companion

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AKC Vs. RBDA: What’s The Difference?

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What is all the hype about our dogs belonging to a club? Many pet owners do not even belong to a club. Dog owners, who take pride in their pets, will generally register their dogs in some kind of kennel club, especially if they plan to breed their dog. Registered dogs tend to cost a little more and are more appealing to dog buyers.

AKC stands for American Kennel Club. It is the most well known kennel club in the United States. They are dedicated to supporting the sport of pure breeds. They were found back in 1884 and they are a promoter of responsible dog ownership. Although the AKC is dog friendly, no matter the status of the breed, they believe that purebred dogs are more predictable in several aspects. Hence, they believe that purebreds make better pets. Half of American homes have pets and 36% of them are dog owners; Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on the subject.

The AKC stays very active. They encourage the sport of purebred dogs. They sponsor over 15,000 dog competitions a year

The AKC deals with approximately one million applications a year. Although, they do not specialize in the selling of purebreds. Because of this, they can not vouch for the health of the animal.

If you were to purchase a dog that comes from an AKC registered blood line, you will also receive an application for your dog’s registration. Someone who is buying an AKC registered dog must realize that the certification is in no way guarantying that the dog is in perfect health or that the quality of the dog is without flaw. It is only stating that the canine is a direct offspring of a known sire (stud/father) and dam (mother/bitch) and that it is born on a factual date. They must also be from the same breed. In order to register a litter of puppies, the sire and dam must be AKC registered and the litter born in the US.

The owner of the litter wanting to register the litter must fill out an application which requires basic information such as: date of mating and birth, the number of males and females born in the litter, the sire and dam’s registered names and numbers and lastly the owner’s address and signature. You must fill out the form and send it back to the AKC. They, in turn, will send you paperwork for each individual puppy to be filled out partly by you. Once the puppies have been purchased, the new owner will have to fill out the remaining information and send it back, with a fee, the AKC. After they have processed your application, you should receive an official AKC Certificate in the mail.

The Rare Breed Dog Association is another type of dog registration. You may wonder what exactly is a “rare dog breed.” In simple terms, it is a dog that the American Kennel Club does not recognize. They have a number of services they offer such as: Public awareness of the rare breed dog; Education of the rare breed dog; Registration of the rare breed dog; as well as rare breed dog shows. Their goal is to watch over the “Rare Breed Dog” in the US and educate the public of the over 130 rare dog breeds that are out there. The RBDA have a number of groups that they represent. The following are dog groups along with a few of the actual breeds they represent:

– Companion Group (American Hairless Terrier, Bolognese, Cavalier King Charles)
– Herding group (King and English Shepherd, Akbash)
– Hound group (Basset Artesien Normand, Black Forest Hound, Batard)
– Spitz group (Canadian Estimo Dog, Carolina Dog, Chinook)
– Sporting group [( Barbet, Boykin Spaniel, Bracco Italiano) These sporting group dogs are located in the Gundog group located in various in Europe]
– Terrier group (American Pit Bull Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Jadgterrier)
– Working group ( Aidi, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, American Bulldog)

Whether you have a rare breed dog or a purebred dog, there our resources out there to get your dog registered. Once again, either way you go, it does not prove the quality of the animal, just the family line. Although, if purchasing a dog, buying an AKC or RBDA registered dog is the best way to tract the history of the dog. Either way, a dog is a dog. They serve a variety of purposes, and as long as they are fulfilling that purpose, that is what’s important.

AKC Vs. RBDA: What’s The Difference courtesy Dog Articles.

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Beloved Companion and Therapy Dogs

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By far the most common use of today’s Labrador is as a home companion, a role at which he excels. Surprisingly, the Labrador Retriever was rarely kept strictly as a house pet until several decades after the breed’s introduction to the United States. The initial fanciers of the breed became acquainted with him through knowledge of the shooting game. When the breed was well established as a sporting companion, his docile, brainy nature won his way out of the kennel and into the home.

The Labrador Retriever’s ability to quickly adapt and respond to instruction made the transition quite easy. Today, puppies raised in the home actually become so entwined in the lives of their owners that they often suffer when relegated to the kennel life. (If you are planning to keep a kennel of Labradors, select puppies that are properly socialized but still familiar with kennel life.)

As a companion, the Labrador Retriever is good-natured and gentle enough to accept the roughhousing of youngsters without returning it. If properly socialized while young, a Labrador will share his “home with another dog, providing there is enough affection for all. It is more common for a Labrador to misbehave out of jealousy than out of dislike for another animal.

Labrador Retrievers are long on self-control and loyalty, but they do not make the most avid watchdogs. As a rule, they are not overly suspicious of strangers or highly protective of loved ones, and when natural instincts are not stimulated they can be inattentive to such a task. Always keen for a scent or sound, a Labrador Retriever would certainly give voice at the approach of an intruder, but he might be won over by a friendly gesture or a luscious piece of sirloin. If left on duty, a Labrador Retriever may wander off in search of a scent that has caught his attention. In short, he is a people-dog. If you really need a watchdog, get your Labrador a German Shepherd friend!

The value of companionship with this breed should not be underestimated. In recent years, obedience-trained Labradors as well as other breeds are being used as Therapy Dogs to enrich the lives of nursing home residents and even emotionally disturbed children. The process is simple: a group of experienced dog handlers, such as those trained by Therapy Dogs International, bring their dogs to visit, perhaps put on an obedience performance for the audience, and then let animals and humans mingle, if conditions permit. The dogs are all obedience trained and have proven themselves to be extremely gentle and outgoing. Their job is to make people feel wanted, and it works wonders for alleviating the loneliness and depression that often burden such lives. Labradors love people and the few hours Therapy Dogs share with others enrich both dog and man.

Beloved Companion and Therapy Dogs courtesy Dog Articles.

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How To Choose A Dog That Will Make You Happy!

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If you choose a purebred puppy- and there are hundreds of breeds to choose from – you’ll know ahead of time how your puppy is going to turn out when he grows up. That’s the benefit of choosing a purebred as opposed to a mixed-breed or hybrid dog! You can find out before you even buy him: how much he’ll shed, how easy he’ll be to train, how much grooming he’ll require, whether he’s going to be a good watchdog or guard dog, how big he’s going to be, what he’s going to look like, how athletic he’ll be, and how he’s going to behave. Of course, every dog has it’s own unique personality and behavioral quirks. But in general, all dogs of a particular breed will grow up to act and behave like the other dogs of that breed. For example, you know that a German Shepherd puppy is going to grow up into a dog that striking in appearance, very easy to train, eager-to-please, athletic, protective, and intelligent: like all German Shepherd dogs are. Purebred dogs are man-made.

They wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for us. Pugs, Border Collies, Yorkies – every breed – wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for us humans creating them. To create a new breed someone decides what characteristics they want the breed to have. Then they only breed dogs together who have those characteristics. Lots of inbreeding then takes place. After years of selective breeding (breeding out the undesirable characteristics) and inbreeding a new “breed” is born. And when you breed dogs of that new breed together they produce puppies who grow up to be the same as the parents.

As I mentioned above the benefit of choosing a purebred puppy is that you know how your dog is going to turn out — in advance — even before he’s born. So assuming you’re going to purchase or adopt a purebred puppy or dog, here are some of the things to consider about the many different breeds: Shedding All dog breeds shed hair. They all shed different amounts of hair. Some breeds shed virtually no hair, some shed quite a lot, and some shed a lot of hair! If it bothers you finding loose hairs stuck to everything in your home then choose a low-shedding breed. Ease of Training Some breeds are easier to train than others because they learn training commands faster.

The easier the dog is to train the less time and patience you need to train him. If you want a dog who learns your commands quickly choose a breed that is easy to train. Grooming How much time you need to spend grooming your dog depends on the length of the coat and how much the coat sheds. If the dog breed you’re considering has a long coat you’ll need to either clip it short, or brush it often. If the dog breed you’re considering sheds lot of hair you might find yourself brushing the coat every day to remove the dead hair. Because what you remove with a brush doesn’t end up in the house! Want a Jogging Companion? Some breeds were made to be athletic and posses great stamina. If you want a dog who can accompany you on long walks, hikes, jogs and rides then you should choose one of these breeds.

Good With Children Pretty much all breeds are great with children. Thousands of people have small children and own Rottweiler, Pit Bulls, and other more aggressive dogs and they never have any problems at all. These owners will tell you that their dogs are the sweetest and most gentle dogs on earth. And it’s true. However, which dog has the ability to do more damage to a small child: a Pit Bull or a Pug? Obviously it’s the Pit Bull. So if you want to play it safe choose a breed who doesn’t really have the ability to harm a child or one who doesn’t have a bad reputation. And always supervise very small children and babies around the dog! Small children could inadvertently tease the dog and he could snap at them. Guard Dog or Watchdog Some breeds like German Shepherds and Rottweilers make excellent guard dogs.

They’re naturally very protective and suspicious of strangers. They have the ability to intimidate and deter an intruder. On the other hand, some breeds are just good at keeping watch and raising the alarm. And some little dogs have such a loud, deep bark they can even scare and intruder away. Size When choosing a breed consider size. Small dogs are make training easier because you can control them a lot easier than a big, strong and powerful dog. The small breeds also make less mess, and they coast less to care for.

How To Choose A Dog That Will Make You Happy courtesy of Dog Articles.

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Should I Adopt Two Puppies?

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Puppies are cute, affectionate, loving and silly. They’re fun to play with and cuddle with and will never not call you back. What could be better than one puppy except two, right?

Maybe.

Puppies may be all of these great things, but remember, puppies are tons of responsibility. For all the work you’ll have to do to housebreak one puppy, you’ll have to do it all twice as much. For all the money you spend on food, toys, treats and supplies, you’ll have to spend double. For all the love, attention, work and time you put into one puppy, you’ll have to put in two times that amount.

Now, if you’re an experienced pet owner and have handled having two young dogs in the past before, you may already know all the work involved and are willing to do it. In that case, good luck and have fun. However, most of us have never had to bring up two puppies at the same time. That being the case, most of us can’t fully realize the kind of effort that goes into raising two dogs simultaneously. Remember this before you commit to two new family members.

One problem that is often brought up about rearing two puppies at the same time is that they get closer with each other than they will with you. If a puppy has another dog to be his companion, he doesn’t need the human partnership most pets crave. Additionally, once he passes a certain point without that human bond, he will never bond as close with his master as he could have if he were forced to at an early age.

An obvious problem with this is that oftentimes companion dogs will pay more attention to the other dog than they will to their humans. This can make the two dogs a lot harder to control, to train and to housebreak. Dogs are pack animals and once you have more than one dog, you have a pack. Packs are self-involved and hard to handle. They can also be dangerous in early years, as a pack order must be established and may or may not come easily. Fights can happen, intimidation, abuse from one dog to the other. Remember than all of these complications are very real possibilities that may occur from raising two puppies at once.

A common reason people have for wanting to get two puppies is that they want one to keep the other company. They overlook all the work that will go into raising two babies (as that is essentially what puppies are) at once and decide that one needs another. Remember that your dog will get plenty of company from you if you are devoting enough time and attention to it and if you still feel that you dog needs a companion, it is much easy and better idea to wait until your first puppy is a year of age, past housebreaking and training, to adopt another. That way, you’ll be positive that you can accept the responsibility of being a two dog household.

Should I Adopt Two Puppies courtesy of Dog Articles.

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