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Of all the dog breeds available to choose between, parents need to take all considerations into account when they are choosing a pet for their family needs. Don’t just choose a pet based on what you want or let price or convienience be a determining factor for choosing the pet you get. All breeds have their own traits and characteristics that are unique to their group; i.e. the herding group has instincts for chassing and gathering, and the hunting group has instincts to hunt for instance the bird dog has point and retrieve instincts. Use the unlimited resources of the internet, books and don’t forget about your veterinarian to gather info so you can make a smart and decisful decision on which breed will fit your family lifestyle and needs best. Below are a few breed suggestions I have compiled that I think make great pets for families.

Bulldog- Usually a great breed for the family in the North do to the heat can restrict play outdoors; they do well with all ages of children and other pets. They love to be part of the family and enjoy all the attention they can get.
Beagle - Despite a Beagle's hawl/bark, they are usually non-aggressive. They are great around people and other pets, but they don't like being left alone. Boredom can lead to behavior problems if left alone for too long. They are very active and love to run off energy with the kids, but they are hunters, so running away can be a problem.
Cairn Terrier - They are great for families that prefer a smaller dog. Cairns are about 10 inches tall and weigh about 13 pounds and are good with children and other pets.
German Shepherd - This dog is good with older children. They are playful and loyal dogs with considerable size and strength. Begin obedience training early because without training they can become quit a handful for you and small children.
Poodle - This breed comes in three sizes. Standard, Minature, and Toy. Most people keep them groomed regularly to keep a neat appearance. Research each size to determine which would suite you better. Also popular is the designer breed; the Labradoodle. Labradoodles are a mix of Poodle and Labrador Retriever. They can be a great alternative to a Lab because children with allergies to pet dander usually can tollerate Labradooles do to them being considered a hypoallergenic breed.
Collie- Collies are the American icon thanks to the dog "Lassie". This breed is very well rounded for the family. They are intelligent and train eaisly. They have to be part of the family, or they can get bordom habbits. They make playful companions for the children.
Basset Hound - This breed is good with children of all ages. They are known for their gentleness and kind demenour. They are in the hound group, so they can be noisy. Their long backs can be injured if too rambouncious or a child can accidently injure them.
Labrador Retriever - Labs are a very popular family dog due to it’s playful, energetic and easygoing demeanor. Generally this breed is non-aggressive, gets along with other family pets, and loves to play all day and swim as well.
Pug - This affectionate breed loves being part of the family. Outgoing and mischievous, they make playful companions for children.
Golden Retriever - Similar to the Lab in personality, Goldens are mild mannered and enjoy being around families and other people. These dogs are easy to train are gentle with children. They do have a coat that needs attention from time to time.
Cocker Spaniel -This breed thinks and loves to be a lap dog. They are sensitive and sweet and enjoy the attention of all who will pet them, especially children. They are obedient when trained and friendly around people and other pets. Regular grooming is needed to keep a healthy coat.


Allthough this list is not a full comprehensive list of which breed would be best for a family, your research may find other breeds of which you could include in your list to research and ask questions about. There are houndreds of dog breeds and designer dog breeds to choose from. This list just captures some of the popular breeds that are chosen to be part of the family. Each dog is an individual and can be an exception to the general breed rules. With that in mind, here are a few breeds to be more cautious of around young children and toddlers.

Dominant and Willful Breeds - Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Coonhounds, Border Collies and Weimaraners all have personalities that make them more difficult to train and trust with a young child. These dogs may function better in homes with older children.

Toy Dog Breeds - Young children may play too roughly with the smaller breeds such as Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas and other breeds that are under 10 pounds. These breeds can sustain leg injuries and other serious injury due to being steped on or fallen on. Small breeds can also be more temperamental and "one owner" dogs which make them more apt to snap at children.

About the Author: Dean Burton is the owner of MyDreamPuppy.com, a leading provider of classified directory listings of dogs for sale, puppies for sale, and dogs for adoption. For more information, please visit MyDreamPuppy.com.

Labels: children safe dogs, dogs, family dog, family dog breeds

As our every day expenses keep rising, many of us are forced to cut back where we can and put some on a credit card to keep our lives as normal as possible. We are used to the luxuries this great country has to offer, and many of us have never been without, even though sometimes it seems life has let us down, we were far from without.

Our pets deserve the best we can offer them since we chose to have them as a member of our family, so we have a great responsibility to uphold. With spare money being a shortage for most, it is difficult to think of what we would be faced with if an emergency or sever illness arose. What decisions would we be faced with and what would we decide. It shouldn’t be a financial decision which makes you choose the last resort of what the Dr. can do for your pet.

Pet health insurance seemed to be a farce some years ago. Many believed it to be a gimmick for the insurance companies to make more money. But I also was a skeptic, but decided to try it. My veterinarian, who gets no part of a commission from a sign on, told me about Pet First. Pet First has several plans to choose from at a very affordable monthly rate, and has great coverage. They also cover the monthly preventative care such as your monthly heart worm prevention and drops for flea and tick and vaccinations. That alone is expensive. If you factor that out of your premium, you get a lot of coverage for only a little more money. There are no pre screenings, no pre-existing exclusions, just an age requirement and the premium does not go up with your dog’s age. Pet insurance is more affordable and easier to work with than human health insurance.

I do not have to worry about a financial decision for my beloved pet if an emergency or life changing illness should arise. You should consider pet health insurance also if you want the financial decision to be left out of the equation of what the Dr. should do for your pet.




About the Author: Dean Burton is the owner of MyDreamPuppy.com, a leading provider of puppies for sale. For more information, please visit www.MyDreamPuppy.com.

Labels: dog care, dog health, dogs, family pet, pet care, pet health, pet insurance, pet needs, puppies, veterinarian care

Some dogs are so attached to their owners that they can't stand for the owner to be away. When dogs are normally well behaved but become extremely distraught and destructive when separated from their owners, they are exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety. Dogs are extremely social and emotional animals and are quite prone to this type of anxiety. Almost 15% of all K9 pets experience separation anxiety, which is linked to a dog's pack instinct. Unlike cats, dogs need to be part of a social group, and separation can cause some intense negative emotions. However, there are several things that a responsible and loving owner can do to help lower a pet's anxiety.
It is important to properly diagnose separation anxiety. Pets that suffer from this kind of emotional state only exhibit bad behavior in the absence of the owner. In extreme cases this might even be when the owner is behind a closed door. Anxious dogs will display destructive behavior, house soiling and diarrhea, loss of appetite, depression, excessive barking, vomiting, and obsessive licking. When a dog with separation anxiety is in the presence of the owner, it will often follow the owner form room to room and closely shadow the owner's movements.
Understanding why your pet is experiencing anxiety may lend some clues to a solution. If the pet has never had this problem before, consider the changes in your lifestyle that might have occurred simultaneously with the change in behavior. Perhaps a kid left for college or someone took on a new job. Whatever the case, consider how this time away from your pet is affecting its social interaction.
Treating your pet for anxiety is very different from obedience training, and angry emotions must be avoided at all cost. A display of anger will only contribute to the animal's need for attention. This is especially true for separation anxiety because a dog will experience more anxiety if the owner is angry in the limited time they are present. Establishing trust is vital to dissipating anxiety. Dogs need to trust that their owners will come back for them, and there are several ways to work toward this.
One of the most common trust activities is "sit and stay" training. Giving the sit and stay command and rewarding good behavior begins to teach the dog what the owner wants, and dogs desire more than anything to please their owners. You should practice giving the stay command and moving away at different distance and at different variables of time until the dog obeys eagerly. When a dog understands the owner's wishes and desires to comply, he or she will find much more contentment.
Another strategy is to examine your leaving routine. Every time a person leaves the house they send nonverbal cues to their dog that they are leaving. This may involve picking up keys, putting on shoes, or any number of things. A dog experiencing anxiety now associates those cues with their stress, and it is important to change the pattern to dissociate these emotions. Try giving your dog a treat or turning on the radio. This unusual change and attention can help take a dog's mind off of the stress. A healthy dose of exercise is also extremely helpful, giving the dog a desire for rest and relaxation.
Leaving a puzzle toy with a treat inside or a large rawhide bone will help occupy some time while you are away, but it is not a permanent fix. The important thing is to leave for shorter periods of time, begin some trust exercises, and spend quality time to help your pet believe you are coming back. Once a dog trusts in your return, the anxiety will slowly go away. There is no quick and simple solution to separation anxiety. Instead, it is up to a loving owner to exercise patience through communication and positive reinforcement.

About the Author: Dean Burton is the owner of MyDreamPuppy.com, a leading provider of puppies for sale. You can find a variety of dogs for sale that would be great for families or personal companionship. For more information, please visit MyDreamPuppy.com.

Labels: dogs, pet adoption, puppies