Dogs We Luv!

"Dogs are really people with short legs in fur coats" -anonymous Dogs have always been part of the human family since the earliest of times. They play with us, guard our homes, and amuse us with their tricks. They are our furry friends who give us unconditional love any time of the day. But just like any friend, even dogs sometimes may feel stressed out. Yes, dogs experience anxiety too. This may be caused by a traumatic experience, a lack of proper training, or a genetic predisposition. Some dogs may be afraid of just one thing while others suffer from more than one fear at the same time. If you’re dog suffers from anxiety, don’t feel hopeless. There are ways to help your dog get over his fears. Animal experts advise “desensitization" or simply put, allowing your dog to get used to a situation until he realizes that it is a non-threatening situation after all. This method can be done for different types of dog anxiety. If your dog has fear of c...

Cookie ride... , originally uploaded by simplycute becka . Some dogs are terribly afraid of riding cars. Dogs with this fear associate the car with a terrible place or situation. Most likely because the only time these dogs get to ride a car is to go to the vet, an animal shelter, or places where they encounter stress or pain. Thus, the thought of riding a car makes them sick or afraid. For these dogs, a car can only mean one thing – being taken to a dreadful location. If your dog is afraid of riding cars, he thinks of the vehicle as a means to take him somewhere awful. Thus, your dog needs to see the car in a new light. In this case, the car is the threat and there needs to be a re-introduction. The first step is to allow your dog to familiarize himself with the car from the outside. Walk him around the car and let him sniff, sniff and sniff his way to familiarize himself with an unmoving vehicle. This could be done for a few days until your dog is ...

Foofer... , originally uploaded by LukeDaDuke . One of the most common fears in dogs is being left alone. Dogs are pack animals and naturally seek companions. While most dogs will just sigh and wait when their humans leave home, other dogs can show uncontrollable behavior. The moment their master leaves the house, these dogs will incessantly bark, howl, drool, urinate, defecate in the house or destroy things. In extreme cases, some dogs even starve themselves or go through self-mutilation.  Also known as separation anxiety, this type of fear is true, especially for some dogs who came from shelters or dogs who have been passed around from one owner to another. These dogs have a tendency to be overly dependent and are extremely afraid of being abandoned. The best way to help a dog with separation anxiety is to not give any emphasis to your departure. Undoubtedly, your dog had already identified hints from your actions when you’re about to leave. For ins...

Spencer is a nine year old, Golden Retriever and volunteers as a therapy dog at Northridge Hospital, CA. What a sweet fellow, don't you just love you him??!!!

Watch a dog sleep and you may notice that occasionally its eyes or legs twitch. Is it dreaming? Despite the fact that there is no scientific proof that dogs dream, there’s really no reason to believe that they don’t. photo Do dogs dream? In fact, when dogs sleep they also go through the two stages of sleep- the rapid eye movement (REM) and the slow wave sleep (SWS)- as humans do. Just like in people, the REM is the deeper sleep and during this stage, the body completely relaxes, while the unconscious mind becomes active. This is the point where the eyes move rapidly, thus the term REM (Rapid Eye Movement). On average, an adult dog spends about ten to twelve percent of its sleep time in the REM stage while younger dogs and puppies spend more of their sleep time in the REM mode. It is possible that dogs can see images or "dreams" in their REM sleep although they are not able to tell us about these dreams when they wake up.

Here are three large dog breeds that I would love to have. I know, they're all big and active dogs and right now, I'm just not ready for them. But when I get to live in a bigger house, it will have a spacious lawn and I will have a Labrador Retriever, a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd! Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever is the second most popular dog breed (next to Labrador Retriever) in the world. We are all familiar with popular movie heroes like Shadow (from the movie Homeward Bound) and Air Bud (from the movie of the same title). When I saw Homeward Bound, I instantly wanted my Golden Retriever puppy. Do you remember that scene when Shadow almost didn’t make it? Golden Retrievers are gentle, friendly, handsome, intelligent.  The breed is a hunter’s loyal companion and a genuine family dog. However, they are energetic dogs who crave for physical activity. They don’t like to mope around doing nothing. They yearn for company, for something to do.  ...

Some years ago, a friend asked me in his email what breed of dog I want because he intended to send me one. I replied that any breed would do. BIG MISTAKE! Back then, I was only thinking that I love dogs so much that any breed will do fine. I now realize the importance of choosing a dog breed that is most compatible with my personality and lifestyle. So, are you ready to be a dog owner? Here are some things you should consider when choosing a dog:     source Choosing the Right Dog Breed Are you a morning a person? A dog's temperament and energy level varies depending on its breed. Some dog breeds are more energetic than others and they require more physical activity. If you're the type of person who jogs daily in the morning, you should definitely get a dog who can run with you. If you're more of the adventurous type, work dogs who have really high energy would make great buddies.  On the contrary, if you have full time work, choose your dog very carefu...