Vivien
Website: http://www.dreamdogs.co.uk
I have loved dogs all my life, ever since I used to work with the border collies and Shire horses on the farm down the road when I was at school. Aged 14, I got my first dog – a black miniature poodle called Susie Wong. Since then, I’ve owned dogs all my life, including miniature poodles and shih tzu, and have over 30 years’ experience of caring for and breeding dogs, having cared for more than 30 dogs in total over the years, and countless gorgeous little bundles of fluff.
Nowadays, I no longer breed puppies and live with my beautiful, black shih tzu called Ouzo – yes, she’s named after the Greek alcoholic drink!
In praise of the good old fashioned mutt
In praise of the good old fashioned mutt. Much has been made recently of various dog breeds, large, small and ridiculously tiny. There is also a growing interest in specific cross breeds such as the labradoodle. Has the poor mongrel been forgotten in all this made-to-measure designer dogdom? There are many great looking pooches out there of mixed parentage and each one is going to be unique, some of the most engaging looking pups are the result of a chance meeting and rescue centres are overflowing with great dogs passed over in favour of the pure breed in the next cage. Dogs that can trace their ancestry back are often related, some diseases and defects have become inherent to particular breeds, and mongrels often have a better resistance to doggy diseases. Mongrel or not, the same principles apply when it comes to finding your ideal dog. See the parents (if known), or if you are going to re-home a rescue dog, talk to the staff at the centre. Be wary of small ads that are offering dogs “free to a good home”, make sure that the dog is not a problem animal that the present owners are trying to offload. A word of caution if you are taking on a pup of unknown provenance, pups grow and there is no telling how big your new friend will be when fully grown, as you will have no point of reference. Beware of throwbacks, mongrel parents of small stature have been known to produce much larger offspring. If a large dog is going to be a problem play safe and get a pure or cross breed. ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
So it’s time for the vet
Most dogs are not great fans of going to the vet, in some cases it can be a real problem but that behaviour can be changed. Make time for some fake trips to the vet. Drive some way towards the vets and park the car, get out and put the dog a lead. Now go for a walk rewarding your dog for good behaviour, do this several times. After a few walks, extend the route so you go past the vet’s surgery, again rewarding (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Supplies needed for house training a puppy
The essential tool for house training a puppy is lots and lots of patience. House training a puppy is not straight forward and there will be lots of accidents as you try to teach your new little friend the rules in your home. However, to help with your patience and aid you in your training there are a number of supplies that you can get, before you bring your puppy home, which should make the training go more smoothly. Crate-training a puppy can help with easing your pet (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Avoid punishment when training your puppy
There are various ways to train a puppy and depending on the books you read or the training classes that you take your puppy to, there will be different schools of thought on how to raise an obedient dog. One of the ways that you should avoid training your puppy is through punishment. Remember the dog is only young and your pet will not necessarily equate a punishment with the action that they have just done. Particularly if you find dog mess on the floor that you did not see the puppy make, it may not necessarily understand that a clip on the nose is as a result of (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Getting your puppy to sleep through the night
Once your puppy is old enough to leave his mother and you are allowed to bring him home, it can be an exciting time for you – but a time of great upheaval for the puppy. Leaving the mother, all the new surroundings and people, means that the puppy has lots of new nooks and crannies to explore but will also be looking for comfort and reassurance. During the day, your puppy will probably be surrounded by a constant stream of companions looking to play with and pet (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
What to expect at dog training school
When you go along to a dog training class, check a few details beforehand of what the trainer might need to see. A reputable organisation will want to see your vaccination certificates; some will also request that your puppy has been wormed. You may want to bring a few things along with you such as titbits for rewards, poop bags, toys, a collar and lead and a water bowl with a supply of water. A full list should be provided when you enrol. Your puppy’s training class should offer a fun and friendly atmosphere in a comfortable venue. The whole family can go and everybody can learn together the signals and commands for the pup. Remember, your puppy has a lot to learn, it will be a lot easier if he or she is happy and stress free. Don’t worry if he or she (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Top three areas to check on your dog’s hygiene
Dog hygiene is important for your pet as basic hygiene can keep your pet healthy and avoid most little problems developing into anything more serious. Although it is important to give your dog a regular bath, do not think that a quick splash is enough to maintain your pet. Although your dog will smell nicer and their coat will be shinier, bathtime is a good time to check that your dog is healthy in other ways as it’s a good chance for you to give him a quick once over. Clean your dog’s ears. There are special solutions to do this, which you may (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 4.0/10 (1 vote cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Should you take in an older dog or a puppy?
When thinking about bringing a dog into your home, most people think about buying a puppy. Puppies are cute and cuddly and it is not difficult to see how easy they are to love. However, there are thousands of dogs who have been abandoned at shelters because they have been abused or unwanted. Many of these dogs would make excellent companions in spite of all that has happened to them in the past. If your situation is suitable, it is worth considering visiting a shelter before choosing a pet, because there may be a once neglected dog who will capture your heart and make a good house pet. Dogs are abandoned for many reasons. For example, greyhound dogs who have been bred for racing are often discarded as they grow older, cannot run as fast and are no longer profitable. Animals with disabilities can also be (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Dogs naturally calm nerves
With the cost of attending university due to rise, there will be yet more pressure on students to achieve the very highest grades. Some will become very nervous indeed and this will affect their performance adversely. A few may respond by taking pills, but students at the University of Arizona have found a much healthier and fairer alternative to be effective. Law students have discovered that stroking a therapy dog prior to critical examinations is beneficial. Therapy dogs have been used in the United States for some time. However, using them at university prior to examinations other than as individual dog owners (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
Basic dog grooming tips for you
There are many professional dog groomers you can call on should your pooch need some attention and pampering. Some parts of dog grooming can be tricky, for example, your dog may have a particular coat that needs attention or is difficult to handle, or you may not feel confident with some tasks, which mean you need to call on and pay for the services of a professional. For instance, cutting your dog’s nails can be tricky as cutting them too short can cause them to bleed – it may be best to leave this to dog groomers or even the vet. However, there are some basics to dog grooming that will require attention unless you (more) ShareVN:F [1.9.13_1145]please wait...Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.9.13_1145]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)» Post Ad Purchase: Intext Link Read More →
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