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If you want to be really good friends with your dog then you must learn to understand it. The dog, being a pack animal, has a given place in the social order of a pack, and this order is maintained by means of various signs and signals. Observe your dog carefully and notice its posture (the position of the individual parts of its body). For example, the ears are held in one way when the dog is fawning on its owner, hut in a different way when it sees or senses something suspicious, and in a different way again when attacking.

Observe how the dog bares its teeth: if it bares its teeth with its nose wrinkled, this is a threat; if it does not wrinkle its nose, but draws the corners of its mouth hack, this is an expression of fear or uncertainty. Many things can be expressed by the position and movements of the tail.

Everybody knows what it means when a dog wags its tail or when it tucks it between its legs. The most important gestures for self-preservation in a pack are the gestures of superiority and subordination. Even in the roughest of fights, if one dog shows a sign of subordination, the fight will usually be over. Members of the same species do not usually fight to the death. For the victor it is usually enough for its adversary to admit its position of inferiority. In the wild there are very few exceptions to this rule - of which the human being, unfortunately, is one.

The most suitable time to take the bitch to the dog is usually between the ninth and thirteenth day of this period. The exact time depends not only on the age of the bitch but also varies according to the individual. The bitch is always taken to the dog for mating and not the other way round. (In a strange environment a dog is often more interested in his surroundings than in a bitch.)

Naturally the dogs who place their marks first are the males highest in the social order. The higher a mark is placed on an object the greater is the maker's standing. That is why dogs try to urinate as high up as possible. Naturally the dog must be sparing with his urine so as to he able to mark as many objects as possible and that is why he often releases only a few drops. Besides visual signs (perceived with the eye) and olfactory signs (perceived with the sense of smell) dogs also use acoustic signs - perceived with the ear.

These, however, are of far less importance. Whining and growling, for example, are used mainly by puppies to express various feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. They are responded to on the one hand by the mother, and on the other hand by the other pups in the litter. Barking and howling make it possible for dogs to establish contact over greater distances.

There are many questions you need to ask when considering adopting your companion. After all, a dog is a lifetime commitment:

A. When was the puppy born?

B. How long till you can adopt your new family member? Your puppy should be at least eight weeks before they are able to go to their new family.

C. Is there a waiting list? Most good breeders have some type waiting list for their animals.

D. Have the dogs received their first shots and had their initial Vet examination? Puppies should receive their basis vet care before they are allowed to be adopted.

E. Does a Breeder require their dogs to be altered? A good breeder requires pet quality canines to be altered.

F. Did previous litters suffer any genetic diseases? If so, what type of genetic diseases were present?

G. What return policy if any? A good breeder will always allow you to bring the puppies back to her home.

H. How long has the breeder been breeding that particular dog? You need look for breeder that has a few years experience under his belt, avoid backyard breeders that are out to make a quick buck.

I. How many breeds? Legitimate breeders generally do not breed more that two different types of dogs. Avoid puppy mills!!

J. How many time a year is the dog bred? A breeder that is good will only breed their dog one time a year.

It is tough to see your pet dog suffering due to pain from arthritis. You can see the pain in the animal's eye. Most of us will like to take some action to relieve the dog of this pain. It is a good thing that there is an option where you can help the pet ease the pain and even do something so that the dog does not get this disease.

There is no criterion for the dog developing arthritis as it can trouble dogs of any breed, age or health. Not much is known about the reason but a number of studies show that it is an ailment in which the body turns against its own immune system or an autoimmune disease.

The cartilage starts to break up with the onset of arthritis. Opaque connective tissue which protects the joint flanked by bones is known as the cartilage. Knees, the hip, and ankle joints are included in the dog's body. It is also possible to get arthritis in the feet or spine also. The bones start rubbing against each other with the wearing off the cartilage. This results in extreme pain, stiffness as well as swelling.

The signs of arthritis in dogs include:

Problem is standing, sitting and even rising from the ground. Affecting a particular limb Lethargy, lose interest in games and sleepiness Increase in weight Change in behavior and outlook Soreness as well as stiff joints Inflammation near the joints

Glucosamine has been studied by the scientists for some years as an element to cure arthritis in dogs. Glucose molecule which is made by the body naturally is known as Glucosamine. The main function of Glucosamine is to charge the cartilage cells to make the proteins which can keep the joint tissue cohesively. The cartilage also starts wearing off with age in dogs as lower amount of glucosamine is produced in the body leading to stiffening.

An element which is understood to hold back the enzymes which harm the cartilage is known as Chondroitin. Two important components to keep the joints healthy are Glucosamine and chondroitin. They have the capability to defend as well as invigorate cartilage tissues when they are together.

A clinical trial was done in 1998 where rats were divided into two groups where all were injected with arthritis. As per the study one set got glucosamine and chondroitin and the other was not given any cure. The result showed that 96.5 percent of the untreated rats developed the symptoms of arthritis compared to just 54 percent who got chondroitin and glucosamine.

Symptoms of secondary arthritis can be treated by Glucosamine and Chondroitin in dogs also. Any type of surgery or hurt can lead to this arthritis. As per some research the signs of osteoarthritis can also be decreased in dogs with the help of this mixture.

You can give your dog a supplement of Glucosamine/Chondroitin from an early age and it has no side effects as per research. It is a good idea to check this with your veterinarian to be sure that it is good for your pet.