Thought you would enjoy these! –Kim
Before You Get Your New Best Friend...

• Pour cold apple juice on the carpet in several places and walk around barefoot in the dark.
• Wear a sock to work that's had the toes shredded by a blender.
• Immediately upon waking, stand outside in the rain and dark saying, "Be a good puppy and go potty; hurry up, now; come on, let's go!
• Cover all your best suits with dog hair. Dark suits must have white and light suits must have dark. Also, float some hair in your first cup of morning coffee.
• Play catch with a wet tennis ball.
• Run out in the snow in your bare feet to close the gate.
• Tip over a basket of clean laundry, and scatter the clothing all over the floor.
• Leave your underwear on the living room floor, because that's where the dog will drag it anyway (especially when you have company).
• Jump out of your chair shortly before the end of your favorite TV show and run to the door shouting, "No, NO! Do that OUTSIDE!" Miss the end of the program.
• Gouge the leg of the dining room table several times with a screwdriver.
• Put chocolate pudding on the carpet in the morning, and don't try to clean it up until you return from work that evening.
• Take a warm, cuddly blanket out of the dryer and immediately wrap it around yourself. This is the feeling you get when your puppy falls asleep on your lap.
  

• Are You Ready for a Dog in Your Life?
• The Facts about Dog Adoption
• The Best Decision You'll Ever Make
• List of No-kill Shelters & Rescues

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

Training with Treats: Do It Right!

Hey, even I'm willing to learn new things if there's a broiled lobster in it for me.

When I'm hungry, that is.

If I'm not hungry, or if I'm so distracted that a lobster won't tempt me, then I'll blow you off to continue doing what I want — not what you want.

That's pretty much how your dog sees the issue when you train with food. If he's hungry at the moment, and if there's nothing more compelling going on, food can be a great way to reinforce behaviors you teach your dog. On the other hand, if Fido isn't food motivated, or if he's got something "better" to do, he won't be interested.

Nonetheless, training with food has its benefits when used as a motivator and a reward. For those dogs who just aren't normally interested in treats, you can substitute play with a toy if that motivates them.

The first thing you have to know about using food in training is how NOT to use it. The primary rule is not to use it to stop an unwanted behavior. Instead, use it to create a new behavior you want to teach.

With those rules in mind, you won't teach your dog to stop growling at other dogs by using food. But you may be able to teach him to sit more quickly if there's something tasty in it for him.

Before I tell how you to deliver food treats when training, let me tell you WHY you should not use food to try and stop an unwanted behavior. The answer is because you can accidentally reinforce the very behavior you're trying to stop.

For example, let's say Fido growls at other dogs on his walks. If you tell him to stop growling, and distract him with a treat, what has he really learned?

Here's what YOU'RE thinking... "He stopped growling so I rewarded him for that with a cookie. He won't growl again."

Here's what FIDO is thinking... "This is cool, I growl, then mom pops me a cookie. Let's see if this works...let's growl more!"

Think of food as a directional reward. How when and where you deliver it all determines whether the treat teaches your dog what you intended, or something else altogether. For example, you tell Fido to sit and you hold a treat six inches over his head, while pushing down on his butt.

Sound about right? Wrong! By holding that treat six inches over his head, you're really teaching Fido to sit, then immediately break that position in favor of jumping up to get the cookie.

Instead, start Fido standing on a closely held leash. Show him you have a cookie, by holding it at nose level — only an inch from his sniffer — while he's standing up. Direct his attention, and nose, slightly higher by raising the cookie only enough so that he must tend toward a sit to view it. If you hold it too high, he may jump.

While he's focusing upward only a couple of inches over his nose, hold the treat just slightly above nose level, and slightly toward his rear. Since the snug leash keeps him from jumping, this means that, to collect the treat, Fido must actually lean back into the sit position to reach it. When he does, immediately say, "Good sit!" and give him the treat. Repeat several times for no more than five minutes to reinforce the lesson. Do it all again over the next few days.

Mission accomplished! Food hasn't been just randomly delivered to your dog, leaving him wondering why he got it. Instead, the food has clearly communicated how he can get this treat even faster next time, by sitting when you tell him to sit.

Anyone getting hungry?

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

20 Reasons Why Your Dog Eats Poop

Summarization: Why Dogs Eat Poop

So, now you have seen 20 reasons why dogs eat poop. It could be a signal for higher quality food, more food, less food or more frequent meals. It could be related to your dog’s desire for more attention and interaction. Your dog might be eating poop out of instinct whereas in other cases it might a learned behavior from you or by watching other dogs.

Also, see: http://topdogblog1.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-stop-your-dog-from-eating-poop.html

Jailed NFL Star Approved for Home Confinement in Dog Fighting Case

Whether he's sincere about making a change or is just taking his first step at resuming his pro football career, Michael Vick is reaching out. He wants to work with the Humane Society of the United States to eliminate dogfighting among urban teens.

Vick, who was released today from federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., and will begin serving two months of home confinement, met recently with Humane Society president Wayne Pacelle. The two spoke recently after one of Vick's attorneys requested the meeting, according to the Associated Press.

"He indicated that he's tremendously remorseful about this, and now he wants to be an agent of change, to work to end dogfighting and to specifically get young kids to cease any involvement in these activities," Pacelle told the AP.

Although it's uncertain what type of role Vick would play, it's likely the Humane Society could ask him to appear in public service announcements or speak to youth groups.

"There are no successful dogfighters; it is a dead-end activity," Pacelle told the Los Angeles Times. "More than anybody, he can tell the story about how it set him back in his life in a very dramatic way."

I'm still skeptical, which I pointed out yesterday. It's going to take more than a couple of 30-second PSAs to convince me that Vick has learned from his crimes and will do whatever it takes to end dogfighting.

I'm not sure 19 months in prison has done that.

News Hound
http://blogs.dogtime.com/the-news-hound-blog/2009/05/vick-wants-to-work-with-humane-society

Also, see:

• Vick Seeks Redemption with Eagles
• Help Stop Violence against Pets

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

Most overweight dogs didn't get that way by themselves, but the fault lies with their owners! Few owners realize that the health related problems in dogs are the same as they are in people. While dogs don't suffer from heart attacks like we do, obesity does put a great strain on their cardiovascular systems.

Other internal organs may suffer as well. Obesity promotes pancreatitis among other gastrointestinal disturbances. Overweight dogs seem to suffer from more skin ailments and coat disorders than slimmer dogs. Muscle and joint disorders, including intervonterbal disk disease, occur much more frequently with overweight dogs.

Causes of obesity are numerous, but diet is at the top of the list. Table scraps and "people food" have a much greater effect on a small animal. The wrong kind of dog food can do the same thing. Healthy pet food manufacturers have given us a wide range of brands and formulas geared for different stages of a dog's life. Pet owners can become confused, and many just buy the more common and cheaper name brands, rather than researching the better foods for their companion. The name brands may be cheaper, but there could be serious consequences to poor choices.

As dogs age, their energy requirements drop considerably, and they may require senior-type diets containing high fiber and fewer calories. Growth formula dog foods should only be given to puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs. Overfeeding (even quality food) is another "common cause" you should avoid, no matter how much they beg. Remember, overweight means poor health and shorter life.

The energy requirements will vary with each animal. You should find the ideal weight of your dog from your veterinarian, and then check the label of the dog food you are using. Feed the recommended amount for 3-4 weeks, while checking your dog's weight frequently. If you observe a weight gain, reduce the food amount, if a weight loss, you can increase the amount.

Your pet is counting on you for regular feedings, and it is up to you to provide the right type and the proper amount to keep them healthy. Talk to your Vet to discuss the right kind and amount of food to keep your dog healthy and happy.

The Cruelty of Dog Fighting

Thoughts on Fostering

Tomorrow is going to be bittersweet. Tomorrow, I'm going to say goodbye to one of my sweet foster dogs, Maximus..."Max" for short. He's found a "forever" home with a wonderful couple who's been waiting and searching for just the right dog for their family, and Max is it.

He really is. He'll be perfect for them, and they for him. And I know it's right, and I'm happy they found little Max...but I'll still miss him.

Little Max came in a few months ago on a transport* from a rural downstate "kill shelter," where the rescue often finds and saves dogs because they have a better chance here in a big city to be adopted. He arrived looking like a walking skeleton...literally – just a head, ribcage and fur.

He's a Chihuahua mix, but too big for the typical Chi-lover. He arrived adult but young, not neutered, of course. A dirty, scared, oversized puppy. A dog with no history.

He had a wound on his side where he had been attacked by another dog in the previous shelter, and he was traumatized. But in spite of his obvious starvation and abuse, he was also amazingly forgiving...he was, alas, by nature, a dog.

Sweet, cuddly and gentle, he looked up at me through the bars of his crate with his sad, dark eyes, and I knew I had another foster to love for awhile. So, when the Vet told me he wasn't eating well at the shelter because he was still a little overwhelmed, I offered to bring him home to fatten him up.

Max had originally been named "Magnum" by the workers at the rescue, who in a burst of creativity had come up with it in order to name him something macho. But somehow, after I brought him home, my husband in a fit of mind confusion started calling him Max, and it stuck. Maximus, for a minimum-sized dog. It fit. And Max seemed to like it.

Max thrived over the next few months. He ate and ate, and gradually came out of his shell. It was obvious, at first, he didn't know what grass was. Could he have been a puppy mill dog? Or just crated his entire life? He would poop in his crate at first, his skinny little back end up against the bars so as not to dirty himself. When I would take him outside, he would stand a foot away from me the entire time and stare at the trees and sky, and sniff the wind. Then, he would come inside and run to his crate and poop.

After awhile he began to get the hang of things by following my other dogs around the yard...I would always pair him with my best "poopers": Alex or Beau, a Chi/Peke and Mini-Schnauzer. He learned to sit, to take treats gently, to wait for his food on his little rug by the door. Chachi, my other Chi, taught him to tunnel under warm laundry and Beau taught him how to play.

At night, he learned to sleep in his own little bed next to my own.... I forced myself to teach him not to sleep in my bed more for my own sake, not his; I knew I was getting attached, and I thought it would be best to teach him some independence...but many mornings, I would wake up to feel soft warm fur snuggled up against my back, and I'd lift the covers and there would be Max, happy as a clam. He'd crawl out and stretch and yawn and give me a kiss, then roll around on his back as if to say, "Ha ha, Mom! Surprise! And what a wonderful day!!!" I'm really going to miss him.

But tomorrow, Max is going home...to his real home this time. And though he doesn't know it yet, he is going to find more love then he has ever known. His new mom has been busy all week getting ready for him, getting his food, his treats, his new little bed. I have been his transition home, as I was supposed to be, and my husband, my boys, my daughter and I have been in his life for awhile to love him out of his shell, give him some security, then let him go to where he is supposed to be. To prepare the way, so to speak. To love and release. That's what fostering is all about.

In a way, his little story is the story of so many things in life. It's only ego that tries to tell me I could be or do the best for him, or any of my fosters. I need to step back, and step out of the way. If I really love them, I will.

And like the Vet told me once: "The more we can place, the more we can rescue...." There are so many more little Max's, and Alex's, and Beaus...sad dark eyes peering through cage bars. Sometimes bones and fur, sometimes obese to the point of hardly being able to walk. But the eyes are always the same.

And I will love another, again.

–Kim

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

An Early Warning System

By: Marc Goldberg, CDT

Guarding is an instinctual behavior for your dog. It's useful when he warns strangers who intrude on his (and your) territory. One of the earliest benefits dogs provided to man was to serve as an early warning intruder alert system.

Territoriality is, simply stated, guarding space. It is the dog's way of saying "This space has value and it belongs to my pack and me." In fact, dogs guard all sorts of things: some tangible, such as food or toys, others intangible such as space.

When they guard these items from outsiders, it can be helpful. I leave my home knowing my dog will be alert to an inappropriate intrusion. Dogs also guard tangibles and intangibles from one another. You shouldn't expect to see a submissive dog take a bone or scrap from the "alpha" or dominant dog. Should she try, she'll face a swift correction. But that's rarely necessary because in the structure of the dog pack, it is clearly understood who is entitled to what and when.

But what happens when that clear understanding is lacking between a dog and members of his human pack? The results can be a disaster…a dog who guards something against his very owners.

In this article, we'll concentrate on space-guarding behavior. In the dog pack, if the dominant dog wants to walk from point A to point B, he will do it even if he has to nudge a lesser dog out of his way. If the more submissive dog protests, what he is actually doing is challenging the authority of his leader by trying to guard the space he occupies.

The same event may transpire in our homes. Your dog helps himself to a place on the sofa. You either sit down next to him or try to take his collar to pull him off. Your own dog growls or snaps at you. She's guarding space. Moreover, she's stating in dog language that she believes she is dominant to you.

You need to open a cabinet and the dog is blocking your way. You take his collar to move him, and he growls or bites. The same thing may occur when you want to push the dog out a door, pass him in a narrow hallway, or get too close to him laying in his favorite spot.

In many households, the human occupants never realize that their dog is guarding space until the dog becomes completely out of control. In fact, we often excuse the behavior. That's because, too often, people apply human standards to canine behavior. Among our species it is impolite to pull someone out of a chair or shoulder them aside when you need something. So, if the dog growls when you sit by him on the couch, many people wrongly think the dog is just being grumpy, or that he was too comfortable to be disturbed.

Sometimes, adults may even chastise children for being "impolite" to a dog for sitting next to her on furniture, or for wanting to remove the dog from her place. People subconsciously try to accept these problems as "quirks" of the dog. Many owners try to just work around the issue by not disturbing the dog in whatever circumstance may be causing the dog to guard.

Unfortunately, this sends precisely the wrong message to the dog. Humoring him confirms that he is dominant, and is, therefore, entitled to guard more and more space. That's why guarding behavior escalates for many dogs. Often, I hear from owners who's dog began to growl at them under very limited conditions, say when being pulled off the sofa. But eventually, the behavior escalates to the point where the dog growls when they even get near him on the sofa.

The owner thinks the dog is getting worse. The dog simply thinks she's getting stronger. For some dogs, dominance is a self-rewarding behavior. You want to remove her from the couch. She growls; you back off. In the dog's mind, the behavior works. So eventually she growls when you even look at her on the couch. "They just don't seem to get it," the dog is thinking. "I'll have to warn them earlier."

This can become very problematic for some pet owners, particularly those with young children in the house. Tiny kids often don't realize that they're "not supposed to bother the dog." They just figure they have liberty to safely toddle wherever their little legs will take them. And if you ask me, they should have that right.

Older children must be taught to respect dogs. And younger children must be observed very carefully when they interact with a dog, to be sure they do not accidentally pinch him, for example. But no one can expect a two-year-old child to understand she should avoid Rover when he's laying on the sofa.

Willy is a three-year-old German Short Hair Pointer. His owner, Linda, called me very concerned. Willy had been growling at her baby every time the child approached him in his dog bed. Sometimes, Willy would climb on the couch, and he would also growl at the baby on those occasions. Apparently, this behavior had been going on for over a month. And just recently, the dog had growled at Linda when she sat near him on the couch. Linda was very confused because this entire set of behaviors was only about a month old, but it was getting worse fast.

"Did your baby start walking about a month ago?" I asked her. The answer was yes. That made it all clear to me. Willy always felt Linda was dominant to him. So he never growled at her before. But when the baby started walking, this impudent little human would intrude on his space, and Willy did believe himself dominant to the baby.

Not understanding the behavior, Linda had spent an entire month showing Willy how dominant he was by not correcting him and not letting the baby disturb him when he was comfortable. The unintended message to Willy was that he was more dominant than he had originally thought. That's why he began to guard space from Linda too.

While not all dogs progress from growling to snapping, or from air snapping to contact biting, that does happen with some dogs. And it's tragic, because it usually doesn't need to reach that point. Left untreated, most dogs who effectively guard space will eventually scare or hurt their owners enough to be removed from their homes, or be put down.

Willy became a client of the Chicagoland Boarding School for Dogs. In the time he spent with us, we used our Forcefree Method to show him that space was not a resource he should guard from his human family.

We taught Willy a series of exercises using a vibrating training collar, delivering a series of low level taps. The vibration, while not at all painful, was attention getting. (Before we put the collar on Willy, we let Linda feel the the collar on her hand, so she understood they were not painful. Linda described the feeling as a mild tickle.) During the initial phase of training, our goal was to teach Willy that, when he felt the taps, he could stop them by altering a behavior.

We started out with leash pulling, showing him that pulling on a tight leash turned on the tapping sensation, and that walking nicely on a loose leash turned them off. Then we went to the sit-stay. We showed Willy that getting up when he was supposed to be sitting turned on taps that he could turn off instantly by re-sitting himself.

The reason we didn't go right to the space guarding issue was simple. We didn't want to overwhelm the dog by immediately training for the most difficult behavior first. Also the guarding behavior is very specific to the family. They might be tough to reproduce without his sofa, his baby and his owner.

But when Willy understood that he could stop collar taps by altering a behavior, we were ready to confront the real issue, the guarding of space. By this point in the training, we had established a bond of trust and affection with Willy. That was critical because now we were teaching him to yield his personal space to us under the pressure of the taps.

In short, by sometimes invading Willy's personal space, while tapping, we showed him that he could turn off the tapping, as usual, by giving us a desired behavior…in this case, moving out of the way. Starting on leash, we held the dog close to our body, literally turning into him, and tapped as we moved through his space. Using a combination of leash pressure and body movement, we moved Willy out of the way. The second he began to yield his space, the taps stopped.

Willy began to understand very quickly. Space wasn't worth guarding anymore. In fact, each time we asked him to give up space, he became very willing to do so at once. After all, as far as he knew, any space that we requested became slightly annoying anyway.

We brought this dog home at the conclusion of our ten day program, reoriented him to his family and his environment, and transferred the behavior modification techniques to his owner over the course of two hours. Then we left.

Linda called two days later. She reported that Willy was leaving his dog bed as soon as the baby approached. We were happy with this report, but Linda was concerned. She wanted the dog and the baby to be friends and she was worried that the dog was now "fleeing" from the baby.

We explained that this was progress given that the dog had modified a major behavior and was now yielding space, rather than guarding it. We advised her to give it some more time to see if the dog would eventually find pleasure in sharing space, time and bonding with the baby in his new submissive role. We did warn Linda that not all dogs bond with all people, but that it was still a distinct possibility.

Two weeks later Linda called again, and she was very happy. She found Willy and the baby curled up together in the dog's bed. Apparently, Willy had calmed down enough to realize that while he was no longer able to guard space, there was a wonderful pleasure in sharing it.

Trust is something that grows over time, and with experience. Every day that passes as Willy continues to show the right reaction is one more day in which the trust between him and his family grows. Willy has been home for several months now, and all the reports are good news.

Here is a dog who was at severe risk for re-homing and possibly might have injured a child, curled up in bed with his little master.

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

Be Ready for the Challenge!

When considering the birth rates among animals, it's not hard to understand why animal shelters are always filled with dogs waiting to be adopted. Shockingly, it has been calculated that over a six year period, one female dog and her offspring will produce 65,000 puppies. Since there are more animals looking for homes than there are people who want to adopt them, some 6.5 million animals are put down each year.

Given these statistics, adopting a dog can be a kind and loving thing to do. However, before making the final decision to adopt, there are a number of things to consider.

Many of the dogs awaiting adoption in shelters have had very rough beginnings. Some were abused, some abandoned and some were "turned in" because the owners didn't have time for them. Many were left alone for long periods and some were never properly "potty trained." In short, when adopting an animal you must be prepared to work with them.

Many adopted dogs will come to the new surroundings filled with fears based upon earlier mistreatment or the harsh rules of their previous owners. Some dogs will be reluctant to go from one room to another, will shy away when corrected and hide upon hearing a loud noise. As a new owner, you must be patient with them and speak to them softly and affectionately. Dogs are not stupid and they will gradually come to understand their new environment and show their appreciation for your loving care.

Adopted dogs are subject to all of the behavioral problems commonly associated to dogs in general. These would include digging, jumping up on people, jumping fences, barking and nipping. There are proven solutions to all of these "offenses." If your dog is prone to digging, and always digs in one area, there are a number of effective repellent sprays that work well. If he digs under your fence, a little buried chicken wire works wonders in breaking that habit. Spray bottles filled with water should be kept at hand to break a dog from jumping up and to combat incessant barking.

Visiting an animal shelter can be an emotional experience for an animal lover. It's difficult to see all the animals in their pens and not want to take them all home. Such feelings are understandable and commendable; however, just be sure that, prior to adoption, you consider all of the ramifications. And remember, your best friend could be waiting for you at your local animal shelter.

• Are You Ready for a Dog in Your Life?
• The Best Decision You'll Ever Make
• How to Prepare for a Puppy!

Thought you would enjoy these! –Kim

I Promise...

• I will not play tug-of-war with Mom's underwear when she's on the toilet.

• The garbage collector is NOT stealing our stuff.

• I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.

• I will not roll my toys behind the fridge.

• I must shake the rainwater out of my fur BEFORE entering the house.

• I will not eat the cats' food, before or after they eat it.

• I will stop trying to find the few remaining pieces of clean carpet in the house when I am about to throw up.

• I will not throw up in the car.

• I will not roll on dead moles, birds, bugs, etc.

• "Kitty box crunchies" are not food.

• I will not eat any more socks and then redeposit them in the backyard after processing.

• The diaper pail is not a cookie jar.

• I will not wake Mommy up by sticking my cold, wet nose on her bottom end.

• I will not chew my human's toothbrush and not tell them.

• I will not chew crayons or pens, especially not the red ones, or my people will think I am hemorrhaging.

• When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when it's raining outside.

• I will not bark each time I hear the doorbell or each time I hear one on TV.

• I will not steal my Mom's underwear and dance all over the back yard with it.

• The sofa is not a face towel. Neither is Mom's lap.

• My head does not belong in the refrigerator.

• I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for Mom's driver's license and car registration.

Here are some great tips on pet safety... –Kim

While Providing Fun, Don't Forget about Safety!

There are plenty of toys on the market to keep your dog entertained for endless hours, but there are also a number of factors to consider when purchasing toys. As with children's toys, safety should be first and foremost in your thoughts when considering a new toy purchase for your dog.
Some dogs are never happier than when they're chasing a ball. Many of the hunting and herding breeds will play ball all day and still come back for more. Some of the guarding breeds and terriers, on the other hand, will enjoy toys they can really bite and that respond with sound – so squeezy squeaky dog toys are very popular with them.
Recently, there have been a number of news stories about recalls of unsafe childrens' toys originating in China, Mexico and other nations with poor safety standards. One of the biggest offenses was the presence of lead in the paint or enamel in children's toys. And, there is evidence of the same problem in dog toys; however, the safety standards for pet products is significantly lower than those for human use, so the problem was largly unreported. To be safe, buy American made toys, because of the higher safety approval standards (although, they are getting more difficult to find because of foreign price competition).

Be sure not to give your dog a toy that can be broken up and potentially stuck in his throat! Dog toys, like dogs themselves, come in various shapes and sizes, and a ball that's safe for one dog can easily choke another.
Dog toys should be durable, fun and safe. Hard rubber toys such as the "Kong" line of products can provide your dog with endless hours of chewing fun. The "Kong" comes in various colors and can be filled with a mixture of your dog's favorite treat or peanut butter!

Be sure to check with your veterinarian to ensure that it is okay to feed your dog peanut butter. Also, be sure that any such toy has a hole at both ends to prevent your dog's tongue from getting stuck (by suction) while trying to remove every bit of the treat.
Rope dog toys and rubber rings are always a bit hit with dogs that love to play fetch or tug-of-war. Playing "FRISBEE" can also provide hours of entertainment for dogs and owners alike!
Dogs may also enjoy stuffed and furry toys, but be sure your pet cannot get at the stuffing inside as it can be a serious choking hazard. One good alternative is to buy special dog toys that have no stuffing. Another is to make your own toys, with or without stuffing.
There are literally hundreds of dog toys on the market, just be sure to put safety first!
Have fun!

–Kim

Valuable Resource...

You CAN Heal Your Sick Pet at Home,
Without Going to the Vet...

In Less than 24 Hours, I Can Show You How to Examine, Diagnose and Treat Your Pet at Home.

Dear fellow pet lover,
If you're not ready to make some simple changes to the way you provide veterinary care to your pet, beginning today....

Here is How I know:

My dog died young, only 8 years old. He was a mixed breed dog, a specimen of health. He was given a ton of attention, exercised three times a day, fed only Veterinary Approved food, and given all his vaccines. He had the "ideal" life. Hoochie passed away in my arms from a massive tumor bleed at 12:02pm on April 12, 2003 – the saddest day of my life.

I asked myself... why?

But I later discovered I may have contributed to his death, because I believed ONLY in conventional veterinary medicine. You see, I am a Veterinarian.

I'm Dr. Andrew Jones, and I have practiced Veterinary Medicine for over a decade. Over the past 17 years I have treated literally thousands of pets for a whole variety of problems, and I currently own the Nelson Animal Hospital in Nelson BC, Canada (http://www.nelsonvet.com/). But, my beloved dog Hoochie is gone.

You are fortunate... it's not too late for you and your pet. Just read on and find out exactly what you must do now.

Conventional veterinary medicine may be harming your pet – and I can show you step-by-step what you must do to prevent it. "Regular" veterinary care has lost its effectiveness over the years, and in some cases is actually causing illness in our pets.

Alternative pet health care has grown over the past few years, but the truth is that Veterinarians have STRONGLY discouraged pet owners from treating their pets outside of the Vet Clinic.

The entire Pet Health Industry has a vested interest in discrediting alternative medicines which can safely, naturally and effectively allow pet owners to care for their pets at home.

STOP AND READ THIS

Lock the door, Unplug the phone, and do whatever you can to have 10 undivided minutes... Get ready to read about how you could be saving the life of your pet starting now!

"I began to notice something unusual..."

Slowly, I began to notice something unusual about Hoochie. He really just wasn't the same. He was reluctant to go for his morning dog walk, which was always the highlight of his day.

I dismissed it as him feeling a bit off, some mild stomach issue or maybe a touch of arthritis... but it didn't pass. In fact, it got worse.

I eventually did a blood test on Hoochie, thinking at that point that he had a tooth infection. However, much to my horror, I quickly found out that he had a spleen tumor.

Immediately, I performed surgery on Hoochie and removed the spleen tumor. But I was too late - the cancer had already spread to his liver, and I knew that very soon, he would die.

How did an apparently healthy
mixed breed dog die so young?

I did all the "right" things – or so I thought. After grieving, I came to realize that I had played a role in his dying at too young of an age.

I came to question exactly what I did to my own pet – and what was I doing to other people's pets.

Through my questioning, I came to realize that most Veterinarians (including me as well, at the time) are not "getting it" – that in the process of trying to heal pets through technological advances, we are actually making them sicker!

There are 3 mistakes that I made that contributed to Hoochie's early death...

...are you making these same mistakes with your own dog?

Click here to continue for more information!

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

9 Tips to Help Solve Your Problem

Dogs bark for a number of reasons. It can be out of excitement when playing or to warn that an intruder is on the premises. This barking is perfectly normal and we humans expect it.

But when your dog continually barks, this can cause problems not only for your own household, but often creates tension within your neighborhood. Some cities and towns have noise ordinances and an incessantly barking dog may bring the police or animal control to your door issuing a warning or possibly a ticket. What should you do?

First, isolate the cause of the excessive barking. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my dog lonely and frustrated, and seeking attention through their only voice – barking?
• Is my dog left alone for long periods of time without toys, chews or other ways to keep her occupied?
• Is my dog a puppy or adolescent (up to 3 years old) with no other way to expel excess energy?
• Is my dog a breed that needs a job to be happy (herding, hunting or sporting dog)?

1. Increase the amount and quality of time you spend with your dog by walking him every day for 20-30 minutes. Just a jaunt around the neighborhood often will help dispel some extra energy. It's also an excellent way to begin or end the human work day.
2. Train your dog to fetch a ball or FRISBEE and play with her for 10-15 minutes in the morning and in the evening. Get up a little earlier to help your dog behave better.
3. Get your dog some busy toys where you can hide treats or freeze peanut butter inside to give him something to do while you're away. Alternate the toys so your dog thinks he's getting something new each day.

4. Spend 5-15 minutes petting, brushing or scratching your dog. This is also a great way to discover potential problems like bumps, sores or hot spots.
5. If possible, take your dog to work with you for part of the day. Take toys, too.
6. Find a doggie day care and take her for the day. Often, one time per week will help with boredom or loneliness.
7. Ask a friend, neighbor or family member to come by and take your dog on a walk, play for 10-15 minutes or just love on him.
8. Hire someone to walk your dog daily or a couple times per day. Often, there's a teenager who would love to walk your dog.
9. For herding or sporting dogs, she needs a job or she becomes destructive and depressed. Get her a "Good Citizen" badge and go to hospices, hospitals or nursing homes. Watch your dog glow and grin while she's learning her job and when she's working.

As always, consult with your Veterinarian or veterinary technician if you have questions or concerns.

Gin the Border Collie

This is one of the most amazing dog videos I've ever seen!

First, 16-year old Kate and her 6-year old Border Collie, Gin, perform an impressive Canine Freestyle routine to a James Bond theme...like nothing you've ever seen before!

Then, Kate and Gin perform at the final competition with another dance number that they put together in a single day for the show!

Britain's Got Talent is a British television show on ITV (also on TV3 in Ireland). Presented by Ant & Dec, the talent show premiered on 9 June 2007, and was broadcast daily with a live final on 17 June 2007. It is a search for Britain's next best amateur talent act, featuring singers, dancers, comedians, variety acts and other talents of all ages. Anyone who believed they have talent was encouraged to audition. The winner of the show received £100,000 and performed at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen and members of the Royal Family at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool.

We're dog lovers, just like you....

This is a place for our best friends – the big or little creatures in our lives who add so much fun and love to our world.

Top Dog Blog is a safe place to find and share good information about our dogs, whether it's about health and fitness, adoption and rescue, habits and behavior, or whatever else. If it's good information, it belongs here!

It's been said: "My goal in life is to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am." We hope you agree.

Take a look around and if you find something worthwhile here, please leave something behind before you go to share with others.

See you inside!
Kim