A proper dog obedience training program is the foundation of good behavior in dogs. It has been often said that there are no bad dogs, just uneducated owners. Many canines want to please their owners, but untrained pooches will simply not know how. A well-trained dog is happier and healthier, and so are their owners. Below are some guidelines in enacting a dog obedience training program on your own.

Starting in Dog Obedience Training

Effective dog obedience training does not require many supplies, but there are a few basic equipments that should ease the process. First, pick a dog collar that is suitable and comfortable for your dog. Then, decide on the leash that is best for training. Get the best gear for your pooch and learn how to properly use it. Before you start with the dog tractability training, pick the best method for you and your dog. Training techniques widely vary, although most trainers agree that canines respond best to positive reinforcement, like treats and praise. One common training variation, called clicker training, includes the use of a conditioned reinforce. When planning out your training methods, do not forget about socialization.

Dog Obedience Training Sessions

Success is mostly attained in small steps. Training sessions with your pooch should only last for 10 to 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. This is especially true for puppies as they have very short attention spans. Long sessions can cause even adult dogs to become bored. Start by teaching basic commands. Usually, the sit command is one of the easiest for your dog to learn. Next, train your dog to lie down, and then work on teaching him how to stay. Also, teach your dog to come to you when called as soon as possible. This is one of the most important fundamental commands. From here, you can start moving on to more advanced commands and fun tricks.

Some people opt to leave the training to the experts. A professional dog trainer can come to your home and train your pet for a fee. You might also want to send your dog away to a dog training school for a period of time. There are also pooch owners who prefer to join a local dog obedience class so they will be under the supervision of a professional dog trainer without leaving their pets with someone else. Keep in mind that your dog will be more likely to view you as a master when you are directly involved in the training process. Plus, this is a great way to enforce the dog-human bond.

If a dog has the fastest time of all the dogs in a race, should you bet that dog? What if a dog has the most class in a race or has the highest win percentage? What if it’s out of the kennel that’s at the top of the standings as of this week? What if it’s in the best post position or is the fastest breaker in the race? And what if it has all of these things going for it, would you bet it then?

Of course, you would. Unfortunately, so would everyone else at the track and the odds would be so low you’d have to pay back money if you won. Or almost, anyway. What I’m getting at is that most dogs have something going for them, but very few have everything going for them. This is where good handicapping, research, time and effort come in.

It’s the handicappers who are willing to go beyond handicapping based on only one factor that are the most successful. It’s impossible to figure out if a dog is going to win, judging only by how fast it breaks, how fast it runs or how many races it has won in the past. There are seven other dogs in that race who all have their minds set on catching the lure and they’ll do their best to beat the other dogs to it.

This is why speed handicapping doesn’t work. It’s why even my favorite ploy – playing spot plays – doesn’t work unless you do a little handicapping along with it. Just because a dog has a good reason for winning, doesn’t mean that it will win. It only means that it has an edge over dogs who aren’t coming off a good win or dropping down in class or doing any of the other things that gives a dog a reason to be a contender.

Anything that gives a dog that extra “oomph” is good, but by itself, it’s not enough. Unfortunately, the crowd seems to focus on these one-trick wonders and bets them down to nothing. But maybe that’s not so unfortunate if you’re smart enough to figure out what’s going on and find another dog that has more than one thing going for it.

Look beyond the surface of races where one dog is the big favorite because of one thing that sets it apart from the other dogs. Look for dogs that have several factors in their favor and find one or two to play to win or in a quinela or trifecta box. Don’t depend on dogs that only have speed, post position or one other thing going for them. Dogs, like people, need as many things in their favor as possible to win.

If you are considering adopting a dog from an animal shelter or a dog rescue group, that is wonderful! Every dog adopted from a shelter or rescue group helps to eliminate despicable puppy mills and, more importantly, saves a dog’s life. Unfortunately, some dog rescue groups make adopting a dog almost as difficult as adopting a child. The first hurdle you must clear is the initial adoption application. An “incorrect” answer here will send you home in shock and empty-handed. For this reason, it is important that you read this application BEFORE you fall in love with a specific dog.

Most rescue groups–especially puppy mill dog rescues and breed-specific rescues–require that you submit an adoption application and have it approved before they will even talk to you or allow you to see their dogs in person. You will be able to look at pictures of available dogs on the rescue website; but until they have approved your application, that is as far as you can go. Fortunately, not all rescues are so terribly demanding; and by comparison, shelters are downright welcoming!

I cannot overstate the importance of this initial application! Please understand that I am an honest person. I do not lie and would never tell anyone to lie on an application. Having said that, there are certain answers that, if stated on an application, will immediately disqualify you. When you read the application, you will need to determine if any of these apply to you. Then you will need to decide how you want to handle the situation. You can try to avoid having to admit the truth, or you will need to look for a less demanding rescue group.

For the questions below, I will give you the “correct” answer, by which I mean the answer the rescue wants to read or hear from you. I will also give you answers that will disqualify you. If there is some other acceptable answer, I will state that as well. For a few questions, I will just say NOTB–None Of Their Business–or I will just tell you to go elsewhere.

Typical “Problematic” Questions:

1. How much money do you make? This is one of those NOTB questions. Supposedly, they want to make sure you can afford to adopt a dog, but I consider the only answer to be given here is “I make enough.”

(Just FYI — some rescues are actually discriminatory; and questions dealing with salary, type of home, where you live, etc. are used to weed out certain people.)

2. How much time during the day will your dog be alone?

Disqualify: All day or I work all day.

Correct: NONE. Someone is always home.

Acceptable: Not much time. I go home at lunch and my neighbor will let the dog out two or three times a day.

3. How much time will your dog have to spend outside alone?

Disqualify: All day.

Correct: None.

There is no other acceptable answer.

4. Is your yard fenced with a 5′ (or 6′) wooden fence?

Disqualify: No fence; electric fence; 4′ chain link fence. (I have not found any rescue that will accept an electric fence.)

Correct: Yes, I have a 5′ (or 6′) wooden fence.

Acceptable: This will depend on the dog. For an older small dog, a shorter fence might be acceptable.

5. Do you have children? What are the ages?

Disqualify: Baby or children under 6.

Correct: No children, or all are 10 or older.

Acceptable: Ages between 4 and 10 will depend on the dog.

6. What pets have you owned and, if you don’t still have them, state why not.

The second part of this question is NOTB! They are trying to find out if you have put any pets down or have returned any.

7. Where will the dog sleep?

Disqualify: Outdoors.

Correct: In the house, with us, in a crate.

8. Is everyone in the family enthusiastic about getting a new dog?

Disqualify: Any answer that isn’t YES.

Correct: YES.

9. Have you ever returned or given up a pet? This might be worded: Is there any acceptable reason to return a pet?

Disqualify: Yes.

Correct: Never. I would never do that.

Acceptable: This can be tricky. If an adopted animal and your current pets could not work things out, you might still be approved.

10. Have you had a pet put down?

Disqualify: Yes. Most rescues do not believe there is any acceptable reason to put down a dog. Aggression is never an acceptable reason. Severe injury or illness might be considered acceptable, but that depends on the rescue. Some believe in the “as long as they can breathe” philosophy for keeping an animal alive.

Final thoughts:

Before you get attached to a dog, read both the adoption application AND the adoption contract. If you realize that you will not get approved (small children, live in apartment, yard not fenced, etc.) or you cannot accept some of the contract requirements, then do not bother to look at pictures of their animals. Instead, look for a different rescue or go to your local shelter or Humane Society.

Puppy mill rescue groups and breed rescues tend to have an inherent distrust of human beings. Thus, their requirements are very strict. Rescues that make a concerted effort to save dogs from euthanasia at shelters are more people friendly and understand that their first goal needs to be getting these animals into loving homes.

Be patient and check websites frequently. Visit your local shelter frequently. Your perfect dog will find you!

As a pet owner you are concerned as to what ingredients are contained within the commercial dog food that they eat. In fact a number of foods have recently been recalled because of this issue and although convenient are not the best option for your dog. The far majority of these types of dog foods are made up using fillers, artificial colors and unnatural flavors along with meat which is of a substandard compared to what we would eat. In some cases the meat may even have come from a country where they do not have any regulations relating to the processing of such products. So if you are at all worried about the health of your dog then why not think about making healthy homemade dog food for them instead.

Actually making homemade dog food is much easier than you would first have imagined. To start with before you actually go looking for recipes you need to discuss it with your vet. In many cases they can provide you with some guidelines relating to the right quantities of ingredients that you need to include with the dog’s food. A good balanced healthy dog food should contain sufficient amounts of meat, vegetables and grains in them. You may even find that they can offer you nutritional guidelines which you can follow in relation to the breed of dog that you own.

After you have been provided with this information by your vet, you can now start to look for recipes to try out. You can either go to your local pet store, bookstore or library to see if they have any books that you can use or you can go online and get some of the many free ones. However, if you are going to use the ones that you find online then you need to make sure that they ingredients they contain are healthy but will provide the right balance of nutrition that your dog needs.

Once you have found some recipes for trying out on your dog, you now need to go out and get the ingredients to make them with. Ideally go for as good as quality ingredients as you can easily afford as this will ensure that the food is not only healthy, but also contains the right kinds of nutrients that your pet needs. If you can select the same kinds of ingredients as you would use for yourself when preparing a meal for your family. Also it is important that you avoid using foods which have been processed as these will lack the nutrients that your pet needs.

When shopping for these ingredients it is wise to spend time looking at what is available and comparing everything. Often people will use the much cheaper cuts of meat in the butchers to make up meals for their dogs. But if you want why not tell the butcher what you need exactly and he may offer some cuts that he would not normally sell and these could cost you even less.

Actually preparing and cooking homemade dog food is actually much easier than you would have first thought. What you can do in order to save yourself some time is as you prepare a meal for your family you prepare a large batch of the dog’s as well. Then once ready it can be placed in a clearly marked container in the fridge or freezer and removed when required.

It is a good idea to prepare and cook large amounts of your dog’s food on either a weekly or monthly basis. Not only will this save you time as you will not have to get and prepare fresh ingredients each day, but it can also save you money as well. So if you carefully plan out which recipes you are going to cook and when it will make the whole process of producing healthy homemade dog food much easier.

If you want to be sure that your dog is eating properly, then investing some time and effort into using homemade dog food recipes will ensure this. But it is important that you remember to use only the best quality ingredients that you can in the food that you prepare. Also it is important that you feed your dog regularly on these recipes and if at all possible avoid commercial dog foods altogether. After a while you will start to see changes in your dog not only in his health, but also he will often have increased energy levels as well. These are things which you may not see until you start feeding the on homemade dog food which have prepared using recipes that you have found.

If you had more than one dog and one passed away, it is important for you to realize that the dog left behind may go through a grieving process. Just as humans mourn the loss of an animal companion or a human loved one, there is a great deal of evidence showing that dogs go through a grieving process as well. Therefore, it is important for you to be aware of this fact and to take the steps necessary to help your grieving pet get through the loss as best as possible.

Recognizing a Dog in Mourning

Recognizing that your dog is in mourning can sometimes be difficult. After all, they cannot talk to you and tell you how they are feeling. At the same time, a dog in mourning will typically exhibit some specific behaviors. Some of these behaviors may include:

o Lethargy

o Aloof behavior

o Loss of focus

o Disoriented behavior

o Lack of appetite

o Lack of interest in surroundings

o Disruption in sleep patterns

o Becoming “distant”

o Becoming overly clingy

o Excessive vocalization

o Being quieter than usual

If your dog was unable to see the deceased dog after it died, such as may be the case if you take the dog to the veterinarian to be euthanized and you choose not to bring it home, your dog may also wait anxiously for the other dog to return. In fact, it is not uncommon for dogs to go through separation anxiety when another canine companion dies.

Helping Your Mourning Dog with the Loss

If your dog is showing signs of grief after losing a canine companion, it is important for you to try to help it work through its grief. One way to do this is to provide the surviving dog with more affection and attention. Trying to engage your pet in an activity it enjoys will help take its mind off the loss, but be aware that some dogs in mourning will be resistant to playing. The key is to keep trying and to continue to provide your dog with attention. Most dogs in mourning will return to their normal activities in about two weeks, though some can take up to 6 months before they fully recover from the loss.

If your dog is expressing its grief in an undesirable way, such as howling or otherwise vocalizing excessively, you should use caution when giving it attention. If you provide your pet with attention or give it treats in order to stop the vocalization behavior, you will be reinforcing the behavior and your pet may continue the behavior even after the grief has past. Therefore, it is important to provide your pet with the affection and attention it needs while it is engaging in appropriate behaviors. So long as the undesirable behavior is related to the grieving process and you do not reinforce it, the behavior should subside after your dog is done mourning.

If your dog seems to be severely depressed and is not moving through the mourning process at a good pace, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about giving your pet anxiety medication. Otherwise, remember that with time comes healing and, with the help of your love and affection, your pet will likely return to its normal self.

“Can I wash my own dog? It can’t be that hard can it?” These are the words that I hear everyday as I go about my business working at the Pooch Parlor in Northern Idaho. Each time I walk a customer through this process, I find myself wondering why in the world something so simple is so doggone hard to explain. Washing your own dog may seem simple, but – only if you think and speak ‘dog’ – the language of your own dog.

I run a shop for full service and self-service dog grooming and bathing, and I LOVE it! There are dogs, and owners, of every size, every breed, and every temperament that come in to use the self-service doggie wash. Most owners are excited, some are scared, and some are cocky, but no matter who they are, or what they do for a living, there is nothing quite as intimidating for them as washing their own dog in public! The thought of doing this can give even the most confident person, performance anxiety, and for good reason! It is a true test of trust and tolerance and friendship for the person and dog companion. And, on a very basic level, it is an honest mirror for the owner, and how he or she deals with life, and with conflict. The likelihood of a successful experience for both is completely dependent upon the psychological relationship that exists between them, and, to a large extent, the ability of both to comprehend the body language of the other. You may be surprised to know that I have found that dogs are supremely better at reading their humans than their humans are of reading them. It is this relationship between human and canine, that shows itself without modesty during bathtime, and, keeps me coming to work day after day with a smile on my face.

My clients have been giving their dogs baths in my shops for 10+ years now, and, each year is more entertaining than the last when it comes to watching regular people washing their own regular dogs. The average person that comes through our doors is highly successful, which usually means – intelligent – and, because like attracts like, so is their dog. And, so why oh why, they ask me, should this simple task of cleaning their dog be so difficult? I ask them time and again, “Well, how well do you speak dog?” Invariably, their reply is a blank stare. So, this is the time to ask yourself, “How well do YOU speak dog?”

There is a lot to say about the theories of why dogs and humans behave the way they do, but I’m going to get back to the practical things to look for while bathing your own dog. The bottom line to remember is that your dog’s energy and personality traits are a mirror to your own. Take this into consideration when attempting to get him into the tub and have him be happy about it.

1. Deciding when to bathe your dog. Timing and Personality traits: Timing is important. Look at your own needs regarding timing to know how your dog will react. Are you the kind of person that is up for anything anytime? Or do you need to accomplish your day in a scheduled, systematic way? How do you do with new experiences? Do you find them refreshing and fun, or do you feel fearful until comfortable with a new activity? Your dog is going to deal with the bathtime experience in the same way you deal with life experiences. Remember that your dog is going to reflect your own personality traits – not necessarily the traits you show the world, but the traits that are truly inside you.

a. Fun-loving, extroverted, and social humans. If you enjoy regular physical activity, then so will your dog. For this type of person and dog, I suggest you take your dog out for a bout of exercise before the bath. In the city where I work, we are fortunate to have a designated beach on the lake just for dogs and their humans – dogbeach. There is a long path to run or walk on, and there is a large beach area to swim and play in. This is the perfect scenario for pre-bath timing. The dog can choose to get muddy, run, socialize, or just enjoy being outside. In any case, the dog is able to spend big reserves of energy outside in a fun way, just like letting human children play before naptime. If you love exercise, do something like this with your dog before taking him into your own tub or a professional facility for a dog bath. A common fault of the social dog and owner: Just because you are friendly, out-going person does not mean everyone wants to accept your friendly, and out-going gestures. It’s hard to fathom, I know, but it is true. If you have a very social dog (if you are a social person), it is easy to forget that many dogs (like their owners) are not social and do not appreciate the social requirements (like butt-sniffing) of others. Please remember to respect their space when in public or otherwise. Keep your dog restrained and under control, even if your dog has the friendliest intentions.

b. Non-social, active, or inactive humans. If your personality is not conducive to social interaction, then I still suggest that you walk your dog or do something that is comfortable within your life that involves light exercise before bathing your dog. Taking a walk with your dog does wonders to alleviate excess tension or stress for both human and dog. By getting rid of stressful energies during a walk, it does not present itself during bathtime. Getting exercise is especially important for those humans,( I mean dogs), that are highly nervous. I recommend giving your dog Valerian root (liquid form) or Rescue Remedy (liquid or spray) orally 30 minutes before the bath. Both of these products are natural remedies to calming down jittery nerves- and it works great for humans too. If timing is important in your life, take your dog to a self-service bathing facility when the least amount of people are there, usually early or late in the day. A common fault of the non-social dog and owner: they communicate poorly within their own species and with other species. Many people that tend towards isolation, often do this because they never figured out how to communicate effectively in human society. Their dogs typically have the same problem. I have seen it happen many times that owners of aggressive dogs unwittingly encourage their dog’s unwanted behavior, when they think they are doing the opposite. They do this by projecting their worrying thoughts about the ‘what-ifs’ of a social situation. Dogs of this type of owner act out their dog interpretations of their human owners signals. The dogs often pick up the ‘what-if’ fears of the human as the request of their human, actually creating the ‘what-if’ behavior to occur. Without human intervention and boundary setting by the owner (requiring advanced communication skills), it is quite common for this type of dog to exhibit increasingly aggressive behavior. Most owners are dismayed by their dog’s aggressive behavior, but they simply lack the skills required to communicate what behavior they will and won’t allow from their dog. I recommend that if you have a dog that is displaying increasingly aggressive behaviors to consult a professional dog behaviorist or trainer. Just a few simple tricks will convey an accurate message to a dog that is most likely misunderstanding your expectations.

Language barriers for humans and dogs. Its no surprise that miscommunication between owner and dog happens often. If you are a human that is finding you don’t understand why your dog does what he does, remember, you are learning a whole different language and culture. Give yourself time and give your dog time to understand each other. Just don’t expect your dog to act like a human, especially during conflict. It takes time and practice for anyone to learn a new human language. It’s no different learning dog language. We all know how to interpret a human smile in society. When a dog pulls his lips back over his teeth, it typically doesn’t mean he’s happy! Would a human dream of greeting a new acquaintance by sniffing their butt? Right! But, in doggie language, that’s the equivalent of shaking hands. A dog that shakes his head to get the slobber off of his mouth is no different than a person smoothing his slacks or dusting off his shirt to look more polite. The differences are huge, so give yourself and your dog a break if you have hit a communication block wall.

2. Deciding where to bathe your dog: There are not a lot of choices when it comes to bathing your dog. A. You can use your own bathtub at home which requires no human socializing – hard on your back, it’s very messy with extended after cleaning, and potentially traumatizing to human and dog. B. Bring your dog to a self-service doggie wash shop – easier on your back, requires some basic social skills by owner and dog, can be noisy and hairy, requires no after cleaning, and it does cost more than just the shampoo. C. Tie the dog to a fence and wash him with a hose in the yard (hopefully on a hot, sunny day) – not easy on the back, hard on the dog with cold water, potentially traumatizing for nervous dogs, but does not require human or dog socialiaing. D. Wash the dog in your nearest lake -which is very popular in my neck of the woods – hard on the back, requires advanced human and dog social skills, is potentially harmful to the environment, and how clean can you really get a dog in lakewater?

Regardless of where you wash your dog, take into account your own physical limitations, and your dog’s physical limitations. Is it worth wrecking your bathroom and hurting your back to wash your dog at home? For the clients I see, the answer is a definite, no! Emotional requirements are often a factor for dogs. For instance, (in general) Labrador retrievers have no issue being bathed in a lake (even though they don’t get clean), but they often resent being restrained in a tub with a sprayer hose pointed in their direction. For a farm dog that has never been away from home, tying them to the fence is a better solution than trucking them to the city and asking them to have manners in a grooming shop, or in a populated lake. At least next to the fence, even with cold water, they are comfortable with where they are and what is expected of them.

My vote is, of course to find a self-service doggie wash facility. The equipment is professional and easy to use, the water is warm (most of the time) and typically the dogs get treats when they walk out the door, which makes them happy campers. So, for those that want to know about washing your dog at a laundradog facility, here you go:

2. Getting your dog in the tub and getting him to stay there! At this grooming shop, the average dog that comes in for self-service is around 100lbs. All the dogs are washed at waist level where they stand on a grate in the tub. Getting them in the tub can be a trick. It’s kind of like asking a human to put ice skates on, and stand on the ice and not worry about how to do it. The easiest way for dog and human is to not give the dog time to decide whether or not he wants to. (Not the easiest task for shy or overprotective owners). The owner is given a large choker chain or cloth noose which goes around the dogs neck.

Leading: We have the owner quickly lead/pull the dog up the stairs with another person on the other end of the dog to give a quick boost on the butt end. The dog is on the grate, and in the tub before he has decided to be worried about it. Once the dog is in the tub, the owner hooks them in (not something you can do in your tub at home) to a variety of metal hooks inside the tub.

Choking: The dogs that are new to having a bath will sometimes turn in the tub and pull on the choker chain. We prefer the choker chain to a regular noose because the dog quickly learns with a choker that he is in control of whether or not he feels the choking sensation. The second the dog realizes he controls his own choking, AND realizes his owner is going to allow him to learn this (this is very difficult for the overprotective and/or mother types of owners-most all of us!), the pulling behavior stops. With a regular cloth noose, or one that does not self-regulate, the dogs will pull and pull and often never learn that they have the control over their own pulling more than any other behavior during the bath. Owners feel like they are directly causing their dog injury and should rescue them immediately when they hear them coughing and sometimes gagging. It is natural to feel concern over your dog choking, but it helps to think of the dog’s pulling and coughing similar to putting a toddler into his crib for a midday nap.

Many human toddlers HATE taking a nap and will cry hard enough to cough and gag. If parents rescue them from their cribs when this happens, they are reinforcing this coughing behavior for their child. Parents that monitor the crying, and coughing from a safe distance where the toddler cannot see them, soon find that their babies submit quietly to naptime without expecting to be rescued each time he utters a sound. Naps and baths may not be pleasant to begin with, but they are both essential habits of life. Dogs have the same learning behaviors regarding rescue. Owners that react with excessive concern over the pulling (as the dog is expecting), or crying and screaming tantrums, find they are only encouraging more pulling and tantrums from their dog. This point is so crucial that it is worth repeating. The more upset and worried the owner gets over the dogs behavior, the more they get of that dog behavior. If the owner is calm and without fear – and projects this to their dog, it is not long before the dog understands that pulling on the chain is only hurting himself, and that tantrums are a waste of their energy. When the owner believes everything is fine despite pulling and tantrums, the dog does too, and he stops the undesirable behavior accepts that today is bath day!

So many nurturing owners find this part difficult, but try to remember, when you expect your dog to learn how to control his own anxiety, he will learn, but it requires that you LET him learn. The best ways to learn to control ones own anxiety is to actually go through the experience of having the anxiety and dealing with it. If you are the type of owner that cannot allow your dog to experience this emotion without taking over and stopping the experience, your dog will learn to go into an anxious state more and more easily because of the reaction that he can expect from his owner. This becomes upsetting for both dog and owner and as you can see becomes an escalating cycle. If you allow your dog to go through this experience of the bath, anxiety and all, you will see that they will calm down and before you know it, you have a dog that allows you to bathe him! And having clean dog is essential to most dog owners. When your dog does calm down, i.e. quits pulling on the noose and allows the bath experience, that is the right time to express heightened emotion of happiness through praise and treats. If you take this time to praise your dog, it won’t be long before your dog asks to be washed with a happy, wanting-to-please attidude.

However, as with any rule, there are a few exceptions: old, very young, asthmatic, and dogs with neck or throat problems should be closely watched if they exhibit excessive pulling on the choker chain.

Ignore or not to Ignore: Most of the time, I recommend to owners to simply and quietly ignore their dogs protesting to get the behavior to stop (and it does), with the only exception being a small puppy (like a yorkie) or an old and fragile dog. Both the young and the old dogs that are not used to baths can injure their tracheas or create a medical problem (like asthma) if their nervous behaviors are allowed to escalate. It is in this circumstance that I tell the owners to use a harness to hook the dogs in the tub or in the case of a small and wild puppy, to use a sink or bucket in which they can immerse the dog in warm, soapy water. Puppies are wired to swim and that’s what they do if they find their bodies in water. Swimming is easier to work with than a freaking out jumping bean. If you do choose to ignore your dog’s protesting to the bath, REMEMBER to give lots of praise when the dog show’s signs of acceptance and/or begins to calm down.

Drying Your Dog: Drying a dog depends on the type of hair, type of temperament and grooming experience the dog has. If you have a shorthaired dog, towel drying is generally adequate. In the grooming shop, we use high-power dryers that blow the water out of thick or double-coated dogs like shepards, collies, and huskies – and in this case – standard poodles.

Put cotton in the dog’s ears before you begin as the dryer is loud. Make sure there is a minimum of play in the noose or chain that connects the dog to the tub, as the more room the dog has to throw a tantrum, the more room he’ll use. Start the dryer on the back end of the dog and aim the dryer side to side moving towards the head until the water is not dripping off the dog any longer. Most private owners go home with their dogs still dripping because of the tantrum factor. This is where the above information comes into play. The majority of dogs are nervous at first, but they quickly learn that the air is only loud, not painful. If the owner stays calm, the dog will quickly find this state during the drying process.

There are a few more minor steps that do occur in the grooming shop, such as brushing, nail trimming, anal expression, ear plucking and cleaning, teeth brushing and scaling and more. You can check out more ‘how to’ information on these specific techniques at www.thepoochparlor.net. Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living, the chances of your dog having a pleasant experience during the bath is highly dependent upon the ability of the dog’s owner to understand his or her own needs regarding life and society. Consider all the factors, energy reserves of your dog – spend them before the space wherever you go will increase your odds for success. Consider how much you actually do know about dog language. Above all else, remember that you, the owner, are in charge, and that if your dog is temporarily distressed with a new situation, you have to stay calm long enough to allow your dog to understand and accept the experience. It’s a curious notion that a human would have to delve into the basics of his or her own psychological needs to give their dog a great bath experience, but if you do that, you and your canine friend will have many years of happy and successful bathing experiences.

Author DuAnn Lustig-Chambers has been grooming since 1997 and owns Pooch Parlor Pet Groomer Training Academy in Sandpoint, Idaho.

A dog walking service… Sounds like a preppy way to waste your money huh? Well guess again. Dog walking services are more than common and are a useful resource to any canine owner.

Busy Life

We understand that life gets busy every once in a while and of course your dog gets the short end of the stick. It does not have to be that way for your pooch. Dog walking services can help you manage your time and schedule effectively to ensure that your dog gets the attention it deserves. Your companion can have all the fun in the world while you are at work or at the grocery store. Allowing your pooch to exercise when you are not at home will ensure that he or she is calmer and quieter when you get back!

Professional Experience and Advice

So not only will your dog have the right amount of stimulation during the week, it will also be handled by a professional. That is a reassuring thought for you as an owner. Professional dog walkers know what they are doing. They will mold the walk to fit your best friend’s physical need and of course, capabilities. As your dog walker builds a relationship with your pooch, he or she will be able to give you guidance on how to make your dog’s life more pleasurable at home. Dog walkers are a walking, resourceful database about dogs! Not only that, by analyzing your dog’s behavior, the dog walker can modify the workout in order to best suit your dog. Activities for your pooch will vary from walking, going to the park to socialize with other dogs, and sometimes even swimming. Your dog will also be more social as he or she is being handled by another person outside the family.

Time Away From Your Dog

You love your dog and we understand that. But just like when you’re happy about summer break being over and the kids going back to school, you get happy when you can have a couple hours to yourself without the dog constantly wanting to play with you. Hiring a dog walker will allow you to get some peace and quiet around your house. This is important to consider if you have a younger and/or a more energetic dog. If you have multiple canine friends in your home, taking one out of the pack can also allow your other pooches to get some peace and quiet.

Overall, dog walking services are extremely convenient. They benefit both you, as an owner, and your dog. Your pooch will also be in safe and knowledgeable hands, while you enjoy your me-time.

The Story

I have a boxer, bull mastiff mix named Leo, who struggles with itching and scratching all the time. It got to the point to where I felt so bad for him not only because he’s my best friend but because I can tell he was uncomfortable. I finally had enough and gathered up my veterinarian’s phone number and took a trip to the vet. Leo was having rashes on his belly and kept licking his paws to were they were getting infected.

The first thing the vet asked me was, “what kind of food do you feed him?” I replied with “a healthy food with no corn or bi-products.” He said “that’s good but what is the formula?” I told him it was chicken. He said I might want to try feeding a novelty protein, something other than chicken beef or lamb, which are common ingredients found in dog food. The vet told me that most people come in and think that their dogs are scratching from fleas but it turns out it’s usually the food that they’re feeding. He said that if I try feeding a healthy dog food with a novelty protein my dog is most likely going to have a better reaction because he’s never been exposed to that specific meat source. The vet said that just like humans, dogs can become allergic to any ingredient at any time. He had mentioned some options of foods that I could feed but I insisted on going home and doing my own in-depth research for myself to see which dog food would be right for my dog. I came across a lot of very healthy foods that were grain free but I still didn’t know which direction to take. I finally narrowed it down to a couple limited ingredient diets which contained a novelty protein as the first ingredient, that might work for my dog. The types of dog food that I found were very simple, easy on the stomach and the skin.

The Progress

Week by week Leo became a whole new dog. His skin issues have improved greatly and the dermatitis areas between the paws disappeared. His rashes near the belly had also gone away.

The Solution

Turns out that Leo was simply having a reaction to the chicken. Now not that chicken is a bad ingredient but chicken is a cheaper protein and in most of the foods he ate, chicken was the main ingredient. After switching to a novelty protein the skin cleared up.

The Conclusion

If your dog has skin issues, take a look at the ingredients on the package of dog food you feed and see what the meat sources are. If you see chicken, beef or lamb, chances are that could be the issue. Also make sure there is no corn, wheat or soy. Grain free would be a good choice with a single novelty protein.

Every pet dog serves a different role in every household. Some serve as guard dogs while others are dressed-up and are well-pampered, but whatever role they play, dogs are very helpful and enjoyable house companions. A good owner should know better than ignoring his/her dog’s well-being.

Nowadays, there are various existing pet insurance policies that you can buy. However, just like for us humans, there are considerable circumstances which make one insurance plan better than another. Here are some things that you may consider in choosing an insurance plan for your pet dog:

1) Financial concerns are always a good place to start. First of all, consider your budget for your pet. For instance, how much have you been spending for its regular vet visits? Do you have money set aside for your buddy if a sudden disease or an accident occurs to it?

There are specific insurance plans for all your financial needs. Few plans can actually cover 100% of your expenses; however, there are plans which can offer you discounts or reimbursements for every vet visit and the like.

2) Another consideration should be the medical history of your pet dog. There are plans that do not cover pre-existing diseases so you must make sure to familiarize yourself with the terms of an insurance plan before buying it. You have to make sure that all of your pet’s medical needs, or most of it, can be covered by the plan so you can be confident about the well-being of your friend.

3) Third, consider your dog’s breed. There are breed-specific exclusive plans. These are usually breeds that have genetic or breed-related diseases, or working dogs that are more prone to age-related illnesses like arthritis. Although it is simply inhumane how people have created such discrimination against innocent dog breeds, you must accept that this is a reality. Figure out if your dog is part of this list and do your best to find a plan that does not exclude them.

4) Consider external factors, like your dog’s common habits such as biting and swallowing foreign objects. If your dog has these sorts of mannerisms, make sure that the policy also covers the medication when something wrong happens. Some plans also cover subsidies for other unwanted or sudden events like your dog attacking other people, or for board and lodging when you need to be elsewhere and you can’t bring your dog, like the hospital.

Not all dogs are inside dogs. Some dog owners choose to let their pets live outside. Living outside without a safe, weather proofed, spacious living area is not only dangerous it can be down right miserable for your dog.

In this article we’ll discuss five ways to build your own outdoor dog kennel without breaking the bank to provide your dog with an enjoyable, safe, weather proofed, outdoor living area.

We have a lot to cover so let’s dive right in…

Tip #1: Semi-Homemade Dog Kennel

Many dog owners have found it more cost effective to build onto a smaller pre-made outdoor dog kennel.

Think of it like an addition to your dog’s house.

If you plan it correctly starting out with a smaller kennel then adding on by building on to the kennel can save you money in the long run.

Tip #2: Use Alternate Materials

As far as I know you don’t have to use chain link or steel to build an outdoor dog kennel.

Other alternative materials are PVC, wood, and chicken wire.

Use your creativity and look around professional kennels to get ideas for your own kennel system.

Tip #3: Pre-plan for Space and Growth

Giving your dog enough room to move around and get some exercise during the day is essential to a good outdoor dog kennel set up.

Pre-plan and pre-define how much space you want to use so you know how much material you will need to effectively cover that space.

The best set ups allow the dog 20-30 feet of running room and are 10-20 feet in width.

Tip #4: Use Nylon Panels to Create Walls

If you decide to use chain link fencing to build your kennel getting some nylon panels for walls and a roof is an affordable weather proofing solution.

Nylon panels can be washed, they are breathable, and they provide protection from the sun and block the wind better than an open chain link design.

Tip #5: Designing a Cost Effective Roof

You will find there as many options for putting a roof on your kennel as there are for what to build a kennel out of.

Three proven roof solutions that are both effective and affordable are:

a) Plywood

b) Tarp

c) Canvas

In the end your outdoor dog kennel set up should be able to withstand the elements, provide your dog a safe place to sleep (adding a dog house is a good idea), keep your dog safe from strangers and other animals, and unable to escape. We don’t want our best friend to get hit by a car or some other accident.