Dog breeds and genetics

Puppy shopping is not as easy as finding a puppy and falling in love with it. It is not even matching the right breed for your lifestyle, no it goes deeper than that. That pup you just brought home might end up with a debilitating health problem that can cost you money and heartache in just a few years.

Certain breeds are known to have health issues. Dalmatians are prone to hearing loss. German Shepards and other large breed dogs are prone to hip dysplasia. Even some of the smaller breeds have their own set of unique genetic problems. This article on the Shih Tzu's genetic problems can shed some light on that breed.

Before buying that cute pup do some research on the breed and the parents of the pup. The breeder should be able to show you the results of any genetic testing done on the parents. Most really good breeders have genetic testing done on their breeding stock.

Putting your dog on a diet

Do you have a dog that needs to lose a few pounds or even ounces? If you cannot easily feel their ribs or they get out of breath faster than you do during a walk then yes, they are in need of losing some extra weight.

First you need to cut out those little high calorie treats for them. Then learn to weigh their dry dog food before each feeding. Most of the dry dog food bags suggest using measuring cup sizes but I have found that volumes can vary but weight of food is constant. I use a digital postal scale but you can use a kitchen scale or a lab scale as long as it can weigh up to 5 pounds including the container that is used to put the food in.

Next I separate the meals into 2 or even three a day. That helps the dog's stomach to shrink a bit.

I always check the dry dog food for ingredients before buying it. The first ingredient should always be whatever the main meat (chicken or beef). If a grain such as corn, wheat or rice is listed first then I go on to the next brand of food. Price has never been a good indicator of ingredients.......you have to read that label.

Then it is just a matter of sticking to the diet. After all it is up to you and not your dog to stay with the diet.

Puppy pics

It has been some time now since I last posted so I thought I would share a few puppy pics