Puggle - A Pug and a Beagle Cross Breed Dog

One of our Readers Mr Puggle recently wrote in response to the world's smartest dog breeds.

To be fair, we should not leave out cross breed dogs as well. To be frank, cross breed dogs are extremely smart as well.

A sample of a smart cross breed dog is Puggle. It is essentially a cross bread between a Pug and a Beagle

Do enjoy the pictures taken from Mr.Puggle.

We will write a post on Cross Breed dogs soon as most dogs we find now a days are essentially cross breed dogs.

There are many pros and cons of a cross breed dogs and we shall analyze them in dept. In fact, Peanut is a Cross Breed between a dachshund and a Shit Tzu and Casey is also a Shih Tzu Cross breed with a small mongrel breed.

So, there you have it .... cross breed dogs are found to be healthier, better immunity and extremely smart in most normal circumstances.

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Helping Your Pets Cope With Fireworks

.....Poor Casey and Peanut!!!!

• Everytime, when there's loud fireworks and firecrackers .... they will be scared ..... very scared !!!

• They would either hide under the chair, tables or cabinet...... sometimes, they would even hide in their security basket.......

• Usually, during the eve of New Years, Chinese New Years and other celbration where there is loud fireworks, they would be so stressed that they will loose at least 3 to 4 pounds .....

• Poor things ......

Anyways, we did a bit of reading on how we can help our pets cope with the fear ..... and would like to share with our dear readers .....

"Sue Stafford, acting chief officer of the RSPCA, said:

“Fifty-seven per cent of pets are scared of fireworks this means that for more than half of pets, New Year’s Eve will be a nightmare. This is a bad start to 2008 for animals.

“Fireworks can cause a great deal of pain and anxiety to pets because their hearing is far more sensitive than ours. The noise could result in them bolting and becoming lost, hiding, shaking, or becoming destructive.”

What the public can do to help:

• Never let fireworks off near any animals.

• Ensure all pets are kept indoors when fireworks are likely to be set off.

• Bring all small animals indoors (in their normal housing) into a quiet, dark room.

• Close curtains and leave a TV or music on to mask the noise of fireworks.

• Seek advice from your vet before the firework season begins.

• Here are some more practical advices from forums contributors .....

• "is it really normal for dogs to be afraid of fireworks? my pomeranian gets into trouble whenever she hears fireworks, it really makes her shiver and so nervous while my beagle shows only a minimal reaction towards it, but does not show any nervousness or fear. can someone suggest what i can do for my baby pomeranian? "

• "Just be there for her. You can buy desenitizing CDs with the sounds on. You start off by playing it low and gradually increase the volume. When the fireworks go off you will have to act as normally as possible around her. Don´t draw her attention to them at all. Don´t tell her it´s okay...Don´t coo soothingly to her you will just endorse the fear. Be matter of fact, but let her cuddle up to you if that´s what makes her feel safe. "

• "Dogs hearing is very sensitive and being a toy breed she is much more susceptible to anxiety and fear. Your beagle was bred to be a hunter and may have a calmer personality when it comes to loud noises. If you know fireworks are going to be on you can give her some Bach Rescue Remedy ( a natural anti anxiety, safe for dogs) before they occur. Also, DONT BABY HER while she is upset. Act normally and go about your business...if you coddle her when she is frightened or upset it will simply reinforce it to her that there is something to be upset about! You can try to desensitize her by using a tape recording of the noises she is afraid of, turned down very low volume at first and very gradually increasing, this can take weeks or months! The idea being that eventually she will become accustomed to the noise and will no longer be as startled. Again, be sure to ignore her while the noises are happening. It may sound mean to not baby her, but she is a dog, not a human and the psychology is different.good luck "

• "You should not reassure a nervous dog. It only reinforces to her that she should be scared, she feels your worry and does not know it is worry for her and not the noises. Act normally and ignore her, I know it sounds mean but it is not. Dogs are not little children that you can explain why she shouldn´t be afraid to. The calmer you are and the more you just go about your business the sooner she will calm down. She may never learn to like the fireworks but she may eventually learn that they won´t hurt her. You can play some music or distract her with a toy if you like, but no coddling. "

• "It´s ok to let her go where she feels safe, if that is under the bed that is ok, don´t force her to stay with you if she feels safer in a "den" like the closet or under the bed. This is an instinctive behaviour to find safe shelter, like from a storm in the wild. Once she feels comfortable again she will come back to your bed. If you force her she will not enjoy being with you. Let her choose her own path that way. Good luck. "

• "It´s very hard 128 not to baby a small dog. My Phoebe is an absolute delight. I want to wrap her up in cotton wool and protect from the world..I want to protect her from snide comments. I want to protect her from dogs that growl at her. That´s what I want to do, but in reality I let her be a dog. I have one dog who is not keen on fireworks and she will put herself in the narrow gap between the wall and the settee for comfort. We let her stay there. I know you love your dog but please take seriously on board what hooplady has written. Allow your dog to find it´s own safe haven when it´s scared. You force, and who knows, you could get bitten. Yes, if scared enough, your baby will bite you and I would think that would be more heartbreaking than not wanting to share your bed at the moment. "

• ... hope that helps and hope that reassures all pet owners"

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57% Of Pets Face Firework Fear On New Year’s Eve, Especially Chinese New Year Celebrations

.....Poor Casey and Peanut!!!!

• Everytime, when there's loud fireworks and firecrackers .... they will be scared ..... very scared !!!

• They would either hide under the chair, tables or cabinet...... sometimes, they would even hide in their security basket.......

• Usually, during the eve of New Years, Chinese New Years and other celbration where there is loud fireworks, they would be so stressed that they will loose at least 3 to 4 pounds .....

• Poor things ......

Anyways, we did a bit of reading on how we can help our pets cope with the fear ..... and would like to share with our dear readers .....

"Sue Stafford, acting chief officer of the RSPCA, said:

“Fifty-seven per cent of pets are scared of fireworks this means that for more than half of pets, New Year’s Eve will be a nightmare. This is a bad start to 2008 for animals.

“Fireworks can cause a great deal of pain and anxiety to pets because their hearing is far more sensitive than ours. The noise could result in them bolting and becoming lost, hiding, shaking, or becoming destructive.”

What the public can do to help:

• Never let fireworks off near any animals.

• Ensure all pets are kept indoors when fireworks are likely to be set off.

• Bring all small animals indoors (in their normal housing) into a quiet, dark room.

• Close curtains and leave a TV or music on to mask the noise of fireworks.

• Seek advice from your vet before the firework season begins.

• Here are some more practical advices from forums contributors .....

• "is it really normal for dogs to be afraid of fireworks? my pomeranian gets into trouble whenever she hears fireworks, it really makes her shiver and so nervous while my beagle shows only a minimal reaction towards it, but does not show any nervousness or fear. can someone suggest what i can do for my baby pomeranian? "

• "Just be there for her. You can buy desenitizing CDs with the sounds on. You start off by playing it low and gradually increase the volume. When the fireworks go off you will have to act as normally as possible around her. Don´t draw her attention to them at all. Don´t tell her it´s okay...Don´t coo soothingly to her you will just endorse the fear. Be matter of fact, but let her cuddle up to you if that´s what makes her feel safe. "

• "Dogs hearing is very sensitive and being a toy breed she is much more susceptible to anxiety and fear. Your beagle was bred to be a hunter and may have a calmer personality when it comes to loud noises. If you know fireworks are going to be on you can give her some Bach Rescue Remedy ( a natural anti anxiety, safe for dogs) before they occur. Also, DONT BABY HER while she is upset. Act normally and go about your business...if you coddle her when she is frightened or upset it will simply reinforce it to her that there is something to be upset about! You can try to desensitize her by using a tape recording of the noises she is afraid of, turned down very low volume at first and very gradually increasing, this can take weeks or months! The idea being that eventually she will become accustomed to the noise and will no longer be as startled. Again, be sure to ignore her while the noises are happening. It may sound mean to not baby her, but she is a dog, not a human and the psychology is different.good luck "

• "You should not reassure a nervous dog. It only reinforces to her that she should be scared, she feels your worry and does not know it is worry for her and not the noises. Act normally and ignore her, I know it sounds mean but it is not. Dogs are not little children that you can explain why she shouldn´t be afraid to. The calmer you are and the more you just go about your business the sooner she will calm down. She may never learn to like the fireworks but she may eventually learn that they won´t hurt her. You can play some music or distract her with a toy if you like, but no coddling. "

• "It´s ok to let her go where she feels safe, if that is under the bed that is ok, don´t force her to stay with you if she feels safer in a "den" like the closet or under the bed. This is an instinctive behaviour to find safe shelter, like from a storm in the wild. Once she feels comfortable again she will come back to your bed. If you force her she will not enjoy being with you. Let her choose her own path that way. Good luck. "

• "It´s very hard 128 not to baby a small dog. My Phoebe is an absolute delight. I want to wrap her up in cotton wool and protect from the world..I want to protect her from snide comments. I want to protect her from dogs that growl at her. That´s what I want to do, but in reality I let her be a dog. I have one dog who is not keen on fireworks and she will put herself in the narrow gap between the wall and the settee for comfort. We let her stay there. I know you love your dog but please take seriously on board what hooplady has written. Allow your dog to find it´s own safe haven when it´s scared. You force, and who knows, you could get bitten. Yes, if scared enough, your baby will bite you and I would think that would be more heartbreaking than not wanting to share your bed at the moment. "

• ... hope that helps and hope that reassures all pet owners"

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Trip To The Veterinary (Casey and Peanut's Scheduled Pet Check Up)

It's time for Casey and Peanut's routine Health Check - Up.

We are trying a new Vet at Rock Road Kuching. It's Peanut's first time visiting this particular Vet Doctor, while Casey is a regular at Vetinary Clinics. Peanut is now 1.5 years old while Casey is 2.5 years old.

At first, Casey and Peanut had no idea that there were going to the Vet Clinic. They though it was a regular Car Ride, which they enjoy very much ....

Whenever, we go for car rides, Casey would always look out the window, while Peanut would normally Sleep or take a short nap ......

The Usualy set up .... Casey would always look out the window, while Peanut would just lay low

Casey just loves looking out the window, during car rides ....

Peanut had no ideas that we were bringing her to the Vet ..... she enters happily and took the lead confidently ......

Casey had sense that soething were not right .... she refuses to enter and so daddy had to carry her in .......

When we carry Peanut up the exmination table .... she started to feel frighten and was calculating her options ....... hmmmm its rather high ... even for a Spiderman Dog like Peanut

Seeing that, there's no where else to go .... she decided to give in and calmed down as we stayed by her side to comfort her ....

Finally .... the examination was over and both Casey and Peanut had their Heartworm, Parasite Control / Deworming Injections .... and fleas / tick checks too ....

.... our babies ... can't wait to go home after the jabs .... :)

Dear Readers ... do share with us your Pet's Vet experiences .....

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The Happiest and Saddest Thing About Owning A Dog

Owning Pets especially Dogs could be one of the most rewarding thing in life ..... also, it could the saddest thing in life.....

The Joys & Rewards of Owning a Dog:

1. He / She will always greet you when you reach home (The Dog will be jumping with joy when he / she sees you)

2. Even if you have been away for several years, the moment, the moment you are back, he / she will be jumping with joy.

3. It is psychologically beneficial and therapeutic for both young and old to have pet dogs because it keeps them in good spirit and keeps them company.

4. A dog, unlike a cat, will always recognize and remembers his / her master

The Saddest Thing / Moment About Owning a Dog

1. When you pet dog falls sick, or very ill.

2. When your pet dog gets into an unfortunate accident.

3. .... when your Pet Dog's time has come .... this is the greatest fear of all dog owners .... although its unavoidable, many pet owners tend not to think about it, until its time .....

Anyway, that's just sharing form our hearts .... do share with us, what's your most rewarding / joyous thing about owning a dig and the saddest as well .....

Have a great week end....

Tags: Most rewarding thing about owning a pet (dog), Joyous thing about owning a pet (dog), The saddest thing about owning a pet (Dog)

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Pet Health Record - Preventing Disease

Pet Health Care Record is important in Preventing Disease in Dogs and Pets in General.

• Casey and Peanut currently uses MERIAL for Heart worm and De worming as recommended by the Vet. We bring them for their check up and vaccination twice a year. Their next check up is coming soon.

• Frequent Pet Check -up and keeping a Pet Health Record (Day and time of check up and follow -up session is important in Preventing Diseases in our Dogs / Pets)

• This is because our dogs /pets may be exposed to many diseases during its lifetime. These diseases could be caused by bacteria,viruses and parasites. The best way to prevent some of these diseases is by keeping proper record of our dogs health and by vaccination.

• Vaccination helps the immune system develop its own defenses against them.

Like they say .... Prevention is better than cure.

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Security Basket

This is Casey (Shih Tzu) secretly sneaking into Peanut's (Dachshund) night Basket...

....In fact, the truth is, we bought this basket for Casey when she was about 8 weeks old. However, since Casey has a Fury Coat, ..... she is generally afraid of our Malaysian Hot Weather.

..... That's why, whenever she decides to take a nap, be it in the day time or night time, she would either sleep under a table, or cabinet, where it is cooler,

...... however, her favorite night resting spot is by her Great Grand Ma's bed room door, because the aircond is switch on and has cool air coming out from the bed room door step

...... smart dog leh... :)



....Now this is Peanut (Dachshund) in her usual routine..... she has been sleeping in this basket since day 1 when we brought her home..... :)


Usually Dachshunds are afraid of the cold weather.... that's why, Peanut likes to sleep either on the cushion, on a pillow, on a blanket or for this case, her favourite Security Basket......


....What we meant by Favourite Security Basket, is that although Peanut has out grown in size, bigger than the basket now,

...... she stills from time to time would crawl into the basket and curl up like a ball just to fit in :)

She would also, crawl into her basket, when she feels cold, upset, scared or lonely.........

.... dogs, can't stand them at times, and can't live without them most of the time ! :)

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Joy Ride to the Vet

Casey enjoys sight seeing when she's going for a car ride but Peanut prefers to just nap. These pics were taken on the way to the Vet for their annual jabs. (Ouch!)

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Fighting Over Grandma's Socks

Brought Casey and Peanut back to "their Grandparents" place during the weekend. Casey and Peanut were so happy to be there.

The moment they got into the house, they would go around every corner to smell for familiar scents, greet all the family members and mostly just run around like a free prisoners.

Later, we all had dinner and left Casey and Peanut out in the living room. When we finished dinner.... this was what we found....

Both Casey and Peanut were playing tug of war with their "Grand Mother's" sock.... hehheh...

Must be those familiar scents and smell again.... just like the smell of a security blanket or even a security pillow... a.k.a the familiar human body smell :)

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