Some basic tips for feeding your lovely and funny dog :)
- Feed your dog at the same time every day.
- Always have fresh water available.
- Keep food and water bowls clean.
- Regular visits help keep your dog happy and healthy
Cheers
Friday, April 27, 2007
Feeding Tips fod Dogs
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Dogo Argentino Information and Common Questions
The Dogo Argentino, also known as the Argentinean mastiff or Argentine Dogo, is the result of a dream. Two brothers were determined to develop a sociable, yet intimidating hunter, capable of hunting cougars and wild boar. After some trial and error, the brother's dream was realized and the Dogo Argentino was born.
Is a large, white, game-bred, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina for big game hunting.
What is the Dogo Argentino breed origin?
In the 1920s in Argentina, Antonio Nores Martinez started breeding a dog intended to not only be a pet and family guardian, but also a hunting dog capable of taking on big game such as wild boar and cougars.
Martinez picked the Cordoba Fighting Dog to be the base for the breed. The breed is extinct today but was described as a large and ferocious dog that was both a great hunter and fighter.
With the Cordoba Fighting Dog as the base, he then crossed in Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux.
Martinez kept improving the breed via selective breeding to introduce the traits that were desired. The first standard for the breed was written in 1928
Finally, after 50 years of hard work, the brothers' Martinez had developed a magnificent breed with a talent for hunting, tracking and a watchful guard dog. In 1985, the Dogo finally reached the United States.
How is the Dogo appearance and size?
HEAD: Massive, convex front to back, and transverse through the relief of the masticating muscles and the nape.
FOREFACE: The same length as the head. The line joining the two orbital projections of the forehead is at an equal distance from the occiput and the teethridge of the upper jaw.
EYES: Dark or light brown in color, eyelid rims should be black or clear; eyes set well apart. A lively, intelligent look but with a marked firmness.(Clear eyes, or red eyelids, subtract points. Unequal ness of color-bluish-grey eyes is a basis for Disqualification.)
EARS : High and laterally inserted, set well apart due to the width of the skull. Functionally, they should be cropped and erect, in triangular shape and with a length which does not exceed 50% of the front edge of the auricle of the natural ear. Without being cropped, they are of mid-length, broad, thick, flat and rounded at the tip. Covered with smooth hair which is a bit shorter than on the rest of the body; they may show small spots, not to be penalized. In natural position they hang down covering the back of the cheeks. When the dog is alert they may be half-erect.
WEIGHT: 80 - 100lbs
HEIGHT: 23.5 - 27.5 inches
(Dogs, measured at the shoulder should measure no less than 24.5 inches and no more than 27.5 inches. Bitches, measured at the shoulder, should measure no less than 23.5 inches and no more than 26 inches.. Dogs and Bitches below minimum height are disqualified. Dogs and Bitches measuring more than maximum height are faulted. Since the Dogo is a hunting dog which fights it’s prey directly, among the big hunting breeds, small size loses efficiency. All adult Dogo, whether male or female, of less that the lowest allowable size, should be disqualified. Among several good dogs, the one of greatest height is preferred. The creator of the breed has established that there should exist a harmony of proportion or normal organic correlation that for a functional point of view, translates into a greater capacity to fight its prey. Therefore, one should look for the animal of greatest size and weight.)
COAT: Completely white. Any spot of color should be disqualified as an atavistic characteristic. The small spots on the head are not cause for disqualification, but among two similar animals, the completely white one is preferable. In contrast, any spot on the body is cause for disqualification.
Temperament
Dogos are known for being extremely loyal and affectionate with their families and crave attention from their owners. They are excessively tolerant of children due to their high pain tolerance, derived from selective breeding to be a big game hunter. They are protective of what they perceive as their territory and will guard it without fear against any intruder. They get along with other dogs as long as they have been properly socialized, but will usually not tolerate another dog trying to assert dominance over them and might not coexist peacefully with another dominant breed of dog. However, dog aggression is not desirable in the Dogo Argentino breed, as it is at odds with their intended purpose as a pack hunter.
Dogo Argentinos are accomplished hunters, and are widely used today and in a variety of ways from tracking, Search and Rescue, Schutzhund training, general police work including narcotics detection, military, to family dog. They are even occasionally used as a guide dog.
Special Concerns
The Dogo Argentino was bred specifically to avoid the dog aggression problems inherent in the Cordoba Fighting Dog when applied to hunting, specifically its lack of ability to hunt in a pack. The creators of the breed intended that great care be taken to prevent this undesirable trait from manifesting in the Dogo Argentino, as the breed was always intended to be a pack hunter.
Dogos can develop an aggressive or dominant temperament if not socialized with other dogs at an early age, particularly with other dogs of the same sex, but can be trained by an experienced handler.
Special Care
The Dogo Argentino has a soft, sleek white coat that makes them more sensitive to the sun. They sunburn easily and should be kept out of the sun for extended periods. They also need regular exercise to maintain the muscle structure of the breed.
Health Concerns
Gastric torsion (bloat) is a life-threatening sudden illness associated with the stomach filling with air and twisting.
Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint that results in pain, lameness and arthritis.
In addition, the Dogo is also prone to deafness.
The life expectancy of the Dogo Argentino is between 10 and 11 years.
Famous Dogos
Bombon (film) Carlos Sorín's 2005 movie starring a Dogo
Dogo Argentino Photo Gallery
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Abyssinian Cat Breed
The Abyssinian is a natural breed of domesticated cat believed to originate from one Egyptian female kitten called Zula that was taken from a port in Alexandria, Egypt, by a British soldier and brought to England
What is the Abyssinian breed origin?
The Abyssinian cat is said to be descended from a cat called Zula, brought to England by Captain Barrett Leonard when he returned from service in the Abyssinian wars in the 1860's. Apparently, he brought two cats, but Zula was the sole survivor. Needless to say, there is no verifiable record of Abyssinian cats directly descended from Zula, but Abyssinians were certainly exhibited at Crystal Palace in 1871, so that this breed may claim to be one of the original pedigree cats. Certainly every Abyssinian in the world is descended from cats bred in the United Kingdom. There are no records of the names or owners of the Abyssinians exhibited at Crystal Palace in 1871, to the best of my knowledge, and certainly no indication of their pedigrees. Nor is the Abyssinian the only ticked cat European history records. The so-called British ticked tabby, or "bunny cat", a cobby creature with ticked coat, short legs and thickish tail, might well be behind Abyssinians such as Ras Imru, judging by photographs. The agouti coat pattern is dominant, which explains its survival. Indeed many tabby cats have distinct ticking in addition to their stripes, spots and bars.
The origins of the domestic cat, whether pedigree or not, are shrouded in mystery, but it is beyond dispute that the Egyptians venerated the cat, forbade its export from Egypt and established temples to its worship, notably at Bubastis. Egyptian cats were mummified in their thousands. Grotesquely, many were shipped to Liverpool in the 19th century by plunderers of Egyptian sites - to be used as fertiliser! The Abyssinian Cat Club has one of these mummified cats as its mascot. The cat's status in Egypt derived from its ability to protect the stores of grain harvested in the Nile Valley. The Egytians also used cats in hunting, as various murals attest. Analysis of cat remains at Egyptian sacred sites indicated two main types: the African Golden Cat and Felis Chaus. So if you think the Usual Abyssinian bears more than a passing resemblance to Egyptian statues or murals, you may well be right. The late Alannah Coleman, internationally known art critic and judge of Abyssinians, certainly was convinced that Abyssinians had an Egyptian provenance.
How is the Abyssinian appearance and size?
Abyssinians are a special type of tabby cat; they are distinguished from all other tabbies by their beautiful ticked, resilient coats. All tabbies, in fact, have this ticked or agouti background in their coats (whereby each individual hair shaft is banded with different colors); however, superimposed on this ticked background is a particular dark pattern such as mackerel, spotted, or blotched. Through more than 85 years of selective breeding, these dark patterns have been nearly eliminated from the Abyssinian breed, and this is what makes them so unique. Although other tabbies are bred in different colors, Abyssinians are bred and recognized for championship by CFA only in the ruddy and red varieties, and more recently the color blue was recognized in 1984 and fawn in 1989).
Adult Abyssinians don't reach their full potential in coloring or ticking until they around a year and a half old. A kitten who looks pale and washed out when its first baby coat comes in after birth could become a vibrantly colored beauty when its color reaches its maturity.
Ruddy, Tawny or Usual
There are four most common colors of Abyssinians are: Ruddy, Red, Blue and Cream.
The Ruddy Abyssinians, (our little guys and gals), are a soft, rich coat of ruddy brown. Each hair is ticked with shades of brown or black with a vibrant burnt orange color closest to the skin. The insides of the legs and the underbelly are of the same burnt orange color, unmarked; the more vibrant the color, the better. They may have no stripes, lines or barring, and no white marks anywhere on the body. The legs should be of a clear color without barring. Eyes are generally rich golden, but hazel or green are also acceptable. Like all cats, kittens eyes are blue at birth and start changing at a few months of age. It is theorized that the longer it take the eyes to chage to their full color, the richer in color they will be. The nose is tile red, and the paw pads are brown or black. It is not unusual for an aby to have a black line down the centre of the back which extends up to the tip of the tail. The tail itself is long, wide at the base, and then tapered to the tip. Large, expressive ears are tipped with black. Abys are very alert, active and nothing in their domain gets past their notice or curiosity.
The impression an aby gives is that of a small cougar, lithe yet muscular and strong with exceptional balance.
Coat
Warm brown ticked with black. Base colour deep orange. Stomach and inside of legs deep orange to deep apricot to harmonise with the base colour. Any shading along the spine should be of a matching shade. Tip of tail and soles of hind feet are black.
Nose Leather
Brick red, outlined with black.
Paw Pads
Black.
Eyes
Amber, green or yellow; pure, intense colour.
Comments
Withhold challenge for white locket, white extending onto the neck or above the nostrils, unbroken necklace, grey or light undercoat, lack of ticking, bars on the fore legs, marks on the stomach, Siamese type, round head, whip tail.
FaultsGhost marking on legs, stomach and chest; too much marking on face; absence of outline around eyes; small or pointed ears; round eyes; unclear eye colour; cobby appearance; too deep a nose break.
Sorrel, Cinnamon or Red
A dilution of the ruddy, being a warm sorrel red ticked with chocolate brown. Tail tipped with chocolate brown. Preference given to deeper shades of sorrel and good even ticking. Paw pads: Pink with chocolate brown between toes, extending slightly beyond paws. Eye color: Gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of color the better. Nose leather: Rosy pink.
Coat
Copper red with chocolate red-brown ticking. Base colour deep apricot. Stomach and inside of legs deep apricot to harmonise with the base colour. Any shading along the spine should be of a matching shade. Tip of tail and soles of hind feet are red-brown.
Nose Leather
Pink, outlined with brick red.
Paw Pads
Pink.
Eyes
Same as Ruddy
Comments
Same as Ruddy
Blue
A warm soft blue-gray ticked with deeper blue. Base hair and undersides of the body, chest, and inside of the legs to be a pale cream color. Spine shading to be a darker shade of body color. Tail tipped with a deep shade of blue. Preference to be given to good even ticking. Paw pads: Blue-mauve with a deep shade of blue between the toes extending slightly beyond paws. Eye color: Gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of color the better. Nose leather: Dark pink.
Coat
Description as for Ruddy Abyssinian but body colour is a warm blue-grey ticked with dark steel blue-grey. Base colour pale cream or beige.
Nose Leather
Blue-grey or brick red outlined with blue-grey.
Paw Pads
Blue-grey.
Eyes
Same as Ruddy
Comments
Same as Ruddy
Fawn
A warm pinkish buff with powdered effect ticked with a deeper shade of pinkish buff. Base hair, undersides of the body, chest and inside legs to be a pale oatmeal. Spine shading to be a darker shade of body color. Tail tipped with a deep shade of pinkish buff. Preference to be given to good even ticking. Paw pads: Pink-mauve with a deep pinkish buff between the toes extending slightly beyond paws. Eye color: Gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of color the better. Nose leather: Pink-mauve.
Coat
Description as for Ruddy Abyssinian but body colour is dull beige ticked with deep warm cream. Base colour pale cream.
Nose
Leather Pink, or pink outlined with old rose.
Paw Pads
Pink.
Eyes
Same as Ruddy
Comments
Same as Ruddy
Personality
Abyssinians are very active, friendly, curious and playful, but are usually not "lap cats", being too preoccupied with exploring and playing. They are "busy" cats, and can get bored and depressed without daily activity and attention. Many Abyssinians enjoy heights, and will explore their surroundings in three dimensions, from the floor to their owner's shoulders to the top of the highest furniture. They are highly intelligent, and probably the most independent of any domestic breed. There is a long haired version of the Abyssinian, called the Somali
What are the Abyssinian common disorders?
Abyssinians are generally healthy but are prone to gingivitis. If not treated, the more serious periodontitis can develop, causing tissue, bone and tooth loss. Untreated, dental disease can undermine the cat's overall health. With routine tooth brushing, regular checkups, and periodic professional teeth cleaning, the problem can be minimized. Amyloidosis, a disease thought to be hereditary that affects the kidneys, and PK deficiency, which causes anemia, have been found in some Aby lines
Other
A study of early photographs reveals the persistence of the characteristic gently rounded Abyssinian head, with wide-set, large, tufted and listening ears. The ears extend the lines of the moderate wedge. Eyes are a rounded almond shape, in an oriental setting. The hair around the eyes is pale and the eyelid edge darker. The Aby has slight nose-break, rounded muzzle with a slight indentation and a firm chin. Most characteristic of all are the markings, in the ticking colour, which extend from the inner edge of the eye to the top of the head and from the outer edge of the eye to the ears. The "Aby look", wild but not savage, centres on the large expressive eyes, whose glance is intelligent, mischievous, demanding and yet affectionate and sensitive. Body shape and coat, however, have varied widely. Some early cats such as Ras Imru, mentioned above, were heavy and cobby with a long, course coat, not at all like the lithe, medium sized, muscular cats of foreign type specified today. Others, particularly in the 1950's tend to the oriental in shape and quite a few have completely straight profiles. Certainly two Siamese appear in the back lines of every modern Abyssinian: Miss Melodious Venture and Dreamland Peter, and these are unlikely to have been the only outcrosses used to improve the vigour of a numerically small breed. Then there are the "white Abyssinians", almost certainly Siamese variants! The Aby coat is distinctly ticked, with three or four bands of colour, ending in the ticking colour. A clear undercoat is desirable, but grey roots (in Usual Abyssinians only), a common feature of agouti coats, persist. They are a serious fault if found all over. Today's cats usually have the find short coats specified by the current Standard. However, some modern Aby coats are arguably too short and soft, which probably reflects outcrosses to Siamese and Burmese at various times. The older-style coat is preferred by some, including myself; fine and nearly double, resilient and close lying and with just a hint of crispness, like polished rice, on the surface.
Abyssinian Photo Gallery 
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Small Dog Breeds for Families that Lives in Small Apartments
If you live in a small home or apartment doesn’t mean you can’t have a dog. There are many small dogs breeds that make excellent job as pets for small homes.
Small dogs make ideal pets for apartment dwellers and those with smaller living spaces. Small dogs are also a lot easier and cheaper to look after and care for. There is less shedding, less mess, and the cost of caring for them is less.
But be carefull small dogs like exercise, it is important that you spend time with your small dog, take her for walks and ensure that she gets the best care.
Now that you and your family know yours responsabilities with a small dog. You can make your choose about the breed.
The choice will be difficult, small dog breeds make the cutest puppies.
Australian Terrier. Native to Australia, this little dog is one of the smallest working terriers. A good watchdog, this dog is smart and tough.
Bichon Frise. The bichon frise is not only a great lapdog, but the curly-coated white breed is recommended for people with allergies. The bichon frise loves attention and is very affectionate.
Skye Terriers. Skye Terriers are dogs of strong character and undying loyalty, showing unmatched devotion to their owners.
Shih Tzu. Shih Tzu are well suited as a companion dog. They are loving, playful and devoted to their owners. They are good family dogs, as they truly love people.
Dachshunds. Lively, and friendly, Dachshunds make good family dogs. They do best with older children. They make good watchdogs, barking when a stranger comes to the door.
Please feel free to suggest another breeds for small apartments.
Cheers!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Dog Clothes
Yes dog clothes. Let's face it. Dressing up our dogs is a guilty pleasure. And as long as it's done in good humor, and not to provoke, hurt, or embarrass someone (especially the dog), it's harmless fun. Some dog clothes can actually benefit our pets, keeping them warmer in winter, and cooler in the summer.
So you want to buy dog clothes for your beloved Fifi, but don't know exactly where to start. Whether you are looking to keep your small dog warm during the cold months or simply dressed in the latest designs, it is important to buy high quality clothes that will fit your dog and are comfortable at the same time.
Washable Dog Clothes
No matter what you buy for your furry friend, the clothes must be washable. Remember, you are buying clothes for your dog. No matter how much you love him, he will get dirty and stinky. Unless you want him to wear each outfit only once, you will want to wash his clothes.
Be sure to buy items that can be washed without shrinking. Polyester is one fabric that stands up to multiple washings. Read the tags provided on the clothes before making a purchase. The fabric content and washing instructions should be on the tag. If this information is not provided, you will be better off buying something else.
The Cost of Dog Clothes
High-quality dog clothing is expensive. If you can sew, you can save quite a bit of money by making Fifi's clothes yourself. Patterns for dog clothing are abundant in fabric stores and on the Internet. You may also be able to create your own patterns, if you are handy enough.
Keep Closure Devices Simple
Look for materials like Velcro instead of buttons and snaps. This self-sticking fabric will let you adjust your dog's clothing as they lose and gain weight, and shed and grow fur. Additionally, you need not worry about buttons or snaps being chewed off and eaten if you use Velcro. You do not want your dog’s expensive designer dog clothes to require a trip to the emergency room.
No Standard Sizing
When it comes to dog clothing, there is no international standard of measurement. Individual manufacturers often make up their own sizing charts. Be sure to measure your dog exactly as the clothing manufacturer suggests and compare your measurements to the sizing on the package.
Ideal Choices - Do These Dog Clothes Make Me Look Fat?
The ideal dog clothes are lightweight and comfortable, with easy fastening snaps or straps. They are attractive, inoffensive, and designed with your dog's comfort and safety in mind. They're washable, durable, and won't easily show dirt. Well-fitted dog clothes are loose at the neck, and stop at the elbow, and at the rib cage to allow your dog maximum freedom of movement. Dog clothes should allow you dog to ‘do his business' without getting soiled.
Dog Sweaters
Dog T-shirt
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