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Should I Neuter My Dog ?
2007-11-19 17:41:00
My personal belief is that all pet dogs should be neutered. There is simply no need for anymore puppies on this earth. We do not have a dog shortage but a huge surplus.  In fact there are millions of dogs put to death every year. There simply aren’t enough homes for all of them. I have heard people breed their dog and argue that they already have good  homes for them all. In reality if it was a litter of 5 puppies that means 5 other dogs will have to be euthanized in their place instead. I will not go into the math of how a few  unspayed dogs can multiply into a million but you get the picture. I would hope that this alone should be enough reason to neuter you dog. If you are still reading maybe you are not yet convinced. Here are some health benefits for neutering your dog. Neuter is the term used for both male and female animal  sterilization. Spay is used to refer to a female animal being neutered. There are many health benefits to early spaying of your dog. I think the mos...

Clipping Your Own Dog
2007-11-04 23:14:00
If you have purchased a dog that needs to be clipped  routinely I assume you have already done your homework on this first. Because most breeds will need to be clipped about every 6 to 8 weeks to stay looking sharp. A dog’s haircut will cost anywhere from $30 and up depending on where you live. For an additional fee groomers usually offer extra services like clipping toe nails, flea dips, they will even paint your dogs toenails. If you are on a budget the cumulative costs can really ad up over time. Sometimes it is more about finding the extra time to take your dog for his routine haircuts. Whether you have a purebred or a mix you may want to try cutting their hair yourself. Years ago I found a scruffy looking puppy. Sassy turned out to look like a tall schnauzer with uncropped ears and an undocked tail. Anyway one day I got it into my head to try clipping her hair to look like a Schnauzer. What can I say some days you just have too much time on your hands. To cut her hair I u...
More About: Lippi

Balki Goes To School
2007-11-02 17:33:00
Years ago I think I started off just like the average dog owner. When I  would get a dog I would start off with the usual potty training. Then maybe teach it a few things like to sit and to lie down. I had even taught my dogs to roll over, crawl on their belly,  and speak just for kicks. But I had never ever considered teaching my dog basic obedience. That was until I rescued Balki that is. I got Balki as a very young puppy from the local pound in N.Y.. They said he was the last pup left from a litter. They told me how someone had put them all in a box and left them in the parking lot on a very hot summer day. In fact I was only there that day browsing at the adult dogs. I was not planning on getting a dog that day no less a puppy. In that moment I fell in love paid the fee and took him home with me. He grew quickly into a fairly large dog, weighing about 70lbs. He was black tan and white in color. His hair was medium length with longer feathering’s on his legs and tail. My be...
More About: School , Goes

A Dog?s Bed
2007-10-29 01:37:00
If you own a dog I would like you to consider the importance of getting him a bed. Now you may think your dog does not need one because he already sleeps on the rug or up on the couch with you.  My dogs are also allowed up on the couch, although sometimes I wish I had never started this practice in the first place.  Obviously a nice  dog bed will help keep your dog warm and comfortable.  For some it may be a matter of preventative health. For example some of the larger breeds can develop large callouses on their elbows that can become problematic. If you own a large breed dog a bed can help protect his elbows and possibly prevent this problem from occurring. Although these are all very good reasons to get a bed it is not my only objective. A simple bed can be a tool that will help you in everyday life. Try to think of it as not only a bed but a place of his own. Now if you take the time to teach your dog to go to his bed on command it becomes something priceless. This will come in h...

The Outside Dog
2007-10-26 05:42:00
I may make some people angry by saying this but I am not a fan of keeping a pet dog outside. Whenever I hear of someone getting a dog to keep outside I actually cringe inside. The reason is so many get a dog put it on a 10-15 ft chain and tie it to a doghouse. Things usually start off alright. Everyone spends time walking and playing with the dog. He always has fresh and clean water and food available etc.. Unfortunately as time goes by things usually decline and Fido is lucky if he gets fresh water and food daily, a pat on the head, and hay in their doghouse when the weather turns cold. These dogs often become lonely, bored and usually unkempt. A bored dog will often bark alot , dig, and become destructive. Unfortunately when someone finally does come around to visit the dog he will often jump all over them out of sheer excitement.  The children often get knocked or hurt and the adults get dirty until finally everyone completely avoid all contact with the dog. This is sad but unfor...

Purebred Or Mixed?
2007-10-23 19:09:00
So you have decided to get a dog . Now you have to decide what breed you want. In ” How To Select A Dog “,  I went over some of the things to help you decide on the type of dog you need. By now you should have an idea of what size, activity level and coat type your new dog should have. Now is the time to use this information to help you select a dog. If you are considering a purebred dog I highly recommend you go to www.akc.org . It is also listed on the blogroll. I have been to this site many times over the years. It lists all kinds of dog breeds. You can look up each breed by name, group or even alphabetical order. Each breed will have a picture and description of each dog for you to consider. Many people do not realize that there are over 150 dog breeds to chose from. While you are there you could even look up when the next dog show is. Perhaps you can even see these wonderful dogs in person. Many of the breeders there will gladly talk to you about their breed. They m...
More About: Mixed , Mixe

Lure Training
2007-10-21 19:20:00
Lure training is a very gentle and fairly simple method of training. It can  be used with dogs of all ages. However I think it is probably the best way to train a young puppy. Lure training has been around for quite awhile, although I think there are still many people out there who have never heard of it. To begin you need a lure. This can be a piece of food or even a favorite toy. You can choose anything as long as it keeps your dog totally focused. You want your dog to follow that item wherever you move it to. This item will also be his reward when he has completed the command you are teaching. I will try to walk you through the basic steps of lure training for a sit command. First get the lure (treat or toy of choice). I personally would probably lure him around a little by placing it in front of his nose and dragging it around the floor. I would let him follow it while praising him and then give him the toy for a bit or feed him a treat. These few moments warming up are not only...
More About: Training , Lure , TRAI , Raining

Photo Gallery Submission
2007-10-20 20:02:00
We would love to see pictures of everyone’s dog (s). To submit your dog (s) photos  just e-mail them to eileenchristiansen@doggonenews.info. We will then proudly hang them in the photo gallery for all to see and enjoy.
More About: Photo , Gallery , Submission , Missi

Introducing Your Dog To A Puppy
2007-10-19 03:04:00
When introducing a new puppy go slow. Although most adult dogs will take to a puppy, I still would follow the same steps as introducing a new dog. Not so much to avoid a fight as to just give everyone a chance to explore. This will give the new puppy a chance to smell and explore his new home inside and out. At the same time it gives the resident dog (s) a chance to get acquainted with the new puppy’s scent as well. Most puppy introductions go very well fairly quickly. However even though everyone seems to be getting along I would still not suggest leaving a new puppy alone with an adult dog. In fact I believe a puppy should always be left in a secure area or crate when no one is around to keep an eye on it. Do not be alarmed if the resident dog barks or nips at your new puppy this can be very normal. An adult dog will teach a young puppy manners. These corrections most often are done with short barks, growls, bossy looks, the fake snip that falls short of actually nipping the...
More About: Puppy

Introducing Your Dog To Another
2007-10-17 21:04:00
Introducing your new dog to your other dog (s) can be a little nerve racking. If this is your first time you may be a little bit worried about how they will get along. In general everything usually woks out fine. Most books I have read suggest you do this on neutral grounds. The idea behind this I believe is that the that the original dog does not feel the need to defend it?s territory. This is a very sound idea, although I have never tried it. What I have always done is put my dog (s) outside and let the new guy explore the house. Then I switch and bring my dog (s) in and let the new one explore the yard. I then introduce each dog one at a time. I usually start with the most submissive one first and go from there. If introductions go well I may let a few dogs in at the same time, with the new one, after individual introductions. If I have a dog that I am not sure about I will take other precautions during the final introduction. I may just watch the interaction between them while t...

Start Off Right
2007-10-16 19:09:00
When it comes to training just starting off right can make a big difference. This is a simple concept but many people seem to miss it. When you get a dog decide what he can and can?t do right from the beginning.This might sound silly but you would be surprised how many people let their puppy stand or jump up on them. This isn?t something you want especially if it is a large breed and it is still annoying if they are a small breed. A dog learns what you teach it even when you don?t think you are teaching anything. Most jumping problems could be avoided if you just start off bending down to pet your dog. This simple act will decrease his desire to jump up to greet you. As a bonus he always gets something good when all four paws are on the ground which will in turn help reinforce this behavior.The same goes for the furniture. Alot of people will pick up the small puppy and put him up on the couch with them. As I said decide from the beginning because otherwise you are teaching him tha...
More About: Start

How To Select A Dog
2007-10-16 04:33:00
First you and your family need to really think about what type of dog you all want. Do you want an active dog to keep you company when you jog? Do you just want a quiet companion to keep you company? Do you want a dog that makes you feel safe? Maybe you want a really smart dog that you take to obedience classes or agility competitions.Too often people choose a dog solely by the way it looks. This is a big mistake. Contrary to popular belief ALL DOGS ARE NOT ALIKE. Some are very bossy and dominant and need more training. Some dogs are very docile and eager to please. I believe all dogs can be trained but,some train alot more easily than others. How much time are you willing to commit to training?Three things to consider about a dog?s looks are?.1) Do you like the way the dog looks 2) How big or small the dog is 3) What kind of coat the dog has..Although you should like the way the dog looks ,it should not be the MOST important thing as i said earlier. Now how big the dog is is very i...
More About: Select