If your mind is set on one or the other based on choice of breed, then you will get either a shedding variety or a non-shedding dog. For those who are considering a dog for the first time though, this is a choice that matters.
There are degrees of shedding dogs. Short hair or long the amount of hair and thickness of hair varies between dogs. For example a Labrador does not shed as prolifically as a Samoyed because of what it's coat is designed for. A Samoyed comes from Siberia where it lives in harsh winter conditions. When it sheds it sheds volumes. It is in fact a high maintenance dog which requires brushing often.
I remember a friend owning one and with every brush stroke handfuls of hair would be removed. Conversely a Lab requires less attention.
Hair will inevitably be shed and require extra work if in fact you allow the dog indoors. The hair will weave itself into furniture seats, your sock and often is impossible to remove. This means constant vigilance on the owners behalf in house cleaning, training of the dog to sit or sleep in specific areas.
Non-shedding dogs come with their own set of concerns. Grooming becoming the most important concern. Your Shih Tzu variety will require regular brushing and of course haircuts. Most people will take their pet to the groomers ever 6 weeks to avoid matting of hair.
These dogs do not shed hair, however, they like humans, lose hair, and will require regular brushing. The longer the hair becomes the more work it becomes. My dogs are not show dogs and in the winter we allow the hair to grow. When we go into the woods for a walk, the hair gets wet and muddy requiring a bath when we return home.
Medically speaking, if you are prone to allergies, non-shedding dogs are the correct choice because these non-allergenic dogs do not shed releasing as much dander into the atmosphere as do their shedding counterparts do. It is the dander that most people are sensitive to.
Obviously, the choice is yours, the amount of labor depends upon the style of coat. Both types have maintenance requirements and within that there are the sub groups based on size of dog, where the breed originally lived, what their coat was designed to do, that will determine the level of work.
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Sunday 26 February 2012
Should I Spay or Neuter?
The answer is obvious to most but the reason raises concerns. The reason to "Yes" you should spay or neuter is because there are millions of dogs euthanized every year. Why this happens is because people have not thought out the process of purchasing a pet and that of the cost. Some people think it is unfair to deny a dog of its fundamental duty of reproduction especially with the males. Some can't afford to spay or neuter thus they should not be in the market for a dog in the first place.
There are more reasons though that one should consider. A male is more aggressive when he is defending his property and can attack other dogs, children, delivery people at the least of provocation. All dogs can be aggressive without warning. In our town a girl was petting a family friend's Cocker Spaniel when it lunged and almost tore the young girl's face off. The dog had no previous history of this behavior.
You are compounding this by keeping the family jewels attached and unless you are a responsible breeder the liability could bankrupt you.
Dogs will when, not neutered, mark territory. This means bed posts, coffee tables, Christmas trees and a host of corners both in your home but also the homes you visit. Embarassing to say the least.
Females who are not spayed will, believe it or not, mark territory as efficiently as their male counterparts. When I take my dogs for a walk the females will mark poles, atop of the other females marking within the pack. Believe me when I say the females are as prolific as males when marking territory.
Some argue weight gain as a reason to avoid neutering or spaying. For your health this is as good a reason to take several walks per day to keep you and your pet trim and fit.
Females have another issue that all females have and that is a monthly. O.K., in dogs it is once every 9 months. Menstruation lasts up to 2 weeks and the flow can be quite pronounced regardless of size of dog. This can be messy if your dog is an indoor variety
. Females also attract males from miles around during their heat and may result in an unwanted breeding with an undesired male suitor.
So do yourself and your dog a favor and within 6 months of birth have him or her fixed. They become more docile as their sex drive takes a nose dive and you will have less headaches and be contributing to the reduction of the over population of unwanted pets in the pound.
There are more reasons though that one should consider. A male is more aggressive when he is defending his property and can attack other dogs, children, delivery people at the least of provocation. All dogs can be aggressive without warning. In our town a girl was petting a family friend's Cocker Spaniel when it lunged and almost tore the young girl's face off. The dog had no previous history of this behavior.
You are compounding this by keeping the family jewels attached and unless you are a responsible breeder the liability could bankrupt you.
Dogs will when, not neutered, mark territory. This means bed posts, coffee tables, Christmas trees and a host of corners both in your home but also the homes you visit. Embarassing to say the least.
Females who are not spayed will, believe it or not, mark territory as efficiently as their male counterparts. When I take my dogs for a walk the females will mark poles, atop of the other females marking within the pack. Believe me when I say the females are as prolific as males when marking territory.
Some argue weight gain as a reason to avoid neutering or spaying. For your health this is as good a reason to take several walks per day to keep you and your pet trim and fit.
Females have another issue that all females have and that is a monthly. O.K., in dogs it is once every 9 months. Menstruation lasts up to 2 weeks and the flow can be quite pronounced regardless of size of dog. This can be messy if your dog is an indoor variety
. Females also attract males from miles around during their heat and may result in an unwanted breeding with an undesired male suitor.
So do yourself and your dog a favor and within 6 months of birth have him or her fixed. They become more docile as their sex drive takes a nose dive and you will have less headaches and be contributing to the reduction of the over population of unwanted pets in the pound.
Thursday 23 February 2012
The Cost?
We all think as first time owners that dogs are relatively inexpensive. We look in local papers and see mixed breeds being given away or sold for less than half that of a pet store and thousands less than a pedigree dog.
Well if we factor in purchase price and that of No Name pet food, the price appears to be more than affordable, it seems, should we venture to say, too good to be true?
Most young people as well as well meaning first time dog buyers think that the cost is affordable, they then bond with said pup and then have their heart strings torn when some unknown cost surfaces. So let us examine those costs so that we can come to a realistic number that will be associated with you new pet before you take the plunge, commit, then are heart broken because your puppy has to be euthanized as the cost to correct its condition costs more than the ultimate decision.
Where to start?
First in this section I will not venture into breed specific conditions that may or may not arise however. will caution you to research your breed carefully so that you understand that some breeds are prone to hip issues and others to ear infections while others to glaucoma, and some like my Shih-Tzu's, teeth problems.
KNOW YOUR SPECIFIC BREED
Initial cost will be the purchase price. It can range from free to thousands of dollars depending upon its pedigree.
Second is the cost of Spaying or Neutering your dog. Add $400.00 dollars or more depending on age of dog whether it has Whelped prior to said surgery or not. If it is a Shih-Tzu for example, the vet may recommend pulling its baby teeth whilst under the knife for the spaying or neutering. The cost may now be $600.00 for something you spent $350.00 to purchase.
You bought a collar and leash for $20.00 and mid range dry dog food $30.00 for one month supply and already your little ball of fluff is topping $1000.00.
Wait!
There is more before he/she reaches 6 months of age. The vet will not Spay or Neuter your pet until it has received all 3 of its vaccinations and been De-wormed.
The shots range from $50 to $80 dollars each and the worm pill for 3 to 5 dollars.
The cost is now well over $1000.00 and since we have not included future vet visits for Breed related conditions, one can see the cost is growing.
A friend of mine just spent $5000.00 for knee surgery on his Bouvier and may have to get the other knee done.
My Shih-Tzu pups are famous for slow development of their baby teeth and if they don't fall out as they should the vet will recommend they get done before the second teeth start to grow around the baby ones.
It is so important that you first investigate the breed, then discuss with your vet on the first visit with your new pup all those conditions that may or may not afflict your breed so that as much preventative measures can be taken ensuring a positive outcome for both you and your dog.
It is not that I wish to dissuade you from taking the plunge into dog ownership, I just want you to be made aware of the hidden costs associated with dog owning.
It is an investment where the rewards of unconditional love outweighs the negative if in fact you are well informed.
If you buy a non-shedding dog, then add $60-$80 every six weeks to 3 months for grooming costs. When the dog is being groomed they will clip their nails and express their fear glands located in the anal region of your pooch.
Of course there is flea season and the most popular treatment (Program) will cost you another 10 to 20 dollars every 6 weeks.
To sum it up, your real costs far exceed the cost of feed and purchase price when you take in the most basic concerns associated with your new dog. I simply want you to be well informed before you take the plunge. An educated, well prepared pet owner is a happy pet owner.
Well if we factor in purchase price and that of No Name pet food, the price appears to be more than affordable, it seems, should we venture to say, too good to be true?
Most young people as well as well meaning first time dog buyers think that the cost is affordable, they then bond with said pup and then have their heart strings torn when some unknown cost surfaces. So let us examine those costs so that we can come to a realistic number that will be associated with you new pet before you take the plunge, commit, then are heart broken because your puppy has to be euthanized as the cost to correct its condition costs more than the ultimate decision.
Where to start?
First in this section I will not venture into breed specific conditions that may or may not arise however. will caution you to research your breed carefully so that you understand that some breeds are prone to hip issues and others to ear infections while others to glaucoma, and some like my Shih-Tzu's, teeth problems.
KNOW YOUR SPECIFIC BREED
Initial cost will be the purchase price. It can range from free to thousands of dollars depending upon its pedigree.
Second is the cost of Spaying or Neutering your dog. Add $400.00 dollars or more depending on age of dog whether it has Whelped prior to said surgery or not. If it is a Shih-Tzu for example, the vet may recommend pulling its baby teeth whilst under the knife for the spaying or neutering. The cost may now be $600.00 for something you spent $350.00 to purchase.
You bought a collar and leash for $20.00 and mid range dry dog food $30.00 for one month supply and already your little ball of fluff is topping $1000.00.
Wait!
There is more before he/she reaches 6 months of age. The vet will not Spay or Neuter your pet until it has received all 3 of its vaccinations and been De-wormed.
The shots range from $50 to $80 dollars each and the worm pill for 3 to 5 dollars.
The cost is now well over $1000.00 and since we have not included future vet visits for Breed related conditions, one can see the cost is growing.
A friend of mine just spent $5000.00 for knee surgery on his Bouvier and may have to get the other knee done.
My Shih-Tzu pups are famous for slow development of their baby teeth and if they don't fall out as they should the vet will recommend they get done before the second teeth start to grow around the baby ones.
It is so important that you first investigate the breed, then discuss with your vet on the first visit with your new pup all those conditions that may or may not afflict your breed so that as much preventative measures can be taken ensuring a positive outcome for both you and your dog.
It is not that I wish to dissuade you from taking the plunge into dog ownership, I just want you to be made aware of the hidden costs associated with dog owning.
It is an investment where the rewards of unconditional love outweighs the negative if in fact you are well informed.
If you buy a non-shedding dog, then add $60-$80 every six weeks to 3 months for grooming costs. When the dog is being groomed they will clip their nails and express their fear glands located in the anal region of your pooch.
Of course there is flea season and the most popular treatment (Program) will cost you another 10 to 20 dollars every 6 weeks.
To sum it up, your real costs far exceed the cost of feed and purchase price when you take in the most basic concerns associated with your new dog. I simply want you to be well informed before you take the plunge. An educated, well prepared pet owner is a happy pet owner.
Tuesday 21 February 2012
A little more on age.
Seniors are not off the hook either. All age groups are sometimes guilty of choosing a dog for all the wrong reasons. The most glaring is for protection of property. This usually means buying some large breed like a German Shepard, a Rottweiler or some fang bearing mongrel that would put the fear into God let alone a would-be thief.
However, size is not the deterrent in most cases, the mere fact you are a dog owner is reason enough, and size has little to do with the reason you will be left alone. Most crooks are after cash or small items they can quickly remove without being caught or discovered and any dog will thwart this kind of degenerate.
I have 5 Shih Tzu dogs and combined they total, one 80 pound Goliath. I have no strange visitors entering my yard without a chorus of wild yapping's thwarting any attempt by crooks including, sales people, bible thumper's, politicians and even the police don't dare open the gate if the dogs are outside.
Size is not the deterrence as much as the noise the dogs make alerting you and your neighbors to a disturbance.
Ensure that you do your homework before you take the plunge into dog ownership so that you get both a loyal pet and one that meets your needs, financially.
However, size is not the deterrent in most cases, the mere fact you are a dog owner is reason enough, and size has little to do with the reason you will be left alone. Most crooks are after cash or small items they can quickly remove without being caught or discovered and any dog will thwart this kind of degenerate.
I have 5 Shih Tzu dogs and combined they total, one 80 pound Goliath. I have no strange visitors entering my yard without a chorus of wild yapping's thwarting any attempt by crooks including, sales people, bible thumper's, politicians and even the police don't dare open the gate if the dogs are outside.
Size is not the deterrence as much as the noise the dogs make alerting you and your neighbors to a disturbance.
Ensure that you do your homework before you take the plunge into dog ownership so that you get both a loyal pet and one that meets your needs, financially.
Sunday 19 February 2012
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