Pet Information

In horse training or natural horsemanship, Approach is nothing more than a technique or method used in helping your horse to understand what it is you want him to do.

I feel it’s important to point out at this time that one of the major reasons people fail to achieve excellence with their horse is that they are not mentally, emotionally and physically fit. The way to achieve this is by being persistent and consistent in learning and practicing your horse training / natural horsemanship skills. Remember, It’s not your horses fault, it’s your responsibility to be fit if you’re to achieve success and excellence with your horse.

In talking about Approach or techniques, we’ll use some examples to point out some approaches people take in working with their horses, which are very different from natural horsemanship.

Let’s talk a little about longeing… Most people longe their horses to exercise them, but let’s look at what happens when you do this. Your horse is going in mindless circles usually circling to the left and will certainly get stronger physically, but unfortunately, he will also get mentally weaker because you are only exercising his body and not his mind. It’s important to exercise both his body and mind.

Now let’s look at lateral longeing. This is where we are going to exercise both your horse’s body and mind. First, what are the differences between longeing and lateral longeing?

In normal longeing, the person is only exercising the horse to take off the edge so the horse will be easier to ride. I think it’s important to note that if your longeing your horse 15 minutes to take off the edge eventually you will be exercising him 30 minutes to take off the edge and as you continue this regime he will become stronger and stronger until you can no longer handle him.

In lateral longeing, you’re looking to develop a communication system with your horse along with exercising his body and mind, which will cause your hose to be emotionally collected. This communication system is built around 6 yields… Your horse going forward, backward, left, right, up or down. These 6 yields work into a series of maneuvers, which will exercise your horses mind and body. By being persistent and using the 6 yields you will help your horse to be mentally collected and instead of increasing the time it takes to get your horse under control you will decrease the time each day. By using lateral longeing you can help your horse to become mentally collected in a shorter period of time.

Remember that horses can do only 6 things, but they can do them in combination… Move forward, backward, left, right, up and down. Your goal should be to get your horse to go forward, backward and sideways whenever you ask him. If you can do this, you will become the Alpha horse in his society.

When you teach your horse to go backwards you are also teaching him to stop. The better he backs up the better he stops. When you teach him to go sideways, you are also teaching him to steer left or right. When moving right or left you are simply moving his hindquarters or front quarters or moving them both at the same time to move sideways. Most horsemen will tell you that the better a horse backs up and goes sideways the better he will do everything else.

Lateral longeing is different from normal longeing in that you are exercising your horses mind with his body following naturally causing your horse to yield to you mentally.

Let’ take a quick look at Riding. What do most people do after saddling and getting on their horse? They kick him to go, rein him across the neck to turn and pull on him to stop. Instead, why not get him mentally and emotionally ready before we go riding? Why not put your horse through the 6 yields? Yes, I know that takes some time, but is it worth it to you and your horse to be emotionally and mentally fit before you go riding?

After putting you horse through the 6 yields you’re now ready to mount. After you’re mounted, it’s time to ask your horse to move forward. Instead of kicking him to go why not ask him to move by giving him a cue?

For example, if you want to move your horse forward, put 2 or 3 cues together, put them in order and be consistent with them and your horse will eventually respond to the cues. An example of this would be to 1. Squeeze both cheeks of your buttocks tightly. If that won’t cause him to move forward then progress to cue number 2. Genteelly squeeze with your legs clear to your ankles and use a verbal cue such as a cluck, kiss or smooch. If this still won’t get him moving forward then progress to cue number 3. Give your horse a spank, preferably closer to the center of the tail head. This will start your horse to move straight. If you spank right or left of center, you will cause your horse to move off to the left or right.

When using cues remember to start the cue with light pressure and increasing the pressure, (the pressure should only be for a few seconds before moving on to the next cue) and if there is no response move on to the next cue until you get the desired response. With practice and consistency, your hose will learn to move off the pressure (cue) at the slightest squeeze of your buttocks or legs, whichever you decided to use as your cue.

This article is getting long so I will briefly touch on stopping your horse. There are two ways to stop your horse, pulling back on the reins which most people use (the horse can get wise, tuck his chin and keep running) or you can bend your horses neck around with one rein and cause him to stop. If you can bend his neck to the right and stop his right side then his left side is probably not going to run off and vise versa.

I do not recommend letting or allowing your horse to stop on his own; if you allow this behavior, you will eventually have problems with keeping your horse moving. You only want your horse to stop after preparing him with a cue to stop and then giving him the cue to stop. A cue might be, you bringing down your energy by putting both hands on your thighs, completely relax and look down at your tummy, to sum it up, quit riding. Eventually your horse figures out that you have stopped riding and he will stop. Remember, you have to be consistent and persistent, it is not going to happen over night, but eventually your horse will figure out the cues and you will get the desired response. One other thing, make sure you keep your horse straight. This will cause him to stop. Don’t worry about him not stopping as quickly as you like as long as he comes to a stop. As I said before it takes time to get the desired response.

Good Luck and have fun with your horse!

This article is brought to you by Perfect Horse Gifts

If you like this article and would like to learn more or would like to send it to a friend, please feel free to do so. You can subscribe at: Perfect Horse Gifts or The Roundup

In the next article, we will discuss Patients… Be patient/tolerant, take the time do it right and you won’t have to go back and do it again and again. Helping your horse to understand what it is you want him to do.

Copyright © Mike Gorzalka All Rights Reserved Worldwide

*You have permission to publish this article*

electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the content of this article is not changed in any way and the author bylines are included.

If you choose to publish this article, I would appreciate a Quick e-mail letting me know where it will Be published. Mike@perfect-horse-gifts.com

*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in this article is of my personal opinions and beliefs and should not be taken as anything more.

A fellow blogger was always mentioning “puggles” to me. Then one day I went for a walk with my 3 dogs and my neighbour and her dog. She mentioned the labradoodles and goldendoodles to me. She had seen them on a t.v. show.

So, I decided to do some investigating. For those who want some information about these dogs, but not long scientific reports, here is my article. I went on a long internet journey, and I found out some amazing facts.

At first I though someone was maybe just getting bored, and decided to create a new breed of dog. But no, there are some very valid reasons for breeding these mixtures. Just read on, and you may find that there are reasons why you may want to look into one of these “oodle” dogs yourself.

As always, do lots of research and get lots of recommendations from current “oodle” owners. There are also forums and clubs that you can find on the internet. These can also help you decide if one of these is for you.

In the meantime, just enjoy learning something new, and when your neighbour tells you about an “oodle” dog, then you will know what they are talking about.

A Labradoodle is a crossbred dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle. Their temperament makes them good service and family dogs.

The impetus behind experiments with this type of cross was the desire to achieve a service dog that would not shed and so produce a hypoallergenic dog that is suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. This has not yet been reliably achieved, as Labradoodles have varying coat lengths and textures, and crosses beyond the first generation do not yield a predictable coat type.

The result of this cross produced intelligent, easily trainable puppies that were the beginning of the Labradoodle as we now know it. Crossing these two breeds also gave the Labradoodle a hybrid vigor and a variety of coat types.

Labradoodles combine the best of the 2 breeds.

Labradoodles are known to posses the gentle, sweet disposition of the retrievers combined with the intelligence and allergy friendly coats of the poodles. Labradoodles are wonderful with children and people who have special needs. They are non-aggressive, highly intelligent dogs that are extremely easy to train. They want nothing more than to please their people.

The Labradoodle can vary in size: Standard, Medium and Miniature

Color varies from chalk (milky white), shades of cream, gold, black, chocolate, red, caramel and silver.

Coat: Labradoodles usually have no body odor, require minimal bathing and brushing and rarely, if ever, attract fleas. They seldom shed hair but will need to be groomed.

Wooly: Somewhat like a poodle. Requires regular grooming and is allergy friendly.

Fleece: The ultimate coat. It is easily maintained, non shedding, allergy and asthma friendly.

Hair: Anything from flat and straight to curls down the back and possibly wavy. It can vary from minimally to profusely shedding. Not likely to be allergy friendly.

Allergy and Asthma sufferers - Labradoodles may be the breed for you! Check it out…

The Labradoodle is still under development. Strictly speaking, the labradoodle cannot yet be described as a dog breed because it does not breed true. Further, the breed standards of breeds-under-development are invariably freer, more open to interpretation and cover more observable types than those of established or kennel club-recognized breeds.

The term Goldendoodle (Golden Doodle) describes a hybrid dog, crossbred between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. This hybrid is often said to have begun in Australia, along with the Labradoodle;

US fanciers challenge this assertion. Poodle hybrids have become increasingly popular and it is likely that the combination of Golden Retriever and Poodle has been duplicated by breeders in various countries.

Goldendoodles are intelligent and obedient. The make great family pets and will be wonderful companions. They are vey social and devoted to family members. They are people dogs, good with kids and other dogs and pets, and friendly with strangers.

Goldendoodles are likely to get into mischief if they spend most of their lives alone or bored. (My golden retriever certainly gets in trouble when bored. I can vouch for that first hand.) They are intelligent and love to please, therefore, they are very easy to train. They are a medium to large size family dog with great temperaments.

When bred correctly, most of your first hybrid crosses are much healthier because they are NOT in-bred or line-bred or back-bred to their cousins, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. The Goldendoodle can work out well for those who suffer from allergies. They shed little to none, and they are very loving dogs. If you have allergy or dog hair concerns, look into a goldendoodle.

There are some amazing Labradoodle and Goldendoodle sites on the internet, with references to breeders in USA and Canada, and World Wide. These sites have some beautiful pictures of dogs and puppies. You will fall in love with them. I did instantly. That is why I posted about these dogs on my blog. And that is why I was so compelled to write about them.

Fleas are the most common external parasite of pets in North America. Fleas are small wingless insects that use their specialized mouth to pierce the skin and siphon blood from their host. When a flea bites, it injects a small amount of saliva into the skin to prevent the blood from coagulating. Some animals become sensitized to flea saliva and animals that are allergic can have severe itching and scratching from a single bite. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common disease among dogs.

Current flea control products are primarily either oral or topical systemic treatments. Most of the products may be used for prevention as well as to treat existing flea problems. One group of products control fleas by interrupting their development by killing or stopping the maturation of flea larvae and eggs. These drugs are called Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs). One common oral product used is lufenuron which is found in the Program® line of products which are administered orally in tablet or liquid form. Methoprene and pyriproxifen are also IGRs that are available as sprays or collars. The FDA shares regulation of these products with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because even the same products from other countries have not been approved by these agencies, it is illegal to purchase or import these products for use in the United States.

Currently the most popular flea control products kill adult fleas (adulticide), are applied topically and work rapidly. Popular topical products utilize fipronil which is the key ingredient in Frontline® Top Spot and imidacloprid which is in Advantage®. The most popular product on the market, Frontline Plus®, utilizes both an adulticide and an IGR. An oral adulticide that is also available is nitenpyram which is in Capstar® and begins to kill fleas in 30 minutes. Frontline Plus also kills ticks which makes it the most popular product where ongoing tick protection is required.

Consult with your veterinarian to determine which flea and tick control products are best for you. The choice of flea control will depend on your climate, environment, your pet’s activities, and potential for exposure. However, with consistent use, it is almost always possible to control your flea problem. Using these products throughout the year typically will eliminate the need for regular insecticidal use. The following provide additional summary information on selected popular products.

Program from Novartis®

Program is available as a once a month pill or oral liquid suspension to be given with a full meal. Adult fleas that ingest Program’s key ingredient, lufenuron, produce sterile eggs. Program does not kill adult fleas so pets remain susceptible to fleas hatching and maturing pupa already present in the environment. Therefore, some time may pass before the all fleas are killed in an environment. In order to stop the life cycle, every animal in the environment must receive lufenuron. Pets should also be sprayed with an adulticide during the first week or two of starting Program.

Advantage from Bayer®

Advantage is applied topically on both dogs and cats and seems to be very well-tolerated by sensitive cats. Advantage kills fleas within 24 hours and 100% protection can be maintained for cats for 21 days and 90% protection can be maintained for dogs for 28 days. Advantage is susceptible to washing off so dogs that are active outdoors and dogs that swim or must be bathed frequently should be re-treated frequently. Up to weekly re-treatment is allowed. The imidacloprid in Advantage does not effect ticks, but K-9Advantix, with permethrin does. K9 Advantix is only labeled for once a month K9 Advantix is ONLY FOR USE WITH DOGS and MUST NOT BE ADMINISTERED TO CATS.

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus And Frontline Top Spot from Merial®

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus, and Frontline Top Spot comprise the market leading Frontline flea control product line. The fipronil in Frontline products is a broad spectrum insecticide available as a spray or topical. Fipronil works by binding chemically to the pet’s hair and is absorbed through the follicle by the sebaceous glands. As a spray, fipronil kills fleas at 95% for over 80 days after application on dogs and for 1 month with biweekly bathing. Frontline is labeled for puppies and kittens as young as 8 weeks (10 weeks for Top Spot) and it is not washed off by bathing. Frontline is also affective against ticks. Some cats may show minor adverse reactions with high volume use of the alcohol based spray product which should be applied no more than once a month. Frontline Plus also contains the IGR, S-methoprene which inhibits the growth of immature fleas.

Capstar from Novartis®

Capstar is an oral tablet for dogs and cats that may be administered as young as 4 weeks of age. It offers extremely rapid and complete killing of adult fleas and is safe enough that the tablets may be used whenever fleas are seen on your pet as often as once per day. Capstar may be used in combination with an IGR to kill fleas immediately to compliment the long-term control of an IGR such as Program.

When it comes to man’s best friend, there is no greater joy than having a dog that you not only love, but that is also well behaved and pleasant tempered. I am a bonafide dog lover. I have had a dog almost my entire life. One of the key components to having a dog is in knowing how to get the best odedience training for your dog.

Does your dog chew furniture, or shoes? Does he/she show signs of separation anxiety by destroying your house when you leave? Does he pee in the house and refuse to be potty trained? The list goes on…

Before you decide to give up or get rid of your dog, please don’t. There is hope…

When a dog is properly trained and well behaved, he is not only more pleasant to be around, but you can enjoy the time spent with your dog much more. The reciprocal love between you and your dog is far more enjoyable if he behaves himself and listens to and obeys you. Avoiding the pain and displeasure of a dog that doesn’t behave well can be easily replaced by the the pleasure and many benefits of owning a great, well-behaved and loving dog.

I currently have a dog named Duke who is fifteen years old. Duke has always been well behaved and mild mannered. He is most definitely a member of our family and a fixture at all of our home events. If you would like to see an example of what odedience training for your dog can accomplish, Duke would be the poster child of a good, well behaved dog.

A dog that has been properly trained will result in much less stress for you and your dog. He will understand the proper things to do under all circumstances. He will not misbehave when you have company or visitors and will be a joy for both you and your guests to have around.

If you have a problem dog or, you are considering getting a dog, I would strongly suggest the following tips on odedience training for your dog:

Tip Number One: Select a dog that already exhibits signs of being well-mannered and loving…How does he respond to you or, even better, to your children?

Tip Number Two: Look for signs of your dog being in good health… A healthy dog can learn better.

Tip Number Three: Get a good resource book or course on obedience training for your dog… The least expensive and often the fastest way to train your dog.

Also, you can consider taking your dog to obedience school for professional training… Takes much longer and can be quite expensive… The training sessions should not last longer than 15 - 30 minutes or you’ll lose your dog’s attention.

If you are considering help on obedience training for your dog, I highly recommend Dove Crosswell’s excellent program - “Puppy Training and Dog Training Online.” Dove is an internationally recognized trainer who has trained dogs for several movie studios and television shows.

Obedience Training For Your Dog

When a beloved pet dies, some people simply accept the pet loss, as a regular part of life. People that have strong feelings for their pets are deeply affected by their grief. In taking responsibility for owning a pet, we accept the burden of every aspect for that pets life.As a pet grows from a baby to adult, that pets responsibility and affection becomes a way of life to us. This mutual bonding becomes an exchange of need and fulfillment between owner and pet. It’s ironic that we become dependent on our pets as well. We rely on their needing us.

When a pet eventually dies, as we all must, we are never prepared emotionally, from our pet loss. We first get an extreme case of separation anxiety. Our routine and patterns are disrupted abruptly by the loss of our pets. Understanding the phases of grief and mourning that other people have gone through, can help us through our loss and bereavement. Often the way we react depends upon the circumstances of how our love ones pass, and how attached we were to them.

Shock and Disbelief

This usually is the first stage. Weather the pets death was sudden or expected. It doesn’t seem real. We have trouble accepting the truth, and are not equipped to handle the reality of the pet loss. We all experience this to some degree.

Anger

When the numbness wears off, we are often overwhelmed by anger. This emotion must be released and let go. Withheld anger can become a potent force in self destructiveness. It is common to feel anger when something we love is taken away from us.

Depression and Grief

We feel overwhelmed and very sad at the loss of our love one. All we seem to care about is the loss of our pet,and our own misery. Appetite loss, and difficulty to sleep are signs of this emotion. Depression is the most normal of the stages to our pets death. We need some time And privacy to recover through our depression and grief.

Give Yourself Time

The length of time to recover varies with each individual. Some need more time and support than others. We have to give time for release of grief without diminishing the memory of our pet. We never lose a sense of bereavement for a pet. But we do learn to be less and less overwhelmed by their death.

Moving On

No matter what method you choose, a Pet Memorial, or Garden Memorial etc… You should offer a simple eulogy to help closure to the event. It’s a chance to be involved with the final experience with your pet. And to realize your loss and express feeling about it. It will give you a chance to say, “You are gone, but not forgotten”

Your relationship with your pet is very special. Keep them in your heart and they will never be forgotten.

If your dog could talk, these are some of most important things she would like to tell you…

1 - My life will probably only last 7 to 14 years. It will hurt me more than you know if I have to be away from you for longer than a day or two.

2 - If you have patience with me and give me time to learn what you would like from me, I can promise you, you will never be disappointed.

3 - Trust me with your life and have faith in our future together. If I don’t feel that you honestly believe in me, I will suffer great emotional stress. My sense of self-worth is totally dependent upon your confidence in me.

4 - Don’t stay mad at me for long or confine me to a cage to punish me. You have your friends, your job, and your recreation. I HAVE ONLY YOU!

5 - Talk to me about anything you want as frequently as possible. Even if I can’t comprehend your precise words, I can understand the meaning of what you’re telling me by the tone of your voice.

6 - Remember no matter how you treat me, I will NEVER forget it.

7 - When you consider raising your hand to hit me, remember I have teeth that could break the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8 - Before you scream at me for failing to respond to your commands as I usually do, take time to think about what might be wrong with me that would cause me to treat you differently. Maybe I haven’t been eating right or drinking enough water. Or maybe my age is catching up with me and I just can’t do what I used to do.

9 - Take good care of me when I get old. Someday you will be as old as me and you will see how it feels.

10 - Be there for me through good times and bad. Never say you can’t handle taking me to the vets for stitches or surgery. Nothing could make me feel worse. Everything in my life is easier for me to deal with when I have you standing by my side. Remember my love for you is unconditional and it will last for your entire life.

Snoopy was comfortable sleeping in the snow on top of the dog house. Your pooch would rather stay warm in a comfortable sweater or fleece t-shirt.

Today, dog sweaters and fleece t-shirts are quality garments. Don’t even both with those silly acrylic things pet stores use to carry and some still do carry. The dog sweaters and fleece t-shirts designed today are made of fine wools, angora, mohair, cashmere and top of the line fleece.

Finding the right fit for a sweater and/or fleece t-shirt can be a little tricky, but this also is much improved with sizes ranging from xxxs to xxxl, many are custom made to your dog’s specific measurements. There is just as much variation in dog sizes as there are in human size clothing.

Sweaters and fleece t-shirts do have some leeway since they usually stretch a bit.

When trying on the sweater or fleece t-shirt the following is some points you need to take into consideration:

• The garment should fit around the neck comfortably.

• The legs should have a comfortable fit.

• If the sweater or fleece t-shirt has sleeves, can the dog walk and move freely? The armholes should be large enough to allow movement, but snug enough to keep the warmth inside the sweater or fleece t-shirt.

• If the sweater is held on with straps and ties, make sure they are loose enough to be comfortable and tight enough to not get snagged when your dog plays.

• Be sure there is plenty of clearance for potty time.

• If your long-haired dog is cut short or is just about to be cut short, remember the amount of hair affects the fit.

Getting in and out of the sweater or fleece t-shirt easily is an absolutely must. The same sweater or fleece t-shirt may work perfectly on one dog and be most difficult to get on and off of another dog. A sweater or fleece t-shirt that is an easy fit for a sleek Miniature Pinscher might not work so well for a Pekingese.

Cardigan sweaters are easiest to get on and off if they close on the back rather than the front of your dog. Zippers on sweaters can make it easier to get in and out of the sweater, but be sure that a zipper is not going to get caught in your dog’s coat, and that the zipper is easy to slide open and closed. If the sweater comes with a Velcro fastener, make sure the Velcro is placed in a way that it doesn’t get caught in your dog’s coat.

Sweaters that have sleeves for all four legs can be more difficult to get on and off and can be more difficult to size correctly for your dog. These types of sweaters do add more warmth, however.

When looking for quality in your dog clothes remember that a high price is not always the hallmark of quality in dog clothing. Quality can mean seams are well-sewn and that the yarn or material is soft and comfortable, but the price tag be minimal. Most owners keep their dog’s tummy trimmed short for cleanliness and the material touching this tender area of the dog should be comfortable for the dog. Also be sure the material is comfortable for you when you hold your dog in your arms. Comfort for you the owner also means quality in the garment.

If you are looking for maximum warmth for wear on a blustery cold day, look for sweaters made of wool. If you live in warmer climates of if the sweater is mostly for indoor use, synthetic fabrics and fleece t-shirts are fine.

Dogs have long been known as “man’s best friend”. If you own a dog, you’ve likely already discovered the truth of that statement. Our dogs bring us hours of joy and companionship, provide unconditional love, and ask very little in return. But your dog does rely on you to provide the care required to keep your dog healthy, safe, and happy.

Fortunately, there are many simple things you can do to help maintain your dog’s health.

One of the most important things you can do for your dog is to make sure your dog is kept up-to-date on all necessary vaccinations.

Vaccinations, often simply called “shots”, work to protect your dog against many different illnesses which could be quite serious, even fatal, for your dog should your dog catch these diseases. When your dog is fully vaccinated, these diseases no longer pose a significant threat to your dog. Your dog’s veterinarian can easily help you determine which vaccinations your dog needs and how often your dog needs to be vaccinated. This will vary depending on your dog’s individual lifestyle, your dog’s risk of exposure, your dog’s age, and your dog’s previous vaccination history. If you are unsure which vaccinations your dog needs, or are not sure whether your dog is vaccinated properly, please contact your dog’s veterinarian at once.

Another very simple thing that you can do for your dog’s health is to make sure your dog is protected against heartworms. Heartworms are, as the name suggests, worms which live inside of your dog’s heart. They can cause a great deal of damage to your dog’s heart in a very short period of time. Your dog can be exposed to heartworms very easily through the bite of a mosquito.

Fortunately, preventing heartworms is easy and safe, through the use of medications which only need to be administered on a monthly basis. If your dog has not previously been tested for heartworms, a simple blood test performed by your dog’s veterinarian can determine whether or not your dog is already infected before starting the preventive medication.

Fleas and ticks are another risk to your dog’s health. Both fleas and ticks can cause significant health problems for your dog. Your dog can also carry these insects into your home where they may also pose a health threat to you and our family. You should check your dog’s skin and hair coat regularly for evidence of fleas and ticks and act immediately if you find evidence of them on your dog. Luckily, there are a number of very effective flea and tick medications which are not only safe but easy to use. These products can help keep your dog free of fleas and ticks and assist you in keeping your dog healthy and happy.

Keeping your dog free of internal parasites, frequently called “worms”, is another task which is necessary to keep your dog healthy. Finding out whether your dog is infected with worms is as easy as collecting a small fecal sample to be tested by your dog’s veterinarian. Do not assume that your dog has no worms because you do not see them in the stool. Your dog’s veterinarian has special laboratory techniques which find the worm eggs in your dog’s feces. These eggs are too small for you to be able to see. If your dog’s veterinarian finds worms in your dog’s feces, there are medications which can safely and effectively be used to rid your dog of these worms. Your dog’s veterinarian can provide the proper medication for your dog.

Besides preventing the birth of unwanted puppies, spaying or neutering your dog has a number of health benefits for your dog also.

Female dogs that are spayed at a young age are less likely to develop breast cancers later in life and cannot develop the serious, life-threatening uterine infections that unspayed female dogs frequently suffer from.

Neutered male dogs are less likely to develop prostate problems later in life. In addition, your dog’s personality and behavior will only improve when spayed or neutered.

Lastly, regular physical examinations by your dog’s veterinarian can help detect subtle signs of illness in your dog before the illness becomes serious. Often, early intervention and treatment can solve medical problems even before your dog’s health begins to suffer as a result of them. In some instances, early intervention and treatment may drastically prolong the life of your dog.

Copyright 2006 The Pet Med Site

No animal has done more for the advancement of humankind than the horse. That said, it’s hard to imagine ever using the horse as a source of food. But of course, that’s how the man-horse relationship began.

The history books contain many references to the horse as prey some 50,000 years ago, when Cro-Magnon man had to hunt for his food. Seems that no one knows for sure just when or how the horse first became a helper to man. But many have reasoned that when early Cro-Magnon man needed to move his encampments from place to place, he started using the more docile horses as pack animals. So that would mark the beginnings of horse domestication.

Historians also believe that as man progressed from hunter to farmer, he continued using horses for food but also as helpers for herding. This would have brought about the need to jump on the horse’s back and follow along behind the herd. And that would mark the beginnings of the horse as a means of transportation for humans.

Recent archeological excavations in the Ukraine unearthed horses’ teeth and evidence of the first “bridle.” These findings have brought the experts to conclude that the beginnings of horseback riding began with the nomadic tribes of what is now Eastern Europe, in about 4000 BC. However, riding wouldn’t really catch on until long after the invention of the wheel and the preferred use of horses as draft animals.

It is believed that the horse’s domestication as a draft animal began sometime between 3000 and 2000 BC. Faster than the oxen and equids that had first been used to pull wheeled vehicles, the horse soon took over and this spawned the ever-improving development of yokes, breast straps, collars, bits and bridles.

Inevitably the horse was to become a major tool of warfare. Around 1350 BC the Hittite king Suppililiuma decided to go to war against the Mitannians, bought large numbers of horses, and engaged the services of a Mitannian horsemaster named Kikkuli. After defecting from the Mitanni, Kikkuli turned the king’s horses into war machines that were ridden into battle until the king’s militia had totally destroyed the Mitanni.

Now the bonding of man and horse had truly begun. Still, horseback riding was not for the elite, much less the general populace. For hundreds of years, horses were bred to be warhorses. But when Xenophon wrote “The Art of Horsemanship” in around 400 BC, the time was approaching when people would ride horses for more than herding, hunting and fighting.

Although America’s wild horses had been tamed by the Indians, it is said that the Spanish explorers brought the first domesticated horses to North America in 1519 AD.

By the early 1700s, Rhode Island had become America’s principal horse breeding state. Horses became the primary means of transportation, soon carrying riders on their backs and pulling people and materials in wheeled vehicles across the vastness of the New World.

By the 1800s the horse was a necessity of urban and rural life. The horse helped us build cities, farm the land, fight wars and settle a continent. No animal has done more for humankind.

Goldendoodle and Labradoodle breeder Michael Waggenbach, of Sunshine Acres feels, “For a therapy dog, the Goldendoodle is the better choice. I’m not sure what it is, but they don’t tend to dust all the tabletops when walking into a hospital or an elderly home, where the Labradoodles’ tails are going back forth so fast they dust every thing off.”

During an interview with Indiana Doodle Owners Group founder Beth Line, she said, “There’s a very distinct difference between Labradoodles and Goldendoodles,” Beth said. “As an owner and observer of behavioral traits I see a big difference. It takes more to convince the Labradoodles to come into your environment – into your space. They will evaluate you before they walk into your area. And, they’re very loyal, friendly, all the things Labs are, but they need to be convinced that walking into your space is a good idea. They won’t come right in.”

“They’re also strong. They have very strong necks and they’re going to pull more. And their coats are going to be different. I tell the difference between the F1 Labradoodle and Goldendoodle by their coat. It stands to reason a labs coat is short. Add some poodle to it and it’s going to have some length and weight. However, you aren’t going to find a six inch long wavy, curly coat on an F1 Labradoodle because there’s nowhere for that 6-inches to come from genetically. A lab has a short coat and the poodle has curl.

“Labradoodles (F1) are also going to tend to go more terrier like – wiry. They also tend to be weightier and their body shape will be a little boxier.”

“The Goldendoodle on the other hand, when they reach their adult coats, their hair is going to grow 4 to 6 inches long and has a wavy look or a curl to it because of the poodle. It’s the same formula, more curl equals less shedding and more wave equals higher shedding.”

“Conceptually, Golden Retrievers influence the Goldendoodle causing them to be more zestful. They’ll come into your space immediately. They don’t sit back, they come into it immediately and are happy to visit with you. They are happy, affectionate, and happy to roll on you. They don’t have the delay of making a decision. They make their decision well before they decide to come to you.”

“Goldendoodles are mouthier. Their mouth will be more active when they are puppies and you have to train them not to be mouthy, because they’ll use that mouth on you somewhere! That’s where they get their information. I have trained my Goldendoodles not to put their mouths on people by simply taking one of their other natural tendencies (retrieving) and replacing the mouthing with retrieving a toy. Their natural desire to retrieve keeps their mouths occupied with a toy.”

“So, they are mouthier than the Labradoodle puppy. I referred to the Goldendoodle as a very zestful and happy with life kind of being. The Labradoodle has a sense of loyalty and appreciation, whereas the Goldendoodle has a wonderful, life of the party, personality.”

Copyright by Edie MacKenzie. All Rights Reserved.