It is always very important when you make the decision to add a dog to your family, to do the research about what dog is right for you. A lot of the dogs given up to shelters are because the owner did not understand the inherent behaviours and needs of the particular breed or mix before welcoming the dog into their home.
The Happy Healthy Puppy is a website that is devoted to helping the public figure out what type of dog is best for them.
One of the questions I get asked the most when talking to people about this blog is “What made you start the blog?”. To be honest, it was a culmination of a few things that began in November 2007. November was when our Morkie, Paddington, started favouring one of her legs. Immediately I knew something was up. I have written about her luxating patella surgery, and the ordeal we went through with that. Not only money wise, but recovery period. Paddington has problems in BOTH of her knees and after discovering this and speaking with many many people about it, I realized what I had suspected all along: Paddington came from a puppy mill.
Now when we got Paddington, I had no clue what a puppy mill was or that places like that even existed. I cringe at the fact that I unwittingly supported this horrendous industry. Having said that, I wouldn’t trade Paddington for the world – I love her to pieces and will fix any problem she gets because there is no other option for me. Her well being is of the utmost importance.
A puppy mill (or sometimes referred to as a puppy farm) is defined as a breeding operation where dogs are kept in substandard living conditions and are repeatedly bred for financial gain, often bred too young and far too often. Puppy mills often consist of the dogs being kept in small cages their entire lives and never let to experience what being a dog actually is all about. It is a form of cruelty and 100% neglect. Puppies are often separated from their mothers too soon and are rarely properly socialized.
Ottawa Dog of the Week for May/20.13
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The photos taken at Westfest 2012 at Masters n Dogs are now ready to be downloaded. Thanks to the dogs and their humans who participated!
If you had a photo taken at Westfest 2012 at Masters n Dogs, please follow these instructions to pick it up:
* Click here to open the album
* Find your dog and click the photo to make it bigger
* Above the photo there will be a down-facing arrow icon - click on the icon to download your photo!
Liz Bradley is a dog lover who lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband, Thomas, and their three little girls, Paddington, Corduroy and Wellington. Paddington is a Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie) and was born in September 2006 - she's a ball of energy and both Thomas and Liz love her to bits. Corduroy is a Malshi (Maltese/Shih Tzu) and was born in January 2008 - she is bold, determined and will lick you constantly if you let her. Wellington, our newest addition, is a one-year-old ShihTzu/Yorkie mix who we rescued in March from Animatch. She is full of energy and her favourite things are bananas, her Kong Wubba toy and curling up on her humans for a nap.
Liz has many sides to her including, photographer and graphic designer... ...read more
