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What Type of Dog Would be a Good Fit for your Home?

While many people believe a dog is just a dog, this theory simply isn’t true.  Certain dog breeds will make better companions than others in particular situations.  Finding the right fit for your home will increase your – and your dog’s – happiness, while minimizing the risk of potentially having to re-home a pet.  Here, common situations that pet owners face, including the right dogs for each scenario, will be discussed. You Don’t Have a Lot of Space Many people believe that owning a dog requires a large home.  However, there are many types of dogs that thrive in small dwellings like apartments, and even prefer them.  Some of the best dogs for living in small spaces are quite unexpected.  These include Great Danes, Greyhounds, and American Bulldogs.  Other common apartment breeds include toy-sized dogs such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, and Toy Poodles.  In general, companion dogs and brachycephalic (short-nosed)...
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When Can My Puppy Go Outside?

After you bring home a new puppy it is natural to want to begin the socialization process immediately by having your puppy go outside for long walks or to the dog park.  However, many veterinarians and canine professionals recommend waiting until your pet is 4 – 5 months old before doing so. Your Puppy’s Immune System While your puppy is rapidly growing and developing during the first few months of age its immune system is not fully developed.  During this time, your pet will be especially vulnerable to diseases such as Parvo and Distemper, both of which have low survival rates among puppies.  For this reason, many veterinarians recommend that your dog not be introduced to other animals or spend too much time outdoors until 1 – 2 weeks after the puppy’s final vaccination booster, at approximately 16 – 18 weeks of age. Safe Socialization However, not going outdoors or visiting...
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Puppy Biting: What Can I Do?

Puppies bite. In fact, sometimes we may even wonder whether we’ve adopted a baby crocodile instead of a dog. After a week with our new puppy, our hands are marked, our clothes are filled with wholes and our minds are desperate! Does this mean we’ve adopted an aggressive dog? Will he bite people in the future? The truth is, this is a perfectly normal behavior for puppies. Just like human babies, they discover the world with their mouths. Since their mouths are filled with tiny, pointy, sharp teeth, it hurts. If it didn’t hurt, they would miss the opportunity to learn an extremely important life lesson: bite inhibition. Imagine the following scenario: two young puppies are happily playing with each other. They nibble, mouth and bite each other. All of the sudden, one of the puppies enthusiastically bites his sister; she yells and moves away from him. The young puppy...
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