Archive for July, 2010

Valentines For Two: Love Me, Love My Dog

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279816216 65 Valentines For Two: Love Me, Love My Dog

When this Valentine’s Day comes around, will you find yourself dating two, such as someone with a dog? If that special someone is like me, they love their dog unconditionally. Why? One of the main reasons is that their dog feels the same way about them. in fact, all of us who are or want to be lovers should take a lesson in the courage, heart, and loyalty of dogs. With few exceptions,

*Dogs are loyal and would never desert you.

*Dogs want to cuddle with you all the time.

*Dogs cover you with kisses and don’t keep count if you don’t return the same amount of affection.

*A dog is the only animal that would risk its life to save yours.

Here are some ideas to make this Valentine’s Day one your beloved will never forget:

1. What are their favorite toys?

This Valentine’s Day you might look for dog toys that represent the holiday but also fit the imagination and activity of your two friends. how about a red Frisbee or ball that your date can throw for the dog? Don’t forget the red or heart-shaped squeaky toys that most dogs love. Every time your date and Fido go out to play and they toss your gift around, they will think of you.

2. how about their crockery or china?

Perhaps your date and the dog could use some new dishes? You could choose something with a valentine theme, or dishes that are red and white, or splurge on some china pieces (depending on his or her individual taste.) If your love interest has a teeny tiny dog, a special china or crystal bowl might be just the thing for a water or food dish. You could get something matching for your date, such as a crystal champagne flute or a china tea cup and saucer in the same pattern. This may sound over the top for a non-dog owner, but I promise…your date will love the thought and the gesture. If your date has a rambunctious animal, something inexpensive and plastic might be more appropriate.

3. What else do dogs and dog-lovers need?

The following objects can match or not match. Use your imagination:

*Pillows. A big pillow for the dog to sleep on, possibly with their name on it. A distinct couch pillow for your date, after you have paid attention to their individual taste.

*Blankets. Red and white blankets, with or without hearts will warm the heart of your date when he or she cuddles with the dog…each with their own coverlet.

*Jewelry. I was at a large dog show recently and I was amazed at the amount of jewelry choices for dogs. My best friend bought two outlandish collars for her teacup Poodle. Use your discretion and imagination.

*Leashes. Though dog owners never have enough leashes to keep in the house and the car for their dog, I doubt your date will warm to the idea of receiving a leash for him(her)self. Buy them something else like a belt or a purse.

*Treats. This Valentine’s gift is pretty universal. Chocolates for your love and doggie bones for the dog. and each time you visit, always have the dogs favorite treat in your pocket. You will make an outstanding hit with both of them.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day for two. because if you love me…you have to love my dog.

Valentines For Two: Love Me, Love My Dog

How To Use Dog Separation Anxiety Training To Help Dogs With Canine Anxiety

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279814411 95 How To Use Dog Separation Anxiety Training To Help Dogs With Canine Anxiety

Don’t you just hate it when your dog barks non-stop while you’re gone?  Separation anxiety in dogs is often the reason dogs chew up furniture and clothing, and even claw doors and windows when they’re alone.   by using dog separation anxiety training, you can often solve this problem.

you have two goals with this training.  The first is to make your dog less dependent on you, and the second is to teach him that being by himself isn’t a bad thing. Basics Of Dog Separation Anxiety Training

It’s important that your dog know his place in the family pecking order.  The dog should be at the bottom of the family heap, not the top.  Even if your dog sees you as the pack leader, it’s important that he doesn’t rank himself socially above the other members of the family.  everyone in your home should be involved in dog training so that your dog understands that he needs to obey everyone in the house, not just you.

Your dog shouldn’t get too attached to you, as this leads to canine anxiety.  We’ve all seen the 90-pound dogs who always want to curl up in someone’s lap.  It’s funny at first, but it gets old fast.  It’s best to train your dog to sit or stay about three feet from you.he should learn that he doesn’t have to be in constant contact with you to be happy.

Don’t let your dog sleep in the bed with you.  if he’s already doing this, first train him to sleep at the foot of your bed.  then encourage him to sleep in his own doggie bed, with the eventual goal of moving his bed out of your bedroom.  this teaches him to become more independent of you.

make sure your dog gets lots of exercise to burn up the extra energy he has.  a long walk in the morning and again in the evening goes a long way toward keeping your dog on an even keel emotionally.

this sounds harsh, but don’t make a big scene when you come home.  Encouraging your dog to jump around, barking in excitement when you return, is only reinforcing the idea that he can’t be happy unless you’re there.Ignore your dog or twenty minutes or so before you leave, and again when you return. Teaching Dogs with Separation Anxiety to Be Happy When They’re Alone

Work on teaching your dog the basic “sit,”, “relax,” and “stay” commands.  he needs to know these basic commands so you can work on these steps.

find a reason to leave the room if you’re watching tv.  Use the “sit-stay” command, and then leave.  at first come right back, and reward your dog with a tasty treat if he stayed and didn’t follow you.  Gradually increase the time that you’re gone.  do this many times a day, so that your dog learns that when you leave, you do come back.  he also learns that if he sits and waits patiently for you, he gets rewarded.

find a room in your house where your dog can’t destroy your belongings.  put your dog in there with a few favorite toys that he only gets when he’s by himself.  Stay with him a little while, and then leave without any fuss, and close the door behind you.  Come back before he gets upset, and reward him with a food treat.  Repeat this as often during the day as you can, gradually increasing the amount of time you’re gone. Remember to put these toys away when you’re done.

What your dog is learning now is that he gets fun toys when you’re gone, and a treat when you return.this is teaching him that being by himself isn’t so bad after all.

Your next step? to take what you’ve just learned and apply it.  You’ll want to avoid making mistakes as you use dog separation anxiety training to solve your canine anxiety problems.  just click on any link in this article to learn about a great dog training course that may help to solve your problem.

  1. Things to do When Your Canine Suffers From Separation Anxiety most canines hate to see their owners leave them. they…
  2. Dog Separation Anxiety and Medication Canine separation anxiety is among the most prevalent behavioral problems…
  3. Why you should crate you dog with Separation Anxiety I highly recommend that all dog owners crate their dogs.  …
  4. Dealing with Dog Separation Anxiety Your dog’s usual barks or “bow wows” may not always…
  5. Dog with Separation Anxiety When you leave your dog, how much does it hurt…

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How To Use Dog Separation Anxiety Training To Help Dogs With Canine Anxiety

Pet Pictures: Funny Cat & Dog Pictures & Photos

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279812611 94 Pet Pictures: Funny Cat & Dog Pictures & Photos

Based on the sheer number of entries I’m getting for the July pet photo contest — I am extending the VOTING deadline (NOT the SUBMISSION deadline). Please have all entries in by 9 p.m. EST on July 22nd. (Email entries to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com as a JPEG or GIF file please.)

**The voting period is being extended (in fairness to those whose pictures are being posted later) to July 29th. Winners will now be announced on Friday July 30th.**

We’re shocked at how many entries we’ve received for this contest so far! thanks for entering everyone – we really wish we could reward ALL of you for your adorable fur babies “photogenic trait!” thank Goodness we will be having another two or three photo contests this year so everyone has more chances to win really cool stuff (including Bissell products, Furminators, cat toys, dog toys, pet treats, and tons of pet products:) )

So here we go… here are some more entries! Don’t forget to re-post, Tweet, post on Facebook or do whatever you have to to get friends and people to vote for your pet — as winners are being judged ONLY on votes in Comments and emails to us here…

*** DON’T FORGET to send ALL your friends here to vote for your pets — or have them email their votes to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.

More photos to come tomorrow or Tuesday:)

Pet Pictures: Funny Cat & Dog Pictures & Photos

what should I look for in a dog training/behavior school?

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279810820 21 what should I look for in a dog training/behavior school?

« Dog Potty Training-Save The Carpet | Home | The Truth Behind The American And German Dog Bloodlines »

Topics: Dog Training | 3 Comments »By admin | July 21, 2010

I love cesar millans techniques and I dont want to do anything that he calls using human psychology on a dog. So with that in mind what should I look for in a dog training school? is there a difference between dog psychology and dog training or is that all one in the same?

  1. Posted by Cory B on 07.21.10 7:26 pm

    its different but good luck finding a training school that teaches “dog psycholgy” just because Ceasar does it one way doesn’t mean the others don’t work. They do. And have been used for thousands of years to train dogs.

  2. Posted by Harris on 07.21.10 7:47 pm

    Your best bet is to try to find a trainer reference from someone you know. I found mine on a dog rescue site and it was the best money I ever spent. Remember, there are many different ways to train dogs just as their are many different dog trainers.

  3. Posted by Single Worker 1230 on 07.21.10 7:54 pm

    You are better off apprenticing under a successful trainer who uses the methods that you are interested in. The best trainers are not those who have gone to school but those who have trained 100’s of dogs with different temperaments, problems, and owners. Remember every dog you train comes attached to a person so you need good people skills. Likewise don’t discount different training techniques as not every technique works for every dog no matter what you see on TV. There are many different ways to train dogs.

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what should I look for in a dog training/behavior school?

Dog Trainer School – Saved Me & My Dog

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279810814 38 Dog Trainer School   Saved Me & My Dog

I would always advocate training your dog during its early formative years. if you cannot afford a trainer get yourself a good book and at least learn how to give basic commands the right way. Later on you can then brush up on these basics moving onto a higher level of education by attending dog trainer school. though if you’re a self disciplined person, who is able to follow written or video instruction there are plenty of good dog trainer guides available on the internet these days.

Attending dog trainer schools you will find that the teaching is often executed in not so big groups, in addition to training the dog itself, it also teaches the dog’s handler the best way to praise, scold and reward their dog. a competent dog trainer actually does not train the dog, he is coaching the dog owner giving them the tools and skill to train their dog.

Some people dispatch their unruly pooches to a school for dog trainers unaccompanied. I think the results can never be as good as when both the owner and the dog attend together. I would suggest that the person who handles the dog should be involved hands on in the training to ensure uniformity in methods and commands. This is where I went wrong originally I was very erratic at the beginning which ended up confusing my poor dog so she didn’t know whether she was coming or going.

Through training I realised my dog was actually unhappy because my instructions were not clear but contradictory and we had no routine or structure. the good relationship that I had always hoped for prior to purchasing my dog was not there.

Dog trainer school saved me and my dog, I saw myself under a new light, suddenly it became very apparent to me I was doing it all wrong I was humbled, I learnt so much about me and my dog during those sessions which really enhanced our relationship.

I am sure all of you will be pleased to know that since our enrollment Man and his best Friend are getting along ‘Great Guns’ going from strength to strength.

I also know that unfortunately not everyone can afford to send their dog to a dog trainer school. in which case what is the next best thing? There is a website that I use regularly which provides training material that is second to none.

Dog Trainer School – Saved Me & My Dog

Dog Pictures – Candid Shots Are the Cutest Shots

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279809013 44 Dog Pictures   Candid Shots Are the Cutest Shots

You know a lot of people who collect Dog Pictures, or you see a lot of Pet pictures online. anyway, the thing is, you want to join the bandwagon and start taking pictures of your dog for the entire world to see.

You already have your camera and your little (but enough) knowledge of photography. You already have installed the latest software for editing digital photos in your personal computer. You already bought and made the dog costumes that you think will be useful for your photography shoots. You already had creatively schemed in your mind a lot of themes for your Dog Pictures, there’s your dog eating, sleeping, playing with his ball, chasing a cat, chasing anything that moves, barking at the tree, and almost about anything that your dog can do.

And of course, last but definitely not the least, you have your dog, for you cannot have pet pictures without the dog. But you have a dog, only of course, it is not willing to pose in front of the camera. Okay, there will be little use of you explaining to your dog what pet pictures is all about, especially why he had to look at the lens of the camera, it may have a hard time understanding you (or listening to you at that). But you can always, always make it feel that it is just a game, and with a couple of dog treats in your hands, be ready to start making good pet pictures with your favorite pet.

And while you can always train a dog to be an “actual” model, with all those poses and stuff and you can familiarize your dog with the camera (without forcing it to understand the principle of photography, of course)-you can actually take good pet pictures by not forcing your dogs into it. But don’t you think that some of the most adorable pet pictures are the candid ones? Isn’t a sleeping dog hugging its pillow cute? Or isn’t a dog running circles on the grass lawn along the water sprinkler pretty charming? if you haven’t notice it, many internationally-acclaimed pictures in the world are candid, so why don’t you make your dog pictures candid shot? it would be pretty easy, since you do not have to force your dog in to the view of the camera, it would be you who will follow your dog’s regular actions. You can, for example, bring your dog to the park, throw the Frisbee and take its picture as it jumps to catch the Frisbee. sometimes it chases running cars or any other moving thing, you just have to be alert and fast.

Taking your pictures of your dogs is generally easy, but of course it depends on the type of puppy pictures that you want. if you want your dog to literally act in front of the camera, then a little trip to obedience school or even on tricks school is needed (although you can try and do it yourself of course). But if you are fast enough with your camera and alert enough to get the coolest activities of your dog in a day, then you can take candid shots of your dog. After all, taking candid dog pictures is also a great way of learning about your dog’s behavior on a new perspective.

Dog Pictures – Candid Shots Are the Cutest Shots

House Training Dogs – Working With the Adult Rescue Dog

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279807219 94 House Training Dogs   Working With the Adult Rescue Dog

House training dogs is easier when you get to start them as puppies, as they are younger it is easier for them to learn. You have decided to do the humane thing and rescue an adult dog from the pound, you have come home and have just now realized that your new pet is not house trained as you discover a little present in the kitchen…now what. never fear, it is possible to house train adult dogs.

As with house training puppies; this will require diligence, commitment, patience and a good nature. As with puppies, no punishment, this will only cause more problems in the future. if you catch you dog eliminating in the house, rush the dog outside, once they have finished going outside praise them. if the dog makes a mistake while you weren’t paying attention, clean up the mess and move on, there is no point is punishing the animal because you weren’t paying attention.

Don’t kid yourself, this will be a lot of work, every time your dog goes outside, you go with them so you can praise them at the right moment, remember, dogs live in the now you must praise them at the moment, not later when you let them back inside. As laborious as this will be it allows your canine to get an understanding of what you want and allows you to get a feel for their schedule.

As you can see, house training dogs is easier the younger they are, don’t let this dissuade you from adopting an adult dog that may not be trained. Just as with puppies, once trained they will follow the rules unless they have no other option. Remember, adult dogs need homes, families and love to.

House Training Dogs – Working With the Adult Rescue Dog

Dog Training Advice on the Right Mindset Before You Even Think About Training

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279805424 75 Dog Training Advice on the Right Mindset Before You Even Think About Training

The main title to this article, dog training advice for the right mindset, has not been used to cause outrage. my decision to use this description was to quickly tell you, the reader, that I intend to give you some very useful information very much like the info you’d get from the people who put together the yellow and black series of books.

You obviously need some support because you came on here and obtained this article. I want to get you into the correct mindset for training your dog. once you have the right mindset you’ll find that training any dog can be easy. You may even end up creating your own dog training system.

To begin with the first change in your mind you will have to make to train your dog is to go from having this thought that your dog can’t be disciplined and they will forever be a issue to own. And start to think about how you will take control of the whole state of affairs and deal with your troublesome canine.

You then need to step out of the way you presently treat your dog and give him the ‘aww, isn’t he precious, he’s just like a little baby’ label. This one reason is why almost all owners have issues with their dog and it’s in all probability the reason why you too are having the problems you have right now.

If you don’t own up to this now then you won’t be able to move in the right direction and take control of your pet. And don’t worry you’re doing this without even thinking about it because this is the way we are as humans are however your dog sees it as an opportunity to step into the one at the top of the tree.

After recognizing and mastering both of these 2 issues you start to put in place a program that will aid you to take charge of your dog. It will feel as if you’re been a little wicked towards your dog however if you point out to him how he should be carrying himself around you then he will start to show good behaviour more frequently.

Don’t worry and make sure you keep your head up, don’t feel bad just don’t give your dog the same treatment you would your children. when you can get this correct then you’ll be ready to start educating your dog the basic training controls.

Dog Training Advice on the Right Mindset Before You Even Think About Training

Tanya (Animal Concern, Cumbria) » Oldies Club

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279803635 85 Tanya (Animal Concern, Cumbria) » Oldies Club

Lovely Tanya is an ex-racing Greyhound estimated to be around 9 years old who is being cared for by Animal Concern, Cumbria and so deserves to find a peaceful, loving home for the rest of her years.

Tanya is a very gentle and placid dog. she walks excellently on the lead, but is equally happy to sunbathe in her run. Tanya gets on well with other dogs and is currently sharing her kennel with another greyhound, but has shared with a Staffie and a Collie and loves going on walks with any of the other dogs.

It is believed she has never lived with children, but she does get on with the rescue’s younger volunteers. she has not been cat tested but would be fine in a home with other dogs. she is happy with 2 short walks (especially in warmer weather) and then somewhere comfy to chill out.

Whoever allows this lovely girl into their home will be greatly rewarded. so, if you are the one for Tanya, please contact Animal Concern’s rehoming officer as follows:

Tel: 01900 813317Email:

Please mention that you saw Tanya on the Oldies Club website.

Rescue’s Rehoming PolicyAll prospective homes must have an informal interview followed by a home check, whereby references will be checked.

Tags: Active Oldie, Calmer and Quieter, Good with kids, Good with other dogs, Medium Sized, North West, Sighthound —————————————-

All listings at oldies.org.uk are based on information supplied by the rescue or private owner of the animal. If you are interested in adopting this animal, you should contact the rescue or owner and confirm the details given here, and make sure that you are happy with their procedures and policies.

Tanya (Animal Concern, Cumbria) » Oldies Club

Saving Moms Sanity: Why A Rainy Day = Joy To My Dog!

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

1279798217 27 Saving Moms Sanity: Why A Rainy Day = Joy To My Dog! My dog must be one in a million! I never would have though she would enjoy a rainy day like she does. After a good rain she is just dieing to go out side. of coures I think she needs to go out to do her business now that the rain is over. I would be wrong!

She is killing me to go out because she wants to search for all the frogs and crawfish that come out after a good rain. The first thing she does is go to the edge of our property where we have a ditch dug to drain the water from our yard. she knows that the frogs hang out there and the crawfish aren’t far away.
The frogs apparently have a bad affect on her mouth when she licks them. they make her drool uncontrollably and still she doesn’t care. she plays with them until they are no longer able to hop or pretty much move. The crawfish are a different story though. they try to back up into the grass. she just digs them out. Then they stand up and try to pinch her with there claws. they usually make her holler a little when they grab her lips and hold on. You should see her swing them around. You can’t help but laugh and then wrought her on because after that bit of pain the crawfish just inflicted, you want her to win! and she does. she eats everything but the claws! she just leaves them there as if to say “Let this be a warning to all you other crawfish. I will get you too and your claws are no match for me!”

I have come to think that she is a cajun dog. only cajuns like crawfish that much! Here are a few pictures, so that you can see exactly what I’m talking about!

The Crawfish!

The Showdown!

The Crawfish has her by the lips!

But in the end the Dog WINNS!

Saving Moms Sanity: Why A Rainy Day = Joy To My Dog!