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After you get a puppy one of the first things to do is name it. How do you decide on what to name your puppy when there are so many great names out there? This article will assist you in choosing a name that you like and is fitting for your pup.

So many names and so little time. That is the way most dog owner’s feel when trying to decide on a name for their pup. Should I call him Max, Mack or Magic? If you know me then you know I prefer Max, as our Boxer boy is named Maximus. Below are some tips on naming your newest family member.

Choose a name you like and will use. This sounds simple but I see a problem with this all the time. Often an owner wants to think of a creative name for their dog, which is great. A problem arises when the name is hard to say and many different short variations of the name arise. Take the name Maximus for example. We do not use this name, instead we shorten it to Max. The key is to call the dog the same name each time you call it. This helps them learn their name. Many people will make a variety of “cute” names, for instance Max, Maxi, etc… and call the dog differently each time. This can confuse your pup and add a lot of time onto your puppy learning their name and coming when being called.

Name the pup something that ends with a long “e” sound. From personal experience dogs tend to learn and listen better to names that end with a long “e” sound because of the higher pitch the owners voice makes when calling. Some examples of these names would be Mookie, Zoie, Andy, Teddy, etc….

Find out the meaning of the name and name your puppy according to their personality. There are many great resources online for finding dog names that will also give the meaning of the name. Baby name books are another great place to find potential names for your pup. An example would be Max, which means “Large Spring” which is a very accurate description if someone has seen him when we have company.

With so many names available take your time and choose the perfect name for your new puppy. With the ideas listed above I am sure many are thinking of additional ideas for finding the perfect name. Remember that this is very important as it will define your puppy for the rest of their lives.

Additional Resources


Discuss Dog Names in the DogGroups.com community.

Find other an Dog Name resources in the DogGroups.com directory.

Find other great Dog Names in our names section of the site.

Find training tips in our Puppy Training section of the site.

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When deciding to add a dog to your family one of the most important things to consider is how to choose a reputable breeder. When considering a breeder always remember that for every reputable breeder, there is an untrustworthy one. To help detect the difference, this article lists several factors to AVOID when considering a breeder.

The breeder has several different breeds available and always has litters of puppies. This is most likely what is referred to as a puppy mill, in which dogs are bred simply for making a profit. The breeder does not have any intention on bettering the breed and health problems may soon follow.

The puppies are kept outside without proper shelter. Puppies should be provided with proper shelter, otherwise they are susceptible to health issues from weather conditions. Depending on the specific breed and breeder, the puppies may be kept inside of the house or in a kennel outside.

The breeder does not ask you questions. Remember this is an animal and not a used car. The breeder should be very knowledgeable and ask you many questions such as your experience with dogs, living conditions, plans for exercise, plans for spaying or neutering and more. This is a good sign the breeder cares about their pups and the well being of the breed. A breeder that simply to sells to someone that has enough money to purchase a dog is someone that should be avoided.

The breeder does not know about the breed when asked questions. A breeder that can answer simple questions about the breed should be avoided. The main purpose of breeding is to better the breed by eliminating health issues and unwanted characteristics. If a breeder does not know much about the breed, what are the chances they are bettering the breed? Below are some simple questions a breeder should be able to answer:

1. What country did the dog breed originate in?


2. How long have you owned and bred this breed of dogs?


3. What do you like most about the breed?


4. Do you have a spay/neuter policy? Almost all-reputable breeders will

The breeder does not give any clear indication on if the dog may be bred. Most reputable breeders are concerned about their reputation and will require any puppy purchased as a pet be spayed or neutered. If a breeder does not give any clear indication of their spay/neuter policy ask them about it. If they do not have one, find a different breeder.

Additional Resources


Discuss Choosing a Breeder in the DogGroups.com community.

Find Dog Breeders resources in the DogGroups.com directory.

Find training tips in our Puppy Training section of the site.

This article is Copyright © DogGroups.com and may not be reproduced in any format without prior written consent of the owner. For additional dog articles visit DogGroups.com – All Dog Breeds Welcome. If you would like to reproduce this article, please contact webmaster@doggroups.com

Pet overpopulation is a major issue because many pets are not spayed/neutered and the irresponsible owners of these pets. Recently the Food and Drug Administration approved a new procedure that could be a major step in the right direction for overpopulation problems. This article will discuss both the positives and negative aspects of this new procedure.

Introduction


On May 19 a major announcement was made by the FDA in regards to the process of having a dog neutered . The announcement was the first injectable sterilization for dogs has been approved. The drug that is injected is called Neutersol and sterilizes the dog to prevent reproducing. This drug is manufactured by the Addison Biological Laboratory, Inc and is currently only approved for dogs. An announcement is expected for an approval of the injection for male cats in the future.

The Positive Effect


There will be many positive effects of this new procedure. One of the major benefits of this procedure will be for animal shelters. Although costs of the drug and administration of the injection have not been seen, one can easily imagine training staff to give the injection. This could free up time for the licensed veterinarian at the shelter to tend to other matters. This would never be possible as the process of neutering a dog is a surgical procedure that staff members could not perform.

Another benefit is to dog owners as many worry about the surgical procedure being done when it is time to neuter their dog. The process of neutering a dog is very safe but as with any surgery there are risks involved. The injection will be a viable alternative to those that prefer not to have surgery completed on their dog.

The major benefit will of course be the potential to more dogs being stopped from reproducing. Whether this comes about from decreased cost of neutering or another means, the end result the injection should be trying to obtain is an increased instance of neutered dogs.

Potential Issues


At first glance this new procedure looks to be a major step in the right direction of reducing the dog population. As with any new method there are may questions that still remain and potential issues that will arise discussed here.

One potential issue to using the injection is with the behavior benefits of having a male neutered. When having a male neutered through a surgical procedure it often eliminates many undesired male behaviors such as aggression and marking. When the injection is used these behaviors are not reduced because the testosterone production is not reduced.

Another potential issue is that with health. When a male is surgically neutered it reduces the dogs probability of having male related diseases such as prostate disease and testicular tumors. The injection does not reduce the male dogs chances to have these health issues and actually potentially opens a new problem. When initial testing of the injection was completed it is noted that if the injection is not done properly, it could cause ulcers upon the scrotum.

Final Thought


Although the injection is a step in the right direction it still lacks in several areas. Until the a solution to issues with unwanted male behavior and reducing male genetic diseases are addressed, this will not be a viable solution for most pet owners. One of the biggest benefits of this announcement is that it will encourage more research and eventually additional methods will be produced for helping solve the pet overpopulation issue that affects us all.

Additional Resources


Chat about this Injectable Sterilization article at DogGroups.com.

Additional Information of the use of Neutersol can be found at the Food and Drug Administration

This article is Copyright © DogGroups.com and may not be reproduced in any format without prior written consent of the owner. For more information, please visit DogGroups.com – All Dog Breeds Welcome If you would like to reproduce this article, please contact webmaster@doggroups.com

After researching breeds and breeders for quite some time it is finally the big day when a new owner goes to pickup the new puppy. There are many things to do and a lot of fun and work ahead for the new dog owner. Detailed is a personal day in the life experience of the first day with a new puppy. Section II covers the evening of the first day and an unexpected surprise.

At 6:00 PM the dogs awake and are taken out to use the bathroom. The puppy is doing very well about going outside and the family is very happy about this. It was planned for a lot of messes as the puppy had not been in a house and is not potty trained.

After a bathroom break it is time for the first walk through the neighborhood. Having a dog already lead broke proves to be beneficial for the family as the puppy follows its new big brother the entire walk time. In most cases the puppy would not be doing well on lead and this would be another challenge for the new owners. After some good exercise and introduction to the neighborhood the family visits some friends in the neighborhood and introduces them to the newest family member.

The family arrives back home around 8:00 PM and is starting to feel the exhaustion of the long day. To their surprise the new puppy is ready to go some more and is running and playing throughout the house. Instead of resting, the new owners start a crash course in the command “No” as the puppy thinks every item is the house is free game to be chewed. The existing family pet has long since laid down and decided to rest. While chasing the puppy the family discusses if they ever had to work this hard with the first dog when he was a puppy.

By 8:45 PM the puppy is exhausted and finally lies down. At this point the older dog is awake again and the family gives him some needed one on one attention and praise him for doing so well welcoming the new puppy into their household. Without the family noticing the puppy wakes and has an accident inside. The puppy is taken out the mess is cleaned up by the family. While the puppy is outside it finds a big mud puddle from the rain earlier in the day. With a puppy being a puppy needless to say it begins to splash and roll in the mud before the new owner can catch it.

Bath time starts at 9:00 PM to remove the mud from the young pup. The pup is not use to bathing and becomes very scarred and needs much comforting from the owner as the bath is going on. This is very important as the family do not want the puppy to view bathing as a bad experience.

At 9:30 PM the puppy is done bathing and taken back out to use the restroom and one last romp, this time watched carefully so it avoids the mud. The entire family comes back in at 10:00 PM and finally gets a well-deserved break from the hard day of work.

While the puppy sleeps inside of the house it begins to begin breath rapidly. This is of immediate concern for the family as they have had other pets and never seen such rapid breathing while a puppy sleeps. Being Internet savvy, the family begins searching online for causes of rapid breathing and finds one cause is lack of oxygen and several other issues. Concerned the family it is better to be safe than sorry and call the emergency animal hospital and the breeder. The breeder is called first and he is not in so a message is left. Next the animal hospital is contacted and after a brief discussion about the puppies behavior the owners decide to take her in to have her breathing examined. While preparing to leave, the breeder of the puppy returns the owners call from earlier. The behavior is described to the breeder and he immediately knows the cause. He explains to the owners that the pup is not use to indoor conditions as she has lived in a kennel and the temperature is kept much cooler during the winter than indoor conditions and the rapid breathing is being caused by her temperature raising so quickly being indoors. Satisfied with the response from the breeder, the family cancels the appointment at the animal hospital and decides it is definitely time to get everyone ready for bed.

The puppy is introduced to its crate and it does not seem to like the idea of sleeping in the crate. The family wishes they had introduced the crate earlier in the day at this point. The puppy and its big brother are both placed in their crates and told good night. The family lays down at what is now 12:00 AM and is exhausted. Within five minutes of lying down the puppy decides it does not like the new crate and begins to whine and bark to get the owners attention. Although difficult not to rush to the puppy, the owners know that if they try to talk to her that she will know that if she whines then she will get attention. This is not a behavior the owners want to enforce and decide to out wait the puppy. After an hour the puppy decides to finally lie down at 1:00 AM and the family can finally get some rest from the big day.

At 5:00 AM the family is awoken by puppy barks and a messy cage and the family prepares for another event filled day!

This article is dedicated to our newest baby girl, Madison. She has brought us so much joy and we look forward to years of great times ahead. Love You Baby Girl.

Additional Resources


Part I of So You Are Ready for a Puppy


Chat about Puppies and Choosing the Right Breed at DogGroups.com.

Find training tips in our Puppy Training section of the site.

This article is Copyright © DogGroups.com and may not be reproduced in any format without prior written consent of the owner. For additional dog articles visit DogGroups.com – All dog breeds welcome. If you would like to reproduce this article, please contact webmaster@doggroups.com