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.

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)

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

Undesirable and destructive behavior from your dog can get extremely irritating. It is especially peeving if you have made sure that he is trained adequately right from the time that he was a puppy. After you are sure that your dog is fully trained, bad behavior does become difficult to tolerate and cope with.

However, it is important to understand that there are many reasons why your dog can relapse into untrained, destructive or extremely submissive behavior even after years of training. It is common for perfectly restrained dogs to go berserk at times with no apparent reason.

One of the reasons why some dogs can forget all that they have learnt is anxiety. Even though dogs are intelligent animals, they are incapable of controlling stress and anxiety that they may feel due to various reasons.

Anxiety brings out the worst in a dog. There can be various reasons for anxiety but the one that is most common is separation anxiety in dogs. Dogs are known to spoil furniture, urinate in the house, break objects and indulge in excessive barking when their owner leaves them. Such destructive behavior should not be construed as revenge (since dogs are almost incapable of that emotion). It is merely an expression of extreme displeasure at being left alone. Since dogs are pack animals and have an inherent aversion to isolation, they feel anxious at being left alone and wonder whether the owner will ever come back or not.

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.

Does this sound like you and your dog? Youve had him since he was a puppy. He is a sweet dog, eager to please, and enjoys being around you and your whole family.

But lately, youve notice that hes become destructive around the house whenever hes left alone, even for just a few hours. You come home and the house looks like it was hit by a tornado papers scattered everywhere, the trash can was knocked down, and your clothes were chewed into shreds.

Your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety, a problem common with many puppies and dogs. Separation anxiety is a panic disorder exhibited by a dog in the absence of his owner. It is the fear of being left alone that results in unwanted, destructive behaviors.

Dogs are social creatures. As puppies it is natural for them to get dependent and attached to their mother and littermates. This type of attachment is transferred on to you, his owner, when the puppy enters your life. This attachment results in distress whenever the dog is left alone in the house, which is the most common cause of separation anxiety.

Signs Of Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety occurs when dogs feel frightened and distressed at the absence of their owner. This type of attachment problem can be mild or severe. A mild case is often exhibited when the dog is pacing, over-grooming, and panting, whereas a severe case of separation anxiety can be quite a challenge for the owner. The dog soils the house, cries nonstop, barks or howls, and destroys furniture and other objects around the house. Often times, the dog starts to show behaviors associated with separation anxiety after being left alone for only ten or fifteen minutes.

Dogs that are more at risk of developing separation anxiety are those rescued from shelters, were living on the streets, or were locked inside a crate or kennel most of their lives. And because this behavior only occurs when the dog is left alone, theres really nothing you can do to stop him from destroying your home or irritating the neighbors every time you leave the house. However, you can teach your dog not to be scared or panic during your absence.

Here are five ways that can help.

Traveling long distances can get stressful even for humans. As a pet owner, you might have faced issues with your dog while traveling. Sometimes getting the dog to get inside the car for a ride can be particularly challenging. If you have been taking your dog in the car only to visit the vet, he is likely to be averse to a car irrespective of whether you are planning to go to a playground, a holiday or the vet.

This does not mean that you cannot travel with your dog. Just as dogs have to be trained to live within the house, they need to be trained to travel in a car.

Since car rides may stress your dog, training the dog for travel in a car actually involves relieving stress in pets. It is important that you ensure that the agitation and anxiety that arises out of cramped and close environment be released.

The earlier you start the training, the better it is for you and the dog. Ensure that your first few trips with the puppy are to the playground or a field. This ensures that the association with a car ride is pleasant. If the first car trip is to the vet, it is likely to make him dread car travel forever.

Dogs cannot speak our language and we can never be sure whether their barking is a warning, a complaint or an expression of some discomfort. But there is one thing that we do know and that is that the barking is supposed to mean something.

A dog may bark for various reasons. And in many cases the barking is due to a previous situation or experience that he may have had. Research has unequivocally established that the dog’s brain does respond to stimuli and this was proven long time ago with Pavlov’s experiment.

Experiments reveal that there is imagery in the dog’s brain that induces specific dog behaviors. These behaviors could seem normal or abnormal to us but they do have a meaning. Dogs have the capacity to recall images of the owner, earlier smells and sounds and past experiences and these cause them to behave in a certain manner.