Some interesting facts about dogs

Some Interesting facts about dogs

Female dog bites are twice as numerous as male bites.

The name of the dog on the Cracker Jack box is Bingo.

The Beatles song Martha My Dear was written by Paul McCartney about his sheepdog Martha."

The canine nose works one million times more efficiently than the human nose.

The average dog has 42 permanent teeth.

Most domestic dogs are capable of reaching speeds of 32 km's per hour when running flat out but the members of the greyhound family may reach speeds up to 70 km's per hour.

A male dog urinates with one leg up to better mark his territory. The scent can tell him many things, including size and health. The size is judged by the height of the stain. Male dogs although, do not actually need to lift their leg.

A dogs ear is very sensitive, full of sensory nerves that help to preserve hearing. Never, blow into a dogs ear, even gently can hurt a dog. It's not the actual act of wind, but the frequency at which you blow. It's like running your fingers on a blackboard, amplified hundreds of times.

It is said that dogs come from a creature similar to a wolf called Tomarctus ("father of dogs") which roamed about 15,000,000 years ago. Dogs first became pets for cavemen, while the Greeks used them for hunting and as guards. Romans traveled through Europe and brought their dogs with them. These dogs bred with the local dogs and gradually many different breeds were created.

There are 701 types of pure breed dogs. The seven different groups of dogs are:
1. Toys: Chihuahua, Maltese, Pomeranian, Pug.
2. Hounds: Basset Hound, Beagle, Bloodhound, Whippet.
3. Herding: Border Collie, German Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog, Sheepdog.
4. Sporting: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Weimaraner.
5. Non-Sporting: Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Dalmatian, Chow Chow, Poodle.
6. Working: Alaskan Malamute, Boxer, Bull Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Great Dane.

Dental Info

Some sources say bones will splinter and cause harm to a dog's gums, throat and digestive system; as well as harmful bacterial infections from uncooked bones. Others say that bones are a natural way for dogs to clean their teeth, exercise their jaws, and get nutrients from the bone and marrow.

You can brush your dog's teeth yourself, which at first will not be easily accomplished, but if done correctly will be one of the best things you can do for your pet healthwise, or have a vet check their teeth yearly.

How to brush your dogs teeth

First check your local pet food stores for dog toothpaste. It is usually sold in meat flavors, which make it easier to use on your dog. Do not use human toothpaste even though you believe you dog likes mint and peppermint flavors, they will probably burn your dog's sinuses and they are not meant to be swallowed, even if they are not harmful to people, it may upset your dog's stomach.

Start out by rubbing a small amount of the toothpaste over your dog's gums, and teeth while generously praising them, so they believe they are getting a special treat. Do this several times a week for a few weeks, so your dog is used to your fingers in their mouth and also to the rubbing and handling of his/her teeth.

If you do not have medical gauze in you home, you will have to pick some up at the store (it is cheap). Wrap some gauze around your fingers, and using the same method you have been using over the past few weeks, rub the toothpaste covered gauze over your dogs gums and teeth, this does a better job than your fingers, and the scrubbing sensation will help your dog adjust to the toothbrush.

Now that your have been scrubbing your dog's teeth with gauze and toothpaste, and both you and your dog are comfortable with handling all teeth even back molars you can try with a toothbrush. It may take more than a month for the more timid or skittish dogs and people - keep at it and you'll both smile brighter.

Use a soft bristled toothbrush if you cannot find one for dogs in your local pet stores. The new fancy kinds with the different length bristles may come in extra soft - those are the best, as they can easily be worked between the canine teeth. Do not ever use a hard bristled toothbrush or even medium as it may damage or irritate a dog's gums.

Do not over brush. If your dog dental care has been more or less consistent since they were a puppy, you should only have to brush their teeth once or twice a week. Remember, they should not be eating candy or sweets, so they will not need to use the same diligence as their owners.

Diets

Don't take cheap chances with our well-being, make sure it is approved by the local Veterinary Association (it will be stamped with a seal on bag or can), or ask a Vet for brands that may not be registered yet. What types of food do we need? On each can or bag of pet food it is usually indicated if it is for puppies, adult dogs, seniors, overweight and less active dogs too. Check local Vet or Humane Society for free pamphlets.

Medical Info and Vaccines

The usual vaccines will include Distemper, Parvovirus, Coronavirus, Hepatitis and Parainfluenza. Depending on area, risk or exposure, Lyme disease and Bordatella may be recommended.

Puppy Power

Puppies have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about three to four weeks of age. They have 42 permanent teeth that begin to emerge at about four months of age.

Puppies should receive their first vaccine at 6-8 weeks of age, and then have boosters at 12 and 16 weeks of age. Certain pups, namely Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and Pit Bulls should probably have a 4th booster as they can have problems developing complete immunity, especially to parvo.

How To Prevent Fleas

Flea infestation is one of the most common health problems in dogs and cats. Almost every dog and cat will become infested with fleas at some time during their life. These tiny, almost-invisible pests are much more than an annoyance. They make life miserable by disrupting your household with a vicious cycle of biting and scratching.

Fleas don't just make your pet itchy, they can actually make him/her quite ill. Be aware of how fleas can irritate your pet! It might be difficult to see fleas, but they certainly can make their presence felt, especially to your pet.

When infestations are very heavy, the accumulations of grayish larvae and white eggs give the sleeping quarters of dogs a "salt-and-pepper" appearance that easily identifies the infestation.

Prevent the effects of fleas with regular use of a flea preventative and killer such as Frontline, Advantage and more available at your local vet.

How To Prevent Ticks

Ticks are second only to mosquitoes throughout the world in transmitting infectious disease to humans and animals, including Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis. Due to the serious potentially life-threatening nature of these diseases, they are very important when they occur. If your pet is bitten by a tick, the results can be fatal.

Your pet's risk of contracting these diseases can be reduced by regularly using a tick preventative to kill and repel ticks which can be purchased at your Vets.

How To Prevent Heartworms

All dogs are at risk of developing heartworm disease, regardless of whether or not they spend most of their day indoors. Once a dog has contracted this serious disease, treatment can be complicated, risky and expensive. Without treatment, however, the disease is often fatal. Therefore, heartworm prevention is the best way to protect your dog. To avoid the need for extensive and risky treatment by your vet, all pet owners are advised to keep their dogs on an effective heartworm preventative, such as Interceptor, Heartgard, Sentinel or Revolution. Regular heartworm checks should also be performed (either once a year or every two years) to ensure that no infection has occurred.