Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Run-Away Dog

There is nothing more heart wrenching then coming home to find that your dog is gone. You check the dog house, you call his name, you whistle, you can't find him anywhere. Did someone steal your beautiful dog or did he wander off and can't find his way home? Years ago, we had a dog that liked to chase thunder. We would be gone to work and a storm would blow in, and by the time we would get home, Gizmo would be missing-in-action. After looking everywhere and going to all of the neighbors within a 5 mile radius, we would phone the radio station and offer a reward for his safe return. After this happened a few times, our hearts couldn't take it anymore and we had to put up a large kennel, that we attached his dog house to. Our poor Gizmo, then had to stay confined while we went to work. I wish I knew then, what I know now.

Now days you can keep your dog and your heart protected with Animals GPS. Animals GPS offers handy little gadgets to keep you informed of your dog's where-abouts at all times, with special alerts when there is a problem. This is the easiest way that I have found to have the peace of mind, knowing that your loved one is at home in his dog house.

A Trained Dog Is A Happy Dog!

One of the most important aspects of pet ownership is the responsibility to train your dog. The sooner you start the training process, the better. All of those things that you find cute when your dog is a little puppy, aren't so cute if your dog grows up to be 100 lbs. and is still doing it.

Picture a 100 lbs. German Shepherd laying in his dog house, out of the rain, watching over the yard. A car pulls into the driveway. He perks up to see who is here. "It's Mom!" He then, at the speed of light, runs over to say "Hello". As your arms full of papers, go flying into the air and your car catches you on your way backwards, you feel a pressure against your chest, then, suddenly you feel this warm and wet tongue caressing your cheek. After you yell, "DOWN BOY" "Get to your Dog House ... Now", then you stop ... looking down at your mud covered jacket and your wet paperwork, all you can think is "I wish I would have listened" "I wish I wouldn't have taught him that jumping on me was cute!"

The answer is YES, I learned the hard way. Training your puppy/dog is very important. It doesn't matter if the dog is big or small. A well trained dog makes for a very happy owner and a happy owner makes for a very happy dog. I have read many books and learned many things over the years, with my German Shepherds, and I can honestly tell you that the best training book that I have ever read is Dog Training For Dummies
. This book covers everything from puppy to adult, dos and don't, and feeding and health. This is one of those books for any dog lover. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I found myself reading it again with a highlighter, highlighting everything that seemed to be very important, need to know information. Next thing I knew, I had highlighted most of the book.

Dog Training For Dummies was written by Jack and Wendy Volhard. Jack and Wendy are highly respected dog trainers and, in my opinion, have given some of their best advice, in this book.

The Dog House

Every dog needs a home they can call their own. As a breeder of top working line German Shepherds, I understand the importance of a Dog House. Whether your dog is big or small, mostly spend their time inside or out, they all appreciate having their own dog house. It is very important to have a slightly raised floor in your dog house to keep your dog dry.