Saturday, March 1, 2008

Dog in Print: Five dogs you Must Bring Home

By Emma Snow
In fact, I believe I can trace my canine-cravings to my earliest days of reading, when I fell in love with Old Dan and Little Ann (from Where the Red Fern Grows). Below, I’ve compiled a list of five famous dogs you must bring home for your littlest children! (Good news…you won’t have to clean up after these champions!)

Carl is the star of seven picture books by Alexandra Day. The gist of these stories is that Carl, a responsible and caring rottweiler, is given the responsibility of caring for baby Madeleine while her parents are out. Once the adults are out of the way the fun begins! Carl includes Madeleine on some wild adventures. Sometimes they just trail the parents (keeping out of sight, of course), and sometimes they get into trouble—but Carl always manages to cover his tracks! With realistic watercolor illustrations and few words (only those necessary to suggest the storyline), Day’s books are designed for very young readers, 2-5 year olds, and will make rottweiler fans out of readers everywhere.

In 1976 Eric Hill’s son Christopher was born. Eric created a story about a small puppy to read to his son at bed-time. In 1980 Where’s Spot? was published. Now over forty Spot titles fill the library bookshelves, and the list is still growing. Cuddly and creamy-colored, with big brown spots on his back and the tip of his tail, this dog is destined to be your child’s best friend. With simple storylines and sturdy flaps, Spot books appeal to 2-5 year olds.

This is the Fiftieth Anniversary for our next dog protagonist. (Now how old would that be in dog years?) Harry, a small white dog with black spots, was created in 1956 by Gene Zion. Five installments complete the Harry collection. He is a wholesome, amusing addition to any children’s library. Whether he’s trying to quiet down his neighbor, hiding a hideous sweater, or visiting the seaside, Harry’s always into mischief! Even reluctant readers, ages 2-8 years old, can’t resist Harry!

Norman Bridwell gave birth to the next character, basing him on the kind of dog he dreamed of having as a little boy. But there’s nothing little about Clifford! Even though he’s fire-engine red and as big as a house, Clifford doesn’t do anything a real dog couldn’t do (with a little imagination.) The Clifford stories are based on ordinary events that turn extraordinary when Clifford makes innocent mistakes. His side-kick is his sweet little blonde owner, Emily Elizabeth. Designed for readers aged 6-10 years old, Clifford has been a children’s favorite since 1963. Now a PBS cartoon, Clifford continues to delight dog-lovers the world over.

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog introduces us to Hank, and it isn’t long before you get the impression that author John R. Erickson is a keen observer of dogs. Indeed, as a former cowboy and ranch manager, Erickson started spinning yarns about Hank and Drover, two dogs he worked with on the range. These “true” stories became the Hank series, which now numbers at 48 installments. Designed for middle readers, ages 6-12, these make perfect read-aloud books that will even entertain adults. There are even recordings of the author reading the books available now!

Without a dog-gone doubt, dogs in print can substitute as man’s best friend. It’s a fine reward to see your little one light up at the sight of a book. A good dog and a good book, a match made in heaven!

About the Author
Emma Snow an animal lover works in marketing for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net and Horse Stall http://www.horse-stall.net leading portals for pet management.


About the author:

Dog obedience trainings

By Linda A
Dog obedience training

For a solid and trustful relationship between dog and owner, a common language needs to be created. This can only be achieved by Dog Obedience Training that opens the way to learning and understanding your pet and its needs. By dog obedience training you make sure that the animal always responds in a positive ways to your commands without losing calm and developing unsocial behavior. Exercises will help your pet create the best responses to stimuli and therefore, dog obedience training works for the benefit of both animal and adoptive family. Specific centres meet the requirements of dog owners who seek professional help in training their dogs.

There are several types of dog obedience training; let? have a look at the very basic ones. The most common and easy to put into practice are the reward-based and the leash training types. The latter is considered to belong to the traditional dog obedience training used at first in military facilities. For such practical purposes, the leash dog obedience training has more advantages than the food reward, since it finds better adaptation to the task or mission the animal has to face. The collars bring mild or even hard correction, yet, make sure that you don? use it ineffectively.

The leash dog obedience training teaches the animal to obey to collar control. You will need to remember that the leash is just the first step into developing the skills to get the dog obey under no matter what circumstances and relying on other tools as well. This type of dog obedience training establishes the hierarchy or the leadership in the dog? life and the relation you develop with the dog very much depends on this aspect. Now, let? see how the reward dog obedience training system works. Commands given to the animal and properly executed are rewarded.

Thus, the pet associates a specific positive behavior with certain rewards, caresses, a toy or usually food. Behavior patterns develop along these lines as dog obedience training pursues a mutual understanding between pet and owner. Basically teaching a trick means achieving a dog obedience training goal, lots of skills may be developed according to the matter: scent detection, fetch commands and even criminal apprehension. You may hire a professional in dog obedience training, but you have to be an active part in the process since you are the one to spend most time with the pet.

About the author:
Linda A owns and operates Dog Training

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Loveable Small Dogs

By Sandy Oberreuter
"Dogs are obsessed with being happy"
--James Thurber

People love small dogs - they are cute and adorable. They make wonderful and devoted companions and make good watchdogs. They are so popular because they are great lap dogs and loveable. They make great pets for people who live in RV's, small homes and apartments.

There are many different breeds and they all have different temperaments and character tics. If you are thinking about getting a small dog breed, choose one that fits your lifestyle, living space, time you have to devote to him, and if have children their ages.

The number of people having small dogs has risen according to the AKC. Their 2008 list shows the Yorkshire Terrier as number 2, outranking the German Shepherd.

The Yorkie is classified as a toy breed and they love attention. These little dogs are brave, clever and want to please which is why they rank as number 2.

Other popular small dogs are Daschund, Poodles, Shih Tzu, Chihuahuas, Beagles, Pugs, Pomeranians, Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Maltese.

Seniors love small dog breeds because they make great companions for them. Some of the most popular are:

Miniature Schmauzer who enjoy being around people and are very affectionate.

Shih Tzu is eager to please and like companionship of people.

Chihuahuas are well suited to seniors because they bond with them and are protective of them.

Small dogs that are good with children are:

Boxers who are protective, patient, devoted babysitters, and love to play.

Bulldogs are gentle, loving, devoted and make great playmates.

"A dog is like an eternal Pete Pan, a child who never grows old and who therefore is always available to love and be loved."
Aaron Katcher


~There is only one smartest dog in the world, and every boy has it. -Louis Sabin


About the author:
Sandy has a web site on small dog breeds with information on different breeds including pages on dogs good with children and the elderly, choosing a dog and breeder, vet, dog clothes, dog houses and much more. http://www.small-dogbreeds.com

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

An Introduction to the Boxer Breed of Dog

By Nicholas Hunt
The Boxer is one of the oldest German breeds. He has become a staple in American Society as a family pet and protector. Developed in Germany, the Boxer is stocky, medium-sized, shorthaired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers have a square muzzle, physically powerful jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to prey of any size. The Boxer was bred from the original Bulldog and the now extinct Bullen beisser.

Overview

The Boxer first came into competition in 1895 along side St. Bernard's in Munich, Germany. The first boxer club was subsequently founded the following year in 1896.The breed was introduced to other parts of Europe late in the 19th century and to the United States approximately the turn of the century. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the first Boxer champion in 1915. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), in 2002 Boxers entered the list at 7th on the most popular breeds, and have maintained that position ever since. This position of popularity has been maintained through 35,388 new dog registrations annually.

Boxers live an average of 10-12 years. The have a small legs, and a physically powerful muscular build with an inquisitive look. The Boxer coat typically comes in white with some black or brown markings through out. Some liken the coat coloring to appear similar to that of a cow.

Temperament

He is celebrated for his love and faithfulness to his family. He is suspicious of strangers, but bright and friendly at play, and brave when need be. His intelligence and eager tractability, his modesty and cleanliness make him a sought-after family dog and companion. His honesty and loyalty, and is by no means false or treacherous even with age. Boxers are well behaved with children of all ages. The reputation of being "headstrong" can be correlated to inappropriate and lacking obedience training. Boxers are patient with smaller dogs but can feel the need to be dominant with larger dogs, especially of the same gender. Boxers react best to positive reinforcement techniques. He requires socialization early in life to tolerate other dogs well. Boxers are on the whole comfortable with companionship, from either human or canine.

Common Ailments

Boxers are prone to develop cancers, heart conditions; hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy; tendency to develop spondylosis deformans, a fusing of the spine. Before bringing a boxer home, ask about family medical history, as well as your dogs history to gage if the needed medical effort will be possible.

Grooming / Physical Needs

This dog requires proper exercise and conditioning for continued health and longevity; The Boxer is a clean canine with a short coat that needs little more than a wipe-down and an occasional bath. Due to the short hair on this breed, daily or weekly bathing will result in dry skin and possibly additional skin disorders.

Special Abilities / Talents

Companions; alertness, agility, and strength make them formidable guard dogs; used as service dogs, guide dogs for the blind, therapy dogs, police dogs; herding cattle or sheep; trainable for various other service positions. The Boxer is a renowned family pet, with great affection for every member of his family. He is not however known as a multifamily pet, as he is a dedicated, loyal dog.

Nicholas writes on insurance for pets, including specialist types of animal cover such as pet insurance for older animals.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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