Euro Puppy's Blog

Tell me…do women look better with breast implants? You are probably thinking “what the hell does silicone have to do with dogs?” Not much, I agree, but as an analogy, it is striking. Today I was walking in a shopping mall and saw a woman with “fake boobs”. My train of thought steamed ahead of me and I found myself thinking: “Hey! This is much like cropping a dog’s ears or docking its tail! So….I would like to talk about docking and cropping. (At the end, feel free to answer my initial question, if you feel like it, of course)

Much like with silicone implants, tail docking and ear cropping have been met by a lot of opposition. The tradition first originates from selecting breeding practices and it is seen as cosmetic modification of that which is God-given.

So let me start by explaining what ear cropping is. At about age 9-13 weeks, puppies go under the knife and their whole look changes. While the puppy is anesthetized the outside edge of the puppy’s ears are cropped. The cuts are sutured closed and the ears are placed in a rack so that they stand up, while they heal. Breeds that undergo this procedure include the American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Schnauzer, Boxer, Great Dane, and Doberman Pinscher. Cropping was originally done on fighting dogs…to decrease their chances of having an injured ear. On hunting dogs it was also done, but in this case it was done, so that they wouldn’t get tangled in the bushes. Now the main question arises: Is it good to have this procedure done? Well, I have to be honest with you; I like the look of a hardcore Great Dane with cropped ears….or the sleek look of a Doberman with cropped ears. But…- and yes, there is always a but - ....Cropping is no longer necessary. Dog fights have been banned and working dogs have become more family dogs.

Tail docking on the other hand, is a procedure that is done when the puppy is only days old.

PALS

You see us every morning,
A common pair are we,
Each on a leash's ending
My little dog and me.
We amble village byways
In bright or dismal weather;
You may not think there's much in that,
But we have fun together.
No many-stranded cable
Could bear the jokes that pass
Between my little comrade
And me -- my! how we sass!
But how we give assurance
That we don't really mean it!
(A dog-and-man companionship
Is balm to him who's seen it.)
He greets his dog friends happily,
While I to neighbors speak;
He sometimes finds a treasure -
A bone that's lost its meat!
He talks with dogs or children,
While I swap views with master . . .
I had this thought the other day,
While visiting with Pastor.
"When dog and I have rambled on
Beyond this mundane scope,
And seen the Golden Gateway,
(From the inside, we hope!)
We won't pause on the highway
Made smooth for feet more sainted,
But wander down some quiet land,
And start to get acquainted.
We hope there'll be a hydrant,
A friendly tree or two,
Some drying leaves to shuffle,
A field to wander through.
We'll glory in our freedom,
And need no leash of leather;
It really will be Heaven, Lord,
As long as we're together.

John E.Donovan

While not all of us like starring in photos, we all love to take photos of our beloved puppies and dogs. But can you really say that you can take exquisite photos, just like a professional photographer? Well, there are certain ways you can improve the quality of your dog and puppy photos. They can be more effective and hence more beautiful. Euro Puppy would like to share some tips with you, so you yourself can be the expert pet photographer that you always wanted to be.

1. You should aim for natural light, when taking a photo of our dog. If the photo is taken in bright sunlight, the fur of your dog will reflect the sunlight. The best option is to go for natural light, where there are equal amounts of shade and sunlight.

2. The best thing is to always use a flash, even when it is relatively light outside.

3. It is best to stand at a distance of 3m from your dog when taking the shot. By zooming in – even from that distance - the photo will be much more effective. The background will become fuzzy and the image of your dog will be sharp. This will create a gorgeous contrast.

4. If at all possible, let your dog act as natural as possible. He will seem tense and unnatural if he is forced to do something that he is not used to doing. After all….your aim is to catch him in his element; in which he is his most natural self.

5. Before you want to take a photo of your dog, clean and brush his coat so that it shines.

6. Try your best to have your camera on the same level as the head of your dog. Don’t take photos from above. A shot taken from below or on the same level will ensure that the photo will be much more effective and beautiful.

7. If you have to take the photo inside your flat or house, then don’t take the photo standing opposite a window. Too much light will pour in from the outside and no matter how much you want to improve the light source by using a flash, the photo will not look good.

8. Try to get a light- or colorful background for the photo. Often dark backgrounds don’t work well, because the dark fur of a dog may wash into the background, and no contrast will be created. The surrounding area and the environment should be suitable before you endeavor on becoming an expert pet photographer!

9. The quality of your camera is important. You can’t expect a stunning photo if your camera is not of the kind of quality that will produce a high-quality photo.

10. Try to capture unusual moments. These are the photos that really capture the character of your dog or puppy and will give you many happy memories.

Capturing those special moments are important for all dog lovers. Creating an album of your very own dog photos or puppy photos will give you wonderful moments that you can share with your loved ones and cherish forever. So take many photos and enjoy…

Lovely video: starring Vincent the Vizsla