As with a baby, you can make your teething puppy happier during this uncomfortable phase by providing him with lots of tough, safe toys and chews on which to work his teeth and gums. Your vet will check his teeth at his annual check-up and may advise professional teeth cleaning, but in the meantime you can help him stay a ‘happy mouth’ dog by learning how to brush his teeth.

Why Brush?

Brushing your dog’s teeth is the best way you can help to prevent gum disease. It’s important to do this, because if your dog has untreated gum disease the bacteria that cause the inflammation can enter the bloodstream and may cause or aggravate problems with other organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys.

How To Brush

If you have a puppy, you can accustom him to having his mouth and teeth handled from an early age. Check for broken teeth and that the adult teeth are coming through when his baby teeth have fallen out.

Put on a rubber glove or a special tooth-cleaning tip and gently rub your finger over your dog’s gums and teeth. Put a tiny blob of pet toothpaste on your finger and rub this over his teeth. You can gradually get him used to having his teeth brushed with a pet toothpaste. For effective cleaning, do this a couple of times a week.

Chewing Problems

Ask family members to tidy up their toy, socks, slippers and so on, so that your puppy can’t chew them. Provide them with firm, non-crumbly dog chews and toys on which to work his baby teeth. He may also enjoy gnawing at a carrot or celery stick. Avoid giving your dog bones to gnaw on as they can splinter and get stuck in his throat.

Signs of a Sore Mouth

Your dog could be experiencing problems with his teeth or gums if he:

1. Is eating his food gingerly, using only one side of his mouth or if he picks at his food.
2. Loses weight because it’s painful for him to eat.
3. Is pawing at his mouth.
4. Is drooling excessively.
5. Has Halitosis (bad breath).

Seek veterinary advice for any of the above symptoms, and especially if you find a broken tooth or his gums are raw and bleeding.

You can see the photos, read the backgrounds and feel confident in choosing a well-loved puppy to bring home.  An example of their offerings is their ‘search puppies for sale’ page, where the cutest and sweetest puppies are shown.  Choosing to get a pure-bred puppy is a big decision, and there are usually some health problems connected with each breed.  They also offer special articles on how to take care of your puppy or its health concerns, along with information about pet insurance and a ‘lost and found’ page.

They say you know the perfect puppy when you see it- that there’s an instant connection between the puppy and the owner from the moment their eyes meet.  This might be true if you’re looking physically, but when you’re looking through adverts or basic sites on-line, you can typically find out more about the breeders rather than the dogs.  At Puppies For Sale UK, I’ve found that it’s one of those matches where they truly care about the owners, the breeders and most importantly, the puppies.  It’s free of charge and loaded with useful information to help you find your puppy and keep it healthy.

Which is the right dog for you?

CITY SLICKER

1. Do you live in an apartment in the city?

2. Do you want a dog as a companion?

3. Do you love sitting down with your dog on your knee?

4. Is your favourite pastime grooming and playing with your dog?

Your ideal dog is something small, cuddly and with a low exercise requirement. A Chihuahua is ideal if you are single and want a real lap dog (but don’t over-pamper). If you have children, check out the Bichon Frise – especially if you love grooming. Other dogs to look at include Dachshunds, Fomeranians and Pekingese

FAMILY FRIEND

1. Do you have a large garden?

2. Do you want a dog to help you keep fit?

3. Do you want a real family pet?

4. Do you want a dog that is big on character, rather than size?

Your ideal dog is something in the terrier or gun dog category. Terriers are smaller, active, fun dogs but should be supervised around children. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are popular family pets, as they are generally very good with children. These dogs need regular daily walks to keep them fit and happy.

GENTLE GIANT

1. Do you live in the countryside in a large house?

2. Do you want to feel safe when you’re out walking?

3. Do you want a dog to deter burglars?

4. Do you prefer big, handsome dogs rather than cute, fluffy dogs?

Your ideal dog is one of the bigger breeds such as a Great Dane. They do need a lot of exercise and training but make good family pets, although because of their size they should be supervised around children (as should other very large breeds). Other hreeds that might be happy with you include the German Shepherd or, if you have a huge house, and garden, one of the giant breeds such as Irish Wolfhound, Mastiff or Newfoundland.

GAME BOY

1. Are you a very active person?

2. Do you want a dog to help you meet other owners?

3. Are you far too busy to worry about a clean house?

4. Are you very competitive and do you love challenges?

Your ideal dog is a working dog such as a Border Collie, which will be very happy living with you. These dogs need to work and love challenges, so you could both enjoy agility, flyball or heel work to music as a new hobby and a way of meeting people. Other dogs to consider include the Basset Hound or Old English Sheepdog.

I was having a hard time finding a desired breed. And, one day I came across dogchannel.com, which is an amazing site. It provides remarkable information on all dog breeds. The site provides you ample information to choose the right pet for yourself. It provides you extensive information on everything related to dogs, from dog breeders to dog adoption, from dog care to their life span. You just name and its there on the site.

While I was surfing this site, I got to know about Beagles. It is a hunting breed used for field trails, especially rabbit trailing. It has a life span of about 12 to 13 years. I was so happy to discover a breed that I always wanted. These dogs are not just good at hounding but have a strong smelling sense too. These dogs love children and other dogs, but do keep your cats away from them. You can get a beagle any hound color of your liking. This breed comes in colors such as white, tan, pale tan, and the most common one is black. These are generally upto 15 inches. Beagle females are however two inches shorter. But, you must know that beagles are very sensitive and can sulk if they don’t get things their own way.

You can check out the site for information on beagle care, beagle rescue, and so on. It gives you the necessary details on what should be specifically taken care of, if you are keeping a beagle at home. Not only will you be able to collect such information, you can easily find from where you can buy a Beagle. An important fact about beagles is that they can be very mischievous at times, but you can always train them for socializing.

So, don’t procrastinate, just check out the site and bring your sweet beagle at home.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a mutt or mongrel dog, and the good news is that there is no evidence that they are any more or less happy than their pedigree cousins.

Mongrels can still be beautiful to look at, and even those that are not quite so aesthetically pleasing can have fantastic personalities and make brilliant pets and loving companions. The great thing about mongrels is that they are totally unique in every way – you’ll never see anyone with a dog that looks exactly like yours!

What’s the difference?

Pedigree: When you buy a pedigree dog you will receive papers giving full details of the dog’s family tree, going back at least three generations. Pedigree dogs are sometimes called purebreds.

Cross-breed: The (often accidental!) result of two different but recognized breeds mating. It may be easier to predict the characteristics of such a dog than it is for a mongrel, particularly if the breeds are from the same group, such as hunting or herding dogs.

Mongrel: The result of two dogs of unknown breeding mating. This unknown lineage means it can be difficult to predict how the offspring will eventually look and behave.

Mongrels: Pros and Cons

In the USA, mongrels are sometimes referred to as mutts, mixed breeds, mixies or ‘All Americans’ reflecting their unknown, multi-racial backgrounds! These dogs:

Pros

• Look unique.
• Often enjoy good health.
• Cost less to buy.
• Are readily available.
• Are cheaper to insure.
• Are less likely to be stolen.

Cons

• May look cute as puppies but not necessarily as adults.
• Can inherit behavior problems.
• May be excluded from top showing or agility competitions.
• May not be fully vaccinated.

Pedigrees: Pros and Cons

There are over 400 pedigree breeds to choose from. With these dogs:

Pros

• You know exactly what the dog will look like.
• Health problems and behavior traits are predictable.
• You will be buying a dog fully vaccinated against disease.
• A properly recorded family tree will be provided along with the dog.
• Breed clubs can provide advice and support.

Cons

• Your puppy will be expensive to buy.
• You may have to wait months for availability.
• Your pet may be targeted by thieves.
• Some are prone to health problems.