Dogs

1. Dogs Canisfamiliaria

2. History • Dogs are animals that humans have used as pets for more than 10000 years. • There are several theories regarding the origin of the dog. • From wolves that were trained to hunt • Wolves that were interbred with jackals • Came from other wild species that was neither jackal nor wolf.

3. General Information Dogs were quickly recognized for their value for hunting, guard and draught work. Dogs are carnivorous, meaning flesh eaters. The scientific name for dogs is Canisfamiliaria.

4. General Information Dogs have well defined skeletons, which vary with breed and size of the dog. Smaller breeds can lives 15-18 years, while larger breeds live on average 8-10 years. What is the gestational length of a dog?

5. Breeds of dogs There are about 300 breeds of dogs, they are split into 9 groups. Herding, sporting, hounds, working dog, terrier class, toy, non-sporting, and miscellaneous.

6. Breeds Herding-used to help herds of livestock Sporting-used for sporting purposes Hound-used for tracking Working-used by people to get work done Terrier-used to chase animals Toy-small weighing 4-16 pounds. Non-sporting breeds-dogs developed for a specific purpose. Miscellaneous- all other dogs not included

7. Nutritional Needs of dogs Dogs are meat eaters. They need a moderate amount of meat in the diet in order to stay healthy. Different age groups of dogs have different nutritional needs….why is that??

8. Nutrition Weaning-puppies are weaned from 3-6 weeks of age. A good puppy food is needed for proper growth and development. When bringing a puppy home it is important to use the same food as the person had him on before.

9. Nutrition Dry food is often fed due to the low cost. Wet food is more expensive and often has more fat. Remember a large dog needs a large amount of food per day! Dogs should be fed on a schedule, same time every day!

10. Nutrition Table scraps can sometimes be fed to certain breeds to increase fat and add energy. Smaller breeds can have serious issues from being fed people food, including destruction of the digestive tract and obesity.

11. Health Care A healthy dog begins with good nutrition, sanitation, and the environment in which they are kept. Of course yearly visits to the vet are a must!

12. Parasite control Keeping facilities clean and proper veterinary visits will help to prevent and eliminate parasites! Internal: Heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms. External: Fleas, lice, mange, ringworm

13. Infectious diseases Will be covered later……

14. Vaccinations Your vet will determine the proper vaccination schedule for your dog. Recommendations are: 6-8 weeks for distemper, measles, parainfluenza and parvo. 8-12 weeks for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parainfluenza 12 weeks-rabies 12 months rabies

15. Grooming Grooming is the washings, combing, brushing, trimming, and otherwise caring for the external appearance of the dog.

16. Coat Brush regularly-some breeds need more brushing than others. Wash only when needed-excessive bathing removes essential oil from the skin and can cause irritation.

17. Nails Some dogs need nails trimmed often while others can go a year or more. Be careful especially with dark colored nails, not to cut too short. Think about when you cut your nails to the quick! It hurts and will bleed, also can cause fear of nail trimming in the future.

18. Ears • Ears should be cleaned regularly with a cotton swab and mineral oil to remove dirt. • Never use a sharp object • Check for parasites and a bad odor.

19. Teeth The feeding of hard food and denta treats will help to prevent tarter buildup and tooth decay. The brushing of teeth at home will help dogs to have healthy teeth for life and reduce the need for expensive vet cleanings. Refrain from feeding dogs sweets!

20. Training Dogs can be trained in many ways as we will see in a future lesson.