Dog training simplified

Dog training is both frustrating and rewarding. It kills you to torment your poor puppy for months on end, trying to get them to understand commands that to them probably seem irrelevant and arbitrary. However, when they finally learn it is best for all. You are happy because they no longer eat your furniture or run away from you in the park. I am also convinced the puppy is now happier because he has learned how to manipulate you. He has learned that when you are happy you give him treats and he has also learned the things that are most likely to make you happy. This is of course a beneficial relationship for all concerned. You get what you want and the dog gets what he wants, making everyone more pleased. Some people say that the dog is actually happier because it craves rules and boundaries. Dogs will test you to see how far they can push you because they want you to define their limitations, to give them their place in the household. I am not sure how convincing I find this argument but it makes some sense, in the way it makes sense that children with rules and boundaries tend to be better adjusted as well. For this reason among others dog training is an important part of any household that has a dog. I have seen the houses where the poor dog is locked outside all day and night with no affection and love because he is “out of control”. However in my experience this is normally because no one tried to control the dog and he was allowed to push his boundaries to the max until there ceased to be any. Dog training needs to be done, and to be done well in order for the dog to truly flourish.

Your new cat why are the first 24 hours so important part 1

Copyright 2006 John Young The cage was small, but the people were nice and Tiger felt safe. He was fed, petted and regularly groomed. Still, it wasn’t home. Tiger had been ‘home’, and still had vague memories of the woman who had cared for him and the other cats who lived with her. Then he had been taken to this place, and had been here so long he had almost forgotten ‘home’, and the woman. There was uneasiness here, though, and Tiger felt it. Something was about to happen. Something bad. Then two humans came in. He was put in a cage with them. He jumped up in the woman’s lap. He was put in a dark place that bumped and jostled. He heard strange, scary noises. He howled, and a male voice answered with noises he couldn’t understand. Then there was light. And TERROR! A small hand reached for him and tried to grab him. There were people he didn’t know; they all approached him. There was another cat that arched and spat. Then, horror of horrors… There was a dog! Tiger fled. He fled down a long corridor and bolted through the first open door he found. He hid in the darkest place he could find…among soft and hard things he didn’t recognize. He heard voices. He heard the dog bark, and he shuddered. He heard the child’s high pitched voice, and a woman’s voice…which were easier to bear. He hunkered down and remained as invisible and silent as he could. ADOPTION IN HASTE The staff of animal shelters greet people looking for new pets with both joy and misgiving. People walk between the cages, looking over each cat, and the staff hope they will select a cat that has been there for a long time. But they know what the people are looking for; they are looking for kittens, not adult cats. If there are no kittens, the customers will sometimes reluctantly choose an adult cat as a “consolation prize”, pay the adoption fees and cart him or her off… Only to return the cat two or three days later. “I’m sorry, but this cat just didn’t work out. We couldn’t fit it into the family.” Or… “This cat is just too wild. We need something tamer, something that will fit in.” “What happened?” The staff member asks. “The cat bolted and hid. It took us three days to find it, and when we finally did, we had to chase it all over the house before we caught it. We need something tamer; something that will fit in better.” So go the sad tales of the returnees… but wait, it can be worse for cats adopted in other ways. “The landlord won’t let me keep her, could you please take her in?” People who adopt strays off the street, or a friend’s cat, many times don’t realize the full extent of the things they need to do for their new cat… In Part 2 We’ll discuss those things. Adequate preparation would have saved Tiger -- by safely and easily introducing him to a happy home…

Test your canine acumen

1. According to tests made at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, D. C., dogs and cats, just like people… A. Worry about what they will wear to work in the morning. B. Enjoy reading while eating breakfast. C. Need a retirement plan. D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws. D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws. TBD: Very, very, interesting, don't you think? 2. Jackals are different from dogs and wolves in what way? A. They live on a different continent. B. They are really alien life forms. C. They are canids. D. They have one more pair of chromosomes. D. They have one more pair of chromosomes. TBD: Even though they may look like alien life forms, they are Canids just like dogs and wolves. 3. Most dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears. However, a few breeds have only about 10 expressions. Can you name those breeds? A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls B. Labrador and Golden retrievers C. Poodles and Dachshunds D. Beagles and Chihuahuas A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls TBD: Due to their breeding, dogs such as Bulldogs and Pitbulls have fewer facial expressions and so are often misinterpreted by other dogs which leads to fights. Poor misunderstood pooches. 4. The fear of dogs and/or rabies is called what? A. Rabodogophobia B. Dogophobia C. Cynophobia D. Canophobia C. Cynophobia TBD: Hey, don't blame us, that's what the research says! 5. Of the more than 300 breeds of dogs that exist worldwide, how many does the American Kennel Club recognize? A. 300 B. 212 C. 145 D. 101 C. 145 TBD: Gee, I wonder why you would have answered 101? 6. Jack London wrote this story about a dog named Buck. Can you name it? A. A Dog Named Buck B. Buck's Marvelous Adventures C. Don't Pass the Buck D. Call of the Wild D. Call of the Wild TBD: Gosh, we tried to make it easy for those nonliterary types out there… After all, there is even a movie! We read the book, however. 7. The Dalmation was named for the place where the breed first originated, can you name it? A. Mount Dalmation in Africa B. Dalmation coast of Croatia C. Dalmation Island in the Thousand Islands D. The tiny country of Dalmatia B. Dalmation coast of Croatia TBD: The other places are only a figment of our imagination, so far as she knows anyway… 8. Can you name the dog featured in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas? A. Who B. Max C. Rudi D. Suzi B. Max TBD: Phllllbbbttt! To those who didn't know. It was Max who stole the show, don't ya think! 9. The English Romantic poet Lord Byron inscribed this passage on a gravestone "Beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices." Can you name the object of his tribute? A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain. B. His wife Anna Isabella. C. His daughter Augusta Ada. D. His granduncle William. A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain. TBD: Come on, be real! This is a quiz about dogs! 10. Can you name the dog who caused so many problems for Foghorn Leghorn in the Looney Tunes? A. Rufus Wufus B. Barnyard Dog C. Just Dog D. Spotted Dog B. Barnyard Dog TBD: That was news to us, too. 11. Which animal was first domesticated by humans? A. Goat B. Cat C. Dog D. Horse C. Dog TBD: Apparently some argument can be made that the goat might have come first in some areas, but the dog is Numero Uno for most evidence of early man! 12. Ralph and Sam, the Looney Tune wolf and sheepdog cartoon character adversaries, would engage in what activity between their bouts? A. They would punch a time-clock. B. They would have tea. C. They would play bridge. D. They would roller-skate. A. They would punch a time-clock. TBD: They would punch in at the beginning of each shift and out at the end as well as for their lunch break. 13. The Beatles son "Martha My Dear" was written by Paul McCartney about… A. His sheepdog Martha B. His mother Martha C. His sister Martha D. His veterinarian Martha A. His sheepdog Martha TBD: If you guess wrong, we sincerely hope you guessed "D" because this is a canine quiz after all. 14. Domestic dogs vary widely in appearance and size, but despite these differences all breeds of the domestic dog are essentially identical in anatomy. Which is NOT an anatomical characteristic of the dog? A. An average of 321 bones in their skeleton. B. Thirteen pairs of ribs in the rib cage. C. A spine with seven cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae, seven lumbar vertebrae and three sacral vertebrae. D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw. D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw. TBD: Apparently not all breeds have a dewclaw and this why the average number of bones in the skeleton varies! 15. Can you name the dog on the Cracker Jack box? A. Jack B. Bingo C. Cracker D. Prize B. Bingo TBD: Just think of all the knowledge we share to make your life more meaningful!

Five unique ways to display and share your favorite dog pictures

: If you're a dog lover like me, you've probably taken dozens of photos of your beloved dogs or puppies. And where are those cute dog pictures now? Are they stashed away in a drawer or shoebox, gathering dust? Don't let those adorable dog pictures stay hidden away and be forgotten! There are so many decorative ways that you can display your dog or puppy pictures. Here are five unique ideas to get you started: 1. Display your precious dog pictures as a collage under glass! A coffee table with a glass top is a terrific spot to display your cherished dog pictures! Remove the glass and layout the pictures on the tabletop, in whatever theme you like. Think about the location of the table and how guests will approach the table. Place the doggie pics in varying directions for a unique look! When you're satisfied with the layout of the pictures, place the glass top back over the photos. 2. Display your best-loved dog pictures using CD cases! You can purchase CD cases at your local office supply store. Be sure to use the standard size cases and not the slim variety. Throw away the plastic insert that's included in the case. Cut the dog pictures to the size of the CD case. Attach a piece of cardboard to the back of each photo. Place the dog photo inside the case and snap it securely shut. Now attach the CD case to the wall with a strip of Velcro. Arrange the cases in a 4 x 4 square pattern or place diagonally at different angles. What's neat about this type of display is that you can easily change the pictures inside the case as often as you like! 3. Display several of your favorite dog pictures in a shadow box! A shadow box is a great way to display larger dog-related items that won't fit in a standard frame. Arrange the pictures inside the shadow box, then add some of your favorite dog mementos such as his first ID tag, collar, or lock of hair. You could even add one of his favorite dog biscuits or treats. Be creative and display whatever treasured dog items would add the most meaning to the shadow box! 4. Display your favorite dog pictures on a velvet, satin or grosgrain ribbon! Cut a length of ribbon - the size of the ribbon will depend upon the number of photos that you choose to display. Arrange your favorite dog photos on the ribbon. Attach the pictures with one of those self-adhesive Velcro circles or squares. Now fill in the open spaces of the ribbon with colorful beads, sparkly glitter or some unusual buttons. Then, add a pretty bow at the top of the ribbon for a finishing touch! 5. Display your most cherished dog picture in a mirror frame! Take a piece of mirrored glass and cut it to fit a frame of your choice. You can find mirrored glass at most stores that sell window glass. Now, take a single-edge razor blade and scrape away the mirror's black backing to create a 'window' of clear glass for the picture of your dog to show through. The 'window' can be large or small, oval, heart-shaped, smooth or rough around the edges. Tape the photo of your dog or puppy to the back of the glass and place it in the frame. These are just a few creative ways to display and share your favorite dog or puppy pictures. Don't limit yourself to the methods listed above. With a little thought and ingenuity, you'll be able to think of some more exciting and distinctive ways to show off those wonderful doggie photos!