Dog Scratchings - It Doesn’t Mean We Have Fleas! Just That We’re Digging Around For Tidbits Of Interest To Owners Of Dogs, And Especially Puppies

Learned Or Instinctive?

If you’ve never been privileged to see a litter of two- or three-week-old puppies, chances are you’d be surprised there are no happily wagging tail in evidence. After all, healthy, happy dogs always seem to be tail-wagging no matter what they’re doing. So what’s the problem with the aforementioned youngsters? Well, the fact is that puppies generally just don't wag their tails until they‘re about four weeks old.

Your Dog On Pills

Like many new dog owners, do you have trouble giving medications to your pooch?. In particular, pills seem to prove a major nuisance You pop one in; your dog spits it out repeatedly. Impatience rises and, finally, either the pill crumbles on the floor or you accept defeat and arrange another trip to the vet. Ok, how can you master successful pill-giving? There are two approaches: the expert way and the resourceful method. Try the second one first. Bury the pill in a gob of peanut butter, soft cheese or a piece of liverwurst. If your dog is a food-freak, victory becomes an easy triumph. But…if not, try the expert technique. Put your dog in the sitting position, then, placing the pill between your thumb and forefinger, push his lower jaw downward. Center the pill as far back as possible in his throat, then clamp his mouth shut and gently massage his throat until the pill is swallowed. Observe him for several minutes, since some dogs are great fakers and will spit out the pill when they think you’re not looking.

Rescue Is Its Own Reward

  One way to get around the potential problem of knowing the size (and even the kind of personality) a pooch will be at maturity, is to forget about buying a puppy and insted choose a full-grown dog.Yet, because buying an adult dog is not the easiest of chores, it's often a disregarded option.

  A perfect solution can be found in "Rescue" opportunites offered by various breed clubs. Such operations have dogs (usually adults) put up for adoption. Many may be dogs of the particular breed sponsored by the club, although other breeds, some of mixed origin, may also be available. Why are these canines up for adoption? Reasons vary widely from strays found wandering city streets or suburban communities, to ill, incapacitated or deceased owners or even folks forced to give up a dog due to moving to an apartment  or condo prohibiting pets.

  On the internet, using search engines, you'll discover nearly unlimited numbers of "Rescue" websites to plumb for the riches of adoptables from which to choose your  perfect pooch.