Did You Know the Pug Dog Breed Was Almost Labeled As an Edible Dog? Watch Out Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has two pug dogs. One named Nancy (after her character in Sin City 2005) and the other Sid. Sid is said to be referring to Sid and Nancy, the Sex Pistols duo.

Its know wonder Jessica loves her pugs, they are intriguing little guys. The pug is one of the oldest breeds of dog. Their are 3 theories regarding pug ancestry.
1. Some believe they are a smaller version of the French Mastiff.
2. Others believe it is a shorthaired Pekingese or another Oriental breed.
3. And the last theory is an offspring of a small bulldog.

One thing all researchers do agree on is that it originated in 400BC somewhere in Asia. The name Pug comes from the Latin word "pugnus" which means fist. Because the pugs head looks like a clenched fist. Another theory is that the name comes from the pug monkeys that resembled the little dog.

I wonder if Jessica Alba knows her little darlings were almost classified as an edible dog during the Shang Dynasty 1751 BC. Thank goodness they became classified as hunters instead. Most people who have pugs now, wouldn't consider them a hunter. I think they would rather sit on the couch with the remote control all day if we would let them.

One of the most famous pugs is the pug that became the official dog of the House of Orange. It has been said that a pug saved Prince William's life. The dog began barking and woke Prince William up. The pug alerted him of approaching Spanish soldiers.

Pugs have on of those faces that you just have to love. He has fine smooth short glossy hair. He has "rose ears" and very large black eyes, a short thick body, with a high set tail, that curls over his back. His colors are silver, apricot, black, or fawn with the black mask and ears and black trace along his back. The average height is about 10-11 inches and they should weigh only 14-18lbs. My, my I have seen some big pugs. I'll have to tell my sister her pug should not weigh 30lbs. Also, the cute little wrinkle above there nose is suppose to resemble the symbol for Prince in China.

Their are many reasons to love a pug, I am sure Jessica loves hers for many reasons. But they are happy and intelligent little guys. He is great with children and requires only modest exercise. (This must because he had servants early on in his ancestry.) A daily walk will do. If you are looking for an exercise buddy, this guy is not for you, especially on a hot day. Pugs do not like heat, and can become overheated fairly easy.

Daily brushing is a good idea, as the pug does shed. Also, a quick wipe down of the little wrinkle above his nose with a washcloth with soap and water. This area collects dirt and stays moist. The moistness can cause health problems if not cleaned once or twice a week. One tip for the pug owners is to rub down his coat with a silk handkerchief and it will make his coat very shiny.

To Jessica, for loving her 2 little pugs, now we know why. The pug is an affectionate, loyal little lap dog. He is a great companion, and with that clown like face, he will make you smile each day. He is smart, easily trainable and loves kids.

About the Author:
Betty Bulldog has been loving and respecting dogs for 25 years. She offers free information for dog lovers at http://dogZdogZ.com, and a free dog training and information course. Keep those tails waggin! Betty Bulldog http://dogZdogZ.com

Keyword tags: pug dog breed, jessica alba dog, dog training, grooming, origin of pug, temperament of pug breed

Beware Otters Attack Dogs. Yes, I Said Otters

Having your dog attacked by a wild animal is a frightening experience. When two animals are engaged in a fight, it can be difficult to separate them without sustaining injuries yourself.

Depending where you live, coyotes, bobcats, bears, foxes, alligators and mountain lions are the animals that most people are concerned will attack their pets. Otters, although usually shy, non-aggressive animals, have increasingly been involved in attacks on both humans and dogs. Some of the otter attacks on dogs have been fatal. In some cases it has been thought the otter was a mother trying to protect her litter, or in other attacks the otter was rabid.

North American river otters can be found throughout the United State and Canada. Otters mainly east fish, but also eat frogs, snakes, crustaceans, and sometimes small mammals, water birds such as ducks, geese and even herons. Otters are aquatic members of the weasel family, and can look a lot like a large wet cat when they emerge from the water. Otters are usually 3 to 4 feet long and weigh up to 25 pounds. They have webbed toes, short legs and a small, flat head. In Florida, otters are usually found close by to fresh water, living in burrows, on water banks, or under the roots of trees. Otters are protected under Florida law, but can be killed if they destroy property.

In Boca Raton, Florida a woman walking her Labrador retriever and fox terrier experienced an otter attack first hand. The woman saw four otters in the water and kept walking with her two dogs. One of the otters came out of the water and viciously attacked her Lab, pulling the dog into the water. The Boca Raton resident jumped into the water to rescue her dog. The terrier also went in the water and the otter released the Lab and went after the small dog. The woman resorted to punching the otter until it released her terrier and swam away. Luckily both dogs and their owner survived the attack without serious injuries.

In 2001, an otter attack in New Port Richey, Florida resulted in the death of a 5-year-old Alaskan Eskimo. Two teenage girls watched as their dog, Mike was ferociously attacked by the otter in the backyard of their New Port Richey home. At first the girls thought the otter was just playing with their beloved pet, when suddenly the 4-foot-long otter grabbed Mike's snout with his teeth and began to drag the fluffy, white dog into the lake. As the girls screamed for help, a family friend grabbed a pole, jumped into a small boat and tried to rescue Mike. The dog was already limp and floating away. The otter showed no fear of the rescue attempt, jumped into the boat and began attacking the friend's foot. The girls stood in the backyard, hysterical as their friend kicked and jabbed the otter with a pole. The otter jumped off of the boat, swam over to Mike, grabbed the dog and glided off. The body of the dog was found on the shore of the lake a day after the attack.

Dog owners should consider the possibility of attacks by wild animals on their pets and take preventative measures. Dogs should never be left outside unsupervised. Even in fenced yards, wild animals have been known to gain access and attack pets. If your dog must be left outside, consider purchasing or building an outdoor 6-sided enclosure that is made of a heavy gauge chain-link. Remove food sources from your yard, such as fallen fruit or food refuse. Do not leave pet food outside unnecessarily.

Always walk your dog on a leash. When walking your dog in areas where a wildlife attack may occur, get in the habit of carrying something with you to scare wildlife, such as, a walking stick, air horn, or umbrella, as well as something to throw such as baseballs or golf balls. If you notice a wild animal such as a coyote, or an otter, keep your dog as close to you as possible and move towards an active area. Never encourage your dog to interact or play with a wild animal. If your dog is attacked by an animal, avoid the desire to jump between the animals and pull them apart. This usually results in serious injury and the possibility of going through rabies shots. Consult your veterinarian, or dog trainer for other suggestions on how to deal with animal attacks.

About the Author:
Betty Bulldog has been loving and respecting dogs for 25 years. She offers free dog information for dog lovers at http://dogZdogZ.com. Including a free puppy training class for your new pup or old dog. Keep those tails waggin! Betty Bulldog http://dogZdogZ.com

Keyword tags: dog attacks, animal attack dogs, dog training, dog bite, dog bite law

How to Prevent and Control Leash Pulling

Whether you are training a puppy or an older dog that you have adopted, you will find that a big part of this is making sure that he does not pull on his leash while you are out walking! A dog that pulls on their leash unexpectedly can suddenly take the leash out of your hand, and the resulting situation can be quite dangerous. A dog who pulls on his leash might also be menacing to other dogs or to people and if you want to walk your dog responsibility, leash pulling is definitely one behavior that you want to curb. How can you prevent your dog from pulling on his leash and what do you need to do?

The first thing that you need to address when it comes to leash pulling is that you need to take action right away. This is a habit that is very hard for a dog to break once he has become used to it, so take some time and look into what you can do to make sure that it does not become a permanent aspect of his personality. To prepare for training, get his leash and clip it on to his collar. Remember that choke chain is a very bad idea for this kind training because a dog can strangle himself if he throws himself against his leash too roughly.

One great method for training a dog to walk on a leash is to simply stand in one place and let your puppy act as he wishes to do so. You should leave about four feet of length in the leash and whenever your puppy allows the leash to go slack, make sure that you braise him. Pick a "happy" word or a word that show him that you approve of him, like "yes" or "good" and use it whenever he sits on the end of the leash with it going slack.

Remember that you do not want to move forward when your dog is lunging at the leash or pulling it taut. This tells him that he can "pull" you where he wants to take you, and this is not a good idea for him to get. Remember that when he pulls, you should simply stop. On the other hand, remember that you do not want to pull back on the leash or to jerk it. Ideally, the leash will never be taut at all. Take some time and consider what your options are going to be and what you can do to make sure that your dog listens.

Alternately, you can also make sure that your puppy stays at the right place by putting a little bit of peanut butter on the end of a dowel and keeping it hovered above his head or near his nose when he is walking next to you. Allow your puppy to lick at the treat and use the stick to keep him at the right distance next to you.

Take some time and consider what your options are going to be when it comes to controlling leash pulling; it really is that simple!

About the Author:
This article was written by Kelly Marshall of http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - offering the best dog supplies, such as dog toys for aggressive chewers, at great prices.

Keyword tags: dog training,dog obedience training,how to walk a dog,control leash pulling,prevent leash pulling

Dog Owners Guide : German Shepherd Aggression

While German Shepherds may not inspire the ill-placed fear of such breeds as Rottweilers and Pit Bulls, they do land on many banned breed lists.

In fact, it is more of a reputation of being aggressive that German Shepherds have acquired. Owners of these dogs will mostly deny that German Shepherd aggression is a concern, but, unfortunately, the number of incidents of these dogs attacking people and other dogs can't be ignored. However, whilst genetics are a factor, the biggest problem is mis-training, or even no training, by their owners.

It would be wrong to think that this trait of inappropriate aggressive behavior is displayed by all, or even most, German Shepherds.It is wholly unfair to let the misdemeanours of the minority result in the entire breed being labeled as "dangerous" or "aggressive".That being said, it is vital for owners to learn to recognize the signs of German Shepherd aggression, so that they can immediately begin to work to bring them under control.

Aggression can take many forms.Some German Shepherds only act aggressively towards other dogs. Some will display aggression only if they are approached whilst they are chewing a bone or eating. Others are aggressive toward strangers, and others even show aggression to some human members of the household in which they live.

Don't discount even minor forms of aggression, say to a cat or the postman, because these could easily escalate into something more serious. If you do notice signs of aggression in your dog, proper training and handling can turn the behavior around and, potentially, save your dog's life.

Some owners make the mistake of yelling at or hitting their German Shepherd when he displays aggressive behavior.For the most part, this makes the overall situation worse, as the dog becomes less trusting of humans.By doing so, you are also placing yourself and those around you at immediate risk - it is quite possible that your dog will fight back on being hit and will starting biting and leaping at those nearest to it.

Obedience training is a much better solution for dealing with German shepherd aggression. The best results are seen with younger dogs, but don't let the age of your dog put you off from trying it at any time. Even old dogs can learn to be obedient, it just takes a little more time.

You can learn a lot about obedience training through online resources. They will tell you how to read the signals that dogs give off and how to get them to obey your voice commands. You will be able to find general information on the topic, and also specifics for each breed. It's also increasing common to be able to find videos on obedience dog training too, which can really help your understanding of it.

So, online information and videos are the best place to start, and these might be enough in themselves; however, there is also the option of taking your dog to professional dog obedience classes. This are fairly widespread, so you should be able to find one near to you.

About the Author:
Learn More : http://mydogtrainingadvice.com/german-shepherd-aggression By Mark Walters.

Keyword tags: german shepherd aggression,german shepherd dogs,german shepherd,dog aggression,dog training,dog trai

Stopping Your Dog From Chasing

Most dogs enjoy chasing things, with cats, cars and people being particular favorites of theirs. Dogs generally see this as something fun to do, and don't mean any harm by it, but, the fact is, that by chasing they invoke fear in others and can cause unintentional accidents.

Allowing your dog to chase anything is an irresponsible thing to do. So, it is important that, as the dogs owner, you see it how others see it, as annoying and dangerous. Don't worry though, it is something that can be corrected with a little time and effort.

It is not as simple as just yelling at or hitting your dog after it has chased something. You might think that doing this would make it less likely to do it next time, but it rarely does. It's instincts will kick in again next time around and the pain it suffered last time will be soon forgotten. Taking a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one, is much better.

The very least that you should is not let your dog be in a situation that allows it to chase in the first place. With dogs who regularly chase after things, this may mean having to keep it on a leash or within a fenced yard. Until you have learnt to predict your dogs behavior and have trained it obey your commands, this must be done to ensure no danger comes to your dog or those who share an environment with it.

To prevent them from chasing an owner needs to understand his dogs cues. It is common for dogs to give some indication, such as a prolonged stare or a lifted leg, before they set off after something. Once you know what it is that your dog does, you can act before it does. You should be able to find this out fairly quickly as dogs are creatures of habit.

The obeying of basic commands is necessary for a dog to stop chasing. You need to teach your dog some basic commands to start with, such as sit down and come here. Once your dog understands these skills it will be easier to stop him from chasing.

So, how do you train a dog to obey voice commands? First you need to find something that the dog really likes, such as a toy or treat. Place your chosen item 10ft from the dog and wait for it to start approaching it. As it starts to move, command it to either sit down or come to you. When it obeys your command, speak in a warm tone to it and let it have the toy or treat.

Get a friend to help you, once it has mastered this part of his training. Have your friend jog by you whilst waving a toy or treat and see what the dogs reaction is. If it starts to chase then give the dog the command to either sit down or come. On obeying your command, give it the reward. Should it ignore you and continue to chase then be sure not to give it a reward, even if you feel sorry for it.

This might take some time and patience, but your persistence will pay off. Remain positive and determined and you should have the problem solved within a week.

About the Author:
Learn More : http://mydogtrainingadvice.com/stop-dog-chasing Or http://mydogtrainingadvice.com By Mark Walters.

Keyword tags: stop dog chasing, dog training, dog obedience, dogs, pets, animals