Pets Smile Plus

Dogs in general, under free-ranging conditions, will live in mixed-sex, mixed-age social groups. Social ranking is determined by age, although sex may play a role. Females seem to be responsible for leading more often than males. Social ranking is maintained primarily by deference, not by agonistic interaction. Sexual maturity in domestic dogs (including the shih tzu) occurs between 6 to 9 months of age (later for giant breeds), while social maturity begins to develop at 18 to 36 months of age.

At social maturity, a hierarchy depends upon age, sex, size and temperament. In a free-ranging group, dogs that challenge the established social hierarchy may leave and form their own groups if they do not succeed in altering the extant social order. Social maturity is also the time when problems such as aggressions and anxieties develop. Roaming, mounting, urine marking, and intrasexual fighting are caused by the sex hormones, particularly testosterone. These problems can often be prevented or greatly reduced by neutering, especially in males, in households with several pets, males and females, or a household with all males.

Between 3 and 8 weeks of age, dogs tend to focus on other dogs (if available) for their social stimuli. Between 5 and 12 weeks of age they seem to start to focus more on people if people are available. Dogs are most receptive to learning about how to deal with new or different environments until about 16 to 20 weeks of age. This is not to say an older dog would never adjust to a change in environment. It is just to say the adjustment is easier before this age. With time and patience any dog of any age will adjust to change just as people do.

It is not critical to switch the focus of exposure either to other animals or to people at any one specific period. Given the adequate opportunity, puppies will learn about the social and physical environments when they are ready. Trying to introduce them to a specific situation is not critical to producing a well-socialized puppy or adult dog. Of great importance is to avoid extremely fearful stimuli.

Dogs kept exclusively in cages and kenneled and not exposed to people at all after 14 weeks of age may have severely undeveloped social skills. If you are purchasing an older dog from a private breeder, this problem is not likely to surface. The type of older dog I am talking about here would be one that was raised exclusively in kennels with cage after cage and perhaps 3 or 4 or maybe more dogs sharing the same cage. Maybe their only contact with people would be the short presence of someone passing by with water or food. Usually dogs that are raised by individuals in private circumstances have adequate and quality contact with people.

Regardless of the age of a puppy or dog, that life needs to be shown a daily caring atmosphere from their human caretakers to be able to provide them with the ability to adjust readily and easily in new homes or environments. Without human interaction and caring, the dog may experience social problems and behavior problems that otherwise would have not surfaced.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellnes for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Weekly updates of available puppies. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

Until recently dogs were not allowed in any of Miami’s parks but here and there a park
is allowing dogs in now. There are quite a few dog parks in Miami, both official and
unofficial.

One is a five-acre Bark Park with paved walkways, benches, shade trees, waste
dispenser stations, and specially designed drinking and spray fountains for dogs and
their owners at Amelia Earhart Park. This dog-friendly oasis can be found at 401 East
65th Street in Hialeah.

Fifteen minutes to the north, canine hikers can get on the trails at Oleta River State
Park. Historically the river, originally called Big Snake Creek, linked the Everglades with
Biscayne Bay and was an important transportation route. Pineapples and vegetables
were grown along its banks. The river no longer flows north to the Everglades but
many of its primoridal features can still be seen in the 1,043-acre park, the largest
urban park in Florida.

There are more than ten miles of trails in dog-friendly Oleta River State Park, most of
which are heavily used by mountain bikers. Many of the trails run along the Biscayne
Bay. Some trails are posted as “bike only” but with the lack of general canine hiking in
the Miami area, this is still a good place to bring your dog.

Oleta River State Park can be found at 3400 N.E. 163rd Street, off I-95.

Doug Gelbert is the author of over 20 books, including The Canine Hiker’s Bible.
To subscribe to his FREE Newsletter on hiking with your dog and receive a copy
of Rules for Dogs in 100 of the Most Popular National Park Service Lands, visit
hikewithyourdog.com hikewithyourdog.com In the warmer months he leads canine hikes
for hikewithyourdog.com tours, guiding packs of dogs and humans on hiking
adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit
parks, historical sites and beaches.

Flea control can be a very hard thing to do especially if you live in areas where fleas are largely populated. Weather has a lot to do with fleas and trying to keep them outdoors and off of your pets can be very challenging.

You can try many of the products available to rid your pets of fleas and then find that you still have the problem. Fleas will lay their eggs in your carpet and on furniture and bedding that your pet happens to lie on.

The first step in flea control is to rid your pet of these blood sucking pests. Talk with your veterinarian to find out the best products available. You can have your pet dipped; buy flea collars, and other products that will eliminate the fleas from your pet.

Now, that your pet is flea free, how do you get rid of the fleas inside your home? You should now vacuum your entire home including any furniture that your pet has laid on. Once you vacuumed, be sure to throw the vacuum cleaner bag out immediately. The bag is probably full of fleas and you do not want to take the chance of them somehow finding their way out of the vacuum. If your pet has a pet bed, wash it completely or discard it and buy a new one. Any other bedding, towels, and rugs that your pet has been on also need to be cleaned.

Sometimes, the above steps may not be enough to rid your home of fleas. You may need to invest in an insecticide that can be used on carpets, baseboards, and cracks. Fleas can hide in very small places and if you have one flea, soon you will have many. Before using any type of insecticide, talk with your veterinarian to be sure that it is safe to use around your pet. You do not want your pet to ingest any type of toxic chemicals that could make them sick.

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Canine Vocalizations;
Learning to Speak Dog.

Dogs rely mostly on body language to communicate with us and other animals,
but learning to identify your dog’s vocalizations is another useful tool to reach the level
of understanding that enables true freedom with our canine companions.
Dogs strive to learn basic components of our language and learning to understand their language
Is not only the conscientious thing to do, it helps us really understand what our dogs are trying to say.

The article before this covered canine body language, and this article on canine vocalizations
or “Doggish” as it’s sometimes called, should accompany that knowledge.
Dog behaviorist, Stanely Coren was first responsible for illuminating the subject of
Canine linguistics and anyone interested in truly mastering “Doggish” should purchase his
Book “How to Speak Dog”, which is considered the “bible” of dog behavior by many.

Let’s start with the most commonly misunderstood of canine vocalizations.

Growls:
Many people hear their dog growl and automatically assume that growls mean aggression.
This is not the case.
Dogs frequently growl or groan for other reasons than aggressive intent.
The growling sound associated with play or simply aimed at making a comment or expressing enjoyment
Is a “round” noisy growl originating from the throat as opposed to the chest that sounds like “Ruuuuuuuh or Rrrrrr””
It is uttered through pursed lips and can be regarded as “this is interesting!”, “this is fun!”
or “I am here and I’m happily involved with the situation.”
This growl can be heard while your dog is playing or while people are conjugating.
Aggressive growls are either soft, rumbling and low pitched and originate from the chest
or start in a low pitched growl and end in a sharp bark.
These growls mean “back off! I am feeling defensive” and are accompanied by the appropriate
body posture. Higher pitched or undulating growls and defensive barks can be translated into fearfulness and indicate that the dog is frightened and preparing to protect himself. Growls that rise and fall or rise in tension accompanied by a fearful body posture mean
“I’m frightened and if you press me I may run but I may also fight!”.
It is important to learn the difference between the growly groan of a playful dog and the “grrrrrrrrr”
of a fearful or aggressive dog. To understand the body posture in conjunction with the sound is crucial.
A relaxed dog saying “rrrrrr” is different from the aggressive or fearful growl of a dog who is feeling threatened
and communicating her perception of a serious threat.
The more solid and unwavering a dog’s growl is, the more sure he is, and alternately,
The more the dogs voice changes pitch and wavers, the more unsure she is.

Barks:

Alarm Barks:
Rapid midrange pitch barks (3 or 4 barks with pauses between) are an alert bark, beckoning other pack members to get ready to rally.
Rapid midrange barking is a more persistent plea for the pack to rally. The first bark means “something may be happening!”
and the next one says “something probably happening! We may need to take action in a minute!”
The next bark is a continuous barking, slower and of a lower pitch. It means “there is definitely a problem here! Alert the pack!”
Some breeds are more inclined to alarm barking than other breeds. Many dogs considered to succeed or fail at watchdog (not guard dogs)
Ability are judged on their tendency to bark and how tolerant they are of intruders in their territory.

Loneliness Barking:
Long string of barks with pauses between each indicate loneliness and a plea for companionship.
It translates as “is anybody there? I’m lonely and need someone now!”
Howling can also be a loneliness behavior. See “Howling” below.

Attention Bark:
A single bark, sharp, short, mid to high pitch and sounding a little forced signifies a command issued by the dog!
This is a learned communication and often precedes a dog getting what he wants from his human master.
It can be translated into “listen! I want this!” while pointing at the door, a toy or standing by the treat jar.
It means “attention!”

Greeting Bark:
One or two sharp, short barks, midrange or high is a greeting bark.
It literally means “Hello! I see you’re here!”

Annoyance Bark:
A single, sharp, loud bark, low pitched is to express annoyance at being bothered, woken up, harassed or the like.
It means “Stop it! Get lost!”

Play Barks:
A stuttered bark that sounds something like “arrrrr ruff!” is usually emitted during play in the play bow or while running.
It simply means “Let’s play!”
A rising bark is in anticipation of chasing a ball or the like. It means “this is great! I’m having fun!”

Howling:
Howling is always an appeal to communicate with the pack.
In wolf packs, wolves will howl to locate each other, to announce their presence and sometimes
just for the fun of howling together!

A yipping howl, like “yip yip yip awoooooo” is an attempt to try to locate other pack members.
It means “is there anyone out there? I’m lonely.”
A bark howl like “ruff ruff awoooooooo” is a lonely dog upset that nobody has answered his howl.
It means “Why hasn’t anyone answered me or come to be with me? I’m anxious and lonely. Help me!”

A long, mournful howl is an announcement. “I am here and this is my spot, where are you?”
It declares territory and locates other pack members.

Baying is a sound often made by hounds and is a little different than howling.
It simply means “all together now! Let’s go!”

Whining:
Whining is puppyish behavior that is usually uttered as a request or a plea.
Whining means “I want”, not to be confused with whimpering which means I’m terrified”.
A whine that rises in pitch or ends in a yelping sound is a plea. The louder and more insistent, the more urgent the request.
This noise is a puppy noise and means “I need” or “I want”.
Whining that fades at the end or drops in pitch is anticipatory. It signifies mild frustration and excitement.
It means “come on already! Let’s go!”

Whimpering:
Whimpering is different than whining.
It means that the dog is very uncomfortable, in pain or terrified.
It is a fearful noise and should be heeded.
If a dog is whimpering out of fear, he may become quiet when touched.
But if a dog is whimpering from pain, he will continue to cry and may need medical attention.

Moans:
The moan growl is an attempt to be included or a statement akin to “I am here and this is interesting!”
Moaning and yodeling (common in Malamutes) is a happiness sound and means “I am here and this is great!”
“Talking” is a form of moaning and is a dog’s attempt at being included and expressing enjoyment .
It differs depending on the dog and is not to be confused with growling.
Moaning is also a form of mimicking and some dogs try to talk to their owners…especially if they’re encouraged to!

Sighing:
A simple sigh can mean “everything is a-ok” or “fine, I give up.”
A dog settling after frantically making his bed or turning around for 5 minutes will
often sigh happily, whereas a dog who has been trying to get his way for awhile who finally resigns and gives
up may also sigh, as in “fine, whatever! I relent.” Sighing is also a calming signal and just means “Let’s just be peaceful”

Distress Sounds:
A single yelp or a short, sharp, high-pitched bark means “ouch!” or some similar statement. It is a response to sudden pain or discomfort.
A series of yelps means the dog is experiencing something very painful or frightening and means “I’m hurt!” “I’m scared” or “Help!”
Screaming is a noise no dog lover wants to hear. Screaming indicates extreme pain and panic and means “Help! I think I’m going to die!”

Yawning:
A yawn that ends in a high-pitched squeal often means the dog is impatient or anxious.
A casual yawn is calming signal and means “I can tell you’re upset, but I mean no harm and want peace.”

Sneezing:
Sneezing doesn’t always mean your dog sniffed something that’s tickling his nose.
It is a calming signal and can also signify playfulness.
It can mean “This is great fun!” or “I mean no harm.”
Sneezing is not always a calming signal though, sometimes it just means foreign matter has irritated the dog’s nose.

Notes:
The longer and more drawn-out a dogs vocalization is, the more likely it is to be deliberate.
Urgency can be gauged on how long the vocalization is in the sense that shorter noises tend to be less intentional
and indicate a more pressing need or want.

In general, high-pitched noises can be regarded as submissive, frightened, puppyish or meek
And low-pitched noises can be regarded as dominant, confident, adult and assertive.

Some breeds are more vocal than others. Body language is often a much stronger indicator of a dog’s intent and emotions than
Vocalizations, but knowledge of both canine vocalizations and body language arm us to understand our dogs
as best as we possibly can.

Learn to listen to your dog and train yourself to make correlations regarding your dog’s body language, vocalization
and apparent emotion or desire. Acknowledging your dog’s speaking encourages your dog to communicate more with you
and that is strongly desired. Distress, fear and loneliness noises indicate that your dog is unhappy in one way or another and
the situation needs attention and improvement. Listen to your dog if you expect him to listen to you!

Lex Fredericks is a Registered Veterinary Assistant/OTJ Veterinary Nurse and dog trainer who lives in Toronto. She has worked with and trained wolves, big cats, bears and primates for film and originally began learning training dogs and learning about the language of animals at the age of 7 with Hungarian grandfather and horse/dog devotee George Egon Fallus. She currently lives with a Bullmastiff rescued from gang violence, a Presa Canario, a mastiff cross rescued from British Columbia, a rescued wolf hybrid, a rehabilitated feral cat, and cat she and her husband rescued with the Vancouver police. She can be reached at her website, TorontoDogTraining.com TorontoDogTraining.com

There are two theories about the origin of the Japanese Chin. The first is that this is a dog that was first developed from the Pekingese Dogs which were given as gifts to the Japanese Imperial Court by the Chinese and the second is that the breed came from a gift of dogs presented to the Japanese Courts by the Korean Imperial Palace. However it came to be, the Japanese are the people responsible for the present day appearance of this little lap dog. The Chin is quite similar to the Pekingese, especially in the facial structure. One can imagine a Pekingese without the extensive ruff and hair coat around the face and the similarities (at least in the head) are quite apparent. There is the same bracocyphalic facial structure and the same large eye and long fringes on the ear but there the resemblance ends for the Japanese Chin does not have the great long fringes of hair and huge ruff around the head which one finds on the Pekingese. The Chin has a much sparser coat on the body, is longer of leg and finer of bone that the Pekingese.

The Japanese Chin was introduced into England by Commodore Perry, who brought a pair to the court of Queen Victoria in 1853. By 1880 the breed was entered into the show circuits of Great Britain and has been a popular show dog and pet since that time. The American and European dog show fancy took a bit more time for acceptance and until the dog was admitted into the American Kennel club in 1977, the breed was called the Japanese Spaniel.

The Japanese Chin is always either black and white or red and white. The long silky coat is single and does have a mane on the neck and shoulders, which is slightly stand off in nature. The legs are fine of bone and have feathering only on the upper portions. This little dog should look both delicate and regal. The dog is accepted in two sizes, over 7 pounds or under, the rule being that the smaller, the better. The length of the body should be equal to the height at the withers.

The dog has a tendency to develop patella luxation, a condition of “slipping kneecap” which is often present in toy breeds. Because of the prominence of the large eyes, care should be taken that they are not scratched in play and the eyes should be inspected regularly, as with the pekingese breed. Other than these cautions, the little dog is essentially quite healthy.

The Japanese Chin is an active and playful little dog with a joy for life. When one has a group of them in the household they play incessantly and get along famously, a characteristic of this breed is that they are not dog aggressive nor aggressive to other creatures, being quite friendly and forgiving in nature. Many people have become devotees of the breed because it is such an adaptable house pet and requires little in the way of lavish attention, being content to occupy itself and being rather aloof in nature, more like a cat than a dog. This is a breed that does not make a good kennel dog in any respect however, for it still needs to be “lord of the household” and will not tolerate the conditions of isolation as a kennel dog.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to

It is easier to get two young animals to live in harmony as they will grow up together, however with a bit of time and patience (it may take up to 6-7 weeks) a young kitten or puppy can be introduced to an older pet.

Your old pet should be exposed to as many new situations, visitors and pets as possible. This will help them to adapt to any new pets in the house.

If you are getting your new pet from a shelter then you should ask the staff about its behaviour towards other animals; does it have a history of aggression toward other animals?

When your new pet arrives it will be very tempting to spend a great deal of time with it, perhaps at the expense of your old pet. You should lavish praise and attention on your old pet to avoid any jealousy issues, which can occur. When you are dealing with a puppy and an adult dog, you should resist the temptation to be overprotective of the young dog. If the adult reprimands the puppy try not to interfere, this will upset the normal household hierarchy and may lead the older animal to use excess force in the future.

You should allow the old pet to eat and sleep where it always has so there are no territorial problems. The new pet should be given it’s own area.

It is best to keep the new pet in a room on it’s own for the first couple of weeks (preferably with a wipe clean floor in case of accidents). This will allow the old pet to sniff around the door and get used to the idea that there is something else in the house.

You should not feed the two pets together ( you may be able to do this in time) as this can evoke fighting over food; they should also have their own dishes. In a multi-cat household they should each have their own litter tray.

After a couple of weeks you can try swapping the situations over. Let the new pet roam the house for a couple of hours a day and put the old pet in the isolated room, this will allow them both to get used to each other’s smell. This stage may take weeks.

Next, you are ready to let the pets see each other. Either you can use a technique such as a baby gate (although if you are introducing cats or large dogs they may leap over this) or you can try putting the new pet into a carrier cage and let the old pet sniff around it (you should never leave the pets unattended like this). Alternatively, if there are two of you, one person can hold the old pet and one can hold the new pet.

Once you are happy with the last stage the two pets can be allowed free to interact with each other. If the animals begin to fight this can indicate that the introduction is proceeding too quickly and you should go back a stage before trying again. If a fight occurs, the animals should be left to fully relax again before further contact between them is attempted.

Never leave your pets alone together until you are confident that they will not fight in your absence.

Ceva Animal Health Ltd produce a DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) diffuser, which release pheromones (similar to those released by the mother to her puppies), which help to relieve stress.

They also produce a Feliway diffuser for stress in cats, both of these may help when introducing new pets. The DAP and Feliway diffuser can be obtained through your vet or by contacting Ceva Animal Health Ltd on 01494 781510

John Burns is a qualified veterinarian who for the past fourteen years has also been producing a natural, holistic and complete food for dogs and cats, Burns Real Food - free of artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives.
As a practising Veterinary Surgeon, John became increasingly concerned about the quality of pet foods on the market, and how nutrition was playing a part in the poor health of the pets that he was seeing in his surgery.
Burns Pet Nutrition are known for being an ethical company with excellent customer service and nutrition support which can be accessed via their website burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk

Dog myths: Most pet owners have become very educated about their pets and the health of their pets.

Still, there are many others who tend to believe in the old wives tales and myths that have been passed around for some time now.

I’m sure most of you have heard at least one, and probably more, of the following myths.

Veterinarians at the American Animal Hospital Association(AAHA) have since enlightened us to many of those tales and to the facts concerning some of the most commonly heard myths.

Dog Myths: Yeast will prevent fleas from feasting on your pet.

Facts: There is still no scientific proof that yeast prevents fleas, though it is a good source of B vitamins.

Dog Myths: Pets(dogs/cats) will get worms if they drink milk.

Facts: This is no more true for your pets than it is for you! Pets do lose their tolerance for milk early, however, around the age of 6 -8 weeks of age due to their loss of lactose(an enzyme essential for the digestion of milk products).

Young animals may have diarrhea if they drink milk due to the above factors. Still, most puppies are infected with worms through maternal milk or during pregnancy which is why treating both mother and litters for worms is so important.

Dog Myths: If a purebred bitch inadvertently becomes pregnant by a mix breed dog, this disallows her ability to have purebred puppies in future litters.

Facts: The only puppies that will be mixed breed are the ones resulting from this breeding. If bred with a purebred mate in the future, those puppies will also be purebred.

Dog Myths: Dogs and cats should be allowed one heat cycle, or one litter of pups, before being spayed.

Facts: A major benefit of being spayed may be lost if this is allowed to happen! Research shows that animals spayed before their first heat have a significantly smaller chance of developing future health problems such as breast cancer.

Dog Myths: Dogs which scoot their rear ends on the ground have worms.

Facts: Sometimes dogs having tapeworms may exhibit this behavior, though the overwhelming majority of animals doing this have inflamed or overly full anal sacs. The anal sacs are structures located on either side of the anus which when closed up cause an itching or burning sensation in your pets anal area. As a result the animal scoots its rear on the ground to try and relieve this situation.

Dog Myths: Any dog having a black mouth is a purebred.

Facts: Though some purebred dogs have a blackened color inside their mouth, this is no indication of any other animal being a purebred. Pigmentation is the only reason for this color, caused by a substance called melanin. Indeed, this substance called melanin is responsible for birthmarks in humans and also the lack of, or availability of, such skin tones as a tan. This color alone is not indicative of a purebred dog.

Dog Myths: Puppies need calcium supplements for strong bones and erect ears.

Facts: If you are feeding your animals a diet that is nutritionally complete, then no further supplements are needed. Too much calcium, in fact, can be harmful to your dog.

Maybe the facts above will help you whenever you hear any of these old wives tales floating about. As always, if you ever have any questions concerning your pet or your pets health, contact your veterinarian first.

Debbie Ray, owner of pedigreedpups.com pedigreedpups.com and total-german-shepherd.com total-german-shepherd.com, is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? Interested in the German Shepherd Dog in particular? Need to promote your dog related website and get additional in bound links? Check out pedigreedpups.com, total-german-shepherd.com or pedigreeddogs.com pedigreeddogs.com (purebred dog breed directory) for more information.

Natural breedings don’t always occur. Timing is critical. Even when you think the time is right, the female may refuse to stand for the male or the male may not be interested in the female.

If nature proceeds normally, the female’s vulva will enlarge and soften as the time nears to breed. She may begin to tease or “flag” the male that the time is right and the time is now or never….The male and female will engage in a period of play and foreplay. The male will attempt to mount the female within minutes of this foreplay. If the female is ready, she will whip her tail aside, presenting her rear to the male, and stand steady awaiting the male to penetrate her. This is an assertive invitation of the female toward the male to begin the mating process. Not all females, especially a first time female, will remain in a ready position once the male attempts to mount. She may slip out from under him and run in another direction. This oftentimes frustrates the male, but he will chase after her and try it again. For some matings, it may be necessary to assist. You might have to hold the female for the male to get his job done. More often than not, however, nature does take its course and the mating is done quite naturally. Some females never make a sound. Other females, especially a first time female, may scream a blood-curling scream, but do not be alarmed. This usually subsides and by the end of the procedure/mating period, she is laughing and holding her tongue out as if to say: “Well, that was not so bad after all. I just thought it might not be a good idea there in the beginning, and I thought Mommy might have to rescue me or something.” If the female is violent and struggles or fights to get away from the male, the male can become injured. You might need to softly talk to your female and keep her calm so as not to pull and jerk the male into an injury. Females can also injure themselves if they decide to be “stubborn.” The actual mating period can last as long as two weeks in the
Shih Tzu. Mating should be attempted every two days to allow the male to recuperate.

You might try breeding small dogs on a large table covered with a nonslip surface. A stair riser can be used when the male is smaller and being mated to a larger female. Females can surprise you. They may be an absolute sweet pee otherwise until mating begins and then they can turn into a wild cat. You might need to muzzel the female to keep her from biting the male. And visa-versa, you might need to muzzel the male to keep him from biting the female to rebuke her resistance toward him. Muzzling the male and female or both can also prevent them from biting you during the assistance of a mating. When females become more experienced, the blood-curling screams diminish and she sometimes is even more flirtatious than the male, and engaging much more in a foreplay period with the male. I think she starts to enjoy the mating period more as she matures.

When the male mounts the female he will normally grab and hold her rear quarters, his forelegs wraped around her waist. He will balance himself on his hind legs and pull the female into him. Once the male enters the female his penis will engorge and create a “tie.” The large and rigidly swollen “knob” of the penis keeps the coupling pair connected. The female’s vaginal wall muscles automatically contract in response to the penile engorgement, thus they are “locked” together. A tie is not absolutely critical for conception, but it is nature’s way of helping to ensure the female will become impregnated.

On the average, a “tie” will last from 10 to as long as 45 minutes. A brief tie could be indicative of an incomplete ejaculation of the male, but does not mean there will be no resulting puppies, nor does a longer tie insure a greater coneption rate. It is rare that the couple’s tie will last longer than 45 minutes and would be a vet emergency. The male will determine the sex of your puppies. The female will determine how many puppies by the number of ova ripened to accept fertilization.

Artificial insemination is a practice now more common than before. As a result breeding to a “superstud,” that would otherwsie be unaccessible because of geographic location or whatever is now possible. Artificial insemination is the introduction of sperm into a female’s genital tract by instruments.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Coupons for shih tzu puppies and other products are offered to subscribers. Updates of available puppies. Sign up at stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

There are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful shih tzu. For one thing, obedient and trained shih tzus are happier shih tzus, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities require that the dogs living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is especially true for many breeds thought to have aggression and behavior problems – dog breeds like pit bulls and rottweilers for instance.

And of course, training your shih tzu well will also make he or she a much better family companion, especially in households where there are young children. Many studies have shown that proper dog training makes a big impact when it comes to cutting down the number of dog bites and other behavior problems encountered by dog owning households.

When considering training your own shih tzu, or having someone else help you train it, there are certain basic commands that must be mastered in order for a dog to be considered truly trained. These basic commands include:

Heel – it is important that any shih tzu learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind.

Respond to the word No – the word no is one word that all shih tzu must learn. Training your shih tzu to respond to this important word can save you a ton of trouble.

Sit – Training your shih tzu to sit on command is a vital part of any dog training program.

Stay – A well trained shih tzu should remain where his or her owner commands, so stay is a very important command in dog training.

Down – Lying down on command is more than just a cute trick; it is a key component of any successful dog training program.

Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing shih tzu companion. Training your dog properly actually strengthens the bond that already exists between dog and handler. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to their pack leader to tell them what to do. The key to successful dog training is to set yourself up as that pack leader.

Establishing yourself as pack leader is a very important concept for any potential dog trainer to understand. There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and the owner must establish him or herself as the dominant animal. Failure to do so leads to all manner of behavior problems.

A properly trained shih tzu will respond properly to all the owner’s commands, and will not display anxiety, displeasure or confusion. A good dog training program will focus on allowing the dog to learn just what is expected of it, and will use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors.

In addition to making the shih tzu a good member of the community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dog’s own needs, including the need for exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good working relationship with its handler. Dog training gives the dog an important job to do, and an important goal to reach.

Giving the shih tzu a job is more important than you may think. Dogs were originally bred by humans to do important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property and protecting people. Many dogs today have no important job to do, and this can often lead to boredom and neurotic behavior.

Basic obedience training, and ongoing training sessions, provide the dog with an important job to do. This is especially important for high energy breeds like German shepherds and border collies. Training sessions are a great way for these high energy dogs to use up their extra energy and simply to enjoy themselves.

Incorporating playtime into your dog training sessions is a great way to prevent both yourself and your shih tzu from becoming bored. Playing with your shih tzu helps to strengthen the all important bond between you – the pack leader – and your shih tzu.

Connie Limon is a professional shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

So you got a little cutie puppy in your hand. He looks so cute with his little sweet nose and playful eyes. So what next? Naturally, you’ll take the little one home…Wait for a second. It may not be as easy as it seems. Being a pet lover, you have many pets at home as well, and this one is a new pet and not the only one!

In that case it is you who is responsible to build comfort between your pets. They after all have to coexist peacefully under one roof. If you are concerned as to how your other pets would take to their new companion, your concerns are valid because different animals react differently to the presence of an additional pet. So the introduction can be a lot more tricky than the Hello-I-am-Alice kind of very human introductions.

Ensure that you give an entire day to the animal to warm up to its surrounding and to get accustomed to the presence of other pet(s). When you bring it home make sure that you keep him company. Don’t leave him home alone. That could make him very, very uncomfortable.

Now, if you have a cat at home, you need to be extra careful. Not too much, just a little prudence would do. On the first few times when the puppy and cat come face to face, make sure that the puppy is on lease so that you could pull him clear of the cat in case he reacts unpredictably. Cats are normally very territorial and tend to assert their territorial rights. The puppy must be made to understand early that he is not supposed to intrude into the cat’s personal space, neither should he meddle with cats things. They’ll eventually grow friendly, but if they do not contact your vet as soon as you can.

If there is another dog at home, the lease rule remains so that no uncalled for harm is done. If there are many dogs at home, ensure that the puppy gets to know each of them separately and there is no collective introduction. The little one should not be taken to the big dog, for in that case the big one will be meeting the young one in his territory, which could be rather menancing the newcomer.

A little bit of growling and sniffing is natural but snapping and biting are not. So, if they indulge in any such unacceptable behaviour, they must be disciplined. Make sure that your current dog does not feel left out on the account of the new pet. So, make sure that your affection towards him increases.

Seniority must be maintained in eating and playing. So, when it is time to eat, the new one should eat separately and its food should be served only after the older ones. The new toys must also first go to the senior pets.

They’ll gradually grow into good companions and you’ll have a nice little happy family of friendly pets.

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