Intelligent Dog Breeds

What Are the Top 10 Most Intelligent Dog Breeds?

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Every dog owner thinks that his dog is the smartest dog around (well at least a few we know!).

Of course only a few of them would be right. Don’t despair if your dog’s breed isn’t on the list. Some highly intelligent dogs are very hard to train or act destructively when alone in the house.

Dog breed intelligence is typically ranked based on obedience (how consistently they obey commands) and their working intelligence (how quickly they learn commands). This ranking is widely attributed to canine psychologist Dr. Stanley Coren, who compiled it based on surveys of obedience trial judges.

Here are the 10 most intelligent dog breeds.

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Formidable Guard with a Devoted Heart – Is the Rottweiler Right For You?

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Descended from Roman guardian breeds, it is no surprise that the modern Rottweiler makes an effective police dog in various countries throughout the world. However, these dogs continue to be among the most popular canine breeds currently recognized by the American Kennel Club and they remain popular as family pets.

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If you are thinking of getting a Rottweiler then here are some points that are worth taking into consideration: Read more

Are You Making These 10 Dog Training Mistakes?

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Are you making these 10 dog training mistakes?

Many people say that there is nothing better than having a dog. That is certainly true but do you know what’s even better? Having a trained dog. Many people try to train dogs themselves and that is perfectly fine if you know how to do it and how to avoid making some typical mistakes.

You should always be consistent! Avoid using various words for the same command. It will only confuse your dog and he won’t know what he has to do. For instance if you used “Heel” you can’t expect the dog to listen to you if tell him “Walk by me.”

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Some Ideas for Naming Your Dog

Some Ideas for Naming Your Dog

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Some dog owners rack their brains out trying to name their dog, sometimes they even think more about dog’s name than the name of their child.

One of the best ways to find that perfect name is to think about your dog’s character, it will often give you some ideas for the name. If that doesn’t help, maybe there is a trick your dog can do which you can use to find him a name. Keep the name short, it will be easier for the dog to remember and understand it.

Some Ideas for Naming Your DogDogs are vocal and not verbal animals. To them it is important how the word sounds, which is something you have to keep in mind while naming them.

It is best to let your dog choose its own name. There are two ways to do this. First, spend some time with him so you can get to know him and his nature, character and choose appropriate name accordingly.

For instance, when a friend of mine got his husky mongrel he was all over the place! Not only he would jump all over him but he also used to pin him against the wall and get things out of his pockets, so he was always joking “I’m being mugged” thus he named it Mugger. A colleague of mine had a very spirited and playful little rascal who never gave her any time off so she named it Chaos.

Let your dog earn its name.

One way is to put together a list of your favorite names and try them out on your dog with a playful and cheerful voice. The name which your dog best reacts to is the name for him. And believe me, he will react differently to various names. Try it and you’ll see!

On the contrary to what people think, a dog’s name should be changed with the owner. It is considered that once dog gets used to its name it shouldn’t be changed. Wrong! Many dog owners make the mistake of using a dog’s name with contempt or as a warning, so if you keep that name dog will see you as one of them, previous owners. Therefore, if the dog is yours now, you can’t assume that the previous owner did everything right. If he had, you probably wouldn’t have to dog now. You’re trying to tell dog new house new rules, right? So, say it with a new name, especially if the old one was used with a negative connotation.

Teach him the new name while enjoying nice things like treats, meals, cuddling or playing, and don’t choose a name that sounds like the previous one.

If this doesn’t work for you, you simply can’t get any ideas; pick up a dictionary of native or foreign names, maybe even some mythology books and try finding or combining something that works for you and especially for your dog. Remember – it’s not just about what you like and what sounds good to you but what the dog likes best.

10 Dog Facts

10 Interesting Facts About Dogs

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Here are the 10 Interesting Facts About Dogs

This friendship between dogs and men lasts for more than 15,000 years or from the moment the dogs were first domesticated by cavemen in the Paleolithic Age. Today, humans live side by side with more than 700 types of pure bred dogs in the world. According to statistics, estimated number of canines in the world is around 400 millions. Here are some interesting facts about dogs that most of the owners should know.

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1. Dogs descend from wolves. Approximately 15,000 years ago dogs diverged from their ancestors – wolves. In the year 1993 dogs were classified as a subspecies of the grey wolf (Canis Lupus).

2. Dogs have amazingly good sense of smell. While humans have around 5 million smell-sensitive cells, dogs have 40 times more, nearly 220 million. With powerful sense of smell, dogs can determine odors at concentration level that is 100 times lower than any man can sense. That’s why many dogs are used for finding missing persons or illegal materials such as drugs, bombs and explosive. Studies show that some dogs can even smell our diseases. Four legged buddy can be the first to notice thet you have cancer, epilepsy or diabetes.

3. Dogs have an incredibly good hearing. Once again, dogs are far better than humans in detecting sounds. Dog’s ear can catch frequency range from 40 Hz up to 60,000 Hz. Their amazing hearing capacity is helped by head muscles which can detect exact position of the source of the sound. That’s why some dogs have ears like rabbit and they use them as radar. Also, dogs can hear ultrasonic sounds.

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Dogs – A Look at Why They Truly Are Man’s Best Friend

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Dogs and humans have been inseparable for many thousands of years. Wherever you find humans in the world, you’ll almost certainly find dogs accompanying them. These amazing creatures proved to be smarter than we have ever imagined. Astonishing new researches reveal that dogs are more than just tamed wild animals. Their ability to read our emotions so effectively is what makes our relationship special. Some even claim that dogs possess a special kind of social intelligence which allows them to get along with people in the way that is unique in the whole animal kingdom.

Mans Best FriendEvery dog person will tell you that dogs feel humans’ emotions like anger, happiness, despair, fear, and so on. Dogs were once fearsome predators, but today they are the most loving pets. Right now, there are almost half a billion dogs and we treat them as members of a family, almost as human beings. We share our lives, our homes, even our beds with dogs. Many a dog owner would agree that his pet is not just part of the family, it is family.

According to a research published in the Animal Cognition journal, canines are responsive to human emotions more than any other species, including humans. Asking for no reward, dogs will approach strangers in distress trying to comfort them by nuzzling and licking. That specific dog’s behavior was tested in the experiment that included 18 pet dogs. Those dogs were faced with two unfamiliar persons – one who was pretending to cry and the other who was talking casually. All of the 18 dogs responded to the person who was pretending to cry and offered comfort.

Loyalty to their owners is common for all dogs, but one breed stands out. Akita is a large fluffy dog originating in the northern Japan. Unbelievable and sad life story made an Akita a legend among dog breeds. An Akita named Hachiko followed his owner to the train station every day. His owner was a professor in another town. At exactly 4 p.m. Hachiko would arrive at the train station to meet his owner. Some years later, the professor died from stroke at work, but loyal Hachiko waited at the train station every single day for the next ten years until he passed away. Statue of Hachiko in bronze at Shibuya train station in Japan reminds us why dogs truly are man’s best friend.

Unlike humans, dogs have no tendency to criticize, to be racists, to stab in the back, to murder or have prejudice. Without any question dog will accept the owner no matter if he is poor, blind, crippled, old or young. Dogs give everything and ask very little in return – food, water and place to sleep. If you take good and proper care of your dog and you treat him with love, be sure that love will be returned. You will mean the whole world to your dog and your dog will mean everything to you.

Is Your Dog Food Harming Your Dog

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dog food harmingYou are certainly familiar with the situation that during the lunch your dog is lurking near the table looking at you with his eager eyes, waiting for some treat.  He is acting like his last meal was couple of days ago. It is well known that dogs are very trusting pets. They will, probably, eat almost everything you give them. So, it is a big responsibility for you as a caring owner to feed your dog in the best possible way. Before selecting a dog food, there are some factors for consideration. Those factors are dog’s age, body condition, dog’s health history and your budget.

You should be aware of the fact that some common food can be harmful to your dog. Most dangerous common food for dogs is chocolate. Although this sweet is very delicious for human, it can be lethal to dogs. In other cases chocolate can cause diarrhea, panting, vomiting, tremors and hyperactivity. Also, you should be very cautious with fruits, garlic, onions, peppers, popcorn, raw eggs, alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea.

It is logical that you should choose what your dog is going to eat instead of taking risk with things that can harm him, but is dog food really the best choice for your pet?

There are different opinions when it comes to the dog food and it is a controversial subject. Ignorance is bliss – sometimes. Most people don’t know what’s really in the dog’s commercially prepared food. The annual revenue of U.S. pet food industry is more than $10 billion. Through the advertising and media they insure consumers that their products are all your dog will ever need. On every pet food box you’ll see the images of beef, plump chickens, and fresh grains. Pet food industry is nothing but an extension of the human food industry. Waste products that are considered unfit for human consumption can be turned into profit by putting them into pet food. Many pet food companies are concealing the real origin of the ingredients or they are changing their quality. They are getting the ingredients from the different farms, different states and sometimes from a different country. Interesting part is that manufacturers are not legally required to inform consumers about those changes.  You are free to go to the pet food company website or call customer service number to ask legitimate questions about the ingredients, taste or if their food contains agricultural rejects. Always bear in your mind that information given by the pet food company can be biased.

Most animal nutritional experts and veterinarians believe that raw diet of bones and meat is the best dog food. A good idea is to combine BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food) with some whole wheat and vegetables. Never use human medication on animals, use vitamins from your local vet.

If your choice is the dog food, avoid low quality dry dog food with too much unnatural products and preservatives. Always go for high quality brands to feed your dog but don’t believe everything they say in commercials.

Best of Luck!

Dogs Lifespan Vs Human Lifespan – A Comparison

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dogs lifespanDogs Lifespan Vs Human Lifespan – A Comparison

Relationship between a dog and a man is probably the closest in the pet’s world. There are hundreds of situations which confirm this theory. No man can love his golden fish, miniature turtle or parrot as much as a dog. Unfortunately, our pet’s life is shorter than ours and the hardest part of the relationship is dealing with the dog’s death.

There is an old calculation which says that one dog year is equal to seven years of human life. This ratio isn’t quite accurate. For example, two months old puppy is indeed developed like a 14 months old human baby but ratio decreases as the dog ages.  So, a one year old dog has aged about as much as a 15 years old human. Still, a 14 years old dog matches an 82 years old man, which corresponds to a ratio of only about 5.8.

Several factors can contribute to the dog’s lifespan. Depending on the breed structure, health and genetics, some dogs can live longer than others. It is interesting that smaller dog breeds live approximately 1.5 times longer than the bigger ones. It’s much easier to Chihuahua’s heart to pump the blood than the heart of a Great Dane. If we make comparison between genders, we will notice similarity to humans. Female dogs are expected to live a year or two longer than males, just like people.

The key to longer and healthier life of your dog is quality nutrition. Top quality dog food will extend dog’s life, especially if combined with neutering or spaying. These methods can reduce the risk for cancer of the reproductive organs. Mental and physical exercise on daily basis can affect your dog’s life span in a good way. Be sure to take special care of your dog’s teeth and gums. According to some veterinarians it can extend your dog’s life up to 4 years. Very good idea is to get your dog vaccinated. Just as it is with humans, many stressful situations can affect dog’s health.

Average life span of dogs is between 13 and 14 and for humans it’s about 67.2 years. Due to better medical care and food, dogs and human life span has increased dramatically over the past 100 years.  People of Japan live the longest with average life span of 82.7 years, while in Mozambique it is only 39.2, which is 40% below world average.

It’s all about the evolution – it dictates how long both humans and dogs will live. Both species have changed and developed over millions of years, with the big difference that humans have slower metabolism and for that reason live longer than dogs. In the coming future it will be possible to extend both life spans. I’m looking forward to see 1.000 year old man with 200 year old dog on the porch in front of their future house.

Average Life Span of Top 10 Breeds

·         Labrador Retriever (12.5 years)

·         German Shepherd Dog (11 years)

·         Golden Retriever (12 years)

·         Boxer (10.5 years)

·         Bulldog (7 years)

·         Poodle (12 years Standard) (15 years Miniature)

·         Chihuahua (13.5)

·         Rottweiler (10 years)

·         Doberman Pinscher (10 years)

·         Cocker Spaniel (12 years).

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Short, Fun & Interesting Dog Facts

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Dogs are fascinating creatures with quirks and charming habits that we love them for. There always seems more to learn about these incredible four-legged friends.
 
For example – did you know that some dogs can learn over 1,000 words or that their noses are as unique as human fingerprints? Or maybe you’ve wondered why dogs tilt their heads when you talk to them—spoiler: it’s not just to look cute!
 
In this article, you can smell your way through a list of fun & interesting facts that’ll make you see your furry friend in a whole new light. A quick read but some might shock you!

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