This electronic dog training collar can be used for a variety of bad dog behaviors. It can be used if the dog is chasing cars, going through garbage cans or barking when it is not appropriate. Any of these behaviors can be easily corrected by a simple zap. The dog will come to recognize that when it is doing something that it repeatedly gets zapped when performing that deed. They also come to notice that they no longer get shocked when they stop the unwanted action. As soon as they are able to make this connection they will permanently stop the behavior that causes the shock. They will not necessarily make the connection between the momentary discomfort of the shock and their collar.

One of the things that pet owners like about this electronic dog training collar is that they do not have to yell at their dog, hit it or chase after when it is doing something wrong. They are able to punish the dog without them making the connection between the punishment and their owner. Many dog owners feel this is a benefit. Many other dog owners feel that the electronic dog training collar is a cruel method of training a dog and that it should be banned. This point has been argued many times. Trainers claim that this trains a dog quickly. It teaches them to obey their owners without a long training program. They come to know fast what is expected of them.

Dog owners who use the electronic dog training collar say that is breaks the dog of bad habits quickly and so its better for the animal then a long term training program. Yet, there are many other dog owners who just won’t be convinced that this device is anything but cruelty to animals.

You can’t just pick out a random dog walking and sitting service and entrust your pet’s life to them, right? There are a few things you must do before handing over your pet to doggy day care. Below are some tips that may help:

1. Do some canvassing for dog walking and sitting services. It is important that you find out what exactly is on the itinerary for a normal day with your pet. You should also know how long the dog sitter has been offering this service to make sure he/she is knowledgeable in the pet care industry. Compare the prices and schedules of different dog sitting services so that you can find the one that is most suitable to your work schedule and budget.

2. Reputable dog walking and sitting services should be able to give you some references of pet owners who have been employing their services for a long time. This is important because some dog sitting services pretend to be pet-friendly but they really aren’t. Remember that you are leaving your pet with these people for several hours in a day. You need to make sure you can trust them to be with your pet all day.

3. Arrange for a face-to-face meeting before agreeing to employ a dog walking and sitting service. You’ll need this to see how your dog responds to his walkers. If your dog isn’t hostile to the walker, then you know that your pet will be in good company.

What You Should Look for in a Dog Walking and Sitting Service

As you canvass different dog sitting services, you are most definitely going to find several bad ones and a few good ones. Here are some things you should look for in every good dog walking and sitting service.

Below is a set of criteria you can keep in mind when considering a dog walking and sitting service. With these 5 criteria, you’ll be able to make a more complete decision that’s perfect for your pet:

1. References – Sometimes the best advertisements come from complete hearsay. If you’ve heard of a good dog walking and sitting service from your neighbors or workmates, then it’s best that you check out the service for yourself. The service itself could also give you references but they could be biased customers as well.

2. No Discrimination – Disabilities, diseases, breed or size should not be a problem for the good dog sitting services. It’s their job to take care of your dog for you while you are busy with a full day’s work or if you’re away from your home.

3. Insurance – A good dog walking and sitting service should have insurance. Although not a requirement by law, insurance is good to have . They should be able to cover any damages in case of an emergency.

4. Flat rates – You shouldn’t be asked to pay surcharges of any kind because the dog sitting services that do usually just look for extra ways to make money and don’t really care about the pets. Look for a flat rate all year round.

5. Flexibility – A good dog walking and sitting service aims to help you take care of your pet while you work. With that, they are aware that your working hours may change from time to time and they should be able to work a good time around that.

The family breeder is a well-intentioned person who likes cute, wiggly puppies, and thinks it might be a good experience for the kids, and a pleasure for the mother-dog. Unfortunately, all of the good intentions in the world cannot produce quality puppies. Dog breeding takes knowledge, experience, and a little artistry, with a good measure of luck thrown into the mix.

A female dog whose overriding qualification for breeding is her family’s affection can hardly be expected to reliably produce sound, healthy, attractive puppies. A family can easily overlook the shortcomings of their pregnant dog because they love her. When she is bred to a neighbor’s dog whose qualifications as a stud are no better, the resulting puppies can be just fine – or they may grow up to be total disappointments as family pets.

Why take a chance on epilepsy or shyness when you can pay a little more at a registered kennel and get a guaranteed puppy which has a better start in life?

Pet Shops

At a pet shop you can spend just as much, if not more, than you would at a registered kennel, but without receiving any of the benefits. Many puppies end up in a pet shop before they are even weaned properly. Disease control is difficult in a place where exposure to germs cannot be controlled. Some dogs may not even be vaccinated against distemper. There is no opportunity to see the sire or the dam either.

Perhaps the biggest drawback is the pet shop owner’s inability to give the puppies adequate socialization. Studies have shown that all puppies require plenty of love and attention from the time their eyes open until they reach three months of age. This is a critical time in a puppy’s life. Without enough affection the puppy’s entire personality can be warped or stunted, resulting in puppies that grow up to be cowardly, or indifferent to human companionship. Pet shop owners do not have the time necessary to spend with growing puppies.

The Worst Place To Buy A Puppy

Probably the worst place to buy a puppy is at a puppy mill. Puppy mills exist solely to make a profit from the sale of puppies. Dogs of breeds that are currently popular are purchased and bred ruthlessly until their popularity wanes; they are then replaced with a new breed that is all the rage.

No attention is paid to bloodlines, genetics, or the reproduction of quality. There are no redeeming values in a puppy mill – except to the manager’s bank account!

Why Puppy Proof

Just as with a child, it is impossible to keep your eye on your puppy every second that you are at home. If you take the time to properly puppy proof your home then you can be sure that your puppy and your belongings are safe. It will allow your puppy the freedom to safely explore your home and it will allow you the freedom to do what you need to do in your home without crating or otherwise confining your pet.

How to Puppy Proof

The first thing you want to do is get down on your dog’s level. Crawl around on your hands and knees and think about things that might get chewed on, ripped or otherwise ruined. Then remove the temptation. If your dog routinely chews on shoes, for example, then make sure all shoes are properly put away in the closet. If your dog chews your child’s stuffed animals then keep the stuffed animals in a room away from your dog. Those are easy puppy proofing activities.

It becomes harder to puppy proof when the objects your puppy is chewing can’t be removed from the room. For example, if your dog likes to gnaw on the living room couch then you have a couple of choices (none of which include removing the couch from the room). The choices do include either keeping the dog out of the room unless s/he is being very closely supervised or spraying the furniture with something that tastes bad to the dog. There are commercial sprays that are made for this very purpose or you can use something hot and spicy such as a Chinese oil.

Also, keep in mind some of the important baby proofing rules and apply them to your puppy proofing. For example, any cleaning or other substance that is potentially harmful or even lethal to your pet should be kept from his reach. Puppies can knock over bottles and their sharp nails can cause little holes to rupture the bottles giving them access to poisonous materials. Also, remove anything that is small enough for your puppy to choke on from his reach. Further, if you have floor plants or flowers in easy reach, then consider the possibility that your dog might take a bite out of it. Anything that is within the dog’s reach may have to moved until s/he is older and more obedient.

As your puppy gets older his or her need to chew, explore or just plain destroy something will dwindle and you will be able to slowly phase out the puppy proofing tools. In the meantime, taking precautions will allow your puppy to explore his or her home in a safe way and protect the puppy from getting hurt.

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Besides checking for good temperament, ask if the parents of the puppy have any history of inheritable diseases. There are many debilating inheritable diseases common to dogs. Some are quite prevalent, such as hip dysplasia, retinal atrophy, and epilepsy. If the breeder is willing to guarantee that the dog has no inheritable health problems or temperament faults then you can confidently go about choosing your puppy.

Merchandise is usually sold with a guarantee against defects in materials or craftsmanship. There is no reason why a professional breeder shouldn’t be willing to provide the same sort of guarantee against poor temperament and inheritable disease.  You might also want to include assurances that the dog will be suitable for the purpose you have purchased him – for example, hunting or herding instinct, or breeding quality for show dogs.

If your dog does develop a condition covered by the agreement, you may find it necessary to destroy the dog and ask for a replacement from the breeder. If you choose to keep the dog in spite of this, the breeder may or may not agree to replace him or refund your money in whole or in part. The terms will be a matter of mutual agreement so be sure to work them out to your satisfaction and have them written out at the bill of sale.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a guarantee. If the breeder is a good one then he or she will have no  hesitation about backing up the quality of the animals. If fact, the breeder will probably regard you more favorably for your concern.

If you have to negotiate the purchase of your new puppy by telephone or letter, you will have to rely heavily on impressions. However, remember to inquire about temperament, inheritable diseases, and a written guarantee for both. Ask for the parents, O.F.A. (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) numbers too; this will ensure that the dogs have been x-rayed for hip dysplasia and are registered clear with the O.F.A.

Insist that photos of the sire and the dam be sent to you as well. Everything considered, whether you purchase by telephone or in person, a registered kennel is the best place to go to buy your new puppy.

While it is true that many animals, just like many people, are very close to perfection than others, it is highly doubtful that any specific animal (or group of animals) can realistically be perceived as “perfect”.

A Crime Of Attitude

It is quite surprising just how naive humans can be in their outlook towards their canine friends. Everyday, puppies are returned to pet stores from individuals who have a handful of complaints from so-called imperfections of the animal. These minor imperfections cause puppies to be passed from home to home without anyone taking the time to try to understand them before hoisting them off to the next family.

Young puppies that come down with an illness or a debilitating handicap are most often put to death by euthanasia rather than the owners committing the love and care to help it cope with its disease or handicap. It’s just the easy way out.

The basic theory seems to be clear: “toss away the less-than-perfect dog, for he can be quickly replaced by a more perfect one… hopefully.”

Realistically, Complete Perfection Is Impossible

If you are one of these owners who has illegitimately “thrown away” a not-so-perfect dog or puppy, then it is quite obvious that you are used to simply exchanging problems instead of eliminating them.

These animals are living creatures, just like you, just like your children and your family. How in the world can you expect each one to be perfect? Is the life of a dog not worth the extra care or attention?

Also like humans, dogs may not only come with imperfections in health, they also come with complex emotional systems that may be experiencing some sort of malfunction at one time or another. Many owners concede that when a dog starts to display an unwanted characteristic, whether it be physical or mental, it is then time to dispose of the dog for a replacement.

What Will It Take?

How difficult can it possibly be for pet owners to start thinking of their animals as sensitive living beings that need more love and attention than simply filling up the food dish and taking the dog out for a walk? My favorite quote is: “Dogs have rights too!”

And not only does your dog have rights to a life of love and care, regardless of many imperfect circumstances, he also has the right to be recognized for exactly what he is, which is a creature that is neither more perfect or less perfect than the owner that cares for it. If you do not make it a practice to discard your children for their imperfections, your friends, spouse or siblings, then have the decency to treat your pet the same way.