A Dog Is For Life Not Just For Christmas

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A family runs an animal sanctuary in Vancouver, British Columbia. Even though they love what they do, they feel that some people need to realize that a pet should be a long-term commitment. They should not be seen as just a bit of fun which they can then get rid of when they get bored.

Many people arrive at the animal sanctuary with their pets, which are mainly dogs, with many excuses as to why they are no longer able to look after or care for them. I am sure many of their reasons are valid but am also aware that many others are just an excuse to offload them.

The excuses they give are varied:

I have recently divorced from my husband and can no longer afford to keep this dog as a pet

The dog has started to bite my children

The dog is too difficult to handle and is destroying my furniture

We have recently moved into a flat. One of their rules is that no animals can live in these flats

The dog barks too much and it is upsetting the neighbors

Our other animals do not like the dog

The dog is affecting my health

I am too ill to look after my dog

It is not their role to question these reasons but what we then need to do is to find another suitable home for the dogs. This is easier said than done as we need to ensure that the new owners will be able to care for them, for hopefully the duration of their life.

They also keep many of the dogs as their own pets, especially the ones which nobody else seems to want. One such dog is called Cassie. She is full of life and has been ill-treated it seems when she was a puppy. Half of her left ear is missing and she is seemingly quite afraid of men.

Cassie is need of a huge amount of care and attention. She can be too lively at times which is possibly why three people who attempted to re-home her, have brought her back. She is not aggressive in any way but does tend to jump up at people.

What they did with Cassie and what they will continue to do, is to give her lots of love but also a little bit of training of what is good and what is not acceptable. It takes a long time, but she is now able to understand that the jumping is not wanted and that she needs to chill out at times.

Cassie is turning into a wonderful dog to have around the house and now feels for the first time as part of a family.

With a little more patience most other dogs can turn out this way. This is why they want more people to take more responsibility and to give their animals more of a chance to settle into their homes, and to get used to a new set of rules.

Having animals as pets can be very rewarding, nearly as rewarding as having a child. A dog, however, will rarely answer you back.

If you are having problems with your animals you can always phone up animal sanctuaries for advice and to hear about possible solutions. The people who work there are animal lovers and will help you as much as they can.

If you are unable to continue looking after the pet, the sanctuary should be able to take them off you.

A Dog in One Pack- Jack Russell Terrier

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We basically want to find companions who would give us most of the benefits we think we need. Well, if you are looking for a dog that is somewhat a one-in-package pal, you might find Jack Russell Terriers interesting enough.

This dog has a history that is somehow loomed to give rise to the specie.

It was said that the breeder of this dog, a young Theologian student of Oxford University named John Russell once met a milkman with a white terrier that has spots on his eyes and ears. This dog became his interest which later proved to be his foundation for breeding a new dog breed that many has learned to love as pets. The dog he first saw was named "Trump" from which another 60 types of terriers were later bred from.

With a terrier's basic nature to go on and over the ground (terrier by the way came from the Latin term "terra" which means earth), Jack Russell terriers also have the disposition to hunt and scour for hunting. Thus, they should be given enough grooming so as to set off the dirt they gather from digging soil to either bury a treasure or to recover a hidden treasure kept long ago.

An excellent ratter, Jack Russell Terriers proves to be good "housekeepers" since they keep most rats away from home. Any unlucky rat that happens to be inside the quarters of this terrier is sure to meet its instant doom. Thus, owners find themselves with both a dog and cat in one pal.

One basic character of this dog is its disposition towards strangers. They can easily figure out who must be kept away from their homes and who can be accepted inside the house. This very attitude also makes them good watchdogs. They were designed specifically to be aggressive on preys. And while they can be very vocal, many of them only barks when they find good reason to.

They do not appear vicious though. But once they smell threat, they can show off aggressiveness that could serve as warning towards the strangers. However, once the stranger is let into the house by the owner, a Jack Russell can already tolerate his or her presence.

This terrier is also a family dog and desires for human companionship. And their love for children is significantly interesting. However, once they are abused or had been shown improper treatments, may it be intentional or accidental, they can react through aggressive behaviors. Their aggressiveness is further manifested with their lack of fear towards larger dogs which can unfortunately lead to injuries, some can even be fatal.

They are also marked for their intelligence and good spirit. These characteristics can be highly observable through their curiosity in things. Thus, they require supplementation on formal training unless you can tolerate difficult behaviors. The good thing though with Jack Russell is that it can acknowledge training and do well in most of them. In fact, they are known to champion various ring shows and other similar competitions.

The Hollywood has recognized the disposition of these dogs too. Coupled with feisty and good physical characteristics, this pal has already made names in the screens. If Wishbone, Milo (from The Mask) and Eddie (from the Frasier) ring the bell on you then there is no doubt that you can recognize this dog.

Jack Russell fair well with grooming. A dog of relatively small size, this breed will not tax you with grooming needs.

Adolescent Dog Snapped At Baby

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I wrote to you some months ago and never write again, this because I did not have any problem with my dog until now and this is case of keeping the dog or giving her away.

Last week the dog (9 months now), growled to my 2 year old daughter and to my wife too when she tried to correct her after the action. They were watching TV and it looks like my daughter approached her face to the dog, she has done this before without this kind of reaction and last night she pet her on her back and the dog pull her lips up like if she was ready to bite.

She never growls to anyone and she is very friendly and some times very submissive with people and other dogs.

I'm thinking that this is something to do with my daughter's stature, she is a dwarf and I guess the dog looks at her as lower level because she is actually smaller than the dog.

I read the book trying to find something to do but I see you suggest a professional advice.

I don't want to risk the safety of my daughter or wife, if there is something I can try that you suggest I will appreciate.

Thank you
Mike Stone

Dear Mike:

I would be careful about letting your daughter be around the dog at this age, however... I would not recommend getting rid of the dog if...

1. You recognize that more than likely, based on what you've told me, you don't have a bad dog. What you've seen is very common amongst young dogs. They are reaching adolescents and are testing out their position in the pack. They are experimenting with new behaviors to see what kind of response it will elicit from the rest of the pack. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD ENDANGER YOUR CHILD, but rather that you need to keep a very close eye on the two at all times.

She'll likely do this behavior a couple more times. When it happens, it must be met with a no-nonsense, extremely firm correction.  You must "psych" her into believing that if she tries to harm you or any other member of the pack again, then you will kill her. Make her never, EVER want to even THINK about trying such a behavior again.

2. Let me repeat, this is a very common behavior amongst young dogs. However, your child's safety comes first. I would not let a young child of this age be in direct contact with a dog, period. Regardless of the dog.

Please let me know if there is something you do not understand.

That's all for now, folks!

A Dogs Golden Years

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With appropriate care most dogs live complete and happy lives.  Unfortunately, an adored pet never seems to live long enough.  Each breed has different life spans.  While taking care of your aging dog you need to adapt his environment for his comfort.  As dogs get older, they develop aches, joint pain, generalized weakness and an almost definite increase in medical problems.

Adjust his surroundings to minimize discomfort.  Protect him from excessive heat and cold.  Older dogs are unable to regulate body temperature as a younger dog.

Try to give your dog regular exercise.  Make sure your dogs health matches his exercise routine.  If your dog exhibits signs of heavy panting or opposes exercise you need to change his routine.

Adapt his diet and feeding schedule to his needs.  As dogs age they are less active and need fewer calories.  Prescription diets are available.  Discuss special diets with your veterinarian.

Older dogs can experience hearing loss and declining eyesight.  Accommodate for his safety.

Senior dogs require special dental care.  They are more likely to develop gum problems and disease.  Complete dental cleaning should be performed by your vet every six months which does require anesthesia.  Make sure complete bloodwork is performed.

Older dogs need extra bathing and grooming.  Dry skin can be a normal part of aging or it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.  They also require more frequent nail trimming.

Take into consideration his age in human years.  If he is 13 in dog years, he may suffer the same aging ailments as a 75 year old human.

Continue with bi-annual vet exams.  Senior dogs need extra care with their aging problems.

Give his life quality!  Keep those memories alive!