A dog of a breed that on scenting game stands rigid looking towards it. Hence the name.


Native - Europe/ Britain

Height - 23-28 inches

Weight - 20-35 kg

Colour - Usual colours are lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white.

Coat - Short, dense, smooth with a sheen.

Temperament - Kind, even disposition.

A dog of a large long haired breed trained to stand rigid when scenting game. This sporting dog is friendly, loving, loyal, and protective. This dog is known for their distinctive glossy coats.


Other Names - Irish Red Setter and Red Setter

Native - Ireland

Height - 25-27inches

Weight - 27-31kg

Colour - Deep red chestnut colour or mahogany or both with white.

Coat - Irish Setters are average shedders and require daily brushing in order to keep their coats in excellent condition.

Temperament - Energetic, intelligent, affectionate, high-spirited.

Life Span - 11-15 years.

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a versatile hunter, an all rounder capable of high performance in field and water. An excellent watchdog. He prefers to live with people and should not be left alone.


Other Names - German Pointer (Shorthaired), Deutscher, Kurzhaariger Vortsehund, Kurzhaar

Native - Germany

Height - 21 - 25 inches

Weight - 20 - 32kg

Colour - Solid liver or a combination of liver and white such as liver and white ticked, liver patched and white ticked, or liver roan.

Coat - Short and flat, coarse to touch

Temperament - Active, responsive, gentle, affectionate, even-tempered and willing to please.

Life Span - 12-14 years.

Vaccinations

Get your new puppy or dog checked out with a veterinarian and establish a schedule for his immunizations. Puppies need to be inoculated at the age of one and a half months with a six-in-one vaccine that protects against distemper, parvo, canine, parainfluenza and so on. At two and a half months, they are due for a booster dose. The rabies and Corona vaccines are separate and given at three months. All vaccines need an annual booster.

A pedigreed dog will need regular veterinary intervention. Symptoms of sickness to look out for are excessive thirst, loss of appetite, frequent diarrhea, bleeding from the mouth, nose or anus, strain to pass urine, weight loss, shivering, confusion, lameness or difficulty in moving. Make a note of the symptoms and furnish all the details to the vet so that he can make an accurate diagnosis. Some of the common pet diseases are

Ticks and fleas

Ticks are best controlled by manual removal and keeping the surroundings clean and uncluttered. They are usually seen on the head and neck, on and in the ears and between the toes. Wear rubber gloves while removing ticks to avoid contact with blood. Use a chemical dip or a solution of Butox or Asuntol both on the dogs and its environment to kill fleas and ticks. Flea collars are ineffective and contain dangerous chemicals.

Ticks and fleas transmit worms and cause skin irritations and allergies. Severe infestation of flees can cause anemia as fleas feed on blood. Dogs pick up tapeworms from fleas. Round worm infested puppies may be very thin, have a pot belly, Diarrhea and a cough. Medication should be given for the particular type of worm infested. Canine Distemper Symptoms of canine distemper include coughing (a puppy can die of pneumonia in the first or second week of distemper), diarrhea, listlessness and fever. Prognosis depends upon severity and early diagnosis and treatment. This disease is highly preventable with vaccine usually taken at one and a half months of age.

Parvovirus

This is a highly contagious viral disease that is dangerous primarily to puppies. Bloody diarrhea is the most important and easily recognised symptom; others include loss of appetite, vomiting, fever and listlessness. Parvovirus can kill an adult dog in two to four days; 8 to 12 wee old puppies can die in a few hours, so early diagnosis is important. A preventive vaccine is 80 to 90 percent effective.

Canine Para influenza

This airborne viral disease more commonly known as 'Kennel cough' is highly contagious, but much less severe than distemper. It is the most common respiratory illness in dogs. The incubation period is 5 to 10 days. Common symptoms include discharge from the nose and a persistent dry cough, which usually disappears by itself within 2 weeks. This disease only becomes serious if left untreated and a secondary bacterial infection sets in leading to pneumonia. This disease is not transmissible to humans, and can be killed with bleach. The best prevention is a standard Vaccination along with parainfluenza vaccine which is often combined with canine and parvovirus vaccines.

Rabies

Rabies is spread by the bite or through the saliva of an infected animal. Symptoms are sensitivity to light, foaming at the mouth, personality changes, loss of appetite and aversion to water. Prevention is only by a highly effective vaccine which may be given as early as three months for puppies. Once infested rabies is fatal and the extreme danger is transmission to humans.

Canine Coronavirus

This virus is also highly contagious, and spread through the feces. Its incubation period is only 1 to 1.5 days. Symptoms are similar to parvo, but it is a milder disease. It is not transmissible to humans, and can be killed with bleach. Canine Hepatitis This uncommonly seen disease is spread through urine, feces, and saliva. The virus can survive in the environment for weeks and even months. The incubation period is 4 to 9 days. Common symptoms are fever with depression, loss of appetitie, discharge from the eyes and nose, abdominal pain and vomiting. This is highly fatal to puppies. This disease is not transmissible to humans and can be killed with bleach. Leptospirosis This disease is not a virus, rather it is a spirochete, a highly specialized form of bacteria. It is spread through the urine onto the skin. After an incubation period of 5 to 15 days, the most common symptoms are weakness, fever, vomiting, loss of appetite and jaundice. This disease rarely causes death, but can persist as a chronic disease. It is usually spread by urine contaminated water, and is a zoonotic disease. This disease is transmissible to humans.

Heart worm

Transmitted by mosquitoes, Heart worm is a foot long worm that floats in blood in one of the hearts chambers. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, listlessness and poor appetite. It can cause heart failure or lung failure over months or years. Prevention is available in a daily or monthly pill.

Greyhounds are very loyal and love their masters and their families. They are gentle and even-tempered and should be socialized early to avoid timidity.


Other Names - English greyhound

Native - Egypt

Height - 27-30 inches.

Weight - 27-32kg.

Colour - Immaterial.

Coat - Short, smooth and firm in texture.

Temperament - Lively, friendly, sensitive, vain.

Life Span - 10-12years.

A dog of a short legged, long-bodied breed. Dachshund in German literally means 'Badger Dog'. This dog possesses confidence and courage bordering on recklessness. He'll pursue his prey relentlessly above the ground and also under the ground.They make lively, friendly, loyal family pets.




Other Names - Teckel

Native - Germany

Height - Miniatures are generally under 9" (23 cm), while the Standard Dachshund are several inches taller.

Weight - Miniature variety must weigh under 4.5 kg; Standard variety usually weighs between 16 and 7-14 kg.

Colour - All colors but white.

Coat - Smooth-haired, dense and only slightly wavy, wire-haired - short, straight and harsh with a long undercoat.

Temperament - Lively, intelligent, energetic and courageous.

Life Span - 12 - 14 Years.

The Golden Retriever Dog, considered the glamour dog of retrievers, is powerful, active and sound. Golden Retriever makes a great hunter, family pet or show dog.


Other Names - Yellow Retriever, Goldens

Native - Great Britain

Height - 51-61 cm at withers

Weight - 27- 34kg

Colour - Rich, lustrous golden of various shades neither red nor mahogany.

Coat - Flat or wavy with good feathering, dense water-resisting undercoat.

Temperament - Kindly, friendly and confident.

Life Span - 10 - 13 years.

A small spaniel of a breed with a silky coat. The name from the breed's use in hunting woodcocks etc. Known as the 'smallest member of the sporting-dog family' is a dog of balance, both standing and moving, without exaggeration in any part, the whole worth more than the sum of its parts. There are three varieties.


Other Names - American Cocker Spaniel

Native - America

Height - 14 -15 inches

Weight - 13-14.5kg

Colour - Any solid colours, parti-colors and tricolors.

Coat - Short and fine on head, medium length on body, with enough undercoat to give protection.

Temperament - Cocker Spaniels are lovable family dogs. Playful and sweet, Cocker Spaniels are very eager to please their owners.

Life Span - 10 - 15 Years.

The Brittany is a natural pointer who makes friendly and affectionate with household members but wary of strangers. Brittany's make excellent watchdogs.


Other Names - Epagneul Breton, Brittany Spaniel

Native - France

Height - 17.5 - 20.5 inches

Weight - 13.6-18.2 kg

Colour - Orange/white, liver/white, tri-colored, roan patterns

Coat - Dense, flat, wavy coat, not curly, some feathering on the legs

Temperament - Loyal, obedient, friendly, highly intelligent, active

Life Span - 10-13 years.

Friendly, cheerful, loving and devoted, Otterhound makes a good companion.


Other Names - Teckel

Native - Great Britain

Height - 23-27inches.

Weight - 30-52 kg.

Colour - Any color or combination of colors.

Coat - Dense, rough, coarse, and hard (softer on the head and lower legs); the undercoat is water-resistant, short, woolly, and slightly oily.

Temperament -Amiable, boisterous and even-tempered.

Life Span - 11-13years.

A tall hunting dog of a breed with long silky hair. The Afghan Hounds elegance makes them a glamorous popular show dog. Majestic, noble, courageous and suspicious of but not hostile to strangers.



Other Names - Baluchi Hound, Sage Baluchi, Tazi

Native - Afghanistan


Height - 25-27 inches

Weight - 26-34kg

Colour - Gray with black tipped hairs

Coat - Variety of colors which include solid black or blue, black and tan, red, cream and brindle. Some light colored hounds are self colored others have black masks and ear fringes.

Temperament - Reserved, lively, active

Life Span - 13- 15years.

Elkhounds known for their ability to hunting and herding. He is normally friendly with great dignity but is also an effective guardian.


Other Names - Elkhound, Norsk Elghund

Native - Norway

Height - 19 - 21 inches

Weight - 18-27kg

Colour - Gray with black tipped hairs

Coat - Dense, smooth lying, weather resistant, outer-coat is coarse and straight with an under-coat that is soft and wooly. Shedding is year-round.

Temperament - Alert, friendly, dependable, trustworthy, independent, dominant

Life Span - 10 - 15 Years.

The experience that many people had to present a dog can be pregnant at least about 54 days and that is a minimum number of days that the dog carries its young. Most days that a dog was in the second apartment was 72 days and has not recorded the case that a dog was pregnant more than 72 days . However, those types of smaller dogs may be pregnant less than those larger types of dogs and smaller dogs need much less time to get pregnant than those larger dogs who are in appearance much bigger than them.

Fewer types of dogs are pregnant anywhere from 55 to 60 days and this is generally a period in which the small kind of dogs should birth to their young. It is important for every dog when the family veterinarian to look to verify that they were some complications during delivery and to ensure that you are with your dog all right and that the delivery was without complications.

If you had other experiences with your dog and if these data are not as in you would be nice of you to all of us to share your experience you had with that as your dog was then pregnant. These are figures that are generally normal for all dogs but there are cases in which the dog is and less than 54 days pregnant, but these cases are rare and when it happens it is a time before birth that can happen to your dog and then would be good to take a vet to check if everything is in order that your dog was born earlier than the normal.

Training pups / dogs requires careful supervision, consistency and lots of patience. But training or teaching acceptable behavior is essential for you to be happy together. They make any dog much easier to live with and also strengthens the bond between dogs and humans. It is wise to instill good habits and manners at an early age. Always praise him when he does something right rather than showing anger and instilling pain when he doesn't. Punishing or hitting can become meaningless if done too often and can make your dog afraid of you. The only time you should strike your dog is when he actually threatens to bite. Keep on repeating the commands, correct and manually guide him to perform the command until he learns each lesson and do it always in a firm, confident and a no-nonsense voice.

Toilet training :

Dogs are instinctively clean animals who avoid soiling their own territory. However a puppy needs training which takes time and patience. Some pups can be housetrained at three months, others may take longer. Take the pup/dog out early in the morning, late in the night and then after each meal, wait until he goes and then praise lavishly. This makes it fun for the dog since it wants to please you. Reduce the responsibility for mistakes indoors by always watching your dog when it is inside and taking it our as soon as you can see it wants to go. Cover the floor of the dog's living area with newspapers at night to make for easy cleaning. Always pick up the dogs excrement and bury it with the use of a plastic shovel. Leaving it open or near any water source can cause unsanitary conditions.

Biting:

The pup's jaw muscles are not properly developed, between 4 and 18 weeks of age. During this time, it is perfectly normal for puppies to use its sharp little teeth to bite us. They are undergoing a natural learning process and it is our job to teach them that biting humans is not acceptable. Shouting 'no' and tapping it on the nose only confuses the dog, all it learns is that when you bite a human, dart away quickly. Instead do what happens naturally between two pups in play. When one bites too hard, the other yelps and the first lets go. Every time the puppy's teeth comes in contact with your skin, let out a yelp. You will quickly teach it not to use its teeth on you. After 18 weeks, when the adult teeth push through, there should be no contact between the dog's teeth and your skin and clothing. No matter how gently it grasps your hand in its mouth, it is an attempt at domination. Use a loud 'get off' combined with sharp eye contact and ignore it for a moment thereafter. Do not pet or praise when it lets go- there should be no rewarding circumstance during any interaction involving the dog's teeth.

Basic commands :

Basic commands can be taught when your puppy is 12 weeks old. But wait until he is 6 or 8 months old before enrolling him in obedience classes. Get a collar and leash before teaching commands. The leash should be 6 feet long and 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Hold it in a way that you have about 2 feet in reserve. Training sessions should be regular say 15 to 30 minutes once or twice a day.

Basic training in obedience includes teaching commands like heel, sit, stay, down, come, no or leave it, drop it and don't jump up and so on. The first and the most important command you can teach your dog is to heel i.e walk along beside you on your left side without going ahead or going behind. Always snap the leash to get him into position. Then go on ahead with the other commands one by one praising him lavishly while he learns. Keep on repeating the commands, correct and manually guide him to perform the command until he learns each lesson and do it always in a firm, confident and a no-nonsense voice.

Food


Adult dogs should be fed twice a day. Young puppies need food to help them grow big and strong, so they need to be fed often. As they grow older the number of feeds can be reduced. When the pup is 6 to 10 weeks, feed him 1/4 cup of food three or four times a day or every four hours, gradually reducing to thrice, till he is 6 months and then twice a day by the time he is an year old. Over feeding at an early age will have a long term effect especially as some breeds are prone to obesity.

Dogs, especially young ones need a diet with high levels of proteins, fatty matters, vitamins and minerals to promote the development of bones and muscles. Dogs are meant to be carnivores and meat loaded with fat and protein is the best food but, you can make them omnivores /vegetarians by giving them a well balanced vegetarian meal complete with needed nutrients. Dry, canned and semi- moist foods are readily available from stores as dog food. Dry food which costs the least comes in chunks or nuggets which can be nibbled and may be served by itself or by moistening or mixing with milk, oil (1tsp corn oil with 1/ pound dry food) or with a whole cooked egg. Dogs need minimum 15% of protein a day and the average recommendation is between 22 and 25% and that of fat between 20 and 50 %. Home made food must be well balanced. It can be boiled meat with rice, oats etc or a vegetarian option can be lentils cooked with vegetables like spinach or soya bean cooked and mixed with either rice or whole grain pasta. Food must be served warm or at room temperature and not straight out of the fridge. Fresh water for drinking should be made available at all times.

Bathing

A dog can be bathed as young as six weeks. Frequent bathing remove essential oils, dries out the dog's skin and coat and leads to skin infections. Bathe them once in two - three weeks or even a month. Rub them down with a damp towel or wash just the paws if they tend to get dirty often. Use mild soap or shampoo (like neem, petmosol etc). Some shampoos may be allergic. Stop use if any redness or itching is noticed. Rinse thoroughly after shampooing. When washing your dog, keep the water out of his ears and eyes as much as possible. Use large pieces of cotton to block the ears and don't forget to remove them after bath.

Regular grooming on a daily basis with a brush or comb keeps your dog clean and its coat healthy. Grooming can begin when dogs are two to four months old. Brush out and remove any mats in the coat before bathing. Begin by pushing hair up and away from the direction it naturally grows with one hand. Then with the other hand, brush the coat back down a few inches at a time. Nails should be trimmed regularly with a dog nail trimmer. Always check the pad's on your dog's feet for injuries and make sure that they are not getting raw or sore. A thorough oral exam of your dog's mouth and teeth should be part of your regular grooming routine. Veterinary research shows that periodontal disease permits the spread of bacteria that can attack the kidneys, liver and heart. Ears also should be kept clean. The earlier you start and younger the dog, the more comfortable he will be, with the grooming sessions.

Exercise

If the dog is to be kept in top condition and happy, exercise is a requirement as important as feeding. Lack of exercise can attribute to almost every behavioral problem in dogs. It may also make them obese and susceptible to health problems such as lameness, diabetes, heart and lung diseases and intestinal disorders. Never keep your dog constantly tied up. The dog will become bored and bad tempered. Whenever he has the chance to escape, he will. Instead allow the dog the freedom of your home.

Dogs or puppies need basic training in obedience and should complete all the vaccinations before it is safe to take them out in public for any kind of exercise. A quarter mile walk is more than enough exercise for a two month old puppy. Older dogs can be walked or run twice a day. Allow him to sniff, explore and take his time rather than simply dragging him along. If it is safe, allow him time off the leash as well. Walk, don't run short legged dogs. The length of the exercise sessions may be increased as they get stronger and more fit. But stop as soon as they show any signs of distress like panting, limping etc. Besides walking, exercise may include running, jogging, playing with a ball, fetching a frisbee etc. Swimming is also a good exercise which also assists in cleaning.