Purebred Dog Community - Blog

Life with Mac

milli@purebredpups.org (milli) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:39:44 GMT

Never owned a Peke before....with Mac I am wondering what took me so long, He melts your heart with those big brown eyes....

monty

elimw3@purebredpups.org (elimw3) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:30:28 GMT

so son went to pet store to look @ pups went to tell him no he can't get one and seen monty and fell in love. he's so cute and soft. oh son's in college in milw. so i get to take care of him.

Dinner

cockapoomama@purebredpups.org (cockapoomama) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:12:52 GMT

Dinner is Jack's favorite time of the day. He lays under our table staring and licking his lips waiting. Just waiting for the tender, juicy, golden brown chicken to hit the beige kitchen tiles.

Help

dawgluver@purebredpups.org (dawgluver) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:31:32 GMT

How do I stop my dog from chasing my cat?

Name my mini dachshund

mousem76@purebredpups.org (mousem76) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:13:12 GMT

HELP!!! I need your help to name my lil female mini dachshund puppy. My lil boy is Arnold and I'd love your help in finding a name that goes well Arnold's. I'll post her pic's when she arrives from Tamworth

Thanks for your help!!!

why does my dog eat weird things?

Annmarie@purebredpups.org (Annmarie) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:48:02 GMT

So I wonder why each time my dog eats strange things. She loves paper products..anything paper, gets shredded. Also, rocks. what's the obsession with rocks and drywall? I wish I got an answer when I ask her these things, but all I get is a funny look.

How could an animal lover buy a purebred dog?

GiaGia@purebredpups.org (GiaGia) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:14:12 GMT

I classify myself as an animal lover. I serve as a Pet Santa, taking pictures with dogs, cats and other animals during the holiday season to raise money for animal charities. I foster and place homeless puppies. I trap feral cats in my neighborhood, and I pay out of pocket to have them neutered/spayed. I collect bags and bags of canine feces at a no-kill shelter. And I have read and I agree with PETA's, well formulated arguments about not buying purebred dogs.

I understand that, if I buy a purebred dog, even from a reputable breeder, that a homeless dog is lost. I also know that shelters have many purebred dogs and puppies that need homes, yet I am still attracted to buying purebred puppies from small local breeders or families. I do not think that I am the only person who fights this irrational attraction to purebred dogs.

I have had seven dogs in my life, and all have been designermixes_org_purebreds: two Welsh Corgis, two Boxers, an Airedale (from a shelter), a Whippet (who came with my wife) and an Italian Greyhound. I am presently considering a new puppy addition to my family so this question about why I have always had designermixes_org_purebreds is top-of-mind. Being a trained and practicing social scientist, I decided to explore the origins of my irrational impulse, and I offer some ideas on the topic, not to justify my potentially morally bankrupt purchase, but to create some affective neutrality so I may be able to control it. I apply some theories and ideas from the social sciences that may clarify what impacts the decision-making process in the acquisition of a dog. The arguments draw upon some current ideas on the brain, socio-biology and the cultural meaning of consumer goods.

Old Brain Issues

Dogs and people have evolved together for an estimated 15,000 years. The symbiotic relationship emerged from dogs (domesticated grey wolves) gaining access to food, and humans gaining access to dogs' keen hunting senses and early warning system (watchdog) capabilities.

Each contemporary breed's origins correlate with a particular point in human socio-cultural evolution, from the working breeds and farming to the toy breeds and industrial society. Dogs are selectively bred with human needs in mind, although some of the functional utility that dogs provide, such as hauling sleds and killing vermin, is less relevant today than in previous times. With practical usefulness waning, the ability of dogs to satisfy humans' aesthetic needs is on the rise. I contend that the physical appearance of dog breeds reflects "old brain" hardwiring for the attractiveness or beauty of people.

Consistent with this notion, biologists Klinenberg and Drake (University of Manchester, 2010) recently found that the skull shapes of contemporary domesticated dogs are more variable within the species than across the broader biological order, which includes cats, seals and bears-that, for example, collies' and boxers' skull shapes are more variable than the cats' and seals' skull shapes. Drake concludes that "dogs are bred for their looks, not for doing a job, so there is more scope for outlandish variation."

Evolutionary psychologists have identified universally shared elements that guide human perceptions of physical beauty. Features such as symmetry, body type and muscularity, height and posture, leg length, vitality, and skin tone have all been found to impact our attraction to fellow humans. These are the same elements that dogs are judged upon in dog shows. The breed standards may be seen as objectifications of basic human aesthetics or "cuteness." As a result, certain desirable physical elements of purebred dog have become exaggerated: the pushed-in noses of boxers and bulldogs, the wrinkles on the Shar Pei, the luxurious coat of the Irish Setter, the body length of the Dachshund.

Such traits have a fetish-like appeal to some people, although selective breeding for these characteristics often lead to serious health risks. Klingenberg (University of Manchester 2010) states, "Domestic dogs don't live in the wild so they don't have to run after things and kill them-their food comes out of a tin. So they can get away with a lot of variation that would affect functions such as breathing and chewing and would therefore lead to their extinction." Sadly, some dog traits are often selected for their aesthetics, not the animal's well being.

So why do some people want a purebred dog versus a mixed breed? Many people's response is that they want to know what they are getting in terms of appearance and temperament. I would raise a follow-up question: Why do you choose the particular traits you do? The answer might lie in part that they correspond with your particular human "hardwired" notions of beauty.

Social Learning

Not all decisions are reflexive and unconscious; we also utilize the right cortex of the brain, the seat of creativity, pattern matching and experience that helps us define situations and choose actions based on experience or accumulated knowledge. Thus, our attention to elements of the environment can be selective and our processing of information tainted by our unique experiences or even misguided traditions.

The decision-making process in purchasing a dog is influenced by previous events and associations. For example, my first and only dog as a child was a Welch Corgi. Whenever, I see one, I am still flooded with positive affect because the Corgi represents a time in my life of joy and innocence. As an adult, I impulsively bought a Corgi that reminded me of my first dog, and the two dogs seemed to morph cognitively into one representation of positive affect in my mind.

On the other hand, my Airedale, Harriet, was an adult dog when I adopted her from a shelter. Sadly, my family's experience with Harriet was not great, and one negative incident continues to color my opinion of shelter dogs. I suffer from what psychologists Tversky and Kahnemann (1974) would label "a bias due to retrievability." One day, a neighbor dropped his child off to play with my son. The man was hesitant toward Harriet, and he showed me a large facial scar, a souvenir of having been bitten as a child. I assured him that Harriet was a good dog with children, which I believed to be true, but Harriet would lunge at his son's throat a few hours later. I grabbed her collar before she could inflict any damage and returned the dog to the shelter for fear that a major incident would occur. I vowed never to adopt an adult dog from a kennel again, but my disseminating my fear to all adult shelter dogs is an irrational one that I am not proud of.

The point is that a particular bred of dog will bring back positive or negative memories that impact future decision-making. A specific bred that you and your grandfather shared special times with will cue certain positive effects and increase the likelihood of selection. Although a mix breed dog can evoke memories, the standardization of the cue with pure-bred dogs makes the association stronger.

Interests of the Self

In the last hundred years, human social identities have become more fluid, primary relationships have become increasingly transient, and people have a larger role in their own socialization experience. Consistent with the last 15,000 years of parallel evolution, dogs are more than able and willing to aid their human friends in this endeavor. In contemporary society, purebred dogs create a marker of self-identity and an unspoken (or sometimes spoken) network of people who own that type of dog. As anthropologist Grant McCracken (1988) discusses more generally in terms of consumer goods in our society, designermixes_org_purebreds offer a means to "create and sustain lifestyles" and "construct self." Obviously, BMWs, Rolex watches, and expensive bred dogs can be used to signify social position; like the car and the watch, the animal is a commodity and its cultural meaning can be transferred to the owner. When you buy a purebred dog, you become part of a cohesive group-just look at the bumper stickers that say, "I love my [insert dog breed here]!"

The owner of a purebred purchases an existing history and enters an established social network. McCracken discusses how Madison Avenue artificially creates these attributes in items as mundane as shovels touted as having been handcrafted by artisans from exotic locales, but purebred dogs have this market appeal naturally. Like your favorite teams in the NCAA final four, you can root for a breed during the Westminster Dog Show, you can buy a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and feel like a member of the British royal family, you can purchase an Afghan hound and tell the tall tale of their transport on Noah's Ark, or you can buy an Italian Greyhound and partake in play dates announced on websites with fellow IGGY owners at the local dog park. Buying a purebred dog creates or reinforces a social persona-a kind of "canine capital"-that mixed-breed do not create. While animal advocates would contend that all that a purebred says about you is that you are contributor to the industrial-pet complex or a snob, I argue that a minority of people define purebred ownership this way. In any case, presidents of the United States-owners of purebred cockers, beagles, and now Portuguese water dogs-have not seen it as a significant political risk.

In conclusion, biologically rooted notions of attractiveness, as well as emotionally charged memories and social capital, are all factors that direct people to purchase purebred dogs. PETA states on their website:
With millions of unwanted of unwanted dogs and cats (including designermixes_org_purebreds) dying every year in shelters, there is simply no reason for animals to be bred and sold for the pet-shop trade. Without these stores, the financial incentive for puppy mills would disappear, and the suffering of these dogs would end. The best way to find an animal companion is through an animal shelter or rescue group (PETA, 2010)

In my rational mind, I know PETA and other animal-advocacy groups are correct, and I hope that understanding the temptations and mental traps will be my first step in doing the right thing. Animal-protection groups would benefit from recognizing the kinds of gaps in the dog-lover's logic that I've described here in order to devise advertising and marketing strategies that do a better job of confronting the irrational human mind.

Sources:
McCracken, G. (1988). Culture&Consumption. Bloomington: Indiana Univeristy.

PETA. (2010, APRIL 15). Retrieved APRIL 15, 2010, from HELPING ANIMALS: http://www.helpinganimals.com/Factsheet/files/FactsheetDisplay.asp?ID=45

Tversky, A.,&Daniel, K. (1974). Judgement under Uncertainty Heuristics and Biases. Science , 1124-1113.

University of Manchester (2010, January 21). 'Survival of the cutest' proves Darwin right. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2010/01/100120093525.htm

Diarrhea in Dogs

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:51:54 GMT

Diarrhea is a sign of intestinal disease in dogs just as in humans. Eating inappropriate food is one of the main causes of diarrhea. There are also worms, bacterial infections, viral infections, and parasites causing diarrhea in dogs. Many dog owners feel frustrated because what's good for them might not necessarily be good for their pets. When a diarrhea is severe you might need a solution from the vet. Your dog will lose lots of fluids&therefore dehydration is inevitable. In any case, better safe than sorry. Contact your vet immediately if your dog has diarrhea. In young puppies diarrhea most of the times is caused by viruses and parasites. Diarrhea can dehydrate older dogs as well. Do not fast any puppy younger than 7 weeks but contact your vet immediately. Since diarrhea is not a disease but a symptom, many times other symptoms such as vomiting, fever*, and loss of appetite accompany it. Any cheap brand dogs' food may cause diarrhea. Also, some dogs have lactose intolerance or simply have a reaction to spicy food.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

Is your doggie drinking water?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:53:32 GMT

Just like humans most pets don't like drinking water or they might just simply forget. They usually like fresh water so adding a couple of ice cubes to the water might help and also in order to provide a better taste try giving them some filtered water. If your doggie is very sick try giving him/her some beef or chicken broth. They love how it tastes. Dogs should drink 1/2 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. Every time you take your dogs for a walk take some water with you. You should contact your Vet if your dog is under or over drinking. That could be a sign of illness. Beware of contaminated water. There is a parasite called Giardia found in a ponds, lakes, and puddles. This disease is called beaver fever and it affects humans and pets. Some symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, and low grade fever*. This parasite robs the intestines of essential nutrients during digestion. It can also cause allergies. Consult your Vet and ask about the new vaccine to treat this condition.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

What can you give your dog for an upset stomach?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:51:51 GMT

Let your dog take a 24 hour break when he has upset stomach. After that give him some boil rice and skinless chicken. Yogurt and cottage cheese will help the inflamed intestines. You can also mix Gatorade into the dog's water bowl. Animals, unlike humans stop drinking when they feel sick. You need to do everything in your power to avoid dehydration. Some symptoms of upset stomach are lethargy, vomiting, persisting high fever*, increased thirst, abdominal pain, constipation, and loss of appetite. If your dog remains sick and refuses to drink fluids a trip to the vet might be your last option. Most dogs overeat and like eating rubbish. They have no idea of what tastes good or bad. They just try everything they find on their way. Dogs have a less developed sense of taste. However, their sense of smell is more developed than humans. They can get a lot of information through their sense of smell. Dogs are meat lovers. However, they can't make a difference between the different types of meat. If your dog eats pork there is a risk of your dog being infected with food borne disease called trichinellosis. This disease is caused by an intestinal roundworm. Trichinellosis isn't that common in USA. Your dog should be fine if you avoid raw or undercooked meat. Nevertheless, chocolate, onions, caffeine, raw eggs, wild mushrooms, raw fish, fried food, cornmeal, and nutmeg will also make your doggie's stomach upset.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

What can you give your dog for an upset stomach?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:51:02 GMT

How do I know when my dog is ready to give birth?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:50:15 GMT

The first thing you do is monitoring the temperature regularly and specially 4 days before the due day. It takes about 58-63 days from the time your dog was bred. Your dog's temperature is supposed to drop down to 98. The normal body temperature* of a dog is 101.5° F. She will probably vomit and stop eating. She'll be restless and seeking for a quiet place to have her puppies. However, she'll have no pain from contractions. Some people recommend preparing a box for her to have her pups. About 24 hours before the labor milk is produced. Be prepared to assist the mother when giving birth, if necessary, and remove the covering membranes from the puppy, clean the face and also remove mucus from face and nose so that the pups will be able to breathe. Applying iodine at the end of the umbilical cord might help to prevent infection. It's not healthy for the mother to eat most of the placentas. She might have diarrhea for a few days. There is about 30 to 60 minutes between births. The mother rests a little after each birth. The room temperature* should be no less than 70° F and cold floors should be avoided.

Does your doggie have bad breath?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:48:56 GMT

Try brushing your pet's teeth regularly and provide your dog with a healthy diet. Some people give their dogs treats that help remedy bad breath. However, a healthy diet will not only eliminate displeasing odors but it will also promote your dog's health*. Some people recommend a raw diet as this is what dogs are designed to eat. Most commercial food has artificial color, salt, sugar and flavoring added to make your dog eat it. Dogs get addicted to junk food just like humans. Brushing your dog's teeth will also help as it'll stop bacteria from entering the bloodstream and spread to your dog's kidney, liver, heart, and at times the brain. Usually small breeds are the ones that have unhealthy teeth. Oral diseases in dogs can affect their immune system and reduce their ability to fight infections. Therefore your doggie is left exposed to infections. Bad breath is a symbol of bad health. Any preventive* care will help you save some bucks!

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

Which dog's breeds are hypoallergenic?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:47:36 GMT

Usually people are allergic to dogs with lots of hair. However, some people are allergic to dog saliva and urine. The best way to find out if you are allergic to certain type of dog is trying being around it for some time. You might need to spend at least a week with the dog you are purchasing and observe how you react to it. Keeping your dog in the patio, bathing your pet weekly, keeping your pet away from the furniture, washing your hands after touching your dog, and using allergy-reducing sprays might help. Nonetheless, no matter how much you wash your curtains or vacuum your floor, if your allergies are killing you the best thing is not to have a dog at all. Generally the symptoms involved with allergies are itchy eyes, red itchy skin or a rash, fever*, runny nose, and asthma symptoms. Children get more incidents of cold and asthma when allergic to dogs. There might be a type of dog you are not allergic to. The question is which one? You are on your own to find out. Good luck!

A thermometer for dogs

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:44:18 GMT

Your doggy will love it since is non-contact. I purchased this thermometer* at Amazon for $89.99 USA dollars and thought was a good investment since there is nothing like it out there. I read on a website that the only way to know if your dog has a fever is by taking his rectal temperature but that's not true. I searched on Google bar for a dog's thermometer and this one came out. It takes your doggy's temp without touching your pet. Due to the toxic risks of mercury, glass thermometers aren't that popular any more. If you have a mercury thermometer, you should get rid of it&dispose it properly. It's very poisonous. Don't use your thermometer on your dog. I have tried it and it never gives accurate results. You should never give human medications to your dog either. They react differently to it.

http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

Can I give my dog aspirin?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:37:22 GMT

Aspirin can affect dogs as much as it affects humans. It causes renal failure and affects the circulatory system. However, if you give your dog the right dosage it'll alleviate pain, reduce fever* and inflammation. Make sure you take your dog's temperature with thermoPet, the only non-contact dog's thermometer I know of. Ask your vet about the right dosage to give to your dog. Aspirin can be very toxic. Some symptoms might include anxiety, blood vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, extreme thirst, etc. Have a watchful eye if your dog shows any of these symptoms or you suspect your dog has aspirin poisoning. Keep aspirin out of your dog's reach. Don't ever leave your purse on the floor if you have any medications inside.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

Does my dog have Addison disease?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:30:29 GMT

Dog's Addison disease occurs generally when your dog is under heavy stress. This disease is more common in dogs than in humans and it happens more often in female dogs. The dog's adrenal glands stop working properly. These glands regulate the way a dog's body controls levels of water, sugar and salt. There are two hormones normally deficient in dogs with Addison disease: cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol helps to deal with stress besides converting food into energy and managing the inflammatory response of the dog's immune system. Dogs with Addison disease can experience low body temperature*, muscle weakness, collapse, low heart rate, etc. Temperature that falls below 99 degrees or rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit requires immediate attention. You can take your dog's temperature with ThermoPet* and contact your veterinarian. In most cases Addison disease it's hereditary. If you discover the disease ahead of time though pills and injection can help keep your dog healthy. Most dogs are able to survive the crisis.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

WARNING!!!!!! Dogs&Chocolate

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:28:32 GMT

Each year vets report more cases of dogs poisoned by chocolate. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which can be very toxic to dogs. Theobromine is found in cocoa beans, caffeine in coffee and tea. The highest concentration of theobromine is found in dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is less dangerous as it contains less amount of caffeine. Chocolate could be very harmful even if you administer moderate amounts to your dog. One of the symptoms of chocolate dog poisoning is fever*. Other symptoms might include low blood pressure, increased heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. Try keeping chocolate products out of your dog's reach.

* http://www.sanomedics.com/thermometers/dog/

WARNING!!!!!! Dogs&Chocolate

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:22:19 GMT

Each year vets report more cases of dogs poisoned by chocolate. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which can be very toxic to dogs. The highest concentration of caffeine is found in dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is less dangerous as it contains less amount of caffeine. Chocolate could be very harmful even if you administer moderate amounts to your dog. One of the symptoms of chocolate dog poisoning is fever*. Other symptoms might include low blood pressure, increased heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. Try keeping chocolate products out of your dog's reach.

* www.thermoptet.com

WARNING!!!!!! Dogs&Chocolate

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:56:46 GMT

Does my dog have Addison disease?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:08:28 GMT

Dog's Addison disease occurs generally when your dog is under heavy stress. This disease is more common in dogs than in humans and it happens more often in female dogs. The dog's adrenal glands stop working properly. These glands regulate the way a dog's body controls levels of water, sugar and salt. There are two hormones normally deficient in dogs with Addison disease: cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol helps to deal with stress besides converting food into energy and managing the inflammatory response of the dog's immune system. Dogs with Addison disease can experience low body temperature, muscle weakness, collapse, low heart rate, etc. Temperature that falls below 99 degrees or rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit requires immediate attention. You can take your dog's temperature with ThermoPet and contact your veterinarian. In most cases Addison disease it's hereditary. If you discover the disease ahead of time though pills and injection can help keep your dog healthy. Most dogs are able to survive the crisis.

Can I give my dog aspirin?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:07:47 GMT

A thermometer for dogs

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:06:02 GMT

Your doggy will love it since is non-contact. I purchased this thermometer at Amazon for $89.99 USA dollars and thought was a good investment since there is nothing like it out there. I read on a website that the only way to know if your dog has a fever is by taking his rectal temperature* but that's not true. I searched on Google bar for a dog's thermometer and this one came out. It takes your doggy's temp without touching your pet. Due to the toxic risks of mercury, glass thermometers aren't that popular any more. If you have a mercury thermometer, you should get rid of it&dispose it properly. It's very poisonous. Don't use your thermometer on your dog. I have tried it and it never gives accurate results. You should never give human medications to your dog either. They react differently to it.

Which dog's breeds are hypoallergenic?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:04:15 GMT

Does your doggie have bad breath?

Dogo@purebredpups.org (Dogo) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:54:11 GMT