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THE WEIMARANER
The Weimaraner originated in Germany during the early 1800s. They were bred by German aristocrats, and used for hunting large game.
Brief History
It is believed that the Bloodhound was bred with several German and French hunting dogs resulting in the Weimar Pointer or Weimaraner. By the 1950s, the Weimaraner was extremely popular as a companion and hunting dog. The Weimaraner was first used to hunt bears, wolves and mountain lions. As the wildlife population decreased, this breed then was used as an all-purpose-hunter.
Physical Features
The Weimaraner is a medium-sized dog with a large, lean and muscular body. They have long, broad heads, light-amber; gray, or blue-gray eyes and high-set drop ears with a slight fold. This breed also has a grey nose. Their tails are docked, and the Weimaraner’s plush coat is short and sleek. This breed is elegant, athletically built, and has aristocratic features. The Weimaraner is intelligent and kind.
Average Height:
23-27 inches
Average Weight:
55-85 pounds
Life Expectancy:
12-15 years
Temperament
The Weimaraner is intelligent, friendly and athletic. This fun-loving dog breed needs a job, and plenty of regular exercise. The Weimaraner is sensitive and enjoys being around people, family, other dogs and animals. Because this breed is so active, they are prone to scrapes and accidents. The Weimaraner does well with positive puppy training classes, and plenty of socialization. This breed also gets on well with children, and enjoys family outings, trips to the beach and playing Frisbee. The Weimaraner always wants to be with its pet parent, and will be your shadow.
Special Needs
This breed needs socialization, and plenty of exercise. This is a high-maintenance dog breed that has to have consistent runs, walks and benefits from partaking in a few canine sport activities. The elegant and sporty Weimaraner does well with plenty of off-leash exercise. This breed loves to chew things, and pet parents need to watch out for gastric torsion.
Possible Health Concerns
The Weimaraner is an active dog breed that may be susceptible to the following:
Gastric Torsion: Also known as bloat, gastric torsion is a life- threatening emergency. The stomach distended with gas and fluid, and then twists, trapping the gas and fluid in the dog’s stomach. Early symptoms are pacing, gagging, excess saliva, and attempts at vomiting. The stomach will appear distended, and the dog will not be able to vomit. You will need to take the dog immediately to the emergency veterinarian. This cannot wait for a few hours since your dog may not survive.
Hip Dysplasia: This is an abnormal development of the hip joint in large dog breeds like the Weimaraner. It is generally characterized by a loose joint, and then degenerative joint disease. Dogs should be fed a high-quality diet that is geared towards their life stage. Puppies should only be fed high-quality puppy dog food. Excessive growth, types of exercise, nutritional factors, and hereditary factors all come in to play with hip dysplasia. Consult with your veterinarian for expert advice.
Cataracts occurs when the lens becomes cloudy, then blocks the light from reaching the retina. This causes mild or partial blindness. These are often inherited in certain dog breeds like the Weimaraner. Dogs with vision loss appear to use more caution when moving, and also tend to stay closer to their pet parents.
Dermoid Cysts are birth defects that may occur in certain dog breeds like the Weimaraner. These are skin pockets into which pollen, dander, oil, hair, and other bits of debris accumulate. These are found on a dog’s backbone. They can be surgically removed.
Exercise
The Weimaraner is an active breed that benefits from regular exercise and long runs. This is a working dog that needs to have a job. Active pet parents are a must for this wonderfully athletic dog breed.
Nutrition
Good high-quality nutrition is key to a healthy Weimaraner. Always opt for the very best high-quality dog food that you can afford, and add in supplements, steamed veggies and safe fruits. Ask your veterinarian about the veggies and fruits that are safe to feed.
Grooming
The Weimaraner almost self-cleans, and looks immaculate most of the time. Although this breed has a short coat, daily grooming is always recommended along with regular bathing, brushing teeth, ear cleaning, and nail trimming. Visits to the veterinarian are recommended for teeth cleaning twice yearly. Because this breed has drop ears, it’s very important to keep themclean to prevent ear infections caused from trapped moisture.
If you’re active, and have lots of time to spend with this sensitive and intelligent dog breed, the Weimaraner is a good dog to adopt. This breed is easy to groom, keeps clean, and is friendly with everyone — children included. Because the Weimaraner is fun-loving and energetic, prospective pet parents need to understand that this breed does best with plenty of outdoor activities.
Signs of Ticks on Your Dog or Cat
Ticks can become a real nuisance in the summer and your furry pet may be susceptible to becoming a host for one and being infected with tick-borne diseases or even get a secondary infection from the bite site.
HEALTHY FOOD FOR PETS
Pets are loyal buddies. They don’t only provide companionship and friendship, they also provide security and they work as guides for the sick, elderly and the physically-challenged among others. Your pet can only remain healthy and in prime shape when they enjoy a healthy body and a stable mind.
THE YORKSHIRE TERRIER
The Yorkshire Terrier was originally bred in the UK during the late 1800’s for the main purpose of controlling the rat population in cotton mills and mines in Yorkshire and Lancashire, England. This breed was popular amongst the working class and especially the weavers themselves.
Brief History
This breed is said to be the creation of Scottish weavers who migrated to the English north country and brought their Scottish Terriers with them. The feisty pups eventually became a popular lapdog for English socialites during the latter part of the Victorian age. The Yorkshire Terrier was originally called a broken-haired Scotch Terrier, but was renamed the Yorkshire Terrier in 1870. This breed is a descendant of the Waterside Terrier, rough coated English Terrier, Old English Black-and-Tan Terrier, Paisley Terrier, and the Clydesdale Terrier. Many Yorkies had jobs in the coal mines as exterminators. The dogs first arrived in the US in the 1870’s and were recorded in the AKC in 1885.
Physical Features
Although small, this is far from a fragile breed. Feisty, determined and loyal, the Yorkshire Terrier is a well-balanced dog with square proportions and a superb head carriage. The Yorkie has a small and flat skull with a tapered muzzle. This pup carries its head high, which portrays a sense of adorable dignity and confidence — especially with the naturally erect V-shaped ears. With a long silky coat (parted down the back), the Yorkie gives the impression of vigor and of extreme self-importance, scaring even the largest of dog breeds. Today’s Yorkies are mostly clipped for easy maintenance and grooming. Yorkie pups are born black and tan and by age two develop their adult coloring of steel and blue.
Average Height:
7-9 inches
Average Weight:
3-7 pounds
Life Expectancy:
11-15 years
yorkshire terrier
Temperament
The dainty Yorkie is a true terrier breed. Although small, this dog is tenacious, brave, loyal and fun to be around. Theu have lots of positive attitude and is always game to travel. This breed truly enjoys traveling by car, exploring local neighborhoods and getting plenty of attention. These are superb watchdogs, feisty diggers and need to be watched very carefully when out in backyards. Yorkies make for terrific best friends, but can become needy. They needs plenty of socialization and positive dog training classes starting at puppyhood.
Special Needs
The Yorkshire Terrier needs supervision around children and larger dog breeds. They also need moderate, yet regular exercise every day. This breed is extremely adaptable and does well with apartment living. Dental care and grooming are of vital importance. After all, they love being being pampered. The Yorkie needs a calm environment, and thrives on consistency with regularly scheduled feed times, walks and outings.
Possible Health Concerns
Dental Problems – They need proper dental care, including preventative methods like daily tooth brushing to prevent gum, periodontitis and endodontic disease.
Hypoglycemia –This breed may be prone to suffering from low blood sugar. It is common in Yorkies that are under 20 weeks of age, but can be corrected with a high-quality diet appropriate to the their life stage. Avoid stressful environments and excessive exercise to help prevent hypoglycemia.
Legg-Perthes Disease – This is the deterioration of the top of the femur that is often seen in smaller dog breeds. It is characterized by a lack of blood supply and destruction of the blood vessels of the bone. It is a hereditary condition in some terrier breeds. The sudden loss of blood supply to the femur leads to the collapse of the top of the femur bone. Veterinary treatment usually involves the surgical removal of the affected femoral head and neck and physical therapy so as to stimulate limb usage.
Luxating Patellas – This is a hereditary condition that is caused by the abnormal development of the kneecap (patella). X-rays will aid in seeing the severity of the displacement. Treatment usually involves surgery.
Exercise
The Yorkshire Terrier needs moderate exercise with brief bouts of fast activity like running after a tennis ball. They should never be over-exercised. The breed benefits from a few daily walks at a moderate pace. They needs the socialization involved with going to the dog park, or out and about the neighborhood. If not exercised sufficiently, this breed can become overly cranky and nervous. Yorkies are smart and benefit from regular environmental stimulation.
Nutrition
As with every dog breed, a high-quality dog food appropriate for the dog’s life stage is always recommended. They can be picky eaters and tend to favor certain foods over others. This breed is particularly easy to prepare home-cooked meals for under veterinary supervision.
Grooming
Their coats need to be maintained daily. Sometimes even twice a day if not clipped. Yorkies suffer from sensitive eyes, so the hair close to their brows needs to be tied up or trimmed. The Yorkshire Terrier should be bathed once a week and tends to enjoy a visit to the groomers. The ears also need to be checked often for signs of infection.
With a sweet and fun temperament, the Aussie makes a great dog breeds to adopt if you are active and have a large property. It’s not a good idea to adopt this dog breed if they will be cooped up indoors. The Aussie is too smart to do nothing all day and needs a job. Children often love this dog’s fun-loving temperament.
For all their talents, the Yorkie does not excel at being left home alone. With their feisty, affectionate personalities, they are more likely to try and escape out the front door or by the backyard if left alone for long periods of time — especially during the first few months after adoption. This breed adapts easily to new homes, but definitely needs a calm environment and plenty of attention.
THE BOSTON TERRIER
boston terrier dog breed
Boston Terriers are friendly and highly adaptable. Considered a charmer among dog breeds, they play well with fellow dogs, children, and also cats. This breed is enthusiastic and has a lively attitude. Here’s a look at the history of Boston Terriers and everything you need to know to take care of one.
Brief History
Some call the Boston Terrier the first true purebred dog in the U.S. They’re widely known as the “American Gentleman” thanks to a somber and good-natured style and their coloring that looks like a tuxedo.
Initially bred as fighting dogs, today they are more lovers than fighters.
There are different accounts of the Boston Terrier’s history but what’s most agreed-on is that breed originated from a dog named Judge, a Bulldog/English Terrier mix. He was only bred once. Offspring that originated from Judge came to be known as Boston Terriers.
Physical Features
Boston Terriers stand at about 12 to 17 inches from the shoulders, and their weight is anywhere between 10 to 25 pounds. The current generation of Terriers has a face much similar to its ancestral generations with a wrinkle less, broad and flat nosed face. Their neckline is slightly arched with a broad chest, but their overall body appearance is sturdy and boxy.
Average Height:
15-17 inches
Average Weight:
10-25 pounds
Life Expectancy:
11-13 years
Temperament
Boston Terriers are lovable dogs. Fun to be around because they love company, especially children, and play is never a matter to fuss over. They are apartment-friendly with low barking tendencies.
Special Needs
They are lovable creatures, require attention and company for them to belong. They connect easily with human emotions and if their owner is hurting, they sense it immediately and try in whatever way to lighten the mood. They have some habits that are more pronounced than other breeds, such as snorting, drooling, slobbering, wheezing, snoring and snuffing.
Possible Health Concerns
Flat faces: Boston Terriers are a brachycephalic dog breed, meaning they have flat faces. Minor health problems include snoring, but these dogs could have breathing problems that necessitate surgery.
Hemivertebrae: Their corkscrew tails indicate this condition, which has to do with lack of development in their spine bones. This doesn’t impact all dogs, but signals that there’s a problem include difficulty walking.
Eye problems: Due to their flat faces, this breed is prone to eye problems like cataracts, corneal ulcers and glaucoma.
Deafness: Some Boston Terriers are deaf in one ear, others totally deaf.
Luxating patellas: This refers to a condition where the dog’s kneecaps can slip out of place. Small dogs are prone to this issue, and it’s possible that it can require surgery to correct.
boston terrier dog
Exercise
This breed loves to play but doesn’t have many exercise needs. A couple of morning or evening walks and play in between is enough to keep your Boston Terrier alive and heart healthy.
boston terrier
Nutrition
Feeding your Boston Terrier should be a cautious activity. Despite their small size, they love to eat and can be gluttonous in nature. It’s up to you as its owner to control what they eat and what they shouldn’t. Give your Terrier high quality dry food preferably 0.5 to 1.5 cups which should be divided into 2 meals a day. This is but an average amount, the much your dog will eat depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size and build.
Grooming
Boston Terriers have a fine and smooth coat which tends to lie flat against their bodies. There are 3 common coat colors: black, brindle/red and seal which tends to look a lot like black. They often look like they’re wearing a tuxedo thanks to their chests, faces and white muzzles. Grooming this dog isn’t much of a task and weekly coat brushing is enough to keep all dry and dead hair in check. While bathing them, shampoo their coats to keep them clean and healthy. Clean their faces and eyes daily to prevent them from contracting any eye disease.
If you want a small lovable dog to have around your home, a Boston Terrier is a good option.
THE BURMESE CAT
The Burmese originated from Thailand, near the Thai-Burma border. This cat breed was then developed in the U.K, and in the U.S. In 1871, Harrison Weir had a cat show at the Crystal Palace where two Siamese cats were shown. Both resembled the Burmese cat breed as it is today. It is almost similar to the Tonkinese cat breed. Dr. Cheeseman Thompson imported a cat called Wong Mau into San Francisco in 1930. This cat was a brown female cat that was different in build to the Siamese, and could be classified as a separate breed.
Brief History
The Burmese cat breed is believed to be related to a female Tonkinese cat called Wong Mau. This cat was imported in to the U.S in 1930, and in turn was bred with the American Siamese cat called Tai Mau, a sealpoint Siamese. The kittens were dark brown. U.S cat breeders then developed a breed standard that was different from the Burmese one. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognized this breed in 1936. The CFA then suspended breed recognition a decade later due to extensive Siamese outcrossing. By 1954, the CFA lifted the suspension, and by 1958, the United Burmese Cat Fanciers (UBCF) set forth an American judging standard which still stands today.
Today, most modern cat registries do not recognize the two cat breeds as different breeds. The British breed is known as the European Burmese. The first Burmese cats were dark brown. Today, the Burmese comes in numerous colors. The Burmese is well known for its playful and social temperament. They are also very vocal.
Physical Features
The Burmese has two breed standards in which both head and body shape differs. The British (traditional Burmese) cat breed has a body that is slender, long-bodied, with a wedge-shaped head. The ears are large and pointed. The muzzle is long and tapering. The eyes are moderately almond-shaped. The eye color is gold or yellow. The legs are long, and the paws are oval. With a tapering tail of medium length, the British Burmese cat breed is a small to medium cat breed that is muscular and heavy. They are also silky soft when touched.
The American Burmese cat breed has a stockier build, with a much larger head, round eyes, and a much shorter, and flatter muzzle. The ears are also set wider apart, with the legs and tail proportionate to the body. In both breed standards, the breed is a muscular breed that is thicker in build, and heavy when picked up. The coat is thick and shiny, and looks like satin. Blue Burmese will have a medium colored blue coat. The nose and paw pads will be slate grey. Champagne colored Burmese will yield a honey beige coat color. The nose is brown and the paw pads pinkish, brown color. Platinum Burmese will be a silvery grey color. The nose and paw pads will be pinkish, lavender in color.
Average Height:
10-12 inches
Average Weight:
6-10 pounds
Life Expectancy:
10-15 years
Temperament
The Burmese loves to gaze and admire the outdoors. This cat breed is laid back and fun. They adore affection, plenty of interactive cat toys, and cat trees with perches. These cats are great climbers that can be leash trained easily. This is an outgoing cat breed that delights in making new friends. They get on well with people, other animals that are not aggressive, and gentle children.
The Burmese loves to play, and will follow you for attention. An assortment of interactive cat toys is recommended for this cat breed. They enjoy being around family, and do not do well being alone all day. They are a one-person cat breed that bond closely with their pet parent. The Burmese is vocal, and are known to be persistent when trying to get your attention. This very intelligent and affectionate cat breed does well with apartment and indoor living. The Burmese may be prone to feline depression and anxiety if left alone for long periods of time. This cat breed does well with plenty of TLC! They do well with active families, and other pets.
Burmese cat
Possible Health Concerns
Gingivitis: With gingivitis, the gums will become inflamed because of plaque. By daily tooth brushing, dietary changes, using a plaque prevention gel, and oral rinses, you’ll be helping your cat.
Psychogenic Alopecia: This is when there is abnormal hair loss that is caused from excessive grooming. It may result from cat’s being stressed from other cats, dogs or people.
Cherry Eye (Eyelid Protrusion): This is a disorder of the third eyelid, resulting in swollen redness of the eye. It is more common in Persian- related cat breeds.
Cleft Palate: The Burmese may be prone to this birth defect. This is due to the palate bones not diffusing. Kittens will be unable to nurse if born with this defect.
Vestibular Disease: This is caused by a congenital abnormality. It may also result from trauma inside your cat’s ear. It may be caused by cancer or certain infections. It affects the nervous system in cats, and causes a lack of coordination.
Exercise
Your Burmese will scratch for numerous reasons, such as stretching and exercising their toes, shedding the dead outer layer of their claws, and to mark their territory. Free-standing scratchers are ideal for the Burmese, as well as cat condos that have designated scratching posts.
The Burmese cat breed needs daily exercise combined with plenty of mental stimulation through active play and interaction with people.
This cat breed is an intelligent and very affectionate cat breed that does well in most cat friendly environments. They still need to play and interact with people, and should not be left alone all day.
Grooming
The Burmese needs daily grooming to remove shedding or dead hair. Because this breed has a short and fine, soft coat, grooming is easy. Stainless steel combs help to remove dead hair. Care must be taken when grooming leg hair and body hair to avoid sensitive areas. Some cats have very sensitive areas along their backs, legs, and belly area. Curry brushes help with grooming, and will remove dead hair and debris from your cat’s coat.
With their intelligence and fun personalities, this vocal cat breed has plenty of attitude.
All About Llamas
Ahh, the lovable Llama. This mammal weighs in at around 250 lbs and reaches a height of 47 inches.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR DOG – COMMON SENSE TIPS
It’s an exciting time welcoming a new puppy into your household. They provide so much fun and love, and are like a new child in your family. This time can also be daunting to the new puppy owner, especially if they have never owned a dog before. In this article, we will give you a whirlwind tour through everything you need to know to take care of a new puppy.
