Swank Pets Dog Blog

If you own a Yorkie or other type of small breed dog, you will want to pay attention to this post about portosytemic shunts, also known as Liver Shunts.  It is known by some vets that 30% of all their liver shunt surgeries are performed on Yorkshire Terriers.  Why is this problem so prevalent in [...]

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So as you may or may not know by now, I am the owner of a very small “Teacup” Yorkie.  I know there is no such breed as a “Teacup” Yorkie, which is why I use the apostrophes.  I only mention this because I’ve had people actually get mad at me for giving false information about [...]

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Many people seem to have this problem of feeling guilty when they leave for work each morning and have to keep their dog at home all alone.  You know the feeling.  You’re about to step out the door, but your dog  is sitting right there at the door step with those incredibly sad puppy dog [...]

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When we think of a family pet, dogs and cute little puppies often come to mind. Choosing the breed of dog is often the tough part. With the growing popularity of toy breed dogs such as Yorkies, Maltese and Chihuhua’s, more and more families are turning to these small little fur babies as family pets.  And [...]

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Every year, about 8000 people are bit by snakes.  Unfortunately, dogs also become victim to snake bites (I know, its unfortunate for humans, but this is a dog blog!)  The majority of these snake bites occur during the warm Summer months when snakes are most active.  Many snake bites to dogs come from non-venomous snakes, which are pretty [...]

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As Summer approaches and the days get warmer (its already heating up quite a bit here in San Diego), there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind when it comes to your dog.  Hot weather can be very detrimental and even fatal for dogs if proper precautions are not taken.  Certain breeds need extra care [...]

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When we buy our new puppies, we usually assume that our new little babies will be our best friends.  We picture our dogs following us where ever we go, sleeping in our arms, and never leaving our sides.  We envision a new best friend that will never betray us or leave us for someone else, [...]

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We all want our dogs to live as long as possible.  Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that we can simply give our dogs to make them live longer.  However, there are things that we can do ourselves to help prolong our dogs’ lives.  These are simple to do but it does require effort on [...]

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Many people are always curious about which is the best type of dog food.  Its only natural for us to want to feed only the best foods for our dogs.  I’ve actually written a couple articles and posts related to dog food.  I think your dog’s diet is one of the most important things in [...]

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Okay, now that I am awake again, this is Part 2 of the series “Dealing with your Dog’s Aggression”. You can read part 1 here. MANAGING AGGRESSION: PACK DRIVE The pack drive is usually associated with reproduction and being part of a group. Dogs that exhibit the pack drive may show signs of aggression towards [...]

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WHAT IS AGGRESSION The term Aggression may have different meanings to different people. For example, some people may think that a dog that barks and growls at people as they walk by the house is aggressive. However, the dog is simply claiming their territory which is perfectly normal. The official definition (okay, official in my [...]

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Ever wonder about your dog’s sex life and sex habits? If not, its time to learn. Since sex is such a hot topic when it comes to humans, I figure that I’d bring it up with dogs. First, dogs are  very close relatives to wolves, however their sexual behavior is quite different. The first dogs [...]

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So it seems like the Winter months are slowly coming to an end, but we’re still getting plenty of rain down here in San Diego. So if its raining here, I know it must be raining a lot more across the country…sorry to rub it in. Anyway, I don’t mind the rain every now and [...]

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Since I’m on the topic of common disorders seen in toy breed dogs, I might as well touch on the subject of a Collapsed Trachea. First, lets define exactly what a trachea does. The trachea is also known to many people as a windpipe. It connects the mouth, nose and throat to the lungs. It [...]

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If you own a small breed dog or a toy breed dog, you may want to pay extra close attention here. This problem is most prominently seen in smaller dogs but can affect larger dogs as well. Have you ever noticed your dog running around the park and then suddenly give out a quick yelp [...]

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I mentioned in some previous blogs about dogs going to massage therapy, dog hair dressers, and dog salons. Well, that huge craze is totally last year. A new and growing craze amongst dog owners seems to be Dog Yoga, or Doga. Dog owners in England are starting to take their dogs with them to yoga [...]

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People of all ages, sex, and ethnicities are happy owners of dogs. I don’t know the exact statistic, but I bet at least 1 in 3 families in America own a dog. So why do so many people own dogs. Why do our children beg us for a puppy every Christmas? There must be a [...]

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I know dog’s are known to swallow all sort of objects, which is very frightening of course. Take this one story of a Yorkie that ends up swallowing a star decoration that usually goes on top of a Christmas tree!  Supposedly, the 5 month old Yorkie named Charlie was rummaging around his owner’s Christmas decoration [...]

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There are many important things that you need to think about when it comes to your dog’s health. However, one of the most basic and important factors is your dog’s nutrition. What you feed you dog can have a great affect on their life. A healthy and nutritious diet can give your dog more energy [...]

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Almost everyone that has a Yorkie puppy or is looking for a Yorkie puppy will want to know how big their dog will be when they are full grown. Some people prefer their Yorkie to be smaller, while others want their Yorkie to be larger. Either way, the important thing is finding a Yorkie that’s [...]

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Many people would do anything for their dogs. They feed their dogs the finest foods, dress them in the trendiest small dog clothes, and pamper them as if they were royalty. However, many dog owners tend to overlook tell tale signs of illness and disease. Conducting a monthly exam on your dog at home can [...]

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I’m sure you have all heard the craze of going organic. You’ve heard that organic food can increase your energy, boost your immune system, clear up your skin etc. It seems that eating organic is the key to a better lifestyle and the best thing to happen since sliced bread. So why not feed your [...]

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So you’ve finally decided on adding a new addition to your household. You’ve probably thought about this all day and all night. You’ve probably pondered over and over if you can handle the responsibility of a new puppy. Next, you’ve come to the conclusion that indeed you have the time and patience to own a [...]

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Today, there are hundreds of different styles to chose from when it comes to small dog collars and harnesses. However, which is the best and safest for your small dog? Well, the answer is both. I personally think that your small dog needs both a small dog collar and a small dog harness. However, the [...]

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We hated brushing our teeth as kids, and some us hate brushing our teeth now. So why do we do it? Well, obviously because our teeth will eventually fall out if we don’t. The same thing goes for dogs. Many people are unaware of this, but poor hygiene is a leading cause of premature death [...]

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Hypoglycemia for small dogs is one of the most dangerous and deadly conditions that a toy breed puppy can encounter. I’ve seen too many cases where a new owner is not properly educated about hypoglycemia in small dogs, and the puppy dies because the owner did not know what to do. This post does not [...]

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