The Modern Bark | Dog Training Tips

The AKC lists 19 breeds as having hypoallergenic qualities. Do the dog breeds on this list really produce less dander and allergens? A study, based in Detroit, Michigan, sought to find out. Here's what they learned. The Coton De Tulear , a low shed dog and recent addition to the AKC registry.  Image by CVF-pfs The breeds listed below have been touted by the AKC and breeders as being hypoallergenic, mainly because they shed substantially less than other dog breeds.  However, hair itself is not allergenic; it's the dander attached to it that causes the sniffles and asthma attacks. The assumption has been, less hair in the air means less dander floating around. As a result, an industry of mixed breeds claiming hypoallergenic status has flooded the dog market. Americans are prepared to spend big dollars ($1500-$5000) on purportedly low allergy mongrels. The AKC's "Hypoallergenic" Dog Breeds List: Afghan Hound Bedlington Terrier  Bichon Frise  Chinese ...

By Dirk Vorderstraße (Amola vom Frohlinder Berg) The Labrador Retriever, A Great Family Dog The Labrador Retriever is America's favorite dog breed for 25 years and running and with good reason!  Friendly, gentle and easy to train the labrador is eager to please and a loving family companion. A member of the Sporting Group, Labradors are considered gun dogs. These athletic and powerfully built dogs are designed for endurance; they are capable of retrieving waterfowl or upland game hours on end. Bred originally to haul nets and retrieve fish in heavy cold seas, the labrador has its origins working in close cooperation with man. That collaborative spirit is evident in their ability to learn quickly, just ten minutes a day of training, can  earn you a devoted, obedient gun dog. The hallmarks of their appearance include: a sturdy frame, athletic and not cloddish; dense, short, waterproof coat; the "otter" tail; a broad back skull with moderate stop and "kin...

Did he do it? Does this dog look guilty to you? Is it a mistake to confer human emotions and motives on our dogs? Are dogs really more human than some of us are prepared to believe?  Recently, dogs have become the new darlings of cognitive science, and research exploring the range of canine emotions and cognitive abilities is mounting at an exponential rate. Among the many human characteristics attributed to dogs is the concept of guilt. It’s not unusual for a dog owner to state, “I knew he had done something; he had that ‘guilty look.’” We all know that doleful, guilty dog expression, but does it really demonstrate that dogs feel shame? If not, what’s behind it? Researchers at University Barnard College in New York set out to answer a few of these questions. The Guilty Dog Experiement In a study by Alexandra Horowitz, Assistant Professor from Barnard College, dogs were placed in a controlled environment where they and their owners were setup to make guilty...

Grooming not only keeps your dog's coat in good health, it reduces the amount of hair shed in your home and provides an opportunity to bond more closely with your dog. Whether you are wanting to keep your dog's coat in show condition or are just looking to keep it free of mats, these tips on caring for your fluffy dog will make short work of keeping your dog healthy looking and your home free of unwanted dog hair. Double Coated Dog Grooming Basics: 101 Before brushing your dog, always mist him lightly with a little water from a spray bottle. The water will eliminate static electricity  and provide elasticity to the coat to prevent breakage of hair the shafts. If you can hear the brush as it is pulling through the coat, you are brushing too hard or using the wrong style brush on the coat. Always brush out your dog and remove any mats before bathing him.  Washing a dog with loose hair or mats will only aggravate the situation, causing the mats to grow...

These ten hilarious Halloween costumes for  dogs will make even the most hardened criminals roll on the floor with laughter. Delight your trick-or-treaters with these hysterical dog costumes. All of them are affordable, although some are better suited to particular body or head shapes. The Triceratops Dog Costume Animal planet makes several of the more adorable dog costumes available this year.  The triceratops head piece comes in four sizes. However, even the smallest size is still rather large. In fact the size small is large enough for an adult female human to wear as a costume. Made from lightweight printed foam, this is a costume best worn by dogs with blocky heads, such as the bulldogs or rottweilers. This little cutie costs under $7.00 Zack and Zoey's Grr-antula Costume Fans of The Lord of The Rings will recognize this giant spider!  Fitted with Velcro straps, it should fit fairly snugly.  However, the wire in the legs of thi...