20 Important dog terms every owner should know

Deciding on exactly what terms should be on this type of list is not as easy as you may think. There are new dog owners, old dogs with new owners, new dogs with old owners, etc. So a warning is required. Some of the terms selected you may find too basic, while others you may not understand why they made this list at all. The goal of this compilation is to cover the basics and give experienced dog owners something to consider despite their vast knowledge base about dogs.

The problem with sharing information about owning any dog is many people get their information from friends, neighbors, or (yes) from the Internet. But often dog owners find the information does not necessarily apply to the specific breed of dog they own, or that the shared information is simply wrong. As with any list of information you get, be sure to check it against reliable websites or your veterinarian to make sure you&rsquo-re not giving your dog the short end of the stick.

Remember this is a limited list of 20 terms. There is much more information you can access. For example, several of the terms have a second or third set of terms you can learn to really understand the details of the topic. Taking the time to do the extra homework can definitely save you money, especially if you are looking for a dog with a noble heritage. The good news is that you will not have to become an &ldquo-expert&rdquo- to know what you need to know about your dog. Once you have acquired a solid knowledge of the terminology, you just have to poke your head in the door of doggy knowledge once in a while to see if anything new has come up.

The list is not in any order of importance, so you can start at #15 and jump back to #2 if you want.