Scientists pinpoint origins of little dogs

Choosing a vet is one of the most important decisions a pet owner makes. There are a number of things to keep in mind when choosing a veterinary care center and finding the best vet (or vets) for your pet.

Every pet needs a good general care vet and some require one or more specialty veterinarians. Examples of veterinary specialties include: care of exotic animals or a particular species, holistic care, osteopathic care, ophthalmology, anesthesiology, toxicology, oncology, behaviorism, nutrition, sports medicine, emergency medicine, dermatology, dentistry, and so on.

There may be a few dozen to a few hundred veterinary care practices and hospitals in your area. Talk to coworkers, friends and family pet owners, as well as trusted pet professionals (your favorite groomer, trainer, boarding kennel operator, pet sitter, doggy daycare provider, and pet boutique owner) and ask for recommendations. What veterinarians do they use and why?

Put Your Vet to the Test

When choosing a vet you are hiring a professional. Put them to the test! I suggest using the following questionnaire as a framework from which you can start evaluating potential vets or your satisfaction with your current veterinarian. This framework contains a guideline of sample questions to ask yourself and your vet about how well the vet in question meets your criteria; and will be an even more effective evaluation tool when supplemented with your own questions and concerns.

Cost

How do the prices compare with other vets in town?

    * Specialty vets may cost considerably more than general care vets
    * Call local veterinary offices and request office visit prices. Survey as many as possible and use their responses to determine a baseline rate for your area.

Does the veterinary care clinic accept your pet health insurance provider?

Do they offer discounts for multiple pets from the same household?

Ethics

Business ethics: Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure there are no complaints on file.

Professional Associations: Is your vet a member of any professional organizations? (Ex. American Veterinary Medical Association - AVMA, American Animal Hospital Association - AAHA)

Services

Do they offer grooming?

Do they offer boarding?

Do they offer appointments on weekends? Evenings?

Do they offer emergency services on nights, weekends, and holidays? If no, to whom do they refer clients for emergency care?

Facility/Convenience

What is the average wait time for an appointment?

How close is the location from your home?

Is it easy to find a parking space?

Is the facility clean and well-lit?

Your Pet's Needs

How much experience does your vet have with your pet's unique special needs? How many cases per year does he or she treat?

If your veterinarian does not have experience addressing your pet's particular needs, will he or she refer you to a specialist and work with that specialist on a customized wellness plan?

Specialty Associations: Is your vet a member of any veterinary medical associations dedicated specifically toward your animal's needs or wellness plan? (Ex: American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - AVSAB, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association - AHVMA) If you are interested in alternative medicine, limited vaccination protocols, home prepared diets for dogs, etc., will your veterinarian work with you to incorporate these priorities into your pet's wellness plan?

Staff

How many veterinarians are on staff?

Is the office staff friendly... on the phone? In person?

Are the veterinary technicians friendly, to you and the animals? Are they gentle when handling animals and dealing with fearful animals? Do they listen to your concerns, appear knowledgeable and offer helpful information?

Are staff members professionally dressed?

What are your thoughts on the vet's "bedside manner?" Does your pet like her? Does she like your pet? Are all your questions answered patiently, thoughtfully and thoroughly, or are you rushed out so the next client can be ushered in?

Understanding Animal Behavior

For many pets, going to the vet's office is a stressful and scary experience. A staff and veterinarian unknowledgeable about animal behavior can exacerbate the problem. The leading society for veterinary behaviorists (AVSAB) recommends early socialization, positive reinforcement training techniques, and warns against the promotion of antiquated "dominance theory" for behavior modification in dogs. For more on AVSAB's position statements and advice for choosing a trainer, check AVSAB Online.

If your dog has an existing fear of the vet, a veterinary behaviorist or experienced positive trainer should be able to help you learn how to make veterinary visits and husbandry procedures significantly more enjoyable and less stressful for your fearful pet. Bring along a variety of really tasty, special treats and a clicker; click and treat your pet liberally throughout the appointment to create some positive associations at the vet's office. If your pet is too stressed to eat at the vet, a trainer or behaviorist should be able to help you implement a desensitization and counterconditioning program.

Did Your Vet Pass the Test?

If not, the search continues! Don't be discouraged - finding the right vet truly is a pet owner's treasure hunt, and the rewards at the end of the search are bountiful and full of wellness for your well-loved furry family members.

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How to Calculate a Dog's Age in Dog Years

Know Dog's Age

A popular misconception is that dogs age 7 years for each calendar year. In fact, canine aging is much more rapid during the first 2 years of a dog's life. After the first 2 years the ratio settles down to 5 to 1 for small and medium breeds. For large breeds the rate is 6 to 1, and for giant breeds the rate is 7 to 1. Thus, at 10 years of age a Great Dane would be 80 years old while a pug would only be 64.
How to Tell a Dog's Age

If you've taken in a dog whose age is unknown, there are some ways to determine his age. Here are some things vets check to get a general sense of how old a dog is:

The Teeth: Dogs usually have a set of permanent teeth by their seventh month, so if you've come across a dog with clean pearly whites, he is likely a year old or thereabouts. Yellowing on a dog's back teeth may put the dog between one and two years of age, while tartar build-up at a minimal level could mean you have a dog between 3 and 5. Missing teeth or severe wear usually means the dog is a senior and could use some special dental care.

Muscle Tone: Younger dogs are more likely to have some muscle definition from their higher activity level. Older dogs are usually either a tad bonier or a little fatter from decreased activity.

The Coat: A younger dog usually has a soft, fine coat, whereas an older dog tends to have thicker, coarser (and sometimes oilier) fur. A senior dog may display grays or patches of white, particularly around the snout.

The Eyes: Bright, clear eyes without tearing or discharge are common in younger dogs. Cloudy or opaque eyes may mean an older dog.

Use this chart to calculate your dog's age:

Old Age in Dogs

The age at which a dog can be considered elderly varies widely among models. In general, the larger the dog, the more quickly it declines. For instance, a Great Dane could be considered "senior" at age 5, while a smaller toy poodle would still be spry at twice that age. Remember, however, that just because a dog is chronologically old doesn't mean that an endless series of malfunctions is in store. In many cases an elderly dog can enjoy many healthy, active, pain-free years.

One of the best ways to prolong the life and improve the functions of an elderly dog is to carefully regulate its fuel intake. Older dogs exercise less and thus need fewer calories. And since age reduces their ability to digest and absorb nutrients, high-quality food specifically formulated for their needs is a necessity. Excessive amounts of protein, phosphorus, and sodium can aggravate kidney and heart problems, so most such foods contain smaller amounts of higher-quality protein, along with reduced quantities of other elements. Levels of vitamins, zinc, fatty acids, and fiber, however, are increased.

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Miniature Pinscher toy dog Breed Standard

General Appearance

The Miniature Pinscher is structurally a well balanced, sturdy, compact, short-coupled, smooth-coated dog. He naturally is well groomed, proud, vigorous and alert. Characteristic traits are his hackney-like action, fearless animation, complete self-possession, and his spirited presence.

  

Size, Proportion, Substance
Size -10 inches to 12½ inches in height allowed, with desired height 11 inches to 11½ inches measured at highest point of the shoulder blades. Disqualification -Under 10 inches or over 12½ inches in height. Length of males equals height at withers. Females may be slightly longer.

 Head


In correct proportion to the body. Tapering, narrow with well fitted but not too prominent foreface which balances with the skull. No indication of coarseness. Eyes full, slightly oval, clear, bright and dark even to a true black, including eye rims, with the exception of chocolates, whose eye rims should be self-colored. Ears set high, standing erect from base to tip. May be cropped or uncropped. Skull appears flat, tapering forward toward the muzzle. Muzzle strong rather than fine and delicate, and in proportion to the head as a whole. Head well balanced with only a slight drop to the muzzle, which is parallel to the top of the skull. Nose black only, with the exception of chocolates which should have a self-colored nose. Lips and Cheeks small, taut and closely adherent to each other. Teeth meet in a scissors bite.

 Neck, Topline, Body

Neck proportioned to head and body, slightly arched, gracefully curved, blending into shoulders, muscular and free from suggestion of dewlap or throatiness. Topline -Back level or slightly sloping toward the rear both when standing and gaiting. Body compact, slightly wedge-shaped, muscular. Forechest well developed. Well-sprung ribs . Depth of brisket, the base line of which is level with points of the elbows. Belly moderately tucked up to denote grace of structural form. Short and strong in loin. Croup level with topline. Tail set high, held erect, docked in proportion to size of dog. 

 Forequarters
Shoulders clean and sloping with moderate angulation coordinated to permit the hackney-like action. Elbows close to the body. Legs -Strong bone development and small clean joints. As viewed from the front, straight and upstanding. Pasterns strong, perpendicular. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet small, catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep pads. Nails thick, blunt.

Hindquarters
Well muscled quarters set wide enough apart to fit into a properly balanced body. As viewed from the rear, the legs are straight and parallel. From the side, well angulated. Thighs well muscled. Stifles well defined. Hocks short, set well apart. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet small, catlike, toes strong, well arched and closely knit with deep pads. Nails thick, blunt.

Coat
Smooth, hard and short, straight and lustrous, closely adhering to and uniformly covering the body.

Color
Solid clear red. Stag red (red with intermingling of black hairs). Black with sharply defined rust-red markings on cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, twin spots above eyes and chest, lower half of forelegs, inside of hind legs and vent region, lower portion of hocks and feet. Black pencil stripes on toes. Chocolate with rust-red markings the same as specified for blacks, except brown pencil stripes on toes. In the solid red and stag red a rich vibrant medium to dark shade is preferred. Disqualifications -Any color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair surrounded by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and the wrist; on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any part of dog which exceeds one-half inch in its longest dimension.

Gait
The forelegs and hind legs move parallel, with feet turning neither in nor out. The hackney-like action is a high-stepping, reaching, free and easy gait in which the front leg moves straight forward and in front of the body and the foot bends at the wrist. The dog drives smoothly and strongly from the rear. The head and tail are carried high.

Temperament
Fearless animation, complete self-possession, and spirited presence.

 Disqualifications
Under 10 inches or over 12½ inches in height.
Any color other than listed. Thumb mark (patch of black hair surrounded by rust on the front of the foreleg between the foot and the wrist; on chocolates, the patch is chocolate hair). White on any part of dog which exceeds one-half (½) inch in its longest dimension.

Approved July 8, 1980
Reformatted February 21, 1990

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