Tag: pet

Beautiful Lexie an American Foxhound Mix pondering her lineage.

American Foxhound

Height: Male 22 - 25" & Female 21 - 24"

Weight: Male 45 - 65 lb lbs & Female 40 - 60 lb

Coat: American Foxhounds have a medium-length coat that lies close to the body and has a hard texture, protecting the hound from brush and briars in the field. American Foxhounds have a close, hard, hound coat of medium length. Defects--A short thin coat, or of a soft quality.

Color: The coat comes in various colors.  Any tri-color with a saddle being the most common.

Appearance: Clearly athletic dog of stamina with sleek lines that are not overly refined. The legs of a Foxhound are very long and straight-boned. The foxhound’s chest is rather narrow. It has a long muzzle, and a large, domed skull. The dog is a Virginia Common pet. The ears are wide and low-set. The eyes are hazel or brown, and are large and wide-set. The coat is short and harsh. Overall, they are very similar to the Beagle, only standing higher and being larger. Their coats come in four colors: red, tri, black and tan, and blue.

Temperament: A true hunting dog, the American Foxhound is happiest in the field and on the trail. With its powerful sense of smell, this dog is easily distracted by various scents, and once it has decided to follow one you will have a difficult time calling it off. The breed hunts with the passion of a warrior, but is gentle, affectionate, and great with children in the home. With regard to strangers, the American Foxhound’s temperament can vary tremendously. Some dogs act in an extremely protective or guard-like manner while others will eagerly embrace an outsider. The American Foxhound has a long history of hunting in packs, and therefore gets along exceptionally well with other dogs; it also tends to be good with pets. This dog will bay and howl, and city living is therefore not recommended.

Health: The Life expectancy for an American Foxhound is about 10-13 years. This breed is not generally a breed that carries genetic disorders. Overfeeding these dogs can easily cause them to gain weight. A minor health risk in American Foxhounds is thrombocytopathy, or platelet disease. While dysplasia was largely unknown in Foxhounds, it is beginning to crop up occasionally, along with some eye issues. It is not typical or customary for Foxhound breeders to screen for any hereditary disorders at this time. The American Foxhound is an energetic breed. According to some veterinarians and trainers, it needs plenty of exercise, for example, a fairly long walk followed by a game of fetch.

Famous:

Washington’s home state, Virginia, claims the American Foxhound as its official state animal.

American Foxhounds are featured in the novel, The Hunter’s Horn by Harriette Simpson Arnow.

Lexie owned by April Miller

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Llewellin English Setter

History: It's a very specific, pure strain of "English Setter with bloodlines tracing back to the breeding program of nineteenth century sportsman R. L. Purcell Llewellin. Llewellin and Edward Laverack played a key role in the development of the breed. Llewellin's name has been irrevocably associated with those English Setters bred for field work."

Height: 22-24 inches  and are somewhat smaller than their English Setter counterparts who are around 23-26 inches.

Weight: Females 35-50 lbs & males 45-60 lbs on average

Coat: Single-coated (no undercoat) with hairs that are soft, fine, silky, and medium to long in length. Hair is feathered on the chest, back of all legs, ears and most noticeably on the tail.

Color:

Non-Belton: Usually predominantly white with colored body patches and ticking.

These dogs are born mostly white and any patches of coloring will be present at birth. As the dog ages the white areas become spotted, growing darker colored hairs called ticking. Ticking begins to develop shortly after birth and the dog is usually fully ticked by the time they are 6 months of age. Heavily ticked dogs may not end up being predominantly white as adults due to the large amount of ticking present, but are still considered non-belton types due to the body patches of color which were present at birth.

Belton: Predominantly white without body patches, only ticking.

These dogs are born completely white, but then as the dog ages the ticking begins to come in. Ticking intermingles with the white all over the body sometimes giving a roan appearance. True belton dogs have no body patches of color, only ticking.  Heavy ticking may give the appearance of more color than white.

Blanketed: Predominant body color other than white.

These dogs are born mostly black or chestnut with patches of white, the exact opposite of the non-belton type. Ticking will develop within the white patches shortly after birth and will be fully colored by the time they are 6 months of age. Do not be fooled by adult dogs that appear to be blanketed, but are rather only "heavily ticked". Heavily ticked dogs were still born predominantly white, so should not be considered "blanketed", rather they are non-belton types

Appearance: The coat is flat with light feathering of long length. They have a long, flowing coat that requires regular grooming.

The various speckled coat colours when occurring in English Setters are referred to as belton; valid combinations are white with black flecks (blue belton) or with orange flecks (orange belton— depending on the intensity of the color, they might be lemon belton or liver belton), or white with black and tan flecks (tricolour belton).

Temperament: The English Setter dog breed was developed as a hunter and thereby it is a lively and rather energetic dog that simply loves to run and indulge its hunting pedigree. This breed makes for a warm and affectionate dog that gets along admirably with children, other pets as well as dogs and even strangers. The English Setter can be strong willed & mischievous. In order to prevent the breed from becoming destructive or a nuisance it is necessary that the dog gets a substantial dose of exhaustive exercise outdoors each and every day. Inside they tend to be lower energy and love to be couch potatoes and lap dogs that love to cuddle.

Health: The Life expectancy for Llewellin English Setter is about 10-12 years. Overall, Llewellin Setters are a pretty healthy breed with very few genetic problems. They do not have any known specific types of cancer or eye diseases. But like any English Setter are prone to Canine Hip Dysplasia , deafness, Atopic Eczema, ear infections, food allergies & hypothyroidism.

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Who doesn’t love taking their four legged friend to the local dog park. There is nothing better than getting out to frolic in the fresh air with your loyal companion.  Dog parks are a great way to for your dog to get some exercise while allowing them to socialize with other dogs.  There is only one thing that can ruin a perfect day at the dog park: bad doggie behavior. Here are some easy tips to ensure a great day at the dog park while keeping your dog happy and safe.

1. Make sure your dog is not aggressive. Nothing can ruin a trip to the dog park than an aggressive misbehaving dog. So if you know your dog will be aggressive it is just better to skip the dog park until Fido gets some obedience training.

2. Come, Sit, Stay: It is very important that your dog responds to basic commands and can be controlled very quickly.

3. Where and what….make sure you know where your dog is at all times and what he or she is doing. It important to keep a watchful eye and sure your dog is not getting out of control or disturbing others.

4. Don’t be afraid to be a called tattletale at the dog park, speak out because safety comes first. If other dogs are misbehaving don’t feel guilty about telling their owners. Most likely the owner may not be aware that their dog is acting out of control and they will thank you.

5. Be #1 at the dog park by cleaning up #2! If your dog does their business, please pick it up!

6. Bring toys and balls and have fun! But be ok if you lose some to other dogs at the park.

7. If you have a small dog and a large dog approaches fear not, just introduce and make sure all tales are wagging. Don’t pick your dog up it draws attention and may make your small dog scared.

If you have other tips to keep your dog safe or have fun stories about your day at the dog park please leave a comment below. And remember don’t forget to have fun and be safe! No need to worry about your dog having fun. He or she will find their place at the park and decide very quickly who they want to play with at just one sniff. Let them have fun and remember not to be over protective, it is important that your dog get his or her paws wet. Remember a socialized dog is a happy dog!

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Has your dog mastered the art of not listening? Well perhaps there is underlining issue that needs dealt with and a good ear cleaning is in order. Regular weekly ear cleanings are important aspect of your pets care and should not be taken lightly.  Learning to clean your dog’s ear properly is the first step told prevention of discomfort, hearing loss, and ear infections. Ear infections are caused by bacteria that can lurk in the dark corners of your dogs ear canal. Although cleaning your dog-ears may seem like a chore and struggle at times it is VERY important.

Dogs and humans have a lot in common we both get waxy build up in the ears.  Over time if not cleaned the waxy build-up can set the mood for some bacteria & fungal growth leading to ear & fungal yeast infections.  Dogs with floppy ears have a higher risk of getting chronic ear infections. Their ears are warm, dark & moist with little airflow making them the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. With that said dogs with floppy ears should be cleaned twice a week.

So what are the signs of an ear infection that all loving owners should be aware of? Redness, swelling, pain, head shaking, frequent ear scratching, thick ear discharge and odor are sure signs. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, seeking the aid of a certified vet is key.

If not treated properly and in a timely fashion the infection can make its way to your dog’s inner ear where he or she can suffer from permanent hearing damage. Even resulting in a dog’s version of vertigo, where your dog is unable to stay balance.

Here are a few helpful steps that will make cleaning your dogs ear an easy task. Make sure to have lots of dog biscuits and praise along the way to ease any discomfort and fears your dog may have. It’s important that you stay calm and upbeat through the entire process. Don’t panic or get upset if your dog does not cooperate, this takes time.  But the squirming, whining and struggle is well worth enduring for your beloved pup and precious ears.

1.    First you will need the proper tools: ear cleaner, cotton balls (or cotton pads), Q-tips and lots of dog’s treats. Best Bully Sticks will surely do the trick and provide lots of chewing joy even after the ear cleaning is all said and done

2.     Warm up the ear cleaner bottle in a bowl of hot water for 5- 7 minutes, shaking the bottle occasionally and replacing the bowl of water with hot water as it cools.  Many dogs hate the thought and feeling of something cold in their ears. So, warming the ear cleaning solution will ease the discomfort and calm your dog.

3.    Sit the dog in a corner of a couch or arm chair and take your position alongside him.  This will help you and your dog maintain a comfortable position and prevent him from squirming out of the chair.

4.    Proceed by dampening a wet cotton ball or cotton pad with the ear cleaning solution and begin wiping the ear gently. Depending on how wet and dirty between the ears Spot is will determine how many cotton balls or pads will fall casualty. Once you have finished one ear move on to the next. Lucky for you and Spot this ear-cleaning regime will remove a lot of ear wax and dirt.

For floppy ear dogs, lift the ear upright so you can see the inside. Make sure the dog's head is not tilted as you need the cleansing solution to go downward into the ear canal.

Did you know that fur inside a dog’s ear canal makes them more prone to bacteria build-up. If your dog has furry ear canals making it difficult clean, slowly and gently pluck away or trim those dog ear hairs. Don’t worry this is not a painful process.

5.    Then dampen both ends of the several Q-tips with the warm dog-ear solution and begin venturing in the cracks and crevasse and outer portion of your dog-ear to remove the wax.  Keep in mind dog ears are not only sensitive to sound but also touch, so never stick the Q-tip into the ear canal. Only clean the portions of the ear that are visible.

No matter how young or old your dog is they can still reap the rewards of regular proper ear care with gentleness and praise. But as always we do advise that if you have a young pup or thinking about adopting a pup to start them getting use to an ear cleaning regime early. This will surely make them more cooperative and un-afraid through their pup, teen and senior years.