Getting To Know The Cocker Spaniel

Article Title: Getting To Know The Cocker Spaniel
Author: Mark Ling

Getting to know your dog starts by getting to know its breed,
and that includes getting a better idea about its appearance,
personality, and health requirements. Here's what you need to
know about the Cocker Spaniel:

The Cocker Spaniel is a breed of dog that falls within two
separate categories. First, you have the American Cocker
Spaniel and second, the English Cocker Spaniel. Historians
date the Spaniel breeds to somewhere around the 16th century
although the variances in breeds did not become well known
until around the 19th century. Most people think of Spaniels
as being game retrievers, but they were actually used to flush
out game for hunters.

In the mid-19th century, showing Cocker Spaniels became
popular. Just eight years into the recognition by the American
Kennel Club for showing, the two versions - American and English
- were placed in different classes. Because of this, the two
dogs are now bred specifically to incorporate traits of each.
Regardless of its hybrid quality, the Cocker Spaniel falls in
the working class, with amazing field and show skills.

Physical Appearance

The Cocker Spaniel is compact but strong and well proportioned.
The eyes are dark and expressive, the ears floppy or lobular,
skin loose, and the hair feathered, long, and silky. Most
often, this breed has a docked tail to about four or five
inches in length. The maximum height for the Cocker Spaniel as
accepted by the American Kennel Club is 15 inches, with weight
between 24 and 28 pounds. This breed also has a short but deep
muzzle and domed head. Both the American and English Cocker
Spaniel share the same color or color variations, which
include:

* Chocolate
* Red
* Buff
* Sable
* Parti-color (any of the above colors with white/black and
tan/chocolate and tan)
* Tricolor (white, black, and tan)
* Roan (black and white or red and white intermingled hairs)
* Sable (black and brown, with or without white or tan
markings)

Temperament and Personality

In most cases, the Cocker Spaniel has a happy and intelligent
temperament. This particular breed is very trusting and eager
to please, making them a great family pet. While the Cocker
Spaniel has an outgoing personality, this is also an easy to
train dog. The only thing to remember is that some breeds
require a firm hand during training but the Cocker Spaniel is
not one. Instead, you want to provide gentle training for
better results.

If you want a family pet, one that is good with adults,
children, and other animals, the Cocker Spaniel is a great
option. The nature of this breed is very affectionate, highly
faithful, and playful. This breed is so mellow that finding
one with a bad temperament would be difficult. Rated as a
good, all-around pet, both the American and English Cocker
Spaniels should be added to your list for an addition to the
family. One of the most important aspects is early and
on-going socialization.

Health

If considering this breed, you need to be aware of potential
health risks. For instance, the Cocker Spaniel is prone to a
number of things, specifically ear, and eye infections.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, cataracts, and glaucoma are just a
few of the more common health challenges. In fact, the problem
is so significant that breeders recommend the Cocker Spaniel
have an annual eye exam.

Other possible problems include Hemolytic Anemia, Hip
Dysplasia, and Luxating Patella, although not a common.
Typically, the Cocker Spaniel lives between 12 and 14 years and
if maintained on a good diet, followed by annual eye exams and
proper exercise, will have few health issues.

About The Author: Daniel Stevens is the renowned dog trainer
and author of SitStayFetch, a leading dog training guide having
sold over 21,000 copies (and counting). See
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/dogbreeds/cocker-spaniel.php
for more on breeds.

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Worms & Parasites - Two Things Your Dog Hates

Article Title: Worms & Parasites - Two Things Your Dog Hates
Author: Kelly Marshall

There are many different ways that dogs and puppies can get
worms. Since most worms are species specific they will only be
transferred from dogs to dogs, and cannot be passed to other
pets or family members. Some parasites can be transferred
between different species of animals and even humans, but these
are very rare, especially if the pet owner routinely worms the
dog to prevent any possible infections.

The biggest source of contamination or infection of worms or
other parasites for dogs is other dogs. This can occur if your
dog is playing with other dogs that have worms, sharing the
same toys or eating from the same dish. Dogs can also get worms
from eating or playing with fecal material from infected dogs.
This is a very common source of infection especially if the dog
is allowed to run outside the yard or plays in a puppy park or
other area where there are many dogs.

There are four types of worms that can infect your dog or
puppy. They are roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms and hookworms.
Roundworms and tapeworms can often be seen in the fecal material
or around the dog's anus in the hair. Whipworms and hookworms
are usually too small to be seen by the eye, but are evident to
the veterinarian when a stool sample is examined. Tapeworms are
rarely seen as entire worms but rather small segments of the
worm may be noted. They are while in color and are somewhat
flattened in shape and appearance. Roundworms are long,
relatively slender and look more like very small earthworms. If
they have been out of the dog's body for even a short period of
time they may have a yellow color rather than being white.

Roundworms

Many puppies are actually born with roundworm infestations.
Since young puppies cannot be wormed until they reach a certain
age it is very important to make sure that the mother has been
kept worm free to avoid passing on the contamination to her
puppies. Round worms eggs can be found in the milk of the
mother dog if she is infected. This then passes the worm eggs
on to the puppies. The worms live in the intestines of the
puppies and constantly lay eggs, up to 200 per day. Some of the
eggs are eliminated through the fecal material while still
others are able to stay within the digestive tract. Once the
eggs hatch they move through the body to the lungs where they
irritate the tissue until the puppy or dog coughs. Once the dog
coughs the larva are expelled from the lungs into the mouth,
where they are swallowed and move down through the digestive
tract. This cycle continues with the number of worms
dramatically increasing. Severe infestations result in a pot
bellied appearance, severe cough, and can eventually lead to
death if the intestines become blocked with worms. A full-grown
roundworm can reach up to five inches in length.

Whipworms and Hookworms

Of the two hookworms are by far the most serious and can lead
to anemia and even death in dogs as these intestinal worms feed
off the blood of the dog. Whipworms are not as serious but often
cause lethargic behavior in dogs and are often a problem with
dogs that are kenneled or boarded in facilities where there are
many dogs in one area.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are problematic because they can affect a dog's
overall health and can be passed to various species, especially
other dogs and cats. Fleas can pass on tapeworm eggs, so keeping
your pet free from fleas is important. Often dogs that hunt
rodents and small wild animals are at greatest risk for
tapeworms. Tapeworms may be noted as dried up looking rice
grains sticking to the fur around the dog's anus. Tapeworms are
difficult to treat and over the counter medications for worming
will not kill the worms within the dog.

Routine worming at the vets is the best way to control worm
problems in your dog. Over the counter worming products rarely
work and may simply give the owner a false sense of security
when it comes to the health of their pet.

About The Author: For parasite prevention products and other
dog supplies, visit http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com today &
register for an immediate 5% savings

Hunting Dog Breeds: Not As Fierce As They Seem

Article Title: Hunting Dog Breeds: Not As Fierce As They Seem
Author: Terry Roberts

Hunting dogs, as their name suggests, are simply those dogs
that have been bred - and trained - to assist human hunters in
their activities. Originally, these dogs were responsible, at
least partially, for bringing home the meat for the family's
dinner and, without them, the job of hunting was much more
difficult. The dogs assist the human hunter to scent and track,
retrieve, flush, point or even chase down game. The skills
developed will be specific to each breed, depending on the type
of game that the dog has been trained to hunt, and the hunting
style used with that particular type of game. Hunting dogs love
to be outdoors and work with their owners. They usually become
noticeably excited and active when they notice that
preparations for the hunt are getting under way.

Since each breed of hunting dog has unique skills and
attributes, we shall look at each general type of hunting dog
separately. It is important to remember that hunting dogs are
not aggressive by nature and are actually some of the best
natured and calm mannered of all the breeds of dogs.

Hounds

Hounds, used as hunting dogs, can be subdivided into two types:
scent or sight hunting dogs. They are used to hunt many types of
mammals such as raccoons, coyotes, and other larger mammals. As
you might imagine, sight hounds hunt by visual contact with the
game. They are very fast and tend to be relatively smaller than
scent hounds - although this does not mean that all of the
breeds of sight hunting hounds are small dogs. Sight hounds
include:

· Whippets
· Greyhounds
· Rhodesian Ridgebacks
· Saluki
· Afghan hound
· Basenji
· Irish Wolfhound

Scent hounds tend to be heavier-set, deeper-chested hunting
dogs that excel for their endurance rather than their speed.
Their voices tend to be deep and baying and in this way hunters
can follow them to where they have treed or cornered the game.
Scent hounds include:

· Bloodhounds
· Bassets
· Beagles
· Coonhounds (all varieties)
· Foxhounds
· Scottish Deerhound

Some hounds are versatile and can track using both sight and
scent.

Water Dogs

The name "water dogs" is the original name for a large group of
hunting dog breeds that are now often referred to as gun dogs.
These dogs were bred to go into the water and retrieve or bring
back game, to flush and point, and to show where waterfowl may
be located on the shore areas in rushes and weeds. Some of them
are also used for on-land game bird shooting, a type of hunting
in which setters and pointers have become specialized. These
dog breeds are very patient and will wait, without moving, for
long periods of time until they are finally told to do so by
the hunter. They are also used to swimming great distances into
the water and back to retrieve a duck or goose without damaging
the bird or even piercing the skin with their teeth.

Dog breeds included in the group of gun or water dogs are:

· Retrievers - Labradors, Golden, Chesapeake Bay
· Spaniels - English, Cocker, Water, Brittany
· Setters - English, Irish, Gordon
· Pointers - Pudelpointer, German Short Haired, English

It is interesting to note that the standard Poodle is an
excellent gun and hunting dog, although nowadays it is rarely
used as a hunting dog anymore.

Terriers

Terriers are a group of hunting dogs, mostly developed during
the industrial revolution, in the United Kingdom and Europe, to
kill the vermin in houses, factories and farms. These small- to
medium-sized dogs are energetic, lively and very independent.
These dogs are a little different, in that they are actually
trained to kill their prey, unlike the hounds or water dogs
listed above. For that reason they tend to be a bit more
aggressive towards other animals if not socialized properly.
The most common terrier breeds include:

· Jack Russell
· Cairn
· West Highland White
· Skye
· Boston
· Yorkshire
· Fox
· Airedale
· Scottish

However, there are many other types of terriers, all with
unique coat colors and characteristics.

If you are looking for a hunting dog, you need to bear in mind,
first, exactly which breed is best suited to your requirements.
As a hunter, be sure to research each breed and talk to dog
owners to find which will most closely match your needs.
However, remember that you needn't be a hunter to own one of
these dogs - hunting dogs can make excellent, good-natured
companions. If that is the case, simply make sure that the
breed you choose fits in with your present - and projected
lifestyle.

About The Author: Terry Roberts is a professional translator
and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more
about hunting dogs - and about dogs in general - visit his
website http://www.livingwithadog.com

4 Common Aging Dog Problems You Should Know About

Article Title: 4 Common Aging Dog Problems You Should Know
About
Author: Michael Whitman

While every dog is an individual, a few age-related maladies
seem to strike many of them. You should of course discuss how
they affect your dog - and the best approach to treating them -
with your veterinarian, but knowing a little bit about what
you're dealing with before you go in is helpful.

Here are a few old-dog problems, along with some things you can
do to help:

1. Stiffness: Your veterinarian can help you determine if the
stiffness is because of temporary muscle soreness - say from
overdoing it - or the onset of arthritis. Many dogs are worse
in cold weather and first thing in the morning. Arthritis is
common in older dogs, and while no cure exists, treatments are
available that can make your pet's life comfortable. Your
veterinarian may prescribe buffered aspirin, food supplements,
or anti-inflammatory medications, all of which your pet may
need to take for the rest of her life. For your part, you need
to be sure that your pet is not overweight and is kept
consistently, but not strenuously, active.

2. Decline of the senses: Deaf and blind dogs do just fine, as
long as you do your part to keep them out of any danger their
disabilities may cause. Blindness, in particular, is a problem
dogs adjust to with an ease that stuns their owners. But
consider the following: Dogs don't have to read the newspaper,
they don't care about TV, and they count on you to read the
ingredients label on a bag of kibble. Sight isn't their primary
sense anyway; they put much greater stock in their sense of
smell. After they learn the layout of the land, they rarely
bump into things (as long as you don't keep moving the
furniture). Handicapped pets should never be allowed off-leash
on walks, because they can't see danger and cannot hear your
warnings.

Even if your older dog is blind, there may be something that
you can do. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a
specialist like a veterinary ophthalmologist. Problems such as
cataracts may be treatable with medications and surgery.

3. Incontinence: There are many inquiries all of the time from
frustrated owners wondering why their older dogs are no longer
house-trained - and how they can get them back on track. The
first rule of any sudden-onset behavior problem is to make sure
that it's not a health problem, and we can think of no case
where this rule is more true than with an older dog who's
suddenly urinating in the house. Your pet could have an
infection or, if she's an older spayed female, she may be
suffering from the loss of muscle tone related to a decrease in
her hormone levels. Both are treatable; see your veterinarian.
At a certain age, a little dribbling of urine is practically
inevitable, especially while your older dog is sleeping.

4. Lumps and bumps: Benign fatty tumors are common in older
dogs, and the vast majority are nothing to worry about. Benign
tumors are round and soft, with well-defined edges. You can
usually get your fingers nearly around them, and they don't
seem well-anchored. Showing them to your veterinarian for a
more complete evaluation is important, and you should inform
her of any changes in size or shape, especially if they happen
rapidly. Your veterinarian may be concerned enough about the
size, appearance, or location of a mass to suggest its removal
and a biopsy; most bumps, however, are left alone. The best
time to check for lumps and bumps? During regular grooming,
weekly, at least. Run your hand over every inch of your dog,
and don't forget to talk sweetly - she'll think it's petting.

About The Author: Michael Whitman can teach you how to quickly
and easily train your problem dog.
http://www.dogtrainingmethod.com/DogExpert.html

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