How Many Dog Cookies Should You Feed Your Dog, Each Day?

This is always a topic that comes up amongst dog-owners.

Watch one dog specialists response here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh0TJ_wtUCk

South Korea Hopes to End Dog Eating

by Michael Martinez on Monday September 07, 2009

It never made sense to me how people could eat a dog, but I always figured it was a cultural thing - something done in other countries that we simply could never understand.

But there's a man in South Korea who's trying to buck the norm in a country where the practice of eating dog meat is considered the cuisine of the affluent.

Every weekend in Seoul, Lee Won-bok visits pedestrian malls and arranges graphic photos of dogs being hanged and butchered as they're prepared for market. He asks people to sign a petition that he can take to legislators to make sure they'll enforce national laws prohibiting the consumption of dog meat. For the most part, officials ignore the laws.

"People don't comprehend the suffering these dogs endure," Lee said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "They may vaguely realize that people still eat dogs. But they need to know what happens to the animals."

His campaign is gaining strength. As South Koreans have gradually embraced Western culture, more citizens have become dog owners and are choosing to oppose the practice of eating dog meat.

"Dog eating in Korea is not going to end in one day or one year," Lee said. "But it's only a matter of time."

The sooner the better.

(original article can be found at http://blogs.dogtime.com/the-news-hound-blog/2009/09/south-korean-hopes-to-end-dog-eating)

"Come!" The Most Important Command to Teach Your Dog

There are many important commands to teach your dog, such as "Sit!" and "Stay!" However, many dog owners consider "Come!" to be at the top of the list. Why? Because in some instances "Come!" is the primary way you will get your dog’s attention if he is running or playing. It’s easier to get your dog to stay or sit when they are back by your side. To accomplish that task, they need to know the "Come!" command.

The "Come!" command helps make you the pack leader
Dogs are accustomed to living in packs with other dogs, so a strict hierarchy is completely normal to them. If you treat your dog as a partner with equal rights, you may give him too much freedom. That will only confuse him, because a dog needs clear rules. There must be a leader of the pack—and it's the leader who calls the dog to "Come!"

Teaching the command
Begin training your dog indoors. First of all, it's important that your dog reacts to you and comes when you call him. Always use the command "Come!" coupled with his name. After you have called him once or twice, he will probably come running to you. Praise him lavishly, or even spoil him with a little treat.

Sometimes your dog may have something more important on his agenda than coming to you. If he doesn't come to you after you've called him twice, get him and walk him to the spot where you where when you called him. Praise him continuously while walking and when you arrive at the "call spot." Repeat the exercise right away.

If you are outside in your yard and you call him and nothing happens, you may start a wild chase if you try to get him. Your dog—especially if he's a playful puppy—may consider this a wonderful game. This will not make for a successful training session, though, which means you have to use another method outdoors. If your dog doesn't come to you when you call, just turn around and go away. In most cases, he'll come running after you.

If your dog already knows "Sit!" "Stay!" and other commands...
Give your dog the "Sit!" (or "Down!") and "Stay!" command. Take five steps back, whistle, say your dog's name and "Come!" in an excited tone of voice. You can also open your arms to encourage him. When he obeys, praise and reward him. Repeat the command (taking only five steps back) ten times. Then, once he has this mastered, increase the distance to ten steps. Never call your dog to scold him or to do anything that he won't like. Responding to "Come!" should always be a positive experience for your dog—and, because your best friend is there by your side, for you, too.



(content courtesy of pedigree.com; photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/ex_magician/3616914738/)

Sometimes a Picture REALLY is Worth a Thousand Words...

Amazing Story - Dog Saves Child

Animals do amaze me often- and in these oh so cynical times, it's refreshing to hear positive animal stories.

A stray dog who got a helping hand from a Canadian family more than repaid the favor when he saved the family's 2-year-old son in the Yukon wilderness.

The British Columbia family, whose name was withheld at their request, took the yellow dog under their wing after encountering him on their trek through the bush. The scruffy-looking mongrel had porcupine quills sticking out of his snout, and the family tried to help him by pulling some out, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported.

Last Thursday, as the parents were setting up a trailer in the evening, their 2-year-old son, Kale, disappeared wearing only a T-shirt. News of a missing boy triggered a full-scale search involving rescue professionals and many local volunteers.

Rescue parties located Kale more than 24 hours after he vanished. With him was the stray dog, who had kept the little boy warm by cuddling with him during the damp, cool night and protected him in the bear-infested woods. "The night was cold and wet and the terrain in the area is rough ...Most adults wouldn't make it through the night before succumbing to hypothermia, let alone a 2-year-old child," Michael Pealow, a member of the Whitehorse District Search and Rescue Society team, wrote in a blog post, according to The Globe and Mail.

"A bear could have got him. Anything could have happened," Mike Bondarchuk, a volunteer who helped search for Kale, told the newspaper. "What we do know is the dog stuck with him, all night and all the next day."

The dog's owner heard the whole story and came forward. Kim Dolan instantly recognized the canine hero as her dog, Koda, who had been missing for about a week. She said she had adopted Koda several months earlier after the dog was abandoned in Ross River, British Columbia.

"He's a total mutt. A total kid dog ... he just wants to be loved," Dolan told The Globe and Mail.

Although she said it was hard to do, Dolan decided to give Koda to Kale's family."He was meant to be there at that time," she said. "It was tough to give him away. I was in tears ... but it was the right thing to do."

Interesting Video - Dog Toys To Avoid (Crummy Dog Toy Reviewed, Part ll)

Watch here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwdyxl6qA18

Bathing Your Puppy

First: talk to your veterinarian about your puppy and how often he will need to be bathed. Each puppy is different — your puppy's breed and lifestyle determines how often he needs a bath. If your puppy spends a lot of time playing outdoors, he may need a bath more often than a puppy who spends most of his time indoors. But remember, bathing your puppy too often will remove necessary oils from his coat.

Preparing the bath
Get everything you need for your puppy's bath together and at arm's reach. You want to be very organized so you are not searching for shampoo while at the same time trying to keep your puppy in his bath.

Depending on your puppy's size you may choose to bathe him in the bathtub, in a utility tub or in the sink. A non-slip mat on the bottom of the sink or tub will keep your puppy from slipping around while in the bath and he will feel more at ease. Do you want to give your puppy a shower or a bath? If you decide to give your puppy a shower you will need a spray nozzle attached to your faucet. If you decide to give your puppy a bath fill the sink or tub with water that will reach your puppy's knees when he is in the bath. The water temperature should be lukewarm, about his temperature — not too cold or too hot.

Thoroughly brush your puppy's coat. This is very important. If there are any mats or tangles the water will make them worse and they may then need to be cut out. To protect your puppy's eyes from soaps or chemicals that may irritate him put a drop of mineral oil in each eye — you only need a drop.

The bath
Lift your puppy into the bath. If you are showering your puppy turn the spray nozzle on with one hand, while holding your puppy in place with the other hand. Test the water to make sure it is not too hot or too cold and slowly direct the nozzle at your puppy's coat. The spray nozzle should be held very close to your puppy's coat so he is not frightened and his coat should be made thoroughly wet. Never spray water directly into your puppy's face. If you are bathing your puppy begin ladling the bath water over his coat with one hand, and hold your puppy in place with your other hand.

When his coat is thoroughly wet you can start applying a dog shampoo. Gently work the shampoo through his coat. Don't forget to shampoo his stomach, under his tail, between his toes and under his neck. Use a sponge to gently wash your puppy's face, being careful not to get soap in his eyes or mouth. A soft brush is useful to clean your puppy's paws and between his toes.

Once your puppy is thoroughly shampooed you can begin to rinse the shampoo from him. Remember to check the temperature of the water again when you begin rinsing. It's important that the shampoo is thoroughly rinsed as any residue may cause an irritation to your puppy's skin. It's a good idea to rinse twice. If you bathed your puppy instead of showering him drain the tub water before rinsing him.

After the bath
It's important to get your puppy completely dry. Gently squeeze out any water from your puppy's coat and dry him with a few towels. Then stand back so your puppy can shake off any remaining water. If you decide to blow-dry your puppy's coat make the experience as pleasant as possible by keeping the heat very low and never direct the air into your puppy's face. If you decide to let your puppy's coat dry without the aid of a blow dryer keep him away from any drafts until he is thoroughly dried. Don’t forget to dry your puppy's ears well. Wet ears are perfect for bacterial growth.

A few more tips

•If the weather is cold never wash your puppy outside, and keep him inside while he is drying.

•Always use a shampoo made for dogs because the pH level of their skin is different from that of humans, and human shampoo is harsher.

•Don't forget to rinse and dry your puppy's feet and between his toes. If shampoo is not rinsed properly his feet may be irritated.

•Your attitude plays a big part in how your puppy reacts to his bath. If he senses that you dislike giving him a bath he will dislike taking one.

Remember that every puppy is different. Your veterinarian can advise you on how often your puppy should be bathed. Bathing your puppy too often is not good for him.