Only one dog would be able to boast a lineage from ancient Mayan times. This dog is called Xolo for short to avoid the inevitable tongue twisting. This breed comes from a long line of hairless pooches from the Mayan and Aztec times. It's name is from two words: "Xolotl" an Aztec god and "itzcuintli" meaning dog. This dog breed was considered as a healing being since it is named after a god. Ironically, those who believe in its protection use to actually eat the dog for healing purposes. There was a time that this breed was at the edge of extinction. The Xolo made a comeback years ago and has since gained a constant following of good-hearted breeders who breed for the love of the species. This amazing hairless dog breed is one of the very few dogs that do not cause problems for owners who suffer from Asthma attacks.

The Xolo comes in 3 sizes namely, miniature, intermediate and standard. The 2 latter standards can provide adequate protection, while the miniature is a companionship dog. This dog has almond shaped eyes, large bat-like ears and long neck. Its nose color must match the dogs over all coloring- dark for dark skin, brown or rose nose for blond and bronze skin and spotted for spotted dogs. Its hairlessness is a distinctive trait though there are a number of these breeds that have tufts of hair atop their heads. They are also the breed that are lacking in molars and pre-molars.

The Xolo's are known to be wary of strangers but not aggressive. Since these dogs are also guard dogs, they are fiercely loyal to one master but are very dedicated to other members of the family. These dogs have a keen sense of detecting owner's need for protection. Though they shouldn't be mistaken as attack dogs, they are more like alarm dogs. There are times though that Xolo tend to define its territory as anywhere its owner goes, even in other people's homes. When the Xolo's overstep their boundaries they are not harmful, they just exhibit territorial behavior like rigid stance while kicking its hind legs backwards.

This dog is calm in a family setting and will even give itself up to gentle tugging and hugging. What this dog cannot tolerate is noisy or stressful surroundings; the Xolo is sensitive to human undercurrents. As a family dog, the Xolo is very affectionate and playful. At times the Xolo will tag along anywhere, especially with a favorite family member. Xolo's have been termed as "velcro dog" because of their attachment to their master.

Xolo's are chosen for their hairless features or near hairless features since there is a misconception that no-hair means less maintenance. As all misconceptions go, first-time buyers or impulsive dog purchasers will be floored with the care Xolo's skin need. Hairless or not, having a pet means caring for the animal. An amazing dog breed, but if your interested in owning one be sure to read up on how to take care of them first.

This article was submitted by the authors at pet super store which is an excellent site for all sorts of pet supplies - dog fences from tri-tronics and dogtra.

Wintertime is fast approaching with the holidays. Pretty soon, many areas will begin to accumulate snow and ice as you don your warmest winter wear. Sure, you have boots and coats to keep your toes and core body warm throughout the icy blast…does your pet?

Though it may sounds silly, unless you have a dog that is well suited for cold climates, you may need to consider some winter wear for your pet this holiday season. Items that may sound ridiculous, but will truly help your perfect pet remain warm and comfortable during the cold days and nights are boots, pajamas, sweaters, sweatshirts, and coats or jackets.

The first item on the list is doggie boots. Though they may look a little goofy, these are extremely helpful for your pet’s precious paws. When it is cold, particularly when ice or snow is present on the wintry ground, it can quite literally tear up your pet’s feet. The cold, ice and snow can cause your pet’s paws to crack, become sore, and even bleed. Doggie boots are generally made of waterproof material on the exterior, and on the inside they are usually lined with soft warm fabric, such as fleece or flannel. They usually sport an elastic cuff on the top, with Velcro straps underneath to ensure the boots stay on comfortably. Some boots are also made for multi-weather conditions: extreme cold or hot weather, and for rainy days so you don’t have to dry off your pet’s feet when they get damp.

The next helpful doggie clothing item is pajamas. If you like to keep your house somewhat cool even in the winter months, you may want to consider buying your pet a pair of warm flannel pajamas. This way your pet is kept warm during the night, and the clothing also helps prevent shed hair from spreading all over the house, because it is contained within the garment.

Puppy sweaters and sweatshirts are also helpful clothing items. These are a great alternative especially if the weather is cool outside, yet not freezing enough for a coat or jacket. One aspect about sweaters and sweatshirts is it allows plenty of room for creativity and fashion. Primarily popular with smaller sized dogs, they are the perfect expression of your pet’s personality, while keeping them warm and chic!

Finally, coats and jackets are very helpful if you live in a snowy and icy area where the winters are long and harsh. Just like for humans, doggie coats and jackets help your pet stay warm and toasty whenever they step outside in the harsh wintry weather. They can also make a fashionable statement, like sweaters and sweatshirts, yet they are more functional and will certainly benefit your pup.

During the cold and harsh winter months, make sure your pet stays protected from the elements; they need clothing care for their paws and core body to stay warm.  If you invest in a few warm winter items for your pet, it is well worth the cost, and your pet will be comfortable and happy this snowy season!

This article was generously submitted by the authors a Pet Super Store - Visit their site if you are in need of any pet supplies - dog ramps, pet stairs, and patio pet doors.

Like humans, dogs have the same primary 5 senses of the body: smell, hearing, sight, touch, and taste. However, when compared to humans, dogs rely on different senses than we do. Their two primary senses are smell and hearing, and the other 3 senses basically act as extras. Here is some insight on the amazing senses that dogs possess:

First, smell is one of the two strongest senses dogs have, the other being the sense of hearing. Scientific studies have shown that when compared to a human’s sense of smell, a dog’s smelling sense is roughly 100,000 times more powerful than that of their human counterparts. A human can only smell something from a relatively short distance away, yet dogs can trace a smell along many different paths; this is why dogs help in activities such as hunting and tracking. So, when you go to a park or a place that is unfamiliar to your dog, the reason they immediately put their nose to the ground is because they want to scope out the area by checking out their surroundings and picking up smells of various kinds.

The other strong sense your dog has is the sense of hearing. Where you might be able to hear something roughly 50-100 feet away, you dog can hear something as far away as a quarter of a mile, sometimes even farther. Dog’s ears are also built in a formation that helps them receive sound waves more clearly than humans. If your dog is barking at an unusual time of day (or night!), you may want to pay attention; they could be trying to alert you of a sound they hear, but one you are unaware of.

The next sense is sight. Several years ago it was common belief that dogs are colorblind meaning they can see only varying shades of black, white, and gray. Recent scientific studies have shown, however, that dogs can see varying shades of blue, green, gray, and black and white. Though a dog’s eyesight may not be as colorful as that of humans, they generally have better night vision, and some breeds possess a talent for spotting far-off moving objects, such as other animals.

Taste is another important sense to humans, but it is not as keen or appreciated by dogs. As far as food is concerned, dogs are usually much more interested in the smell than the taste; the stronger the smell of the food, the more desirable it is to eat. Dogs could care less how appetizing it looks. Besides, how long does it take them to devour their dinner? They certainly don’t stop to review the food; they just chow on down.

Touch is the final sense. Touch is extremely important to humans, and though dogs may not appreciate it quite to the same level that humans do, it is still important to them. Even though dogs have fur (some, a lot!) they are still able to feel the human touch very distinctly. This is why dogs sidle up to you and nose your hand; they want you to pat them, and they want that assuring, loving human touch!

Though dogs possess the same senses as humans, they rely more on their senses of smell and hearing than the other 3. Dogs’ keen sense of smell and hearing help humans in hunting, searching, tracking, and protection. Take advantage of your dog’s keen talents in their senses; they may just help!

This article was generously submitted by the authors at Pet Super Store - Visit their site for detailed information and great savings on dog kennels, dog carriers, and dog beeper collars.

New parents have enough to worry about when bringing home a baby from the hospital. When your home consists of a cat (or two), parents are naturally concerned about the introduction of pets to baby. Follow the steps below to ensure your baby and cat are properly introduced.

Step 1: Before your baby arrives, take your cat to the veterinarian. Make sure your cat is up to date on his vaccinations, flea medicines, etc. It’s also a good time to have your cat’s claws trimmed.

Step 2: Set up the nursery and allow the cat to become familiar with the items inside the nursery. The diapers, clothes and toys will all have new scents and your cat should be allowed to become familiar with them. However, make sure your cat is never allowed to jump on, in or near the baby’s crib.

Step 3: If you anticipate that some house rules will change when the baby comes (for instance, the cat will no longer be allowed to jump on counters due to knocking bottles over) institute those new house rules in advance of the baby’s arrival.

Step 4: Once the baby is born, have your spouse or a friend bring an article of clothing home to the cat that the baby has worn. Allow the cat to smell and become familiar with the baby’s scent.

Step 5: On the big day of the baby’s arrival home, have the person with the best relationship with the cat enter the home first. Ideally, this person should have a treat or a toy and should spend a few minutes with the cat alone.

Step 5: The parent with the baby in the car seat should enter the home next. Set the car seat down and allow the cat’s curiosity to take over. Allow the cat to sniff the baby, but not lick the baby. If the cat seems uninterested in the baby, do not force a meeting; the cat will eventually make your baby’s acquaintance.

Step 6: Even if your cat seems comfortable with the newest arrival to the home, never leave the cat unattended with the baby.

Step 7: Make it a point to spend time with the cat every day, doing the activities you enjoyed together before bringing home your new baby.

By starting off your cat and baby’s relationship on a good foot, they are likely to join a bond that will last throughout your baby’s childhood.

This article was provided by pet super store. A online pet store for dog tracking collars and pet crates.

It does not really matter how much you love animals:  a stray cat in your yard can be bothersome.  It is one thing for the cat to walk through your yard, and it is another thing for the cat to use your garden as her personal litter box.  There are things you can do to keep a stray out of your life.  No matter what you do to try to get rid of one, your actions must be humane.  Even though it’s not your animal, it may be someone else’s.

A cat that wanders through occasionally is no big deal; but one that tortures your garden, your vehicles, and your indoor pets can be a problem.  Before you go outside yelling and screaming at the cat, realize that it is not the cat’s intentions to hurt you or hurt your yard.  Instead, the cat is doing what comes natural to her, whether or not she has been raised by a family or been a stray her entire life.  So, there is not point in darting out the door and trying to run her off.  More than likely, she will return, probably when you are not home.  Your best bet, whether you are home or away, is to make your yard less appealing to the cat.

First, figure out the areas where the cat likes to hang out.  Gardens, children’s sandboxes, vehicles, and porches are common areas.  Next, design a few deterrents for those areas.  Here are a few easy -but not necessarily foolproof- suggestions to keep cats away from the previously mentioned areas.

The garden.  The soft, crumbly soil can make the perfect litter box for a cat.  The soil provides an easy-to-scratch mask for the cat’s waste.  So, it is up to you to make your garden less appealing.  Try placing rocks around the area that the cat uses the most.  Choose larger, pointier rocks that won’t feel too great on the cat’s paws.  They should be heavy enough where they can’t be turned over or moved too easily.  Also, consider placing chicken wire beneath a thin layer of soil.  Your plants will still be able to grow, but the cat won’t like the feel of the wire when she goes to scratch. 

The sandbox.  This one is easy:  buy a cover!  If the cat can’t get in the sandbox, then how will she use it?  If there is absolutely no way to buy or make a cover to fit the sandbox, then place deterrents around the outside.  Try using pepper or a plastic tarp or drop cloth.

The vehicle.  Perhaps the cat sunning on your vehicle is the most annoying part.  You get in your car and all you see are paw prints through the windshield.  If you don’t have a carport or garage, then you may want to invest in a car cover.  Otherwise, you can place a drop cloth with double-sided sticky tape, sticky side up, on the hood and windshield of your car.  Keep in mind that cats hate loud noises and sticky stuff on their paws; use this when you are designing your vehicle deterrent.  It’s not wise to place any item on your car, since many things may scratch the car, fade the paint, etc. 

The porch.  If the cat is resting on the porch and there is no problem, then leave it alone.  However, if the cat is torturing your indoor animals, then you may need to keep it away.  The easiest thing to do is to keep the windows covered, so your indoor pets can’t see the porch.  You can also place noise makers on different areas of the porch.  When bothered, the noise will scare the cat away.

If none of these tricks and tips work, then visit your local pet store for cat repellent.  There are tons of repellents, each designed for a specific purpose.  You can put the repellent around the garden, on the plants, around your child’s toy box, etc.  Try to stay away from homemade repellents, since you may not know how dangerous they truly are, and never use poisons.  Your goal is not to harm the cat.

If a stray cat is bothering you, then it may be time to come up with a way to keep the cat away.  Never try to hurt the cat.  Instead, use items that cats dislike to make your area less appealing.  If all else fails, you may need to contact your local animal control.  They can provide you with a way to humanely trap the animal.  But, before you turn over the animal, make sure it doesn’t belong to someone else.

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This article was provided by pet super store and online pet shop featuring dog crate pads, orthopedic dog beds and personalized pet beds.