Amy Brannan, Author at Canine Journal

Why Working Dog Breeds Work So Hard

While the American Kennel Club has classifications for certain breeds of dog that determine them as working dogs the fact is that a dog does not have to feature in one of these classified breeds to act as a working dog. While working dogs tend to be particularly large and adapted to the rugged life of a working dog, the term working dog can also be used to refer to any dog with a job. In this article, we’ll describe some working dog breeds as well as the specific jobs they’re tasked to….

The Choke Collar: The Right Choice For You?

Choke collars are used in many of the same training situations as pinch collars, for the most part in maintaining composure outside the home and with aggressive dogs. Choke collars can be helpful with larger dogs or dogs with aggressive tendencies; again they should not be used on small or fragile necked breeds….

Dog wearing muzzle (Caption: Dangerous Dog Act)

Dangerous Dogs Act: What Breeds Are Covered?

The dangerous dogs act was a law passed in the United Kingdom in 1991 aimed to try to reduce the number of dog attacks by specific breeds.Parliament stepped in to create this Act after a slew of incidents where serious injury or death resulted from dog attacks of a particularly aggressive breed that were uncontrolled. This legislative response was designed as a way to protect the people; however, over time many have come to see this Parliamentary Act as being discriminatory and ineffective. Let’s discuss some of the specifics regarding the dangerous dogs act and whether or not this was an effective response to a societal concern…

Baby laying next to dog (caption: Preparing Your Dog For A New Baby)

How To Prepare Your Dog For A New Baby

Many couples begin their family together with a dog. While this dog is their first “child”, they often become concerned when deciding to add a human child to their family. Their concerns frequently revolve around how their dog will react to having a new baby in the household, and it is not uncommon for new parents to be worried that their dog will harm their new child…

Extinct Dog Breeds: What Are The Numbers?

England is facing a significant drop in native dog breed registrations, so much so that one breed in particular is facing extinction. In this article we will take a look at the dwindling registration of native dog breeds and the increase in exotic breed registrations that are currently taking place in England…

Dog Name Ideas For Every Type Of Dog

Bringing home a new member of the family is always a fun and exciting time. Many families already have a name picked out for their new dog when it arrives but some prefer to wait to see what characteristics the dog has before picking that perfect name. There are a number of ways to pick the perfect name for a dog, picking favorite literary characters, picking more predictable dog names and naming the dog after certain characteristics. For some dogs and dog owners only the cute names appeal and there are certainly plenty of these to choose from. Cute dog names can originate from a wide variety of places and depending upon the dog’s origin you may find that the originating country has as much to do with selecting a name as the meaning of the name itself…

Stopping Puppy Mills In California And How You Can Help

A puppy mill, also known as a puppy farm, is a large scale dog breeding facility. The treatment of animals at puppy mills is often called into question. Specifically, these commercial breeding farms are known for their lack of medical care, and providing a proper diet for their dogs. The pups often do not receive the exercise and socialization they require at such a young age. Unfortunately, these large-scale breeding facilities also exist for other animals. For example, for cats, a breeding farm is referred to as a kitty mill. Believe it or not, an estimated 4000 puppy mills exist across the United States, which breed over half a million puppies per year.

The Most Intelligent Dogs: Will They Outsmart You?

The idea of adopting or purchasing one of the smartest dog breeds may seem appealing, but there are a number of things to consider when adding one of these breeds to your household. Owners need to prepare for the stimulation and commitment it takes to raise an intelligent breed…

Black Labrador Retriever laying in grass (Caption: Guide to the Labrador Retriever)

Labrador Retriever: Everyone’s Favorite Family Pet

A particularly versatile and intelligent dog breed, it is no surprise that the Labrador Retriever has been named the American Kennel Club’s most popularly registered dog for the past two decades. So what makes this breed so popular?

Sad dog in the dark (caption: Is Your Dog Depressed?)

Clomipramine For Dogs With Canine Anxiety

As the owner of an anxious dog, I know all too well the challenges that come along with the canine manifestation of anxiety. For many dog owners the only remaining solution to offer their dog a “normal” life may be medication. Below we will take a look at one of the most commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medications for dogs – Clomipramine…

Golden Retriever with pillbox (Caption: Guide To Cheap Pet Meds)

Cheap Pet Meds: Is It Better To Buy Online?

Being a responsible pet owner means providing our pets with regular preventative medications in addition to medications treating health conditions. Being a good pet parent can also be expensive which leads us to search for alternatives. There are several places you can buy online to save money, but you should shop with caution…

Large Dog Breeds: Is Bigger Better?

When talking about large dog breeds the first breeds that often come to mind are those of the Mastiff, the Great Dane and the Saint Bernard. While these over-sized dogs certainly classify as large dog breeds there are a variety of other large dog breeds which fall in to this category. There is no specific weight or height limit that sets a dog in to the large dog breed category, however, in general a dog that stands at around 26” at the shoulder and / or weighs in at 100lbs or more is a dog that fits the bill.