The Modern Bark | Dog Training Tips

The 2013 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be televised tonight (February 10 th ) 8:00-11:00 PM EST on CNBC network.  The Hound, Toy Herding and Non-Sporting Groups will compete for the honors to go on to Best in Show Tuesday night. Please note, Tuesday night Westminster will be televised on a different station at 8:00-11:00 PM EST on the USA network.  Winners of the Sporting Working and Terrier Groups will join the previous day’s winners in the thrilling Best in Show competition.  Look for LIVE - STREAMING coverage of the breed classes on the Westminster site at www.westminsterkennelclub.org! This year The Westminster Kennel Club has made major changes in what is to be one of the most exciting dogs show on Earth.  From the top down big changes are in store for us; starting with the addition of Reserve Best in Show!  Competitors in the breed classes winning Best Opposite and the Selects will gain points towards their Grand Championships as well....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dimas_sc/3100685891/ A few breeders and I occasionally have a chuckle over the fact that pet buyers seem to be more concerned with knowing hip scores than are most other breeders.  Perhaps the other breeders have already done their homework on the OFA database or our websites; it certainly appears that the puppy buyers have done their homework regarding finding a reputable breeder. Good for them; that’s the kind of home I like my puppies to go to. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a physically debilitating disorder that is both emotionally and financial draining for dog owners.  With no cure other than pain management or hip replacement surgery, diagnosis of hip dysplasia is the breeder’s as well as the pet owner’s heartbreak.  Stocky breeds such as the Bulldog and those weighing over 60 pounds such as the St. Bernard experience hip dysplasia rates of up to 72% and 46% respectively.  It is estimated by Cornell University that 22% of c...

Canned pumpkin tops the list of the most nutritious fruits and vegetables!  Rich in Vitamin C and E, high in fiber as well as antioxidants, it also helps to control loose stools.  Add to that a teaspoon of cinnamon, an anti-inflammatory that improves blood circulation and helps regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol,  and you have a super  nutritious and inexpensive treat for your best friend.  This is a gluten free recipe that's great for dogs on a limited ingredient diet . Also, dogs suffering from diabetes or arthritis will benefit especially from this recipe. Preparation time 5 minutes: Ingredients: 3/4 Cup Dry Rolled Oats 1 - 15 oz Can of Pumpkin (not the spiced pie filling) 1 - Teaspoon Cinnamon 1/2 Cup Dry Powdered Milk 2 - Tablespoons Water 2 - Tablespoons of Molasses - optional Place dollops on a greased (or Pam sprayed) cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees. D...

Based on Banfield hospital's roster of 2.5 million patients, Bella (of  Twilight  fame) tops the 2012 list for Dog names, and comes in second for Cats.  Bella was last year's most popular name for both Cats and Dogs .  But look out 2013 - Both Katniss ( Hunger Games ) and Honey Boo Boo ( Spoiled Brat Reality Star ) are on the rise! Top Dog Names: Bella Max Buddy Daisy Bailey Coco Lucy Charlie Molly Rocky Top Cat Names: Kitty Bella Tiger Max Smokey Shadow Tigger Lucy Chloe Charlie

The average dog can learn as many as 150 words, a fairly substantial vocabulary beyond sit, stay and come. Research with several border collies has brought those vocabulary numbers up beyond 400 words, and a border collie named Chaser has learned the names of 1022 objects, which he can differentiate and fetch on command.  There appears to be no upper limit in Chaser's vocabulary lessons, as he continues to add words to his lexicon. In the wake of such impressive results, researchers Emile van der Zee, Helen Zulch and Daniel Mills sought to determine the presence of a key feature of human word comprehension in canine learning. In the research article,  Word Generalization by a Dog (Canis familiaris): Is Shape Important?, the researchers sought to determine if shape bias existed in dogs as it does in humans. Experiments with human 2 year olds, have shown a "shape bias" exists in the learning of new words.  Simply put, once the child associates a name with ...

Mighty dogs to the rescue. Once again, our canine companions are assisting in providing invaluable medical advances to mankind.  Previous studies have shown that dogs can detect early stages of cancer as well as super bug infections in patients with hospital acquired infections. Now comes another gift from Man's Best Friend! Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that a virus commonly found in dogs, the parainfluenza virus (PIV5), could serve as the foundation for the next great breakthrough in human vaccine development.  PIV5, which does not cause disease in humans , contributes to upper respiratory infections in dogs, and therefore is  targeted in many canine vaccines.  As the virus does not affect humans, researchers turned their eyes towards it as a potential delivery mechanism for human   vaccines against  diseases that have previously alluded  development. Science has successfully used viruses to crea...

Puppy teething begins with the first eruption of milk teeth When Do Puppies Start and Stop Teething Depending on your puppy’s breed, teething will begin somewhere between 12 and 14 weeks, and the small, sharp milk teeth will begin to be pushed out by the larger adult teeth. The teething phase typically lasts 3 months, and puppies should be finished with the process by eight months of age. Large dog breeds tend to start and complete teething faster than smaller breeds.    With this developmental stage comes a new set of challenges. This is the puppy equivalent to the “terrible twos” -staircase balusters, window sills, house plants, leashes, table and chair legs, shoes and socks, all are fair game to the teething puppy, that does not yet know its boundaries. If she can get her mouth around it, it’s going to be fun to destroy! Puppy Teething Signs and Symptoms Red inflamed and swollen gums. Bulging gums where new teeth are about to erupt. Small amou...