Source of Inspiration

I am fascinated with colors and I am continuously inspired by https://color.adobe.com/ There are so many options and schemes to create. It is helpful when doing projects and you need a little help with putting things together.

Source of inspiration

My color scheme mainly focus on the color red. I was inspired by this color for various reasons. Red is the color of energy and passion. I am very passionate about my dogs and they have lots of energy so I found this color very fitting.

Source of inspiration

While designing the blog i wanted to keep things simple. I figured a paw print background is perfect for a blog about dogs. I was inspired by a photo I saw on Pinterest a while ago. I think the image is fitting for my topic and simple enough were it doesn't distract the reader.

Source of inspiration

My two dogs, Nika and Bronx, are sources of inspiration. This picture captures their playful spirit and  so I wanted my design to look playful and fun just like my dogs. I chose bright colors and curly fonts to add to this style.

Source of Inspiration

The font style in my blog was inspired by a few things. To start I enjoy different fun fonts I think it makes things look more interesting. I am inspired the a website, DaFont.com. This site includes a multitude of different fonts all categorized byt style, theme, and popularity. Many of them are free for personal use and download. I was specifically inspired by the handwritten text category on the site. I think it has a fun and upbeat look to it which I think is a good fit for a blog about dogs.

Biggest Dogs In The World

I coverd the smallest dogs, so of course I have to talk about, my favorite, BIG DOGS! Heres the top 7!

1.) Irish Wolf Hound: one of the tallest dog breeds. They are intelligent and loving dogs.

2.) Leonberger: Can grow up to 170lbs!

3.) St. Bernard: These are very loving animals.

4.)  Great Dane: This dog is very tall and large and is great with kids.

 5.) Newfoundland: The largest one grew up to 260 pounds!

6.) Neapolitan Mastiff: Can grow up to 200 pounds.

7.) English Mastiff: Weighing in at a maximun of 350lbs!

Smallest Dogs In The World

The top ten smallest dogs in the world include:

1.) Chihuahua: 4-6 pound mexican dog.
2.)Brussels Griffin: 8-10 pounds and extremely yippy.
3.) Affenpinsche: Originally used in the 17th century to get rid of mice and rats during dinner time.
4.) Japanese Chin: Has cat like intelligence and were known as royalty in Japan.
5.) Maltese: Grows to be only 2-8 pounds and is the perfect family lap dog.
6.) Papillon: weight 7-10 Pounds and are also perfect lap dogs.
7.) Pomeranian:This 4-8 pound dog is one of the most popular breeds in America.
8.) Russian Toy: 3-6 pounds and only 8-10 inches tall!
9.) Toy Fox Terrier: Grow up to 3.5-9 pounds and are extremely athletic.
10.) Yorkshire Terrier: Grows to be about 7 pounds and you can almost fit them in your pocket.

Dog Matchup

Ever wonder what breed is right for you? Well now you can find out by taking a quiz. Matchup will recommend specific breeds depending on how you answer questions. It also makes you think about life with a new pet. I am a firm believer in connecting with a dog before you adopt them so th best thing to do is a go to a shelter play with different dogs individually and then make your decision based off of what you felt.

http://dogtime.com/quiz/dog-breed-selector

Weird facts about dogs

Interested in some weird facts about your favorite pet? If so keep reading!

1. It is a myth that dogs are color blind.

2. Dogs sweat through their paw pads.

3. A dogs mouth exerts 150-200 lb. of pressure per square inch.

4. Some dogs can even reach up to 400 lb. per inch.

5. The U.S has the highest dog population in the world

6. Dogs can be trained to predict epileptic seizures 

7. 15 people in the U.S die every year from dog bites :(

8. Basset hounds cannot swim.

9. Three dogs survived the Titanic, a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekinese.

10. Dogs have no sense of time.

11. Dogs have no appendix.

12. But they do have a prostate.

13. There are 703 kinds of pure bread dogs.

14. A dog's sense of smell is 100,000x stronger than a human.

15. George Washington had 36 fox hound dogs.

16. Puppies sleep 90% of the day in the first two weeks of their life

17. Wizard of Oz's dog, Toto, real name was Terry.

18. Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.

19. Dogs live to an average of 15 years

20. The oldest dog on record was a Queensland Healer that lived to be 29 years old

Shedding

Although I love dogs I must say one thing I could do without is the shedding. Nothing is more discussing than living in  house full of dog hair. Fortunately for people there are hypoallergenic dogs! The difference with these animals is that they have air not fur so the do not shed. On the other hand since they don't shed they do require more grooming. Some examples of hypoallergenic dogs are maltese, Shih tzu, Poodle, and Bishon Frise. When it comes time to picking a dog choose what best suits you!

Keep these food items away from your pet!

I am sure every one has heard that  you should never feed your dogs chocolate. There is component in cocoa powder that is fatal to dogs if ingested in large amounts. The reason why it is harmful to dogs and not humans is because humans can break down this component easily and in a dogs body it metabolizes so slowly that it can build up toxins in their systems.

Second food to keep away from your precious pet is grapes. Although this little fruit seems harmless and healthy to humans it contains a substance that is extremely toxic to dogs. Consumption of grapes can lead to vomiting diarrhea and even kidney failure. So definitely keep this food away from your pet!

Last  but not least, onions! This food can actually be extremely fatal to dogs wen ingested. The enzyme in onions causes a breakdown of red blood cells within the animals body. So all in all to keep you animal happy and healthy keep them away from chocolate, grapes, and onions!

Happy National Puppy Day!

3/23 It's national puppy day! This national celebration might be better than Christmas. Being a dog (puppy) lover I think its more than fitting to have a day dedicated to celebrating puppies. National Dog day is on the 28th of Aug. This day is strictly for puppies so to celebrate lets enjoy some cute pictures of pups.

Picking a dog name

There are so many possible options for names when it comes to a new dog. The number one names for females are Bella, Lucy, Molly, Daisy. For male dogs the top names are Bailey, Max , Charlie, and Buddy. But who even wants a common name for a dog anyways? I think the name you pick for a dog should be indicative of the dogs personality. It is known that dogs respond most easily to words that are one syllable. So when picking a name its best to use a 1-2 syllable names. This link is a helpful quiz you can take to pick out a name for your new pet: http://nameyourdoggie.com. My personal favorite names are unique. When I named my dogs I wanted them to be something that no one else had. So when picking a name make sure to choose something fitting for your pet!

Famous Dogs

I am sure you are familiar with one of the most famous animals, Scooby Doo. Although his character is fictional he is still pup we all loved growing up. If Scooby was a real dog he would be a Great Dane. These are enormous dogs, standing they are about 6 feet tall.

The second famous dog is Pluto! This famous Mickey Mouse character is actually a Redbone coonhound. In real life these dogs are great for hunting, but are also very loving and playful, just like Pluto!

Dogs, where did they come from?

The history of dogs goes further back than you can imagine. If we look back to when dogs became pets it dates back to early societies. It has been concluded that dog domestication most likely occurred in Ice Age Europe, between 18,800 and 32,100 years agoThere are arguments of how dogs became pets. One argument states that they were originally used as slaughter :( others claim that they were brought into homes to help humans with tasks such as hunting. I could not imagine living in a world without dogs as pets or even worse, dogs as food. I am happy that thousands of years ago people brought these animals into their homes so today we can have these loving dogs as pets!

Pure vs. Mixed

There are many views on Pure and mixed breed dogs. Many people argue that one is better than the other but I have no preference. Mixed breeds are typically cheaper and usually you adopt them from a shelter. However there are some very expensive mixed breeds such as golden doodles, and puggles. Mix breed dogs have a lower chance of getting congenital diseases. This is because pure bread mating leaves the chance of creating a defective gene. However, mix bread dogs have the risk of behavior issues because you do not always know the mix. It can also be difficult to know how large or small the dog will grow to be. With purebred dogs there is no questioning how they are going to grow, act, and live in your home. Breeders are also ably to guarantee a puppies long term health because they tested the parent genes before breeding the puppies. Aside from all of the opinions and facts about mixed and pure bread dogs, a dod is a dog and you will probably love it either way.

Golden doodle= Golden Retriever + Poodle (mix breed)

Rotweiler= Pure breed

Dogs with Jobs

Dogs first began working with blind war vets in Germany circa 1920. They were used after WWI to aid the wounded veterans with daily tasks. Since then there are now 20,00+ dogs who help people every day. Dogs can aid people with a variety of needs however, the most commonly known is vision and hearing impairment. To become a service dog, the animal is raised with specific, formal training. Typically you see retrievers as service dogs but there are still many different breeds used for assistance. The dogs can be recognized typically by a vest, or harness.Dogs can provide emotional support for things such as anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, and autism. They also can serve as seizure alert dogs or traumatic brain injury dogs. People rely a great deal on these animals and they continue to successfully support individuals in their day to day lives. 

Cane Corso

Continuing the trend with big dog breeds, this post is dedicated to The Italian Mastiff, Cane Corso. Like the Great Pyrenees, the Cane Corso breed was originally bred for guarding and also hunting. This breed originated in Italy and their temperament is anything you would want in a dog. They are calm, loving, quiet, and easily trainable. Full grown Males can be over 110 pounds. Typically their coat is grey but you also may see a Cane Corso that is black, red, fawn, and brindle. Depending on the owners choice you can have a Cane Corso with clipped or unclipped ears. I prefer them to be unclipped but it is a personal preference. Below is attached pictures of clipped and unclipped ears.

 

The Cane Corso may seem like an intimidating tough dog but by experience they are one of the most laid back loving dogs I have ever interacted with. I would recommend this breed to anyone who likes dogs. 

Great Pyrenees

Great Pyrenees are a beautiful dog breed. This specific breed was originally used as a livestock guarding dog. However, they are an extremely loving and loyal to their owners. Great Pyrenees are overall an intelligent, adaptable, friendly, and high energy dog. They typically have a fluffy white coat and can grow to be over 100 pounds. I would recommend this dog breed for anyone who likes big dogs and like to be active and involved.  Below I attached the images of GPs as a puppy and a full grown adult.

Dogs = Happiness

Owning a dog can be more beneficial than you may think. Aside from their cute looks and soft fur dogs can provide company. This can help you with depression and anxiety. Dogs are very good at helping people be happy and stay positive. Just think about it, can you look at a dog and not be happy? It's near impossible. Having a dog is also a great way to get in more exercise. Taking them out for a run or walk is and easy was to improve your health and your dogs! Having a dog can also help reduce your stress which goes along with making you happier. Overall, owning a dog can be a lot of work but it is clearly very rewarding.

Adopt a Dog

Dogs are fun loving animals. Over the years they have been labeled as a "Man's best friend". One of the most heartbreaking things about these animals is that they are often abandoned or mistreated. Many of these dogs end up in shelters. If someone wants a new dog in their home, one of the best things they can do is adopt. Adopting dogs or rescuing them from a shelter is so beneficial because there is a risk of that animal being euthanized. Adopting is so easy you can go to https://www.allpaws.com/?gclid=CO-QwvHf_8oCFQQpaQodC78Iww and enter your location to find the closest shelter near you. Your not only making yourself happy with a new pet but you're also saving a life.

Huskies

There are so many breeds of dogs. They come in all shapes and sizes and each have very different qualities. Huskies specifically are such a unique beautiful breed. There are a few sub genres of huskies as well. There are Siberian Huskies, and Alaskan Malamutes. Each have the same general look of a husky, however malamutes can grow up to 85+ pounds. Whereas Siberian Huskies only grow to be about 65-75 pounds. Focusing on Siberian Huskies, their coat is made of thick fur. They come in a variety of colors, and their eyes tend to be a unique color of blue. Although huskies are a beautiful  breed they can be challenging to train. They have a strong willed personality and must be in a fenced in year or they will escape. Even with a fence, sometimes huskies can figure out a way to escape. This breed is extremely energetic and could run or play for hours in the snow. In the summer time you have to be careful that they are not outside for too long, or that they get a substantial amount of water. Their thick coat is made for the snow but it traps in the heat during hot summer days. Over all huskies are a beautiful breed that offer more than just their unique looks, but also high energy and playfulness.