Nipping – the playful biting and mouthing of your hands and clothes by your dog – is particularly common among puppies, but can also occur in older dogs that haven’t been taught proper bite inhibition. It’s natural for dogs to mouth and nip. They explore the world using their mouths – to a dog, his mouth is as important as eyes and hands are to us.

Nipping is very different from true aggression: it’s a form of communication, interaction, exploration, and play. From birth, pups use their mouths to explore the den, their mother, and their littermates. From a few weeks old, they use their mouths to play with their siblings: puppies play by biting and mouthing each other.

Some adult dogs – usually, those with owners who encourage rough play, or who were removed from the litter at too early an age – retain these same tendencies to nip during play and in moments of emotional duress. Sibling play is actually how young pups learn a very important lesson, called bite inhibition. If a puppy bites another puppy too hard, the other pup yelps loudly in pain and stops playing with him.

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WHAT IS A PARASITE?
External parasites are pretty common among dogs. A parasite is an organism that lives off the resources your dog has to offer: namely, fresh blood (which most parasites drink) and a warm place to stay (in and on the skin and fur).

What are the common parasites that might affect my dog?
There are a wide range of parasites that affect dogs:
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Mites
- Lice

All of these parasites cause adverse reactions in your dog: typically, itching and inflamed skin, a dull coat, and bald spots. In advanced cases, your dog may develop anemia (blood loss) and become generally debilitated (particularly if he or she is very young, very old, or suffering from another condition).

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Even if you’ve got the most easy-care dog in the world, she’ll still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?
Not so long ago, the average American’s approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.

Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.

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If you’ve never seen a dog with serious food-guarding issues, it’s difficult to appreciate the potential severity of the problem. Food-guarding issues are not necessarily a reflection on the personality or training level of the dog: it’s an instinctive thing, and although dogs with a general aggression problem are naturally more prone to demonstrating the condition, it’s also exhibited by otherwise-sweet, well-behaved, well-adjusted family dogs.

Like an evil djinn, the problem can rear its ugly head only when food (or the food bowl) is present: a real case of Jekyll and Hyde. A dog with serious food-guarding issues can be a real danger to anyone who should approach her during a meal: it’s not a scenario in which you can expect to train your dog to “play nice”. Instinct is what’s compelling her to act in this undesirable, and even dangerous, way – you need to take steps to turn the behavior around before your relationship with your dog suffers or somebody gets hurt.

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Separation anxiety in dogs is a dreadful issue to be addressed in the canine world. The next article discusses the ways to cure separation anxiety. One of the greatest joys of dog ownership is the relationship you and your dog share.

Your dog is one of the social animals that need love and affection and sometimes this affection and love can cause harmful consequences. If your dog is close to you in more than the foremost manner, then he may start behaving in a strange manner when sensing your absence. If dogs become too reliant and dependent on you, then separation anxiety can develop.

Dog separation anxiety is a huge and vital problem to address and over 10% of all puppies and dogs get this syndrome. If you as a master do not take steps to stop the situation, then there may be a situation when you have to leave your dog in an animal shelter. Therefore, it is crucial to proceed through a step by step plan that can treat your dog. First sense your symptoms, causes and then find the ways to treat it.

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