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the World’s Biggest Dog

Dog is known for his loyalty to host?let ’s see the biggest dog in the world.

Born in 2002, Gibson took the title of the world’s tallest dog from ‘Harvey’, who measured 41 inches, in 2004. Standing at 42.6 inches tall from paw to shoulder, Gibson, the giant Harlequin Great Dane passed away in August near Sacramento, Los Angeles.

A Blue Great Dane called George that stands at nearly 43 inches tall and weighs a staggering 245 pounds, could become the tallest dog after an application to the Guiness Books of Records.
The four year-old dog’s owners, David and Christine Nasser, have written to the Guinness World Records asking if their pet has become the biggest in the world.

The couple, from Tuscon, Arizona, hope he will take the crown from the former record holder, Gibson, a harlequin Great Dane who passed away from cancer last August.

George, who looks more like a miniature horse than a dog, measures almost the same, at 7 ft 3 inches from nose to tail and 42.625 inches at the shoulder.He consumes 110 pounds of food every month and sleeps alone in his own Queen Size Bed.

Mr Nasser said they were awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records to see if he has achieved the new record.

Dr. William Wallace of the Buena Pet Clinic in Tucson, who witnessed the documentation necessary for the Guinness record, said: “In my 45 years of experience working with giant breed dogs, without question, George is the tallest dog I have ever seen.” 
 

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Is the Pug the Right Dog for Me?

Pugs are compact dogs that are full of charm. The breed is instantly recognizable by its short legs and stocky build. However, the most prominent feature of the Pug is the extraordinarily large eyes and wrinkled little face. Although some small breeds of dog can be snappy and aggressive, the Pug is known for its complete lack of aggression. Consequently, the Pug can make a wonderfully affectionate, loyal and playful family pet.

Origins of the Pug

The origins of the little Pug are thought to begin in Asia, where they made their first appearance pre 400 B.C. Unfortunately, it is impossible to be accurate about the date, but it does make the Pug one of the oldest breeds of domesticated dog. As a small breed, the dog has always been a favorite among royalty and nobility.

However, by the 18th century the popularity of the breed was cemented when being kept as the pet of Holland’s William of Orange. It is believed that William’s pet Pug saved his life, by alerting him to the impending arrival of the Spanish forces. After this event, the Pug was name as the official dog of the House of Orange.

Due to its size, the Pug was not really capable of being used as a working dog, subsequently they were principally kept as pets by the rich and powerful. Nevertheless, as William of Orange’s Pug demonstrated, they could also prove useful to humans.

Appearance

Usually, the average Pug will grow to approximately 12-14 inches in height and will weigh about 20lbs. However, owners should be aware that Pugs can put on weight very quickly, because they have a seemingly incessant appetite and a love of all things lazy. Therefore, it is important not to overfeed a Pug and to ensure that he, or she, gets plenty of exercise.

The breed comes in a variety of colors. However, the most commonly seen are fawn, black, apricot and silver. Regardless of the color, the Pug’s muzzle is always black. All Pugs have very short coats, which are easy to groom. Nevertheless, the Pug will shed profusely during the shedding season, so the breed may not be suitable for allergy sufferers.

Temperament

As mentioned above, the Pug is a very loyal dog, which becomes quickly attached and devoted to his, or her, owner. This affection can cause problems if the dog is left alone for extended periods, while you are at work for example. In addition, the strong attachment that a Pug feels for its owner can manifest itself in jealous behavior if the dog is not receiving any attention. While this means that good training is important, potential owners should bear in mind that aggression in Pugs is almost unheard of, so jealousy will not pose a danger to people or other animals.

Pugs are known for being extremely intelligent, which has its pros and cons. On the upside, it means that training them can be a quick and easy process, but, on the downside, Pugs will quickly become bored with repetition. Therefore, training needs to be varied to keep them amused.

Health Concerns

Like most breeds of dog, the Pug is susceptible to some genetically predisposed medical issues. Pug owners may find that their dogs suffer from obesity, skin irritation, allergies, breathing problems and sensitivity to temperature. To avoid potential skin problems, it is wise to regularly clean a Pug’s face, including between the wrinkles. Moreover, to help prevent obesity and breathing difficulties it is important that a Pug gets plenty of exercise, but be careful not to overdo it, as this may increase breathing difficulties.

Regardless of the many health problems that the breed is susceptible to, the average Pug has a relatively long life, living for 12 to 15 years.

Despite having a face that only a mother could love, there is something incredibly cute about the Pug. The breed makes a wonderful family pet, but it is always advisable to assess the needs of the dog before bringing one home.

Samantha Markham is a professional freelance writer, based in the UK. Currently, she is producing articles for Remmeer.com, an online supplier of pet products and gift ideas for animal lovers, including dog picture frames and Pug dog breed picture frames.

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Dog Digging-Can You Stop A Digging Dog?

There are two opinions when it comes to dog digging, and they are on the opposite extremes. One extreme is that dogs will be dogs, and if you own a digging dog it is bred into them and their is absolutely nothing you can do about. The other extreme is, of course, that a dog can be trained to do, or not to do,anything…and this includes digging.

So, can you stop a digging dog?

I tend to take a middle ground when it comes to dog digging. I believe that an attempt should be made to stop a digging dog with proper training, but I also believe that SOME dogs (like “runners”) are natural diggers and there isn’t a doggone thing you can do about it.

I don’t see why a dog should have to come at the price of a garden, and vice versa: flowers and dogs can coexist peacefully. If your dog’s developed a taste for digging, it’ll just take a bit of time (and some crafty ingenuity) on your part to resolve the issue satisfactorily.

First of all, if you have yet to adopt a dog and your concern for the fate of your flower-beds is purely hypothetical, consider the breed of dog that you’d like. If you’ve got your eye on a specific mixed-breed dog, what seems to be the most prominent? The reason that I ask is simply because breed often plays a significant role in any given dog’s personal valuation of digging as a rewarding pastime – terriers and Nordic breeds in particular (Huskies, Malamutes, some members of the Spitz family) seem to particularly enjoy digging. Of course, when you get right down to the sum and substance, each dog is first and foremost an individual, and there’s no guaranteed way to predict whether or not your chosen familial addition is going to be a burrower or not. But if you’re trying to reduce the likelihood of an involuntarily-landscaped garden as much as possible, I suggest you stay away from all breeds of terrier (the name means “go to earth”, after all!) and the Nordic breeds.

Why do dogs dig? In no particular order, here are some of the more common reasons that a dog will dig:
 
* Lack of exercise. Digging is a good way for a hyped-up, under-exercised dog to burn off some of that nervous energy.

* Boredom. Bored dogs need a “job” to do, something rewarding and interesting, to help the time pass by.

* Digging is often the ideal solution for a bored dog: it gives him a sense of purpose, and distracts him from an otherwise-empty day.

* The need for broader horizons. Some dogs are just escape artists by nature – no matter how much exercise and attention they get, it’s nearly impossible to confine them. For a four-legged Houdini, it’s not the digging in itself that’s the reward, it’s the glorious unknown that exists beyond the fenceline.

* Separation anxiety. To a dog that’s seriously pining for your company, digging under those confining walls represents the most direct path to you. Separation anxiety is an unpleasant psychological issue relatively common among dogs – but because it’s so complex, we won’t be dealing with it in this article.

Curbing the habit Many of the reasons contributing to your dog’s desire to dig suggest their own solutions: if your dog’s not getting enough exercise (generally speaking, at least forty-five minutes’ worth of vigorous walking per day), take him for more walks. If he’s bored, give him some toys and chews to play with during your absence, and wear him out before you leave so he spends most of the day snoozing. An escape-artist dog might need to be crated, or at least kept inside the house where he’s less likely to be able to break free. For those dogs who just like to dig as a pastime in itself, though, here are a few basic tips for controlling inappropriate digging as much as is reasonably possible:

* Restrict your dog’s access. This is the most effective thing you can do: if he’s never in the yard without active supervision, there’s no opportunity for digging. * Use natural deterrent. 99.9% of dogs will shy back, horrified, from the prospect of digging anywhere that there’s dog poop. Even the ones who like to eat poop (a condition known as coprophagia) generally won’t dig anywhere near it – it offends their basic, fastidious dislike of soiling their coat and paws.

* Use nature’s own wiles. If the digging is bothering you because it’s upsetting the more delicate blooms in your garden, plant hardier blossoms: preferably, those with deep roots and thorny defenses. Roses are ideal.

* A more time-consuming, but super-effective way of handling the issue: roll up the first inch or two of turf in your yard, and lay down chicken-wire underneath it. Your dog won’t know it’s there until he’s had a few tries at digging, but once he’s convinced himself that it’s pointless (which won’t take long), he’ll never dig in that yard again.

Accept your dog’s need for an outlet: give him a place to dig If your dog is set on tunneling your yard into a grassless, crater-studded lunar landscape, but you’re equally determined to prevent this from happening at all costs, please take a moment to consider before embarking on a grueling and time-consuming preventative strategy. Setting yourself the goal of eradicating all digging behavior, period, is pretty unrealistic: it’s not fair on you (since, really, you’re setting yourself up for failure), and it’s not really fair on your poor dog either – if he’s a true-blue digger, it’s just part of his personality, and he needs at least some opportunity to express that. But a lawn and a dog don’t have to be mutually exclusive: the most humane and understanding thing for you to do in this case is simply to redirect his digging energy. You do this by allocating him an area where he’s allowed to dig as much as he pleases. Once this zone’s been established, you can make it crystal-clear that there’s to be absolutely no digging in the rest of the yard – and you can enforce your rules with a clear conscience, since you know your dog now has his own little corner of the world to turn upside down and inside out as he chooses.

But what if you don’t have a “spare corner” of the yard? What if the whole thing, grass, flowerbeds, and gravel path, is just too dear to your heart? That’s OK too – invest in a sandbox, which you can place anywhere in the garden. You can even make one yourself (the deeper, the better, obviously). Fill it with a mixture of sand and earth, and put some leaves or grass on top if you like – get your dog interested in it by having a scratch around yourself, until he gets the idea. Make sure the boundaries are clear To make it clear to him that the sandbox is OK but that everywhere else is a no-dig zone, spend a little time supervising him. When he starts to dig in the box (you can encourage this by shallowly burying a few choice marrowbones in there), praise him energetically – and if he starts digging anywhere else, correct him straight away with an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” or “No!”. Then, redirect him immediately to the sandbox, and dole out vociferous praise when digging recommences. To really clarify the lesson, give him a treat when digging gets underway in the sandbox – the close proximity between the correction (for digging out of the sandbox) and praise/reward (for digging in the sandbox) will ensure that your point strikes home.

For more information on recognizing and dealing with problematic behaviors like digging, chewing, barking, and aggression, check out Dog Training Dog Obedience Training. It’s a detailed how-to manual for the responsible owner, and is packed with all the information you’ll need for raising a healthy, happy, well-adjusted pooch: from problem behaviors to dog psychology to obedience work,Dog Training Dog Obedience Training has it covered. Visit Dog Training Dog Obedience Training

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House Training Your Dog Requires Time and Patience

When your dog is caught in the act, doing his business in the living room floor, remember that as a child you were also unaware of the right thing to do. Teaching your dog not to leave his excrement all over your home will require teaching your dog a few things, which will not be accomplished in one day. You will need to set aside some time for the task, and be prepared to spend some more observing your god’s behavior in order to be successful. If you feel you are not up to it, or simply just lack the time necessary to come through, consider a dog trainer. A professional can ease your burden, making sure your dog is trained properly and in the least amount of time.

Do not be fooled, house training your dog is a difficult task that demands much of the owner’s time and attention. The first thing you need to do is observe your dog, in order to tell when he is looking to relieve himself. Some people seem to believe their dog will show obvious signs, like barking. Only to find dog stools all over the house. Some of the signs you are most likely to notice is squat walking. You dog will bend his hind legs and walk slowly and conspicuously towards a selected spot in the house he has already chosen himself for his mischief.

House training your dog is not at all complicated, yet it will take some time. The next step is to place some newspaper somewhere around the home. Whenever you catch your dog leaving excrements anywhere besides the paper, you need to take him to the newspaper immediately. The purpose of this activity is to let him know where he needs to go, even if you’re not around. Depending on how stubborn your dog is, it will take that many trips to the paper before he understands the message you are trying to convey.

The third step in this process is, having learned the signs on your dog that show he is in need to relieve himself, quickly pick him up and take him outside, or to his assigned newspaper in the house. Once you have taken the dog to his “special place”, speak the words you will assign to this activity, like do your thing, poppy time, etc. You will be trying to associate the activity with the words. But most importantly, once he is done, give him lots of praise. Show your appreciation for a job well done. Praising your puppy for a good deed is a lot more effective than chasing him around to punish him physically, once you’ve noticed he has done badly.

Finally, pet owners need to realize that their dog is not going to get it the first time around. Some dogs will require much repetition, some more than others. There is also a great deal of published information explaining various methods and techniques. Explore the alternatives and run them through your veterinarian, who might be able to give you and important insight on house training your dog.

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Dog Training Secrets – Tips You Might Not Know

A lot goes into training a dog – they have to be encouraged to do the right thing, encouraged not to do the wrong thing, and yet what is right and wrong for people sometimes goes against their basic instincts. They do not understand many of the ways people do to communicate what they do and do not like, and so there are a lot of ways people have tried to teach dogs certain things. In this article, we’ll take a look at a couple dog training secrets that you may not have heard about.

One of the biggest dog training secrets is clicker training. Clicker training is used by many professional dog handlers in order to train a dog’s behavior in a more precise fashion. The clicker sound is usually associated with a treat, and therefore the clicking sound tells the dog that whatever it was doing at the sound of the click was the correct behavior. For example, say you want to teach your dog to play dead. Once the dog has finally rolled over onto its back, verbal praise might not reach the dog until it has rolled all the way over. A clicker, however, will offer a more precise message to the dog, and allow you to teach it more specific commands.

One of the other big dog training secrets is the electronic collar. Electronic collars work by having transmitters placed around a yard or other area that you do not want the dog to pass through. When the dog approaches the electronic barrier, a high-pitched tone that only they can hear will emit from their collar, causing them irritation. The closer they get, the stronger the tone becomes. This tone is not loud enough to cause your dog any pain, but it will be significantly annoying if they try and get through. This is a great way to keep your dog from escaping the yard or going into the kitchen when you don’t want it to.

There are tons of ways to get your dog to follow lots of different commands and tricks, but taking a look at a few dog training secrets is a great way to start. If you are frustrated with your dog’s behavior or can’t seem to get it to do a certain trick or follow a given command, remember the biggest dog training secret of all – whatever you do, always be patient!

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Taking the Time to Send Your Dog to Training School

Over the past few years an increasing number of dog owners have shown a tendency to prefer dog training centers, instead of training their dog themselves. Dog training schools can be quite expensive. However, if you lack the necessary experience, or the time to dedicate to this task, these schools are available to do everything for you.

As little as ten twenty years ago, only a handful of dog training schools where available in the United States and Europe. Today, dog training centers have started to appear in all major cities and towns all over the world. Adding much hype and pitch to their promises, some even offer all your money back if they don’t succeed. Some of these schools may be the only choice for stubborn pet owners, whose lack of experience leaves them no other choice.

Some pet owners claim that the amount of money charged by these schools is extremely high and unjustified. However, if you take a moment to think about the expenses, like food, equipment, and training location, you would soon come to understand not all the fees go to their pockets. There are significant costs, not to mention the job salaries for experience dog handlers. Given that a background check has been performed on the trainer, what better place is there for your dog to learn to behave?

Pet owners should become informed and aware of possible situations that may arise as a result of taking their dog to school. Some dogs can feel the stress piling up and act accordingly. Equip yourself with a bag and a scoop, as these are the most common signs of stress. Always keep your dog on a leash, and look out for what interests him, what doesn’t. It is likely he will not like some of his fellow schoolmates very much and want to do something about it. Finally, don’t pass on a negative attitude towards your pet, try to relax and enjoy yourself and your dog will most likely do the same. Keep him entertained by drawing his attention towards you, at least until he has had a chance to become accustomed to the surroundings.

With new laws coming forth regarding public behavior of dogs, training schools are last and only resource for some pet owners. Especially for breeds such as the Boxer, or the Pit Bull, pet owners will want to place extra care in their training so as to save their dog from being put down by the local authorities. Other situations which may require pet owners to take their dog to school could be putting it off for later. Dogs are at their best for training during the first couple of years of life, putting off the training will allow the dog to get older and accustomed to whatever he’s doing, good or bad. It will become so much harder to change his ways during adulthood. Owners will need to invest more time and effort to train a grown dog, and will probably be faced with the only left alternative of taking their dog to a training center.

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Dog nutrition for the senior dog

Your senior dog’s life can be extended with a well planned diet. Life can become quite hard work for your dog as he gets older.

Dog nutrition for a senior pet will include purchasing brands of dog food that contain antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other beneficial ingredients which are available in our Hills Science plan at Hills Pet UK.

As your pet dog grows older, his dog health may become affected in various ways. The main areas that are usually affected are his liver and kidneys.

This can become noticeable when a dog is losing weight at an alarming rate.

Take action straight away by visiting your local vet and asking about dog nutrition and of course the right amount of exercise required at this time in his life.

Dogs at their senior time in life may be happy with the amount of food you are giving him and that is great. Do not cut back on dog nutrition; allow him to eat the amount of food that satisfies him. You can provide good essential foods as a treat such as fish and poultry as they are easily digested.

It may be that your vet recommends you help with dog nutrition in your dogs pet food with added vitamins such as Vitamin E and C. These vitamins are great for stopping mental deterioration. However, it is more important that your dog has plenty of fresh drinking water at all times. Here are three more tips:

• Allow him a little amount of fat mixed in with his food to start his bowels working again

• Fruit and vegetables in small quantities are a natural way to give your dog valuable antioxidants

• Fish oils which can be included in a dog nutrition are full of essential omega 3 fatty acids to protect his brain cells. Fish oils also make a valuable contribution in preventing pain in old dog’s joints

The Article is written by hillspet.co.uk providing Dog Health and Dog Nutrition Products. Visit http://www.hillspet.co.uk for more information on hillspet.co.uk Products & Services___________________________
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