Become a Professional Dog Walker

Become a Professional Dog Walker
By EJ Silver
It seems that many people have a misconception that walking dogs for a living is all fun and games. Dog walkers can make their own schedules, wear what they want to wear, and they spend their days walking around or visiting parks with dogs. In truth, walking dogs isn't as easy as just grabbing a leash and making flyers to get customers. Here's are some tips about how you can begin a rewarding career as a dog walker.
The best way to prepare for a career in dog walking is to complete training and receive certification. Not only will this teach you the ropes of the business, it will ensure customers that you can be trusted with their canine companions. There are several reputable organizations that train and certify dog walkers. One of the better known dog industry trainers is Dog Tec, which provides education in dog training, walking, sitting and other types of services. Dog Tec holds a number of workshops and talks throughout the United States. The Dog Tec Dog Walking Academy is a four-day intensive training program that teaches participants about dog behavior, health issues, pack management and the in's and out's of starting your own business.

• Dog insurance is important for dog walkers, sitters and trainers. If you or one of the pets you are working with is injured on the job, insurance will keep you safe from liability. Reputable dog walker insurance programs include Pet Sitters Associates, Mouer-Foster Kennel Pro, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International. Getting insurance is a critical aspect to starting a dog walking business... don't start one without insurance!

People who don't yet wish to start a dog walking business of their own may wish to work for someone else first. It's almost always better to learn the ropes from another expert, and by working for an established dog walking service, the dog walker doesn't need to worry about insurance, bonding, or even forming company. It's also a good way to meet potential future clients. If someone doesn't have the desire to manage a company on his or her own, it's a great idea to work with someone else. There are far fewer hassles, and the dog walker can focus strictly on walking dogs. In addition, when you work for someone else, you don't have to worry about bringing in new clients either. To find a job, you can visit the website of local dog walkers and send the business owner an email if you don't see a job listing. You can also search on sites like Monster.com and even Craigslist.

• Dog walking can be extremely dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. This is especially true in large cites like New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle and others, where, no matter which route you choose for the dogs, there will be a high density of people walking around and many cars, trucks, and speeding bikes. You should get clothes that help you stand out. Brightly colored clothes are good, especially when they have reflective patches. A reflective jacket will also suffice, especially at night. You should also be sure to carry a flashlight - just in case.

Once you've become trained, certified, and insured, you are ready to start walking dogs! Finding clients in is surprisingly easy. You can post ads on Craigslist, put fliers on community bulletin boards, or ask friends and family members to spread the word on your new business. Make sure to get references from new clients, and that will help you bring in other clients. Don't forget to create a website for your business and you shouldn't skimp on that!

• Dog walking is a great profession, and there are many ways in which you can become a professional dog walker, whether you want to start your own service or work for an established company.

You can learn more about starting a dog walking business, finding a dog walking job, or becoming a New York City dog walker with the help of DogWalker.com.

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Bird Dog - Learn How to Penetrate the Current Real Estate Market!

Bird Dog - Learn How to Penetrate the Current Real Estate Market!
By Donte Mazyck
In today's housing market there is a huge opportunity for new investors also know as real estate bird dogs, property locators or local associates. Whatever name you choose to call yourself allowing yourself to become a real estate bird dog, then you can get the inside scoop of the type of deals to look out for, the different players in the area. If you can find the deals and match them with a buyer, there is a serious opportunity to enter the industry of real estate investing.
New real estate investors or bird dogs that want to become successful should learn the basic rudiments of their niche and understand their role like the hair on their face.
Find their Buyers:

• The only way to become successful at real estate as a business you have to determine the best types of deals. Most people start out the real estate world as a bird dog to learn a system to figure out how to take what they learned and apply it to their own venture. The more buyers you have lined up the more money you can make. You can have the best deal in the world but if you don't have the cash or buyer lined up that perfect deal can slide between your fingers. Your goal should be to have at least 15-20 buyers to review your deals.

Once you learn who the buyers are you can really make some great cash, but not until you find a deal they might want. If you don't have buyers line up already then you might want to go out and find an investor that has some buyers to make immediate profits. Just let the investor know upfront that you want to work with them so you can learn who the players are to eventually do your own business or at least take what you learned on the road.
Locate some deals:
The second secret ingredient to successful real estate bird dogging is find deals. The hardest part about starting out as a real estate investor on your own without learning the ropes, you will quickly find that you will fail if you don't have a source of leads to sift through for your buyers. You can have all the buyers but without the right deal your buyers will buy from someone else. That is why it is so important to develop a system that provides you with leads when you need to make some cash. There are so many ways to find leads. You can call owners from the newspaper, call owners with for sign signs in their yards, or place your own ad in the newspaper. Another way you can find good leads is by going to the internet. The internet is the largest source right now for a good source of leads. Once you find a great way to produce leads you will be on your way to making some huge profits.

• Present Information to Buyers

You don't want to ruin your chances of selling your best lead to one of your best buyers by not providing the most information possible. A good bird dog or property locator will provide as much information as they can so they won't waste their time or their buyers time. Your investor buyer will want some of the information listed:
1. The property address
2. Basic condition from the outside or even better if you have information on the inside
3. The asking price
4. Do you think the property is worth the asking
5. The owners contact information
6. Pictures outside ok, but preferably inside too
7. Pictures of surrounding houses
8. Internet access
9. Email account
10. Accessible phone line
If you provide all of this information you will take your profits from $500-$1,500. Learn the techniques listed in this article and you are sure to be on your way to earning some serious cash in your beginning bird dog or property locator career. There are plenty of books and training you can receive for free. You can find some books at the library or contact an investor and ask for some training, if you are willing to be their bird dog, then you might get some free training.

• Donte Mazyck is the acquisitions manager for BofC trains real estate bird dogs and property locators to become BofC's joint venture partner in selected cities. BofC offers free training for a bird dog and property locator for each city. The current real estate market is in a slump and this is the bird opportunity for a bird dog, new investor or property locator to get into the business. BofC offers free cutting edge training for those that want to penetrate the real estate market. BofC also offers leads for sellers for bird dogs and property locators to eventually become joint venture partners.

Bird dogs and real estate investors can get more information and start up by going to Bird Dog Opportunity We look for bird dogs to work one particular city since we are located in a different city and it's more feasible for us to train local associates to handle deals in their prospective market.
For strictly bird dog opportunities which doesn't include more money or joint venture opportunities, you can go to Real Estate Investor Training for the basic start up without the free training. This opportunity is for the truly part time bird dog.

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Getting Started In The Dog Grooming Business

Getting Started In The Dog Grooming Business
By Heather Chopak
Do you love animals? Do you thoroughly enjoy taking care of your pets? Have you been around animals your whole life? Have you gave thought to making what you love to do a career? If you have thought about it, then you should start your own dog grooming business.

• It takes some courage and self motivation to start any small business. The first step is researching about the dog grooming business. It involves mush more than just bathing dogs. Dog groomers provide services that include cleaning teeth, bathing, brushing out mats in the fur, clipping nails, clipping fur, styling fur, cleaning ears, untangling fur and applying treatments to the skin and coat. Most groomers even offer anal gland expressing as a service.

To have a successful dog grooming business you will need to know how to do all of the above services and how to do them well. Most people will need some sort of training. You may come across people who want their pooch to be groomed according to the breeds standards. You want to have training so that you can clip and trim their dogs coat to meet the owners satisfaction.

• Although you do not necessarily need a degree from a dog grooming school, you do need to be certified. You want to also know how to successfully run a small business. The training you receive should teach you how to groom dogs and how to manage your dog grooming business. Some other things that would be good to learn would be all of the tools and equipment that are recommended for this type of career.

The costs of operating a business can be costly for any small business owner, especially at the beginning. There are all sorts of loans available to help people with the entrepreneurial spirit. Keep in mind that you do not have to have every new gadget on the market when you start out. As your business grows so can your inventory and services. Sticking with just the basics in the beginning is wise.
Investing in some type of business insurance is a must. This way both you and the dogs are protected. You will also need a business license and information on the zoning laws in your area. You can just head on out to your county clerks office for the information you need.

• The last few things to consider when starting your dog grooming business is the name of your business and a logo. Anything that is catchy yet simple and easy to remember is appropriate to attract attention. You also want to decide if you are going to open an actual dog grooming salon, work out of you home or have a mobile grooming trailer. If you live in an urban area it may be best to have a place where people come to you. However, if you live in a more rural area, it would be smarter to run a mobile business to add convenience to your customers.

Heather currently has a website dealing with dog grooming that includes an outline of the career with pros and cons with tips to grow your dog grooming business.
You can visit this website Dog Grooming Business for more information about this exciting career.
You can also visit Dog-Grooming-Business.Info to learn how to be a professional dog groomer.

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Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Career With Animals

Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Career With Animals

By Karleen Lindsey

So, you'd like to work with animals, but don't really know where to begin? This beginner's guide to choosing an animal career might help you get started.

Working with animals can be very rewarding, interesting, exciting and possibly dangerous in some cases. If you want adventure, this could be the type of work you are looking for. No one can predict how any given animal will act on any given day, so each day is unique and seldom boring.

Some questions to get you started:

• 1. What kind of animals would you like to work with? There are many different categories.

- If you really love dogs and cats, you might consider becoming a pet sitter, dog walker, pet store employee, pet groomer or dog trainer. A more technical career that would involve a few years of college would be a veterinary technician, or continue on with even more education to become a veterinarian.

- If you love wild animals, you could work as a zookeeper or at a wildlife sanctuary. You might have to do some volunteer work first at a zoo before a position opens up that you could apply for. You might also want to go on with your education and become a zoologist. Becoming a park ranger might not get you in much contact with wild animals, but you'll learn a lot about them and how to protect them in the wild.

- If farm animals are your passion, such as horses, you might want to get a job on a horse or dairy farm. Working with and handling animals on a daily basis in this kind of job is a great way to learn more about them than you could ever learn in a classroom. This could lead you on to becoming a horse trainer or farm manager, a horse groom or even an equine massage therapist.

- If your love is more for marine animals, you might consider becoming a marine biologist.

• 2. How much money do you want to make?

For some people, being able to work with animals fulfills a lifelong dream and they only need to make enough money to live on. Unfortunately that cost of living is constantly rising. Many jobs working with animals are not high paying jobs, but many will provide the financial means to get by modestly. The real reward is in helping the animals in whatever form and having fun in a career chosen out of passion rather than anticipated financial gain.

A few of the top salary careers with animals include becoming a veterinarian, a marine biologist, or a zoologist, all of which require several years of college education.

• 3. Would you like to work in a law enforcement type of job?

An animal control officer position would allow you to not only help animals in need, but also help people understand how to care for animals. This is a position that involves seeing a lot of horrible living conditions and neglect or abuse situations so you would need to know that you could deal with that emotionally. It's a tough job, but it can also be very rewarding.

An animal cruelty officer position would take that a step further, investigating cruelty cases, getting pictures, taking interviews from witnesses, etc. with the intent of prosecuting animal abusers. This is also a tough job, but you will get the satisfaction of knowing you have helped get animals out of the hands of abusive owners.

• 4. Would you like to start your own business?

Pet sitting is a good business to start as your own if you are available to stay at the homes of people vacationing. Walking dogs is a good business to start also. Many people just don't have the time to walk their own dogs every day and would appreciate having someone else walk them. An exercised dog is usually a happy dog and less apt to have behavioral problems. For both of these jobs, you might want to check into getting liability insurance, though.

Pet grooming is another business you could start after getting training and some experience in a grooming shop. While you are working in a grooming shop, you can actually be building up a clientele that will follow you to your own business when you are able to start it. Mobile dog grooming is a very popular business that can even do well in a medium sized town, although the larger cities are even more in demand of this service.

• 5. Would you like to get started working with animals right away rather than spend years in college?

Acquiring a job at a veterinary clinic is a great way to get started working with animals. You might have to start as a kennel cleaner, but will possibly then move up to receptionist or even a veterinary assistant, which is a little different than a veterinary technician.

Working at a pet shop, getting a job on a farm, at a boarding kennel, as a bather for a dog groomer - these are just a few of the jobs you might be able to get without formal training. Other careers that may only involve minimum occupational training would be pet grooming and dog training, as well as becoming a massage therapist for pets and horses.

This is just a small list of some questions and answers that might head you in the right direction for finding a job or a career working with animals. It can be a very rewarding type of career and one you will never regret if you choose to follow that dream.

Karleen Lindsey has spent much of her life working with animals and has experienced the rewards as well as the heartaches. To learn about some possible careers with animals in more depth, visit her site about animal careers, including pet grooming as a great career choice.

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Roading Your Bird Dog

Roading Your Bird Dog

By Jim Kesel

Every fall hundreds of bird dogs die or are permanently disabled needlessly by their owners. These dogs die of heart failure, dehydration, heat exhaustion and complications from overexertion. Their owners are either too lazy or are ignorant to the fact that you cannot take an out of shape bird dog out on opening day and expect them to perform well. It is no different that asking the dog's out of shape owners to run a marathon. Many would also die of heart attacks, strokes or heat exhaustion. A bird dog whether it is in top condition or over weight will hunt itself to death for its owner.

A competent bird dog owner will not risk letting his dog die needlessly in a selfish manner. This time of year it is hot and difficult to train your dog during the midday. However you can get up before dawn and road your dog and yourself for an hour. Roading used to be done with horses at dawn to get the dogs in shape and now days some trainers use 4 wheelers for the same job. However you can spend an hour with your hunting dog pulling you a mile at dawn, it will do wonders for both of you. Spend a few dollars and get a harness for this purpose. Do not use a choke collar and always carry water. It is real easy to teach a good bird dog to drink from a water bottle. Remember this is not a stroll around the block but an exercise session for you and your hunting dog. Keep the pace up but make sure your bird dogs works hard pulling you along. Your dog will love it and you can add some obedience refresher training as well as reinforcing the whoa command when you are done with your workout.

After a couple of weeks when the fall temperatures begin to drop your bird dog will be ready to do some field work. Keep your work outs to less than 30 minutes to begin with especially if the temperatures are above 75 degrees. Again frequently offer water to your hunting companion. Your goal should be to have your hunting dog work birds at normal speed for about an hour and a half in cool weather. Frequent rest in the shade even if it is the shade from your body is important. Watch your bird dog's diet and feed your dog prior to roading, field training and hunting. Many people miss this important point. Some feel you should feed your hunting dog after you have work them but your bird dog will not perform without the necessary body fuel.

If you have more than one bird dog you should rotate your dogs every 30 to 45 minutes. Hunting dogs that are kenneled in your vehicle or trailer should have lots of ventilation and shade. In the south where weather is warmer quail dogs are rotated and rested about every 30 minutes. If your bird dog become fatigued take a break with water and walk your dog at heel back to the vehicle. If you have a bird dog than the hunt is about the dog work not about how much ground you cover or how many birds you put up. As any US Marine Platoon Sergeant knows that "if you take care of your people they will take care of you" It is the same for hunting dogs. If you take care of them then they will hunt hard and efficiently for you. Remember never over hunt your bird dog, hunt an over weight or out of shape hunting dog. You could kill them.

James Kesel, MS is the publisher of Bruce Point Outdoors. Providing information on hunting, shooting and camping gear and how to affectively use it.

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Train Using a Clicker

Train Using a Clicker

By Danz Bar

A clicker is a small, hand held, toy-like object with a metal strip inside; when you press the metal strip, it makes a sharp, very distinctive click, much like the sound of a camera. Clicker training is a clever, popular way to train dogs. It's a fun, fast, and positive approach to encouraging good behavior and teaching obedience and tricks.

• Some people (like me) use the clicker when introducing a new concept, especially with distractible dogs, and then phase off its use after the dog knows the trick or movement. Others use the clicker for training their dog full time, affixing it to their body like jewelry. Other people can't master the coordination or just don't like using it.

To use this gadget, you have to figure out the best way to use the clicker, and you have to work with your dog (very briefly) to help her understand what a click means. In this section, I discuss how clicker training works, give you some examples of the training process, and suggest an alternative if clicker training just isn't right for you.

• Associating the click with a treat

When using a clicker, always pair the snapping sound with a tasty treat. The first time you introduce the clicker, just go one for one - click-treat, click-treat, click-treat - and before a minute passes, your dog will connect the sound with getting rewarded. After that, you're ready to train with a clicker.

What's the magic here - why do dogs learn faster with the clicker? The click sound is distinct from any other sound in the dog's world. As soon as a dog discovers that the click is followed by a goody, guess what - the dog will want to hear the sound as often as possible, and you can use the clicker to highlight good behavior. For instance, say I want to use my click sound to get a dog to sit: Each time the dog chooses to sit, I click and reward. What do you think happens? That's right: The dog starts to sit more often.

Here are a few rules of paw for using treats in clicker training:

• No clicks go unrewarded! If you click, you must reward with a small treat. One click, one reward. Even if you make a mistake click, reward your dog.

All treats should be small and easy to swallow so your dog can wolf them down and not fill up.

Don't treat your dog when she's not having lessons, or getting a reward won't seem as exciting.

Using a clicker effectively

Here are some tips on how to use clicker training most effectively: Use the clicker to reinforce each step of your dog's trick progression. Think in terms of stage-by-stage training -break the lesson into steps, and click when your dog masters each one; as you build up to the full trick, the dog will have to do increasingly more for a click.

• For example, say you want to teach your dog to make a left circle. You first plan to sit with your dog and click when your dog takes one step to the left; that's stage one. Then you hold out your click for two steps, then three - then a full circle. Training this way definitely takes longer than pulling your dog in a circle, but after your dog figures out the sequence, she does a circle with far more zest and enthusiasm than if you were to tug her around and around.

Capture the exact moment your dog is doing something right with a click. If you want to give clicker training a go, timing is everything. A poorly timed click confuses a dog and can result in naughty behavior. When you've clicked, the treat should be given immediately afterward, before requesting another behavior.

Attach a spoken command to the behavior after your dog has figured out what's making the clicker work. Use your command after your dog is already offering you the behavior. Initially, click and reward each time your dog sits in front of you. (You may show her a treat or reward to prompt her cooperation, but initially do not use the command.) When your dog is sitting rapidly, attach the command to the behavior - say "Sit" as she's planting her bottom on the ground. After you've paired the two, a couple of days later you're ready to prompt the position by saying the command ahead of time -just before you offer the reward. Command "Sit" first, and then click and reward the good behavior. Soon you'll be able to say "Sit" away from clicker training exercises, and your dog will be spot on.

• As your dog masters each new command, begin phasing off the use of the clicker and rewards, but always praise your dog for a job well done. Use the clicker when introducing new concepts and behaviors to high-light their importance.

Checking out why it's not for everyone

If clicker training is so effective, why would anyone choose differently? Honestly, I'm not a clicker-exclusive trainer. I use a lot of methods to teach dogs, and my approaches are all upbeat and fun. People have different skills, and dogs do, too.

For people who can coordinate the timing of the clicker and remember to use it, it's a godsend. Dogs learn much faster -nearly twice as quickly - when it's used properly. That said, in some homes a clicker can fall into the wrong hands or fail to fit into the daily plan. For families with young children or people who get discouraged easily or have trouble finding their car keys, just working the device can be an unnecessary frustration. Over clicking or clicking at the wrong time confuses dogs, and a clicker in the hands of a young child can give a dog career-stress overload. Don't feel bad if the clicker doesn't work for you!

Although I can guarantee the clicker's effectiveness, it's not the only way to teach your dog. If the how-to of clicker training leaves you turned off to trick training, don't be; remember, there are many ways to teach dogs. A better option for you may be to insert a sharp word cue like "Yes!" or "Good!" each time your dog successfully completes a maneuver, and leave it at that. The take-home message here is that a sharp, declarative sound used to target breakthroughs in cooperation helps your dog understand what you want her to do.

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The Kids Want a Dog - Help! Advice For Helping Your Kids Become Responsible Dog Owners

The Kids Want a Dog - Help! Advice For Helping Your Kids Become Responsible Dog Owners

By Jonathan P Klein

It happened every summer, usually on the last day of school. I begged my parents for a dog, pointing out that I had the whole summer to care for him, play with him and feed him. "And what happens when you go back to school?" they'd ask. "It'll be okay...I promise."

• I'm sure parents throughout the Southland are hearing the same thing this summer. Dogs, of course, can have a very positive effect on children. Dog ownership teaches responsibility and commitment as well as helping to create a lifelong appreciation and respect of animals. But make no mistake -- there is absolutely no doubt that in the long-run, YOU will be responsible for the welfare of your child's pet.

Over my 23-year career as a dog trainer and dog behaviorist, I've helped hundreds of families pick out or introduce a puppy or dog into their home. I advise parents to take advantage of the many "teachable moments" for their kids and for the dog, including housebreaking, feeding, and training, by using positive reinforcement. How you handle those moments can be the difference between an additional stress in your life and a wonderful extension to your family.

• After you've made the decision to get a dog, it's time to break the good news to the kids. This is teachable moment number one. We're all aware of the parent that tells the child, "Ok...we'll get a dog but it's going to be your responsibility," only to find the parent walking the dog in the rain a week later. This is your time to sit down with the kids, explain all the responsibilities that come with having a dog and then include them in making a family decision. This will get them involved in the process from the start and help them to understand their role in the dog's life. You can use this time to teach the kids how their behavior will affect the dog. In other words, if they open the front door before the dog learns the "stay" command, the dog might run away, or if they leave their toys around, the dog may destroy them. Let them help you "dog proof" your home and let them know that certain foods, plants, and flowers are potentially lethal if ingested by the dog.

More than likely, the kids will have the breed of dog they want all picked out. Maybe they've seen a movie with a lovable breed or one of their neighbors has a certain kind of dog. But it's better to do your research and then get them on board with a breed that makes the most sense based on your lifestyle, including the fact that you will be responsible for the dog when the kids return to school. My personal recommendation is for parents to rescue a dog from a rescue group or shelter. There are many excellent websites and publications that offer listings of rescue groups and dogs available for adoption to help you make your decision.

• The big day has arrived. You've purchased a collar, a high-quality leash and healthy food. The water and food bowls are ready and you've got a crate, gates, bedding and you have stocked up on some fun toys. The dog will be excited and maybe a bit fearful when it arrives at your home so don't make things worse by letting your kids grab the dog and parade it around the neighborhood. Give the dog time to adjust to its new surroundings. Let it know where it is going to eat and sleep, and it's a really good idea to make sure the dog knows where to go to the bathroom on it's first try, not after it has one or more accidents. It is much better and easier for the dog if it is restricted in an area during the early introductory phase, so it never has the chance to learn habits you don't want it to have later in life. Teaching what you want the dog to do with patience and consistency is the key to training and it's also the key to integrating your new pet into your life. This is also much more effective than trying to teach the dog what "not" to do.

As an example, you may not want your dog to be allowed on the couch. And what does a dog think when it does get on the couch? "This feels really good!" Letting your new dog up on the couch just once will trigger a long lasting memory. The key is to prevent the dog from ever getting on the couch and teach it instead how to stay on its own bed. This lesson is something to teach your kids right from the start so they can help with the training when you're not around. Praising good behavior is much more effective than scolding for bad behavior. And if you use treats as rewards, remember - they need to be given along with praise for good behavior, not when the kids think the dog just needs a goodie.

• As your dog becomes more acclimated to its surroundings, you can also begin some training. There are many training resources available including enrolling your dog in a private or group class. I always encourage the whole family to come to participate in our training. This is a great shared family activity and will give your children a feeling of responsibility. When I work with families I always enjoy seeing the look of pride on a child's face when they successfully give a "Sit" or "Stay" command to their pet.

Bringing a dog into your home can be a wonderful, life-changing experience but it's not without its responsibilities. How you initially handle these responsibilities, both with your children and with the dog, will lay the groundwork for many years to come. It's all about leadership, gentle guidance, responsibility, staying positive, finding the teachable moments and, above all else, having fun and enjoying all the great times ahead.

This article originally appeared in The Pet Press - Los Angeles in July 2010.

• Expert Dog Behaviorist Jonathan Klein has successfully trained more than 6,000 dogs and their owners over his 20-year career. Jonathan Klein posts tips on training and answers questions on his website:

http://www.thedogbehaviorexpert.com/

He is the founder of the West Los Angeles-based, "I Said Sit!" School for Dogs http://isaidsit.com which was voted #1 Dog Training School in Los Angeles for 2009-2011 by the LA Hotlist. Jonathan was one of the first trainers to pursue the "causative" approach to training, which moves past correcting the symptoms of bad behavior and instead focuses on removing the cause, to successfully address behavior problems without breaking the spirit of the dog.

Jonathan holds numerous professional association memberships, and has given hundreds of presentations on dogs, training, and responsible ownership...all from a place of praise-based training methods.

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Give a Dog a Second Chance by Adopting Career Change Dogs

Give a Dog a Second Chance by Adopting Career Change Dogs

By Joshua Rodriguez

There are a number of possibilities to consider when choosing to purchase a new dog. Most people will probably want to look to quality breeders who have long experience in the profession and know how to produce healthy and high quality dogs.

Others may choose to go to a pet store and look at the dogs available there, although we highly recommend that you go with a reputable breeder if at all possible. These professionals will know much more about the health and temperament of their dog litters (even though you should request documentation that rules out specific health problems common to your breed). One important thing to remember about dog breeders is that they can help you decide if a particular breed is suitable for your family's needs, and they can also help you understand the subtle differences in a particular dog's temperament.

Even so, there are other possibilities to consider, and one of those is adopting a career change dog. What exactly is a career change dog anyway? Well, a number of dogs are used as service animals to help people who are disabled in some way (including the blind or deaf and those bound to wheelchairs), and service organizations work hard to make sure that high quality animals are being used in these programs.

Many of these organizations actually maintain their own breeding programs to ensure the quality of the stock including health, temperament, and overall intelligence. These dogs tend to be Golden or Labrador Retrievers, as well as German shepherds. Some dogs will simply not make the cut. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the dog for those who want to use him as a family pet. It just means that the service organizations have very high standards since the job being performed for the disabled is so important and requires extensive training.

Those dogs excluded from these organizations can end up making terrific pets for your family, though there is usually a waiting list of some kind because of their reputation.

In addition to service organizations, you may also find dogs who were trained to be competitors in sporting events or in dog shows and who either didn't make the cut or have simply run their course in these careers. One example of such a breed is the Greyhound, which is often used in racing events. Until recent years, racing greyhounds who had retired from the profession or never made the grade to begin with were often euthanized (adding up to thousands per year). Many people are now choosing to adopt these dogs who can make excellent family pets.

Hopefully this article has given you some ideas regarding dog adoption that you may have not thought of previously. Animals who are changing careers, so to speak, can make excellent pets because they have already gone through extensive training and are simply looking for a home to call their own. You may even be saving a dog's life because many of these animals end up being put down if no one is there to claim them in time.

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Things You Should Know When Owning A Dog

Things You Should Know When Owning A Dog

By Aaron K Jenkins

Owning a dog is something that many of us find enjoyable. They become a loyal companion that in many cases, ends up extending our family because we are so close to them. That doesn't mean, however, that there are not problems which could occur when we own an animal that need to be taken care of as soon as possible. For example, many dog owners have discovered that there are specific problems that may be associated with their animal that could make them almost an unwelcome part of the family. When these problems arise, what can you do to ensure that it is taken care of in a timely manner?

First of all, it's important for you to understand that there are times when it may not be the fault of the dog that they are acting out in some way or another. For example, if they suddenly begin to bite or snap, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are a maiming animal. It is more likely that the change in their behavior is because of some underlying cause. It may be that they have an infection and they are unable to tell you about the problem, obviously, but it does cause them to act in an odd way. If your dog has such a personality change that occurs suddenly, it is best if you talk to a veterinarian to see if there is an underlying cause.

Other problems, such as barking or digging in the yard, are issues that can often be taken care of by professional dog training schools. This is something that can take on a number of different issues that may be problematic when it comes to owning an animal. Something that you need to consider, however, is the type of training that is going to be given to the dog. In some cases, they may want you to come in for a group session and train your dog with some basic obedience commands. In other cases, however, having the trainer come directly to you and work with both you and the animal are going to be to the benefit of everyone involved.

You should also understand that if a problem is deep rooted, it is going to take some time to work itself out. There are always going to be options that are open to you and your pet, which will help to make them a welcome part of the family again. Talk to the trainer and see what can be done in your regard and how they are going to help your animal to overcome the difficulty. It may even help if you ask them some questions about their career, such as how they became a trainer or why their love of animals prompted them to start such a career.

When you see your dog make these changes, it may have a profound effect upon you. Not only are you going to have your companion back again, it may cause you to wonder how to become a dog trainer and give this help to other people who have a need.

The author of this article grew up wondering how to become a dog trainer. Today he does not need dog training schools even if it is just him and his poodle.

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Dog Obedience Training and Breed Choice - Critical Keys to Success

Dog Obedience Training and Breed Choice - Critical Keys to Success

By Jack L Cantrell

What do you mean teach that dog? That mutt is about as smart as a fence post. You can't teach him nothing. Whoa, hold up just a minute, lets rethink that statement. In my experience it is not always just the mutt that needs the training. We as canine owners need to be educated so that we are able to train the dogs. My family and I have raised about every furry animal that Texas has to offer. We have bred and raised Dobermans, Chow Chows, German and Australian shephards, Chow/Shepard mix, Brittneys, Cockapoos, Peekapoos, Schnauzers, and now a Chilky and a Chihuaha.

1. Anyway in my opinion the Schnauzers were the easiest to train, but a bit high maintenance. The breed that you choose to bring home needs to be researched and really thought out. Just because your best bud has free pit puppies does not mean that breed is what you need to bring home for a lap or house dog. Not saying that you could not train the dog to be a house pet. You just have to realize that he is going to do what puppies do in the house until they are trained. Need I go in depth about this issue? OK then here is your first tip, be forewarned, puppies don't know that the carpet is not grass, your favorite Sunday go to meeting shoes are not chew toys, or that the couch is not their bed.

Think about it the way he sees it. After all you sit, lay and sleep on it, right? If not right now, you just bring a puppy home for a week without your wife's consent and you will be sleeping on it. No I am not trying to say that you and your family don't need a dog. The point I am trying to make is that you need to decide what you want the dog for. Then you do the research on what type fits your profile. For example you would not want to get a Doberman to work livestock or get a Peekapoo for a watch dog. There is a wealth of information in books and the internet to help you find exactly what type of canine you need. Lets look at some examples of a few different breeds there are to choose from.

• HUNTING THE PERFECT HOUND

Due to some unscrupulous breeders and unmindful owners, a few breeds within the terrier group have developed a rather notorious reputation of being dangerous. To find out a little more about the canine kinds, here are some areas to consider in selecting what mutt to adopt:

Herding dog breeds. This group has a variety of both behavioural and physical-attributes that need to be discussed. These animals are very hyper, possessive and territorial. They are very intelligent and easy to train.They tend to take to one owner. The American Kennel Club created this dog group to honour what is one of the oldest of dog professions:herding livestock. The hounds breed, have a history of hunting assistance which is often the only regular bond or common bond in this breed. Some of the oldest breeds of domestic dogs are the speedy sight hounds.

• A retired racer should be tested with small children and other pets. Some of these dogs have a habit of chasing smaller pets as they have chased mechanical rabbits in their earlier career. Made up of the guardians of livestock and property, police dogs, sled dogs and rescue dogs, these workers come in all shapes and sizes, from the standard Schnauzer to the Great Dane. But without the right training and socialization, and in irresponsible hands, these can be dangerous dogs. Sporting dogs however are alert, active, intelligent and have historically been used by hunters to locate, flush or retrieve game from land or water. Some were even bred to finish the job of taking the game themselves.

Normally these canines are the most mild tempered of the canine family. They seem to be more social than the other breeds. In the small animal group is the companion breeds like the pampered poodles. A surprisingly still popular and active companion today. It once was a skilled truffle hunter. In more modern times, the poodle's intelligence and trainability saw it employed in show business, commonly in circuses. Today the slow, prodding bloodhound is usually used by law enforcement to track renegades or missing persons. Be especially careful in finding a reputable breeder of these dogs. This is just a quick overview of the few available breeds to pick from.

• THE ANATOMY OR MAKE UP OF A CANINE

Another thing to consider is the make up of the canine. For instance take in account the coat, the size and the body parts of the canine. First let us look at the most noticeable dog feature, the hair, fur or coat. The fur will be puffed up to release the heat from their body in the summer season. Or just the opposite, the hair is held close to the body to hold the heat in, in cold weather and to help shed water. A valid point to make here is that you should consider a short haired dog if you live in the south and longer haired for the north. You want the canines to be comfortable in their environment so choose accordingly. Keep in mind the longer the hair, the more hair shedding.

Certain breeds such as Huskies and Malamutes that inhabit the cold climates sport double coats, with a thick, insulating them from the cold and wet climates. Their shedding is usually what gives them that rough wild matted up look. A point to make here is that having a canine in the house that is shedding is not going to go over very well. Just get a mental view of this scenario especially if the canine is white. It's friday night the company party, Your beautiful little wife is wanting to make a good impression and make you proud. She puts on that gorgeous black evening dress, along with it the white pearl necklace you bought her. Now the moment of truth when she notices that her necklace matches the new found furr that is all over the dress.

• This isn't going to be pretty. This is probably one of the main reason for the Poodles and Schnauzers popularity as house pets. It is not just because they make perfect house companions; they don't shed hair all over the furniture and your clothing. The ears, dogs have the most unique ears of the animal kingdom. They sport any thing from small pointed to the long floppy hanging ears. And no, they are not the handles for your children to hold on to while playing like they are the next PBR champion. Many canids, both wild and domestic, can scan their environment for sounds using one ear at a time. Like independent radars. The tongue and size of the mouth is something to consider if you are choosing an inside or outside pet. Dogs use their large, spongy tongues like ladles to lap up water.

Special taste receptors on their tongues are believed to allow canids to recognize chemical composition variances such as salt and impurities in different water sources. The bigger the tongue and the bigger the mouth the bigger the drool. You should take it from an expert, when a Bull Mastif or Saint Bernard start slinging slobber it is not a pretty sight to behold. Anything within twenty feet get a good thick coating of drool. The tail sounds and seems like a harmless appendage, after all it is just used as a rudder for balance when a dog is running and turning corners. It is said that a dog with a tail is more apt to out run and out corner a dog without a tail because of the balancing attributes of the tail. But inside a home the tail of a happy hound becomes a weapon of mass destruction.

• Any trinkets, coffee cups, soda glasses or decorations should be put up above striking distance of the tail. That means keep them off the coffee table, end tables and dining trays. Oh and one more thing to keep out of the furry wagging weapons reach is your knee high children. A tail upside the head of an unsuspecting child can make for an unhappy outcome of crying and a demand for mom's and dad's attention until he or she has milked all the attention they can. These are just a few important facts that I wanted to share so that you would understand why I suggested that you do your homework before you choose a pet. The animal shelters are full to capacity and overflowing with unwanted animals. The reason for most of this issue is because people don't take the time to research before they pick out the perfect match of " mans best friend" and the best friends man. Another thing to keep in mind when selecting a canine is that ninety nine percent of all puppies are cuddly and cute as a button when they are an 8 to 10 inch ball of fur. They grow up!!!

DO I NEED HELP WITH TRAINING?

Now that you have made the perfect choice in canine companionship, let us talk a little bit about why you are reading this article to begin with. You don't talk dog and he/she don't talk people talk. To coin a phrase, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." That dog just does not listen to anything I tell it. It has a mind of its own. You are right about one thing the dog does have a mind of its own. So what we have to do here is get inside his/her mind and persuade it to accept the fact that you are the boss. That sounds a little tricky doesn't it. It is not as difficult as it sounds. You don't have to bite the dog on the ear until it submits and you don't have to be an expert to train the mutt.

• You also don't need to have a past knowledge of dog training. You need to get little help from a reliable source of knowledge and experience. You learn so you can teach. With a little bit of patience and a willingness to learn. You can have the canine of your dreams. You will be the envy of your peers and might even surprise yourself to see how you and your new found buddy are mutually consenting to your commands.You can actually see your dog wait next to the door when he/she needs to go out to use the bathroom. I have found a training program that is getting awesome results and very easy to learn even if you are a novice. This program works with any dog breed. You will learn the whys and hows of the following situations:Barking All The Time - Halt this annoying habit and preserve silence.

Is the dog Digging In Your Yard - Learn the easiest and most effective way to stop your dog from destroying your yard. Jumping Up On People -Learn the fastest way to teach your dog to stop jumping on everyone they see. Escaping - Does your dog always seem to find a way to escape or run away from his pen or house? Learn how to stop this frustrating and dangerous habit. Constantly Whining - Does your dog whine for food or whenever he/she is put up?

Finally, be able to stop this Going to the Bathroom Inside - Finally be able to teach your dog to stop this nasty habit. Take a little bit of time to check out the link at the end of this article. Take it from me this program has an enormous amount of information and is invaluable. It is a wealth of information with training techniques that get positive results in shorter periods of time than any of the other programs that I have found. It is time to learn how to talk canine and it is time to teach your canine how to live civilized. You owe it to yourself and to your furry friend. Now lets get to teaching and bonding with your new best friend and companion.

• Dog Obedience Training is your next step - http://www.champdogtraining.com

Being somewhat of an expert in canine companionship and training, I am sharing some important aspects of breed choice and the key signals to recognizing when training for your and your canine companion is needed. You will not only learn the importance of how to pick the perfect companion. You can have a dog that is perfectly behaved in the house, yard or public canine park. And the best part is you don't have to have previous experience or be a dog whisperer. You only have to follow a few simple instructions and have a desire to teach your dog basic commands. What are you waiting on? Let's get started now! Happy Hounding, JC

Dog Training & Obedience Secrets - [http://www.champdogtraining.com]

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How Reliable is Your Personal Protection Dog

How Reliable is Your Personal Protection Dog

By Perry Ahlgrimm

Police Protection Dogs are a valuable asset to police forces everywhere and essential to many police operations. Among all of their capabilities, tracking is one of the most frequently used. However, when dealing with serious cases, as the police often do, the reliability of a dog's tracking ability is of incredible importance. At present, United States courts do not consider a dog's tracking ability to be 100% reliable. The results produced by a police tracking dog can only be used as supporting evidence, and cannot be presented as the only available evidence. Furthermore, the dog's tracking ability must also be proven to be reliable. In all cases, the first test of reliability is the dog's ability to track human scent.

• A dog's ability to reliably track human scent has been a topic of debate for many years. As humans, it is difficult for us to understand the process of scent tracking from a canine perspective. The canine nose is more than capable of identifying between a wide variety of scents, but ensuring that a police dog is following the correct scent is far more difficult. The biggest skeptics have always maintained that rather than tracking a humans unique scent signature, dogs track scents left behind by the disturbance of the ground as a human walks or runs, and thus kicks up a variety of dust and dirt particles along the way. Others have suggested that dogs are primarily focused on the scent of the feet or shoes that have left behind traces as they have rubbed against the ground. Others still say that unique human scents are left behind as a multitude of skin cells and hair are shed from our bodies. The reality is that a well trained tracking dog will be looking out for a mix of both human scent as well as ground disturbance. However, human scent must remain the focus with ground disturbance acting only to assist in maintaining the trail on a human scent. A reliable dog must be able to demonstrate the ability to track human scent without getting distracted by converging trails left by other humans.

The key to reliability in a police protection dog is to begin training at an early age. It is not enough to simply begin training track drive in a young Belgian Malinois puppy or German Shepherd puppy. Detecting human scent should be taught almost from the beginning, and should remain the focus of tracking exercises throughout the dog's career.

Perry Ahlgrimm, CEO

Command Control K9 Ltd

cck9.com

1.866.865.2259 (CCK9)

We provide elite, executive personal protection dogs and guard dogs for Family home state security. We specialize in German shepherds, Belgian malinois and Dutch shepherds.

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How You Can Become a Dog Trainer

How You Can Become a Dog Trainer

By Thomas Johnsen

When we are children, we dream of being many things. If your dream is to become a dog trainer here is how you get started. Becoming a dog trainer is not really expensive. Many colleges that you can go to will help become a dog trainer.

It is hard to believe that college needs to be involved to become a trainer. Dog training colleges are devoted to helping the lives of animals through animal lovers. Your classes will not only make you appear more qualified but it will also ensure that you know everything that you need to know for dealing with dogs.

These classes also teach you how to understand dogs and his/her behavior. Learn what your dog does to try to communicate with you since they are unable to verbal speak with you. You will also learn how to handle your dog when it is behaving badly or even when your dog is being good.

• Many dog owners do not know how to deal with any of this, which is why a trainer is brought in to begin with. Dog trainers' school helps you to learn how to house train yours and other's dog, as well as some simple veterinary issues in the case of an emergency you will on the completion of school also be able to help pet owners with any dog behavioral problems that they are having.

If you do not have a dog, it is a good idea to try to either get one or find someone that will let you work with theirs. The classes that you are going to be taking are more of a hand on class than a book and study class. If you want to buy a dog and you are not sure what the perfect one is for you, ask a professor they are there to help you with this, they will also teach you how to help others choose their pet.

• Allow your professors to also show you how ensure a human and dog bond when you finally decide on and get your puppy. This bond will help you to train your puppy to go outside, learn new tricks and follow your command. Once you have learned the secret to successfully bonding with your dog this is just one more than that you can teach the clients that you will work for in the future.

Not enough time to go through schooling? Not to worry for those of you who have to work while you are going to school, these schools for the most part are self paced. You do not have to go to classes. You choose the time and the place to do your studies. Thanks to the Internet and online schooling, anyone no matter what their schedule is can now further their careers or chase their dreams. Therefore, there is no one to rush you, but you are not alone. There are experts standing by to help you when you need help.

• If you are not sure how to find the right college choice for you, you have to start by looking around in your area. Some community college will offer online courses through them. Courses that do not require you to complete any core programs, allowing you to make advances in the career of your choice. If there is not a college near you than do some Internet browsing around, go to Google and type in "online dog training courses. In most cases, it does not matter how far away you live from the online base school because all homework and tests are taken at home and submitted to the professors via email, or online classroom.

Thomas Johnsen is a popular Author and the Leading Expert on Pet Insurance. For more information about Mr. Johnsen and to find his reviews of Sainsburys Pet Insurance and ASDA Pet Insurance, click the links for instant access.

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Sometimes it is Better For Dog Trainers to "Just Say No"

Sometimes it is Better For Dog Trainers to "Just Say No"

By Karen L. Duet

Dog Trainers usually get into the business of training dogs in order to help dogs and owners live healthier and happier lives together. I know that when I got into the business of training dogs 30 years ago I was very idealistic. My goal was to make every dog and owner relationship the best that it could be. Although this goal has not changed, it has become a lot more realistic over the years.

• One thing I learned pretty early on is that I didn't have any control over the situations that were going to be presented to me. It was the owners that truly cared about their dogs and truly wanted to learn how to improve their relationships that kept me going. If it was not for these positive and motivated souls I probably would have given up early on. The rewards in the business of dog training has very little to do with money. Sure, everyone who runs a business wants to make money at it, but believe me, there are easier ways to make money. I currently work over 12 hour days because with a kennel on our property and a full time staff I wake up in the morning working and don't totally relax until the dogs are put away at night and the staff leaves at 9:00 pm. This is 365 days per year because dogs need care constantly just like children.

When you can actually make a difference in the lives of people and dogs this is the greatest reward possible. Having people say things like "we love you guys" or "this is the best money we ever spent and it has made such a difference in our lives" is music to our ears. It is this kind of response to our services that keeps us going. Likewise, our staff of trainers have the same response to this type of praise. Since we are dealing with the public there are many times that frustrations arise. People can be rude, entitled, chronically late for appointments, demanding, and sometimes just downright unreasonable. Like most businesses we try to take this in stride as much as possible. Over the years however, we have learned that there is a line we have to draw in the sand at a certain point and say "this far and no further."

• At times it isn't really the dog or the owner that is the problem, it is simply the situation. A couple of situations we see on a fairly regular basis is a mismatch of dog and owner or a mismatch of dog to environment. In this case, training may help the overall situation but cannot totally rectify the problem.Take for instance a client who is in her 70's who is given a Malamute puppy. The woman weighs in at 100 pounds and has fragile bones. She lives alone without much help from the grandchildren that presented her with this puppy. Or the couple who decided to purchase an adult Great Dane and a Saint Bernard puppy even though they lived in a small apartment without a patio or balcony. Although a trainer can be of assistance in these situations, to some degree the situations themselves create the problem.

The focus of this article however, is not the typical difficulties that trainers encounter with the public and their dogs, but rather what I call the "red flag" clients and dogs. These are clients and/or dogs that can get a trainer into various kinds of trouble and conflict. This trouble could range from verbal arguments, to lawsuits, workers compensation cases due to injuries inflicted by the dog, or even in worst case scenarios physical violence towards the trainer because the client turns out to be unstable or even a convicted felon. All of these situations can and will happen to the trainer at some time in their career through absolutely no fault of their own. The last point should be understood, these things can happen to even the most experienced and the most diligent trainer with the best intentions in the world. Why? Because we have no control over who comes through our doors. The only thing we as trainers can do is to learn where to draw the line.

"Red Flag" clients or dogs usually fall into one of 3 categories:

• 1) Dangerous dog with well intentioned owner: This situation is the best of the three scenarios because you at least have a reasonable person to deal with. The typical situation we encounter here is that the dog is the potential threat to the staff. To a certain degree a dog who is dominant or fear aggressive may be worth the risk to rehabilitate because you have good and well intentioned owners in this case. There are however, the cases where the dog is dangerously aggressive and may have already had bites on record. You can predict that the dog will bite a staff member or trainer. This is a difficult decision but the experienced trainer knows where to draw the line at protecting the staff. Looking at the worst case scenario here, a badly bitten trainer could be out of commission for quite awhile. There is also the possibility of complications from a bite due to infection or severity of a wound that could put the trainer in to a state of permanent disability. This client is not difficult to turn down for training because they are reasonable enough to understand that you cannot put your staff at risk. They understand that it is the dog and not them personally that you must refuse. They will often be appreciative of your honesty and advice and return later with another dog.

2) Unreasonable owner with a difficult dog: The typical owner in this situation is one who is either in denial about their dog and/or expects you to magically change their dog into something that it is not and never will be. Take for instance the owner who brings in a dog that is genetically high strung. When a trainer explains that some of the things the client is complaining about are due to breed characteristics or perhaps just bad breeding, the client may disregard this information and insist that the training must solve this problem altogether. This client may demand guarantees on results and show little interest in being involved in the training themselves. The overwhelming feeling one gets with talking to an owner like this is that the impression they have of training is that if they pay enough they will get back the perfect dog with a remote control and they will not have to do anything themselves to help train the dog.

In addition to having an unhappy client as an end result (which is bad enough if you are a trainer who cares about a job well done) you also have to be worried about being taken to court by this client when the training is completed. In addition, the client could be mentally or emotionally unstable which can add to the difficulty of working with them and having a successful result. This is another area where our rule of thumb is when you start getting the "red flag" just don't go there.

We have been accused of being "picky" about who we work with in the past. I would rather be called "picky" than have to deal with this type of person in the long run. The difficulty in this situation is being honest and telling this person that you cannot work with them because you don't believe they will be happy in the long run. It is difficult to be that honest but it is necessary. Don't worry too much about this client as they will go down the road and find another trainer that will gladly take their money and worry about the end result later.

• 3) Unreasonable owner with perfectly trainable dog: This is without a doubt the hardest person to turn down for training. The dog may be a great training prospect and you could be very excited about what you could accomplish with the dog, and then there is the owner. One example of this was a client who purchased a puppy from us. All of the puppies in the litter had turned out great and excelled in training. His puppy was no exception and we were very excited about training her. The problem was that every time he called us he found something to argue about on the phone. During one conversation he explained that he was being checked by the doctor for something that was wrong with his brain. We noticed that his behavior was very erratic. I thought that maybe he and I were just not clicking and if I took myself out of the equation that he would be okay with other staff members. What I found was that he did the same thing to the office manager, and the training director. We finally had to deny training to him because nobody wanted to deal with him. This was better than having him as a client and being forced to deal with him for the foreseeable future.

In another case we had a client who was in drug rehab. He wanted us to provide him with a Service Dog Certification for his dog even though it hadn't been trained for this. We declined to do so of course, and he went away for awhile. He then brought his original dog plus a new one in for further obedience training. Not a problem. He was a difficult guy to deal with for a variety of reasons but thus far had been tolerable. Suddenly, in the midst of signing his dogs up, he declares that he wants a guarantee that his new dog's neck will be the same when it comes back. When asked what he was talking about he stated that his male dog now had folds of skin on the back of his neck that weren't there before the training. What? When he showed us what he was talking about it, was folds of extra skin and fat on the back of his neck. He was a male Pit Bull with a short neck and this is quite normal for his genetic makeup and had nothing whatsoever to do with training. When we explained this he seemed to accept it but still insisted that we guarantee that this would not happen to his female. We explained that this was a matter of genetics and conformation and had nothing to do with training and therefore we could not guarantee that his females neck would not change in the timing she was with us as she was a growing pup. He still kept insisting on such a guarantee which made us question his thinking processes. In addition, he stated that his goals for both dogs was protection training. Okay "red flag" between the disconnect about the neck structure issue and the fact that he was in rehab and wanted protection trained Pit Bulls, we had to say "no" sorry we just don't want to go there with you.

When it comes to protection training a trainer must be careful about deciding who to work with and who not to. In the state of California a person can be charged with a felony if their dog bites someone by accident and it can be proven that they trained their dog to bite. In addition, the dog trainer can be dragged into the lawsuit for purposes of deep pockets. There is not any current criteria for how a protection dog is trained or by who. Therefore, every trainer has their own criteria for training that is self imposed. For some this means no criteria at all. Anyone who can pay who possesses a dog who can do the work will get trained. Not to worry the aforementioned client already has an out of state trainer lined up to train his Pit Bulls.

• For us personally beyond the ability for the dog to do the work and enjoy it, we have a very strict criteria. The dog must first have been trained through on and off leash obedience and the owner must be able to demonstrate (themselves) that the dog will work through these paces for them personally. The trainers must have been to the clients home and seen that the dog is being properly housed, cared for, and trained, and that there is no apparent illegal activity. The owner must have a reputation with the staff as being un-upstanding citizen without signs of questionable judgement. Our filter involves allowing people who pass this initial phase onto Level 1 protection training which is Threat Training and still does not teach the dog to bite. There is then a second filter based on what we see in that phase to take a client on to the Level 2 Training where the bite work begins. Because of this most of our clients with protection dogs are law enforcement, security, current or former military, and professionals such as doctors, lawyers and judges.

In the business of Pet Dog Training dog trainers are left to set rules and guidelines for their own individual businesses. This leaves those moral and ethical judgments up to individuals that are as diverse as their business practices. In our business we have a series of checks and balances to assess our client satisfaction rate. Each client is called and their satisfaction recorded at the end of their contracted training. We train approximately 1000 dogs per year with a 99% success rate. The handful of clients each year that we cannot satisfy each year are generally due to circumstances beyond our control. We still agonize over these few clients and vow to try to do better. Sometimes doing better turns out to be just not doing it at all in the first place! "Lessons learned in combat" as my husband would say.

• Karen Duet is co-owner with her husband George of K-9 Companions Dog Training in Riverside California. Having trained dogs for 30 years and authored 4 books on dog training subjects she now promotes education to promote the understanding of dog behavior to the public utilizing print and media.Her latest book: Dog Training 101 is designed for this purpose. Other titles she has authored include:

The Home & Family Protection Dog, The Business Security K-9, and Advanced Schutzhund which was nominated for a Maxwell Award in 2000.

For more information on books and training courses offered by the author please go to:

http://www.K-9Companions.com

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Save Money by Training Your Dog at Home

Save Money by Training Your Dog at Home

By Sparrow Darling

In today's challenged economy, with gas prices and food prices reaching the Heavens, we all need to cut a few corners. For those of us that have dogs, we will probably start looking for ways to save money. Training your dog at home can be one of those ways, as health care for your dog can not be cut out. So, if you have a new dog in your life, (or a dog that simply needs training), you may want to think about training your dog yourself. There's a great deal of satisfaction in being able to say that you trained your dog yourself. However, that only applies if the dog is well trained! Imagine impressing your family and friends with a very obedient, well behaved canine companion.

• But, where to start? Where do you begin? Well, in order to have good results with your efforts at training your dog, you must also have some proper instruction. You also need to remember that exercising patience is a huge priority on your part. Yelling, hitting, or jerking your dog is never acceptable. You will never gain his trust that way. Hopefully, you got your dog because you love dogs and want to have a great dog companion, so therefore kindness is the order of the day.

If you have a puppy, you won't be able to hold his attention for more than 10 minutes at a time, but maybe you can have several training sessions daily. Add some form of doggy treat as a reward. But please try to give a fresh, natural food as a doggy treat, not the chemical laden, processed products filled with ingredients that you don't recognize and cannot pronounce on the label. Remember, if you feed your dog substandard food you will certainly have health problems and vet bills down the road. So start them out right with quality food as rewards for training. A healthy dog will be a good student for learning. Not only should his rewards treats for training be healthy, but his daily diet should be as well.

• Most of us have very busy schedules, so we need the quickest and the fastest dog training methods available, with the best up to date, easy to follow instructions. This is the only way you can achieve your desired results. Once you discover the absolute best method, used by many, many dog owners, you will be on your way to having the Best Trained Dog!

And you'll be able to proudly say that you trained your dog yourself, at home. And saved money doing so. Think of it as homeschooling for your canine buddy. Who knows, your friends may want you to train their dogs. This could be the beginning of a whole new career!

There's more timely information, interesting articles and poems and thoughts by Sparrow Darling at http://www.dogsandothercompanions.com

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What Certified Dog Trainers Do

What Certified Dog Trainers Do

By Dr. Mayra Alfonso

In a dog's life, the owner is probably the center of his world. But if most dog owners have the passion for their pets, not all of them have the time or knowledge to train their pets. So, when dog training before was regarded as just a small time specialist's job, the attitude of the time has changed. Being a certified dog trainer is to be considered to be a good career. Dogs certainly need training. More so than most owners know about it.

Dog trainers are often people who do what they love. They have a passion for pets. What they usually have to teach are the basics of dog and owner bonding and how they are to interact with each other. Dog trainers find it a reward to have an effect, in their job, passing along their experience-tested knowledge to people with the same pet passion as they have.

• If you're not in love with the idea of taking care of pets, don't become his trainer. Its first requirement is a love for animals, and since you own a dog, I assume you love your dog. But love is not the only requirement to become your dog's trainer; you also need to have the patience and commitment to train them.

Dogs aren't always cute. You have to clean their poop, too. Most people put off calling up a dog trainer until their dogs become hostile. And when they are called up, the dog's training begins, from the moment the trainer steps inside the home, and throughout the dog's natural life. To train a dog means you must know how the dog's mind and his body works, and how most effectively to communicate with them. Usually the puppy stage is where owners rack up doggie complaints; it's the time when dogs need the most training, and when dog trainers are most needed. There will be times when trainers hold classes on how to train a puppy. It's not too different from teaching a child in the early years.

• But sometimes dogs misbehave, and some special course is crafted to train them. Many techniques and various methods are tried. Instructions from the dog trainer are aimed at orienting the owner to train their dog. The usual technique is through positive rewards. Other topics cover safety for both owner and dog. Difficult dogs can be difficult to deal with, and it helps to know the basics of dealing with dogs, especially those with histories of violence. The actual training begins once the course has been designed to train the dog.

How a dog behaves is dependent on how the dog trainer handles him. So a responsible owner-trainer will train his pet not to chew on property, inside and outside the home. Destruction to property -- eaten flowers and chewed on furniture -- is a common complaint against dogs. This is their nature. So if they are neglected, they will cease to be nice and will remember only being punished for chewing up things. Dogs have feelings, too. So it's important for us to be careful in dealing with them.

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's dog training blog [http://www.cooldoghalloffame.com/dog-training/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-certified-dog-trainer/2675] right now...

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The Role of a Certified Dog Trainer

The Role of a Certified Dog Trainer

By Dr. Mayra Alfonso

A dog trainer plays an important role in the life of a dog. These persons are those who have an inevitable passion for animals. Although, it may sometimes be just an ordinary home job, dog training is now considered a career in which real people do get the benefit of having a certified job.

Dog training is vital in taking care of a dog. Being a dog trainer may not sound like a traditional office job, however, it is a job where a person is apparently doing what he or she loves. The dog trainer is the ultimate instrument in training both the dog owner and the pert about the basics of bonding and interacting with each other. It is quite satisfying and overwhelming to know the skills that you have as a trainer can be passed on to other people who indeed have the same passion as yours.

To become a certified dog trainer, you must first and fore most be enthusiastic with animals in general. Training dogs requires patience and the desire and commitment to interact with animals. Dog training takes off with both knowledge and innate passionate for you to become successful in your craft. A lot of people hesitates to consult a certified dog trainer until the moment that the dog displays signs of aggression. Dog training initially begins the moment that the owner brings home a dog and it will continue throughout the dog's lifetime. Training begins with the basic. Basic means understanding dog behavior and knowing the psychology and physiology of the pet and learning how to communicate with them. Puppy training is usually the stage where most dog owners experiences basic training problem. This is where a certified dog trainer comes in handy. They sometimes offer classes about how to properly deal with a puppy the way a school teacher would deal with a child.

• The moment that the basic of dog's behavior goes down, the specialized coursework which is design to train a dog with variety of methods and techniques begins. These instructions teaches dog owners to how to use a variety of instruction to train the pet through positive reinforcement. Other steps included in the instruction is teaching safety to both the dog and the owner. It very important to know the basics of dealing with difficult dogs that has a past history of pet fighting and violence. As soon as the coursework is complete, the trainer is now ready to commence the training proper.

The behavior of the dog varies on how well they are handled by their trainer. A responsible owner see to it that her pet goes through the proper dog obedience training and that is properly trained so as not to cause damage or destruction not only to her own self but to the others surrounding them. Dogs are sweet in nature, however, they can be very destructive and aggressive when they feel that they are neglected and are always being punished. Remember, animals also have a life, they have feelings, that is why it is important for dog trainers to be very careful with their actions.

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's dog training blog [http://www.CoolDogHallofFame.com] right now...

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's dog training blog [http://www.cooldoghalloffame.com/dog-training/what-certified-dog-trainers-do/2589] right now...

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Dog Walking for a Living

Dog Walking for a Living

By Veronica Boutelle

As seasons go, summer inspires by far the most career changes. That's hardly a surprise. Gazing out on one perfect sunny day after another from behind the dreary landscape of our desks, few are the people who can say they've never given a thought to being a river guide, a rancher, a deckhand on a luxury liner. For many dog lovers, those rosy-tinged, outdoorsy dreams concern dog walking. A life of easy days, surrounded by nature and happy pooches-but in reality, there's much more to the job.

• People from every thinkable vocation-lawyers and computer programmers, sales reps and accountants, nurses and writers, ex-military personnel and classical musicians-give up their previous, often very successful, careers to walk other people's dogs. And yes, if you love dogs and worship the outdoors, if you yearn to be your own boss and don't mind being your own office manager, marketing exec, and customer service representative to boot, dog walking just might be for you. That said, if it seems as easy as slapping a leash on a few dogs and going for a stroll you'll likely be surprised.

In today's densely populated, greatly regulated, and litigious world, in which people's pets are integral to the family like never before, good, safe dog walking demands technical skill, physical stamina, and in-depth knowledge of everything from dog behavior and pack management to canine first aid and trail etiquette. There are advantages, of course. The freedom, for one thing-a dog walker starts her day at whatever time suits her and doesn't have to dress up for work. For another, there's the daily shower of love. In each house on his route, a dog walker is greeted by his charges with an enthusiasm quite unequaled by anything known in the corporate world. And for the type of person best suited for dog walking, the time on the trail-or at the beach or dog park-is what makes it all worthwhile. Aside from the obvious physical and mental health benefits of fresh air, exercise, and being in a tranquil natural setting for hours every day, some walkers talk of the sheer pleasure of watching dogs romp and interact. For anyone with an interest in dog behavior, dog walking is fertile study ground, with all its unconstrained play and pack interaction far from the busy streets of the city.

• That, however, bring us to what dog walkers often rank as the worst part of the job: the driving. The grind of going from house to house to collect dogs is fine at the outset, but it wears you down over time-how many happy taxi drivers have you met in your life? Most dog walkers keep the driving to a minimum by choosing clients within a limited geographical area and timing their driving cycles to avoid heavy traffic. Still, if you're considering dog walking as a career, expect to spend at least as much time in the car as on the trail.

If traffic is impossible to control, so is the weather, and as with any outdoor work, bad weather brings its own set of trials for dog walkers. Soaked, muddy dogs have to be cleaned up before they can be let back into their homes, so count toweling off and possibly hosing down each dog plus washing loads of dirty towels as part of the job, too. And finally there's the loneliness inherent in a job that comprises minimal human contact.

• These are the pros and cons most people come up with when they consider dog walking. Freedom, exercise, and doggie love are the major pluses, and too much driving, occasional bad weather, and scant human contact are the minuses. That, however, is not all there is to dog walking. First of all, it is a business like any other and as such it involves paperwork, customer service, marketing, accounting, and so on, all of which the walker has to find time for outside of the hours he or she spends walking and driving. Secondly, it is a common misconception that dog walking is easy. It is, if you are walking two arthritic dachshunds that you know well, but that won't pay the rent. Or even the movie tickets.

No doubt this fallacy stems from the humble beginnings of dog walking. Once upon the 1950s and 60s we simply paid the kid down the street a dollar to get Fido out for us. As we have packed into tighter urban spaces, the risks involved in little Jimmy walking Fido no longer allow for that solution, but pet owners have even less time to walk Fido, who needs regular, vigorous exercise over and above what he can get in our smaller and smaller backyards. Hence the birth of professional dog walking. And a professional is what it takes to safely navigate six to eight rambunctious dogs through densely populated areas and heavily used natural spaces.

• As Kim Moeller, an experienced dog walker and trainer, puts it, "To manage and train a group of dogs is much more difficult than people realize. Nobody is surprised that training a sled dog pack requires expert knowledge and skill. I don't know why anyone thinks dog walking is different."

Many walkers start out with just their summer dreams, a love of dogs, and the experience of walking their own pets, and soon realize the job is also about dog training and being responsible for the safety of someone else's beloved pet. It's about interacting with other trail users (some of whom are not dog lovers) in a responsible fashion and having the appropriate licenses and insurance, knowing when and how to say no to a client whose dog would fit badly into your particular pack and knowing what to do if a fight breaks out on the trail, structuring your route to cut down on driving time and gasoline consumption, and so on.

Despite the challenges, a lot of dog walkers think they have the best job in the world. One walker once told me, "My worst day on the trail is better than the best day in my old job."

It is pointed out too rarely what a great contribution dog walkers make to the quality of life of the dogs they serve. Instead of being home alone all day, these dogs are given crucial exercise and social interactions, which isn't just healthy, it keeps dogs safe and in permanent homes, too. Studies show that many dogs given up or returned to shelters are there because of normal expressions of boredom or lack of exercise: barking, chewing, excess energy, and so on. Dogs are doing their level best to fit into our twenty-first century lifestyles, the least we can do in return is to take their physical and mental health seriously. That means entrusting your pet to a professional.

• If You Want to Walk Dogs

� Get educated and certified. Learn dog body language, pack management techniques, building a strong recall, fight prevention and protocols, canine first aid, pack composition, business practices, etc.

� Start a legitimate business-get your business license and other necessary paperwork, obtain professional insurance, and research the rules for walking in your area.

� Talk to other walkers to learn of their experiences and ask to join them for some hands on experience.

Veronica Boutelle, M.A. Ed, CTC

http://dogtec.org

dogtec is a full-service business and marketing support organization for the dog pro industry. We help dog professionals set up, operate, and prosper in their chosen field.

For more information about becoming a dog walker, or about our Dog Walking Academy, visit us at the website listed above.

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