Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Essential Dog Walking Information and Advice

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Dogs need exercise, and the activity they love more than any other is walking. However, many dog owners shirk the responsibility. Perhaps they simply don’t have time, or maybe they don’t realize how important it is to walk their dogs.

Others give it a go, but give up after being hauled around the neighborhood one time too often by an unruly dog. If any of the aforementioned scenarios describes you, pay attention, because I’d like to share a piece of information that every dog owner should know.

“Dogs must be walked!”

Any dog trainer will tell you that daily exercise is a must for all dogs. For some, 30 minutes to an hour may be enough, for others 2 hours will just be getting started. But the point is they all need exercise, and walking should be the core component of that.

But dog walking involves more than a just leashing your dog and setting off. Some simple guidelines will make it a lot easier for you, and more enjoyable for the dog.

Here are some best practices you can follow;

* Don’t walk your dog during the hottest time of the day as they overheat quite easily. If you need to walk when it’s hot be sure to have some water along for the dog to drink.

* Don’t allow your dog to walk in front of you or he may get the idea that he is the pack leader and this will encourage him to pull. Always walk with the dog by your side.

* Don’t pull back on the lead because this will just encourage your dog to pull back. Try to always keep a relaxed grip, and if your dog does pull, stop and wait for him to calm down before continuing.

* Maintain control of the walk. Don’t allow you dog to dictate direction and particularly when to stop. Sniffing around and marking should only happen when you allow it.

* Where possible, avoid other dogs. You have no idea of another dog’s temperament and matters can quickly get out of hand. If your dog is small, pick him up if a big dog approaches aggressively, if you have a big dog just walk in a different direction and avoid a confrontation.

You also don’t know the health status of dogs you come across. An infected dog can pass on a serious disease to your dog.

* The right leash or collar. Pick a leash / collar combination that is strong enough to keep the dog in check, but still comfortable for him to wear. Also ensure that your dog wears his id tags. You never know when he might slip his leash.

If your dog does escape, the id tag will hopefully result in him being returned safely. For an extra level of security you may also want to have your dog micro-chipped.

* Finally, have fun! Walking your dog can be a really fun activity if you approach it in the right way. It’s one of the best ways of bonding with your dog, it’s an excellent work out for both of you, and your dog will be calmer and more obedient. All of that for just an hour of your time a day.

To find out more about dog training tips, dog breeds a-z, dog health and other useful dog info visit www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Focus on the Black and Tan Coonhound

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The Black and Tan Coonhound, is an impressive distinctive looking dog that excels as a hunting companion.

These medium-sized dogs stand up to 27 inches at the withers and can weigh as much as 75 pounds. They have a black and tan coat and the appearance of a typical hound dog, with long, hanging ears, loose fitting skin and long legs.

The original Black and Tans were created by crossing Talbot Hounds, Foxhounds, and Bloodhounds. The idea was to create a dog for treeing racoons, but the Black and Tan proved such an able tracker that it was soon being used to hunt larger game, including deer, mountain lions, and even bear.

These are loyal, affectionate and good-natured dogs who form close bonds with humans. The are also intelligent and fast learners which makes them excellent pets for an appropriate owner.

They do however need a great deal of exercise and will therefore do best with an active family. Without proper exercise Black and Tans can become destructive and are prone to howling when left alone.

Consistent pack leadership is a must with this breed, as are training and socialization. Dogs that have not been socialized may be aggressive towards other dogs. The hunting instinct is still strong, and these dogs will follow any scent they encounter.

While they are generally good with people they are not really suited to small children as they may be too boisterous for them.With the right amount of exercise though, plus a good training program, this is a wonderful pet and loving companion.

The Black and Tan is generally a robust, healthy breed and suffers from few inherited diseases. There is a risk of hip dysplasia and, as with many long eared breeds, they may suffer ear infections. Eye problems also occur occasionally.

Black and Tans love to eat and are therefore prone to obesity. Strict portion and treat control is therefore advised.

Grooming is quite easy as the short coat only needs to be brushed once a week. You should also take care to inspect and clean the ears and eyes regularly.

It should be obvious that this is not a dog for apartment living. The Black and Tan needs lots of space to move around in as well as vigorous daily exercise. These dogs are tough enough to live outdoors, but are softies at heart and will much prefer to be inside, and close to those they love.

Good dog names can be hard to find. The best advice is to try one of the online dog names, sites. My personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ, a site that has tons of excellent dog names to pick from, including thousands of cute dog names.

How to Cope With An Over-Excitable Dog

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Dogs are just naturally boisterous, excitable characters. However, if your dog is an out of control dynamo, it probably comes down to one of 3 things – not enough exercise, anxiety or leadership issues.

I hope you’ve noticed the common thread here. All of these are things you control.

Helping A Bored Dog

A common factor for many over-excitable dogs is that they are simply bored. The dog gets no regular physical or mental stimulation. He lays around all day waiting for your return, and when you arrive he explodes into action.

Fortunately, the solution is simple – your dog needs to be exercised. All dogs, regardless of size need it, but very few get enough.

How much exercise do they need? That depends on breed, age and physical condition. If you have a Bulldog, you’ll probably get away with a leisurely half-hour walk around the block daily, if you own a Husky, be prepared for 2-3 hours of high intensity work (at least!).

Dealing with Separation Anxiety

A common cause for over-excited behavior is separation anxiety. This is particularly true of dogs that are left home while the owner goes to work. Here are some things you can do to address the behavior;

*Stop Rewarding Your Dog – By this I mean stop giving attention, whether positive or negative, while the dog is running around, jumping up and barking. Once the dog has calmed down, give attention and maybe a treat to re-enforce the desired behavior.

*Mix-up Your Routine – Dogs pay a lot of attention to your habits. Your dog will know in great detail, the drill you go through each time you leave the house. You may not even be aware of it, but your dog is, and every time he notices it, his separation anxiety is triggered.

*Limit Access – Don’t give your dog the run of the house when you’re away, restrict him to a smaller area. You may even want to consider training your dog to stay in a dog crate when you’re not around.*Provide a Distraction – Keeping your dog occupied while your away will significantly reduce his anxiety. Something to chew on or a puzzle to solve, like a Kong toy, should work well.

Be the Leader

A dog that is uncertain of his place in the pack hierarchy will always be anxious, because he’s not sure how to behave. What can you do about it? Give him some basic obedience training like “sit”, “stay” and “down”.

Training provides discipline and mental stimulation. It also establishes your leadership. Once your dog accepts this, he’ll naturally calm down.

Applying these 3 principles will have a noticeable effect on your dog’s hyper-active behavior. Keep in mind that not all dogs were created equal. Some dogs (and some breeds) are just by nature more boisterous than others.

There’s lots more about dog training, dog care, types of dogs and other interesting dog info at www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Astounding Dog Snippets You Might Not Know

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Dogs are amazing aren’t they? Loyal friends, fearless defenders, tireless workers, not to mention goofball buddies who are always up for fun and games.

But I wonder how many people truly appreciate just how incredible our best friends really are.Read on and prepare to be amazed!

1. Incredible Hearing – Human ears can hear sounds at 20, 000 vibrations per second. By comparison, a dog picks up sounds at 35, 000 vibrations per second – a 75% improvement on our puny hearing capacity.

2. It’s a Dog’s Life – It may amaze you to hear that the longest dog lifespan on record is an incredible 29 years and 5 months. Unfortunately, few dogs get close to that milestone. Most live 10 to 15 years, although with improvements to veterinary medicine it’s not that unusual these days for a dog to reach 20.

3. Night Eyes – Many people believe that dogs can’t see color, but this is untrue. They can, although their color perception is not as good as ours. Where a dog’s vision really comes into its own is at night. They have special reflective layers in the eyes, giving them excellent night vision.

4. Dog Soldiers – Dogs are exceptionally versatile animals and have been trained to do many jobs, including as soldiers. They were used in battle by both the Romans and medieval knights. They served with distinction in both world wars and continue to serve in the military to this day.

5. Weapons – A dog’s teeth are a pretty awesome array of weapons. There are 42 of them, set in a jaw capable of delivering a bite force in excess of 200 pounds of pressure per square inch. That’s some serious bite power!

6. By a Nose – Every dog has a unique nose that produces a unique nose print. Kind of like finger printing for canines.

7. Dog Biology – From a Great Dane to a Chihuahua, all dogs share a similar anatomy. All dogs have 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth. Variations do however occur in things such as organ placement.

8. Dog Tired – Dogs love sleeping. In fact, a puppy sleeps up to 22 hours out of 24 during its first few weeks.

9. Canine Radar – Dogs have twice as many muscles in their ears as humans do. This allows them to swivel their ears in the direction of a sound to pick it up, without even moving their heads.

10. Pet Dogs – Approximately 35% of American households keep at least one dog as a pet and millions of pups are born in the US annually.And there you have it – just some of the amazing, little known facts about the incredible animals we share our lives with.

If you want to learn more about dog facts, dog care, dog walking and other helpful dog information check out http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Profile of the Australian Cattle Dog

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The Australian Cattle Dog is a superb cattle header with agility, speed, and exceptional courage. These dogs are simply gluttons for work, and will run all day if you let them. They are equally skilled at herding cattle on the open range, or working them in confined spaces.

This breed’s history is inextricably linked to that of Australia, and the Australian cattle industry in particular. In the early 1800’s, vast ranges of Queensland were settled by thousands of small cattle ranchers. The settlers needed a dog that could work their herds tirelessly in the searing Australian temperatures, and set about breeding one.

The result was a dog that became known as the Queensland Blue Heeler. Early history is somewhat patchy but it is believed that the Smooth Collie, Kelpie, Dalmatian and possibly even wild Dingos went into the mix.

The earliest Blue Heelers were bred with courage, speed and agility in mind and proved to be exceptional cattle dogs. But the breed we know today was refined and standardized mainly thanks to a man named Robert Kaleski, who drew up the first standard in 1902.

In 1903, New South Wales Kennel Club status was granted under the name Australian Cattle Dog, although Blue Heeler is still commonly used in Australia.

The ACD is a single-minded dog that has absolute focus on the job at hand. They are highly intelligent, pliant, and easy to train. They are also extremely loyal and eager to please, although somewhat suspicious of strangers.

These dogs control cattle by nipping at their heels, and they have particularly strong jaws, with formidable teeth. It is therefore important that biting and nipping should not be tolerated in a puppy.

The Australian Cattle Dog is a hardy breed with few inherited disorders. Hip dysplasia may occur, but it is rare.

These are medium sized dogs, standing about 18-20 inches at the withers. They have a broad skull and deep muzzle in order to deliver that powerful bite. The body is sturdy, and the coat is short, harsh and weather resistant. All puppies are born white and the coat later takes on the patchwork appearance that is characteristic of the breed.

Coat colors are primarily merle or red. The merle coat features blue mottling, while the red coat has red speckling. Both variants feature a spray of white on the tail.

Aside from being a herding dog, the Australian Cattle Dog makes an excellent pet for the right owner. The proviso though is that the owner needs to be an active, outdoor type who is prepared to meet the dog’s considerable exercise needs.

These are after all working dogs and thrive on lots of activity. Dogs that don’t get sufficient physical and mental stimulation are likely to develop problem behaviors.

If you’re stuck for dog names, for your Australian Cattle Dog, I’d recommend that you check out Puppy Names HQ, an online database that has thousands of excellent dog names including a huge list of girl dog names.

Choosing Cool Dog Names

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One of the best things about getting a new puppy is choosing a name. Except sometimes the right name seems impossible to find. You just can’t seem to find a name that works.

Weeks later, your puppy is still nameless, and you’re still clueless as to what you should call him.

In your desperation you eventual settle for a so-so name, a definite dog naming faux pas. Think about it, you’ll be spending a lot of years with your dog and calling his name thousands of times. So wouldn’t it be a good idea to pick a name you actually like?

Need some help? Then read our top 10 dog naming tips below.

1.You can’t go wrong with a one or two-syllable name. They are simple, easy to say and recognize, and there are literally millions of choices!

2.I’m not suggesting that you shun more exotic and unusual names. However, it has been suggested that names that are difficult for the dog to recognize have a big impact on training. So if you decide on call your dog Zerxes because you are fascinated by Persian history, that’s fine. But think about a nickname for calling, something like “Zerk” perhaps.

3.Names that are similar to voice commands are generally not a good idea if you plan on training your dog. Think about names that could be confused for a command, like “Ray”, for “stay”.

4.You’d also be well advised to steer clear of names that can be confused with that of another pet or a member of your household. Not unless you want to confuse everyone.

5.Don’t give your dog a name that will embarrass him. Beavis may be okay, but Butthead certainly isn’t! Dogs have feelings too.

6.Consider choosing a name that in some way describes your dog – think about his size, breed, any special markings. “Titan” doesn’t really work for a Yorkie, does it? Neither does Sweetpea suit a Pitbull.You could of course go for one of these names if you have a penchant for the ironic.

7.Remember that dogs don’t stay puppies forever. “Fluffball” may seem like a good idea for your cuddly little St. Bernard pup, but may be less suited, once he grows into a 250-pound adult.

8.Another good source of names is the breed’s original home country. Your breed’s home country has lots of famous people, places and traditions that will give you tons of dog name ideas.

Need some examples? How about, “Guinness” for an Irish Setter, “Yoko” for a Shibu Inu, or “Louis” to a French Bulldog.

9.You’ll also find myriad ideas by delving into your own interests. Lets say you’re nuts about football – you could try Marino, Namath, Montana, or just pick your own favorite player.

Now think about what interests you and you’re well on your way to hundreds of great names.

10.I find that it’s always a good idea to understand the origins and history behind your dog’s name. That’s pretty easy these days, but you don’t have to go searching Wikipedia for hours on end.

Just visit us at Puppy Names HQ. We have thousands of the very best dog names on the web. And all you have to do is pick your favorite.

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