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| Saturday, September 02, 2006 |
| Dog reference books |
One of the most common problems for new pet owners is getting different advises on the same question from friends, online forums, self labelled experts, hear-say. While many are out to help you with your problem, it is safer to read up some books from the real pets experts, to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before getting a pet.
Here in Singapore, the selections of such books are not as much and the titles are even lesser from the libraries. You may want to invest in a good one for use as references.
Open the front cover and the first two pages you see contain the Index of Signs and Symptoms, from Abdomen (painful, swollen, distended, and tucked up) to Weight loss, Wheezing, and Whining (continual). There's a comprehensive index in back, of course, running the gamut from Abortion to Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis, which is all very useful, but when your pooch is in pain, it's great to be able to turn, with the minimum of folderol, to the page that says to relax, it's nothing a bit of extra grooming won't fix, or alternatively to hightail it over to the vet hospital. It's a wonderful reference for any dog owner!
There's the Scottish Terrier ("an earth dog used in hunting the fox and the brocke"), the Boston Terrier ("a lively, highly intelligent, smooth coated, short-headed, compactly built, short- tailed, well balanced dog"), or the Great Dane ("one of the most elegant and distinguished varieties of giant-type dog").
In fact, there are 146 AKC-recognized breeds profiled within the pages of the Complete Dog Book, and the pictures and text provide great bowser browsing. The breed descriptions help you choose among the hounds, terriers, toys, and working breeds, the herders, guard dogs, and sporting breeds.
Measurements help determine which dogs will best fit your abode (Chesapeake Bay Retrievers measure 21 to 26 inches high at the shoulder, Chinese Cresteds are a mere 11 to 13 inches off the ground, while the Irish Wolfhound stands 30 to 32 inches tall), breed temperaments help you choose your ideal pet, and show criteria help you know what you're looking for when you actually start to shop for a pup. In the meantime, there are interesting stories about breed origins, and a useful glossary of dog terms, while the chapters on grooming, training, and Canine Health and First Aid will come in handy once you've brought your new dog home. |
posted by SGPETS @ 2:45 PM  |
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