GENERAL HISTORY OF DOGS.

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man’s habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern dog, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from wilder animals, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a corner in his dwelling, and grew to trust it and care for it. Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions from the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. One can well conceive the possibility of the partnership beginning in the circumstance of some helpless whelps being brought home by the early hunters to be tended and reared by the women and children. Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family Read the rest of this entry »

Online Pet Supplies For Pet Owners

Presently, online pet supplies are in high abundance, due to the recent recession, seemingly luxury pet products and supplies have been put aside as undesirable by the general public. People are shopping online for necessities, and ignoring products which are not needed in order to save money. Pet food aside, mostly all other pet supplies can be classified as desirables and wants, not needs. Due to this recent recession (which is now said to be over), pet supply manufacturers have increased stocks and lowered demands. With the demand curve being low, pet supplies manufacturers and retailers have to lower prices in order to attract pet owners to purchase their pet supplies online. Read the rest of this entry »

Successful Puppy Potty Training Tips

When it comes to puppy potty training, any new owner of a puppy of any breed will be able to tell you just how difficult it can be to encourage your dog to do their business where they are supposed to. And this is a key word; encouragement. When you are trying to puppy potty train, the one thing that you must remember is that you should always be encouraging, offer lots of praise and make sure that you keep your cool and never loose your temper with your pet. A lot of puppy owners make the mistake of being too forceful or stern on their pets and this usually leads to your dog being quite nervous and sometimes even afraid of you in the future and you don”t want this; you want your dog to respect you but you must respect your dog as well.

This is another key word when it comes to puppy potty training; respect. A lot of people often think that a dog should respect the owner and not the other way around, but the truth is if you want your dog to respect you then you need to show his respect as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Get The Low Down On Aggressive Dog Training

Dogs can make brilliant pets. They are faithful, loving and great company and they also make a brilliant addition to any family, however if you have a badly behaved dog, then this can make life difficult on not just you and your family, but on other people too. Many dogs suffer from some type of behavioural problem which are usually quite easy to fit, but some dogs tend to have problems with other dogs and this is called dog on dog aggression and can be very upsetting and dangerous for everyone involved. When you take a dog into your home, you need to be prepared for the risk that you take because all dogs can turn on their owners or other animals in the house. This is rare but it can happen and if your pet is showing signs of dog on dog aggression then you need to stop it now! Read the rest of this entry »

NEWFOUNDLAND – THE ARISTOCRAT AMONG DOGS.

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. Read the rest of this entry »

THE COLLIE DOG.

The Collie dog makes an excellent sporting dog, and can be taught to do the work of the Pointer and the Setter, as well as that of the Water Spaniel and the Retriever. He can be trained to perform the duties of other breeds. He is clever at hunting, having an excellent nose, is a good vermin-killer, and a most faithful watch, guard, and companion.

Little is known with certainty of the origin of the Collie, but his cunning and his outward appearance would seem to indicate a relationship with the wild dog. Buffon was of opinion that he was the true dog of nature, the stock and model of the whole canine species. He considered the Sheepdog superior in instinct and intelligence to all other breeds, and that, with a character in which education has comparatively little share, he is the only animal born perfectly trained for the service of man. Read the rest of this entry »

THE DECORATIVE DEERHOUND.

The Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs, impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers on polished armour and tarnished tapestry; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry.

From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighbourhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary. But the organised coursing of deer by courtiers ceased during the Stuart troubles, and was left in the hands of retainers, who thus replenished their chief’s larder. Read the rest of this entry »

THE FOXHOUND DOG.

Foxhounds were the very first of the canine races in Great Britain to come under the domination of scientific breeding. There had been hounds of more ancient origin, such as the Southern Hound and the Bloodhound; but something different was wanted towards the end of the seventeenth century to hunt the wild deer that had become somewhat scattered after Cromwell’s civil war. The demand was consequently for a quicker hound than those hitherto known, and people devoted to the chase began to breed it.

Head:-

Somewhat broad, not peaked like the Bloodhound, but long from the apex to the frontal bones, eyebrows very prominent, cheeks cut clean from the eye to the nostril, ears set low and in their natural condition thin and shapely, but not large, nose large, jaw strong and level, and small dewlaps, expression fierce, and with the best often repellent. Read the rest of this entry »

THE MOST INTELLIGENT POODLE.

The Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.

Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals. Read the rest of this entry »