Socializing Your Golden Retriever

Socializing your Golden Retriever is very important. As you may already know, all dog breeds behave different in front of strangers, with some dogs choosing to ignore people altogether. They may choose to glance at someone, then go on to pay no attention to him. On the other hand, some dogs are the total opposite and love to meet everyone they can. These types of dogs love attention, and will take any attention they can get.

Some Golden Retrievers are happy with those they have come to know in their own family, or those they have selected to be friends. Others on the other hand, may feel comfortable just around those of the same sex. Most Golden’s like children, although there are a few rare cases in which certain types of Golden Retrievers like adults but not children. This is extremely rare, and is normally due to the way they were bred or raised.

When your puppy is between the ages of 8 weeks and 8 months, socializing him is extremely important. During this time, you should always do everything you can to ensure that your Golden Retriever meets other people. Although he may be shy at first and not have much interaction, he will eventually come around. You will need to be patient with him during these times, as he will need quite a bit of reassurance from you.

Your dog’s parents also contribute to socialization. If the parents of your Golden Retriever were good with people and other dogs, the gene could very well be passed on to your dog. On the other hand, if the parents were shy or aggressive dogs, those genes could be passed on as well. Pups inherit the traits of their parents ,which is why it is very important to make sure that the dogs being bred are compatible with each other - and share a passive temperament.

If your puppy was separated from his mother before he reached the age of seven weeks, he won’t learn many of the social signals taught to him by his mom and his siblings. Golden Retriever pups that are brought to a new home earlier than seven weeks will normally tend to end up nippy or aggressive around people. Although they may be aggressive towards people, they may be shy or fearful around other dogs, as they lack the social skills needed to be themselves.

Sometimes, if a puppy was injured or frightened during his early years, he can end up with a state of trauma. This type of thing leaves a huge scar in the mind of a puppy, making it very hard for him to get past it. Most Golden Retriever pups that have been injured or frightened by an individual never get past it. They may end up fearing humans in general, or being very aggressive towards them when they feel frightened. When you take your puppy home for the first time, you should always make him feel welcomed, and never let anyone or anything harm him.

To better socialize your Golden Retriever, you should always make sure that he gets plenty of interaction with other people and other dogs in his breed. This way, your Golden will learn how to socialize at any early age. When he gets older in life, he will carry these skills with him. Golden Retrievers that are sheltered or not given the proper amount of interaction will turn out shy towards people and other dogs. With your Golden being your companion for life - you should always ensure that he gets the socialization he needs.

The Golden Retriever

In a dog’s world, Golden Retrievers are simply the fatal attraction. They are a preferred dog breed, making great pets, hunting dogs, obedience competitors, show dogs, and even a combination of all these traits. No matter what your intent may be to own a Golden Retriever, you’ll have an excellent dog that will live up to it’s potential and then some.

Golden Retrievers are calm, well mannered, and extremely affectionate. They are easy to train as well, very intelligent, and great for those who need a companion. Golden’s are also loyal to their owners, lovable, and great with children of all ages. They also make great watchdogs as well, as they will bark loud and let you know when a stranger is near.

Like other dogs, Golden Retrievers will shed their hair throughout the year and more in the spring - no matter how many times you brush them a day. They also like to be in and near the water, similar to Labs. If you have any type of water on or near your property, your Golden Retriever will be in it, and tend to be either wet or muddy quite a bit - which can tend to get frustrating.

If you are always on the go or never at home, you shouldn’t get a Golden Retriever. If you prefer cats over dogs, you should look into another breed. Golden Retrievers crave attention and admiration, and normally don’t do too well if you leave them at home by themselves for long periods of time. Golden’s need attention, and desire to be around you at all times. If you spend a lot of time at home on the other hand, or have kids, a Golden Retriever will be a perfect addition to your family.

A lot of people out there prefer to get a puppy and raise it themselves. This way, the puppy will grow up with the skills they have taught him. This is a great idea and very rewarding, although it can consume a lot of your time and tend to be very frustrating at times. Those who don’t have a lot of time to spare or tend to get easily frustrated, shouldn’t get a puppy. Instead, they should look towards an older Golden Retriever who has already been house broken and trained.

Golden Retrievers are an excellent breed, and they can provide you with the companion you have been looking for. They can participate in several activities with you as well, such as hiking, camping, and walking. Golden’s love the outdoors, and they love just getting out there and doing things with you and your family. If you include your Golden Retriever in family activities - you’ll have a friend for life who will quickly grow on you over the years.

Tips For Training Your Golden Retriever

Although there are many training tips for Golden Retrievers, teeth is the most common. Golden puppies love to chew, and will chew anything they can get. Although chew toys are preferred, there is a way that you can help your Golden fulfill his natural instinct to chew, and help him to ease the pain of teething as well.

To start, simply fill an old sock you have with several ice cubes. Next, put a knot in the sock and place the sock with the cubes in the freezer. When your puppy starts to chew on things, simply give him the sock. You can keep several socks with ice in it in your freezer if you want, so your puppy will always have a chew toy. Although this is great to use, you should never leave your dog alone with the sock. He could end up chewing the sock and swallowing pieces of it, which could lead to very serious health problems.

Leashes

During leash training, a lot of people prefer to attach the leash to the Golden then drag him in the direction they want him to go. This isn’t the best way to train, as it often sends the wrong signal to the puppy. Instead, you should first get your Golden puppy used to the collar and the leash. You can do this by putting his collar and leash on inside the house or outside in a fenced in area, so that he can walk around and move about freely with the leash on, dragging it alongside him.

Once you have given him some time, pick the leash up, then start calling him to you. Once he comes over to you, start praising him for it, so he knows that he is on the right track. Always be patient when leash training, as it will take some time for him to get used to it. If you continue to praise him when he is doing it right and continue giving him time to get used to the leash, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Digging around

Digging is something that Golden Retrievers love, as it is essential to their nature. Digging can be somewhat frustrating if you don’t give your Golden an area to himself, as he will dig holes in your yard. If you keep your Golden indoors, he may try to dig in the floor, on the couch, or on the bed. Digging is part of their nature, and you should never punish a Golden for digging.

To help him fill this need, you should give him an area to dig in. You can get him a kiddie pool or sandbox, filling it with either soil or sand. Then, try burying a treat or toy in inside, so your Golden will dig to get it out. Once he learns this is where he should dig, he will more than likely head to that area when he has the need to dig. Later on, when he becomes a bit older, you should invest in obedience training classes that will help him to get his digging habits under control.

The above tips can help a great deal when training your Golden Retriever puppy. Golden’s are great dogs, although you’ll need to have a bit of patience with them. Even though they are very smart dogs, it may take them time to learn. Once they start learning however - they will become an integral part of your family that you couldn’t begin to live without.

Training Your Golden Retriever

Dogs aren’t like humans, so they need to learn in different ways. Dogs don’t have human responses, meaning that they don’t operate with the principle of right or wrong. Instead, they operate on a principle of response, guided by the actions you give them. If their actions lead to a bad response from you, then they not that what they are doing is wrong and will avoid doing that type of behavior.

If your dog does something right, he should be praised for it. If your Golden Retriever is listening to what you say and doing well, you should reward him with a treat or praise. Letting him know that he is doing good leads to positive response. On the other hand, if he isn’t listening to you or doing the total opposite of what you say, you shouldn’t reward him at all - but instead scold him with a stern NO.

When training your Golden Retriever, timing is the most important factor. If your dog is doing something wrong, you shouldn’t wait or hesitate to correct him. Doing so may send the wrong impression. When your Golden is doing something wrong, you should correct him right then and there, so he will know without a doubt what he is doing wrong.

For example, if your Golden Retriever is chasing cars, you obviously want to stop this habit before it gets it out of hand. The second you see him doing this, you should always stop him and let him know he’s wrong. This way, he will know that chasing cars is something he shouldn’t be doing. It may take a bit of time for him to realize this, and you’ll need to hold your ground and continue to correct him when he is doing something that you don’t approve of.

This type of theory is similar to that of praise. When you see your Golden Retriever doing something right, you should praise him instantly. If you don’t praise him instantly and instead wait until he has stopped, he will assume that you are praising him for stopping. To be on the safe side and get the most from your Golden, you should always praise him when he is behaving in the right way, then correct him when he is behaving in a negative way.

If you take your time and show patience with your Golden Retriever, you shouldn’t have any problems training him. The training process may take quite a bit of time, although it is more than worth it in the end. Once you have trained your Golden Retriever, he will react to what you say, and avoid doing the things he has been corrected for. Training is essential for Golden - and will make him a much better dog when he grows older.

Traveling With Your Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers love to be included in family activities, which includes take rides in the car and traveling. They love attention, and love for you to treat them just like they are a member of your family. When you first get your Golden Retriever puppy, you’ll have to teach him how to enjoy car rides and traveling, so he can come to appreciate it more as he gets older.

When you decide to take him traveling for the first time, you should always give him food in small amounts throughout the day, while he adjusts to traveling. If you feed him a lot of food before you head out, he may get sick in the car and have an accident. By reducing the amount of food that he consumes, he’ll be much more in control of his bladder and himself.

When you are traveling, always plan to make frequent rest stops and allow your Golden Retriever time to relieve himself. You should also take some time to exercise as well, stopping every few hours for bathroom breaks and exercise. Golden Retrievers will hold themselves if they need to, although it isn’t good for them. No matter how far you travel, you should always be kind to your dog and stop every so often to let him have some time.

A common mistake that many have made, and one you should avoid at all costs, is letting your Golden ride in a moving vehicle with his head out the window. Although you may think this is a good idea, your Golden can easily get an eye, ear, or nose injury. Cars and trucks move at very fast speeds, and something can pop up when you least expect it and do serious damage to your dog.

When you stop for a break or to fill up your car, you should never allow your Golden Retriever to be alone in the car with the windows up. Even though you may crack the windows for him, the heat of summer can result in a heat stroke if you aren’t careful. If your dog does get a heatstroke from being locked up in a hot car, he can easily die before you are able to return to the car. If you simply must leave your dog in the car, make sure that you park in the shade and give him plenty of air.

As long as you do your part and take care of your Golden Retriever when you travel, he will love to travel with you. Traveling is something that your Golden needs to get used to, although most adapt to it fairly quick. Once you have taken your dog traveling with you, he will know when it’s time to travel and eventually learn to tell you when you need to stop so he can use the bathroom.

Crate Training Your Golden Retriever

A lot of people normally have the wrong conception when it comes to crates. This conception leads people to believe that crates are a punishment for dogs, and therefore they won’t use them. Much to the contrary, crates are actually one of the safest places you can put your Golden Retriever, which also gratifies his natural instincts to situate himself within a den.

If you have a crate and leave it open, your Golden will start to go to it when he gets sleepy or when he gets confused. Although Golden’s tend to like crates, you shouldn’t overuse one by allowing him to spend hours at a time inside of one. While you should be training him to get used to the crate, you should never allow him out if he is barking. Once your Golden starts to appreciate the crate, you can leave him in it for a few hours here and there - such as when you are away from home.

When you get your puppy and bring him home for the first time, you should already your crate there and situated where you want it to be. You should set the crate up in a central area, but never in areas that have a lot of traffic. Most people who use crates tend to leave them in the kitchen near a door, so the Golden can go outside whenever he needs to relieve himself.

Once you bring the puppy home, you should put him inside the house and allow him to start searching for the crate. Leave the door to the crate open, and the Golden puppy should start to wander in and out of it. You can also put a toy or dog treat inside the crate, to give your puppy extra incentive to enter. Once he goes inside praise him, and let him know that he is doing the right thing.

If your Golden Retriever stays in the crate on his own, praise him for it. Once your puppy starts getting in the habit of going into the crate on his own, you should place a new toy or treat inside for him to play with. After a while, you can close the door and see how he reacts. If he starts to whine, you can talk to him and put your fingers through the door, although you should never immediately take him out - instead wait for him to settle down.

Even though it may take some time, crate training is great for your Golden. You can use the crate when you need to leave, when you have family over, or for when your Golden has a medical condition such as diarrhea. If you use a bit of patience and never use the crate for punishment - your Golden Retriever puppy should catch on to the crate pretty quick.

Common Health Problems of Golden Retrievers

There are many common health problems that your Golden Retriever will experience from time to time. Most of these ailments are nothing serious, providing you know how they should be treated and prevented. Below, we will take a look at the most common ailments, and tell you how to prevent your Golden from getting them.

Distemper virus

The distemper virus is an airborne disease that poses a high risk. This virus can be prevented by getting your Golden 3 different vaccinations when he is between 6 and 16 weeks of age, along with his regular annual booster shot. The symptoms from this virus include fever, cough, diarrhea, and vomiting. If your Golden Retriever has these symptoms, you should immediately take him to see the vet.

Heartworms

Heartworms are among the most common ailment with all dog breeds. They can reach lengths of up to 12 inches in the heart and the lung arteries, leading to heart failure, a decrease in blood circulation, and even death in some cases. The symptoms with heartworms may not appear until it is too late, so you are better off preventing them with the correct heartworm medicines.

Heatstroke

During the summer months or hot days, your Golden Retriever can get a heatstroke. You can prevent this from happening by giving your dog plenty of water, and never leaving him in direct sunlight. If you are playing together on a hot day, you should give him plenty of time to rest so he doesn’t overdo it. The symptoms indicating a heatstroke include a lot of panting or drooling, dark gums, a glazed expression, rapid pulse, and even vomiting. If your dog starts to show any of these symptoms, you should immediately take him to the vet.

Rabies

Rabies is one of the more serious ailments that your Golden Retriever can get, as it has an adverse affect on your dog’s nervous system. Normally, dogs get rabies through a bite of another animal that is infected with the disease. There are rabies shots that helps to prevent the disease, and your dog should get them at least once a year. The symptoms of rabies include seizures, aggression, and foaming at the mouth. If you suspect your Golden has rabies, you should call the vet immediately.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are normally caused by fleas, and affect your dog’s stomach. The symptoms for tapeworms include a loss in weight, diarrhea, and even biting of the rectal area. You can easily prevent your Golden from tapeworms by using a rigid flea control. If your Golden Retriever exhibits symptoms for tapeworms, you should take him to the vet immediately. If the vet catches them in time, he may be able to kill the tapeworms with an oral medicine.

Hookworms

Hookworms result from your Golden coming in contact with feces, his mother, or the worm simply burrowing under exposed skin. You can prevent your dog from getting hookworms by cleaning his living area and keeping his skin clean. The symptoms that accompany hookworms include a dry coat, weight loss, weakness, and blood in the stool. As with all other ailments, you should immediately contact your vet if your Golden Retriever starts to show any of these symptoms.

Although these are just some of the most common ailments for Golden Retrievers, there are other ailments and health problems that your dog can get. If your Golden starts to show any signs of ailment, disease, or health problem, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact your vet and set up an appointment. Some of these diseases and ailments can be pretty serious - although they can be treated if you catch them in time.

Choosing The Right Breeder

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, it’s nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, you’ll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or pet shop

A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either - as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If you’re looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, you’d be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard breeders

Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Golden’s and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders don’t look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money - and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally aren’t familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can - for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders

A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

Characteristics Of The Golden Retriever

Almost all breeds of dogs are group oriented, as they need to interact with other species of their group to remain secure. Golden Retrievers, in particular, have been bred over the years to be geared more towards people. They make great guide dogs for the blind, friends for younger children, and even assistants for those who love to hunt. Due to the way they have been bred, they need to interact with people on a frequent basis.

They are merciful dogs at heart, and will tolerate several mistakes from you all the while wanting nothing more than you to acknowledge the fact that they are there and pat them on the head. Further proving that Golden Retrievers aim to please, is the fact that they were the first three dogs to obtain the Obedience Trial Championships - which is quite a statement indeed.

With Golden’s being so people oriented, it’s very important that they live with their owners. When you do any type of family activity, you should make sure that your Golden is included. Even though they don’t normally bark a lot, they will start barking if they get bored. Once a Golden Retriever is fully grown and becomes stout, he will enjoy many types of activities such as hiking, walking, hunting, jogging, and many other types of physical activity.

If you start your Golden Retriever puppy out early with exposure to kids, he will grow to become better than ever will kids. Although they can be very friendly around young kids, they can still knock them over or tend to want to lick them in the face. No matter how great your Golden Retriever may be around kids, you’ll never want to leave your dog and your kids alone. Even though Golden’s have a great temperament, a child can accidentally poke him or pull his tail and cause him to retaliate via his natural instinct.

All Golden Retrievers love the water, and choose to get wet any chance they get. If you have a pond or other source of water on your land, you can expect your Golden Retriever to get into it whenever he gets the chance. They are also drawn to mud, and will get themselves dirty on a frequent basis. Once your Golden is full grown, you can count on bathing him every couple of days.

During the summer, you’ll need to make sure that your Golden Retriever has plenty of moving air, shade, and water. They like the heat, although it normally isn’t good for them. As long as you take care of your Golden and don’t let him over exert himself, he should be just fine even in the hottest days that summer can dish out.

Characteristics Of Reputable Breeders

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, it’s nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, you’ll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or pet shop
A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either - as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If you’re looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, you’d be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard breeders
Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Golden’s and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders don’t look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money - and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally aren’t familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can - for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders
A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

Buying A Golden Puppy

We all know that Golden Retrievers are beautiful, obedient, and make great family pets and hunting dogs. Golden’s also make great guide dogs for the blind, narcotic detection dogs, and even tracking dogs for finding missing people. Although there are many other dog breeds out there, Golden Retrievers remain one of the most versatile and most astonishing breeds that you can get.

Before you rush out and buy a Golden Retriever puppy, you should first take the time to learn a bit more about the breed. You can attend dog shows, meet with various owners of Golden Retrievers, and even go to your local kennel club. Most people who own Golden Retrievers are extremely proud of them and will be more than happy to share their enthusiasm with you.

When you buy you’re Golden Retriever puppy, it’s always a great idea to buy from a backyard breeder or local puppy mill. Backyard breeders are normally the best way to get a Golden puppy, as they know and care a lot about the breed in general. Although you can always go to a reputable breeder, backyard breeders aren’t just in it for the money - they actually care about their dogs and want you to get the best Golden possible.

You can also visit the Golden Retriever Club of America and their local member clubs, as they can supply you with a list of breeders in your area. If these breeders don’t have any Golden’s for sale themselves, they will be more than willing to help you find what you’re looking for. This way, you can get a Golden from a very reliable source.

Whatever you do, you should never rush into buying a Golden Retriever. You should always take your time, and have a little bit of patience. When you buy your puppy, you want a healthy puppy who will grow up to be a fine testament of the breed. By taking your time and making a careful decision, you can save yourself a lot of time and money later on down the road.

Golden puppies that are poor quality, are normally produced by breeders who just want to have a litter or breeders who are just looking for the profits and care very little about giving thoughts to looks, quality, or temperament. If you buy a puppy from either of these breeders, you’ll more than likely end up with a puppy who has poor health, poor temperaments, and even disqualifications in breed.

When you get your puppy, you should always think long term. Only buy from a quality breeder, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Always remember that you aren’t just buying a Golden Retriever puppy - you are buying a companion and a friend for life.

Breeding Golden Retrievers

For beginners, breeding Golden Retrievers is nearly impossible. Breeding can be very complicated, although it can be easy as well. You should never attempt to breed unless you know a lot about requirements for hobby breeders, as it is simply unfair to the breed if you have a litter of puppies that simply aren’t what they should be. People who look to buy Golden Retrievers only want top quality, which is why you shouldn’t attempt to breed just have a puppies or make a few bucks.

Breeding Golden Retrievers is a very serious hobby, one that should be left to those who know how to make the right choices. There is a certain amount of cost and care involved with breeding, especially if breeders are going for a certain quality. There is also a lot of responsibility involved as well, which can take quite a bit of time to say the least.

Motivation for breeding
Breeding can help to fulfill the need of a Golden, although the dog still has no knowledge of it missing, no regrets, or no guilt towards living a life without having been breed. A pregnant Golden Retriever female doesn’t gain anything in regards to health, as it instead causes problems. Golden females that have been spayed on the other hand, cannot be bred. If you have chosen to have your Golden spayed, always remember that she will be unable to breed.

When looking to breed, quality breeders will have a lot of choices in front of them. They will need to determine the pair, such as the mother and the father. To get the highest quality possible from the litter, the breeder will need to determine the traits of both dogs, temperaments, and how well they seem to react to one another. The breeder will also need to determine in either of the dogs have any type of health problems, to prevent any diseases or ailments from being passed on to the litter.

Sometimes, when breeding Golden Retrievers, the mother of the litter will prove to be unfit, which requires more work for the breeder. If the mother isn’t doing her job of nurturing her young, the breeder will need to do it for her. This can be the most time consuming aspect of breeding, as the breeder will have to feed the young and make sure that they turn out as healthy as possible.

Aside from that, breeders also face quite a bit of costs as well. The prices for daily care, food, and vet bills can be very steep to say the least. When you crunch the numbers, you’ll quickly realize that breeders don’t make much money at all when they sale. Most breeders do it for a hobby, not looking to make money. Quality breeders on the other hand aren’t concerned with money at all, as they are more concerned about the quality of their litters. Quality is better than quantity, as even the best breeders out there have problems selling puppies from time to time.

Although breeding is fun for hobby breeders, it is something you really shouldn’t be doing if you don’t have the experience. Although your Golden may get knocked up by a dog of a different breed without you knowing it, you should do your best to avoid it at all costs if you can. A pure bred Golden Retriever should be bred only with dogs of her breed, to help preserve the breed and keep their bloodline going. If you have thought about breeding in the past - you should really study long and hard before you actually make a reality of it.

Bedding For Your Golden

Bedding for your Golden Retriever is very important, as this is where he will be spending quite a bit of time - especially at night. The ideal bedding for your Golden should be a natural fiber, such as wool, as wool absorbs most moisture and will keep your companion warm. When you get your blanket, you can try thrift stores, as they aren’t very expensive. You don’t want to buy an expensive blanket, for the fact that Golden Retrievers love to chew. They can chew or tear the blanket in no time at all, which would make an expensive blanket a waste of money.

When bringing your Golden puppy home, he may be a little upset having to leave his mom and the others of his litter. The scents and memories that he come to know and love are now being replaced with totally new ones. If you provide a towel for your Golden to sleep with, it may help to ease him a bit. Towels are a great way to remind Golden puppies of their mom and their litter, which will help them to sleep and relax.

If you are planning to have your Golden Retriever sleep with you, you should be ready to get up in the middle of the night and take him outside to use the bathroom. You should keep his food and water near his bedding at all times, so if he gets hungry or thirsty he can get what he needs. Then, you should planning on taking him out around an hour or so after he has eaten.

If you plan to leave your Golden Retriever outdoors, you’ll obviously need to use a different style of bedding. Doghouses are essential for Golden’s who stay outdoors, as it helps to keep them warm and free of weather. Inside of the doghouse on the other hand, most people tend to use straw so the Golden can make a bed out of it. You can also use a blanket or quilt as well, so that your Golden can wrap himself up in it should he get cold.

You can also use wooden shavings as well, as most Golden’s tend to like them. Newspapers work good as well, as they give your Golden something to lay on besides a wooden floor. Although doghouses work great for outdoor dogs, you should take your dog for walks on a daily basis and let him join you in activities that he finds enjoyable. This way, you can build a unique and lasting friendship with your pet. Golden Retrievers can quickly become the best friend you have ever had - as long as you take care of them. Making sure that have the proper bedding is a great place to start.

Adopting An Older Golden Retriever

Those of you who want a Golden Retriever but aren’t ready to go through the trials and tribulations of a puppy, should look into adopting an older Golden. Older Golden Retrievers are mature, and prove to be great in homes where they need to spend a quality amount of time by themselves. They are a very adjustable breed, being good tempered. No matter how old the Golden may be, he will quickly become a valued member of your family in little to no time at all.

Many times, breeders will have older dogs for sale. There are several reasons for this, which include show dogs that have lost their potential, studs that have been used for breeding, female Golden’s that have been bred a few times then retired, or other types of special conditions where a breeder is helping a friend get rid of his Golden Retriever. There are other reasons as well, although whatever they may be - the adult Golden Retriever will be available for anyone who wants him.

Most older Golden Retrievers are already housebroken, and known a lot of behavior patterns and how to adapt to a new and loving family. Although it will be a little hard on your new dog at first, if you give him plenty of love, attention, and patience, he’ll be just fine. You need to keep reassuring your new Golden on a regular basis, and let him know that you are his new owner and that you love you and you are glad he’s a member of your family.

If you have been thinking of adopting an older Golden Retriever, you should make sure that you learn everything you can about him. You should also determine his temperament, and whether or not it’s compatible with your family. You should also learn important things as well, such as his diet, likes, dislikes, daily routine, and his habits. Before you decide to take him, you should always make sure that the members of your family meet him as well, so you can talk it over and decide whether or not everyone wants the dog to be a member of your family.

With an older dog, you need to take care of him for the first days, and let him know where everything in your home is. You’ll need to show him where he sleeps, where he should use the bathroom, and where his food is. Take your time and be patient with him, as will normally take him a few days to learn how things in your home work.

You should always give your new Golden Retriever at least a month or so to get used to his new environment, before you start his new obedience training. Even though your new dog may have some prior obedience training, you should still enroll him in a new class. This way, he can brush up on training and you can work with him to help him understand. Once you have finished training, he’ll understand your commands better and you and him will get along just fine.

All Golden Retrievers, regardless of their age, love attention. Older Golden’s on the other hand, may have medical problems that you aren’t aware of. You shouldn’t let this stop you from getting one though, simply because the rewards that you’ll find are far greater than any cons that may come to mind. Although many people don’t give a lot of thought to getting an older Golden Retriever - they are perfect for families who don’t want to put up the time and troubles of raising a puppy.

Why Does My Dog Lick Me? Learn To Speak Dog!

Dogs have three ways of communicating what they want. They bark, paw or mouth. We expect them to be bi-lingual. For a better relationship, return the favor.

In view of the fact you probably don't speak Dog, the best way to learn what your puppy or dog is trying to tell you is to learn Dog.

Mainly new, inexperienced dog owners do not realize Dog is a simple language to learn. Once you learn it, you understand your pet is communicating volumes of information by their doggie sign and body languages.

Licking is a common complaint many dog trainers receive. Frustrated owners, usually of new puppies or demanding, and amazingly spoiled dogs, often call to say they are being "licked to death", and they don't know what to do about it.

Learn Dog To Know What Is Your Dog Telling or Asking Of You?

There are a number of reasons why your canine companion licks you. Most are means of communication...we just have to know Dog, so we know what they are trying to tell us.

Licking is natural and inherent. From the day they are born, puppies are licked by their mother as a way to groom/clean, comfort and mark them. When they get a little older, they learn licking could inspire mom to feed them a few regurgitated morsels. Mom's licking communicates a number of messages to her offspring; which they continue to practice on themselves, another animals and on us.

This could be a good thing, or an annoying habit; which can become a serious behavioral issue.

Basically, licking makes a statement about your pet's mood, grooming habits, level of submission, signs of affection and the one we have the hardest time with, the need for genitourinary stimulation.

Since your puppy or dog doesn't understand why you don't speak Dog fluently, they will usually be persistent and keep licking until they get a reaction from you. Dogs learn by association. When your dog associates too much or the wrong kind of licking means you will leave them, they usually learn not to become obsessive about it...or not do it in front of you. The message they must learn is, one or two licks...and we're good!

When we reward the unwanted behavior by giving attention each time they demand it, we create a behavioral issue. By knowing when, where, and how often to respond or ignore, we curtail their demand before it becomes a relentless problem that requires behavior modification. The best way to do that is to simply walk away and ignore them.

Licking the face of another dog is the universal doggie message, "I'm helpless, I submit to you." or, "Hey I'm friendly and I'm so happy to see you." This is an ancient behavior, that has been normal from the time they were wolves.

When the wolf or wild dog pack returned from the hunt with supper, the subordinate members of the pack were happy to meet and greet the hunters, but they always had to wait their turn to eat. They displayed their happiness and submission by cowering and licking the mouths of the more dominant pack members. They were also hopeful the object of their admiration, would release a scrap or two.

Have you ever noticed your puppy or dog display their anxiety by nervously licking their chops? It is a display of submission and it's self-consoling.

It should be noted, a dog that obsessively licks itself could also be indicating a medical problem. That needs to be addressed immediately before it develops into a neurotic, self-consoling behavior.

Licking, as a means of grooming, is perfectly natural...it's like taking a shower every morning. The problem is, when they want to give you one too! Here again, one or two licks and we're good, should be the message you sent back.

Dogs instinctively lick open wounds, as a way of keeping it clean. For centuries, armies had packs of dogs tag along with them, for protection, as a food sources and as "medics." Their crucial task was to lick open wounds, to keep them clean, and disease free. It was, and still is in some cultures, believed their saliva helps to kill certain bacteria. That theory is debatable, and the jury is still out on it.

The genitourinary stimulation thing as a rule is, "if it feels good, why stop?" It's your responsibility to curtail that behavior when it is inappropriate, and before it becomes an obsessive behavioral problem.

By Learning Dog

You will better understand what your puppy or dog may be trying to communicate. Such as:

"You have returned from the hunt safely...what did you bring me?"

"Are you as happy to see me, as I am to see you!"

"I need some consoling and reassuring."

" I'm sad because you're upset."

"I submit."

"You're hurt; here let me fix it."

"I'm depressed, or lonely and I need your attention."

Or, "I have put my scent on you. You are mine, all mine!" Let's face it, licking sure beats the alternative scent marking method!

Bottom line: Observe your pet's sign and body language. Learn Dog; so you can better understand what your puppy or dog is trying to tell you. That way you can control the behavior before it becomes a serious behavioral problem.

Your dog will be so impressed, that you are as bi-lingual as you expect them to be!

NEWFOUNDLAND - THE ARISTOCRAT AMONG DOGS.

The dogs which take their name from the island of Newfoundland appeal to all lovers of animals.There are now two established varieties, the black and the white and black. There are also bronze-coloured dogs, but they are rare. The black variety of the Newfoundland is essentially black in colour; but this does not mean that there may be no other colour, for most black Newfoundlands have some white marks. In fact, a white marking on the chest is said to be typical of the true breed. Any white on the head or body would place the dog in the other than black variety. The black colour should preferably be of a dull jet appearance which approximates to brown. In the other than black class, there may be black and tan, bronze, and white and black. The latter predominates, and in this colour, beauty of marking is very important. The head should be black with a white muzzle and blaze, and the body and legs should be white with large patches of black on the saddle and quarters, with possibly other small black spots on the body and legs.

Apart from colour, the varieties should conform to the same standard. The head should be broad and massive, but in no sense heavy in appearance. The muzzle should be short, square, and clean cut, eyes rather wide apart, deep set, dark and small, not showing any haw; ears small, with close side carriage, covered with fine short hair (there should be no fringe to the ears), expression full of intelligence, dignity, and kindness.

The body should be long, square, and massive, loins strong and well filled; chest deep and broad; legs quite straight, somewhat short in proportion to the length of the body, and powerful, with round bone well covered with muscle; feet large, round, and close. The tail should be only long enough to reach just below the hocks, free from kink, and never curled over the back. The quality of the coat is very important; the coat should be very dense, with plenty of undercoat; the outer coat somewhat harsh and quite straight.

The appearance generally should indicate a dog of great strength, and very active for his build and size, moving freely with the body swung loosely between the legs, which gives a slight roll in gait. As regards size, the Newfoundland Club standard gives 140 lbs. to 120 lbs. weight for a dog, and 110 lbs. to 120 lbs. for a bitch, with an average height at the shoulder of 27 inches and 25 inches respectively; but it is doubtful whether dogs in proper condition do conform to both requirements.

When rearing puppies give them soft food, such as well-boiled rice and milk, as soon as they will lap, and, shortly afterwards, scraped lean meat. Newfoundland puppies require plenty of meat to induce proper growth. The puppies should increase in weight at the rate of 3 lbs. a week, and this necessitates plenty of flesh, bone and muscle-forming food, plenty of meat, both raw and cooked. Milk is also good, but it requires to be strengthened with casein. The secret of growing full-sized dogs with plenty of bone and substance is to get a good start from birth, good feeding, warm, dry quarters, and freedom for the puppies to move about and exercise themselves as they wish. Forced exercise may make them go wrong on their legs. Medicine should not be required except for worms, and the puppies should be physicked for these soon after they are weaned, and again when three or four months old, or before that if they are not thriving. If free from worms, Newfoundland puppies will be found quite hardy, and, under proper conditions of food and quarters, they are easy to rear.

People Spend More On Their Pets Than Themselves

In recent studies, it has been discovered that in our downtrodden economy, people are spending more money on their pets, acquiring new pets and their upkeep than they are themselves. In a study done by Purina Dog Food, it has been estimated based on their current sales for this fiscal year that people all throughout the world will spend a total of $50 billion in pet food alone.

This is a record all-time high. Many people attributing this high cost of pet care and product purchases to the fact that more people are staying at home and focusing on their family lives, which includes pets rather than going on vacations, working long hours and they are staying home a lot more.

American pet ownership is at the highest it has ever been. 72.9 billion people have pets now and most of these families treat their pets better than their children. Since 2001, pet product sales have increased by 5% or more each year. Even animal breeders are surprised at how well the sale of new pets is going. One breeder said that even though her golden retriever puppies sell for $1,000 to $1,500 a piece, she still has to have seven to ten litters a year to keep up with the demand. People don't seem to care that these dogs are expensive; they aren't spending the money on anything else.

This has also been the case in pet care and death. People are paying whatever it takes to keep their pet happy and healthy for as long as possible. However, when their pet does finally pass on from old age or an incurable ailment, they spare no expense on cremation and selecting pet urns that they can keep forever with their pets. One man says that he paid over $5,000 for a solid gold pet urn for his Chihuahua puppy when it died of worms because he loved him so much.

That is nearly double what he paid for his wife's urn when she passed two years before his dog. Many pet cemetery directors also say that they have seen a rise in pet funerals. More than fifty of them a year are occurring all over the United States. It is always impressive to see the turn out says one director. People seem to spare no costs when it comes to their pets; however, loved ones are becoming indigent so families don't have to pay for them.

THE MOST INTELLIGENT POODLE.

The Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.

Not merely as a showman's dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.

The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.

Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.

Poodle's General appearance
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Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.

Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.

Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.

Nose: Black and sharp.

Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.

Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.

Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.

Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.

Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.

Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.

Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even

cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords.

General History Of Dogs

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man's habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern dog, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from wilder animals, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a corner in his dwelling, and grew to trust it and care for it. Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions from the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. One can well conceive the possibility of the partnership beginning in the circumstance of some helpless whelps being brought home by the early hunters to be tended and reared by the women and children. Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family

In nearly all parts of the world traces of an indigenous dog family are found, the only exceptions being the West Indian Islands, Madagascar, the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago, New Zealand, and the Polynesian Islands, where there is no sign that any dog, wolf, or fox has existed as a true aboriginal animal. In the ancient Oriental lands, and generally among the early Mongolians, the dog remained savage and neglected for centuries, prowling in packs, gaunt and wolf-like, as it prowls today through the streets and under the walls of every Eastern city. No attempt was made to allure it into human companionship or to improve it into docility. It is not until we come to examine the records of the higher civilisations of Assyria and Egypt that we discover any distinct varieties of canine form.

The dog was not greatly appreciated in Palestine, and in both the Old and New Testaments it is commonly spoken of with scorn and contempt as an "unclean beast." Even the familiar reference to the Sheepdog in the Book of Job "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock" is not without a suggestion of contempt, and it is significant that the only biblical allusion to the dog as a recognised companion of man occurs in the apocryphal Book of Tobit (v. 16), "So they went forth both, and the young man's dog with them."

The great multitude of different breeds of the dog and the vast differences in their size, points, and general appearance are facts which make it difficult to believe that they could have had a common ancestry. One thinks of the difference between the Mastiff and the Japanese Spaniel, the Deerhound and the fashionable Pomeranian, the St. Bernard and the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier, and is perplexed in contemplating the possibility of their having descended from a common progenitor. Yet the disparity is no greater than that between the Shire horse and the Shetland pony, the Shorthorn and the Kerry cattle, or the Patagonian and the Pygmy; and all dog breeders know how easy it is to produce a variety in type and size by studied selection.

In order properly to understand this question it is necessary first to consider the identity of structure in the wolf and the dog. This identity of structure may best be studied in a comparison of the osseous system, or skeletons, of the two animals, which so closely resemble each other that their transposition would not easily be detected.

The spine of the dog consists of seven vertebrae in the neck, thirteen in the back, seven in the loins, three sacral vertebrae, and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each has forty-two teeth. They both have five front and four hind toes, while outwardly the common wolf has so much the appearance of a large, bare-boned dog, that a popular description of the one would serve for the other.

Nor are their habits different. The wolf's natural voice is a loud howl, but when confined with dogs he will learn to bark. Although he is carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and when sickly he will nibble grass. In the chase, a pack of wolves will divide into parties, one following the trail of the quarry, the other endeavouring to intercept its retreat, exercising a considerable amount of strategy, a trait which is exhibited by many of our sporting dogs and terriers when hunting in teams.

A further important point of resemblance between the Canis lupus and the Canis familiaris lies in the fact that the period of gestation in both species is sixty-three days. There are from three to nine cubs in a wolf's litter, and these are blind for twenty-one days. They are suckled for two months, but at the end of that time they are able to eat half-digested flesh disgorged for them by their dam or even their sire.

The native dogs of all regions approximate closely in size, coloration, form, and habit to the native wolf of those regions. Of this most important circumstance there are far too many instances to allow of its being looked upon as a mere coincidence. Sir John Richardson, writing in 1829, observed that "the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference.

It has been suggested that the one incontrovertible argument against the lupine relationship of the dog is the fact that all domestic dogs bark, while all wild Canidae express their feelings only by howls. But the difficulty here is not so great as it seems, since we know that jackals, wild dogs, and wolf pups reared by bitches readily acquire the habit. On the other hand, domestic dogs allowed to run wild forget how to bark, while there are some which have not yet learned so to express themselves.

The presence or absence of the habit of barking cannot, then, be regarded as an argument in deciding the question concerning the origin of the dog. This stumbling block consequently disappears, leaving us in the position of agreeing with Darwin, whose final hypothesis was that "it is highly probable that the domestic dogs of the world have descended from two good species of wolf (C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms; from at least one or two South American canine species; from several races or species of jackal; and perhaps from one or more extinct species"; and that the blood of these, in some cases mingled together, flows in the veins of our domestic breeds.

Tips to Save Cash With Homemade Dog Food

It may seem more expensive creating your own healthy homemade dog food as meat will take a larger percentage of the ingredients. Do not despair but be far sighted. The healthy diet availed to your pooch will save in terms of the number of visits to the vet.

For those firm believers of healthy homemade dog food and who only use the commercial baggage as a back up, incorporating money sense and able to maximize the health or your furry friend is like wining the world cup in an inflationary economy! Keep in mind these tips and your furry friend will be an asset not a liability in the numbers world.

Keep it simple

Bypass exotic and expensive meat, such as, bison, duck, ostrich and emu. The rationale is such meat are allergy free. This is based on the assumption that protein diet is causing allergy and switching the protein source will eliminate the allergy. It is best to strengthen his intestinal organs with probiotics such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Bacillus species available in many forms including food, supplements and yogurt products, as this will help reduce his sensitivity to food allergy.

Get to know your butcher

Ask your local butcher to save the unwanted cuts for your dog at a reduce price. Although some cuts may still be too fatty for heath consumption, trim the meat further yourself at home. The meat will be fresher as it has not been packaged for travel long distances. There is a possibility of organic or grass fed meat availability which is a definite plus to health.

Food is medicine, medicine is food

If you feed your dog healthy homemade dog food, this will have a direct impact on the health of your dogs. When your dog is healthy it ultimately saves you money and yet you do not have to be tight on quality ingredients. You can buy in bulk and locally thereby saving on the amount you would have paid on logistic cost. These savings can be used to creating healthy homemade dog food by using organic ingredients. To further enhance the health of your canine friend, add supplements, herbs, vitamins and minerals.

The key is balance

Take for example, vitamins or supplements, add them to healthy homemade dog food to booster the health of your canine friend but not overdose. Check with your vet to find the correct dosage. By adding enough it will save you money simultaneously protecting the health of your dog. If we check and compare what we have most of the time the products dosages overlap. We need to sit down and rationalize and before you know it we do not need some of it and we will be able to keep some cash.

Grow your own food for a healthy homemade dog food

Share the stress of the supply food chain by growing some healthy herbs and vegetables such as tomatoes in small containers that in the balcony if you live in the city. If you have your own backyard, you could have a garden of vegetables and herbs. You and your faithful companion will have hours of bonding time in a sun soak getaway.

Managing meat

If you are person who is an advocate of healthy homemade dog food and is budgeting conscious, here are some extra tips. Repackage the bulk purchases into smaller bags and freeze them until later use. Buy whatever meat that is on special, such as, chicken, beef, pork or turkey. That will save you money and add variety to satisfy the palate of your dog.

I am sure there are plenty of ways to save in a commercial driven economy and you will probably come up with a few ideas on your own. As Abraham Lincoln puts it, "Determination: Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."

The Reasons Why Dogs Bark

Dogs bark. However, there are different types of barks and why dogs do this. Read on to learn about this.

One problem that dog owners and other people have is when a dog barks too much. This is especially true when a dog does not even seem like he would like to stop barking. There are many reasons why these animals bark. The key to stopping a dog bark is to find out and understand these reasons. That way, you would know the reason so you can find a solution to put a stop to the whole ruckus.

There are different types of barking. Dogs bark not because they want to annoy you but because they may be upset angry or bored. To handle the barking get to the main reason why he did so and handle it. Here are the different types.


• Territorial - One reason why a dog barks is because it is asserting its own territory. Dogs, just like other mammals, are territorial animals and they want you to know that it is the dominant entity in a certain place. This territorial nature can be seen when the mailman comes to deliver a letter to your home. Your pet would start barking. This is their way of saying to the mailman that your home is off limits to other people. That territory can be your house, the places that he has walks on a lot or it can be the park which he frequents.

• Alarm - Dogs usually bark when they see something that alarms them. Those which do this usually bark at anything they see regardless of whether it is within their territory or not.

• Attention seeking - When dogs feel that they are lacking attention, they will usually bark to seek attention.

• Greeting - This is a happy kind of bark, as when the pet sees their owner coming home from work, they will gleefully bark in greeting. Some would whine instead of bark when they greet their owner. You will know that the dog is greeting you when they are wagging their tail while barking.

• Compulsive - Sometimes, dogs seem to bark for no reason at all. This may be because they are bored or are anxious. This barks become compulsive barks as they do this again and again.

• Social - Dogs are social animals in certain ways. They bark because they want to communicate with other dogs. This may sound needless or angry but they are just responding to each other.

• Frustration - Dogs tend to bark when they cannot do anything about a situation they are in. For instance, when a dog is locked up in a crate, they will bark until they are released. It can be like a cry for help for them.

• Injury or illness - When a dog's bark is accompanied by whines, this could mean it is in pain or injured. Pay very close attention to this kind of bark.

• Separation anxiety - This reason can be hard to determine to pay close attention to the accompanying behavior of the dog while barking. Observe activities like destruction, pacing or making messes.

Animal Abuse - Enough is Enough!

Animal abuse comes in a lot of different forms ranging from neglect to actually hitting a pet. Spotting illegal animal abuse is sometimes hard to notice because the laws for it vary from country to country. Without knowing the laws in your state it can be hard to report any animal abuse. If you're not sure if something is legal or not you can talk to a police officer or contact a lawyer before reporting anything. Although laws can vary from place to place the New Zealand SPCA says, any person found to have intentionally overworked, tortured, tormented any living animal is in violation of the laws. The law also extends to anyone who doesn't provide enough food or water for their animal. Having a pet tied up to a short chain or having a leaking roof on your dog's doghouse when it's raining can be considered illegal. Anyone who is caught and accused of animal cruelty can face a misdemeanor or even a felony, depending on how severe it is. Even the abandonment of animals is considered illegal in most countries.

Reporting any type of animal cruelty is one of the best things that you can do to help stop it. It will not only help the animal that's being abused, it will also help prevent any other animals from being abused by that person. Animal abuse has also been linked to other violence within the families and within society. If you see any type of animal abuse it is important to not talk to the owner yourself, because the owner may think that it's okay for them abuse their pet or that it's the only way for them to learn. Many of the people hurting animals have physiological problems that only a professional can help them with. So, if you see an animal being abused call your local law enforcement or your local SPCA to report the incident. Doing so will make sure that you and the animal are both protected from future violence. It is also important to provide as much detail as possible when reporting animal abuse since it will be the start of a new investigation.

Preventing animal cruelty is the best way to help stop it. You can do it by doing one of two things, donating to a company who helps prevent it or teaching children while they're young to help stop it. Doing a simple search online can provide many charities that specialize in it and they don't require a large sum to donate, so there's no reason not to donate. The other way to prevent is to teach the younger generation of children about it. Stopping animal abuse will not only prevent animals from getting hurt but it will also prevent families from getting hurt since animal cruelty and domestic abuse go hand and hand.

Puppy Training Tips Review

The aim of every good dog owner is to produce an animal that is well behaved in every environment and situation and that is not always easy for the average person. The quickest way, and I think the best way, is to follow a well-structured training plan that has been developed by professionals, shown to work successfully and is prepared in a simple, easy to follow pattern. (This is for the owner's benefit, as well as the dog!)

Dogs are descended from pack animals and, as such, the leader of the pack is the one that gets to set the standards for the rest of the animals; in your environment, it is your role to be the leader of the pack.

There are six basic training steps for every dog and then, once mastered by both you and your pet, you can move on to some fun training with your dog so your animal can be part of the fun with you and your family.

The overpowering joy you experience on bringing home your first puppy can be quickly shattered when it makes its first impression on, or in, your home. We all know that, unless it is a pre-trained rescue dog, these types of accidents are going to happen, but probably the first time is the worst.

Therefore your dog's initial training needs to be focused on toilet training. Teaching it to use a designated place in your outside space as a toilet, and not your house, must be your first priority. This step will be fraught with difficulties and there will, of course, be other accidents along the way, but, at the end of the day, when your puppy consistently manages to both let you know when they need to go and then go where they have been trained, both of you will be overjoyed.

The next stages in training your puppy are:

2 Obedience Training
3 Crate Training
4 Walking On A Lead
5 The Recall
6 Good Puppy Manners

Finally, you can work with your dog on some fun exercises that can teach it to give you its paw, wave, rollover, etc. These are not cruel on your pet as they enjoy themselves learning and can give you and your family more joy in playing with your dog.

Although you will want to move your dog's training through at an accelerated rate, bear in mind that your dog sees these exercises, not as training, but as fun and games. You should start training your puppy as soon as you can as, like young children, they will absorb everything that you can give them. Keep the early sessions short, up to a maximum of 10-25 minutes, to keep you and your pet at a high energy level. Gauging the time of the sessions can be important as too long will make the training for your dog less enjoyable and, like you at school or work, will probably stop them learning.

As I stated earlier, the aim of every dog owner is to produce a well behaved dog in any situation. It is also important that your dog respects each situation without the need for loud words and/or striking the animal. Your role as owner and trainer of your pet is to achieve this situation. Remember, there is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad dog owner. Your dog deserves a good home and a good owner and it is your duty to provide both of these!

A Friend for Life Who Can Really Change Your Life

For dog lovers it is almost entirely unbelievable that anyone could hate dogs. Not because of how they look - which helps - nor because they guard you or protect you. Well some do! But it's actually because they are so amazingly affectionate, no matter whom you are or where you come from.

Dogs are completely non discriminating too and don't care where you were born or what color you are. If you show them any kind of friendliness and treat them well they will love you like no other animal does. They love kids, they love adults, they love the young, the old and when they really get to know you that is when they show their love by offering to protect you from any danger, muggers, burglars, thieves, robbers, young hooligans, anyone who might threaten you.

Your dog will take responsibility for you and never take his or her eyes off of you whenever there is a threat or risk of any kind. And the amazing thing is you don't have to train them. They instinctively know how to look after their owners and how to chase the bad guys away or raise the alarm.

What's not to love about a friend like that? They keep you on your toes too, because if you own a dog you better want to be fit. You have to take your new friend for a walk and in the process get some needed exercise. Throwing the ball and other toys to retrieve is also good exercise and if you take the animal on a leash, you can jog him round the block a few times and he'll love every minute too.

Why? Because he or she is playing with their best friend in the fresh air, and how good does it get for a dog? Actually, how good does it get for the owner too? Apart from keeping fit and getting some stress free quality time outside, you will be smothered in love too from this joyful animal who loves nothing more than to play and be loved too.

It's a win-win situation and it's no suprise that doctors have learned that owning a dog is one of the best ways of relieving stress and relaxing you to the extent that it can reduce high blood pressure, improve your appetite and help you sleep better too. Now why wouldn't you want a best friend like that - someone who does all that for you and never speaks an angry word?

Dogs! are amazing creatures I have spent over 20 years training and breeding dogs. They love unconditionally and ask little in return. They are great companions.

Teach Your Dog To Swim In 10 Easy Steps

Some dogs are just born swimmers: you take him to a lake and he dives right in and starts chasing ducks, or he jumps headfirst into the pool to play with the kids. Some dogs have to be taught to swim, and some can't even dog paddle; However, teaching your dog to swim is a simple process that only require practice and patience. Certain breeds of dogs take more readily to the water, these are breeds such a poodles, retrievers, water spaniels, and setters. Other breeds of dogs, such as pugs, bulldogs, Boston terriers, and daschshunds will not take to the water quite as readily.

Step 1: Make sure you pick the right place. A loud, crazy pool is not a good idea for a first swimming lesson. The dog will be paying more attention to the crowd than learning. Also pick a place where you can enter the water yourself- a dog will be much more comfortable if you enter the water with him at first.

Step 2: Use a leash or long line while your dog is in the water. This allows you to remain in control and react if your dog begins to sink, becomes too exhausted, or starts getting too far away.

Step 3: Never throw your dog into the water and never force him to get in. Place his paws in the water on the steps to let him get used to it. Always teach your dog to enter and exit using the steps. This also allows them a "safe place" to retreat if they get scared or if they get too tired.

Step 4: If you or a friend has a dog who already knows how to swim, consider allowing them to swim together. One dog doing well at swimming will typically encourage the other to try.

Step 5: Encourage your dog to swim verbally, and with treats and toys when he's in the water. Even if he doesn't swim during his first session, he will associate water as being a good thing in the future because he's praised and given treats while in water. Eventually your dog should begin to paddle. If he doesn't use his rear legs, you may need to move them for him once or twice to show him how to do it.

Step 6: If you dog still sinks, as may be the case for many short-legged dogs, you may want to consider getting a life vest for him. Life vests can be purchased at most pet stores or online retailers, and come in different sizes that can be adjusted to fit your dog. When first using a life vest, make sure to support his weight. He may panic if he feels like he's sinking.

Step 7: Also consider getting sunscreen for your dog. Dogs CAN get sunburn, especially around their eyelids, ears, and nose. Light colored dogs who have been shaved recently are especially high risk for sunburn.

Step 8: Rinse your dog off after he's been swimming. This will help remove bacteria, chlorine, and other chemicals that can irritate your dog.

Step 9: Always watch your dog when swimming, especially in large bodies of water. A dog that can swim well may get overconfident and may keep swimming until he's lost or stuck.

Step 10: Always end any training sessions on a positive note, and remember that safety comes first.

Organic Dog Food Recipe

Pet dogs must have approximately 18 % protein in addition to 15 % fat within their diets, while using additional 67 percent composed of complex carbohydrates within natural and organic produce and whole grains. This is often effortlessly achieved by utilizing versions in this very simple formula:

•4 cups organic meat, finely chopped
•3 cups organic vegetables, finely chopped
•4 cups of organic whole grains
•1 teaspoon of organic and natural extra virgin olive oil

Cover with water and simmer for an hour, or until the grains are generally soft. Store the selfmade dog food in the family fridge or freeze them for longer storage.

The dog food could certainly contain various necessary protein, veggies and grains. Meat scraps as well as vegetable parings are amazing for this, so is left over breakfast oat meal. Various items that you shouldn't supplement your organic dog food recipes are:

Raisins, onions, garlic, chocolate, sugar substitutes, uncooked meat, grapes, fake fats, egg shells, mushrooms, macadamias, citrus oils, persimmons, avocado, anything uncooked, anything moldy, or spoiled ingredients. Also, use fat clippings with great care. The actual richness of the fat could potentially cause pancreatitis in some creatures. Even be cautious with milk and milk products, which tend to be usually best left out of your canine's diet.

Clearly, this is surely an incomplete list. Every food that you plan on providing your pet needs to be reviewed with your veterinary clinic. Keep in mind whatever you add to the dog food need to be thought out and clearly labeled organic, or you should recognize that it is. Virtually any dog food formula will be an organic dog food provided that you just use organic ingredients.

Also, when you've got a dog that has allergies or possibly a extremely hypersensitive belly you need to use mainly organic lamb and brown rice as the basic substances of his or her food. These components are definitely the least likely to cause problems with an animal which has health problems of just about any form. There have already been many organic cookbooks released exclusively for dog owners in which wish to make their own individual pet foods.

Numerous pet food cook books provide your canine a brand new and exciting eating experience with various flavors and quality recipes, below are some of our suggestions:

•Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome, by Arden Moore and Anne Davis
•Pet Food Nation, by Joan Weiskopf
•The Natural Pet Food Cookbook, by Wendy Nan Rees, Kevin Schlanger, and Troy Cummings
•Barker's Grub: Easy, Wholesome, Home Cooking for Dogs, by Rudy Edalati

Dog on a Diet helps you find a formula that you feel comfortable with and developing it with organic ingredients supply you with a feeling of control over your dog's wellness. When you are careful with what you nourish your companion animal he can be a lovable friend for years to come.