Pet Information

Last week, Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton, Mass., released its new and improved website, greyhound.org, an information clearinghouse for all matters related to greyhounds, adoption, retirement from racing, and love…

For anyone unfamiliar with the effect of a greyhound, a visit to this site is a potential eye-opener. A little more than three years ago, we adopted our first greyhound. Her name was Amber, a nod perhaps to the tawny colored stone, which matched the shade of some of her spots. Or maybe it was her mild manner, combined with the mystery of hidden riches, the result of many wins and a bejeweled distinction. At six years of age, she was old by racing standards, but a mere pup in the vernacular of my children, who finally got their long awaited baby.

Being a teenager is hard. Above all, there is the physical part of rapid transformations; not to mention the emotional and intellectual aspects. The entire brain is flooded with chemicals, causing a myriad of changes, many of which result in an intensity of feeling about most things familiar, and a corresponding need for comfort and reassurance and stability.

As a racetrack survivor, Amber understood all of that. Maybe it was the chemicals that flooded her own brain- steroids used to enhance her performance, or perhaps a derivative of amphetamine to give that extra boost of intensity. Or it could have been cortisol, the all-natural stress hormone which can be released under the duress of an all-too-common beating… Whatever it was, Amber really understood angst; she was a buddha amongst race-track war mongers. Amber knew about abuse and she knew how to give comfort like no other…

Amber lived for nine more months, and died via euthanasia, at Angel Memorial Hospital. We all were there to administer the shot and to say our good byes, cradling her head and kissing her nose… She suffered from lymphoma, an aggressive cancer which loaded her belly with fluids, to the point of near-suffocation, and death. A brief review of the literature on greyhounds, revealed to my 14 year old daughter, that performance enhancing drugs and lymphoma is a possible link; a cause indeed, of premature death among many greyhounds—many beloved pups, babies and pets of countless receptive and compassionate teenagers everywhere.

Since Amber’s death, we adopted another greyhound, who is, thankfully, alive and well, and similarly conditioned to be loveable, patient and ever so wise. For parents who worry about safeguarding their teen, a greyhound is a superior antidote— one which bears witness, quiet and careful, helping to protect our children from any number of possible perils….

The dogs which take their name from the island of Newfoundland appeal to all lovers of animals.There are now two established varieties, the black and the white and black. There are also bronze-coloured dogs, but they are rare.

The black variety of the Newfoundland is essentially black in colour, but this does not mean that there may be no other colour, for most black Newfoundlands have some white marks. In fact, a white marking on the chest is said to be typical of the true breed. Any white on the head or body would place the dog in the other than black variety. The black colour should preferably be of a dull jet appearance which approximates to brown.

In the other than black class, there may be black and tan, bronze, and white and black. The latter predominates, and in this colour, beauty of marking is very important. The head should be black with a white muzzle and blaze, and the body and legs should be white with large patches of black on the saddle and quarters, with possibly other small black spots on the body and legs.

Apart from colour, the varieties should conform to the same standard. The head should be broad and massive, but in no sense heavy in appearance. The muzzle should be short, square, and clean cut, eyes rather wide apart, deep set, dark and small, not showing any haw; ears small, with close side carriage, covered with fine short hair (there should be no fringe to the ears), expression full of intelligence, dignity, and kindness.

The body should be long, square, and massive, loins strong and well filled; chest deep and broad; legs quite straight, somewhat short in proportion to the length of the body, and powerful, with round bone well covered with muscle; feet large, round, and close. The tail should be only long enough to reach just below the hocks, free from kink, and never curled over the back. The quality of the coat is very important; the coat should be very dense, with plenty of undercoat; the outer coat somewhat harsh and quite straight.

The appearance generally should indicate a dog of great strength, and very active for his build and size, moving freely with the body swung loosely between the legs, which gives a slight roll in gait. As regards size, the Newfoundland Club standard gives 140 lbs. to 120 lbs. weight for a dog, and 110 lbs. to 120 lbs. for a bitch, with an average height at the shoulder of 27 inches and 25 inches respectively’ but it is doubtful whether dogs in proper condition do conform to both requirements.

When rearing puppies give them soft food, such as well-boiled rice and milk, as soon as they will lap, and, shortly afterwards, scraped lean meat. Newfoundland puppies require plenty of meat to induce proper growth. The puppies should increase in weight at the rate of 3 lbs. a week, and this necessitates plenty of flesh, bone and muscle-forming food, plenty of meat, both raw and cooked. Milk is also good, but it requires to be strengthened with casein.

The secret of growing full-sized dogs with plenty of bone and substance is to get a good start from birth, good feeding, warm, dry quarters, and freedom for the puppies to move about and exercise themselves as they wish. Forced exercise may make them go wrong on their legs. Medicine should not be required except for worms, and the puppies should be physicked for these soon after they are weaned, and again when three or four months old, or before that if they are not thriving.

If free from worms, Newfoundland puppies will be found quite hardy, and, under proper conditions of food and quarters, they are easy to rear.

The Andalusian lineage dates back to prehistoric times. Cave paintings, discovered on the Iberian Peninsula and dated 20000 to 30000 B.C., show the Iberian Horse clearly. It is thought that as time progressed, the breed was influenced by strains of horses from the French Celts, Carthaginians, Romans, several Germanic tribes, and the Moors.

This noble breed was cited by the Greek philosopher and commander of the army, Xenophon, as being a deciding element in his army’s victory over Sparta. The noted commander, Hannibal, used Andalusians when he invaded Italy. Both of these esteemed warriors waxed eloquent in their praise of the Spanish Horse.

Richard de Belisme, Duke of Shrewsbury, is credited with importing Andalusians to Britain in 1188. During the reign of Richard I, the knights of his Court favored the steed for combat and tournaments. And the Duke of Newcastle wrote in 1667 of the great attributes of the breed.

In 1580, some of the finest specimens of the breed were imported to Lipizza (then Italy, now Slovenia) to be bred with native stock and form the foundation of the famous Lipizzaners. Periodically the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria would re-introduce an Andalusian to the bloodline, in order to maintain the original qualities which were so desirable in the Lipizzaners. Their efforts helped to establish the school as a living monument to the art of classical equitation and the Andalusian breed was an important factor in this.

Many breeds of horses have been improved, through careful crossbreeding, by the introduction of the Andalusian strain to their bloodlines. In fact the Andalusian has been instrumental and the most influential strain in strengthening, creating, and improving breeds around the world. Not only the Lipizzaners, but most of the German warmbloods, the Connemara of Ireland, the Cleveland Bay of England, the American Quarter Horse, and the Paso Fino of South America have at their roots the blood of the Andalusian.

The Domestic Long Hair is the same breed of cat as the Domestic Short Hair, but with longer fur. It is descended from cats that were brought to America aboard ships to hunt rats and was selectively bred in America into today’s Domestic Long Hair. The name Domestic Long Hair is given to cats whose parentage is in question; otherwise, it is referred to as an American Long Hair and only American Long Hairs can be show cats.

This long haired cat does require regular grooming if it does not like to groom itself and must be bathed every one to two weeks as part of the grooming process. For this reason, and many others, Domestic Long Hair cats do not make good outdoor cats – their coats are prone to matting which, if not attended to properly, can lead to infections.

Domestic Long Hair coats can come in a wide range of colors and patterns – there is no standard or predictability in color. This breed of cat also has almost as many different personalities so it is relatively easy to find a suitable cat for any environment and family. There is no average weight for this breed, but Domestic Long Hairs tend to be a medium sized cat. On average, they will live for twelve to twenty years.

Domestic Long Hairs are a hearty breed of cat (as part of their ‘working cat’ heritage) and do not have any specific medical problems or concerns, but they can be prone to obesity so it is important to monitor their diet.

There is a website that has great information on the Domestic Long Hair and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url =>http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully, through careful observation on a daily basis, they can be diagnosed and treated. Carefully check your fish on a daily basis, looking for abnormal growths, any change in the body of the fish, or damage to the scales, fins, or body covering. Look for the presence of parasites, and watch swimming behavior, to see if there is any chnage in their habits. Making a daily visual diagnosis is of utmost importance to the health and happiness of your fish friends.

The most common skin ailments are White Spot Disease, Velvet Disease, parasitic infestations, eye diseases, Mouth fungus, Fungus, Anchor Worm, Fish Louse, Ulcer Disease, Septicemia, and stress.

Let’s take them in order:

1. White Spot Disease: Look for visible spots on the skin. Ichtyophtirius or White Spot Disease presents as spots that are distinct and separate.

2. Velvet Disease: Are spots numerous and dusty in appearance? Is your fish of the freshwater type? If so, then the fish is probably suffering from Oodinium limneticum, or Velvet Disease.

3. If parts of the skin is excessively slimy, and this slime is cloudy and covering most of the fish’s body, then suspect a parasitic infestation. Generally, they will be infested with one of three different parasites - Costia,Chilodonella, or Trichodina.

4. If the slime noted in number three is covering the eye only, then suspect an eye disease, usually caused by improper handling and poor water conditions.

5. If there is slime around the mouth that presents as fine, tufty, and very short filaments, then chances are good that your fish is suffering from Mouth Fungus.

6. If the slime on the fish’s body is filamentous and tufty in appearance like cotton, then suspect a Fungus.

7. If a parasite is visible, and is worm-shaped in appearance, then your problem is probably Anchor Worm.

8. Again, if a parasite is visible, and is round in shape, suspect Fish Louse.

9. If an ulcer is visible on the fish’s body, then suspect an ulcer disease, which is caused by bacteria, and may indicate that the fish suffers from Septicemia.

10. If the skin is reddened, and appears dull, then the chances of Septicemia are high. Septicemia is a bacterial conditional, and a serious threat to your fish.

11. If the same conditions exist in a long finned cold-water fish, you may have a fish that has been subjected to sudden changes in tank conditions, such as rapidly rising/falling temperatures and PH levels.

If careful observation is used, you will be able to quickly detect and diagnose skin conditions in your aquarium. Remember, if you cannot make a diagnosis, check with a vet that specializes in fish disease.

A German breed descending from mastiffs, the Boxer was originally bred for the purpose of hunting. The first Boxers were bred to be fierce but these traits are not seen today. Boxers today tend to be gentle, loving and energetic dogs. They are stocky dogs of a medium size. Male Boxers will grow to an average height of 22 to 25 inches and weight of 60 to 70 pounds. Females Boxers will reach an average height of 21 to 24 inches and weight of 53 to 65 pounds. Boxers have an average life span of 11 to 14 years. Their coats are smooth and shorthaired, making Boxers easy to groom. In fact, Boxers tend to be ‘clean freaks’ and will clean themselves regularly. Generally, Boxer coats come in only two colors: brindle and fawn.

Some Boxers have white markings on them, known as flash, which can extend all over making them appear white. Boxers have short muzzles and their lower jaws extend past their upper ones. This gives them a very secure bite, something useful when they were hunting. Boxers are considered highly intelligent and easy to train. However, they can be independent thinkers and this can make them stubborn and sneaky. Though energetic they are gentle with children and other animals (if properly socialized) and make an excellent family pet.

They enjoy playing with children and will protect its family when a stranger approaches. Once introduced to the stranger, though, he will become a friend and the Boxer will greet him with enthusiasm in the future. Boxers are energetic dogs that love to run, jump, fetch and play so once daily exercise at a minimum is required. Boxers tend to be fairly active indoors and may become destructive if not given time to ‘burn off some steam.’ A well fenced in yard (if off leash) is also a must. Boxers are prone to many medical problems. Due to their short snouts, they tend to snore and drool, and have difficulty regulating their body temperature, making it difficult for them to live in locations where temperature extremes are common.

Boxers are also more likely to develop cardiomyopathy, sub-aortic stenosis, and hip dysplasia. Some Boxers are prone to epilepsy, and from age eight on they are more likely to get tumors than other breeds. They tend to have allergies and some Boxers may have excessive flatulence. Some white Boxers are prone to deafness. Boxers may also develop corneal dystrophy or Demodectic mange and some are prone to bloat. torsion (bloat) and if they do not get enough exercise will quickly become obese, leading to other health problems.

There is a website that has great information on Boxers and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2006

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

If choosing dog is such a straight forward process, and it is,

how come so many puppies find their way into adoption centres

every year? Well one reason is that people choose the wrong dog

breed.

Don’t let your puppy become a statistic. Make it your goal to

choose a puppy suited to your family and circumstances. Think

about your previous experience of owning a dog and the amount of

time you have for training, grooming and exercising. Look at

your health including possible allergies, your financial

resources and the amount of space in your house and yard. Most

of all work out how much time you have for a dog.

Of all the different factors in choosing a the right dog breed,

among the most important is the relationship you want with your

dog. Some breeds by nature are rather aloof and elegant, others

are independent and energetic while others are dependent or

submissive. If you want to do specialized training, consider

breeds known for courage and trainability. If you want an

affectionate pet, choose a breed that typically likes to be

close to its people.

To ensure that your puppy fits in with your lifestyle begin by

asking yourself these questions:

a) How much time can I spend with my dog, a social creature who

craves companionship? - If your time is limited don’t get a

breed which can become dependent on their owners.

b) How much exercise can I give my dog? - If you hate exercise,

buy a small dog happy with a short walk. If you like to walk the

mountains all day long get a dog breed which likes a lot of

exercise.

c) How much grooming can I do? - If you hate grooming, buy a

short-haired dog.

d) How much training can I give? - If you have limited time,

choose a breed known for ease of training.

e) How much room do I have? - If you live in a small apartment

don’t get a large dog!

f) What characteristics do I want in my dog? - Think of words

like independent, energetic, submissive, affectionate,

protective, quiet, funny or sociable. Try to match them to the

characteristics of your family members. Your dog will fit in

much better if you do.

Finding The Right Dog Breed

Once you have answered these questions it is time to go out and

find the right dog breed for you. The internet is a great place

to start. Just go to your favourite search engine and type in

something like “dog breed information” or “dog breeds” and you

will find some excellent sites giving detailed information about

each breed.

Note the characteristics of the different breeds. What is best

for your situation: large or small, male or female, purebred or

mix? Short coat or shaggy coat? A dog needing lots or little

exercise? A lot or little daily grooming? Think through your

choices in detail and compare this information to your

requirements and make a short list.

Next ask people you trust about the dog breeds you are

interested in. Ask friends, family members and co-workers for

suggestions of dog breeds they think would be good for you and

your family. Ask them to be honest about the good points and bad

points of the breeds they suggest. Visit dog training schools

and breeders and ask about the dogs your think may be suitable.

Follow up on and meet the breeds you feel are a good match.

Finally make every effort when choosing a puppy to make your

final choice of a dog breed a family decision. Your dog will be

part of the family, and each member needs to feel a sense of

ownership for the dog and a willingness to help in its care.

So there you have it a short guide to choosing a puppy that will

fit into your family perfectly and bring years of fun and

happiness

The Chinese Crested is a loving and affectionate little dog that needs to be kept indoors due to temperature sensitivity. She is fairly active indoors and just needs that occasional walk. She can tend to dig and climb but barks little. She needs special care with her teeth and hairless varieties need their skin moisturized. It can be very difficult to find puppies for sale.

*Good With Children? They love children and are generally very affectionate. They are a delicate breed so children need to be very careful not to injure them. As a reminder, never leave a young child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.

*Good With Other Pets? They generally do well with other pets, especially if socialized with them early on.

*Temperament: This is a very loving and affectionate dog.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Chinese Crested is approximately 9 to 13 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and around 5 to 12 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Chinese Crested is no exception. Be on the look out for skin allergies, patella luxation (congenital condition in which the kneecap dislocates), Legg-Perthes disease (hip joint disease, proabably genetic, affects hip joint and results in arthritis or inflamation and pain and lameness). The hairless variety appears to have more medical issues than the Powderpuffs (fully haired variety). The hairless will need sunscreen if exposed to much sun, plus they can have teeth problems and should not be given hard chew items like bones. Additionally, the hairless versions may have allergic reactions to wool and lanolin. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. The Chinese Crested comes in two varieties, one with hair on just the head, tail and feet and the other completely covered in hair called the Powderpuff. The Powderpuff has a double soft and silky coat which can tangle easily. She needs to be groomed daily to help keep her from matting. The hairless needs bathing frequently and oils rubbed into her skin, but avoid lanolin or products containing lanolin. They do not shed much and may be a good choice for allergy sufferers.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

*Life Span. The Chinese Crested can live between 10 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History of Chinese Crested. They were developed in thirteenth century China through mixing the Chihuahua and Mexican Hairless Dog. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1991

Some Registries:

*American Chinese Crested Club

*UKC United Kennel Club

*NKC National Kennel Club

*CKC Continental Kennel Club

*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.

*AKC American Kennel Club

*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale

*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club

*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain

*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club

*ACR = American Canine Registry

Litter Size: 2 to 4 Chinese Crested puppies

Category: Toy

Terms To Describe: Loving, playful, entertaining, friendly, fine boned, graceful, elegant, loving, gay, alert

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS

Odorless when hairless.

Loving companion dog.

They do not bark much.

This is a very clean dog.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS

They like to climb.

They are diggers.

Can be injured due to the lack of protective hair.

They can have bad breath.

High and low temperature sensitivity.

*Other Names Known By: Chinese Powder Puff

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.