A puppy as a second dog

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Jealousy and possessiveness are the strongest of canine emotions. If you already  have a dog at home and plan to bring in a new puppy, be sure that a new stranger in the house is bound to create jealousy and animosity.


The older dog will feel his world is being threatened and so he should get first preference in everything.


Here are few tips which might be helpful to bring about acceptance of the new pup without too much of trouble.

1. Feed the dogs in seperate rooms , if possible as the pup will require feeding at regular intervals

2. The older dog may be given tiny bit of food every time the pup is fed. This will not let the older dog feel neglected.

3. Do not make any drastic changes in the older dog's routine. He should not feel any inconvenience in his daily life due to this new arrival.

4. Give love and attention to your older pet as you used to in the past. He should not feel your attention has been diverted from him due to the puppy.

5. Never show excessive love or attention to the new arrival in front of the older dog. This will only aggravate jealousy.

6.There might be some growling and wrestling match between the two. This is quite normal. Rarely it has been seen that an adult dog has seriously injured a puppy.

7. Let the two work it out between themselves. The olderdog will likely be the boss. However, you should be ready to intervene in case the bout gets a bit too rough.

Raj Prateek Verma

How to choose a healthy puppy?

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Ten important points to be remembered while choosing a puppy.

1. Check the eyes      :  They should be clear, bright and should not have any scars or light spots on the cornea.

2. The emphasis should be on well proportioned body. Avoid plump or extra large ones. The puppy should neither be fat nor thin. Pot bellied means WORMS.

3. Ears and nose        : They should not have any signs of discharge. It should not be shaking its head too much.

4. Skin                       : It should be clear with no rough spots. Scratching is a sign of parasites. The coat
                                   should be fluffy, glossy and oily. Any loss of hair suggests mange, fungus, worms
                                   or lice.

5.Teeth                       : They should be bright and clean. The gum should be light pink. White gums reflect
                                     anemia.

6. Diarrhoea               : Check the behind. There should be no stains suggesting diarrhoea. Diarrhoea
                                    signifies worm/parasites infection.

7. Deafness                : A slight click with your fingers behind the ears with no response indicates partial or
                                   total deafness. White coloured breeds are more susceptible to deafness.

8. NEVER choose a timid or shy puppy. Shyness indicates sickness. A healthy puppy is lively and hungry.

9. Bone structure       : It should be solid and without bumps in legs. Beware of puppies having knots in the
                                   joints.

10. Size & breed       : The size and breed matters immensely when you want to buy a puppy. Larger breeds
                                   need more open space for exercise to remain healthy and happy. Smaller breeds are
                                   more suited to city life. Short-haired dogs survive better in tropical and sub tropical
                                  climates. It is better to cosunlt an expert before arriving at a decision.

Remember, you have taken a 10-year project on your hand. It is your responsibility to see that the puppy receives proper care and lots of loved. In return, it will devote all its love and loyalty to you throughout its life.!!

You be happy and your dog will remain happy.

Raj Prateek Verma

My recent oil painting

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

This is an oil painting on canvas board depicting Rajasthani singer playing a sarangi and accompanied by a musician on harmonium. These bards earn their livelihood singing the heroic deeds and valour of Rajput princes of the bygone era. This painting is for sale. Size 50 cms x 40 cms  Bid price Rs.45000/-

Email Id : raj_verma3140@yahoo.com

Raj Prateek VermaDogalogue
http://bux4ad.com/_aace1b3a.htm                                              

Signs of sick puppies

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Vomiting            : This is a very common ailment among puppies. If your puppy has vomited more than two or three times in a day, it might be possible that he has swallowed a foreign object. As puppies are very curious by nature, they have a tendency to pick up and chew almost anything. Many a times, sharp objects like needles, pin, razor blades, ball are devoured by pups, causing vomiting accompanied with blood. The vet should be consulted immediately if vomiting persists.


Diarrhoea           : The cause of diarrhoea may be simply over feeding or teething. In case of acute intestinal disorder, intestinal parasites may be the reason. Sometimes, improper hygiene can also lead to diarrhoea.


Loss of appetite : If a puppy refuses a feeding, food should be taken away from him and offered to him after a duration of one to two hours. If he still refuses to eat, a vet must be consulted immediately as a puppy cannot survive without food for more than 8 hours. He will dehydrate, weaken and go into a shock very quickly.


Lethargy         : A puppy may become listless if the diet given to him is in adequate or lacks in nutritional value. A proper and balanced diet with vital vitamin supplements is a must for a healthy puppy.


Intestinal parasites or worms may also cause a puppy to become listless. Its stool should be examined and proper de-worming medicine should be administered, of course after consulting the vet. A sick pup should never be given medicine for worms


Ricket             : It is caused due to a deficiency of calcium and phosphorous. Vitamin A and D will help to combat this problem. Bow-legged, large knots of bones at the leg joints are the symptoms.


Other signs of sickness: 1. Coughing
                                               2: Running nose and eyes
                                               3. Fever


if the above symptoms persist, your pup is really sick and proper medical treatment is a must.




Raj Prateek Verma

Canine intelligence

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

We humans have perhaps underestimated the intelligence of our canine friends. Just about every dog lover will have some anecdote about his pet's sense of timing.

My father had gifted me a cocker spaniel pup on my 14th birthday. As he was having his business in a small town with limited educational facilities, we had to shift to the nearest city to pursue with our studies in a good school.

Our pet was very close to all the kids in the house, yet she showed her strong preference to stay back with my father as our house had a large compound and she enjoyed romping around. Perhaps she felt claustrophobic in that small flat in the city where we had started to live !

She was content to visit us on Sundays along with our father and was elated and very excited on seeing us. She was the first person to collect her leash and jump on to the car on Sundays ! She repeated this act every Sunday without fail ! After spending the whole day with us, she would again collect her leash and hop back into the car exactly at 4 p.m, ready for her journey back home. Her dislike for the city life was pretty much evident!

Her uncanny sense of timing simply left us confounded.

Raj Prateek Verma 

COAT & SKIN

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Some dogs shed all around the year. Sometimes, excessive shedding becomes a problem for house owners. The house is scattered with fallen hairs and it requires constant cleaning which becomes a very tedious and cumbersome task..

This constant shedding is normally observed in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Due to hot and dry conditions, the skin dries up resulting in shedding.  Dogs prone to excessive shedding need a lot of brushing.

Extra amount of fats and oils should be added in their food. For stubborn shedding, vinegar with glycerine should be rubbed into the coat before bathing the dog. In long coated dogs, the solution of vinegar with glycerine should be applied thoroughly and left for at least one hour before bathing the dog.

Raj Prateek Verma

How to house break a puppy?

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

It is very important for all owners to house- break a pup after it has been introduced to the household.
This ensures that the puppy becomes trained to carry out its routine affairs without being a nuisance. Of course, initially it needs a lot of patience and perseverance but the end results are worth it.

Make it a point to take him out at least every two hours. This schedule/timetable should be maintained at any cost. This is the first thing to be done in the morning, and repeated after every meal and just before bed at night apart from the regular outings at an interval of 2 hours.

When he errs, make him realize his mistake . A slight scolding or a light slap with a folded newspaper is enough. Remember, never hit your puppy hard. This will only make him timid and it might also get badly hurt. Most dogs catch on quickly. It hardly takes two to three months for a pup to be house trained.

Raj Prateek Verma

How to keep a new puppy from crying?

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

One of the greatest problems faced by dog owners when a new pup is brought home, is to  pacify it. Generally the puppy  gets disturbed in its new surroundings. It has been forcefully seperated from its mother and siblings. It misses the warmth of his mother's body, the litter companions..
 Following steps may be taken to pacify the pup.

1. Offer it clean water as soon as it arrives. it may be very thirsty after a long journey.
2. Keep away the children from handling it too much. Too much of a handling will surely frighten the puppy.
3. Clean bed with a new mattress should be provided
4. The puppy might keep on crying at night. This is rather irritating as the whole household will be disturbed.
5. Before retiring to bed , a hot water bottle may be kept on the puppy's bed in order to simulate warmth.
6. A loud ticking clock sometimes works wonderfully in trying to distract a puppy from crying.
7. If these dont work, a baby aspirin, or a sleeping pill may be given.

Raj Prateek Verma

Amusing Dogs

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs


It is said  that the dog is the closest animal to humans and that it makes us  laugh  more than any other. Some dogs are amusing simply because  of their appearance. The Chinese hailess dog, for instance, with the strange tuft of hair on the its head and naked body, or the Shar-Pei, buried in great folds, are both naturally funny. Some mongrels, perhaps half Labrador Retriever half heaven knows what, can be very amusing to look at. But the more the dog makes us laugh the more we love it. After all a mongrel is unique; it is impossible to find two the same!

We also find the dog's ability to copy the actions of humans amusing; it can carry the newspaper, get car sick, lean out of a window or open a door. And emotionally, too, they imitate us; they can get in a bad mood and sulk; they can give you a melting look; be playful, irritating and and as annoying to their masters as small children can be to their parents.

Irresistibly lovable at times when they look their worse; getting out of water for instance, wet, bedraggled and miserable and having lost all their panache and nobility.http://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Dalmation as a pet

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs                                                                                        

 The Dalmatian does not come from Dalmatia and is certainly not of Yugoslavian    origin. One theory is that it may have come from Asia to England in the 18th century via Egypt and Greece. It is a dog of many skills and was used for carrying messages in the Balkan wars. It makes a good watchdog too. In some countries it is used as guide dog for the blind. It is a dog with calm temperament which enjoys playing with children.  It has a slightly melancholy air and depends  even more than most dogs, on human  companionship. Its white coat with black and brown spots is internationally recognizable. It is a strange fact that Dalmatian puppies are born with plain white coat.http://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Despised dogs: Biblical

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Biblical Dogs                     : Throughout the Old and New Testaments the dog is despised as an abhorrent, unclean animal. The only polite reference to a dog in the Apocrypha (Old Testament appendix), in the book of Tobit. Tobias's Dog accompanied him on a journey to Ecbatana as a companion and friend - a very alien concept to the Semitic mind, and the dog does not appear in the Aramaic or Hebrew versionhttp://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Despised Dogs

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs


Hindu                               :dogs were despised as unclean animals, animated by the wicked and malign spirits condemned to do penance for the crimes in a previous existence. If a  Hindu came into contact with a dog, he must purify himself. The greatest insult they could give to anyone was to call him a dog!http://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Dogs in Ancient Rome

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Rome         : In contrast with the Egyptian attitude, Sirius the Dog Star presaged bad weather for the Romans, and for the Greeks. It brought the hottest part of the year, the 'dog days' of pestilence and drought. The Romans sacrificed red dogs at the feast of  Floralia in an attempt to satisfy Sirius. At the annual festival of Diana at Nemi(Vesta) which was celebrated all over Italy on 13th August, the hottest time of the year, hunting dogs were crowned .

At the height of Roman civilisation, dogs were restricted to the privileged class and the Romans were the first to feed their dogs regularly, but as the civilisation crumbled, dogs gradually became outcasts and scavengers. Rome  had been very impressed by the enormous and powerful Mastiffs of Britain and they brought home to fight in the arenas against wild animals and gladiators.  They were also used as prize war dogs.

Venerated Dogs

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs

Nepal                                 : dogs were worshipped at a festival called Khicha puja.

Nosarii                              : of Western Asia were said to worship dogs.

Peritas                              : was Alexander the great's favourite dog. A city was named after him,and his statue was placed in the square.

Persia                               : In the Mithraic religion, the dog was venerated as the companion of Mithras, God of Light. The dog is always shown springing towards the wound in the side of a sacred bull which Mithras has subdued and reluctantly sacrificed.

http:/dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Venerated dogs

The more I see of humans, The more I love Dogs.

Ethiopia                       : A dog was elected as King. If it fawned, it was found the government was good; if it growled, it was bad.

Greece                         : Hecate was a Greek goddess who bestowed wealth and the blessings of daily life; the dog was her favourite animal and was sacrificed to her.


Kalangs                       : of Java practised the Cult of the Red Dog. Each family kept one in the house - probably a wooden image - which was worshipped after the death of a member of the family and burnt after a thousand days.


Raj Prateek Verma                          Venerated Dogs          

Venerated Dogs

Egypt                        : Dogs were idolised in Ancient Egypt. Members of the family shaved themselves to mourn a dead dog in the time of Herodotus. The 'watchful and faithful' Dog star, Sirius, heralded the vital annual overflow of the Nile and was worshipped for that reason. The ancient god Anubis was probably a jackal, not a dog, but was greatly venerated. Dogs in general were still esteemed for their sagacity in the time of Pythagoras, when the Egyptians believed that at the death of a human being the soul entered various animals.

Egyptian dogs were protected from being killed; they were never considered to be subordinate animals; and they were often temple guards.

Raj Prateek Verma                       http://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Venerated Dogs

Arctic                         : The Eskimos looked upon the native dog as the father of the human family. Greenlanders believed that because dogs existed before mankind they had a certain presentiment of the future; they also thought that eclipses were caused by the sun being pursued by his brother the moon, and in that frightening event the women would take their dogs by the ears on the assumption that, if the dog did not cry out under such treatment then the was not to be destroyed.

the Siberian yakuts thought less of dogs: they believed that the hum,an soul entered animals after death, and the weakest would end up in a dog.

Raj Prateek Verma           http://dogalogueofraj.blogspot.com

Venerated Dogs

America                : The Karok and Navaho Indians regarded the dog's close cousin, the coyote, as a great hero and divine benefactor known as the Fire Stealer. In Oregon the coyote inspired creative exploits, and on the Gulf Coast or the prairie wolf was the creative hero and chief supernatural being. The Tinneh Indians had a miraculous dog as their chief divine being: he could assume the form of a young handsome man and he became the first material of most things when he was torn to pieces by gaints.


Arabia                  : The Arabians thought so highly of their dogs that they were the first to give them medical attention. The Saluki was said to be the sacred gift of Allah.

Raj Prateek Verma

Classical Dogs

Horace                     :Satires II: The Tale of the Town Mouse and the CountryMouse'. . . . .when the lofty
                                   hall resounded with the baying of Molossian hounds.

Xenophon                 : Oeconomicus: : On farm management". . . . .and puppies too learn to do tricks


Virgil                         : Georgics III: Animal Husbandry in Africa and Scythia ' The african swain'. . . and
                                    Amyclaean dog'Classical dogs