Finally, you must decide whether you want a dog or a bitch. In my opinion, the old saying that the dog is dominant and the bitch is loyal has no credence. If you are not interested in breeding, then the sex of your puppy is irrelevant if the temperament is right. If you have no intention of breeding from your dog, then I advise that you have him castrated or her spayed. The ideal age is around a year old, but I advise you to consult with your veterinary surgeon on this matter. I am astounded at the attitude of many male dog owners on my suggestion that they have the dog castrated. Their usual retort is, ‘It’s cruel. You’re taking his natural rights away from him.’ In my view, it is criminal to keep a male dog entire and never let him mate a bitch. These owners are asking their dogs to live the life of a monk. The entire male dog will be in constant search of a bitch and, therefore, suffer mental anguish. It is far kinder to have him castrated before he reaches full maturity. Bitches that are unspayed and constantly left to cope with their ’seasons’ can also suffer a lot of mental anguish, with false pregnancies and milk. Eventually, the unspayed bitch usually develops womb problems that can often be fatal. (more…)
Having answered all these questions, you will know whether you still want a dog or not, and can now turn your attention to the type of dog which would fit in best with you and your way of life. Don’t just look at the different breeds of dogs. Do a little research into their background and what they were originally bred for. This will give you a far better idea of the temperament your dog will grow up with. Every breeder will be tempted to tell you of the virtues of his favourite dog. Not many of them will tell you of their faults. Obviously, I can’t go through every breed for you here, but I will try to take a cross-section, to show you what you’re looking for.
The Labrador, the dog I am most familiar with, was bred to retrieve game birds. Therefore, he’s been bred to sit steady to the sound of gunfire, go out quietly and retrieve and to return to his owner. Nevertheless, he’s a very active dog and can work an eight hour day in the field and still look as fresh as a daisy: so he will want plenty of exercise. Here I can tell you how to read between the lines and find the faults of the breed. (more…)
Food will be one of your puppy’s main interests in life. Have you remembered to check with the breeder what your puppy has been fed on? A new house and a different type of food can easily upset a young puppy. A six-week-old puppy should be provided with five meals a day. If your ,puppy has come from a reliable and conscientious breeder you will have been supplied with a diet sheet with the type of food and quantities he will require, although a few useful hints may help you. I have often found diet sheets from breeders contained too milky or sloppy feeds for a puppy. This can often give diarrhoea. If you have this problem, replace milky or sloppy feeds with meat meals. (more…)
Don’t fall into the trap of many dog owners of forgetting the fun element in your training. If life with your dog has become a drudgery and the time you take to train him basic commands is full of harassment, fraught with anxiety, stop, you have got it all wrong. Dogs, like children, should be a pleasure to us. I see all types of human beings coming along to my training classes with their dogs and I can instantly tell you which ones will fall into the ‘failed owners‘ category. They’re the ones who won’t listen, who won’t try, who think they will make a fool of themselves talking to their dog and putting enthusiasm into their voices. Many of them refuse point-blank to sit on the ground with their dogs and think it childish and stupid to play with them. In my training classes I try and make most of the exercises a game so that the human beings forget their self-consciousness and before they realise it they are having as much fun as their dogs. It is very rewarding to train along with other people and their dogs, as it gives incentive to the owners to come out best. If you train with other people or go along to a training club perhaps some of these ideas will help you and if you’re the stiff and starchy conservative type maybe it will give you enthusiasm to change your dog’s training and have fun. (more…)
Havana Brown
In Britain the Havana (or Havana Brown as it is known in the United States) is a cat of Siamese type with a rich chestnut- brown coat; it was known for a time as the Chestnut Foreign Shorthair. In the United States the breed has a morerounded muzzle and round-tipped ears, and does not look nearly so like its relative, the Siamese. A well-bred Havana Brown should have an elegant, muscular body and oval-shaped green eyes. This is one of the most attractive breeds: playful, aristocratic, loyal and home-loving. Like the Siamese, it is very much a one-person cat. (more…)
