There are two meanings when you speak of pet kennels. One is that a kennel breeds a certain type of pet, like a dog breeder who breeds Jack Russell Terriers. The other is that of a boarding kennel. Some kennels do both. This article discusses boarding kennels here.

If you ever need to be away from home and cannot take your pet with you, you may have to leave your pet in the hands of a boarding kennel. They are essentially a hotel for pets. It can be tricky to find a good kennel, though. You need to check out the kennel thoroughly before entrusting your pet to their care.

Here are a few things to take into consideration before leaving your pet in a kennel:

Be aware that your pet will be very insecure out of it home environment and you will need to be certain that the kennel staff will be sympathetic to your pet’s anxiety.

Choose a kennel that has your pet’s best interest in mind—one designed for the health, safety and comfort of your pet.

Make sure the kennel facilities are clean and sanitary. Kennels should be cleaned and sterilized before any new pet uses it, as well as cleaned on a daily basis.

Various breeds of dogs offer different strengths and weaknesses that may or may not be the right fit for your family. A little research into the different dog breeds to find the right choice would be well advised and would be time well spent.

This article cannot possibly list all the dog breeds and their qualities, but it will go into a few to give you a hint of what you may want to take into consideration. I would suggest, however, that before you decide on a particular breed you need to familiarize yourself with the type of dog want. Do your research by finding books at the library or book store, or even on the internet. Visit kennel and breeding websites and read through the attributes of each breed before making your final decision.

According to the American Kennel Club (2006) the five most popular breeds of dogs are as follows (listed in order of kennel registrations):

Labrador Retriever – Labradors are fairly large dogs, standing at about 22-24 inches and weighing approximately 60-75 lbs, full grown. They have a short, water-resistant double coat which is relatively easy to care for. They are friendly, loving, affectionate, patient and highly intelligent. They are loyal, willing, active all-around good natured dogs. They have a life span of 10-16 years.

Separation Anxiety Does Your Dog Stress Whenever You Leave The House?

There are several ways to soothe separation anxiety in your dog in order to help him feel more secure while you are away. For the fastest results possible, apply the following practical tips:

1. Having a new puppy or a new adult dog is an enjoyable experience. It is so easy to give the new member of the family tons of love and attention. But spending all of your time with your new dog can create negative consequences, especially when you return to your normal schedule where you are out of the house all day.

Give your new dog a lot of attention, but also get him use to being alone, even when youre at home. Getting him used to your absence should be done gradually so it doesnt create a traumatic experience.

Start by going to a different room and closing the door behind you, leaving your dog by himself in another room. Do this several times every day. Next, leave him alone in the house for five minutes, then fifteen, and so on, until he is comfortable enough to be left alone for several hours at a time.

Dog owners have all been there. You turn your dog loose to run for just a few minutes and the next thing you know man’s best friend is scratching at your door, there once gleaming coat caked with dirt and debris, and emitting an incredibly foul odor. You now have two options. You can lock your dog outside and hope that it rains hard enough in the near future to wash them clean, or you can take valuable time out of your day and drag them to your local pet groomer.

There is another, less time consuming way to remove the embarrassing odor from your dog’s fur. You might consider enlisting the aid of a mobile pet grooming service.

Never heard of a mobile pet grooming service? Think of it as a canine day spa that has been condensed and put on wheels. Most mobile pet grooming companies have built their pet grooming stations into the back of large vans or cargo trucks.

Most cat owners do not realize that pets face stress like humans. When you bring home a cat you are actually denying her the company of her mother and litter. This can have a great impact on the animal. Post traumatic stress and separation anxiety in dogs and cats can lead to significant abnormal behaviors in pets. Stress and separation anxiety are more prominent in cats that:

* were abandoned
* are reunited after a long separation.
* are exposed too much attention every time the cat owner returns from work.
* have been separated from mothers immediately after birth.
* are exposed to too much noise.
* suffer from physical trauma.

Post traumatic stress disorder in cats and other pets is almost similar to humans. It can be sparked off by any thing that reminds of a traumatic circumstance that they may have experienced. Your cat may show the following signs of stress or anxiety:

* Urinating and defecating at inappropriate places.
* Fearful reaction to cues of trauma.
* Mewing excessively without any evident reason.
* Hiding behind doors or furniture.
* Aggressive behavior.
* Seizure (in severe cases)

Hot spot prevention – why should a new dog parent to a puppy care about it? Although most puppies don’t get hot spots (unless they get truly horrible puppy care), all puppies can be susceptible to dog hot spots as they begin to grow up. Learning hot spot prevention now can save your puppy (and you) misery later.

Otherwise known by vets as staph infections, eczema, ALD or lick granulomas, dog hot spots can cause pure misery for canines. And once a dog breaks out in dog hot spots, it can be tough to get the problem under control.

Preventing hot spots begins with understanding what causes hot spots. Although there are many situations, chemicals, and illnesses that can lead to hot spots, hot spots have four main triggers:

–Toxins and allergens. Substances that are toxic to puppies or to which puppies can become allergic can be found in poor-quality dog food or treats. Toxins are also found in a puppy’s environment (like dog parent’s cigarette smoke, for instance), and in topical pest-control chemicals.

–Suppressed disease. Diseases that were not treated well and never cured (for example, a treatment merely covers symptoms but doesn’t address the cause) can sometimes erupt and discharge through the skin.

Housetraining: How To Find Out Why Your Dog Is Having So Many Accidents

If you are having trouble with housetraining your dog, the quickest way to get around the problem and make a diagnosis is to know your pet’s history. Knowing how your dog has been acting at home yields important information to the veterinarian and helps narrow the diagnosis. Here’s how you can help:

1) For urinary accidents, note if your dog is wetting more often; producing normal, smaller or larger amounts of urine; dribbling while walking; leaking while relaxed or sleeping; or wetting when excited or scared.

2) For fecal accidents, take a sample to the veterinarian. If your dog defecates in front of you, doe she appear to be straining or pooping while he’s walking upright? Look at the stools: Are they loose, runny, firm, hard, blood or mucousy? Are stool volumes less or more often than normal? Is your dog defecating more often?

3) Report any changes you’ve noticed in your dog, such as increased drinking or vomiting; reduced or increased appetite; weight, skin or coat changes; lethargy; panting; anxiety; fear; lameness or difficulty getting up; or reluctance to play or exercise.

Depression and grieving in pets

Depression and grieving in pets may take many different forms – from the obviously sad and lethargic animal to the pet who manifests illness and behavioral problems associated with depression.

Animals form very deep attachments to their owners and to each other. It is therefore not surprising when they show signs of grief and depression if their owner or a companion pet die.

Some animals experience separation anxiety when their owners go away for a vacation, or sometimes even when they leave them for a short time. Separation anxiety, can result in depression or, more commonly (especially in dogs), in destructive behavior such as digging, chewing or scratching.

Pets are also very attuned to their owner’s emotional state. If you are feeling depressed or grief-stricken, this may, in turn, impact your pet. Certain breeds of pets also tend to worry and fret more than others. They may be at particular risk of developing chronic depression.

Symptoms of grief and depression can include:

* Excessive barking
* Lethargy
* Anxiety/nervousness
* Excessive grooming (particularly in cats)
* Self mutilation or destructive behavior
* Weight loss/gain
* Sulking or even aggression
* Change in personality
* Increased clinginess and attachment
* Loss of appetite

Dog Fences Dog Fences Are A Great Way To Keep Your Puppy Happy Outdoors

If you have the luxury of owning a backyard piece of property then your puppy or adult dog deserves the freedom of being able to roam outdoors in the yard without the risk of wandering off. Of course this entails creating a fenced enclosure so that he can run free and spend plenty of time outside.

The type of fenced area you choose can be that of a full yard enclosure like most common homes have, or if there is no fence and the yard is open, you can create a smaller fence with four sides and a small gate. This type of fenced setup will allow your dog to take advantage of his freedom while at the same time benefiting from your company when you are outside handling landscaping tasks. And of course, dogs have the most fun when you play outdoor games with them.

The Cons Of A Fenced Enclosure

Dog biting is something that is very likely if a dog is in an aggression mode. Aggressive dog behavior is clearly characterized by ominous or threatening behavior. It can lead to injury of other animals and even human beings, including family members.

There are various factors that influence aggression in dogs. Dog aggression can result from some underlying medical condition, inept handling, fear, anxiety or an inherent desire to dominate the pack. Dominance related aggression in dogs is actually the most common type of dog aggression in domesticated dogs. If dominance aggression surfaces, obedience training may be needed all over again.

It is difficult to identify dominance as the root cause of aggressive behavior since your dog may otherwise show signs of affection. However, it must be noted that given a chance he may assume leadership and try and dominate. This can result in an expression of displeasure even during normal actions like putting the collar on or petting him on his head.

As pack animals, dogs have an instinct to dominate. Since dogs were domesticated from wolves, they have retained pack mentality where survival depends upon leadership. . Leadership also determines who gets the best of what is available including mating rights.