All animal lovers find dogs that borrow their names from the Newfoundland island extremely appealing. There are two varieties of these- the white and black and the black. Though the Newfoundland black variety is essentially black, there may are other colors too, like white marks. As a matter of fact, a true breed is expected to have a mark on the chest of white color. Any other white on the body or head would make the dog the other than black type. It is preferred that the black color is a dull jet type that almost resembles brown. The class of the other than black includes bronze, white and black, and black and tan. The white and black predominates and the beauty of the marking is of importance in this color. It is preferred for the legs and body to be white along with large black patches on the quarters and saddle, while the head is black in color with white blaze and muzzle. Other small spots of black may be present on the legs and body.

Besides colour, all the other varieties have to conform to the same standards. He head should not look heavy in appearance but should be massive and broad. Other specifications are that the eyes should be wide apart, dark, deep set and small without any haw; the muzzle- short, clean cut and square, the ears should be small, have close side carriages and should be covered with short hair without any fringe to the ears. Also the dog should convey dignity, kindness and intelligence through its expressions.

The dogs body should be square, massive and long, while the loins should be well filled and strong, broad and chest deep, straight legs, having a slightly shorter proportion compared to the body’s length. The legs should also be powerful and have round bone which are covered by good muscle, while the feet should be round, close and large. The tail should not reach below the hocks and should accordingly lengthy. They should not curl up over the back and should be free from kink. The quality of the coat is of prime importance. It should be quite dense and should have plenty of undercoat, where the overcoat is quite straight and somewhat harsh.

The dogs appearance should indicate an animal of great power and strength which is very active for its size and build, and should have a roll in its gait, freely moving with its body swung between its legs. Newfoundland club standards state the dog should weigh between 120 lbs and 140 lbs while the bitch should be between 110 lbs and 120 lbs, with a height averaging 27 and 25 inches respectively at the shoulders.

Soft food like milk and well boiled rice should be given while rearing the puppies and as soon as they lap, diet should be switched to scraped lean meat. The Newfoundland puppies need plenty of meat. The normal growth rate of weight is 3lbs/week and for this both cooked and raw flesh, meat and muscle-forming food. While providing milk, casein needs to be added to it to strengthen it. For breeding a full sized dog with plenty of substance and bone it is important to get a good start from its birth with good feeding, dry warm quarters and the freedom for puppies to exercise and move about as they wish. Medicine should not be administered except for worms, the puppies being checked for these as soon as they are weaned, and also again when they are three to four months old. It is easy to rear Newfoundland puppies if they are given proper food, quarters and exercise and are kept free from worms.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/newfoundland-dogs-how-to-breed-newfoundland-dogs-753398.html

What Causes Chewing in Dogs? What should you do if the dog chews the things in your home?

For dogs, chewing is a natural and normal animal behavior. You should not let you dog chew up all your belongings: your furniture, your shoes, your stuffed animals, or your remote controls. I once had the pleasure of knowing a naughty dog that chewed a hole so massive in his house that he managed to escape the home. This dog also consumed a computer mouse, and several remote controls.

As pet owners, we must educate ourselves on why puppies chew things.
In order to suppress the discomfort of teething, the puppies begin to put anything and everything in their mouths, just like a baby when they begin to teethe. Fully grown dogs generally chew when they’re bored or upset by an owner’s absence. Many pooches chew things because they are playing or because they find an item tasty. But generally, for most adult dogs, chewing is merely a bad habit.

Now let’s discuss each of these destructive behaviors more thoroughly.

? Teething
? Mouthing
? Boredom
? Fear
? Play
? Attention Seeking
? Just tastes Good

Teething – Teething is a stage of your puppy’s development. For human children, there are a number of topical gels that can be applied to the gums in order to reduce some of the pain caused by teething. Sometimes vets will prescribe a topical gel for teething in puppies as well. You should help a puppy get through the teething stage because this stage isn’t permanent. One tip is to find toys, usually made from hard rubber or plastic, that are designed specially with teething puppies in mind. In addition, you can try giving the puppy ice cubes, or a knotted wash cloth that has been chilled in the freezer. When the puppy shows signs of discomfort due to teething, give him the frozen wash cloth to play with, as it may help soothe him. Typically, the frozen cloth technique works best with very small or young dogs. You want your dog to understand what belongs to him and what belongs to you. I like to hand a frozen bagel to a teething puppy. That way he gets to gnaw on it, and eventually he can eat it as well. I prefer to use the smaller bagels, which can be bought in a large bag. This appears to work effectively.

Mouthing – Puppies as young as 8 weeks can already possess very pointy teeth. They have a tendency to nip if they’re playing and jumping around. Biting should be discouraged by the pet’s owners. That’s a standard means of canine communication. Some dog owners play too rough with their dogs, and then the dog may gently bite back. However, this is not good behavior to teach a young pup, and it should not be practiced.

Boredom – When left alone for extended periods, your dog may become bored and will chew your belongings. Chewing will keep a dog from feeling bored and alone. The most effective approach to curing this is to walk or run with your dog more frequently. You have to be aware that while some dogs become more relaxed and sleepy by going for a walk, others get all hyped up instead. A great way to relax with your dog is take a little stroll with your pet first, and then spend some quite time together. It will result in a bonding process and will make your relationship stronger. I recommend frozen bagels or frozen pizza dough as chew toy alternatives.

Fear – Occasionally, dogs may chew because they’re frightened. For instance, lots of dogs are frightened by thunder. Your dog may also bark and chew on the window frames, etc. when a strange dog is seen walking by outside. This is a result of territorial anxiety. The “down and stay” command is a great way to end unneeded defensive behaviors in your dog. Communicating this way when your dog is behaving well will make it more effective when he’s engaged in undesirable conduct. Pull your dog from the window and command “down stay”. Sitting with your dog will encourage him to relax. That generally gives them a breather to collect themselves.

Play – Some dogs bite or chew while playing, this means that your dog needs more training to eliminate these harmful behaviors. Different dogs have different energy levels. High energy dogs generally require both training and a rigorous program of exercise. Structured play time is very important for dog. This includes games such as jumping or fetch. During his other activities, both indoors and outdoors, you should practice the “down stay” command frequently.

Attention Seekers – Some dogs are natural born attention seekers and need extra attention from their owners. To attract attention, dogs may bark, steal, chew, twirl around, even limp. A dog chews things because it desires attention. A dog even views negative attention from it’s owners as attention, and will continue this undesirable behavior. Ignore the negative behavior, and then the dog’s desire to chew your things should go away.

Just Tastes Good – We all know if something is tasty for a dog, then the dog will want to eat it. Sometimes dogs find items very palatable. When something is palatable to a dog, the dog likes the feeling of chewing or holding that item in its mouth. Dogs enjoy chewing on furniture, stuffed animals, and other items. The most effective approach is to put such items away while your pet is going through this phase.

Chewing may not be an issue if your beloved dog is healthy, exercises and plays frequently, and has plenty of room to roam and explore. If your dog continues to chew, then maybe frozen bagels will terminate your pet’s desire to chew.

Annette Masse
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/what-causes-chewing-in-dogs-is-your-dog-chewing-up-your-house-513169.html

This is a Q&A forum, not a store. Try petco.com…

www.kiji.com

Aggression in dogs is a serious behavioral condition owners face. However, the problem could be avoided if the owner is properly aware of dogs’ life stages and the things that can lead to dog aggression.

One million cases of reported dog bites are recorded each year but it only accounts for half of the cases because the other half go unreported. Most wounds from dog bites are not threatening. Unfortunatly children are bitten most often.

Genes, heredity, and environment are major factors affecting dog aggression. Some breeds like Rottweilers and Akitas display belligerent behaviors while some breeds take softer roles like Retrievers.

Mating related dogs can result in inconsistent attitudes in dogs and hormones can influence aggression between dogs of the same and opposite sexes.

Another factor that contributes to behavioral aggression is environment. That includes the dog’s state of living, socializing, excessive disciplining and unwarranted reinforcing from the owner etc.

Furthermore, dogs instinctly live in packs. They occupy high or low social status. They see the people around them as part of the pack and they protect their status in the social rank by attacking the passive members of the family such as children. If dogs growl in defense of their bowls and they are not disciplined, the owners are giving the dogs an unwanted opportunity to develop such aggressive behavior over one of the family members or all of the family members. With time and without proper intervention from the owners, the dogs will surely establish their dominance in the social rank which includes the members of the family. Such dominant behavior will show when the dogs start to bite every time they start to see and feel that humans are a threat to their high social rank in the “pack”. Such dogs often end up at shelters, because their owners had, in reality, misunderstood their social behavior such as attacking without any definite purpose.

Dogs may be aggressive because of fear, territory, other dogs (siblings, dogs of the same sex, and dogs of the opposite sex), medications, predation, possession, puppies, food, play, maternity, senility, and illness or injury. Dogs may show one or a combination of several kinds of aggression.

Socializing dogs during their first 12 weeks of their life is a critical factor which is important to prevent dog aggression. Three to 16 weeks are the critical stages in dogs’ growth because it is during these times that they learn to trust or mistrust. During these periods, they should be taught how to interact socially. As puppies, dogs should be exposed to humans especially children because if not, they will grow uncomfortable with the presence of people.

Ensure your dogs’ and children’s safety. Children are bitten by dogs commonly in the face. Dogs reprimand their puppies by opening their mouths across the puppies’ faces. Children love to hug and kiss dogs. Sometimes dogs get offended so as a result, they see children as offending puppies.

Teach positive behavior like self-control to your dog. For instance, train him to keep still while you are preparing their food.

Be mindful of what dogs learn everyday. Don’t let them bark at people who pass by on bikes or to mailmen, repairmen, delivery people and strangers. Do not leave your dogs unattended while fettered out of the house. Take dogs inside of the house for the night.

Choose solid fence over underground electronic fence.

You also need to neuter your dogs.

George Kane
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-aggression-99801.html

http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/cgi-bin/public/petsearch.cgi/search_dogs_form

http://www.petharbor.com/

http://dogsindanger.com/

http://www.petfinder.com/

http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html

Adoption fees are not expensive