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.

Selecting The Best Breed for Your Life Situation

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Choosing a dog breed is, quite literally, a life changing decision. Make the wrong choice now and you could be setting yourself up for a world of trouble later on.

It is imperative that you choose a dog that is a good match for your lifestyle. You can start by answering the questions set out below.

1. How much space do you have?

Not all dogs need acres of space. in fact, provided they get regular exercise, most are quite happy with a small garden. Having said that, it should be obvious that some dogs need more room than others. Keeping a highly energetic dog, like an Airedale, or a Weimaraner, confined to a small apartment is just asking for trouble. You’ll very soon end up with a dog that is highly strung, destructive, and a real handful.

If you have limited space choose a more laid back breed instead. But remember, all dogs need at least some outdoor time, and regular exercise.

2. How much free time do you have?

Your number one responsibility as a dog owner is the well-being of your dog. Among other things, this includes daily walks and exercise. How long should they be exercised for? Well for most dogs, an hour per day will be sufficient. However, some breeds, particularly those from the herding, sporting and working groups, need even more than that. You’re looking at 2-3 hours per day to keep them satisfied.

Do you have what it takes to keep up with such an energetic dog? If not you may be better matched with a more relaxed companion, a Bulldog perhaps.Another consideration regarding time, is training. All dogs will benefit from at least some training. Some, like Poodles, Labs, and Golden Retrievers are relatively easy to train. Others, including most of the hound group, can be a real challenge.

3. What’s Your Activity Level?

If you love the active outdoor lifestyle, or if you have the kind of job where you can involve your dog, you’d probably do well with a dog that is a good match for your level of energy. You’ll probably want to choose a herding dog, or a working dog, like a Husky. These breeds love to work and really come into their own when given a job of work to do.

You may also want to consider a dog from the gun dog group, a Lab or Golden Retriever, perhaps. These dogs have bags of energy, and love to work, but they’re less demanding than other high energy breeds.

4. Do you have kids? How old are they?

It should be obvious that if you have children, you’ll want a dog that is good with children. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are renowned for their sweet natures, which explains the enduring popularity of these breeds.

Others that fit the bill are Beagles and Boxers who, despite their size, are known for their gentleness with children.Some breeds though, are not ideal around small children. Many toy breeds have a tendency to snap if provoked, while a large boisterous dog can easily knock a child over.

{Choosing a dog is an important decision and one that will impact on your life for the next 10-15 years. It is therefore advisable to make an informed decision. The questions above will get you started.|Choosing a dog is a big decision. What you do now will affect your life for the next 10 years and more, so choose wisely. Answer the questions above and you’ll be off to a good start.|Picking a dog is and important decision, and one you’ll want

If you want to discover more about dog breeds a-z, dog care, types of dogs and other interesting dog advice check out http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Training Golden Retriever – 3 Best Training Activities On Roll!

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Now that you’ve brought a Golden Retriever into your home and family, you’ll want the reassurance that it will be a positive addition, not a constant bother. Here are some training tips for your Golden Retriever.

When you consider training your new Golden Retriever, know that there are different types of training that address different aspects of your dogs personality and conduct.

Behavior training is the approach where you teach your Golden Retriever to be a good dog in general. This may include house breaking, welcoming visitors (be they people or other animals), leash training, and types of training that make your Golden Retriever a better companion. The way you relate to your dog will determine much of his way of relating to his world. If you’re nervous and excitable and communicate those traits, your Golden Retriever will be nervous and excitable. On the other hand, if you speak softly and remain calm, your Golden Retriever will be a more laid-back dog.

Activity training teaches your Golden Retriever how to accomplish specific tasks like agility training, search and rescue, hunting, disability support, and herding. Golden Retrievers are strong athletic dogs that enjoy frequent exercise. They’re also smart dogs that appreciate being challenged and competing against other dogs for recognition and rewards. Of course, you’ll have the best luck if you select activities appropriate to the breed like guiding people, field trials, and service.



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The Afghan Hound

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Afghan hound History and origin:

Often referred to as the “Dog of Noah’s Ark”, the Afghan Hound is one of the oldest, if not the oldest breed in existence. He was used as a herding dog, a guard dog, and a hunting dog. The Afghan’s long coat allowed him to stay warm in the harsh climate of Afghanistan, something that his faster, short-haired cousin from Egypt, the Greyhound, would not have been able to do.

Description:

The Afghan Hound stands 25 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 50 and 60 pounds. He possess an athletic body that is capable of supple and agile movement. The shedding coat is long, silky, and hard to maintain. It absorbs moisture and odors and requires daily brushing and regular clipping to prevent matting. The feet and ears are feathered, and there is a topknot of long silky hair. The color may be silver, cream, black, brindle, black-and-tan, or a combination of shades.

About the Afghan Hound:

This fast, graceful sight hound is aloof, dignified, and somewhat snooty with all but his close family. He is very elegant and aristocratic by nature who is also reserved and suspicious toward strangers. Though warm and affectionate to his owners, the Afghan is a hunting dog who is very independent and will not tolerate boisterous children or uninvited attention. He may shy away from the unwanted petting hand of a stranger. This breed is very laid-back at home, happily curling up on a sofa idling the day away. However, he also needs plenty of exercise and free running to keep him fit. Training is difficult with the Afghan. Sensitive and not overly bright, he will balk if pushed too quickly. He processes information more slowly than other breeds. Training technique must therefore be clear, slow, and precise. Overbearing methods will only to panic the breed and possibly bring on fearful snapping. As with most sight hounds, the Sit and Come commands take an especially long time to teach. The Afghan needs to be socialized from an early age so as to limit his aloof, distrustful nature. This is not a breed to spoil or pamper, despite his beauty and his elegance. Spoiling will enhance a dominant attitude and increase the chances of aggression. Because of his hunting nature, this breed can also be small dog-aggressive and has a very high prey drive toward smaller animals.

Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ -2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with added biscuit in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal Home: The owner of an Afghan Hound should be an easy-going person who does not demand constant attention and affection from the dog. A hunter by nature, the Afghan Hound needs a big place for him to be able to run free and is therefore not suitable for apartment living.

The Current Poodle Breed Standard (Part 2)

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Neck, Topline, & Body: The ideal Poodle has a neck that is “well-proportioned, strong and long enough to permit the head to be carried high and with dignity.” The topline is “level, with the exception of a slight hollow just behind the shoulder.”

The shoulders should be strong and “smoothly muscled,” with the shoulder blade “well laid back and approximately the same length as the upper foreleg.” (Well-laid-back means about 45 degrees.) The forelegs should be straight and parallel when viewed from the front. When seen from the side, the elbow should be “directly below the highest point of the shoulder.”

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The feet are “rather small, oval in shape with toes well arched and cushioned on thick firm pads.” They should not turn in or out. The angle of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. The hind legs should be “straight and parallel” when viewed from the rear.

The chest should be “deep and moderately wide with well-sprung ribs.” The loin is short, broad, and muscular. The tail is docked, “set on high and carried up.” A tail that is set low, curled, or carried over the back is a major fault.

Gait: The show ring gait (movement) of a Poodle should be “a straightforward trot with light springy action, and strong hindquarters drive.”

Coat: The coat can be “Curly of naturally harsh texture, dense throughout,” or “Corded: hanging in tight even cords of varying length, longer on mane or body coat, head, and ears; shorter on puffs, bracelets, and pompons.”

For showing, a Poodle must appear in one of the following traditional clips: a puppy clip, (for dogs under 12 months of age); the English saddle clip; the continental clip; or the sporting clip (for non-competitive classes like veterans or for stud classes).

Colors: Poodles may be of any solid color: apricot, black, blue, brown, cafe au lait, cream, gray, silver, or white, with black and white being the most common. Whatever the color, however, it must be solid. Any parti-colored Poodle, for instance a black dog with white paws or chest, is disqualified from the show ring-—although they make charming pets.

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