Should You Get a Purebreed Dog for Your Family?
Many people ask the question: "Should we get a purebreed or a mutt?"Why is this question so controversial? Is one dog the same as another? Is there a benefit to 'getting what you paid for'?The truth is that one dog is like another - at least in many respects. What is not true is that every dog is equally suitable for your family. Dog rescuers may tell you to look beyond the breed and breeders tell you that you won't know what you're getting with a mixed breed. They're both right.If you want a family dog the responsiblity is the same regardless of whether you rescued an abandoned dog from the shelter or paid upwards of $1000 for a puppy with registration papers. What is different is how you can predict the suitablity of a dog for your children.What You Know and What You Don't?While each individual dog has it's own personality, there are strong traits that can be breed related such as energy requirements, size, determination (a factor to consider when training your dog) and general disposition.
I say general because there are always exceptions to the rules. Getting a pure bred puppy can answer some of those questions for you and help you select a good match for your family.On the other hand you can never absolutely predict a puppy's temperment and if you are not at all concerned with size, energy or trainability then you can find a loving, good natured puppy with any genetic background. Being able to identify these traits is possible although there are still no guarantees.What About Mixed Breed Dogs?If however you are looking for a grown dog rather than a puppy you can find many dogs in shelters that have basic training and are already 'settled' into their temperament. Unless the dog has no traceable history and has shown aggressive behavior you should be able to visit with the dog and determine how well it would do with your family without too much concern.Having even a bit of understanding of the breed groups and requirements will also help you know what to expect since even broad groupings (like terriers or sporting dogs) often have predicitable traits that even a mixed breed dog is likely to show if the genetic history is identifiable. In fact you may find a unique mix that suits your family better than any other dog you could find in a purebreed.Take time to get to know the puppy or dog before buying or adopting and get your children involved!.
Shannon Emmanuel is a freelance writer and the author of 'Choose the Best Dog for Your Child'. Find out more at http://Choosing-a-dog-for-family.com.This article is free to reprint with author credits and link in place. Do not use for unsolicited email.Uses for Dog Crates
If you own dogs, chances are you've either used or considered using dog crates for puppy training. Or you've planned a trip and wanted to take your best friend along and thought about them as pet carriers. But while puppy training and animal transport are important considerations, dog crates serve another purpose that might be even more important for your pet's quality of life ? a safe den. Dog crates offer an enclosed space that canines naturally crave. Millions of years of evolution have instilled this desire.
That being the case, it's very important while puppy training that you teach your pet early on that his crate is safe and a good place. Never use it as a form of punishment! Another use for dog crates beyond puppy training is as a place to recuperate from an injury or illness. This is especially advantageous if you have two or more dogs. Sick and injured animals, canines included, seek solitude while healing. They can be temperamental and even dangerous, even if normally...
Uses for Dog Crates
Puppy training > Uses for Dog Crates
Here?s a Way To Make Your Dog Love Its Dog Crate!
A dog crate is a necessity for your dog, through his puppy days and for his whole life. Your dog's ancestor, the wolf, had a den to call home, a place of safety. The dog crate takes the place of the den, which is deeply embedded into your dog's instincts. The crate should be kept in a room where the dog can go for a retreat to rest. A dog crate can make an enormous difference in house-training your new puppy.
He will not want to do his ?business' in the close quarters of the crate. If you take him immediately from the crate to the backyard, where he can conveniently do it there, he will get the idea quickly. Using his dog crate will make dog training easier on you and your puppy.Dog crates come in many different styles and sizes; everything from a standard dog crate to designer dog creates.
It's best to get a crate for training your dog that's only just big enough for your dog to lie down in, because that gives him more of a sense of security. Some dog crates come with...
Puppy training > Here?s a Way To Make Your Dog Love Its Dog Crate!
Puppy Housebreaking 101
Many people are hesitant to get a new puppy out of fear of the housebreaking process. While the puppy housebreaking process can be consuming it doesn't have to be hard if you follow the tips we have outlined for you below. Housebreaking your puppy is best started with puppies are six-sixteen weeks in age. When puppies are this young, they tend to go to the bathroom predictably and frequently. The earlier you start the housebreaking process, the happier you will be as a new dog owner! The most important tip for successful puppy housebreaking is "Persistence is the key".
1? First, you need to teach your puppy where you want him to go to the bathroom. Your puppy will not know where to go if you don't show him. Therefore, he won't know if he went in the wrong spot. We suggest starting the housebreaking process outside. Many people tend to paper train and in essence you are making the training process harder for you and may end having to retrain him.
2- Praise is essential in...
Puppy Housebreaking 101
Puppy training > Puppy Housebreaking 101
Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
Potty Training Your Puppy:Make sure you feed your dog at regular times every day as this makes bathroom breaks regular as well. Feed your puppy 2-3 times a day. As soon as he is finished eating, take him to a grassy "potty area". Speak the words "go potty" or "go in the grass" before and while he is eliminating. Be sure to praise him when he is done.
What you are doing is building word associations with the dog that will allow you to encourage his potty activity on command. This comes in handy when you and your dog are at unusual locations and at pit stops during long haul travel. It also saves you from cleaning unwanted fecal material off the carpet at home.It is a good idea to train your puppy to use a place where you can easily clean up and dispose of the droppings into the sewer. This is because worms that infect dogs and make them sick get spread around through the eggs or larvae found in the feces. Some, like the roundworm, can also infect children.Reprimanding Your Puppy:Talk...
Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
Puppy training > Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
A German Shepherd Puppy May Be Just What Your Family Needs!
A German Shepherd puppy can become a very welcome member of your household. German Shepherd puppies bond with the family, and you will never have a truer friend. They are very tolerant of little children and make ideal family pets. A German Shepherd puppy is good natured, but needs firm training. If you are considering German Shepherd puppies for sale, you should know the benefits of having your dog professionally trained.
The right training can make an enormous difference in your German Shepherd puppy development. They keep their training for a lifetime.A German Shepherd puppy usually will grow to 24 inches high and will weigh as much as 95 lbs. The males are usually a little bit larger than the females. They range in color from black and tan to black and red, while the white German Shepherd is being seen more often. They're ancestors are believed to come from Germany, from the sheep herding dogs that were relied on daily to care for the herds.
They're greatly adaptable...
A German Shepherd Puppy May Be Just What Your Family Needs!
Puppy training > A German Shepherd Puppy May Be Just What Your Family Needs!
Training Your German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog truly is a wonderful animal and not only do they make good working dogs, they also make superb family pets. They are however very different from other pet breeds and need to be handled and trained with a different approach to say your average labrador or poodle for instance.
The GSD is a large, strong athletic dog, which needs a lot of mental stimulation and exercise but a well trained shepherd can learn to do almost anything. These dogs positively thrive on challenging activities and they are so willing to serve their master and please. As a working dog used by most police forces, the very look of a GSD is usually enough to act as a deterrent but when called into action there are few dogs that can match the German Shepherd as an all rounder.
If you are considering becoming an owner of a GSD then you need to consider the commitment to training in order that you have happy, well...
Puppy training > Training Your German Shepherd Dog
Train Your Dog With Respect
Proper training of your dog should begin when he is a puppy.
The first four months of a dog's life are very important in the training of your dog.
This is when they learn behaviors that they will practice in the future.Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do to influence your dog's future behavior.
As soon as you bring your new puppy home, you should start letting him interact with other puppies, dogs and humans.
Take your dog to parks where there will be other pets and people.
Ask your friends if it is okay for your dog to visit their dog at their home or yours.
Puppies will learn how to get along with other puppies and dogs if they are allowed to play with them when they are young.
Introduce your dog to new experiences.
Give him rides in the car, walk him on a leash around the park, let him hear the vacuum cleaner running.
Help your puppy get used to a regular routine of baths,...
Puppy training > Train Your Dog With Respect
Puppy training Should You Get a Purebreed Dog for Your Family?
Do I Really Want A Landice Treadmill?
So really ? what's so great about the Landice Treadmill? Well, anyone who's been unfortunate to endure exercising on a bad treadmill will tell you exactly what to look for when chasing down the best treadmills. And anyone who knows anything about this type of fitness equipment will be able to tell you this, too: that the Landice treadmill really is the best treadmill of the bunch.
Running on a bad treadmill can be an annoying and even dangerous affair, but it really is a great...
Puppy training > Do I Really Want A Landice Treadmill?
Outsider Likely to Ruffle Feathers Within Established Diamond Jewelry Trade
A series of eight weekly articles on buying diamond jewelry online is to conclude with a detailed comparison of some of the major online sellers of diamonds and diamond jewelry.
Wellington, New Zealand, August 23, 2006 -- Can an outsider, based in New Zealand, provide a valuable guide to buyers of diamond jewelry on-line?
Murray Nickel of Diamonds Are Eternal believes he can.
This is the first of a series of eight articles on the process of buying diamond...
Puppy training > Outsider Likely to Ruffle Feathers Within Established Diamond Jewelry Trade
OnePAL Adds Searchable Coupons, Holiday Gift Idea Center
Minneapolis (ContentDesk) December 7, 2005 -- Online comparison shopping company OnePal LLC announces the addition of coupons from over 1,000 leading merchants for products such as electronics, computers, software, books, games and music to its website. Customers can search OnePAL.coms coupons by keyword, merchant or product and simply click on the resulting link to be redirected to the website of the participating merchant, where they can enter the coupon code to realize instant savings.Jamison...
Puppy training Should You Get a Purebreed Dog for Your Family? OnePAL Adds Searchable Coupons, Holiday Gift Idea Center plasma tv
Puppy training > OnePAL Adds Searchable Coupons, Holiday Gift Idea Center