The earliest sign of pregnancy in a Shih Tzu is often behavioral changes. She may demand extra attention or she may become depressed, lethargic and withdrawn. In these cases, try to give her as much emotional support as possible to help her retain the pregnancy. Gestation last about 63 days.

Other changes you may observe might be in the way she walks or carries herself. She may appear to move differently once bred. Her appetite can change rapidly, sometimes within a few hours of breeding and conceiving. She can show either an increase or a decrease in appetite as signs of pregnancy. She may even suddenly become very picky about what she eats.

The vet can perform a variety of tests to determine whether or not a female has become pregnant. Puppies can usually be felt by palpation by 21 days past conception. Puppies will feel round and enlarged like eggs. In some of my dogs I have been able to feel movement as the pregnancy progresses. Ultrasound is a successful method of determining pregnancy. The best test is that of “time.”

Once conceived, it is possible for a matron to “withdraw” her pregnancy by either a spontaneous abortion or absorption of the fetuses during the early stage of development. Females can also show all the signs of pregnancy and it actually be a “false pregnancy.”

In most cases, however, pregnancy does occur when bred, and goes along quite normally.

The pregnant matron requires a higher volume of food intake. As she progresses toward the end of her pregnancy term, she will usually demand to eat more and more. I use HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance All Natural Premium Dog Food. The quality of the food given to a Shih Tzu during pregnancy is much more critical than at any other time in her life. You must use the highest quality of dog food you can find. I have found this kind of quality in the Life’s Abundance food. I say this not as a gimmick to sell the food, as I am a distributor as well, but it is true, Life’s Abundance has produced healthier moms during pregnancy, whelping and nursing and healthier puppies for me. Mom’s skin and coat does not suffer, and I did have this problem especially during times of nursing with other dog foods I fed. I do not recommend raw meat for any Shih Tzu at any time in its life. Hard boiled eggs is a good treat most Shih Tzu enjoy during this time. After the litter is whelped, I like to give a very special treat to my females. Most of them like cottage cheese with rice or hard boiled eggs. Feed soft, mushy types of food for the first 2 days after whelping. My dogs also like Pedigree Canned Puppy food right after whelping. After the first 2 days, I begin to mix back in the Life’s Abundance with the Pedigree Puppy Canned food.

Do not allow your pregnant Shih Tzu to become overweight. Overweight matrons may have more difficulty delivering puppies. Do try to exercise your pregnant Shih Tzu. If she is reluctant to run and play on her own during this time, take time to walk her on a leash. Exercise can help her to maintain energy and good muscle tone during whelping. Inertia (just plain shutting down from fatique) is one of the greatest cause of sillborn puppies. Moderate exercise during pregnancy is very important.

I don’t feed anything more than HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance and the Daily Supplement to my pregnant Shih Tzu. I feed no other supplements during this time.

As long as your pregnant Shih Tzu’s appetite is good, don’t be alarmed if she does become a little depressed or withdrawn. Most usually the behaviors are from hormonal changes rather than something going wrong with her or the pregnancy.

Most pregnancies progress along normally and without adverse incidents. Most Shih Tzu are free whelpers.

While it’s always easier to train a young dog or puppy, the following techniques for potty training will work on dogs of all ages. Whether you’ve bought a young dog or an older one, it is vitally important that you potty train it properly.

With patience, nearly any dog will be trained. It’s important to remember that a dog will never go to the toilet inside the house to upset or annoy you on purpose, they only will because they don’t know any better. Don’t be tempted to punish your dog for accidents as this won’t help. Instead, take the attitude that it’s your responsibility to potty train your dog properly.

Firstly, clean all the places your dog has gone to the toilet thoroughly to get rid of all the smells that the dogs can pick up on. If they can smell it they may go there again.

Take your dog out every morning and evening to the same spot in your garden and let it stay there until it goes to the toilet. It might help to put some feces in this place, then the dog will smell it and think it should go there. However this area should be kept relatively clean.

When you can’t keep an eye on the dog, it should always be confined to its crate until properly potty trained. Look for signs that the dog needs the toilet, and when it does take it immediately outside. Dogs often need to go after they’ve eaten or slept, so it may be a good idea to take it outside every morning and after meals.

Knowing how to potty train a dog doesn’t come naturally to most people, as many have a tendency to punish the dog. Don’t make that mistake, as it will only damage your relationship with the dog.
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One of the issues that all new dog owners face is how to effectively train their dogs when it comes to performing bodily functions in an appropriate location. There are actually several potty training dog tips that may help the new owner to achieve the desired results.
Here are a few that you can try at home.

First, a dog that stays indoors most of the time needs a spot that he or she knows is safe to use. Pet pads can be placed on the floor of the utility room or any spot that is accessible to the dog, but not in the main flow of traffic through the house. Many of these pads are scented to attract animals, which will help in the conditioning process. Make sure your pet is praised when he or she uses the pad.

Your pet may choose to go while you are not at home, and do his or her business somewhere that is very obvious, like on the carpet in front of the television. If your dog does this when you are gone from the home for a long period of time, realize he or she is reacting to being left without you nearby. Try leaving on the radio or calling home a couple times a day so your dog can hear your voice via the speaker on your answering machine. If it works, this potty training dog tip will not only make your homecoming a little nicer, but also save a lot of money on carpet cleanings and replacements.

One final potty training dog tip is to react positively when your dog goes in an appropriate spot, such as your back yard or on the pads. Dogs receive a great deal of satisfaction from a soothing tone of voice and being petted. Once your dog learns to associate going to potty in the right spots with getting affection from you, the process will become a breeze.

Siberian Husky potty training is a task that can be handled with ease even if you have never done it before. Just as with any other breed, there needs to be a lot of attention and forethought given before diving into any type of training just as any of the dog training books would tell you. You must consider your living and work arrangements. If you are home a lot and have a nice safe yard, going potty outside is probably best for the animal and for your home.

But, if you are not able to get around a lot, live in an apartment with no real yard to call your own, or even if you work a lot, you may want to consider allowing your new little friend to go potty somewhere safe in the home. This is to make sure that your dog is given the opportunity to relieve him or herself if the need arises. You don’t want accidents on your new carpet and your dog does want to please you so with a little special attention paid to Siberian Husky potty training you will be on the right track.

When you have thought about all of the things that happen within your daily life, you may have decided that your dog going potty inside makes a lot more sense for your situation. Once you have made that choice, I suggest going out and purchasing some of the scented puppy pee pads. These pads are excellent to use in Siberian Husky potty training as they are scented in order to attract the dog.

A good place to start is wherever you notice that your puppy is more prone to having their mistakes. Even if this is not the location you want the pee pad, by placing it there, you are sure to grab their attention. Once your little friend begins to use the pad, slowly move the pad in the direction of where you want it to be. Everyday move it a little closer to your chosen area and eventually your Husky will be going exactly where you want him or her to go.

After a lot of though and consideration, you may have come to the decision that your Siberian Husky potty training needs to be done outside. Ways that many trainers and other professionals will suggest is to crate train your dog. Whenever you have to leave for any period of time whether it is for a few minutes or a few hours, place your pup in the crate.

As soon as you arrive home and go to bring the puppy out of the crate, take him or her right outside so they can go potty. It is important to keep them outside with you until they do go potty and once they do you want to make sure that they know you are very pleased. The best way to go about getting your point across is by giving them a lot of praise as all your dog wants is to make you happen. Soon, after enough time and consistency on your part, your dog will be able to understand that the yard and only the yard is the place to use the potty.
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Chihuahuas make wonderful pets. They are loving, loyal, and make great watch dogs. However, if you are thinking of getting one, you need to know how to potty-train your Chihuahua the right way.

Just like all small dog breeds, Chihuahuas oftentimes have difficulty becoming potty-trained. But don’t let this hinder your decision to own one. The benefits owning one outweigh this. Just follow these guidelines to help ensure your Chihuahua becomes potty-trained.

The best time to start potty-training your Chihuahua is when they are a puppy. But, keep in mind that puppies bladders are not fully developed until later.

Take them outside to potty often. I recommend once an hour, every hour, for a puppy. Always take your Chihuahua to the same area outside. They will recognize the area and are more likely to go potty where they have already been. Say a simple phrase, such as “go potty” when you take your Chihuahua outside. They will start to associate the command with the action. Remember to only say one specific phrase, and keep saying it while you are outside. Saying different phrases can confuse your Chihuahua. When your Chihuahua goes potty outside, give them a doggie treat, and lots of petting. As you probably know, they love treats and will do about anything for them, including going potty. Unfortunately accidents will happen. When you see your Chihuahua going potty inside the house, just speak loudly “STOP”, or “NO”, and immediately take them back outside. You should never physically hurt your Chihuahua or stick their nose in it. This can have an adverse affect and really disrupt the training process. You should put your Chihuahua in a crate at night times and when you are away from home until they are potty trained. Most dogs don’t want to sleep in their own pee, so they will hold it. When you wake up or get back home, you should take your Chihuahua outside first thing. Monitor how much water your Chihuahua is drinking. Some dogs will literally drink until the bowl is dry, and what goes in must come out. You shouldn’t give your Chihuahua any water right before you put them up in their crate.

Potty-training your Chihuahua doesn’t have to be a headache if you follow these steps. Just be patient, consistent, and success will follow!
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While some people prefer getting cute, huggable, and adorable puppies, other people like getting a full grown dog instead. Older dogs tend to be more mature and perhaps better companions, the best friend that a human would need.

However, some people have qualms about getting an older dog because of the common notion that people cannot teach old dogs new tricks, especially potty training. But this is not actually the case, older dogs can still be potty trained with some important things in mind.

Here are some tips for potty training an older dog:

1. When potty training an older dog, your focus should be teaching the dog to eliminate outside, instead of teaching it not to eliminate inside. It is easier to teach an older dog to DO something instead of NOT DOING something.

If the dog already has an old habit of doing it inside, it would be hard to focus too much on eliminating that habit. It is rather easier to help it learn a better alternative to an old bad behavior.

2. Select a spot where you want the dog to do its business, such as a small corner in the lawn. It would be easier to potty train an older dog, if you are consistent about where you want it to poop. Going to the same place, over and over again, would help the dog learn the right place faster. It also helps if you do not clean the spot much until your dog learns to go there when it needs to go potty.

3. Use the same words in referring to potty. An older dog might get confused if you use different phrases to mean the same thing. When you want it to go potty, use the exact same phrase so that it would somehow become like a command to do the behavior you want it to do.

4. Remove every trace of potty accident inside the house. Dogs’ sense of smell are very keen and the smell of urine or excrement in your house might make it think that it is the place to go potty. Use a deodorizing cleaning solution to eliminate odors that might stick to your floors and carpets.

5. Keep your dog’s sleeping area as tight as comfortably possible. Dogs do not want potty in their sleeping quarters and by keeping the area just enough for it to sleep and, maybe, turn around, there would be no space for it to go potty. Ever morning, when the dog wakes up, take it to its regular potty place so that it would do its business there.

6. Lessen your dog’s food and water intake before it sleeps. This prevents accidents from happening because when your dog is full of water or food while sleeping, it might not have the capacity to control the call of nature.

7. Make it easy for your dog to go outside through a doggie door or leaving the back door open. If this is impractical in your area, leave a bell for your dog to reach. Take the dog out each time it rings the bell so that it would know that ringing is a signal for going out.

Whoever says you cannot teach your older dog new tricks might just be too lazy. Potty training an older dog is indeed possible if you know these tips and if you just have the right amount of patience.
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Bringing a new dog into your household means a great deal of love and affection, as well as a lot of time spent dog potty training. If your dog is not going to be crate trained, then you will need to impart some strict scheduling to ensure that your pup is following your desire and is comfortable in his new surroundings. Potty training basics means that you will need to find a schedule to ensure proper pet health. Puppies can often grow confused when brought home to a new family. Being away from mom means that they are not receiving the total education he would receive if he matured with his family, which means that they can grow quite confused trying to decipher your needs. It is best to monitor their typical potting habits. Do they potty early in the morning or mid morning? Determining a schedule that is conducive to your puppy’s natural rhythms can make dog potty training easier for them to learn. Dog owners would do well if they monitored this fact early on when potty training dogs.

With puppy potty training and pet health, you need to be mindful of how you will go about your training. Many dog owners will find that their new puppies and dogs are new to dog training. They may have to do a bit of leash training prior to effective potty training can occur. Leash training will give you more control as to where your dog can relieve himself outside. Certain places have designated dog areas which having a leash can keep your dog in the proper place and not relieving themselves in improper areas. When leash training, be sure to include commands, such as using the word ‘potty’ or ‘bathroom,’ so the dog can associate the word with the action. It is always advisable to acknowledge your dog’s great work in dog potty training. Depending on your dog’s personality, choose an appropriate treat to reward their good behavior. A food treat can remind a puppy or dog that their action is the desired one and by doing so, they can get rewarded. Most dog trainers use crate training as a tool for dog potty training, but it is completely up to the dog owner as to whether crate training is required.

It is important to ensure that the puppy or dog is welcomed in the home and is not confused about his place in the home. Confusion can lead to improper pet health and dog behavioral problems, which can mean further problems down the road. Some of the best dog training tips are just have patience and keep to a schedule. By establishing and maintaining a proper schedule means that your dog has a greater understanding of your desires and is comfortable with his role in the household. The process can be daunting, but potty training makes for a healthier home and a happier puppy. Consider pet health and psychological impacts your potty training may have on your pup. The greatest thing suffered by puppies during potty training is confusion. Confusion can lead to anxiety and stress, so keep your puppy happy while potty training.

We are experiencing a plague in the United States. Unwanted and stray cats and dogs. I believe a great deal of this is due to lack of education.

Some cities and municipalities put a lot of funding behind spaying and neutering education. Many communities have no-kill shelters, and a lot of other good is being done. But more can be done. The amount of strays is epidemic in the U.S and does not seem to be getting better. We know better, most of us.

For every baby born in the U.S there are seven cats and dogs born.

A female cat and her offspring can (and usually does) produce 420,000 kittens within seven years.

One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years (and usually does).

As many as 25% of dogs entering shelters each year are purebreds.

Approximately 61% of all dogs are killed in animal shelters.

Approximately 75% of all cats entering shelters are killed.

It costs approximately $100 to capture, house, feed, and eventually kill each stray animal — a cost which you, the taxpayer, eventually pay.

Can you see the importance of becoming educated regarding spaying and neutering pets? The Doris Day Animal League has a wonderful program http://www.ddal.org which can give you a great bit of important information.

I do not sit in judgment Though I owned pets all my life, I truly did not understand true pet care until I reached my adulthood. I only knew what my parents taught me which was very limited.

As a upper-middle class child, like other upper-middle class kids, my parents bought me “the dog du jour” or what was trendy from a recent movie. From Irish Setters to Golden Retrievers to Great Danes to Sheepdogs.
And only from the finest breeders.

There is nothing wrong with that. Those animals need homes as well, and I feel good about every animal I learned to take care of as a child (from wherever they derived).

As I matured, I understood owning and caring for an animal is more than “just looking good next to an exotic or popular breed”. It is about bonding, caring, and loving that animal and learning unconditional love from it.

I will give you an example. The Northridge earthquake in 1994 destroyed my home. I was forced to move into an apartment that didn’t allow dogs. I had a beautiful blonde golden retriever I was forced to give away.
I cried on and off for a month (even though Otis got a home in Malibu and was living better than me).

I moved back to my home state of Mississippi to take care of an ailing mom. As a writer, I knew this could put me in a vulnerable situation, but I also knew that my mom took care of me whenever I was ill and that was the right thing to do. And as I expected, writer’s block set in and I did not write for four years. That was okay. One learns some valuable lessons (much more important than writing) when caring for an ill parent. She was once an English teacher, in love with the English language, and, as goofy as it might seem, sometimes I feel her soul is guiding my own text. I have heard more than one writer or artist share the same sentiment; didn’t believe them at the time, now I do.

It was 1997. Some college friends from Newburyport, MA invited me up to relax and take a break from my loss. I went. They asked if I wanted to see a movie, and I said “sure, why not”. We drove to New Hampshire as they wanted to see a new Jack Nicholson movie “As Good As It Gets”. I enjoy his movies so figured I would at least be entertained, in spite of the depression and continued writers block I was experiencing.

If anyone has not seen the film, I strongly suggest it. Nicholson plays a crusty author with writer’s block who is a rude misogynist, homophobic man who seemed to just take up space and complain. His neighbor, played wonderfully by Greg Kinnear was a gay man with an effeminate poodle-looking dog, that only served to make Nicholson more homophobic and stereotyping his neighbor (for the dog). Suddenly Kinnear is violently attacked in a robbery and nobody is there to take care of the dog. Enter (hesitantly), Jack Nicholson.

As time goes by, he is walking the dog, taking care of it, and his paternal instincts have kicked in. His
“hidden” love for Helen Hunt, who played a waitress at a cafe at which he frequented blossomed.

Everything changes for Jack. Nicholson realizes he has learned unconditional love from this little dog while his wounded gay neighbor recovered.

By the end of the movie, he “won the girl”, befriended Kinnear, and it had a very happy and somewhat predictable ending, but, it was so well-acted and written, it swept the Academy that year.

I returned home to Mississippi to my small house, alone. I was a volunteer at an equestrian center owned by the University. I really was not a “horse-person” but enjoyed caring for them as always loved animals in general.

One day, a pack of three dogs showed up at the center. There had been a tornado that day, and they appeared to have been out in the elements for weeks. One seemed near-death and was frightened to death of humans. He barked at the omnipotent thunder so I named him “Thor”.

A veterinarian friend of mine told me she would take him home and bring him back to health if I would keep him, probably wouldn’t live long due to his trauma but could at least have a few happy months or years. I reluctantly agreed. By his teeth, she estimated his age to be around eight years old.

Fast forward twelve years. Thor is still with me and my shadow. I have written over 200 articles, essays, etc. since he’s been in my life. I have written and produced the largest cartoon site on the Internet. I have the unconditional love of a beautiful, sweet successful woman who I would never have given the time of day, or vice versa, had I not learned what I learned from Thor.

He is a mixed-breed, probably part bearded collie and something else, who knows. He’s very smart and wise reaching age 20. He is on the b.a.r.f diet (biologically appropriate raw foods) and does not eat dog food. Until this year, he had no vet bills for nearly 11 years. Now his heart is a bit weaker but he still has all his cognitive abilities and can be very puppyish. More on pet nutrition at http://www.drianbillinghurst.com

He’s just a stray. A 35 pound ball of fur that looks somewhere between Benji and a sheepdog.

I never knew a stray mutt “Thor” could be my inspiration, even after seeing the Nicholson movie, but he is.

I have taken in probably 20 stray dogs and cats since I’ve had Thor but found them all homes. Thor does not like to share his space with me, and at his age, he is the boss. I don’t want him feeling “replaced”.

I encourage you to run by the shelter and take a look at some of the gorgeous sweet animals desperate for a home. Most shelters are not no-kill so most of them are on death row. You can be a hero to them, and believe me the payback is a million times over.

Don’t believe me? Give it a try.