Friday Dog Breeds

Source

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• The Golden Retriever 
• Temperament:Friendly, Intelligent, Devoted
• AKC Breed Popularity: Ranks 3 of 194
• Height: 23-24 inches (male), 21.5-22.5 inches (female)
• Weight: 65-75 pounds (male), 55-65 pounds (female)
• Life Expectancy: 10-12 years

Golden Retriever

Origin	Scotland
Source: Wikipedia

The Golden Retriever is a large-sized breed of dog bred as gun dogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland gamebirds during hunting and shooting parties,^[3] and were named 'retriever' because of their ability to retrieve shot game undamaged (soft mouth). Golden Retrievers have an instinctive love of water, and are easy to train to basic or advanced obedience standards. They are a long-coated breed, with a dense inner coat that provides them with adequate warmth in the outdoors, and an outer coat that lies flat against their bodies and repels water. Golden Retrievers are well suited to residency in suburban or country environments. Although they need substantial outdoor exercise, they should be housed in a fenced area because of their instinctual tendency to roam.^[4] They shed copiously, particularly at the change of seasons, and require fairly regular grooming.

How to Make Easter Safe for Pets

How to Make Easter Safe for Pets

Watch the grass.  No not the real grass outside, we're talking about that pretty but annoying "grass" that many people stuff in Easter Baskets.  Pets love to play and chew on it and it's not good for them, and it's terrible to clean up! 

Keep the candy up! Chocolate and candies like gum containing xylitol are toxic to your fur babies. 

Easter Lilies are pretty!  But they are also toxic to your cats.

Skip those "treats" for your pets from the table.  Many of the things in our food will cause stomach problems you will seriously regret for your pets.  

Count those eggs!  You don't want your pet getting either fake or real eggs.  Spoiled eggs will cause some really not-fun stomach issues and those plastic eggs can harm your pet's intestines. 

Keep the toys for the kids.  Watch your pets carefully to make sure they don't think your kiddos new doll or toy truck is a new fun toy for them to chew on.  Kids toys aren't made to hold up to dog teeth.

National Puppy Day

National Puppy Day!!

It's all about the puppies today!! In honor of puppies everywhere here at 10 fun facts about puppies!

1. If never spayed or neutered, a pair of dogs can produce 66,000 puppies in 6 years.
2. A dog’s nose print is one of a kind, very similar to a person’s fingerprint.
3. They are born blind, deaf, and toothless
4. Every year in the United States, more than 5 million puppies are born.
5. During the first week of a puppy’s life, it spends 90% of its days sleeping and 10% eating
6. By the age of one, a puppy is considered to be an adult. In human years, this is the physical equivalent of being 15 years old
7. Dogs can recognize over 250 words, they can count to 5 and they can complete simple mathematical equations
8. Dogs have three eyelids, and their third one is called the nictitating membrane
9. Dogs can smell roughly 1000 times better than humans
10.  21% of dogs snore compared to 7% of cats.

Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth: A Step-by-Step Guide

Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth

Your dog's mouth health can lead to other health problems with them just like it can for humans.  Making sure that your pet's mouth is clean and free of plaque will lead to a healthy pet. 

A Step-by-Step Guide

1.  Find a calm time when your dog can be relaxed.

2. Make sure that you go to your local pet store to get a pet toothbrush.

3. Test out how your dog will react to having their gums and teeth touched before sticking the toothbrush in there. Praise for tolerance! 

4. Introduce the toothbrush by touching it into their mouth before you start the scrub. 

5. Let your pup get a small taste of the toothpaste from your finger.

6. Put toothpaste on the brush and start brushing the top teeth first, front to back. Make sure to praise your pup. 

7. Move to the bottom, front to back.

8. Tons of praise!  If your pup tolerated this well give them treats and make sure they are well rewarded.  After your pup is used to their teeth being brushed start removing treats during the process. 

Watch this video for a visual guild! 

National Pet Dental Health Month

Does your dog have "doggy breath"?

If your dog has some serious doggy breath going on, it actually can be a sign of serious a health problem!  It can be a sign of problems with their gums and teeth but also their internal organs. 

Check it out

We found this great video about Periodontal disease that gives some great info! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gNkXpRZkE