Friday, October 19, 2012

What You Need To Know Before Adopting Stray Dogs

There are hundreds of stray dogs roaming in the streets. They either get run over by speeding cars or starve perpetually. Most of us feel bad about the sorry state of these animals but very few have the gumption to come forward and adopt stray dogs as their pets. There is no doubt about the nobility of your intentions but when your pet is a stray, you need to take some essential precautions.

Here are few things that you need to do if you are adopting a stray dog as your pet
Let Them In: Feeding a stray dog and allowing it to sleep on your doorstep is not technically 'adopting' him or her. It is like giving alms to a begging child and bringing him or her home as a domestic help. If you want to adopt the stray as your pet, you have to let him or her into your home. The stray dog should be treated as a part of your family as your other pets, if you have any.


Dog Vaccination: Being a stray dog, it is definite that your new pet probably has not received any vaccinations. It is crucial to have the stray dog vaccinated. In fact, you should do the immunization first and only then allow the dog to enter into your house.

Is The Dog Sane: Mad dogs or Rabies infected dogs can be very dangerous. It is essential that you put your stray dog through a full medical check-up at a good veterinary hospital. This will include both physical and mental tests. Tests like rabies are the most important, but other minor disorders like fleas or a fungal infection also need to be treated.

What Breed Is It: It might seem like a trivial question, but the reason to determine the breed of your stray pet is very relevant? Certain dog breeds have their own set of disorders and there are different methods to care for them. For example, a Saint Bernard is a cold weather dog that cannot adjust in warm climates. Most stray dogs in India are mongrel dogs.

Potty Training: Once you adopt the stray dog and bring it home, you will have to start training it. This is not going to be easy if the dog is an adult. It is always easier to train puppies. Having lived on the streets, the poor canine will have no toilet training. You have lots of hard work to do.

Be A Good Dog: Living on the streets instils a killer instinct in stray dogs. They are naturally aggressive and this can be a threat to your kids and neighbors. You need to have a strong method to curb aggressive behavior of your adopted pet.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Major Concerns With A Border Terrier Pet Dog

If you want to have a small but sturdy pet dog, then the Border terrier might be for you. This pet is no delicate lapdog. The Border terrier pet dog is full of fun for the whole family.
Before getting a Border terrier pet dog, however, you might want to consider some of the major concerns regarding the breed. This will help you weigh the pros against the cons and will let you reach a decision that would be best for you. Here are some concerns regarding Border terrier pet dogs:
1) Temperament - when people talk about terriers, they all comment on the same behavior using different words. Some people say that their dogs are feisty. Some say that their dogs are stubborn. Some people would prefer to use the word impulsive. The point is, they all describe the same behavior. A terrier is inherently dynamic in its behavior. It is part of what makes a terrier, a terrier.
The temperament of the Border terrier pet dog may be quite surprising, if not outright shocking for most people because of its size. For such a small dog, a Border terrier pet dog sure packs a lot of energy.
2) Aggression - Border terrier pet dogs are not really as aggressive as other breeds. However, its instincts as a terrier would still urge it to run after anything smaller than it. This means that if you own a cat or even a pet rabbit, you cannot have a Border terrier pet dog. This also means that you cannot trust a Border terrier pet dog out of its leash. If it even sees something running, it will take off, leaving you yelling uselessly. This, of course, can cause accidents to happen. In order to make sure that your Border terrier pet dog does not get hit by a car, you need to keep that pet on a leash outside.
3) Escape - it is recommended by many experts that Border terrier pet dogs should be kept in a fenced-in yard to let it have some roaming space while making sure that it is safe. However, you should know that Border terrier pet dogs are clever escape artists. Even if a Border terrier pet dog is within a closed in fence, you should try to keep an eye on it.
4) The noise - Border terrier pet dogs will bark at practically anything that catches their attention. Because of this, you need to properly train them to bark only when needed. You should also be quick to stop them if they are barking inappropriately.
For this reason, you should not really get a Border terrier pet dog if you live with very close neighbors and if you work during the day. An unsupervised Border terrier pet dog is sure to keep barking all day long. This, of course, may draw complaints from your neighbors.
5) Independent thinking - what people love about Border terrier pet dogs is the fact that they can learn very quickly. This is because of their inherent curiosity and toughness. However, the same qualities that make them prize-winners can also make them very stubborn when they want to. You have to be consistent with your commands and show the Border terrier pet dog that you mean what you say. In doing so, you will be training the Border terrier pet dog properly.