by: Blake Kritzberg

Dogs are susceptible to various skin problems — which can be frustrating for owners who want to see Fido comfortable and happy. Does your dog have a skin problem, and if so, how do you fix it?

That depends on the symptoms you see. Of course, the most common sign of a possible skin problem in your dog is constant, excessive itching. Other symptoms include fur loss, either localized in a certain location or spread across the dog’s entire body. More severe cases may involve redness in the skin, changes in skin pigmentation or even open sores that your dog constantly licks.

No particular symptom necessarily proves your four-footed friend has a certain type of skin disorder, and you’ll need to investigate other areas before you draw conclusions. While it’s common and helpful for veterinarians to diagnose skin problems, it’s also essential for dog owners like you to familiarize yourself with typical canine skin problems, so you can react quickly and keep his discomfort to a minimum.

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by: Blake Kritzberg

Of course, we humans use shoes to protect our feet. We insist on it! But dogs usually don’t have that luxury, and routinely walk over ice, rock, grass, cement and soil on their bare paws. Their paws’ thick pads give them protection we don’t have, and that’s why they’re less susceptible to cuts and grazes. But this doesn’t mean a dog’s paws are indestructible. In fact, the areas between the pads are very sensitive and can suffer from cuts, burns, and other ailments.

One of the clues to a paw problem is when your dog comes back limping or favoring only one of its legs. The only way for you to narrow down the issue is to check his paw for any visible and physical signs of bleeding, swelling, redness or blisters.

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by: Blake Kritzberg

Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze or rash, your dog’s allergies can manifest as itchiness — or even ear infections. In fact, if your dog’s allergic to his food, it can cause him to scratch himself constantly, even with no obvious parasite problem.

Dog allergies rarely get solved with medicine, so the best we can do for our four-footed friends is focus on prevention. Providing the right type of food is essential to stopping your dog’s scratching habit.

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by: Ray Coleiro

Discipline and good behavior are not just for your Dog they apply to you, the pet-parent too. Buying a dog is not all “cochie coo” business — it signals the beginning of a lifetime of commitment and responsibility.

1. Love your dog unquestioningly. Treat him like a friend. Never hurt, punish, beat or abandon him. Seek professional help if you are ever pushed against the wall – there are feasible solutions to everything.

2. Ensure good nutrition.

3. Take an informed decision about spaying/neutering.

4. Give him good veterinary care. Half yearly check ups, vaccinations, dental check ups, and more.

5. Ensure that all his papers are in order – get him an ID and license.

6. Training is a key to a long and fulfilled life.

7. Groom him everyday or as many times as necessary. Grooming is one way of bonding with your dog.

8. Socialize your dog from day one – this will help him be comfortable around other people and animals as well as in public places.

9. Devote at least 30 minutes everyday to play with your dog.

10. Ensure that you are a lawful dog owner– obey all leash, vaccination, and noise pollution laws.

11. Always clean up after your dog – it prevents infections.

12. Exercise your dog for at least 30 minutes each day.

These golden rules will help you grant the boon of a good life to your dog and believe me a dog that leads a well balanced life hardly ever develops any behavioral problems.

Whether you are a first time dog owner or a seasoned veteran, your learning never stops as far as it comes to training your dog. Each and every dog presents different training challenges, and the more equipped you are to handle these training issues the more likely you are to prevent any permanent and long term future behavioral problems.

If you are serious about your dog, and want the very best for her/him, then you owe it to your best friend to get a copy of this FREE Dog Training Mini-Course. You can still get it from here:
http://dogtrainingmastery.com/Free_Dog_Training/dog-obedience-training.htm

About The Author
Ray Coleiro is the author of the popular book “Dog Training Mastery - An Owner’s Manual!” His main interest lies in promoting effective Canine Communication using solid Dog Psychology principles. To learn more about his proven Dog Training methods and life’s work, you can visit http://dogtrainingmastery.com/Dog_Training/dog-training.htm

Pug popularity has definitely caught on and this wonderful breed has been getting a lot of Hollywood attention from movie features like Milo & Otis and Men in Black to the coverage of Jake Gylenhall and his adorable Beagle-Pug cross - a Puggle! Pug lovers have known for years that their favorite dogs are smart, friendly cuddle monsters, but now that the secret is out, I’m feeling a little jealous of all the attention my little guy is getting. It used to feel like Pug owners were in a special group - no cute poodles or crowd pleasing Golden Labs for us! Our dogs had smushed-in faces only a mother could love. Now everybody loves them and if they didn’t love to eat so much, I’m betting they’d be the next trendy purse-sized dog that celebs like Paris Hilton would be schlepping around. Forgive me while I shed a tear in my kibble.

Of course, there isn’t really anything wrong with Pugs getting some publicity. But I do have to put my foot down (or in my mouth, as it were) when it comes to new pet owners choosing a breed based on some dog from a movie. C’mon people! Dogs that have spent years being trained by the best dog trainers in the business are not going to bear any resemblance to the dog you bring home from the pet store (shudder) or a breeder. My husband doesn’t look like Brad Pitt (when my eyes are open, anyways) & my dogs don’t only appear in the scene when it is cute, funny and/or convenient.

Pugs, like all dogs, do make excellent companions. But just like babies spit up & make dirty diapers, the reality of Pug-ownership is a snotty, stinky one. And prospective owners need to be aware of a few of the not-so-cute perks of owning a Pug:

First things first, the snot. Pugs are snotty. No, they don’t think they’re better than you (that’s cats). They spray snot. Constantly. Everywhere.

Those cute pushed-in faces produce an ungodly amount of snot that needs to be pushed out so the dog can breath properly. That equates to a regular spray of snot coming from your dog’s nose onto everything in a 1 foot radius. My face has been misted with Pug snot more times than I can remember & it still grosses me out. There are no kisses in my home & everyone is trained to avert their faces from the general direction of the Pug’s nose.

Even if you can avoid the Pug snot facial, your home cannot. Windows, mirrors, TV screens, every surface of the interior of your car - Pug-snotted. Stock up on Windex now, friends.

The Rusty Ass

More offensive than the snot is the scent that I have only ever witnessed in Pug bottoms - the Rusty Ass. The glands on either side of your dog’s anus secrete a nasty, funky substance that usually excuses itself while they’re pooping or if you’re really lucky, while your dog drags his ass across your carpet in the hilariously icky Scoot & Drag Shuffle.

I’ve never noticed these glands in any dog I’ve ever had, though apparently some breeds are notorious for having these anal glands become impacted, which aside from being just plain disgusting, can also be painful for the dog & require veterinary attention. Piggy, my Pug, has never had this problem but he does have the daily need to have his ass wiped with a kleenex. I grab his curly tail, give his brown eye a quick wipe & toss the tissue as quickly as is humanly possible. Ahhhhh…I can breathe again.

FYI: it’s not fecal matter that I’m referring to here. It’s the liquid substance that while colorless, has the most horrific odor known to man or beast. I call it Rusty Ass due to the almost metallic smell if you can imagine rotten metal that has passed its expiry date, however you’re free to name it as you see fit.

Eye Gunk and Pus-filled Face Folds

You know those cute little squishy faces that make Pugs so adorable? They also don’t get much air circulation & are easily infected. A few swipes with a warm, wet cloth on a regular basis is usually all that’s needed to keep this area clean, but I have seen it get infected before & when those folds of skin are oozing with pus? Not so cute.

And lastly, all the other fun stuff that dog owners become accustomed to - picking up steaming hot poop, brushing teeth as they try to squirm away, Swiffering never ending stray dog hair from your floors & trimming nails as your dog acts as if you’re attempting to amputate a limb.

But just like any new parent will tell you, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.