All pets are moody from time to time.  Just like you and I, they experience a variety of emotions during the course of a given twenty-four hour period.  They can become bored, lonely, and even sad.  Sometimes, they seem to get hyperactive for no apparent reason.  They also become annoyed, particularly when their routine is interfered with.  Watching Animal Planet on a Comcast cable offers, which featured a “freeview” of The Animal Planet channel. This special helped me to understand more about the moods of pets, especially dogs and puppies, and today I’d like to share some of what I learned with you.  Let’s look at all the moods your dog is likely to experience, and analyze the causes and remedies for them.

Puppy Has the Blahs

Signs that your puppy might be feeling a little down include spending a lot more time lying around than usual, sighing, and looking around with those big, cute puppy eyes without turning his head.  When puppies feel this way, it is usually not from boredom, but some dissatisfaction.  Perhaps he hasn’t received enough one on one time with you lately, or he wishes for the companionship of other dogs.  To cheer him up, try getting down on his level and offering to play with his favorite toy along with him.  If he responds to this, you don’t have to spend a lot of time to disrupt his mood.  Most puppies are satisfied with even five or ten minutes of direct attention.  If he doesn’t respond to this tactic, don’t rule out the possibility he might be sick.  Keep an eye on him and be ready to call the vet if things don’t improve.

Annoyed Puppy

If your puppy is huffing and puffing a lot, similar to humans doing the same thing, chances are he’s a bit annoyed.  Maybe someone has upset his routine by being at home when they usually aren’t, or moving some item of his that he likes kept in a certain place.  Animals are creatures of habit, so when signs of annoyance appear, just give them some space and try to be understanding.  This mood doesn’t usually last very long, and is completely forgotten by the puppy after a good nap.

Boredom

A bored puppy is easy to spot.  He makes his boredom known by being noisy or barking and running around madly in circles.  He might even resort to playing with his own toys alone — toys that usually need someone’s cooperation to work very well, like a ball for example.  The bored puppy can also be destructive to property such as furniture and your belongings, so it’s best to address boredom as soon as it happens.  Break up the pattern by taking your puppy for a walk, or spending some quality playtime.

Hopefully these tips will help you relate better when your puppy is acting a little moody.

There is also the expense of maintaining that lifestyle for you and for your puppy.  Just like a child, puppies have some expenses that come with the territory.  ONe way to keep your new puppy from crying and feeling insecure during those first weeks at home with you is to plan and prepare for the care you will need to show him.  Here is an infographic that shows you the average expenses involved in keeping your pet healthy and happy for life:

The next thing you will need to do to become a hippie is to wear a certain type of wardrobe. This is often a certain type of clothing you wear. The clothing you will need to wear are things such as colorful t shirts, fringe jackets, bell bottom jeans and boots. You will also wan to wear a scarf on your head as well. By wearing these types of clothes you will have the ability to be a hippie by dressing like one as well.

Another thing you will need to do in order to become a hippie is live a certain lifestyle. When being a hippie you will enjoy things such as hanging around, reading, playing musical instruments and partying. By doing these things you will be living the typical lifestyle of a hippie.

Fitting into a social group is always one of the things that help people feel more fulfilled. Being a hippie is one of the numerous types of social groups that appeal to some people. By following certain guidelines such as certain values, clothing and activities a person will be a genuine hippie very soon. Like any other social group you will need to adopt a certain philosophy and lifestyle in order to fit in and be a part of the group. With hippies this is no different and therefore if plan on becoming a hippie you will want to do the many things that these people do on a regular basis.

All domesticated dogs are descendants of wolves.  To better understand your puppy’s language, it might be helpful to know more about wolf communication and signaling.  Once you have spent ample time with your puppy, you will start to notice that his barking is for different reasons at different times.  He might bark to let you know someone is at the door, or that his water bowl is empty or that he’s hungry.  If you haven’t paid him any attention for a while, he will bark because he wants you to spend time with him and to play.

Here is one infographic that sheds light on the reasons dogs bark, to better help you understand your puppy:

With the holidays just ending and now the year coming to a close I have been feeling a little more stressed than usual.  There are few things that can help me to chill out and relax.  A glass of red wine can often do the trick, but the best cure for my stress has got to be looking and laughing at cute little puppies.

I figured you all might be having the same issue as I am with all the hustle and bustle from the past holiday and the fact that 2012 is just days away.  So I created cute puppy Thursday!  Let’s look at cute puppies now!

 

Little English bulldog pups have fun frolicking and rolling around in their sweet round bodies.

Here you can watch tiny little Chihuahuas play and romp around. Talk about energy, these pups have got it.

Oh how I adore pug puppies. They are just so cute! In this video you get to see a darling pug puppy playing with a ball. He is pouncing around in the most adorable way ever.

I hope you enjoyed cute puppy Thursday, and I hope you all have a very happy New Year!

• The best lighting for your pet photos is natural lighting.  A flash from the camera can cause a couple of issues.  It can create red eye or a glow that is very unnatural looking on your pet.  A flash might also startle your pet and you will lose your model.  For the best lighting, go outside or use a room that has many windows and is well lit naturally.
• Get on your pet’s level when taking photos.  You will want to get down to get a straight on angle instead of taking a photo from up above your pet.  Be sure that your pet is comfortable too.  If you have to drag your pooch to the spot where you want the picture taken, he might not be too thrilled and it will show.
• Capture who your pet is.  If you have an outgoing pup, then catch him in the moment of having a good time.  If your dog loves to lounge around and be lazy, catch him yawning or stretching.  You want his personality to shine through the photo.
• Treats are your friend.  One of my dogs is the best listener.  You tell him to sit still and he does.  On the other hand, I have a crazy rambunctious pup that will only listen if you have a treat in hand.  If you have this kind of furry pal too, then don’t hesitate to break out a treat every once in a while.

Often, the cat will have lived in the house already for a long time before a new puppy is introduced, but the reverse might also be true.  If you are bringing a new kitten home to live among your canine companions, knowing the differences and likenesses of cats and dogs can help you anticipate the right behaviors to encourage to build trust between them and a lasting, loyal friendship that will make having a mixed pet household lots more fun.  Check out this infographic for more:

Pug.  Pugs are not the type of dog to require a lot of physical activity.  They do not get very big in size, and they are extremely friendly and fun.  Most pugs can get pretty yappy though, and they like to be the center of attention, but they are loyal and will be your best friend.  If you can handle a little bit of high maintenance, over-the-top personality, then a pug is great for you.

Dachshund.  A dachshund does not get very big in size, and they are incredibly sweet dogs.  Exercise is not on the top of their to do list, so apartment living is quite perfect.  Minimal grooming and little shedding also help to make dachshunds top contenders for apartment pups.

Miniature Pinscher.  These little guys are fun, loyal, and full of energy.  They are compact which means apartment living is a good fit, and they are not easily intimidated, so you will find that you have a little guard dog on hand too.

Shih-Tzu.  Another smaller breed dog that does not need a lot of exercise, the shih tzu is a great companion for an apartment.  Be patient when house training, and after that you will have a good natured, attention loving pooch to share your space with.

Labrador Retriever.  A Labrador retriever is the largest on the list, but the are incredibly intelligent pups that can adapt to all kinds of environments.  They are also found on other lists like most intelligent, best family dogs, and more!

To start off, make sure that breed of your new dog is one that doesn’t have a history of aggression or is not recommended for families with children if that is relevant to your particular scenario.  Some breeds are inherently more aggressive and do not get along with other dogs as well domestically as others.  A few breeds that are known for getting along well with other dogs are labs and golden retrievers so if you are investigating a new type of dog, keep this in mind.

If you are adopting a puppy, it will be easier to help that young one adapt to the new surroundings and the new friend since it has not been used to another family or environment.  When you first bring the puppy home, make sure that the entire family doesn’t spend all their time with the puppy and abandon the existing dog.  This often leads to the older dog acting out by being disobedient or by being aggressive toward the puppy for no reason.  You need to show both dogs that you care about them and that they deserve your attention.  Many children often forget this fact and become absorbed in the cute little puppy, forgetting about their other dog and leaving it to feel lonely.

If you are adopting a grown dog from another family or from a shelter, don’t force the dogs to be together all the time at the very beginning.  Start by introducing the dogs and seeing how they get along first.  If they seem to have some hesitance, try taking your old dog to the park for a while each to give him some time without the other and to show to him that you still care.  Dogs are very sensitive to the amount of attention that is given to them relative to that given to other dogs.  If you can clearly indicate to both dogs that you love them equally, they will be more likely to get along better with one another in general.

There are five different reasons that your pooch will bark:  warning, alarm, command, play, and for needs.  Usually a warning bark is a howl bark following a low growl.  An alarm bark is most likely to happen when your dog can’t see what is going on.  Your dog can bark on command, and while playing to show that he is having fun he might let out some barks as well.  Your dog might also be letting you know that he needs to go outside or eat with a bark too.  Find out what your dog is trying to tell you.