PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

Dogs need baths, but owners’ opinions on how often range from “dump him in a tub of suds once a year whether he needs it or not” to “take her to a professional groomer every Saturday.” Too much bathing can dry out a dog’s skin and coat. Too little results in a smelly, itchy, dirty dog. So, how often should you bathe your dog ? In general, no more than once every two weeks,  but there are a few caveats, and every dog’s individual needs are different.

I’m tipping my hat to the movie “WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price” in the title of this blog post, because in a way, pet stores and puppy mills are the  Wal-Mart of the dog world. Of course, the shirts and jeans on Wal-Mart’s shelves aren’t suffering like the live “products” sold in pet stores may; however, in both cases, you may well find yourself paying much more for low cost and convenience than you ever imagined. Read on to find out why a cheap purebred puppy is almost never a good deal, for you or the dog.

Why Pay More?

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You’ve heard it, as all pet owners have: “Mutts are healthier than purebreds.” But is that true? As it turns out, things aren’t really that simple. While in some instances mixed-breed dogs may have a better chance of good health, in other cases, that’s not so. As with any individual’s health– human, dog, or any other animal– it often all comes down to good preventive care and the luck of the draw.

Why Mutts Might Be Healthier

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Breed bans, also known as Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) are ineffectual and at best serve only to temporarily reassure a community afraid of dog attacks. At worst, they result in the needless killing of family dogs with loving pet parents, while vicious dogs remain in the possession of abusive humans.

About BSL

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As a PetLvr it’s pretty exciting to think about who the Obamas will picks as their presidential dog.   I think this election cycle it may be more exciting than ever because of the conditions that the Obamas have setup for what they are looking for in a dog.   The conditions are very strict and make the decision a fun challenge to figure out.

First off, President Obama has said that he wants his dog to be a rescue or shelter dog.   That’s not a problem, of course.  There are millions of dogs waiting to be adopted.  But it’s the second condtion that makes this a tough problem:  the Obamas need a hypoallergenic dog breed.

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Dear Petlvr Mailbag …

I have 2 rescue poodles, both males.  Buddy is a 3-year-old Standard and Troy is a 3-year-old Toy. 

Buddy wants to play with little Troy.  It’s the 65 lbs. vs. the 8 lbs. is what I worry about. 

How do you teach gentleness to Buddy?

Signed,
Poodle Problems

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Today I caught myself wondering why I’ve fallen in love with certain dog breeds and not others.

For example, I’m not a big fan of really small dogs (anything under 15 pounds). My wife loves small dogs. Apparently, so do a lot of other people. I, on the other hand, don’t. Though I do enjoy teasing my wife about her rats;-)

But for some reason, I personally can’t come to own a really tiny dog. And today, I caught myself wondering why.

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By OTTB, I mean, of course, an Off the Track Thoroughbred. In other words, a retired racehorse, like my Ember, aka Embrace Reality, pictured below.

OTTBs can excel in most disciplines, are generally inexpensive compared to young sporthorses that are not retiring from the track, and have been exposed to varied environments, sights, sounds, and experiences. If you’re an experienced rider considering buying a young sporthorse prospect, the option of purchasing or adopting a Thoroughbred off the racetrack might be an attractive option. Before you head for the backside to chat up trainers, here are a few things to consider: More →

About 5 years ago, I found myself looking for a new puppy. My old dog Zodian, had passed away a year before and it had taken me over a year to adjust to the idea of having a new dog. I wasn’t 100% sure of the breed that I wanted and started looking into various breeds that I had always liked.

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Terriers were bred from their very beginnings to perform services. In Great Britain that often took the form of breeding programs to produce a dog that would hunt fox, chase badgers or kill rats. While those activities still take place, the average modern terrier’s working life has changed a great deal.

In many instances, their role is simply that of a watchdog. Many, as diverse as the Staffordshire Pit Bull Terrier or the Fox Terrier perform that function extremely well. Territorial and loyal to the family they bond with early in life, they will guard a home and alert at the first sound of a stranger.

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