Dog Training Tips: Things I've Learned About Agility Dog Training

I've owned many dogs, throughout my life, but have never known exactly how to train them properly. I based my training on punishment and just couldn't figure out why that didn't work that well. But, almost two years ago, I started training my Papillon for agility competition. She was extremely high-drive and I knew she'd really love it. So, I found a good agility training school and off we went. We've...

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Gift Giving Ideas for People Who Love Dogs

Pat Schraier


All of us have a friend or relative who loves their dog. They carry pictures in their wallets or purses, take vacations with their pet and talk about them all the time.
Buying a gift for someone who loves their dog can be daunting with all the possibilities. Here is some help narrowing down the options available for gift giving to a pet owner.
1. Create Your Own Gift - If you are creative this is the most cost effective way to give a gift to a dog lover. You can give a basket of dog treats, dog grooming products or toys. If you know how to knit or sew, doggie clothes are an original idea for gifts. Check out http://www.dog-match.com/hand-made-gifts.shtml for free resources and patterns for making dog clothing.
2. Buy Useful Gifts - A gift certificate for a dog walking service, pet grooming service or vet is a welcome gift. If your dog lover likes natural products there are several web sites that feature natural care products. A pet bed is another useful gift. Be sure it is large enough to hold that puppy when he grows up.
3. One of a Kind Personalized Gifts - If you have a picture of your recipient's dog you can get a personalized pillow ortee shirt with the photo silkscreened onto the fabric.
4. Funny or Whimsical Gifts - There are many sources of funny pet related items available on the internet; breed specific golf club covers, calendars, coffee mugs and much more. You are only limited by your imagination and budget.
5. Books and Subscriptions - You can find both fiction and non-fiction books about dogs in bookstores or online. Or a subscription to a magazine such as Dog Fancy would please any dog lover.
These are just a few ideas - I'm sure you can think of many more.
About the author: Pat Schraier has been the owner of chihuahuas, terriers, cocker spaniels and other breeds of dogs. Her website www.dog-match.com features articles, advice, resources and stories for people who love their dogs. Find out how to order a personalized dog photo pillow at http://tinyurl.com/8xqk

How To Avoid Bad Doggy Behavior, And Teach Your Puppy Some Manners

A poorly trained dog can embarrass its owner and offend other people - or even make them feel threatened. Teaching your dog some manners is just common-sense. You did it with your children and your parents did it with you. If you had never learned right from wrong you would be behaving badly so why expect to be able to raise a dog without any coaching? He has lots to learn. There's a popular saying among dog trainers: There's no such thing as a bad dog. While that may be true, any trainer will admit that there are dogs with very bad habits. When a dog acts or reacts to a situation in a way...

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Worried About which Breed of Dog is Best for Your Family? Find Some Answers Here.

Ask ten experts how many breeds of dogs exist and you will get ten different answers. However, many estimate there are more than 300 breeds of dogs. Each is valued by someone or by a group of people. In fact, they exist because they were bred to have characteristics that make them well suited for specific tasks. Over thousands of years, dogs were bred to meet a variety of human needs. Chihuahuas, Pekinese and Shih-Tzus are generally known as yoy breeds - very small types of dogs, often weighing less than ten pounds. The dogs were bred to be mainly companions rather than perform physical labor....

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