For more advice and information, check out the purebred dog articles here.

Weimaraner (Weimaraner) – the origin and description of the breed

Historical overview of the breed

There are many hypotheses about the origin of the Weimaraner. The only established fact is that in the early nineteenth century the dog appeared at the princely court of Weimar. It was slightly different than modern Weimaraners, it was mainly used as a tracker. Only when these dogs, as “purebred” dogs ceased to be “reserved” only for hunters and foresters, began breeding focused on hunting versatility. This took place in the mid-nineteenth century in central Germany, mainly around Weimar and Thuringia.

Breeders began to associate tracking dogs (Leithund) with birds for birds (Hühnerhund), and the resulting offspring became the “base” for subsequent generations. At the end of the 19th century, the breeding books of the Weimaraner were established and pure breed breeding began, without adding blood from other breeds, focusing only on the utility and exterior values ​​of subsequent generations born in the existing genetic pool. That is why the Weimaraner is considered to be the oldest of all German breeds.

Meanwhile, at the beginning of the 20th century, long-haired puppies began to appear in breeding farms. Since long hair is recessive (giving way) to short hair, its disclosure is always the result of the offspring meeting in one pair of genes, one from both the mother and father, who carry the long hair gene. Initially, they were single puppies, but over time, when they began to enter the breeding, a population of the Long-haired Weimaraner was formed and now it is a separate breed. The Weimaraner in both types of hair is a typical hunting dog, subject to work duty.

Weimaraner – exterior description

The Weimaraner is a fairly large dog with a well-proportioned build. The brain is quite wide, wider in a dog than in a female. Marked frontal furrow, occipital tumor poorly or moderately developed, zygomatic bones well developed. Very slight stop. Nose large, protruding above the lower jaw, flesh color changing to gray. Long, strong muzzle, strong jaws. Nasal bridge straight or slightly convex, not sunken. The dentition is complete, scissor bite. The eyes of an adult dog are light or dark amber, blue in puppies (a characteristic feature of the breed), with intelligent eyes, round, slightly oblique. The ears are long, wide, reaching the corner of the lips, set high and narrow, wavy, rounded at the ends. The tail is set slightly below the topline, strong and well covered with hair. Lowered when at rest, carried horizontally or higher in action. It may be copied in working dogs, but only in countries where it is permitted.

The Shorthaired Weimaraner has a very dense and strong coat, longer and denser than most shorthaired pointers. There is either no or very little undercoat. The long-haired Weimaraner also has a soft and long undercoat without or a negligible amount of undercoat – 3 – 5 cm on the sides, slightly longer under the neck, on the chest and on the abdomen. A distinct feather on the tail, feathers and pants shortening downwards on the back side of the limbs. Short hair on the head and ears, velvety on the ears, long and wavy at the base of the ears, straight on the rest of the body, with a slight undulation allowed.

The color of both types of hair is different shades of silver-gray, the head and ears are a bit lighter. Basically no white, only slight white markings are allowed on the chest and toes. A darker stripe along the back is allowed. The most appreciated color is uniform all over the body, with only a slightly lighter head and ears.

Height at the withers – Males: 59-70 cm. Females: 57-65 cm. Weight – Males: approx. 30-40 kg. Females: approx. 25-35 kg.

Disqualifying defects:

• No gender stigma
• Height at the withers above 2 cm from the reference point
• Weak or heavy build
• No proportion
• Baldness, bald ears or stomach
• Color other than gray, shades of yellow or brown, tan, shades of blue
• Pointed muzzle, concave bridge of nose
• Entropion, ectropion, other eyelid defects
• Dental gaps other than 2 x P1 and / or 2 x M3
• Aggressive or shy.

Weimaraner – disposition, care, health, nutrition, hunting

The nature, care and health of the Weimaraner

Weimaraner is a breed of typical hunting dogs. His hunting passion is very strongly developed. It is a dog that is cut in relation to the game (although it never attacks), but it shows unlimited devotion to the owner and loves him above all, of course also other household members. She does not like loneliness, but loves to rest on the couch with her guardian. He shows friendly interest in his guests, shows a friendly disposition towards strangers, although he can also be distrustful. He gets along with other domestic animals, for example, he will not treat a cat as an “exercise toy”, but if he is to live with him under one roof, it is better to socialize it as early as possible, while at home, puppy breeders should have contact with other animals.

Activity, high demand for movement and love of water are typical breed features of the Weimaraner. Therefore, even living in the countryside or in a house with a garden, you need to provide him with at least two-hour daily exercise. This movement should be of an exertional nature (running) and it is worth taking the dog outside the city, e.g. to a meadow or lake, where he will be able to swim. Note: in the forest, it is strictly forbidden to let the dog loose in situations other than hunting. The Weimaraner is a good companion for a bicycle trip, after proper fitness preparation it can easily cover even 10 kilometers at a trot.

Weimaraner care is not complicated, only daily combing is needed during the molting period. Outside of this period, a soft brush or rubber glove every 2-3 days is sufficient. However, systematic ear control is very important. The Weimaraner has drooping ears and loves to swim. Moisture and heat favor the development of fungal and bacterial infections. After each trip, the ears should be cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in an antibacterial ear wash. From time to time, the condition of the eyes is checked, claws that are too long are trimmed (if the dog does not rub them himself), and the teeth should be cleaned of plaque to prevent the build-up of limescale. A Weimaraner bath is not necessary if it is not produced in the waste. Or maybe you will also be interested this article on the blue pointer?

Gray Elkhund, also known as the Norwegian elk dog (Norwegian. elk – moose), is one of the oldest Scandinavian breeds. This dog was used for hunting and guarding by the Vikings. Archaeologists have found dog skeletons with high probability that they belonged to the Elkhunds, and their age is estimated at around 4,000-5,000 BC.

Probably the elkhunds evolved from the associations of the first domesticated dogs, brought by the Vikings from numerous expeditions, with Scandinavian wolves. Over the course of many centuries, several breeds and varieties of Nordic Spitz developed. However, it was not until the 19th century that planned breeding began. The modern Elkhund has been “improved” by mating old Scandinavian Spitz with newer European breeds, but has retained a strong hunting instinct. He can track and preach animals perfectly.

The elkhund gray was first presented at the Oslo exhibition in 1877, and in 1901 the British Kennel Club recognized it as a separate breed. At that time, the first breed standard was also created. The modern FCI standard has been in force since 1999 under the number 242. Currently, the Gray Elkhund is considered by the Norwegians as a national breed and is the most popular family dog ​​in Norway. To this day, it is used for hunting there, and in the Scandinavian countries this breed is under the obligation to work. The first elkhunds came to Poland at the end of the 1980s, but they did not gain popularity and are bred only for amateurs.

Historical overview of the breed Elkhund gray 

Elkhund gray

Gray Elkhund – exterior description

The Elkhund Gray is a dog with a compact build and square body. The head is typical of a Spitz – wedge-shaped, wide between the ears. The length of the skull and the craniofacial skull are identical. Skull slightly arched, with a moderately marked foot. Black nose, tapering muzzle – seen both from above and from the side. Scissor bite, complete dentition. Dark brown, non-bulging eyes. The ears are set high, erect, pointed and small, very mobile. The tail is strong, set high and carried, curled tightly over the back, and must not be carried on either side. In an adult dog, the tip of the tail must not be straight.

The elkhund’s robe is two-layered. The outer coat is of medium length, straight, profuse and dense, the longest on the neck, thighs, tail and back of the legs. On the front of the limbs and head, the hair is short and smooth. The undercoat is dense and soft. Color – as the name suggests – gray in various shades. Black tops of top hair. So it is not a uniform color, as in some other breeds (e.g. Weimaraner). On the chest, abdomen, limbs, underside of the tail and on the waist from the withers to the elbow (the so-called harness, a similar one has a Swedish vallhund), about 5 cm wide – lighter hair, without black tips. Dark mask, delimited by a line running from the eye to the base of the ears. Light gray undercoat.

Elkhund is a medium-sized dog. The ideal height at the withers for dogs is 52 cm, for female dogs – 49 cm. The body weight of the dog is 25 kg, female dogs – 22 kg. Norwegian elk dogs live an average of 12 – 13 years, although older animals can also be found.

Disqualifying defects:

• Aggression, timidity
• Undershot or overshot
• Blue or yellow eyes
• Non-standing ears
• Residual tail, in some other Spitz (e.g. Swedish Vallhund) acceptable
• The dewclaws of the hind legs
• Color other than gray
• Height at the withers below 3 cm or more than 4 cm from the reference point.

Serious defects that affect the show rating are:

• Round skull, too short and / or pointed muzzle
• Pincer bite, missing teeth
• Light eyes, ears large and too wide
• Tail not tightly curled, carried to the side
• Dark undercoat, too short or too long
• Color giving the appearance of dirty
• White tip of the tail, white markings on the chest – acceptable in some other breeds of dogs (e.g. Weimaraner).

Character and disposition of a gray elkhund

The Norwegian elk dog is very social, has a strong herd instinct, which is why it feels bad to be separated from humans. It shows patience with children and tolerates other pets well. However, males may not tolerate the presence of other males. He is gentle and sympathetic towards people, although he is extremely vigilant, so he is perfect for a home guardian. When something disturbing happens nearby, the Gray Elkhund immediately starts barking loudly and intensely, alerting the household. On the other hand, being at home, he is very calm (not to say phlegmatic) and likes to rest alone, without excessive cares. Nevertheless, it needs a daily dose of exercise in the fresh air, regardless of the weather, because it is protected against cold and moisture by thick, double-layered hair.

In Scandinavia, the gray elkhund is a typical working hunting dog. His job is to track down, trap and hold the game until the hunter arrives. It is a very difficult task, requiring both a lot of courage and careful behavior of the dog. It also needs to be agile enough to be able to jump back, so it is very important to feed the hunting elkhund properly to avoid becoming overweight.

The Elkhund Gray is a very independent and independent dog, who likes working in the company of a human. He is intelligent and amenable to stacking, but can be quite stubborn, so he needs a patient, persistent and consistent guide. Socialization as early as possible is also important – puppies should be subjected to it while they are still in the breeding farm with their mother. Starting socialization too late can make training difficult or even impossible.

Dogs of this breed feel best in rural areas, where they can freely go out to a fenced property. Experts believe that elkhund does not feel well in an apartment in a block of flats, as do many other dog breeds that used to be typically working dogs and are now mainly family dogs, such as the schoolboy. Note: elkhund, who cannot bear boredom, left to himself, will find a job – “demolition” in the apartment. If you’re looking for more advice, check out too articles about spitzers collected here.

Elkhund gray – care, health, nutrition, breeding

Gray elkhund care and health

Elkhund gray is not difficult to care for. However, you need to take care of its thick hair. The dog should be combed regularly with a brush and comb with varying (adjustable) tooth spacing. Elkhund – unfortunately – sheds a lot, especially after winter and autumn. You can then see clumps of undercoat coming out. Although it is not a long-haired breed, such as the schoolboy, usually brushing twice a week is sufficient, while in the period of spring and autumn moulting, the dog needs to be brushed daily. Otherwise, the soft undercoat may become tangled, blocking the airflow to the skin and risking local inflammation. Especially pay attention to the fine hair behind the ears, in the armpits and in the groin, where it is softest and where the most tangles form. These cannot be combed out, it is necessary to carefully cut them out. Before the brushing procedure, you can spray the dog’s hair with a special antistatic preparation that prevents unpleasant “sparking”.

An elkhund bath is not necessary as long as it is regularly combed. Of course, the dog should be bathed if it “gets perfumed” in the impurities. Bath water should be lukewarm, and for washing, a special shampoo for dogs is used, which does not affect the pH of the skin. After bathing, you must dry the dog, and before drying, apply a conditioner that restores light lubrication of the skin and prevents static electricity. Skincare cosmetics are available at good pet stores.

Ears, teeth and claws should also be checked regularly. The ears are cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in the canine ear cleanser. Scaling can be prevented by giving your dog a dental treat to chew on, but if the dog does not cut the claws himself, it is necessary to periodically shorten the claws with a guillotine. “Sleepyheads” from the corners of the eyes are removed with a cotton swab moistened with warm water.

The Elkhund Gray is a healthy, strong and resistant dog. Sometimes, however, some individuals suffer from PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) or cataracts and such animals must not be allowed to breed because they are genetic diseases. Renal and thyroid diseases, as well as hip dysplasia, are sporadic. The Breed Dog Breeding Regulations do not oblige the breeder to screen dogs for dysplasia, but every kennel caring for a good reputation performs such tests.

Like every dog, Gray Elkhund requires regular deworming and preventive vaccinations. The first deworming is carried out by the breeder when the puppies are about 3 weeks old, and the first vaccination is usually at 8 weeks of age. Then the dog is dewormed and vaccinated according to a calendar set by a veterinarian.

If you’re looking for more advice and information, check out the purebred dog articles here.

Cavapoo – is it breed, history, how it was created, features

The idea and the appearance of a hybrid

The idea to create a cavapoo hybrid originated in Australia in the 1990s. The breeders who came up with such a combination wanted to get a small, compact dog with non-shedding, hypoallergenic hair and an attractive exterior. The first litters born were very varied in terms of external features, but they liked them so much that soon hybrid lovers in the United States became interested in them. This is where cavapoo made his greatest career.

The name of the hybrid – cavapoo or cavoodle – comes from the combination of fragments of the names of the original breeds: cavalier spaniel and poodle, in two configurations that function essentially equally, although cavapoo is the more known and more frequently used name. The names of other hybrids are created in the same way. For example, a cross between a Maltese and a miniature poodle is maltipoo (maltese + poodle), and a cross between a Labrador and a poodle – labradoodle (labrador + poodle). In all cases, however, it is a crossbreed and not a new breed.

In Poland, hybrids are also enjoying increasing popularity, and their breeders (although it is difficult to apply this term to them) have established their own association – the Hybryd Breeders Association, where you can learn how to breed dogs from crossbreeds of various breeds. Cavapoo is also bred under the name of this organization.

Cavapoo – characteristics

There is no cavapoo pattern. This hybrid was created, like all the others, not by biologists specializing in genetics, but by amateurs, not quite able to define in detail what features a hybrid should have. Everything happens by chance. Only a few breeders, having any assumptions, use breeding selection and leave individuals for further reproduction that – in their opinion – meet the expectations.

A Cavapoo can be small or medium-sized, with a slight or slightly bulky build, with poodle-curly hair, or with a long and wavy coat like a Cavalier Spaniel. The starting breeds have drooping ears, so the cavapoo cannot have any other ears. Pendulous ears are recessive (yielding) in relation to standing ears, the gene for hanging ears must be present in both parents, and this is what happens in this case. The muzzle, on the other hand, may be of normal length as for a poodle or flattened as for a cavalier. Brachycephaly (shortening of the muzzle) is also inherited recessively and obtaining a cavapoo with a flat muzzle is possible only in the F2 generation.

Other features of the cavapoo appearance:

• Height at the withers: 22 – 35 cm
• Body weight: 3-11 kg
• Coat: dense, soft, wavy or curly
• COLOR: May vary according to parents’ colors. The most common are black and fawn (as in vizsla). Spotted and black and tan individuals can be obtained in the next generations.

Cavapoo – does it make sense to create hybrids?

Creating new generations

Creating a new breed is a laborious and lengthy process. It starts with the theory – defining the goal and methods and ways to achieve it. This requires many years of work, supported by scientific research, based on a thorough knowledge of the principles of genetics, methods of inheritance, properties of individual genes, methods of consolidating the desired features and eliminating undesirable ones. Only then does the selection of ancestors who can give offspring with the expected characteristics begins.

It should be realized that by mating two individuals of different races, you will never obtain in the first generation (F1) offspring with the characteristics you want to obtain. To understand this, you need to understand the basic principle of inheritance. Well, the descendant always receives 50 percent from each of the parents. his gene pool. Genes are arranged in chromosomes arranged in pairs. There are 39 pairs, which means the dog has 78 chromosomes. In each of them there are places strictly defined for individual genes. In each pair of chromosomes (one from the mother, the other from the father), these places correspond to each other – the genes located in them are responsible for the same features. Such a place is called locus (pl
loci). For example, in a dog at locus A there are coat genes, e.g. red and black and tan. If you associate a ginger (like a Vizsla) bitch with a black and tan (like a Polish hound) dog, then in locus A the puppy may have the red gene from the mother and the black and tan gene from the father. What will the puppy’s color be?

Whoever thought that the puppy would be a color between the two would be wrong. In this example, the puppy will be red after its mother. Why? Because some genes are dominant, some are recessive (retreating), and the red color gene is dominant over other variants (alleles) in this locus. So, no matter which allele the maternal ‘red’ allele encounters, the F1 pup will be red, and the other allele (paternal black and tan) will be dominated and invisible, but may be passed down to the F2 offspring. If it is met in a subsequent mating with the black and tan allele, black and tan puppies may be born. This principle is illustrated in the tables below.

F1 generation:

Ay – the ginger gene

At – black and tan gene

AyAy – red mother

AtAt – black and tan father

AyAt – red (heterozygous) offspring

F2 generation:

AyAy – Homozygous Ore (Dominant)

AyAt – heterozygous ore (carrier of the black and tan gene)

AtAt – black and tan (so-called recessive homozygous).

This is just one feature and the principle of heritability. But you should be aware that there are thousands of these features and they inherit – to put it very simply – according to this pattern, but not always the same. Hence, in hybrids in the F1 generation, a large “spread” in appearance, also occurring in the next generations. That is why it is so important to establish the goal to be achieved, mentioned earlier, and then to strictly select breeding and leave for further reproduction only individuals that are close to the intended one. In this way, at the end of the 1980s, the breeding of the Polish hunting spaniel began. It has been going on for about 40 years, and this breed is still not recognized by the FCI and is present at shows in the group of unrecognized breeds, without the right to titles.

Therefore, if someone, when asked how to start a breeding of cavapoo dogs, replies that it is enough to cover a cavalier bitch with a poodle or vice versa – he is very wrong. Unfortunately, this is how hybrids arise – without any scientific basis or practice. And this is not limited to knowing when you can bathe your puppy and what to feed him. Also check this article on dog breeds with hair instead of fur.

Why don’t dogs eat meals?

If the situation in which the dog does not want to eat happens sporadically, and in the meantime he has not eaten anything during a walk or has not been served with anything by household members or guests, there is probably nothing to worry about. Dogs, like humans and other animals, also have their better and worse days. As a rule, skipping one meal is not a cause for concern.

Perhaps the doggie got fed during the day and is full, or has had a hearty dinner so he isn’t just hungry in the morning. Similarly, in the case of dinner – if the breakfast was solid, the dog may be simply full, so he does not want to eat dinner.

However, if the dog refuses to eat what it has liked so far, consult a veterinarian to rule out possible health causes. If he ate something while walking and then refuses to eat – for his safety also go to the vet.

Usually, however, the reasons why a dog refuses to eat or to eat casually are more prosaic and harmless. Most often, the dog does not eat because:

• he is not hungry – the smaller the size of the dog, the lower the daily caloric requirement. If he is calm and not very active – even more so. Often, however, in terms of food, we treat our dog friends “humanly” by serving them meals or snacks several times a day. If the dog ate his normal portion in the morning, and during the day he was served with delicacies – it may be full by evening, hence the reluctance to eat dinner;

• has constant access to food– a meal put in the dog’s bowl in the morning stays in it all day, so the pooch has constant access to it at all times? So it probably eats a little bit, you just can’t see it. This way you eat too – and a portion spread over the day can fill him up enough that he just does not want to eat a second meal;

• is overfed – each pet food manufacturer determines the daily amount per dog, taking into account its weight and activity level. If the pooch is very active, his portion may be increased. Often, however, we put the food “on the eye” and it may turn out that the less active animal is simply overfed and therefore does not want to eat another meal – because it has not had time to digest the previous one;

• he doesn’t like his food – dogs also have their favorite flavors! So it is possible that the dog does not eat or eats very little (just enough to satisfy its hunger) because it simply does not like what you give it. To confirm or rule out this, try another food: wholesome, wholesome and with delicious flavors: Venison and Lamb, like Empire. It is a brand of premium food known for its unique, even legendary taste. The delicious taste of our food is one of the things that our customers value very much!

• the way of serving meals is… boring for him! Yes! Dogs, even the smallest, sweet sandwiches, associated more with teddy bears than conquerors – are also! Dogs instinctively need to get. So if your pet’s food is always served directly under the nose and always in the same form – it can be simply boring for him!

There can be more reasons why dogs do not want to eat their meals. Remember that any behavior change that is not episodic in nature requires a medical consultation. In the event that the dog refuses to eat at all, no matter how attractive it is – such consultation is advisable immediately. It may be a sign of health problems, often even very serious ones.

How to encourage a dog eater to eat?

If you suspect that your pooch’s average appetite may be due to one or more of the situations listed above, the easiest way to find out is to change your approach to feeding your pet.

Some dogs, used to being given different treats during the day – often much more attractive than food – are just waiting… for better!

To encourage your dog to eat, it is worth:

• serve meals at a fixed time– regardless of whether you feed your pet once or twice a day. Do not leave the food bowl within reach of the pet. Share it at mealtime, for a while, then take it away and give it only at the next feeding time. This will help discipline a slightly picky and comfortable pet;

• vary the way food is served – dogs are conquerors! Therefore, try to give him part of the meal in such a way that he can … hunt him down. Feeding dry food in a olfactory mat or a toy that he needs to shake it off is a great way to spice up a dog’s meal – even one he loves on average;

• test other flavors – sometimes the food is simply not very attractive: both in terms of taste and smell. Perhaps unpalatable food is a significant cause of your doggie’s hunger strikes. So try another, attractive in terms of taste and smell – like the Empire food, consisting of 80% fresh meat: venison and lamb;

• reduce portions – a person, when they eat a lot at once, often doesn’t feel like eating more for the rest of the day. So if you suspect that the dog is simply overeated – divide the daily amount into several portions, and then the problem may solve itself;

• give food in the form of a reward– dogs are craving for praise and prizes, and they can do a lot for their treats! Serving food instead of treats is one way to make it gain value in the eyes of your pet. It’s also a great way to serve up a portion of the meal: as a reward and in fun!

Remember that each dog is different, although each has a lot in common with the rest of its species. Both the Little York and the Big German Shepherd have a similar instinct: hunting and capture. It is therefore worthwhile to diversify his meals: delicious, healthy and fragrant food, as well as the method of its administration. Your pet will like it!

If you’re looking for more advice and information, check out the dog questions articles here as well.

A new dog house – what instead of a shelter?

A dog can be troublesome. Both puppies and adult quadrupeds can show aggression and destructive behavior. It happens that the guardian has difficulties with keeping the animal due to the change of financial situation or his illness. In addition, it may also be a problem to provide a chronically ill animal with proper care. There are many difficult situations.

Dismissing your dog at a shelter is better than ditching it, but by taking a moment of your time, you can find a much better solution. Try to put your dog up for adoption thanks to the help of numerous animal foundations. Perhaps their activists will organize a temporary home for the dog and take over looking for a new guardian for him. In this way, the animal will avoid at least some of the stress and discomfort. You can also use social media. There are dog lover groups or visible hand communities where you can find people who can adopt your pet or help you find one.

Nothing came of it? In that case, it’s time to consider putting your dog in a shelter. We check how it can be done and what the cost must be.

How to return a dog to the shelter? – procedure for returning the dog to the shelter

There are state and private shelters in Poland. The largest of them are located in cities such as:

• Warsaw,
• Gdansk,
• Poznan,
• Olsztyn,
• Wroclaw,
• Cracow.

However, there are more small establishments. When looking for a place to return an unwanted dog, consider not only the nearby location, but also your opinion about the place.

The dog is handed over to the facility after it has appeared in person. It will be necessary to give up the dog and sign the relevant documents, which will contain the data from your ID card. The procedure for returning a dog is as follows:

• Contact the representatives of the respective shelter. During the conversation, you will be asked to provide a reason for wanting to relinquish your pet’s rights. It happens that volunteers help if the reason for the donation is, for example, behavioral problems.
• The shelter staff will also ask you for the dog’s medical records and fill in a questionnaire.
• After the shelter’s approval, you bring your dog to the facility and sign the relevant documents.
• In some establishments it is payable and costs several dozen or several hundred zlotys. Ask in advance for the cost at the chosen hostel.
• After completing the formalities, the dog is taken into the care of the shelter.

If you have such an opportunity, also leave the dog’s toys, bedding or food that he has eaten at the shelter. Also check this article on adopting a dog from a shelter.

Returning the dog taken from the shelter – what is worth knowing?

Another issue is whether and how you can return your adopted dog from the shelter. When deciding to adopt a dog for adoption, you need to be prepared for various problems. Lots of animals are out. Some of them have never lived indoors and may find it difficult to learn to do things outdoors. Others have experienced violence or starvation, so they eat greedily and may defend their bowl aggressively. You have to be ready for all of this. This is one reason puppies find new homes faster. With adult animals, there are times when certain situations overwhelm the new handler.

What to do then? Contact the shelter. It’s free, and you might get help or advice. It is usually possible to put your dog in a shelter, but losing another home is a huge harm for the animal. This is a high price that we often forget!

Holy Grail – purebred puppies for free

Legends say that there are cases of free donation of purebred puppies. The problem is that while browsing through hundreds of ads, we’ve never seen a 100% real offer of this type. Usually it turned out that something was wrong with the advertisement after all.

There is a demand for purebred dogs, there must be advertisements and attempts to cheat. Some of the ads are real, others are not. Moderators on classifieds websites try to catch the more suspicious ones, but sometimes something passes. Let’s see what to expect and how to spot a scam!

Fictitious ads

Unfortunately, most of the ads that grab the attention of all bargain hunters are, unfortunately, fiction. Such advertisements are added to extort personal data or “obtain” an advance payment for a puppy’s reservation. There are also cases that theoretically the dog is completely free – you only have to cover the costs of shipping from some country to Poland. For example, $ 100 payable before shipping. The content of the advertisement depends only on the creativity of the adder. You have to be careful not to be deceived!

How to recognize a fictitious advertisement?

Most often, the content of the advertisement is written in broken Polish. Reading the description, it’s easy to spot strange statements. If something sounds unusual – read it a second time.

Below is an example of the content of an advertisement that has been rejected by site moderators:

“Wonderful puppies Pomeranian Teacup, 1 male and 1 female, AKC registered. Parents are the family’s pets; both mum and dad weigh 4 pounds. They are all loving, friendly and very fun. They grew up with children and other animals. Knotted tails and dewclaws removed, veterinary check included and first set of kicks for the dog. “

Another announcement:

“Beautiful puppies of West Highland White Terrier breed
The puppies were veterinary tested, potty trained, wormed with microchips. “

Another example (this time labrador puppies for free):

“Top quality puppies with all health information and toy accessories for puppies. They stay up to date with shots that do well with children and other pets. These cute puppies are waiting for you “

As you can see, you don’t even need to be particularly vigilant to notice that something is wrong here. Also pay attention to how the sender writes back the correspondence with you. Any strange statements should make you alert!

The second thing is photos. They usually do not represent the dogs that are actually for sale. These are photos taken from some source. Easily verify the origin of the photo with the help of Google’s image search engine.

In the case of the advertisement from which the first cited description came, the photo was copied directly from a facebook profile:

Another important point – always check who is issuing the advertisement. Usually, suspicious content is displayed by people without a Polish name, such as John Cosworth, Millano, Antonio, Margaritha and others.

Adult purebred dogs to donate or at a low price

These are ads that are usually true. In general, they are not pedigree dogs (although there are also pedigree dogs), but dogs that are of the breed type or very similar to them. In the case of an adult dog, we can already see the end result and it is easier to judge whether it is this breed or another, and whether we like such a dog or not.

Advertisements with purebred dogs for donation are most often issued by shelters. Larger facilities share information about the breed – if identified. It also happens that people want to give the dog back for some important reasons and look for a good home for him. At the Seller, as of the day of writing the article, we have over 780 offers of dogs to give away for free: https:// Sprzedawacz.pl/zwierzeta/psy/psy_zwierzeta/ Most of them come from shelters. If we look for purebred animals (or in the type of a given breed), it turns out that most dogs are between 5 and 10 years old! Dogs of the type of selected breeds currently account for about 10% of advertisements.

Adopting an adult dog is also a very good idea. Perhaps sometimes even better and simpler than raising a puppy. On the one hand, we already know what will grow out of him or her. On the other hand, during adaptation visits, we can get to know the character. From the third, we help and we can make a great friend and give him a new home. There are several more reasons for choosing an adult dog, but you still need to know if you want a dog that is already several years old.

Almost purebred dogs and puppies without pedigree

If the father and mother of the dog are known and both animals are of the type of a given breed, there is a chance that, despite the lack of a pedigree, you will be able to occasionally buy a dog of the breed you want – although formally it will not be purebred. Remember, however, that if a dog is cheap, all possible breeding costs are probably cut. Alternatively, someone actually does does not deal breeding and simply the female dog gave birth to puppies that need to be distributed or sold cheaply. Check what is the real source of such a dog.

Almost purebred puppies are those where we can be sure that the mother is of the X type and the father is unknown. The question is whether the person issuing the advertisement will tell you about it? As a result, it may turn out that the father was a dog of a larger breed than the mother was. What if York weighs 15 kg when he grows up? When buying or taking such a dog for free, you must take this possibility into account. If you accept that the dog will be different, that’s great. If his raciality was the key to you, then don’t go this way!

True purebred dogs (with pedigree)

When the breed of a puppy is a priority for you, do not compromise, just pay the market price and be sure that the dog will be exactly what you expect. Pedigree dogs are, unfortunately, expensive. The cultures have to meet the standards and all the associated stuff costs more. Only registered dog kennels together with the dog provide the owner with a birth certificate. The price is higher, but you can be sure what will grow out of a puppy!

Interestingly, if you decide to choose a fully purebred dog, you will also get to know its family tree. Yes, you will know who your dog’s grandfather was!

The most popular entries and videos

On the blog, you most read the entries:

On the other hand, the most watched films in 2021 were:

One world, many minds

If you have read my 2020 summary or follow my social media, you probably know that in 2020 I participated in the workshops. “Train your chicken first” organized at the Stokrotka ranch. There I had the opportunity to work with chickens using the clicker method and teach them a few simple behaviors. In 2021, I was able to return to the second part of the “One World, Many Minds” workshop, where I was teaching chickens a bit more complex chains of behavior. You can see the effect of my work below. 😀

Table Mountains with dogs

In June, we went with the dogs to the Stołowe Mountains. You can easily book a nearby accommodation with dog-friendly accommodation. The surrounding nature is beautiful. The biggest attraction is, of course, the Table Mountains National Park with many picturesque routes. However, equally beautiful and interesting are the surrounding mountains covered with beautiful spruce forests, which are located outside the National Park.

Hacker’s injury

The end of the year was less kind to us. A hacker unfortunately jumped over a ditch in a field while walking. He whined as he landed and began to limp. The next day, the right front paw swelled and a hematoma appeared. After some time, swelling also appeared on the left front paw. A visit to a dog’s orthopedist and examination revealed torn tendons. For the near future we are to drastically limit the movement, so we love the longer walks we love. I also ordered an orthosis made to measure Haker’s feet from the manufacturer of orthopedic rehabilitation equipment for animals, Admirał. This is not a paid collaboration. However, if you ever need orthoses, prams, prostheses, orthopedic collars or other specialized equipment, I can recommend the Admirał company with a clear conscience. They have a huge selection, fulfill orders quickly, sew to size and in terms of quality, everything is done perfectly. Now we are going to rehabilitate with Haker and I hope that in a few months we will return to our favorite long walks and running in meadows and fields.

The golden retriever is trying to bite the groomer

In the first video, the groomer looks after a 9-month-old Golden named Brooke as if nothing had happened. She bathes it, dries it, combs it, trims its fur … nothing unusual. However, already during drying, the dog jumps on the groomer, which was a big surprise for her. Later, when the groomer grabs the dog’s mouth with her hand and brings the scissors closer to him, Brooke tries to bite her. This behavior was also not expected by the groom. As he says in the film, the dog hadn’t shown any signs of aggression before, but was it really so good for the dog to take previous grooming treatments and suddenly tried to bite without warning?

Not! The video clearly shows a series of calming signals that indicate the dog is stressed. Brooke clearly avoids eye contact with the groomer, turns her head, panting nervously, licks her nose. Additional stress may result in the dog being immobilized on a special grooming table and it is impossible to escape. We also do not know if Brooke was used to all these grooming treatments and grooming before. A dog will behave completely differently when the treatment is performed by a person he knows and trusts well than when it is done by a stranger.

Unfortunately, all signs of Brooke’s stress have been ignored here. If we do not react, when the dog calmly “talks” to us, it begins to “scream” loudly. In other words, when we ignore the calming signals, the dog may begin to show threatening or even aggressive signals, as with Brook.

Rottweiler likes to kiss?

In the next movie we see a girl trying to kiss her little bitch on the face. The bitch clearly does not like it and after a moment of threats she attacks the girl’s face. This scene is juxtaposed with a rottweiler growling loudly at a man kissing his face. The difference is that the Rottweiler does not attack him. In the description of the film, we can read that the dog’s growling is not even a warning signal.

In my opinion, however, this is a clear warning sign. The Rottweiler is tense, avoids eye contact with a man, licks his nose, shows proteins in his eyes, the so-called “Moon eye”, of course, it growls and shows its teeth. So it presents a series of calming and threatening signals at the same time. The only difference is he doesn’t attack… this time. The dog apparently has more patience with this type of human behavior than a small female, but that doesn’t mean it won’t attack in a similar situation in the future. And the consequences of a rottweiler attack can be much more serious than for a small female dog.

Child and German Shepherd

In the third film, we have a small child seated on a dog in the form of a German Shepherd. The child is very happy and so are his guardians, but what about the dog in this situation? You could say that the dog is also happy, because he smiles so widely, does not growl, does not attack the child … Unfortunately, from my perspective as a dog trainer and behaviorist, and from the dog’s perspective, it looks a bit different. The wide “smile” presented by the dog in this film is nothing more than nervous panting. When a child pulls his dog’s ears, bends over him, grabs his head, puts his fingers in his eye, the pooch shows a series of stress signals such as avoiding eye contact, turning the head, “moon eye” or licking his nose.

Unfortunately, many dog ​​parents and guardians fail to pick up on all these little signals or consciously ignore them. Because more important than the emotions of the dog is that the child has fun. Because you have to take a funny picture on social media, etc. Fortunately, in this video the dog did not attack the child, but if this happens again, it may eventually lose its patience. Unfortunately, the consequences of such an attack will most likely be borne by the dog, and not by its irresponsible guardians and guardians of the child.

Below I am throwing you a video with my full analysis of these three ticks. If you are interested in the subject of dog communication, please click and watch.

How often do we hear or read in the media that the dog has bitten without warning? Dogs send us various messages all the time. We just need to learn to read them and respond accordingly. I hope that posts like this one will help you understand your dogs even better and avoid the situations that I am describing here.