Computer is Down

Hey all, sorry it's been so long that I haven't posted but my computer is down. I have many great blog posting that will be coming up soon. Be patient and keep an eye out. 

Saturday Quick Breed - Border Collies

Border Collie

Border Collie means "something useful" and comes from the counties between Scotland and England.

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Marianna! She has won the Shorty's Gourmet Treats Review and Giveaway, she has won any item from the online etsy store of Shorty's Gourmet Treats.

Review and Giveaway

The All You Review is doing a review and giveaway with General Mills, she is giving away 2 boxes of Turtle Chex Mex bars. There will be 3 winners chosen.

Our New Family Member

 

During the past couple on months my family and I have been actively searching for an addition to our small family. Several times in our search we found many potential family members.  However we got our hopes up and we got let down every single time.  We have always wanted to have a Bulldog, they are absolutely adorable.  The way they snort, snore and even the way they wag their nub of a tail and rear end when they are excited.  Even though finding a Bulldog puppy or adult is easy through breeders or rescue groups, we were not looking to spend much money at all.  We had discussed that instead of spending the money on a purebred; we could easily look for someone who was in the market of adopting out their dog and use the money we saved on vet bills and etc.  It was so heart breaking finding out every time we had a potential dog someone else snagged it. 

 

On one occasion I had went online and saw that a young woman was adopting out her two year purebred Olde English Bulldog and American Pitt Bull Terrier due to she had just given birth to a baby boy.  She unfortunately was unable to keep them due to she couldn't give them the attention they deserved.  Which is understandable since a baby is a huge responsibility and it is not fair to the dogs of the family.  Even though she was 45 minutes away I decided to email her and inform her that I was looking to adopt her Olde English.  Well about an hour later I received a phone call from her and made an appointment as soon as possible to come and see the dog.  Well the soonest was 2 days away.  On the day of the appointment I called her to confirm and she had told me that she had two appointments before mine for people to come and see the dog, however if I wanted to I could come earlier before anyone else showed up.  Well it was a Saturday and my nephews T-ball game was today as well as I told my sister that I would take her so she can get a tattoo.  I knew that if it were meant to be the dog would still be there at my scheduled appointment time.  After I was done with everything I went home and she left a message saying the dog went with the first family.  I was so sad and heart-broken, but I got over it soon.

 

That same day an associate my better half works with told us that he works for the local Humane Society and that a 6 month old English Bulldog puppy just came in and only he and his boss knows about it.  He informed us to call him on Monday to come in because the puppy was being fixed and we should see about adopting it before it goes in for surgery.  Well we got there 30 minutes before they opened so no one else had a chance to get the puppy.  It turns out the puppy already was adopted, the Humane Society was open on Sunday and someone snagged it before we had a chance.  We woke up early for nothing. So, now here is the kicker.  I went back online a week later to see if anyone else was adopting out a bulldog and the lady who was adopting out the Olde English, re-posted the add.  I talked to her and apparently the other family said that he didn't work out with their other dog.  She tried to call me but she deleted my email and couldn't find my number.  Five minutes later I was on the road and in 45 minutes I was there.  I brought him home and I recalled my thoughts a week earlier.  If it is meant to be, it'll happen.  His name is Dominic and he is a 2-year-old puppy.  He climbs into our laps and sleeps/snores.  He's a great dog and we are happy he's part of our family. In fact right now, he is lying under my coffee table front paws resting on my feet.

Saturday Quick Breed - Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers have been dated all the way back to the sixteenth century.  They were seen working with fisherman from Newfoundland.  The Labrador Retrievers are also known as Labrador Newfoundland's.

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Top 20 Things You Should Know When Buying A Puppy

"The Top 20 things you should look for before buying a purebred"

 

 

Here are some tips on what to look for as well as some questions to ask.

 

Always physically check the dog:

 

            1. Check the inside of the ears

                        (You're checking for mites-black pencil dot specs that move, a yeasty odor and/or any bruises/cuts)

            2. Check the skin and fur

                        (Are there any fleas, ticks, ringworms or bruises/cuts?

            3. Check inside the mouth for discoloration, bleeding and/or a foul smell

                        (You're smelling for an infection)

            4. Last the nose and eyes

                        (Is the nose dry or excreting any fluid? Are the eyes crusty or have excess eye goop? Do they look clouded?)

 

 

Ask questions:

 

            5. Is the puppy current on vaccinations?

            6. Are there any health issues, hereditary or not?

            7. Was the puppy a result of in-breeding?

            8. Were there any complications during pregnancy or during birth?

            9. Did the Veterinarian give the puppy a clean bill of health?

            10. Did the puppy test positive for anything?

                        (Parvo or Worms)

            11. Is the puppy a purebred, are the parents registered, and is the puppy registered?

 

 

Ask for proof

 

            12. Do you have documentation from the Veterinarian showing proof of vaccinations and a clean bill of health?

                        (This would show if the puppy tested positive for anything)

            13. Any other veterinarian documentation

                        (Such as if the puppy was born at the hospital, it would prove their was no complications)

            14. If purebred, ask to see the parent's paperwork and his paperwork

            15. Finally ask if you have permission to verify all health related questions with the veterinarian

                        (Be sure they call the veterinarian first and give permission for you to get the info.)

 

 

Be cautious

 

            16. Make sure you look up the Veterinarians phone number and not to assume the phone number they gave you is true.             There are people who forge veterinary paperwork and have a friend or family member on the other side of the phone number             they gave you.

            17. If they do not have any paperwork on them, take the steps to contact their veterinarian with their permission.

            18.If they claim that the puppy is a purebred but have no paperwork for them or the parents and they are charging you            money for the puppy, in my opinion don't get the puppy. There is no proof the puppy is purebred without the proper            paperwork.  People pay breeders for purebreds because they are proven to be a purebred. Without the paperwork on             the parents or the puppy, it's just another puppy.

            19. Watch for evasiveness, a peddler not answering questions usually means they are hiding something or lying about            something.

            20. If they refuse permission for you to get the info from the veterinarian, they are probably lying about the puppy's health

 

 

As a final note, information is they key. The more you have the more you know so you don't end up paying big time in the end.

 

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

A Caution on Vaccines

Concerns in over vaccination have risen greatly in the past years.  We know that giving boosters annually or even more frequently is recommended by most veterinarians.  However when these frequent boosters are not needed to the companion animal they are costing the owner greatly for a service that is not needed and create a false sense of protection from these infectious diseases.  You as the owner should be aware of your pet's health and be sure to do the research as to what vaccines and boosters will benefit your animal and in what time frames the boosters should be administered.  Since not all vaccines are required depending on the area you live in be sure that your pet is not being vaccinated for a disease that most likely will not affect your pet.  This is the same when it comes to prevention. Why spend the extra money on heartworm, flea and/or parasite prevention if you live in an area where these issues are rare and uncommon. 

 

As an example I spent five years in Tampa, Florida taking care of Coal and Cheyenne. Coal and Cheyenne are half Bullmastiff and half Rhodesian Ridgeback. They weighed a good 90 to 110 pounds each. On total I spent $90 on heartworm/parasite prevention and $70 on flea prevention each, every six months.  This comes out to $640 annually and does not include the cost of a heartworm test and a fecal annually for each dog.  I currently reside in Northern Nevada where fleas, parasites and heartworm cases are uncommon if not rare. If I had not done my research correctly I would still be spending that much a month on prevention when it is not needed.  Now I can save that money for more important things for my pets. 

 

Through my research I've come to see there are a few vaccines that come highly recommended no matter where you live. These are vaccines that protect against the canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, canine adenovirus and of course the rabies virus.  Start vaccines 8 weeks, 14 weeks and than finally 16 weeks where the rabies vaccine is administered.  Receive boosters annually for these vaccines.  Bordetella and corona virus although seemingly beneficial vaccines prevent these viruses only for a short period on time and have questionable efficacy.

 

As I always say "Information is the key. The more you have, the more you know."

 

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Wordless Wednesday - Slide

We are not going down that slide again!!!

First Aid for Dogs

You are walking your dog and all of a sudden he gets loose.  He runs across the street and gets hit by a car.  What is the first thing you do?  You probably freak out, like most people would.  Everyone knows that however in dire situations to remain calm.  How you react to a crisis can often mean the difference between life and death.  In this segment of "Breed All About It" you will learn how to properly restrain your dog, take a pulse, monitor the heart, examine the gums and monitor breathing.  All which may sound difficult but is actually fairly simple. 

 

Restraint:

 

• Restraint of a small dog: Firmly yet gently grip the dogs muzzle. With your free arm, use your elbow to apply pressure to the dog's body.

          Always be sure to be gentle yet firm. I mean after all you don't wont to injure the dog                   anymore than it already is.

 

• Now it's time to muzzle your K-9

             Materials: A Strong but gentle material such as an ace bandage or a scarf.

             Directions: Make a loop, size it right to fit over the dogs muzzle. 

             Place over the dogs muzzle so the tie in on top and tighten.  (Do NOT tie into a knot!!!)

             With the two strings left wrap them back underneath the muzzle, so the strings now                      hang down.

              Last but not least, wrap them around to the back of the neck just behind the ears and                   tie into a bow.

Now you have a working muzzle.             

 

Taking a pulse:    

 

To take a pulse, take your four fingers and place them on the inside of the back leg where a groove lies.  Apply a little bit of pressure; too much pressure will give no results.  Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get your bpm.  (Beats per minute)

 

Monitor the heart:

 

Monitor the heart for a large dog: Take your four fingers and place them into the pit of the front leg, move your fingers around until you can feel a beat.  Count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

Monitor the heart for a small dog: Gently squeeze the chest behind the dog's elbows to find the heart rate.  Count for 15, multiply by 4.

 

Examine the gums:

 

To examine the gums is really easy.  Just lift the upper lip and check the gums.  The gums should be pink and when pressure is applied, they should turn white until release and should go back to pink immediately.  However if the gums are white or pale this could indicate shock.  When pressure is released does not turn pink again than shock could be impending.  Many dogs have black in their gums, for this you just find a pink area to examine.

 

Monitor the breathing:

 

To monitor breathing place your hand on the dogs chest and count for 15 seconds how many times the dog breathes in or out, but never both.  Multiply by four and you have your answer.  Large and older dogs have a lower breath rate than a younger or small dog.

 

           

            Be sure to talk to your veterinarian as normal rates differ from breed to breed as well.  If you notice any irregularities or issues in breathing, gums, pulse or heart rate see your veterinarian.

 

Legal Information:

The information provided on this blog is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this blog and/or newsletter, you agree that Breed All About It and all it's affiliates will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this blog and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

No Dog Aggression Here

Socialization:  "The process of interacting your dog with other dogs to ensure there is no dog aggression."

 

A day at the dog park can be a blast, especially when there are no issues occurring.  Every day at dog park in my neighborhood there are at least 100 visitors.  Most of the time all the dogs there get along great.  Once in a while, you'll get a dog that is great but than dog aggression hits.  No one knows why he or she snapped, they just knew that they were playing and running. 

 

I was at the dog park the other day with Dominic (My Olde English Bulldog) and he was doing well.  He was playing with a young Blue Heeler, running in the water and smelling everything.  The Blue Heeler and her owner left, we were the only ones in the park.  Soon a Chocolate lab came and he went up and smelled him.  It broke, Dominic got aggressive.  I had to run over and grab him and put him on his leash.  Needless to say he wasn't happy.  He was barking and whining at the dog like he wanted to play. But every time the dog came near he got aggressive.  Yeah, no dog aggression here!

 

In my experience dog aggression comes from a lack of socialization.  Now even under the right circumstances a dog who is well socialized must still be kept under close supervision, after all we are a well socialized group but we can get nasty too if someone decides to fight us.  It's the same with dogs, they may be well socialized but whose to say the other dog is.  If a dog right does occur remain calm.  One good choice is better than ten bad choices.

 

In order to socialize your dog there are a few things you must know.  Start off early, 16 weeks is the youngest I'd recommend due to vaccines.  16 weeks is when you get your first rabies shot, and as some of us do not know the United States has the most cases of the rabies virus.  England is not affected by the rabies virus at all (The More You Know) ;) .  Also be sure to get a bordetella vaccine if you're going to socialize, only because you never know if another dog has kennel cough.  If you socialize earlier, ensure the other dogs are current on their vaccines.  Socialize with dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages.  This gets the dog used to being around dogs of sizes much smaller and larger than itself.  Make sure the other dogs are well socialized if you're socializing your young puppy.  You want to keep your young companion safe after all.  Socialize often, a couple times a week and for an hour or two each time.  If you want to socialize more do so, but be cautious not to tire out your baby.  Socialize in different settings such as pet stores, dog parks, the beach, a friend's house and anywhere else dogs may gather in your area. Last but not least be sure to reward for good behavior, discipline bad behavior and always ALWAYS keep your dog/puppy under close supervision.

 

"Coming Soon, Socializing your older dog or Rescue Dog"

 

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Sundays Compare and Save #2

Welcome to the second edition of Compare and Save, since the last edition I have received only a few requests for the best deals on pet products.  I want to thank everyone for their interest.  In this edition of Compare and Save all three requests are answered as well as two of my own.  All readers are welcome to email me with their requests and all will eventually be answered. 

 

Frontline

http://www.petguys.com

 

Pedigree

http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com

 

Box of Milk-bones

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/

Booda Wonder Tug Solo

http://www.amazon.com/

 

Andis 23585 Super Deluxe Pet Clipper Kit

http://www.amazon.com

 

 

            As a note of my findings all items are found online as an interest to my nationwide audience.  Internet prices are subject to change as well as include shipping and handling charges that vary from area to area.  However many of my findings may include large chain stores such as PetSmart and Petco, please know that they may or may not price match in store to their prices online, therefore saving the shipping and handling charges that usually apply.  Doing your own research may assist you in finding a great savings as some sites offer free shipping and handling, discounts and more when you make large purchases.  I also highly advice checking local stores to boost your economy. 

 

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional. 

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved