Dog Training

Adding a dog to your life can be one of the best experiences ever – or an absolute nightmare – depending on how much thought and planning you’ve put into this decision.

You need to consider your lifestyle and surroundings, the time and energy you have, as well as how much money you want to spend.

So before you commit to those big brown eyes and wagging tail, be sure you know (or have at least thought about) the answers to some pretty basic questions.

QUESTION #1 Puppy or adult dog?

It’s the first thing you really need to think about. Puppies are cute and cuddly, but they don’t stay that way for very long – you’ll spend a lot more time with the adult dog than you do the adorable puppy.

You should also know that it’s very hard to get a good read on the future personality (not to mention size, coat and activity level) of the adult dog from the puppy. Those adorable balls of fluff can also be mischievous, defiant and destructive and go through a stage of rebellious adolescence where they need almost constant supervision. You should also consider the cost and time commitment of vet visits, house training, behavior training and socialization.

In contrast, adult dogs have passed through all this – so what you see is what you get. You may have little information on the puppyhood and early life, but you’ll more than make up for this with an adult dog’s better attention span (making training easier), as well as a more accurate read on size and the amount of shedding.

Your vet will also be better able to diagnose health problems in an adult – ones that cannot be foreseen in a puppy. What’s more, choosing an adult dog is a valuable service to good animals that need a loving home. You’ll find some wonderful dogs at your local animal shelter or online at petfinder.com

Other good sources are your local classified pet column for lots of good, loving dogs that are “free to good home”.

QUESTION #2: Purebred or Mixed Breed?

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular look or breed, need to consider allergies or other health issues, or have a specific purpose (a hunting companion or guard dog) in mind, then a pure breed is probably the right choice. The American Kennel Club (online at akc.org/) recognizes over 150 different breeds and offers a good deal of information on each one.

Purebreds come with generations of breeding to strengthen and refine special skills – so that tracking or retrieving abilities become far superior to those of the general population of dogs. The down side is that this can unknowingly pass on other, less desirable traits or serious health problems as well.

Which breed is right for you and your family? Here’s a quick, easy-to-do quiz that might help you narrow down the choices: www2.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

For many of us, a key factor that drives our choice of breeds is cost. Mixed breed dogs are almost always more affordable than a purebred, though they make take more time and legwork to find. You might want to start with your local animal shelter where dogs are brought in for a variety of different reasons and are examined by a vet and cared for until they can be adopted – some shelters even screen dogs for behavior issues.

To adopt a dog (puppy or adult) from the shelter you’ll typically be asked to pay a small fee to cover the exams and cost of neutering.

Rescue groups are another source for a potential best friend. Here dogs are placed in foster care with an experienced and loving host family, so you’ll know a lot about each animal’s temperament and level of training. If you do go this route, you should expect to complete some type of application process, as well as submit to possible home visits and a somewhat lengthy screening process.

If all this seems too involved for you, consider making a regular check your local paper’s classified section. You should also get the word out to family, friends and co-workers. The more people who know you are looking, the better.

QUESTION #3: Large or Small?

As you have for the age and breed, you need to put some serious thought into the size of the dog you plan to bring into your home. Common sense might suggest that a large dog in a small apartment isn’t the best choice, but these arrangements can be quite successful, if handled properly. Often it isn’t so much about the size of the animal (or yours for that matter) but rather your ability to be in command and control at all times that really counts.

Beyond this, larger breeds tend to cost more – you’ll need to buy more food, bigger crates, beds and toys, not to mention a sturdier collar and leash. Vet bills for surgery or medications will be higher, and grooming will also cost more.

Smaller breeds are more affordable, but have a reputation (not deserved, but popular) for being high-strung and nippy, and can easily get underfoot, be hurt unintentionally or slip off unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of a busy home.

Answer, or at least think about, these questions and you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re getting into. Not that you still can’t be swept away by a pair of wide, trusting eyes or an adorable little face, but when that moment comes you’ll have a far better chance of making this new addition to your life a lasting one.

Valerie Slaugther
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/what-you-must-know-before-bringing-fido-home-64633.html

Adding a dog to your life can be one of the best experiences ever – or an absolute nightmare – depending on how much thought and planning you’ve put into this decision.

You need to consider your lifestyle and surroundings, the time and energy you have, as well as how much money you want to spend.

So before you commit to those big brown eyes and wagging tail, be sure you know (or have at least thought about) the answers to some pretty basic questions.

QUESTION #1 Puppy or adult dog?

It’s the first thing you really need to think about. Puppies are cute and cuddly, but they don’t stay that way for very long – you’ll spend a lot more time with the adult dog than you do the adorable puppy.

You should also know that it’s very hard to get a good read on the future personality (not to mention size, coat and activity level) of the adult dog from the puppy. Those adorable balls of fluff can also be mischievous, defiant and destructive and go through a stage of rebellious adolescence where they need almost constant supervision. You should also consider the cost and time commitment of vet visits, house training, behavior training and socialization.

In contrast, adult dogs have passed through all this – so what you see is what you get. You may have little information on the puppyhood and early life, but you’ll more than make up for this with an adult dog’s better attention span (making training easier), as well as a more accurate read on size and the amount of shedding.

Your vet will also be better able to diagnose health problems in an adult – ones that cannot be foreseen in a puppy. What’s more, choosing an adult dog is a valuable service to good animals that need a loving home. You’ll find some wonderful dogs at your local animal shelter or online at petfinder.com

Other good sources are your local classified pet column for lots of good, loving dogs that are “free to good home”.

QUESTION #2: Purebred or Mixed Breed?

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular look or breed, need to consider allergies or other health issues, or have a specific purpose (a hunting companion or guard dog) in mind, then a pure breed is probably the right choice. The American Kennel Club (online at akc.org/) recognizes over 150 different breeds and offers a good deal of information on each one.

Purebreds come with generations of breeding to strengthen and refine special skills – so that tracking or retrieving abilities become far superior to those of the general population of dogs. The down side is that this can unknowingly pass on other, less desirable traits or serious health problems as well.

Which breed is right for you and your family? Here’s a quick, easy-to-do quiz that might help you narrow down the choices: www2.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

For many of us, a key factor that drives our choice of breeds is cost. Mixed breed dogs are almost always more affordable than a purebred, though they make take more time and legwork to find. You might want to start with your local animal shelter where dogs are brought in for a variety of different reasons and are examined by a vet and cared for until they can be adopted – some shelters even screen dogs for behavior issues.

To adopt a dog (puppy or adult) from the shelter you’ll typically be asked to pay a small fee to cover the exams and cost of neutering.

Rescue groups are another source for a potential best friend. Here dogs are placed in foster care with an experienced and loving host family, so you’ll know a lot about each animal’s temperament and level of training. If you do go this route, you should expect to complete some type of application process, as well as submit to possible home visits and a somewhat lengthy screening process.

If all this seems too involved for you, consider making a regular check your local paper’s classified section. You should also get the word out to family, friends and co-workers. The more people who know you are looking, the better.

QUESTION #3: Large or Small?

As you have for the age and breed, you need to put some serious thought into the size of the dog you plan to bring into your home. Common sense might suggest that a large dog in a small apartment isn’t the best choice, but these arrangements can be quite successful, if handled properly. Often it isn’t so much about the size of the animal (or yours for that matter) but rather your ability to be in command and control at all times that really counts.

Beyond this, larger breeds tend to cost more – you’ll need to buy more food, bigger crates, beds and toys, not to mention a sturdier collar and leash. Vet bills for surgery or medications will be higher, and grooming will also cost more.

Smaller breeds are more affordable, but have a reputation (not deserved, but popular) for being high-strung and nippy, and can easily get underfoot, be hurt unintentionally or slip off unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of a busy home.

Answer, or at least think about, these questions and you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re getting into. Not that you still can’t be swept away by a pair of wide, trusting eyes or an adorable little face, but when that moment comes you’ll have a far better chance of making this new addition to your life a lasting one.

Valerie Slaugther
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/what-you-must-know-before-bringing-fido-home-64633.html

I want to be a dog trainer but I don’t know what online school would be the best and have the lowest tuition fees. Does anyone know any of this info?

why not read a book that can easily learn dog training.
visit http://www.dogstraining.info
hope that can help you!

Have you been wondering how to start making money online? Sometimes the thought of it can be overwhelming. I know this from my own experience working online and starting an online business from home.

The great thing about doing business online is that you really don’t have to have your own product or service to sell. While it can really boost your sales and reputation to have your own product to sell, you can make a good income through affiliate selling too.

Affiliate selling means placing a link on your website to other people’s products and/or services and earning a commission whenever someone clicks on those links and buys something from that link.

Whether you have your own product or service, or are promoting someone else’s, you can really start making a lot more money online if you have a good sales letter to promote.

A sales letter is like a web page that provides all the benefits someone would receive by buying your product or service. It’s like a big, bold, loud advertisement – the kind you might see on TV, only people surfing the net perhaps would come across it wherever you choose to display it.

There are many elements of a good sales letter, or ad copy, that can help you start making money. Try as you might to throw one together yourself without knowing about and including these important elements, and I hate to say you may see very few sales.

So what must you do to start making money with sales letters?

First, you need a catchy title or headline for your sales page. When you read the newspaper, you look first at the headline to see if it’s anything you want to read further about.

If it’s a boring heading like “Dog Grooming”, your visitors may not see that as a reason to read any further. You can’t make sales if your readers don’t go beyond the headline. Instead you may choose a title like “Top Ten Dog Grooming Tips that will Make Your Pup #1″.

Next, you want to define a problem that your readers or visitors might be having. For example, if your dog is competing in a dog show, but you haven’t found a way to make them jump through hoops, then you’ve just found a problem to describe: “Can’t get your pup to jump through hoops?”

Naturally, you would next offer a solution to the problem, such as offering a special training course for new pups on jumping through hoops, or perhaps a special Mexican jumping bean for dogs?

Following the solution, you want to start providing some information about yourself so that your readers and visitors know that you are someone they can trust, and someone they want to do business with.

You can then provide the benefits of purchasing your product or service, such as beating the competition, learning the ropes of training your dog, or that it’s a healthy food alternative for competitive dogs.

If you want to start making money with sales letters, it’s also a good idea to include testimonials from others who have used your product or service and been satisfied with it.

If you have testimonials it really builds credibility. It should include the person’s name, where they are from, and their URL or phone number to ensure that it is not a false testimonial, which is against the law.

Next, you can start making money by telling the customer how to purchase your product or service. Provide the link to the order form, price, extra bonus incentives, and a guarantee policy.

A guarantee policy is a good thing to have because it builds trust. If the customer has a free 14-day trial, then they have nothing to lose. If there is a money-back guarantee, there is nothing to lose, and they will be more inclined to make the purchase.

Another good trick to start making money is to make a time-limited offer that encourages them to buy right now, as opposed to giving them a chance to think about it and come back later, which they may not.

If you were wondering how to start making money online, then you now have ways you can do it with an incredible and effective sales letter that contains the above elements. Don’t underestimate the power of a good sales letter! You could be missing out on some big sales!

Liane Bate
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-promotion-articles/how-to-start-making-money-with-sales-letters-120891.html

Have you been wondering how to start making money online? Sometimes the thought of it can be overwhelming. I know this from my own experience working online and starting an online business from home.

The great thing about doing business online is that you really don’t have to have your own product or service to sell. While it can really boost your sales and reputation to have your own product to sell, you can make a good income through affiliate selling too.

Affiliate selling means placing a link on your website to other people’s products and/or services and earning a commission whenever someone clicks on those links and buys something from that link.

Whether you have your own product or service, or are promoting someone else’s, you can really start making a lot more money online if you have a good sales letter to promote.

A sales letter is like a web page that provides all the benefits someone would receive by buying your product or service. It’s like a big, bold, loud advertisement – the kind you might see on TV, only people surfing the net perhaps would come across it wherever you choose to display it.

There are many elements of a good sales letter, or ad copy, that can help you start making money. Try as you might to throw one together yourself without knowing about and including these important elements, and I hate to say you may see very few sales.

So what must you do to start making money with sales letters?

First, you need a catchy title or headline for your sales page. When you read the newspaper, you look first at the headline to see if it’s anything you want to read further about.

If it’s a boring heading like “Dog Grooming”, your visitors may not see that as a reason to read any further. You can’t make sales if your readers don’t go beyond the headline. Instead you may choose a title like “Top Ten Dog Grooming Tips that will Make Your Pup #1″.

Next, you want to define a problem that your readers or visitors might be having. For example, if your dog is competing in a dog show, but you haven’t found a way to make them jump through hoops, then you’ve just found a problem to describe: “Can’t get your pup to jump through hoops?”

Naturally, you would next offer a solution to the problem, such as offering a special training course for new pups on jumping through hoops, or perhaps a special Mexican jumping bean for dogs?

Following the solution, you want to start providing some information about yourself so that your readers and visitors know that you are someone they can trust, and someone they want to do business with.

You can then provide the benefits of purchasing your product or service, such as beating the competition, learning the ropes of training your dog, or that it’s a healthy food alternative for competitive dogs.

If you want to start making money with sales letters, it’s also a good idea to include testimonials from others who have used your product or service and been satisfied with it.

If you have testimonials it really builds credibility. It should include the person’s name, where they are from, and their URL or phone number to ensure that it is not a false testimonial, which is against the law.

Next, you can start making money by telling the customer how to purchase your product or service. Provide the link to the order form, price, extra bonus incentives, and a guarantee policy.

A guarantee policy is a good thing to have because it builds trust. If the customer has a free 14-day trial, then they have nothing to lose. If there is a money-back guarantee, there is nothing to lose, and they will be more inclined to make the purchase.

Another good trick to start making money is to make a time-limited offer that encourages them to buy right now, as opposed to giving them a chance to think about it and come back later, which they may not.

If you were wondering how to start making money online, then you now have ways you can do it with an incredible and effective sales letter that contains the above elements. Don’t underestimate the power of a good sales letter! You could be missing out on some big sales!

Liane Bate
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-promotion-articles/how-to-start-making-money-with-sales-letters-120891.html

When you decide to set up business on the internet you do need a domain name. Your site’s name identifies your business online among all others. Think of it the same as the sign out front for a brick and mortar business.

How to select a name to identify your website

Give some thought to choosing your domain name. Something short and memorable is best if you can get it. This is not always possible.

Much has been written about whether or not adding dashes make a difference in SEO and other factors. I have not seen that it makes a difference. If you need to add hyphens to get the name you want, I haven’t seen that adding them has any adverse effect.

Your domain name should reflect what your online business is about. If your business website is focused on dog training, you certainly want to fit dog in somewhere. This helps searchers know that your website it about dogs, and it also helps with SEO.

As time goes by, and your online business website begins to get links here and there around the internet often it will just be referred to by your domain name. Including your main keyword will be a real plus. Each time a search engine sees your site’s url on another website, even if there isn’t explanatory text the search engine will pick up your keyword in relation to your site.

There has also been a lot of fuss about the length of a domain name and hyphens being difficult to type in. How often do you actually type in a url? Let’s be real. Most people either click on a url, or they simply copy and paste. How hard is that? If getting a good, meaningful, domain name requires a little extra length or hyphens, I don’t see that it is a big problem. Short is always better, but do what you need to get your keyword included.

How long should you register a domain name for?

If you are serious about building a successful internet business, you should register your domain name for a minimum of two years. More is better. There is some evidence that registering for more than a year gives you an edge with the search engines. It is thought that this gives the search engines a reason to believe that your business will be around for a while.

Domain names can be purchased for under ten dollars a year. This is a very low expense considering that the cost is for an entire year. At ten dollars a year, it would cost you roughly 83 cents per month to give your internet business a worthy and relevant name. If you can’t afford that, then you can’t afford to be in business online.

Keep track of when your domain name will expire, and renew in advance. You don’t want to lose it. There are people who watch for expirations and will snap them up. I know this for a fact. A domain name I once owned was bought by speculators. At the present time this exact name is being offered for over six hundred dollars online.

If you use a credit card and set your domain name up for automatic renewal, do be on top of when your credit card expires, and go back to your registrar and update your credit card information. This is how I lost mine. My credit card renewed, but the registrar had no way of knowing that and could not use my information as it was. So they did not renew it. A good domain name is a real asset to an online business. Protect yours.

Illa Maden
http://www.articlesbase.com/seo-articles/the-neccessity-of-a-domain-name-119116.html

Diagnosing illness in your dog is not very easy, but there are certain things that owners can look out for to make sure to take the best care of their dog that they can. Regular vet visits and good home care and training are essential components to a healthy, thriving pet. The following are some indications of illness or problems that you might want to bring up with your veterinarian, if necessary.

Strange Waste

Of course, the waste material of your dog is never going to smell like roses; some smells less than others but feces smell nonetheless. If you happen to notice that your dog’s waste is stronger than it usually is, this is an indication of some digestive problems; in the same sense, any blood in the waste may also be an indicator of a greater problem and it is something you should bring up with your vet.

Mucus, blood, foreign objects, or indication of constipation or diarrhea on an ongoing basis are also cause for concern in your pet, and may be the signal of a greater problem.

Things like parasites, allergic reactions, food poisoning, or purposeful poisoning are all signified through these ways, so they are cause for concern in your pet.

Strange Urine

You can also diagnose dog illness by examining their urine; although it seems a bit gross, you can tell a lot about the health of your dog by examining their urine. If you notice that your dog’s urine has blood in it that may be a sign that something bigger is going on in their system, that some type of infection is present. If it looks like your dog is having a hard time urinating that may be a sign of a bigger problem as well. Even if it seems like your dog is urinating too much, that may also be a sign of health problems and diabetes is one of them, as well as Cushing’s syndrome and canine hepatic diseases. Check an online resource like http://www.aboutdoghealth.org for more information about these type of diseases.

Your Dog’s Coat

While it may not seem strange to you that your dog smells badly, it is not normal for the skin of your pet to secret strange odors. This can be due to certain problems, like hormonal issues and dermatitis. These are all issues that can turn into major health problems if they are not addressed early on.

Your Dog’s Actions

If you are noticing that your dog is responding less and less to your calls, or that their balance and orientation seems to be a bit off, you should have them checked for possible problems with the inner ear. As far as your dog’s behavior goes, excessive lethargy or apathy, or other apparent disturbances in your dog’s environment can also be indicative of more problems with your dog’s health. Rabies, meningitis and other serious health problems can be indicated by strange changes in your pet’s behavior.

If any of the above seem to be things that you are noticing in your pet and they are occurring on an ongoing basis, be sure to consult your vet for good advice on the right way to handle the situation and whether or not veterinary care should be sought after.

Amanda Fain
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/diagnosing-sickness-in-your-canine-friend-123253.html

Housebreaking any new pet can be a difficult chore, but with repetition and practice the challenge will become easier and easier. If you want the puppy to listen only to you, then don’t allow him to play with other persons. Potty training your new puppy is a necessary evil.

You must do the same routine every single day and it is important to give your puppy a lot of extra attention as this will make the house breaking process much easier.

Your pet is living in a human world full of confusing things and behavior he can’t understand. It is better to create good habits in the beginning, if you start early you can stop behavior problems such as biting or jumping on furniture.

Every dog owner knows that when he/she treats the dog with praise the dog will get greater satisfaction and will execute the command more readily than if the dog receives discipline in another fashion. So when training your dog needs positive reinforcement.

You can train a dog on your own, or you can join an obedience training class and get instruction from professionals. You will find many resources online and most of the online sites are free and you will find many tips and secrets to dog training.

If you really want to train your puppy you will need to put some effort into it. And some type of dog is trained just for that.

Having a dog that can perform tricks and is very obedient and well trained is the pride and joy of every dog owner. While they are generally warm, loving and loyal, they can be trained to be more obedient. Even if you only have your dog inside for a short amount of time he or she must be trained not to leave a mess.

The correct position for the heel command is your dog at your left side with his shoulder and front leg aligned with your left leg. When you and your dog have a good relationship and training will come very easily. As your dog progresses in his training, you’ll be able to give him a command in the middle of a crowded area and he’ll obey you.

When training your puppy make sure you use positive experiences because negative experiences might affect your puppy, so make sure you make the training positive and fun. And this training requires frequent, consistent, and appropriately timed positive reinforcement. Unlike man, dogs do not know how to differentiate between positive and negative attention.

Your dog will its best when it receives praise, so using positive words and reinforcement you dog will do it best when training him/her. There are two elements at work here: positive reinforcement and intermittent reinforcement. All positive commands should be spoken sharply and distinctly during training.

When training your pet you can use the treat system, this system is training with a treat by rewarding your dog with his/her favorite snack for following your commands or doing something good. Try to go outside with him at least every thirty minutes or so, and make sure you praise or reward him for relieving himself outside.

Properly crate training your puppy is one of the best things that you could possibly do.

David Marc Fishman
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/start-early-and-train-your-puppy-111751.html

Dogs can exhibit obsessive compulsive behaviors much like humans can.  Many pet owners witness strange, repetitive, destructive or even harmful behaviors in their dogs and may have questions about treatment.  Unfortunately, many owners elect to get rid of their dogs because of the behavioral issues.  But, with a little love, care and special training, you can try to treat your dog and remedy some of these behaviors instead of giving them away or putting them in a shelter.

Many dogs may have a genetic predisposition to exhibit certain behaviors.  Many breeds may show insistent tail chasing.  This is the most common compulsive behavior in dogs.  Other dogs will obsessively lick a paw or other part of their body.  This may seem harmless at first, but over time, they can lick off the fur and wear down the skin, producing open sores and exposing them to infection.  Many obsessive behaviors are destructive in nature and can hurt or injure the dog over time.  Another compulsive behavior is snapping.  Some dogs will snap into the air continually and wear out their jaws.  Some have been reported to attack at certain times.  Many will attack their food bowl or violently protect it.  Some will jump to attack doorknobs and break off their teeth.  Compulsive behaviors will continue if untreated and can become life-threatening to the dog. 

Compulsive behaviors in dogs almost always stem from a stressful situation.  Compulsive behaviors are a response to anxiety, much like they are in humans.  Sometimes the behaviors come on gradually and sometimes there is a marked event, such as being hit by a car or being abused that can trigger compulsive behaviors.  The behaviors can continue for years after the event is forgotten as a way to cope with any anxiety.

For example, if a dog is blind or going blind, it may feel very anxious about other pets or humans at feeding time.  They may be thinking that something or someone will take their food and they will not be able to see it coming.  The anxiety can cause the dog to snarl, bark, bite or even attack to protect the food dish.  Many owners are afraid, threatened and even in real danger when they witness this behavior.  The high anxiety of the dog needs to be controlled to reverse this behavior.
 
Before resorting to prescription drugs, such as serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, which have been shown to be very effective in treating such behaviors and anxieties in humans and dogs, try to work with your dog on treating the underlying anxiety.

Dogs are very good at sensing human anxiety.  You must remain very calm even when you know that the behavior is about to begin.  If you notice the anxiety level arising, take charge and show the dog that you are the leader of the pack by laying the dog down, without hurting them of course, and use a firm voice.  Get the dog very calm and praise them for being calm.  Only attempt this behavior modification if it is safe to do so.  Talk with a vet or trainer about specific behaviors that you are trying to correct.  The general idea is to let the dog know that you are the boss, and it is not acceptable to let your anxiety level rise to the point of doing the behavior. 
 
A lot of dogs are very responsive to behavior modification training.  You may have to stay with your dog constantly at first, depending on how often the behaviors are exhibited, but it may not take long to break these bad habits.  If you are looking for dogs for sale and are concerned about compulsive behaviors, do not go to puppy mills where the dogs may have already been traumatized.  Make sure that you are getting your dog from someone who has been treating them right.  Online adoption and sales can allow you to really shop around when searching for your new pet.

Dean Burton
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/canine-compulsive-behaviors-483718.html

I am starting a free online dog training site. I would like ideas/suggestions for the name of the website, NOTHING ELSE. Thanks a Mil!
Sheena-Apparently you read my question wrong. I am making my OWN dog training website. I need names for it. =D

Here is what I could find:

http://www.doggiesparadise.com/online-training.shtml

http://www.lacetoleather.com/obedience.html

Hope this has helped and good luck to you and your dog!