Although becomes difficult to maintain a completely pet-hair free zone on a daily basis. If you find yourself short on funds, but desperate for inexpensive ideas for removing those pesky pet hairs, then try these three pet hair removal tactics:

Duct Tape

Duct tape is known for being the king of all tapes and nearly every household has a roll of this type of tape. The secret to the magic of duct tape is its extreme stickiness. The adhesive side of duct tape is known to be strong enough to fix broken furniture temporarily, repair tears in upholstery until it can be mended, and much more. Now you can put your duct tape to use in help with pet hair removal.

While many pet owners use a lint roller, a roll with sticky adhesive on the outside used for clothing, it sometimes is just not sticky enough. Sometimes several sheets of lint roller adhesive sheets are need to remove pet hair from the smallest areas. Duct tape becomes a clear alternative that in the long run might be cheaper than purchasing lint rollers and lint roller refills.

Simply wrap the duct tape around your palm, with its extreme sticky side exposed, and pat along the areas that require pet hair removal. If you want to cover a larger areas, then consider cutting longer strips of duct tape on sticking the tape directly onto the surface of the area where the pet hair is to be removed, firmly press onto the tape, and rip off!

Liquid Fabric Softener & Water Solution

If you have liquid fabric softener, water, and a spray bottle, then you are halfway to eliminating pet hairs from your home! Mix a solution of fabric softener diluted with water and place into a clean spray bottle. Make sure that you label the spray bottle so that when you are organizing your cleaning supplies, you will know what type of solution is in the bottle.

With the solution in hand, lightly mist areas where there is a lot of pet hair, do not drench the area, a light mist that will only take a couple of minutes to dry is sufficient. The mixture of liquid fabric softener and water is almost like a magic solution that loosen pet hair in carpet and upholstery. Now wait a few minutes, make sure that they area is dry, and vacuum over the area. The solution will likely have loosened up plenty of pet hair to really make it easier to vacuum.

Rubber Gloves

Rubber gloves, either kitchen gloves or gardening gloves, can work against the battle of pet hair removal. Put on a clean rubber glove, perhaps you may label to glove for pet hair removal for the future, and rub around the area where there is excessive pet hairs. The static from the rubber gloves with work to clump the loose pet hair together, creating little pet hair balls that you can pick up and throw away.

Dave Roth runs a website about vacuum cleaners, which rates the top brand name vacuums on the market. The website features reviews on Dyson, Oreck, and Miele as well as user vacuum cleaner ratings and experiences.

Walking

You can teach your pup to walk on a loose lead using two positive reward training methods.

•Try this retraining exercise if you have a dog that tries to pull your arm out of its socket. When the lead goes stiff, stop in your tracks. Wait for the lead to go slack, call the dogs name and click and treat as he comes to you. You may find it takes an hour to walk down the garden path to the front gate. The dog will get to understand that a loose lead is more rewarding than a tight lead fairly quickly.

•holding a few small tasty treats in one hand, the leash and the clicker in the other hand we are going to lure the dog to walk close to us. The hand with the food should be the hand nearest the dog. So, dog on the left, food in the left hand. Working the dog on both sides has huge advantages if you wish to participate in the fun sport of dog agility and I recommend you work this exercise with the dog on either side as long as you remember that the food treats must be on the same side as the dog.

Start with the dog sitting or standing in front of you. Get the dog focused on the treats in your left hand and start walking backwards. Make a click and slip one of the treats out of your fingers so the dog can take it every three paces. Make certain the dog is staying with you and is following the hand with the food treat.

With the dog following the food in your hand, make a quick 180 degree turn so that the dog is now on your left, snuffling at the food still in your left hand, and you are walking forwards. You still need to click and treat every three paces. The walking backwards is slowly faded out at the start until you can start with the dog sitting or standing at your side.

You can now take more steps before you click and treat the dog. Over a period of time you will stop using food in the hand but will have the dog following a clenched fist that smells like it may have food in it. When the dog stays by your side you can click and treat when you come to a stop and you introduce the sit command as you come to a stop.

Click and treat only if your dog sits as you come to a stop. You may need to take one or two steps after you give the sit command. Watch the dog and if you see he has heard and sits, then you need to stop immediately as well.

Stays

Part and parcel of any dog obedience course is the sit and the drop stay, and is fairly simple to teach the pup. You start with the dog sitting next to you on your left. Place your right hand across your body and right in front of the dogs face, say the word “STAY” firmly and, stepping off on the right foot, take a step around and in front of your dog.You should now be about about 1 meter away and facing the dog with your right hand in the dogs face.

You stay in front of the dog for the count of 5 and then step back and around to the dogs side. Click and treat if the dog’s rear did not move. Repeat this exercise several times and again do not over do it. Train in several short sessions – usually about 10 minutes is adequate.

Extend the time you are standing in front of the dog but do not extend the distance at the same time. When you are able to stand in front of the dog for say 20 seconds, step out 2 meters, but drop the time count to 5. Build the time slowly up to 20secs and then step out to 5 meters but go back to a counting up to 5. Then go back to 2 meters for 10 seconds, and so on.

You can develop the sit stay and the down stay in the same way. If at any time the dog moves, take a quick break and then restart at a shorter distance for 5 seconds and rebuild your time and distance.

RECALL

Have you taught your dog its name? If you have already taught your dog its name then the informal recall has already been instilled into your dog. Your dog must come to you when you call its name. We now need to proof the recall with distractions.

Take a b reak between teaching the stays and this exercise.You must not do this exercise immediately after working the stay exercise as you will be confusing the dog – one minute he is expected to stay put, the next you are telling him it is ok to move towards you. The idea is to teach the dog that the word “stay” means wait until I come back to you and your stay for a recall command is “wait”, which means wait until I call you.

The recall is started with the dog in either a sit or stand next to you. I personally do not mind but if you are working towards wanting a champion obedience trial dog then you will want to choose the position required in trialling situations – this is most usually sitting.

With the dog next to you, give him the “Wait” command and step around in front of the dog and take a step backwards. Keep your hand out in front of the dog. This will be about one meter in front of the dog, and you will be facing the dog.

Before you call the dog, ensure he is looking at you. Call his name and add the word come – “Rover come” and slap the front of your thighs with your hands. Do not attempt to train the recall if the dog is distracted by a squirrel or the neighbours cat.

You can use a tug toy if you have a good tugging dog. Iinstead of slapping your thighs,you wave the tug toy and get him charging towards you and reward him with a tug game.

Once again, you need no use short training sessions, repeating this exercise several times. Do not let the dog get bored. Six 10 minute seasons in a day is infinitely better than 60 minutes once a day.

You must extend the time and distance for this exercise the same way as for the stay.

If you find the dog is slow in coming into you, when you call his name, immediately spin on your heels and run in the opposite direction calling excitedly. Click and treat as the dog gets to you and use the tug toy if necessary.

The dog may run past you. If he does, turn 180 degrees and run in the other direction. Watch over your shoulder and as the dog gets close, spin around and encourage the dog to come right to your legs and have him sit in front of you.

As your dog begins to understand the exercise, you can start extending the distance and get further away from him. Try to resist crouching down when you call your dog. Rather make yourself as tall as you can when you call him in. Crouching makes you look smaller and less interesting to the dog.

If you have already read my other article on the basics, then you now have now taught basic dog obedience exercises that will have your dog sitting, dropping, walking on a loose lead, staying where you put him, and running to you fast when you do a recall.

You need to keep repeating these exercises continuously and consistently. The more you do, the greater will be the dogs understanding, and the stronger the behaviour will be.

Nev Allen is a dog trainer with 30 years of experience and he is now sharing this experience to help you make your puppy a good, happy and well trained obedient dog. Visit my blog for more detailed dog obedience training and clicker training articles.

Now that you have selected your equipment, follow these simple steps for assembly and proper installation:

1) Aquarium and Aquarium Materials

You must first thoroughly rinse out the inside of the aquarium to be used. Next, you’ll need to wash all aquarium gravel, rocks, and ornaments to be used. Do not use soap or detergents–they can be very toxic to fish and other aquatic life. To wash the gravel, put it in a colander over a plastic pan or bucket and add water. The gravel should be stirred vigorously and then drained. When the water stays clear after stirring and is free of debris, the gravel is clean.

2) Undergravel Filter (if used)

If an undergravel filter is to be used, place it on the bottom of the aquarium and cover it with 2 to 3 inches of washed gravel. Be careful not to pour anything into the filter stems. If you slope the gravel down toward the front, collecting accumulating debris will be much easier.

3) Adding Water

Fill the aquarium approximately one-third full. Pour the room temperature water onto a plate or saucer sitting on the gravel so it will not disturb the gravel. Always add AquaSafe (one teaspoon per 10 gallons of water) when adding water to your aquarium.

4) Connecting Air Lines

Connect the air line tubing from the air pump to any outlets located inside the aquarium, such as undergravel filters, air stones, or decorations. By using a TetraTec CheckValve you can safely locate your air pump underneath your aquarium.

5) Decoration and Plants

Aquascape the aquarium with rocks, ornaments, live and/or plastic plants. These should be arranged in such a way that the equipment will be concealed or at least will not detract from the appearance of the aquarium. If you are adding live plants, make sure that the water is warm enough for them. Remember to keep them moist from the time you buy them until they are planted. Plant the roots gently below the surface of the gravel, leaving the crown (if the plant has one) exposed, or they will not grow properly. For optimum plant growth and root development use Tetra FloraPride.

6) Add Balance of Water

Fill the aquarium to near the top. Leave some air space between the water and the cover. Again, pour the water in such a way that you do not disturb your aquascaping and gravel.

7) Filter, Heater, and Thermometer

If you are using any outside filters, fill them with filter materials, locate them according to instructions and make certain their siphon is free of air. Secure the heater as directed and place the thermometer as far away from the heater as possible. Make sure you can easily read the thermometer.

Starting Your Aquarium Equipment

Plug in your air pump, power filter, and heater. Check the air outlets and adjust the settings. Make certain that water is flowing properly through your power filter. Adjust the thermostatic heater to the proper temperature, checking periodically. It will take some time for the temperature to stabilize and you may have to adjust your setting. Important: Do not switch on the heater when it is not immersed in water in the tank. The heating element can malfunction and overheat and the glass tube can shatter if placed in water while hot.

9) Check the Conditions and Temperature After a Few Hours

Water in new aquariums will often turn cloudy for a day or two. Don’t be alarmed, as this is caused by a harmless bacterial growth and should disappear naturally. Check the pH and hardness of your water.

10) Adding Fish to the Aquarium

You’ll be bringing your fish home from the store in plastic bags. Please be sure to come straight home after you purchase the fish, as you don’t want to leave the fish in the bags any longer than is necessary. When you get home, immediately float the bags in your aquarium for 15 minutes. This allows the water temperature in the bag to slowly match the water temperature in the aquarium. DO NOT pour the water from the bag into your aquarium, as the water may contain some contaminants that you don’t want in your tank. Rather, over a bucket or a sink, pour the fish into a net. Then immediately place the fish into your aquarium. Also, be sure to add AquaSafe every time you add fish to your aquarium.

11) Cover the Aquarium

Place the hood securely on top of the aquarium to protect the fish and prevent them from jumping out. Turn on the aquarium light.

12) First Feeding and Control

It is advisable not to feed your fish until they have adapted themselves to their new environment (1 to 2 days). Watch your fish closely. If they are hiding in corners, exhibit clamped fins, or showing pale colors, it is possible that something is not right with the conditions of the aquarium. Recheck the following:

Is the temperature correct?

Was the water too fresh? (Was AquaSafe added?)

Are the lights and color of the gravel too light?

Do the plants offer enough hiding places for the fish?

Are the fish healthy?

Steven Sannan is currently a member of the http://www.tropicalfishtreasure.com staff, with 35+ years of fishkeeping experience. Experience that includes extensive freshwater, saltwater and pond keeping knowledge.

If you have an external biological filter on your pond, let it continue to run until there is the chance that the outlet water flow might freeze. If you shut the filter down, let the water drain from it either via siphon effect or from the drain plug. Do not clean it other than to remove any dead plant life, leaves etc. An in-pond filter should be removed for winter. You can leave your pump (if non-oil filled) in the pond so long as it is well under the point to where the ice will form. Remove as much debris as you can from the pond. Net out dead plant material, leaves, waste, sludge etc., but a deep cleaning is not necessary. Try not to stir up the water too much. You can do a partial water change if you want, but no more than a quarter inch, and never after the fish have begun their hibernation. During the winter check on your pond often to make sure all is going well. If the pond has completely frozen over NEVER break through by pounding on it, as this may aggitate the fish, and may harm your pond liner. Do not panic, remember if an Aerator/Circulator Decontaminator unit is being used, it’s still working bringing in oxygen and absorbing toxicants. Now would be the time to plug in the deicer, but just until the ice opens. Another quick trick you can do, is too pour some hot water until the hole opens again.

Fish:

You can help your pond fish survive winter by doing the following: Add vitamins and mineral supplements to their diet to help them build up their immune systems and add the needed stored fat to get through the hibernation cycle. Once the water temperature drops to 55 degrees or so, only feed them when they are actively up and roaming around. If they are hanging around at the bottom of the pond, do not feed. Only feed them what they will eat in a few minutes (5 minutes or less) and remove as much of the uneaten food as possible. When the water temperature is below 45 degrees, do not feed at all. Even on warm days where the nighttime water temperature will return to 45 degrees, refrain from feeding.

Ammonia is the number one fish killer. During the winter months, your fish will not die from the cold, but could actually succumb to suffocation do to the water becoming too toxic. Ammonia builds up at the bottom of the pond, which is the very place your fish want to spend their winter, while carbon dioxide builds up near the surface under the ice. A pond deicer (heater) may helps some with the carbon dioxide problem, but does nothing to prevent ammonia build up. Ammonia forms because of several main reasons. Ammonia is part of the natural biological process, and occurs when organic matter, like dead plant life, fish waste and excess food starts to decay. The bodily functions of the fish will greatly contribute to ammonia in the pond. Visible fish waste is only part of the problem. Much of the waste will come from the fishes gill function. As the fish breathe they give off ammonia and carbon dioxide. During the winter hibernation, most of the fishes systems slow down, but they still breathe and produce waste matter. It is very important to allow dissolved oxygen into the pond and do something to prevent the ammonia and carbon dioxide build up. A deicer (heater) can be marginally effective, but some thought should be given to an Aerator/Circulator Decontaminator Unit. Using one of these units and a deicer as a back up is the best solution. An Aerator/Circulator Decontaminator can be used year round in your pond, as it greatly enhances the overall biological process helping to prevent algae and such. But these units prove to be extremely effective in the winter season, and should be added to the pond in early Fall to provide a clean, clear and healthy environment for your fish. The explosion of the multitute of bubbles will constantly add dissolved oxygen to the depths of the pond, while helping to keep a hole open in the ice. Even if your pond froze completely over the unit would continue to work bringing a fresh supply of oxygen, while absorbing toxicants. Again a deicer (heater) will supplement this attempt to rid your pond of ammonia.

Plants:

Tropical plants generally will not make it through the winter if left in your pond. They should be removed as soon as the water temperature drops below 60 degrees or so. Depending on the variety you have, some may be used as house plants. Water hyacinth and lettuce take a lot of effort and money to keep alive all winter, so it is best to consider them annuals and just replace each spring. Your hardy plants need to be cut down to about an inch above the root stem and sink them to the lowest part of your pond. However, keep your fish in mind, as they need a place to hibernate. Give your fish top priority, as far as room at the bottom of the pond is concerned. Best time to cut the hardy plants back is long before there is a chance of frost. While removing the hardy plants to cut them back, take the time to remove any debris and string algae from the pots and stems.

Steven Sannan is currently a member of the http://www.ongardenpond.com staff, with 35+ years of fishkeeping experience. Experience that includes extensive freshwater, saltwater and pond keeping knowledge.

Of all the animal products that are sold in these stores, the dog and cat products, are the most popular. Most generally you will often find cute little puppies and kittens in these shop windows just begging you to take them home. You will be able to find all of your pets foods and even their treats in these great stores.

The overall selection of food that you will find is huge and will contain just about any flavor that your pet could ever crave. Most generally you will find that these stores will actually carry the higher end brands with just a few choices in the middle priced ranges. These choices will also be able to cover all types of your pet needs throughout the stages of your pets life.

No matter if your animal is brand new or really old you will find that you will be able to cover your pets health needs. These stores will even offer you foods for those animals that have a special needs diet such as indoor food versus outdoor food.

Along with the shelves that are just filled with tons of different foods you will also find entire aisles filled with different types of supplements to keep your beloved pet healthy and happy. Of all these supplements probably the most common one purchased would be glucosamine which is great for your animals joints and any arthritis that they may be suffering from. You will also find other supplements such as fish oils, vitamins, and even supplements that you can add to your pets food to help them have healthy white teeth.

Along with all the great foods and vitamins you will also find tons of different cat and dog beds and even a kitty condo. All of these items are more common than a lot of people may think, but they also carry a variety of different items that you may not have thought of, such as a massage blanket for your dog. They will never leave their bed again.

Once you have taken the time to get all of your cat and dog items you should also check out the other great animals such as birds, fish, and ferrets that these stores carry. You will find a lot of different cute and cuddly animals in these stores. With all of the toys and accessories they have available these days for your pets, you could spend a very long time in one of these stores.

Whether online or at your local shopping center, many pet stores are just as fully stocked as any mega stores that have for groceries, clothes or shoes. These kinds of stores cater to the family pets and treat them just like what they are to you – a beloved member of the family.

Animal lovers will find the highest quality pet supplies Toronto at the convenient and locally owned pet stores. Choose from a vast variety of loyal and loving creatures, including birds, kittens, and puppies Toronto.

There are many different types of liners that can be used for your pond. Pre-formed plastic ones are sturdy, durable, and relatively easy to install but do not allow you to customize your pond. Concrete liners are extremely durable and permanent but can be very expensive, difficult to install, and should be left to professionals or serious do-it-your-selfers. The most common and versatile of all ponds liners are the synthetic polyethylene and butyl rubber liners.

These liners come in a variety of thicknesses and can accommodate virtually any shape you can come up with.

Polyethylene is one of the most common and affordable liner materials but lacks flexibility and tends to become brittle as it ages. It is much better suited for temporary setups. Butyl rubber, PVC, and LDPE (low density polyethylene) are more expensive but are much more durable and will last much longer. They come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses to suit your individual needs. It is a good idea to use an underlay pad under any lined pond to prevent punctures and leaks from developing. Do not cut corners here because if your liner should begin to leak, you will be required to tear your pond apart and start the process over. Commercial underlays are now readily available but in the past, sand, old carpet, felt, or even polyethylene bags have been used.

Sizing Your Liner

Because liner material is expensive and a liner that is too small will not do you any good, it is important to calculate the correct sized liner that you will need. To calculate the size follow these simple guidelines:

Measure the length of the pond at the longest point

Measure the width of the pond at the widest point

Measure the depth of the pond at its deepest point

Take twice the maximum depth and add it to the length at the longest point to get the overall length

Take twice the maximum depth and add it to the width at the widest point to get the overall width

Then add 12 to 24 inches to the overall length and overall width to provide enough overlap around the edges

An example would be if the pond is 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 2 feet deep; we would double the depth to 4 feet and add it to 10 feet, and then add 2 more feet for overlap to get a total length of 16 feet. To get the width we would double the depth to 4 feet and add it to the width of 5 feet, and then add 2 feet for overlap to get a width of 11 feet. We would end up needing a liner 16 by 11 feet.

Once the liner is sized, then we can then lay it in the pond opening, over the underlay and weigh it down with large smooth stones to help it form it’s correct shape. Another option would be to slowly add water and allow the weight of the water to push the liner into shape while you make minor adjustments as necessary. You will want to secure any overlap with stones, rock, etc. Digging a pond can be a lot of work, but by taking your time and getting some help it can also be a lot of fun. Remember to take your time and do it right the first time because you won’t be able to change it after the pond is filled. Buy the best liner you can afford and don’t forget the underlay to protect the fragile lining. When this part is done then you can get on to the real fun of filling and aquascaping your new pond.

Steven Sannan is currently a member of the http://www.ongardenpond.com staff, with 35+ years of fishkeeping experience. Experience that includes extensive freshwater, saltwater and pond keeping knowledge.

Housebreaking a puppy often takes a lot of time. It is important to understand that the learning skills of your puppy may be entirely different from the skills of another; therefore, training should not be rushed.

To start the housebreaking process, you should keep your puppy in a crate or a small room in your home. This place should be secured not by a closed door, but a baby gate. In this new place, your puppy will learn to stand up, run around and curl up; it must find comfort in this place before it goes on to the actual training.

It is thought that the best approach to housebreaking a puppy is to set, and stick to, a simple routine. If you are consistent with your training, you will find that your puppy will learn faster and better. Regularly changing a puppy’s routine will confuse it, and confused puppies make slow, if any, progress.

The next step in housebreaking a puppy is determining the area of your yard that you want your puppy to use as its potty area. This is where your puppy will do all of its training as this is going to be your puppy’s comfort zone.

What you should do is take your little dog to the potty area every so often. Wait around in the area until it begins to defecate or urinate, and then give the puppy a treat. You will have to do this to let your puppy know that it is doing what you want and that you are pleased with its behavior.

You always have to reward your dog for a job well done. It can be great if you incorporate useful words like go poo or pee in there, so that whenever the puppy hears you say those words, he knows exactly what he is supposed to do.

Keep in mind that it is important to do go through this process regularly. Take your puppy to his comfort zone as soon as it wakes up in the morning and just before it goes to sleep at night.

Another important consideration to take into account is the puppy’s feeding schedule. Housebreaking a puppy can definitely be made easier if he has a consistent feeding schedule.

Feed your puppy according to a schedule so that you can begin to learn its bowel and urine habits. You decrease the chances of your puppy urinating or defecating in an appropriate place if you know when it is going to have to relieve itself.

Finally, it is important to ensure that your puppy is getting the right diet, as some types of food will cause irregular bowel movements. Stick to plain foods meant for dogs to begin with, and only introduce plate scraps and leftovers when it has made good progress.

Learn more about housebreaking a puppy by visiting http://housebreakingapuppyblog.org

Things to be done daily:

• Make sure to turn the aquarium lights on and off each day. Most aquarists find it convenient to use an automatic timer for this. If you choose not to go this route, try to turn the lights on and off at the same times each day. What you will be trying to do, is replicate a natural day/night cycle for your fish.

• Take a couple of minutes each day to check your fish and invertebrates for signs of stress, disease, or death. Always be prepared to remove dead specimens immediately, and treat any sick fish accordingly.

• Feed your fish and invertebrates twice a day, removing any uneaten food.

• If your tank is not fully seasoned yet, conduct water tests until the water matures and the nitrogen cycle is established. Routine tests include ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. Record and track these test results carefully.

• Routinely check the water temperature in your aquarium. Adjust the heater up or down as needed, unless you’re using one of the preset aquarium heaters currently on the market. If you have a saltwater tank, the specific gravity or salinity, must also be checked.

• If a protein skimmer is being utilized on your aquarium, empty the collection cup as needed.

• The ever-attentive aquarist should also check the water level, and top off as needed.

• Visually check all aquarium systems: heaters, filters, aerators, protein skimmers and such. Make sure they’re all running properly and smoothly and pay special attention to intakes and siphon tubes. Make sure nothing is leaking or sucking air.

Things to be done weekly:

• Remove excess algae, while keeping beneficial algae at acceptable levels and getting rid of nuisance algae.

• Clean the glass, both inside and out, without the use of glass cleaners of course. Remove salt-creep deposits.

• Water tests should be conducted weekly, after the water matures and the nitrogen cycle has been established. Record all of these test results and add trace elements and buffers, as needed.

Things to be done every other week:

• Clean your aquarium filters as needed. All solid debris should be carefully removed. Partially change or rinse the filter media within the filter if the bio-load is particularly high, the media is extremely dirty, or the normal water flow is being restricted.

• Change about 10 to 15 percent of the tank water while thoroughly vacuuming the gravel.

Things to be done monthly:

• Conduct thorough filter checks to assess the filter’s overall effectiveness. Replace the filter carbon and rinse the filter media and components as needed, being careful to not upset the bulk of the bioload.

• If a protein skimmer is being utilized on your tank, it should be thoroughly cleaned at this time.

• Thoroughly clean the outside of the fish tank, hood, aquarium stand and surrounding area, removing all salt and calcium deposits, dust, and any dirt that has accumulated.

• Remove and rinse off any tank decorations or plants that suffer from excess algae growth.

Steven Sannan is currently a member of the http://www.tropicalfishtreasure.com staff, with 35+ years of fishkeeping experience. Experience that includes extensive freshwater, saltwater and pond keeping knowledge.

History of the Breed

There is historical evidence that similar dogs to the Great Danes were around in Egypt in 3000 B.C. This evidence is in drawings located on monuments in Egypt. The earliest recording in writing about this type of dog is from 1121 B.C. The English Mastiff was crossbred with an Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane was born.

The Germans developed this breed in the beginning to hunt the boar, which is a fierce beast. At that time the dog’s name was Boar Hound. During the 1800s the dog remained a popular hunting dog. Then the nobility and other dog lovers of the day began to have the Great Danes on their properties. Toward the later part of the 1800s the Great Dane started doing dog shows along with still being a hunting dog.

After this surge in popularity the breed started being refined and standardized. The AKC registered the Great Dane finally in 1887 and placed it in the “Working Dog Group.” After it was not used as a hunting dog any longer it became a guard dog or a pet. This breed is still popular in spite of its size being trying on owners at times.

Temperament of the Breed

This breed is a gentle laid-back dog with protective instincts. It is not usually that aggressive of a dog. In spite of its huge size it is great to have around kids. The dog will need to be trained though not to jump up on children or adults, because the can literally make someone fall over.

It can be a good companion dog if socialized from an early age. The Great Dane can shy away a bit from strangers as they get older. They do need a certain amount of activity. This dog should also be obedience trained so that it knows how to act in a variety of situations. Due to their great size they make great watchdogs, and don’t always have to get aggressive to chase people off. If they are up to no good the person may leave at the sight of the dog.

Health Issues this Breed Could Face

Below are some health issues that the Great Dane could be faced with.

• Skin Allergies

• Gastric Torsion

• Cardiomyopathy

• Skin Tumors

• CVI

• Canine Hip Dysplasia

• von Willebrands Disease

Grooming Requirements for the Breed

This Great Dane breed should receive basic routine grooming. Brushing the coat with a bristle brush is about all it needs. If the owner wants to add gloss to the coat they can just rub it with a soft cloth to bring out the shine.

This breed does shed some but not heavily. Wet bathing is not recommended rather use the dry shampoo at least at home. If you do need to dog to go through a wet bathing, take the dog to a groomer who can handle bathing the larger dogs more easily. The dog’s nails should be trimmed to the proper length.

Article by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies, check out our selection xs dog clothes and cool dog collars online.

The dogs are chosen very carefully to be guide dogs. There are certain breeds known to excel in this capacity. German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers are the top dogs used for guide dogs. These breeds are use due to their high degree of intelligence and being such hard working dogs.

History of Guide Dogs

As far back as the 16th century there are references made about guide dogs. Even the famous author, Elizabeth Barrett Browning made mention of them in her writings.

While World War I was going on the first schools to train guide dogs were founded in Germany in the year 1916. This was to provide the veterans who had been blinded in the war with better mobility using the dogs. Other schools opened in other areas of Germany and together they produced more than twenty-five hundred specially-trained guide dogs to help the blind.

During this period there was an American, Dorothy Harrison Eustis, who was breeding some German Shepherds for a variety of work related functions. She traveled to Germany to see the work that was being done training the guide dogs. She thought quite highly on the results she observed.

To make a long story shorter she went on to write an article about the guide dogs. It was published in the “Saturday Evening Post.” It just so happened that in the United States there was a young man who was blind, Morris Frank, who happened to hear about the guide dogs as the Post published the article. The man from Tennessee set his mind to get a guide dog. He needed to get around easier traveling than he did. Having money at his disposal he now wanted more of a sense of independence.

He made contact with Mrs. Eustis requesting a guide dog trained by her. She agreed after several contacts with her and told him to make a trip to Switzerland. He and the dog (Buddy) trained together then came back to the United States. Mrs. Eustis then asked Morris Frank to open a school in the USA. In 1929 he started “The Seeing Eye”.

Today there are many laws allowing guide dogs to accompany their owners into places where animals are not usually allowed. This not true of every region of the world though. So if you are going to be traveling to a foreign country with a guide dog check out the local customs.

These guide dogs provide an invaluable service to the blind person. The person can lead a much more normal life thanks to having the assistance from a loyal guide dog. Owners of these dogs take very good care of them and know exactly how valuable they are.

Article by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies, check out our selection designer dog clothes and small dog collars online.