Hiking Gear: Hiking With Your Dog

By: Ben Anton

Taking your dog on a hike with you can be an enjoyable experience, provided you have the right hiking gear to accommodate the both of you. Taking your best friend along shouldn’t bog you down with extra gear but you will need to consider where you are going and how long you plan to hike in order to ensure you have what you need for a safe trip.

Whether hiking for an afternoon or taking an overnight trek, you should make sure to stock your backpack with the following items to help Fido, Lassie or whom ever you take with you have as much fun as you do.

• Adequate water for both you and your dog. If you know that there will be water sources along the route, carry a water bottle with you that you can refill if needed. If you are unsure about water availability, pack 1-2 quarts of water for your dog for a day hike plus enough for yourself. Collapsible dog bowls are good for dogs that may not drink from a stream or from a water bottle.

• A leash. Most trail ways require that your dog be on a leash or harness while hiking. A leash will also help keep order should there be a lot of dogs on the trail with you.

• First aid kit items. Most pet injuries while hiking occur on the pads of their feet. The pads can easily be cut on sticks, stones and roots in the ground. You should stop hiking intermittently to check your dogs paw pads for cuts or blisters. Have the appropriate bandages and disinfectants with you in case this happens.

• Proper ID tags for your pet. The dog tags should include information on your pet’s vaccination as well as your home address and phone number. Make sure the rabies tag that you received from your veterinarian is attached to your dog’s collar.

• Clean-Up Items. Zip-lock bags are great for hiking trips to reduce the odor of the feces while on your hike. Be sure to pick up all your dog’s feces while hiking using paper towels or your bag and dispose of it in a garbage container. Also carry a towel to clean off your dog should he or she get into dirt or water.
• Snacks or Treats. Your dog will get tired just as you will. Make sure to pack a few treats to keep him energized until you get back home. However, you don’t want to over-feed your dog while hiking or they may get sick. Treats can also be helpful in getting your dog’s attention should they run off unexpectedly.

Above all, make sure your dog is up to the challenge of an afternoon hike. Make sure they are healthy and well-nourished before setting out on the hike. Older dogs should be treated to a trail way with a level terrain and with little to no incline. Small dogs should be taken on well groomed trails that won’t have a lot of low hanging brush or leaves that may cause eye or skin irritation.

Pay attention to the signs your dog may give while on a hike that there is something wrong. If they avoid the sunshine or lay underneath leaves they may be dehydrated and need to stop for a long drink of water. If their stride becomes labored or if they favor one paw over another, they may have gotten a sliver or cut on their pad. Your dog will tell you what they need while outdoors so long as you listen.

~Ben Anton, 2008
Ben Anton lives in the Northwest and writes for Discount Lights and Knives.
Ben invites you to check out camping and dog hiking equipment options on DLKs website for durable hiking gear. Article Source: http://add-articles.com

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How to Keep Dogs Happy, and Happy with Dog

By: Rupert Bowling

When it comes to pets, I am really a dog lover time and time again. Talking about animals, it is already a cliché to even say that dogs are a class all their own. Their intelligence, cuteness, versatility, the way they treat their owners like their life support: these and more factors make the dog an important life companion. It has even been said that dogs have a lot to teach humans around them, since for one, they do not remember the ill-feelings they felt or showed the previous day.

My family has owned a few dogs over the years, and what sets them apart from the usual dog crowd is that they are all mutts! First of them is a German Shepherd mix (named a terse “Doggy”) which I cannot quite recall; the second is a shih tzu mix (“Chippy”); and the latest one at home is a half shih tzu, half maltese mongrel, Bruce. And now, just a small digression. I think Bruce will do well, and live longer than his precedessors, thanks largely to pet wormers which are available on the Web from Ivet.

The root of it all started when we allowed Bruce to roam more area in the yard. Little did we imagine that it would put his unique body chemistry on the line; obviously, he's really got a ton of a difference compared to his free-range wild cousins! The next visit to the vet confirmed that he needed pet wormers due to those backyard adventures. And a Google Search which led us to Ivet confirmed the same thing.

Aside from dogs, no pet was able to stay with us for years , let alone a few months (the chickens in the yard are not considered pets at home). Water animals? We've taken care of the transitory fish; the few-inch length beauties weeks after started eating each other's tails. One boring weekend, we even put some live freshwater shrimp destined for lunch in a tub of water for a few minutes of fun. Birds? We were able to only assign names to a bunch of field sparrows in a small cage before they managed to fly away.

So back to the mutts. The bottom line is that mutts are really good friends (or should I rather thank the agreeable breeds from which they came from?) to be with. I've also heard people debating which of these two could be smarter: purebred or mixed breeds? While I have yet to observe and know well a pure German Sheperd, or Shih Tzu, or Maltese, our 2 dogs before--and this new one now--are impressive animals that are very fun to be with. And we really look forward to having more fun mutts in the future, thanks partly to the help of these useful pet wormers.

Rupert Bowling is the owner of www.ivet.co.uk a supplier of pharmacuticals for Pets. Frontline spot from Ivet has a team of dedicated professionals including a pharmacist, a pharmacologist, and two veterinary surgeons who oversee sales and provide the free, practical advice for your Dogs in the form of numerous on line information sheets. Article Source: http://add-articles.com

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Worming Dogs

By: Rupert Bowling

Worm ( endoparasite) infections in dogs are frequently seen in the UK. Young animals have a lower resistance to infection and given that unborn pups can be infected whilst still in their mothers' womb via the blood, or immediately after their birth via the colostrum, it is most important to start worming pups from about 2 weeks of age.

What Types Of Worm Infections Are There?
Roundworms:
These worms are spaghetti-like in appearance and non-segmented. Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina are both seen in the UK. A heavy infestation can cause a pot-bellied appearance, diarrhoea and result in a poor growth rate.
Toxacara canis can also affect humans, causing a variety of symptoms and in rare instances, blindness in children.

Tapeworms:
These worms are segmented and can grow to several feet in length. The small head of the worm fastens to the lining of the small intestine and the main body of the worm trails downstream. The adult worm sheds segments, which are full of eggs and can often be seen around the anus or on the stools. They resemble grains of rice.

Hookworms:
These worms suck blood from the lining of the gut and can cause serious anaemia and internal bleeding. Hookworms can also cause skin disease as infective larvae are able to burrow directly into the exposed skin.

Whipworms:
Like hookworms, these worms are blood-suckers living in the lining of the small intestine. They can cause bloody diarrhoea and weight loss.

What Can We Do To Control Worm Infections?
Given that worm infections are so common in the UK, the prevention of infection is practically impossible. Control is based on a regular quarterly treatment with a drug that will kill worms. These may be given orally as powders, tablets or suspension as well as
by 'spot-ons', and even injections in some instances. It should be noted that not all worm groups are killed by all of the available drugs, so it is important to gain advice as to which products are suitable for your pets needs.

PANACUR GRANULES are tasteless, odourless granules that can be dissolved into the dogs' food making medication easy. The granules contain the drug fenbendazole which is effective against all roundworm and most tapeworm infections.

PANACUR FAVOURITES are the same drug in tablet formulation that are given like a treat to the pet.

PANACUR PASTE is the same drug in paste formulation so that it can be given directly into the patient's mouth.

PANACUR SUSPENSION is the same drug in a liquid suspension and can be added directly to the food.

DRONTAL PLUS and DRONTAL PLUS XL are tablets containing a combination of pyrantel embonate, febantel and praziquantel offering complete round- and tapeworm coverage.

DRONTAL PUPPY SUSPENSION is the same combination of drugs (a combination of pyrantel embonate, febantel and praziquantel) but in a suspension that can be mixed into the food.

'Stronghold' is a 'spot-on' preparation, currently available only through your veterinary surgeon, that treats roundworms, fleas and some types of mange. It DOES NOT treat tapeworm infections.

Rupert Bowling is the owner of Frontline Spot for Ivet. IVET consists of a team of dedicated professionals including a pharmacist, a pharmacologist, and two veterinary surgeons who oversee sales and provide the free, practical advice for your worming dogs in the form of numerous on line information sheets.
Article Source: http://add-articles.com

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The Popular Pet and Lap Dog : Yorkshire Terrier

By: Jenny Styles

The Yorkshire terriers, or Yorkies, originated from Scotland but bred in England. They were molded to hunt rats, but nowadays they are popular as pets. In fact, their variety was one of the Top Dog Breeds of 2005.

They usually grow being small and light varieties. Hence, owners do not mind having their pets on their lap almost all day. Moreover, this usual bonding activity usually transforms this lap dog into a bright, playful, and loyal companion pet.

The following are some of the basic facts breeders would really love to know about Yorkies:

Category: Toy (Terrier)

Living Environment: indoors (highly recommended); outdoors (fenced yard)

Coat: silky, glossy, long and fine; no undercoat

Colors: black when young but they attain the colors tan and blue as they mature .
Height: between 8 and 9 inches Weight: between 3 and 7 pounds

Temperament: Naturally,

• they are territorial and like their privacy to be respected
• they are intelligent and fearless
• they are assertive and independent

When properly trained,

• they develop close affinity with older children
• they become really playful and lively
• they become extremely affectionate
• they do not mind having other pets at home
• they focus much of their attention and affection toward their owner

Breeders should note of the following health issues:

• Alopecia, or losing hair
• Cataract, or loss of transparency of one or both lenses of the eyes
• Cryptorchidism, wherein testicles do not descend into the scrotum
• Dwarfism
• Entropion, a disorder with the eyelid; lashes on the eyelid that irritate the eyeballs could lead to other complications
• Glaucoma, a condition that causes an increase pressure within the eye
• Hydrocephalus
• Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or the reduction of tear production
• Low blood sugar
• Patellar luxation, a disorder in the kneecap
• Portosystemic shunt, or the accumulation of blood toxins in the liver
• Urolithiasis, an infection of the urinary tract leading to the formation of bladder stones.

Care and Exercise:

• They require daily grooming.
• Ears and eyes must be cleaned and checked regularly.
• Dental hygiene must be regularly maintained.
• They are fit only for short strides.
• They should have a regular play time while lying under the sunbeams, chasing shadows, and joining tug-of-war.

Origin/History: In the 19th century, a number of weavers from Scotland migrated to England and brought with them different terriers that were bred to hunt rats. Through time, these terriers were crossed and terriers with "broken hairs" were produced.

In 1870, a "broken-haired Scotch terrier" was named as a Yorkshire terrier by a reporter. He argued that the breed should be called as such because his types were bred in a town called Yorkshire.

Though the Yorkies were originally bred as working dogs, they became fashionable pets is England in the latter part of the Victorian era. In 1972, Yorkies were brought to the United States and became the country's favorite pet.

You can say that the Yorkies developed into tough breeds because of their ancestors' reputation as rat-hunters. However, their size, and playful and bright character have actually captured the attention and affection of most pet owners. Most proud owners would boast that they have the great giants inside the bodies of these little dogs. If you want a small but terrible breed of dog, grab a Yorkie now! Just a friendly reminder, they would really need your attention and companionship than any other terriers.

To learn about house training a dog and how to stop dog barking, visit The Dog Trainer.

Article Source: http://add-articles.com

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