Buying A Dog

Buying A Dog
By: Chris Campbell

We make purchases all the time. Walk into the store, pick your favorite, slap some money on the counter and head home. So why the hesitation when it comes to buying a dog? Don't worry, that hesitation is a good and healthy thing. It means your thinking. Much better than buying a puppy on impulse. We make enough impulse purchases for the little things. A new new puppy dog on the other hand, is a member of the family, and adding to the family is not something to be considered lightly. Here are a few points to mull over, that could make that future purchase a joyful one.

Is your home a puppy friendly environment? How large or small is your home? The size of your dwelling should have an important weight in the type of dog you can live with. A energetic, large dog will need plenty of room to roam, and exercise in. While if you live in a small apartment, something smaller than a GreatDane puppy might be in order. How your going to keep your dog on your property, without it running around the neighborhood is something to think about as well.

There are more costs to having a puppy, then just the initial purchase. Not much of a surprise there. It seems like everything we buy these days has a whole list of accessories,peripherals, and add- ons that come along. Puppy dogs are no different. The list can be long or short, but there are a few unavoidables. Food, immunizations, health care, and neutering are some of the most obvious things your dog will need. If your dog will not travel with you on long trips, then kenneling will be an expense to look into. Depending on your experience with dogs, perhaps dog obedience school is important. It can teach the owner more than the dog you know. Most cities, have some kind of registration that is required, and it's not usually a free service.

A stable home can be important for a dog, as well as people. If there are any major life changes in the near future for the perspective dog owner, it could have an impact on the dog. Going of to university, moving to a new home, marriage, or lengthy overseas travel can all detract from an owners ability to care for a dog. Owner health problems, while often not foreseeable, can also change the life of a pet. If you know this is possible, it should be taken into consideration.

Consider the sex of the dog before you make the purchase. Females are usually smaller, and a little easier to control then the males of most breeds. Females will come into heat every six months, so neutering may be an option here.

Once you consider all the factors, a number of species will seem like a good choice, and others will not. It's an important exercise, but once you have carefully considered all these points, your purchase of a new puppy should be somewhat easier. It certainly won't be an impulse buy, and that's good for both you and your newest four legged member of the family.


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Read more great information on your puppy dog and puppy breeders, or visit foolishmumbles.com/category/puppy-dog/

How To Choose the Right Dog Trainer

How To Choose the Right Dog Trainer
Kelly_Marshall

Choosing a trainer is a very important decision and one that requires a fair amount of research and consideration. How your trainer works with both you and your dog will impact your relationship with your pet both during the trainings sessions as well as in the future. Many owners have hired a trainer only to find out they don t agree philosophically with the methods that the trainer uses or are completely opposed to some of the exercises the trainer uses.

To avoid these issues be sure to answer the following questions about your trainer:

1. What qualifications does he or she have?

There are numerous training certifications and credentials that trainers may hold depending on where you are located. Check with other breeders, groomers or even vets and other dog owners to find out what trainers are in the area and then research their credentials on the internet or from the various credentialing bodies.

2. What references does the trainer have?

Does the trainer have any particular awards or recognition for their school or training program? Are they endorsed by a kennel club, breed organization or other organization? Most trainers will have references that will allow you to contact them and talk to regarding their training process.

3. Does the trainer use only positive methods or do they use punishment-based training?

Most trainers no longer use any punishment based methods and do not encourage yelling, physically punishing or using corrective devices such as choke collars, shock collars or other potentially harmful devices with the dogs. Clicker training, behavior modification training and reward training methods are all positive based and works on a dog s natural behavior and the relationship between dog and owner.

4. Will the trainer let you sit in on a class or private session?

This is often the best way to see how you will do under the trainer s guidance. Is the trainer positive to the owners and the dogs, or does he or she seem to become upset, frustrated or even angry with the participants? Would you be comfortable in the same environment if you were treated that way?

5. Finally, does the trainer offer flexible scheduling and what is the cancellation or no-show policy?

Many trainers have a 48-hour cancellation policy and a non-refundable no-show policy if you simply don t come to the class. Other trainers will refund you the cost of lessons that you don t attend. Some trainers will insist that you attend a make-up class before you can proceed with your original class as everything builds on the previous lesson.

Be sure to meet with the trainer in advance and feel comfortable with them before you commit to lessons or leaving your dog in their care. In addition find out if they need your dog to be housed with them during the training or if the dog will remain with you.

Four out of five dog trainers recommend shopping at Oh My Dog Supplies for dog sofas, large dog beds, double bowl feeders, and car seat covers.

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11 Quick Tips For You And Your Dog

11 Quick Tips For You And Your Dog
by Rosie Harvey

Quick tip 1 - If your pup's nose seems to be perpetually dry after surgery, monitor his water intake and soak a cloth in tepid water. Lay it over his nose for a few minutes (making sure he can breathe, of course). This can help perk him up right away!


Quick tip 2 - Be wary of any breeder who says he or she treats puppies of breeds like Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Pit bulls differently so that they may be later used as guard dogs. Puppies should be treated similarly regardless of breed - purpose-specific training should never occur before a puppy reaches two months.

Quick tip 3 - Try to find a puppy kindergarten class in your area as soon as possible after adopting your new baby. These classes are not only great for training, they create a bond between you and your puppy and can help your pup get used to other people and dogs.

Quick tip 4 - Many training schools now offer in-home training or "doggie camps." During the first, your trainer will help you and your puppy figure out what's happening to cause specific problems (like furniture eating). The second is a kind of sleepaway camp for your puppy - he'll undergo intensive training for 10 days, then you'll attend and learn how to keep up the training for the last few days before graduation.

Quick tip 5 - Puppy papers, available from your pet store, are popular with some pet owners. Unfortunately, they have a similar effect as training your pup on newspaper and can just stretch the training period out even further.

Quick tip 6 - If you are diagnosed with strep throat, pneumonia, bronchitis, or a more serious infectious disease, you may want to get your pup to the vet. Dogs can both carry and contract human diseases and often need to be treated to get the virus out of the household completely.

Quick tip 7 - Dogs that play in areas frequented by cows and horses are at the highest risk for tetanus. If your dog loves to hang out in the stable or corral, be sure to check her for cuts and scratches before and after playtime and get her tetanus shot updated regularly.

Quick tip 8 - Try playing music while you're away to help calm your dog. There are tons of doggie-specific compilations available in music stores, many of which can help soothe nerves and ease the anxiety your pooch may feel when separated from you.

Quick tip 9 - If you've noticed that your dog's water intake is going down, fill a sport or bike bottle with water. After popping the top, place it inside your dog's cheek and squirt in a little at a time to keep his hydration level up.

Quick tip 10 - Just because he's old doesn't mean he doesn't still enjoy the same hard, crunchy treats he always loved. Make sure his teeth are strong enough to take the bones then feed away!

Quick tip 11 - Simple hard plastic stepstools are perfect for elevating food dishes, and you can usually find them for very low prices at grocery and superstores.

Hope these quick tips have been of help.

About the Author
Rosie Harvey runs a site on dog training and dog care. This site provides tips, advice, reviews, products and information all about training and taking care of your dog.
http://www.gowingpublishing.com/dogblog