Best Dogs for Apartment Life.

Dogs can be found in many different types of homes in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the world. Within some of these different homes, some dogs live in apartments. Apartment living isn’t easy for all breeds, so if you are considering getting a dog, and you live in an apartment, this is for you. The following list is of breeds that are great for apartment life.

·         Pug. Weighing in at 10 to 25 pounds, the pug is perfect for the apartment dweller. Small and compact with a pushed-in face, the pug is a clown at heart. With a short hair coat, this breed does not need special care and is a loving member of any family. As long as he is taken for brief walks, he is happy to sleep the day away.

·         Schnauzer. The standard and miniature schnauzer are wonderful apartment pets. Eager to please and to keep the family safe, this breed usually requires regular grooming and daily exercise. They thrive on human companionship.

·         Scottish Terrier. This working dog from the Scottish Highlands weighs around 15 to 20 pounds. Most often black, the Scottie is highly intelligent and needs daily exercise. Tough and compact, the Scottie is a loyal and protective family member.

·         Yorkshire Terrier. The Yorkie is a tiny dog with lots of spunk. They are happy to spend their days lounging on the sofa, but these calm dogs require regular grooming. Weighing less than 10 pounds, this breed is well suited for apartment life.

·         Cocker Spaniel. The popular cocker with his curly hair and sad eyes is a good choice for apartment life. He needs basic exercise and usually spends his days lounging and waiting for his owner's return.

·         Welsh Corgi. At about 25 pounds, the Pembroke Welsh corgi is a popular pet. This stocky short tailed breed needs daily exercise but does not require a large living space.

·         West Highland White Terrier. This small white terrier is playful and loveable but does require some exercise to keep him happy. I know my Westie has a ton of energy to let out after a day of work. The perfect size for an apartment, the Westie is a good watch dog and faithful companion that needs some grooming to keep his coat mat and tangle free.

·         Italian Greyhound. The IG is a tiny version of the greyhound. Usually weighing around 10 pounds, the IG is fast and quick to learn. Though they do enjoy a good chase, the IG also loves snoozing on the sofa.

For a complete list of dog breeds great for apartment life, please see the following link: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/apartment.htm

Best Dogs for Security

Are you getting a dog to protect you and your home? Find out which dogs rank the best based on their breed’s natural behaviour.

Are you looking for a Guard dog?

The following are characteristics to look for:

·         A sense of the dog’s territory

·         Aggressiveness

·         Strength

·         Courage

·         Resistance to counterattack

·         Tendency to protect the dog’s adoptive family

·         Propensity to be properly trained

Another great virtue is aloofness to strangers as they will not be strayed from protecting the family. A dog guards the family best INSIDE the house during hours when intrusion is most likely. If the guard dog is outside, and the burglar is inside, the dog cannot protect the house.

The following breeds are ideal guard dogs:

·         Bull Mastiff

·         Doberman Pinscher

·         Rottweiller

·         Komodor

·         Puli

·         Giant Schnauzer

·         German Shepherd

·         Rhodesian Ridgeback

·         Kuvasz

·         American Stafford Terrior

·         Chow Chow

·         Belgian Sheepdog

·         Akita Inu

Check out the following site to find out more about these breeds: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a-z.htm

Other factors that potential dog owners may wish to consider include gender and color. As a general rule, females of many breeds may be less aggressive, however more protective of family members.

Although a dog's color has no direct correlation to its physical gifts or temperament, a darker dog, especially a black one, appears more menacing to would-be intruders. Also if a room or yard is very dark, a dark-coloured dog may be difficult for an intruder to discern and make the intruder more hesitant.

Some dogs, such as many kinds of Pit Bull Terrier and the Presa de Canario have been used extensively as guard dogs. However, controversy surrounding these dogs have led many to distance themselves from them. Some jurisdictions have banned the ownership of these dogs altogether.

It is important to note that dog attacks are not a common occurrence and much of the source of aggression in dogs stems from abuse and mis-training by the dogs' owners.

Making Grooming a Positive Experience

It is definitely necessary to begin grooming your puppy as soon as possible. The best time to start being groom professionally is at about 16 weeks of age, after the puppy has had all their shots.

The sooner you familiarize your puppy with being groomed, the happier they will be. Patience is key to years of successful grooming.

You’re going to want to tire your puppy out by playing with them for a few minutes. Next, select a location for grooming. This should be a table with a rubber type (bath mat) for traction. You should use the same place so that your puppy will remember this place is for not play time but "grooming time".  If introduced correctly and consistently, your pet will associate this experience with pleasure and will look forward to this special time between you and him.
At first, puppy grooming is also a behaviour lesson. Conduct frequent short sessions with patience, LOTS of verbal praise and treats.

Be sure to touch and play with your puppy's feet and rub your fingers between its toes daily. This will make nail clipping easier. I promise that your groomer and your vet will love you for this.  Dogs will naturally pull their feet back when being touched. You will notice that many pets are perfect for grooming but freak out when the nail trimming begins.  This can be avoided by your taking the time to help train them to realize it is not a painful process.
Begin by showing your puppy his brush and comb. Let them sniff and play with it a few seconds. Brush/ comb their coat a few times, then reward your puppy with a small treat and praise. Slowly increase the number of brush and comb strokes. After the first week, you should be able to do the brushing AND combing quite easily.

In order to avoid matting, it is important to brush your puppy as often as possible. If your puppy is prone to matting due to its breed, please check out the video below on how to de-mattify your puppy.

This process should help you to communicate to your puppy that grooming is a positive experience.

Best of luck!

Feeding Your Puppy

Not only does your puppy need healthy food, it needs plenty of it. Your puppy will need a balanced diet in order to nurture the growth of bones, teeth, organs and muscle and also to maintain a healthy coat.  Their diet will also ensure that they have enough energy to play throughout the day.

At about 2 1/2 weeks of age, your puppy may begin to eat solid food three or more times a day. Start them on dry puppy food mixed with warm water.  When they reaches seven weeks of age or so, start slowly decreasing the amount of water you add. When they are about 3 months old, you can switch the puppy to twice-a-day feedings of puppy food.  Between 6 and 8 months it recommended that you gradually mix the puppy food into an adult formula over several weeks time.

During his first few weeks, your puppy should be slightly chubby. If he continues to look chubby between 10 and 13 weeks old, restrict his diet slightly. Monitor his weight and, once he reaches three and a half to four months, restrict his diet – not to make him lean, just to make sure he doesn't get too fat. If you're not sure what his proper weight is, check with your vet.

At the 5 to 6 month period, depending on his breed, your puppy may have a dramatic growth spurt. He may get long, lean and a little thin. By the time he's about one-and-a-half to two years of age, his body will catch up.

Commercial puppy food is best. This kind of a diet provides all the nutrients he needs, especially his energy and protein requirements. A diet labelled for "all life stages" will also provide sufficient nutrients, but because it is closer to a maintenance level, your puppy will have to eat more "All Stages" than puppy formula.

From three weeks of age up to 20 weeks, your puppy's growth rate is astronomical, and his food intake must keep up. During this period, medium-sized dogs, such as pointers and setters, require approximately 3 1/2 lbs. of dry food to put on one pound of body weight. Large breeds require slightly less, smaller breeds a little more. If you are using canned food, use approximately one-third this amount, as these diets are more nutrient-dense.

Note: For puppies of large or giant breeds, look for special foods of lower nutrient density. With these dogs, rapid growth can exacerbate degenerative hip problems or joint disease. Although hip dysplasia is a genetic problem, overfeeding at a young age can contribute to it.

Remember: There are plenty of puppy foods out there. Once you find one your dog likes, stick to it.

Finding a Breeder

Now that you’ve chosen your dog breed, it’s time to buy your new friend. The next step is to find a reputable breeder.

Although you can buy a purebred dog through multiple channels, I recommend purchasing through a knowledgeable breeder. You will need to visit a few breeders and their facilities to compare the dogs. You should only purchase from someone who you trust and cares about your puppy’s future.

To locate breeders in your area you can refer to accredited Breed Clubs, who can refer you to breeders of their organization.

Before purchasing from your breeder, I suggest you follow the following rules. Any responsible breeder will happily comply, and if they don’t, do not purchase from them.

1.       Always visit the kennel.

2.       Make sure you meet the mother of the litter.

3.       Take a look at health certificates and records of visits to the vet.

4.       Be sure to obtain a bill of sale indicating that your puppy is a purebred.

5.       Be sure to obtain a written guarantee.

6.       Be sure your dog is permanently and uniquely identified.

7.       Confirm that the parents and the puppy are registered with either CKC or AKC.

8.       Ask the breeder if they are a member of the CKC or AKC.

Keep these things in mind when finding a breeder, and you will find it much easier to find someone who is specialized and knowledgeable about your dog. Quite often they will give you specific tips for handling your dog breed.

Best of luck!