EVER wondered why Fido and Muffy prefer the toilet bowl to the water dish? Well, the truth could be that they’re just airheads.

A Swedish research scientist has discovered that the current generation of pedigree dogs, normally social and curious creatures by nature, are disinterested, shy and less responsive to commands than their ancestors.

The study found show-quality and “handbag” pooches were the most likely to lack the instincts of previous generations, which were bred for their strength, hunting and working abilities, rather than their looks.

Stockholm University ethologist Kenth Svartberg said personality changes could be seen in dogs that are only a few generations removed.

“Modern breeding practices are affecting the behaviour and mental abilities of pedigree breeds, as well as their physical features,” he said.

NSW University senior lecturer in genetics, Dr Alan Wilton, said it was a classic situation of “if you don’t use it, you lose it”.

“You can have lap dogs that are very intelligent. It’s just that, if they’re just sitting around doing nothing and you breed for many generations without selecting for intelligence, it is possible that their intelligence over time will diminish,” he said. “That’s what we expect is happening to some breeds.”

Selective breeding was also having an affect on dogs’ physical health.

The issue came to light last year in a British documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which detailed health problems among heavily interbred show dogs.

The show pressured the UK’s Kennel Club to consider changing its guidelines, in favour of less pronounced breed characteristics.

Master Dog Breeders and Associates CEO Julie Nelson agreed that many breeders valued appearance over skills, but said some breeds simply didn’t need them.

“The chihuahua was originally bred as a lap dog; all it needs to do is hang around the house. Same with dogs like pugs; they were never, ever intended to have any purpose, really, except to hang off people, to be companions,” she said.

Dogs have the same five senses as humans. However, some are more highly developed, and others are deficient compared with those of humans.

Dogs’ sense of smell is by far the most acute and is immeasurably better than that of humans. Dogs are used for such tasks as tracking missing persons, digging underground, and tracing toxic substances, such as gases, that are undetectable by humans. Dogs can detect drugs, explosives, and the scents of their masters. Not all canine noses are the same, however. Some breeds, such as the German shepherd and the bloodhound, have much more keenly developed olfactory senses than others. One would not choose a short-nosed breed, such as the pug, to engage in tracking.

Even in short-nosed breeds, however, the olfactory centre is relatively highly developed. It is arranged in folds in order to filter smells from the incoming air. Some rescue dogs are trained to follow a scent on the ground, and others are trained to scent the air. Both are able to distinguish one person from another even after a considerable passage of time. Hunting dogs-such as pointers, retrievers, and spaniels-are trained to scent birds and can distinguish one variety of bird from another.

The dog’s sense of taste is poorly developed compared with that of humans. If forced to live on their own, dogs will eat almost anything without much discrimination.

Dogs possess an acute sense of hearing. Aboriginal breeds had large, erect and very mobile ears that enabled them to hear sounds from a great distance in any direction. Some modern breeds have better hearing than others, but they all can detect noises well beyond the range of the human ear. Dogs are able to register sounds of 35,000 vibrations per second (compared with 20,000 per second in humans), and they also can shut off their inner ear in order to filter out distracting sounds.

The eyesight of a dog is not as keen as its sense of smell, and it is generally thought that dogs have poor colour perception. Some breeds, such as the Saluki and the Afghan hound, were developed to chase game by sight over long distances, and these dogs can see well enough to detect any movement far on the horizon.

Dogs can generally see better in poor light than humans but not as well in bright light. They have a wider field of vision than humans because their eyes are set further toward the sides of their heads, but they are not as adept at focusing on objects at close range or at judging distances. Dogs have a third eyelid, a membrane that protects the eyeball from irritants and is sometimes visible in front of the eye.

Dogs are sensitive to touch, the fifth sense, and use this sense to communicate with one another and with their human counterparts. Learning where to touch a dog is an important part in either stimulating or relaxing it and is useful in training a puppy or bonding with an adult dog.

What is dog lice? Are they the same type of lice that affect humans? What is the most effective way of getting rid of dog lice?

Sometimes even a clean, well-groomed dog can play a host to different types of unwanted guests. One of these unwanted visitors is called dog lice. Dog lice infestation is not common among dogs in this country, especially those that live in a clean environment and get proper care and attention.

However, you should still be aware of their symptoms and know how to deal with the problem should it occur. Dog lice causes severe irritation and illness to your dog. In addition, dog lice carries disease and complications such as anemia.

Dog lice are flat, gray, wingless parasites that are about a twelfth of an inch long. Dog lice are very slow movers. In fact, they hardly move at all. Dog lice only affect the dogs in your home and are not capable of surviving off of cats and humans.

here are two types of dog lice that exist: The first type of dog lice concentrates on biting the skin and feeding on skin flakes; the other type of dog lice feed on your dog’s blood. Blood sucking lice causes severe irritation because they penetrate the skin of your dog in order to feed.

Signs that your dog is infected with dog lice are heavy, intense scratching, and irritation that often results in bald patches. Dog lice are usually found on the area around the ears, neck, shoulders, and anus. Although dog lice are relatively large, you are more likely to spot their eggs in your dog’s hair. Lice eggs (nits) are easier to see because they are attached to the dog’s hair and look like white tiny flakes of dust.

Treating dog lice is relatively simple and easy due to the fact that they have not built up a resistance to insecticides. Your vet will more likely recommend an insecticide spray or bath to kill them. He may require you to cut off matted hair and wash your dog about once every week with the insecticide.

This procedure is then repeated until the itching is gone and there are no more visible lice eggs. If you have a puppy that is infected with lice, consult your vet first before starting on any kind of pesticide treatment or other type of medication.

To prevent further lice infestation and make sure that all the lice eggs have been completely eliminated, it is a wise idea to throw away all bedding that your dog has lain on during lice infestation and to disinfect the area where he sleeps.

Dog lice - When it is time to see the vet

Chances are that you have noticed lately that your dog’s new favorite hobby is scratching himself in at least three places at once. When you part his coat to examine what is causing the itch and excessive scratching, you notice tiny white dust-like particles that are attached to the hair shafts. What are these tiny particles and why are they causing your dog to itch?

Your dog is suffering from lice infestation. Dog lice are six legged parasites that feed either on your dog’s flesh or their blood, triggering intense itchy reactions. The tiny white particles that are attached to his hair are lice eggs or nits. Although dogs rarely get lice and it is actually more common for people to get human lice, dog lice is still out there and our dogs are not immune to them.
One tiny louse cannot kill your dog, but once that tiny louse decides to invite all his louse friends to live off of your dog, then your pet could literally be eaten alive. If your dog is suffering from a severe case of lice, he could lose about one quarter of his blood volume within months, causing severe anemia or shock.