Dog basic need
Written By : Nada Hassan

Dogs aren’t all the same. Each breed and individual within each breed are different, they have specific needs and habits. However, there are several basic common needs among all dogs. In order to be ready for a dog you should first be prepared to fulfill those needs.

Daily Exercise
Just like humans, dogs need exercise. Your dog must get the exercise he needs in order to be a balanced, healthy and happy dog. You should walk your dog at least twice a day till he gets tired, but if you are not physically able to walk for long distance, try a backpack. By putting a weighted pack on your dog, he will still be working through all that excess energy, therefore you can walk a shorter distance. But you must get back to your vet first concerning the proper amount of weight for your dog. Also, walking with your dog is an excellent way to bond with him.

Healthy Diet
Pay attention to your dog’s diet. Unbalanced and poor diet will mostly cause your dog to experience weakness, skin and coat issues, and even their behavior will change. You should feed your dog premium dog food and make sure its main ingredient is meat. Don’t look for cheap food because you almost get what you pay for.

Positive Social Interactions
Dogs are social animals, they crave social interactions, they love to meet people regularly and play with other dogs. Dog’s park is a great place for your dog to socialize, interact, play and meet new people and dogs. Yet locking your dog or let him spend too much time indoor will affect him negatively, he will be weary of humans and dogs, also it will lead to behavior issues. Furthermore; dogs need good quality time to bond with their owners, it helps them feel happy and secure within the family.  

Mental Stimulation
Dogs are very smart creatures, they love to learn. Their intelligence allows them to understand commands and signals. They love to practice solving problems and learn new tricks. Mental stimulation helps reduce boredom, anxiety and stress. Make sure your dog understands the trick before you teach him another trick. Also, dogs love toys, by providing your dog with interactive toys along with training sessions he will be able to think, work and play when you’re not around.  

Sufficient Shelter
Dogs have feelings just like humans, we can’t just leave our children outside in the yard. But if you have no other option and you have to leave your dog outside, then you must supply him with a proper shelter, make sure to provide him with a potent dog house to protect him from the cold/hot weather, and a constant supply of clean water.

Predictable Schedule
Dogs need to be fed and walked regularly in specific times. Don’t leave your dog to wonder when their next meal or chance to go for a walk may be. Confusion, frustration, stress and anxiety will occur when your dog’s schedule is inconsistent.

Comfort with Independence
Make sure your dog copes with separation, so he won’t suffer anxiety and behavior issues when left by himself. He should get plenty of things to do when he is left alone. If you spend too much time with your dog he won’t know how to be alone, yet that doesn’t mean to leave him alone for a long time. Remember they consider themselves a family member.

Clean Water
A dog can spend a long time without food, but can’t spend a long time without water during a hot day. This will cause him health problems. Make sure your dog’s water is clean and always available.

Basic Grooming
Dogs need to be bathed from time to time and their nails should be clipped regularly. It’s very important to brush you dog’s coat, their coats are higher-maintenance than others. Yet it doesn’t matter if their coat is short, because brushing gives you a chance to free your dogs from bugs scrapes and other problems.

Discipline and Structure
Dogs need someone to lead them. They will often experience stress and anxiety if left alone with nobody to lead them. Make sure that your dog understands that you are the leader, providing him with discipline and structure will make him feel at ease.

Quality Time
The best feeling is coming home to a wagging tail. Dog’s love is unconditional and they show devotion every single day. They need love, affection and approval. Also, they love to play with their owners, they just crave closeness.

Regular Vet Care
Take your dog to the vet at least once a year, even if he is perfectly healthy. Also, it’s very important to keep your dog vaccinated.  

Collar and ID Tag
Imagine what could happen to your dog if you lost him? It’s a dangerous world out there. It’s not an option to put a collar with an ID tag, it’s a must! ID tag will help get back your dog if you lost him.

Leash Training
Leash training is a bonding experience for you and your dog. It teaches your dog his place in the pack. It’s very necessary for a balanced and healthy dog.

How One Dog Will Change The Lives Of All Dogs In The World Based on true story  In 1938 Rose, a lonely lady, felt she needed a friend so she adopted the little dog puppy Rose showered puppy with attention and care as if it was her own baby Each day their relationship became stronger and they became more connected to each other Each morning puppy would go and wake rose up to start her day But one day, rose never woke up and puppy was left alone the pain was so unbearable for puppy that he cried for so many days. Every week puppy used to go to Rose’s grave hoping that his barking would reach her one day because puppy has been through this pain he knew how much it hurts and as a result he decided to do something really big for all other dogs that suffer puppy decided to devote his mission in life to help other dogs live better lives
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THE DOG THAT SAVED HIMSELF

written by: Nigel647

Dogs have been known to be the most loyal pets to human beings since time immemorial. They are playful and they offer security to home owners. They even go as far as saving people’s lives by rescuing them or calling for help. The most outstanding thing, though, is when a dog saves his own life by dialing the 999 emergency services.

Well, this occurrence is not surprising for a dog that has been trained to dial certain numbers in case of an emergency. In 2006, a man named Kevin Weaver from Orlando was saved by his dog, Belle.

The dog speed dialed number 9 just as he was taught, on Kevin’s phone when he went in to a diabetic seizure and as such, he was saved. In England, 2009, a golden retriever named Bailey dialed 999 when chewing on a cordless phone. However, this other case is distinct since the dog in question had no prior training that involved calling for help in an emergency situation; in fact, the owners had always found the dog a bit sloppy.

Unfolding of events

George, the dog, knocked the house phone over to the floor and started playing with the phone’s cord. Amidst the fun he was having, he managed to get the cord over his neck and the cord was now strangling him. Even a sloppy dog knows when things are going wrong obviously due to the choking. As George struggled to free himself from the tangle, his paws miraculously managed to dial 999 on the phone. The operator that received the call could only hear heavy breathing and gasps from the caller.

He immediately assumed that the caller was sick and decided to send help to that particular house. Paul Walker, the neighbor, let the police in with his spare key. The police immediately went ahead searching the whole house for the patient, a human being to precise. Paul looked around too and was shocked to find George lying on the ground with a cord around his neck.

Paul untied the cord and freed George. He reported that he found the dog’s paw on the phone and that the miraculous dialing of the number had led to George saving his own life. An even more surprising factor is that the house phone was not the modern push-button kind, but the traditional ones with the dial ring. This makes the dog’s ability to dial even more astounding. George is a pet dog to Lydia and her father, Steve Brown. These two owners were just as surprised as everyone else to hear of the ordeal. They both claimed that George was an average dog with no special skills or abilities.

He had not been taught anything and that he always spent his time chewing socks. Cassie Murdoch of Jezebel said that they should probably let him chew on more socks after such a remarkable experience. She also advised the family to get a cordless phone to avert such accidents.

Such occurrences of dogs getting strangled by phone cords are common but they can be avoided by owners getting cordless phones. A dog saving his own life is miraculous.

new invention ‘Dog mind reading’

written by: snowy22315

Everyone who has ever owned a dog has always wondered what is in a dogs mind. What is fido or fifi thinking? Although as most people know dogs are pretty good at communicating their needs and desires, there is now some things that you can actually do to make sure that you have a better idea what your dog is thinking. For those that have always wondered, and that may include most pet owners, using a dog mind reading device may let you know what your dog may be thinking. This may seem like the stuff of science fiction but truly these devices are being developed and researched at this very time.

A mind reading device has been invented that fits securely around your dog. This device measures the brainwaves that dogs transmit and can be a translating device to let you know exactly what your dog thinks when they are wearing this item. Those who have used the device have found that dog mind reading may actually be possible. Although the device has not proven to work conclusively at this point, it is possible to read basic brainwaves that the dog may be transmitting, and use them to find out what the dog may be hoping to do,it does some tracking of their emotional state and their arousal level.

The dog reading device, aptly named No More Woof is something that is supposed to read your dogs mind and translate those barks,woofs and arfs into something that is intelligible to people. The company www.fastcompany.com director Thomas Manzetti started with a machine that very simply read dog’s EEG. This translated into something simpler and larger than life. According to Mazetti the project used items that already existed. These would include a device that could read the dog’s EEG. The companies used an EPOC which was already available on various websites.

The EPOC was used to discern mental states in dogs. Once they used this EPOC device they could discern some very basic mental states in dogs. It is easy to determine when a dog is sleepy, calm or upset according to the device. The device also contains a cheap Raspberry Pi processor. There is also an entire Swedish team that has been working on the dog mind reading device. The website for the product is http://www.indiegogo,com/projects/no-morewoof.

This is the No More Woof device in a nutshell. The core emotions were easy to deal with but in terms of deeper emotions the devices complexity grew. The studio would like to track more nuanced thoughts. They wish to use an algorithm that can earn the thoughts your dogs may be thinking. They are hoping that the dog would speak in short sentences like “I would like to eat” or “I like to play with this ball.” Small print shows up on the device stating that you are supporting research and that it is not a finished product. So while the No more woof device is promising and affordable at only 65 dollars, it is not a finished and polished product that has been proven conclusively to read your dogs mind.

The main developer Mazetti is already thinking of other core concepts and other simple innovations and developments that could make the prototype easier to take advantage of and to use with the dogs of your choice. A complemetary system would be that the dog who thinks he is hungry would go up to a cupboard and easily be able to access a treat. Since dogs are very trainable and they are some of the ways that these devices would be able to be used for them to open a cupboard and easily access a treat if that is their intention. This would undoubtedly make your dog very happy indeed.

The emotion detecting radar would no doubt be overflowing with happiness when the dog comes around. It is obviously a leap going form reading dogs very basic emotions and instincts to processing complex thoughts and emotions, but face it, dogs are essentially very simple animals that do not have very complex thoughts. This device could allow dogs to easily learn the concepts of action and reward.Since dogs are very trainable, they will be able to possibly steer toward things, like cupboards, and can possibly steer toward things in its mind like a toy or of course the all important food. The application of this device is something that is felt all over. Although some people have felt that this idea is truly implausible the idea seems to bear merit as early experiments seem to show that it does indeed ready dogs emotional states and seems to have applicability in some research.settings with dog.

Some point out that the No More Woof device is never going to work as it works in humans since dogs do not process language in the way that humans do. In other words their language ability is limited. Even though this may only produce effects that are like visualizing the dogs behavior it should still be a fun way to observe the dogs behavior, and develop the ways that individuals can work with their dog and have fun observing their behavior.

These are some of the things that you can find and take advantage of a device that may make you a bit more in tune with your dogs behavior. Some point out the algoritms may be more like robotic responses mimicing siri,than actual indication of a dog’s thoughts. Critics of Woof No More point out that we can not accurately decode human speech reading EEG’s and if this is the case,why would we be able to decode dogs thoughts?The whole thing seems to be a bit far fetched and even a little ludicrous to some critical thinkers.

Other critics have pointed out that you may be buying the world’s most expensive chew toy that might only have a lifetime of less than a minute. However,whatever your feeling about Woof no more,evidence seems clear that this device can be a fun way to spend a few hours with man’s best friend and companion.

How To Protect Your Dog From Hypothermia

written by: ambjrm2014

Keeping dogs warm and safe during winter’s harsh elements is at utmost importance to ensure a healthy, long life. When conditions become too cold for us, they are also too cold for our animals. Fur is a good insulator for our dogs, but it is not enough to keep all of them safe in the cold.

Some dogs are able to withstand the colder conditions, but most dogs need our help to keep warm. An example breed is Huskies, which are better suited to face the elements than your average dog.

Place Heaters Carefully If possible the best remedy to this is to bring your pets inside and arrange your house so they can maneuver safely. This includes moving heaters so they are not in the way of the playful, active puppy or dog. Also, do not let your dogs lay in front of heaters.

Place your heaters high if possible as some animals have been burnt from simply sleeping directly in front of a heater. Ensure that heaters are off the ground and cords are placed where animals cannot chew on them. When you use central heat, the air is dryer than your dog is used to.

Be sure to have fresh, cool water in your pets access at all times to help compensate for the loss of humidity in the air.

Limit Time Outdoors When your dog goes outside limit the time he spends outside and how much skin is exposed, including his foot pads. Hypothermia can set in sub-zero temperatures and the moisture in exposed skin is sure to chill quick.

Letting your dog stay outside for prolonged times can be extremely dangerous in severe temperatures. Also, make sure that the water supply outside is not frozen, so your dog will always have fresh water when he is outdoors too.

Older Pets or Chronic Illnesses If your pet is older, keep a close eye out for upcoming illnesses caused by extreme cold conditions. Cold weather can make arthritis worse for our older dogs.

Stock up on any medicine your dog may need from the vet before the weather gets back in the event that roads are not safe enough for travel. Also, pets who already have a chronic illness can have an increased chance of developing further problems when exposed to potential hypothermia situations. If you notice any new problems with your animal, contact your vet immediately.

The Best Defense One of the absolute best ways to ensure your pet is safe is to take these preventative steps ahead of the cold weather. If you know of a storm coming in and your have an outdoor dog, consider bringing him inside until the weather breaks. In some cases where this is not an option ensure he has a shelter outside, and try to put some insulation of some sort (hay, blankets, dog bed) inside for him. For dogs who are prone to chewing, do not allow them cloth for insulation. Heating mats can be purchased and placed in, or under, a dog house to help keep your pet warm.

Dogs Shaking Behavior: Different Reasons

written by: Chris_A

Dogs have many kinds of behaviors, some well known, others not so much. A very good question that is asked often is, why do dogs shake? The answer might be many fold.

Dogs evolved from domesticated wolves. And wolves were and are wild animals, living in a very dangerous environment. Survival for them is top priority. If you see a dog shake frantically after getting wet, it is because of the fact that he is wet. Being wet in the wilds is very dangerous.

A very wet coat, can increase the dogs weight many times, making it harder to run and escape enemies or hunt prey. If it is cold outside, getting dry can be a real problem and the dog could loose of lot of internal body heat. Thus, shaking can get a dog almost completely dry in a few seconds. A trait domesticated dogs probably inherited from their wolf ancestors.

Another reason dogs shake themselves is to literally shake off emotions. Dogs shake after getting into a fight with another dog, being yelled at, or if you hug and pet them. It is their way to deal with intense emotional moments and a way to cope with them and get back to their normal non emotional routine. Dogs, like humans, are very emotional beings.

Dogs shake to shake of imaginary objects from their coat. This trait is also a remnant of the wild wolf ancestor to modern dogs. In the wild, wolves would normally sleep on the ground, full of dirt, dried leaves, pebbles but also insects and parasites, like bugs and fleas and other animals.

The instinct remains, and after they wake up, dogs shake to get rid of all of these imaginary things. Even if your dog has a cozy dog house or a clean shelter, where he usually sleeps, he still does this.

If you clean or brush your dog much, you might notice that he would shake wildly after. This is also very normal. Dogs do not really enjoy excessive touching or petting or a lot of tugs.

The idea here, is that the skin of dogs is very loose. Much more loose then human skin. This is an advantage for getting dry, because the skin of a dog moves much faster then its backbone, and when dogs shake, they can get very dry very fast because of the free moving loose skin. If you excessively touch and groom your dog, the skin gets into uncomfortable positions around the dogs body, thus, by shaking, the dog just simply puts his skin back to normal.

Of course there are many other reasons as well. A dog could have a skin irritation, or an object stuck to his coat, that he wants to get rid off. He could also just ask for a loving massage.

It is very interesting, though, that among many other behaviors, shaking directly reminds us that dogs were once wild animals, and much of those wild, ancient animal instincts still remain in them.

Dogs are people’s favorite pets, which is to no surprise considering their loyalty, playfulness and cuteness. But, we never knew just how diverse these animals can be – sometimes, they don’t look like dogs at all! Every once in a while we encounter owners with very peculiar pets which are supposedly dogs, but we can’t be 100% sure. Here’s a list of some of the weirdest-looking dogs on the planet.

1. Panda dog

This particular breed is called Maltese Poodle and resembles very much to a panda. The origins of this breed can be found in Asia, specifically Japan and China. Even though there is talk it also contains parts of panda’s DNA, this thought is highly debatable and controversial.
2. Extreme grooming camel dog

Even though the name of this dog sounds at the very least upsetting, it is nothing more than a well groomed dog. To resemble a camel, owners groom their poodles by shaping their hair into wanted forms. The result of this is a camel-like dog!

3. Zebra dog

Image source: @kamercostante via Instagram

In such makeovers as this one, owners use completely safe hair dyes to accomplish the zebra-like look on their dogs. In order to accomplish this look for your dog as well, make sure he has similar visage as that of a zebra.

4. Horse dog

When it comes to grooming dogs, one of the popular looks is the horse look. Any giant dog breed with long hair can be made to look like a horse.

5. Lion dog

Image source: @brodin94 via Instagram

If you happen to own a long-haired Mastiff, then you’ll be happy to know you can groom him into the king of the jungle!

6. Tiger dog

This is another example of what you can do with pet hair dye. Transforming your pet into a tiger will certainly make him the main attraction wherever you go.

7. Polar bear dog

If you’ve always wanted to have a bear as a pet, you know that’s not going to happen. However, Akbash dog breed can be just the pet for you, considering it lloks very much like a big polar bear.

8. Skunk dog

In the sea of dogs that don’t look like dogs, this one is champion. Find a small dog with short hair and dye a white line across his back and fluffy tail and you’ll have yourself a real skunk as a pet!

9. Giraffe dog

Another example of creativity in the owners – using safe pet hair dye, giraffe dogs don’t look like dogs you’ll normally encounter.

10. Tiger dog

Groom your dog into a tiger with safe hair dyes and have heads turn for him wherever you go.

11. Lama dog

Just like a in the case of camel dog, your puddle can be easily transformed into a lama!

12. David Bowie dog

Well, this one really depends on your own creativity and originality in the hairstyle department.

13. Teddy bear

In case you want a real life teddy, a Pomeranian is your choice!

14. Lamb dog

Puddle transformed into a lamb with precise grooming!

15. Seal dog

Pugs are one of the cutest dogs in the world, and due to their wrinkly skin they resemble a lot to a real-life seal!

Are You Making These 10 Training Mistakes?
written by: pboysen1310

Training a dog successfully is an art form in and of itself. Taking the time to show your dog the importance of behavior and routine makes life easier for both of you, because dogs function best when they know their boundaries. Natural pleasers, they dislike the confusion that comes when boundaries are unclear. By establishing those lines clearly, you strengthen your relationship. Here are 10 common mistakes that people make when training their dogs, so that you can avoid them when raising your own furry friend.

1. How much training do you do?
Many dog owners go through the basic routines and behaviors to puppies or dogs new to the home. However, once the dog ages a bit and the connection settles, it is easy to get lazy about ensuring that those behaviors stay consistent. This means that response times increase for some behaviors, and that sometimes the dogs won’t respond at all. This is not malicious on the part of your dog; it simply means that you need practice. Finding new ways to build training into your life with your dog helps you both to remember the proper behaviors.

2. Do you find yourself repeating commands?
This is frustrating for many dog owners: you’ve taught a specific behavior, such as sitting. However, your dog gets confused or distracted and fails to respond correctly the first time you give the command. You repeat it, and finally the dog sits down. This often takes place with behaviors that have not received full instruction. Repeating a command to a dog suggests that it is all right to ignore the first one or simply to ignore repeated commands. The keys: do not give a command that you can’t enforce, and do not repeat commands.

3. Does training frustrate you?
If you get upset during training, your dog can sense this and start to pull back from the learning process. This isn’t a lack of obedience; instead, it comes from a combination of frustration and fear on the dog’s part. Before you become frustrated, take a deep breath and relax, or bring the training session to an early halt. You can take it up again after you have figured out the issues.

4. Is your training reactive?
To train your dog successfully, you need persistence, practice and time. If you wait until a problem with your dog spirals into chaos, you are going to have a much more difficult time than you would have if you proactively targeted that sort of behavior. This approach helps you intervene before the behavior starts to be an issue.

5. Do you correct your dog too quickly?
Teach the dog your commands before you start correcting. This will ultimately hinder his progress, because he won’t understand what you are saying.

6. Do you forget to reward the right behavior?
Immediate praise is the most effective reward that a trainer can give a dog. Without any sort of reward, your dog won’t know that he did the right thing!

7. Do you expect too much too quickly?
If you watch dogs and their trainers on television, you might expect your dog to do the same sort of fascinating tricks. Significant amounts of money and time went into training those dogs for television, and expecting your dog to produce those same results is simply unrealistic.

8. Are your rules consistent?
A common example of this involves a pet jumping up on people. Do you only correct your dog when you’re in your nice suit or Sunday clothes? You need to correct it all the time, not just when you’re wearing nice clothes. Your dog can’t differentiate between your business suit and your sweat pants, so enforce rules regularly.

9. Do you give up too soon?
Training takes time, so don’t give up on the process before you should. You might think that your pet will never learn that trick. However, different dogs take different amounts of training. If you stick with it, your dog will learn everything you want him to.

10. Does your dog get enough attention?
If your dog is an outside animal, it’s easy to forget that he’s out there, so all you’re training him to do is dig holes when he’s bored. Keep your dog in view as much as possible, and place him in a room where it’s not possible for him to damage things while you are gone.
Avoiding these 10 dog training mistakes will help you go a long way toward training your dog most effectively. If you have specific questions about your animal, talk to your vet to get the best insights.