clipped from www.petalia.com.au

Human Foods that Poison Pets

clipped from dogplay.com

Activities for Dogs

 Great Activities You Can Enjoy With Your Dog

Here is an introduction to some great things people do with their dogs. Most activities welcome all dogs, whether purebred or of mixed breed heritage. Some of these activities are classed as "working dog" activities, but are also done on a recreational basis, or as a public service. Some dog activities are purely recreational in nature, while others are competitive dog sports. Many of these activities may be new to you. I have chosen my links based upon how welcoming they are to the merely curious.

People who play with their dog, stay with their dog.

Why do dog activites matter? Why promote them? Dog activities matter because they help dogs keep their homes.

clipped from k-9solutionsdogtraininginc.blogspot.com

K-9 Solutions Dog Training, Inc.

Just me sharing my world of dogs and dogtalk. Hoping to help educate the masses and share a little fun as I go.

Here are my 13 tops picks for must read books to help you become a better trainer of dogs. (in no specific order)

1) Kicked, Bitten and Scratched. Life and Lessons at the Worlds Premiere Exotic Animal Training School by Amy Sutherland. A great example of why you need to know basic behavior of the animal you are training to be effective and humane.

2) The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell PhD. An ethologist who explains why human behavior and canine behavior sometimes just doesn't mesh well and how we can work to change that for the better.

3) How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar. Lure reward training and the theories behind it. A great dog's point of view look at training. For all age dogs. (with great photos) A must have for anyone working with deaf dogs.

clipped from blog.nola.com

Bookshelves are bursting with great stories -- and portraits -- of our four-legged friends

In his moving memoir, "Dog Years," poet Mark Doty describes dog love wonderfully: "Love for a wordless creature, once it takes hold, is an enchantment."

THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE By David Wroblewski (Ecco, $25.95)

David Wroblewski's assured first novel, "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," is a wonder in so many ways. It celebrates the bond between humans and dogs in a saga of a dog-training family known for a particular (fictional) breed, the Sawtelle dog.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN By Garth Stein (HarperAudio, $34.95 Performed by Christopher Evan Welch)

In his third novel, "The Art of Racing in the Rain," Garth Stein takes up the storytelling challenge of narrating in a dog's voice.

THE DOG WHO LOVED CHEERIOS AND OTHER TALES OF EXCESS By Cami Johnson Foreword by Ken Foster (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, $16.95)

DOGFESSIONS: SECRET CONFESSIONS FROM DOGS

PAWPRINTS OF KATRINA: PETS SAVED AND LESSONS LEARNED

clipped from dogstardaily.com

The Secret Life of Fleas

June 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Jon Klingborg

Adult fleas aren’t very clever and they aren’t particularly sneaky. (In this way, they are often thought of as being similar to people—the teenagers are always much brighter than their parents.)

    If you can pass an eye test at the DMV, you should be able to see adult fleas on your pet.  Adult fleas want to spend all of their time on your tasty pet, so they aren’t hard to find.  Both male and female fleas love to drink blood, and after a good blood meal the females will lay about 40 eggs per day.  Once the feasting has ended, most fleas leave little black specks on your pet—these specks are called “flea dirt,” which is a nice term for flea poop!

Prove to your teenagers that you still have smarts, and ask your veterinarian which is the best product for the family pet.  

clipped from homeandgardenweekly.com

Rewards Based Dog Training Techniques Are Best For Small Dogs

One of the most effective ways to train smaller dog breeds is by using rewards based dog training techniques. This is because the smaller dogs are too tiny for collar correction types of training and they could become injured. This training also works for larger breeds and is the recommended type of training that has been used to train generations of dogs.

Reward training is one of the most common types of obedience training. It teaches dogs to help with police work and military work. This is also the method commonly used to train dogs used in films and advertisements. It is equally effective to help your own pet master basic instructions in obedience.

clipped from www.ideamarketers.com

Dog Training In The Kitchen

by Eleanor Scheidemann

Anyone who owns a large dog knows what counter surfing is. For those of you who don't: it is when the dog puts his paws on the kitchen counter in search of anything appealing. Until you have experienced this canine phenomenon you have no idea how far a dog can extend his otherwise stubby neck when a highly valued item is just a few more inches away.

I consider myself an expert on the subject as a dog trainer and dog owner I have, over the years, personally lost: baked goods, tissues, medication, a bologna sandwich and on one occasion the contents of an entire dinner plate in this manner. It can be humorous, but this habit is definitely dangerous.

Before I discuss what you can do I will explain why you should do something immediately.

clipped from blog.oregonlive.com

Helping a shy dog

Posted by Deb Wood June 13, 2008 08:49AM

Sprite isn't a quaking, cowering dog.

But she is shy.

When I picked her out, both her breeder and I thought she was an extrovert. And she is -- when she's someplace she knows well with dogs and people she likes. So, she was pushy among her litter mates and pushy here at my house.

All that changes when we walk out the door. She's barky at other dogs because she doesn't trust them. She pulls back from strangers' hands because she assumes they might be trouble. (This from a dog who hasn't had a bad day in her life.)