Snapshot Dog Breed Profile: Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Let's look at the Anatolian Shepherd dog breed.

The Anatolian Shepherd has a long history as a working dog in the country of Turkey. The original function of the breed was to guard flock. Today still, the breed is used as a highly-dependable security dog.

Researchers claim that the canine's roots probably go back 4000 years ago to the Roman Mollosian war dogs and the Tibetan Mastiff. These dogs were used to safeguard livestock against dangerous predators, such as bear and wolves.

By viewing various pictures of the breed you will notice that different Anatolian Shepherd dogs may vary in size, colour and coat type. This is largely due to nomadic shepherds travelling a large geographical region while their Anatolian Shepherds would accompany them. The traits that have not changed, however, are the breed's independence, loyalty, and toughness.

Anatolian Shepherd dogs made their way to the United States during the mid 1950s and although its usefulness was in the service of guarding livestock against coyotes, wolves, and other predators, the breed did not become popular until the late 1970s/early 1980s.

What's it Like to Own an Anatolian Shepherd Dog?

This breed needs plenty of daily exercise – a chance to run with you as you jog in the mornings or a brisk walk on the leash will do the job. Anatolian Shepherd dogs can live outside if need be, so long as the temperature does not reach extreme cold or high heat, however, they are very connected to the family so sleeping inside at night is preferred. Grooming requirements consist of a weekly brushing to remove dead hair.

Anatolian Shepherd Dog Health Problems

The Anatolian Shepherd has an average life span of between ten and thirteen years. Quite a healthy breed, the only major health concern that runs common is CHD, with entropion showing up as a minor issue. Veterinarians suggest that Anatolian Shepherd dogs get tested for potential hip and eye problems.

Helpful Resources

Lifetime pet insurance cover for an Anatolian shepherd dog
Dog nutrition and the Anatolian shepherd dog
Anatolian shepherd dog and puppy house training

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Distributed by Aljendro Reid on behalf of petbuzz :: social media for pet brands

What Is Proper Dog Nutrition?

We often hear people talk about the need for our dogs to get proper nutrition. But what does it actually mean?

Dog nutrition is so important to the health, behaviour and all round vitality of our dogs. So here is a fine article explaining and defining what proper dog nutrition actually entails.

Extract:

There is only a limited amount of fat that is used for protection against cold, cushion, covering, and extra energy. But when the maximum amount of stored fat is reached and applied for these purposes, the dog still continues to stock up fat and does so to the same degree that is equivalent to the excess energy that it consumes. For instance, every 3,500 calories that a dog eats in excess to what his body requires will be turned into 1 pound of body fat.

Source: http://www.dognutrition.org.uk/proper-dog-nutrition-defined/

Money Saving Dog Ownership Tips

The credit crunch has the unpleasant effect of causing more dog owners to give up their pets in the face of increasing financial pressures. Here we provide a short set of tips that can help reduce the costs of dog ownership.

Dogs do and always will cost money and yes, they do need a place to sleep, a bed, food and water. But ultimately there are measures owners can take to ensure this period of economic belt tightening does not cost dogs their homes.

Pet insurance, for instance, enables owners to have their veterinary expenses covered in the event of accident or illness. Some pet insurance policies start from as little as £10 per month which is just 32p per day.

Dog food bills can be reduced, dogs do not need to have the most expensive supermarket own brand pet food to be happy and healthy, they can actually be happier and even healthier if owners do a deal with their local butcher to get the day's unsold raw meat at reduced cost.

For those people for whom the real threat of eviction could cause them to make a decision about rehoming some weeks or months down the line, they should plan, plan and plan some more. If there is even the merest hint of losing a home, start talking with prospective landlords who will be happy to allow pets on their property.

Very often a compromise deal can be had, provided it is planned for. For instance, some dog owners offer their landlords what is known as a dog-bond, a simple contract drawn up that tells the landlord that the dog's owner is happy to pay for absolutely any damage or inconvenience caused by their pet. This peace of mind can persuade many landlords to be lenient on their no pets policy.

Resources:

Adopt a dog
Insure a dog for life
Free dog advice
Professional dog trainer

Pet Insurance Rise Leaves Pet Owners Confused

Over the past 15 years there has been a rocket-like surge in the depth and availabilty of pet insurance policies in the UK. As pet owners are faced with more and more choices, so the pet insurance companies are faced with the challenge of making their policy stand out.

As a result, according to a new survey by K9 Magazine - a lifestyle magazine for dog owners - pet owners are often left confused and furstrated when it comes to understanding the fine print of each individual pet insurance policy.

One of the most common causes of frustration according to the survey, which spoke to 200 pet owners in the UK, is being unsure of whether a pet is covered for illness and injury for the duration of their life.

Lifetime pet insurance cover is where the policy protects the animal for all of its life. However, not all policies offer this and as those policies often have lower premiums, they can be attractive to pet owners who base their decisions on price first.

AJ Douglas, a PR rep for a Taxi software firm and someone who has recently researched pet insurance, commented:

"I found the sheer volume of policies on offer to be quite incredible. At first I felt this was a positive sign, but then I realised just how much attention had to be paid to what I can only describe as discreet clauses. Often, two policies would look almost identical and it was only when you really dig down that you see there are some massive differences in what is covered and how long it is covered."

K9 Magazine's survey showed that modern pet owners are more comitted to insuring their dogs than ever before, but they are calling for more transparency from insurers when it comes to up front information on the main / most important aspects of each policy.

Useful Link: BBC Watchdog show covering the topic of pet insurance

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Distributed by Mickel Anderz on behalf of petbuzz :: social media for pet brands.

UK Dogs Happy with New Dog Shampoo for Itchy Skin

Pet's need no longer suffer with the perils of unncomfortable scratching as a dog shampoo for itchy skin aims to soothe the coats of Britain's scratching pets. As recently covered in the UK's largest pet business directory, the dog shampoo for itchy skin from Perfect Pet Skin is a product that many dog owners will benefit from.

K9 Magazine recently discovered via an online test sample, that thousands of their readers were searching for information on how to stop dogs shedding.

More than 4,000 people have accessed K9 Magazine's tip sheet on dog shedding and vet nurses have claimed that more of their customers are seeking advice and information on products that help dogs with coat conditions.

Vets are keen to stress that an itching dog should first be examined for parasites and other skin conditions, but access to a specialist product designed to ease the skin from itching and irritation can help pets in the short term and over a longer period.

K9 Magazine's associate publisher, Charles Vincent:

"We're always keen to hear and observe what pet problems are troubling our readers. When we noticed just how many people were accessing our articles on dog skin care, particularly topics on dog shedding, we felt it would be important that all pet owners get access to quality information on various products and treatments for dog skin care. Obviously we always recommend dog owners speak with their vet who can access first hand information, but it's very important for our readers to get up to date information on what's out there in terms of products specially designed to assist with a wide variety of pet health problems."

K9 Magazine conducts regular reader surveys and monitors pet industry trends via one of the most popular dog related websites online.

Useful Link: To find out about any dog skin conditions

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Distributed by Frances O'Haram on behalf of petbuzz :: social media for pet brands.

Life Lessons From Dogs (Ryan O'Meara)

Think like a dog and win at life says author of new book.

Ryan O'Meara, dog trainer and publisher of K9 Magazine claims in his new book 'Clever Dog: Life Lessons From Man's Best Friend' that thinking like a dog can improve our happiness, prosperity, friendships and decision making abilities.

In arguably the greatest self-help book of all time written by the man who literally wrote the book on how to get more from life, relationships and careers, Dale Carnegie's 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' tantalisingly revealed a life lesson that deserves the attention of a more comprehensive study.

Carnegie's seminal work named the dog as "the greatest winner of friends the world has ever known".

The self-help guru then went on to say:

"Did you ever stop to think that a dog is the only animal that doesn't have to work for a living? A hen has to lay eggs, a cow has to give milk, and a canary has to sing. But a dog makes his living by giving you nothing but love.”

If one of the most illustrious self-help minds of the past century can spot the value of thinking and behaving in line with man's best friend, Ryan O'Meara has taken the concept on to the next level in this book which reveals the hidden secrets behind...

• The dog's unique approach to conflict resolution. (learn to settle disputes favourably and without shedding blood).


• The dog's incredible (world famous) abilities to endear themselves to people and other animals, with a mere wag of a tail. (how to win REAL friends for life).


• How to the dog deploys unique mental techniques to cope with stress, illness and high pressure situations (how to be happier and healthier with positive mental attitude)


• Identifying and understand pack dynamic and prosper (how to get ahead in life, career and become prosperous without hurting people)


• How to survive when the odds are against it. (how to tough out the harshest of times and come out smiling)

Clever Dog examines the pivotal role dogs have played in the evolution of society, countries and culture. Did you know: had it not been for a dog, we may never have even heard about Alexander The Great?

The book is a fresh and innovative study of how man's best friend earned his name and, more importantly, how we can copy him to improve our mood, financial success, survival skills and ability to make more friends than we'd even know what to do with. In short, if you want to learn the secret to why the dog is the most loved animal on the planet, read this book.

Find out more / order the book Clever Dog: Life Lessons from Man's Best Friend by Ryan O'Meara - CLICK HERE.

Puppy House Training Why New Owners Struggle

A recent study by UK dog publication K9 Magazine has revealed that puppy house training is considered the hardest thing to deal with for new and inexperienced dog owners.

The survey, which interviewed 100 owners of dogs less than 6 months old, showed that the greatest strain in the face of new owners is training their dogs not to go to the bathroom inside the home.

Many dog ​​owners get discouraged when training their puppy at home when it seems that the dog has mastered the habit and then apparently reverts to old ways a few days later.

K9 Magazine's editor, Ryan O'Meara, the common problem faced by owners of new dogs:

"Often, when someone purchases a dog for the first time, they might never have been exposed to the dirty side of dog ownership. Sometimes it can take people a while to get used to the idea of ​​their beautiful home being turned in to a toilet by a cute puppy and therefore the stress of getting this particular behaviour correct can exceed other dog training targets."

The study indicates that 89% of owners had turned to the Internet to help them succeed in-house training their puppy.

84% said that the resources such as K9 Magazine's puppy training tips and eBooks had proved 'very useful' in helping to accomplish dog training goals.

Along with the house training a puppy, the biggest problem dog owners complained about new puppy ​​biting and howling.

K9 Magazine has produced a series of tip sheets and reports to treat the most common behaviour problems faced by new puppy owners - click -.

Resources

• Insure your puppy with lifetime pet insurance cover
• Professional dog training
• Adopt a puppy