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Crate Training Made Easy As 1-2-3

Luna's puppies emerging from their den Crate training, when properly done, provides owners with peace of mind during those times when they cannot monitor the activities of their new puppy or dog.  Dogs Love Their Dens and Crates Dogs are essentially den animals by nature, meaning they instinctively enjoy being in dark close quarters.  In the wild, expectant mothers dig dens in order to whelp and raise their new puppies.  In fact, our border collie regularly digs dens or re-excavates old dens in accordance with her seasons to prepare for her coming or imaginary litters.  These dens are relatively spacious, and will protect the puppies from the elements such as summer heat, winter snow and rain. Their den maintains a relatively constant temperature, as it is typically one foot underground.  Here the puppies will stay until they begin to walk and venture out short distances from the den, returning to the den to sleep and nurse.  With proper introduction to his new cr

How To Finding the Right Dog Breed and Breeder for Your Family

Pure bred dogs offer puppy seekers the opportunity to match their family’s needs with the traits and temperament characteristics of the dog that may best suit their home environment.  Each dog breed was bred to perform a specific set of tasks. For that reason, each breed’s body structure, instincts and temperament have been molded over generations, in many instances centuries, through selective breeding, to develop the breed’s type.   While there are no guarantees on temperaments, pure bred dogs offer prospective owners a good idea of what their puppy will grow up to look like, what is energy level is likely to be, as well as its inherent instincts, tendencies and general personality characteristics. Where To Find Your Dog Breed and Leads on Breeders If you are still choosing between several dog breeds or have already set your sights on a particular breed, a good starting place is a dog show.  Most AKC breeds will be represented there, and in many instances breeders will

The Greatest Show On Earth: Westminster Kennel Club Tonight

The 2013 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be televised tonight (February 10 th ) 8:00-11:00 PM EST on CNBC network.  The Hound, Toy Herding and Non-Sporting Groups will compete for the honors to go on to Best in Show Tuesday night. Please note, Tuesday night Westminster will be televised on a different station at 8:00-11:00 PM EST on the USA network.  Winners of the Sporting Working and Terrier Groups will join the previous day’s winners in the thrilling Best in Show competition.  Look for LIVE - STREAMING coverage of the breed classes on the Westminster site at www.westminsterkennelclub.org! This year The Westminster Kennel Club has made major changes in what is to be one of the most exciting dogs show on Earth.  From the top down big changes are in store for us; starting with the addition of Reserve Best in Show!  Competitors in the breed classes winning Best Opposite and the Selects will gain points towards their Grand Championships as well.  Because the breed classes

Canine Hip Dysplasia Can Now Be Predicted At Birth By DNA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dimas_sc/3100685891/ A few breeders and I occasionally have a chuckle over the fact that pet buyers seem to be more concerned with knowing hip scores than are most other breeders.  Perhaps the other breeders have already done their homework on the OFA database or our websites; it certainly appears that the puppy buyers have done their homework regarding finding a reputable breeder. Good for them; that’s the kind of home I like my puppies to go to. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a physically debilitating disorder that is both emotionally and financial draining for dog owners.  With no cure other than pain management or hip replacement surgery, diagnosis of hip dysplasia is the breeder’s as well as the pet owner’s heartbreak.  Stocky breeds such as the Bulldog and those weighing over 60 pounds such as the St. Bernard experience hip dysplasia rates of up to 72% and 46% respectively.  It is estimated by Cornell University that 22% of canine hospitalizati

Easy, Healthy Pumpkin Dog Treat Receipe

Canned pumpkin tops the list of the most nutritious fruits and vegetables!  Rich in Vitamin C and E, high in fiber as well as antioxidants, it also helps to control loose stools.  Add to that a teaspoon of cinnamon, an anti-inflammatory that improves blood circulation and helps regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol,  and you have a super  nutritious and inexpensive treat for your best friend.  This is a gluten free recipe that's great for dogs on a limited ingredient diet . Also, dogs suffering from diabetes or arthritis will benefit especially from this recipe. Preparation time 5 minutes: Ingredients: 3/4 Cup Dry Rolled Oats 1 - 15 oz Can of Pumpkin (not the spiced pie filling) 1 - Teaspoon Cinnamon 1/2 Cup Dry Powdered Milk 2 - Tablespoons Water 2 - Tablespoons of Molasses - optional Place dollops on a greased (or Pam sprayed) cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees. Does your dog need to lose a little weight?  Research shows t

Top 10 Pet Names for 2012

Based on Banfield hospital's roster of 2.5 million patients, Bella (of  Twilight  fame) tops the 2012 list for Dog names, and comes in second for Cats.  Bella was last year's most popular name for both Cats and Dogs .  But look out 2013 - Both Katniss ( Hunger Games ) and Honey Boo Boo ( Spoiled Brat Reality Star ) are on the rise! Top Dog Names: Bella Max Buddy Daisy Bailey Coco Lucy Charlie Molly Rocky Top Cat Names: Kitty Bella Tiger Max Smokey Shadow Tigger Lucy Chloe Charlie

How Dogs Learn The Meaning Of Words

The average dog can learn as many as 150 words, a fairly substantial vocabulary beyond sit, stay and come. Research with several border collies has brought those vocabulary numbers up beyond 400 words, and a border collie named Chaser has learned the names of 1022 objects, which he can differentiate and fetch on command.  There appears to be no upper limit in Chaser's vocabulary lessons, as he continues to add words to his lexicon. In the wake of such impressive results, researchers Emile van der Zee, Helen Zulch and Daniel Mills sought to determine the presence of a key feature of human word comprehension in canine learning. In the research article,  Word Generalization by a Dog (Canis familiaris): Is Shape Important?, the researchers sought to determine if shape bias existed in dogs as it does in humans. Experiments with human 2 year olds, have shown a "shape bias" exists in the learning of new words.  Simply put, once the child associates a name with an object,