Chihuahuas

1.- There are two kinds of Chihuahuas: Apple head, with a short nose and round head, and Deer head, with a more elongated face.

2.- They come long haired or short haired. The short haired has a smooth coat and sheds minimally. The long haired Chihuahua’s coat is silky, curly or flat.

3.- They come in many colors: sand, black, fawn, white, black and white… and more.

4.- They are the tiniest dog breed.

5.-  They do better with solid, dry food. Soft and canned food can promote dental problems.

6.- They are highly intelligent and can be hard to train. They require firm and gentle leadership.

7.- They gain weight easily, which can be very harmful to their health.

8.- They look very active at home, but that should not take the place of a good walk. When they are not walked often, they can present behavior problems.

9.- They can live from 14 to 19 years.

10.- They like to form ‘”clans” and will get along better with other Chihuahuas than other breeds.

Important to know

They need to be very well socialized. If you allow them to be the pack leader, they’ll become possessive and even aggressive towards strangers. They can also be aggressive towards other dogs.

Though they are cute and tiny, they are not recommended for children.

Their temperament depends totally on how the owners treat them. If the owners are overly protective and baby them too much (which is the tendency) they will not be trustworthy pets. They can even become obnoxious.

Shelters tend to have large amounts of Chihuahuas. People tend to abandon them when they realize they are not the “toys” they hoped they would be. They represent a big responsibility.

Yes, their name comes from the Mexican State of Chihuahua, where they were discovered, but they date as far back as the 9th century AD and were found in the Aztec capital.

Rescue a Chihuahua

Long Haired Chihuahua Photo Courtesy of: Phoenix wolf-ray

Apple Head Chihuahua courtesy of: blackdood

What Makes Our Pets Itch

How awful it is when you get an itch in your back and you can’t get to it!  Well, once in a while your dog or your cat needs to scratch an itch, and we have to investigate the reason why it is happening.

What makes our pets itch? What causes itching skin on our dogs? An itch is a reaction to chemicals in the animal’s skin that makes him or her really want to scratch, and if you see your dog constantly scratching, it’s wise to find out what’s causing it. The itch can be triggered by anything from fleas and ticks, dry skin, allergies, bacterial infections, and even a serious disease, so it’s a good idea to look into it with the help of your vet. He or she will examine the pet and decide if more diagnostic tests are necessary. It might just be a matter of changing to special dog food for skin allergies or getting an anti itch dog shampoo. Treating them is important for your dog’s health. Cats can also have skin problems, but not as often as dogs do.

Once your vet has ruled out any serious problems, here are some of the things you can do to help alleviate their itchy skin:

Check the food they’re eating. If you use commercial food, try to get a premium brand nutritionally balanced and give them a supplement of Omega-3 fatty acids. There are special supplements for dogs and cats, but you can give them the same fish oil you take. One 1000 mg. capsule once a day is enough. Use only half for small dogs and cats. If you are not comfortable giving such a large capsule especially to your dog, just puncture one end and mix it with some of his food. Do the same for small dogs and cats. If the taste or the smell is too much for them, you can always use some olive oil to coat their food.

Give them a bath, or at least, give the dog a bath. But make sure the water is not warm or hot. Cool water will give him some relief, but hot water will just make it worse. Use an oatmeal shampoo or one specially formulated for dry skin in dogs or cats. Also use a moisturizing rinse afterwards. Your vet might have given you a specific shampoo or conditioner to reduce any bacteria on the skin. When you’re done, pat him dry with a towel, don’t rub since this would just further irritate the skin. You can then use a skin tonic with herbal extracts to sooth the itch afterwards.

Treat them with oatmeal. Mix oatmeal and water, apply the paste to the irritated area and cover it with a warm towel to sooth the itch. If possible, try to keep your dog or cat calm for a little while for the soothing effect to work and repeat the process every day until there’s improvement.

You can also apply a few drops of vitamin E on the spot for relief. And remember to brush them frequently, since this releases the natural oils in the skin. But try to do it very softly while the irritation still exists or avoid it altogether until it heals.
Remember that you should always consult your vet before deciding on a natural remedy as a skin and coat treatment.

Some last tips:

If your vet determined that it’s an allergy, he might have prescribed antihistamines to control it, but make sure to watch your pet’s reaction. Some pets might get over excited, and others might get drowsy. This should help you decide whether to give it in the morning or late at night.

If the vet prescribed antibiotics to control a skin infection caused by so much scratching, make sure you give him the whole treatment and don’t miss any doses. An infection that is not well treated can be fatal.

Avoid fleas at all costs! Flea control is essential for your dog’s health and well being, and they can be a cause for the irritation that causes the scratching. If your cat is allowed to go outside, make sure you treat him too. There are many treatments to prevent and keep away fleas and ticks. Make sure you talk to your vet about it.

Exercising Your Dog

Dogs need their exercise just like people do. Regular exercise helps your dogs maintain a healthy weight and strengthen their muscles. It also keeps them from getting into mischief around your home due to all of that pent up energy. Ask anyone with a well exercised dog and they will tell you their home is a more peaceful place.

But most people don’t know what it takes to provide their pets a good exercise routine. They have lots of questions and may not want to spend the time, or simple, never thought of asking their vet. If you’re one of those people, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips to help you make the most of exercising your dog safely.

Variety is Key

While walking your dog is one of the most common exercise methods, it’s not the only one you can use. In fact, it might not even be the best choice for some dogs that have a lot of energy to get rid of unless you’re prepared to do a lot of walking, or jogging.

For high energy dogs, you might consider biking or roller blading as alternatives to just ordinary walking. You do want to make sure that your dog is good on a leash before you try these alternatives, otherwise, you could put both of you in a dangerous situation. There are special accessories for your bike that you can use to hold the leash, while stopping the dog from crossing your path and getting hurt. And if you roller blade, make sure you get a leash that is easy to hold on to.

Another option is swimming. Dogs and humans can get a lot of exercise from swimming. This might be a good choice for older dogs that need to give their muscles a little bit of a rest or as an alternative in warm environments. Not all dogs take to the water well. A friend of mine had a Great Dane who wouldn’t get in the water no matter what, but you couldn’t get her Saint Bernard out of any pool, fountain, or puddle it found. This is obviously doable if you have your own pool, or if you are lucky enough to live in an area with a public dog pool or a lake where dog swimming is allowed.

You can also use dog parks and games, such as fetch, to help exercise your dog. However, you don’t want to rely solely on these methods. Exercise time can be a good time to exert your role as the leader and to exercise your dog’s mind as well as his or her body.

If you have a high energy dog, you may also be able to use a treadmill in your home to help them relieve that energy. You’ll need to help your dog feel comfortable using the exercise equipment first. Once your dog is comfortable he or she will enjoy using the treadmill. It can be a good alternative when you are short on time or when the weather outside is too hot for safe exercising.

Tips for Exercising

First, you have to think about your dog when you are determining the right type of exercise for him or her. A small dog still needs to exercise, but it won’t require as much to drain his energy. A short jog might be sufficient. If you have larger dogs, they may need to exercise more but many of these big breeds get tired pretty quickly, too. Just remember to pay attention to your dog and listen to them when they say they’ve had enough.

Second, make sure your dog stays well-hydrated. In the heat, dogs can get overheated pretty quickly. Always have fresh, cool water available for your dog during or right after exercise. If your dog does get a little overheated, bring out the hose and wet them down. The cool water on their bodies, especially their paws, can help them cool down quickly.

You should also avoid feeding your dog 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after exercise to prevent vomiting or nausea.

Control Your Dog’s Excited Urination

Who has not come across a dog that pees on cue as soon as you approach him or her to greet them?  This is what is called submissive or excited urination

What is submissive or excited urination and why does it happen?

A submissive urinator is a dog that cannot help urinating in situations of extreme excitement or stress – he’ll go on the floor, on himself on you, on your furniture or on your guests!

Puppies are a perfect example of submissive urinators. They’ll pee whenever they’re excited to see you or when they meet a stranger. But sometimes very timid or sensitive adult dogs can have the problem too. It’s very typical of a dog that has been abused to exhibit this behavior.

This problem can happen in many situations:

-When they meet you after a prolonged absence
-When they’re playing
-When your guests arrive
-When there’s a stressful situation at home
-When you scold him or correct him
-Loud noises like a thunderstorm or fireworks

But don’t despair. It is really not difficult to fix this problem of submissive/excited urination.

First of all, take him to the veterinarian to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue. Diabetes or a bladder infection can have the same effect.

Then you can follow some simple steps:

-Limit his intake of water. This doesn’t mean that you should restrict his water intake, but if, for example, you are expecting guests, or you will soon have a play session, take his water bowl away for a little while before the event happens.

-Don’t make your coming home a big event. When you come in the door, ignore him, go about your business and don’t get him worked up. The more excited he is, the harder it will be for him to control his bladder. I know I have a hard time not saying a warm hello to my baby, but you can always ignore him for the first few seconds and then crouch down and greet him calmly.

-Keep in mind the importance of NOT punishing or yelling at your dog when he has his “accident”. Remember he cannot control it and above all, he’s not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, interrupt him with a firm “No!”, and praise him when he stops, but never punish him. Keep calm and be understanding: he doesn’t mean to do it.

-When he urinates out of fear (submissiveness) when you are scolding him for another reason, try to maintain an authoritative and firm tone, but don’t get angry. Keep in mind that in all probability, you are dealing with a sensitive, highly-strung dog, so, if you get angry or worry him further, the problem will definitely get worse.

-When the problem happens with loud noises like fireworks, if you show a reaction yourself and pet him for being scared, you will only be rewarding the behavior and training him to repeat it, and you don’t want that. You can try and make it a game. When you hear a loud bang, say, “what was that!” Make it a search game and give him a treat or a toy. You can also make no reaction whatsoever, or fuss or comfort him. Give him the down and stay commands, give him a treat and tell him he’s a good boy.

Always remember that when you have a dog, you must treat him with respect and understanding. Almost every “problem” has a solution, and with a little patience, you can do it without the need of expensive training. A few hours working on a problem, can give you many years of enjoyment with your best friend.

Neutering or Spaying Your New Kitten

There are just too many cats that are either homeless or feral, and people are starting to notice that it is important to neuter their pet cats. Cats mature quickly and can reproduce several times every year, so two feral cats can soon produce twenty or more.

Most feral cats are often pet cats who were not neutered or spayed, and released by their owners when they couldn’t take care of them any longer. Feral cats live in colonies, and they can spread diseases to any pet dogs and cats in their vicinity. Even if they are otherwise healthy, they may be flea-infested. When the females come into heat, the colony can disrupt the sleep of an entire neighborhood with their crying and fighting. Cats who are hungry enough will raid garbage cans. Feral kittens can destroy landscaping and soil your yard or outdoor furniture. Neutering or spaying your new kitten in the long run can obviously reduce the number of unwanted kittens that are produced, but it also can provide other benefits. A female cat in heat is very loud. Her crying is quickly drowned out by the fighting and yowling of any local tom cats in the vicinity. Toms that are not neutered tend to roam far away from home if they are allowed outdoors and may get injured or killed. Unaltered tomcats that are kept indoors or outdoors will tend to mark all objects in their territory with urine, which is extremely strong-smelling.

Cats who are unaltered may come down with some types of cancers more frequently than altered cats. These cancers affect the reproductive organs. They are extremely rare in cats that have been altered by the age of one year. Unaltered cats may also catch any of several contagious diseases of the reproductive tract.

Unlike some animals, neutering or spaying your new kitten can be done at a very young age. Some humane societies and rescue groups recommend altering kittens at the age of eight weeks. Many veterinarians, however, suggest you wait until five or six months of age in most cases. The exceptions may be feral kittens who are trapped and then taken to be altered before being re-released to their colonies. By the time they are five or six months old, they may already be pregnant.

However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t alter your adult cat, it is just better to do it as young as possible.

If you have both male and female kittens in your home, you may want to neuter the males at a younger age, and wait until the girls are around six months old. This is recommended in many cases because the procedure is more difficult for females than males.

Most cats rarely have any problems after neutering, but sometimes incisions can become infected. Be sure to check your cat daily to make sure the incision is healing well. Symptoms of infection are puffiness and redness around the incision site. If your cat is licking or chewing at the stitches, you may need to have the cat wear an Elizabethan collar. This will prevent them from being able to reach the stitches. Male cats can go about their business quickly after the surgery, while females should be kept indoors for up to five days afterwards as they may injure themselves.

As with any type of surgery, there are some risks. In very, very rare occasions, cats might be allergic or have a fatal reaction to the anesthesia. However, statistically, the risk is minimal.

Neutering or spaying your new kitten is really a rather simple procedure. With a little extra care during recovery, your pet will have a happy, healthy life without worrying about unwanted litters and reproductive health.

Vaccinating Your New Kitten