdogs include the: Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Toy Poodle, and Shih Tzu. These particular breeds are all extra alert, they easily become excited, and will bark if they notice unusual behavior - such as an intruder entering your property.

Trainability in toy dogs can vary depending on the breed. Although some breeds, such as the toy poodle or the Toy Fox Terrier, are easy to train in most cases, others can have a really stubborn streak and can be headstrong, which often makes them more difficult to train. It is important for the owner of any small dog breed to exercise patience and understanding during the training process.

As with all dogs breeds, the small dog breeds are prone to a variety of health problems, which can vary by breed. Some are generally healthy, whereas others are prone to a variety of problems. However, by selecting a reputable breeder, and with care, attention, and a healthy and balanced diet, many of these issues and problems can be avoided. It is important to remember that the size and fragility of some toy dogs can put them at a heightened risk of injury or bone breakages, and potential owners should bear this in mind if they have small children that could inadvertently injure the dog.

With many different small dog breeds to select from, it should not be difficult to find the perfect pet to fit in with your lifestyle, living environment, and circumstances. Each of the small dog breeds is unique and individual in character, personality traits, and needs, and by learning more about each type of toy dog you can make a more informed decision with regards to which toy dog will be best suited to you and your family.

In general, small dogs are delightful characters, and can be lively, playful, entertaining, and very loyal. Most will be delighted to receive fuss and attention, and have plenty in the way of love and affection to give to their owners and families. A small dog can make an excellent pet, and in many cases an effective watch dog. Many people enjoy showing their small dogs at various dog shows, although many people simply want to enjoy the lively energy, unique character, and affection that these animals can give as pets.

So, if you are planning to take on a small dog then a little research into the different breeds available can go a long way in ensuring that you get the breed that is best suited to you. Go through the list of small dog breeds (the navigation bar on the left) to learn more about the appearance, temperament, likes and dislikes, trainability, dietary requirements, grooming requirements, exercise requirements, and life expectancy of the different breeds to aid you in finding the perfect pet amongst these little dogs.

Send your Dog to Dog Obedience Training

If you want your dog to listen to you and your commands there needs to be some form of dog obedience training. This will not only teach your dog what you mean when you tell him to sit, stay, or heel – it will also establish who the boss is in the relationship of dog and dog owner. It is usually recommended that an entire family attend the training sessions as consistency in terminology and handling is the key to successful training.

A dog doesn’t need to be a certain age to attend dog obedience training but it is best to send them when they are still puppies (at least five months old) to teach them properly from the beginning. You have choices of private lessons, group lessons, or you can go it on your own with the back-up of a good reference source. Once you have started to train your dog, don’t stop. It is confusing to the dog and the sooner you finish the sooner you and your dog will know what to expect from one another.

There are approximately 16-20 phrases you will have to teach your dog to understand in dog obedience training. An important one to start with is heel. You are going to be doing a lot of walking with your dog and he or she needs to learn right from the beginning you are taking the dog for a walk not the other way around. “Leave it” and “stay” are two other important ones that should be taught in the beginning. Remember, you are the boss and your dog will follow a strong lead.