Exploring the Dog Industry Lesson

Interest Approach Have an owner bring in their well-trained dog and show all the tricks it knows. Have the owner talk about how much time went into training the dog. Have students generate questions for the owner about the dog’s diet, grooming requirements, breed, and any other questions they can think of.

Student Learning Objectives Explain the biology and physiology of dogs and terms used to describe dogs. Describe classes and breeds of dogs. List factors to consider when selecting a dog. Discuss proper management, grooming, and training of dogs.

Explain biology and physiology of dogs and terms used to describe dogs. Objective #1

What are some terms used to describe dogs and their systems? Companion animals - domesticated animals kept by humans for relationships on a long-term basis. Carnivore - a meat or flesh-eating animal. Monogastric -an animal with only one stomach compartment. Endothermic - keeps a constant body temperature.

What are some terms used to describe dogs and their systems? Bitch - mature female dog. Stud dog or sire - mature male dog. Whelping - process of a bitch giving birth. Puppy - immature dog of either sex. Litter - group of puppies born to same parents.

Dog Facts Dogs have been used as companion animals for over 10,000 years. Most dogs eat processed dog food, they are carnivores by nature. Dogs are monogastric. Canis familiaria is their scientific name. Dogs are in the family of Canidae, that is why sometimes called canines.

Dog facts Dogs have a skeleton of over 320 bones. Large breeds have larger bones that the smaller breeds. Dogs are endothermic. Dogs can weigh from less than 6 pounds to over 200 pounds at maturity depending on the breed.

Describe classes and breeds of dogs. Objective #2

What are the classes and breeds of dogs? Approximately 300 dog breeds. American Kennel Club (AKC) does the classification and record keeping on dog breeds. www.akc.org Based on use and characteristics, seven classes of dogs have been identified. Helpful to review before selecting a breed that will suit you and your needs.

All photos were downloaded from the American Kennel Club Herding Dogs A dog that is easily trained to help with herding animals like sheep and cattle. Important to give a lot of space because they need to run often. All photos were downloaded from the American Kennel Club

Sporting Dogs Dogs used for sporting purposes like hunting. Some breeds used for retrieving, finding, and scaring out game animals.

Working Dogs Dogs that are used by people to help get something done like protection of property, sled pulling, and police work.

Hound Dog used for tracking because it has a good ability to follow scents. Used by hunters to locate game animals and by law officials to track lost people or people that have escaped from confinement.

Terriers Dogs that dig into the ground to capture their prey. There are 25 breeds recognized by the AKC.

Toy Breeds A name describing a class of dogs that weigh between 4 and 16 pounds. Live longer Easier to keep in a small area because of their size.

Non-sporting Breeds Dogs that were developed for purposes other than sports.

List factors to consider when selecting a dog. Objective #3

What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? Age A puppy should be taken between 8 and 12 weeks of age. Puppies are cute and cuddly but require more work than older dogs. Older dogs may be less expensive in long run if already spayed or neutered.

What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? Purebred vs. Mixed breed Want a dog for breeding purposes will want a purebred. Purebred dog you will know what size dog will be at maturity. Mixed breed will be less expensive but mature size is a guess.

What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? How much space do you have? Must answer if you have enough space for dog at maturity. Indoors or outdoors. Do you live in areas of harsh heat or cold, you must provide proper protection.

What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? Length of hair Long-haired dogs have more hair to shed and are more susceptible to diseases and parasites because of the long hair.

What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? Gender Don’t want to use dog for reproduction and don’t want unexpected pregnancies be sure to spayed and neutered. Having male dog neutered will less likely run away searching for females. Having female dog spayed will take away heat cycles and its symptoms.

Discuss proper management, grooming, and training of dogs. Objective #4

How do I train my dog? Training - working with your dog to get dog to get it to have desirable habits and knowledge. Most common training is housebreaking Getting your dog to urinate or defecate in a desirable area. Other training includes heel, come, stay, sit or speak. Obedience schools are organized programs to train your dog. Most important thing in training your dog is patience, kindness, and rewards.

How do I groom my dog? Grooming Caring for the external appearance of your dog. You should comb, trim, bathe, cut nails, clean teeth, and treat minor wounds. Special needs of grooming will be needed if planning to show dog.

Review What are some terms used to describe dogs and their systems? What are the classes and breeds of dogs? What factors should I consider when selecting a dog? How do I train, manage, and groom my dog?