Why You Should Never Pet A Dog On Its Head or Hug A Dog

The worst way a person can approach a dog is walk up to them head on and lean over them to pet them specifically near the facial region i.e pat the top of the head or embrace around the neck.
Dogs do not like you hovering over them. This is a dominant, threatening gesture and/or posturing for a dog. 

A person should approach a dog in the most non-threatening way possible which means crouching down to the dog's level and turning your body sideways. Whatever you do do not stand or bend over the dog or approach directly.

Let the dog come to you always. Squat down, extend you hand out and let the dog approach you at his own pace. Try to be laid back and not nervous as the dog will pick up on this. If the dog just stands there away from you or back off or pulls his head away after initial sniffing you are best to leave the dog be. If you observe any of the following dog body language:

• Stiff or tightly tucked tail
• Ears pinned back
• Hair raised on the center of his back
• Posturing dominantly 

The dog maybe aggressive fearful, anxious or uncomfortable if any of these signs are visible.

These steps should be taken no matter if the dog is familiar and known to be friendly or if the dog is an unknown stray. 

A dog can be unpredictable just like any other animal. 

However once you know the dog is calm, friendly and laid back let the affection and petting begin. 

How to budget for a new pet

Things to consider when budgeting for a new pet:

Home Preparation: Pet proofing your home maybe necessary especially if you have a new puppy or kitten. Everything from secure fencing to pet proof locks and/or storage for the trash can and any hazardous products 

Veterinarian: Your new pet may need updated annual shots, de-worming, microchip, flea and tick medication, heart worm preventative, spay/neuter and make sure you include any accident/emergency costs i.e broken bones, cuts, disease/illness, special medications etc.

Pet Supplies: 

• Food/Specialized Formula Food (grain-free, puppy/kitten, senior, etc.)
• Food and water dishes
• Collar/Harness and leash/ Licensing (varies city to city)
• ID tags (or implanted ID microchip)
• Dog bed/ Cat bed/ Cat scratching post/ Dog house/kennel
• Baby gates if you're keeping your dog within certain parts of the house
• Crate/Cages/Pee Pads/Litter Boxes/Cat Litter/Pet Carriers/ Doggy poo bags/ Pooper scooper
• Treats and toys/Training devices

Adoption Costs: Depending on whether you adopt from a shelter or buy from a breeder costs can vary anywhere from free into the thousands.

Training: Train your pet for free or hire a dog trainer or go to obedience classes which average about $100 per session and/or class

Day-day expenses: Dog/Cat Food, Grooming and Cat Litter

Pet Care Costs Break-down

Adopting a Pet

On average expect paying around $250 for adoption fee for a shelter pet. However adoption fees can run anywhere from free to $500 depending on the area you live around. Expect $1000 and up for a purebred puppy or kitten from a breeder

Basic Veterinarian Costs

Once your dog or cat is into adulthood, these are the basic services that every pet parent should expect to pay for at the annual vet visit.

Office Call: This is the cost of the appointment and physical examination, and can vary widely depending on your geographic location and the veterinarian, or clinic, that you choose. The average cost is $45-$55.

Vaccine Boosters: Vaccine boosters are shots administered after the initial dose to keep the vaccine effective. Some of your pet’s vaccinations may require boosters while others may not, but most pets require 2-4 boosters each year. The average cost for booster shots ranges between $18-$25.

Heartworm Test: This annual test checks for heartworm disease, which is a serious and potentially deadly condition caused by parasitic worms. Blood testing for this disease generally costs $45-$50.

Fecal Exam: Fecal exams are performed to identify gastrointestinal parasites, and the importance of this testing as part of the annual check-up has grown in recent years. The average cost falls somewhere around $25-$45.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

Depending on your pet’s age or medical condition, you may need to pay for additional services at the annual vet visit.

Geriatric Screening: Older pets (typically 7 years and up) will require geriatric screening. This is a more comprehensive exam that may include complete blood work and chemistry, urinalysis, x-rays, and more. The typical cost for this type of exam is $85-$110.

Dental Cleaning: A dental cleaning is performed when your vet sees gingivitis in your pet’s mouth or notices bleeding during brushing. Many pets have their teeth cleaned once a year at the annual check-up. This procedure generally costs $70-$400, and will vary for dogs and cats.

Allergy Testing: Just like humans, dogs and cats can develop allergies and will typically exhibit symptoms such as itching, licking, and sneezing. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from allergies, your veterinarian may suggest an allergy test. Allergy testing is performed one of two ways -- with an intradermal skin test or with a blood test. Skin testing generally costs $195-$250, and blood testing generally costs $200-$300.

Surgery And Other Health Issues: If your pet has to undergo surgery, or has other health issues that require treatment, the cost can run into the thousands depending on your pet’s specific issue.

Pet Food Costs

Pet food and treats typically costs somewhere from $20-60 per month ($250-700 per year). Food expenses vary based on the size and energy level of your dog as well as the quality of the food. Be aware that special foods, like veterinary therapeutic diets or freshly-made special-order food, may cost $100 or more a month. 

In general expect paying over $1000 a year for just one pet. Times that by 2 or more pets costs reach upwards of $3000-$5000 per year.

More Summer Pet Tips

More Summer Pet Tips

1.    Never leave your pet in a hot car.

2.    Make sure your pet is protected from internal and external parasites.

3.    Keep your pet’s paws off how asphalt on in the bed of a truck.

4.    Your pet should have access to water 24/7

5.    Give your pet some cold and/or icy treats or a wading pool.

6.    Don’t assume your pet can swim well.

7.    No fence? Keep your dog leashed at all times.

8.    Watch your pets weight. Feed less if overweight. Feed more if losing weight. Ask your vet.

9.    Pets can get sunburns too. Take your pet for a walk at dawn or dusk and avoid the middle of the day. 

10.  Ventilate your home but make sure screens are up and fully intact so your pet does not try to make an escape.

Enjoy your summer with your pet(s)!

Top Ten Summer Pet Tips

1. Make sure your pet has access to water 24/7.

2. Indoors? Lots of air flow! No air conditioner? Lots of fans or make a DIY air conditioner. Also utilize open windows and doors when its cool outside usually early morning and in the evening when the sun goes away.

3.Outdoors? Lots of shade and water features are always nice be it a play pool or some ice treats.

4. Avoid asphalt and concrete if its super hot out, the temperature of the asphalt and concrete could burn your pets paws.

5. Give your pet a haircut! Long haired or double coated pets would appreciate the shave down.

6. Not so much dry food maybe more wet foods and or raw meats are a special treat especially after being refrigerated or straight from the freezer.

7. Absolutely no leaving pets unattended in a hot car!

8. Take dog/cat walks in the early morning or in the evening avoid the middle of the day.

9. Hats and umbrella always a do to shade a pup's sensitive face.

10. Keep your lawn mowed and trimmed and avoid long grass and overgrown bushes in general where ticks and fleas could catch a ride on your pet.

Why Do Purebred Dogs Cost So Much?

First of all, the cost is not necessarily excessive when compared to other luxury items that have a similar upkeep cost… they are usually in the $1000–2000 range, but even a “free” dog is going to cost about $1000 to keep fed, etc. So owning a dog in general is going to cost you $10,000–15,000 over it’s lifetime. When you count in the decreased odds of major medical problems in a well bred purebred, the purebred can actually be the bargain (hip or elbow surgery? yeah, that’s going to be $1200–5000 to fix a congenital problem).

Second, it depends on what you want and need in a dog. For many pet homes, the average dog will dog. They don’t need a dog that is particularly talented or adept at any sort of thing - they don’t need a retriever or a herding or a guarder or even a more-than-normally tolerant pet. There are thousands of average dogs in shelters, if that is what you need, then go get one. But, if you need a dog that fits a specific set of traits beyond the normal “relatively good dog” stuff, then your best bet is to get a dog that has been bred for hundreds of years to do what you need it to do… and to shell out whatever it costs to get a dog from a breeder that can prove they are producing dogs that can do whatever it is well.

Third, purebred isn’t the be-all to end-all, there are poorly bred purebreds out there. If you’re going to bother to get a purebred, then you should bother finding a good breeder that can provide proof of pedigree, health testing, type and soundness (usually a conformation title), and working ability/instincts in the dogs they are breeding from and the dogs they are producing.

How is the cost of a puppy determined?
Show and hobby breeders usually charge the same amount for a puppy that they pay for a stud fee. So, if the stud fee is $500, then they will charge $500 for a puppy. This is a general guideline for most breeders, though there are always exceptions. Lots of titles are certainly nice, but health clearances, temperament, conformation, siblings and other offspring, and pedigree matter more for the parents of a litter than titles. A good dog who has wonderful brothers and sisters, with lots of good health clearances, is a better bet as a stud dog than a gorgeous dog with lots of titles from a poor family. The gorgeous dog is probably a fluke and less likely to pass along his good traits.

 A knowledgeable breeder will sometimes choose to breed to a dog who doesn’t even have a title if s/he feels the dog has some other important quality. But be sure you are dealing with a knowledgeable breeder and not someone who is simply tossing dogs together in order to avoid paying a stud fee. If you are calculating that breeders make lots of money with big litters, think again. A litter with lots of puppies means there are lots of mouths to feed to the age of 8, 10, or sometimes 12 weeks of age. Puppies need 3-4 meals per day of puppy food so feeding puppies is expensive. Even during the weeks when the mother dog is nursing the puppies, she needs lots of additional food to be able to nurse them. Add to this cost the cost of first and second shots, depending on the age the puppies leave the breeder. Vaccinations and worming for a litter of 10 puppies, for example, are not cheap.

Better breeders typically have health tests performed on their dogs prior to breeding such as hip and elbow x-rays and other tests recommended for their particular breed. These tests usually involve anesthesia, x-rays, blood work, screening by a veterinary panel, and other vet work. The cost for these tests, per dog, is usually hundreds of dollars so the breeder can be sure the dog is healthy.There are also tests involved for the male and female dog just prior to breeding to make sure they do not carry any sexually transmitted diseases; and often the breeder has progesterone tests and other lab work done on the female dog to be able to pinpoint the best time for breeding. Again, the costs of these tests adds up.

 In some cases breeders use artificial insemination so they don’t have to ship their female dog to the home of the male dog. Costs associated with artificial insemination are high but so, too, are the costs of sending a female dog across country to a suitable mate. A breeder can easily spend several thousand dollars for one breeding. And there is never any guarantee that the female dog will become pregnant. A breeder can spend a lot of money and have no puppies to show for it.

 So, for show and hobby breeders, breeding a litter of puppies is not exactly a money-making proposition, even when puppies are sold for high prices. These breeders are usually breeding in order to improve the breed and produce the best puppies so they can continue to show, hunt, or have the kind of dogs they need for their own hobby or work. They sell the remaining puppies to other show or hobby people and to pet homes, which helps to cover some of their costs. Most show and hobby breeders are lucky to break even when they breed a litter and sell the puppies they don’t keep.

Prices of Purebred Puppies
Prices for puppies from a show or hobby breeder can range anywhere from about $500 to around $3000, depending on the breed. Toy breed puppies often cost the most because they usually have small litters (sometimes with just 1 or 2 puppies in a litter). Breeds that are very popular for any reason can also cost more in California and on the west coast almost always cost more than in other parts of demand higher prices. If a breed is in demand and breeders have their phones ringing off the hook, prices will rise. However, there can be regional differences in puppy prices. . Breeders in New York, Chicago, and other metro areas often charge more. The cost of dog food, vet care, and other dog-related services are higher in these areas.

Before you buy any puppy you should talk to some good breeders who have the breed that interests you. Money should not be the primary focus of your conversations, but it is fair to ask how much they charge for puppies when they have them. You should also ask which health tests are normal for the breed, and what to look for in a good puppy. Don’t be surprised if you have to get on a waiting list to get the puppy you want from the breeder you like. Most show and hobby breeders don’t breed all the time so they don’t have puppies available year-round. Breeding is not their job. It’s something they do because they love the dogs. It’s better to build a good relationship with a good breeder you like and trust and wait a few months for the right puppy than to rush out and buy the wrong puppy. A good breeder will be there for you for your dog’s entire life, answering questions and helping you along the way.


In the end it is up to you whether or not you decide to purchase a purebred dog that will cost a pretty penny and may have health defects. My only concern is don't buy designer dogs or two purebred bred that produce a cross-bred litter. Sure maybe these are more genetically stable or hyper-allergenic but frankly your better off just getting a mixed mutt from the shelter. Costs less for the most part and the puppy is guarantee to have shots and are fixed so they don't contribute to the pet over-population and backyard breeding/puppy mills.