Congrats to my darling Coco, the Silky Terrier. Haha. She just had her first heat yesterday. What is on heat? Means menses la. Don't ask me wad is menses ok? If you do not, you can jolly well go bang on the wall and bleed.
As some of u might heard me, I might be breeding her. Still considering about it. And anyway I'm not planning to breed her that soon. Maybe wait till after she have her second heat. And I would have to bring her down to the vet for check up too. To check if her health, her size is suitable for breeding. I do not want to put her life in danger.
I have friends telling me "If you ever breed your dog, give one pup to me k?". If you guys are keen in keeping dogs, its a must for you to read up more first before deciding. Its a huge sum of money, time and responsibility to keep a dog.
You will be responsibile for the dog's health, needs etc. Dry dog food is a must to my dogs. Some ppl give their dogs human food or even left over from their meals. There are some foodstuffs which human relish can actually cause illness or even death to your dogs.
Lists of the fews which I find:
CornsDogs can't digest corn
ChocolatesLoves to Human but toxic to dogs. Can be fatal even in small quantities.
Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.
When affected by an overdose of chocolate, a dog can become excited and hyperactive. Due to the diuretic effect, it may pass large volumes of urine and it will be unusually thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also common. The effect of theobromine on the heart is the most dangerous effect. Theobromine will either increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. Death is quite possible, especially with exercise.
Onions and garlicSurprisingly, onions and garlic is so common to human. We eat it almost in our everyday meal. But they are another kind of dangerous food ingredients that can cause sickness to dogs.
Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger.
Macadamia nuts The toxic compound is unknown but the affect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.
Other potential dangersPear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning).
Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
Rhubarb leaves
Mouldy/spoiled foods
AlcoholYeast dough
Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
Hops (used in home brewing)
Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
You can visit dogsforum.sg for more information on dog food and nutrition.
Pets owners should not assume that human food is always safe for pets. Giving them left over human foods, pizzas, you might think it's a scrumptious meal for them.
Yea, indeed. You will see them happily eating those stuffs. But the fact is, you are slowly killing them.
I've read that actually other than those dry dog knibbles, you can also give them home cooked food. But they must be specially cooked according to those dog home cooked food recipes.
Actually i occassionally do give my dogs cakes, fruits, cookies. =x but in moderation. As they are high in sugar content, and might not be healthy for them. At times I just can't stand the way they looked at us while we are eating. If you watched Shrek, you will know how i feel. The cat in boots, you remember?
Another important concern other than food is health. Yearly vaccination must be given to dogs. For a pup, first vaccination is to be given to it when it is about two months i think, then the second one will be one month after the first, then the third one, one month after the second. In total, 3 monthly vaccination for a pup then follow by the yearly one.
Dogs do fall sick too. Just like human. They will get sickness like diarrhoea, gastric, heart diseases etc. And their medication cost a bomb. I still remembered i spent quite alot for Sydnie medication when she was knocked down by a car few years back. The hospital charges and the medication add up to a total near 700 i remembered.
Mine is just minor case compared to my friend's dog. Her dog was knocked down by a van and had to amputate one of his hind legs. She spent thousands on the surgery, hospitalisation and the medication. And the saddest thing, was that her dog passed away less than half year after his operation, not because of that accident, but died due to some kind of heart diseases.
You will also have to spend time with your pup, toilet training it, playing with it, disciplining it, looking after it ensuring she won't go around biting wires and furnitures which my Coco did when she just came to my place. Else you will have to spend another amount on furnitures and electrical appliances again.
Responsibility... treat your dog like your child to you. Dote her, love her. Give the best you can give her. Do not kick her aside when she grew old and ugly. Do not abandon her if she is sick.
I watched "10 promises to my dog" and i cried. If you guys really interested to have a dog, pls do go and watch this movie. It stated true facts about a dog, about a dog's feelings.
They have no other except us. They rely on us, have trust in us. Do not betray their trust. Do not break their heart. They have feels just like we humans do. They do cry and feel upset.
If you want to have a dog, be sure to be the best mummy or daddy to them and love them. =)
(PS, Two posts in a day, ya I'm feeling dam bored. Woke up too early and nothing much better to do. Lols)
