Learn the incredible secrets training dogs with dog learning Pro

Cut your dog training in half. Learn how to stop your dog's bad behavior! Learn the incredible secrets training dogs with dog learning Pro.

Check it out!

The ultimate guide to choosing a dog

Hot new product! No competition in this market niche and potential of 13 million people annually in the USA only! The electronic guide only, which deals specifically with selecting dogs for people with dog allergies and approving successfully from rescue centres.

Check it out!

What supplies you'll need for a dog?

The time has come. You stop by the store pet every day on the way home from work dote on cute puppies in the window. Normally you return home with thoughts of a cute puppy scampering your foyer. So now you did it. Have decided to purchase your very own puppy. However, before you bring your puppy home must be prepared. You need to buy different dog supplies, so you can provide a welcoming home with your new dog.

What types of dog supplies you need? There is a bonus of dog supply on the market today. Dog supplies range from basic needs such as dog food cute dog costumes. Dog supplies have become such a hot market today that numerous pet supply companies have popped up to cover any needs you have for dog supplies. This competition on the market is an advantage to you, because often times you can find great prices for dog supplies, doing a little research market.

Let's first take a look at the basic dog supplies you will want to have when it reaches the home page for your pooch. Includes essential dog supplies: dog food, dog bowls, collar, leash, hotel/Crate and dog bed. Dog food is number one on the list because they shouldn't feed your canine Table scraps or your dinner. You can place the food on a regular Bowl, but it is fun to search for a bowl of cute dog. You can find Bowl dog who have even their name on it.

Dogs have special dietary needs can be met in order to grow strong and have a healthy life. Good dog supplies including food affront to their age, size, weight and activity level. It is vital to maintain the correct weight for the size and breed of your dog. Table scraps and human diet can lead to overweight is a detriment to your dog's overall health. Not to mention that may have some unsightly waste products as a result of the human diet.

When searching for dog food from your dog provides list is crucial that you can find the right dog food. Check with a veterinarian, breeder or farmer shop dog for recommendations on proper food. Dogs also will be used for the specific brand and type of dog food and if you change suddenly may suffer from upset stomach. Since it is the dog food for a long time is a great idea to spend time to find the right dog food for your pooch.

A dog collar and leash dog should be next on your list of dog supplies. Many States require that you register your pet with the State. In addition, you may need to prove that your dog has the necessary vaccines, such as rabies shots, and must bear a label for the collar about this. Also create a label dog who has your dog's name on it, your name and telephone number, if your dog has never lost money.

Most cities require that your dog on a leash through various leash laws. Keeping your dog on a leash is a smart idea, especially if the head outside for parks or walk along the road. You don't want to bother your pooch to others or to run in front of a limited space; car. These scary situations can be avoided by using a leash to control the movement of the dog. Leashes are also an educational tool that you can use to teach your dog the proper behavior for their feet daily.

Dog supplies have improved over the years, particularly as regards the various types of leashes. Does your dog constantly pull away from you about the leash causing the cough? If so, you can buy at least one that doesn't simply log on the collar, but instead is to harness that wraps around the body as a whole. Slip your feet through this. This type of leash can be much more comfortable for your dog, so I think when you're looking for dog supplies.

If you leave your dog outside at all, whether you're a home or not, you must make sure that your dog is in a safe zone. Therefore, you can keep a leash attached to a runner cord, therefore, have a large area to run. Or you can provide a fenced in area for them. Special things to note when looking for these types of dog supplies is that the leash must harness chest leash because you do not want the dog to run after the passersbys constantly and harm their neck. If you have a fence, and then verify that it is in accordance with your dog's jumping ability. You don't want your dog jump over the fence, the second you turn your head.

Next on your dog supplies list must be a dog kennel/Crate and/or dog bed. Your dog needs a place they can call their own in your home. A hotel Dog/Crate a dog helps to feel safe, especially when you are away. Refrain from using the Kennel dog as a discipline retreat. Want to look into their space in your home.

These are the basic dog supplies you need to buy before you get your new pooch. Then you can spend hours Finding fun toys, chews dog and dog costumes for your new best friend canine.

Visit the website dog supplies research dog breeds & get free tips on dog training, dog books, dog products & how to find dog sitters & dog walkers.

The story of GSD is respected and well thaymaze dog around the world

Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 7, position 265.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 2, position 14556.

GSD history, relatively speaking when compared to many of the other breeds of dog, is still that of a very young breed. Captain Max von Stephanitz, a German cavalry officer, developed the German Shepherd Dog breed in 1899, based entirely on his vision of the perfect working dog, one type of dog which could work equally well under any conditions.

GSD history began in just this way. Using a variety of German sheep dogs as his foundation stock, Max von Stephanitz developed a new and distinctive working dog breed, the German Shepherd Dog.

He greatly admired the herding dogs of his native Germany, and believed they had the full potential to be the total all-purpose working dog. Max von Stephanitz was very aware of the historically declining need for herding dogs and believed that the working abilities of the breed would decline unless they were put to other uses.

An idealist with both strong intellect and the financial capabilities to support his ideas, Max von Stephanitz also possessed the determination, drive, and dedication to put his ideas into practice. His perception of a herding dog was of an extremely intelligent, vigorous dog, of stable character and with many of the physical attributes belonging to the wild dog- fleet of foot, long of wind, and untouched by the extremes of other breeds. He was well on his way to beginning the GSD history.

He saw no beauty in a non-functional dog and was ruthless in discarding what he considered weak. Tireless and determined, he laid the foundations of the GSD history that were later to make the breed the greatest all-round working dog in the world.

Until Horand, herding dogs came in a variety of shapes, sizes, types and abilities. Shepherds in Germany like elsewhere in the world, chose their dogs for their fitness, mental and physical, and for work only, and cared little for the dogs appearance. Max von Stephanitz had very positive ideas about the mental, anatomical, and bio- mechanical characteristics required of a herding dog. He had a great understanding of the mental and anatomical requirements of a working shepherd dog.

Very possibly by chance, the beginning of the GSD history started at a dog show in Germany. While at the dog show, a medium-sized yellow-and-gray wolflike dog caught the attention of von Stephanitz, attending the show with his friend Artur Meyer. This dog, Hektor Linksrheim, was immediately purchased by von Stephanitz and renamed Horand von Grafrath. Horand became the first registered German Shepherd Dog, with the number SV1.

Only weeks later von Stephanitz and his friend Artur Meyer founded the Verein für Deutsche Schaferhunde, or SV (German Shepherd Dog Club), along with the help of a few other co-founders. The dog club, the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), was to become the largest and most powerful dog breed club in the world and a major step in GSD history.

A standard for the GSD breed was soon developed based on mental stability and utility. The captain's motto was "Utility and intelligence". To him beauty was secondary, and considered a dog worthless if it lacked the intelligence, temperament, and structural efficiency that would make it a good servant of man.

The German Shepherd Dog breed standard was developed as a blueprint listing the exact function and relationship of every aspect of structure, gait, and inherent attitude, combined with a comprehensive breeding regulation, which required that dogs used for breeding had first to prove their worth physically and mentally.

Later, using the co-operation of local police and working dog clubs, a set of specific dog tests were developed in tracking, formal obedience, and protection work. This developed into present day Schutzhund dog trials - another important part of the GSD history. The authorities were persuaded to utilize the German Shepherd Dog in many branches of government service and served during the war as supply carriers, sentinels, Red Cross dogs, messenger dogs, tracking and guard dogs, to name a few.

The GSD historically was just gaining notice in the United States when World War I broke out. In 1917, when America entered World War I, all things German became tabu. The AKC changed the name of the dog breed to the Shepherd Dog and the German Shepherd Dog Club of America became the Shepherd Dog Club of America. In England, the name of the German Shepherd Dog breed was changed to the Alsatian.

After WWI, British and American soldiers, impressed by the abilities of the German Shepherd Dog, brought home examples of their own to breed. The dog breed instantly become popular, both as a family pet and as a working dog. After the war the movie star Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart stimulated interest in the GSD history and dog breed again.

The striking good looks of this breed, combined with its remarkable intelligence and loyalty, have made it a favorite working and companion dog. Puppy factories soon flourished to meet the huge demand, flooding the American market with poor quality "German police dogs", resulting in a down-turn in popularity of the breed.

Later during World War II, the German Shepherd Dog was widely sought after and employed by both Allied and Axis forces. These dogs performed various duties such as mine detectors, sentinels, guard work, and messengers. In America, Dogs for Defense was formed, providing thousands of dogs to the army.

In GSD history the paths of German and American German Shepherds diverged after World War II. Many German Shepherd Dogs had been killed or destroyed due to lack of food. Later on the breeders again had individual dogs dominant in the desired virtues of the breed. By about 1949 quality GSD specimens again began to appear at German dog shows. In the 1950's American breeders recognized the need for some infusion of outcross blood and Troll von Richterback, 1957 Grand Victor, was dominant in his day.

In the 1960's there was an emergence of several strong families of stud dogs. This was an important part in rebuilding the GSD historically speaking. While the SV was in control of German bred German Shepherds, American GSD breeders were open to follow their own preferences. American and Canadian Grand Victor, Lance of Fran- Jo, represented a new era in American shepherds and was widely used during the 1960's. Lance produced many GSD puppies which in turn became historical pillars of the breed in America.

In Germany, GSD history reveals that a very active market soon developed for German Shepherd Dogs and puppies sought in countries such as South America, Japan, Italy, many Scandinavian countries, and France. Additionally, the SV began to place more and more importance on dog training degrees. Temperament and courage tests became much more demanding, and the SV forced breeders to concentrate on puppy and dog problem areas such as missing teeth, poor croups, etc.

Starting with a common base, the German Shepherd breed in Germany and America have taken a separate course. The Americans and the Germans have both evolved closely-bred dogs. They differ in looks, movement, style, and structure and have developed both desirable and undesirable characteristics into the breed.

The Americans have a broader option to pursue their own views and choose their own bloodlines whether from within or outside their own country. The Germans, controlled by the SV, will likely continue to look within themselves to further develop the breed. Today the German Shepherd Dog is still considered one of the most intelligent and versatile breeds in existence and the future will indeed be very interesting for the breed. Indeed, the GSD history has been nothing short of intense so far.

German Shepherds are really incredible dogs. But they're not for everyone - and if you're thinking of getting one I highly encourage you to do all the research you can about them ahead of time. One place you can learn about them is at: Total German Shepherd

And if you love to read, why not check out my book, "Your Total German Shepherd Dog" now too? Filled with over 200 pages of "German Shepherd goodness".

Where can I get my dog? On the beach?

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

It is hard to imagine many places a dog is happier than at a beach. Whether

running around on the sand, jumping in the water, digging a hole or just lying in the sun, every dog deserves a day at the beach. But all too often dog owners stopping at a sandy stretch of beach are met with signs designed to make hearts - human and canine alike - droop: NO DOGS ON BEACH. Below is a quick traveling tour of America's beaches with each state ranked from the most dog-friendly (****) to the worst (*).

DOGS ON ATLANTIC OCEAN BEACHES (traveling North to South)

The rocky coast of Maine (***) is mesmerizing to look at but doesn't leave much

room for sandy beaches. Dogs are generally banned from the beaches at the many

small state parks along the Maine coast, but dog owners will find more friendly

sands on the town beaches. Around Portland, the state's biggest city, and the tourist

towns of the Southern Coast dogs are often allowed on the beach anytime Labor Day

to Memorial Day and in the mornings and evenings during the summer. The

spectacular Acadia National Park is one of America's most dog-friendly national

parks but does not allow dogs on its beaches.

It is lucky for dog lovers that New Hampshire (*) has only 18 miles of coastline. State

beaches and parks don't allow dogs on the sand at all. If you must stop in New

Hampshire, try the Grand Island Common in New Castle or Foss Beach in Rye during

the off-season from October to late May.

Around Boston, the beaches of the North Shore are off-limits to dogs during the

summer but other towns in Massachusetts (****) are more generous - dogs are

usually allowed year-round with restrictive hours in the summer. Cape Cod,

however, is the best destination for beach-loving dogs in New England. Cape Cod

National Seashore, America's first national seashore, allows dogs on the beach

anytime outside the swimming areas (and not on the trails). The curviture of the

Cape limits sightlines down the beach and gives the park the impression of being

comprised of a series of dune-backed private coves. The two tourist islands off

southern Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, are both extremely dog-

friendly - on Nantucket, dogs can even take the shuttle to the beach.

The beaches of Rhode Island (**) are kept dog-free during the summer but if you

take the ferry to Block Island, dogs can enjoy the black sand beaches throughout the

year. In Newport, you can take your dog on the fabled Cliff Walk (poop bags are

provided at the trailhead) through the backyards of America's rich and famous. The

hike begins at Bailey's Beach, which welcomes dogs from Labor Day to Memorial

Day.

The sandy beaches of Connecticut (*) are not known for being dog-friendly. But

many aren't that friendly to people either, with restricted access being common. If

your dog is hankering to try the benign waves of the Long Island Sound, stop in

Groton. Dogs are not allowed to experience America's most famous beach at

Coney Island in Brooklyn.

The further east you go out on Long Island the more dog-friendly New York (**)

becomes but whether on the north shore or south shore you can find a place to get

your dog to the sea. Dog owners must pass on the prime destinations at Jones

Beach and Fire Island National Seashore until reaching the Hamptons, where the tails

of surf-loving dogs will start wagging. Many towns in the Hamptons offer dog-

friendly sand and at Montauk, on the very tip of Long Island, several beaches allow

dogs year-round, including Gin Beach on the Block Island Sound. The wide, white-

sand beaches of the Jersey shore are some of America's most popular and there isn't

much space for a dog to squeeze into in the summertime.

Most of the beaches in New Jersey (***), including the Sandy Hook Unit of the

Gateway National Recreation Area, open to dogs in the off-season. Summertime

visitors should take their dogs to Island Beach State Park, one of the last

undeveloped stretches at the Jersey Shore. Pets are allowed on the non-recreational

beaches in this ten-mile oasis. Dogs will never get to trot down the historic wooden

planks of the Atlantic City boardwalk, however - no dogs are permitted on the

beach or boardwalk of the Grande Dame of America's seaside resorts. Dogs are also

not allowed anywhere in the Victorian village of Cape May but dog lovers can travel

south of town to Sunset Beach, a sand strip at the southernmost point of the Jersey

shore that is actually on the Delaware Bay. In the water offshore of "Dog Beach" are

the remains of the Atlantis, a unique concrete ship built to transport soldiers in

World War I.

Off-season, the sandy beaches in Delaware (****) are a paradise for dogs. Two state

parks, Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore, both welcome dogs between October

1 and May 1. During the summer season dogs can also share the beach with their

owners on select stretches of sand in Delaware state parks. In Cape Henlopen, the

80-foot high Great Dune is the highest sand pile on the Atlantic shore between

Cape Cod and Cape Hatteras. The concrete observation towers standing as silent

sentinels along Delaware beaches were built to bolster America's coastal defenses

during World War II. Summer vacationers can take dogs on the Dewey Beach town

beach in the mornings and evenings. Along the Delaware Bay just north of Cape

Henlopen you can find several beaches that offer frisky wave action and wide swaths

of sandy beach - and best of all there are no restrictions against dogs on the bay

beaches.

The Assateague Island National Seashore is the prime destination for dog owners

heading for the beach in Maryland (***). The undeveloped dunesland permits dogs

year-round on the beach and in the campgrounds (but not on the short nature

trails). Keep your dog alert for the wild ponies that live on the island. Its neighbor to

the north, Assateague State Park, often celebrated as one of the best state parks in

America, is off-limits to dogs. If you are not roughing it on your trip to the Maryland

seashore, nearby Ocean City allows dogs on the beach and boardwalk between

October 1 and May 1. Traveling along the Chesapeake Bay, dogs are banned from

the thin beaches in Maryland state parks. Exceptions are the small beach in the

former amusement park at North Point State Park and the beach north of the

causeway at Point Lookout State Park.

There is plenty to like for beach-loving dogs in Virginia (***). Canine romps on the

clean, wide sands of Virginia Beach's "Strip," the commercial oceanfront from 1st

Street to 40th Street, can't begin until the day after Labor Day but during the

summer dogs are allowed on residential beaches above 41st Street before 10 a.m

and afer 6 p.m. Dogs can jump in the ocean anytime at Cape Henry on Fort Story,

where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Chesapeake Bay. Fort Story is an active military

base, the only installation devoted to coastal operations, but its uncrowded, pristine

beaches are open to the public and dogs. Just to the west is First Landing State Park,

where canine swimming is allowed on unguarded sandy beaches. Check for seasonal

restrictions against dogs in these places. Just off-shore are views of the Chesapeake

Bay Bridge-Tunnel, one of the seven modern engineering marvels of the world. Each

span of the 17.6-mile crossing utilizes more than 2,500 concrete piles to support

the trestles.

Except for designated wildlife areas, dogs are permitted on the beach year-round

virtually everywhere on the Outer Banks in North Carolina (****). Cape Hatteras

Natonal Seashore has only four swimming beaches (in season) on its entire 70 miles

of protected coastline which leaves plenty of open sand for the dog to roam.

Seafaring dogs can reach Ocracoke Island and Cape Lookout National Seashore by

ferry or private boat for many miles of more undeveloped, dog-friendly beaches.

The northern part of the barrier islands has been rapidly developing in the past

decade but where you can still find access to the beach, unleashed dogs are sill

allowed year-round in towns like Duck and Corolla. Mainland North Carolina

beaches on Cape Fear are almost as dog-friendly; most swimming beaches restrict

dogs only during the day in the summer.

South Carolina (****) ranks among the most dog-friendly beach states on the

Atlantic seaboard. Get away from the people and commercial beaches and there is

plenty of unrestricted sand for dogs in the Palmetto state. Most of the smaller towns

allow dogs on the beach under voice control and only Myrtle Beach (from 21st

Avenue North to 13th Avenue South) bans dogs completely. One of the best places

to take dogs here is Hunting Island State Park. More than one million visitors

(human) come here each year, 85 miles south of Charleston, to enjoy three miles of

unspoiled beach.

Georgia (**) doesn't sport much coastline and many of the beaches on Georgia's

barrier islands and the Golden Isles are under control of resorts and most welcome

dogs except during the middle of the day in summer. Cumberland Island National

Seashore permits dogs but is accessible only by private boat. Savannah's beach at

Tybee Island is closed to dogs.

Florida (*) ranks among the most dog-unfriendly of states. Entire counties and

regions ban dogs from the beach. There are so many prohibitions already against

dogs on Florida beaches that when they change, it is typically in favor of dog

owners. For the Atlantic beaches, the northeast part of the state around Jacksonville

(Amelia Island) offers some of the best beaches for dogs in the state but heading

south below Daytona, dogs are almost universally banned from the sand. Jupiter, on

the Treasure Coast, is one place you can find a break from the ubiquitous NO DOGS

ON BEACH signs. Fort Lauderdale has thrown dog owners a tiny bone - they have

set up a 100-yard long Dog Beach (at Sunrise and A1A) on Saturdays and Sundays

only from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

DOGS ON GULF OF MEXICO BEACHES (traveling East to West)

The Gulf Coast beaches in Florida (*) offer precious little for dog owners. Dogs were

once associated as closely with the Florida Keys as conch shells but today you have

to look hard for a beach to take your dog. Anne's Beach in Lower Matecumbe and

Sombrero Beach in Marathon are two safe places. In Key West the "Dog Beach" is at

Waddell and Vernon avenues but there is really just enough sand to accomodate one

good beach blanket and the little amount of swimming available is treacherous over

coral outcroppings. On the Suncoast, seek out Bonita Beach Dog Park north of

Naples, the excellent Fort DeSoto Dog Beach and Park in St. Petersburg and the Dog

Beach on Honeymoon Island in the Dunedin area. Head for Franklin County, though,

where dogs are allowed on all the public beaches - and the only county in Florida to

allow dogs to run free. On the Florida Panhandle the Gulf Islands National Seashore

is the only national seashore that bans dogs completely. It is the same story in town

after town on the Gulf of Mexico across Florida. Near Panama City, dogs can reach

the water on Carrabelle Beach and Bruce Beach. At Saint Andrews State Beach, a past

winner of "The Best Beach In America," dogs can hike the sandy nature trails and run

on the beach of the Grand Lagoon. It isn't actually the Gulf of Mexico or the Best

Beach In America, but you can them from here.

For dog owners, Alabama (*) may as well not even have the few beaches it does on

the Gulf of Mexico.

In Mississippi (**) dog owners need to stay on the western coast in Hancock County;

dogs aren't allowed around the populated Biloxi beaches.

People don't seek out Louisiana (*) for its sandy beaches; most of the coastline is

made up of bayous. Grand Isle State Park is the only state park with access to the

Gulf of Mexico and dogs are allowed in non-swimming areas here.

In Texas (***), Padre Island is America's longest barrier island and there is plenty of

room for dogs on its 113 miles of sand. At Padre Island National Seashore dogs are

allowed anywhere except on the deck at Malaquite Beach and in front of the Visitor

Center at the Swimming Beach. Galveston Island serves up another 32 miles of

mostly dog-friendly beach.

DOGS ON PACIFIC OCEAN BEACHES (traveling North to South)

Dogs on leash are allowed in all Washington (***) state parks, often on the beach,

but not in many swimming areas around Puget Sound. No dogs are allowed on

beaches in the city of Seattle. The uncrowded Pacific Coast beaches are some of the

dog-friendliest in America - even Olympic National Park, which bans dogs from

almost all of its 632,324 acres, opens some of its remote coastal beaches to dogs.

Dogs are allowed on almost all beaches on the Washington coast as long as they

remain out of the active swimming areas.

All of the beaches in Oregon (****) are public. You can step on every grain of

Oregon sand for 400 miles and, in the rare exception of a ban due to nesting birds,

your dog can be with you all the way. One beach dog owners won't want to miss is

the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area with its 40 miles of sandy shore. These

are the biggest dunes in the United States - as tall as 500 feet and reaching two and

one-half miles inland at their widest point.

Northern California (****) would get plenty of votes from beach-loving dogs for

having the best beaches in America. Only a beach here and there restricts dogs from

its sand on the North Coast. Even in the highly populated areas, concessions are

made for dog owners. In Marin County a "Dog Beach" has been set aside on the

north end of Stinson Beach and many towns allow dogs on the beach under voice

control. San Francisco ranks among the dog-friendliest of beach cities. Take your

dog to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and have your pick of several

designated dog-friendly beach areas. At Baker Beach, dogs are allowed to romp off-

leash. Further down the coast, dog owners will want to visit the Monterey Peninsula.

Dogs are welcome to run on the Carmel City Beach and can slip into the water near

Monterey and Pacific Grove as well. At Big Sur dogs can enjoy one of the prettiest

secluded beaches on the coast a Pfeiffer Beach. Skip Santa Cruz and there are plenty

of opportunites to get your dog on the sand in California's Central Coast, especially

on unnamed beaches.

Heading south on the California coast the water warms up and beach restrictions on

dogs increase accordingly. There is still sand time for dogs in Oxnard and Ventura

but things are getting bleak as dog owners reach Santa Barbara. In Los Angeles

County the beaches are for people. In Southern California (**), San Diego is the place

for sand-loving dogs. Several popular beaches have set aside "dog beaches" that

attract hundreds of dogs. Every day is a beach day for dogs in San Diego.

DOGS ON GREAT LAKES BEACHES (traveling West to East)

Possessing the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world, there is

enough water in Lake Superior (**) to easily fill the other four Great Lakes to

overflowing. Lake Superior is known for its cold water and rugged shoreline but

there are some sandy beaches scattered across its 300 or so miles of southern

shores. Other beaches are more of the cobble variety. Most of the shoreline is

sparsely populated which bodes well for finding a dog-friendly beach. In Michigan,

the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore allows dogs on the beach from Twelvemile

Beach Campground to Au Sable Lighthouse and at Munising, dogs can dig in the

sand at Miners Beach. At Sand Point, dogs can play on the beach until the trail

begins to climb the cliffs. In Wisconsin, dogs are allowed on the beach in Ashland

and in Minnesota, dogs can swim in Lake Superior at Duluth's Park Point Beach.

Dogs will have to admire the spectacular dunes and sandy beaches of the eastern

shore of Lake Michigan (**) mostly from the car as dogs are not allowed on Michigan

state beaches and most county and town beaches. In-season, the metropolises of

Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin are even more restrictive. Chicago has recently gotten

its first official dog beach at Montrose Avenue. Belmont Beach is not an official

Chicago beach so dogs are allowed on this small patch of sand in a fenced area. In

nearby Evanston licensed and vaccinated dogs are allowed on Dog Beach but a

beach token is required for non-residents from May to October which costs $80 to

$100. Your best bets to dip into Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake totally within

the United States, are the national lakeshores and the state parks of Wisconsin's

Door County. At the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore dogs are restricted to the

easternmost beaches at Mt. Baldy and Central Avenue until October when all

beaches open to our four-legged friends. In the Sleeping Bear Dunes National

Lakeshore, dogs can swim in the waves of Lake Michigan backed by some of

America's larges dunes on all beaches except Platte Point Beach, the D.H. Day

Campground Beach and the Manitou Islands. Dogs also cannot make the Dune

Climb up hundreds of feet of sand.

Lake Huron (*) features 3,827 miles of shoreline, characterized by shallow water and

many sandy beaches. None of this will matter much to your dog, however, since the

Lake Huron beaches in Michigan are mostly closed to him. Alpena is a rare

exception. Dogs are allowed on the resort destination of Macinac Island, however.

Although its shores are the most densely populated of any of the Great Lakes, there

is plenty of opportunity for a dog to explore Lake Erie (***). The smallest of the five

lakes, Erie waters average only about 62 feet in depth and warm rapidly in the

summer for happy dog paddling. Ohio, especially around Cleveland, is the most

restrictive of the Lake Erie states. Try some of the smaller town beaches in Ohio and New York, most of which permit dogs outside of designated swimming areas. Some

of the best Lake Erie beachfront is in Presque Isle State Park, the most-visited state

park in Pennsylvania. Your dog can can hike the sandytrails past the swimming

beaches and enjoy the waves on the long, unsupervised sretches on the northern

end of the peninsula.

Not many people have settled most of the hundreds of miles of shoreline of the

south side of Lake Ontario (*) in New York. There aren't many beaches and not many

bans on dogs - as long as they don't try to swim with the humans.

Copyright 2006

I am the author of over 20 books, including 8 on hiking with your dog and the widely praised The Canine Hiker's Bible. As publisher of Cruden Bay Books, we produce the innovative A Bark In The Park series of canine hiking books found at http://www.hikewithyourdog.com. During the warm months I lead canine hikes as tour leader for hikewithyourdog.com tours, leading packs of dogs and humans on hiking adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit parks, historical sites and beaches. My lead dog is Katie, a German Shepherd- Border Collie mix, who has hiked in all of the Lower 48 states and is on a quest to swim in all the great waters of North America - [http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Katies%20Blog/Katies%20Quest.html]. I am currently building a hikewithyourdog.com tours trailer to use on our expeditions and its progress can be viewed at [http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Teardrop%20Trailer/Building%20A%20Tour%20Trailer.html].

Walking your dog

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

One of the most common issues when walking a dog on a lead is the pulling the dog does. Sometimes it may feel like your dog is taking you for a walk and you aren't too far of the truth. It makes for one of the most unenjoyable experiences and often it can cause people to stop walking there dog or limit the number of walks they do. It can lead to great stress in the dog owner and can lead to a feeling of immense frustration. The good news is that people do train there dogs to walk beside them and any dog can be trained to walk properly on the lead.

Scenario

Time to take the dog for a walk.

We get up from our chair perhaps saying to the dog "walk time", the dog responds by getting up and coming to life. We head to the bedroom putting on a coat or changing into more appropriate clothing for the walk. During this time we may make more eye contact with our dog and talk to it which leads it to bounce around and often this makes us happy because our dog is happy and can't wait to go for a walk. So we only encourage this more and more cause we want our dogs to be happy. Usually the next thing is we start to head towards the door and if you come down stairs or walk down a hallway you will find your dog runs towards the door before you can even get there. We may at this time tell our dog to slow down or calm down.

As we draw closer to the front door the dog may start to bark and spin around in circles in excitement. At this point we may get our dog to sit, even though it maybe shaking in excitement. We put the lead on our dog and pretty much as soon as the dog hears the click of the lead it stands up and heads straight at the door. It's about this time that we start to get angrier and our first out-burst maybe here, where we yell at our dog and command it to sit. We open the door and as soon as it opens our dog leaps outside dragging us with them. This makes us even angrier so we pull the dog back to us and attempt to shut the door and maybe we yell out to someone inside that we're are taking the dog for a walk. We start to head towards the road and all the way our dog is pulling us like a freight train, they may start to sniff a bush then mark it, giving us a little relief before they rocket to the next spot to mark or sniff.

It can be quite embarrassing especially when people start to stare at us and watch as our dog drags us down the street. It's around this time we may either loose it and yell at our dog or just accept that this is what our dog wants on its walk. Often on the walk we can hear the dog choking on the lead which makes us attempt to reason with the dog by telling it to wait or stop, when all this fails we let out more lead which allows it temporary relief before it charges ahead and continues to choke itself. The only way we stop the choking is by walking at its pace. By the time we get home the dog has slowed down and perhaps it may not be pulling much on the lead. That is till we reach our home. When we approach the door our dog starts to again pull at the lead and drag us to the front door.

We then open the door and our dog charges in and we look exhausted and find the walk is not enjoyable, rather it's a chore. From here we start to associate walks with negative thoughts and thus we start to become less incline to take our dog for a walk. It seems hopeless and all the tips our relatives and friends give us just don't work well or only discourage us. So being a proactive person we start to look around for information on how to walk your dog properly. After Googleing "how to stop your dog pulling on a lead" we have found this article. Or maybe you found this other ways - it's not important. What's important is that this issue is very common and with some simple tips and consistent training your dog will be walking properly on a lead.

Your Walk begins before you go for a walk:

Dogs learn from being rewarded. The behaviour of our dog is a direct reflection of how we reward our dog for certain behaviours. If your dog jumps around in excitement it's because you have rewarded this behaviour. A reward can be as simple as talking to your dog, touching your dog or even eye contact. It's important to know a reward is not just a chocolate drop; it comes in many forms and often is associated with body language. Also, hugely important, is that the training of a dog doesn't stop. There is no such thing as "training time" and then the rest of the time with your dog. You can teach a dog to sit and stay however once this stops your dog will still be learning - especially how to behave in different situations. Just like how kids don't stop learning when they come home from school.

Our energy is often another large part of how a dog behaves. If you get up and jump around all excited your dog will mimics this energy. If you get up with no heighten energy, no eye contact with your dog, nothing said, your dog will most likely get up and walk around slowly (especially if your dog follows you around the house everywhere).

How on earth does all this relate to walking your dog properly? Well the walk begins as soon as you get up from your chair. In the scenario above when we got up from our chair to go for a walk we said to our dog "walk time" which alerted our dog to heightened its energy and thus it got excited. Often we have trained our dog to react a certain way to words or body language by accident and its these triggers which cause our dogs to react like nutters sometime.

So first thing, if you are about to go for a walk totally ignore your dog and don't let on you are even doing anything. Don't make any eye contact, say nothing and try to keep a well balanced energy. Often it maybe good to visualise a reason you are going for a walk, perhaps rather than taking your dog for a walk your are walking to the local Dairy to grab a bottle of milk and your dog is following you. Remember that when you are going for a walk, you aren't walking your dog. Rather you are going for a walk and your dog gets to come with you. This is very important because without this going through our head we may do subtle things the dog picks up on which make it think it can lead you on this walk. If your dog is pulling on your lead, it means it's leading you.

So when your get ready for your walk, totally ignore your dog, give it no triggers to make it heighten its energy. Your dog's energy should not be heightened, if it is then you need to sit down and restart this over again until your dog doesn't react to you. There is no point continuing the walk if you leave the house with a dog which has heightened energy.

The front door is usually a place where your dog will have high energy (it's a trigger) so don't take your dog to the front door to put the lead on. You should put your lead on the dog away from the door, in another room. When you put the lead on make sure that the dog doesn't just take off, nor should it get excited. You should be ignoring your dog and simply place the lead on it. The dog should not even notice it has a lead on. If it does get excited when you place the lead on then you should lower the dog's energy by taking the lead off and sitting back down. Again you should never take a dog with heightened energy for a walk. Putting the lead on is an important part because this is like the front door and often is a high energy trigger. The reason why we make sure that our dog's energy is low before we move to the next step is because the dog will take this heighten energy onto the next steps and all you will be doing is training your dog to have high energy when you take it for a walk. What we are doing here is training your dog to have low energy at each phase of the walk.

Your next step is to have the dog on the lead next to you. Make sure the lead is short and you must lead your dog to the door. Don't let your dog rush the door and don't let it get in front of you. You should have full control of the dog. If you find it's pulling on the lead or getting uncontrollable you should take it back into the room you came from, lower its energy by making it sit and wait. Once its energy is lower then take it to the door again. Keep repeating this step till you can take the dog to the front door without it pulling or tugging on you.

Make it sit and wait at the door. The next part often will cause your dog to try and leap out the door. This again is a sign that your dog wants to lead the walk or is to excited for a walk. So make sure it is sitting and is calm, if you find your dog is crying you can stop it by using a command sound like "sssssssst". If you use a word like "stop" or "wait" you may put emotion into it which only punishes a dog as it only hears the sound of the word, they don't understand the word. Open the door. If the dog leaps out, shut the door and take the dog back into the previous room. Make it sit and wait till its calm. Again take the dog to the door and open it. Sit it there with the open door for about 10 seconds to give it time to get use to the outside smells and environment. You should exit the door and your dog should follow you. Once you are outside make your dog sit and shut the door. Another issue that can happen at this stage is that your dog may follow you however it may jump out the door and try to rush outside. If it does this then repeat walking through the door again until it stops doing this.

Now for the next stage. If you have a fenced property then grab a ball take your dog off the lead and throw the ball around for about 15 or so minutes - until your dog is almost drained of all its energy. Let them have a drink of water and then place the lead back onto your dog. Now your dog is ready to go for a walk. Why do we do this? They will be a lot easier to control since there energy will be low. Why go through all the stuff inside your home to lower your dog's energy? Because your dog needs to learn leaving your home with a low energy.

Make sure your dog is on a very short lead and keep them beside you. The short lead means you have control of them and they will not choke themselves. Focus on a visualisation like heading towards the dairy and getting your milk. Your dog should be beside you and you must now ignore your dog. If it tries to pull sideways you need to counter this with a short tug back towards you. Don't drag your dog, the tug should be very short and quick. This unbalances your dog and snaps it out of wanting to sniff the bushes. If you drag a dog you could injure it and possibly yourself. In a short time you should be able to pick up when your dog is about to be wayward and a simple small tug on the lead should correct it.

You need to lead this walk so you need to be confident on your walk, ignore your dog and just head towards your destination. With your dog at a lower energy they should be easier to control and with a short lead they should never get in front of you. If they do start to attempt to pull ahead of you do a quick tug and use the "sssssssssst" command to get them back to your speed. Don't let your dog take over your walk. One of the most common mistakes is using a lead that is to long and letting your dog get a head of you - then you have no control at all and your dog will do what it wants. Your dog also doesn't need to sniff every bush on your walk; this is just a territorial behaviour and should be discouraged. If you keep your dog beside you and it doesn't get away from you within a short time they will get use to this and should make walking a lot more easier.

The next very important part of a walk is when you come home. When you enter your front door your dog must be in a calm state and not excited. If we let them enter the home excited then next time we go for a walk they will carry this excitement with them. So make them sit and make sure you enter your home first. You should take them into the living area behind you in a calm state, take the lead of them and just walk away. Also make sure no one else in the home makes any fuss of the dog as this can lead to your dog thinking it's the leader of the home. Which is found in another article: Are you the pack leader? Often it's good to feed a dog after its done some activity as feeding will also cause your dog to go to sleep which is the natural dog cycle: Exercise > Discipline > Food > Sleep.

To make this work well you need to be consistent. You cannot go back to the old way of taking your dog for a walk.

Tips:

?Ignore your dog before you go for a walk

?Only go for a walk when you dog is in a calm state

?If your dog gets excited before a walk don't take them for a walk till they calm down

?Spend a good 15mins tiring them out with a ball before the walk

?To teach your dog to walk beside you, you need to have a short lead and walk them beside you the whole walk

?Visualise there is a reason you are going for a walk, for instance you are picking up some milk from the dairy and your dog gets to come.

?To control a dog on a lead do not drag your dog, use short tugs and also the "sssssssssst" command

?Keep your energy level low and consistent, never heighten your energy because your dog will only heighten there's.

?Walk at your pace not your dogs

?Take control of your walk, have a strong assertive posture

?Ignore your dog during your walk, don't give them to much attention, don't talk to them

Teddy Spoodle
http://www.spoodle.co.nz

Scottish exercises takes Best in Show at Westminster

The 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show just has come to an end exciting. Champion of champions - percussion please - a Scottish exercises named "Hickory" (Administrator Foxcliffe Hickory Wind). Seven group champions participated tonight for the prestigious title of best in show. They are all champions dogs fine, so needless to say that it was a difficult contest. Dogs tonight finalists were as follows:

Six new breeds of AKC dog made his debut at Westminster this year. If none of them won in groups, it's nice to see some new races. Here is the list:

Boykin Spaniel
Leonberg
Cane Corso
Redbone Coonhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Icelandic Sheepdog

You can see the highlights of the series as well as coverage entertaining behind-the-scenes on MSG.com. For eventing race results, visit Westmister Kennel Club online.

View the original article here

There are sterilization day!

Today is day of sterilization, an annual campaign presented by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International and in partnership with the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. The goal of the day Spay is simple: promote the Chatti and sterilization of companion animals to reduce animal overpopulation.

Undeniably, with hundreds of thousands of pets in shelters, many are euthanized every day, homeless pet overpopulation is a serious problem. My heart breaks every shelter dog waiting to be adopted. Like many love animals, I believe that the average household pet should sterilization or neutered.

I love mystery mutts, but mixed breed dog should never be high for some reason any. The population of dog wandering is large enough for anyone give their pick of wonder-mutts. I also love dogs different purebred, but I would prefer that purebred enthusiasts get their dogs breed specific rescue groups. However, I also supports the right of dog owners have to make their own decisions about their dogs. I also appreciate all the dog excellent farmers make the right way. Thus, when it comes time for puppies sterilization/neutral, I ask that owners reflect on the pros and cons and make the best choice for everyone.

If you sterilization or neutralize your dog? Read the answer, then share your opinion with us.

View the original article here

Westminster Dog Show — the first day recap

The second half of the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is currently underway and the best show contest is a few hours away. A place your favorite race? Dogs four seven groups competed to the best of the Group (Hound, toy, Non-Sporting, livestock). The other three groups (Sporting working Terrier) will have their best of the group to try tonight. The group winners go to compete for the ultimate title of Best in Show. The following dogs has won more than group yesterday will be and will compete this evening for Best in Show:

If you've not able to go to NYC for the show, you can still watch at home. USA network will look the final competition from 8 pm EST tonight. In the meantime, see the highlights of the series as well as coverage entertaining behind-the-scenes on MSG.com. For a few good laughs, consult the «Rock Star hair Styles» Photo Gallery! For the latest results of purebred competition, visit Westmister Kennel Club online.

Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

View the original article here

Purebred dog of the week: Scottish Terrier

Race featured this week was chosen in honour of "Sadie" AKA Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, best show winner at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show last year. Westminster 2011 is a few days, and probably another dog race will win the title of best show. For now, let's celebrate the Scottie.

The Terrier Scottish Scottie, is an active dog fat with very short legs and an accumulation of small but robust. The Scottie is strong and fearless, but is also a loving companion. This race is well known for his distinctive beard and his small stature, although it held Scottish common pictures and cartoons. Scotties were detained by several personalities known over the years, including Queen Victoria, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart and w. George Bush. Do you love Scotties too? Tell us all about them.

Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images

View the original article here

Private dog parks: can be the safe choice

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

With an increasing number of serious incidents being reported at dog parks, I want to introduce the safe alternative that a well-run private dog park can provide. You will find that a properly designed and managed private dog park is a dramatically different experience than what you have read about or have witnessed in public parks. A privately run dog park can properly screen, staff and enforce park regulations. We do caution you that even with the information you will gain from this article, please know that any dog park is not regulated, so we encourage everyone to do their homework before visiting any dog park to ensure it is right for you and your dog.

The current trend is that community and homeowner associations are responding to community demand by setting aside a small plot of their land for a public dog park. Unfortunately these unmanaged and unregulated fenced areas often turn to that of neighbor confrontation, injury and horror, even with the best of intending groups and dog owners. Let's face it, without any oversight or enforcement, incidents are going to occur. Because I recognized the dangers in dog parks to the point that I would not take my dogs to one, I was motivated to devise the complex recipe for a safe off-leash dog park. Therefore; I conducted an in-depth investigation of many existing dog parks to establish the precise formula needed to create an off-leash haven.

I visited many, talked with visiting dog owners and observed many dog parks, both private and public. From my investigative travels and with my inherent understanding of dogs, I developed the complex operating matrix for a safe, off-leash dog park. Since that design work, we have successfully opened the first of our many private dog parks that thousands of qualifying dogs and their owners have already enjoyed. Our safety performance at the Royal Paws Dog Park & Doggie Day Camp facility speaks for itself with an impeccable safety performance and industry leading staffing ratio.

Benefits to your Dog with Off-Leash Exercise

The benefits to a dog at an off-leash dog park or any open area of land are immense. Unleashed running elevates heart rate, increases metabolism, improves gastrointestinal efficiency, and extends muscles and joints, all of which contributes to general overall fitness. It is known that maintaining such a healthy lifestyle for your loved dog will increase longevity and reduce risk of all associated conditions and diseases that obesity can cause. The experience for your dog in open field run is like no leashed exercise we can otherwise provide and the benefits will last a lifetime. When letting your dog run in an open field for exercise value, please consider that there are many risks to both you and your dog. You may be violating leash laws, the dog can track a scent or get lost, run into traffic or unwelcome neighborhood area, confront aggressive dogs or dangerous wildlife or foliage; which are all of the reasons as why I do not take my dogs to any open land without fences despite their excellent obedience.

In fenced area designated as a dog park, in addition to fitness improvement, your dog can enjoy benefits from the social interaction with the other dogs IF experienced without incident. The advantage for a dog that is well exercised and socialized benefit the dog, the owner and the community ONLY IF they have somehow avoided traumatic incident. Well exercised and socialized dogs are much less likely to contribute to neighborhood nuisances like chronic barking or showing aggression to other dogs.

If public parks could operate as well-run private dog park do, these benefits would be maintained. Unfortunately, many dog parks are not continuously regulated nor do they have the resources or knowledge to accurately screen the dogs; therefore, odds are that incidents will occur. Incidents like your dog being attacked by another dog or even being bullied by another dog can cause regression in social skills, cause behavioral issues, invoke fear aggression or cause physical injury or death. Following any incident at a public park, without a safe and regulated choice of private dog park that can best create positive experiences to overcome the impact of the incident, your dog may never physically or emotionally recover from the past trauma. The likelihood of good experiences for your dog in a well-managed private dog park is the reason that many loved dog owners everywhere chose private over non-regulated public parks.

Premise of a Safe Dog Park - It's Private

The advantages a private dog park has over any public dog park is the ability to secure more favorable, larger parcels of land, improved grounds maintenance, set dog health requirements, enforceable park rules, screening of appropriate tempered dogs and third party intervention. Beware though and do your homework about any private dog park you intend to visit. Just because they can do all of the above does not mean that they do! While it is integral that the private dog park has the ability to control all of the above to make visits to a well-managed private dog park enjoyable, the most important to me are the health and temperament screening and ability of park staff to intervene.

If you have read the actual details in the recent headline grabbing horror stories of incidents in dog parks, they almost always are a result from a dog being in the park that should not be or from uneducated/erroneous decisions made by visiting dog owners. Both of these should not occur if your private dog park is consistent in managing and operating the facility for the safety and enjoyment of all. With private dog parks operating as a business, financial success is always a consideration. So turning away visiting dogs equates to lost revenue, so unless the park is focused exclusively on maintaining a safe environment for all, a private park that is short-term financially driven can pose the same risks that a public park does.

The third party oversight ability of park staff to intervene is required to eliminate personality clashes and biased evaluation of situations and/or dog's behavior. So when the experienced screener determines the dog lacks the temperament so he/she can play with others, it is the park staff's responsibility to deal with the disappointed dog owner. Same intervention by park staff goes in the event a visiting dog owner does not abide by park rules or a dog plays too rough or violations of any other park code of behavior. You can imagine these discussions are difficult; however, by park staff entertaining such discussions it eliminates any personal intervention by visiting dog owners.

Telling a dog owner that their dog is not allowed or can no longer come to the park until troublesome behavior is removed is always difficult. However, it is critical that the staff of the private dog park you are intending to visit has the proper screening system, the diligence to comply and financial ability to effectively turn away the revenue for dogs that do not appear to be capable of socially interacting at such level to keep the park safe for all.

As important to the screening is the park's development and maintenance of expertly developed park rules. To the novice dog owner, many of the park rules appear to be too cumbersome and detailed. The reality is that each rule of a well-run dog park is well thought through and derived from merit by an expert in dog behavior. Compliance to all of the rules is key to the safe enjoyment of the park by all. For example, the toy aggression of a dog or rough play can within seconds turn into a dog fight even with the best of mannered & socialized dogs. Without such detailed rules and the full oversight to insure they are all followed, the private dog park could turn into mayhem.

Dog Park Management of Sizes and Breeds

For the safety of all, we highly recommend separating small dogs from large, excluding entrance to a few breeds, requiring males be neutered unless under strict command and requiring that dogs be at least four months old to enjoy the park. What we hear the most from small dog owners is that they want their small dogs to be able to play in the designated big dog area because "they like to play with big dogs". Although the small dogs may have enjoyed past experiences playing with a large dog of neighbor or friend, the risk remain of physical injury to the small dogs if they are allowed in the same area as big dogs. It is my opinion each size should have designated areas to create safe play for all. Thus, we recommend that when investigating which dog park is right for you, this should be part of consistent operations.

Let me first say I do not believe in stereotyping any particular breed for temperament. However, due to instinctual drive levels, size and bite capacity, there are some breeds that I believe should be prohibited from entry to an off-leash park and some that should have elevated entrance criteria. Pit bulls, not specifically because of temperament but rather from jaw force/releasability should be forbidden from the off-leash dog park. Although we have met some of the sweetest and well-socialized pit bulls, we do not allow them to visit our parks because the risk is so high of severe injury to another dog if they were to bite.

Chow Chows are another breed that unless have a lifetime of scalability or coming in as a young dog, do we rarely let into the park. Any of the other "working breed" dogs, including terriers, due to their breed characteristics, prey drive, protection dog status and/or sheer size should go through elevated entrance criteria. These types of dogs must meet entrance-required temperament, in addition must demonstrate clear owner command. Upon meeting entrance criteria, they undergo frequent evaluations for continued social ability and owner command. All other dogs must pass dog socialization evaluation and demonstrate basic obedience.

Many Responsibilities of the Dog Owner

Even with the best of run private dog parks, the dog owners retain a high level of responsibility upon park entrance while be willing to withstand the occasional park staff directive. They must carefully watch their dog, abide by all park rules, maintain the obedience skills of the dog and know their dog well enough to predict their dog's behavior. Knowing your dog's mood, watching it's posture and identifying or correcting any potential troublesome behaviors is critical so all can enjoy the park. Every dog will encounter occasions where they will meet another dog that they do not like or are uncomfortable around.

It is the best of private dog parks where entry requires command of your dog so that incidents of escalated aggression can be avoided when each dog owner carefully watches their dog and can command their dogs away from each and every situation. Incidents occur only when the dog owners are not vigilant in watching their dogs or do not understand their dog's behavior and the slightest of uncomfortable encounters prolongs to escalate into a dogfight. Again, each dog owner should understand their dog's postures, expressions and movement to be able to differentiate in off-leash situations when they are comfortable and when they are not. If the dog owner does not intuitively understand their dog, we recommend seeking the assistance of a professional dog trainer.

Safely Socializing Dogs Early Benefits Everyone

We believe that all dogs, when in receipt of proper health vaccination should be socialized in a safe environment to improve their ability throughout their life of all of the benefits an off-leash park can provide. Any puppy, following final adult vaccination booster should be introduced socially to other dogs, people, children and other distractions and a well-managed private dog park creates the perfect place. Puppies visiting a safe off-leash park will easily learn good behavior in the dog social structure and provide the dog owner the ability to enhance obedience training with distractions. Just as the benefits of teaching good manners to a dog early in their life are immense, so are the risks that behavior issues or dog aggression will occur in the event the early experiences are traumatic.

With puppies, we strongly encourage you thorough investigation on the park you are considering to take them to best create the opportunity for good experiences. We recommend you confirm that the park is well maintained, strictly managed and rules enforced. Taking the puppy to a private off-leash dog park will provide your dog a life-long of comfort around other dogs, people and children. However; even with the best of private dog parks, there are other distractions that you should have your puppy comfortable with, which is why we also recommend taking a puppy (when fully vaccinated) to busy shopping malls with diverse people and sounds, nature walks with children & bicycles and on-leash dog walking trails to learn on-leash manners.

Picking the Private Dog Park for You

While private dog parks are gaining in popularity because they may be the only choice for safe and enjoyable off-leash fun, enter with caution. If a dog park is "Private", it is operated as a business entity, but this does not guarantee it is safe for you and your dog. It is our recommendation that with any place you intend to take your dog, you first tour the facility. Inspect the fence and the grounds, as well as talk with some of the dog owners visiting to learn about their safety record and staffing. After touring, talk with the park staff about what is required to visit. If you do not have to show paperwork confirming vaccinations or they do not meet your dog and determine social ability with other dogs, we would recommend that you know there may be risks. As with any place that you take your dog, insure you have great command of your dog and you are comfortable with the park layout and your dog's social skills to lessen the chances of a possible incident with another dog.

Terri Malueg-Ray, President & Founder of many industry leading, innovative companies who is an international pet industry expert.

Terri L. Malueg-Ray is President and Founder of six-year-old company, Royal Paws Resort & Day Spa?, Ltd., one-year old company Royal Paws? Dog Park, LLC and founding partner of My Owner Has Gone To Heaven, LLC. Terri is known throughout the pet industry as a true innovator. She has created many premier products and services and most recently introduced her new line of gourmet pet meals, called Pet Tasties?. Terri?s background in engineering, chemistry and computer science provides her the ability to develop, design and execute the creation of Pet Tasties?, the only complete line of healthy, yet tasty brand of gourmet pet meals available in the market today. Following the design of Pet Tasties?, Terri utilized her leadership background to open the first pet restaurant in the Atlanta metro area and has made headlines nationwide. Most notably, on the reality hit TV show, Ambush Makeover, The Montel Williams Show, CNN, Jezebel Magazine, Atlanta Magazine.

Purebred dog of the week: bearded Collie

Bearded Collie, affectionately called the Beardie is a medium-sized herds dog who is best known for his memorable shaggy hair. Human energetic, playful and often goofy, Beardies are easy to obtain and make excellent companions. The race is always also used for rearing today and it is considered to be a hard worker and independent thinker.

Beardies are known for being excellent family dog who has long been well with children. They are affectionate dog who crave human companionship. Beardies are entertaining - they can be funny and even clown-like sometimes. They are a pleasure to be around! Could this be the right breed for you? Take a moment to learn all about the bearded Collie. Or, if you have shared experiences with this delightful dog breed, please share them. Talk about your Beardie!

Photo © foxypar4 on flickr

View the original article here