How to Litterbox Train Your Dog

Valuable Resource...

How to Have Quick and Easy Dog Litterbox Training Success with Virtually No Risk...

...Using the Same Proven Methods that Thousands of People Worldwide Have Used to Relieve Their Indoor Puppy Housetraining, Dog Housebreaking, Puppy Potty Training, Dog Potty Training or Dog Housetraining Problems!

Amazing Step-by-Step LITTERBOX DOG PUPPY HOUSETRAINING – Awesome Indoor Dog Housetraining or Housebreaking manual is unlike anything you've ever seen. This incredible resource is not available in bookstores, in petstores or anywhere else.... Even a Child Can Do It!

YOU, YES, YOU!...

Can Experience All the Amazing Benefits of My Stress-Free Dog Litterbox Training without Sacrificing All Your Time to Do It!

• It works for any dog, any age or breed.
• It saves you TIME, effort, energy and money!
• Your dog will be able to potty indoors or outdoors upon completion!
• You will have no more ruined carpet or furniture!
• No more stress from potty mess or smell!
• No more going out in snow, rain or terrible heat!
• No more carrying in dirt or mud worries.
• No more dashing home to let dog outside to potty!
• No more need for midnight potty walks.
• Perfect for condo, apartment or RV dwellers!
• No need to schedule days or weeks for training!

100% Guaranteed!!

What is your reason for wanting the luxury of a dog litterbox training system that works without having to give up precious days or weeks of your life to do it?

• Are you planning on getting a dog or own a puppy and want the luxury of them being able to go potty when they need wherever they are??
• Do you live in an apartment, condo or mobile home?
• Do you own an older dog with special needs?
• Do you want to protect your dog from bad weather?
• Are you physically unable to take your dog outdoors?
• Have you lost sleep due to midnight potty trips?
• Do you miss activities you love due to not being able to leave puppy home alone too long?
• Have you tried dog litterbox training, failed and need a method that works?
• Do you need a dog litterbox training method that works FAST with little effort from you?

Continued - Click for more information, plus some BONUSES....

PETA's Phony 'Animal Rights' Message

PETA (Still) Kills Animals. Lots of 'Em.

March 12, 2010

In 2009 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) put a few more notches on its belt – 2,301, to be exact. That's how many cats and dogs met their demise at the hands of this radical animal rights group last year, according to PETA's own "Animal Record" filings with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. That's 97% of the pets that were in PETA's care, the vast majority of which would have been happier as someone's in-home companion than as the latest dog-sicle in PETA's freezer. PETA's kill count is now 23,640 since 1998. As we told the media about PETA's status as a doggy and kitty Grim Reaper:

PETA hasn't slowed down its hypocritical killing machine one bit, but it keeps browbeating the rest of society with a phony 'animal rights' message. PETA is more concerned about funding its advertising and media antics than finding suitable homes for needy cats and dogs.

Since killing pets is A-OK with PETA, why should anyone listen to their demands about eating meat, using lab mice for medical research, or taking children to the circus? Virginia regulators should reclassify PETA's headquarters as a slaughterhouse. This is shockingly unethical behavior.

On Wednesday, CNN host Jack Cafferty asked his blog readers if they agreed that PETA's death squad is indeed hypocrisy. Here's some of what they wrote:

Chris: Perhaps, if PETA spent some of the money they currently throw at celebrities posing nude, on the actual health and well-being (read: placement) of the animals they're allegedly "rescuing," this would not be an issue.

Reynard: PETA is so critical of anyone one [sic] accused of unethical treatment of animals even before due process is granted. For them to have euthanasia rates that are so out-of-sync with other agencies makes me question their ethics.... They should protest outside of their own headquarters.

Jim: Local animal shelters struggle to raise money to provide a valuable service to people and animals. Does PETA? No, they would rather kill adoptable pets and toss them in a dumpster.

Rich: PETA cares more about cutting into their advertising budget than finding homes for the six pets they kill on average, every single day. "Hypocritical" is way too [sic] kind a word for these money-hungry people.

Diane: This is the reason I left PETA 25 years ago. They seem to think dogs and cats have no right to even live. They don't like that we 'use them' as pets.... They would rather kill cats and dogs than allow people to have them as pets.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/4126-peta-still-kills-animals-lots-of-em
Copyright © 2010 Center for Consumer Freedom

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Also, see: "Ethical Treatment" of Animals???

Puppy Battles

Here are a couple really cute videos that I'm sure you'll enjoy! –Kim

Two Cute Videos

Helping Your Dog Overcome Shyness & Timidity

Here's another great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Why Doesn't My Dog Like Socializing?

As dog lovers, there's an image we all love to see: a happy dog playing confidently at the dog park with his friends and enjoying the company of the people he meets throughout his lifetime. Many of us take this desirable behavior for granted because our pets are social and outgoing. But to dog owners with canine wallflowers, this remains a dream.

Why isn't my dog social?

Many dogs experience shyness due to certain experiences in their past, such as being mistreated and abused. One of the most common causes of shy behavior is a lack of exposure to new people and places at a young age. Dogs that remain confined to a limited area, and that aren't given an opportunity to meet people and other dogs, are likely candidates to become timid.

To develop a healthy attitude toward socializing, dogs also need the example of an owner who leads the way during the puppy's formative years. That's why shyness is a common personality trait in dogs that move from owner to owner frequently in their lifetime. Dogs look to their owners to be the "alpha dog" of their "pack," and to guide them safely into new and stimulating situations. Without that type of leadership in their lives, dogs may become timid and skittish when introduced to things outside their immediate familiarity.

What are the signs of a shy dog?

It's important to know the signs of a shy dog so you can approach him accordingly – and so you don't take his lack of interest in you personally. Some "symptoms" of a chronically timid dog are more obvious, others can be subtle. Here are some cues to look for:

• Retreating to another room or a far corner of the space you both occupy
• Ears folded flat against the head
• Tail tucked between legs
• Refusal to make eye contact
• Crouching
• Inappropriate urination
• Quick and noticeable panting

What can I do to help my dog become more social?

Whatever the reason behind your dog's shyness, correcting it is a process that requires a lot of love and patience.

The first month is critical. Make sure that you have time to invest in an intensive socialization program during your new dog's early weeks with you. Remember, you're laying the foundation for your dog's behavior later on in life, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Besides, it's great fun and will help you get to know your newly adopted dog very well, very quickly.

Don't praise or coddle your dog when he is scared. When your dog is frightened, it's human to want to comfort your dog and say, "It's OK." However, your dog assumes that you are praising him for being scared – which reinforces skittish behavior. Only praise your dog when he acts confidently.

Review (and re-review) the training basics. A dog that can follow commands is a confident dog. Put your dog's leash on him, then head outside. Practice "come," "sit," "down" and other basic commands. Praise him when he exhibits any confident behavior.

Practice people therapy. Have a dog-loving friend sit with her back to your dog. Place food treats or your dog's favorite toy in her outstretched hands. Tell her not to speak or make eye contact with your dog. Praise your dog when he takes a treat or the toy.

Yawn. No, this isn't a sign of disinterest or weariness. Yawning is actually a calming signal for dogs. Once again, have your friend hold treats while looking at the ground, not at your dog. It might sound silly, but ask your friend to yawn repeatedly – and join in. You'll notice your dog relaxing the more the both of you yawn. Again, every time your dog takes a treat, praise him.

Chin and chest only, please. When friends come over, have them stand still with a treat and let your dog go to them first. Ask your friends to only pet your dog under the chin and on the chest. Avoid letting anyone reach or lunge to pet her on the head or back.

Free play works wonders. Dogs who do not trust people can benefit from having other dogs as companions. Allow your dog to play freely with another dog in a fenced area. Have the owner of the other dog pet your dog if possible. A tired, happy dog is often less skittish.

Introducing him to new dogs. If your dog has had limited exposure to other dogs, he may resist socializing with them. Aggression is a common symptom of a lack of contact with other dogs. To get your dog feeling more comfortable around his canine counterparts, start with dogs that you already know are trustworthy. If your dog behaves himself, reward him for his polite behavior in the presence of the other dog. Gradually work up to rewarding the dog for being close to the other dog, getting closer and closer each time. Of course, the best way to remedy this is to have your leashed dog interact frequently with other leashed dogs.

Obedience classes and professional help. Obedience classes provide a good opportunity to socialize him with dogs and people in a controlled setting. The more chances your dog gets to meet new friends, the better behaved he'll likely be. If your dog feels too uncomfortable being in a class setting with other dogs – and if nothing else seems to be helping – you may want to consider seeking the assistance of a professional dog trainer who specializes in shy dogs. Ask your friends and vet for recommendations.

http://www.pedigree.com/02All-Things-Dog/Article-Library/fetch.aspx?artId=772&catId=3&sCatId=12&catName=Adult&sCatName=Socialization
© 2010 Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates

HomeMade Dog Toys

Valuable Resource...

Who Else Thinks Dog Toys are
RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE?

WHY NOT SAVE BIG BUCKS AND JUST MAKE YOUR OWN?

Save money, make your pooch happy and stop lining the pockets of pet store chains!

• Save Big $$ Making Your Own Dog Toys!
• Learn How to Keep It Safe!
• Turn Trash into Hours of Fun!
• Have Fun on a Budget!
• Teach Your Kids the Value of Making Things at Home!

There is nothing like making something with your own two hands. There is a personal feeling of accomplishment, but more importantly, your canine friend will appreciate the effort.

If your dog is anything like mine, a store bought toy may get a bit of attention for a few moments, but then the toy is ignored for more personal items in the home including, but not limited to, shoes, socks, couches, or even tables depending on the dog’s size.

Everyone knows dogs love to run and chew, and this is natural for any dog. Puppies tend to teethe, and just like children, they will put anything in their mouth.

As a pet owner, you get to offer some acceptable solutions to this natural process, hopefully deterring the teething pup away from the more unacceptable items.

Nonetheless, the pup will choose something homemade over something store bought because the smell from store bought items are nowhere near as appealing as items already in the home.

Making HomeMade dog toys is COST-EFFECTIVE, imaginative, and down right fun. Almost anything in the home has the potential to be a dog toy, and believe me, your dog is well aware of this fact.

When bored, your favorite cushion sure will feel good on those teething incisors, and the smell is simply wonderful!

Those curtains hanging there sure do move nicely and make this interesting sound, and your dog will thoroughly enjoy finding out what is making that sound.

Let’s face it – your home is a cornucopia of interesting smells and sounds with everything you hold dear having the potential to be an enormous dog chew.

Instead of allowing your best friend to envision your belongings as a favorite new toy, or an adversary needing to be ripped to shreds, pet owners offer special toys to their dog. This is how a dog learns what is an acceptable opponent, and what is not so acceptable.

Making homemade pet toys is an ideal method of allowing your dog the benefit of personal scents you naturally add to the homemade item instead of the sterile or mixed scents of those store bought items.

It's Also a Great Way to Teach Your Kids the Value of a Dollar and Inspire Them Creatively!

Continued - List of toys you can easily make, plus five BONUS books....

DNA Tests Sniff Out Mutts' Breeding

Here's a very interesting article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it fascinating! –Kim

The Marvels of DNA Testing

By Sharon L. Peters, Special for USA TODAY
6/25/2008

Through the marvels of DNA testing, some of the greatest mysteries of Mutt-dom are being revealed.

Dogs of vague or unrecognizable ancestry — whether fluffy white mongrels with Chihuahua ears and beagle-like voices or massive hounds that resemble nothing previously seen in nature — are being exposed for what they really are, genetically speaking.

The first test was unveiled not long ago. Now, consumer interest is growing so fast that more companies are jumping into the doggie-identification business, websites are being enhanced, and additional breeds are being added to testing databases.

"Pure curiosity, getting the answer" is the reason most owners seek out the testing, says Neale Fretwell, head geneticist for Mars Veterinary, maker of the Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis. The analysis can can determine which of 134 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club composes a dog's genetic makeup.

And some of the answers are real stunners, not only for the owners but also for the veterinarians who have made their best guesses, Fretwell says.The procedure requires an appointment with a veterinarian to draw a blood sample, and when analysis is completed in two or three weeks, a follow-up visit to discuss the findings. The pricing is set by individual veterinarians, $135 to $170.

Another reason owners go the testing route is to uncover possible explanations for behaviors that might be inherited, such as herding people and other pets or rooting around in chipmunk or mole holes.

Other owners want to know whether their dogs have a high proportion of a breed predisposed to a particular ailment or frailty, although experts caution that it's impossible to know which traits, including propensity for disease or medical problems, a mongrel might inherit from any particular breed.No one offering such tests suggests a mongrel assumes some sort of elevated status upon learning a purebred bloodhound or dachshund entered his ancestry generations ago.

Indeed, the companies celebrate the characteristics of mixed breeds, and some experts applaud "hybrid vigor," the belief that mixing unrelated breeds can create a stronger, healthier dog than purebreds, which can pass on genetic conditions found in specific breeds.

Many clients are "very surprised" upon receiving word of what breeds populate their dog's background, Fretwell says.

Meg Retinger, chief administrative officer of BioPet Vet Lab in Knoxville, Tenn., says: "Some people say, 'That's just exactly what I thought.'" Others "have such preconceived notions about what their pet is, they just won't accept the results."

In January, the lab began marketing its $59.95 DNA Breed Identification kit, which tests for 61 AKC breeds using cheek cells scraped by the owner.

But the signature appearance characteristics of a particular breed don't always materialize, even when there's a high proportion of that breed in a dog, Fretwell says.

A mongrel with a German shepherd parent or grandparent, for example, might not have the black and tan coloring, the saddle pattern on its back or even the long muzzle. Some could not show any shepherd characteristics.

Size, color and a host of physical features such as ear and muzzle shape and tail type are influenced by genetics, and when several breeds meld in one dog, it's tough for even experts to eyeball a mutt and accurately assess what lies within.

Connie Steele of Colorado Springs learned that. This year she adopted a black-and-white dog that shelter personnel thought was mostly border collie and about 1½ years old. She soon discovered from her veterinarian that Ellie was still a puppy, probably less border collie than believed and almost certain to grow a lot more.

Steele had Ellie tested because, she jokes, she wanted "a bit of warning if I'm going to need to plan ahead for a larger house to accommodate a 2-year-old pony-sized dog."

Upon receiving Ellie's results, Steele did not begin house-shopping, though she was surprised by the breeds found in her background. Steele believes the information she now has about Ellie and also Kayla, another recently adopted shelter dog, offers clues about how to approach their training.

Most DNA tests show three or four different breeds in the mixed breeds' ancestries, and many show five or six, experts say. Several more probably are in the mix, but the amounts have been so dissipated over the generations, they are merely weak traces, unlikely to influence a dog's appearance or behavior.

And, yes, a few dogs comprise so many disparate breeds, the experts and their tests just can't solve the puzzle."Even the best test can't answer every question of biology," says Dennis Fantin, chief of operations for MetaMorphix, a company in Beltsville, Md., that has done testing for the AKC for years. The company now offers a $119.95 mixed-breed cheek-swab kit. The Canine Heritage XL Breed Test can detect 108 breeds.

Sometimes, any pure DNA has become "so diluted" by encounters with mixed breeds over the generations that no answers emerge, Fantin says.

Their owners are told the mystery must remain.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2008-06-24-dna-dog_N.htm
Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Inspired "Tails"

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Congratulations to Our Adopted Furry Friends and Their Families

Thank you to all that entered the Inspiring "Tails" contest in support of pet adoption. We enjoyed reviewing your stories and have narrowed it down to the following most inspiring adopted pet tale:

Inspired Tails
By Marilyn Kimbrell

We first met Sadie at a Savannah animal shelter six months before our daughter Mandy and her husband, Dave, were deploying to Iraq. Given the circumstances some would think it was bad timing, but for us it could not have been more perfect. We made a collective decision to adopt Sadie so that while Mandy and Dave were deployed our "grand-dog" would have a home. We wanted Mandy and Dave to enjoy the love of a dog prior to deployment, and we did not want them to worry about her while they were gone.

Sadie immediately fit into her new home and became Mandy's running buddy and shadow. She helped Mandy concentrate on life in the states instead of focusing on her upcoming fifteen month deployment. When Mandy and Dave deployed in late 2007, they were on separate timelines so Sadie was part of both farewells. Dave left first and Sadie provided Mandy with comfort while she was home alone for a month. When it was time for Mandy to deploy, Sadie was not nearly as willing to say goodbye and refused to be in a picture with Mandy in uniform. Sadie's obvious understanding of the situation made it difficult on all of us, but we looked forward to taking care of our "grand-dog" and the connection we would share with Mandy and Dave as a result of her presence.

While Mandy and Dave were deployed, I became the photographer and journalist of Sadie's activities at home. Sadie's new home meant new friends which included our two dogs and one cat, all of which were over twelve. After a short adjustment period, Sadie fit right in and desperately tried to convince our other dogs to play. Sadie was young and active and her personality brought new adventures into our calm routines. We began to call her a "little bit of trouble" or "Little Bit" for short. We quickly adapted our routine to incorporate daily walks in an effort to give her an outlet for her energy. Our other dogs benefited from her youthfulness, and each morning we all went on long walks together to the creek. Sadie had to wear a bell so I could keep up with her in the woods. On these adventures I would take pictures and then compile them into a PowerPoint to send to Iraq for my daughter and son-in-law.

Soldiers who are deployed look forward to hearing about life in the states because it gives them something to think about other than the undesirable conditions they are experiencing. Sadie's adventures gave Mandy and Dave something to look forward to on a regular basis. Sadie was a rescue dog that was found with a broken leg, but our time with her proved nothing about her spirit ever being broken. The decision to adopt Sadie was not only a blessing to Mandy and Dave but also to us because of the connection we shared despite being thousands of miles away.

Source: http://www.argifocus.com/client/Guideposts/LM1/lmad/rsad.asp?rsadid=64