Getting a Dog From a Shelter- Read Ahead! By Kelly Marshall At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

A dog adopted from the shelter is essential just like any other dog. His physical and emotional requirements are the same and his capacity to love, learn and live are also the same as other dogs. However, there are some factors which render such dogs unique.

Firstly, shelter dogs are mostly mixed breed dogs. While more and more shelters are picking up pure breeds, mixed breeds are more common. In case of some dogs, you can easily identify the constituent breeds. However, some breeds offer no chance of hazarding a guess.

Getting a mixed breed dogs involves some disadvantages. Some are listed below:

• You can never predict how a mixed breed pup will turn out when it grows up. You never know whether it will grow up to be big, small, active, lethargic, reserved, outgoing in nature. Will it be fond of fetching or will it prefer herding?
• Since you get to see just the pup and have no information about its parents, you do not have any knowledge of the medical and emotional history of the pup. Has it inherited any disease from its mother? Was its father a very aggressive dog? You never know!
• Shelter dogs often bear physical or emotional scars from its past. They may have been abandoned in the past. They may have been subjected to violence in the past. They may not be ready to trust people immediately.

Time is the best doctor. Passage of time along with a steady dose of love and affection should be sufficient for the dog too overcome its past traumas. The disadvantages mentioned above can be overcome by adopting a compassionate and observant attitude towards the pet.

You can always go through breed rescue societies to get the breed you want. However, choosing from a shelter is a smarter and better decision.

Leash Straining Can Have Serious Consequences On The Dog’s Health

All pet owners have experienced a situation where the dog kept on straining on the leash. Most pet owners see the problem of excessive leash straining as a minor embarrassment in front of others. However, this habit of the dog may lead to severe consequences.

A large dog is strong enough to pull its owner off his or her feet. Leash straining may lead to severe injuries for the owner. However, the health of the dog is also at risk. Dogs strain the leash because they are not comfortable wearing them.

If you dog strains against the leash, check whether the leash is causing discomfort. Do not ignore leash straining. A survey by noted behaviorist Anders Hallgren has indicated that 63% dogs of the sample size of 400 dogs had spinal injuries. Nine out of ten dogs suffering from injury strained on the leash. Either they regularly strained on the leash or they had suffered a harsh jerk in their neck due to the leash. Further, the survey found that 78% of the aggressive dogs were affected by spinal injuries.

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