1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.
2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours. 3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers. 4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: - Don't pee on the tree - Don't drink water in the container that holds the tree - Mind your tail when you are near the tree - If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don't rip them open - Don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree 5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part: - Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans - Don't eat off the buffet table - Beg for goodies subtly - Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa - Don't drink out of glasses that are left within your reach 6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important: - Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people's houses. (4a is particularly important) - Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house - Tolerate children - Turn on your charm big time 7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON'T BITE HIM!!
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Our Dogs of the Month, Popski and Eugenie have some great tips on how you can remember to keep your pooches happy during the festive season! Christmas time can become stressful around the house for us, so imagine what it must be like for our pets! Things being moved around the house, bright flashing trees are going up and lots of visitors are coming and going. This can all be very exciting for our dogs can also a little intimidating at the same time. Here's some tips to help keep Fido comfortable and enjoy the festive season.
The Bichon Frise’ (pronounced Bee-SHON Free-ZAY) is a small dog, and very similar looking to a Poodle. Whilst they are recognised as a French dog, the Bichon actually originated from Spain’s Canary Islands. They weren’t introduced into Australia until 1976 and the first litter was registered in March of 1977.
Bichon's are ancestors of the Barbet (Water Spaniel), which they were named after, originally referred to as Barbichon, and later shortened to just Bichon, which is French for “Lap Dog”. They spent many years as sailing dogs, keeping sailors company whilst at sea, however were used for bartering, where eventually they Bichon’s are small dogs, that weigh no more than 10kg, and stand at around 23 – 30cms tall. They are feisty (but not yappy) yet affectionate, playful but gentle, and cheerful yet sensitive. They have a curly white coat, (Bichon is French for curly), and dark round eyes and a little black nose. Whilst they are small, they are sturdy little dogs. Their coats whilst curly do not shed, so are great for those who suffer from allergies. Bichons are playful and love company; however, they do not need excessive exercise. They are friendly and get along well with other dogs and make for excellent guard dogs. The Bichon is notoriously difficult to house train, so it may take some time and patience to teach them where to toilet, however they are very competent and with time can be taught most things – being a breed that thrives in the show ring for both breed and trick competitions. Being a small dog with a big personality they are at risk of ‘little dog syndrome’ so thrive on having a calm, assertive pack leader. They love being part of the family however need their boundaries, otherwise can take over very quickly. With the right time and training, the Bichon Frise’ will quickly become a stable minded, loving, trust-worthy family member. Are you getting into the festive spirit with some baking for the holidays? If so why not make some doggy friendly treats for our 4 legged friends too?! Popski, one of our December Dogs of the Month, thinks this recipe is paw licking good!
Holiday Chicken and Chedder Treats You will need
It's that Merry time of year and another month means the crown is being passed on to our last Dogs of the Month for 2018! Eugenie and PopskiTwo of our beautiful, golden oldie, Bichon Frise friends!
Be sure to keep an eye out for their upcoming blogs on having a dog safe Christmas this year! Congratulations Eugenie and Popski! There are in fact two different types of Labrador; the English and the American. Their general appearance is quite different with the English bred Labradors being heavier and stockier and the Americans being taller and lanky. Both types of Labradors have a smooth double coat that does not have any waves. Their coat colours come in a solid black, yellow or chocolate. It’s believed there is also a rare mutation of a silver/grey colour which the AKC consider a ‘shade of chocolate’, it’s quite a controversial subject between Labrador breeders and some claim it’s a Weimaraner, Labrador cross, though others say it’s a true mutation.
The Labrador is native to the Newfoundland and were once known as the ‘St.John’s Dogs’. It was here they worked side by side with their fisherman and would catch any fish that became loose from the lines. They were trained to jump into the extremely cold waters to help pull in the nets. In the 1800’s some of them were brought over to England on ships coming from Labrador (hence their name). They were cross bred with setters, spaniels and other similar retrievers to improve their instincts as hunters. It didn’t take long for them to become an extremely popular pet and hunting dog and they’ve gradually become one of the most popular breeds throughout the U.S and Australia. The Labrador is a highly intelligent, trainable breed. They are well known today for their work as Seeing Eye Dogs, Guide Dogs and sniffer dogs throughout the police force and airport work. Their loving nature and eagerness to please is the reason they are such a great family pet. Unfortunately, for some people it’s easy to forget that these bouncy bundles of joy are a working dog, meaning they need constant daily stimulation, both physically and mentally. They can easily put on weight if over fed and under exercised and are prone to hip and elbow displacer. It’s highly important that their weight is kept at a healthy level from the early stages of life to prevent these issues further down the track. An overweight Labrador lives a shorter and unhealthier life then healthy weight Labrador. As working dogs their minds are always on the go, for this reason plenty of mental stimulation is a must! Training must be started from a young age to assert that you are the pack leader. Labrador’s can grow into large, solid dogs and while jumping all over everyone may be cute as a pup, as they continue to grow this can become very unwelcoming. A dog jumping on you is also their way of showing dominance and means your dog doesn’t see you as the pack leader. Their natural line of work shines through when it comes to water play, Labradors just love it! They love to be a part of a family and are excellent with children and other dogs. They fit well into any environment as long as they can get plenty of human attention, exercise and stimulation. They are an average shedder and their short, double coat is easy to groom. Brushed regularly and bathed only when needed will help to keep it easily maintained. Congratulations to Winston the Labrador, our Dog of the Month for November 2018! Winston is a such a sweet boy, 3 year old Labrador who has been staying with us whilst he recovers from surgery.
The Dachshund, pronounced “dak -sund” also known as the Sausage Dog or Weiner Dog, is a small dog, with short legs and a long body. The name Dachshund is of German orient and means “Badger Dog”.
Dachshunds originated in Germany and were used to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals like rabbits. Their short legs, long snouts and deep chests enabled them to run fast, and have plenty of stamina whilst hunting. Dachshunds also have quite loose skin, to ensure that they didn’t tear their skin whilst tunnelling in constricted burrows. Dachshunds come in three different sizes, standard, miniature and rabbit, however the “rabbit” size is not recognised in some countries. They have three different types of coats, the shorthaired, longhaired or wirehaired. The Dachshunds coats come in many different colours, 15 to be exact! Some of them are Red, Black & Tan, Chocolate, Dapple, Sable and Fawn to name a few. The first sign of a Dachshund traces all the way back to ancient Egypt where there have been etchings found of short legged hunting dogs, and up until recently when this was just a myth, there have now been mummified Dachshund like dogs found in burial urns. Dachshunds are a traditionally viewed as the symbol of Germany, and were frequently used in propaganda during WWI and WWII, causing their popularity to drop dramatically. In 1972 at the Munich Games, the Dachshund became the first ever Olympic Mascot, his name was Waldi, and the route for the marathon event was even designed to resemble Waldi. Health wise, the Dachshund are prone to back injuries due to their long spine and short ribcage. Dachshunds should not jump on and off furniture and their weight should be well maintained to ensure that these injuries are less likely to occur. Dachshunds are lovely, loyal dogs, they are playful but can at times be known to be stubborn, and can be known to be aggressive towards strangers. Despite their small stature they are very courageous and will take on animals that are much bigger than they are! A Dachshund owner needs to be firm and persistent when it comes to their training. Dachshunds are recommended for families with older children, who can assist in the training and keeping the “pack mentality” going. With the correct leadership they will get along well with children and other pets. If you think a Dachshund would make the perfect pet for you and your family, you will not regret it, they are truly wonderful companions. Congratulations to Lola, our October Dog of the Month!
Lola is a beautiful two year old Short Haired Dachshund. She is a sassy little bundle of energy and always makes loads of friends when she visits us here at We Love Dogs Kennel Resort! The Corgi is a small breed dog which originates from Wales in the United Kingdom.
Initially bred for herding, they are the smallest of the herding breeds that were normally used to herd horses, cattle, and sheep. The name Corgi originated from the Welsh words “cor” meaning dwarf and “gi” meaning dog and are closely related to the Siberian Husky. Whilst Corgis are small, they are very fast runners and need regular exercise. There are two different breeds of Corgis, the Cardigan Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and it wasn’t up until the 1930’s that they were recognized as separate breeds, the Pembroke being the most popular of the two breeds. The Cardigan is the bigger of the two breeds, however over the years, due to interbreeding, they have become quite similar in appearance. Corgis have long bodies, short legs, and thick coat to keep them warm. Some Corgis are even born without tails. The corgis coats can be seen in many different colours such as, Fawn, Black & Tan, Sable and Red and can have white markings. Corgis are the favoured pet of Queen Elizabeth II, who has owned more than 30 since getting her very first, Susan, in 1944- as an 18th birthday gift! Corgis have very loving personalities and love to please their owners! They are intelligent and very easy to train! If you are looking for a small, but spirited and faithful dog to be a part of your family, the Corgi may be just what you are looking for! |
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