Posts from — September 2006

You don’t need to spend a fortune to keep your pet entertained. Your dog or puppy will love these dollar saving ideas.

Buy your Peanut Butter in plastic jars instead of glass jars. When you have finished, your dog will have hours of fun cleaning the last smears out of the old jar. Glass jars can potentially break and injure your dog or chip teeth, whereas plastic jars are less risky. Make sure your dog can’t get his head or jaw stuck inside the jar, and always supervise. This is a good toy for when you’re watching a DVD and can’t occupy puppy.

Put food in old toilet rolls or cereal boxes and fold the ends shut. Your dog will have great fun figuring out how to get the food out! He can either destroy the box or tube, or make a hole and shake the food out.

Old plastic (PET) soft drink bottles can also be used as a food dispensing toy. Put some kibble in and leave the lid off. Your dog will have hours of fun batting at the bottle or shaking it with his mouth to get the food out.

Filling empty plastic (PET) soft drink bottles with rice or dried peas can also be fun for dogs who don’t mind making a bit of noise. If your dog or puppy has been known to destroy plastic bottles, they are better given as toys only when you can supervise.

10″ lengths of garden hose make great chew toys, so long as you are able to teach your dog the difference between the cut-off garden hose and the real garden hose you water your lawn with.

Old catalogues and junk mail will keep a young puppy entertained, shredding and destroying as puppies like to do. Just be careful not to give your pet catalogues that have staples in them. Make it obvious that it’s ok to destroy things you give puppy to destroy, but if you catch puppy stealing your newspaper or mail, clap your hands loudly and redirect puppy onto something ‘legal’ to destroy outside.

I hope you and your dog have fun with these free dog toy ideas!

Aidan Bindoff is Editor of PositivePetzine.com PositivePetzine.com, your helpful online resource for positive dog training and behavior information.

Is your dog due for a makeover? Has she been enjoying the great
outdoors a little too much? Here are some simple tips for helping
your dog put her best paw forward.

It all begins with the brushing:

- Brush your dog regularly. Daily is best. Be sure to also

brush against hair growth direction to check for fleas and

ticks.

- The right tools. For short-haired dogs, most groomers

recommend stainless-steel combs because they slide through

coats very easily.

For medium to long haired dogs start with a slicker brush and

then follow with a stainless steel comb.

In hot months consider investing in a flea comb to make sure

your dog has not become a flea hotel.

To make your dog’s coat really shine, finish with a soft

bristle brush.

- If your dog hates being brushed it sometimes helps to brush

after play time. Start by brushing in the hair growth

direction. When you are finished, reward your dog with a

treat. Each day brush your dog a little longer. And if you

are lucky, your dog may even begin to like being brushed.

Now for the bath:

- Brush your dog from head to toe making sure all mats are gone.

For small dogs a sink works great. For medium to large dogs,

a tub or shower works best. Use only warm water and a good

shampoo made for dogs. People shampoo is too harsh and can

irritate your dog’s skin. Most groomers recommend working

from the back end forward, lathering the head last.

- Rinse, rinse, and rinse again to make sure you have removed

all shampoo.

- Short-haired dogs dry quickly and only need to be dried off

with a towel. If your dog has long hair, you may need to

brush him while he’s drying to avoid tangles.

The Grand Finale:

- Finish by giving your dog a treat.

- Then celebrate! You and your dog survived the bath, and you

have a clean dog.

Margaret Svete, best-selling author, television and radio personality, and dog rescuer helps dog owners discover easy dog care tips. Subscribe to the premiere dog care ezine, The Dog Enquirer, at allaboutdogcare.com allaboutdogcare.com

North American racer snakes are commonly known as northern black racer. The scientific name of these snakes is coluber constrictor constrictor. Coluber is the Latin word and the meaning of the same is snake. Constrictor is again the Latin name which means together, or with. The other vernacular names of these snakes are plenty and are listed as follows. They are American racer snake, black runner, black racer, chicken snake, blue racer, hoop snake, green snake, black slick snake, horse racer, black true snake, white throat racer, and cow sucker.

The average length of the North American racer snake will be from 35 inch to 60 inch. These snakes are relatively larger snakes and are black in color. The belly will be grey in color and the chin of the snake will be white. The body of the snake will be round and the scales that are found on the body will be smooth. The males and the females look alike and are very difficult to differentiate them by the appearance. The young ones will be dark grey patter against the brown body. The color of the Venter will be cream and can have black dots that are irregular. Brown or black dots that are small can be seen on the lateral to the dorsum.

North American racer snakes are often confused with rat snake. But the rat snake body will have bread loaf shape in cross section. The rat snakes have keeled scales which is absent in the North American racer snake. The juvenile rat snakes will have pattern that resembles the checker board and eye jaw stripe on the belly portion. The juvenile rat snakes will have blotches that are irregular with posterior and anterior projections. Hog nosed snake black phase is also confused with North American racer snake. But these hog nosed snakes are stocky and short when compared to black racer snakes.

The distribution of the North American racer snakes are found in the Virginia and west part of the Blue Ridge Mountain. Other than southwest part of America, these snakes can be found in all other northern parts of America and south Canada. Relating food, these North American racer snakes are carnivores. These snake feed on frogs, skinks, chipmunks, small birds, squirrels, butterfly, larva of moth, mice etc. the juveniles feed on invertebrates while the adults feed on reptiles and rodents. North American racer snakes hold the prey tightly in the body loops and swallow them alive.

anacondasnakes.org/category/north-american-racer-snakes North American Racer Snakes are strange reptile snakes being showed in videos at anacondasnakes.com anacondasnakes.com Today you can also freely learn about our newest topic by going to anacondasnakes.org Anaconda Snakes

The Bombay was developed by breeder Nikki Horner in Louisville, Kentucky in 1958. She set out to create a ‘miniature black panther’ by crossing a sable Burmese with a solid black American Shorthair. Though her initial attempts were unsuccessful, she persisted and by 1976, the Bombay was recognized as a distinct breed of cat. Bombays are muscular cats with an all black coat. Some are born with the recessive trait of a sable coat. Though this does not indicate any deficiency in the cat, it is considered undesirable for a Bombay and will only be sold as a family pet and not a show cat. This black coat is short and satiny and does not require any special grooming (though regular petting or brushing will help to get the dead hair off – but a Bombay will usually groom itself).

Bombays mature quickly and are considered ‘adult’ between six and nine months. The average male will weigh eight to ten pounds and the average female will weigh between six and eight pounds. Both will live an average of twelve to twenty years. Bombays are described as ‘lap cats.’ They truly enjoy the company of its family and will always seek out a lap on which to sit or someone to play with them.

Bombays crave companionship from family members and will follow them from room to room of the house in order to be part of the action. This is not a shy cat. Unlike many other breeds, a Bombay will enthusiastically greet visitors and want to see what is happening. They make excellent family pets for this reason. Bombays will do all right with other family pets, but need to be socialized properly. They have a tendency to dominate other pets in the household, which can lead to trouble if not attended to. Bombays are also loud cats with a purr that can be heard up to fifteen feet away.

Though an active breed, Bombays prefer calmer environments without many loud, startling noises. Too much exposure to this and they will develop a nervous disorder in which they loose hair from their stomachs and tails. Some Bombays are prone to Burmese Craniofacial Defect, a genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull in the fetus. Occasionally, kittens from lines that carry this defect will be born with severely deformed heads. This genetic disorder is a result of some crossbreeding with Burmese cats. The diet of a Bombay should be monitored easily as they are prone to obesity.

There is a website that has great information on Bombays and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25 years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970’s-80’s.

Medical Health Info

rb59.com/medical-health-info rb59.com/medical-health-info

Dogs can be the very best pets you can have around and also, the most exasperating. I have a lovely Terrier whose eyes can convey empathy, sadness, or delightful joy. How they manage to do that, I don’t know. It may be due to their extra-sensory ability. In this case, they could be your best friends who mourn with you when you are in pain, and “laugh” with you when you are happy.

But sometimes, they can take their toll on your patience. Imagine just having invested a lot of time, energy, and money on grooming your front yard and backyard lawn only to find your dog digging up everywhere. What can be more annoying?!

When this unlikely but possible event occurs, how do you stop your dog from digging up your precious lawn?

To start with, you need to understand the very nature of dogs. Dogs dig for a reason. You need to understand what the reason is because you might just end up making your dog unhappy by restraining it. Usually, dogs dig because of the perceived scent of something possibly buried in the lawn and they want to check what it is; or they may want to hide and protect their food or toys from intruders or other dogs. This is very common with dogs from an animal shelter.

On the other hand, bringing a dog home the first time, they have a tendency to want to smell everything around them including the lawn and flowerbeds. They also smell for the presence of another dog. Dogs may also want to dig up our lawn for lack of anything to do. They have a tendency to dig when bored.

So, how do you stop your dog from digging up your beautiful and well-tended lawn or yard?

1. Take your dog on a daily walk or run. Exercise has a calming effect on the dog and decreases the occasion of digging.

2. Do a research on their behavior. You never can tell, you might come up with something revealing. Usually, the more info you have on a dog, the easier it is to tame them, get them to respond to you and keep them from digging.

3. No scolding. Dogs tend to register scolding negatively. Avoid scolding it. If it does dig up your lawn, be patient. Train it not to dig up the yard. If it fulfills this command once, compensate it with a bone meal or something to make it realize that if it does not dig up the lawn, it will, be compensated

4. Finally, engaging the dog in an exercise training while maintaining yourself as the leader will enable it listen to you quicker and obey your commands.

Oscar Stan Just completed a new interesting series on training your dog. You can get the 5-part free report on Dog training at dog-training-tips-and-resources.blogspot.com/2007/02/dog-training-information-and-product.html dog-training-tips-and-resources.blogspot.com/2007/02/dog-training-information-and-product.html

We all hate to leave our pets behind if we go on vacation or have to leave home for a few days. However, we can’t
always take them with us so if you don’t have family or friends that are able to take care of them you most likely
need a dog kennel.

To find a good kennel ask for recommendations from friends, family, your veterinarian or grooming shops.

You should then visit the kennel and look for these things.

License

Staff – are they friendly, knowledgeable, seem to care about the dogs there?

Sanitation – Are the runs clean? Do they look like they have an effective system? Do they have barriers

high enough to prevent male dogs from urinating into adjacent runs?

Facility – Is it in good repair, neat, clean, smell clean and clear of debris?

Exercise area – Do dogs have freedom of movement? It the floor concrete so it can be easily disinfected?

How much time do they get outdoors?

Climate – Is there proper temperature control and is ventilation good with no draughts?

Sleeping area – Is there clean, dry and large enough for a dog to stand, stretch out or turn around? Do

they have solid dividers between kennels? Is the bedding clean?

Cages and gates – Are they secure and in good repair?

How many dogs in facility – Are there to many?

Food – You may want to bring food that your dog is already eating if they don’t have it. You don’t want

him to get sick from a change in diet.

Water – Is it available at all times, does the water look clean in the bowls and are the bowls clean?

Veterinarian – Do they have a vet on call? Will they contact your vet if needed?

Find out the cost, drop off time and pick up. How far in advance should you book?

When you do take your dog for his stay take along:

Vaccinations records

Emergency contacts – veterinarian and your numbers.

Pet schedule – also pet medications with instructions.

Take something from home like a blanket or toy.

Food if needed

Usually if a dog is introduced early in life to kennels be doesn’t have a problem. Of course all dogs are
different and it’s hard to predict how they will react. You should start with a weekend to see how he does.
Ask the staff how his behavior and appetite were so you can judge how it went. Of course check his
general condition and grooming to see how well he was taken care of.

If they do have trouble maybe next time you should look into a bonded pet-sitting service. Maybe you know
someone who does pet sitting in your home. Check out your options.

Lastly, ask your veterinarian if your dog needs kennel cough intra-nasal vaccination.

Sandy has a web site on small dog breeds with articles on different breeds, choosing a puppy, bringing him home, choosing a breeder and vet, hyoallergenic dogs, dogs good with children and seniors, dog day care and more. small-dogbreeds.com small-dogbreeds.com

The literal meaning of feral is “gone wild” and when used to describe a cat usually means that they have either been born in the wild or have once been domesticated but have been lost or abandoned and have reverted to the wild. Feral Cats are usually found living in groups or colonies where there is an easy and plentiful supply of food.

Feral cats may have very limited experience of human contact and so will generally keep away from people and run away if you try to approach them. However, as long as the cat is not too old, it is perfectly possible that they eventually could become very loving pets, if approached correctly. But be warned it can be a very long process of gentle persuasion and patience on your part. It can take weeks, even months before a feral cat may feel comfortable enough to be a part of your family.

It is essential that anyone considering re-homing a feral cat that they have a good understanding of cat behaviour and be prepared to take things at the cats pace. Cats generally learn by experience and so making the whole socialisation process a pleasant one will help to teach the cat not to be afraid of people and domestic life.

There are several steps to take to socialise your feral cat and each one can take weeks or months to complete and may even have to be repeated if a set back occurs. The first step is to provide the cat with a small room or pen where the cat cannot escape from and that does not have any hiding places. It should be a quiet area and be equipped with bedding, fresh water and food and a litter tray. Let them become accustomed to this area for a while before you attempt to introduce yourself to them. It is important that they feel safe.

Next spend some time with them, talking quietly to them but not attempting to touch them. After a while you may even be able to tempt them to take treats from your hand. Repeat this process daily until you sense that the cat is becoming less afraid of you. Only then try to stroke their head and back. If they back away, don’t worry; just repeat the hand treat regime for a few days more. A useful tip is not to look at your cat directly as they find this a threat. Instead either look away or half close your eyes.

Over time the cat will become used to you and realise that you are not a threat to them. At this stage let them wander around the rest of the house and become accustomed to the whole house. Make sure other people in the house approach the cat in the same way as yourself by offering treats. It can take some feral cats quite some time to accept the whole family.

If you have other cats around make sure your new feral cat has become use to their scent before he meets them, do this by rubbing their bedding around his living area, do the same for your existing cats. Feral cats usually respond well to domesticated cats and it can even help speed up the socialisation process, as they will learn from their behaviour.

Finally when you notice the cat grooming itself and happily using the litter tray, it is safe to let them explore the outside world. By this time they will have become use to you and your home and have probably made it part of their territory and so will return for that free dinner and comfy bed. Many feral cats have become very loving pets and have settled down to domestic life very well.

More cat health and cat care tips can be found at our site our-happy-cat.com our-happy-cat.com
A feline friendly community full of helpful advice and fun things to do to make sure you have a happy cat and a happy you.

Copyright 2007 Kate Tilmouth

Bird houses are a growing avocation of late. This is becoming ever more apparent in the yards of many people, particularly on the West Coast of the United States. It goes without saying that these little shelters for the numerous aviary species have always been popular in the Midwest, and yet this area too, is showing an added increase in interest. Of the numerous houses on the market, martin bird houses are one of the most popular.

One of the reasons for the popularity of martin bird houses specifically is that martin houses are not your ordinary structures. In fact, if they can be compared to human homes, then martin bird houses are the condominiums of bird sanctuaries. Oh what legnths we will go to for our little featured friends!

This analogy is not a loose one, as these houses are rarely for single bird occupancy. In fact, a typical model can often hold ten to fifteen birds, each with its own specific compartment. Further, there are often multiple levels, each level holding ten or more birds, and often as many as twelve levels to a single “house,” which truly should be called a complex.

These large structures are not merely a point of decadence, as many might speculate. They are meant to be accommodating to birds while at the same time offering a great deal of protection form not only the elements, but predators too.

As most people know, even birds suffer adversely from the extremes of weather and temperature. Yet there are also natural enemies to consider. The average songbird, such as the purple martin, is constantly in danger from larger predator birds, such as hawks, falcons, and owls. Birds need houses too. When we provide those houses for our little friends, it not only helps them, but brings us pleasure in watching them.

Further, when looking for martin bird houses specifically, it is advisable to get one with a few different features. One of these is the ability of the buyer to clean the house easily. This is important not only as holes and rooms can become blocked up over time, but also as parasites can be transferred from bird to bird when good housekeeping is not kept up. A feature that makes cleaning easy is if the roof or back wall is easily detached to expose the multiple rooms. As well, if a bird house is kept on a pole, there will be a time that the entire house must be lowered for maintenance or cleaning. For this reason, it is advisable to get a house with a light weight construction, possibly of aluminum, along with a raising and lowering mechanism.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author and bird lover as well as the owner of about-bird-houses.info/ Bird Houses – a unique web site for all bird lovers.

Evaluate Your Rig

Many horses are terrified, or at least somewhat nervous about getting in or traveling in a horse trailer. It is often impossible to regain the trust and confidence of a horse who has been in a trailer accident or has had a bad experience. Because of this, it is of great importance that one seeks to avoid accidents and emergencies in a trailer as best they can.

Foremost, evaluate the type of trailer you expect to haul your horse in. While it may be costly to invest in a new one, it is even more costly if you get in an accident where your horse severely injures itself. Many loading and hauling phobias can be attributed to old, poorly sized, lit and ventilated trailers that may be a bargain to buy. Your trailer should be tall enough, wide enough, and provide a smooth ride. It should allow adequate lighting and ventilation to help ease the mind of an animal that is claustrophobic. In addition, the interior design from the trailer should be free from sharp edges and latches that a horse can get caught or cut on.

Tow your horse trailer with a vehicle that is properly fitted with towing equipment and rated for the weight you are pulling. Evaluate your own driving technique, and if necessary, practice and perfect your driving skills with an empty trailer before adding a horse to the equation. Maintain both your truck and trailer to lessen your chances of something going wrong while you’re on the road. Before your trip, visually inspect the condition of both your truck and trailer tires and check that the air pressure is appropriate. Test your batteries, brakes, turn signals and lights on both the truck and trailer, as well as the fluid levels of the tow vehicle. Have your hitch and floorboards inspected by a professional on a regular basis to insure they are sturdy and in good working order, and have them show you how to inspect it yourself as well.

Build Your Horse’s Confidence

If your horse is prone to panicking while being hauled, and your trailer is not to blame, practice building his confidence on short, pleasant rides before embarking on a long one. Outfit the horse in protective boots or bandages, a breakable halter, and protective head wear. While this may seem unnecessary to some, it is a quick, inexpensive way to protect your horses from many injuries that can occur on a trailer and give the horse a bad experience. Provide hay in a bag or net so the horse can eat and relax during the ride.

Plan Ahead

Once your horse has become comfortable on their short rides, you will be better prepared for longer trips. Plan well in advance for travel, and pack for the journey accordingly with supplies for both you and the horses. Have emergency numbers ready and map out your route. Put shavings on the floor of the trailer to absorb urine and help prevent your horse from slipping during transport. Make sure the horse is tied in a position that they can lower their head and clear their respiratory tract. On an extremely long trip, arrange to stop and offer the horse water, especially during hot times of the year. Plan stops where you can safely unload the horse and allow it to stretch and move around. For trips that involve more than one day of travel, arrange to stay at areas where the horse can be stabled for the night to rest.

Should your vehicle breakdown during your trip, turn on your 4-way flashers and do your best to stay out of the traffic lanes. Be prepared with warning triangles or flares, and have your cell phone and emergency numbers handy. Besides a roadside emergency kit that includes a spare tire, lug wrench, small air compressor, jumper cables and a fire extinguisher, it is also recommended that you pack water and hay to keep your horse content as well as an extra halter, leadrope and first aid supplies just in case.

Ann Marie Henry is a riding instructor and horse breeder who enjoys educating novice horseman of the finer points to horse care and safety. Visit her

The Non-Sporting Group includes dog breeds that don’t seem to fit well in any other group. The name doesn’t really fit the group and they would better named “Specialty Dogs” as the group includes some of the most interesting and exotic breeds. The breeds in this diverse group have a wide variety of sizes, coats, personalities and appearances and range from the miniature dog breeds like the tiny Bichon Frise to the large Chow Chow and even include the elegant Dalmatian and the popular Poodle, Bulldog and Boston Terrier. The top 10 most popular Non-Sporting dog breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are described below and their registration rank is included in brackets.

1. Poodle

The Poodles (#8) included in this group are the Standard and the Miniature. The following comments apply to the Standard Poodle as the Miniature is more difficult to train and doesn’t do as well with toddlers and young children. The Poodle is one of the smartest and most trainable of all dog breeds. The Poodle is lively, good natured, friendly, proud, athletic, affectionate, extremely loyal and will become very attached to its family. Poodles that are socialized early do very well with children, other pets and strangers although adolescent dogs are exuberant and should be supervised carefully to avoid toddler knockdown. Poodles will announce visitors with a bark and make good watchdogs. Poodles do not shed their hair and are often called ‘hypoallergenic’ because they are good for people with allergies.

2. Bulldog

The Bulldog (#13) is a friendly and loveable dog that adores its family. The downside to the breed is that the life expectancy of the Bulldog is only about 8 years because of health problems. Puppies are playful and high-spirited but grow up to be calm and dignified adult dogs. The breed is very good with children and usually peaceful with other pets. Bulldogs don’t need a lot of exercise but do need a lot of attention. Puppies should have early socialization and obedience training and they can best be trained with food motivation. Bulldogs can snore very loudly and the breed can swallow a lot of air which can lead to flatulence and unpleasant smells in an enclosed area. Bulldogs love to eat and don’t share well – so they should be fed separately from other pets.

3. Boston Terrier

The Boston Terrier (#17) is a delightful little dog which despite its name is not one of the terrier dog breeds. Bostons are affectionate and lively house pets and good companions. This breed is very intelligent and loves to learn new tricks. Early socialization and obedience training will ensure this dog will develop good manners. These dogs seem to do especially well with older people. This breed makes good pets for older children who can appreciate their sense of humor and funny antics. Bostons like to learn and are easy to train, although house training may be difficult. Boston Terriers make good watch dogs without excessive barking. Boston Terriers are very low-shedding dogs and some people say they are good for people with allergies.

4. Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise (#26) is a white puff-ball of a small dog that is cheerful, lively, playful and affectionate. This dog breed barks very little and makes a charming companion dog that is easy to live with. The Bichon adapts well to families and children but doesn’t like the rough handling that small children display towards pets. Bichons are easy to train for obedience and to do tricks although they are like all toy breeds and are resistant to housebreaking. They are social dogs and get along well with strangers and other pets but will make good watch dogs. Bichons shed almost no hair and are good pets for those people who suffer from allergies and some people call them ‘hypoallergenic’. The Bichon has few common health problems and should probably live for at least 15 years.

5. French Bulldog

The French Bulldog (#38) is a small, muscular and fairly active member of the bulldog breed. Frenchies are one of the nicest, most amusing and amiable of all dog breeds. The Frenchie is a perfect apartment dog that is clean, easy to groom and sheds very little. This Bulldog is easy to train and doesn’t require a lot of exercise. Frenchies like to be the centre of attention but do make good family pets and will tolerate children. These Bulldogs will do best with an older couple without children or other pets to compete for their affection. French Bulldogs can even adapt to being left alone during the day if they receive lots of attention before and after work.

6. Lhasa Apso

The Lhasa Apso (#39) is a small dog with a lot of personality that looks like a lap dog but behaves like the Lion Dog of Tibet. Lhasas are one of the toughest and strongest willed of all the small dog breeds. The Lhasa is an intelligent, very self-confident and lively dog that dislikes strangers. The Lhasa can be jealous of other animals. The Lhasa doesn’t do well around small children because it doesn’t like being handled roughly. The Tibetan Lhasa must have lots of early obedience training and socialization while a puppy and this must be continued through adolescence. You must take control of this dog or the Lhasa will rule your household like the emperor he thinks he is. Not to be too negative, Lhasas are really enjoyable and playful dogs who love their families and will accept obedience training fairly readily.

7. Chinese Shar-Pei

The Chinese Shar-Pei (#45) is serious, calm, dignified, quiet, confident and independent medium-sized exotic looking dog. Shar Peis are very clean and easy to house train but because of their strong-willed manner they are difficult to obedience train. The Shar Pei needs a lot of early socialization and training starting when it’s a puppy. Training must be firm and reward-based to control any aggressive tendencies and ensure household rules are followed. The Shar Pei is good with older children and also does fine if raised with younger children from a puppy. However this breed may not get along well with other household cats and dogs. The Shar Pei does best in a fenced yard and being walked on a leash where it can’t chase after other animals. Shar Peis tend to mind their own business unless provoked into aggressive behavior.

8. Chow Chow

The Chow Chow (#64) is an aloof and stubborn large-sized dog that is difficult to socialize and train. The Chow, while loyal and devoted to its master, is not very affectionate and doesn’t like to play games. Chows are not very good dogs with children and can be very aggressive toward strange animals. This breed needs very early and lots of socialization and obedience training while still a puppy and this should be continued into adulthood. Chows that aren’t thoroughly socialized in the first year may turn out to be aggressive and anti-social. Chows are naturally clean and therefore quite easy to housebreak. Once you gain a Chow’s respect by constantly enforcing rules and training, you will have a polite and well-mannered dog. Chows have a well defined sense of territory and make good watch dogs and guard dogs.

9. Shiba Innu

The Shiba Innu (#66) is a fearless, bold, high-spirited, smart, vigilant, loyal, charming but somewhat manipulative and stubborn small dog. The Shiba is very clean and fairly quiet indoors but is definitely not a lap dog. The Shiba has retained a high prey drive and should be kept on a leash or in a yard with very high fences as it can jump and climb over most fences. The Shiba doesn’t like to be chased and hugged by small children but does fine with older considerate children. Shibas are very smart but are somewhat mischievous and independent and can be difficult to train. The breed must be thoroughly socialized and obedience trained to limit its aggression toward other dogs. However once the Shiba is trained and learns to trust its owner, it can become a loving and obedient companion. Shibas are aloof and cautious around strangers and make great watch dogs.

10. Dalmation

The Dalmatian (#77) is a fun loving and very active medium- to large-sized dog. The breed is intelligent and needs a lot of companionship and exercise. Dalmatians love children but young dogs are probably too exuberant for toddlers. Some lines of this breed have been known to have aggressive or protective tendencies and therefore need a lot of socialization when they are puppies. Dalmatians can be trained to a high level and advanced obedience and/or agility training is recommended. Young Dalmatians can be rowdy and difficult to control and need early socialization and obedience training. Dalmatians left alone too much can become destructive and will dig large holes in the backyard.

About the Author – Mike Mathews is a contributing writer and editor for the popular dog breed site: dog-breed-facts.com dog-breed-facts.com He provides informative, real-world advice and tips on dog-breed-facts.com dog breeds, dog-breed-facts.com/dog-health.html dog health, dog grooming and more. As well be sure to check out his free report on Dog Training.