So today, we hosting Celebrate Cute Puppies Thursday here at Terrier Puppy Training.  The following videos are provided for your viewing enjoyment.  Just remember, puppies are cute for a reason, so have an open heart and be ready to forgive the many errors of puppydom.

Thankfully, there are breakaway collars available for cats.  In fact, most of the major US pet retail chains no longer carry the old style cat collars, but only the new breakaways.  Unfortunately, many of these breakaway collars do not stay on properly.  My cat, who just got one the other day, has taken it off of himself about four times.  Another safety option i nthis case is to have your cat micro chipped, so that if he is found and turned in to the local shelter, he can be scanned and you can have your cat returned to you in no time.  You can also install an electronic cat door in your home that only responds to that cat’s micro chip, so that other animals cannot enter.  This is important not only for your cat, but for home security as well, since you wouldn’t want unknown animals or wild ones like raccoons and skunks entering through a regular pet door.

Here are some of the things you should always do in advance when you plan to travel with your pet.    Click on the image below and find out the best ways to make travel easier on your pets and on you, too.

What about all the other great dog breeds?  Just because your favorite might not happen to correspond with the AKC’s top dog doesn’t mean your dog is any less lovable, loyal, intelligent, or cute.  The infographic below shows the top 15 dog breeds in the US, along with a whole lot of statistical information about each breed.  It’s a dog lover’s paradise of knowledge.  Click to expand:

The following infographic contains some interesting insights into several breeds and just how connected they are, directly or indirectly, to their wolfish ancestors.   (This explains a lot about my Shih-Tzu!)

Get your puppy familiarized with grooming from a very early age. Before you try grooming your pup, be sure you have spend ample time holding him, petting his ears and paws, and getting him used to the idea that you will be touching him.  When grooming time comes around, he will not be as nervous.

Always pay attention to spots your dog enjoys being touched most;  perhaps she likes to be rubbed behind the ears, or enjoys having her from paws handled.  These little things can be used as treats to reward your pet for being so patient and good during grooming.

Diseases, and parasites such as fleas, can all be controlled by regular grooming.  A dog with matted hair tends to attract both of these problems, but when you keep the matts out, natural oils get distributed more evenly and help to give your dog a nice shiny coat. To remove tough tangles, comb in the direction of hair growth with short, steady strokes, being careful not to hurt the dog.

Sometimes the animal is not the only one who gets nervous about grooming.  If you are a pet owner who is uncertain of your abilities to groom your dog, visit your veterinarian for some initial advice.  You might also consider visiting your local pet shop, pet grooming salon, and library to gather the best tips.  If you are still nervous before time to start grooming, play some soft music and light a relaxing herbal incense to help you unwind before you break out the brushes and nail clippers, and don’t forget — keep your dog happy.  Then grooming will be something he looks forward to, rather than runs away from.

Puppies can’t do any of that, of course. They don’t have opposable thumbs, and they can’t reach things with their cute and furry (but stubby) little arms anyway.  They also can’t communicate as well as you and I, and so much of their distress, when released into the world outside their fuzzy little minds, comes out in the form of barking, growling, or crying (whining, as some describe the sound.)  Poor little things!  So then, how do you know if little Tybee the Terrier has a bout of insomnia?

“The first clue,” said Sheila Ramstein, a noted dog psychologist and star of a popular direct tv family package show, “is that the pup might seem a bit agitated upon lying down.  It’s more noticeable to people who normally sleep with their dogs, since the dog will not go straight off to bed as usual.  He might instead go round and round in circles, plunk himself down with a heavy sigh, scratch on the bed repeatedly — only to get right back up and repeat the whole exasperating cycle.”  That, she says, should be the tip off to owners that their dog does indeed have insomnia.

What can be done about it, though?  Lots of things can help your precious puppy to sleep.  Try giving him or her a little beanbag to lie on, and provide something with a soft ticking sound nearby.  These have been found to sooth sleepless puppies quite well.  Also, avoid feeding the doggie late at night.  Be sure he has a blanket and some favorite cuddle toys nearby.  This will be most helpful.  If all of that fails and the insomnia lasts more than one night or two, consult your veterinarian.

For one family, at least, whose home was almost completely destroyed by the tornado that raked over their North Smithfield neighborhood, a missing pet made a heroic return three weeks after the storm blew him away.  The family dog, Mason, had not been seen since the tornado struck.  The terrier mix had been trying to hide in the garage and was blown away in the high winds as the storm swept over the house.   The family began searching for Mason, but weeks of staying on the lookout yielded no sign of him.  Until one day, when the family returned to their home site, they found Mason waiting for them on the front porch.

Both of Mason’s front legs were broken, and he was in pretty bad shape.  His fur was severely matted and tangled, embedded with debris, and Mason was dehydrated and starving.  Certain that they could not care for the dog themselves, the family contacted the local animal shelter and asked them to come pick him up.  The animal shelter arrived, assessed Mason’s condition, and arranged to have surgery performed to help keep him alive.  Mason was facing not only broken bones, but infection that had spread through his limbs because he was forced to drag himself along on the broken legs for so long.  After much medical attention, the doctors think Mason will be just fine, and as soon as the family have taken care of their housing arrangements, they plant to take Mason back in.

“We can’t wait to have him home again,” one family member stated.

According to direct tv listings, cleaning up after a disaster of this magnitude is unimaginable to most of us, but so is the joy of  finding a pet who had been missing for long.  Even amid the worst that mother nature deals out, there can be these small miracles.  That is truly amazing, when you think about it.

• Let the world know you found a dog.  This way, if anyone you know of has recently had a dog go missing, someone will have heard about it and maybe the dog can be returned to its owner that way.
• Try to locate the dog’s owner if possible and return the dog.  If word of mouth doesn’t pan out for you, read the local newspapers and see if there have been any lost dogs lately that match your foundling’s description.  Try to make contact if you suspect you might have found someone else’s dog.
• If that fails, take the dog to a vet as soon as possible for and exam and vaccinations.  Assuming you have had no luck finding the dog’s owner or owners, you should be sure either way to take the dog to a veterinarian for an examination, to make sure the dog is in good health and up to date on shots.
• Make an appointment with a professional pet groomer.  If the dog you have found has been out in the wild for some time, its hair could be too matted for you to groom yourself.  Taking the dog to a professional who knows how to de-tangle and clip will be safer for you and the dog.
• Give your new doggy time to adjust to his new life.  Your dog has probably gone through some trauma recently, if you found him beside a road alone.  Perhaps some cruel person drove him far from home and dropped him out, or he ran away and got very lost.  Whatever the case may be, this dog will need time to truly warm up to you.  Don’t be worried if he is very shy at first, or if he seems to be depressed or “blue.”  Sooner or later, your new dog will feel right at home around you.

Get your new dog some toys of his very own and make sure there is a small space in the house that he can call his own.  It might be a pet bed with a blanket, a crate, or even a laundry room sealed off by a baby gate.  This will help him feel secure and safe while he is getting adjusted to your household. Also, to keep your dog company, check out lowest price direct tv and keep the tv on for your dog while you’re away!