Happy New Year!

Hi guys! I just wanted to say Happy New Year! Sorry for not updating for so long. In the days to come, I'll be posting a lot more on here! Have a great 2010!

The Oldest Known Dog Breed

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting for so long. I've been busy lately. Anyway, I've been trying to figure out the oldest known dog breed. I found a list of 14 "Ancient Breeds", all of them dating back to around the same time. These are-

Afghan Hound

Akita

Alaskan Malamute

Basenji

Chow Chow

Lhasa Apso

Pekingese

Saluki

Samoyed

Shar-pei

Shiba Inu

Shih Tzu

Siberian Husky

Tibetan Terrier

On another site, I found out that the "Pharaoh Hound" was one of the oldest known breeds. Apparently, there are paintings of these dogs dating back to 3000-4000 BC!


However, most other sources list that the Saluki is probably the oldest known breed of dog. Surprisingly (or not), the saluki is also originally from Egypt (like the Pharaoh Hound, as you probably guessed by it's name).


Well, I guess there's no way to tell for sure, but if you think you know, be sure to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks and have a great day!

4 Steps to Win the War Against Fleas

Found this article by Joseph Wharton and though you might be interested. I think it's really helpful.

Step One: Know your enemy

Fleas are the most common external parasite found on dogs and cats. A single flea can bite your pet over 400 times a day, leading to itching and painful scratching, which can in turn lead to reddening, irritated skin and hair loss in the area, or cause more serious (and costly) skin conditions like dermatitis (rashes or tiny crusts) caused by an allergic reaction to the flea´s saliva.

They can also transmit the serious tapeworm parasite if your pet swallows an infested flea while self-grooming. In a single day, a flea can consume more than it´s body weight worth of blood, which can provoke serious anemia to your dog or cat. In some cases such as extreme infestations or in the case of young, ill or old pets, this can lead to death.

Step Two: Find the Flea

It is important to detect the presence of fleas on your pet before they can reach the harmful levels described above, where your pets suffering becomes evident. When the fleas first make their appearance on your pet, you might be deceived into thinking that their scratching, nibbling or licking their hair coat and skin is part of their normal grooming routine.

Therefore you must check your pet periodically, especially during warm seasons or indoor conditions (heater or fireplace in use inside the house). Carefully look for fleas around the head, neck and ears of your pet, and inspect the armpits and legpits. You might see small dark fleas moving around, but don´t be misled if you don´t see them as they are very good at hiding between skin folds and fur.

The best way to determine the flea´s presence in your pet is to search their coat for flea feces. To do this, rub or comb (you can use a special flea comb) your pet´s coat and dump the collected hair or litter into a damp white paper towel.

If your pet has fleas, black flecks will fall onto the paper and turn red or rust color when wet. The reddish color comes from the blood sucked by the flea and transferred to the feces. If the black flecks don’t become red then it´s just regular dirt. You can also test your pets resting place with this method.

Remember that the feces are food for the larvae, so it keeps the flea´s life cycle rolling on. (Nasty! I guess we all do it in a sense, but fleas literally grow/come from their parents crap! Remember to repeat this procedure periodically, especially if your pet has been enjoying the sunny outdoors.

If you do find fleas, you must act fast against them, as they can rapidly invade your home. Fortunately, fleas are getting easier to control as there is a wide range of safe and effective products available in the market to fight them.

Step three: Attack and Destroy the Flea

Most flea problems can be eliminated by treating the fleas directly on your pet. You can take your pet to a vet so he can determine if a prescription medication is necessary, or you can use over the counter products, such as flea collars, sprays, shampoo, liquid, topical products and powders that can be applied directly on your pet´s body. Some products kill only adult fleas, while others prevent the eggs from developing. Deciding which method is best for your case may require consultation with a veterinarian.

If your pet is seriously infested, you will need to treat their resting spot and possibly your home. Frequent vacuuming of the areas your pet frequents will usually get rid of fleas at their different life stages (eggs, larvae, or adult fleas). Authorized pest control services may also treat your pet´s outdoor environment in severe cases where this is required. It is also very important that you treat any other pets in your home, as fleas can jump from one to another.

Step 4: Prevention (This should be step one, but if you are reading this it’s probably because you already have fleas!)

Due to the flea´s rapid expansion rate, they can be hard to eliminate completely, therefore prevention is essential. So whether you find fleas on your pet or not, many veterinarians recommend treating pets monthly as part of their health care routine.

It is especially recommended to treat your pet at the beginning of the warm seasons, as fleas thrive in warm environments. Vacuuming your pet´s favorite spots frequently will also prevent the fleas from reproducing and invading your house. Taking these simple steps, you and your pet can enjoy a flea free environment year round.

10 Interesting Facts you didn't know about Dogs!

Here are 10 facts about dogs that I found interesting, and I'm sure you will too.

1) Every year, 15 people die from dog bites
2) There were more deaths from dog bites in the year 2002 than there were from shark bites in 100 years!
3) Three dogs survived the sinking of the titanic- A Pomeranian, a Pekingese and a Newfoundland
4) In the Bible, dogs are mentioned 14 times
5) An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will
6) A dog's noseprint is like a human's fingerprint. It is unique and can help identify them.
7) The oldest known dog breed is probably the Saluki
8) Dalmatian puppies are born completely white
9) A dog's gestation period is 60 days
10) A dog’s heart beats up to 120 times per minute, or 50% faster than the average human heartbeat of 80 times per minute

I hope you enjoyed these facts and be sure to keep checking out this blog for more interesting posts all about dogs!

Doggie Boredom

I read about this and found it interesting. Boredom and variety are always interconnected when your dog misbehaves. Most of the time, boredom can be managed with a variety of materials that will distract your dog. This way, your dog may not do the weird things it does because of the boredom it is experiencing. Sometimes, your dog won't stop barking. Other times, you'll always find him digging something in the garden, or chasing his tail. Some dogs even chew on everything they can find. Just give your dogs different toys or other treats that will keep them occupied for a while. They will stop disrupting everyone with their strange behavior, at least temporarily. They will soon get out of the habit. But don't let them get bored of their toy or treat!

Not All Dogs Bark

Bet you didn't know that! I didn't either. It's really weird when you think about it. Dogs = barking. So I didn't know that there was a certain breed of dog that didn't bark until I did some research on it.



It's called the Basenji, also known as the African Barkless Dog. It is an African hunting dog and due to it's larynx that is unusually shaped, it cannot bark. Instead, it produces a sound kind of like yodels.

Well, there it is. Another interesting piece of information for you!

Swimming Dogs

You've probably heard somewhere that all dogs can swim. I thought so too, but apparently there are a few breeds that can't. Basset Hounds, Pugs and English Bulldogs are some of them. The reason for this is because they have short legs and are quite heavy. They tend to sink. I'm not saying that they cannot swim at all, just that it is a lot harder for them because of the way they are built.
Also, Newfoundland dogs have webbed feet and are one of the best swimmers.
Just thought you guys would like to know these facts about dogs. Have a great day and I would really appreciate if you could subscribe to/follow this blog. Thanks!