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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 been competing, very successfully, for almost a year now and, looking back, I learned so many important things about dog training!

First of all, most trainers require that dogs have completed at least a basic obedience class before proceeding to agility training.  This is critical to agility training and, in my opinion, every dog and handler could benefit from a basic obedience class.  I learned that I have a food-motivated dog and that she will work her heart out for highly prized treats, not for punishment!  There are skills you and your dog will learn, through an obedience class, such as recalls, sit/stays, down/stays, and walking nicely on a leash.  Each of these skills is something you will need every time you compete, not to mention day-to-day life with your dog.

The pace of your training will always be set by your dog.  Each dog learns at a different speed and, what comes easily for one dog, may not come easily for another.  So, be very patient while training your dog any skill.  Make it a game.  Let your dog take as much time as it needs, without getting impatient or frustrated, to figure out what behavior you want from it.

All tasks must be broken down into small pieces, whether the task is a simple sit, the beginnings of obstacle training, or more complex tricks or agility sequences.  If you break the task down to something small, then mark/reward and repeat, several times before making the task larger, you will have success without stressing the dog out.  For example, when training an agility tunnel, you scrunch it up to its smallest form.  Have someone place your dog at the entrance while you sit on the ground at the exit, with a treat, and call your dog.  As soon as the dog comes through that little piece of a tunnel, you mark/reward.  Slowly begin expanding the tunnel using the same technique.  In just a few minutes, you’ll have your dog going through however long a tunnel you need.

For agility training, once the dog begins obstacle training, there is never a wrong answer.  Dogs get confused, and may shut down, if they start being told they’re doing the wrong thing, so keep the training light and never scold for doing the incorrect thing.  If the dog doesn’t do what you want it to, you simply do not mark/reward for that action.  You just ask again and, the minute you get the correct response, mark/reward and make a huge deal of it.  That will make your dog more anxious to give you that same answer again.  As you start competing, you might want to use a particular word to indicate the incorrect response, such as “uh oh,” or “oops,” but not with a scolding tone.  This will indicate that the dog will be asked to try again but everything is fine between the two of you.

Lastly, always keep the training fun for both you and your dog.  Even when you start competing, or have been competing for a long time, this is critical.  If you start getting caught up in the competition and title-winning, you might forget why you started agility to begin with: because it’s fun!  When the game stops being fun, your dog won’t enjoy it anymore and neither will you.  Agility is a wonderful sport and will forever secure the relationship between you and your dog.  Run fast, run clean, and, above all, have fun!

Carrying your dog around is almost like a fashion accessory these days. Celebrities like Nicky Hilton and her sister Paris were spotted at a cafe in New York dressing up their dogs with cute dog accessory. It is also a hit on runways of big cities like Paris, London and New York.

Besides being a fashion accessory, a dog carrier acts as a convenient way to transport your dog from one destination to another. These dog carriers comes in different sizes, shapes and styles. For example, if you would like to look sporty you can opt for dog shouler carriers, dog backpack carrier or dog stroller sports. Dog stroller sports are like any other baby strollers but it carries only pet like dogs and cats of course.

While the market carries so many of these dog carriers, which carrier you choose depends largely upon the breed and the size of your dog, and the lifestyle you wish to include your dog in. If you have a budget, there are a selection of different dog carriers in the market. Or if you can afford a better looking and a more comfortable dog carrier, you can look for dog designer carriers online or in your local pet store.

Here are a few things you must look for before buying a dog carrier.

1) Do a research and get as much information from the manufacturers or retailer before making your purchase. The three most important aspect you should look for are safety, comfort and security.

2) When shopping for a dog carrier you should also need to pay close attention to the size, length, and weight of your dog. Not all dog carriers will fit your dog perfectly. For instance, a big dog may not fit in the standard size strollers, backpack and designer dog carriers. Big dogs are normally better to be carried by crates . While on the other hand, small to medium size dogs may fit comfortably into any dog shoulder carriers, dog backpack carriers, or any carriers at all.

3) To know whether the carrier is right for your dog, the dog carrier must have adequate room to move around and yet not too big to allow him to move around inside especially if you intend to bring your dog for hiking and jogging.

4) It is also pivotal to know that your dog carrier has good ventilation because if you don’t, your dog may end up getting sick and dehydrated especially during hot summer days. Ensure they get plenty of fresh air when they are caged up in the crate or while they are being carried. Check for detachable shoulder straps, durability, rubberized fabric and four mesh viewing panels. And more importantly, check whether the dog carriers can  be cleaned easily.

While there are many expensive dog designer carriers available in the market, you can also find a lot of inexpensive dog stroller, dog shoulder carriers and dog stroller sports available in the market. Although they are slightly cheaper than those designer’s carriers, you can still look hip and cool carrying them around.

If your kids are trying to find a good companion dog, you may be tempted to first look at some of the more popular breeds, pick out some puppies and then select the best character. And there are hundreds of breeds to choose from – just think of the American Bulldog and the Huntaway and the Cabe?udo Boiadeiro and the Rampur Greyhound. But, try looking for a dog that fits your personality. Find a dog that has the qualities that you want and can bond with you. The age of the dog is not a concern most of the time. Breeds may have a certain reputation, but there are exceptions to all the rules. These tips, though, can guarantee that you will find a good companion dog.

Search for a puppy or adult that has a personality that fits your own personality and your experience. If you have handled dogs before and have experience, then a more dominant, independent dog may work for you. However, if you are not very aggressive or are not aquainted with working with a dog, a more submissive animal may be a better companion for you. When you are looking at puppies, try to turn it over on its back. A dominant dog will resist you, trying to turn over right away. If it fights to turn over, try to calm it. If it settles down, it is more submissive. If it does not struggle at all, but just lies there trusting you completely, you have a very submissive dog.

A dog that is fairly quiet and easy to care for is better for you if you are more laid back and more sedative yourself. If you tend to be very active you may want a more active, hyper dog to be more your style. If you are gone much of the time and your dog would be kenneled during that time, you should look for a dog that is a little self reliant and is less likely to suffer from separation anxiety.

You also will want your new companion dog to be smart and eager to please. This will make it easy teach it what you want it to know and it will happily learn the skills and perform them. If you are taking your dog out in public, you don’t want a fear nipper or a dog that is threatening to children. Naturally, this comes from effectively socializing the dog on a regular basis, but the sharper dog will watch you to see who is maybe a threat and who is no possible threat.

Dogs can be superb companions having the right character for your needs. Also, while many people feel that only young dogs can be trained, this is false. Many older dogs are salvaged from shelters daily and they are trained quite easily. The key to training a dog is bonding with it. When you have bonded with your dog, it will be happy to do what you want. They will want to anticipate what you want and will even look for ways to communicate with you. If you are careful to observe your companion, you and your dog can come up with your own language and this can give you a companion dog (even the Bearded Collie or Mioritic that is a very special friend.

The affectionate and energetic Cavalier King Charles Spaniel makes a perfect family dog or companion. These dogs, and especially puppies, are best in a home with older children that can understand how small and fragile the dog is. It can be dangerous to have very young children around puppy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as the children may not know the dog’s limitations and delicate size. For great family recreation, the dog can be walked several times per-day as it requires steady and frequent exercise. It is important to understand that a small dog, such as the Cavalier are not ones for long walks, but rather many short jaunts. Even a short stroll in the back yard is sufficient, but be sure to recognize that this little guy still loves his time outdoors. Have each family member take him out once per day and he is assured adequate fresh air and exercise. The Cavalier King Charles also typically loves to chase cars and run after small animals. Keep this in mind if you intend to keep your dog occupied with unattended outdoor time. Make sure the environment is safe for your little friend and check on them frequently.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has historically been known as a well-behaved lapdog. They love plenty of company and attention and will grow to be very obedient if trained from the beginning. They are perfectly happy to be with you or on your lap at all times. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel gets along with most people and animals, as they are naturally good-natured. This dog truly admires its owner and will not be happy to be left alone all day long. Understand that this family pet wants to be a part of your life, rather than just a side-note addition.

The docile character of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel makes it easy to train them for showing and their charming mannerisms make them great show contestants. This dog aims to please and obtain praise and the best in show arena is no exception. As with any dog it is best to begin training a show dog early for optimal performance. Their obedience and beauty have the capability to get them all the way through the competition.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are a highly intelligent breed that understands well, and is generally quick to respond the owner’s commands. This reinforces their suitability for show and overall pleasant personality. In addition, because the Cavalier is a descent of hunting dogs it loves the outdoors. Yet given its smallness, does not require more than 45 minutes of exercise per day. Be sure to give your Cavalier a minimum of 30 minutes of outdoor time per day as this breed is predisposed to becoming overweight. Keep in mind that treats and table scraps are to be limited at all times and also be sure to administer a sensible eating plan. If you can keep the dog at a healthy weight and provide it with plenty of love and company, you are assured a lively companion.

By domesticating the dog we have slowly and drastically changed their everyday lifestyle in terms of the way they eat and exercise.  Just as in us humans the lack of physical activity, departure from nature, more reliance on chemicals, synthetic nutrients, and processed foods has made it difficult for our dogs to maintain a healthy body.  In general the amount of calories they need from their natural environment has decreased which means we have to figure out how to supply them with all the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy body from less food.  Unfortunately this is happening as the dog food industry is using more food processing, packaging, and storage techniques that are depleting many of the nutrients that are dogs need.  It would be optimum to return to natural, fresh and raw foods that are dogs are genetically prone to but in most instances this is just not feasible. Most of us do not even do it for our own diets so we cannot expect to do it for our dogs. This dictates that for your dog’s best possible health, it is necessary to provide nutrients via dog supplements.

Just as in our choice of whether we eat natural whole fresh food or processed prepared food, we have a choice in the type of supplements we use in provide needed dog vitamins and nutrients.  There are natural vitamin supplements and synthetic supplements. The latter are manufactured in laboratories from bio-chemical processes that produce the same molecules and organic substances found in nature.

Natural vitamins on the other hand are derived from food sources. This underlying fact is crucial in the effectiveness of the vitamin supplement. Vitamins are a critical element of the essential body metabolism that supports life. They do not act alone but in conjunction with other nutrients that occur in their natural food environment.  Much of this interaction is still not understood. There actually could still be nutrients and vitamins that have not even been identified in this complex molecular structures. Therefore as the synthetic vitamins are chemically the same as natural vitamins and can supply any basic deficiency in the body for that vitamin your dog does not get any of the whole food catalytic processes which initiates the body’s chemical reactions or enables it to proceed under different conditions.

In addition synthetic supplements are usually packaged with filler which can contain preservatives, starches, glutens, coloring, or other additives.  Vitamins obtained through natural whole foods are “packaged”  by being bonded to proteins, carbohydrates, and bioflavonoids.  This is also why it is suggested that if you provide dog vitamins in supplement form you do so with their normal diet. This could supply the necessary other natural enzymes  that are needed by your dog’s body to effectively absorb the maximum benefit of the vitamins.

The following gives both natural food and herbal sources for the 13 identified vitamins:

Vitamin A

(Animal sources  contain significant more  than other sources)

animal livers, fish liver oil, apricots, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, kale, kelp, dulse, garlic, mustard greens, papayas, peaches, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, spirulina, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, turnip greens, yellow squash, egg yolks

alfalfa, borage leaf, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, dandelion greens, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, uva ursi, violet leaves, watercress, yellow dock

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

brown rice, chia seeds, egg yolks, legumes, wheat germ, whole grains, rice bran, pork, liver, fish, yeast, dried beans, peas, peanuts, poultry, soybeans

asparagus, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dulse, kelp, oatmeal, plums, dried prunes, spirulina, watercress

alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, clover, rose hips, sage, yarrow, yellow dock

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

cheese, chia seeds, egg yolks, fish, legumes, meat, milk, poultry, spinach, whole grains, yogurt

asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, currants, dulse, kelp, mushrooms, nuts, watercress

alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion greens, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginseng, hops, horsetail, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, yellow dock

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

asparagus, beef liver,  brewer’s yeast, broccoli, carrots, chia seeds,  cheese, corn flour, dates, eggs, fish,  kelp, milk, peanuts, pork, peanuts, tomatoes, wheat germ

alfalfa, burdock root, catnip. cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion leaf, eyebright, fennel seed,  hops, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, slippery elm, yellow dock

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)

beef,  brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, eggs, kidney, legumes, saltwater fish, liver, nuts, torula yeast, mushrooms, pork, whole rye flour, whole wheat

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

brewer’s yeast, chia seeds, carrots, chicken, eggs, fish, meat, peas, spinach, sunflower seeds, walnuts,  wheat germ

avocado, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, cantaloupe, corn, dulse, plantains, potatoes, rice bran, soybeans, tempeh, whole grains

alfalfa, catnip, oat straw

Vitamin B7 (Biotin)

Brewer’s yeast, chia seeds , cooked egg yolks, meat, milk, poultry, saltwater fish, soybeans, whole grains

Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)

Asparagus, barley, beef, bran, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, cheese, chia seeds,  chicken, dates, green leafy vegetables, lamb, legumes, lentils, liver, milk, mushrooms, oranges, split peas, pork, root vegetables, salmon, tuna, wheat germ, whole grains, whole wheat

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

Brewer’s yeast, chia seeds,  clams, eggs, herring,  kidney, liver, mackerel, milk, dairy products, seafood

Dulse, kelp, kombu, nori, soybeans, soy products

alfalfa, bladderwrack, hops

Vitamin C (Asorbic acid)

Asparagus, avocados, beet greens, black  currants, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, collards, dulse, grapefruit, kale, kelp. lemons, mangos, mustard greens, onions, oranges, papayas, green peas, sweet peppers, persimmons, pineapple, radishes, rose hips, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress

alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, pine needle, plantain, peppermint, raspberry  leaf, red clover, rose hips, sage, skullcap, violet leafs, yarrow, yellow dock

Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol Ergocalciferol)

butter, cheese, cod liver oil, eggs, fatty saltwater fish, fish liver oils, halibut, kelp, liver, milk, oatmeal, salmon, sardines,  sweet potatoes, tuna, yogurt,.

alfalfa, dandelion leaf, horsetail. nettle, parsley

Vitamin E (Tocopherols Tocotrienols)

Brown rice, dulse, eggs, kelp, milk, oatmeal, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, watercress, corn, nuts, legumes, flaxseed, spinach, seeds, asparagus, vegetable oils

Alfalfa, bladderwrack, dandelion, dong quai, nettle, oat straw, raspberry leaf, rose hips

Vitamin K (Phylloquinone Menaquinones)

asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolks, leaf lettuce, liver, kelp, oatmeal, oats, rye, safflower oil, spinach, soybeans, wheat, yogurt

Alfalfa, green tea, nettle, oat straw, shepherd’s purse