What`s in a name?

There are so many dog names to choose from. So what’s in your dog’s name? Is it a serious or silly name? Did you pick the name before your dog came into your life? Or did you take one look at your dog and just know the right name?

Was it easy or challenging to choose your dog’s name?

Shelter dogs come with names but whether or not you keep them is up to you. Over the years I have adopted all three of my dogs from local shelters. And out of the three I kept one of their names the same. Shelter dogs learn to adapt to whole new lives with new families so accepting a new name is a piece of cake for them.

Whatever you name your dog, remember one day you’ll be calling it out loud in the dog park, on the street or in your back yard. I say this because years ago I had two cats named “Sambuca and Tequila”. You get the picture now?

If you need help choosing a name, check out male dog names and meanings or female dog names and meanings. Or look to see what your current dog’s name means.

Happy name choosing!

Keep your dog out of the garbage

Why do dogs love garbage so much? They will literally eat anything! My dogs get to eat good quality dog food and treats. They even get fresh vegetables from time to time. But for some reason a smelly garbage can always gets their attention. It’s unfortunate but all too true. All you dog lovers out there can relate. This is one of the reasons we teach them the “leave it” command so much isn’t it?

Dogs don’t smell the same way as humans. Dogs have super noses! They smell things individually. When we smell a pasta sauce, we just smell the overall aroma. Dogs detect and smell each ingredient separately. Maybe that’s why garbage is so appealing to our furry friends. They don’t just smell a pile of unpleasantness like we do.

So in order to keep their noses and paws out of our garbage, we have to make sure we either keep our garbage cans out of reach, such as under the sink or in the garage. Or we can use dog proof garbage cans. New Dog Owners has done some research and came up with the top three garbage can designs to keep your pooch from indulging when you aren’t home.


You’ll never convince your dog that garbage shouldn’t be explored and eaten, but you can stop him from getting into yours.

Guest Article - Why do dogs eat grass?

Why do dogs eat grass? 

Many dog owners have asked this question for some time, but even experts in veterinary cannot offer a definitive explanation. However, the fact is that dogs love munching away on grass and others make it a routine. The modern dog frequently eat their prey partly because of domestic ancestors and evolution, which includes plat eating animals. Thus dogs find nutrients in many plants especially grass.

Do they feel ill?

Many dog owners assume this, but evidence suggests otherwise. About 68% dog owners notice their dogs regularly eating grass while 8% say that their dogs shown signs of illness before eating grass. This shows that there is probably no basis to idea of dogs eating grass because they are unwell.

Do they remember their prey?

Some dog owners suggest that dogs eat grass since on an instinctual level; they are reminded on the taste of prey. A wolf’s or wild dog’s prey comprises of herbivores and so the prey will contain un- digested plant substance.

Where do they get the grass?

Newport Beach is a dog friendly city. Dogs are allowed to head out at 10am and get in after 4.30pm at ocean front beaches. But finding the right grass isn’t always easy. In the event you need to have your own you can order from Newport Beach dog grass. We do recommend that for all health related concerns you consult your veterinarian and educated yourself.

Guest Article - Health benefits of owning a pet

When it comes to keeping pets the great health benefits are incomparably amazing. Comprehensive research has been done on this topic and shows that keeping pets helps greatly in many different aspects of health including emotional, mental and physical improvements as well as developing a person’s social skills and decreasing heart attack risks in an individual. These furry friends do a great job in keeping us warm in the cold. In a broader perspective, other health benefits include:

Reduction of stress

When you talk to a pet, as many pet owners do most of the time, it brings cheerfulness into your day to day life. This sense of humour brings out laughter from a possibly stressful life and greatly compels us into playful moods. The distractions that our furry friends cause are not only called for but also healthy.

They stabilise your emotions

Many people might find it hard if not impossible to believe this but when you cuddle with your pet the body is stimulated to release a stress reducing hormone called oxytocin. This hormone has a calming effect on your emotions. In addition it brings forth a sense of well being, connection and frees your mind and body from emotional instability and stress.

They keep you busy when you are lonely

This is especially true for the people who reside on their own. Pets provide good company to their owners especially when they are facing long spells of loneliness in their lives. Miami University through its research stated that people who keep pets do not feel as lonely as those who do not.

The health benefits of owning a pet are numerous and they cannot be discussed fully by simple writing. What we have given here are just a few examples of the great benefits of pet ownership. If you want to know more try buying one from a trusted breeder or a website like "PetsYouLike" and you'll soon see a richness brought into your life.

Guest Article - How to Find the Best American Pit Bull Terrier Breeder for you?

All of you have had had those moments in your lives when you have dreamed and thought about somehow getting a cute puppy as a family pet. If treated right, dogs are known as human's best friend - they are very kind and loyal to their owners and could serve as great child and housekeepers. If that moment in your life is now and you have set your eyes on the American Pit Bull Terrier dog breed I'll be like Superman for you because in this article I'm going to present you the ultimate guide to finding the right American Pit Bull Terrier Breeder for you.

First of all, I have to say that if you're looking for a cute puppy only because it's cute you should definitely change your mind considering the choice of this pit bull breed. They are really great and loving animals despite society's opinion on them but every creature on Earth grows up in course of time and some of them don't look that cute anymore! Just saying, everyone should be treated right no matter how they look like, ain't that right?

As an owner of a representative of this breed, I am going to show you the right way about how to find a reputable breeder and exactly how I did it a couple of years ago.

How to spot the right APBT breeder for you?

1. A reputable breeder breeds only one dog breed, if you know what I mean. Beware of people who are in the businesses with more than 1, maximum 2 breeds. They are probably owners of a puppy mill where dogs are being produced like potatoes in really large amounts and have been kept in horrible conditions. You should not buy from such places or in any way support their existence!
   
2. As a reputable breeder, there will be probably a lot of people interested in his puppies. That's why, you'd most likely have to join a waiting list.
   
3. They are probably part of a Pit Bull dog club - most of the respected breeders are usually somehow involved in some sorts of dog club. In most cases, they are also breeding show-dogs.
   
4. The reputable will ask you A LOT of questions. They always want know in what conditions is the puppy going to raise, what person are you, is the puppy's needs going to be satisfied etc. They will be emotionally and physically involved during the whole process even after selling the puppy to you.

Those 4 points would most possibly lead you to finding the right American Pit Bull Terrier Breeder for you (at least that's what my friends did) but that's not what I actually did. In fact, I didn't even get my doggy from a breeder. You have probably heard of those non-profit Rescue Centers which support adopting young and adult dogs what is a great human action by itself. I did get my puppy from one of them and have to say I love my dog more than anything! It's an awesome creature!

The top American Pit Bull Terrier Rescue organizations you should check out are:

• Pit Bull Rescue Central
• AdoptaPet.com
• Out of the Pits

In the end, it's really not about how much you're searching for something. It's about where you're searching for it. Getting the American Pit Bull Terrier you have always dreamed of is a matter of 3-4 days, maybe a week or two. But it's totally worth it making a pit bull smile. In fact, pit bulls are among the few dog breeds that are able to smile. They really do!

Guest Article - The Importance of Puppy Training

Puppy training and socialization are extremely important, since the puppy stage is the most critical time in the development of the dog.  The training that is done (or not done) during this stage of development will forever affect the behavior of the dog.

A puppy that is well adjusted and properly socialized will make a good companion. It will be neither aggressive to nor frightened of anything or anyone it would typically encounter in day-to-day life. A dog that is not properly socialized will be untrustworthy and possibly even a liability, because it could become a fear-biter and get into fights with other dogs. Unsociable dogs have difficulty adapting to new environments, and a routine visit to a veterinary clinic could turn into a nightmare for everyone involved. Avoid the hassles by starting puppy training right away.

The period of socialization lasts until the puppy is approximately 12 weeks old. However, at that three-month mark, the socialization process does not end, as it is important that your dog’s socialization skilled continue to be refined. It is easiest to socialize the puppy before it is three months old. Any later and it becomes a time-consuming process that few owners will have the patience, energy or money for.

Puppy training can assist you in creating and maintaining a balanced and healthy state of mind in the growing pup, since you will understand how it operates and might react in different situations. Being aware of the personality of the puppy enables the owner to step in to correct possible behavioral issues prior to them becoming problematic. 

Teaching the puppy how to sit, come, stay, drop it and not to bite could prevent the pup from eating something it shouldn't, save some fingers, or just make life less hectic when the puppy listens from the start.

Bear in mind the importance of remaining patient at all times. Training assists the pup in learning confidence and feeling good about itself. Gain its respect and trust by showing respect, and an unbreakable bond will be formed.

Calming Signals

This article was inspired from the book by Turid Rugaas “On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals”.

We know dogs speak a different language then us. And the more we understand that language, the better relationship we will have with them.

Dogs use calming signals in order to maintain good social relationships with each other. These signals help them keep the peace when meeting new dogs, playing and in stressful situations.

Some common calming signals include:

• Licking/Smacking the lips – dogs that are uncomfortable with a situation, for example having a camera too close to their face will often start licking or smacking their lips.

• Yawning – many people assume a dog yawning means he is tired. He might be but more likely he is feeling stressed for some reason and trying to calm himself. Or he is yawning to reduce the stress of another dog, or even you. In turn you can do the same for your dog. And you can even fake it.

• Averting eyes/Blinking/Turning Away – staring is often considered a challenge in a dog’s world. A confident dog can help an insecure dog by deliberately avoiding direct eye contact by blinking, averting the eyes or even turning away.

• Sniffing the Ground – this can be easy to miss since dogs spend half their lives with their nose to the ground. Dogs will sometimes sniff the ground when first meeting a dog or if a human is walking straight towards them. It’s like he’s minding his own business or at least wanting to look that way.

• Lifting a Paw – dogs may lift a paw if they are unsure and nervous or if they are trying to calm down another dog.

• Sitting/Lying Down – dogs will often sit or lie down to diffuse a potential fight. This is also a common way of trying to calm down an angry human. If you ever approach your dog with an aggressive energy, your dog might just spontaneously sit or lie down.

• Freezing – it’s not uncommon for smaller dogs to freeze when bigger dogs approach and sniff them, or if they feel threatened by a human yelling at them.

• Moving Slowly – have you ever noticed your dog move toward you slowly when you call him with either frustration or anger in your voice? Moving slowly helps calm dogs down. They may also calm down another dog by approaching them slowly.

• Moving in an Arc – this is considered a more polite way for dogs to meet as opposed to face to face. This approach allows both dogs to sniff each other at the same time. You can also help a nervous dog by approaching him the same way.

• Splitting – often misread by humans as a dog being jealous by getting in between two dogs or a dog and person. You may see dogs do this when play gets a little rough or when dogs are fighting. Getting in between fighting dogs can be a more effective way of diffusing the situation as opposed to when we pull them apart which often increases their intensity.

If you start paying more attention to your dog, you will likely notice him using the various calming signals in different situations. Once you do, it can open up a whole new world for you and your dog.