Category archives: All Things Dog

Socialization of your dog is an important step in raising a healthy, psychologically balanced dog. The critical socialization phase however, lasts only until about 16 weeks of age. This has presented people with a bit of a quandary when it comes to successfully introducing puppies to the world but maintaining their health safety.

Popular wisdom says to wait until a puppy has received all of its vaccinations before introducing it to the world. However, the final round of shots for a dog doesn’t happen until around six months of age – well beyond the important socialization period when puppies are less fearful and more curious about things. Postponing socialization – introduction to various stimuli such as automobiles, various environments, different types of people and other dogs – until six months could cause your pup to be fearful of numerous things.

According to recommendations from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, if your dog has had its first vaccinations, get them out into the world to explore and meet new friends. Prior to their first round of shots, and even afterward, maternal antibodies help protect your new pup from diseases. When those maternal antibodies begin to wear off and the pup’s ...

Customer service is of the highest priority at Paw Print Genetics. From the numerous positive reviews we have received on our Facebook page referencing our personal attention to detail, to the many emails we receive from our clients thanking us for a job well done, we recognized early on that we were on to something. After all, we know that without our loyal clients, we could simply not exist as a laboratory. The customer service goal established by our company culture is to exceed the expectations of every client that we have the privilege with which to work. We want our clients to come back to us for genetic testing, not because we are the only option, but because they have never had a better experience with a genetics laboratory.

Though the pursuit of exceeding client expectations is an ideal that most businesses strive for, the exact way to perform this level of service often remains elusive. In addition, there has been a long standing debate about whether the skills needed to provide great customer experiences are ones that can be taught or learned. One veterinary nonprofit organization, the Veterinary Leadership Institute, has helped prove that not only can these ...

When we breed to better a line of purebred dogs, many intangible or subjective variables come into play – conformation, athleticism, intelligence, trainability and more. Mentoring and experience, even the gut instinct borne from these teachings, can make assessing those variables easier. As we learn more and develop an eye for evaluating and reading dogs, the standards for what constitutes a ‘better’ dog, one worthy of breeding, usually rise. The comparative knowledge experience brings allows us to differentiate a ‘great dog’ from a ‘good’ one; what might have been an acceptable to us a decade ago, might not make the cut today. And therein creates the economic correlation of supply and demand among top breeders.

As we eliminate potential breeding partners in favor of ‘better’ dogs, those that will truly improve a line and therefore breed, fewer and fewer potential partners exist. That makes the remaining pool of dogs more desirable and valuable.

When the qualities that elevated a dog to the top of the gene pool are combined with the objective results of canine genetic screening, a breeder is truly ‘bettering the breed’ by passing along the best physical and mental qualities the dog possesses while reducing or eliminating detrimental ...

Tracking Your Order

Keeping clients up to date on their order status is a very important part of Paw Print Genetics’ customer service. Once an order is placed, you’ll receive email notifications and can see status updates every step of the way until your order is complete.

Below, you will find an outline of the testing process and the updates you will receive:

• Email of Order Confirmation
• Email notification of Kit Shipped (if applicable) with USPS tracking number.
  • Yes, we include free cheek swab kits and return prepaid postage (in the US)
  • We also offer expedited shipping options through the USPS.
• Email notification of Samples Received by our laboratory. We will begin processing your sample on the day it is received or the next business day.
• Status update of Testing in Progress
  • If any issues arise during the testing phase you will receive a personal phone call from a Laboratory Director.
• Status update of Data in Review indicates that your laboratory tests are done and the report and Canine Genetic Health Certificate are being drafted and reviewed by one of our PhD geneticists and one of our veterinarians.
• Email notification of Final Report Completed
  • Your order ...

Nearly everyone espouses the belief that we should produce puppies that better a breed. However, ‘better’ is a subjective term; what it means to one person is completely different than what it means to another. ‘Better’ is something that’s often based in our ultimate goals, the end results of which are sometimes dictated by success in the dog game we play.

What isn’t subjective is sound genetic health. Science seeks objective and discernable answers regardless of the subjective nature of an issue. Genetic screening therefor is the cornerstone of bettering a breed, regardless of the game being played. While we should always strive for proper and acceptable form and function, the perfect dog does not exist – we do the best we can with the sires and dams available to us.

When deciding pairings, we should seek dogs that complement each other in form and function so as to produce consistent puppies. We should also seek to strengthen weaknesses in both parents' conformation by pairing them with a dog that offers a contrast to the flaws in each. With the randomness of how genes combine in all aspects of puppy's physical, mental and psychological attributes, it’s a tough order ...

Paw Print Genetics is setting the industry’s benchmark for customer service, support and communication. We strive to make ourselves readily available - you can contact us by telephone, email or social media. We also give you the best genetic testing you need to breed or buy the healthiest canines possible.

Our user-friendly website is full of valuable information. It is also the epicenter of interactions with Paw Print Genetics. Through it, you can create and manage your account, track the progress of your dog’s sample in the testing process and view your final results.

You can make changes to your dogs at any stage! At Paw Print Genetics, we realize that changes take place – names change (“Puppy One” becomes “Larry”), pups are registered and they may receive microchips before they go to their new homes.

You can change your dog’s information prior to the laboratory receiving the your samples. Just click the edit button found on each of your dogs’ pages. After the lab has received the samples, you can still have information changed. All you have to do is submit a change request through our website and the data will be changed at no cost to you. The change ...

Early July is one of my favorite times of the year in the great and beautiful United States of America. Seeing our flag and colors displayed in so many different applications during this patriotic season always causes me to pause and reflect on the men, women and four-legged creatures whose hard work and bravery has gotten us to where we are today.

I grew up watching “Rin-Tin-Tin: K-9 Cop” religiously and was fascinated by the relationship that the German shepherd “Rinty” and his handler, Officer Hank Katts, shared as working partners and friends. The thrill of seeing them overtake the bad guys in every pursuit was highly appreciated by a budding animal lover. I’m sure at some point, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I answered, “A K-9 cop!” as I frolicked around with the family standard poodle, pretending he was a police dog.

Fast forward 20-plus years. I did not become a K-9 cop, but I do work for a company whose mission is to help all dogs, including those in uniform, achieve optimal genetic health through our DNA testing process. Paw Print Genetics is currently working on a research study involving police ...

In part one of our summer heat post, I wrote about the dangers of leaving dogs in a hot car, recognizing signs of heat stress and how to save a heat-stressed dog. Give it a read if you haven't yet. But heat-related issues are usually completely avoidable with a little foresight, precaution and knowledge on your part.

To keep your pup comfortable, cool and safe from the heat this summer, check out these tips ... is there anything you would add? 

Commonsense Rules

Like most everything, commonsense can keep your dog safe. A few simple steps can keep your dog from overheating in most situations.

• Exercise: Don’t do it in the middle of the day when temperatures are hottest. While early evening provides a cooler time to work, mornings are the coolest, and best, times to exercise. At no other time will the earth’s surface be as cool as at first light. An added benefit of morning is dew – it can help cool your dog by wetting his paws and perhaps his skin.
• Water: Always have fresh cool water on hand for your dog. If you’re training or exercising, stop more frequently than normal and offer her a ...

Summer has officially started, but temperatures that make for great beach-going time for you pose a deadly risk to your dog.

You have to remember: dogs are physically adapted to conserve and recycle heat. They don’t cool by sweating; heat generated by exercise (even just the physiology of body functions) is trapped inside. Their fur coats insulate them further. Brachycephalic (short face) dogs such as the bulldog, pug, boxer and Pekingese have it even harder because they can’t pant as sufficiently as other dogs, which compounds heat-related issues. However, if you trap any dog in a hot area with no way for them to release or escape that heat, their body will become so stressed that it can cause death – and it can happen very quickly, too.

To keep your dog safe and cool this summer, keep these tips in mind.

Cars are Coffins

If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times: don’t leave your dog in a car during the summer. Even with the windows cracked, it can turn deadly in minutes.

I wrote about summer heat and cars last year here on Paw Print Genetics (read it here), and linked to this video that ...

Every state has a flower, a nickname and another officially decreed symbols. However, only 11 states have an official state dog. This seems like a gross injustice to me, considering some of the symbols recognized by some states include official state amphibians, insects, fungus, poems and even toys.

In 1964, the Chesapeake Bay retriever was the first dog to be decreed an official state canine – that was in Maryland, the state from which it originated. Typically, the dogs that originated in a state or played a role in its culture tend to have the official-state status bestowed upon them.

Several states have shot down proposed state dog breeds; politics knows no bounds, apparently. In 1991, Georgia politicians came to an impasse when two opposing campaigns pitted the golden retriever against the bulldog for state canine. Similar attempts to designate dogs as state symbols failed in Washington state (Siberian husky) and Kansas (Cairn terrier; a hat-tip to Toto from The Wizard of Oz).

If your state were to name an official breed of dog as the canine symbol, which breed would be the best representation?

Official State Dogs

Alaska: Alaskan malamute
Louisiana: Catahoula leopard dog
Maryland: Chesapeake Bay ...