nutrition

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Protecting Your Dog From Kennel Cough

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Kennel cough is one of those terms that are often heard in association with dogs but few people have a clear understanding of what this infection really is and how to protect their pet. The fact is that kennel cough is common in dogs that are living (temporarily or permanently) in a crowded or stressful situation. The infection is characterized by a deep cough, which sounds almost as if the dog has something caught in its throat.

The medical name for this infection is ‘canine infectious tracheo-bronchitis’. There are many possible causative agents or factors of this infection including stress caused by travel or by crowded conditions, exposure to cold temperatures or exposure to pollutants in the air. Even cigarette smoke can pose a risk.

Kennel cough is the result of a reduction in the animal’s normal protective mechanisms of the respiratory tract. In addition or combination with the factors listed above, the actual bacterium responsible for kennel cough is ‘Bordetella Bronchiseptica’. Because the cough is extremely contagious and is passed from dog to another via respiratory secretions, boarding kennels, animal shelters, and grooming shops are often places that dogs seem to ‘catch’ the cough.

Some cases of kennel cough resolve themselves. If your dog develops a cough but continues to eat and be active there is a good chance that the problem will end on its own, without any medical intervention. However, in other cases, especially in those involving young puppies, the kennel cough can be more serious and can even result in the development of pneumonia. These pets will need the professional care of a veterinarian. In all likelihood they will receive antibiotics as well as anti-tussives for the cough.

Vaccinations are available for this infection, but they are not always recommended for all dogs. Instead, they are given to dogs at risk for Bordetella. Most boarding kennels require that dogs be vaccinated against the infection before they can stay. Although few groomers require that dogs be vaccinated against Bordetella, it is advisable that any dog that regularly visits a groomer have the vaccination. The same is true for dog training classes. In fact, the vaccination is warranted for dogs that regularly visit a dog park or other area where they are likely to socialize with unknown dogs.

It is important to note that even with the vaccination dogs can still develop the clinical signs and symptoms of kennel cough. The good news is that the symptoms will be milder and usually will not last long.

It’s always suggested that you talk with your veterinarian to determine if your dog should be vaccinated against this or any type of disease or infection. In most cases though, if your dog socializes with other dogs, having him vaccinated against Bordetella is a good idea. Other things to consider include the climate you live in and the air quality your dog is exposed to routinely. Protection is almost always easier than dealing with the consequences of ignoring a potential health threat.

Protecting Your Dog From Kennel Cough courtesy Dog Articles.

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Grooming Your Golden Retriever

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Grooming your Golden Retriever is a never ending process.  The entire process should be down once or twice a week, and will take you around a ½ an hour of time.  Brushing your dog while he is shedding will help to control shedding quite a bit.  While outside, if your Golden Retriever manages to get burs or other defects in his hair, you should instantly take a few moments of your time and get the burs or other matter out of his coat.

When you groom your pet, you should always start with a good brushing.  Brush his entire body, then once you have finished brushing you can switch to a comb to get out any loose hair that remains in the coat.  While you are getting out the hair, you can also inspect your pet for ticks, fleas, and other types of skin ailments.  If you wish, you can also check his ears and trim his nails as well.

Bathing your Golden is essential to grooming, and can be somewhat complicated.  Before you attempt to give him a bath, you should always brush him first, to get rid of tangles.  During shampooing, you should always use shampoos that are specifically for dogs, since human shampoo can dry a dog’s skin out.  You don’t need to bathe your dog often, once every other week is good enough.  If you properly maintain your Golden’s coat, you’ll find it’s much easier to clean.

To prevent matting, which is very common with Golden Retrievers, you should always make sure that you brush your pet on a daily basis.  Metal combs and brushes work extremely well, and will help you to get a great deal of the hair out.  Although some people choose to use scissors and cut the mats, you can easily injure your Golden if he happens to move or jerk.  Scissors aren’t recommended, as brushing and proper bathing will help to prevent matting of the hair better than anything else.

When you cut your dogs nails, you should trim them a great deal, all the while avoiding going down into the quick.  You should never let your Golden’s nails get too long, as long nails can easily take the shape of the dog’s foot, resulting in a splay.  Therefore, you should always check your Golden Retriever’s nails and trim them every few weeks.  If you trim them just right, you’ll have at least 2 weeks before they need to be trimmed again.  If you do happen to trim the nails past the quick, bleeding will occur.  To stop the bleeding, always keep some styptic powder on hand to make sure that you are prepared if you do make a mistake.

With other types of grooming, you should also make sure that you clean your Golden’s ears as well.  They can get ear infections quite easily, if you don’t clean their ears on a regular basis.  To get the best results and protect your pet from ear infections, you should clean his ears once a week using a quality cleansing solution.  This way, you can rest assured that your Golden has healthy ears.

Grooming is an essential aspect to the health of every Golden Retriever.  All it takes is a little bit of time from your day to groom your pet and keep him healthy.  If you don’t have the time to groom your Golden, you can always take him to a professional.  Whether you do it yourself or take your Golden to a pro – grooming is something that simply must be done.

Grooming Your Golden Retriever courtesy Dog Articles.

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Which Dog Food For My Dog?

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There are more dog foods today than ever before.  When you walk into any pet supply store the choices can be almost overwhelming.  How in the world are you supposed to choose which food to buy for your dog?

In order to choose a good food for your dog you should keep in mind that there is no “best” dog food.  Dog foods make many marketing claims but your dog will be able to do well on many of the foods sold in stores today.  All you need to do is learn a few dog food basics.

Choosing a good dog food for your dog depends on two essential skills:  learning which ingredients go into a good dog food and learning to read a dog food label.  As you get more experienced with dog foods you will soon learn which companies generally manufacture the better foods and it will shorten the time you have to spend examining foods.

Do you have a Toy or small breed dog?  You may want to consider canned food.  Canned food typically costs more per ounce than dry food but it usually contains more protein and fat and much less grain than dry food.  It also usually has fewer chemical additives such as artificial colors and flavorings.  Canned food also doesn’t need preservatives because of the canning process.  Finally, canned food has plenty of moisture which makes it easier for dogs to digest than kibble.  Most dogs love canned food.  On the other hand, if you have large dogs or multiple dogs the cost of canned food can be prohibitive.

Whether you are buying kibble or canned food you will need to look at the label to find the information that you’re seeking.  Look for the AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officers) statement that says the food meets the minimum nutritional adequacy standards required for pet foods.  This is no guarantee that your dog will thrive on the food but without this statement the food may not even meet minimum standards.

Next look for the ingredient list on the label.  Foods are required to list ingredients in order of their weight.  The first several ingredients should be the most important ingredients in the dog food.  Ideally you will see several sources of named protein among the first five ingredients.  These protein sources can be ingredients such as chicken meal, lamb meal, whole chicken, deboned chicken, and so on.

You should avoid foods that provide protein sources such as “animal digest” and “meat meal.”  According to AAFCO, these animal digests can be described as “animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed.”  Meat meal is described as “an animal feedstuff produced by recycling animal byproducts. These byproducts include meat trimmings, inedible parts and organs, fetuses, and certain condemned carcasses. They are cooked (rendered) to produce a nutritional and economical feed ingredient.”  These are not the kinds of protein you want to feed your dog.  Choose named proteins so you know what your dog is eating.

You also want to choose named sources of fats in your dog’s food for the same reasons.  Choose chicken fat instead of animal fat.

Avoid foods that use corn gluten meal or that has multiple sources of corn.  Corn has been used on such a widespread basis in dog food that many dogs have developed allergies to it.  Not only that, but dogs can only digest about 54 percent of the protein in corn.  That means that nearly half of the corn your dog eats in a food passes through him.  Corn-based foods typically produce large piles of poop for owners to pick up and you have to feed large amounts for your dog to get enough nutrition.  It’s best to simply look for foods that have no corn or minimal corn in them.

Foods that have fewer grains are generally better for your dog.  It’s up to you if you want to feed your dog a grain-free food.  They are generally very expensive.

You can also decide if you want to try feeding your dog a high protein diet.  Some dogs do well on them while others don’t.  If your dog becomes hyperactive and isn’t getting enough exercise to burn off some of the energy on this diet you may need to go back to a normal protein diet.

Avoid products that use BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin as preservatives.  Look instead for natural preservatives.

Avoid foods with artificial colors, sugars and sweeteners.  Your dog doesn’t need them.

Many dog foods claim to contain “human grade” ingredients but that can be misleading.  All poultry in the U.S. is hormone-free and dog food cannot, by law, be labeled human grade.  They may use anti-biotic-free meats and cuts of meat that humans would eat.  You will have to make your own decision.

If you examine dog food labels for these specifications you will begin to narrow down your choices.  After that, you may ask for some sample packs so you can see which foods your dog likes the best.  Remember that there is no single best food.  In fact, it’s best if you have 2-3 foods so you can rotate every few months.  This kind of variety is said to be beneficial for dogs.  If they are not having all of their nutritional needs met with one food they may make up the deficit with another food.

The most expensive foods are not always the best value for the money.  But the cheapest foods do usually cut corners and contain cheap ingredients.  There are a vast number of dog foods in the middle.  It takes some effort to choose good foods with good ingredients without necessarily spending a fortune but it’s certainly possible to do so.  Your dog will thank you.

Which Dog Food For My Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia?

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Hip dysplasia is a complicated disease that affects both cats and dogs.  It is considered to be an inherited disease but it is polygenic — that means that it is not a case of simply breeding parents together who don’t have hip dysplasia and producing puppies that don’t have the disease.  There are many factors that can affect whether or not a dog develops the disease, even if he has parents with or without hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia results when the cartilage around a dog’s hips shows signs of breaking down.  This can happen for several reasons.  There may be bony projections in the hip joints.  There could be shallow hip sockets.  There can be evidence of bone changes called “remodeling.”  All of these indications are bad because they lead to the breakdown of cartilage in the hip area.  Cartilage is necessary to cushion the hips when a dog walks or moves.  Without proper cartilage the dog begins experiencing some degree of pain.

The breakdown of cartilage leads to various stages of arthritis in the dog’s hips.  This arthritis can be diagnosed by a veterinarian as degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis.  These are all painful conditions and can eventually lead to a dog being debilitated and unable to walk.

If your dog is having difficulty with his hips or is showing any signs of pain you should visit your vet to get a professional opinion.  Your vet can make a preliminary diagnosis.  You can also submit the x-ray to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for evaluation.  The x-ray will be viewed by three veterinarians who are extremely experienced in evaluating hip dysplasia.  They can give you a precise rating for your dog’s hips.  Ratings of Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mildly Dysplastic, Poor and Severe may be given.  For cases where dysplasia is indicated the vets report back with a checklist of where the problems are.  Having the opinion of these specialists can provide your vet with more information if your dog is dysplastic.

Many people have their dog’s hips x-rayed when the dog is two years old to find out the dog’s hip status, especially if they are considering breeding the dog at some point.  As a general rule, dogs with ratings below Fair should not be used for breeding unless there are very important extenuating circumstances.

Hip ratings can depend a great deal on the x-rays submitted so it’s important to use a vet who has some experience with taking x-rays for OFA.  Bad x-rays can make even a dog with wonderful hips look like he is dysplastic.

Other people choose to use Penn Hip to evaluate hips for dysplasia.  Penn Hip stands for the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program.  This radiographic technique measure the level of joint laxity in a dog’s hips rather than the absolute position of the joints and bones, as with OFA.  Both systems have their supporters but OFA seems to attract more people.

If your dog does have hip dysplasia a lot will depend on how much he is affected.  This is a degenerative disease meaning that it will get worse with age.  He will most likely become more arthritic as he ages.  Fortunately, there are a lot of things that people can do to help offset the early stages of hip dysplasia.  Many people give their dogs joint supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM.  You can buy the same supplements for dogs that you buy for yourself in drugstores or places like Walmart.  Ask your vet about the proper dosage for your dog’s weight.

There are many other supplements sold in pet stores for doggy arthritis, such as Dog Gone Pain.  Some dog owners swear by them.  You will have to try them for yourself and see if you think your dog improves when he takes them.  Most dysplastic and arthritic dogs also do better when you keep them from gaining excess weight.  Watch their diet so they aren’t too chubby.  Carrying a lot of extra weight is bad for their hips.

As your dysplastic dog ages he may experience some degree of pain in his hips.  Your vet may recommend using one of the NSAID medications for pain relief, such as Deramaxx.  There are drawbacks to these medications and your vet should advise you about possible side effects.  It’s also advisable to do a blood panel before starting to use an NSAID with a dog to make sure your dog is a good candidate for taking the drug.

There are plenty of dogs who may have some minor degree of hip dysplasia who never exhibit any symptoms.  If your dog does have some hip dysplasia it’s not the end of the world.  He may run and play for the rest of his life without experiencing pain.  Even if he does develop some arthritis there are many ways to counter the problem.  A diagnosis of hip dysplasia doesn’t have to mean the end of good times for you and your dog.

What Do I Do If My Dog Has Hip Dysplasia courtesy Dog Articles

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Dog Health – Essential Diet Guidelines

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You need to make sure your dog is getting the right balance of foods each day.  The different considerations are protein, carbohydrates and good fats.  Eating a well-balanced meal will ensure a long and happy life, a beautiful coat, and a lot of energy.

Many people are unsure of the proper balance for their dog’s diet.  The general rule includes the following:

– 2-25% protein
– 20-35% fat
– 40-60% carbohydrates

In addition to those important elements; dogs also need vitamins and minerals.  Their needs are a bit different than human needs, however.  One of the most important needs is vitamin B1.  This is one that dogs do not store well in their bodies and is not often found in dog food.

It is necessary to note that feeding your dog a diet of lean meat alone will not help them meet the requirements.  Dogs in nature eat their prey whole, which does contain everything they need.  It’s your job as a dog owner to come as close to nature as possible.

There have even been studies about the habits of dogs and what they eat.  These studies have revealed that dogs prefer to have their food cooked and mushy rather than raw and meaty.  Even so, dogs will likely eat most things that are put in front of them so you must do the job of differentiating for them.

Most people tend to feed their dogs commercially available food.  These are often fortified with the necessary vitamins and mineral.  Manufacturers know that these foods need to be easy for buyers to store.  That is why they come in simple cans or bags and are a favorite of dog owners everywhere.  The downside here is that this food can get expensive.

More and more people are starting to make their own dog food.  It can be hard to balance the food just right, and you can’t base it solely off of what you eat.  You need to extensively study the subject in order to make sure you’re giving your dog the best possible health.

There are some health issues that might pop up if pet owners are not careful.  For example, putting too much milk powder in the food can cause scouring because dogs have a hard time digesting lactose.  Instead of creating your own recipes it’s important to find ones that are time tested.

Another thing to consider is that while dogs enjoy chewing on bones it is important to avoid many of them.  If they are small and have been cooked the bone is a lot more likely to splinter and cause problems.  Avoid cooked chicken, lamb chop, and fish bones, as they are the biggest culprits.  Be extra careful if you’re one who likes to feed their dog from the table.

You will live and learn about what is best for your dog.  If he has a bad experience with a certain meal you will probably notice that he avoids it in the future.  This is a natural instinct of survival that you should pay attention to.  Following the unique diet requirements of dogs is the best way to ensure that they are healthy and happy for a long time to come.

Dog Health – Essential Diet Guidelines courtesy Dog Articles.

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Extremely Light Shedding Dogs

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Every dog sheds some just like people lose a little hair. But some dogs shed  much more than others, while the ones discussed here shed a lot less. A lightly shedding dog is better for those people that want a house dog without as much cleanup of the dog’s fur required. It is also a plus for less grooming of your pet.

Those that want a dog that shed’s less have a large variety of breeds to choose from including: the Irish Water Spaniel, Puli, Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle, Bolognese, and the Doodleman Pincher. This list is a sampling of breeds that shed less and isn’t all inclusive of them.

The so called non-shedding breds make the best pets for people with allergies. Dander and dead skin, which flakes off are allergens. The “don’t shed breds” don’t make as much allergy inducing material as other dogs.

The length of the dog’s coat isn’t as important in determining if he is a big shedder, as how many layers there are to his coat. In other words, pick a dog with one layer to his coat, not two layers. This rule applies whether the dog is short haired, wire haired or long haired.

People with allergies that are looking for a non-shedding dog, still need to be around the dog some to see if they will have an allergic reaction to the dog. Person A’s allergies can be triggered by one bred, while person B’s allergies aren’t agitated. So visit with the pooch before rushing home with the lovely pet.

Obviously, the non-shedding breeds are the ones to choose from, if you want to pick a dog for an allergic child. This should be on the okay of the child’s allergist. But if at all possible it is a wonderful part of childhood to have a dog. as a friend. It is important as with the adult allergy sufferer to make sure the dog won’t cause an allergic reaction.

Another consideration in picking a non-shedding dog is how well does this breed get along with children? That is for those that have children. The Maltese is a good choice because it is a friendly little dog that likes to play. The Labradorean is a dog that is family oriented that enjoys running and playing. It is a large dog. The Irish Water Spaniel is a medium dog in size. It has a good deposition for children and is a gentle dog. It is an intelligent animal and a beautiful dog. A beagle is a good choice for a child’s pet, which is non-shedding, friendly, and loving.

Those are just some of the non-shedding dogs that are also perfect to be around children. Others include the Golden Doodle, Bichon Frise, and the Bouvier des Flandres.

If a non-shedding dog is your choice, you won’t be without a variety to choose from in bred, size, and personality. Some are particularly good with children. One of these wonderful dogs is waiting for you to give it a good home.

Extremely Light Shedding Dogs courtesy Dog Articles.

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Dogs in Heat: The Facts

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There are numerous questions that people ask, when learning about dogs in heat. There are practical   answers that help dog owners to understand the estrous cycle.

The proper name for heat is the estrous cycle and during this cycle a dog can become pregnant. The obvious sign is bleeding from the vagina and the vulva might be swollen. The bleeding isn’t profuse, especially in small dogs. She will urinate more often. The biggest clue is the sudden surge of male dogs hanging around your yard. Observe the small dog before her first cycle more carefully, as it can be harder to tell when she first goes into the estrous cycle.

The majority of  female dogs come into heat at between six to twelve months of age, though it can be sooner or later. For some it it as long as fourteen months. Have your vet examine your dog, if she hasn’t cycled in fourteen months. They normally come into heat twice yearly. The smaller dogs are the ones that might come into their cycle earlier and the larger breeds might take longer than the usual time.

The estrous cycle is broken into four parts.

1) Proestrous is the initial stage. Its duration is between four and twenty days. The dog bleeds, is usually shy, her vulva is swollen, and she isn’t receptive to male dogs.
2) The estrous part of being in heat is from five to thirteen days long. The female dog is receptive to males and the blood secretion is a lighter color.
3) Diestrous is the next stage and now her secretions lessen and she begins to lose interest in the male dogs. If she got pregnant, the pregnancy duration would be between sixty and sixty-four days.
4) Anestrus is the period when the dog’s heat cycle finishes and she stays in in his stage for five to eleven months.

The majority of the cycle is around three weeks and doesn’t include the most of the anestrous period.

When your dog is in heat, she will be more excitable and can use some extra attention. Brushing,  petting, and talking to her will soothe her nerves. You can control the mess made through bleeding by putting a doggy pad on her or keeping her in her “den” area when inside. The space normally set aside as her place to sleep is her den. Visit her often, if she is confined to this space.

Breeders of dogs usually test for progesterone  levels, which signifies the dogs most fertile days. Normally those days are the 11th through the 15th day of heat. She can become pregnant during her first heat. The majority of breeders don’t breed their dogs that soon. They usually have genetic testing done prior to breeding. Some serious hip problems aren’t apparent until the dog is about two years old.

Spaying her is advisable, if you don’t want her to have puppies. The traditional advice has been to allow her to experience one cycle or  have puppies once before spaying. But vets now spay earlier. Ask your vet how soon you can have your dog spayed.

Dogs in Heat: The Facts courtesy Dog Articles.

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How Old Should My Puppy Be When I Bring Him Home?

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Puppies come from many different places.  You may be getting a puppy from a shelter or from a breeder.  Wherever your puppy is coming from he needs to learn a lot of things from his mother and siblings before he comes home with you.  Ideally, your puppy should remain with his mother and littermates until he is at least eight weeks old.  Unfortunately, there are people who are separating puppies from their mothers and littermates much earlier than this and sending them home with people at five-six weeks old.  There are a number of reasons this is a bad idea and why you should never take a puppy this young.

At the age of five-six weeks puppies have barely been weaned from their mothers.  They have not yet learned how to be dogs.  When you bring a puppy this young to your home he has not learned any rules.  He doesn’t know that he is not supposed to play too rough.  He has not learned “bite inhibition,” which means that he is more likely to bite you and have a hard time learning that he isn’t supposed to do it.  He has not learned the kind of manners that his mother would teach him.  Your puppy has not learned that there is a pack leader and that he can’t do what he wants all the time.  Your puppy has not learned any dog socialization or social skills.  You are bringing home a cute puppy who is much more likely to grow up to be a brat and develop behavioral problems as an adult.

At the age of five-six weeks your puppy may not have even received his first set of shots.  He is far more likely to develop a deadly disease like Parvo if you bring him home at this age than if you bring home a puppy at the age of eight weeks or later.  Your puppy’s immunity from his mother is virtually gone and he has not been properly immunized by vaccinations yet.  Bringing home a puppy this young is unhealthy for the puppy and for any other dogs in your household.

At the age of five-six weeks a puppy has not received any socialization from the person who brought him into this world.  A good breeder will make sure that a puppy becomes used to things in a house, such as televisions, radios, vacuum cleaners, and scary things like cats, umbrellas, and kids.  When you bring home a puppy who has not met these things they have no human socialization.  They are more likely to grow up to be fearful adults and develop problems like separation anxiety later in life.  A good breeder will also make sure that a puppy receives his first set of shots (at least) before you bring him home.

Good breeders do not release puppies at five-six weeks of age.  They may allow you to meet puppies at this age.  They may make arrangements with you.  But they will not allow puppies to leave their home at such a young age.  It’s too young.

If you are getting a puppy from an animal shelter you may  have to take a puppy at this age because it could be dangerous to leave them in the shelter longer since shelters can house diseases.  Be sure to get your puppy vaccinated against diseases as quickly as possible and take extra care in socializing your puppy in the coming months to try to make up for the socialization he missed with his mother and littermates.

How Old Should My Puppy Be When I Bring Him Home courtesy Dog Articles.

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Common Health Problems In A Welsh Corgi

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While Welsh Corgis are great family pets, unfortunately they come with their fair share of health problems.

Particular care is needed to keep these dogs in shape and avoid over feeding them. Due to their short legs and long body they tend to gain weight easily which can pose a problem with their joints in the future. One good way to keep them in shape is swimming, as it doesn’t put pressure on their back or joints.

The Welsh Corgi is also prone to spinal problems due to the length of its spine, which can lead to early arthritis, particularly for those that are overweight. Biophysical stresses are a renowned problem for these breeds on their spine, which is directly related to the weight of an over-sized belly. This problem has lead to other secondary diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Unfortunately they are also predisposed to developing a disease called DM (Degenerative Myelopathy). A test for this has been developed and is available through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Further research is still being conducted as to why some Welsh Corgi’s develop DM and others don’t.

Pembroke’s in particular are at risk for hip dysplasia, Von Willebrand’s disease and other eye disorders.

Von Willebrand’s is a blood clotting disorder which is only detected by a DNA test. At the moment it is only eliminated by avoiding breeding carriers or affected Pembroke’s together. One parent must be clear to avoid the disease.

As for eye problems, both parents need to have passed CERF rating at least one year before breeding commences, to avoid such problems as persistent papillary membranes (PPM), retinal dysplasia or cataracts. Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a common eye condition with Welsh Corgi’s among other breeds that have protruding eyes. This eye condition is characterized by the deterioration of retina cells which ultimately leads to a progressive loss of sight starting approximately around 5 years of age. Glaucoma is another eye disease that can lead to permanent blindness by predetermined genetics. Glaucoma is the excessive pressure inside the eye which can damage the eye’s internal structures. If glaucoma is not treated quickly permanent loss of vision or complete blindness is inevitable.

Hip dysplasia in these dogs is poly-genetic, where more than one set of genes may be involved. It is important to have as many ancestors tested as possible as well as a fair rating in OFA. This is the best way to avoid dysplasia, but unfortunately there is not a completed guarantee.

Maintaining the recommended weight of Welsh Corgi’s will ensure longevity and a healthy life. These breeds are known to live up to 12 – 15 years. So if you’re looking at having this breed, ensure you stick to a regular diet and exercise regime without over feeding, so you and your family can enjoy the company of your dog for many years to come.

Common Health Problems In A Welsh Corgi courtesy Dog Articles.

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Breeding Golden Retrievers

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For beginners, breeding Golden Retrievers is nearly impossible.  Breeding can be very complicated, although it can be easy as well.  You should never attempt to breed unless you know a lot about requirements for hobby breeders, as it is simply unfair to the breed if you have a litter of puppies that simply aren’t what they should be.  People who look to buy Golden Retrievers only want top quality, which is why you shouldn’t attempt to breed just have a puppies or make a few bucks.

Breeding Golden Retrievers is a very serious hobby, one that should be left to those who know how to make the right choices.  There is a certain amount of cost and care involved with breeding, especially if breeders are going for a certain quality.  There is also a lot of responsibility involved as well, which can take quite a bit of time to say the least.

Breeding can help to fulfill the need of a Golden, although the dog still has no knowledge of it missing, no regrets, or no guilt towards living a life without having been breed.  A pregnant Golden Retriever female doesn’t gain anything in regards to health, as it instead causes problems.  Golden females that have been spayed on the other hand, cannot be bred.  If you have chosen to have your Golden spayed, always remember that she will be unable to breed.

When looking to breed, quality breeders will have a lot of choices in front of them.  They will need to determine the pair, such as the mother and the father.  To get the highest quality possible from the litter, the breeder will need to determine the traits of both dogs, temperaments, and how well they seem to react to one another.  The breeder will also need to determine in either of the dogs have any type of health problems, to prevent any diseases or ailments from being passed on to the litter.

Sometimes, when breeding Golden Retrievers, the mother of the litter will prove to be unfit, which requires more work for the breeder.  If the mother isn’t doing her job of nurturing her young, the breeder will need to do it for her.  This can be the most time consuming aspect of breeding, as the breeder will have to feed the young and make sure that they turn out as healthy as possible.

Aside from that, breeders also face quite a bit of costs as well.  The prices for daily care, food, and vet bills can be very steep to say the least.  When you crunch the numbers, you’ll quickly realize that breeders don’t make much money at all when they sale.  Most breeders do it for a hobby, not looking to make money.  Quality breeders on the other hand aren’t concerned with money at all, as they are more concerned about the quality of their litters.  Quality is better than quantity, as even the best breeders out there have problems selling puppies from time to time.

Although breeding is fun for hobby breeders, it is something you really shouldn’t be doing if you don’t have the experience.  Although your Golden may get knocked up by a dog of a different breed without you knowing it, you should do your best to avoid it at all costs if you can.  A pure bred Golden Retriever should be bred only with dogs of her breed, to help preserve the breed and keep their bloodline going.  If you have thought about breeding in the past – you should really study long and hard before you actually make a reality of it.

Breeding Golden Retrievers courtesy Dog Articles.

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