Is a Great Dane a good fit for an elderly single woman? Can a Jack Russell Terrier be happy with little kids? Should a Rottweiler live in an apartment without a yard?

Often a person’s favorite breed may not be what’s suitable for their lifestyle, and living conditions.

From Beagles to Bassett’s, Terriers to Toys and Poodles to Puggles, prospective pet buyers are faced with the bewildering choice of hundreds of pure breed canines and a myriad of mixes.

Today pet lovers can even choose from a gallery of “Designer Dogs” or have their favorite pet cloned.

Whether adopting or buying a pet, figuring out how to make all the right choices is tough especially if kids are concerned so let’s make it a little easier.

Best Family Pet Profile: Consider these factors, or even make a list

Family Members &Ages

Initial Pet Choice family is interested in: Dog

Other pets in the home: dogs, cats, ages, sexes

Urban or Suburban

Home dwelling description

Yard: if any

Occupations:

Lifestyle: active, medium, sedate

Amount of time spent at home: rarely home, moderate amount, home a lot

Will your pet live inside or out?

Grooming: is that a chore you mind, don’t mind

What temperament suits you best: calm & low key, spirited & lively?

Is this pet going to be a watch dog?

Can you exercise with this pet: never, a little, an average amount, a lot?

Will you travel with this pet?

Will this pet be a working dog (for handicapped & special needs people) & if so what in particular is wanted (i.e.Hearing, Seeing Eye, Companion, Seizure Detection, etc.)

Before you adopt or buy a pet do your homework, be responsible and don’t buy on impulse.

Be honest with yourself about the amount of time and work you are willing to put into a pet: for moms with kids: you are essentially adding another child to your family,who will be with you for the next 10 to 15 years.

Don’t expect your children to take care of your pet. Read books, volunteer at a shelter and go to dog and cat shows to familiarize yourself with your options and responsibilities. Consider fostering a pet if you decide ownership is not right for you.

Next profile your family: The 3 most important considerations are personality, lifestyle and your home and environment.

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When you bring home a new puppy, you will need to adjust your lifestyle.  Expect inconvenience and plan to spend a lot of time together.  Puppy proof your home: make your house and your yard as safe as possible.  Puppies are just like toddlers – everything they see goes into their mouth.

So look at your house from a puppy’s perspective.  Crawl around on your hands and knees if you need to.  Look for temptations that could be dangerous like electric cords, small toys they can chew up and swallow, aw well as plants that might be toxic such as holly, ivy, and azaleas.

Outside be careful where you place pesticides like ant baits, rat poison and antifreeze containers.  Also be sure your trashcan is off limits to your new puppy and has a pet proof lid.

If you see your puppy doing something dangerous, use negative reinforcement to stop him right away so he does not hurt himself.  So, for example, if you see your puppy chewing on an electric cord, make a sudden loud noise with a shake can.

To make a pet shake can, just taken an empty soda can and fill it with a handful of pennies (they fit right through the slot) and start shaking.

Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest news, tips and pet anti-aging longevity updates for your dogs and cats.

Holistic veterinarian and researcher, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM is available for pet health care consultations and pet health questions.

Call Dr. Carol’s office toll free at 1-866-372-2765 to make an appointment for your pet.

Making sure that your puppy starts life out on the right paw from day one helps prevent canine behavioral problems from developing later in life.

Puppies get new teeth until they are six months old.  From four to six months of age puppy teething is a primary concern.

That’s important to understand because when puppies teeth, their gums are sore and chewing makes their gums feel better.  Later on, dogs chew because it’s fun.  Occasionally dogs chew to relieve anxiety (canine separation anxiety) or boredom.  The most common medical cause of chewing in older dogs is gum disease, which is called canine gingivitis.

PUPPY CHEWING SOLUTIONS:

One puppy chewing solution is to provide age appropriate dog toys to chew.  Several pet products are available commercially, including safe edible dog bones and canine cotton “flossing” knots.  You can also make pet chew toys as a family project. For example frozen washcloths, frozen green beans, kool-aid cubes, and fruit squares are fun activities for kids and parents and dogs love’em!

Avoid rawhide pet toys, most are soaked in formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic, (cancer causing potential) and avoid all real meat bones because they can splinter into sharp pieces which can damage your puppies stomach and intestines.

Don’t give your puppy your old shoes to chew on.  Puppies don’t know the difference between old shoes and new shoes and most people don’t appreciate their new shoes being chewed up.

Older dogs that chew excessively may have a medical and/or a behavioral problem.  First check with your vet:  have a complete physical and dental examination.  Eighty-five percent of dogs over three years old have gum disease, which is painful and is also a leading cause of canine heart disease.  A professional dog dental cleaning generally solves the problem.

TIP: Get your new puppy out into the world and introduce him or her to as many new sights, sounds, smells and tastes as you can.  Take your puppy out  for a brisk walk before you leave him alone at home.  Chances are your puppy will be inclined to relax and take a nap while your gone and leave your house intact.

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Deplorable puppy mill conditions, in which dogs were infested with parasites, sleeping in their own feces and suffering with open, infected wounds, have yet to be properly addressed or even regulated by the USDA. This disturbing information was just reported by the Inspector General’s Office.

The lack of enforcement by the USDA, as well as their failure to document violations and/or act to close down repeat offenders has resulted in no change in the current status of puppy mills.

The inspector general’ report cited several cases of canine abuse and neglect, including the unnecessary death of an undisclosed number of dogs housed in various puppy mills across the country.

First-time violators were rarely penalized and the majority of repeat offenders were for the most part ignored. Certain breeders previously cited for neglect and animal abuse were also ignored.

The report stated that the USDA’s emphasis was placed on educating the violators rather than penalizing them.

Regarding the 27 dogs that died in the Oklahoma breeding facility, the breeder had been cited 29 violations, nine of which were repeat violations. The inspector reported finding five dead dogs and “other starving dogs that had resorted to cannibalism.”

Yet, despite the atrocities, the USDA took no action at all.

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Welcome back to Dr. Carol’s Pet Talk Carol returns this Wednesday, April 4, 2010  at 4:00 PM EST with a great topic

New Puppy Do’s & Don’ts: Starting your New Puppy off on the Right PAW!!

Find out everything you need to know and more to give your new puppy the very best for a long, healthy, happy life.

Make sure you get to the show a few minutes beforehand so you can make sure your web browser is properly configured and that your speakers are working. We look forward to having you join us!

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Holistic Veterinarian, fellow pet lover and Pet Health Diplomat, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM.,  welcomes pet questions from dog and cat owners and will answer your all pet questions live each week.