If you like dogs with squished-in faces, you’re a fan of the brachycephalic breeds. Brachycephalic or “short head” canines come in various sizes. Their head shape make them prone to respiratory issues, and many airlines won’t allow them on board.

Small Dogs

Many of the brachycephalic breeds are relatively small and portable, weighing under 20 pounds. These include the Pekingese, the pug, the Boston terrier, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, the Japanese Chin, the Brussels griffon, the Shih Tzu, the Lhasa apso and the French bulldog.

Medium-Size Dogs

Brachycephalic breeds are better represented among the smaller and larger canine spectrum, only a couple purebreds falling in the midsize dog range. If you’re in the market for a dog maturing between 20 and 50 pounds, brachycephalic breeds fitting the bill include the English bulldog and the American bulldog.

Large Dogs

Big brachycephalic dog breeds include some of the largest of all dogs: mastiffs. These giant canines, some of which can top the scales at 200 pounds and up, include the English mastiff, Neapolitan mastiff and bull mastiff. Boxers, large but not huge, are also brachycephalic. So are the extremely wrinkled Chinese Shar-Peis.

Wire haired terriers, including the Airedale, the wire fox terrier, the Scottie and several others, along with a few other breeds such as the Irish wolfhound and schnauzers, sport two separate coats: a soft undercoat and the eponymous wire coat. The wiry outer coat consists of long hairs only loosely anchored in the follicles. When clipped, the wire coat stays put, not regrowing, which leads to a softer but less colorful coat. To encourage a fresh, shiny new outer coat to grow, hand stripping is required, which means nothing more than pulling out the old hairs. Painful as this might sound, it shouldn’t hurt your dog, although some dogs don’t entirely enjoy the experience. 1Brush and comb your dog daily or every couple of days, observing the color and condition of his coat. When it blows — i.e. when the outer coat starts to grow out — you can commence hand stripping. 2Position your dog somewhere you can reach easily, such as a grooming table or sofa. Bending down to hand strip won’t do your back any favors — this task can take some time. 3Ask your dog to sit or lie down. Pet him if he’s never been hand stripped before — the experience might be slightly disconcerting to a dog the first time, so provide reassurance. 4Pinch a few of the longer hairs, the outer coat, between thumb and forefinger and pull gently in the direction the hair is growing. The hairs should come away easily — this is nothing like plucking eyebrows. Repeat until you have covered his entire coat, or as much as you’re prepared to do that day.

An adopted dog will often need an adjustment period and a lot of extra love and attention while he adapts to being part of a loving family again. Shelter dogs have unknown and often unhappy pasts, but can blossom when they become a member of a family. Time and patience will result in a happy dog that your family will treasure. Have a question? Get an answer from a Vet now!

1Prepare your home beforehand. Remove any items he could choke on and put up any electrical wires. Change is stressful, and behavior problems may arise while he adjusts to his new environment. Set up a crate or a safe room where he can stay when you are not home to watch him. Place his food and water bowls in the area so he sees it as his.

2Walk him around your property first when you bring him home, keeping him on the leash so he doesn’t wander off. Give him plenty of time to investigate every inch of the yard if he wants to, and lead him to all areas he will use. Walk him long enough for him to empty his bladder as well so he will be less likely to mark indoors.

3Take him inside when he is done exploring the yard. Keep him on the leash as he explores his new home. Walk him from room to room, allowing him to stop and explore as much as he wants. Do not rush this process. If he attempts to mark his new territory, stop him by saying “no” loudly and take him outside to urinate.

4Show him his crate or area where his food and water bowls are. Fill both bowls and allow him to eat or drink if he wants. Remove his leash and allow him to roam freely, but watch him carefully. Take him outdoors to potty every two hours. Shower him with affection and hand out treats when he potties in the right place or behaves properly.

5Continue keeping him under supervision for several weeks while he adjusts. Once he is comfortable in his new home and has learned what is acceptable, he can be left to roam freely if that is what you prefer.

In a dog health crisis that hits near to home for this dog writer, I encourage everyone to read this and pass it along to any dog owner’s and lovers you know in the LA area.

According to the county Department of Animal Care and Control, 162 cases of parvovirus have been reported in Los Angeles County this year, with 70 of them coming from Lancaster and Palmdale alone. Half of these cases were logged in the last month, meaning that there has been an unusual increase of the dangerous infection with puppies being the most common victims.

Vaccination Timelines for Dogs and Puppies>>

Although the disease is most commonly seen in young puppies, Parvovirus can affect unvaccinated dogs of any age. All county residents are urged to keep puppies and dogs safe by not letting them outside of your fenced yard until they have received their vaccinations and are protected from the virus.

“In springtime, you get a lot of newborns during that time and there’s an increase in susceptible hosts,” Maria Sabio-Solacito, the head veterinarian for animal care and control tells LATimes.

Parvo does not affect humans, but is highly contagious and deadly among dogs. The resilient virus is shed through bodily fluids can survive for months or years on surfaces. It is easily spread by humans with their hands and feet.

Symptoms often begin with a high fever, lethargy, depression and loss of appetite. If the disease is left untreated it can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In many cases, dehydration, shock, or death can follow.

If your puppy or dog is exhibiting any of the symptoms of Parvo, veterinary treatment is required immediately.

Help prevent the spread of Parvo:

Keep infected dogs isolated from all other dogs for at least one month after recovering cleaning up your dog’s stool and keep it away from other pets

Use 1 part chlorine bleach to 30 parts hot water disinfectant on food and water bowls, bedding, and on outdoor areas such as patios.

If your pet is not vaccinated, do not take it to places where interaction with other dogs is likely.

Parvo vaccinations can be done by your vet and is also offered by many mobile vaccination programs.

Raccoon hunters have long used dogs to help them track and kill their prey. There are a variety of dog breeds that are specially geared for this assignment, including Bluetick, Black and Tan, Redbone and English coonhounds. Other breeds, including retrievers, can be trained for this type of hunting as well. Training as a coon dog should begin when the dog is about five weeks old; this will establish a regular habit for the dog to track and hunt raccoons.

1Begin training your dog with basic commands such as sit, stay and heel. Use a system of positive reinforcement through dog treats, petting and verbal praise to encourage obedience in the dog. The dog must first learn to obey you in general before he can learn to hunt raccoons.

2Choose a command for entering your car, such as “load up” or “get in.” Train the puppy to go to your car or truck and to be comfortable in his dog box or in the back of your vehicle. The more comfortable the dog becomes with transportation, the more prepared he will be for the hunt.

3Lay artificial scents in areas of your yard or small wooded areas. Encourage your dog to follow these scents; this will get him used to the scent of a raccoon, as well as give him practice following trails. Reward the dog for following the scent properly.

4Use an old coon hide to teach your dog what the raccoon looks like. Drag it in front of the dog as he chases it so that he gets used to following the raccoon. Hang the hide from trees so that the dog gets used to staying with the raccoon even after it climbs. Reward the dog for following and pursuing the coon hide.

5Arrange for your new coon dog to go on hunts with experienced raccoon hunting dogs. The younger animal will mimic the experienced dog’s actions and abilities and will pick up a lot of techniques from the older dog.

In January, Petfinder held a live Q&A on Facebook with pet trainers Andrea Arden and Mychelle Blake. Over the coming weeks we’ll be posting some of our favorite questions and answers here on the blog. Have a pet question? Check back regularly for news about our next live Q&A!

Q: How can I stop my dog from jumping whenever I put my jacket or sweatshirt on? She thinks she’s coming with me every time I leave the house. –Stacey B.

ThinkstockA: Doorways are exciting places for most dogs. After all, this is where they go to head out of the house on fun walks and where you enter to come home after leaving them. So it’s no surprise your dog is aroused when in this area.

With any behavior issue, the first step is identifying the cause (we just did that!) and the second is using management to prevent the behavior from being practiced while you work on step three: teaching an alternative behavior which competes with the one you want to lessen. I would suggest a couple of techniques.

Use a high-value distraction: Have a toy stuffed with food your dog adores ready in a plastic bag in the fridge so you can get it right before you go to put your jacket on. Give it to your dog and odds are she will be enthralled with it to the exclusion of bothering you as you get ready to leave.

Practice the “wait” command: It sounds like your pup needs to work on impulse- or self-control. Throughout the day, practice waiting to give her a treat or her food or anything else she wants until she sits without you asking.

Teach “sit” as an alternate behavior: Teaching your dog to offer a sit without you asking is a wonderful way to allow her to become a problem solver. This way, she will learn to default to sit whenever she wants something.

In the case of you at the front door, I suspect your dog wants your attention and for you to take her out to play. Well, now she has a way of asking nicely!

When you tie the knot you want those nearest and dearest to you by your side – and if one of those happens to be your family dog, there is no reason why they should not share in your big day. But there are several things to consider when it comes to making the day perfect for you and your pet.

“There are more risks at a wedding for a pet than just an average party, but I think as long as the planners are aware of the issues, then everything will be fine,” says Nick Thompson, who runs HolisticVet.

Here are ten top tips for making sure your big day, including your much-loved dog, goes without a hitch.

1. Do a reality check. Before you do anything else, ask yourself if your pet can handle being part of your celebration? If your dog is shy and uncomfortable around strangers or in social situations then it would be better to leave him or her at home where you know they are safe and happy. There are other great ways to make your dog’s presence known without him actually attending.

2. Tell all. When you send out your invitations, make people aware of the part your pet will play in the wedding, just in case anyone is allergic to or afraid of dogs. Also, make sure everyone in the wedding party is comfortable with your plans. The last thing you want is the best man or bridesmaid on edge because they are frightened of dogs.

3. Vet your vendors. Check that the individual officiating the wedding is fine with animals and that all the venues you want to book are dog-friendly. Also, alert your photographer, videographer and wedding planner to their presence.

4. Stop and smell the flowers. If you are having flowers, make sure they are not harmful to animals by consulting your florist. Poisonous plants include Baby’s Breath, Tulips, and certain types of lily. Keep an eye out for other toxic or potentially problematic items when you visit venues.

5. Get fur- real. Have a clear but realistic idea of what you want your pet’s role to be. Perhaps your dog will carry the rings or maybe he will walk with the bride down the aisle to the groom. Make sure it is a role you know they would be comfortable doing and practice it so you don’t have any nasty surprises on the day. Take training for any new skills slowly and keep it positive.

6. Take a break. Make sure there is a quiet space where your animal can go if it becomes overwhelmed or stressed. Make sure you have supplies to clean up any little accidents.

7. Take charge. Put someone your pet knows and trusts in charge of its welfare – especially what happens to it after it has played its part – so that you don’t have to worry and spoil your day.

8. Feeding Frenzy. Ensure that people know not to feed your pet “treats” from the tables, if your pet is around, and make sure it has its own food and water readily available.

“There is usually a lot of chocolate at weddings and raisins in wedding cakes, which are potentially toxic to some dogs,” Thompson warns. “People also often have little favors at wedding receptions and they can very easily be swallowed by dogs if they get a bit excited.”

Avoid the tasty-looking sweet snacks and stick to healthy raw treats, says a representative from Natures Menu.

9. Have a curfew. It might be wise to send your pet home to bed before any loud entertainment, especially fireworks, begins. And don’t forget to plan who will be taking care of them if you are going on honeymoon.

10. Wag your tail. Lastly, on the day itself, if things with your pet don’t go to plan, try not to get stressed about it and just enjoy your celebrations!