Poochdogs.com

Training your dog is important. A dog that has been properly trained can even save his master’s life, should the need ever arise. In dog training, there are many basic things that you should be aware of for your training to be effective. Without these basic guides, you won’t really be successful in training your dog.

One of the basic concepts in dog training is consistency. Unlike us humans, dogs have simple brains. They can adapt to a situation once they figure out by means of our consistent application of what we want them to do. For example, you have a dog that, every time you take off your shoes, will tend to take and run away with it. Now every time your dog tries to take your shoes and you consistently do not allow it, your dog will sooner or later figure out you don’t want him taking away your shoes so he’ll eventually stop trying to take them away from you.

Your dog can easily get confused if the consistency that you apply in your training is made inconsistent by others, like family members. It is then important to have a uniform application of what you and your family members would want your family dog to do. Inform your family members of how do you want to train your dog, so that they will act accordingly.

If you are training your dog and applying consistency, do not let your young children mingle with your dog during the time it is being trained. This is to avoid unnecessarily confusing the dog because young children know nothing about the consistency application that needs to be followed.

It’s not just the dog’s behavior where consistency is required; consistency is also required for obedience commands — including yourself. If you want your dog to learn to obey commands, you need to be ready for this area of dog training from the very beginning, and keep at it for the duration of the training. The reality is that many dog owners are not willing to train their dogs to obey commands. So if you want to incorporate obedience commands into your dog’s training, make sure that you are ready for it by having the right mindset.

Dog training is a combination of compassion and a little bit of manipulation. For instance, don’t punish your dog the first time you give him a command and he doesn’t obey. Instead, find a way for your dog to learn the command. You can give your dog a reward (a treat) for obeying a command. Basic dog training is basically teaching your dog to follow instructions based on reward and encouragement. Encouraging your dog to learn a trick and rewarding him when he does it is the most appropriate way of training him. Remember, however, that consistency should always be applied in any aspect of the dog training to make it successful.

Keep in mind that basic dog training doesn’t just involve training the dog; it is in a way also training you, the dog owner. If your dog does not get properly trained, it was not your dog who failed, it was you. It’s important that you understand basic dog training concepts (e.g., maintenance, reward, redirection, prevention and correction) and have a good strategy in place. If you do, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the remarkable achievement of your dog in learning the things you want him to learn and do.

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I’ve used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso’s dog training blog [http://www.cooldoghalloffame.com/dog-training/consistency-and-the-art-of-basic-dog-training/2646] right now…

How do you keep the Dog Doctor happy when it’s time to evaluate the veterinary health of your best friend (your dog that is!)? Dogs, of course, just like humans, should have regular check-ups at the veterinary’s office. And in addition to check-ups there will, for most dog owners, be the occasional accident or illness that also requires a visit to the local Dog Doctor. In this article we’ll discuss how you can keep your Dog Doctor happy when assessing Fido’s veterinary health.

There are three parties that share responsibility for keeping your Dog Doctor happy during your dog’s visit to the vet: you, the owner; the Dog Doctor and his/her staff; and, of course, your dog. In this article we’ll focus primarily on what you, as the owner, can do to ensure a positive experience for everyone during your dog’s veterinary health visit.

The owner, in fact, does have the lion’s share of the responsibility. You (should) know your dog better than anyone, including the Dog Doctor. After the first or second veterinary health visit you will know how your dog tends to behave in the vet’s office. Once you know how your dog is likely to behave, you can take whatever precautions that may be necessary to keep everyone in the best possible frame of mind.

I know that some dogs are very well-behaved, even during a visit to the Dog Doctor. I’ve never owned one, but I hear they exist! For the lucky owner of such a sweetheart there is very little to do in the way of preparation. By all means, give your dog copious amounts of praise and affection during the visit to reinforce its stellar behavior! However, continue to be present with your dog when it is with the Dog Doctor, always watching for an unexpected reaction. Even well-mannered dogs can react to unexpected pain or prodding in ways that are – how shall we say it – unpleasant.

So, what can we do with dogs that are more nervous, less compliant, and more apt to rebel and misbehave during their veterinary health episodes? Fortunately for you, your dog, and the Dog Doctor, there are some common-sense measures you can take.

Rule One, of course, is to always restrain your dog on a (short) leash during veterinary health visits. Most vets require this, but whether or not it is a requirement of the veterinarian you should do it. For one thing, you never know what other little beasties might be visiting the Dog Doctor at the same time. Even the most well-behaved dog could react in unexpected ways to some of the other animals you may encounter!

Secondly, you should stay with your dog during its examination. Most vets will allow this, and even encourage it. They know that you, the owner, are likely to have the most calming effect on your dog just by your presence in the room. Keep contact with your pet as much as possible. Gentle petting, scratching behind the ears, speaking to your dog in a calming voice – all of these behaviors on your part can help your dog remain calm during this potentially stressful experience.

You can also help by talking with the veterinarian, especially when switching vets or during your pet’s first veterinary health visit. Let him or her know your dog’s likely reactions and any other information that may help for a happy visit. After all, during that first Dog Doctor visit especially, you need to be responsible for alerting the vet to possible problems that could occur.

Depending on your dog’s size and personality, a muzzle may be appropriate. Muzzles may be called for if there is any chance your canine may be spooked by other pets, or other people (including curious toddlers!). If there is any chance at all your dog may over-react and bite another’s pet or another person, muzzle your dog. An ounce of cure may save a pound of ugly lawsuit!

How you prepare your dog for it’s veterinary health visit, and how vigilant and responsible you personally behave, will go a long way toward keeping the Dog Doctor happy! Do everything you can to ensure safety and preserve the peace, and you and your dog will have the best possible experience at the veterinarian’s office.

View the original article here

Any responsible dog owner wants to feed their pet to provide the best possible nutrition and health. Feeding dogs according to the needs of their bodies – that is, the needs for certain nutrients and the needs of canine digestive processes – is the best way to ensure the health, well-being, and long life of your pet. This article will discuss one common sense way we can feed dogs so that we know without a doubt their diets are full of the best ingredients and nutritional quality possible.

First, it’s important to understand what attracts dogs to certain food. I don’t know about you, but I am not a dog. While you and I are impressed by visual stimuli – the colors of the foods we eat and how they are arranged on the plate – dogs are not. The dog’s nose knows! Dogs are attracted to food by how good it smells to them.

While it’s true that not all dogs are exactly the same in their food preferences, we can generalize somewhat when it comes to what dogs like to eat. Most dogs are attracted to the aromas eminating from most meats – things like liver, beef, lamb, horsemeat, chicken, etc. Most are also attracted by the smell of cheese, fat, garlic and onions.

That brings up the subject of vegetables, and when it comes to feeding dogs vegetables there are not as many universally appreciated smells. You can learn what vegetables your dog likes by offering it leftovers. Notice what gets gobbled and what gets ignored. It may surprise you what vegetables, and even fruits, your dog enjoys.

Our neighbor Bonnie has a Shih Tzu that loves fresh tomatoes. For many years in the summers she would plant a tomato plant or two in large planters on her back porch. This is the same back porch where her dog Snickers would spend much of his day. Bonnie began to notice that her tomatoes would sometimes disappear when they began to ripen, especially the ones closest to the ground. This was a puzzle, and Bonnie began to suspect that perhaps some of the neighborhood kids were making raids on her tomatoes. Not MY kids of course!

One day Bonnie noticed red around Snickers’ mouth. She thought it was blood at first, and looked closer. It was the remains of one of her ripe tomatoes! When I tell this story to other dog owners, I hear all kinds of stories about how their dogs like everything from lettuce, to rutabega to grapes and oranges! Go figure.

While cats should not be fed starchy vegetables like peas and corn, dogs can have pretty much any vegetable they like. We should not, however, be feeding dogs extra salt. The salt nature provides is plenty for our canine friends.

So why not feed dogs the foods they love, and why not make it yourself? When you feed dogs homemade food you know exactly what’s in it and that it is fresh and healthy. A good rule of thumb is to use about three quarters carbohydrates (grains and vegetables) and about one quarter meat products. It’s also a good practice to add grains – whole wheat bread crumbs, cooked oatmeal and wheat germ are probably the healthiest. There’s one very good recipe you can try below, although you may need to tweak it according to what you know about your own pet’s preferences.

Combine a chicken liver, chicken giblets, a chicken heart, a chicken neck, and 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Cover in a pot and simmer until the giblet is tender. Be sure to chop up all the meat, and remove all the bones. Add whatever chopped cooked or raw vegetables your dog likes. Substitute any leftover meats and fish you may have in place of the chicken parts.

Experiment with this recipe, and find combinations that your pet appreciates most. Taking a little time and expending the effort to make your pet’s food will save you money while feeding your dog a healthy and nutritious diet that will have plenty of variety and be customized to your dog’s particular tastes. What better expression of your love could your dog receive?

View the original article here

Let’s face reality – the person who enjoys brushing their dog’s teeth is about as rare as a one-armed trapeze artist! I mean – uggghhhh. But then, most New Yorkers don’t enjoy bagging their puppy’s poop either. They do it anyway!

Dental disease is no fun no matter what your species. This purpose of this article is to give you some helpful information, and a few practical tips, about what you can do at home to keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy.

It’s clear that daily brushing and flossing is extremely important for human oral hygiene. In fact, it’s been shown that keeping the teeth, gums and tongue clean actually helps prevent heart disease in humans. It makes sense, then, that keeping your pet’s teeth, gums and tongue clean on a regular basis will also be very beneficial to its health and well-being.

Perhaps the first best thing you can do for your dog’s dental health is to feed it a nutritious, healthy and well-balanced diet. At least part of your dog’s diet should be dry and crunchy. As your pet crunches away its teeth are getting the benefit of the food’s hard surfaces removing plaque. This benefit will be absent if your dog is not given some sort of dry hard food every day.

The same effect can be achieved with dog bones – the real dead animal variety or the human-made variety. The treats you provide your dog are an important part of its diet. Its a good idea to be watchful about everything your pet eats, including snacky treats. Raw beef bones are great to help with dental hygiene by keeping the teeth clean and plaque-free. Chewing a crunchy treat once or twice a day will also help remove plaque and keep your dog’s mouth healthy. Healthy treats can also give your dog better breath. Yahoo.

But a healthy diet will only go so far – you should also brush your pet’s teeth periodically to minimize plaque and tartar buildup. Toothbrushes for pets of all sizes can be purchased at your local pet store or online. Tooth pastes made especially for dogs can and should also be purchased. And used! Another good practice, along with brushing your pet’s teeth, is to wipe its gums with a dental wipe from the pet store, or even a clean moistened cloth.

Do your dog a big favor and look after its dental health. Use common sense, the vet’s advice, and even the advice of your friendly pet store clerk. Diet, brushing, wiping the gums, healthy snacks – develop a routine for your pet’s teeth and stick to it.

View the original article here

See larger image C.E.T. HEXtra Premium Oral Hygiene Chews with Chlorhexidine, Large Dogs, 30 Chews (Misc.) List Price: $19.99 USD New From: $16.46 In Stock

Protecting your dog’s health is important not only to your dog, but to you as well. The purpose of this article is to remind you of some of the signs your dog may be signalling that it is not feeling well and may need your help.

A disclaimer is in order. I am not a veterinarian, and the advice in this article cannot replace taking your dog to a qualified veterinarian for periodic  checkups and especially when the severity of its symptoms calls for professional help. However, that being said, there are times when your dog is mildly ill or out of sorts, and during those times it doesn’t hurt to understand how to recognize the symptoms that can tip you off.

It may surprise you to know that you are by far the best person to recognize symptoms of illness in your dog. You see the dog every day and know him or her better than anyone else. You know when your dog’s behavior is off – maybe its tail is drooping, or its response to your call is slow, or – well, the list goes on and on. There are many signs, blatant and subtle, that will tip off a dog’s owner that it is not feeling well.

Once you’ve noticed one sign of potential ill health, you can be on the alert to be especially watchful for other clues. The earlier your dog’s symptoms are identified and the appropriate treatment given, the better the likelihood of a full and speedy recovery.

There are some early warning signs of which you should be aware. For example, your dog’s eyes should be bright and clear. Its nose should be dry and clear of any discharge. Its skin should be free of sores and irritations. And the dog’s coat should appear full and healthy – healthy according to the norms of the breed and your particular dog.

Furthermore, your dog will probably not eat its food, or eat less than usual, when it is becoming sick. It may drink more water than usual, or less than usual. It will probably have reduced energy, and may be favoring certain parts of its body. There can also be a sudden change in the dog’s personality. For example, the dog may become overly lethargic, or overly hyper with sudden bursts of energy expressed in odd ways.

The bottom line – you know how your dog behaves when it is feeling well. You know best your dog’s personality, how and when it moves, the tilt of its head and tail, and of course its various facial and body-posture expressions. So you will be the first to recognize when it begins to exhibit different behavior, behavior that is communicating ill health.

So listen carefully to what your dog is telling you by its demeanor and behavior. Recognizing early symptoms of ill health can save you and your pet from the consequences of an illness that is not diagnosed early. Those consequences can be serious, and could include lots of unnecessary pain, financial loss, and heartache.

View the original article here

For owners of working dogs, a training collar that works as hard as your dog is a necessary tool. The Tri-Tronics Sport series are the most durable training collars on today’s market, being one hundred percent waterproof and designed to take the abuse given them by an active working dog. For example, hunting dogs will thrash through underbrush to grab game, dive into water, crawl into tiny spaces that are far too small, and do other things that average family pets don’t do. For this reason, you will require a very durable collar that will stand through the toughest abuse.

Once you’ve made the decision to use a electronic dog collar you’re making an investment into training equipment that you’ll want to make sure works for you. As an industry leader, Tri-Tronics will guarantee its products’ durability, and this is what keeps them at the top of the market.

Tri-Tronics understands that you want a convenient and lightweight system and they’ve taken advantage of state of the art technology to provide compact and durable receivers and transmitters that are of the highest quality. One of the advantages of their systems is that they are designed to work well whether it’s in warm weather and bare hands or in the coldest weather with gloved hands.

In addition to their compact size and their durability, you can even use the Tri-Tronic sports series to train up to three dogs at one time. Multiple dogs can easily be confused if you’re using systems that are not set up to deal with them properly. Tri-Tronics sports series are specially designed with numerous (20) levels of stimulation in both continuous and intermittent settings. One of the most significant advantages to this number of settings is that some behaviors may be easily corrected with one level of stimulation but others may require more or less correction. Tri-Tronics has taken all of this into consideration in developing their sports series.

Tri-Tronics has also taken into consideration that your working dog isn’t always going to be close by and allows you to control up to three dogs that are as much as one half mile away from you making it easy to keep track of what’s happening with each of them.

If you’re interested in not only electronic stimulation but also sound correction, you will still find what you need with the Tri-Tronics sports series since they also have a beeper option. Remember that when you are attempting training, not only is electronic and sound correction helpful, but praise is also another helpful (and often more effective) method of training – using all of the tools available to you when training your dog makes training much easier and much more lasting. The Tritronics system provides a full range of tools to help you train a happy, healthy, and obedient working dog.

See larger image Tri Tronics Sport Basic G3 Electronic Dog Collar (Misc.) List Price: $239.00 USD New From: $237.00 In Stock

Training your gun dogs to hunt, whether it’s for flushing, pointing, or retrieving, there are great tools at your disposal. Bird and Dummy Launchers are available with remote control devices that can be used together or separately to fill your training needs.

Remote Bird and Dummy Launchers

Whether you are using a dummy launcher or a bird launcher, you can use a remote control that allows you to train your dog without having another person present with you. Without the remote, you would need at least one other person to assist in your training which of course can distract your dog.

Other extras with bird launchers include bird calls, sounds, and beeps that can be used to train your dog in field craft and hunting. Which kind of launcher (bird or dummy) will depend on the specific type of training you are doing with your dog. Your goal is to make an effective and confident hunting companion and launchers can be an essential tool towards this goal.

Bumper Launchers

This is your secret weapon in teaching your dog to learn to retrieve came. The dummy launcher is for those who work alone and you allow you to launch your dummies at a height and distance that is far greater than throwing it yourself. This allows your dog to learn to retrieve game that is further away. This is especially helpful when you consider that if you were using hand launching followed by shooting; your dog would become accustomed to fetching game at close distances. One of the best features of the remote launchers is that you can use the accompanying sounds to train your dog to react as if he were hunting actual game (ducks, pheasant, etc.).

Bird Launchers

For training pointing or flushing dogs, bird launchers will work perfectly. A great benefit to bird launchers is that you can actually set it up to launch multiple birds to simulate real hunting. The good thing is, dogs are bred to hunt so your main focus is to train your dog to respect another dog’s point, as well as flush out birds. A bird launcher will give you a good shot at achieving this type of training. Trainers of pointing dogs have been successful in using these for years now, and even those who train flushing dogs are starting to use these tools more often. Because a bird launcher is designed with a spring latch which will release prey fairly low, it can quickly help your dog learn the skills needed for hunting quail as well as pheasant.

View the original article here

See larger image Dokken's Launcher Teal Hunting Dog Training Dummy () List Price: $29.99 USD New From: $29.99 In Stock

One morning I was watching the news and a special about disciplining dogs came on. The program had taken four disobedient dogs to Washington DC dog training in hopes of turning them into refined pets. They worked with each dog individually until it had mastered a skill. Dog clicker training was a main focus of the program A command would be followed by a click, and if the dog obeyed it received a treat. Eventually, if the dog heard a click it would do the command. I was astonished at the progress the dogs made in such a short time. They went from bad to good in a matter of days.
Had they held auditions for this show, my dog would have been a shoe-in. Jesse, my dog, and I have a very rocky relationship. As it seems, he is the king of the castle. I didn’t think dogs could wear pants, but Jesse has showed me differently. Jesse has always been spoiled. I have spent countless nights sleeping on the couch because Jesse wouldn’t share the bed. Any pillow I have must be tested and approved by him first, and if he likes it, he might choose to take it for himself. He also has taken on the role of my personal taste-tester, even if I didn’t ask for his service.
I feel like I’ve done all I can to try and reform Jesse. I tried using tips from a book from my brother-in-law; called Good Masters make Good Dogs. I followed this book to the t, child-locking my kitchen, putting shock systems on things, but it did absolutely nothing. Jesse just out-smarted it all. I was at a loss. I then turned to my veterinarian. The vet taught me tricks to correct misbehavior in animals that was “fool-proof”. I’m not sure if Jesse is a genius or a dunce because it didn’t work. Jesse seemed to repel any type of constructive reformation.
This special seemed like my last hope. If it could fix the terrible dogs I saw on TV, Jesse would be an easy task. After all, Jesse was harmless at heart, he would never hurt anyone. He just needed some expert discipline. After watching the news special, I ran to the internet to see if I could get Jesse into the program. The news station website had a contest entry form for a sweepstakes that could land Jesse a trip to D.C. for dog training. I am normally not the type to enter contests, but I was hopeful.
Three weeks later, I got a message on my cell phone from the dog expo in DC. I was quite surprised because I had almost forgotten about the entire things. I was to bring Jesse to the training center in two weeks on a Thursday ready to work. I took him to be groomed and get a checkup just in case. Now that he was presentable, Jesse and I got in my car, him in the front seat of course, and set off. By the end of the workshop, Jesse was a new dog. He sat in the backseat on the way home, slept on his dog bed for the first time, and started a new diet void of human food.

View the original article here

Heartworm, or roundworm, is very serious can affect all types of gun dogs. With gun dogs, working dogs, and other outdoor dogs, you must be especially concerned because they are more susceptible to heartworm. The worse case scenario is that an affected dog can pass it on to humans, as well as other dogs. In turn, you can also pass on heartworm to your own dog.

Prevention of heartworm is crucial, especially when you consider that once your dog is infected with this parasite it made lead to death. Of greater concern is other in animals that come in contact with your dog such as coyotes, fox’s, and others may have roundworm and may transmit that disease to your dog.

Preventing Roundworm/Heartworm

Prevention can come in the form of tablet or food additive when given to your dog as a preventative measure. A tablet can be ingested orally and mahy come in the form of a dog treat, and food additives can be added or mixed with food. Most of these treatments are monthly applications. Remember to give it to your dog each month. Use a calendar if it helps you remember.

In areas where there are four seasons, the primary carrier of roundworm is mosquitoes, which ingest infected blood and then give it to another animal as they sting them. In areas with less harsh seasonal changes, roundworm is more often transmitted from animal to animal. In all cases, giving your gun dog preventive treatment every month, no matter the time of year, is a best practice.

Symptoms of Roundworm

In its early stages, roundworm is very hard to detect since your dog won’t show any physcial signs of illness. Your vet can test for the disease, or skilled vets can tell by observation. It is typical of heartworm to gestate for several months before affecting your dog. During this stage of the illness, the disease can easily be treated, but it is best when your dog is asymptomatic.

Typically a dog infected with the round worm becomes lethargic and not necessarily interested in is normal daily activities. You may notice a cough or weight loss in addition to these other symptoms. Contact your veterinarian immediately because in addition to roundworm there may be other infections that may be causing the symptoms.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Roundworm

Diagnosing roundworms requires a blood test. During the blood test one step will be to determine whether the roundworms are male or female which will help direct your veterinarian to the proper treatment course.

Roundworm treatment is extensive and may be very expensive to treat. Aside from that the treatment is very difficult for your dog and in fact may result in his needing dialysis. Almost all dogs will be listless, suffer weight loss, and has other symptoms while the Worms are discharged. Follow-up treatments will be necessary to ensure that all of the Worms are eliminate it from your dog system.

Damage to organs can also be a result of roundworm infection and can mean lifelong treatment for that as well. This is why it’s so important to catch the infection as early as possible and to not delay in getting treatment for it.

When you have any sort of hunting dog, you should always keep in mind that you should always keep your dog’s health as top priority. There are also lots of different hunting dog supplies that you should have on hand for your dog such as electronic dog collars or dog collars.

See larger image 8in1 Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer (3) 2 Gram Pouches For Dogs Only, 6 Weeks and Older (Grocery) List Price: $15.00 USD New From: $7.72 In Stock Release date May 15, 2006.

As much as many of us love dogs there are some dogs that have jobs to do.  These are dogs that are not satisfied with being couch potatoes or love bugs.  They need work and things to keep them busy.  They need work to occupy their minds.

You may have seen dogs acting as service dogs for the disabled or as therapy dogs.  Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and some other breeds take to this kind of training very well, becoming helpers for people who need assistance.  Training for service dogs begins when the dogs are puppies and they are placed with families who are willing to teach them basic training.  This involves a great deal of socialization and taking them out to places they would go as adult service dogs.  They will learn that when they are wearing their service dog vest they are working and they shouldn’t look for petting.  When the vest comes off they are pets again.  When the dogs become adults they go to school for more intensive training and to meet the disabled person they will be paired with so that the two of them can learn together.  Service dogs usually remain in service until their age begins to catch up with them when they may be retired and live out their years with their disabled partner or be placed in a home with someone who wishes to adopt them and take care of them.

Therapy dogs usually begin as someone’s pet.  These are dogs who may display a great deal of empathy with people.  Any dog can be a therapy dog including mixed breeds.  Therapy work requires that the dog have good manners and social skills.  It helps if your dog knows a little obedience.  Organizations such as the Delta Society train volunteers and screen owners and their pets for therapy work.  Dogs become approved, with their handlers, so that they can visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, rehab centers, schools and other facilities.  Therapy dogs and their owners bring a great deal of comfort and happiness to people’s lives.

Other dogs have much more athletic jobs, such as hunting dogs.  Dogs such as Pointers, Setters, Beagles, Coonhounds, Salukis and many other breeds were originally bred to hunt various game.  Although these dogs make wonderful pets many dogs of hunting breeds still have strong hunting instincts.  If you have a dog from hunting bloodlines your dog may not be completely happy unless he has the opportunity to do some field work.  Many people still field trial their dogs or go hunting on the weekends.  As soon as their dog sees them getting out the hunting gear the dog is at the door ready to go to work.  Hunting is a deep instinct in dogs that survives despite all the generations of domestication.  Many breeders still try to breed superior hunting dogs.  If your dog shows an interest in hunting or you are curious about it try to take your dog out and let him enjoy it.  If you are no good with guns your dog can still enjoy some aspects of field sports with events like hunt tests or lure coursing which simulate hunting conditions.

Other dogs perform jobs that are very important to our society today such as police work, bomb and drug sniffing, war service and detective work.  A dog has many abilities that can be trained for these necessary jobs, from using his nose to his guarding instincts.  Some police forces are beginning to breed their own dogs for this work but many of the finest law enforcement dogs still come from Europe — dogs such as German Shepherd Dogs and Belgian Malinois.  These well-bred, highly trained dogs excel at the skills required for tracking, obedience and protection.  War dogs have been used by armies for centuries.  The U.S. military currently employs many K9 teams in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are in the process of developing a breeding and training center for their future canine needs.

If you have a dog who seems bored at home he may need a job.  Perhaps there’s something he was bred to do or something that he excels at.  Maybe there’s something enjoyable that the two of you can do together.  Look into the things he’s good at doing or consider his heritage.  You may find that your dog needs a job.

What kind of job does your dog have?  Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Until next time…..

View the original article here