What Dog Breed is Right for Your Family?

Choosing the right pet is one of the most important decisions you can make for your family: the best choice ensures both human and canine are safe and content with their living situation. While there are many factors to consider, one of the first questions prospective pet owners ask themselves is, “What kind of dog do I want?” The American Kennel Club recently issued a list of the most popular dog breeds for families in the country. Should you be paying attention to this?
Yes and no. Of course it is great to research different dog breeds before you make your decision. For instance, you may want a shorter haired or “hypoallergenic” breed to accommodate for family members with allergies. You may want a dog that is very physical and active or one that is content with rambling, leisurely walks. Knowing about a breed’s characteristics can help you get an idea of what you may want, but it doesn’t ensure you get the perfect pet.
Let’s say you know that golden retrievers have a reputation of being very friendly, smart, and quick to take up obedience training – and they are the fourth most popular breed, according to the AKC. You may think this is perfect for your family. But if you have a busy lifestyle, you may soon find that your loveable retriever is a bustling ball of hyperactivity. This particular dog, while popular, may not be right for your home.
On the other hand, you are unlikely to find breeds like the pit bull on any AKC list, but these can make the best pets. Pit bulls can be gentle and patient with children, calm in the home and on walks, and sociable with people and other animals. If you have ever seen a great, well-trained pit bull with a child, you will find the terms “attack breed” or “viscous breed” patently absurd. While it is true that the breed has traditionally been trained to fight, that does not mean each pit bull is a fighter, especially when lovingly trained.
There is no one single perfect breed, but there are pets that will be perfect for you. It is important not to let reputations make your decision for you: a particular golden retriever may have a terrible disposition and be the last animal you’d want around your child, while a Rottweiler could be the sweetest companion you could ask for your little one. Making assumptions based on the breed isn’t always helpful, and it may cause you to miss out on the perfect pet. The best way to choose a dog is to in person, based on personality and disposition, not breeding and pedigree.

Coconut Oil for Your Dog

If you love summer, chances are the scent of coconuts puts you in mind of warm sand, cool water, and hot days. But the versatile coconut is far more useful than we give it credit for – besides smelling wonderful in sun lotions, coconut has a host of benefits, including being a healthy alternative to vegetable oils when cooking. And your dog can enjoy some of them as well.
Coconut oil is not one of the more commonly used oils for cooking or eating, but it should be! It is a great source of dietary fiber, lauric acid (which is also found in breast milk), amino acids, antioxidants, and healthy fatty acids. The lauric acid helps build a healthy immune system, similar to how breast milk helps babies develop protection from viruses and bacteria. Other benefits of coconut oil include:
•Boosting metabolism.
•Speeding healing time (as when applied to an insect bite or sting, cut, or wound topically).
•Increasing energy levels, even in sedentary dogs.
•Aiding in weight loss for overweight pets.
•Improving digestion.
•Reducing allergies.
•Enhancing the appearance and health of the coat and skin and clears up eczema, contact dermatitis, and itchy skin.
•Reducing bad breath.
•Regulating insulin and thyroid activity.
•Helping alleviate discomfort associated with arthritis or ligament problems.
One other benefit that should be mentioned is that your dog (or cat) will love the taste. Coconut offers a nutty flavor that your dog will love. As an alternative to dog treats with artificial ingredients, consider a product like Coco Therapy Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. This is unrefined, non-bleached, cold-pressed oil that contains no hydrogenated or trans fats or genetically-modified organisms (GMO).
You will want to give your pet one teaspoon for every ten pounds of his weight. So, a 25 pound dog would receive 2.5 teaspoons. Begin by using a quarter of the recommended dosage: that 25 pound dog would get just over half a teaspoon. You can add this to his food or you can put the oil in your palm and let your pet lick it off. As your pet becomes used to the oil, gradually increase the dosage until he is getting the full recommendation. Do your dog a giant favor by trying coconut oil – you’ll both see a difference.

Adopting Military Working Dogs

Sometimes our heroes walk on four legs instead of two. Dogs have become a critical component of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; with their keen sense of smell, these dogs can sniff out traces of bombs, explosives, or drugs. They are often sent on patrol ahead of troops so they detect roadside explosives, or IEDs, which are the leading cause of deaths to soldiers in Afghanistan. While very useful to the military, these pooches don’t get a retirement package and VA benefits. After returning from service, many of these admirable, brave dogs are left homeless. Adopting a retired military dog can be a very rewarding experience.

Because of recent changes in law, members of the general public are able to adopt these dogs without paying a fee (though they may have to pay transfer fees if the dog is currently overseas). Breeds that the military typically employs (and deploys) as working dogs include German shepherds, Dutch shepherds, and Belgian malinois. These are big dogs, known for their aggressive temperament, but also for their intense loyalty. Their intimidation factor is a big reason for their use in military work: they create a “strong psychological deterrent” for those who would approach or threaten a soldier.

But do you want a dog that is used because of its size and aggressive nature to be in a family situation with you? Especially when these dogs can suffer from PTSD just like human vets? Each dog that is no longer needed for service (he is referred to as “excess”) has to be declared “suitable” for adoption. This includes rigorous testing, including a test in which the dog is placed in a training situation both with and without a muzzle with a decoy. If he doesn’t bite or attack, and if he passes other tests, he is deemed suitable.

Even so, the Department of Defense does caution that these dogs may not be a good fit for homes with children under age 8 or small pets. The military monitors active working dogs for signs of stress, fear, or undue aggression and is studying canine PTSD. Many dogs do not have negative reactions to battlefield stresses, including explosives. They are trained as soldiers in the field, but as pets in their quarters. While they are trained to take down full-grown men on the job, they enjoy positive, loving attention as much as any dog during their off-hours.

Military handlers get priority when adopting the 300+ retired military working dogs, followed by law enforcement agencies, followed by the general public. Just as the dog is screened, so are prospective adoptive families. Every effort is made to ensure a good fit. Is it a good fit for you? Only you can decide, but it is an avenue to consider when you are looking for a new addition to your family.

The Dog Days of Summer

What does your dog do all day while you’re at work? What if you have a business or trip that will keep you out all day? Dog owners all over the country worry about their pooches at home, all alone. Are they bored, lonely? Is the walk at the end of the day enough exercise? Are they missing out on important socialization? Are they chewing on your new leather shoes? Maybe dog day camps would be perfect for your pet.

While there are plenty of day kennel or dog “day care” services, Totally Dog Day Camp offers a completely different type of experience. Just like summer camp allows your child to run, jump, swim, do activities with friends, and get a break from home, so too does Totally Dog allow your dog to be a dog while you’re at work or away for the day. Elena Sweet, a dog trainer and paramedic, founded this camp and says, “I wanted a place where owners that are busy could have the peace of mind that their dogs are getting exercise and getting cared for during the day.”
And dogs are indeed cared for on the five acre spread that Sweet runs, complete with a dog playground and a bone-shaped pool. Owners don’t even have to worry about transportation – Totally Dogs runs a Doggy Bus that will pick up and deliver your pooch. As many as 25 dogs hitch a ride on the bus, eagerly hopping on and looking forward to a day of fun.

More of these dog day camps are popping up around the country. Camp Bow Wow, which provides both overnight and day camps, for instance, offers canine campers indoor and outdoor playgrounds, spacious cabins with cots, bedtime treats, and certified camp counselors. You can even watch your pooch from your computer or phone with the Live Camper Cams, and your dog will receive any special attention he requires, such as extra naps, extra treats, or medications. If you have more than one dog, they can share the same cabin.

Is there a dog day camp in your area? You pet may love to spend a day with his peers!

You, Your Dog, and the Open Road

AAA, the American Automobile Association, recently revealed their top picks for dog owners. The Honda Element and Toyota Venza were rated as being the best for those of us who chauffeur pooches , based on the ease of animal ingress and egress. But what about the safety of the animals? Sure, they may be able to get in and out of the car with little trouble, but are they safe while in it? A new study from AAA finds that not only are the dogs at potential risk, so are their owners, other drivers, and even pedestrians.

Here are some findings from the AAA study:

• 80 percent of the study participants drove with their dogs.
• 31 percent admitted that their dogs distracted them while they were driving.
• 55 percent pet their dogs while driving.
• 21 percent let their dog sit on the lap.
• Seven percent fed their animals, while five percent actually played with their pets while driving.

Looking away from the road for only two seconds increases the odds of an accident; can you watch the road vigilantly and play with your dog? It's been proven you can't even talk on a handless phone without being distracted from the road. Playing and engaging with an animal is far more distracting. This is exactly what happened to writer, Stephan King, who got caught in his own horror story when he was struck by a van. The driver had been trying to control an unrestrained dog.

And it's potentially very dangerous for everyone in your path. Only 17 percent of those who responded to AAA's survey said they used any sort of restraint system for their dogs. This is important, of course, to keep the dog from being injured in an accident. But it is also important to keep other people from becoming injured. Should a 30 mph accident occur – regardless of whether the driver was distracted by the dog or not – a 50 pound dog will fly through the air and hit either the windshield or a passenger of the car with 2400 pounds of force. Dogs also become very scared during an accident and could attack emergency personnel or run away.

Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, AAA's Traffic Safety Programs Manager, says, “We'd like to see dogs buckled up in the backseat, just like children. The word really hasn't gotten out yet that it's important. They are very much a part of our family, and we need to protect them, but also everyone else who is in the vehicle.”

We agree completely. Check out our line of pet travel and safety items for your next road trip.