By Andrew Kuster

A simple matter of repetition is needed to house break your dog. After they eat take them out and reward them with praise when the go to the bathroom. I typically start my day by taking my dogs out and 5 minutes might pass but the results are there. I then take them back in and go to work on weekdays and come home at noon and let them out. After a good romp I let them back in and do the same at 4 and 7pm. With a schedule you can house break your dog in a day or two. Of course some dogs are worse than others but its not as hard as people lead it to be.

Housebreaking your dog is easy - once you understand the basics of "why", "when", and "where" your puppy/dog wishes to defecate and urinate. By following our procedures, your puppy/dog should be housebroken within the next 10 days.

"WHY" AND "WHEN"

The only three times a puppy normally defecates or urinates are:

1) when he/she eats or drinks anything;

2) when he/she has processed the food and liquid they have eaten;

3) when he/she wakes up from sleeping.

After the puppy eats or drinks, their system tells them to let go of their old reserve which is stored inside the body. The reason the dog’s body stores this reserve is because in the wild, the dog may not "catch the rabbit." Meaning, the dog must catch it’s meal. If it does not catch the meal, the dog’s body will continue to use it’s "stored reserve" of food from the last meal. Once the dog eats or drinks anything, it’s body "lets go" of this stored amount. So after your puppy/dog eats or drinks, he/she must defecate and urinate.

Your puppy/dog’s body does not utilize everything they eat or drink. They may only use sixty percent of what they eat or drink. The puppy/dog’s body changes the food and water into energy. It stores what it needs for it’s reserve and then "lets go" of the rest. It takes energy just to digest the food and water. This is why your puppy/dog normally sleeps after he/she has a big meal. And after the puppy/dog has processed the food and water (through it’s body) it must defecate and urinate. Defecating and urinating is the puppy/dog’s way of eliminating waste and toxins from it’s body. Again, the most common reason for a puppy/dog to wake up from sleeping is because it must defecate or urinate. " WHERE" The reason your puppy/dog smells the ground before he/she urinates or defecates is because they are trying to smell ammonia. They like to go to the bathroom where other animals (or themselves) have gone before. When they smell ammonia, it is like a neon light saying "rest room here!"

Your puppy/dog does not enjoy the smell of their own defecation or urination. Because of this, he/she will not go exactly where they sleep. They may go a few feet away from where they sleep, but not exactly where they sleep.

For more information on getting your own puppy from us please visit our puppy pages.

By Jacob Paciorek

Anyone with a dog know that getting up countless times a day to let your dog outside can be distracting to say the least. More and more, due to work schedules, there simply isn’t anyone at home to let out the family pet. For a moment let’s put ourselves in our dog’s position. Someone is kind enough to show affection in the morning, maybe a gentle pat on the head and a big bowl of your favorite gruel for breakfast. Of course, this gruel makes a fellow thirsty, so you chase it down with a healthy thirst quenching drink. Following this invigorating, rejuvenating meal, your master lets you outside to walk around….sniff out what happened overnight and then allows you back inside, just before they take off for work. Thirty to forty-five minutes go by and then you realize…..Now it’s time to really go outside!

We often think about the freedom a dog door provides us. A dog door also provides access and freedom for your pet. You may even find that you have a healthier, happier pet as well. Dogs especially are inquisitive, they really do want to know what is going on outside, who may be in the yard, or just have a need to exercise their extraordinary scent detection abilities to know what is going on at a distance. Dogs have since their ancestral origins patrolled, guarded and warned others of their pack. The dog’s master and family is their pack, we often forget to let a dog exercise their innate behavior.

Dog doors come in variety of styles from insulated models to automatic and electronic dog doors. In today’s marketplace one can most often find a dog door that will fit thin the dog owner’s requirements. The area that the dog will have access to is also something to consider. Make sure that your dog is well trained and understands the boundaries of your property. This is done by walking the dog around the perimeter of the yard or area so that there is a familiarization of those boundaries. Acclimating your dog to other dogs is another step that is important in controlling your pet’s behavior. The more you can expose your dog to other dogs, the easier it is to predict your pet’s actions in chance dog meetings. Remember, a well behaved, well trained dog is a happy safe dog. Dogs are very smart, that is why they make great companions. Tap into that intelligence and interact with your dog in form of obedience and verbal commands. This goes along towards the rewarding relationship that you can cultivate with effort and patience.

Now the stage is set for that dog door you have been waiting for. The freedom a dog door provides along with the comfort of knowing how your pet reacts makes allows you’re the peace of mind and your dog the freedom they crave.

By Penny Taylor

As we shop for the holiday season not only do we wonder what gift to give our friends and family, but what to give our beloved pets. In this article, I will list the top ten items to give your small breed dog for christmas.

Item number TEN is Pet Dishes, a dog food bowl, water bowl, treat jar, and even height specific bowl holders.

Item number NINE is Pet Beds, as small as a heating pad for an icy pooch or an actual replica of people beds.

Item number EIGHT is Carrying Bags, wonderful stylish bags you can carry your small dogs in. A place where they can feel safe and cozy.

Item number SEVEN is Grooming Items, hair brushes, shampoos, perfumes (made for dogs), and nail clippers or polish.

Item number SIX is Jewelry, we love to adorn are pet with sparkly charms, necklaces, barrettes, and bracelets.

Item number FIVE is Treats, tasty treats like rawhides, dental, dog safe bones, and even specially made dog cookies.

Item number FOUR is Toys, lots and lots of toys, tiny little squeekie toys, cuddly little toys, and hilarious funny toys.

Item number THREE is Collars and Leads, whether its a spike collar for “Spike”, a flowery collar for “Rosie”, or even a festive holiday collar.

Item number TWO is Clothing, a warm sweater, cute T-shirts, or maybe even a special party dress for your female.

Item number ONE is A Holiday Stocking stuffed with little gifts, vinyl squeekie toys, plush little cuddlies, tiny tennis balls, chews, treats, and more.

Whatever you choose to give your special tiny dog I am sure the gift will be loved and appreciated.

By John Z Birch

If you are looking for Vets In Salisbury, you might like to try the Endell Veterinary Group.
If you are looking for an Equine Hospital for your horse then try here.

By Russell Shepherd

By Christy Taylor

Christy Taylor, author of Puggle Hugs: All about Puggles, which can be reviewed at http://www.pugglehugs.com and she also has a Puggle Hugs Blog, which can be viewed at http://www.pugglehugs.blogspot.com

By Ronny Sikes

We all know that brushing and flossing is a must if we want to keep all our teeth in our old age. Of course we want to take good care of our teeth and mouths because we desire pearly white teeth that are aesthetically appealing. However, we realize the importance of dental hygiene; we need to take care of our teeth so we don’t succumb to disease that could have been prevented by simply brushing and flossing multiple times each day.

So, what about our dogs? They have teeth too, and they need dental care just like us. Though they don’t mind if their teeth aren’t the perfect shade of white, they probably do care if their mouth is poorly taken care of and if they suffer later on in life as a result from lack of attention. Like humans, dogs can have plaque, cavities, gingivitis, and tartar. Though you can take your pet to the local groomer to get their teeth cleaned, you can do it at home. Here’s how to take care of your pet’s teeth easily and effectively.

The best way to prevent periodontal disease and inflammation is by daily brushing your dog’s teeth. Of course, you will want to begin slowly and entice your dog with treats and praise to encourage him or her to allow you to brush their teeth. This takes time, and effort, but it is well worth it.

When you brush your dog’s teeth, you will most likely want to use a finger toothbrush or a simple kid-sized toothbrush. These are gentle, yet they allow the tartar and plaque to loosen up on the teeth and be flushed out. Also, you will need to make sure you use special doggie toothpaste. You can either get this at your personal veterinary office or at your local pet supply store. When you apply the toothpaste to the toothbrush, be sure to get the paste deep into the brush; if it just sits on top it will quickly come off in your pet’s mouth and be ineffective. Be sure to brush your dog’s teeth at a 45-degree angle, because this helps ensure that every tooth gets properly cleaned, and this makes it more comfortable for you as well.

Other ways that you can help your pet remain in good oral health is to feed them dry food instead of wet food. The crunchy chow works to gently scrub teeth as the food is chewed. Also, there are many, many special treat products available that claim to help clean teeth; though these do help, they certainly are not as effective as actually brushing each day. Chew toys are another way to help keep up good dental health. Chew toys with rubber prongs or ones that are textured certainly help gently rub off plaque from the teeth and are good choices for your pet’s oral health.

Just like humans, dental health is important to dogs. Dogs can suffer from periodontal disease, gingivitis, tartar and plaque. There are doggie toothbrushes, toothpaste, chew toys, food, and treats that help keep your pet’s mouth happy and healthy. Help your dog, and keep their mouth and teeth squeaky clean!

By Melissa Turner

When we buy a pet or even shop at a store that sells puppies, we contribute to a heartless underground industry that forces dogs to spend their entire lives in cages constantly breeding to support consumer demand for puppies, states the Humane Society’s website.

Puppy mills are a harsh reality of today’s dog breeding industry. Certainly, not all puppies that are bought and sold in pet stores originated from a puppy mill. However, it is shocking to hear the truth of these horrific mass dog breeding houses. These dogs are bred and raised with sometimes up to hundreds of other dogs at a time. This is a serious health hazard for these newborn puppies, because their cages are often filthy and unkempt. Living conditions such as these practically beg for disease and viruses to enter and grow in the puppies’ bodies, wrecking havoc on their health and immune systems. Many puppy mill pets are not neutered or spayed, neither they given the proper vaccinations and preventative medications that are necessary for their health and well-being.

The majority of puppies who are bred in puppy mills are actually sold online or through newspaper advertisements, though some do appear in pet stores nationwide. Many of these puppy mills claim to sell "pure bred" dogs, but this is not always the case. When these dogs are bred in puppy mills, they also lack the necessary and vital human interaction and companionship. Dogs are affectionate and companionable animals, when they are denied daily affection and interaction with adults and children, they suffer emotionally and mentally.

So, what can you do to help? The Humane Society recommends refusing to buy products or puppies from pet shops that buy and sell dogs. You never know where those puppies have come from. If people don’t buy puppies in pet shops, there will be a significant loss in demand, that hopefully results in these puppy mills going out of business. Also, when you want to buy a new pet, adoption is a wonderful alternative. You will receive a healthy, happy pet, who has most likely already been housebroken, neutered or spayed, and vaccinated; the best part is, you will not be supporting puppy mills through your personal purchase of a puppy from a pet store.

Of course, there are more active ways you can help. The Humane Society asks people to diligently spread the word about the harsh realities of puppy mills, inform their friends of the Stop Puppy Mills website (listed above) as well as making a monetary donation to the Humane Society. It is easy to make a donation online, and it only takes a few minutes of your time if you feel compelled to give. There is also a page that gives interested people additional ideas for helping them stop puppy mills, such as lobbying for new laws that will aid in the shutting down of these mills. Becoming active in a cause such as halting puppy mill production is a rewarding and satisfying experience. Consider helping the Humane Society in their fight against puppy mills.