Doing grooming yourself is a great way to bond with your German Shepherd Dog. Praise and reward your dog for being good while being groomed and many GSD’s will even learn to enjoy the entire process with practice. Here are a few more basic grooming procedures to practice with your own German Shepherd dog or puppy.
Bath Time
Barring any encounters with foul smelling stuff, German Shepherds only need baths about twice a year. While this doesn’t sound like much, you have to remember that your dogs hair is a barrier that is constantly keeping dirt out and keeping essential skin oils in.
Over bathing your dog will strip these natural oils and lead to dry skin and possibly skin issues and irritation. A dogs skin has a pH balance that is very different from humans, and as such requires a different type of shampoo to keep from disrupting that balance. When bathing your dog, remember to place cotton in their ears to prevent water from getting in the ear canal. (Water in the ear can lead to ear infections)
Nailing Those Nails
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Taking care of the basic health and grooming needs of your pet can be expensive if taken to a professional, but most of the things a professional does you can do yourself. For this example we’re using the same type of dog that I have, a German Shepherd Dog.
It’s important to remember that most unique breeds will have very different grooming and health requirements. Doing grooming yourself will cause much less stress to your dog, and in some cases they will even learn to enjoy it.
My German Shepherd looks forward to grooming (She knows that it is time for plenty of rub downs, playing, and treats.) You want to make sure you praise and reward your dog for being good while being groomed - you want to make it an experience that they look forward to.
It is true that German Shepherds have a “double coat”. This means they have that nice thick layer of outer fur that’s longer and more coarse and a softer fluffy, downy layer of fur beneath.
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So, you have finally decided to get a German Shepherd puppy. Could be a great choice if you did your homework ahead of time! German Shepherds are known for having many great qualities that one would look for in a dog. Some of these include strength, intelligence, loyalty and obedience.
Well, now that you have decided to purchase the German Shepherd puppy the question arises, where is the best place to purchase the puppy? Most German Shepherd owners would agree that the best place to purchase a new puppy would be from a registered breeder. This is by far the best way to get the puppy but there are other methods for getting a German Shepherd puppy too. (One way is to find a German Shepherd rescue center in your local area or to just go to the animal shelter and find a puppy that way).
Assuming that you’re going the breeder route, there are a few things to keep in mind. Do your research carefully and take your time. You do not want to rush this process. Now that you have found your specific German Shepherd Dog breeder, try and meet with that person as often as possible before purchasing the GSD puppy to make sure they are a legitimate breeding service. If you have any questions about the dog make sure to contact the breeder by phone or email, a good breeder will be expecting this.
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With the holiday season coming, many dog lovers are looking for ways to include their beloved animals in the festivities. Costuming is an safe, easy and inexpensive way to add some holiday spirit to your pets!
Whether it is to add some ghoulish fright to your otherwise mild mannered pup for Halloween or to add some elegance and charm to you pooch for holiday pictures with the family, dog costumes are certainly the way to go.
Imagine taking your kids trick or treating this year with man’s best friend dressed to compliment your childrens’ costumes or handing out candy to all your ghoulish visitors with your best furry friend dressed as a pirate, cheer leader, scarecrow, fire fighter, witch, honeybee, superhero, clown, goblin or pumpkin.
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If you are considering getting a new puppy or a dog, especially one of the larger dog breeds, you may want to consider getting a German Shepherd. They are one of the most popular breeds in the world, beautiful, highly intelligent, and easy to train. They are best known to many as working dogs, working with the police department, military, and as service dogs to the blind.
The average life span of a German Shepherd is about twelve years, with middle age around seven or eight years old. Generally, a puppy will be close to its adult height around ten to eighteen months of age, but it can take up to three years for a male, or two for a female, to be completely mature.
Once you have decided specifically what type of dog (such as age, sex, etc.) you are looking for and have prepared your home for the arrival of your new companion, now its time to start your search. There are many places you can find your German Shepherd puppy or dog but probably the best place to start your search is through rescue organizations.
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Did you know that the AKC (American Kennel Club) recognizes 8 dog breed groups? These include the sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, terrier and miscellaneous groups.
Dogs are assigned to a specific group based on the purpose for which the dog was originally bred or has been used for historically. For example, dogs in the herding group are well suited to herding animals such as cows or sheep.
Over the years, man has worked to select and hone a number of specific traits desirable in a particular breed of dog to make it do any number of jobs. Beginning with the wolf, animals that were less afraid of humans eventually became incorporated into the human society, becoming companions and eventually able bodies workers. From there, people continued to create dogs that were best suited to fit the needs of man.
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Pedigreed cats are a source of joy and pride for their owners. Besides their gorgeous coats, beautiful lines, and great disposition, these animals offer companionship and entertainment to those who love them. Choosing a pedigreed cat is not easy, but knowing the most popular breeds of pedigreed cats may help.
1. Persian
Persian cats are known for they beautiful long coats and open faces. They supposedly originated in Iran and were transported to the rest of the world along with exotic spices and fine jewels. Cat breeders and owners of Persian cats enjoy their gentle dispositions and quiet voices.
Persian cats are best suited to living indoors because of their long coats. The coat of a Persian cat requires considerable maintenance, but this breed is extremely hardy and long-lived.
2. Maine Coon
The origin of the Maine Coon cat is something of a marvel. Less a product of the work of cat breeders than the result of natural selection, the Maine Coon originated in North America and is known for its superb mousing ability.
Also known for its loving disposition and keen intelligence, the Maine Coon is a beautiful long-haired breed. These cats are wonderful with children and good with dogs as well.
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Deciding on a cool name for your new pet can be harder than it seems. For instance if you are going to keep this pet for a long time you are going to want to get a name that you will still like years down the line. If you were to get a cockatoo you will need to think of a name that may last upwards of 80 years. This article shows you some advice on naming your pets.
Firstly, you should choose a name that isn’t too long or has too many syllables. This is an important point; you won’t want to call out a long name every time you call to your pet. It is also very important for the pet as long names can be hard for your pet to recognize quickly. A long name such as ‘Abbie Aggy’ will probably be more confusing that ‘Kat’. This obviously depends on the pet, but as a rule of thumb long names aren’t usually a great idea.
Secondly, it is also a good idea to not name the pet rude or embarrassing names. Names such as ‘Captain Death’ may be embarrassing calling out in the park; also you may not like these names years later so be careful.
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Are you your dog’s personal groomer? If you are, you’ve probably stumbled upon a grooming problem or two, or maybe you just want to confirm a specific question on how to properly groom your dog. It’s possible you’ll find the answer you are seeking in the following four questions.
1. By the end of summer, my Australian Shepherd’s coat is always full of burrs and foxtails and I have to clip all his hairs off. How can I keep the burrs out when he runs out in the countryside all the time?
Brushing him thoroughly everyday is the only solution, although not exactly an easy job. The chances are that if you haven’t done it up till now you wouldn’t be inclined to keep it up. Why let him spend a miserable summer full of painful sticker only to clip his hair off just when he needs it at the beginning of a cold season?
Have him clipped short in late spring or early summer-before the weeds dry up. He’ll come through the summer happier and have some hair grown back by winter.
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The Emerald Tree Boa is a snake from South America. There are two varieties of this snake ?the Amazon Basin and the Surinan, named for the natural habitat in which they are found. Even though they both share the same sub-species snake name, they are completely different from each other.
The Surinam variety of the sub-species is a long snake and is more lime green in color. There are also dominant patches of yellow on the skin and the dorsal markings are broken white shades of white mixed in with blue, giving a sawtooth pattern. It has large plates on the head. This snake is very irritable and is harder to tame than the Amazon Basin variety.
The Amazon Basin snake, on the other hand, is a true emerald color and tends to have more of a square shape to its body. The color tends to darken as the snake matures, so much so that some adults of this sub-species appear almost black in color. The dorsal markings are white and are almost connected and there are vibrant yellow colors on the underside and labials. The snout area of the head is covered with small scales. This snake is the best one to choose as a pet because it is very docile and easy to train.
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