Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Dog Breeds
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Children and Toy Dog Breeds: Fact Verses Fiction
Author: Bill Knell
Because my wife is a toy dog breeder, it isn�t unusual for her to get several calls a week from people who practically beg her to sell them a puppy. They cite their financial and social ability to care for the puppy and often try and avoid the question of children in the household. As a rule, my wife finds this humorous. People shouldn�t have to beg, fill out a twenty-page adoption application or hide the fact that they have children to purchase a puppy. It�s pet protection gone wild.
There isn�t an honest or ethical Dog Breeder in the world who would send a beloved pup to someone they had questions about. Unfortunately, it�s very difficult and not entirely lawful to make that kind of determination. In most States it�s technically illegal to provide some sort of �test� for a consumer to be able to purchase a product. That comes later and isn�t the responsibility of the Breeder. A good example of a similar situation would be buying a car.
If a person has the cash or credit to purchase a vehicle and possesses a current drivers license, they get a car or the dealership gets sued in most places. The dealership can�t run a check to see how many DWI summonses the person has had or how many times they have been convicted of speeding or some other moving violation. If they drive their new vehicle in an irresponsible manner, it�s up to the Police and Courts to decide if they should continue to do so.
There�s a lot of difference between a living thing and a vehicle, but not in the eyes of most state laws. If a Breeder feels that a puppy may be in danger, they can always take the chance of reporting the new owner to animal protection authorities. Those authorities will come to the owner�s home and check on the welfare of the puppy. If the puppy is not being properly cared for, it will likely be removed from the premises. However, most people that spend a substantial amount of money for a puppy are unlikely to mistreat or fail to care for it.
The quest for the perfect puppy owner is an obsession with many Toy Dog Breeders. I have always viewed these people as being selfish. They would keep every puppy if they could and probably have more dogs then they should already. This type of person will tend to restrict purebred registrations fearing that someone else might benefit from their years of careful breeding by having a litter of their own. Their concern for animal welfare extends well beyond the norm, has more to do with their personal obsessions then anything else and doesn�t take into consideration the joy a puppy can bring into a new owner�s life. Breeders like these have no real loyalty to their customers and view them as a necessary evil to move out extra pups they cannot keep.
If someone who is looking for a toy dog breed puppy can get past the egos and obsessions of these kinds of Breeders, the next hurdle they are likely to face is passing the �children� test. Many toy dog breeders refuse to sell their pups to people with children under the age of sixteen. Some will actually refuse to sell a puppy to anyone with children under twenty-one living in their household. That�s ironic when children are likely to benefit the most from caring for a puppy.
Children are not the enemy when it comes to the health of toy dog breeds. The enemy is owner apathy. To my knowledge, more puppies have been injured in households where there are no children then in those were kids are a part of the puppy care process. That�s because adults are busy and will often forget to feed and water their animals, leave them unattended for too long in places or temperatures dangerous for them or place them with pet sitters who can�t even care for a goldfish, let alone a dog.
While it would be unwise to leave very young children alone with a puppy of any size, most children can easily be taught how to care for one. As a parent with seven children, I can attest to this. In the many years that my wife has been breeding toy dogs, not one of our puppies has ever been injured (and certainly none by our kids). Just the opposite. Our children have helped care for the puppies and alerted my wife if one seemed sluggish or might need a change of diet.
The most common argument made against allowing children access to toy dog breeds or most any puppy is that a child shouldn�t be allowed to learn responsibility at the cost of the health or life of an animal. While no one would argue with that logic, one wonders if that should apply to all animals, or just dogs. After all, pet stores sell tens of thousands of fish, small reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes to children every day. Are the lives of those pets any less precious or valuable then that of dogs?
In reality, puppies and adult dogs are much easier to care for then fish, reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes. It would seem an obvious mistake to ask a child to take on the responsibility of caring for a high maintenance pet when a puppy or adult dog is available. It�s also wrong to believe that toy dog breeds can be far more fragile then larger ones. For example, more German Shepards become ill or die each year from low blood sugar issues then any single toy breed, despite the fact that people often associate that problem with smaller breed dogs.
When it comes to children and puppies, it�s all about rules no matter what size breed is chosen. Children learn by example. If adults in the home are responsible with pets, the kids will follow that example. Simple things like cleaning up after, feeding, watering and securing the location of a puppy are essentials that any child can easily be taught. Every one of my children learned how to take care of dogs by watching us. It didn�t take long for them to understand the importance of feeding, watering and cleaning up after a pet on schedule. After watching us take care of our dogs, they wanted to take part in the process and were happy to lend a hand. Our younger children learned from our older kids.
When considering the addition of a puppy to a household of any size, there are some basic considerations. The first and foremost being the ability of household members to train, care for and spend quality time with a pet. Puppies are not play things for people of any age. They are living creatures capable of a surprising number of feelings and emotions. The next important consideration is how all the members of your household will react to a new pet. Will the puppy be a welcomed addition, or a point of contention and jealousy? A puppy should bring joy into the lives of people, not more problems.
If the members of your household all agree that a puppy would be a good addition to the family and they are ready, willing and able to meet the emotional and physical requirements of a puppy, then start your search. However, it�s important for children and adults alike to understand that puppies and adult dogs need care, love and attention everyday of the year. Their needs do not take a break for vacations, holidays, school or work schedules.
Puppies of any size or breed can bring a huge amount of joy into a household. It�s wrong to believe that children are a threat to a toy dog�s safety or quality of life. More puppies of all sizes are killed or injured each year by falling or accidentally being flung out of cars and trucks then have ever been injured by children. That�s because adults fail to properly secure their pets in a vehicle. We�ve all seen the idiots who think it�s cute to allow their pets to hang out the window or be bounced around like loose groceries in the back of a van, SUV or pick-up.
If you ask them, most veterinarians will tell you that the vast majority of injuries to dogs of any size are caused by adults, not children. If injuries do occur because a child failed to secure their animal properly or got involved with some sort of rough play during which a pet was injured, they are far out-numbered by injuries involving dogs being watched or cared for by adults. After examining statistics compiled by various veterinarian organizations, rescue groups, breeders and government entities, I�ve found that more puppies and dogs die each year during routine teeth cleaning procedures in veterinary offices then are injured by children.
In the end, it�s not about the children, it�s about the adults in a household. If you do not have time to spend with your children, do not even consider bringing a puppy in as a replacement for your attention. You will not have the time needed to supervise your child as they learn to care for and train their new pet. If you do have enough time to teach your kids how to care for a puppy and supervise them throughout the process, it can be a wonderful experience for everyone involved (including the puppy).
Keywords: pets, dogs, puppies, advice, children
About the Author
Bill Knell, Gilbert, AZ, USA
billknell@cox.net
Learn more about pets, dogs, puppies, advice, children
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He's written hundreds of articles on a wide variety of subjects. A popular Speaker, Bill Knell presents seminars on a number of topics that entertain, train and teach. A popular radio and television show Guest, you've heard Bill on thousands of top-rated shows in all formats and seen him on local, national and international television programs.
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Dog Breeds
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Celebrities Discover The Amazing Chihuahua!
Author: Bill Knell
Celebrities Discover The Amazing Chihuahua!
By Bill Knell
Some say it started with the Taco Bell dog. A five hundred million dollar ad campaign featured a talking Chihuahua which continually repeated the slogan, �Yo quiero Taco Bell,� which is Spanish for �I want Taco Bell.� Then came the Legally Blond films and the unstoppable Bruiser. The topping on the cake was when Paris Hilton appeared on the cover of Seventeen magazine and later tried living The Simple Life on Fox TV with Tinkerbell, her pet Chihuahua. Celebrities have discovered what many pet owners already knew: Chihuahuas are the best dogs to own and care for. In the process, they�ve set off a Chihuahua Craze that is reaching towering proportions.
When most people think of Celebrities and their toy dogs, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Poodles, Pekinese, Lhasas and Shih Tzus usually come to mind. That�s because famous folks like Audrey Hepburn, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mia Farrow were regularly photographed with their beloved pets. In Audrey�s case, it was a Yorkie. In her early days of fame, Mia Farrow was rarely seen out in public without her Lhasa. Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor loved to walk through the hot spots of Beverly Hills and be photographed with a multitude of Toy Poodles, Pekinese and Shih Tzus. But times have changed!
The always innovative Madonna may have set the standard for change not long ago when she sported her beloved Chihuahua, Chiquita, for a press photo op. Noah Wyle, one of the hot stars of ER, was recently photographed with his Chihuahua while on holiday. Jennifer Lopez has also joined the exclusive club of famous Chihuahua owners. Younger celebrities like Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Christina Ricci, Reese Witherspoon and members of Simple Plan have found themselves attracted to these fabulous canines and brought a huge amount of attention to them.
Chihuahuas make great pets because they are very low maintenance, the world�s smallest dogs and longest lived breed. Celebs love the fact that Chihuahuas prefer the company of humans more then they enjoy being with other animals and can easily accompany their owners everywhere. Chihuahuas love to be held or carried around in their very own shoulder bag and that makes them especially attractive to busy celebrities and people who are always on the move.
Unlike most toy dog breeds, the Chihuahua is not a created one. The first widespread mention of Chihuahuas occurred during the mid to late 1800's in weekly or monthly tabloids that specialized in tales of the American West. Highly fictionalized accounts of the small dogs spread by these publications claimed they were actually a mix of rodent and canine or had been magically created by Medicine Men. In reality, Chihuahuas were first noticed along the Arizona-Mexico border by settlers, ranchers and those passing through. This lead to the animals becoming originally-known as Arizona Dogs. Once it began obvious that these cute little dogs were actually coming out of the Chihuahua region of Mexico where they had been discovered in the early 1800's, the regional name stuck.
For the first time ever this past year, Chihuahuas have made the top ten list of most registered or licensed dogs in many areas of the USA. There can be no doubt that part of their popularity comes from the media exposure the breed has received and the fact that big-name celebrities are favoring the breed. But it also has to do with the fact that Chihuahuas are small, very easy to care for and live a long time.
Most Chihuahuas eat dry dog food and feed once every couple of hours or as their hunger moves them. A small, full bowl of dry food and dish of water easily gets them through an entire day. Chihuahuas are known for being healthy, hearty dogs that do well in virtually any situation. They can easily deal with temperatures of forty to ninety degrees Fahrenheit. When it gets a bit too chilly, doggie clothes solve the problem. When it gets too hot, Chihuahuas are always happy to enjoy their owner�s air conditioning. Most have few health issues and live from fifteen to nineteen years of age, with an average lifespan of sixteen years.
Those wanting to breed Chihuahuas are often surprised to find that they can give birth up to twice a year, normally have from one to five puppies and take just sixty-five days to give birth. Few have problem births and the survival rate of pups is very high compared to other toy breeds. Chihuahua puppies are ready to be adopted by eight weeks.
Because celebrities are constantly exposed to new situations and always on the go, they can appreciate the fact that most Chihuahuas tend to attach themselves emotionally to one person or family and rarely bolt if given the opportunity. All Chihuahua owners appreciate the intelligence of the breed. They are very easy to train and adjust well to change. In areas where it�s legal, Chihuahuas walk obediently near their owners without a leash.
Chihuahuas come from the same parent breed of dogs that Chinese Cresteds, Mexican Hairless Dogs and Xolos do. These are known to be the most ancient of all dog breeds still existing today. Drawings of what appear to be Chihuahuas are found throughout the world, some being thousands of years old. This makes us wonder when and where the Breed actually originated? Most Chihuahuas are either shorthair or longhair, come in an amazing variety of colors and purebreds tend to weigh from under a pound to no more then six pounds fully grown.
As Chihuahuas are featured in more and more films, television shows and become the beloved pets of an ever growing list of the rich and famous, we should all remember that they are more then just the hot breed of the moment. Chihuahuas are great pets that are very loyal to their owners. If you are planning to adopt a Chihuahua, do so because the breed is attractive to your needs, desires and lifestyle, not because Paris owns one. You can read more about Chihuahuas at http://tiny.azpuppies.com
About the Author
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He's written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects.
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