Top Five Dogs From Films

Character Name: Fang
Breed of Dog: Neapolitan Mastiff

Film: Harry Potter Films (2001 - Present )

Film Trivia: Fang plays the role of the loveable giant Hagrids pet dog. Fang is described in the film as a Boarhound, but in actual fact was played by 4 different Neapolitan Mastiffs.

Character Name: Hooch

Breed of Dog: Dogue De Bordeaux

Film: Turner & Hooch (1989)

Film Trivia: Cop doggy comedy, Det Scott Turner played by Tom Hanks teams up with Hooch, the slobbering mischievous dog who could be the only one to help Turner solve a murder. Hooch played by Beasley the Dogue de Bordeaux. Film Tag line ~ The oddest couple ever unleashed!

Character Name: Toto

Breed dog Dog: Cairn Terrier

Film: Wizard of Oz (1939)

Film Trivia: Toto was played by Terry the Cairn Terrier. Toto was referred to as a "he" in MGM's classic film, Toto was really a "she". Carl Spitz, Hollywood animal trainer received a salary of $125.00 per week for the use of the Terry in the film.

Character Name: Frank

Breed of Dog: Pug

Film: Men in Black (1997), Men In Black 2 (2002)

Film Trivia: Within the films, Frank has the appearance of a normal pug dog, but he is actually an extraterrestrial in disguise. Frank was played in both movies by a very well trained pug named "Mushu".

Character Name: Beethoven

Breed of Dog: Saint Bernard

Film: Beethoven (1992)

Film Trivia: A slobbering St Bernard dog becomes the center of attention for a loving family but its vet secretly wants to kill him. Film Tag line ~ He'll grow on You! Beethoven is very mischievous, antics include: Drinks out of the fishbowl, Urinates in George's Briefcase, Eats Thanksgiving turkey from table, and many more.

Favourite types of dog breeds

The Top 5 favourite types of dog breeds in the US are:
Labrador Retriever - The Fisherman's Friend
Breed Origins: Canada
Breed usage: Hunting Small Game
Dog Weight: 55 - 70 Pounds
Dog Height: 22.5 to 24.5 inches to the shoulder
Cost of Puppies: From $700 US Dollars

Golden Retriever The World's Most Popular Dog
Breed Origins: England (1800's)
Breed usage: Hunting Small Game - retrieving
Dog Weight: 60 - 80 Pounds
Dog Height: 21 to 25 inches to the shoulder
Cost of Puppies: From $500 US Dollars

German Shepherd - The Alsatian Wolf Dog
Breed Origins: Germany ( 700's )
Breed usage: Herding and guarding sheep
Dog Weight: 75 - 95 Pounds
Dog Height: 24 to 26 inches to the shoulder
Cost of Puppies Cost of puppies varies depending on location, breeder and pedigree history

BeagleDachshund " The Snoopy Dog! "
The Labrador Retriever is the Number 1 type of dog breed in the USA, Canada and UK!
Breed Origins: England ( 1400's)
Breed usage: Hunting Small Game - rabbit and hare
Dog Weight: 18 - 30 Pounds
Dog Height: 13 to 15 inches to the shoulder
Cost of Puppies: From $250 US Dollars

Information about different Types of Dogs

There are a total of 157 types of dog breeds recognised by the AKC (American Kennel Club). The types of dog breeds are separated into different dog types which are referred to as Dog Groups. The actual numbers of the types of dog breeds within each of the different dog types are as follows:
Sporting Dogs ( Gun Dogs) - 26
Non-Sporting Dog Types - 17
Working Dog Breeds - 22
Hound Breed Type of Dogs - 22
Terrier Breed Type of Dogs - 26
Herding Breed Type of Dogs - 18
Toy Breed Types of Dogs - 20
Miscellaneous Breed Type of Dogs - 6
Total number of different types of dogs - 157 (AKC recognised)

Dog Statistics
The US Census reveals some interesting figures in relation to dogs:
There are approximately 68,000,000 owned dogs in the United States
There are no Government stats in relation to actual numbers of individual dog breed types
Approximately 1 in 3 households keep dogs as pets
36% of homes have dogs
32% have cats ( cat owners often keep more than one cat)
85% of dogs visit an animal doctor in a year
67% of cats visit an animal doctor in a year

Small dog types
The small dog types are usually referred to as Toy Breed Types of Dogs but they are also referred to as miniature dog types. Some small dog types were also referred to as 'sleeve dogs', 'pocket size' and 'lap dogs'. Another popular name for small dog types are Teacup dogs. Breeders often use this cutesy phrase as a 'marketing term'! Canine Associations do not endorse or condone the use of any of these terms and would caution the perspective puppy buyer not to be misled by them. The size of small dog types is the result of selective breeding, it does not indicate that a particular dog breed type withe an exceptional diminuitive appearance is rare or

special.Types of dogs - Variety is the Spice of Life!
The are some 'purists' in the dog world who look down on types of dog breeds that have not been recognised by the leading Kennel Clubs. They believe that only the pedigree types of dogs are the ones to own. But different dog types have to be accepted in the various Kennel Clubs and more are being accepted all of the time. If the modern breeders and those from bygone years had not experimented with cross- breeding various dog types we would not have all the wonderful types of dogs that we have today!

Puppy Vaccination

Vaccinations are an important part of your dogs preventive health care plan. When given properly, they will protect your dog from several serious, even fatal diseases. It is recommended that a puppy’s first vaccination should be given between six to eight weeks of age, a double dose of the vaccine is given 2-4 weeks later. The puppy achieves sufficient protection from the vaccinations within 1 week after the second vaccination. It is essential to ensure that your pup is fully vaccinated before coming into contact with other dogs' as they may be carriers of the diseases (There may be additional vaccines recommended for certain breeds or puppies with high risk factors). After a puppies last vaccination, they should be given a booster vaccination annually. Always keep your dog's vaccination certificates. You may need them in the future, for example if you were to board them at a kennel.

Which Diseases Are Covered By The Vaccination ?

Canine Parvovirus An aggressive disease that attacks the immune system and cells lining the intestines, causing serious, often fatal, vomiting and diarrhoea. Young unvaccinated pups are especially susceptible.
Canine Distemper (Hardpad) This virus attacks the gut, lungs and nervous system and is usually fatal.
Infectious Canine Hepatitis This virus rapidly attacks the liver, lungs, kidneys and eyes. Many cases are fatal but some dogs can recover.
Canine Parainfluenza Virus This virus is an important component of `kennel cough' , a highly infectious upper respiratory tract infection of dogs which causes a dry hacking cough.
Leptospirosis This disease is caused by bacteria from the family Leptospira. Two types of disease are seen but both can be protected against. The first is passed on in watercourses from the urine of infected rats and this strain can also affect humans. The second is caught from the urine of infected dogs. Whilst antibiotics can help to treat Leptospirosis, cases can often be fatal or cause lifelong damage to the kidneys.
Most dog vaccines are given by injection into the scruff of the neck. The procedure goes unnoticed in most cases. Kennel cough vaccines mentioned below are given as nasal drops.
Your puppy should have limited contact with other animals until he has finished his series of vaccines. Any animals your puppy will socialize with should be healthy and up to date on their vaccines to reduce his risk of becoming sick before he is fully vaccinated
Other Vaccines your dog may require
Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine is strongly recommended, especially if a puppy will have exposure to many dogs such as at training classes, shows, or the groomers. It is an annual to semiannual vaccine depending on the product used and the puppy’s degree of risk.
Rabies vaccine are used only occasionally but can enable pets to travel freely from the UK to Europe provided they comply with the rules set down under the pet travel scheme. The rabies vaccine is required by law in the USA because rabies is a fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans and has no cure. The vaccine is given between 12 and 16 weeks of age and then boostered in one year, after which time additional boosters are given every two years.

Dog Training Errors

While training a dog, the handler can make a number of different mistakes.
First and most important mistakes new dog trainers make is that they think that a dog, like a human, can effectively respond to their words. They can sometimes start to try to talk the dog into doing something or to scare the dog into doing a command. In reality these things only slow down the speed of dog training. Dogs can’t understand many words, and majority of what people say flies around their ears. What their can understand is dog trainers tone of voice, and mood.
There is a good saying, that mood of the dog flows directly through leash from his handler. If the handler is thinking about quickly finishing the exercise and getting to do something he likes, the dog will not be a willing trainee at all. One needs to think of the result of training that you want out of your dog, and then slowly move toward those set goals with good speed, not rushing the dog.
If a trainer works by scaring the dog into doing every command, what you will end with is a scared, shy animal that will shake from every quick move by his handler. This is very ineffective because the dog will have no loyalty to the handler, and will do anyone’s command due to fear of punishment.
Another common mistake is that most dog trainers don’t pay enough attention to their tone of voice while working with the dog. As said before, dogs don’t understand words, they associate them with things, and tone of voice is the best tool to help the dog associate. For example “No” or “Off” should be told in deep tone of voice that shows disappointment in the dog. While a command that requires the dog to do something like “Sit” or “Heel” should always be said in high pitch happy tone of voice. If a trainer uses the same tone of voice for all commands, then the dog will have extremely hard time knowing what the trainer wants.
One more mistake new owners often make is to repeat the command multiple times thinking it will make the dog comply. In reality it only reduces the ability of dog to learn the command. Repeating the command multiple times in order for the dog to do it is very counter productive. Try your best from the first training session to teach your dog to do a command from the first try.

Basic Puppy Training

It is important to start training your puppy from the first day you got him. Puppy is very similar to a baby as he is going through set periods of psychological and physical development. More advanced training of puppies should only start at around six months of age. Prior to this it is important to lay down the foundation between the owner and the puppy. The stronger the bond made during this time, the easier it will be to train the dog when he grows up. Before advanced training can begin a puppy should be able to come recognize his name, walk on lead, able to come by command and know “off” command. Try to teach a puppy like it’s a game, so he doesn’t get bored and is interested in training.
Puppy Behavior from birth to around 1.5 months of age:
When a puppy is born it already possesses senses of smell and taste. After about 2 weeks, other sensory organs are turned on, sight and hearing. Starting from 2 to 3 weeks a puppy will develop passive-defensive reactions. At this point you have to understand that if a puppy is trembling or dropping to your legs under a loud noise, it is correct behavior and puppy’s reaction to unknown. At age of around 1.5 months a puppy still has very hard time distinguishing between faces and its surroundings thus it is a good idea to buy a puppy around this age.
Puppy behavior from 1.5 to 4 months of age:
Starting from around 1.5 months of age reactions of the puppy will acquire more complex adventurous form, he will want to learn about his surroundings. Puppies of all breeds at this age act about the same. They are playful, adventurous and sweet. In this period of life it is the easiest to teach a puppy all kinds of positive knowledge. In this age period the puppy should be thought to recognize its name.
At age of 1.5 months a puppy should be thought commands “Come”, “Stay”, “Go play”. Starting at around 2.5 months, puppy should be thought commands “Off”, “Sit”, “Down”.
It is important to note that starting training before these times can harm still under developed nervous system of the puppy.

How to give a command to your dog

The training commands should be issued in a calm voice with clear intonation. A dog should have no problem hearing the command, since it cant do something it cant hear. Praise the dog with a warm tone of voice with higher then normal pitch. Dissatisfaction with the dog should be shown with deep and unhappy voice tone.
Training should be done systematically and continuously, with gradual increase in difficulty of commands, from sloppy to perfect execution of the command. Dog training should seem like a game to the puppy, so it brings happiness to both the puppy and the owner.
In the next installment of our new dog training series, we will describe different methods of training as well as a number of guides on teaching commands described in first two installments.

Does a puppy understand my words?

NO. Dogs do not understand the meaning of words. They do have a very good sense of hearing and can pick apart even the smallest differences in your tone of voice. The dog will focus on the tone of your voice. Dogs do remember words though. That is because the dog is conditioned to respond certain way to a word, same way a dog can be conditioned to respond to a hand signal.

The point of dog training

The target of dog training, above all else, is to train the dog the correct execution and bullet-proof response from your commands. Be it voice, hand or other signals. It is important to train your dog all year round, but if training outside the better time is during spring-early summer. For warm season a good temperature is between 10-15 degree’s Celsius, and in cold season up-to -10C without wind. Initial training sessions shouldn’t last more then 5-10 minutes and should gradually increase as the puppy ages. Remember!, biggest mistake you can make during this time is to make the puppy scared of the training exercises! Pick time and place most that suits your puppy the best, so he looks forward to training.

German Shepherd Information

General Description
The German Shepherd is a strong, agile dog with a well-muscled build and an overall appearance that denotes liveliness, nobility, and quality. The breed’s well-balanced body is just longer than it is tall, and its outline consists of smooth curves as opposed to angles. They are substantial, fit, and solid, but they are not bulky or cumbersome. Their neck is well-muscled, sturdy, and clean-cut, and its length is in direct proportion to the size of the dog’s head. They have a straight, strong back that is short by comparison, and their high-set withers slope gently into their level topline. The chest of this breed is well-filled, deep, and capacious, and the well-sprung ribs are long and carried down to the sternum. Their abdomen is firm and moderately tucked up into the loin. They have long, obliquely angled shoulder blades that lie flat, and their upper arms are well-muscled. The thickly padded feet are short, compact, and feature a set of well-arched toes and dark nails. Thighs of this breed are broad and strong, and their croup is gradually sloping. The head of the German Shepherd is chiseled, clean-cut, and noble, and its size is in proportion to the size of the dog’s body. Males of this breed have distinctly masculine facial features, while females have distinctly feminine facial features. Their medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes are obliquely set and dark in color. They have moderately pointed ears that are erect and set parallel to one another. The breed’s forehead is somewhat arched, and their skull slopes downward into their long, wedge-shaped muzzle. Their stop is abrupt and pronounced, and their nose is black in color. They have strong, well developed jaws and their complete set of teeth close in a scissors bite. The ideal coat of the German Shepherd is a medium-length double coat. This double coat consists of a dense, straight, harsh outer layer that is close-fitting. The head, legs, and paws of this breed are covered with short hair, while the hair about the neck is longer and thicker. Coat colors of this German Shepherd vary greatly, but rich, strong colors are preferred.

Character
The German Shepherd has outstanding abilities as a working dog. They are fearless, eager, and alert, and they are very obedient. They are confident, serious, and possess strong learning abilities. The breed is known for its courage and loyalty. They love to be close to their family, but they are sometimes leery of strangers. Because of their strong protective instincts, the German Shepherd should be properly trained and extensively socialized to prevent over-guarding. Aggressive behavior within this breed is due to a combination of poor breeding and training. German Shepherds are almost always good with other pets, and they are excellent with children. It is important for potential owners of this breed to buy specimens from a reputable breeder

Size 22 – 26 inches 24-29 in

Weight 77 – 85 pounds 75-95 pounds
Females weigh around 60-85 lbs.
big males weigh about 75 - 100 lbs

General Health
Like many other large dog breeds, the German Shepherd is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. Potential owners of this breed should ensure that both parents have had their hips certified. Other health concerns include blood disorders, digestive problems, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism, chronic eczema, and flea allergies. The German Shepherd typically lives for about 13 years.

Maintenance
The German Shepherd sheds lightly throughout the year and heavily during shedding season. The breed’s coat should be brushed daily in order to remove dead and loose hair. To avoid the depletion of natural skin oils, the German Shepherd should only be bathed once or twice per year.